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From the left, the future doctors are: Andrew Valleroy, Tara O’Connor and Andrew Jackson.
Doctors in Training
Three Southeast students chosen for Mizzou’s prestigious Bryant Scholars Program for early admission to medical school
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outheast pre-med student Andrew Jackson will be the first to admit he was unsure about his decision to attend Southeast. “I deliberated for some time whether Southeast was right for me,” Jackson said. “I now, with no hesitation, will tell you it was by far the best decision I could have made. The professors at Southeast are excellent, and although it may sound clichéd, all of my teachers have known me by name. I have several friends who are attending larger universities and are pursuing medicine as well, and I feel that my curriculum is equivalent to if not better than what they are receiving,” he added. Jackson, of Piedmont, Mo., and two of his classmates, Tara O’Connor, of Ingleside, Texas, and Andrew Valleroy, of Hillsboro, Mo., have all been accepted to the University of Missouri-Columbia Medical School’s Bryant Scholars Program. All three are majoring in biology with a biomedical sciences, or pre-med option. “Southeast may not always have the reputation that other schools do,” agreed Valleroy, “but it clearly has a very strong pre-medical program. All three of us being chosen for the Bryant Scholars Program is a direct reflection of that, and shows that Mizzou’s School of Medicine believes we can do well. At no point in the selection process did I feel that I was ill prepared compared to the pre-medical students from other schools. I believe we have great science professors, and certainly strong advising,” he said. “I love the pre-med program at Southeast,” O’Connor added. “I don’t feel like I’m just lost in the crowd. I have great professors who are genuinely interested in their students’ success, and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.” This is exactly the message that Southeast wants to convey to high school students contemplating their future college choices, according to Dr. James Champine, director of the premedicine program at Southeast. “We want Missouri seniors to think of Southeast as their best choice for advancing to professional school,” Champine said.
Head of the Class “The Bryant Scholars pre-admission program was established in 1995 to allow students to receive their undergraduate degrees in their regions, while at the same time preparing them to attend medical school at the University of Missouri School of Medicine,” Champine said. “It is part of a strategy to encourage young people from rural areas to pursue a medical education, as these students are more likely to practice in a rural area. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students interested in med school. Southeast also has similar arrangements with