THE PERFECT SUMMER EXPERIENCE PREMED REALITY: A PERSONAL STORY TOP 10 APPS FOR PREMEDS
THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR PRE-MEDICAL STUDENTS
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013
Bon Voyage!
MEDICAL SCHOOL ABROAD What You Think You Know (but Don’t) About Medical Schools Outside the U.S.
PLUS:
2013 Pre-Med Summer Program Guide Including program dates, program descriptions, perks offered & deadlines!
SCHOOL
SPOTLIGHT The University of Maryland School of Medicine keeps pace with educating the doctors of tomorrow
+
An Interview with Premed Advice Guru
Dr. Sujay Kansagra from Twitter’s @MedSchoolAdvice
Admission Sabotage
Easy Ways to Ruin Your Chances of Getting Great Recommendation Letters
Studying Abroad
5 Things Every Premed Should Know Before Going
Social Media Activity May Affect Med School Admission p.12 | University Announces New Pre-Med Major p.15
contents
premedlife|january/february 2013 “I was also told to explore my options, never come into college with the mindset that I would only think about pre-med.” p. 28
You may be sabotaging your medical school dreams and not even know it
p.32
16 COVER STORY
BON VOYAGE! MEDICAL SCHOOLS ABROAD
A closer look at some of the most common misconceptions and myths about attending a foreign medical school. For those considering this option, find out what you think you know (but don’t) about medical schools outside of the United States.
23
INTERVIEW TIPS FROM A MEDICAL SCHOOL INSIDER Founder of Insider Medical Admissions shares her advice on succeeding at your medical school interview
28
BACK IN THE DAY WITH SUJAY M. KANSAGRA, MD Twitter’s @MedSchoolAdvice and author of Everything I Learned In Medical School: Besides All The Book Stuff talks about what being a pre-med was like and life after medical school
32
ARE YOU SABOTAGING YOUR ADMISSION TO MEDICAL SCHOOL? Easy ways to sabotage your chances for getting great letters of recommendation for medical school
41
THE EARLY DECISION OPTION Find out if you're in a good enough position to apply to the early decision program at your first-choice medical school
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 3
contents/departments
premedlife|january/february 2013 “It’s never too early to start thinking about the letters of recommendation you’ll need for medical school” p. 33
IN THIS ISSUE
An interview with Dr. Sujay Kansagra, the medical school advice guru
The Perfect Summer Experience | 38 Nth Dimensions recognizes Sean Spence as the 2012 Orthopaedic Summer Internship winner
p.28
Study Abroad: 5 Things Every Premed Should Know | 44 Things you should know before signing up for a study abroad program as a pre-med student Interview Tips From An Insider | 23 Founder of Insider Medical Admissions shares her advice on succeeding at your medical school interview
DEPARTMENTS Newsbites| 10 Relevant news & information for students applying to medical school School Spotlight: University of Maryland| 77 The oldest public medical school keeps pace with educating tomorrow’s doctors Especially This Specialty: Pathologist | 78 Find out what being a pathologist is all about and what it takes to become one The Goods| 80 Gadgets & gizmos to keep you entertained. Check out our picks for this issue In The Stacks|83 Books to inspire you or provide you with advice along your journey to medical school Better Life, Better You| 84 Advice & tips for taking care of yourself to make it through your hectic pre-med life
SPECIAL SECTION Social media activity may affect your admission chances
p.12
4 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
2013 Pre-Med Summer Program Guide| 46 Over 30 pages of summer programs for pre-med students. From research internshps to MCAT prep classes, programs are available in California, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and many more locations across the U.S.
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PREMEDLIFE the lifestyle magazine for premedical students www.premedlife.com Publisher/CEO | Sheema Prince Executive Director/COO | Jonathan Pearson EVP, Operations | Monique Terc Managing Editor | Monica Lee Contributing Editor | Njeri McKenzie Digital Editor | Donald Gibbons Contributing Writers | Nth Dimensions Staff, Michelle Finkel, MD, Spanish Medman
With another year behind, 2013 brings a brand new year for you to make it happen! If you have already been working your butt off to do whatever it is you need to do to make medical school happen - keep on grinding. And if you have been slacking now's the time to get it together if you're really serious about this thing called medical school. Getting into medical school is sure as heck no walk in the park and you'll have to work to get to where you want to be. The nice thing about the beginning of a new year is that it brings an opportunity for you to MENTALLY start on a new foot - that is if you need to. The beginning of the new year gives you the chance to make brand new promises to yourself about how hard you're going to work to gain admission to medical school. The process of being able to set goals for yourself and seeing them through to the finish will leave you with the best feeling ever. As you start off the new year and move through each day, it is very important to think about the decisions you make on a daily basis and what the outcome of your decisions - good or bad - will bring. Being successful at gaining entry into medical school will come down to the decisions that you make along your journey. Each day you are faced with choices that can take you in many different directions depending on the decisions that you make. You can decide to spend an extra hour studying or spend it hanging out with friends. You can decide to complete the problems assigned for a class or go further and complete some extra problems or additional work to better your understanding. You can decide to let a poor grade on an exam discourage you or you can seek tutoring to improve your grade. You have choices and the decisions you make count big time. While it may take a good amount of willpower to make certain decisions, the trick is thinking about the bigger picture and the greater goal in making the choices you do make. If you work hard, you deserve the opportunity to see your dreams become reality so don't let bad decisions get in your way and trip you up. With the new year underway, take a few moments at the beginning of each day to remind yourself that the decisions you make throughout the day and the sum of those decisions over the course of the coming months and years will - or will not - get you into medical school. So, stop messing around and make this medical school thing happen. Happy New Year!
Sheema
Sheema Prince
Publisher tprince@premedlife.com
6 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
Social Media Manager | Tammy Li Editorial Intern | Samuel Montes Find us on Twitter @premedlife Find us on Facebook.com/premedlife Here’s How To Reach Us: Kisho Media, LLC P.O. Box 7049 New York, NY 10116 Main Office (347) 231 - 6429 Have a story idea? Email us at editor@premedlife.com Want To Subscribe? Log onto www.premedlife.com and sign-up to receive an email when the latest issue is available online Interested in Partnering With Us? Email us at info@premedlife.com Advertising Questions? Email us at advertise@premedlife.com PreMedLife magazine is published six times per year by Kisho Media, LLC. and copies are provided to select colleges and universities free of charge. The information in PreMedLife magazine is believed to be accurate, but in some instances, may represent opinion or judgment. Consult your pre-med advisor with any questions you may have about the medical school admissions process and related topics. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs, artwork, and images may not be duplicated or reprinted without express written permission from Kisho Media, LLC. PreMedLife magazine and Kisho Media, LLC. are not liable for typographical or production errors or the accuracy of information provided by advertisers. PreMedLife Magazine reserves the right to refuse any advertising. All inquires may be sent to: Kisho Media, LLC. P.O. Box 7049, New York, NY 10116. To reach us by phone call (347) 231-6429 or email us at info@premedlife.com.
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, AGAIN!
Production Coordinator | Shawn Klein
PreMedLife Magazine
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Medical Student Research Program in Diabetes and Obesity 2013 WHAT: Conduct laboratory-based, clinical, or translational research under the direction of an established scientist in the area of diabetes or obesity. Prior research experience is not required.
WHEN: Summer between the first and second year, or between the second and third year, of medical school.
WHY: Encourage medical students to consider a research career focused on diabetes or obesity.
WHERE: One of NIH-funded Diabetes Research Centers: Albert Einstein College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine Boston Area Diabetes Research Center Columbia University Johns Hopkins/University of Maryland Joslin Diabetes Center/Harvard University University of Alabama at Birmingham University of California, Los Angeles University of California, San Diego University of California, San Francisco University of Chicago University of Michigan University of Pennsylvania University of Washington Vanderbilt University Washington University Yale University
Information and application: • Students conduct research with an established scientist in the areas of diabetes, hormone action, physiology, islet cell biology or obesity for 2-3 months (receive a stipend). • Weekly seminars about diabetes and obesity. • Students present results at a national research symposium. • Commencement dates and conclusion are flexible.
Application deadline for summer 2013: Midnight February 4, 2013 http://medicalstudentdiabetesresearch.org niddk.diabetes.student.research@vanderbilt.edu
PREMEDLIFE
CAMPUS EDITION Want a unique leadership opportunity to add to your medical school application? Now you can apply to be CEO/Editorin-Chief of the PreMedLife Campus Edition at your school. WHO: You WHAT: As CEO/Editor-in-Chief, you are talked with putting together a staff, producing content, and publicizing your edition on campus - running your own online magazine that is a part of the PreMedLife network. WHERE: Your high school, college, or university. WHEN: The application deadline for Spring 2013 launches is Feb. 1 WHY: Running your own campus edition of PreMedLife magazine will provide you with a unique leadership opportunity that will surly help you stand out from the rest of the crowd.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.premedlife.com ‘Start Campus Edition’ Deadline for our SPRING 2013 LAUNCH
FEBRUARY 1
THELATEST
"Social networking sites will inevitable affect future selection of doctors and residents," concluded the authors of a new study published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal. {PAGE 12}
Recent news & information relevant for students applying to medical school
Do transfer students have a harder time gaining admission into medical school? A new report on medical school applicants who transfer from one college to another says that they may face greater challenges to getting accepted. The report, released by the Association of American Medical College's Analysis in Brief, was the result of an investigation that used data from college transcripts of medical
school applicants to explore if, and how a student's pattern of attendance was linked to their academic preparedness and eventual acceptance into medical school. The findings revealed that attending multiple academic institutions was associated with both lower MCAT scores and acceptance rates to medical school. The report also found that the average MCAT scores were highest (29.1)
New Medical School Coming to Texas Area
announcing the new milestone, professionals will train for careers in medicine by delivering patient-based care throughout Texas' Travis County to create a partnership that is designed to focus on keeping residents across Central Texas healthy. In response to the positive vote Chairman Gene Powell made the following statement: "This is a win-win for both the University of Texas System and residents of Central Texas. A school of medicine at UT Austin will not only benefit the university and its students, but also the
Following a recent vote, the University of Texas at Austin is one step closer to getting a medical school. The new school is expected to bring many benefits and great opportunities for many involved. According to the news release
10 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
for those who only attended one college, decreasing to 26.9 for those who attended four or more institutions. Furthermore, the percentage of applicants who were accepted to medical school decreased from 52.5% to 35.6% for those same two groups. "Medical school applicants who attended multiple undergraduate institutions may face greater challenges in accessing medical education," the authors stated. The findings show that these applicants have lower mean MCAT exam scores and lower acceptance rates to medical school. However, with regard to admission outcomes, the findings also show that the number of institutions attended is of less importance than the type of educational institutions that an applicant attending (i.e., the rate of acceptance to medical school for 7 of 10 types of institutions that an applicant attending is roughly equal to an applicant who attended 4 or more institutions). The report also showed that medical school acceptance rates differed when it came to the type of institution the applicant attended. Specifically, the average acceptance rates among those who ever attended a non-U.S. institution, a 'highresearch-intensity institution' (59.0%), or a fouryear baccalaureate, liberal arts institution were higher than the rates for those who ever attended one of the other seven types of institutions. "This finding may suggest that across types of educational institutions differences exist in the ability to access important resources, such as knowledge of the application process, premedical educational programs, health-related work and voluntary experiences, and peers with similar aspirations - all things that might encourage a student to pursue a career in medicine," the authors wrote. „
residents of Austin and surrounding communities and all Texas. This is a perfect example of how a public/private partnership can work for the benefit of society. Not only will more doctors be educated and stay in Texas - addressing a pressing shortage - but through collaborations between a university system, a hospital system and a health district, all residents of Central Texas will have greater access to quality healthcare." The university hopes to begin constructing the medial school in 2013 and enrolling medical students in 2015 or 2016. „
Photo credit: cc licensed flickr photo by JuditK
Transfer Students Face Harder Time Getting Into Medical School
THELATEST
Social Media Activity May Affect Medical School Admission Premeds may need to start thinking more about their use of social networking sites as medical schools are now beginning to use data when considering applicants, according to a survey published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal. The research, conducted by Carl I Schulman, MD, PhD, MSPH, from the Department of Survey at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and his colleagues, included data from surveys completed by 600 staff members, mostly program directors and residency coordinators, involved in the admissions process for medical school and residency programs across the country. Although respondents were mainly involved in reviewing residency program applicants, 8% were involved in medical school applications only and 7% were involved with both. The results of the survey revealed that while only 9% admitted to using social networking sites to evaluate applicants, around 19% said they used some type of internet search to pick
89,452
up information on applicants. Furthermore, 15% of schools and programs said they plan to use the web and/or social networking sites to search out information on candidates in the future, but 29% were neutral on the issue. While the researchers also reported that a significant proportion disagreed or strongly disagreed that it was a violation of privacy to search for an applicant's name on social networking sties, over half of the respondents agreed that online professionalism should be a factor in the selection process and that "unprofessional behavior" displayed on wall posts/comments, photos, and group memberships should compromise an applicant. "Social networking sites will inevitably affect future selection of doctors and residents," the authors concluded. "Formal guidelines for professional behavior on social networking sites might help applicants avoid unforeseen bias in the selection process." „
Beginning in fall 2013, Columbus State University (CSU) will offer a new program designed to make the process of preparing for and gaining acceptance into medical school easier for students. The new Competitive Premedical Students program will include free participation in a MCAT course, shadowing opportunities, medical school visits, peer mentors, contact with CSU graduates attending medical school, medical school application preparation, and medical school interview strategies. "From the moment they step on campus, we're going to start providing them with tools that will help them become successful medical school applicants," said Katey Hughes, program director and an associate professor of biology. Offering more than the traditional premedical track available to students at the university, the Competitive Premedical Students program will expose students to opportunities and knowledge beyond recommended premedical coursework. "We have students who go to medical school, and they're definitely prepared," Hughes said. "But here's what I see: The process of getting to medical school can be overwhelming and, too often what I see are students who stand out, definitely capable of going academically, but because of their course rigor, because of MCAT prep, because of all these external factors, they become overwhelmed and end up not submitting applications to medical school. This will hopefully provide resources from the time they come to CSU to help gear them up in that process." The program is expected to accept up to 15 freshmen, but may grow as more students will be allowed to apply by spring 2014. The deadline to apply for the program's first group of students is January 15, 2013. For more information and for application details visit ColumbusState.edu/premed. „
The total number of Medical College Admission Tests administered in 2012, according to the latest data published by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
12 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
Photo credit: cc licensed flickr photo by DarkStar70152
Photo credit: cc licensed flickr photo by rishiband
Brand New Program to Help Premeds Apply to Med School
Video Gaming May Help Surgeons Perform Better, New Study Shows
department of obstetrics and gynecology at UTMB. "With no formal training, he was immediately at ease with the technology and the type of movements required to operate the robot." Dr. Kilic points out that the findings suggest a need for surgical training to adapt to future generations of doctors who will arrive at medical school with an affinity for emerging surgical techniques. "Most physicians in practice today never learned
Despite Worries, Students Should Not Avoid Primary Care Medical students who are deep in debt and choosing to pursue careers in primary-care medicine will face greater financial challenges compared to higher-paying specialists, according to an article published in Academic Medicine. Fortunately, however, researchers found that despite growing debt levels, physicians in all specialties can repay the current level of education debt without incurring more debt. For the study, researchers from Boston University and the Association of American Medical Colleges used specially-designed software to create a scenario that looked at the annual finances for a fictional physician's household to compare the impact of various debt levels, repayment plans and living expenses across three specialties. And for their fictional indebted physician, the researchers came up with three career
tracts: one as a primary care physician and two as higher-paying specialists, like psychiatrist, ob/gyns, or surgeons, each with comparable starting salaries. Four debt levels were used: $150,000, $200,000, $250,000, and $300,000. According to the press release announcing the study, among indebted U.S. medical school graduates in the class of 2011, 59% had education debt of $150,000 or more, 33% had $200,000 or more, 15% had $250,000 or more, and 5% had $300,000 or more.
robotic surgery in medical school," explained Dr. Kilic. "However, as we see students with enhanced visual-spatial experience and hand-eye coordination that are a result of the technology savvy world they are immersed in, we should rethink how best to teach this generation." The findings were presented at the American Gynecologic Laparoscopists' Annual Global Congress on Minimally Invasive Gynecology. „ The results of the study suggest that recent medical school graduates, with the median amount of education debt ($160,000) can enter primary care, raise a family, live in an expensive urban area and repay their debt within 10 years without incurring additional debt. However, to achieve all of these goals at the $200,000 debt level, the primary care physician would need to consider an extended repayment plan and/or a federal loan repayment program. Furthermore, to achieve these goals at the $250,000 or more debt level, a primary care physician would need to consider living in a more moderately priced area and/or choosing an extended 25-year repayment plan or a multi-year commitment to a federal loan forgiveness/repayment program. "Our results show that student debt levels have become so high that a growing number of students will struggle on a primary care salary alone to repay educational loans and still have enough left over to cover other routine household expenses," notes senior author John Wiecha, MD, MPH, associate professor of family medicine at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and an assistant dean for academic affairs at BUSM. „
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 13
Photo credit: cc licensed flickr photo by hubertk
The hand-eye coordination and hand skills gained from playing video games are similar to the abilities needed to perform some of the most advanced robotic surgeries, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston. The study, which was conducted to explore how best to teach surgeons-in-training, involved high school and college students who went head to head against resident physicians in robotic surgery simulations. The findings showed that both high school sophomores who reported playing video games on average two hours per day and college students who reported playing four hours of video games daily matched, and in some cases exceeded, the skills of the residents in exercises that measured how much tension the subjects put on their instruments, how precise their hand-eye coordination was, and how steady their grasping skills were when performing tasks such as suturing, passing a needle, or lifting surgical instruments with the robotic arm. "The inspiration for this study first developed when I saw my son, an avid video game player, take the reins of a robotic surgery simulator at a medical convention," said Dr. Sami Kilic, lead author of the study and associate professor and director of minimally invasive gynecology in the
Photo credit: cc licensed flickr photo by DarkStar70152
Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston found that the skills gained from playing video games are similar to the abilities needed to successfully perform advanced robotic surgeries
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THELATEST
$100 Million Fund to Give Free Ride to Multiple Students for Medical School Photo courtesy of David Geffen School of Medicine
Restricted Hours Help Residents Feel Rested, Lower Confidence Treat Patients
Paying for medical school just got a whole lot easier for more than 30 incoming students at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine thanks to a $100 million gift. The school's benefactor, David Geffen, a philanthropist and entertainment executive, has announced that his generous gift will be used to create a scholarship fund to pay for the entire cost of medical school, including tuition, room and board, books and additional expenses. "The costs of a world-class medical education should not deter our future innovators, doctors and scientists from the path they hope to pursue," said Geffen. "We need the students at this world-class institution to be driven by determination and the desire to do their best work and not by the fear of crushing debt. I
hope in doing this that others will be inspired to do the same." Medical school students graduate with an average debt of $170,000, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Moreover, research has suggested that worries about debt influence decisions on whether or not a student choose a higher-paying specialty over lower-paying positions in primary-care medicine. Different from many scholarships offered to medical students, the David Geffen Medical Scholarship Fund will be distributed to students based on merit, not financial need and will provide scholarships for up to 33 students beginning medical school in 2013. In addition, up to three of the scholarships are available for students pursuing a joint MD-PhD degree.
Miami University Announces Brand New Pre-Med Major Students at Miami University who plan to apply to medical school can now co-major in pre-medicine in addition to their chosen major. According to the school the new co-major, students who choose this additional track will be required to take all courses that are required
Limitations on the number of hours in a week that residents can work has reduced fatigue among the group but may make them feel less confident when it comes time to actually practice medicine, according to a study published in the Annals of Surgery. In 2003, the maximum number of hours a resident was allowed to work was 80 hours, down from the previous limit of the 120-hour work week that had become common during medical training. For the study, researchers surveyed 216 orthopedic residents before and after the work-hour rules were put in place by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. As a result of the work-hour changes, residents reported feeling less fatigued. Unfortunately, however, residents also said they felt less confident in their preparedness to make clinical decisions under stress and lower satisfaction with their educational experience.
Area negatively affected by fatigue in 2003 Ability to learn
88.6%
Overall resident satisfaction
71.4%
Co-worker interactions
58.8%
Overall resident well-being
57.1%
Ability to provide psychosocial support 57.1% Quality of care
45.7%
Patient safety
28.6%
Area negatively affected by fatigue in 2004-09 Ability to learn
by medical schools and that will be covered on the MCAT. In addition, these pre-med comajors will also be required to take a course in their first-year where they plan their studies and a medical school application preparation class in their third year.
75.0%
Overall resident satisfaction
68.9%
Co-worker interactions
44.4%
Overall resident well-being
63.0%
Ability to provide psychosocial support 44.8% Quality of care
25.6%
Patient safety
14.4%
Source: "Long-term Follow-Up on the Education Impact of ACGME Duty Hour Limits," Annals of Surgery, published online Oct. 12.
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 15
ŠDepositphotos/lightpoet
Misconceptions about medical schools outside of the U.S. have warped students' perceptions on traveling abroad to study medicine
bon M voyage What You Think You Know (but Don't) About Medical Schools Outside the United States
Whether traveling halfway around the world or taking a 7-hour flight to reach an offshore U.S. region, more students are leaving the country to attend medical school abroad. And although MD programs outside of the United States may not be the best fit for every premed student, there are a number of reasons why students choose this option. For a while now, misconceptions about medical schools outside of the U.S. have warped students' perceptions, making them uncomfortable with choosing this alternative path to their medical education. As you probably already know, not everyone practicing medicine in this country completes their medical education in this country. Indeed, renowned physician Deepak Chopra graduated from an international medical school. In the United States, nearly a quarter of the physician work force was trained in a foreign country, according to the most recent data from the Association of American Medical
In the United States, nearly a quarter of the physician work force was trained in a foreign country, according to the most recent data from the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Colleges. So let's discuss some things that are, and are not true about attending medical school outside of the United States.
STUDENTS ATTEND MEDICAL SCHOOL ABROAD BECAUSE THEY CAN 'T GET INTO ONE IN THE U .S . NOT TRUE. Nowadays, students have more options than ever when it comes to pursuing a degree in medicine. Today, a significantly greater number of students are turning to medical schools outside of the U.S. to fulfill their dreams of becoming a doctor. It is also worth mentioning that there are a number of students who are accepted by U.S. medical schools but ultimately decide to enroll elsewhere around the world. There are plenty of different reasons why students choose to attend a non-U.S. medical school. Some may not want to wait another year to apply to medical school and take advantage rolling admission offered by
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 17
some schools. Others simply like the idea of having the opportunity to live on a beautiful island somewhere while pursuing their medical degree. But those are not the only reasons. Students' decisions may also be guided by factors like the cost of attendance, accelerated programs, and non-competitive admission criteria.
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HAVING A DEGREE FROM A MEDICAL SCHOOL OUTSIDE THE U.S. IS NOT AS GOOD AS ONE GRANTED BY A U.S. INSTITUTION N OT T RUE . Students who attend medical school abroad still have to take the USMLE Step exams if they plan on returning to the U.S. to practice medicine. With overall pass rates for the USMLE Step 1 among non-U.S. students being significantly lower than those trained in the U.S., it is easy to think that international medical are not as good as the ones in the ones in the U.S. Yes, it's true exam pass rates differ considerably between US and non-U.S. medical students. In 2011,
M
ical students, the good news is that last year, it was announced that of the number of U.S. citizen international medical graduates increased by 218 over 2011, making it the ninth consecutive year that there has been an increase in the number of U.S. citizens matching to first-year position. According to the 2012 Residency Match Report published by the National Resident Matching Program, the top eight specialties filled by U.S. citizens and graduates of international medical schools were Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Obstetrics-Gynecology, Anesthesiology, Surgery, and Emergency Medicine.
APPLICANTS DO NOT NEED TO TAKE THE MCAT TO GAIN ADMISSION NOT TRUE. There are a number of medical schools outside of the United States to do not require applicants to submit MCAT scores. However, to be regarded as competitive as U.S. medical schools, most reputable non-U.S. med-
When considering non-U.S. medical schools it is important that not only do you find out what a school's pass rates are but also their residency match numbers.
93% of US graduates passed their USMLE Step 1 first time, compared to 64% of nonUS Graduates. But don't let that scare you because there are some very good non-U.S. medical schools that graduate students who perform just as well, if not better, than their U.S. counterparts. For example, students from Ross University School of Medicine, one of the biggest offshore medical schools in the Caribbean, achieved a 96% first-time pass rate on the USMLE Step 1. A recent press release quoted dean and chancellor of Ross University as saying "Our students' performance on USMLE Step 1 meets or exceeds the rate achieved by students in U.S. medical schools." St. George's University, another popular non-U.S. medical school, reported a 95% USMLE Step 1 pass rate among their students. What it comes down to is that not all medical schools outside of the U.S. are created equal so DO YOUR RESEARCH! It is important that not only do you find out what a school's pass rates are but also their residency match numbers.
RESIDENCY MATCH RATES ARE LOWER THAN U.S.-TRAINED GRADUATES TRUE. While residency match rates can be drastically lower among internationally-trained med-
ical schools require prospective students to submit MCAT scores for admission. For other reasons having to do with compliance with governmental regulations, schools like American University of Antigua are changing their admission criteria and will soon require MCAT scores from all accepted students.
TUITION
AVERAGES THE SAME AS
THE COST OF U.S. SCHOOLS TRUE. Amid growing concern about the cost of medical school, students are thinking more seriously about ways to lower the price tag attached to their medical education. Attending medical school outside of the U.S., once a go to solution for many students, has become just as expensive as U.S. medical schools. Traditionally, medical schools abroad offered students the opportunity to obtain their degree at a significantly lower cost than their U.S. counterparts. However, times are changing and so is the cost of attending medical school outside of the U.S. In a report which examined trends among foreign medical schools, most of the tuition and fees reported by schools fell within the range of average cost for U.S. medical schools and in some cases reached as high as $90,000 per year. According to the AAMC Tuition and Student Fees Report for 2012-2013, medical school tuition in the U.S. alone can range from as little as $1,887 for residents attending a public university like West Virginia
Emily Tommolino Clinical Student
REASON #9: IN 2012, OUR GRADUATES ATTAINED RESIDENCIES IN 17 SPECIALTIES ACROSS THE US AND CANADA. The prospect of attaining a competitive residency is just one of the many reasons students choose American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) to fulfill their dream of becoming a doctor. AUC OFFERS STUDENTS: • Hands-on experience early in the curriculum. • A supportive environment with faculty who are committed to teaching and student success. • Clinical rotations at US and UK teaching hospitals. Additionally, AUC is eligible to participate in the US Federal Direct Loan Program and financial aid is available to those who qualify.
FIND YOUR REASON AT AUCmed.edu.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER FOR AN OPEN HOUSE, VISIT AUCMED.EDU OR SCAN THIS QR CODE.
For comprehensive consumer information visit aucmed.edu/consumer-info.html © 2012 Global Education International. All rights reserved.
New York, NY — January 12 Boston, MA — January 19 San Francisco, CA — January 26 Detroit, MI — February 2 Los Angeles, CA — February 9
Chicago, IL — February 9 Atlanta, GA — February 16 Washington, DC — February 23 Irvine, CA — February 23
cc licensed flickr photo by Klearchos Kapoutsi
For those considering a medical school outside the U.S., it is very important to check a country’s accreditation standards for medical schools.
School of Medicine to as high as $54,980 for nonresidents attending a private university like Tufts University School of Medicine.
LENGTH OF STUDY IS SHORTER THAT MD PROGRAMS IN THE U.S. NOT TRUE. The length of study required to complete medical training can differ substantially from school to school. However, the majority of schools model their curriculum after ones offered by U.S. medical schools and require students to complete a 4-year course of study. There are schools that do however offer medical students the chance to complete an accelerated course of study in as little as three-and-a-half years. In some cases, students spend as few as 16 months on the school's campus and then return to the United States during their third and fourth years to complete clinical training.
A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REVIEWS NON -U U.S. MEDICAL SCHOOLS
TRUE. With more than 2,300 medical schools in 177 countries worldwide, it's no wonder that it will take over 10 years to roll out the new undertaking announced by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates to
When considering non-U.S. medical schools it is important that not only do you find out what a school's pass rates are but also their residency match numbers.
Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA). While the NCFMEA does not review or accredit individual foreign medical schools, it does review the standards used by foreign countries to accredit medical schools and determine whether those standards are comparable to standards used to accredit medical schools in the United States. Ultimately, the committee determined that the following countries use accreditation standards comparable to those used by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education to evaluate U.S. medical schools: Australia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Czech Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Hungary, India, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Nevis, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Saba, St. Maarten, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Taiwan, and United Kingdom. So, for those considering a foreign medical school, it is important check if that country's accreditation standards for medical school are comparable to U.S. standards.
accredit the world's international medical schools. Until that time comes, students will have to rely on the next best thing, namely the work of the National Committee on Foreign Medical
For a list of international medical schools visit the Web site for the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research at imed.faimer.org.„
20 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
YOUR CALLING. THE COUNTRY’S NEED. According to the Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME), the US is facing an imminent physician shortage, specifically in primary care. Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) is helping to meet this need by training physicians who are entering nearly every area of medicine, including the critical demand in pediatrics, internal medicine and family medicine. • RUSM provides clinical rotations at affiliated teaching hospitals in the US. • RUSM graduates have attained more US residencies annually than those of any other medical school in the world over the last five years. • RUSM is eligible to participate in the US Federal Direct Loan Program; financial aid is available to those who qualify. FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO REGISTER FOR AN INFORMATION SEMINAR visit RossU.edu or scan this QR code. NEW YORK, NY: January 5 CHICAGO, IL: January 26 LOS ANGELES, CA: January 26 ATLANTA, GA: February 2 BOSTON, MA: February 2 MIAMI, FL: February 9 WASHINGTON, DC: February 16 ANN ARBOR, MI: February 16 SAN FRANCISCO, CA: February 23
RUSM-Premedlife-8.5w.11h.indd 1
For comprehensive consumer information visit www.RossU.edu/med-student-consumer-info 2013 Global Education International. All rights reserved.
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"Throughout the medical school application process, although you hope that schools will like you, keep in mind that institutions want to see that you are serious about them as well. � {PAGE 24}
GETTINGIN
Insider Secrets to Medical School Interview Success
Dr. Michelle Finkel, founder of Insider Medical Admissions, shares her advice and tips for students gearing up to prepare for one of the most important interviews of their lives YOU'VE READ THE HANDOUT from your college's advising office created by an alumnus circa 1979, surfed the web only to find conflicting advice from supposed experts, and suffered silently as your physician-uncle gave you unsolicited help at the last few family reunions. You've heard it all before, right? Think again. After going through interviews myself as a pre-med, I next found myself across the table conducting interviews as a Harvard faculty member. This insider's perspective, which I've shared while assisting applicants as a professional medical admissions advisor for six years, taught me firsthand that knowing how the system works from the inside can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection at you dream school. Everyone agrees on the importance of arriving on time and dressing professionally. But those who understand what is going on behind the scenes at elite institutions are in the best position to leverage that information to their advantage. The following are some tips to get you started:
cc licensed flickr photo by Phil Wood Photo
Advice and tips for becoming the most successful candidate for medical schools admissions
ARE YOU THE ONE WHO WORKED WITH MOTHER TERESA?
Most interviewers take the medical school admissions process seriously. They understand you have spent a lot of time, effort and money to show up on your interview day. But these same faculty members - as earnest as they are - are interviewing scores of other applicants. Treat every interview as though it were a "blind" one. It's your responsibility to distinguish yourself from all of the other candidates, and the best way to do that is by showcasing your achievements. Remember: The interview process is a persuasive one. Your role is to convince medical schools that you deserve a slot at their institutions. The best way to persuade is with facts, just like a lawyer does when s/he is trying a case in front of a judge. Saying you are compassionate or hardworking is not convincing, and it doesn't distinguish you from the scores of other people the interviewer is meeting. You need to prove your value and your distinctiveness with your academic, clinical, research, community service, leadership, international, and teaching achievements. If you think that being understated about your accomplishments in an interview can't hurt you, consider Google. According to a 2012 New York Times article, Google realized that part of the reason they had so few women employees was that they were overlooking women who tended to be more modest about their accomplishments in interviews. The interviewers judged the women applicants less accomplished, and the candidates did not get hired. (Google now asks interviewers to report applicants' answers in more detail in an attempt to reverse the problem.) The bottom line is that you are not special unless you make yourself special, and not distinguishing yourself with your achievements in a medical school interview is a lost opportunity that will hurt your candidacy.
SCHOOLS ARE PEOPLE TOO (AND THEY WANT TO BE LIKED)
When I was at Harvard, we had a strong residency applicant about whom I was very enthused, But when we sat down to talk about the candidate's credentials, one of my colleagues put the kibosh on the applicant's prospects. As it turned out, the candidate had made it clear that he did not ĂŽ
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 23
GETTINGIN want to leave California. "If he's not interested in us, why should we be interested in him?" my colleague asked. Throughout the medical school application process, although you hope that schools will like you, keep in mind that institutions want to see that you are serious about them as well. There is a psychological principle: People tend to like those who like them. Apply this idea to schools when you interview. But how? You can't send the school a Valentine's Day card, but you can be so familiar with the institution that you convey to the interviewer that you are enthused and sincere about spending the next four years at that institution. Know details about the school's curriculum, extra curricular opportunities, location, associated hospitals, and students. Have very specific questions to ask your interviewer that demonstrate your intimate knowledge of the school and your belief that you could be a contributing member of the class.
DINE BUT DON'T WHINE In an effort to attract desirable applicants, some medical schools invite candidates to social events immediately before or during the interview day. These events may include dinner, lunch, or an optional hospital tour with students. It's in your interest to attend these events: They show schools that you are serious about their programs, afford you the opportunity to score social points, and allow you to gain valuable information about students' satisfaction. The trick here: Ensure you act professionally even if you are told that what you say will not affect your candidacy or get back to admissions. Even if everyone has good intentions, information garnered from these events can make its way to decision-makers. If you had a bad experience at the interview day, have a significant other who doesn't want to move, or know your first choice is a different school, these social events are not the time to reveal that information to current medical students. Importantly, this rule is especially true for those applicants who choose to stay at students' houses or dorms. Be friendly, but don't blab. BUT HE PROMISED HE'D CALL In the heat of the moment, interviewers may make commitments they can't keep. Although flattery is nice, don't assume that any comments about your prospects are accurate, and certainly don't make decisions (like foregoing an interview at another institution) based on what you have been told about the strength of your candidacy. In most institutions, one interviewer does not have the power to change the course of a candidate's application.
THE SQUEAKY WHEEL OFTEN
REALLY DOES GET THE GREASE A few years ago I was advising a very strong applicant. He had been rejected from a top medical school he was very interested in, and he felt that he would have been a good fit at the institution. He called the medical school and convinced the person he spoke with that he deserved to be reconsidered. The school offered him an interview, and once he interviewed, he was offered a position at the elite school! In six years of professional advising, I have only seen this happen once, so this is very far from typical. However, the story reinforces the value of being assertive. After your interview, showing strong interest with well-crafted thank you notes and a letter of intent reinforcing the distinguishing characteristics of your candidacy can help. And if you are wait listed, a second look may also assist you (although it depends on the school). In any case, being passive about your candidacy is not strategic.
STARS ARE MADE, NOT BORN When I was applying to medical school, I was graduating from Stanford with strong grades. I approached the interview process with confidence. But when I encountered faculty members asking me aggressive questions, I fumbled, doing the best I could. Although I had studied for months for the MCAT, I hadn't practiced interview skills even once before I went to visit medical schools. You would never take the MCAT without preparing, but the interview can be equally - if not more - important to your medical school candidacy. Once you get your foot in the door of your dream school, why would you risk interviewing without preparation? Ensure you find a trusted advisor who has medical interview experience. Sit down with the person for one or two hours both to review how to answer bread and butter questions and to confidently formulate responses when you're thrown a curveball. Learn to comfortably respond to questions about potential weaknesses in your application so that your lasting impression is one of polish. You only have one chance to make a first impression.
DR. MICHELLE FINKEL is the founder of Insider Medical Admissions. For help with your med school candidacy, contact Dr. Finkel directly at InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com. "Like" her at Facebook.com/InsiderMedical.
24 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
The interview process is important and less standardized than you might think. NOW THAT YOU KNOW HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE, KEEP IN MIND... È È È Let your story show your glory. Show them some love. Assume what you say over a beer will get back to the nutty professor. No ring, no thing. Take guarantees of admission with a grain of salt. It's okay to be a shy person, just not a shy applicant. Sweat now to be cool later (Practice, practice, practice).
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got apps? From tools for practicing doctors to those studying to become doctors, here are a few of the best apps for pre-meds and medical students
Let's start with the kinds of tools that apply specifically to doctors, medical interns and pre-med students. These apps range in price from free to more than $200 per download but all of them are guaranteed to give you as a medical student intensive, long lasting usefulness that can dramatically augment your study and medical training abilities.
The Merck Manual App ($34.99) Where would any medical student be without the Merck Manual at hand? This immense manual, originally written over 100 years ago, has now leapt into the digital age of mobile apps. Now in its 19th edition, the manual, in app form, provides its users with listings and clinical information on a vast variety of diseases. These can be searched by symptom, name, keyword or section. The Merck mobile app also provides information for diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of all its listed diseases and conditions. Although it reads in a very dry format that is mostly text based, popups provide photos and graphics on demand. As far as quality is concerned, this absolutely vital mobile app gives you all the same detail and accuracy of the original text work but with a dynamic interface that dramatically expands your search options and the speed at which you find information. Available on iTunes.
Medscape App (Free) One of the top medical apps for iPad and downloaded more than half a million times, the Medscape app gets a solid approval rating from its users. This extremely useful application lets its users look up reference information on thousands of different important drugs and in this regard is considered the premiere app in the field, better than its nearest competitors at the job. Additional bonuses of Medscape include its interaction checker for drugs, news platform and the ability to be used in offline mode. Best
26 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
of all and to many peoples surprise, the app even includes herbal medicines in its list of drug references, an unorthodox but very useful bonus for an app designed for modern medicine. Available @ www.medscape.com/public/mobileapp
MicroMedEx (Free) This is another powerful pharmaceutical reference app that provides its users with a vast wealth of data on different types of drugs, their uses, toxicology and general teaching on ideal usage. This app is also completely free and only marred by a constantly appearing popup that asks users to buy into a premium version with a drug interaction ability bonus -a pointless offer since other completely free apps that offer the same exist. MicroMedEx is highly underrated amongst medical reference apps and doesn't deserve it; the wealth of drug related information it provides is truly fleshed out and worth the time it takes to download this useful tool. Available on iTunes.
Skeletal System Pro ($14.99) The Skeletal System Pro app takes both doctors and patients back to the very basics of medicine by giving them access to a deeply detailed interactive cutaway for bone structure. However, despite the relative simplicity of the subject it covers, this iPad tool is extremely useful for a vast assortment of medical reference uses and demonstrations that both medical students and doctors can take advantage of during study situations or patient consultations. Skeletal System Pro gives not only crystal clear 3D images of the skeleton, it also shows cut aways of different bones structures such as the skull. Ultimately, there is no better tool available for skeletal examination outside of a real skeleton. Available on iTunes.
VisualDx (1 year subscriptions ranging from $49.99 to $279) VisualDX is a medical application designed to solve diagnosis problems in an efficient and
ŠDepositphotos/bizoon
MEDICAL REFERENCE, DIAGNOSIS AND ANATOMICAL STUDY APPLICATIONS
highly visual way. This iPad tool gives doctors and medical interns access to a powerful series of tools that are designed to address illnesses with visual symptoms in an easy to navigate category and symptom based series of classification systems. With VisualDX, you are able to use three different diagnostic tools: the differential builder, diagnosis search and Medication adverse effects database to seek out the most likely cause of the visible symptoms in your patient. A highly graphical interface with different scenario, symptom, and anatomical factors lets you quickly shunt back and forth between images and their relevant information summaries to arrive at a diagnosis more quickly than would normally be possible without the aid of thousands of images worth of visual identification tools. Finally, with the medication adverse effects database, you can also check what drugs may cause what secondary superficial effects and eliminate drug induced causes more efficiently. As much as this application is useful for doctors and geared towards them, it's also a fantastic medical study tool that allows for diagnostic practice that simulates live medical consultations. Available at www.visualdx.com
Radiology 2.0: One Night in the ED iPad Version (Free) This light weight but very handy app lets you learn how to read CT scans by practicing through its interface. The app gives you crystal clear images over an easy to use and highly friendly interface that allows finger controlled scrolling. Once the app has presented a CT image for you, it gives you time to analyze it and then provides you with interpretive information that points out and highlights different findings and notable details you should have noticed. Overall, the app
is a great intro to reading CT scans despite a few minor flaws such as a limited image selection and the fact that it's designed only for CT practice and doesn't include analysis of X rays, MRIs and ultra sound scanning methods. Available on iTunes.
GENERAL STUDY/WORK TOOLS
In addition to medical reference, diagnosis and demonstration tools, there is a wealth of more general iPad apps available on the iTunes marketplace for medical students who, just like any other kind of student, need to study and organize information effectively.
Evernote (Free) The unbeatable and extraordinarily useful Evernote has shown itself to be helpful to more different types of people than just about any other information organization application on the market. With Evernote you can take notes, capture videos, make audio files and copy snippets of information from almost any web based or physical source there is. All of these scattered pieces of collected data can then be synced across all your devices through your Evernote account and are also fully searchable by keyword, tags you create or text blocks (even inside images). You can also fully integrate sharing and saving notes with your email account and social media accounts in Facebook, Twitter. As a medical student sifting through reams of scattered study information both online and offline, you can find a thousand different uses for Evernote and use it as an excellent little tool in sorting and collecting scattered bits of data for your exams and papers, the app's features pretty much speak for themselves. Available @ evernote.com
Dropbox Mobile App (Free for first 2 GB) Almost everyone now knows what Dropbox is and using it as a student of any kind is a great way
of moving notes and information around while also keeping both safe from data loss due to the failure of your iPad or any other device. Dropbox lets you upload several gigabytes worth of files, images, video and text to its storage cloud and transfer them across any sort of mobile device, laptop or PC/Mac computer. Accounts start at a free 2 GB and move up in pricing from there to Terabyte plus plans. Medical students can use Dropbox to make sure they never lose their most valuable study info, digital text books or essays while also being able to access them on the fly from any device with web access. Available @ www.dropbox.com/mobile.
Flashcards Deluxe ($3.99 w/ free lite version) Finally we come to flash cards, the classical study tool used by students for centuries. Now, with the Flashcards Deluxe app, you can take the mnemonic helpfulness of paper flashcards and carry it with you into the digital world on your iPad. What Flashcards Deluxe lets you do is create a series of customized digital study cards with facts, notes or quizzes on them. In addition to these basic features, the app also gives you access to more search, color coding, text to speech and searchable, cross referenced information retrieval options. There are numerous other features to Flashcards Deluxe and a quick visit to the iTunes store lists the whole range of them, all available for a tiny price. Medical students would be hard pressed to find a better app based study tool for all the information they need to absorb and remember. Available on iTunes . SAMUEL CLEMENS has been writing about study tools for college students for several years. Visit Gradesaver's website to see more of the educational materials Sam recommends.
get published. write for us
If you consider yourself a good writer and would like a chance to have your article published in an issue of PreMedLife Magazine, we’re looking for student writers to submit articles. From your personal experiences as a pre-med student to living everyday life as a college student, we want to share your story with our readers. Or if you need an idea to write about - we’ve got tons of them. For more information about writing for PreMedLife Magazine, visit our Web site at www.premedlife.com or email us at info@premedlife.com.
INTERVIEW: BACK INTHE DAY
DOCTOR SUJAY KANSAGRA SHARING PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR PREMEDS, MEDICAL STUDENTS, AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN
I remember my medical school interviews to be an overall positive process. There was no one who tried to trip me up or throw me a hardball question. There are always people who say the process was a nightmare for them, but I never had that experience. The questions were mostly from my application, about me, and about my motivation to become a doctor. When it came to my medical school interview questions the easiest questions were the ones I knew were coming like, why are you interested in medicine and questions about my volunteering experiences. The hard question I remember was when one gentleman gave me a patient's narrative in which I would have to prescribe a treatment for the patient but the insurance company wouldn't cover it and asked what I would do in this situation, and so it kind of stumped me because I didn't have much patient experience and I didn't know what the options were in such a situation. So I said I would try to explain to the patient that their insurance wasn't covering the medication and I would give them the options that I did have and try to push them toward the direction that the insurance company would cover. What the interviewer told me is what I could do is argue with the insurance company and fight for my patient, and so that's something that I didn't know much about back then when I was coming out of college but I clearly know that when it comes to patient care you
28 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
Photo courtesy of Dr. Sujay Kansagra
My inspiration to pursue a career in medicine came through regular classes and as I went through school I was involved and mostly interested in science and math. I was kind of an adventurer growing up - mixing chemicals, creating contraptions, so the overall pursuit of science inspired me. My parents were very much supportive of everything I did and they were supportive of my interest in science, they allowed me to take extra science classes. The motivation for me to pursue a career in science came early in life. Then basically, as I went through college I saw that it was a good fit for me. I enjoyed working with people, I enjoyed the experiences that I had in the health care field and that was motivation for me to continue pursuing a career in health care.
If you're a premed or medical student on Twitter, you're probably following Dr. Sujay M. Kansagra, better known in the Twitter world as Dr.K (@medschooladvice). We were honored to have an opportunity to speak with Dr. Kansagra who is a Duke Medical School graduate and author of the popular book Everything I Learned in Medical School: Besides All the Book Stuff. Dr. Kansagra was as down-to-earth as his candid and true-to-life tweets make him out to be. What were the premed years like for this doctor and author? What advice would he give to those pursuing a career in medicine? In our interview with him, we spoke about his premed years, what motivated him as a premed, and advice he has for pursuing a medical career.
My parents were very much supportive of everything I did and they were supportive of my interest in science
INTERVIEW: BACK INTHE DAY can always fight for your patient by going up against insurance companies. So that was a tough question because I didn't have any experience with that type of situation, but for the most part everything else was straightforward. To prepare for the MCAT I actually took a MCAT prep course, which I was very happy with. My sister is also in medicine and is two years older
of hard work. But for me, I always felt that studying wasn't always necessarily a chore, I almost kind of enjoyed the learning process. I tell a lot of my followers on Twitter, if people get into the mindset of enjoying studying and not something that you're forcing yourself to do, then it makes your life much easier. I was also involved in a lot of extracurricular activities that were enjoyable and so even though
I applied to schools based on what my MCAT scores were like, and so I felt prepared and I think that was the main thing to not feeling stressed. The best advice I ever received as a college student was when I was told to explore my options and to not go through college only thinking I was going to be premed. I think that was helpful because I got a chance to explore other potential
“My advice for pre-med students is to enjoy the road! I tell people, the destination will never be worth it if you didn't enjoy the road.”
than me, so I used her old MCAT material and started looking over the material pretty early to get a sense of the type of questions and content that would be on the exam to familiarize myself with the whole test. Then I took the MCAT prep course which was about 2-3 months of going to classes and taking practice test. The main thing from there was I used a set of books that the test prep company provided which were like lecture notes and I read through those multiple times and tried to remember the important equations. It was very nicely, condensed amount of material that I felt I could get through and really truly dedicate my time to the material. By reading through those books I felt like almost every question on the MCAT when it came to the science section I could relate back to something I learned in those books and had some sense of how to answer them, every questions except for like one or two questions. I also took tons and tons of practice tests. I took full-length practice tests a few weekends in a row. I recommend trying to find a set of material to dedicate your time to and read it repeatedly instead of trying to find every single book out there on the MCAT. Try to familiarize yourself with the test itself. During my pre-med years, I didn't have to sacrifice much. Granted it did involve studying and a lot of hard work. I was lucky enough to have a nice group of friends who also made sure I enjoyed my time in college and didn't spend all of my time just sitting in the library reading. I think every premed goes through that, a little sacrifice has to be made because getting into medical school does involve a lot
there was a lot of studying I felt like I had a pretty good college experience. I tell my Twitter followers, we have this mindset that we feel that once this step is over, when we've worked really hard to get into college things start calming down a bit, and then when we're in college we think I just have to work my butt off right now just so I could make it into medical school and then I won't have to work as hard. And then in medical school, the same thing, let me just work really, really hard so I can get to residency then I can start slowing down as far as studying. And then when you're a resident, you're like let me just work a little bit harder now so I can become a fellow. And then you're an attending and as you're attending you're still working really hard. So I wish I would have known earlier that every step along the way you're taking time to enjoy what you're doing because the work never really ends, it's ongoing, and so you have to really learn how to enjoy life as you go, because you're going to realize that no matter what the next step is, there's always going to be work that needs to be done, so don't sacrifice too much. I didn’t stress about the medical school admission process. The main thing I did was start everything early. Not only with the admission process, but I also started early when preparing for tests like the MCAT. I think the earlier you start the less stress and anxiety you feel when it comes to whatever it is that you're trying to tackle. So with the medical school admissions process, I started early, I knew where I wanted to apply, and I felt pretty comfortable about my MCAT scores,
30 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
« Dr. Ka
nsagra’s
Book
career opportunities. A lot of people get into the mindset that this is the most competitive thing and this is what I need to shoot for but you have to make sure that during your college years you give yourself a chance to explore and find what your true passions are. My advice for pre-med students is to enjoy the road! I tell people, the destination will never be worth it if you didn't enjoy the road. Don't feel like you're sacrificing all of your life and your youth because you're only young once and the work never ends! So enjoy your time as you're going through the process. My most challenging times as a pre-med were when the preparation for medical school took up a lot of my time. I spent a lot of time studying for the MCAT. I remember spring break and studying for the MCAT alone. A lot of my friends were out having fun and me and one of my other pre-med buddies were studying for the MCAT. But overall I think the end result was really worth the sacrifice that I had to make. I tried to make an attitude out of whatever I was doing so I was also kind of enjoying and not really feeling like studying for the MCAT was a punishment per se. Although it was tough sometimes, I had to stay up pretty late studying and work really hard, I think in the end everything worked out.
For the full interview where Dr. Kansagra talks about what he enjoys most about being a doctor, what issues pre-meds should be aware of, and more visit www.premedlife.com. • | com
UC DAVIS DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY Pre-Medical Surgical Internship & Mentorship Program
The UC Davis Department of Surgery Pre-Medical Surgical Internship & Mentorship Program is a unique opportunity for pre-medical students to work with and be mentored by surgeons and physicians in the nationally recognized medical center. This program is not volunteering, but the ability to experience what surgeons do everyday. You will be with the physicians every step of their day when they are working and treating patients in the clinic, by the bedside, in the intensive care unit, Emergency Department, and right next to them in the operating room. This program is open to all pre-medical students regardless of school attended or grade level (graduates and returning students are welcome as well). This program seeks to foster a relationship between physicians and pre-medical students. There will be 3 cycles throughout the academic year that you can apply and participate.
For more information about the program: www.premedsurgery.org
Don’t just watch Grey’s Anatomy. Be a part of it!
www.premedsurgery.org Become a Fan: premedsurgery.org/facebook
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Are You Ruining Your Chances of Getting Great Letters of Recommendation? It’s never too early to start thinking about your letters of recommendation for medical school. Here are five easy ways to ruin your chances of getting great (not good) letters of recommendation.
IT IS NO SECRET that your academic performance and MCAT scores are among the most important factors in the medical school admission decision. However, having stellar grades and impressive test scores are not the sole deciding factors in gaining admission to medical school. And while admission officers consider many other factors, your letters of recommendation are also an important factor when it comes to getting in. In fact, after your GPA and MCAT scores, it holds greater importance than all other components of your application, holding more value in the eyes of admission officers than factors like your personal statements, medical and clinical work experience, and leadership experience. Letters of recommendation for medical school are kind of a big deal. Medical school admission officers say that non-academic data, such as interview scores and letters of recommendation, are the most important data for deciding whom to accept into medical school, according to a survey published by the Association of American Medical Colleges. The decision of whether or not to offer a prospective medical student a seat in the next incoming
Smar t m Thinoves wh k abo
ut o yourwill be advo best cate.
class goes well beyond impressive grades and stellar MCAT scores. Now that you know how important medical school letters of recommendation are to your application, is there anything you can do to make sure the ones that are submitted on your behalf endorse you as the best medical school candidate possible? Of course there is! Your goal is to make it easy for your professors to write your letters of recommendation. Unfortunately, there are students who received good - not great - letters of recommendation. If you'd like to help your potential recommenders write the best letters possible, steer clear of these five ways to ruin your changes of getting a strong endorsement.
CHOOSE THE WRONG PEOPLE TO WRITE YOUR LETTERS Given that your letters of recommendation are entirely dependent on someone else so you should be giving a lot of thought to who you will ultimately choose. Regardless of what stage of the medical school application process you are at, if you haven't started to think about who you will want to write your letters of recom-
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 33
are you ruining your chances for getting great letters of recommendation? mendation - you're late. Students are often so busy studying for their classes or preparing for the MCAT, that they forget a very crucial part of the application process - getting letters recommendation. Remember, medical school admission officers are preparing to evaluate you as a possible student in their next class, and want to know who you are as an individual. Having strong letters of recommendation can literally be the deciding factor in whether or not you get accepted into medical school. On the other hand, having a weak letter of recommendation could also put an end to your medical school dream. It is also important to know that medical schools may require different types of letters of recommendation so it is crucial that you develop relationships with individuals who fall into one category or another. For example, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine requires a recommendation from the applicant's college premedical committee or an officially designated premedical advisor. If the applicant’s college does not have a premedical advisor or premedical committee, two letters of recommendation are required from science faculty members in science departments who have taught the applicant and one non-science faculty member who has also taught the applicant. In addition to the letters indicated, applicants with advanced degrees and/or full time employment are required to submit recommendations from each component of their education and major work experience. Your job is to be strategic about the people you choose to write your letters of recommendation. You'll obviously want to choose individuals who you are truly confident will write a strong letter for you. If you have to question whether or not an individual may have trouble speaking on your strengths, capabilities, and motivation, then they're not the right choice. Shoot for individuals who will be able to speak highly of your academic abilities, motivation to become a doctor, level of maturity, and various accomplishments. The individuals who you should choose are those who want to see you get accepted to medical school and become a doctor just as much as you do. And while you may have several individuals in mind, consider who has the ability to the most relevant information that medical school admission officers will find most valuable. In the end you are looking for people to essentially be your personal advocate, you should also consider who might be in a position to best convince medical school admission officers of your abilities.
PERFORM POORLY IN CLASS OR AT WORK The most surefire way to develop a good relationship with an individual who could potentially become the writer of your letter of recommendation is to do a great job! By excelling academically in class or performing above average at work, you are setting the stage for a positive relationship with a potential future letter writer. Medical school is considered to be one of the most academically challenging paths in graduate education and chances are, the person who will write your medical school recommendation knows this too. By getting good grades or performing job tasks well, you open the door to allow you to take the next step to engage with this person. For your classes, after you've learned what a professor has taught and proven it by performing well on exams, your next job is to show your willingness to learn more. The key to developing a positive relationship with a professor is by being an active participant in class. When you give a professor the opportunity to get to know you beyond just seeing you in class and a grade next to your name, you give them more chances to pull from interactions to write about you on a more personal level. And in some ways, if you're able to connect with a professor while taking a larger lecture-style course rather than one taught in a smaller setting, kudos to you. Imagine that you are a medical school admission officer who reads a letter of recommendation written by a professor who teaches one of the notoriously crowded General Chemistry or Intro to Bio course and talks about a particular student who made an impression on him/her, wouldn't that be quite impressive? Performing well in your classes will also give your premed advisor an indication of your academic level since they are not able to evaluate you in an actual class setting. And for those of you who will need someone from your place of work to write a recommendation, go above and beyond what you're asked. Show initiative and remain committed to whatever assignment or project you work on - it will show and pay off in the long run.
TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT WANTING TO BECOME A DOCTOR If you've made the decision to become a doctor everyone around you should know it. They should not only know that you want to become a doctor but also why you want to become a doctor. The path to becoming a doctor is not an easy one and you must be committed and pas-
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sionate about your decision to dedicate the rest of your life to practicing medicine. When you talk about becoming a doctor, it's important that you don't' come off as arrogant or obnoxious about it but get across your true passion about why you want to pursue a career in medicine. By being able to express your commitment to wanting to become a doctor in a nongeneric way, the people around you will understand how serious you are and will feel great if there's anything they can do to support you in anyway to help you pursue your dreams. Let's imagine for a minute that you are an art professor and had a student who always talked about being, say an Ocularist (someone who paints artificial eyes) and told you about when the first decided they wanted to be an Ocularist, why the find being an Ocularist so interesting, why they find painting eyes to be so awesome, and why they wanted to spend the rest of their life being an Ocularist. Then a few months later, they tell you that they're applying to one of the top Ocularist training programs in the country needed a recommendation and wanted you to write it? Wouldn't it be easy for you to accept the request? Besides, you've heard so much about their dream of painting artificial eyes on several occasions for the last few months and they ended up receiving an "A" in your class. The point it, when you talk about wanting to become a doctor to those around you, including your professors and colleagues at work, you give them the opportunity to get to know you on a personal level, stripped of your smarts and other abilities.
ALLOW FOR ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO WRITE YOUR LETTERS Writing a recommendation is no easy task and the last thing that you want to do is not give your recommenders enough time to put together strong, thoughtful letters of recommendation for you. Once you've decided on who you'll be requesting your letters of recommendation from, you may actually sabotage your chances of getting a great letter if you don't give them the time they need. Providing a comfortable time to write a letter of recommendation is an easy, but very crucial step that you must not overlook. You've put in the work and spent time allowing this person to get to know you, now make it all count for something. People are busy and if you're requesting one from a professor, chances are you're not the only one, so give them the respect and courtesy they deserve by providing them with plenty of time to honor your request. Generally, at least 4-6 weeks is an ideal
cc licensed flickr photo by University of Central Arkansas
are you ruining your chances for getting great letters of recommendation?
Give the people writing your letters of recommendation all the information they need to vouch for your potential to be an outstanding medical student and future doctor
amount of time to give your recommender to write your letter. If you want to blow your chances of getting the best recommendation possible and really annoy your recommender, go ahead and give them less than 2 weeks to prepare your letter. This is the most important application yet, don't blow it by making the simple mistake of not giving enough notice.
briefly remind them what the letter of recommendation is for and thank them for agreeing to write the letter for you. Be sure to include your contact information so they can reach you if they have any questions or need additional information from you. Also give them information about your deadline for receiving their letter.
HOLD BACK ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF
Resume/CV. Prepare a resume of your academic and extracurricular accomplishments, honors and awards, relevant work experience, research or clinical activities, and hobbies. When listing your experiences, make sure to highlight duties and tasks that showcase relevant knowledge and skills, leadership abilities, and other qualities that may help paint a well-rounded picture of you.
It may be easy to underestimate how difficult it is to write a strong letter of recommendation that may give you an advantage to gaining acceptance to medical school. In order for the people writing your letters of recommendation to vouch for you on the strongest level, you'll want to give them all the information they'll need to successfully fulfill your request. Aside from the information they may already have about you or anything that you might have spoken to them about, put together a comprehensive file that will give them the opportunity to speak on your behalf from as many different angles as possible. Here are a few items to include in your file: Cover Letter. In your introductory note to the person writing your letter of recommendation,
Essay. If you have completed your AMCAS essay or at least a draft, it may be a good idea to share it. This will give them the opportunity to learn more about you and your desire to become a doctor in ways they may not already know. It may help give them a greater sense of why you are pursuing a career in medicine and possibly give them a chance to make a more meaningful connection that would have otherwise been left uncovered.
Statement of Purpose. If you're not comfortable providing a copy of your AMCAS essay, you may want to consider putting together a shortened version of what many other graduate and professional schools call a Statement of Purpose. You can use this document to give a general sense of the type of schools you are applying to and why you believe they would be best for you. Try to write at least two compelling paragraphs so that the person writing your recommendation can have more than enough information to endorse you in the strongest way possible. Unofficial Transcript/MCAT Scores Providing your unofficial transcript and MCAT scores pretty much just confirms what the person writing your letter of recommendation should already know about your academic capabilities. They will get the opportunity to asses your overall achievement in various courses, science and non-science, and if necessary remind them of the grade you received in their course. Giving the people writing your letters of recommendation a chance to see your transcript and test scores provides evidence of your overall qualifications for the study of medicine and solid ground for helping them build up a case in your favor. „
PREMED REALITY: ESSAY
“WAS PICKED UP BY THE
YOUR FATHER SPANISH MEDMAN is a premed student focused on rural primary care. In his spare moments, he blogs his thoughts and the occasional premed cartoon at spanishmedman.com
SHERIFF
“
TODAY. My mother's words hung in the air. In the few minutes it took to drive home from school, my 14-year-old world crumbled to pieces. I sat in silence and cried. Life was never the same again. My father's poor choices sent him to prison for the next 13 years of his life before finally being deported to Mexico never to return to the States.
LIFE DISINTEGRATES My older sister was taken into foster care and my older brother left home to go to the military. We quickly learned what life with an incarcerated parent was all about: we were shunned by friends, church members, and the community. If anyone noticed us at all, it was to take pity on us. The stigma and shame of having a parent in jail was more than we could bear as our family story was plastered all over the local small-town newspapers. Occasionally we would meet someone who did not realize that my father had been sentenced to prison. I would always lie and tell them that he was out of town on business.
By Spanish Medman
My mother tried to take us to visit my dad in prison once a month. I would stare at him through the Plexiglas window as he sat there in his jumpsuit, a thousand aches welling up in my heart, knowing that he would never come home again. No matter what had happened, I was a child and he was my father, my security, my comfort − all of that was gone. Money grew scarcer and bills multiplied. My mom juggled working the grave yard shift and going to nursing school during the day. She was never home. My little sister and I were left to ourselves. I was angry and depressed.
Home was an old mobile home on a few acres with some cows and chickens. When my dad immigrated to the U.S. the only job he could get was cutting grass. Since he didn't have a vehicle he would walk several miles to work and back home. He never did very well, but we were able to pay our bills and he was convinced life would be better for us here in the States. Though my parents tried hard to provide what we needed and make our family work, there were a lot of tumultuous times. Eventually all the conflicts at home would escalate and set off a series of events we could not control.
EARLY YEARS Eighteen years prior to my father's arrest and incarceration my parents had moved to South Texas from Guadalajara, Mexico. They began their family thirty miles from the US/Mexican border. Like all others in Rio Grande Valley, our family was a fusion of two cultures and two languages. Dinner time was filled with Tex-mex food and Tex-mex language. I thought everyone spoke English and Spanish.
NEARLY A STATISTIC
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After my father was sentenced, I quickly began to exhibit all the classic signs of a child of an incarcerated parent. My motivation in school began to plummet. I had been accepted at a math and science academy but eventually quit and returned to high school. It was hard to face my friends, school, and life in general. Everyone seemed to be so happy while I was so alone, afraid, and angry. My mother was
ŠDreamstime/Ivankmit
Though my parents tried hard to provide what we needed and make our family work, there were a lot of tumultuous times. Eventually all the conflicts at home would escalate and set off a series of events we could not control.
busy trying to get her own life together and keep food on the table for her remaining children.
CHANGE I tried to forget about my problems by drinking. I drank alone and hid bottles around the house. It wasn't until close to my 19th birthday that I finally hit rock bottom. I knew that if I didn't decide to change my life that I would end up where my dad was (and statistically, I had a seventy percent chance of landing beside him). I stopped drinking and became active in church, as well as outside of church spending positive time with other young people who were also going through a tough time. Becoming involved in the lives of others did more than I thought it would: it changed me and fueled a passion for serving others. The longer I worked helping people, the farther my past seemed from me. This would later play an important part of my decision to study medicine.
MEXICO With new resolve, I finished an Associate's Degree and travelled over six hundred miles south of the
border to Guadalajara, Mexico to study in a small seminary. A year later a small church in a rural pueblo in Mexico asked me to lead their little congregation of farmers and factory workers. The village was plagued by alcoholism. I was privileged to help many men who were struggling to be free from addiction. I ended up staying there for two years. After graduating from seminary and getting married, my wife and I moved deeper into the interior of Mexico to work among an indigenous tribal people. We witnessed firsthand the incredible toll of profound poverty, poor hygiene, and malnutrition. At times, our house was converted into a hospital recovery ward and our vehicle a makeshift ambulance doing late night shifts. I advocated for a young indigenous little girl in the Mexican government hospitals and saw her turned away again and again because she was "just an Indian."
CRISIS COUNSELING I moved our family to the States to manage a Spanish crisis counselor center at a local non-profit organization. I am privileged to guide people into a position where they are able to face their problems and change their life for the better.
After five years of counseling people who were facing marital infidelities, addictions, physical abuse, confessions of homicide, molestation, and other similar difficulties, I knew I needed to do more. I began thinking more holistically about meeting people's long-term needs. Primary care medicine was the natural choice.
MEDICINE Today, I am a premed student with a vision for rural primary care. I work to balance my demanding day job, a family, church involvement, and school. It is challenging, but I would not have it any other way. After finishing my prerequisites this spring, I plan to take the MCAT in June. Sometimes, in a weak moment, I regret not starting on the medical path sooner. But I realize that the difficulties of life have forged in me the qualities that are necessary in a rural doctor. I am convinced that the circumstances of life are not to be used as an excuse for anyone to do less than their potential. The struggles of life help you set your priorities, sharpen your goals, and drive your passion. „
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Photo courtesy of Johns Hopkins Hospital
PERSONALSTORIES
Nth Dimensions is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote comprehensive excellence of medical students, residents/fellows and young physicians by increasing their exposure to academic and supplemental resources necessary to become successful health care providers in the future. One of their biggest programs is the Orthopaedic Summer Internship Program, which pairs 20 first year medical students, each summer, with renowned orthopaedic surgeons nationwide.
Ă‚
Perfect Summer Experience
Nth Dimensions Recognizes SEAN SPENCE as the 2012 Orthopaedic Summer Internship winner
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After undergoing a stringent and competitive application process, Sean Spence, was selected by Nth Dimensions to participate in a clinical and research summer internship with one of the top medical centers in the nation, John Hopkins Hospital. For eight weeks, Sean was able to see and live the life of an orthopaedic surgeon. As a first year medical student at University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine (USF MCOM), this was an opportunity that many others would dream for. "It was an amazing experience," describes Sean. "I was able to take part in cadaver skills labs, scrub in on surgeries and work alongside other surgeons and residents."
“As with many students, public speaking was one of Spence's phobias that he knew he would need to overcome if he wanted to continue pursuing this field. To prepare, he studied 15 articles to make sure he was able to explain the procedure.”
Nth Dimensions requires all interns to give a presentation on the research they worked on during their program. The winning presentation has the opportunity to present again at the upcoming AAOS national conference. As with many students, public speaking was one of Sean's phobias that he knew he would need to overcome if he wanted to continue pursuing this field. To prepare, he studied 15 articles to make sure he was able to explain the procedure. "I had to practice how to become comfortable in an uncomfortable situation," says Sean. After giving his presentation, Sean sat in on the other interns' presentations and observed their research posters. Even though he felt confident with his presentation, he felt everyone else had done an exceptional job too. To his surprise, Sean's presentation won first prize! "I was just happy that I was giving a research presentation that I had contributed on," he recalls. "I had no idea that I would be chosen as the winner." Because of his commitment and work ethic, Sean will have the opportunity to go back to Chicago and present before hundreds of orthopedic surgeons from across the nation at the 2013 AAOS conference. Sean Spence is the manifestation of turning diligence into achievement. At 26-years-old, he has a resume that is more impressive than most 40-year-olds. With the help of his summer internship, Sean was able to recognize his passion for orthopaedics and the well being of people. "This internship experience is something that I can take with me forever," says Sean. "I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity and it wouldn't have been possible without Nth Dimensions." If you are interested in internship opportunities or other Nth Dimensions programs, visit their main website at www.nthdimensions.org.
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With no prior experience with internships or orthopaedics, Sean was nervous about his first day and responsibilities. However, the orientation eased his nerves and reassured him that he was ready for the opportunity. "During the orientation, we were told what to expect, how to act and to always display excellence," explains Sean. His orientation was held at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) headquarters in Chicago. During the orientation, he was able to watch multiple presentations and hear from guest speakers including First Vice President of AAOS Joshua Jacobs, MD. On his first day at John Hopkins Hospital, Sean met his internship preceptor, Dr. Michael Trice who explained the activities he would be involved with for the course of the program. "Dr. Trice was more than my supervisor," says Sean. "He was more like a mentor who gave me advice on how to stand out as a M.D. candidate." A typical day for Sean was waking up at 5:30 a.m. to get to the hospital early. By 7 a.m. he was doing morning rounds with the attendant and other residents. The rest of the day would vary between accompanying Dr. Trice on outpatient visits, observing various techniques in surgeries and participating in cadaver skill labs. "During skill labs, we would induce fractures on cadaver arms with a drill or other tools," illustrates Sean. "After, we would practice learned techniques to put the arm back together." In addition to shadowing Dr. Trice, Sean was also able to help him analyze patient data from one of his research projects entitled, "Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation and High Tibial Osteotomy: Patient Based Outcomes." Sean spent weeks evaluating and inputting the data into their computer program. Additionally, he was able to use results from the research for his presentation to the Nth Dimensions team for his internship evaluation.
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APPLICATIONS TO MEDICAL SCHOOL REACHED NEW
2012, setting the stage for a more competitive admission process than ever before. However, one group of students are not fazed by the news of more applicants vying for roughly the same number of spots in medical schools across the country.
HEIGHTS IN
the early
ŠDreamstime/Lindabrotkorb
DECISION Nearly two months ahead of regular-admission deadlines, students who apply to medical school through what is formally known as the Early Decision Program (EDP) make a binding promise to apply to only one medical school and attend that school should they be offered admission. Chances are you already know a thing or two about admission to medical school through the Early Decision program. Yet few really know that an Early Decision program can offer an applicant an advantage over the regular admission process. Even fewer realize just how much of an advantage it adds to the admissions game. If your credentials make your application strong to begin with, applying to medical school through the Early Decision program can significantly improve your chances of getting into your top
choice. Despite an increase in number of student being enrolled at medical schools across the country in 2012, admission rates could still be a bit discouraging. Among the medical schools with the lowest acceptance rates, an average of 3.4 percent of applicants were accepted, according to the most recent data reported by institutions to U.S. News in an annual survey. But even among over 100 of the other medical schools that did not fall into the lowest acceptance group had, on average, an acceptance rate of fewer than 9 percent. But here's what you're probably not considering - those are the acceptance rates for students who apply through the regular admission process. The good news for applicants who take the Early Decision route is that the numbers look a whole lot better.
For example, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine reports that approximately 10-20% of applicants are accepted under their early decision program. And last year, 3 out of the 4 students who applied to the University of Toledo College of Medicine's ED program were accepted. With an increase in the number of students applying and enrollment rates reaching an alltime high in 2012, the competition to get into medical school is not easing up a bit. Last year's medical school applicants had strong academic credentials, with an average undergraduate GPA of 3.54 and combined median MCAT score of 29, according to the most data from the Association of American Medical Colleges. So here's the deal. If you had the chance to double, maybe even triple, your chances of getting into your dream school, would you take it? There are a few key questions you'll need to ask yourself before you decide if you're in a good enough position to apply to the early decision program at your first-choice medical school: WILL YOU BE ABLE TO PRESENT YOURSELF AS THE STRONGEST MEDICAL SCHOOL CANDIDATE POSSIBLE BY AUGUST OF YOUR APPLICATION YEAR? Applying to medical school requires, first and foremost, that an applicant plans accordingly to submit the strongest application package possible. The important things to remember is that you never want to compromise what might be your only chance to present yourself as the best candidate possible by rushing to apply to an early decision program by the August 1 deadline. For those seriously considering an early decision program, putting together the best application is all about smart planning. As you already know, when it comes to applying to medical school, the checklist may at times seem endless. Sit down and take some time to determine how much time you will need to prepare for and take the MCAT, to draft and complete your AMCAS essays, to request and receive your letters of recommendation, and complete other components of the medical school application process. You want to make a great impression on the admission officers reviewing your application, so be certain that you have enough time to do that. ARE YOU PREPARED TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU ARE SO SURE THAT A PARTICULAR MEDICAL SCHOOL IS UNEQUIVOCALLY THE BEST FIT FOR YOU? When you decide to put all of your eggs into one basket and decide to take, the risk of applying to only one medical school your reason or reasons for doing so better not just be good, but great! By applying to an early decision program, you are have a unique opportunity to express to admis-
THE OTHER OPTION With an increase in the number of students applying and enrollment rates reaching an all-time high in 2012, the competition to get into medical school is not easing up a bit. Last year's medical school applicants had strong academic credentials, with an average undergraduate GPA of 3.54 and combined median MCAT score of 29.
sion officers that you know what you want and you want it bad. So, if at the end of your thoughtful medical school search, you are able to present a truly compelling reason that a particular school is where you want to be, you're in a good place. Aside from being a good fit in various ways, one compelling reason for applying early decision could be if you wanted to apply to a medical school in the city or state where your military spouse or partner was stationed. DO MULTIPLE PARTIES ENCOURAGE YOU AND SUPPORT YOUR DECISION TO APPLY TO AN EARLY DECISION PROGRAM? A pretty good indication that you should apply to an early decision program for your dream school is if you have people in your corner who are confident in encouraging you to go ahead and move forward. Starting with the pre-medical or academic advisor at your school, a stamp of approval from someone who works with students and sees them through the process for a living is a good thing. Then, some schools require students who are considering an early decision program to actually meet with their admissions director before even applying to the program. For example, the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine says that due to the unique nature of the early decision program and the abbreviated application timeline, prospective applicants must arrange a meeting with the school's Director of Admission prior to applying. Other programs advise that students make contact with the school their considering, which shouldn't be so bad considering it is their "dream" school and should they be willing to do whatever is in their best interest. If after meeting with a representative from the school you receive a nod, then applying to your top-choice medical school is certainly the right decision.
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ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE YOUR CHANCE TO RECEIVE ATTRACTIVE INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS OR SUBSIDIZED LOANS OFFERED BY OTHER MEDICAL SCHOOLS? It's no secret that the price tag of a medical education continues to rise, and medical students and graduates are worried about their debt loads. Close to eighty percent of medical school graduates had over $100,000 in debt, and 36 percent had racked up education-related debt of more than $200,000 by the time graduation rolled around. That's according to the latest data from the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. If financial aid is not a concern or you've already secured a scholarship from an outside source other than your early decision school, then you have nothing to worry about when it comes to this department. However, if you are concerned about covering the cost of your medical education, when you apply to an early decision program there is no guarantee that you will receive the best financial aid package that you may be eligible to receive overall. And despite having the academic credentials needed to meet requirements for possibly receiving a merit-based scholarship, again, there is no guarantee that you will be on the receiving end of the financial aid award. WILL YOU BE FULLY PREPARED TO TAKE THE MCAT NO LATER THAN JUNE OF YOUR APPLICATION YEAR? If your current MCAT study plan puts you taking the test sometime between July and September, you will not receive your scores back in time to make the August deadline to submit your early decision application. As one of the most important factors in admission decisions, your MCAT score is critical to making you a competitive candidate and thus deserves your full commitment to prepare. If it means beginning your MCAT prep a few weeks earlier than planned, then make the necessary changes. But don't take the risk if you have to shortchange or rush your MCAT preparation in anyway to meet the early decision application deadline. It is important that you are comfortable with the amount of time you spend studying for one of the most important tests yet and rushing to take the MCAT before you're fully ready could backfire and jeopardize your chances of admission to your top-pick medical school, or any medical school for that matter. So, if you can confidently answer yes to all five of the above questions, then it would definitely be in your favor to apply to the early decision program if your top-pick medical school offers the option to do so. „
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GOODADVICE
Things Every Premed Should Know Before Studying Abroad
REGARDLESS OF YOUR MAJOR, LIVING AND STUDYING INTERNATIONALLY CAN BE VALUABLE TO ANY STUDENT,
and for premeds studying abroad, the experience can be one of the best things you could ever do during college. The unique, firsthand experience is the perfect way to gain exposure to diverse health practices, learn about different health care beliefs and practices, and importantly, to participate in health care related volunteer projects. As future health care professionals, studying abroad provides an ideal setting to become a well-rounded student with broad and diverse experiences. However, before you get all excited about your international academic stint, there are some important details that you'll want to learn to have the most successful experience possible. So here are a few valuable things you should know to help you plan your premed studies abroad.
IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START THINKING ABOUT STUDYING ABROAD Times are changing as more and more pre-medical students are beginning to realize and exercise their option to study broad. But making plans to study abroad can be little trickier if you are a pre-med student. Early planning is the key to pulling off a successful trip without screwing up your plans for applying to medical school. So here's the deal. Begin talking to your pre-medical advisor to determine the best academic schedule that you should plan out before going abroad. Chances are there have been several pre-med students who have already participated in study abroad programs and found success in the plan they charted. When consulting your pre-medical advisor, the earlier the better - most successful pre-med students who study abroad meet with their advisor during their freshman or sophomore year.
2
NOT ALL STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS ARE CREATED EQUAL
If you plan on taking courses, regardless of whether or not it is health-related or not, you should first make sure that the course is considered an official study abroad program as defined by the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) - that is if you even intend on entering your credits on your medical school application. In order for AMCAS to consider your foreign coursework, the study abroad program should be sponsored by and credits transferred to a U.S. or Canadian institution. Under the "Study Abroad Coursework" section of the 2013 AMCAS Instruction Manual students can find further details if they participated in a study abroad program or will be including coursework attempted anywhere other than at an institution in the U.S. or Canada on their application. Furthermore, there are a number of study abroad programs for which AMCAS will only accept credit if successfully transferred to and accepted by a U.S. or Canadian sponsoring institution, including, but not limited to: (CIEE) Council on International Educational Exchange, (CEA) Cultural Experiences Abroad, (IES) International Education of Students, (ISA) International Studies Abroad, and (DIS) Danish Institute for Study Abroad Program.
3
TAKING THE MCAT ABROAD IS AN OPTION, BUT NOT ENCOURAGED
The MCAT is administered at 18 locations outside of the United States including, Australia, Hong Kong, Cyprus, France, Germany, Guam, India, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Even if you feel like you are a top-notch student with an airtight study plan and your testtaking skills are strong enough to sit for the
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MCAT in an international space, do you really want to take that chance? Most medical school admission officers consider an applicant's MCAT scores to be one of the most important factors in their decision-making process. Your performance on the MCAT is extremely important and you should only take it under the most ideal conditions possible.
4
MOST MED SCHOOLS DO NOT ACCEPT PRE-MED COURSES TAKEN ABROAD While most medical schools recognize the benefits of studying abroad and admission officers like to see applicants who have gain the valuable experience of life outside of the country, they also tend to prefer applicants to complete their medical school prerequisite courses at their home college or university and not through an international program. For required premedical courses including, Introductory Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and General Physics, admission committees may find it challenging to evaluate the coursework offered at various foreign institutions. As a result, most medical schools do not allow applicants to use premedical coursework taken abroad to fulfill the prerequisite course requirement for their programs. Therefore it is not recommended that you take your core prerequisite courses while studying abroad. However, some medical schools do accept science prerequisite courses completed abroad. For example, SUNY Downstate College of Medicine requires students who have completed science prerequisites aboard to submit a course by course evaluation from a national agency to enable the admissions committee to evaluate the coursework and put into U.S. academic equivalents.
5
POOR PLANNING CAN SABOTAGE YOUR ADMISSION TO SCHOOL Circling back to the importance of early planning, when making the decision to study abroad - timing is everything! Let's say that in your junior year, you decide that you want to join your roommate who is planning a study abroad trip to Hong Kong for the Spring semester. Have you completed your medical school prerequisites? If no, are you okay with finishing your coursework during your senior year? Or, what if you study abroad during your senior year and are not available if invited for medical school interviews back in the U.S.? Most pre-medical advisors highly recommend that in the interest of the medical school admissions process, premed students interested in studying abroad should do so during the summer following their sophomore year. In addition, by planning to study abroad before they begin their junior year, pre-med students should therefore not disrupt their scheduled prerequisite coursework. „
cc licensed flickr photo by Chiaralily
5
1
Premed / Pre-Health / Post Bacc Electives & Study Abroad in Africa
A F R I C A
Our program offers the following: Ø Opportunity for early exposure to medicine Ø A unique way to demonstrate intent and interest in medical school application Ø See healthcare delivery in a different setting Ø Cultural exchange and an appreciation of other cultures, including a Safari to famous Maasai Mara if placed in Kenya
info@electiveafrica.com
www.electiveafrica.com
Elective Africa's Premed / Pre-Health / Post Bacc program offers well structured and well supervised placements for Premed / Pre-Health / Post Bacc students seeking to study abroad, get independent study and be involved in experiential learning or volunteer programs in Africa.
Medical Programs
Safari to Masai Mara
Ø Student electives ð Surgery, Pediatrics, General Medicine, Obstetrics
& Gynecology, Emergency & Critical Care, Dentistry Ø Premed programs Ø Public health research Ø Medical camps Ø Nursing Ø Midwifery Ø Physician Assistant
“Doing a medical elective in Kenya was an eye opening experience. I got to see the developing world health system and range of tropical diseases not normally prevalent in Australia. It was a really hands on experience. I got to learn and perform skills like administering injections, catheters and suturing patients. I was also able to take part in the examining, differentials, diagnosing and formulating treatment plans. The highlight for me would have to be the amazing new friends I have made and the motivation I have taken back home. I would recommend this program to anyone considering it.” Cassanne Eccleston Charles Sturt University Australia, August 2010
http://www.electiveafrica.com
2013
PRE-MED
SUMMER PROGRAMS
PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
Little Rock, Arkansas
June 3 - August 9, 2013
10 Weeks
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Los Angeles, California
June 23-August 3, 2013
6 Weeks
Seaver Undergraduate Research in Biology at Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
May 12 - July 27, 2013
10 Weeks
46 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Paid summer research fellowships are available for 9$3000 Stipend undergraduate students who will be juniors or seniors by the fall semester. Selected students will work on a project relevant to human health in a laboratory of a faculty member at either the University of Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, or the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The Biomedical Research fellowships are designed for students with a solid background in science who wish to be part of an ongoing research project, develop their technical skills and are interested in pursuing a research career.
Phone(501) 686-8895 pharmtox.uams.edu/surf
MARCH 15, 2013
The UCLA SMDEP will serve as a model learning 9Meals community in which students examine health care 9Stipend issues in medically underserved communities. 9Housing Through a research project, problem-based learning cases, lectures, clinical experiences, and small-group discussions, students will also improve their learning skills and increase their science knowledge. The program targets educationally and financially disadvantaged community college students.
Phone (310) 825-9573 Email uclasmdep@mednet.ucla.edu www.medsch.ucla.edu/smdep
MARCH 1, 2013
Summer research program geared specifically to 9Stipend undergraduate students who are interested in 9Room + Board pursing a career in biological research, science 9Travel Costs education, environmental science or biotechnology. Over the summer, students will pursue individual research seminars in one of five research areas students may elect to study.
Email jay.brewster@pepperdine.edu seaver.pepperdine.edu/surb
FEBRUARY 15, 2013
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 47
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Stanford Summer Research Program (SSRP)
Stanford, California
June 22 - August 24, 2013
8 Weeks
UCLA Pre-Medical Enrichment Program (PREP)
Los Angeles, California
June 19 - July 31, 2013
7 Weeks
UCLA Re-Application Program (RAP)
Los Angeles, California
June 19-July 31, 2013
11 Months Summer Session 7 Weeks + Academic Session 9 Months
Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
Duarte, California
May-July 2013 or June-August 2013
10 Weeks
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE) Program
Duarte, California
May-August 2013 June-August 2013 June-September 2013
10 Weeks
UCSD Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
San Diego, California
June 24 - August 16, 2013
12 Weeks
48 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Program offers undergraduates who want to prepare for and enter Ph.D programs in the sciences an opportunity to work with Stanford's distinguished faculty and work in one of Stanford's state-of-the-art research facilities. Participants will work with a faculty member and a lab mentor to craft a research project. The program culminates with a research symposium, where students present individual talks and posters on their summer projects in front of the faculty, lab mentors, and University administrators.
9$3,500 Stipend
Email: ssrpmail@stanford.edu ssrp.stanford.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
Program designed to provide premedical and 9Travel Allowance Phone(310) 825-3575 predental students from disadvantaged background www.medstudent.ucla.edu with a means of strengthening their ability and readiness to study medicine or dentistry. Students will work at a rigorous pace with a highly focused scope to prepare for the MCAT and DAT. Participants will engage in an extensive and lively classroom review of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Verbal Reasoning. Participants are also assigned to observe practicing physicians, dentists, and medical researchers performing the typical functions of their professions.
MARCH 1, 2013
Comprehensive, structured re-application program 9Stipend designed to assist students from disadvantaged background who have been unsuccessful in gaining admission to any U.S. medical school. The program begins with an intensive 8-week summer session, focused upon prerequisite science review and MCAT preparation. An individualized academicyear program that consists of a science curriculum will follow.
Phone(310) 825-3575 www.medstudent.ucla.edu
TBA (priority deadline)
Program gives promising students with an interest 9$4,000 Stipend in research and health science careers practical experience and helps them develop important skills for their futures. Our instructors are worldrenowned physicians and scientists who guide students in their research, while helping them develop their critical thinking skills. Weekly seminars allow students to present research findings to their peers, a good primer for what graduate and postdoctoral students do.
Email: psalv@coh.org www.cityofhope.org/education
MARCH 14, 2013
9$4,000 Stipend
www.cityofhope.org/education
CONTACT PROGRAM
Program is designed to engage the scientific curiosity of promising young high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented populations who are interested in cancer research as a career.
Program for motivated undergraduate students 9$4,800 Stipend Email: (800) 925-8704 interested in seeking future training in a combined 9Housing mstp.ucsd.edu/surf MD/PhD program. Principle focus is an 9Travel Allowance 8-week research project conducted in the laboratory of a faculty member in the biomedical sciences.
FEBRUARY 1, 2013
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 49
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Graduate Experience for Multicultural Students (GEMS) at the University of Colorado - Denver School of Medicine
Denver, Colorado
June 3- August 9 2013
10 Weeks
Summer Student Research Fellowship at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, Connecticut
June 3-August 9, 2013
10 Weeks
Yale University Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) New Haven, Connecticut
June-July 2013
6 Weeks
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation Internship Program
Ridgefield, Connecticut
TBA
TBA
College Enrichment Program (CEP) at the University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
May - July 2013
6 Weeks
College Summer Fellowship Program at UConn School of Medicine
Farmington, Connecticut
TBA
10 Weeks
50 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Selected GEMS interns will enroll in a research 9$4,000 Stipend (303) 724-6084 internship course, Topics in Biomedical Science and 9Travel Allowance Email: GEMS@ucdenver.edu Research. The course will be conducted by www.ucdenver.edu/academics distinguished research faculty and will consist of lectures, demonstrations, and laboratory research assignments with a mentor.
FEBRUARY 15, 2013
Program offers a unique clinical research 9$1,500+ Award opportunity for college students pursuing careers in medicine. Fellowship is designed exclusively for pre-medical students completing either their junior or senior year in college. It offers the student an introduction to research methodology, patient treatment, and ethical issues in medicine as well as exposure to a broad spectrum of health care providers within a large community teaching hospital.
FEBRUARY 13, 2013
Rportal@harthosp.org www.harthosp.org
Program for highly motivated college students who 9Stipend (203) 785-7545 are considering a career in medicine. The Program 9Food Email: Linda.jackson@yale.edu exposes students to a problem-based learning model 9Housing www.smdep.org/progsites/yale.htm of science education that is similar to that used in 9Travel Allowance medical school. Research & Development: Throughout the summer, interns will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with top researchers in their field. Medical: Interns within the medical department have the opportunity to assist on both early and late phase clinical trails. Whether the project entails enrolling participants into a clinical trail or measuring and analyzing trail results, interns work with leading doctors and researchers to assure that all Boehringer Ingelheim products meet all requirements set forth by the FDA.
(202) 798-9988 us.boehringer-ingelheim.com/career
The program addresses the needs of University of Connecticut freshmen and sophomores. The program is designed to provide sound development of scientific and mathematical skills. The program consists of courses in individual programs of study in: Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Calculus, and Physics. The program will consist of 30 hours per week of formal lecture, laboratory, directed study, and clinical experiences addressing the needs of college freshman or sophomores.
(505) 277-5321 cep@unm.edu
The program is designed to offer undergraduates 9$2,500-$3,000 who are completing their sophomore, or preferably 9Stipend their junior year of college, and plant to purse a 9Housing career as a MD, DMD, MD/PhD, or DMD/PhD. Once a student is accepted to the program and has selected and found a faculty sponsor in which to do research, the student will meet with the faculty sponsor in June and develop a research protocol and suitable project description. The student will commit approximately 30+ hours per week for the project and will work with the faculty sponsor or his/her designates.
(860) 679-2487 Email: dieli@uchu.edu www.medicine.uchc.edu
MARCH 1, 2013
MARCH 15, 2013
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 51
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) at Howard University
Washington, DC
June-July 2013
6 Weeks
Georgetown Summer Medical Institute (GSMI)
Washington, DC
TBA
Varies
Pre-Medical Summer Enrichment Program (PSEP) at The University of South Florida
Tampa, Florida
TBA
6 Weeks
Minority Students Health Careers Motivation Program
Miami, Florida
June-July 2013
7 Weeks
Health P.A.S.S. Program
Des Moines, Iowa
July 2013
4 Weeks
52 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The program is designed to provide an educational 9Stipend experience of exceptional quality that will strengthen 9Housing the overall academic preparation of under9Meals represented minority, disadvantaged, and lowincome students who express interest in admission to medical or dental school.
(202) 806-0378 hu_smdep@yahoo.com www.smdep.org/progsites
MARCH 1, 2013
The program, combined with the informative and supportive environment at Georgetown University School of Medicine, will provide preparation and insight for individuals exploring the calling of medicine as a career, and those making-up medical school course.
(202) 806-0378 CONTACT PROGRAM hu_smdep@yahoo.com som.georgetown.edu/prospectivestudents
Tuition: $3,862 (5 Credits) for Human Gross Anatomy and Human Physiology; $3,090 (4 Credits) for Medical Histology (Microscopic Anatomy) and Medical Biochemistry. Tuition includes the use of course textbooks and lab fees (for Anatomy).
The program is designed for highly motivated 9$1,500 Grant students who are preparing for medical school or physical therapy school. The program is designed to enhance the competitiveness of talented minority and disadvantaged students for admission into medical school and serves as a recruitment tool to USF COM Medicine. The program includes a review of concepts in biology, general and organic chemistry, and physics. Participants will work closely with faculty in areas of reading skills, test taking skills, etc. Participants are also pared with physicians in the local community to have an opportunity to develop an appreciation of the "real world of medicine" through weekly clinical experiences.
(813) 974-4707
CONTACT PROGRAM
The program is designed to be a mini first-year 9$400 Stipend (305) 284-3187 medical education experience that exposes 9Housing www6.miami.edu participants to classroom instruction in select basic 9Meals science courses in the medical education curriculum 9Travel Allowance and offers physician-shadowing opportunities. Great attention isplaced on identifying and removing any barriers that may prevent a participant from being a competitive medical school applicant. Workshops develop skills for preparing strong admissions and financial aid applications.
LATE MARCH 2013
The program is for promising college sophomores 9Travel Stipend and juniors to prepare for and enhance their chances 9Meals of getting into medical school and other health 9Materials professions programs. Health P.A.S.S. will provide 9Housing participants with well-rounded perspectives on what it's like to be a medical school student in osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine and surgery, physical therapy, and physician assistant studies. In the program's courses, clinical opportunities and practical exposure, students will gain the confidence that they can achieve a degree and career in any of Des Moines University's four clinical areas- and the knowledge they need to get started.
FEBRUARY 2013
(800) 240-2767 x 1709 www.dmu.edu/healthpass
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 53
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Professional Education Preparation Program (PEPP) at The University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
June-July 2013
4 Weeks
MCAT-DAT Review Summer Workshop at the University of Louisville School of Medicine
Louisville, Kentucky
May 28 - June 25, 2013
4 Weeks
Buck for Brains Summer Research Program at the University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Varies
8 Weeks
Frontier Nursing Service Courier Program
Wendover, Kentucky
TBA
6- 8 weeks
Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Bethesda, Maryland Baltimore, Maryland Frederick, Maryland
mid-May-June 2013
8 Weeks
Summer Internship Program at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
May 26 - August 3, 2013
10 Weeks
College Summer Enrichment Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School
Worcester, Massachusetts
May-June, 2013
54 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
4 Weeks
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The program provides academic enrichment in 9Housing chemistry and biology, as well as clinical experiences, 9Meals medical and dental experiential activities, laboratory experiences, seminars, demonstrations, and clinical site visits.
(859) 257-1968 ctsnyd0@email.uky.edu www.uky.edu
MARCH 2013
Free MCAT review workshop for eligible students
502) 852-8109 louisville.edu/medschool
MARCH 1, 2013
(859) 257-6322 bguer00@email.uky.edu www.research.uky.edu
APRIL 15, 2013
The program provides a type of internship for 9$500 Stipend young women and men who had a desire to go into the medical field. For young women and men who are interested in the healthcare field, the Courier Program provides limited opportunities to shadow healthcare professionals including: family nurse practitioners, physicians, nurse-midwives at FNS rural healthcare centers, at Mary Breckinridge Hospital and Home Health Agency.
(606) 672-2317 information@frontiernursing.org www.frontiernursing.org
CONTACT PROGRAM
The program is designed to provide an independent 9Stipend research experience in biomedical and/or public health research to undergraduate students under the direct mentoring of established Johns Hopkins researchers. During the program interns work one-on-one with faculty on research projects in their field of interest and attend a health science seminar series.
cohend@mail.nih.gov www.jhsph.edu
MARCH 1, 2013
cwill@jhmi.edu
FEBRUARY 1, 2013
The program provides undergraduates at the University of Kentucky with hands-on experience in academic research, working alongside "Bucks for Brains" faculty. Students are placed in research settings ranging from plant biochemistry to computer science to American history.
The program provides experience in research laboratories to students of diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented minority students and students from economically disadvantaged and underserved backgrounds. The purpose of this exposure to biomedical and/or public health research is to encourage students to consider careers in science, medicine and public health.
PERKS
9$3,500 Stipend
9$3,000 Stipend 9Housing
A tuition-free four-week residential program for 9Stipend (508) 856-2707 undergraduate sophomores and juniors interested 9Housing www.umassmed.edu in entering the health professions. The goals of 9Travel Allowance the program are to help participants improve their qualifications and competitive standing for admission to professional, graduate and/or medical school. The program includes enrichment activities to enhance participants' academic and communication skills. Sessions include the professional school application process with emphasis on medical school admissions and financing professional school. Seminars on biomedical research and cultural contemporary health issues are also provided. Additionally, the SEP offers participants the opportunity to interact with medical students, scientists, physicians, and other health care professionals
MARCH 2013
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 55
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Four Directions Summer Research Program at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
June 10 - August 8, 2013
8 Weeks
Siteman Cancer Center Summer Opportunity Program
St. Louis, Missouri
May 28 - August 2, 2013
10 Weeks
Biomedical Research Apprenticeship Program (BioMed RAP) at Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
TBA
10 Weeks
University of Nebraska Medical Center Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Omaha, Nebraska
June - July 2013
8 Weeks
Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program at the Eppley Cancer Research Institute
Newark, New Jersey
TBA
10 Weeks
56 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The focus of activity during the summer is 9Travel Allowance (617) 525-7644 participation in a basic science research project. 9Housing FourDirections@partners.org Students are assigned a medical school faculty 9Living Stipend www.fdsrp.org mentor who will work closely with the student to ensure completion of a project over the 8-week summer period. Additional program goals include: Experience cutting edge research at a leading medical school, understand the medical school application process, exposure to Native American health care issues, integrate Native traditions including talking circles, networking with Native American students and faculty
FEBRUARY 13, 2013 @ 11PM
Program provides opportunities for undergraduate, 9$3,500 Stipend pre-med and medical students enrolled at Washington University or other accredited universities to work on cancer research projects during the summer. Opportunities range from basic laboratory research to clinical research to prevention/control and population research.
MARCH 1, 2013
(314) 454-8439 waldhofft@siteman.wustl.edu www.siteman.wustl.edu
As a BioMedRAP/CD-BioRAP participant, 9Stipend (314) 362-7963 students will conduct independent research with 9Travel Allowance Biomedrap@msnotes.wustl.edu outstanding faculty mentors, work in a cutting 9Housing edge science and technology environment, gain exposure to some of the nation's finest biomedical investigators and an extensive variety of research topics, receive individualized career counseling and develop your career interests, participate in workshops, seminars and journal clubs, build a social network with student peers and faculty, and prepare to apply to the best Ph.D. and M.D. /Ph.D. programs in the United States
JANUARY 31, 2013
The program is designed to identify, recruit, and 9Meals (800) 701-9665 assist future dentists and doctors through a 9Travel Assistance smdep@unmc.edu comprehensive six-week summer experience for 9Stipend www.smdep.org talented freshman and sophomores. The overall 9Housing goal of the program is to provide each scholar the navigation tools necessary to reach their current and future goals. NMC's primary focus on core academics is a springboard for students in their pursuit of a career as a physician or dentist. What makes this program unique is its emphasis on small-group learning. Instruction includes areas, such as health disparities, medical ethics, and public health.
MARCH 1, 2013
Students in the summer program work for 10 wks 9$4,000 Stipend doing hands-on research in Eppley Institute 9Housing laboratories. Students get to try research, learn techniques and new concepts, and work with professional researchers, all while earning a competitive summer salary. Virtually all of our former summer students have been successful in gaining acceptance to graduate and professional schools.
MARCH 1, 2013
crgp_info@eppleyits.comundefined www.unmc.edu/eppley/summer.htm
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 57
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical and New Jersey Dental Schools Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Newark, New Jersey
June-July 2013
6 Weeks
Biomedical Careers Program (BCP) at Robert Wood Medical School
Piscataway, New Jersey
June - July 2013
6 Weeks
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
New York, New York
June-July 2013
6 Weeks
Gateways to the Laboratory Summer Program at Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering
New York, New York
June - August 2013
10 Weeks
58 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Program serves to advance our institution's core 9Stipend mission of meeting society's current and future 9Housing health care needs by preparing individuals under- 9Meals represented in medicine and dentistry, and doing so while championing cultural competency and humanism in all aspects of education. SMDEP reaffirms our continued commitment to and involvement in pipeline initiatives and will allow our two institutions to attain even greater diversity. SMDEP will also allow us to continue strengthening the academic portfolios of these college students so that they are competitive candidates for medicine.
(973) 972-3762 anthondd@umdnj.edu www.smdep.org
MARCH 1, 2013
Academic enrichment program for undergraduate 9Tuition Free students interested in careers in the health professions. The program targets undergraduates who are economically and/or educationally disadvantaged. BCP offers an intensive six-week summer program to serve students at all stages of undergraduate education. Students take part in a variety of science enrichment and healthcareoriented activities.
(732) 235-4558 summerprogram@umdnj.edu rwjms.umdnj.edu
MARCH 2013
The program provides students seriously interested 9Meals (212) 305-4157 in applying to medical or dental school with a well- 9Travel Assistance smdep-ps@columbia.edu defined, integrated approach to learning, focusing on 9Stipend www.smdep.org/progsites the basic science curriculum needed to apply to 9Housing medical or dental school. Students engage in intense labs, learning-skills, and career development courses during the six weeks of the program, while attending weekly clinical rotations and seminars. The program strives to help students enhance and improve their chances of becoming successful applicants and students at the medical/dental schools of their choice.
MARCH 1, 2013
The program was established for underrepresented 9$4,300 Stipend minority and disadvantaged college students who 9Travel expenses wish to pursue the combined MD-PhD degree. Over the summer, students will: Work independently on a research project. Students will present and participate in weekly journal clubs. Participate in a hands-on tour of the Gross Anatomy Lab. Sit for a Mock MCAT exam. Partake in a Lab Techniques Workshop and Clinical Skills Workshop. Participate in Career Development Workshops. Scrub into surgeries at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Give an oral, written and poster presentation of your research in front of your family, friends and colleagues. Have on going mentorship by your "Big Sib" (a current MD-PhD student) as well as weekly meetings with the Program's leadership.
FEBRUARY 1, 2013
(212) 746-6023 mdphd@med.cornell.edu www.med.cornell.edu
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 59
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Undergraduate Mentorship Program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Bronx, New York
June-July 2012
6 weeks
Montefiore Medical Center's Health Opportunities Program (Monte-HOP)
Bronx, New York
July - August 2012
6 Weeks
Project Asian Health Education and Development (AHEAD)
New York, New York
June - August 2012
8 Weeks
The Travelers Summer Research Fellowship Program for Premedical Students at Weill Cornell Medical College
New York, New York
June - August 2012
8 Weeks
Project Healthcare at NYU Langone Medical Center
New York, New York
June - August 2012
10 Weeks
60 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The program will be comprised of a six-hour per 9$1,000 Stipend week commitment to a shadowing experience 9Transportation with an assigned mentor and fourteen hours per 9Meals week of lecture attendance. These fourteen hours will be distributed into the following three core curriculum components: six hours clinical didactic, six hours medical informatics, and two hours of MCAT preparation and test taking strategies. Students are also expected to conduct a research project while in the program.
(718) 430-2792 hcoe@einstein.yu.edu www.einstein.yu.edu/hcoe
MARCH 2013
The program is designed to promote, educate, and encourage underserved youth to purse careers within the health fields. Students will gain valuable knowledge and professional skills through interactive workshops, mentorship by physicians, observation of physician-patient interactions, lecture activities and independent learning.
(718) 920-4678 cwhittak@montefiore.org www.einstein.yu.edu/hcoe
APRIL 2013
The program is designed to provide training and 9Meals (212) 379-6988 ext. 619 experience for college students who are interested in 9Travel Assistance www.cbwchc.org pursuing a career in the health care field. The 9Stipend program consists of a practical field placement, 9Housing seminars and workshops, and participation in the development and completion of a community health project. Students explore various health careers, and gain an understanding of the dynamics of the New York Asian American community and of current health issues impacting the health status of Asian Americans in the United States.
FEBRUARY 2013
The program is designed to give 25 premedical 9$140/Wk (212) 746-1057 students deeper insights into the field of medicine, 9Housing www.med.cornell.edu including issues that greatly affect the health of 9Travel Expenses for traditionally underserved groups. Through the students who live some experiences of laboratory or clinical research, the distance from NY students learn how one purses a specific research problem under the supervision of a faculty member, thus providing an early education into basic research techniques that could be applicable to any area of medicine.
FEBRUARY 1 2013
Project Healthcare is an innovative volunteer program for enthusiastic and inspired college and postbaccalaureate students. Created by the Bellevue Hospital Center Emergency Department, PHC allows students an opportunity to experience and many different aspects of healthcare. The program is comprised of several weekly rotations which are based in the Emergency Department. It offers the committed student a unique healthcare experience, which is intended to furnish a wealth of knowledge about the numerous options for a career in healthcare.
JANUARY 2013
(212) 562-3041 bellevuepavers@nyumc.org emergency.med.nyu.edu
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 61
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Scientific Work Program (SSWP) at Franklin Hospital
Valley Stream, New York
TBA
4 weeks
ACCESS Summer Research Program at Cornell University
New York, New York
TBA
10 weeks
AGEP Summer Research Institute (SRI) at SUNY Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York
TBA
10 Weeks
Bronx-Westchester Area Health Education Center
Bronx, New York
May/July 2013
Varies
62 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The program is designed to help college students decide whether or not a career in medicine is right for them. This renowned program offers students the opportunity to complete a four-week summer internship where they have the chance to observe and ask questions in order to learn more about the medical field. Throughout these four weeks, accepted students rotate through various departments in order to gain a well rounded experience of the hospital.. Some of these departments include the operating room, emergency room, radiology, geriatrics, laboratory, psychiatry as well as the rehabilitation unit. Partici pants also have numerous opportunities to go on rounds with doctors, observe physicians in their private offices and attend hospital conferences.
MFalzone@nshs.edu http://www.northshorelij.com
FEBRUARY 15, 2013
The Access program of Weill Cornell Graduate 9$3,000 Stipend School of Medical Sciences is a summer internship 9Up to $300 for program that trains underserved college students in travel expenses the biomedical sciences Interns gain hands-on 9Housing experience in a biomedical research laboratory and are encouraged to apply to PhD programs. Selected students are placed in laboratories at the Weill Cornell Medical College under the mentorship of experienced faculty members. n addition to the laboratory experience, students attend lectures and discussions aimed at enhancing their understanding of the current status of biomedical research, the pathways available for entering research careers, and the range of available career opportunities. Students also participate in weekly journal clubs, attend workshops that teach them how to prepare for interviews and seminars, and take part in social activities.
(212) 746-6565 ffreyre@med.cornell.edu weill.cornell.edu
FEBRUARY 1, 2013
The program is an intensive residential research 9$3,500 Stipend (631) 632-1387 internship program for underrepresented minority 9Round-trip airfare sunyagep@notes.cc.sunysb.edu undergraduates majoring in science, technology, 9Housing www.stonybrook.edu/agep engineering, or mathematics. Students will get a 9Meals unique opportunity to work on independent research projects in cutting-edge laboratories under the direction of Stony Brook University faculty.
FEBRUARY 2013
Health Careers Internship Program (HCIP): This program allows students aspiring toward a career in the health professions the opportunity to work in a health care setting and interact regularly with health professionals. Students must be Junior or Senior in college. Summer Health Internship Program (SHIP): The program provides a six-week summer placement opportunity for junior/senior high school, and freshman/sophomore college students who have expressed an interest in the health field. Students are exposed to a variety of careers in the health fields as well as to health issues affecting their communities.
VARIES
(718) 590-1110 www.bwahec.org/programs
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 63
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
MD/PhD Summer Undergraduate Research Program at University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska
TBA
10 Weeks
Summer Program for Future Doctors at East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina
TBA
8 Weeks
Science Enrichment Preparation (SEP) Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Indians into Medicine Program at the University of North Dakota
64 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Grand Forks, North Dakota
TBA
TBA
8 Weeks
6 Weeks
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The program is designed to provide appropriate 9$3,000 Stipend experience and training to enable students to become competitive for admission to the school's MD/PhD Scholars Program. Benefits of the program include, gaining research training and experience that will make them more competitive for medical school, graduate school, other summer research programs, and MD/PhD program, exploring personal motivation for a career in medicine and biomedical research, meeting the UNMC faculty, participating in a student poster session.
(402) 559-8242 sacox@unmc.edu www.unmc.edu
MARCH 1, 2013
The program is an intensive, challenging, 9Housing educational summer program that allows 9Travel Stipend participants to experience the pedagogical style and demands of the medical school curriculum. The Summer Program for Future Doctors is a great opportunity for participants to strengthen their basic science knowledge base, enhance their critical thinking skills, gain a better understanding of the application and admissions process, and exhibit their abilities to successfully handle the academic, social, and emotional demands of medical school.
(252) 744-2500 ascc@mail.ecu.edu www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ascc/SPFD.cfm
CONTACT PROGRAM
The SEP Program is an honors-level academic enrichment program for disadvantaged undergraduate students (rising sophomores and juniors) who seek admissions into graduate/health professional programs. Students will engage in more than 150 hours of classroom instruction in physics, organic chemistry, human physiology and quantitative skills/biostatistics, attend classes and seminars in reading speed and comprehension, test-taking strategies, essay writing, and interview techniques, visit local health facilities and network with health care professionals, and shadow a working professional in your health field of interest.
(919) 966-2264 nchcap.unc.edu/sep.php
FEBRUARY 15, 2013
2 programs. Pathway at UND: This program is for 9Stipend tribal community college students planning to 9Travel Stipend transfer to UND in health care or pre-health curricula. Pathway courses are taught by University instructors, and are designed to prepare participants for advanced courses in the areas of anatomy, physioogy, biology and physics. Pathway also includes a learning skills component to promote successful learning styles and study habits. Pathway students are eligible to apply for one-year tuition waivers at UND. Med Prep at UND: This program is for American Indian college upperclassmen and graduates who are preparing for medical school coursework. The program is divided into two major components: pre-medical students preparing to take or retake the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and students entering medical school.
(701) 777-3037 www.med.und.edu/inmed
MARCH 31, 2013
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 65
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Cleveland, Ohio
June - July 2013
6 Weeks
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine Summer Scholars Program
Athens, Ohio
June 11 to July 17, 2013
6 Weeks
MedStarz Program at the University of Toledo College of Medicine
Toldeo, OH
July 2013
1 Week
Research, Observation, Service, and Education (R.O.S.E) Program at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Cincinnati, Ohio
Mid June - Early August 2013 8-10 Weeks
Chester Summer Scholars Program
Cleveland, Ohio
June - August 2013
Pre-Professional Internship Program at Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine
66 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
Cincinnati, Ohio
TBA
10 Weeks
1- 2 Weeks
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
The program is designed to identify, recruit, and assist in preparing as many highly talented, committed, and hard-working minority and economically disadvantaged students as possible for careers in dentistry and medicine. We hope to imbue our students with the confidence and skills necessary to allow them to return to school better prepared to perform well in more rigorous basic science and math classes.
9Meals (216) 368-0529 9Travel Assistance smdep@case.edu 9Stipend www.smdep.org 9Housing
MARCH 1, 2013
Summer Scholars participants prepare for the 9Room + Board (800) 345-1560 challenges and rewards of medical school. 9Stipend schriner@ohio.edu Twenty-five applicants are selected each year to 9Program Materialswww.oucom.ohiou.edu participate in this rigorous six-week program 9Round-Trip designed to give you an intensive and realistic Travel Expenses introduction to the first-year curriculum at OU-COM. In addition to traditional medical school curricula taught by medical college faculty, graduate students and upper-class medical students, the program focuses on case-based problem solving and small-group/team work.
The program provides students exposure to medicine and will include experiences that encompass sessions on navigating the medical school application process, introduction to the Problem Based Learning (PBL) model in small group sessions, hands on experience in the gross anatomy lab, clinical lectures on medical topics, diversity and cultural competency exercises, and contact with physicians in the clinical setting.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
9Housing (419) 383-4229 9Travel Allowance medadmissions@utnet.utoledo.edu www.utoledo.edu
MARCH 1, 2013
MARCH 1, 2013
The R.O.S.E. program is part internship, part early 93,000 Stipend (513) 558-5581 acceptance to medical school, and part mentorship 9ROSE students ROSEProgram@uc.edu program. The purpose of the program is to provide have conditional www.med.uc.edu/rose/index.html stimulating experiences and contact with academic acceptance to the medical faculty for high ability, intellectually curious Cincinnati College pre-medical college students. of Medicine
FEBRUARY 1, 2013
The program awards 15 collegiate undergraduate 92,000 Stipend students the opportunity to spend the summer in 9Free Parking clinical laboratory research at MetroHealth 9Supplies and Medical Center. The program is an opportunity equpment are for pre-medical and scientifically-oriented students provided to explore the potential for a career in medical research or academic medicine.
(216) 778-5940 jmoore@metrohealth.org www.metrohealth.org
FEBRUARY 2013
The Pre-Professional Internship Program at the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine (OCPM) is designed to provide insight into the many facets of podiatric medicine and the education involved with obtaining the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Degree.
(216) 916-7488 lfranck@ocpm.edu www.ocpm.edu
TBA
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 67
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Premedical Enrichment Program (SPEP) at the University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
June - July 2013
6 Weeks
Summer Premedical Academic Enrichment Program (SPAEP) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
June - July 2013
8 Weeks
Pre-med Enrichment Program at the University of Pennsylvania Health System
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May - August 2013
10 Weeks
Pre-Med Program at St. Mary Healthcare Center
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Begins May 2013
TBA
Summer Pre-Med Program at Doylestown Hospital
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Late-May - August 2013
10 Weeks
68 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
Residential program for 18 college juniors, seniors, and postbaccalaureate premedical students. Students receive intensive exposure to medicine as a career through t ours, speakers, seminars, and shadowing. Students are exposed to the medical school experience and the academic curriculum through a noncredit course in cardiophysiology, extensive interaction with medical students and faculty, and detailed guidance through the medical school application process. Emphasis is on strengthening critical thinking/problem solving skills, increasing self-awareness, and making each participant a competitive medical school applicant. This program, open to high school graduates and college students, is designed specifically to prepare and support students who wish to pursue careers in the field of medicine. Spend seven weeks in Level I, strengthening your academic skills and learning more about careers in medicine. Or, spend eight weeks immersed and engaged in the work of physician-scientists including laboratory research and MCAT preparation through Level II. Both programs will enhance your skills and knowledge in science, writing and public speaking. You'll discover a challenging and stimulating program in the environment of a major academic medical center.
9$1,000 Stipend 9Transportation 9Housing 9Meals
The aim of this program is to prepare minority 9$2,500 Stipend students for careers in academic medicine or other positions of leadership in medicine. Students will be engaged in a program of research, clinical observations, classroom exercises and teaching observations, designed to stimulate their interest in academic medicine. In addition, the students will be engaged in the following: activities pertaining to the medical school application process and medical school admissions; classroom instructions and simulated testing to prepare the students for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
(513) 558-7212 lathel.bryant@uc.edu comdo-wcnlb.uc.edu
MARCH 1, 2013
(412) 648-8987 www.medschool.pitt.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
(215) 898-3980 jcraig@mail.med.upenn.edu www.uphs.upenn.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
This program is for students who have complete 9Conditional (215) 710-2096 their second year of college with a GPA of at least acceptance to the lschonewolf@stmaryhealthcare.org 3.2 in a course of study that qualifies them for UC COM www.stmaryhealthcare.org 9$3,000 Stipend
CONTACT PROGRAM
The program is designed for college students who have complete their junior year and are pursing academic programs leading to medical school. Doylestown Hospital physicians assist with the program, which includes lectures and "hands-on" volunteer work on patient floors and in many departments.
CONTACT PROGRAM
(215) 354-2204 www.dh.org/body.cfm?id=616
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 69
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Mini-Med Spring Break at Drexel University College of Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
March/April 2013
Choose from 7 1-week sessions
Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy (VSSA)
Nashville, Tennessee
June - August 2013
TBA
Oncology Education (POE) Program
Memphis, Tennessee
Mid-June - August 2013
Varies
Dialysis Clinic, Inc. Collegiate Medical Summer Internship Program
Nashville, Tennessee
June 1 - July 30, 2013
8 Weeks
70 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
(215) 762-6800 minimed@drexelmed.edu www.drexelmed.edu
MARCH 2013
The program offers biomedical research 9$2,500-$4,000 opportunities to undergraduates who want to Stipend pursue a career in biomedical sciences. There are two major tracks within the VSSA; the Basic Science Programs for undergraduates interested in careers in research, and the Undergraduate Clinical Research Internship Program for undergraduates who wish to pursue a career in medicine. Participation in any one of the Summer Science Academy programs is a valuable learning experience that enhances a student's skills and makes him or her more competitive for acceptance to frontline graduate programs.
(615) 343-2573 michelle.grundy@vanderbilt.edu medschool.mc.vanderbilt.edu/ssa
CONTACT PROGRAM
The POE program offers a unique opportunity 9$4,000 for students preparing for careers in the 9Housing biomedical sciences, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychology, or public health to gain biomedical and oncology research experience. The POE program provides a short-term training experience (internship) in either laboratory research or clinical research. Students participating in the Pediatric Oncology Education program will receive training in a superb academic environment created by the interaction of committed basic scientists, researchoriented physicians, and postdoctoral fellows.
(901) 595-2488 Suzanne.gronemeyer@stjude.org www.stjude.org/poe
FEBRUARY 1, 2013
This program is a summer internship for pre-medical students in the clinical area of organ transplantation. The internship includes shadowing physicians on rounds in the hospital, observing and assisting in an outpatient/clinic facility, and observing transplant and transplant-related surgical operations.
(615) 327-8814 http://www.dciinc.org
FEBRUARY 2013
Participants will experience a medical education as seen through the eyes of 3rd and 4th year medical students during their clinical rotations in the hospital and clinical practices. The experience can enlighten participants about a career in medicine, whether they're about to enter medical school or are just beginning the application process. Participants will accompany the teaching team and 3rd and 4th year medical students on hospital rounds and be part of discussions between physician, patient, and medical students. Throughout the five-day program, participants will also see patients in clinical practice, attend department lectures, or go into the operating room. Participants will have the opportunity to talk with 3rd and 4th year medical students about their experiences preparing for medical school, what their first two years were like and what it's like now that they're out of the classroom and in the hospital. Tuition: $1500
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 71
2013 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAMS PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Michael E. DeBakey Summer Surgery Program at Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas
Mid-June- August 2013
8 Weeks
The University of Texas Dental Branch and Medical School at Houston Houston, Texas Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
May-June 2013
6 Weeks
Health Career Opportunities Program (HCOP) at The University of Houston College of Optometry
Houston, Texas
TBA
6 Weeks
Physiology Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE)
San Antonio, Texas
June - July 2013
8 Weeks
Scholars Program in Organic Chemistry at University of Texas - Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas
TBA
10 Weeks
72 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
The Michael E. DeBakey Summer Surgery Program offers the pre-medical student a glimpse of a career in surgery long before they will ever pick up a scalpel for the first time. During the eight weeks, students become familiar with the hospital environment, the operating room, and the lifestyle of a surgeon. They are expected to become an integral part of their surgical teams by participating in rounds, surgery, and conferences.
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
studentprograms@bcm.tmc.edu www.debakeydepartmentofsurgery.org
JANUARY 2013
The program seeks motivated students from a 9Stipend (713) 500-4532 variety of backgrounds including those who are 9Travel Assitance Rebecca.L.Lopez@uth.tmc.edu underrepresented or underserved that are interested 9Meals www.smdep.org/progsites/houston.htm in pursuing a career in dentistry and medicine, 9Housing including those who have an interest in serving the underserved. The mission of SMDEP is to assist students in enhancing their knowledge, skills, and attitudes to make them more competitive and to improve their chances of becoming successful applicants to a medical or dental school of their choice. SMDEP scholars will experience academic enrichment in five core areas: microbiology, anatomy and physiology, pre-calculus/calculus, physics, and organic chemistry. Students will have clinical experiences in such areas as emergency medicine, family practice, internal medicine, restorative dentistry, and oral surgery.
MARCH 1, 2013
The program involves specific activities designed to enhance qualifications for entry to the professional program including preparation for the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), counseling regarding the admission and applicati on process, academic counseling, time management training, and test-taking/skills.
(713) 743-2047 rboykins@optometry.uh.edu www.opt.uh.edu/students/undergrad
CONTACT PROGRAM
This research program designed for highly 9$3,000 Stipend motivated college undergraduate students with a genuine interest in experimental research careers in biomedical science. Undergraduates will have the opportunity to receive hands-on experience in ongoing research projects under the direction of a faculty member as well as work with postdoctoral fellows and graduate students.
(210) 567-4324 physiologygrad@uthscsa.edu www.physiology.uthscsa.edu
MARCH 2013
The goals of the program are to improve college 9$1,000 Stipend students' performance in organic chemistry and to provide these students with exposure to clinical medicine. The SPOC program will be conducted on the UT Southwestern campus in Dallas and has two components: 1) a 10 week course in Organic Chemistry and 2) clinical preceptorships with practicing physicians at UT Southwestern or in one of our affiliated clinical sites.
(214) 648-7517 SPOCPrograms@UTSiuthwestern.edu www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw
TBA
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 73
ŠDepositphotos/nelka7812
the anti-freshman 15
thafitnessgroup.com
Community Health Immersion
A P P L I C AT I O N DEADLINE
PRE-MEDICAL STUDENTS Explore your calling in whole-person health ministry among the poor.
January 28, 2013 A six-week pre-clinical opportunity for students to experience a wholistic community health outreach among lowincome refugee and immigrant families.
This residential program places students (rising college seniors or recent college graduates) in a Christian health outreach in a lowincome immigrant community from June 2 – July 12, 2013.
Live in a low-income apartment community alongside immigrant & refugee families and live on food stamps.
Facilitate health education trainings and other outreaches.
Serve as a bridge between Siloam Family Health Center and local ministries.
Siloam Ins titute of Faith, Heal th and Cultu re • Na s h vi l l e, T N
Reflect on a Biblical theology of health care.
Shadow medical providers and participate in house-calls.
Cost is $1,935 to cover room and board for six weeks. We will help you fundraise much like a foreign medical mission trip. Apply at: www.SiloamInstitute.org
WWW.SILOAMINSTITUTE.ORG
SCHOOLSPOTLITE Get a glimpse into what one medical school in the U.S. has to offer prospective students
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
quick facts
Baltimore, Maryland |medschool.umaryland.edu The University of Maryland School of Medicine may be the oldest public medical school but it seems to be keeping pace with providing an environment that is wholly dedicated to giving students the opportunity to achieve nothing less than a successful career in medicine. From offering multiple combined degree programs to giving incoming first year students six weeks to preview what medical school is like, the University of Maryland School of Medicine looks to set the stage for the best experience a student can have. From the very beginning, students are introduced to what it takes to become a physician and what their job will be as a medical student along the way. The school even issues laptops to all incoming students and has a special Web site called Medscope, for all students. According to the school's Web site, students come from various backgrounds and bring a breadth of experiences, including music majors, biomedical engineers, mothers, teachers, athletes, and even students changing careers after ten years. In the name of academic development, the University of Maryland School of Medicine offers students a variety of serv-
ices and programs like academic development workshops, peer tutorials, board preparation, and wait for it - a medical "Jeopardy" type tournament. In an effort to continually improve its students performance, the school also has implemented several initiatives designed to enhance student learning. A few of the initiatives listed on the schools Web site include: Utilizing formal personality assessment tools, such as the Meyers-Briggs Type indicator, to identify learning styles and variations in performance; identifying learners as passive or active and the effect on success in medical school; identifying possible predictors of success on the USMLE Step 1; analyzing student performance on standardized patient encounters over time; and formulating mission based management and the education mission, a methodology. Overall, the University of Maryland School of Medicine strives to give its students the most solid foundation for not only succeeding through medical school but as they move forward to become tomorrow's leaders in the world of medicine. „ For more information about the University of Maryland School of Medicine, visit www.medschool.umaryland.edu.
DEGREES OFFERED: MD/PhD MD/DDS MD/MPH MD/MS Bioengineering MD/MS Public Policy MD/MS Epidemiology MD/MS Clinical Research MD/MS Health Services Administration MD/MBA
#
APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
OF
4,673
#
OF
APPLICANTS INTERVIEWED 585
#
OF
ACCEPTANCES OFFERED 336
APPLICANT AGE RANGE 21-35 years old
AVERAGE GPA SCIENCE 3.70
cc licensed flickr photo by wenzday01
AVERAGE GPA OVERALL 3.74
TUITION Resident: $14,093.50 Non-Resident: $25,918.00
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 77
ESPECIALLYTHISSPECIALTY Learn more about various specialties and what it will take to pursue a certain paths
PATHOLOGIST What sets pathology apart from other specialties is the ability to determine a symptom with the naked eye Pathologists are a unique group of physicians who do not see patients directly, but help other physicians when the time comes to study and diagnose a patient's disease or medical condition. As a result, pathologists get the opportunity to interact and collaborate with clinicians in all areas of medicine. There are actually two branches of pathology: anatomic and clinical pathology. Anatomic pathology is the branch that is devoted to the diagnosis of diseases through the examination and interpretation of tissues and cells. Unlike anatomic pathology where diagnoses may only rely on naked-eye examinations, clinical pathology is built on the study of laboratory medicine. For students who enjoy areas of internal medicine like family medicine, pediatrics, and ob/gyn, pathology is the prefect specialty that allows for a break from the confines of these traditional areas of internal medicine. Those who pursue careers in pathology generally enjoy the process of using the basis of fundamental sciences to solve disease-related problems and challenges by relying on a mix of knowledge and information from multiple areas, including but not limited to anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, and physiology. So how do pathologists spend their days? Well, paperwork, participation in professional organizations, clinical reading, and supervisory and administrative work take up a significant amount of their time, according to a recent survey.
How long will it take to become a pathologist? Undergraduate (4 Years) (to obtain bachelor's degree) Medical School (4 Years) (to obtain MD or DO degree)
What characteristics are good to have when choosing Pathology? The ability to work independently, problem-solving and reasoning skills, having an inquisitive nature, and welcoming challenges are key traits for those considering a career in pathology.
What do Pathologists say they enjoy about their specialty?
Working and interacting with others in various fields of medicine Learning new things and collaborating in a challenging environment Having a fairly regular schedule that allows for a work-life balance
What do pathologists earn?
According to the 2012 Medscape Pathologist Compensation Report, pathologist earned a mean income of $221,000 - about the middle of the field in earnings among all physicians who were surveyed. Moreover, about 1 in 5 pathologists earned more than $300,000, while 17% earned $100,000 or less.
What are some sub-specialty areas of pathology? Blood banking/Transfusion medicine, Chemical Pathology, Cytopathology, Dermatopathology, Forensic Pathology, Hematology, Medical Microbiology, Molecular Genetic Pathology, Neuropathology, and Pediatric Pathology.
cc licensed flickr photo by CIMMYT
Residency (3-4 years) Combined training for anatomic pathology and clinical pathology takes 4 years, training for anatomic pathology alone or for
clinical pathology alone requires three years each. In addition, for those looking to practice in one of the sub-specialty areas, an extra year of training is required, except for neuropathology which requires two additional years of training. resident in urology with appropriate clinical responsibility under supervision. Pediatric urology sub-specialty requires an additional year of training
78 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
Undergraduate Student Summer Research Program in Biomedical Sciences
EXPLORE A CAREER IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
PREPARE FOR GRADUATE, MEDICAL, OR VETERINARY SCHOOL
ENJOY A GREAT-PAYING SUMMER JOB
What is the Program? The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart Lung and Blood Institute is sponsoring a summer research program at Michigan State University for undergraduate students. The goal of this program is to provide hands-on research exposure and graduate or professional school preparation opportunities for individuals who are from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical research. The National Institutes of Health has specific criteria for acceptance into the program. Where Does the Training Take Place? Students participating in this 12-week program will work on a research project under the mentorship of leading biomedical researchers in the fields of cardiovascular and airway diseases at Michigan State University. The research experience will be supplemented with seminars, workshops, and networking and presentation opportunities. What are the Program Dates? The program runs from May 13 through August 4, 2013 with some flexibility a orded to non-MSU students with regard to the dates of the program. Is This a Compensated Opportunity? A stipend of $4,800 is provided for the 12-week program with additional funds available for program-related expenses (conference travel, etc.). U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is required. The stipend is considered income, and will be taxed accordingly. How Do I Apply? Applications are due on Monday, February 4, 2013. For more information and application materials go to http:// cvm.msu.edu/research/undergraduate-student-summerresearch-program-in-biomedical-sciences or contact Dr. Susan Ewart 517-884-2005 or Dr. Vilma YuzbasiyanGurkan 517-884-5351 or summerresearch@cvm.msu.edu
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THEGOODS
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Our pick of items that will add some flair to your pre-medical life and perhaps put a smile on your face
ED I
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` Science Project Pillows Science Project Pillows use brilliant textbook diagram designs to remind you to never stop learning about anatomy, geology or botany.
Every Moment Counts Clock The face on this clock reminds you of various activity with a collection of icons, including a set of silverware for lunch at noon, a cup and saucer that serve up coffee at three, and a circus strong-man that inspires your 7 PM stop at the gym.
` 80 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2013
Wake Up Call iPhone Dock This smartphone dock complements most gadgets and is designed to mimic a classic clock radio when you rest an iPhone on its ledge.
Organ-ized Kitchen Cutting Board This chopping block features the dissection diagram of a man in classic, medical school style.
a
a
Literal Bookends Stack your magazines, textbooks or favorite novels between these unique bookends.
Draw-On Wash-Off Pillowcases These pillowcases are also washable sketchpads, ready for personalizing with your own designs, inspirations and notes.
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January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 81
we know you love us ...so why don’t you ‘LIKE US’? facebook.com/premedlife
INTHESTACKS Books we think that those aspiring to become doctors might be interested in reading WHEN THE AIR HITS YOUR BRAIN: TALES FROM NEUROSURGERY by Frank, Jr. Vertosick In his account of what it is like to be a neurosurgeon, Dr. Frank, Jr. Vertosick gives readers an inside look at what his daily life is like and shares some of the most riveting experiences of his career. From his beginnings as a medical student to his last year of residency, Dr. Vertosick draws from his experiences with not only what it was like working with attending staff and residents but also his patients. For anyone who is curious about neurosurgery and are considering a future in the field, Dr. Vertosick provides a great depiction of the ups, downs, and everyday life. EVERY PATIENT TELLS A STORY: MEDICAL MYSTERIES AND THE ART OF DIAGNOSIS by Lisa Sanders As the title suggest, Dr. Lisa Sanders writes about how doctors handle the dilemmas and challenges that come with diagnosing patients. Drawing from various medical cases, Dr. Sanders shares her outlook on what an experience can be for not only the physician but their patients as well. In one case, Dr. Sanders discusses a patient who becomes frustrated by her doctor's failure to diagnose her fever and rash, and turns to Google in search of an answer to her symptoms and actually finds the correct answer. Dr. Sanders further explores the growing practice of using the Internet and shares how the physicians can sometimes turn to the web to help in diagnosing patients. Readers will come away with a new appreciation for the overwhelming complexity of the human body and the doctors who face its challenges. THINGS I DIDN'T LEARN IN MEDICAL SCHOOL: TOUGH LESSONS FROM A LIFETIME OF PRACTICE by Gary L Fanning After working as physician for 45 years and seeing nearly 50,000 patients, Dr. Fanning shares the lessons he learned over the course of his career in medicine. After receiving his medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical Center, Dr. Fanning completed his training in anesthesiology and served in the Army before he settled down in Iowa where he stayed for 20 years. An enlightening read for not only premeds, but for anyone thinking about entering a career in health care, Dr. Fanning's real-life stories have something for everyone. From lessons about politics and legal issues in medicine to writing legibly and washing your hands, Dr. Fanning manages to cover a lot of ground. MONDAY MORNINGS: A NOVEL by Sanjay Gupta In a novel about a side of medicine not known to many on the outside, CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta gives readers a glimpse at what is known as Morbidity and mortality (M&M) conferences. For those pursuing careers in medicine, or anyone just curious about the lesser discussed aspect of medicine, M&M are traditional, recurring conferences held by medical teams at academic medical centers, most large private medical and surgical practices, and other medical centers. Although the book is fiction, it reads like a real-life medical drama and this is an easy-to-read, revealing and insightful piece of work.
January/February 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 83
BETTERLIFEBETTERYOU Latest news and information on taking care of yourself as a busy student living the pre-med life
Caffeine lowers mortality rate for certain types of cancer, say researchers from the American Cancer Society. In a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers reported that the amount of caffeinated coffee consumed was associated with reduced mortality rates in patients with oral/pharyngeal cancer. For the study, researchers followed close to 1 million adults who were free of cancer when the study began. During the 26 year study period, researchers reported that 868 of the study participants died from oral/pharyngeal cancer.
Results from this new study add to the growing body of evidence that supports the benefits of coffee
Cash Motivates Students to Perform Better College students may perform better if motivated by incentives, according to two studies led by MDRC, a social policy research group based in New York. For the first study, which was conducted during the 2004 school year at two community colleges in New Orleans, nearly 500 students each semester received $250 when they enrolled, $250 after midterms and $500 when they completed their courses. However, in order to receive the money they had to maintain no less than a grade average of "C". The results of the study revealed that the students not only enrolled in more courses, but also performed better academically in future semesters than a control group of students who did not receive the same incentives.
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The results of the study revealed that for both men and women, the more cups a person drank each day, the lower their risk of death. Specifically, those who drank more than four cups of caffeinated coffee per day were approximately half as likely to die from those types of cancers those who did not. "Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverage in the world, and contains a variety of antioxidants, polyphenols, and other biologically active compounds that may help to protect against development or progression of cancers," said lead author Janet Hildebrand. "Although it is less common in the United States, oral/pharyngeal cancer is among the ten most common cancers in the world. Our finding strengthens the evidence of a possible protective effect of caffeinated coffee in the etiology and/or progression of cancers of the mouth and pharynx. It may be of considerable interest to investigate whether coffee consumption can lead to a better prognosis after oral/pharyngeal cancer diagnosis."
cc licensed flickr photo by JenK
New Study Highlights Caffeine Benefits
"The evaluation found that tying financial aid to academic performance can generate large positive effects - some of the largest MDRC has found in its higher education studies," the authors of the studies said in a report after its first study. In 2008, the second study involved 5,600 adult students at about dozen two- and four-year colleges who were provided with performancebased scholarships for two semesters. The program awarded students $1,800 for an academic year if the student received at least 12 credits and earned a "C" or higher. Consequently, the researchers found similar results to their first study. "The money gave them a reward for staying engaged and succeeding and more importantly keeps them connected to the next semester," said Roy Church, President of one of the schools involved in the study. "The mechanism keeps them moving forward to their educational goal because adult students have a lot of complexities in their lives and it is hard to stay on track long enough to complete a degree."
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Health | Wellness | Fitness | Nutrition | Mind & Body
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Another Study Shows Benefits of Exercise on Life Expectancy
Social Media Activity, SelfControl Linked
People who exercise on a regular basis may live longer those who are less active, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The study, led by Ian Janssen, an associate professor from Queens's University in Ontario, looked at American health statistics from 1990 to 2006, including data on death rates and surveys about physical activity. Researchers found that Caucasian women who were physically active at 20 years old were expected to live three years longer than others. For AfricanAmerican women, researchers reported that those who had at least two and a half hours of moderate activity a week were expected to live nearly six extra years. Furthermore, Caucasian men who were active at 20 years old were
expected to live over two years more compared to their counterparts. Unfortunately, however, the researchers said that Hispanics evaluated in their study did not benefit from being more active. And for older people, the study estimated that Caucasian men and women added 1.2 and 1.6 years, respectively, to their lives if they were active at age 80. "Hispanics appeared to gain nothing in terms of life span from physical activity, although that could be because the surveys weren't properly designed to ask questions appropriate to their culture," Janssen explained. "The findings also are limited because it's possible that something other than activity - such as a healthful diet - boosted life spans in those who live longer."
cc licensed flickr photo by Joint Base Leis McChord
Engaging in social media activities may raise self-esteem but encourages unhealthy snacking, according to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research. Led by Keith Wilcox of Columbia University and Andrew T. Stephen of the University of Pittsburgh, the study was designed to test whether a positive experience of social media networking with close friends increased levels of self-esteem but lowered self-control. For the study, the researchers conducted five experiments examining not only the effects of social networks on these two factors but also looked at lifestyle factors that may indicate lower self-control, including body mass index (BMI) and credit card debts. The findings revealed that self-esteem is boosted when individuals focus on social networking with close friends rather than just acquaintances. Unfortunately, however, this increase in self esteem leads to a result in lower self-control. Specifically, the authors suggest that spending more time engaging on social network with close friends is associated with a higher BMI and higher levels of credit card debt. "Using online social networks such as Facebook has become part of the daily routine of hundreds of millions of people around the world," the researchers concluded. "However, little is know about the psychological effects of such use.
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COLLEGE101
Some final thoughts on getting through your days as a college student
resolutions
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new year’s
According to the experts, nearly 90% of all new year’s resolutions fail! But don’t let that statistic share you from wanting to change your bad ways. By identifying your bad ways you have already made the first step to becoming better. The next step is actually changing your behavior. This will take a lot of willpower and selfmotivation on your part but if you haven’t already heard the saying − “if there’s a will, there’s a way.” And that’s no lie. Whatever changes you are trying to make,
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take it one day at a time. Look at every situation you are presented with and see what you can learn and take away to help you move forward with successfully fulfilling your resolutions. See what changes you can make and see what works for you and what doesn’t. Life is a collection of trials and errors and until you figure out what works best for you, continue moving forward with only thoughts of positivity.
Student Innovators Program | Summer 2013 US University Students: June 10 to August 2, 2013 Non-US University Students & US High School Students: June 17 to August 9, 2013 Are you interested in medicine and in biomedical innovation? Would you like to observe surgeries or shadow physicians while at the same time working on an exciting research project in one of the best children’s hospitals in the United States? If so, the unique 8-week Student Innovators Summer Program may be for you!
• Learn about the theory and practice of innovation • Join a group of 15-20 students from around the world • Discover the world of pediatric medicine The Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Medical Center invites all interested graduate, medical, undergraduate, and advanced high school students to apply.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. FINAL DEADLINE FOR SUMMER 2013: January 31, 2013
Hear from past Student Innovators....
Even though I was not directly involved with laboratory research, the project I worked on benefited me in more ways than I can express. I have walked away with more from my time at SZI than I had ever thought possible. Thank you! – Grace, MBA, Howard University PhD Student This program definitely gave me more than I would have gotten at an institution such as NIH, a popular choice for students at my school. I didn’t learn just about doing the lab work and writing the report, but also how to choose the best ideas, how to get a patent, sharing my work with other researchers and even how to get my final paper published. – Charmi, Montgomery Blair HS Senior Shadowing physicians and observing surgeries, along with my research project, were definitely a very educational and incredible experience that made me more determined to pursue a medical degree after my graduation. – Noura, Khalifa University Senior (UAE)
READ MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM HERE: http://www.childrensnational.org/education/other-programs/sheikh-zayed-institute/student-innovators-summer-program.aspx
After graduation, take a stand against poverty by joining AmeriCorps VISTA— Volunteers in Service to America. You’ll put your passion to work to help those in need, and you’ll gain experience you can’t find in other kinds of entry-level jobs. You’ll also receive:
H H H H
Living allowance $4,725 for tuition or student loans Health care Moving expenses
37 million Americans live in poverty. Take a stand. Join AmeriCorps VISTA.
800-942-2677
(TTY 800-833-3722)