PREMEDLIFE THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR PRE-MEDICAL STUDENTS
PAYING FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL
Scholarships, grants, and awards to pay for your medical school education
PLUS:
2013 Pre-Med Summer Program Guide Including program dates, program descriptions, perks offered & deadlines!
SCHOOL
SPOTLIGHT Icahn School of Medicine
at Mount Sinai explores a groundbreaking approach to MD training
MARCH/APRIL 2013
+ The Future of Medical School
Trends to Watch for and How They May Affect You
Pre-Med’s Guide to Spring Break
Activities for Pre-Meds at Top 2013 Destinations
The Rock Doctor
Taking the Non-Traditional Route to Gain Admission to Medical School
iPads Help Med Students Perform Better On Tests p.11 |AMA Announces Plan to Give Away Millions p.13
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contents
premedlife|march/april 2013 “More students than ever are showing a strong interest in pursuing a career in medicine” p. 23
Here’s what medical education experts expect to see happen in 2013
p.22
22
12
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COVER STORY
PAYING FOR MED SCHOOL: 42 GREAT SCHOLARSHIPS
Financing your medical school education can be one of the toughest parts of earning your degree but there are ways to lower your tuition. When it comes to making medical school more affordable, it is key to explore and exhaust scholarship and grant opportunities available to medical students
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6 MEDICAL SCHOOL TRENDS TO WATCH FOR IN 2013 What key trends can we expect this year? Experts predict what will have a significant role in shaping medical education THE PRE-MED’S GUIDE TO SPRING BREAK 2013 A guide to various “pre-med-friendly” activities and attractions located in the most popular spring break destinations for 2013 THE ROCK DOCTOR: HOW A NON-TRADITIONAL PATH TO MEDICINE MAY HELP IN BECOMING A BETTER PHYSICIAN AND CANDIDATE FOR MED SCHOOLS A student shares his story and why he feels students should take the non-traditional path to becoming a doctor
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 3
contents/departments
premedlife|march/april 2013
“Ichan School of Medicine now allows college sophomores in any major to apply for early assurance to the school” p. 45
IN THIS ISSUE 5 Personal Statement Pitfalls | 21 Ever wanted to know what would be the worst thing you could do while writing your personal statement? We'll here are a few to start with. Summer Programs: A Look Inside Getting The Most Out Of Classes | 34 While it may be difficult to stay focused and motivated while everyone heads to the beach or vacation, thousands of pre-med students use the weeks between the Fall and Spring semester to get a leg up on the rest of the competition
DEPARTMENTS
Every wanted to know what would be the worst things you could do while writing your personal statement?
Newsbites| 8 Relevant news & information for students applying to medical school School Spotlight: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | 45 The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is reshaping medical and scientific training and education as we know it today
p.21
Especially This Specialty: Radiologist | 46 Find out what being a Radiologist is all about and what it takes to become one The Goods| 48 Gadgets & gizmos to keep you entertained. Check out our picks for this issue In The Stacks|51 Books to inspire you or provide you with advice along your journey to medical school Better Life, Better You| 52 Advice & tips for taking care of yourself to make it through your hectic pre-med life
SPECIAL SECTION Brand new medical school set to open thanks to a gift from the Dell Foundation
p.11
4 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
2013 Pre-Med Summer Program Guide| 34 There are still a few programs accepting applications for Summer 2013 programs. Here’s a list of the remaining summer programs for pre-med students. From research internships 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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SPRING BREAKING! Can you believe that its March already? The signs are everywhere. Mid-terms. Students packed in the gym getting ready for the beach. A handful of papers due. And yeah, you're trying to hold on to the little bit of meal plan points you still have left, but don't let that get you down. In just a few more weeks, Spring Break 2013 will be here! As psyched as I am about all that Spring Break brings to students everywhere, I thought I would remind you all about the importance of taking a break. In our interview with Dr. Sujay Kansagra, featured in our January/February 2013 issue, Dr. Kansagra's advice for pre-med students was to "enjoy the road" and he went on to say that [medical school] will never be worth it if you didn't enjoy the road. He shared this advice knowing that there are many premeds who need to hear those words - and I thank him greatly for that! So in the spirit of Spring Break and getting the chance to "enjoy the road" you are taking as you pursue a career in medicine, check out our special "PreMed's Guide to Spring Break 2013" as we give readers a look at some premed friendly events and activities that they can enjoy. We thought it would be cool to see if we could find things related to either health, medicine, or science that you could get into while on break on some at the most popular spring break destinations. With that said, Spring Break exist for a reason and if you've been studying hard - you've earned the right to take it. Have a great spring break!
Sheema
Sheema Prince
Publisher tprince@premedlife.com
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 Writer | Joshua A. Wienczkowski Production Coordinator | Shawn Klein 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 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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By having all aspects of our medical school curriculum on the iPad, learning becomes a 24/7 opportunity no longer tied to the classroom or a desk.� {PAGE 11}
Recent news & information relevant for students applying to medical school
Would you believe that the more a student relies on their parents for financial support the lower their grade point average drops? Well, believe it. That finding is according to a study published in the February issue of the American Sociological Review. The good news is that those students are the same ones who are more likely to actually complete school and earn a degree.
Led by Laura Hamilton, from the University of California - Merced, the study examined whether or not money received from parents was linked to better outcomes for students or if it gave them less of a reason to perform well academically. For the study, Hamilton used data from the National Center for Educational Statistics to collect information about the students.
Million Dollar Gift to Fund Med School Scholarships
press release issued by the school. The scholarship, called the Dr. Morton and Cynthia Levitt Endowed Scholarship for Medical Education, will help the school attract some of the best and brightest pre-medical students. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, in 2011, 86 percent of medical school graduates had education debt, within a median amount of $162,000. With the hefty price tag attached to a medical degree, more and more students express their concerns on being able to foot the bill.
Florida Atlantic University's College of Medicine has received a historical $3 million gift for medical student scholarships, according to a
8 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
The results of the study revealed unusual outcomes with parents' financial assistance lower overall grades but increasing the chances of whether or not a student would graduate. "Regardless of class background, the toll parental aid takes on GPA is modest," Hamilton stated. "Rather than strategically using resources in accordance with parental goals, or maximizing on their ability to avoid academic work, students are satisfying: they meet the criteria for adequacy on multiple fronts, rather than optimizing their chances for a particular outcome. As a result, students with parental funding often perform well enough to stay in school but dial down their academic efforts." Furthermore, Hamilton was able to show that receiving money from parents increased the likelihood of graduating within five years. Unfortunately, however, first-year students without the same financial support from their parents had a 56% chance of graduating, compared with the 65% for students who received $12,000 in aid from their parents. "Students with parental support are best described as staying out of serious academic trouble, but dialing down their academic efforts," Hamilton explained in the paper describing her findings. Hamilton's study also noted that other sources of money, like work-study programs, employment, grants and scholarships - which did not have negative effects on student GPA may come with a sense of having been earned by the student. "The results of this study does not mean parents should cut off finical support altogether," Hamilton cautioned. "However, it is important for parents to set standards, such as required GPA, and keep students accountable for their performance." „
"The financial pressures of medical school debt can weight heavily on a young doctor's career decisions as well as their idealism," said David J. Bjorkman, MD, MSPH, dean of FAU's College of Medicine. "Dr. Levitt's greatest passion is teaching and both he and Cindy are dedicated to the medical profession and to medical education. Their very generous endowment will continue in perpetuity to enable our students to pursue their dreams and goals." „
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Study Links Student GPA to Financial Support from Parents
COME MEET ALUMNI AT OUR INFORMATION SEMINAR LILIAN SARFATI, MD ’12
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IRVINE, CA : March 2 NEW YORK, NY : March 9 Speak with alumni and our admissions staff. Bring your family and friends who are helping you make this important decision; refreshments will be provided.
Our graduates have attained more US residencies than those of any other medical school in the last five years. RUSM is eligible to participate in the US Federal Direct Loan Program; financial aid and scholarships are available to those who qualify.
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New Duty Hour Rules Fail To Help Surgical Intern Performance
Debt Worries May Deter Some Students From Pursuing Subspecialties Medical school debt may discourage some doctors from taking on additional training to pursue a subspecialty career, according to the results of a survey published in the February issue of Pediatrics. The survey, led by researcher Mary Pat Frinter, MSPH, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, involved 610 pediatric residents from 2006-2010 graduating classes whose responses were used to determine the influence of their medical school debt on clinical practice goals. The results revealed that medical school debt is one of the many factors that may keep residents from choosing to complete subspecialty
17,341
training and sticking with primary care or hospitalist practice. Specifically, the researchers found that residents with medium and high debt were more likely planning to pursue a practice that did not typically require fellowship training than residents with low debt levels. "If there is a financial disincentive to pursue fellowship training based on debt accrued by the completion of general pediatric training, growing debt loads may further deter entrance of pediatric trainees into fellowship programs in fields that are less financially advantageous and where there is a perceived undersupply," explained the authors. „
Despite new regulations to limit the number of hours interns can spend on duty, a new study has found that the chance has not improved outcomes for surgical interns. According to the study background, in July 2011, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) implemented new resident duty-hour standards, including more supervision and a 16-hour shift maximum for postgraduate year one residents. David Farley, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, and colleagues sought out to study the effects of the new duty hour regulations, which were put in place by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in 2011. The researchers included 179 medical interns to study the effects of the news rules on education, well-being, and burnout. For the study, the students completed surveys that focused on how the new hours rule was linked to caring for patients, feeling tired, and how well the residents were able to develop the six core ACGME competencies: including quality and safe patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, effective communication professionalism, and systems-based practice. The researchers found that the interns were nearly split when it came to their attitudes concerning coordinating patient care with the new hours. Specifically, 53% of the interns reported that the new hours decreased coordination of patient care. Moreover, the group was also divided on whether or not the new regulations had an impact on surgical skills and education experience and level of fatigue. "The study raised important concerns over coordination of patient care and continuity with hospitalized patients under the new regulations," the authors concluded. "Further investigation is needed to explore both how to better equip residents with the proper tools for management of workload and stress and how to change the current learning and patient care environments to prevent and reduce burnout among surgeons," they added. „
The total number of graduates from U.S. medical schools in 2012, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
10 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
iPads May Have Helped Medical Students Perform Better On Exams
Brand New Med School to Open Thanks to Dell Foundation Gift A $150 million investment, from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, will be used to open the Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin. "This gift truly saves lives," said UT System Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa. "Investments in medical education, biomedical research, and health care touch all citizens. Nobody has done more for the people of Central Texas than
tial to becoming an outstanding healthcare provider," Dr. Clayman. "The digital platform has enabled us to effectively respond to this responsibility in a manner heretofore unimaginable. By having all aspects of our medical school curriculum on iPad, learning becomes a 24/7 opportunity no longer tied to the classroom or a desk. We believe our students are learning better than they have in the past." In a recent report, the school reported that the first class participating in the iMedEd Initiative performed better than pervious classes on national exams taken at the end of the second year of medical school. Specifically, students scored an average of 23 percent higher on
their national exams than previous UC Irving medical school classes, despite having similar incoming GPAs and MCAT scores. "Our students' enthusiasm and willingness to discover new learning modalities is unparalleled, and they are key to the success of iMedEd," said Dr. Warren Wiechmann, an assistant clinical professors of emergency medicine and faculty director of the Instructional Technologies Group with overseas iMedEd. "It's extremely gratifying to see our students apply technology in innovative ways because we strongly believe that familiarity and comfort with technology will be essential for them to be skilled physicians in this new digital era of medicine."„ Michael and Susan Dell. Their generosity not only benefits UT, it also lifts up our entire community." According to the press release announcing the new school, The Dell Medical School will provide community-focused medical services, bring more medical professionals to Austin and create jobs. The school is expected to enroll its first class of 50 students in 2016. "A medical school at UT-Austin further establishes Central Texas as a center of excellence for family health and research," said Susan Dell, cofounder and board chair of the Michael & Susan Foundation. "UT is a world-class university, and the medical school will be able to attract top talent, advance medical research and practices, and improve family health for generations to come." „
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Despite having similar incoming GPAs and MCAT scores, medical students participating in a special program built around a curriculum taught on Apple's iPad scored higher on national exams compared to previous classes, the University of California at Irvine reported. The iPad-centered curriculum, formally known as the iMedEd Initiative, is a innovative, digital-based education platform that is designed to conform the 21st century learning styles and needs of student throughout the world, according to Dr. Ralph V. Clayman, dean of the UC Irvine School of Medicine. "The iMedEd Initiative is reinventing the traditional medical school curriculum," Dr. Clayman stated. "It was the first in the nation to build a completely digital, interactive learning environment - which includes tablet-based learning and portable ultrasound clinical training - and continues to lead in adapting emerging technologies for all aspects of classroom and clinical training." According to press release announcing the outcome of the school's iPad-based curriculum, beginning in 2010, incoming UC Irvine medical school were given the tablets already equipped with all the information they would need to read, study, or review material for their courses. In addition, the students were had access to podcasts of lectures and other materials for their course and clinical work. "At UC Irvine's School of Medicine, we see each of our talented students as having a unique style of learning. It's our challenge and responsibility to provide a broad array of education opportunities so that every student can master the knowledge essen-
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A new report released by the UC Irvine School of Medicine reveals that students equipped with iPads performed better on national exams compared to pervious students without access to the tablets
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 11
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AMA Announces Plans to Give Away $10 Million to Medical Schools
Thanks to a million dollar award from the American Medical Association, up to 12 medical schools will have the opportunity to propose ideas for new and innovative ways to educate the doctors of tomorrow
The American Medical Association (AMA) has announced a $10 million grant to support medical schools who propose bold and innovative ways to teach tomorrow's doctors. Medical schools are invited to submit their ideas to the "Accelerating Change in Medical Education" initiative which the AMA says will fund up to 12 ideas over the next five years. According to the AMA's request for proposal, funding is designed to support schools who propose their ideas for redesigning the current undergraduate medical education model. Specifically, the AMA is looking for schools that propose ideas on:
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Developing new methods for teaching and/or assessing key competencies for medical students and fostering methods to create more flexible, individualized learning plans. Promoting exemplary methods to achieve patient safety, performance improvement and patient-centered team based care, and improving understanding of the health care system and health care financing in medical training. Enhancing development of professionalism throughout the medical education learning environment. "Rapid changes in health care require a transformation in the way we train future physicians," said AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, M.D. "The AMA is deeply committed to redesigning undergraduate medical education to prepare the medical students of today for the health care of tomorrow." According to the AMA, proposed innovations will help define best practices and essential competencies that enable medical students to learn throughout their professional lives to deliver the highest quality of care while optimizing the quality and efficiency of health care. Examples are not limited to, but might include: INDIVIDUALIZED, FLEXIBLE LEARNING PLANS Medical students are assessed for performance of defined competencies through multiple modalities including simulation, faculty observation, patient feedback, peer evaluation and self-assessment. Students may progress through medical education via variable timelines, including advanced placement for core knowledge and skills already achieved prior to matriculation in medical school. Fixed rotations through clinical clerkships are replaced with variable clinical experiences tailored to students' career selections. Core curricular content is streamlined to allow for new content in
areas such as genomics, decision support and population management. Mechanisms to overcome the barrier of time-based curriculum may include collaborations engaging undergraduate colleges, medical schools and graduate medical education programs in supporting flexibility and individualization at the learner level. MASTERY OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND FINANCING
Medical schools partner with health care systems actively involved in performance improvement and population management to develop experiential, longitudinal-learning opportunities for students participating on health care teams. Introductory experiences may include medical and health professions students managing populations of patients through electronic simulation of patient panels or quality improvement projects supported by the health care delivery partner.
Medical students and health professions students are assigned clinical homes for ongoing longitudinal experiences throughout the duration of their education. OPTIMIZING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT Medical students, residents, and faculty participate in care teams with other health care professionals in collaborative learning environments within hospitals and clinics. Formal and informal aspects of the learning environment are addressed to foster relationship building, facilitate reflection, and support the inculcation of professional values and ideals. Mentors guide experiential learning and collaborate in defining the expected outcomes, pace and direction of the student's learning. Teaching and assessment approaches identify the essential learning outcomes and mentor feedback supports longitudinal acquisition and demonstration of professional values and behaviors. „
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 13
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Medical students are faced with increasing tuition costs and high levels of indebtedness as they pursue their dreams of becoming doctors
PAYING FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL
42 Great Scholarships and Grants to Help Make Medical School A Bit More Affordable
Medical students are While many pre-meds are focused on getting accepted into medical school, figuring out how they are going to finance their degree is almost as important as just getting in and can make a difference on where they will stand financially after graduation. For the Class of 2013, the forever rising cost of medical school reached an all-time high of $228,200. By the AAMC's most recent estimate, since 2000 the average annual increase of the four-year cost of attendance for both public and private schools has increased at double the rate of inflation. In 2012, the average fouryear cost of attendance for public schools was $196,661 and $275,305 for private schools. The AAMC has reported that each year medical education debt and the cost of attending medical school continue to rise and are at
faced with increasing tuition costs and high levels of indebtedness. The good news is that grants and scholarships are available to help lower the price of obtaining an MD degree
record levels - the Class of 2012 reported having at least $1.7 billion in debt after earning their M.D. degrees. Furthermore, 86 percent of 2012 graduates reported having education debt, with an average amount of $170,000. Medical students are faced with increasing tuition costs and high levels of indebtedness. The good news is that grants and scholarship are available to medical students, and while they rarely cover the full cost of a medical education they may ease some of the burden of footing your medical school bill. Grants and scholarships are just a part of the big financial picture and often time students find themselves seeking additional aid to help fill the gap between what they have and what they don't have when it comes time to
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 15
cover the full cost of medical school. So again, while a single scholarship or grant alone will rarely cover all the costs of your medical education, they can put a dent in the amount of money you will have to dish out or the amount of loans you will have to take out. Wondering how you are going to pay for medical school is a huge concern for most students pursuing a medical education. Since you'll probably never see the day when students can get a discount on tuition for medical school, you may want to explore any and every opportunity to subsidize what can be a brutally expensive education. Before you finalize any decision you plan to make when moving forward with loans, make sure that you have explored every available scholarship opportunity. Here's a list of 42 popular scholarships and grants for students looking to help defray the cost of attending medical school.
NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS
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Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP): Each year the Air Force awards scholarships for tuition, books and most fees. The HPSP also gives students a monthly stipend for living expenses while they attend the school of their choice. During the course of their studies, each student is place on inactive, obligated Reserve status. This arrangement takes a huge financial worry off students' minds and allows them to dedicate time for learning. Through the Air Force, these scholarships are offered for one-, two-, three-, and four-year terms. In exchange for the scholarship, your commitment to the Air Force is to serve as an active-duty member with a year-for-your repayment, with a minimum obligation of three years. Your tour of duty begins after you complete any internship and residency training requirement for your career field. Eligibility: To qualify for the HPSP, you must: 1.) be a U.S. citizen 2.) be accepted at an accredited graduate institution in an appropriate Health Professions training program. For more info visit Airforce.com/Healthcare. National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Scholarships: The DAR Scholarship Program offers three different awards to medical students for up to $5,000 annually for up to four years, with a maximum total of $20,000. The DAR Scholarship Committee awards scholarships to qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, sex or national origin. The Alice W. Rookie Scholarship is awarded to students who have been accepted into or are pursuing an approved course of study to become a medical doctor at an approved, accredited medical school. Renewal is conditional upon maintenance of a 3.25 GPA. The Irene and Daisy MacGregor Memorial Scholarship is awarded to students of high scholastic standing and character who have been accepted into or are pursuing an approved course of study to become a med-
ical doctor. The Dr. Francis Anthony Beneventi Medical Scholarship is a preferred amount up to $5,000 awarded to students who have been accepted into or who are pursuing an approved course of study to become a medical doctor at an approved, accredited medical school. The applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.25. The scholarship is not automatically renewable; however, recipients may reapply for consideration each year for up to four consecutive years.
Army Health Professions Scholarship Program: The Army's F. Edward Hebert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program is one of the most comprehensive - and generous scholarships available to medical students. The scholarship program is available to students who wish to earn professional degrees from accredited medical programs and pays 100 percent of tuition, plus pays for required books, equipment, and most academic fees. In addition, qualifying students are eligible to receive a $20,000 sign-on bonus. During their study, students receive a monthly stipend of more than $2,000. During breaks, students receive officer's pay while they train as part of the Army's health care team. After graduation, students' enter active duty in their specialty and advance in rank to captain. Active duty service obligation to the U.S. Army is one year of service for every year a student receives the scholarship. The minimum obligation for medical students is two years. With every promotion, salary will increase. Time-in-service and cost-of-living adjustments also lead to pay increases. Additionally, student's receive a monthly nontaxable allowance for food and housing.
National Health Service Corps Scholarship: The NHSC Scholarship Program is a competitive scholarship open to students pursuing primary health care professions in return for a commitment to provide health care to communities in need, upon graduation and the completion of training. In return for each school year, or partial school year, of financial support received, students agree to provide primary health care services for one year at an NHSC-approved site located in a high-need Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). For the first school year, or partial school year, of support, there is a minimum 2-year service commitment. An NHSC Scholarship includes tax-free payment of tuition, required fees, other reasonable educational costs, and a monthly living stipend (taxable) and assistance finding a job at a high-need, NHSC-approved site, access to educational, training, and networking opportunities. For more information visit nhsc.hrsa.gov. Navy Medical Education Programs: The Navy offers a variety of programs that can help medical students finance their schooling all the way through residency. The Health Professions Scholarship
Program (HPSP) cover 100% of the cost of medical school, plus offers a monthly stipend of $2,122 to cover living expenses for up to four years. Beyond that, medical school candidates can get a sign-on bonus of up to $20,000. The specifics of the award depend on specialty area. The Health Services collegiate Program (HSCP) provides anywhere from $157,000 to $269,000 while finishing medical school. That includes a monthly salary and housing allowance from $3,280 to $5,610 for up to 48 months of your program. The specifics of the award also depend on specialty area. The Financial Assistance Program (FAP) provides potentially over $275,000 during a typical four-year medical residency. That includes a $45,000 annual grant on top of any residency program-based salary - plus a monthly stipend of $2,122 to cover living expenses for up to four years. The specifics of the award also depend on specialty area. Pisacano Scholars Leadership Program:: The Pisacano Leadership Foundation (PLF) seeks to advance the specialty of family medicine by professionally and financially assisting accomplished individuals in their quest to achieve excellence in family medicine. The major goal of the Pisacano Leadership Foundation is to identify and foster the future leaders in family medicine. The Pisacano Scholars Leadership Program is designed to provide educational programs, leadership training, and funding to reimburse a portion of medical-school-related debt. Scholarships are awarded to outstanding medical students for a four-year period. Students who have made a commitment to the field of family medicine and who will enter their fourth year in medical school may apply. The PLF awards scholarships with a maximum value of $28,000 each for the academic year. For more information visit www.pisacano.org. TYLENOL 速 Future Care Scholarship Program: The TYLENOL速 Future Care Scholarship Program is designed to help students pursuing a healthcarerelated degree to manage the rising costs of education. Winners of the scholarship receive awards of $5,000 to $10,000. For more information visit www.tylenol.com/scholarship. American Medical Association Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship: The AMA Foundation has made it a priority to assist medical students in handling the rising costs of medical education. The Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships were created to provide financial assistance to medical students facing spiraling medical school debt. These $10,000 scholarships reward current third-year medical students who are approaching their final year of medical school. Typically, 8-12 recipients in total are selected. Each medical school can nominate one personal for each of the different scholarship opportunities. Each scholarship category takes into consideration academic excellence and financial need.
Rock Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student Scholarship: The Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student awards consist of five scholarships given to outstanding students entering third year of medical school who have shown leadership in efforts to eliminate inequalities in medical education and health care and have demonstrated leadership efforts in addressing educational, societal, and health care needs of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Each recipient receives a $5,000 scholarship. TruFit Good Citizen Scholarship: The TruFit Good Citizen Scholarship is designed to award scholarships to students whose volunteer efforts made a difference in their communities. In 2012, 40 scholarships totaling $50,000 were awarded to students who were attending or were accepted to a federally accredited four-year college, university or graduate program and who had been active in community service. Applicants must submit a 250-word or less essay or a 60-seconds or less video demonstrating how they provide leadership in their community and include the number of hours they have committed to the organization. In addition, applicants must submit the names of two references with their application.
STATE SCHOLARSHIPS Medical students may be eligible for a variety of scholarship and award programs if they plan to attend a school in their home state. The following are medical school scholarships open only to legal State residents. ALABAMA The Board of Medical Scholarship Awards (BMSA) was created as an incentive to increase the supply of primary care physicians (family practice, internal medicine, and pediatrics) and encourage their practice in the state's rural medically underserved communities. Scholarships are awarded to students enrolled in either of the state's two medical schools - the University of Alabama School of Medicine or the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. Following medical school and completion of a primary care residency program, an award recipient must be willing to practice medicine in a community designated as medical underserved. For more information visit: http://www.bmsa.alabama.gov. ALASKA The Arthur N. Wilson, MD Scholarship provides a $5,000 tuition assistance scholarship to medical students who graduated from a high school in Southeast Alaska. For more information visit www.ama-assn.org. ARKANSAS Ethel Brickey Hicks Charitable Trust Rural Scholarship is offered through a private foundation to rising sophomore, junior, and senior medical students who will commit to practicing in rural
communities in Arkansas. The scholarship provides $19,000 per year, and is loosely patterned after the state's Arkansas Rural Practice Program. CALIFORNIA Ruth G. White Scholarship is available to female California residents studying in the United States who have completed their first year of graduate study in the broad filed of medicine. The award amount and number of awards varies annually. For more information visit www.peocalifornia.org. Dorothy C. Wisner Scholarship is available to female California residents studying in the United States who are enrolled in an undergraduate broad field of medicine. The award amount and number of awards varies annually. Kaiser Permanente Northern California Medical Student Scholarship program is open to third year medical students interested in seeking a residency in Northern California. The program offers up to ten $5,000 scholarships to medical students selected for their commitment to and achievement in at least one of the following two areas: 1.) Community Involvement and Leadership or 2.) Population-Based Research. Riverside County Medical Association Student Scholarship is open to residents of California's Riverside County area for at least 5 years and have are accepted or enrolled in an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school. The goal of this scholarship program is to encourage medical students to practice in Riverside County, which has an insufficient number of physicians to care for its citizens. Therefore, preference is given to applicants who are committed to returning to Riverside County to practice medicine. For more information visit www.rcmanet.org The eQuality Scholarship Collaborative awards scholarships to honor and encourage California students for their service to the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender community. The program awards one or two $6,000 scholarships to assist with medical school expenses. Applicants must be enrolled or committed to enroll by the interview date in an accredited medical school in California or a California resident attending an accredited medical school elsewhere in the United States. For more information visit www.equalityscholarship.org. DELAWARE The Henry H. Stroud, MD Memorial Scholarship is open to students who are residents of Delaware who has been accepted at an accredited school of Medicine. Special consideration is given to applicants demonstrating an entrepreneurial and innovative approach to medicine. For more information visit www.delcf.org/scholarships
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cc licensed flickr photo by 401 (K) 2013
The AAMC has reported that each year medical education debt and the cost of attending medical school continue to rise. From the moment you decide that you want to become a doctor, you need to begin to seriously think about the cost of your medical education and how you plan to foot the bill.
GEORGIA The Medical Student Scholarship Program was created to provide a supply of physicians for rural areas of the State and to help defray the cost of medical school for Georgia residents who desire to practice medicine in rural Georgia. The service repayable scholarship will provides up to $20,000 per year to help pay the cost of medical school in return for a contractual obligation to practice medicine full-time in a Board-approved Georgia county. All applicants must be legal residents of the State of Georgia and citizens of the United States. Successful applicants must exhibit a strong commitment to practice medicine in rural Georgia. Additional priority will be give to those applicants who demonstrate financial need. For more information visit http://gbpw.georgia.gov/scholarship-programs. ILLINOIS The goal of the Medical Student Scholarship Program is to increase the number of primary care physicians practicing in areas of Illinois that have an insufficient number of physicians in specialties of family practice, general internal medicine, general pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology. The program awards scholarships for tuition, mandatory fees, and living expenses and students repay the award by completing graduate training in one of the primary care specialties and by practicing in areas of Illinois deter-
mined by the Illinois Department of Public Health to be physician shortage areas. To be eligible for a scholarship, a student must be an Illinois resident, accepted for or enrolled in an allopathic or osteopathic medical school located in Illinois. INDIANA The Indiana Primary Care Scholarship Program (IPCSP) is a state of Indiana supported service obligated scholarship program for medical students. The mission of the program is to attract trained primary care physicians to deliver health care services in medically underserved or health professions shortage areas. Depending on available funding, it is expected that 6 to 8 scholars are selected annually from the students admitted to the IU School of Medicine. The scholarship provides tuition and applicable fees for each of the four years of medical school. For each year of the award, an IPCSP scholar will incur one year of obligated service providing fulltime primary health care in a designated shortage areas. Applicants must be residents of the state of Indiana and be enrolled as fulltime medical students. IOWA The Dr. William Walker Memorial Scholarship is for students entering their final year at an accredited medical school in Missouri or Iowa. To qualify
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for this scholarship, applicants must be in top 15% of their class; be developing superior clinical skills; and have demonstrated ability to communicate with patients effectively/empathy. MAINE The Doctors for Main's Future Scholarship program provides scholarships for eligible students who enroll in a qualifying Maine-based medical school program. The student must have a substantial connection to the State of Maine and at least one year of residence in Maine for purposes other than education. Students may be awarded up to 50% of the institution's costs of attendance or $25,000 annually, whichever is less. The award is renewable up to four successive years. Current participants include: main Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine medical School Program and the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. MASSACHUSETTS The Scholars Award Program awards $10,000 to four students from each of the following schools: Boston University School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Tufts University School of Medicine and the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Each nominee must also be a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society.
The Norfolk District Medical Society Medical Student Scholarship Grant program awards $5,000 annually to either the second or third year students who are legal residents of Massachusetts for the last five years, a member of both the Norfolk District and Massachusetts Medical Society, and who has completed two years at one of the four Massachusetts medical schools. MINNESOTA Minnesota Medical Association Foundation: This program provides four-year partial scholarships to ten medical students at Mayo Medical School and the University of Minnesota School of Medicine Duluth and Twin Cities campuses. The scholarships are awarded to outstanding medical students from underserved rural and urban communities. Working through the Mayo Foundation and the University's Minnesota Medical Foundation (MMF), MMAF scholarships total $40,000 annually. OHIO The Choose Ohio First Primary Care Scholarship offers scholarships to medical students committed to a career in primary care in the State of Ohio. These scholarships will provide $30,000 per year to offset tuition costs per year. In order to be eligible for this scholarship, the student must be an Ohio resident at the time that the scholarship is granted, must commit to practice in Ohio for no less than 5 years, must complete their residency in family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, medicine/pediatrics, or family medicine/psychiatry. The Zelma Gray Scholarship provide funds for tuition, lab fee and textbook costs to medical students who are permanent or current residents of Guernsey County, Ohio, who graduated from a Guernsey County high school and who have a parent who lives in that county. OREGON The Foundation for Medical Excellence (TFME) strives to enhance professional development of student physicians, reduce the cost of medical education, and promote future practice in Oregon. The TFME Scholar program annually provides medical school scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each. Each year 5.-6 students are selected to receive the scholarship and is renewed the following year if the student continues to meet the program expectations. Applicants must be second year medical students in the current academic year at OHSU, be an Oregon resident upon medical school matriculation, and have accrued medical education debt, in additional to other factors. PENNSYLVANIA The Alliance Medical Education Scholarship Fund is part of the Pennsylvania Medical Society Alliance's mission is to promote activities that provide financial support for medical education. To financially assist deserving second- and third-year
medical students enrolled in a Pennsylvania medical school. The PMSA established the AMES Fund. This fund, is supported by Alliance fund-raising events and general and memorial contributions. The Lehigh County Medical Auxiliary's Scholarship and Education (LeCoMASE) Fund Scholarship awards a $2,500 scholarship to medical students who are residents of Lehigh County. The Lycoming County Medical Society (LCMS) Scholarship awards a $2,500 scholarship to medical students who are residents of Lycoming County. The Pennsylvania Medical Society Alliance: The Alliance Medical Education Scholarship (AMES) Fund was established to financially assist deserving medical students enrolled in an accredited Pennsylvania allopathic or osteopathic school. The first scholarship - named the Robert and Arlene Oyler Award of the Alliance Medical Education Scholarship Fund - provides awards in the amount of $3,000. The second scholarship - named the William J. West Award of the Alliance Medical Education Scholarship Fund - is awarded annually in the amount of $2,500. SOUTH CAROLINA The South Carolina LIFE Scholarship: The Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence ( LIFE) Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship program administered by the financial aid office at each eligible public and independent institution in South Carolina. The LIFE Scholarship may be used towards the cost-of-attendance for up to eight terms based on the students' initial college enrollment date. Student's must be enrolled in their first professional degree. The Edwards Scholars Program annually awards two incoming students merit-based scholarships of $5,000 per year, plus a waiver of tuition and fees. This scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate superb intellectual qualifications and outstanding potential for leadership in the study and practice of medicine. Qualified students throughout the United States are eligible; however, preference is given to South Carolina residents. The award remains in effect for four years, assuming the student maintains high academic performance and fulfills the promise of excellence. The James B. Edwards Award annually awards two incoming students merit-based scholarships of $10,000 per year for four years of medical school. Students receiving these awards must have superb intellectual qualifications and outstanding potential for leadership. Recommendations for the recipients of these awards are made by the Admissions Committee.
highly capable professional, who is concerned with the total welfare of society. The nominee must be a SC resident, have an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or higher, a minimum score of 8 on each of the three MCAT sections, and a writing sample score of "O" or better. If selected by the Foundation, the student receives $20,000 per year to help cover tuition, fees and living expenses throughout medical school. SOUTH DAKOTA The Ashley Elizabeth Evans Medical School Scholarship is open to applicants must be graduates of a Sioux Falls, SD, area high school or home school program; be admitted to or enrolled in their first year of medical school at an accredited institution in the United States; demonstrate financial need; have participated in school and community activities throughout high school and college; and have demonstrated academic excellence during college by maintaining a "B" or better average. Preference will generally be given to applicants entering their first year of medical school. Award: $2,500. VIRGINIA The Medical Society of Northern Virginia offers two $3,500 scholarships to students enrolled in a VA medical school who are residents of Fairfax County (including Alexandria City and all other independent municipalities) and Loudon County, 3rd year students when applying. WEST VIRGINIA The Family Medicine Foundation provides scholarships to medical students. Medical students in the 3rd or 4th years must specialize in family medicine and practice for one year in West Virginia upon completion of internships or residency training. Scholarships of $5,000 per year or $10,000 total for the third and fourth years of medical school are awarded on the basis of need and interest in family medicine. Repayment of the awards is waived after the required one year of practice in Family Medicine in the state. The West Virginia Health Sciences Scholarship Program is a recruitment incentive program (not a financial aid scholarship) for health professions students interested in primary care and rural health in West Virginia. $20,000 is awarded to for medical students who are fourthyear medical students at a West Virginia school of medicine who are entering primary care internships or residency programs in West Virginia, including family medicine, general pediatrics, general internal medicine, combined internal medicine/pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and general psychiatry. „
The Fullerton Foundation Scholarship nominates an incoming student who demonstrates and projects the potential for development into a
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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
"Most admissions officers can immediately spot an essay that has been hastily thrown together by a student that thought their stellar grades and test scores were going to get them in the door. �
GETTINGIN
Advice and tips for becoming the most successful candidate for medical schools admissions
Pitfalls That Can Make Your Personal Statement Suck EVER WANTED TO KNOW what would be the worst thing you could do while writing your personal statement? We'll here are a few to start with.
EMBELLISHING YOUR STORY
While there is a place for creativity in your essay, you can't afford to avoid the personal approach entirely by writing an overly creative or philosophical piece. You think you'll impress the admissions committee with your unique and stand out approach but most medical school admissions officers will advise you to do otherwise. Your personal statement should not stray away from the standard format of the essay.
NOT TAKING THE ESSAY SERIOUSLY There is a common misconception that if you have an excellent academic record, you don't have to worry so much about the other components of your application. Give your personal statement the attention it deserves. Treat it as an equal. Make sure you schedule enough time to put into writing a personal statement that it not just quickly thrown together and doesn't have
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much thought. Most admissions officers can immediately spot an essay that has been hastily thrown together by a student that thought their stellar grades and test scores were going to get them in the door.
PERSONAL MEANS PERSONAL The personal statement should be just that-personal. Many students use the personal statement to give a run down of all of the extra curricular activities and accomplishments they have under their belt, without really answering the question of why they're choosing to become doctors. The personal statement is a chance for students to convey to the admission committee how they see themselves as an asset to the medical school and to the medical profession.
BOMBARDING WITH DETAILS More is not necessarily better. Don't add unnecessary detail to your essay just to fill up space. Not only will it probably annoy the person reading your essay, but it will also take away from what you're really trying to say about yourself and the story you're trying to tell. Reread through your statement and see if there is anything that you can take out without taking away from your statement.
FORGETTING TO PROOFREAD You're probably so busy getting everything together and have a list of twenty-million things on your to do list but you mustn't forget to proofread your essay. This can be the worst mistake of them all. Nothing destroys the credibility of the application faster than misspelled words and incorrect usage of grammar. It is know that admissions committees see strong communication as a key factor in a potential medical student and therefore expect high quality writing in the personal statement. „
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MEDICAL SCHOOL TRENDS TO WATCH FOR IN 2013 If you've been keeping up with everything that has been going on in medical education, there's a lot to look forward to in 2013. As medical education institutions face government officials who have recommended slashing funds for graduate medical education and the increasing gap between the number of medical school graduates looking for residencies and the number of residency slots that are actually available to them, it's the perfect time to look at what's on the horizon and see what's in store for medical schools in 2013. It is impossible, of course, to predict exactly what will happen in 2013, but here's what medical education experts expect to see based on current trends and the latest developments in medical education. 22 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
M
edical school applicants of 2012 continued a trend of year-to-year jumps in the number of applications, with an increase of over 10,000 applicants from a decade ago. The number of medical school applications has been increase over the last several years, up to a high of 45,266 applicants and 636,309 applications for admission to medical school in 2012. In 2008, there were 42,231 applicants to medical school, according to the American Association of Medical Colleges. In each year thereafter, the number of applicants to medical school increased. This increase will likely continue in 2013. And with a larger number of applicants comes more competition. More students than ever are showing a strong interest in pursuing a career in medicine, making an acceptance letter to medical school that much tougher to obtain. No new news here - medical schools across the country, as well as those located outside of the U.S., will continue to see a rise in applicants. But it's not just any and everyone who make up the individuals who applying to medical school. The caliber of those who are applying to medical school is also worth mentioning. When it comes to the grades and MCAT scores, the most recent pool of applicants to medical school remained competitive academically, with the average undergraduate GPA and median score on the MCAT holding steady over 2011, at 3.54 and 29, respectively. "Once again, exceptionally qualified individuals are applying to and enrolling in medical school," said AAMC President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., in a press release announcing the applicant data released in late October. "They have the combination to service that medical school admission committees are looking for these days."
cc licensed flickr photo by World Bank Photo Collection
cc licensed flickr photo by Mira (on the wall)
LARGER APPLICANT POOL, MORE COMPETITION
FOCUS ON RECRUITING FUTURE PRIMARY-CARE PROVIDERS
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fter a report that the U.S. will experience a shortage of about 45,000 primary care physicians by 2020, projections about the future of primary-care medicine has certainly found considerable media attention. From thinking about how medical schools can alleviate the shortage to introducing legislation to address the shortfall in trained primary-care providers, the focus on primary-care medicine is likely to continue to address the looming workforce shortage. In light of dwindling number of students choosing primary-care medicine and rapid changes in health
care policy that are increasing the need for primary care providers, medical schools across the country are rolling out new programs to recruit more primary care physicians for general practice or in underserved areas. Developing a way to identifying during the admissions process or early in medical school students who are committed to primary-care and addressing concerns about choosing a lower-paying primary-care position over a higher paying specialty, are just two of the many discussions that are sure to take place this year on this topic.
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6 medical school trends to watch for in 2013
I
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t is an unfortunate trend that while the number of students graduating from medical school is on the rise, each year hundreds of these students find themselves with a degree and nowhere to train. Issues surround funding, federal cuts, and spending limits that keep medical schools and residency programs from training more new doctors are all to blame for the number of residency applicants exceeding the number of available slots. The dismal trend toward the widening gap between the number of residency positions available and number of medical school graduates means that a lot of attention. Most recently, the AAMC published a graph that displays the "yawning gap" between the increasing number of medical school graduates seeking residencies and the number of residency slots available to them. . "This is the only time in history of the U.S. that we are going to see a decrease in practicing physicians," said Atul Grover, MD, chief public policy officer of the AAMC. "Medical schools have responded to the physician shortage projected by the American Medical Association by increasing admissions, but residency programs have not been able to follow suit." The good news is that steps are already being taken to reverse this trend. In support of the effort to train more physicians, Rep. Joseph Crowley introduced a bill to Congress that would provide for the distribution of additional residency positions. This change could allow for the creation of approximately 15,000 new GME slots available to medical students across the country. Recently, the AMA launched a grassroots campaign to bring awareness to the importance of strengthening graduate medical education to address the projected physician shortage. The AMA even went before the Institute of Medicine Committee on the Governance and Financing of Graduate Medical Education and recommended "not only preserving the current level of federal funding for GME and ensuring adequate, stable funding for GME, but increasing GME funding to support, at minimum, a 15 percent increase in GME slots to address physician shortages in undersupplied specialties and underserved areas." Unfortunately, however, , the growing residency gap will continue its discouraging trend at least until these efforts are recognized by those with the powers that be.
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the individual might contribute value as a medical student and future physician. For medical schools that haven't already done so, a move toward the use of the holistic review of applicants will begin to occur more sooner than later. Schools will begin to place a greater focus not on applicants' GPA and test scores, but their non-science experiences, personal attributes, and overall wellroundedness. With the trend of evaluating students on a broader spectrum of factors, medical school will also begin accepting more students who are considered "non-traditional" applicants. In fact, in 2012, U.S. medical schools accepted a greater number of students with undergraduate majors in Humanities and Social Sciences compared to the previous year, according to data from the AAMC.
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EVALUATING NOT PART, BUT THE "WHOLE" APPLICANT etween the new MCAT - which will now focus on social and behavior sciences - and the growing number of tools designed by the AAMC to help medical schools employ specific admissions principles, more and more schools are beginning to use the holistic review to a greater extent during the admissions process. The population of students being considered by medical school admissions committees are changing drastically as a growing number of schools look beyond grades and test scores to select potential students. As a result, this year more schools will begin to align their admission mission to the AAMC Holistic Review - a flexible, individualized way of assessing an applicant's capabilities by which balanced consideration is given to experiences, attributes, and academic metrics (E-A-M) and, when considered in combination, how
WIDENING RESIDENCY GAP
6 medical school trends to watch for in 2013
iLEARNING An increasing number of medical schools across the country seem to be jumping on the iPad bandwagon, and not just embracing the iPad as a learning tool but using the popular tablet to develop full-blown iPad-based curriculums for daily use in medical education. Ipads are quickly becoming a popular and powerful tool in today's world of educating tomorrow's doctors. They can encourage interactive learning styles, increase participation and engagement, and enables learning on a whole new level. Since its debut, the iPad has quickly made its way into the world of medical education and despite mixed reviews on fully implementing an iPad-driven curriculum, those in medical education are more excited than ever about what the iPad can bring to a student's learning experience in medical school. In 2010, the University of California Irvine School of Medicine became the first in the country to utilize a completely digital, interactive learning space for incoming students and announced their iMedEd Initiative - a comprehensive, iPad-based curriculum designed to revolutionized how medicine is taught in the 21st century. "We are commit-
ted to using evolving technology to benefit the education of our medical students," said Dr. Ralph V. Clayman, dean of the UCI School of Medicine. "It is our firm belief that a digitally based curriculum will be the wave of the future, and UCI seeks to be a leader in the innovative presentation of information to students." Fast-forward three years and we now know that iPads are indeed very effective when it comes to enhancing the learning environment for medical students. In February 2013, the UCI School of Medicine revealed that the first class participating in the iMedEd Initiative scored an average of 23 percent higher on their national exams than previous UC Irvine medical school classes, despite having similar incoming GPAs and MCAT scores. "At UC Irvine's School of Medicine, we see each of our talented students as having a unique style of learning. It's our challenge and responsibility to provide a broad array of educational opportunities so that every student can master the knowledge essential to becoming an outstanding healthcare provider," Clayman said. "By having all aspects of our medical school curriculum on iPad, learning
With the price attached to obtaining a medical degree rising and medical students finding it more difficult to land a residency after match day, the option of completing medical school in three years, rather than four sounds like music to their ears. "Currently, it takes an average of 10 years of medical school, residency, and fellowship to train a subspecialty physician. Such prolonged training delays entry into the workforce, decreasing years of productivity for patient care and research," said Steven Abramson, MD, vice dean for education, faculty, and academic affairs at NYU School of Medicine. "By eliminating redundancies, we abridged the traditional four-year MD degree while retaining the quality of the education and the 130 weeks of LCMErequired study," Dr. Abramson added. More and more medical schools are experimenting with accelerated programs designed to not only get students practicing sooner, particularly in primary-care medicine, but also cut the cost of the MD degree, and thus we are seeking more 3-year MD degree programs beginning to emerge. The of accelerated MD degrees idea isn't exactly
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SAME DEGREE, LESS TIME
T
exas Tech University School of Medicine is doing it. Louisiana State University School of Medicine is doing it and now New York University School of Medicine is doing it. Offering medical students the option to pursue a three-year medical degree, these schools along with several others are condensing the course of study to graduate medical students a year earlier than usual.
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becomes a 24/7 opportunity no longer tied to the classroom or a desk. We believe our students are learning better than they have in the past." Being evidently aware of the benefits of iPadbased learning within the education space, there has been a boom in the number of ideas and ways for iPads to enhance learning in medical school, turning the traditional medical education curriculum model on its head. In another study, when it came to the experience using iPad mobile learning devices, medical and dentistry students evaluation indicated improved learning experience (88%), positive effect on learning (85%) and making use of time previously wasted (78%) with overall productivity cited as being the greatest benefit. The iPad will continue to gain popularity among medical schools and the growth of new and innovative ways to use the tablets to enhance the medical school learning experience will continue on. Companies are even beginning to make iPad-friendly long - and short - white coats, so by the look of things, this nifty device isn't going anywhere and will definitely gain traction in 2013 and beyond.
new but it is gaining ground, and thanks to federal grants, a handful of schools have put these fast-track programs in place. Schools such as Indiana University School of Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, and East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine have also explored the idea of a 3-year MD track and more schools are sure to follow. The number one explanation for this trend in medical education toward three- year degree is to attract more students to pursue careers in primarycare medicine and hopefully practice in underserved areas. "The major impetus was the recognition that one of the major issues in the health care system is the shortage of primary care physicians and the imbalance between primary care physicians and specialists," said Steven Berk, MD, in a AMA article. "We believe that medical schools need to take part of the responsibility for that imbalance." The latest projections show that the shortage of primary care doctors will worsen significantly in the next 15 years. This may push a greater number of medical schools to offer three-year degree programs in response to the call to produce more primary care physicians. Quickening the pace of graduate medical education because of the demand for more primarycare physicians and financial costs will continue to be the greatest factors pushing the trend forward through 2013 and beyond.
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PreMed’s Guide to Spring Break 2013 Don't think for a second that just because you are a pre-med that you can't get in on all of the Spring Break festivities
Even if you have no plans on taking an astronomy course, the ALFA Planetarium includes an ImaxDome system cinema as well as areas for education exhibitions and interactive activities. Even though it's geared more toward children and young people, the ALFA Planetarium will give you a greater appreciation for science and technology. It might be nice to visit one of the world's largest underwater museums, submerged in the clear waters of Cancun. The Cancun Underwater Museum aims to demonstrate the interaction between art and environmental science and hopes to form a complex reef structure for marine life to colonize and inhabit. Here's your chance to witness marine biology up close and personal. Bet you've never seen a turtle farm? Isla Mujeres Turtle Farm is a scientific facility where you can see sea turtles in the hundreds, which lay their eggs on its sand from May to September. A trip to the aquarium is always enjoyable so why not stop by Cancun's Interactive Aquarium. At this hands-on attraction, you'll be able to touch sea urchins, swim with dolphins and feed sharks locked in an underwater cage.
The Science & Discovery Center of Northwest Florida is designed to educate and inspire visitors through hands-on, interactive exhibits and programs that are designed to promote discovery of science, technology, and history. Don't feel bad if you're one of the "older" kids in the room, let loose and tap into your inner child. One of Panama City's top beach attractions, WonderWorks is an upside-down building that features over 100 interactive exhibits designed for visitors of all ages. From an antigravity chamber and a pulley challenge (did someone say physics in action?) to a piano reminiscent of the movie, "Big" and Mindball pit that puts two participants in a unique mental contest, you'll definitely enjoy yourself at this fun-filled attraction. Animals from different species can teach us so much about humans and the world around us, so why not pay a visit to Zoo World, a zoological and botanical conservatory. Home to over 260 animals including exotic and endangered species, Zoo World, offers visitors the opportunity to get an up close and personal view of animals in a lush, tropical setting. And hey, maybe because they know you'll be in town, Zoo World is even offering college students special discounts on admissions and programs with your college ID. And we couldn't leave out Panama City's Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditorium. This popular attraction is more than just a museum of the strange and the unusual, but a collection of oddities housed in what appears to be a sinking ship. The oddity museum features bizarre, one-of-a-kind exhibits and attractions. And if you're not interested in this kind of stuff, then maybe you'll enjoy a competitive Laser Race activity.
28 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
cc licensed flickr photo by Nicholas Karim
Cancun, Mexico
Panama City Beach, Florida
cc licensed flickr photo by Melissa
The beauty of Spring Break is that it gives you a chance to do something other than study and creates the perfect excuse for you to breathe some life back into your social life. So here's what we did - we searched the top Spring Break destinations for 2013 and did a little digging to see if we could come up with any premedfriendly activities that you may want to check out. If you plan to visit one of these popular Spring Break destinations, according to StudentCity.com, here's your chance to get the most of your time off and not feel that you are totally slacking off during your break.
Las Vegas, Nevada
At the Las Vegas Natural History Museum you'll see everything from a real wooly mammoth tooth and a shark jaw bone to exhibits on just about every wild animal under the sun. It also features so much information and so many lifelike replicas of extinct and present day animals that you'll feel like you're at the zoo, with interactive exhibits featuring animated dinosaurs, a Nevada room with Southern Nevada's plant and animal life, an international wildlife room, shark exhibit with live sharks, children's hands-on exploration room and gift shop.
cc licensed flickr photo by tedmurphy cc licensed flickr photo by Moyan_Brenn
The Ocean World Adventure Park has gained the reputation as a "must-see" attraction in the Dominican Republic and is the most advanced marine interaction park of its kind. Guests of Ocean World Adventure Park have the opportunity to touch, pet and feed dolphins, sea lions, sharks, stingrays, exotic tropical birds, meet tigers, walk through a tropical rain forest and much more.
cc licensed flickr photo by Moyan_Brenn
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
South Padre, Texas
Sea Turtle, Inc is dedicated to the education, research, and rehabilitation for the preservation of Sea Turtles and their environment. We are growing and we look forward to continuing and expanding out commitment to the environment and its inhabitants through education and participation in conservation
cc licensed flickr photo by Exploratus
Waterscape Paradise Island is the largest outdoor aquarium in the world, featuring six lagoons, five swimming pools, 40 waterfalls and underwater walkways for viewing fish. Situated only minutes from the heart of downtown Nassau , Bahamas, the Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Center is a one-of-a-kind place. The 5-½ acre park is part jungle, part gardens and home to hundreds of beautiful mammals, birds and reptiles from around the world, including many endangered species from the Bahamas and the Greater Caribbean . Ardastra offers a very intimate setting to mingle with amazing wildlife and is committed to the preservation and conservation of endangered species. You can't miss the world famous marching flamingos.
cc licensed flickr photo by markvall
Nassau, Bahamas
efforts worldwide. Each day a volunteer from Sea Turtle, Inc. meets visitors at the facility and talks about the different species of sea turtles, their importance to the environment, and what we as individuals can do to pull them back from the edge of extinction. Anyone who has learned about Darwin know that birds can teach us a whole lot. So why not pay a visit to the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center is Rio Grande Valley's premier destination for birdwatching. The unique location on South Padre Island is the perfect place to observe the birds, butterflies and natural wildlife in coastal South Texas. Visit us on South Padre Island, walk the bayfront boardwalks, take a birding tour and explore the nature center. The Dolphin Research and Sea Life Nature Center is a cost-effective way to entertain yourself and engage in understanding the importance of respecting wildlife and preserving nature. Visitors love the "touch tanks" that enable them to get hands-on experience with various live samples of marine life. Within the center, visitors will find knowledgeable volunteers who are willing and able to answer questions about the displays and who give educational presentations to visitors.
Miami, Florida
The Miami Science Museum aims to make a difference in people's lives by inspiring them to appreciate the impact that science and technology can have on every facet of our world. From exhibits called Heart Smart that addresses the issues around heart disease to hands-on exhibits that explore everything from basic energy principles to the future of renewable energy, visitors are sure to find something interesting to do at this attraction. The Miami Sequarium is a world-class marine-line entertainment part. It offers a 38-acre tropical paradise with spectacular views of the city's skyline, eight different marine animal shows and presentations offered daily featuring whales, dolphins and sea lions, hands-on experience with feeding California Sea Lions, a Mangrove Habitat with crocodiles, alligators, endangered sea turtles, and native birds. „
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 29
ŠiStockphoto.com/ Baris Simsek
the ROCK doctor How a Non-Traditional Path to Medicine May Help Students Become Better Physicians and Candidates for Medical Schools by Joshua A. Wienczkowski
T
I could hear the crowd stirring up a cacophony of excited whistles and teenage angst outside in the glassy, Mid-West cold from our green room. My veins were open full bore from the adrenaline pulsating through my body, and I could feel the heat from the stage as it wilted my hair that I spent the better part of an hour waxing and waning.
hat morning, I had picked out my favorite black Rufio t-shirt and a pair of those Gap 1969 jeans where I had worn in faded squares for my wallet and phone. My keys? Attached with a carabiner and my all access pass for the concerts I was playing in with a band I had been in since I was 15. We had unloaded that afternoon after our traditional pre-show lunch at The BK Lounge, where we were always given the finest VIP treatment and got it our way. Sound check was nothing new, except we had a new sound guy the record label had hired that barked through the wireless in-ear pack attached to my baby, Celine, a real, bright red Les Paul Limited Edition that purred like a 1969 SS Camaro straight out of Detroit Rock City. God I loved that guitar. Our red conversion van, aptly named The Dragon Slayer, that rattled and rolled us through countless hours for gigs sat idly by the loading dock collecting puffy snow flakes - the ones that fall slowly like feathers from birds a mile high. "Check, check, 1, 2. Ow now brown cow; unique New York; scotch is good; check, check. Hey Cage, can I get some more vocals in my monitor with a cut in mids across the board, I sound like I'm in a tin can. Where's
Dorothy and that stupid lion - I'm gonna be the Tin Man tonight" I bantered with our new sound guy, testing his patience and likelihood of keeping his job. Quick on his feet, Cage called back smirking, "I keep trying to find the suck knob, but it looks like you already turned it high enough to break it." Conjuring my British accent and Spinal Tap, "I tried to turn it to eleven, and she was like but why not just not make your ten louder? Because it's not eleven... I'd say to her dumbfounded." In true British form, Cage called back with a perfectly delivered deal closer from none other than Monty Python and the Holy Grail, "I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries...now go away or I shall taunt you a second time." I liked Cage. When I walked on stage that night, I'll never forget experiencing for the first time, the overpowering sound that thousands of people can produce at a sold-out rock concert. Celine strapped over my left shoulder like a rifle over my granddad's as he raided the war torn beaches of Normandy, I stepped confidently onto my battle ground and raised my hand, palm up, and motioned a come hither movement. The chorus of tizzy that ensued consumed my whole body as it screamed louder than our infectious pop-rock music. To this day, I blame my terrible tinnitus not on a lack of ear protection, but on the shrieking screams of teenagers that were addicted to the temporary shin-dig. I pushed in my in-ear monitors and went to work on another city with my weapon of choice, Celine.
Playing songs about girls is great, but do I really want to be doing this for the rest of my life? Beats being in school like everyone else right now. After putzing our way around in The Dragon Slayer, I found myself working night and day for the record label that signed us right out of high school (literally one month after graduation) as an Artist & Repertoire (someone who signed and worked with other bands). Long story short, the label went belly up, filed for bankruptcy, got indicted by the IRS, and I lost my house, car, phone, and money overnight at twenty. I find stressful inadequate in truly describing the gravity of the situation, considering the ten grand I owed to a debt collector I had never met before, and my lack of anything but the clothes I owned oh, and Celine, I still had her. Being homeless was humbling, but it could have been worse. I put my resume together and landed a job for some network you've probably heard of on a tv show about sailboat racing. I know that sounds just exhilarating, but the pay, rum, and free travel were great. Filming ended, and I ended up in the music capital of the world where chicken pickin' country music, fried chicken, and y'all are staples. I finagled my way into a songwriting contract on music row, and snuck my way onto red carpets in just a couple months. That got boring, so I started event coordinating and designing bright lights for this one company that does a lot of bright lights for a lot of less than bright people that somehow sellout arenas all over the world.
Writing songs for guys who's girlfriends dumped them and took their dog is great; designing bright lights for those guys and girls is fun and all, but do I really want to be doing this for the rest of my life? There has to be something bigger. Longer story short, I had a lot of time in and on boats, planes, cars, limos, vans, busses, and red carpets to reflect on what I wanted to do with my life. In music, my intention was always to help people to the best of my innate and learned abilities. Whether it was writing a song with someone about their
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 31
grandmother passing, a breakup, or a night out on the town with bright lights and loud music to create memories that last a life time, I always wanted to use music to influences lives and mend callouses that can plague a person's heart. I wanted to help people, but instead found myself as a modality in the bigger picture of changing people's lives. I was an influence for 15 minutes in a fading spotlight. I wanted the bigger picture, but the glitzy and glamorous facade of the music industry unveiled an ugly portrait that showed how words, melodies, and bright lights failed to bring the deep seated healing effect I had hoped it would. Watching countless friends succumb and wither away to the power of sex, money, drugs and alcohol was enough for me to seek what the bigger picture was. Medicine had always been a contender in the back of my mind because of the challenges it posed, but I always assumed the profession was reserved for kids who wore tennis sweaters and used phrases like I do declare, good sir as well as came from wealth none of which described me [and still don't, to say the least].
Passion for people begot unique life experience, which begged the questions, 'am I using my strengths and experiences to truly help my fellow man? How do I not just influence lives, but change them?' So, I applied to a state school in Tennessee and traded my perfectly formed rockstar hair and guitar case for a backpack full of Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and MCAT books. Never having really been much of a student, I put my head down and treated school like my jobs in music. Instead of sculpting and chiseling away at pop tunes, I was inundated with science and words I'd never even heard of before. In two quick years, my brain was shaken like a snow globe, rewired and put back in my head enough to where I was tutoring everyone around me, "No, no, no, the force vector is acting in this direction. Back up to the momentum principle, give me the factors, and we'll work through it again." My leadership landed me as president of a great pre-medical organization, growing membership a couple hundred percent in just a year. Research with a professor from some big school you've probably heard of, and discoverer of lots of big things found its way into my hands as I watched my grades stay on top like I had done with my songs a few years prior. My clinical experience expanded vastly because physicians loved being around to hear my "when I was in music" stories, and patients connected with me on a personal level because I wasn't just another coat. Pre-Med was fun, hard, crazy, and a catacomb of mixed emotions from "you'll never get accepted, work harder" to "you've got this, you're nailing exams." Sleepless nights, sweat, pulling my hair out, and a lot of missing out on beers with the guys who were still plunking away around the world eventually led me to the lair of the ultimate dragon slayer - the MCAT.
MY CLINICAL EXPERIENCE EXPANDED VASTLY BECAUSE PHYSICIANS LOVED BEING AROUND TO HEAR MY "WHEN I WAS IN MUSIC" STORIES, AND PATIENTS CONNECTED WITH ME ON A PERSONAL LEVEL BECAUSE I WASN'T JUST ANOTHER COAT
Ok, I'm checking all the boxes like a good little Pre-Med, this next hoop can't be THAT bad. The MCAT is no joke. It's about a five hour exam that tests every bit of science knowledge a Pre-Med learns, and assesses their ability to work through a whole bunch of garbage to find and solve science problems. There's even a section where passages talk about some French revolutionary's dog who was a brilliant influence on baroque rugs - to which, the test taker is supposed to choose the best answer as to how the stupid dog would feel about Nietzsche. I don't know how in the hell the dog FEELS, I don't even know what a baroque rug is. Laugh, but this test haunted my dreams for a few months. I digress. To prepare, I locked myself in a room for two months in Alabama where my parents had relocated, and studied for hours every day until I had mastered the electron affinity of Oxygen; I worked to prove Newton's Laws of Motion until I was blue in the face, which matched well with my red neck from the sweltering Alabama summer days. Test day was coming, and I drove up to Nashville the night before to see a good friend who had supported me through all the changes from music to medicine. Clint took one look at me and said, "Josh, I think it's time we go get a beer." I didn't know whether to be offended or impressed. I took him up on the offer, and we headed to a Sounds game (Nashville's minor league baseball team) for hotdogs and beer in the easy summer nights that middle Tennessee is known for. The score didn't matter because the refreshing sound of society I had been deprived of in what can only be described as Deliverance, Alabama, and the company of good friends with cold brews made the stress of the biggest test of my life wilt away. The test came and went, which landed me a score good enough to not have to take it again.
So maybe there is a way to balance life and not come down with PMS. PMS, short for PreMed Syndrome is characterized by insomnia, lack of social contact, and being discontent at a 'low A.' Highly contagious.
32 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
During the time I was preparing for my MCAT, I was also writing my med school application. Clack clack clack. Hmmm. AMCAS? So let me get this straight, I'm supposed to sum up my entire career and life story in a 5,400 character personal statement, and only 15 'experiences'? I felt a little cheated when writing my application because I had an honest need to tell a lengthy story. I wanted some admissions committee to pick up a pile of papers with my name on it, peruse it thoroughly, and then emphatically declare in a British accent with a paisley robe, "Now THIS is a unique candidate for our medical school! Watson, get this Mr. W... umm... ski in here right away! Do you concur? WATSON?!" Ok, so maybe not all medical school admissions committees have a British accent, use the word concur, have an assistant named Watson, and/or wear paisley robes. I digress. So, I assessed my life story and picked the pieces that had the most impact on my direction in life; the ones that I could articulate the details like the sold-out rock concert; the ones where I would tactfully have a letter of recommendation correlate. I applied to fourteen schools from Michigan to Florida. I knew secondary applications would amass, and I was told to stay on top of them from my advisors, but I didn't anticipate the number of essays I would be writing! I had spilled every pertinent detail I thought I had in me about my career and why it had prepared me to become a physician. So, ethical questions of who I would choose to give healthcare to as a physician in a convoluted scenario hit me with a gut-check because now that I had told my story, these secondary applications allowed me to expand on the person I was at the time of my application versus the developing person represented in my primary application.
Well played, med schools. I didn't realize you'd stay true to your word and actually dig indepth to gather a holistic perspective of each individual. Perhaps there is truth to life experience making for a more competitive applicant - otherwise, I'm screwed. Soon enough, and I had my first interview booked for October 25th with the ETSU Quillen
If you're someone like me, you may or may not have taken a circuitous route to pursuing medicine. Although I came to college at 23, I took a lot of time developing life skills and experiences that can't necessarily be taught to a traditional student. Through trial and error, heartache and joy, I learned the fastidious perseverance that's needed to become a lifelong student of medicine. Because admittance to medical school
ABOUT THE AUTHOR JOSHUA A. WIENCZKOWSKI is a former employee of the music and entertainment industry, and current member of the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine Class of 2017. His research is in chondriome genomics (Middle Tennessee State University) as well as DNA methylation in Ewing Sarcoma (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine). His hobbies include: brewing beer, running, playing music, and mentoring aspiring doctors.
I guess they really do like non-traditional students.
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“Although I came to college at 23, I took a lot of time developing life skills and experiences that can't necessarily be taught to a traditional student. Through trial and error, heartache and joy, I learned the fastidious perseverance that's needed to become a lifelong student of medicine.”
is becoming increasingly competitive every year, and a prominent trend of choosing individuals with more interpersonal skills than book smarts, it's in your best interest to make the grades, but more importantly to make the most of your life. As someone in the entering class of 2017 at Quillen, I am humbled and astonished by the numbers of this year's application pool. AMCAS currently shows nearly 50,000 applications that have processed, with each student applying to an average of 10 schools, making a grand total of 500,000 applications for a whopping 18,000 spots. Do the math, and there's an overall acceptance rate of around 3.6%. So you're a little older, and maybe do construction for a living? Awesome, the average age of entering medical students is on the rise as well, and we always need more Orthopedic Surgeons for an aging population. I don't tell you my story to woo or wow you, I see it as a teaching opportunity to say I was a burned out person, unhappy with the impact I was having on society, and chose to put everything I had on the line in hopes of helping people more than what I was. If you've been bitten by the "medicine bug," there's an insurmountable chance it's not leaving anytime soon, so, I simply submit a singular question: as a patient, who would you choose to make your life and death situations - an individual with the life experiences that expand the depths of the human condition, or the kid who memorized pi up until the seven hundredth number? If you want to be the one who beckons Watson to call you on the phone both to invite you for an interview, and extend a hand to welcome you to their medical school, go live your life and see the world before you commit to a career in medicine. I often run into students at 21, about to apply to medical school who are faced with the poignant reality that their personal statement and experiences section on their application are lackluster [at best]. They find that all they've done is check the boxes of a Pre-Med, been consumed with PMS, and done everything except become the unique candidate that medical schools want these days. So you want to become a scuba instructor off the coast of Jamaica? Hell yes you should. Those social and leadership skills that are incurred by taking life by the horns are what will propel you through your education and make you a better physician in the long run. Not only a better physician, but someone who leaps out of the application and requires someone to readjust their paisley robe when shouting for Watson. Do your future patients a favor and take a non-traditional path to medicine.
College of Medicine (my first choice). In addition to this, I had amassed a few rejection letters from schools who shall remain nameless because they apparently didn't receive the memo about telling Watson to call me for an interview. Crying shame, I say. I did a few practice interviews with my school's Career Development Services, tidied up my new suit, and headed off to the pristine Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee the night before my interview. On the drive, I remember rolling my windows down, making waves with my left hand as it cut through the dense mountain air; the crispness of fall bit ever so lightly like the tartness of fresh apple cider in the October night. I was staying with a former music industry buddy, now med student, and we grabbed a couple beers and burgers to go over the interview like we might for a big production day. I dreamt that night of showing up to my interview without pants on. Right before pulling into Quillen the next morning, I made sure to call my mom and get out any last bits of nerve and stage-fright. As if reliving the wait in my green room, I could feel the pulsating dilation of my veins as I stood to walk onto a new stage. Now, instead of a black Rufio t-shirt and 1969 jeans with an all access pass, I donned a sharp navy blue suit with a light pin-stripe and bright yellow tie. With a briefcase instead of a guitar strapped to my left shoulder, I went to battle just as my granddad did, and with a firm handshake, "Hi Dr. Basch, I'm Joshua Wienczkowski, it's a pleasure to meet you."
&
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GETTINGIN Advice and tips for becoming the most successful candidate for medical schools admissions
A closer look at summer courses Things to consider for students who may take classes during the Summer Term. While it may be difficult to stay focused and motivated while everyone heads to the beach or vacation, thousands of pre-med students use the weeks between the Fall and Spring semester to get a leg up on the rest of the competition. Some students strategically plan out their summer studies to prepare them for a course they might be taking during the upcoming semester or move ahead with their pre-requisites. When it comes to life as a pre-med, its always good to give yourself and break and not burn yourself out, but many students uses this time to make sure their doing everything they can to be the best med school candidate out there. Many college students may take the break during semesters to recoup from the long year of tedious studying. Don't feel bad if you spend your summers like this‌you deserve it! But other students see this as an opportunity to take advantage of, whether its to take one of those core courses that all students are required to take regardless of their major, try out an introductory course you're thinking about possibly minoring in, or to flat out speed the progress of obtaining your undergraduate degree. The advantage of taking courses during the summer term offers students a great opportunity to enroll in hard-to-get courses, including the ones required for upper division study or to get all of your prerequisite courses under your belt. Some students make choose to take course for the entire summer, but for those who want to take a break to earn some cash, they can usually do so by only enrolling in course during the earlier or later parts of the summer. Students can spend their summer working toward their academic goals, while also taking muchdeserved time to relax. The condensed teaching and assessment schedule is demanding, and students need to be aware of the level of commitment required to successfully complete a course in summer school. In deciding whether to enroll in 1 or 2 summer
school courses, students need to take careful consideration of their personal and work commitments over the entire session they plan to enroll. Generally, students are not encouraged to take more than 2 summer courses at a time. Organization and time management are key to doing well during summer school. Most college students like to earn some extra cash during the summer. If you're planning on working this summer, be responsible enough to
Summertime can feel like the perfect time to slack off and be a couch potato, but most summer classes are designed to work you harder than the average course that's offered during the regular Fall or Spring semesters. Class sizes are generally smaller and the coursework is condensed, so you'll need to be on you're "A" game and stay on top of assignments and get ahead whenever possible. Try not to make your daily schedule too overwhelming. It's always a good idea to make give yourself some time to take a break, head to the beach or go to the park, or do whatever it is that floats your boat. Because before you know it, the first day of the Fall semester will be knocking at your door and you don't want to find yourself all burned out from the summer session. You really do not want to create an overwhelming course load during the summer session. Think about the mix of courses that you're planning on taking. If you end up taking on too much during the summer, you might be doing more harm than good and that's definitely not what you intended on doing. Remember, the grades you get in your summer courses are weighted equally as those the grades you get during the regular semesters. So if you do poorly, your gpa will drop. It might be a good idea to get to know your professor. If you're having difficulty with a particular concept, it may be a good idea to visit your professor as soon as possible since you don't have much time to waste.
make sure you have not only the time, but also the energy to commit to your coursework. After it's all said and done, you'll be glad you took care of your business.
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If there is a community college nearby, you may want to think about taking a few courses here. Some students elect to take courses that are needed for their core requirements at their school. But make sure you check with your school to find out the process and guidelines for transferring credits from a community college. „
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
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
UCLA Pre-Medical Enrichment Program (PREP)
36 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
Los Angeles, California
June 19 - July 31, 2013
7 Weeks
S
Summer research and academic enrichment geared toward pre-medical students are a great way to strengthen your medical school application. Most students who get accepted to medical school have participated in one or more summer pre-med programs during the course of their undergraduate studies. The following is a list of summer programs available to students aspiring to become doctors. There are various opportunities available in a number of institutions across the US. If you want to participate
DESCRIPTION
PERKS
in academic enrichment programs, test preparation courses, research projects, or hospital internships, check out the following list of opportunities for Summer 2011. Be sure to check individual websites for application deadlines! The list includes opportunities nationwide in several different areas. Among the areas include are: California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and more.
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
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
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 37
PROGRAM NAME
Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
LOCATION
Duarte, California
Yale University Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) New Haven, Connecticut
College Summer Fellowship Program at UConn School of Medicine
Farmington, Connecticut
DATE
DURATION
May-July 2013 or June-August 2013
10 Weeks
June-July 2013
6 Weeks
TBA
10 Weeks
Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) at Howard University
Washington, DC
June-July 2013
6 Weeks
Minority Students Health Careers Motivation Program
Miami, Florida
June-July 2013
7 Weeks
Professional Education Preparation Program (PEPP) at The University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
June-July 2013
4 Weeks
38 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
DESCRIPTION
PERKS
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.
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Email: psalv@coh.org www.cityofhope.org/education
MARCH 14, 2013
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.
MARCH 1, 2013
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 15, 2013
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 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 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.
MARCH 2013
(859) 257-1968 ctsnyd0@email.uky.edu www.uky.edu
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 39
PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
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
Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Bethesda, Maryland Baltimore, Maryland Frederick, Maryland
mid-May-June 2013
8 Weeks
College Summer Enrichment Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School
Worcester, Massachusetts
May-June, 2013
4 Weeks
Siteman Cancer Center Summer Opportunity Program
St. Louis, Missouri
May 28 - August 2, 2013
10 Weeks
University of Nebraska Medical Center Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Omaha, Nebraska
June - July 2013
8 Weeks
40 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
DESCRIPTION
PERKS
Free MCAT review workshop for eligible students
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.
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
502) 852-8109 MARCH 1, 2013 louisville.edu/medschool/diversity/undergrad
9$3,500 Stipend
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.
(859) 257-6322 bguer00@email.uky.edu www.research.uky.edu
APRIL 15, 2013
cohend@mail.nih.gov www.jhsph.edu
MARCH 1, 2013
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. Additionally, the SEP offers participants the opportunity to interact with medical students, scientists, physicians, and other health care professionals
MARCH 2013
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
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
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 41
PROGRAM NAME Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program at the Eppley Cancer Research Institute
LOCATION Newark, New Jersey
DATE TBA
DURATION 10 Weeks
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
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
42 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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.
crgp_info@eppleyits.comundefined www.unmc.edu/eppley/summer.htm
MARCH 1, 2013
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 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
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 43
ŠDepositphotos/nelka7812
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SCHOOLSPOTLITE Get a glimpse into what one medical school in the U.S. has to offer prospective students
ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
quick facts
New York, New York |icahn.mssm.edu In a bold, new move that came out of the expansion of the school's longstanding Humanities and Medicine Early Assurance Program (HuMed) and the Science and Medicine Program (SciMed) the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai continues to chart new territory in medical education. As the first school in the country to create a new approach for students who seek early assurance of admission to medical school, Ichan School of Medicine now allows college sophomores in any major to apply for early assurance to the school of medicine. Once accepted to the program, students are free to pursue any area of study, free from having to complete the traditional science requirements and the MCAT. And that's only one example of how this medical school is making its mark on the world of medical education. From the first day of classes, students learn their about their responsibilities beyond academic and scientific achievements and are schooled on the importance of teamwork and becoming sociallyconscious physicians. During orientation week in August, students spend an entire day with faculty tour guides exploring the wealth of experience that East Harlem has to offer. "The goal is to get the students, many of whom come from affluent families or have no concrete idea of what East Harlem is like, to become engaged in a conversation about the richness and reality of living in this community," said Ann-Gel S. Palerno, MPH, Associate
Director of Operations for the Center for Multicultural and Community Affairs, who administers the tour. "The students will have a much more rewarding educational experience if they can become aware of the impact of community on individual health and illness and begin to understand the social determinants of health, especially for East Harlem Residents." When it comes to its curriculum, the Icahn School of Medicine focuses on preparing students that have everything they need be the best doctor they can be - in the 21st century that is. From courses categorized as Courses Without Walls to electives designed to give students the opportunity to explore careerenhancing or personally-rewarding experiences clinical or research - the Icahn School of Medicine wants to put its students in the driving seat when it comes to the direction of their own learning. The MD program is extremely competitive, as each year the school received approximately 6,000 applications for the fall freshman class of 140. According to the school's website, ideal applicants are ones who are not only academically successfully and passionate about medicine, but also those who are well-rounded and enthusiastic about immersing themselves into a diverse community to enact change in science and society. For more information about the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, visit icahn.mssm.edu.
DEGREES OFFERED: MD MD/Master of Science in Clinical Research MD/PhD FlexMed
#
OF
APPLICATIONS RECEIVED 6,000+
#
OF
ACCEPTANCES OFFERED 140
AVERAGE GPA OVERALL 3.7
AVERAGE MCAT SCORE 35
TUITION Resident & Nonresident: $39,652
cc licensed flickr photo by Mira (on the wall)
UNIQUE FEATURE The school’s FlexMed Program allows college sophomores in any major to apply for early assurance to the school of medicine.
The Ichan SOM lies in the heart of New York’s East Harlem Neighborhood
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 47
ESPECIALLYTHISSPECIALTY Learn more about various specialties and what it will take to pursue a certain paths
RADIOLOGIST Radiologists play an important and critical roles as a key members of multidisciplinary healthcare teams As the name suggest, Radiologists are doctors who use imaging tools that allow visualization within the body to diagnose and/or treat disease. Radiologists are able to do what they do by using several of the most popular imaging techniques, including but not limited to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography, x-rays, computed tomography (CT), and ultrasound. Radiologists are critical to the diagnosis and treatment of children and adults and play an important role as a key member of a multidisciplinary team.
What do Radiologists do?
Most Radiologists spend their time in a hospital, clinic, or private practice. They work closely in collaboration with other health care professionals to oversee the diagnosis and treatment of a patient. When a doctor needs further information about a patient's symptom, disease, or treatment, Radiologists are trained to recognize when one of their imaging techniques could potentially be used to shed more light and provide further answers about a patient's condition. Radiologists may very well be able to use imaging techniques that can answer a doctor's questions that maybe a blood test or urinalysis cannot and make inform decisions on the best treatment courses - surgery, chemotherapy, etc. When a test or treatment of a problem is requested from a doctor, a Radiologist will determine which test would be the most appropriate to provide further information about a patient's condition or treatment - or whether or not a radiologic test would even be helpful at all. They must also take into account the risk and benefits of the various tests and then finally make a final decision to move forward with their approach. If the patient does undergo one or more radiologic exams, the Radiologist must then communicate their findings from their diagnostic or treatment imaging tests to the doctor who initially sent the patient for examination. In essence, Radiologists have the power to provide better information on which to base clinical decision-making.
What do Radiologists say they enjoy about their specialty?
Variety and the intellectual nature of the work Work schedule that is flexible and not tied to managing patients Working with cutting edge & advanced technology Being involved in evaluating patients by gathering information from images and combining data with clinical information
What do Radiologists say they dislike about their specialty? Limited patient contact Challenging and difficult residency training programs
What do Radiologists earn?
The latest data show that Radiologists were the highest-compensated of all specialties surveyed, tied with Orthopedists. Radiologists earn an average income of $315,000. One third of Radiologists earn $400,000 or more. Almost one half (48%) earned from $300,000 to about $500,000. About 16% of Radiologists earn $100,000 or less - typically, those working part-time.
What are some sub-specialty areas of Rathology? Neuroradiology, Nuclear Radiology, Pediatric Radiology, Vascular and Interventional Radiology
Undergraduate (4 Years) (to obtain bachelor's degree) Medical School (4 Years) (to obtain MD or DO degree) Some medical schools in the US have started to incorporate a basic radiology introduction into their core MD training. New York Medical College, the Wayne State University School of Medicine, the Uniformed Services University, and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine offer an introduction to radiology during their respective MD programs Internship (1 year) Residency (4 years) Specialty Fellowship Training (1-2 years)
What characteristics are good to have when choosing Radiology as a specialty? Prefer highly structured environments, attention to detail, excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills, inquisitive nature, and extroverted
48 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
cc licensed flickr photo by Official U.S. Navy Imagery
How long will it take to become a Radiologist?
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
Follow Us: twitter.com/premedsurg
THEGOODS
PI
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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
TO R
’S
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Talk Dock This cool accessory acts as a dock, charging station, and receiver all in one. It comes equipped with a audio jack that plugs into any phone's headset port
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The Complete Manual of Things That Might Kill You This book is dedicated entirely to the hypochondriac’s unique perspective on health. With over 300 deadly diseases profiled, conveniently organized by symptom (real or imagined), even the mildest hypochondriac’s fantasy life will be ignited.
` 50 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
Rainbow Highlighters This set of four rainbow shaped, chisel tipped highlighters are sure to bring a little bit of excitement to your boring old collection of regular highlighters.
Game Block Sticky Notes These retro video game-themed notes can be used to stick notes on your fridge, cubical wall or even in your textbooks.
a
a
Bathroom Guestbook The bathroom guestbook lets guests doodle in here instead of snooping through your medicine cabinet.
Tales of Time This clock can fit seamlessly into your personal library to stack time on your side. Use it to add punch to a dorm room wall or disguise it among rows of shelved books.
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March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 51
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
INTHESTACKS Books we think that those aspiring to become doctors might be interested in reading ON CALL IN HELL: A DOCTOR'S IRAQ WAR STORY by Cdr. Richard Jadick, Thomas Hayden In his account of his career as a military trauma surgeon in Iraq, Cdr. Richard Jadick shares his story of how he left his career as a Urologist to answer the military’s call for more trained surgeons in Iraq. Jadick gives his story of the many times he and his medics left the battalion aid stations to help wounded troops. Jadick holds little back when it comes to the details about the horiffic injuries he witnesses on a daily basis. For anyone interested in getting a firsthand account of combat injuries and their treatment in times of intense combat, Jadick’s story will provide that and more. Giving light to a point-of-view not often shared, Jadick’s tells the often untold story of what happens after casualties of war occur. SOMETHING FOR THE PAIN: COMPASSION AND BURNOUT IN THE ER by Paul Austin In his medical memoir of what life in the emergency room is like, Paul Austin reminisces about the long hours, unpredictable shifts, and tons of patients with touching stories. In his honest, upfront account of the sometimes often frustrating days as an emergency physician, Austin tells it like it is when it comes to the emotional feelings he often dealt with and the struggles he faced. For students considering emergency medicine, Austin’s book may give you a perspective that many in the same field leave untold, bringing to light not only the ups of the job but the lows as well. BLUE COLLAR, BLUE SCRUBS: THE MAKING OF A SURGEON by Michael J. Collins In a story that you could easily find in a newsmagazine somewhere, Collins tells the story of his days working as a construction worker to driving a taxicab to his admission into medical school. After graduating from college, Collins was a non-traditional student who returned to school for an additional two years of schooling to take pre-med courses. At 26 years old, Collins was accepted to Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine. He recalls the rote memorization that comes with getting through medical school and mundane tasks assigned to him as an on-call medical student. In his book, Collins enlightens readers with inspirational story of fulfilling his dream and becoming a doctor. MATCH DAY: ONE DAY AND ONE DRAMATIC YEAR IN THE LIVES OF THREE NEW DOCTORS by Brain Eule Each year, during the third week in March, fourth year medical students across the country learn where they will spend the next 4-10 years of their lives. In Match Day, Brian Eule goes behind the scenes and shares the story of the lives of three women from the months before match day until they finish the first year of their internship. The story tells of the challenges each woman faces, including the effects of long hours, balancing personal relationships and families, and the unwavering commitment to medicine it takes to be successful in a career as a doctor.
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 53
BETTERLIFEBETTERYOU Latest news and information on taking care of yourself as a busy student living the pre-med life
More Workouts Not Always Better Working out close to almost everyday does not necessarily mean better results, according to a study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Led by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the study involved 72 older, sedentary women, aged 60 to 74, who were randomly assigned to one of three exercise regimens over a period of four months. The first group lifted weights only one time a week and on another day performed endurance activities, like jogging or riding a bike. The sec-
Researchers revealed that working out almost every day is not as beneficial as people think
Lack of Sleep Linked to Gene Changes People who do not get enough sleep may be affecting hundreds of genes, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Surrey Sleep Research Centre at Surrey University. Past research has shown that people who get fewer than five hours of sleep a night have a 15% greater risk of death from all causes compared to those who are the same age but get more hours of sleep. In the current study, researchers found that by limiting the number of sleep hours, study participants affected genes that affect a number of conditions, including but not limited to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and depression. The study followed participants between 23 and 31 years old for 12 days who, for an entire week, spent 10 hours a night in bed. On anoth-
54 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
ond group lifted weights two times a week and performed an endurance activity twice a week. The last group, completed weight lifting and endurance activities three times a week, for a total of six separate workouts a week. Researchers found that women from all three groups lowered their body fat and gained endurance and strength. However, the researchers were surprised to find that there were barely any differences when it came to fitness gains among the groups. Specifically, the women who worked out two times a week had developed as much strength and were as physically fit as the women who worked out almost everyday of the week. Moreover, the women exercising four times a week expended significantly more energy than both groups. “We think that the women in the twice-a-week and four-times-a-week groups felt more energized and physically capable after several months of training than they had at the start of the study,” said Gary Hunter, a UAB professor and lead author of the study. “The fundamental finding of this study is that less may be more.”
er visit, the participants they spent only six hours sleeping. Overall, the participants were kept awake for up to 41 hours. “The surprise for us was that a relatively modest difference in sleep duration leads to these kind of changes,” explained Professor Derk-Jan Dijk, lead researcher. “It’s an indication that sleep disruption or sleep restriction is doing more than just making you tired.” The findings revealed that the number of hours sleep has significant effect on the activity of genes, which the researchers were able to detect using blood tests. Specifically, the activity of 444 genes were suppressed, with 267 genes being more active in those who slept for longer periods of time. “There is a feedback between what you do to your sleep and how that affects your circadian clock, and that is going to be very important in future investigations,” said Professor Dirk. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
cc licensed flickr photo by Ed Yourdon
Health | Wellness | Fitness | Nutrition | Mind & Body
cc licensed flickr photo by thedz_
newstouse
Blinking Provides Rest to Help the Brain Learn More
cc licensed flickr photo by bullcitydogs
Blinking may help with processing information the brain receives, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study, led by scientists at Osaka University in Japan, was designed gain a better understanding about the purpose of blinking, specifically if blinking could help the brain learn new information. Involved in the study were 20 undergraduate students who were asked to watch video while the scientist used an MRI machine to record their blinks and brain activity.
The findings from the study revealed that the simple act of blinking was linked to a change in brain activity from the dorsal attention network (the state that is focused on attention) to a the default-mode network (the area that is used for subconscious processing). "The results suggest that eyeblinks are actually involved in the process of attentional disengagement during a cognitive behavior by momentarily activating the default-mode network while deactivating the dorsal attention network," the authors concluded.
Looking at pictures of baby animals may be associated with improved concentration and focus, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE. Previous research found that women are more interested in infants and have a greater ability to discriminate cuteness cues in them, than men. Building upon findings from previous studies like these, the Japanese researchers performed a series of experiments. For their first experiment they had participants play a game similar to the children’s game known as Operation. The second experiment required the participants to perform a visual search using number matrices. In the third, the participants were given a test designed to measure their level of focus. The results revealed that people who looked at cute pictures of animals were able to focus on fine motor skill tasks. Researchers found that in all three experiments, the participants who looked at pictures of cute baby animals performed better than those who looked at pictures of adult animals and people who looked at neutral objects. “This study shows that viewing cute things improves subsequent performance in tasks that require behavioral carefulness, possibly by narrowing the breadth of attentional focus,” the authors wrote. “This effect is not specific to tasks related to caregiving or social interaction.”
cc licensed flickr photo by turbotoddi
Photos of Cute Animals May Help With Concentration
March/April 2013 | PreMedLife Magazine | 55
COLLEGE101
cc licensed flickr photo by twicepix
Some final thoughts on getting through your days as a college student
It can be quite easy to consume yourself with everything pre-med. From focusing on your coursework and studying for the MCAT to spending hours and hours volunteer and participating in clubs and organizations, being pre-med is a unique experience that not everyone can relate to. It is often a trying and challenging experience and usually a very satisfying one too. It it however, necessary to take a step back from the pre-med grind and on occasion, do something other than be a pre-med student. As a
56 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2013
pre-med that means taking a break on occasion, even if for just an hour, a day, or a weekend. Do yourself a favor and make it your business to get away at least one time a month. Whether it means taking a trip home if possible or just leaving campus to go to a movie or visit a local park - just go! If you are smart about how you plan you time away from campus and work it into your schedule in the right way, you will come back feeling better than ever and ready to continue your doing what you do best.
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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