ENMU Allied Health Symposium

By Kyle Stephens

ENMU held its inaugural Allied Health Symposium on Nov. 20-21, 2015. Students conceived the event and gathered professionals from many allied health fields together for one event.

Students gathered from local high schools and colleges to attend the seminars presented by New Mexico health professionals.

To kick off the symposium, ENMU President Steven Gamble hosted a reception. Guest speakers from UNM’s School of Medicine, Division of Physical Therapy, College of Pharmacy and Office for Diversity along with Roosevelt General Hospital and ENMU Nursing Program mingled with other ENMU faculty and about 30 students.

Allied Health Symposium moderator Kyle Stephens (BS 15) and Brook Serrano (BS 14) enjoying the event.

The following day began with an introduction ceremony, where moderator Kyle Stephens (BS 15), President of ENMU’s Caduceus Health Society (CHS) provided 73 students with an overview about the break-out sessions. During the sessions, students learned about the application process, how to become a more competitive applicant and what to expect in these professional schools and in these specific careers.

Dominique Zamora, aspiring physical therapist and ENMU track athlete, said, “I learned the time constraints and parameters of the pre-requisites that are required for admission to PT school.”

President Gamble praised the event, “The symposium was highly successful. It provided our students and the students from several other schools the opportunity to learn much more about the health science professions. I am grateful that our colleagues from the UNM-HSC traveled to Portales to speak with our students.”

Joseph Sena, a senior at Texico High School, described the experience as memorable, “With the motivation and information gained at the medical symposium, I will do whatever it takes to reach my dream of becoming a doctor.”

James McKinnell MD, a Pediatric Oncologist at UNM who helped by promoting the event to his colleagues at UNM-Health Sciences Center, said “The Allied Health Symposium at ENMU provided a unique opportunity for representatives from several UNM- HSC programs to speak directly with potential candidates for our programs from eastern New Mexico. The responses from students who attended, their enthusiasm and engagement, were very gratifying. I hope this is the first of what becomes a regular conference at ENMU.”