PREMEDLIFE
TM
THE MAGAZINE FOR PREMEDICAL STUDENTS
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Premeds Certain behaviors set some premeds apart from the rest SchoolSpotlight
State University of New York Upstate Medical University
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
w e i v r e Int r e g g a w S st-Have Looks Classic Mu
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Post-Baccalaureate Pre-med Programs
Exploring alternate paths to medical school admission
Especially This Specialty What it takes to become a Neurologist
Premed Reality Inside the lives of premeds, medical students, and doctors
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CONTENTS
November/December 2011
www.premedlife.com
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FEATURES 7 Habits of Highly Effective Premeds| 18 There are certain behaviors which set some students apart to become highly effective premeds
Taking the Post-Baccalaureate Route| 29 Many students use post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs to gain admission to medical school
A+ Mommy | 34 Is it possible to be an A+ mommy and an A+ student at the same time?
DEPARTMENTS Ask The Experts | 16 Your questions answered by knowledgeable insiders who give insight about the medical school admissions process
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School Spotlight| 27 Get a glimpse into what the State University of New York Upstate Medical University has to offer Especially This Specialty | 37 Find out what being a Neurologist is all about and what it will take to become one
IN EVERY ISSUE Newsbites| 8 Recent news & information relevant to students applying to medical school Personal Stories| 39 A look inside the lives of premeds, medical students, and doctors
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2012
SUMMER PRE-MED PROGRAM LIST A listing of summer opportunities for pre-health students. The list includes opportunities nationwide in several different areas. Among the areas included are: California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, AND MANY MORE! | 46
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Exclusively on the Web PreMedLife magazine provides a host of features, covering everything from getting into medical school to tips for acing the MCAT, promoting the optimal status and candidacy for pre-medical students. Visit www.premedlife.com often to get news and articles covering the topics that pre-med students care about.
The Goods| 78 Gadgets & gizmos we’ve picked out - they’re sure to keep you entertained. From an Optimist Half Full Glass to Plush DNA Molecules, these items are sure to make you smile. In The Stacks| 81 Books to inspire you or provide you with advice along your journey to medical school Better Life, Better You| 82 Advice & tips for taking care of yourself to make it through your hectic pre-med life College 101| 84 Here are some things that every student attending college should know
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 3
publisher from the
As your winter break approaches and you finish off what seemed to be a never-ending semester, it's about that time of the year when you ought to start thinking about what you're going to be doing for the summer yes, the summer. As a pre-med student, you should know that your job is never done. And if you're not willing to commit even as little as a week to doing something "premed-ish," during your oh-so welldeserved summer break, just know that there are other pre-meds (a.k.a. your competition) who are out there trying to be "rockstar premeds." This is not to say that you have to spend your entire summer cooped up in some lab without windows or drill away at MCAT practice problems for hours - but do SOMETHING why don't you! Find a program that you feel comfortable with, whether you want to dedicate eight weeks of your summer participating in an academic enrichment program or would rather explore a more flexible way to channel your inner doctor, maybe you can volunteer at your local hospital. There are so many things you can do and what you choose doesn't have to be cookie-cutter premed. If you've done the "researchy" stuff and can't bear the thought of participating in another research program, switch it up a little bit and think about working at a science camp as a counselor or interning at a medical publishing company. The point is, don't sell yourself short - make sure you're doing all that you can do to be the best medical school candidate possible. By putting yourself in different places, you’ll have the opportunity to meet different people and experience different things, all of which allow you to develop a unique pre-med persona, one that could make you stand out from other pre-meds. You never know what may come of a particular experience. So what if you say "okay, okay it'll find something to do to become a better pre-med blah blah blah,� and during your summer experience you have an encounter, with a person, place, or thing, but not just any old encounter, an extraordinary encounter which becomes the "perfect" story for your personal statement. The experience inspires you so much, it brings the Pulitzer Prize winning writing skills out of you - and viola, your state-
THE TWEET PEEK FOLLOW US ON TWITTER.COM @PREMEDLIFE FOR DAILY UPDATES LIKE THESE BURNOUT BLUES Many internal medicine residents report burnout and low quality of life, according to paper published in new issue of @JAMA_current. NEW DUAL DEGREE Students accepted to new @UHManoaNews BS/MD program will go through undergrad TUITION FREE! REALITY MD NYT Sharing the Stresses of Being a Doctor http://nyti.ms/qlAPXi FREE MD DEGREE Should Tuition Be Free for Medical School? huff.to/mXPprG MAKE IT COUNT How to Maximize Medical School Visits bit.lypzsLif MERGER NEWS @RutgersU and @UMDNJ_RWJMS get preliminary ok for #medschool merger. bit.ly/rlXyQ2
ment is the talk of the town in the medical school admissions office and all of the committee members can't wait to bring you in for an interview to meet the person behind the personal statement. Next thing you know, thanks to your "page-turning" statement, and oh yeah, your GPA and MCAT score, you're in! Hey, you never know.
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Sheema Publisher info@premedlife.com
NEW SCHOOL ALERT @kingcollegetn School of Medicine expected to open in 2013 or 2014 in Virginia. ROCK ON Using Psychology to Rock your Medical School Applications Part I ping.fm/dY96g
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
student advisor y board THE PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD IS AN EXEMPLARY GROUP OF PREMED STUDENTS from a variety of backgrounds who have a wide range of accomplishments. They will help keep us informed about what we need to know to make PreMedLife magazine the go-to resource for aspiring doctors. If you have any questions for any of our board members email us at info@premedlife.com >>>
Diana Altamirano
Alexandra Massa Neuroscience @ Stonehill College Alexandra is currently a volunteer at her local hospital’s emergency department. She is interested in providing care to third-world countries where access to medical supplies are limited.
Linda Mukumbuta
Post Baccalaureate @ Georgia Gwinnett College Diana is a non-traditional student with a business degree. She is currently taking science classes as a pre-med post-baccalaureate student.
Biology & Public Health @ University of Texas, San Antonio Linda is a 19-year-old junior who is currently affiliated with 4 pre-med organizations. She says a career in medicine is truly her calling in life.
Tamara Edgin
Tiffany Que-Smith
Biology @ University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville Tamara is currently working towards an associates degree and plans to transfer to Lyon College, a four-year university.
Art & Design @ San Jose State University Tiffany is a non-traditional student who translates her thoughts into art which luckily for her, is extremely helpful when studying.
Jaime Garcia
Touria Rguig
International Economics @ University of Washington Jamie is the first in his family to attend college. He has gained experience in the medical field and is currently an emergency room volunteer.
Biochemistry @ University of Texas, Austin Touria is a honors student who speaks 6 languages. She’s also an author on a research paper published in Synthetic Metals Journal.
Ola Hadaya
Will Smith
Middle Eastern Studies @ Rutgers University, New Brunswick Ola is a 17-year-old student who is in the process of applying to medical school. She speaks 3 languages.
Post Baccalaureate @ California State University, Sacramento Will is a non-traditional pre-med student with a degree in comparative religion. He has worked as an ER tech.
Chesha Hayter
Chandler Stisher
PREMEDLIFE the magazine for premedical students www.premedlife.com
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Biomedical @ Southern Oregon University Chesha is a non-traditional student and a mother, who after starting her education later in life has learned many things.
Biology @ University of Texas, Austin Chandler is the first in his family to attend a 4-year university and has had aspirations of becoming a doctor since he was 11 years old.
Hillary Lee
Marina Zeledon
Neural Science @ New York University Hillary will start on the pre-med tract in Fall 2012. She says her transition from Missouri is an experience she can share to help others like herself.
Biology @ Potsdam State University Marina likes to read, research, and talk about medical school journeys with current doctors. She is on her school’s equestrian team and has a strong passion to become a doctor.
CONNECT WITH US Stay connected to us for up-to-date information on everything and anything that premeds need to know.
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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 admission process and related topics. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs, artwork, and and 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. Or call (347) 231-6429 or email info@premedlife.com.
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NEWSBITES
>>> Recent news & information relevant to pre-medical students applying to medical school
Premed Curriculum Experiment May Help Students Better Prepare for MCAT Prompted by a report recommending changes to undergraduate pre-medical education, four universities will work together to create a curriculum to best prepare future doctors of the world As part of a four-year, $1.8 million National Experiment in Undergraduate Science Education (NEXUS), four universities will work on creating a curriculum based on what science students should learn, connecting biology with physics, math, and chemistry. The experiment, launched by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, will join the forces of Purdue University, the University of Maryland Baltimore County, the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Miami, to create and share different ideas for teaching interdisciplinary science, including new courses and ways of assessing how well they work. The universities will also work towards figuring out how to move beyond testing a student's knowledge of facts to assessing their ability to demonstrate scientific competency, such as applying knowledge to analyze a problem. The idea for the NEXUS project came after the release of a report which recommended fundamental changes in undergraduate education and outlined eight interdisciplinary competencies that science undergraduate students should master before they go on to medical school. Like instead of requiring specific physics courses, the report's authors say premedical students should have to actually "demonstrate" their knowledge of basic physical principles and their application to the understanding of living systems. Each school will be responsible for focusing on specific topics and creating a model that can then be dropped into an existing course or integrated into the redesign of an entire curriculum at any school. WHAT IS EACH SCHOOL TASKED WITH? Well, Purdue University has to revise the introductory chemistry curriculum to include more biological chemistry. The University of Maryland, Baltimore County will be tasked with infusing mathematical concepts into introductory biology courses. The University of Maryland, College Park will take a look at their introductory course for biology majors and rework the material to present physics concepts in a biology context to teach the physics of life. And the University of Miami
is developing biomedical case studies that will be designed to challenge students to use scientific inquiry to analyze the biology, physics, chemistry, and math involved in human health and disease. Philip Rous, chair of the NEXUS committee, believes that if all the pieces of the experiment come together, the impact could go beyond just modules that faculty can use in classes. "If you are going to
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build something like that, and you can test it out at different types of schools across the country, then you have the potential for a national impact," said Rous. "Finding out something that is completely new, that is what makes this exciting." For more information about the NEXUS program visit www.hhmi.org/grants/office/nexus. „
NEWSBITES New BS/MD Program Offers Early Acceptance to Students Living in Hawaii Starting in 2012, up to 10 Hawaii resident freshman entering the University of Hawaii at Manoa will also be accepted into the UHM John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) upon successful completion of their baccalaureate degree. In addition, these “JABSOM Scholars” will be lucky enough to receive scholarships covering undergraduate tuition costs for four years. Students involved in the new BS/MD program will be a part of a special peer-mentored residential learning community, take intensive courses to satisfy their pre-medical curriculum, and participate in summer clinical, research, and service internship programs. The program’s curriculum is expected to be rigorous as students will need to complete challenging, individualized courses of study. Students will conduct research, shadow or volunteer service for a physician for a minimum of one year, and participate in the medical community through professional organizations. As part of the program, JABSOM
UCSD Med Students Learn at New Training Complex If you are looking to attend a medical school with innovation and state-of-the-art offerings, then University of California - San Diego School of Medicine might just be the place for you. UCSD School of Medicine has opened a $70 million, 100,000 square foot training center for its medical students. What's cool is that the new Medical Education and Telemedicine Center, is a threestory facility that features authentic replicas of hospital intensive care units, emergency departments, and surgery and treatment rooms. "A student can practice his or her diagnostic skills in one of the 18 exam rooms, then walk down the hall to work in a simulated hospital room or operating room or get training in laboratories teaching the latest techniques and technologies in surgery," said
Scholars will also have the opportunity to study abroad if they wish and even as a fourthyear medical student get a chance to study for one month through the schools Global Health Program. “This exciting initiative encourages and supports Hawaii’s outstanding high school graduates who are committed to future medical careers,” said UH Mano Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw. “This is a great way to use the excellent education opportunities offered by UH Manoa and our medical school to help students become physicians and practice medicine here in Hawaii.” JAB-SOM Scholars will still be required to take the MCAT and file an AMCAS application. The program will launch as a pilot program in Fall 2012 and will be reassessed for continuation on an annual basis. For more information about the JAB-SOM Scholars program visit www.manoa.hawaii.edu/admissions/undergrad/early_admissions.
Maria Sovia, MD, dean for medical education. "At the same time, we're equipped with advanced networking technologies that let us work with doctors and students in far-flung places, from Tijuana to Mozambique." The new medical education complex is busting from its seams with high tech stuff and can brag about its 350-seat tiered auditorium which will be used for large lectures, presentations and other major gatherings on site and through videoconferencing, as well as classrooms and space for computer-based testing along with dining facilities, a student lounge and common areas. What's more, the facility includes an instructional operating room with 22 complete surgical tables, a 20-station microsurgery lab, and 18 exam rooms, where students practice interviewing and examining actors posing as patients. "I'm really excited about this," said fourth-year resident Amanda Holden, who graduated from UCSD School of Medicine before entering the residency program. "This will be a much better education for medical students. You're exposed to so much more and have so many opportunities to practice." For more information about UCSD School of Medicine visit www.som.ucsd.edu.
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NEWSBITES
Med Students Get "Jail Time" During Internship Program A new internship program started by Lake County Jail is brining medical students inside the facility to shadow workers. The internship is designed to help student learn everything from how to read a heart monitor to how to understand the criteria for placing someone on suicide watch. Think no one would sign up? Think again. The first round of internships drew five students to the day shift. Valerie Kalamaras, clinical services director at the jail, said she expects the pro-
gram will spark a desire for students in the medical field to consider a career in corrections. "Many of them probably don't realize it is an option," she said. "The jail is an ideal learning environment because of the broad range of medical and mental health issues that arise." Dr. Johann Farley, medical director at the jail, admits it does take a certain type of person - one with a sense of compassion toward indigent people - to intern in a jail setting.
MEDICAL SCHOOL PIPELINE Here’s a list of new medical schools that are being developed in the U.S.
CALIFORNIA NORTHSTATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE Rancho Cordova, California Anticipated TBA
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Kalamazoo, Michigan Anticipated Fall 2014
PALM BEACH MEDICAL COLLEGE Palm Beach, Florida Anticipated TBA
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Money Taken From Tobacco Companies Will Help Fund New Med School
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Virginia will soon be home to a new medical school that will be funded in part by the Virginia Tobacco Commission which is giving $25 million of settlement money taken from tobacco companies because of the product's negative health effects. The city of Abingdon will soon be home to Virginia's medical education facility The King School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The school is planning for students to participate in case-based learning with local fami-
lies in area hospitals, clinics, and physician offices. From their first year through their residency programs, the program will designed to engage students with the health needs of the region. Emphasis will be placed on developing primary care doctors along with medical specialists who will be committed to working in the rural community. The initial class entering the MD program will range in number from 60-75 students which are expected to be welcomed in 2013 or 2014.
@premedlife Survey reveals Nucleic Acids (taught in orgo) is most important concepts to know in order to succeed in medschool. @premedlife Kudos to @OUMedicine which has raised more than $4.1 million to help students pay tuition. More schools should do the same! @premedlife #Medschool student carves jack-o-lantern of Steve Jobs bit.ly/tJJuig - what a way to take a break from studying!
Riverside, California Anticipated Fall 2012
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Mount Pleasant, Michigan Anticipated Fall 2012
COOPER MEDICAL SCHOOL OF ROWAN UNIVERSITY Camden, New Jersey Anticipated Fall 2012
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, GREENVILLE Greenville, South Carolina Anticipated Fall 2012
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE North Haven, Connecticut Anticipated Fall 2013 or 2014
UPDATED 10/2011
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 11
NEWSBITES UBC Eliminates Lego Block-building Test for Med School Applicants Several critics slam one medical school’s decision to use a block-building exercise as part of their multiple mini-interview circuit presented to prospective medical students during their visit A controversial Logo block test for applicants to the University of British Columbia Medical School has been dismantled for the school's next round of interviews. The block-building exercise was one of several stations that applicants visited during their mini-medical school interview process and was used as part of the schools screening scheme. The applicants who made it past a first cut went through various stations where they would have brief encounters with interviewers. According to the school, the block-building exercise was intended to evaluate critical thinking, the ability to follow complicated instructions, and to seek clarification when instructions were imprecise. "The ability to express needs, collaborate, question and think critically is instrumental for physician," said Dr. Joseph Finkler, associate dean of admissions. And although the blockbuilding exercise is being dropped, Dr. Finkler defended the overall multiple mini interview model, which also includes a station where applicants might write an essay on which kind of animal they'd like to be. "The purpose of that exercise is to demonstrate writing style and
ability," Dr. Finkler said. "The topic of the short essay is of little consequence," he noted, since the apparently the writing sample is not scored in the selection process but is considered in cases where there are concerns about writing ability. Critics of the school's block activity call the move odd and describe the block-building and
some other parts of their model as a "contrived, artificial, and bizarre" process that is more appropriate for kindergarten children. Last year, 1,891 students applied for 288 medical school spots at UBC. Just under 700 were invited for the interview process, where they were presented with the surprise scenarios or situations.
UVM Med Students Challenged To Look Beyond the Books At the University of Vermont College of Medicine, first year students take a theatrethemed doctoring skills class as an exercise in observation and interpretation. The class is part of the school's creative approach to help its students "hold on to their humanity in a field that will become increasingly technical and competitive." Some of the scenes are non-medical, circumstances new medical students might easily relate to - like coming home for Thanksgiving the first year of college and interacting with a grandmother, a blind date, a man at an airport bar. "I love the link between the arts and the sciences," says theatre professor Sarah Carleton, whose students performed for the College of Medicine's doctoring skills class, an exercise in observation and interpretation. After each skit, students break into small groups to talk, and
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then join in on a class discussion which clearly highlighted the focus on observation. "It took people out of this zone that we often get in that's focused on medicine and forced them to think about people and interpersonal interaction, humanizing that relationship," said student Andrew Jones. "As medical students we're inclined to think about getting right answers. If the situation had been (to make) a diagnosis, I guarantee that most of my peers would have been thinking, 'What's wrong with this guy? How do we fix him? Look at the way he's sitting, maybe has back pain.' Instead we were forced to look at this person, listen to this person and ask, “What are they feeling? What are they thinking?" For more information about the University of Vermont College of Medicine visit www.uvm.edu/medicine
NEWSBITES Study Reveals What Matters Most to Medical School Admission Officers
University of South Alabama Switches Med School Curriculum Beginning next year, students at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine will take courses in a system-based curriculum, studying how each particular organ works and gain clinical experience early on. Since there is a lot more emphasis on student-initiated coursework, the new curriculum structure is considered to be more challenging than some traditional lecture-based classes. For example, from almost the very beginning of their schooling, the students will have to work together in teams to complete problem-solving exercises. "Medicine is taking much more of a team approach," said Dr. Samuel Strada, the school's dean. "When students begin to think and solve problems and to work together, it's a way to promote them as lifelong learners."
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And although the students will not be introduced to actual patients right away, first-year students will still have access to standardized patients, who will be actors trained to present various health issues in clinical situations. "The whole business is that they have a better integration of the whole system and there will be less redundancy," said Dr. Strada. "Now they will have everything first." All new students will receive instruction in six core competencies: patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systemsbased practice. For more information about the University of South Alabama College of Medicine visit www.usahealthsystem.com/com .„
Although grades and test scores are important in admissions, medical school admission officers think they are slightly less important after interviews, according to recent data published in the AAMC's Analysis in Brief report. The two-part study involved calculating the percentages of 2008, 2009, and 2010 applicants accepted into medical school according to their undergraduate grade point averages and MCAT scores and also interviewing admission deans, committee members, and staff at eight medical schools. The results revealed that although undergraduate grade point average (UGPAs) and MCAT scores are important factors in admissions, they are not the sole determinants of admission decisions. Specifically, approximately 8% of applicants with UGPAs ranging from 3.80 to 4.00 and MCAT total scores ranging from 39 to 45 were rejected by all of the medical schools to which they applied. On the other hand, about 18% of applicants with UGPAs ranging from 3.20 to 3.39 and MCAT scores ranging from 24 to 26 were accepted by at least one school. The study’s authors pointed out that admissions committees use a wide range of data - such as interview recommendation, UGPA, medical community service - to decide which applicants to accept into medical school." „
percentage of MCAT test takers who received a score of 42 during the 2011 academic school year thus far November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 13
NEWSBITES Yale Med Targets LGBTQ Applicants
Recruitment efforts at Yale School of Medicine now include reaching out to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer applicants as a way to stay true their commitment to diversity
In an effort to stay true to their commitment to diversity, starting in 2012, the Yale School of Medicine says they have plans to target lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer applicants with its recruitment efforts. The school has already released a LGBTQ-specific admissions brochure and plans to release the material in the official informational packets for future entering classes. The brochure includes greetings from Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Nancy R. Angoff and an invitation to LGBTQ students to participate in the many events and activities available for them at the medical school. The pamphlet also explains that the Gay-Straight Medical Alliance is only one part of a larger network of LGBTQ graduate and professional student groups at Yale University. "It's a big step for our medical school to be doing this," said Jorge Ramallo, a medical student at Yale University who heads the school's GayStraight Medical Alliance. "It will put Yale on the map as a leader in LGBT health, just by making this simple step." Ramallo explained that the LGBTQ community is often underrepresented as physicians. He said he did not notice many people in his medical school class who identify themselves as part of the LGBTQ community.
Ramallo hopes that the Gay-Straight Medical Alliance in conjunction with the medical school could narrow that gap. Joseph Rojas, a medical student who designed the recruitment pamphlets, and is now a first-year pediatrics resident at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center said he believes it is
important that applicants are "able to tell their stories and share who they are." He added that he thinks people often do not believe that LGBTQ people can be doctors, lawyers, and professionals after only meeting them as baristas and bartenders. For more information about Yale School of Medicine visit www.medicine.yale.edu. „
Med School Deans Say Popular US News Rankings Are Flawed A panel of prominent medical school deans and academic representatives from across the country have recently agreed that the popular medical school rankings issued by the U.S. News & World Report are deeply flawed. The conclusion came after the deans discussed the future of the annual medical school rankings at a summit cosponsored by the magazine itself. Several deans on the panel pointed out that one of the rankings weaknesses was that only 17 to 19 percent of the residency program directors that were sent a survey actually completed it - a measure that accounts for one-fifth of the overall ranking score. Moreover, the deans pointed out other flaws, including a heavy weighting of high MCAT scores. Turns out, admitting students with lower scores negatively impacts a school's ranking even though it's widely accepted that many stu-
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dents with lower MCAT scores prove to be excellent medical school students, physicians, and physician-scientists. Apparently, the deans and the audience for the panel discussion, which included many medical students and prospective students, agreed that the US News rankings do little to reflect the educational quality of each medical school or its commitment to community service. To better represent medical school quality, the panelists recommended that U.S. News collaborate with the Association of American Medical Colleges to develop improved methodologies. In addition, they suggested presenting rankings in quartiles or quintiles instead of a list, and fielding more student input about the medical school qualities they value most, such as financial aid opportunities and global health initiatives. „
Global Healthcare for Pre-Health Students Montevideo, Uruguay: Maymester and Summer I, 2012 Dr. Lynette Austin, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, teaches in the areas of child language, bilingualism, and cultural/linguistic diversity. She is also a licensed bilingual speech-language pathologist. Dr. Austin and her husband Stephen served as missionaries while living in Buenos Aires for a number of years, along with their children Alison and Daniel. During that time she worked in private practice as a speech-pathologist and as a consultant to hospitals and schools in the Greater Buenos Aires region. Dr. Cynthia Powell is an assistant professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at ACU. She is the chairman of the ACU Health Professions Advisory Committee and the ACU pre-medical advisor. She enjoys working with students, traveling and learning about new cultures. She and her husband Dr. Greg Powell (professor of Chemistry) participated in this program in 2010 and she is excited to be involved again.
The Courses CHEM 340 – World Healthcare Systems – Provides students with knowledge of how health care is provided to various socioeconomic groups in both the United States and Uruguay, comparing the strengths and weaknesses of each system. Students will participate in medical missions clinics and visit professional schools and public and private hospitals in South America. This course is required for all program participants and will count as an upper-level chemistry elective. CORE 220 – The Question of Community – Asks questions of community and explores the foundations of human communities around the world. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the course will examine such influences on communities as culture, politics, ethics, morality, history, economics, gender, religion, the arts, institutions and natural resources. Other topics impacting communities will be discussed, including social justice, poverty, affluence, war and the influence of technology. COMP 353 – Hearing Rehabilitation – Explores habilitation and rehabilitation for persons with hearing impairment. Theory and practice of acoustic amplification, auditory training, speech reading, speech habilitation, and educational considerations for the hearing impaired. Educational programming, cultural influences and social adjustments for the deaf. Please speak with the administrative coordinator in Communication Sciences and Disorders Dept. about any necessary prerequisites. Students must be enrolled in two courses, including World Healthcare Systems. All courses may be subject to change.
Program Features • Great central location in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, a country that boasts a unique blend of European and Latin American cultures. • Planned class-related excursions including Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Iguazu Falls (Brazil). • Health clinic held at the El Chana Church of Christ in conjunction with needs of the local congregation.
The Cost Tuition and fees are the same in Latin America as they are in Abilene (2012-2013 rates). The additional program fee of $5,500-6,000 includes: • Transportation between DFW and Montevideo • Housing in Casa ACU • Program-related excursions and enrichment activities • Basic medical and traveler’s insurance • 10 meals per week Just as in Abilene, student aid may be available. Talk to your financial aid advisor as soon as possible. Call 325-674-2300.
Application Acceptance to the Global Healthcare in Latin America program is based on a variety of factors including: • Completed application packet with satisfactory references. • Availability of space. • $250 non-refundable application fee. • Completion of at least two semesters on campus. • Academic record and interests, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 as of date of application and up to date of departure. • Students must be in good standing with ACU (no probation of any kind) as of date of application and up to date of departure. • Application Deadline: Nov. 4 (May be extended in special cases: please see a study abroad representative for details.) Note: Consideration also will be given to a student’s suitability for participation in a study abroad program.
Further Information All information on this flyer is subject to change without notice. Please contact the ACU Study Abroad office for the most up-to-date information. Mail: ACU Box 28226, Abilene, Texas 79699-8226 Office: Hardin Administration Building 124 Phone: 325-674-2710 Email: study_abroad@acu.edu Web: www.acu.edu/studyabroad 110509
ASK THE EXPERTS
>>> Your questions answered by knowledgeable insiders who give insight about the medical school admissions process It's never too late to pursue your dream of becoming a doctor
GOT QUESTIONS? Get answers to your important premedical questions with the help of experts and insiders about the process. Our Ask the Expert section connects you with individuals who can answer questions on a wide variety of topics. Send them to info@premedlife.com.
Seeking Guidance going into my fifth year at the University of Maryland, Q| I'm Baltimore County. Many things led to me not graduating
Late Bloomer always wanted to be a doctor since I was a child but as Q| I've I grew up I lost sight of that dream and now I want to get it back. I'm in my late 20's and still completing my bachelor's degree in Chemistry. I still have two more years until I graduate. Am I too late if I want to pursue a career in medicine and is it advisable to retake classes that I received a "C" grade? -Jimel It's never too late to pursue your dream of becoming a doctor! As a second year undergrad student there are still many options available to you if you really want to go to medical school. Figuring out which route you'll need to take will depend on whether or not you've taken the prerequisites required by most medical schools (which is usually general chemistry I & II with labs, physics I and II with labs, organic chemistry I & II with labs, biology I & II with labs, in addition to a few other courses). But if you have already taken your prerequisite courses and these are the courses you received the "C" grades you mentioned, and it's not just one course you received a "C" grade in, you may want to think about applying to a post-baccalaureate pre-medical program to enhance your academic credentials. Some of these programs are really great and are even linked to medical schools which can offer admission to the medical school based on your academic performance during the program. There are even post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs that you can pursue if you haven't already taken the medical school prerequisite courses at your school so you can complete your chemistry degree and wish to add these courses into your current course load. While most of these post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs are competitive and do have a GPA requirement, there are some that do consider students with less than stellar academics that do demonstrate their desire to practice medicine in other facets of their student career. So it all depends on what route you wish to take, but remember that it's never to late to pursue your dreams of becoming a doctor.
A|
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on time and even worst, to my below 3.0 GPA. I am hardworking and believe that if given a second opportunity, at a postbaccalaureate program, I can raise my GPA and chances of gaining acceptance into a medical school. However, with that many mistakes I want to make sure that I do not make any more. My biggest concern is that I will get to a program that will be so competitive that I will get lost in a crowd and not properly guided, further delaying me from my dreams of medical school. How do I know that a school will make it their priority to see to it that I learn, raise my GPA, and become overly prepare to become a successful medical student? - Isatu When going into a post-baccalaureate pre-medical program
A| geared toward enhancing your academic credentials it is extremely important that you first identify the reasons behind your history of poor academic performance during your undergraduate career. Was your course load too heavy? Did you dedicate enough time to your studies? Did you seek academic help in the form of tutoring when having trouble? These are some of the questions you must ask yourself so when moving into the next phase of your academic career you already know the weaknesses that led to your past poor performance. You're right - getting accepted into a post-baccalaureate pre-medical program is a second chance for you to prove that you have what it takes to succeed in medical school. However, it is not the program's responsibility to hold your hand along the way. In many cases, a lot of the students in post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs are older and more mature than many undergraduate pre-meds. Once you are in there's less competition among students than you think to get the highest grades because if the program is a linking program that is affiliated with a medical school, there are set requirements and if you - as an individual regardless of how many other students have the same or better grades and scores than you - meet the requirements for acceptance to a medical school or a guaranteed interview then that's all you need to worry about. You'll need to do you homework and research the different postbaccalaureate pre-medical programs that are out there. Take a look at what the program's success rate is and how many of their students are successful with admission to medical school. Since a lot of the programs know that students like yourself are looking for that second chance and may need some guidance the second go-around, there are many supportive elements put in place, from academic tutoring and medical student peer mentoring to mock medical school interviews and even enrichment sessions. So what you really should be concerned about is getting in!
The number of students admitted to medical school in 2011, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges
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FEATURE ARTICLE
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Premeds The journey to medical school can bring many challenges and obstacles along the way. Some students make it and some don’t. There’s no right way or wrong way of getting there, but there are some things that just might make it a bit easier to gain admission to medical school BY ALEXANDRA SIMMONS
A
s one of approximately 42,000 applicants, it takes a special kind of student to gain admission to medical school. A journey reserved from those who are only ridiculously dedicated, but also academically skillful, the road to becoming a doctor may present many unique challenges and obstacles. Unfortunately, however, premeds need to take a moment to step back and evaluate their premed state-ofmind. No matter if you're a freshman tackling general chemistry or a post-baccalaureate student taking classes alongside a first-year medical student, there are a few habits you should pick up. Our seven habits of highly effective premeds might be just want you need to become one of the medical school hopefuls whose file lands in the "yes" pile.
Habit#1: Treat College Like A Job. Think of your college acceptance letter like it was an offer letter you received for a job that you wanted ‘oh so bad’. You got the job! Now what? You arrive to work on your first day and are ready to hit the ground running - this is exactly the same approach you should take when you get to college. From the very moment you set your sights on a career in medicine, taking on the job of being a premed student comes with a lot of work - and you should treat it exactly as such - work! Taking a "job-like" approach to your life as a
premed student may help whip you into shape and put things into perspective. You may begin looking at your duties as a premed student in a totally different way. If you treat college like a job, you'll succeed academically. In the "real world" when you're hired for a job, if you do crappy work and fail to fulfill your responsibilities, you'll probably get fired - do the same as a premed and you won't get into medical school - simply put. Although working as a premed can be pretty demanding at times, it will all be worth it in the end when you're paid with an acceptance to medical school. While a bit of flexibility comes with being a college student, when you wake up in the morning, treat each day like you're going off to work by having set uninterrupted blocks of time reserved for your job as a premed student. This may be challenging given that many students may work part-time jobs, participate in extracurricular activities, or have other commitments, but it can be done. You’ll need to map out your schedule so that you can have multiple chunks of time to either study or complete assignments. As a premed student, you know that the road to getting into medical school requires at least as much work as a 40hour gig. Organize your day in slots of time that can be dedicated to your premed duties, and whether it's studying for a physics exam or taking a practice MCAT, setting aside blocks of time will give you a structure to work within and
18 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
Many students don’t realize that getting into medical school will take a lot more than just being “smart�
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 19
will make it a whole lot easier to stay committed. During your "working hours" it's very important that you have the "work mentality" imprinted in your psyche because it will help keep you disciplined. The things you tell yourself and the power of your mental attitude can mean the difference between what you can tell yourself to stay focused and get some studying done and what you tell yourself that makes you think it's okay to get sidetracked and to do something other than study. In college, having a "work-like" mindset can be just what you need to motivate you to get things done. Once you get into the habit of working as a premed, you may be surprised just how far a little bit of scheduling and self-discipline can go. And of course, what would life be like with all work and no play? It's okay to schedule in some fun time too, but make sure that you're deserving of it.
Habit #2: Reward Yourself While the road to medical school may be more difficult for some than it is for others, no one will ever say that preparing for medical school is a piece of cake - but you can eat a piece of cake as a way to pat yourself on the back for accomplishing some feat. Whether it's scoring well on your first physics exam or completing another practice MCAT (without picking up your phone once to text), treating yourself to something nice is a great way to reward yourself. If it's taking a break to watch an episode of "Jersey Shore" or treating yourself to one of those double chocolate ganache-filled cupcakes you peeped in the cafeteria, go for it if you've done something "reward-worthy." Almost like when you were a kid and you received a sticker for doing a "good job," creating your own reward system is a healthy habit, especially since your work as a premed student isn't easy. Set goals and when you reach them, whether it's a little one or a big one, go ahead and give yourself a reward. Just another motivation factor to keep you going, celebrate for moving one step closer toward your dreams of getting into medical school. You know what you like so it should be rather easy for you to come up with something that you know will get you motivated to do well. Once you decide on your reward, it's important that you stick with the stipulations of whether or not you'll receive the reward in the end. Even if you cheat and reward yourself in the long run, you're only selling yourself short - what good could ever come from rewarding yourself for "bad" behavior? And whether you want to believe it or not, by rewarding yourself when you've done nothing to deserve it will do you more harm than good. Working towards, and achieving goals you've set out for yourself will help give you a sense of accomplishment and having a sense of accomplishment can mean a lot more than you realize. Studies have shown that feeling accomplished can lead to enhanced feelings of self-worth. Creating positive internal expectations for yourself will increase your feelings of self-competence and give you the confidence you need to continue making positive steps in the right direction.
Habit #3: Keep Friends Close, and Professors Closer. After your GPA and your MCAT score, the next most important factor that medical school admission officers looks at to decide whether or not they wish to invite you for an interview are your letters of recommendation.
“Never look back unless you’re going that way.� -HENRY DAVID THOREAU
20 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
Furthermore, if you're invited for an interview, the weight of your letters of recommendation actually moves ahead of your GPA and MCAT score, and admission officers feel they fall right below how well you did on your interview. So whether you like it or not, professors can either make or break you when it comes to getting into medical school. From your freshman year, it is extremely important that you get in the habit of getting to know your professors and giving them an opportunity to get to know you. It is crucial during the first few weeks to begin to establish a connection with your professor. All too often students fall into the trap of not talking to their professor because they are afraid of the person who stands in front of them lecturing about a subject he/she basically lives for. But sooner or later, if you know what is good for you, you are going to have to muster up the courage to talk to him/her. While at times it may be hard to fathom, professors are people too! They are more than lecturers and researchers and yes they are human. So don't be intimidated by them. If your professor comes across as "intimidating", chances are that it is just their teaching style. And if a professor appears annoyed when you approach him or her, don't take it personal. Chances are it has nothing to do with you. Believe it or not, they do have lives off campus. They are raising families, writing books, and might be even struggling to make due financially. They won't bite. Say hello when you walk passed them on campus. They like spending time doing things that they find fun. Like students, professors have a diverse range of personalities; some are welcoming
research project under their guidance. A single office visit won't change your life, but it could eventually lead to many "periphery" benefits that wouldn't have come your way if you hadn't gotten to know your professors. The relationship you form with your professors can play a significant role in your success.
Habit #4: Mind Your Own Business.
from the minute they enter the classroom, while others will at first seem reserved. Many are unaware that their students might feel uncomfortable approaching them, but none of them wish to make their students feel unwelcome. If you think about it, what is the worse that could happen if you take the initiative to go to your professor? It can't hurt your grade. Take the time to get to know them as people and not just a professor. Show your interest in their field - didn't you know people like talking about themselves? Ask what research projects they're working on or what books they're writing, and you might be surprised at how accomplished some of your professors are and you may even learn that they are actually really interesting people with a personality. However, don't come off like you're trying to become their best friend. You'll really want to actively pursue forming relationships with your professor because they can help you succeed academically and prepare you for your future. Studies have shown that students who make an effort to get to know their professor outside of the classroom setting are more likely to succeed in college. If you are worried about making the first trip to office hours, you can start by just going up after class and introducing yourself. Since you are planning to go to medical school, it is a very good idea to start working more closely with the professors who are in the field in which you are interested. This will mean taking multiple courses with the same professors, visiting them during office hours, and perhaps doing a
It might be hard not to compare yourself to other premeds, but you need to get into the habit of minding your own business - literally! Focus on the grades your making instead of worrying about how other students are doing. By comparing yourself to other students, you begin to lose focus of what you personally need to accomplish and achieve in a particular class. After asking your fellow classmate what grade they scored on a test either of two things may happen 1.) they'll tell you how high they scored and you'll feel like crap or 2.) they'll tell you how bad they did and you'll feel better about yourself. You shouldn't care about how others are doing because their performance shouldn't influence how much studying you do or don't do. The premed jungle is already considered a competitive environment as it is, but being able to tune out all the rumble of who scored what and who did what will be well worth it. Why would you wait until after you see you've scored lower than another classmate to step up your study game? In all reality, shouldn't you have been giving your all from the start? Comparing yourself to others and then making a change to work harder shouldn't be your means of motivation. While you may not be doing so well in one subject area than another student, there may be other subject areas that you excel in and the other student does not. Your weaknesses maybe someone else's strengths and someone else's weaknesses may be your strengths. By learning how to mind your own premed business, you'll be able to focus more of your attention on your personal issues so that you can address any weaknesses that you may have, do better, and move on. However, on the flip side, the one thing that can come from minding someone else's business is if you find out that they understand a particular concept better than you and they can, and are willing to help you!
Habit #5: Find Ways to Round Yourself Out The best medical school applicants are pre-med students who are well-rounded, so it's important that you get into the habit of not being so one-dimensional hands down! While it may be easy to get caught up with being a pre-medical student and all the work involved with pursuing your medical school dreams, you should not neglect other areas of your life. But what does being well-rounded really mean? Some may think this means to joining 13 clubs and organizations and spending hours at the hospital volunteering, but schools are usually suspicious of students with laundry lists of extracurricular activities because it suggests that the student may not have had the chance to develop an "passionate" engagement with any one activity. Develop your talents and your interests and have fun. If you haven’t done so already, find an opportunity that will help you build both your social and professional networks - this will surely make you a more well-rounded student. And don’t look to the typical-
ly pre-med activities that every other premed is doing, find something different. Different experiences can have an unexpected influence on your passion for becoming a medical school and you never know what may come from (or who you may meet) by doing something different. From taking a international music course to spending a semester abroad, it is very important that you’re not just studying!
Habit #6: Become an Avid Reader For the busy premed student, reading can be the perfect way to do many things at once. And that doesn’t mean textbook reading just in case you were wondering. Reading can not only help finetune the reading comprehension skills you’ll need to do well on the MCAT, but it can also help to build your vocabulary. We know it might be hard to engage in reading for something other than one of your courses, but it is a habit that you really should seriously think about making time for. From the earliest stages of education as children, reading has always been known as something that can set two groups apart, and the bottom line is, those who read are usually a step ahead of those who don’t. So go ahead, check out the latest The New York Times best-sellers list and see if there’s a book on there that interest you. It doesn’t have to be any kind of “heavy” reading, but should rather be something you pick for leisure. And if it’s not a book, try a magazine like Newsweek or The Economist, just find something to read. You’ll most likely be doing a lot of school reading as it is, so it may be nice to break up the monotony of your textbook reading. And it doesn’t have to be for long, 10-15 minutes a few times a week should do the trick. This habit, while it may seem rather passive, will help you out a great deal in the long run as a premed student and future medical student.
Habit #7: Don’t Talk About It, Be About It There’s no hidden message behind this habit and you should begin to practice it today. Applicable to any tasks at hand, stop talking about it, stop talking about getting ready to do it, stop talking about what you’re going to do after you do it, stop talking about it and just do it. Whether it’s a lab report that you have to prepare or some MCAT problems you’ve been putting off for a few days, stop talking about it and just do it already. You don’t want to be one of those students who are always talking about what you’re going to do and how well you’re going to do it. As the saying goes, “you can show them better than you can tell them,” and it’s true. Don’t keep telling people that you’re going to medical school. If you’re doing what you have to do, they’ll know you’re taking care of business without you even having to say anything. Don’t’ keep telling yourself that you’re going to study for that test, when the time comes for you to study, just do it! Getting things done and checking them off of your to-do list is something that not many people can do because their always just “talking” and don’t get passed that point - “just do it!”
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 21
ADVICE
Medical School Admissions: Tips For Making It Through The Competition By Annabelle Harlotta Medical school admissions are just as competitive as ever. If you are really ready to put all the time and effort into the school and interning, you need to start now. Put that same dedication into the process of admissions. Obviously, if you do not get in, the rest is a dream. Applying early to medical school is key. Your application will not be reviewed until all the supporting documents are there. Do yourself a favor and make a timeline for getting things done and stick to it. The first step is going to be preparing for the MCAT. You are going to want to take this in time to get it in early in the process. Which means you need to start preparing even earlier. Although some people say it is acceptable to just go take an
exam and see what it is like, this is may not best. If you have to take it again, and you probably will without preparation, having to take it two or three times still does not look good. Spend the money on a preparation class. This is part of preparing you for the competition. A good class does not just teach you how to calculate answers. It should teach you how to think about the questions and what is in the mind of the test creators. Knowing how to think will help you to narrow down answers on questions you do not know. Answer everything on your application thoroughly. If you are given space to write, use it. You are selling yourself on your application. When you have the chance to explain more than your test scores and
transcripts can tell, use it. Just be sure that your answers to shorter questions and your essay responses do not overlap. When writing personal essays, make them personal. Be honest about who you are and what lead you to this point in your life. Any challenges you have faced should be discussed, as these show that you can overcome adversity and handle difficulties. This is a chance to show how you are unique and what you will bring to the school. Be passionate about your desire to be a physician. Send an application to several different schools of varied ranking. By all means, apply to your top choices. But also apply to one or two below those that you know you are likely to get into. Practice your interview skills. Again, you are selling yourself. Get someone to work with you and help you feel more comfortable with being questioned. Make sure you know a lot about the school you are interviewing at so you can be ready with questions as well. It is a great idea to try to meet with an alumnus to help you gear your interview in the proper direction. A good interview can get you past shortcomings in other areas so approach each one with the best attitude. Medical school admissions can be looked at as the first step on your path to becoming a doctor. Look at them as an exciting beginning to your journey, rather than a necessary evil. Your attitude will be far more positive and that attitude will come through on every step throughout the process. Looking for ways of getting into medical school? You're going to have some competition. Prepare yourself for medical school admissions by following these steps and improve your chances!
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log onto www.premedlife.com to read these articles Useful Tips to Survive Organic Chemistry 9 3Here are some quick and easy ways to help you make it through the infamous “weed-out” course many premeds dread taking Classes Every Premed Should Take 9 College Beside your medical school prerequisites, there are some courses that all pre-meds could benefit from in one way or another. Things You’re Roommate Will Never Tell You 9 5Ever wonder what what your roommate thinks or feels about you or something you do? Here’s what they’re thinking, not saying 22 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
SAVE THE DATE
SUMMA CONFERENCE 2012 02.11.12
SUMMA CONFERENCE 2012 Workshop Highlights:
- Applying to Medical School - MCAT Preparation - Making Yourself a Better Applicant - Research Pathways -Mock Interviews - Maintaining a Science GPA - AMCAS Application Process - Post Baccalaureate Programs - Women in Medicine - International & Global Health - Careers in Health - Affording Medical School - Civic Activism & Community Engagement - Life in Medical School
STANFORD UNIVERSITY MINORITY MEDICAL ALLIANCE 21st ANNUAL PREMEDICAL CONFERENCE
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at Stanford University School of Medicine
Every year, Stanford University Minority Medical Alliance (SUMMA) hosts one of the largest pre-medical conferences on the west coast, typically drawing approximately 500 attendees each year. The goal of the conference is to increase diversity in the health professions to better care for underserved communities. Conference Highlights: - Medical school recruiters from around the country - Speakers on future of minorities in medicine - Assess what you want in a medical school - Summer enrichment and opportunities
ONLINE REGISTRATION OPENS NOVEMBER 2011
http://summa.stanford.edu/conference/
Advertorial
St. George's University Offers Program Choices to Medical Students St. George's University's School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies pioneered the concept of international medical education. St. George's has contributed nearly 11,000 physicians to the global health care system; these graduates have been licensed in all 50 United States and Canada and have practiced in over 45 countries across the world. The majority of St. George's medical students have come from the top 100 United States colleges and universities. Over 500 St. George's students came from Ivy League schools and nearly 4,000 graduated from universities in the US News & World Report's list of Top National Universities in 2011. St. George's US medical students may begin their Basic Sciences studies on the main campus in Grenada, or at the University's affiliate in the United Kingdom -- the Keith B. Taylor Global Scholars program, delivered at Northumbria University. Beyond the stand-alone MD degree, medical students at St. George's have the opportunity to pursue joint MD/MPH,
MD/MSc, and MD/MBA degrees. Students complete their clinical training in the University's 60+ affiliated hospitals and clinical centers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. LEADING THE WAY IN MEDICAL EDUCATION St. George's was the first private medical school in the Caribbean, and first private institution in the region to be accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Health Professions. In 2010, SGU's US and Canadian medical students surpassed medical school students in the US and Canada with a 94% first time pass rate on the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1. In fact, overall, SGU's first-time USMLE takers - students who were from 49 different countries - equaled the first time pass rate of 92% in the US and Canada for 2010. RESEARCH POSSIBILITIES Partnering with the nearby Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), St. George's continues to advance public health and environmentally sustainable development through multidisciplinary research. WINDREF draws internationally recognized scholars and regional scientists and partners with prestigious North American, Caribbean, European, and African institutions in global research affecting the region, including medical and veterinary public health, marine and terrestrial biology, and ecology. The Foundation maintains a unique sci-
24 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
entific resource center at its research Institute on St. George's main campus. A MAJESTIC ENVIRONMENT
More than $250 million US was spent to create a beautiful, state-of-the-art campus, rivaling those of the most prestigious universities in the world. St. George's students are truly taken aback by the beauty of their physical accommodations. The sprawling campus includes 52 buildings spread out over 42 acres in a vibrant, tropical seaside location. St. George's True Blue campus provides all the amenities and technologically advanced facilities of a world-class institution, while offering beautiful scenery and majestic views of the Caribbean Sea. Information on the University is available at http://www.sgu.edu, and through YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter at StGeorgesU. Would-be American medical students may view their contemporaries at St. George's by visiting http://www.sgu.edu/us. „
©2011 St. George’s University
At St. George’s University, our job is to prepare you to do yours. On the 2010 USMLE Step 1, our first time test takers – from 49 countries – equalled the 92% pass rate of students at US and Canadian medical schools, while our US and Canadian students had a 94% first time pass rate. We’ve placed more doctors into the US healthcare system than two-thirds of US medical schools, and helped over 11,000 physicians get their start. So go big, push limits, and change medicine at the international center with students and faculty from over 140 countries – learn more about St. George’s University today.
Grenada, West Indies
US/Canada: 1(800)899-6337 ext. 9 1280 sgu.edu/future-students • SGUEnrolment@ sgu.edu
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SCHOOLSPOTLITE
Get a glimpse into what one medical school in the U.S. has to offer prospective students <<<
S TATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW Y ORK UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY New York - Syracuse, NY Campus + Binghamton, NY Campus Most people like having options, and when it comes to making decisions about a career in medicine, the College of Medicine at State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate, gives students the unique option to choose from two campuses, that offer two separate educational experiences suited for what students believe will work best for them. Two weeks after their interview, applicants select their preference for moving to the university's Binghamton Clinical Campus at the start of their third year or staying put at the Upstate Medical University Campus in Syracuse, New York. According to the university's Web site, the Binghamton campus fosters the development of strong student-mentor relationships as students work with physicians in their own practice community-based settings, while students at the Syracuse campus are exposed to a variety of medical settings and learn alongside doctors using the most advanced technology and techniques. Approximately a quarter of the class completes their training in Binghamton. For those who pursue the SUNY Upstate's MD/PhD route, a seven-year program that combines medical school and graduate studies, tuition is waived and students receive a competitive stipend. The College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate is very big on their incoming students having clinical experience and say that it is essential. "Before you invest all the time, money and hard work that goes into becoming a doctor, you should be sure this is a career that "fits" you and clinical exposure is the way to help you determine this," they advise prospective students. From high school seniors to college sophomores, the College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate also offers a few "special admission" options, including early acceptance and/or guaranteed admission, as well as a simplified admission process. When asked what science course beyond the pre-requisites could make an applicant more competitive, they suggest that Physiology, Genetics, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry all have some tricky concepts that may be useful once students enter medical school. When it comes to non-science courses, they recommend courses related to psychology, statistics, public health, and ethics. What's also good is that the schools accepts advanced placement credits, but recommends completing advanced science coursework to remain competitive for admission. Also, beginning in the first year, students can take a Medical Spanish elective to help them become fluent with
medical terms to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients. They offer more than 200 electives, including The Miracle Elective, which pairs students with mothers-to-be for the pregnancy, delivery, and the baby's first year, and Away Electives, which can involve spending several weeks at other medical schools, at the Center for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, or seeing patients in medically underserved parts of the United States or in other countries. The Away Elective is even an option of students to take the summer after their first year at SUNY Upstate. And for students who apply to SUNY Upstate Medical University and are offered an interview, you may be able to impress your interviewer by throwing out some facts you learn from reading SUNY Upstate Medical University: A Pictorial History when we last checked there was only one copy left in stock so your competition may be up to the same thing. Each year approximately 700 students are invited to interview so you better make sure find a way to stand out from the crowd. On interview day, applicants may also have the opportunity to sit in on classes, chat with current students, and visit the library and residence hall. In addition, the school's director of the admissions office wrote a book, 101 Tips on Getting into Medical School which was written as a guide for students in pursuit of becoming a doctor "from the moment of desire to be a doctor through the application process and personal interview to the acceptance or rejection letter."
quick facts DEGREE(S) OFFERED: MD MD/MPH MD/PhD
SCHOOL TYPE Public
AVG. OVERALL GPA 3.59
AVG. NON-SCIENCE GPA 3.69
AVG. SCIENCE GPA 3.53
AVG. MCAT BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 10.47
AVG. MCAT PHYSICAL SCIENCE 10.08
AVG MCAT VERBAL REASONING 9.53
# OF APPLICANTS 5,321
# Student Accepted 160
Tuition The State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University teaching hospital.
$27,090 - In-State $53,650 - Out-of-State
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 27
THE STRENGTH TO HEAL
and learn lessons in courage. We’ll pay you $2,062 a month while you are in a residency program. This monthly living expense will help you gain the strength to heal. In addition, you’ll gain experience with top medical professionals and the most advanced technology. You’ll be able to practice in your community and serve when needed. You’ll be helping our Soldiers, your country and your career. To learn more, call 877-406-5863 or visit healthcare.goarmy.com/info/n474.
©2011. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved.
FEATURE STORY
SecondChances a closer look at post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs
(
)
Taking a closer look at using premedical post-baccalaureate programs to gain admission to medical
Growing up in a family of doctors, Jonathan Stevenson had a passion for medicine for as long as he could remember and recalls always answering the "what do you want to be when you grow up" question with â&#x20AC;&#x153;doctor.â&#x20AC;? Fast-forward ten years later, Stevenson found that science was not his strength, decided on a major in Economics. Soon after graduating and landing a job as a financial analyst at one of the largest global investment banks in the world, Stevenson was happy to have a job but was miserable. "As such an unsure and vulnerable point in my life I began to worry and knew I needed to think about what I was going to do with my life," Stevenson admitted. "The thing I kept coming back to was how I wish I could still become a doctor." That's when Stevenson said he remembered hearing a former schoolteacher speak at a pre-medical forum about gaining admission to medical school through a post-baccalaureate program. There is more than one way to get to medical school. Some students know that they want to become a doctor from a very young age, and participate in health-related activities and take relevant courses from high school through college. Others make the decision to become doctors much later, sometimes well into their college career or even beyond, shifting gears from other fields that may not have been health or science-focused. Furthermore, some pre-medical students have maintained strong academic records throughout their undergraduate years, while others may need to make themselves more attractive and take courses after graduation. With the number of premeds applying to U.S. medical schools reaching an all time high in October 2011, more and more students are saying to themselves, if there's a will there's a way and for many students that way is through post-baccalaureate premedical programs. Exactly as the name implies, post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs are for those who already have a bachelor's degree. Post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs are designed to help students pursue a career in medicine after they have already earned their undergraduate degrees. From career changers to recent college grads who either need to take the necessary pre-requisites for medical school or need to strengthen their academic portfolio, post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs are gaining in popularity as students do what it takes to pursue their dream of becoming a doctor. Running from one to two years in length, students in these programs can take the required undergraduate level science courses for medical school in an extremely shortened period of time.
There are many reasons why a student might apply for a post-baccalaureate program. Post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs are traditionally designed to mold students into more competitive medical school applicants and attract students from many different backgrounds. There are many different types of pre-medical post-baccalaureate programs but they generally fall into several categories: academic enhancers, career-changers, special master's programs, programs designed specifically for economically or educationally disadvantaged students, and groups under represented in the field of medicine and research. continued on next page >>>
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 29
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STARTING FROM SCRATCH CAREER-CHANGER PROGRAMS (the AAMC currently list 75 of these programs) With today's challenging economy, many individuals might be considering a change of career. For those who have held a job as an experienced professional in the "real" world but have no training in the sciences or have decided to attend medical school but it's too late to change majors, then career-change post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs may be the way to go. Individuals who have their "ah-ha" moment later on in life and decide after they have completed their undergraduate degree that they want to go to medical school probably told themselves, "this is what I want to do and I’ll do whatever it takes," and in this case the “whatever it takes” way is through post-baccalaureate career-changer programs. Many colleges and universities offer these types of programs to meet the needs of "career-change" individuals who need to complete premed requirements, as well as liberal arts graduates whose interest in health careers solidified later in their undergraduate careers. The majority of these students are either recent graduates or experienced professionals seeking a career change who were academically successfully as undergraduates. Sometimes students enter these programs right after finishing an undergraduate degree, and sometimes they do so after several years in the working world. These programs are not meant for students wishing to retake the prerequisite science courses to strengthen their grade point
average or MCAT performance. Post-baccalaureate career-change students run the gamut from recent college grads in their 20's to individuals in their late 30's who have had successful careers but want to redirect their lives. Career-change post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs are designed to provide a strong educational foundation in basic science prerequisites necessary for competitive admission to medical school. These programs can be both rigorous and rewarding. Over the course of these programs, students endure intensive study to help them prepare for the challenges of medical school. The characteristics of a good program will feature a highly focused curriculum that includes optimally sequenced courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and organic chemistry; an MCAT preparation course; and opportunities for students to interact and engage with medical students and medical faculty. These programs usually offer an advising element to help students with managing courses, finding clinical experience, and preparing to apply to medical school. In addition, they usually offer a letter from a program faculty member in support of the student. BOOSTING THAT "UN-MEDICAL SCHOOL LIKE" GPA ACADEMIC ENHANCER PROGRAMS (the AAMC currently list 76 of these programs) It's no secret that getting into medical school is a difficult process and some students might have not been accepted the first time around and need to
improve their credentials. For students that are looking for that "second chance" to become doctors, there are programs that address the student who has a bachelor's degree, but does not have a strong enough academic record to apply immediately to medical school or those who have applied but were unsuccessful. This type of post-baccalaureate pre-medical program allows students to show that they can compete at a level required of medical students. While any post-baccalaureate program is a time when students need to excel academically, this is especially true for the student needing to enhance their academic profile. Students in these programs may have struggled academically early in their college years, or have had a particular semester that caused their GPA to drop. This type of program is right for students who truly believe that they are capable of doing the coursework the second goround to successfully increase their GPA or MCAT score. For students who have a GPA that misses the mark for getting accepted into medical school but managed to score fairly well on the MCAT, a "special masters" degree that offers medical schools courses may be the way to show medical schools that you are capable of succeeding on the level needed to complete medical school-level courses. With this type of program, students have the opportunity to take actual medical school courses alongside actual medical students, and are even graded on the same curve as the medical students. For some students, and definitely for some medical schools, it might be sufficient that a post-baccalaureate student demonstrate excelcontinued on next page >>>
get published. write for us If you consider yourself a good writer and would like a chance to have your article published in an issue of PreMedLife Magazine, we’re looking for student writers to submit articles. From your personal experiences as a pre-med student to living everyday life as a college student, we want to share your story with our readers. Or if you need an idea to write about - we’ve got tons of them. For more information about writing for PreMedLife Magazine, visit our Web site at www.premedlife.com or email us at info@premedlife.com.
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 31
lence along medical students in graduate level courses. However, a student who has a weak undergraduate GPA may need to take additional undergraduate courses in order to show their readiness. In this case, only additional undergraduate (not graduate) courses will raise the undergraduate grade point average (uGPA) that the AMCAS application computes for medical school applicants. FALLING IN A CERTAIN CATEGORY PROGRAMS THAT TARGET UNDER REPRESENTED MINORITY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGE INDIVIDUALS (The AAMC currently list 30 such programs) "Underrepresented in medicine" means those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical progression relative to their numbers in the general population. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, postbaccalaureate pre-medical programs are a valuable tool for increasing the number of disadvantaged and underrepresented students who matriculate into medical school. The findings from this study strongly support the premise that this type of educational program is a positive and important intervention that furthers the academic achievement and health career aspirations of minority and lowincome students. While any post-baccalaureate program could be beneficial to students who are members of groups underrepresented in medicine, there are schools that offer programs specifically designed for these students. Many of the schools that offer such programs are aligned with the AAMC's belief that both medical
Program Spotlight
education and health care delivery benefit from diversity among medical students and physicians. This type of program can be an essential part of forming a competitive academic reputation for those individuals who are eligible to utilize them. Like the other types of programs, students who participate in these receive the same type of assistance to gain admission to medical school. Additionally, however, many of these programs offer more financial aid, mentoring, research opportunities, and MCAT prep. LINKAGE AGREEMENTS An exciting and encouraging feature of many programs is the medical school linkage element that offers conditional early acceptance to students. If you are lucky enough to find a post-baccalaureate pre-medical program that has a linkage program, you might be able to completely avoid the infamous "glide" year, which is the time from applying to medical school to when you actually enroll. Linkage is a formal agreement between a post-baccalaureate program and a medical school that enables exceptional students with a strong interest in a specific medical school to accelerate the application progress. A linkage arrangement enables students to avoid the pressure and expenses of the medical school application process, and provides "peace of mind" knowing that a place is reserved in the medical school of their choice. Through these linkage programs, medical schools guarantee interviews and even spots in their first-year class based upon a student's academic performance in the postbaccalaureate program and performance on the MCAT.
there are a range of options, both formal and informal. Formal programs are typically a year to two years for either academic enhancement or career changers. Participating in these programs means that you are in a specific program geared to enhance your application to medical school. While these programs can be rather costly, students will most likely obtain a certificate or recognition of completion of some sort rather than just a grade on a transcript. On the other hand, informal programs are more independent and for those that don't need as much "guidance." In these programs, individual students are responsible for their own progress and course planning. Taking this path means that you're not associated with any program and you are just taking the necessary pre-medical classes you need in order to complete your application process. The up side to informal programs is that they generally cost less than formal programs and you can finish classes you need without fulfilling any other prerequisites. However, students participating in informal programs don't receive a degree after completion. Students who have completed their undergraduate degree can also enhance their chances for medical school by pursuing a master's degree in a specific program geared to what the student is interested in studying like a Master of Bioengineering or Master of Public Health. These type of programs essentially combine medical school classes with a master's degree. Students with a bachelor's degree have the opportunity to take classes within a strong, challenging biomedical science core curriculum in the environment of a health science institution.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE: INFORMAL, FORMAL,AND MASTER'S PROGRAMS Within these types of post-baccalaureate programs,
For a complete list of post-baccalaureate premedical programs, visit the AAMC's website at www.aamc.org Â&#x201E;
Drexel University College of Medicineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Evening Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Program is ideal for students who may have a full-time job or other commitments during the day takes two years to complete. During the first year, general chemistry and general physics with laboratories are offered. During the second year, students take organic chemistry and general biology, in sequence in the summer and fall semesters.
THE PROGRAM This unique post-baccalaureate premedical program offered by Drexel University College of Medicine gives individuals who have already earned
their bachelor's degree and work fulltime during the day to complete medical school pre-requisite coursework isn't that convenient? The program is the equivalent of five semester and
32 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
REQUIREMENTS Bachelor's degree from an accredited US institution An applicant should have a minimum combined SAT score of 1000 or ACT score of 21 and a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. For those individuals far removed from the college years, additional factors, or other more recent coursework, will also be considered. At least 6 credits of coursework in English literature and the
behavioral sciences (psychology, sociology, or philosophy). LINKAGE COMPONENT Students who complete this program may be eligible to apply to medical school sooner than a typical medical school applicant through one of the schools linkage agreements. Currently, linkage is available to the Drexel University College of Medicine, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, and to The Edward Via College Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine. For more information about this program visit www.drexelmed.edu.
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PERSONALSTORIES
A+mommy
Is it possible to be an A+ mommy and an A+ student at the same time? By Chesha Hayter glance up from my books to check the clock on my computer, 1:00 a.m.; the house is quiet with only the sound of shuffling papers and the hum of my computers fan. This will be the fourth night in a row that I have stayed up past midnight and still had two hours’ worth of homework ahead of me. As I diligently flip the page to my lab manual knowing that I am slowly dwindling down the stack of “to do” papers, I hear it. Soft at first, slowly progressing to a more helpless, sharp whine, cutting through the silence of the night like someone slowly ripping a piece of paper from top to bottom. “Don’t move” I think, “If he doesn’t hear you he will fall back asleep and you will be able to finish this!” I slowly lay my forehead down on the desk and shut my eyes. “Please, please, please, go back asleep.”, and then I hear it, the piercing whale of my newborn son, waking for his midnight snack. He was barely a month when fall term had started. I stand up and quietly shuffle down the hall, making sure not to wake my two year old in the other room. After feeding him I lay him gently in his bed, cover him with his blanket and tip-toe back to the warm glow of my computer and the desk lamp. I sit back down, rub my eyes and sleepily look again at the clock, 1:55 a.m., at this rate I’m not going to sleep tonight. I have lived like this for the last year; this is my second time experiencing the needs of a newborn while in school. Needless to say, like many others, somehow I have made it. Through the 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 a.m. wake-up calls, fevers, upset bellies, doctor appointments, playdates, messes, breakfast, lunch and dinner, to learning how to crawl and walk and “explore” their surroundings, to the ever popular “I just want to be held.” A mother has many duties, many have attempted to do this while in school, and even fewer have done this while attempting to get into medical school. The awesome responsibility of parenting topped with the stress and anxiety of getting good grades, volunteering, and shadowing physicians. This is all while trying to maintain some sense of sanity which has driven many mothers and mothers-to-be away from such daunting tasks. But for the few that can with-
I
stand the pressure and persistence required to do both, the reward is well worth the work. Trust me, if you would have asked me five years ago if I ever thought that I would be barricading myself in a conference room at college in order to pump milk for my son, you would get a much different answer than you would today. If you are like me, becoming a mother changed virtually every aspect of your life. # 1. Being the things (humiliation included) you will put yourself through for your children. #2. What you are willing to give up, i.e. friends, sleeping, time, mental stability. However, making the decision to declare myself “pre-med” was an easy choice. It came naturally, just like my instincts during motherhood; I knew it was the right choice. Many people questioned my abilities, stating the obvious. “It’s going to be hard!” and “You’re going to need help.”, “Really??” I thought, I just figured the babies could watch themselves and clean the house while I was away! Although sarcasm was usually my rebuttal to such statements, I did find myself wondering, “Was I ready for this journey; was it possible to be an A+ student and an A+ mom?” Thus far in this journey I felt like I had been doing a pretty good job. Through the last two and a half years I feel I had found the delicate balance between my family and school. Basically this was because that’s all there was time for. In-between doing homework, studying, and reading books, there were brief windows of time where I could remove myself
Making the decision to declare myself “pre-med” was an easy choice. It came naturally, just like my instincts during motherhood; I knew it was the right choice
34 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
from the carbon chains and theories long enough to see my children growing up. Since my immediate family is really the only interaction I have with others outside of my career planning and school, I feel like it has helped me appreciate the little things more. Being able to stay home and watch a movie (without reading a book at the same time), going to the park and playing with my kids, and sleeping for more than five hours a night all took on a new meaning. Granted these moments usually occurred during summer and winter break, still, they helped put things in perspective for me. Those being, what I must do to achieve my goals, and the immense respect I have for those who have preceded me. These choices are depicting what is important to me, and if this involves giving up any sort of social life outside of your family and school, I feel, it is without a doubt worth it. This would be a huge part of the rest of my life. Choosing to go into the medical field, a career that is ever changing, one that is con-
tinually evolving and developing new techniques and advancements leaves little leisure time, so when it does happen it must be spent wisely. Yes, time is a valuable commodity. I wanted to ensure that my time was spent effectively and wisely. I would budget time for volunteering and shadowing hoping that there was a possibility that I could combine the two, luckily most hospitals have volunteer programs, that not only allow you to be involved with the community but also have some sort of clinical experience, which was the case for me. I started volunteering at my local hospital and shortly after started shadowing. Finding a physician to shadow was not as easy as I had predicted; I did not know any doctors personally nor did anyone I knew. So while going in for a routine visit after the delivery of my son I just asked, I asked my OB doctor for advice and if she has anyone shadowing her. She was wonderful. She sat down and talked to me like perhaps maybe someone at some time did for her. Not only did she welcome me to shadow her, she talked to me about the same
pressures she went through raising two children through medical school. One aspect of my scholastic career that I have found exponentially important, is the help of someone at home. Now whether that means a supportive partner, parent, roommate, friend or family member may be different for everyone; however, I have found it to be the foundation of my success thus far. The relief you have knowing that your family is safe and taken care of allows you to truly maximize the little time you have to
So while going in for a routine visit after the delivery of my son I just asked, I asked my OB doctor for advice and if she has anyone shadowing her.
prepare yourself for such a great feat as medical school. For me, I have been blessed with both a supportive family and partner, who have been doing what they could to ease the process, making this trip a memorable step in my journey to fulfilling my life dream. Like many parents, we joke about the day that we will be able to leave the house without a diaper bag or car seat, and just maybe have a few minutes to ourselves. Because dedicating so much of yourself takes most of your time and energy, I had to give up most luxuries. As time goes on and the classes get harder, the category of luxuries continues to grow: brushing my hair, eating at regular time intervals, and of course there is the biggest luxury that is missed the most, sleep. Friends have been accommodating, knowing that my life now revolves around my school work and family, they have alleviated some of the stress with compassion and understanding; I would not be able to keep the same company that I use to because of the demands that this new endeavor would hold. They understood this and have made an effort to accommodate by my schedule, we keep in touch, and with friends that have gone through something similar before we share tips, new ideas, and the stories that have lead us to where we are today. A new realm that I have recently ventured out to is the world of day care. For the last two and a half years since my daughter has been born, we have been fortunate enough to have schedules that have allowed us to care for our children ourselves. We will not be so lucky the last two years of my undergraduate, with my partner going to barbering school and the degree of difficulty and time needed for my classes increasing, this was an inevitable course that would have to be taken. Finding childcare that would not only cater to my schedule as well as care for an infant was no easy task. After scouring the internet and classifieds and asking friends and family we were able to pinpoint our perfect match. These are the decisions that I will continue to have to make, what child care to put my children into, whether or not to answer the phone when a friend calls, whether there is time to go to my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for dinner, or even am I going to sleep tonight. The answers to all of these questions have changed over time, and I also have changed. What is important has taken on a new meaning, and sometimes I have to remind myself of what is really important. I am doing all of this for the same reason many of you may be doing the same thing, the very simple statement of love, love for my children, love for learning and accomplishment and a love for people. To learn from others, to understand that their life has an array of interesting stories and events that has turned them into the person they are today. I feel so blessed to be at this point in my life; I have a wonderful rewarding career ahead of me, and two beautiful children that have taught me more about patience, dreaming, and love than I could have ever learned from a book. So at times when I may be up until three in the morning finishing a lab report or studying for a test the next day and I hear my son waking for his early morning meal I can smile. Because I know now that it is possible to be an A+ mom and an A+ student, even without any sleep.Â&#x201E; Chesha Hayter is a full time honor roll student at Southern Oregon University. She has two children, a son Niko and a daughter Acaica. For the last year she has been volunteering at Rogue Valley Medical Center and has recently started volunteering at Hope Equestrian, a therapeutic horse riding program.
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 35
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ESPECIALLY THIS SPECIALTY
Learn more about various specialties and what it will take to pursue a certain specialty<<<
Becoming a...
Neurologist
Neurologists are medical doctors trained to diagnose and treat disorders in the nervous system, whether caused by disease or injury. Conditions include muscle, spinal cord, nerve and brain diseases. The emerging field of cosmetic neurology highlights the potential of therapies to improve such things as workplace efficacy, attention in school, and overall happiness in personal lives.
Nationally there is a significant shortage of neurologist now and there will continue to be a shortage of neurologist for a least the next 20 years. For medical students looking for a challenging field in medicine that will produce the opportunity to have a lot of patient contact, neurology might be the way to go. A neurologist may be charged with making an initial diagnosis for neurological diseases and then providing long-term care for either recurrent or chronic medical conditions.
Fellowship (optional) - (1 or 2 Years) are available following completion of the neurology residency if additional subspecialty training is desired.
WHAT DOES A NEUROLOGIST DO?
HOW
Neurologists deal with disorders of the nervous system and are trained to diagnose and treat neurological disorders that affect the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), the peripheral nervous system, or the autonomic nervous system. A related but distinct field of medicine is psychiatry, which deals with diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the mind. Patients are usually referred to a neurologist in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. When a neurologist examines a new patient, the physical exam will focus mainly on the patient's nervous system. This may include determining a patient's cognitive function and state of their cranial nerves, motor strength, sensation, reflexes, coordination, and gait. They will give the patient a neurological exam, which typically tests vision, coordination, strength, and reflexes and sensation. Not all neurologist practice medicine and may choose to become a non-medical neuroscientist, which is essentially a scientist who instead of diagnosing and treating, works behind the scenes researching the very same neurological disorders. Some of the most common medical conditions neurologists encounter are headaches, radiculopathy, neuropathy, stroke, dementia, seizures and epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, head trauma, sleep disorders, neuromuscular diseases, and various infections and tumors of the nervous system. On a typical day, neurologist can spend a portion of their day in an office setting, examining patients, and then spend the rest of their time visiting and reviewing the progress of patients who may be in the hospital. The majority of neurologists work full-time, seeing patients five days a week, and may put in 40 to 50-hour work weeks. Depending on the neurologist's experience and type of position, the number of hours worked may vary considerably. They may be on call or work with other neurologists on a rotating shift schedule. When on call, they can be called into the hospital at any time, day or night. Oliver Sacks is the author of the book "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales," and is also a neurologist. In his book Sacks describes the case histories of some of his patients, including the patient with a condition called visual agnosia, whose case is where the book's title comes.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BECOME A NEUROLOGIST? Undergraduate - (4 Years) to obtain bachelor's degree Medical School - (4 Years) to obtain a doctor of medicine degree (MD) Residency - (4 Years) consists of one year of internal medicine training followed by three years of training in neurology. The first of four years consists of either a transitional or internal medicine internship, which includes
broad exposure to general adult medicine. The second through fourth years are spend in a devoted neurology residency, after which time the resident can apply for licensure. Residency consists of practical, on-the-job training, in hospitals or other medical settings.
LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BECOME A NON-MEDICAL NEUROSCIENTIST? Undergraduate - (4 Years) to obtain bachelor's degree Graduate School - (2 Years) to obtain master's degree in neuroscience
Post Graduate Education - (4 Years) to obtain PhD to become a university professor or a research scientist
WHAT ARE SOME SUB-SPECIALTIES OF NEUROLOGY? Stroke or vascular neurology, interventional neurology, epilepsy, neuromuscular, neurorehabilitation, behavioral neurology, sleep medicine, pain management, neuroimmunology, clinical neurophysiology, movement disorders.
WHAT ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD NEUROLOGIST? Neurologists must have a lot of patience, good eye-hand coordination, excellent communication skills, and work well in groups. They must also be able to make effective decisions in stressful situations and are intellectually curious when it comes to their field and medicine in general. In addition, a good neurologist will need to be mature and be emotionally strong. Neurologists are also usually the type to enjoy finding solutions to problems and are okay will pursuing a course of lifelong learning.
WHAT IS THE CAREER OUTLOOK FOR NEUROLOGIST?
Very good. Due to the highly specialized nature of the field, there has so far been no saturation in the job environment. Though competitive, there are a lot of job opportunities and the outlook for neurology positions in the future is growing
WHAT DO SOME NEUROLOGISTS SAY THEY LOVE ABOUT THEIR FIELD? Flexibility of work options, rotating between research, academics, and clinical. WHAT DO SOME NEUROLOGISTS SAY THEY HATE ABOUT THEIR FIELD? Competing for residency slots WHAT DO NEUROLOGISTS EARN?
The median salary for neurologist in 2010 was $200,000. About 14% earned $100,000 or less and about 9% earned $500,000 or more.
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 37
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PERSONALSTORIES
EMPATHY By Will Smith
F
or the past 7 years I've paid the bills, put food on the table and paid (increasing) tuition by working in an emergency room. Because the hospital I work at is a trauma center, the cases I've seen range from car crashes, shootings, SIDS babies, meth lab explosions and much much more. When I go home to my wife I look her in the eye, give her a hug and tell her how much I love her. If I need to talk, we do; otherwise we just enjoy each others' company. She allows me to decompress. For as willing as she is to listen to any and everything I have to bring to the proverbial table, there are two cases that I have never told her about. One of them was an 11-month-old baby girl that came in under CPR. I carry around a copy of her EKG strip in my wallet to this very day. The other case is this one: I knew something was going to be different about this call from the moment that it came in. Dr. G had been in the radio room getting water when the medic line rang. He looked at me, took a sip of water and picked it up. "Hi! This is Dr. G your ER physician" he said with a smile, "What are you bringing us and what can I do for you?" As the information came in from the medic line, Dr. G listened more and more intently. His demeanor started to change. He put his now empty cup of water on the desk, tucked his free hand in between his triceps and left chest and slowly started nodding his head. "Thank you Medic 25. At this time I'm going to have you stop chest compressions, keep assisting with respirations and drive in nice and easy. I appreciate your efforts and I will see you in 7 minutes." Dr. G took the telephone handset away from his ear, held it over the receiver and slowly let it fall from his fingers. By this time there was a crowd huddling around the phone. Not only was it a rarity for a doctor to answer the ambulance phone, but it was even more rare to see Dr. G in a somber mood; the ambulance that was coming in 7 minutes was bring in something very sad. Without looking up Dr. G started to give report "We have an 83-year-old female coming in after being found down at home by her 85-year-old husband. CPR was started on scene by the medics. The son produced a DNR (do not resuscitate order) but it expired yesterday. The husband was getting ready to go take her to the doctor to renew it, when he found
her lying facedown in the bedroom. I ordered the medics to stop CPR and get here safe." Slowly raising his head, Dr. Gs' eyes found those of the charge nurse. He continued "I want one tech and one nurse. Nobody else! As soon as the ambulance gets here I will call it and let this poor lady rest. I understand the medics were doing their job, but I want to honor this woman's wishes." The somber mood was contagious; everyone standing around the medic line was starting to feel the same sentiments. With my head down and a heavy heart, I walked back to room 26 and started to get things ready. It was obvious this wasn't what the family wanted. However, because the paperwork was technically invalid, the paramedics had no choice but to try and resuscitate her. Before I had any more time to think about what was happening, the medics, gurney and patient entered the room. Without a word being spoken, myself, along with 5 other medics and firefighters delicately lifted the frail 85 pound woman off the ambulance gurney and onto the ER bed. Her tan SAS shoes were carefully tied, brown pants perfectly pressed and her lavender blouse was neatly tucked in. Her make-up was done perfectly and her pearl earrings matched her pearl necklace. The only imperfections in her outfit were the wrinkles around her sternum; undoubtedly placed there by the medics. I pealed off the backing of the cardiac monitor stickers. As I placed the three leads on her upper chest and abdomen, the medics quietly made their way out of the room. It took the monitor a minute to detect the signal. Lifting up her head, I placed a pillow underneath her snowy white hair. She looked peaceful. The monitor finally started to register and confirmed what we all presumed; she had passed. Dr. G looked up at the clock and fulfilling her and her family's wishes he said "The time is 1847.
I knew something was going to be different about this call from the moment that it came in.
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 39
Thank you." It was a cognitive dissidence. If medical professionals are taught to save lives and stamp out disease, then why weren't we doing anything? For the first time I understood that the right thing to do was to do nothing! It was very apparent from the peacefulness in the room that "nothing" was the right thing to do. Turning off the monitor and removing the leads off the patient I heard a very soft and slow shuffle from the corner of the room. The curtain was drawn back by a helping hand, yet nobody was stepped through. A sound of shuffling slowly crescendo and a frail little man made his way into the room. White knucklehead, his boney fingers clutched the crook of his withered cane. His chin was tucked to his chest as if he was trying to not reveal the welled up tears in his eyes. As he turned to see his wife on the hospital gurney, two watery streaks ran over and down each sagging droopy cheek. He slowly made his way over to her bedside, using his walking stick to steady his gait. I put the bed rail down and offered him a chair so that the couple could have one last moment together. I started to make my way out of the room when the sound of a cane hitting the floor broke the silence. I froze. Before I could turn around and see what had happened I heard a raspy crackling voice, "I love you so much Mary. Oh Mary! I love you so much!" Turning around, his withered cane with the worn handle was lying on the floor. Next to it was the tattered cabby hat that the elderly man was wearing when he first entered the room. I looked up just in time to see an 85 year old husband, climbing into the gurney to lay down with his wife for the last time. "I know we had 65 years together Mary, but please, I just want one more night with you." These words are something that have stuck with me through the thousands of hours I've worked in the hospital and the tens of thousands of patients that I have helped treat. Every time, without fail, thinking about them makes me cry. Although it can be embarrassing at times, I wouldn't want it any other way! "I know we had 65 years together Mary, but please, I just want one more night with you." These are the words of a man who loved his wife dearly, had spent his whole life with her and now he was laying with her one last time on a gurney in an Emergency Room. More than polar feelings, this showed me the effect
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Perhaps the biggest irony is that one of the most important pieces of becoming a doctor is not something that can be taught, nor can it be found in a book.â&#x20AC;? that my actions can have on another person's life. Medicine has its rules and protocols, but they have to be used very carefully when dealing with the lives of others. More then a science, medicine is an art! As premeds apply to medical school, there are a lot (and I mean A LOT) of students that have > 3.7 GPAs and > 37 MCAT scores. Those that are lucky enough to get accepted will go on to learn and acquire medical knowledge that they can use in patient care and hopefully enrich the lives of those they treat. However, perhaps the biggest irony is that one of the most important pieces of becoming a doctor is not something that can be taught, nor can it be found in a book. It is something that has to be experienced first hand and many times it goes against everything that one is taught in medical school. There isn't much contention that when a patient sits down and talks to their doctor, first and foremost, they want answers. Equally as important, when a patient looks to their doctor for answers, they want to make sure that they have a set of eyes that are looking back at them; not at a clipboard or into their chart, they want someone to look at them. They want a doctor with real emotions. People want to see compassion and feel sincerity; someone who actually cares. Yes, medical knowledge is important, but so is the empathetic way that it is delivered. Going through undergrad studies and even medical school, there is such an intense focus on learning facts, concepts, numbers and correlations, that the humanity and reason for why we are doing this in the first place easily gets lost. We need to remember who we are treating and why we are doing it. The forest getting lost in the trees can be almost as dangerous as having no trees at all. These are real people we are treating, not just numbers and clinical presentations. Dr. G chose to go down a different route that clinical medicine would have suggested. There are entire books, classes and algorithms
40 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
devoted to what should happen when a person's heart stops and when medical staff should cease their resuscitation efforts. He chose to bypass each and every one of them. Instead, his empathy and compassion for the family in their time of great loss and sadness had him choose a different route. Instead, he chose to uphold the family's wishes and allow her to go peacefully. So often, as premeds we get caught up in trying to find an answer that is substantiated by research and facts. Sometimes in medicine it is more important to forgo science and in its place make decisions backed by compassion. The sooner we learn this, the better off our future patients will be. The discretionary aspect of medicine turns the perfect black and white science into shades of grey. Facts, protocols and procedures certainly have their time and place and are a huge part of medicine, but always remember, we didn't choose to go down the path to medical school because we like to follow algorithms; we chose it because we have a passion to help people. ABOUT THE AUTHOR WILL SMITH is the epitome of a non-traditional premed. After graduating from the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Religion, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life. Soon after moving back to his hometown after college, Will got a job as an E.R. Tech and quickly discovered his passion for emergency medicine. Will tried to quench his insatiable search for medical knowledge by submersing himself in the medical community. He joined a volunteer group called Rock Medicine that exposed him to invaluable experiences and showed him the importance of providing non-judgmental healthcare. Currently, with the unconditional support of his amazing wife, Will is working on a postbac program and hopes to apply to med school in the next few years. When Will isn't studying for classes or working in the ER, he and his wife are enjoying time with their daughter Macie, born this past January
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
SWAG
for the ladies
MEDSCHOOL{ INTERVIEW
CLASSIC SHIRT. $22, Old Navy
PROFESSIONAL TROUSER. $30, Macy's
SUIT JACKET $49, TJ Maxx
COMFORTABLE PUMPS. $39, Marshall's
42 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
ADD SOME COLOR. You can wear a scarf to add a bit of color to your suit but remember to remove it when you get to your interview and tuck it away in your bag.
!
Dressing well for your medical school interview is just as important as the interview itself. Here are some tips to help you coordinate a well put-together outfit for your big day. LADIES: Skirt (to the knees) or pant suit is usually the best way to go. Wearing a suit will give you a clean and professional look. Suit Color: Navy Blue, Black, Grey, Beige Blouse should be a solid color, long sleeve (with a collar), and the color should ALWAYS be lighter than your suit color - white, cream, or light blue. Shoes should be close-toed pump with a heel no taller than 1.5 inches. Adding a pearl necklace, earrings, and bracelet is are nice professional accessories that aren’t too flashy, but convey a sense of maturity and say you took time to put together your outfit. Panty hose or knee highs should be nude, off black, or navy and you should always carry an extra pair in your bag just in case you develop a run.
COLORFUL SCARF $11, Old Navy
GENTLEMEN: Single breasted suit is simple and considered to be the staple of any professional motif and should be navy blue, black, or grey. Long sleeve shirt should be a solid color that is either white or light blue. Once you start going with patterns or stripes you risk the chance of wearing something that is not so conservative but you think is okay. So to be on the safe side, stick with solid colors. Tie shouldn’t be too fancy or flashy. Going with a blue silk tie lighter than your suit shade should be a good way to go. Shoes don’t have to be pricey but you should stick with ones that lace up as opposed to ones with buckles or slip on shoes. Lace up shoes look very professional.
MEN looks on next page>>>
LEATHER BELT $9, Old Navy
COSTUME PEARS $19, H&M
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 43
for
n e m e l t n e g e th SUIT JACKET. $79, Burlington Coat Factory
PROFESSIONAL BUTTON UP $25, Macy's
LACE UP SHOES $55, DSW Shoe Warehouse
CLASSIC SUIT PANTS $50, Marshall's
44 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
CALF SOCKS $2.50, Old Navy
HEART CUFF LINKS $19, Amazon.com
BASIC BELT $10, Old Navy SOLID TIE $13, Century 21 Department Store
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 45
2012
PRE-MED
SUMMER PROGRAM LIST
PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Arizona Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Summer Students Program
Phoenix, Arizona
June/July 2012
6-Week
Summer Research Fellowship at the University of Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
May 2012
8 Weeks
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Los Angeles, California
June-August 2012
6 Weeks
Seaver Undergraduate Research in Biology at Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
TBA
TBA
46 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
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 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.
DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
A, pro bono, six-week program designed to motivate and inspire students considering a career in medicine. Students attend didactic (designed or intended to teach) lectures and participate in clinical rotations at both the Arizona Heart Institute and Arizona Heart Hospital. Paid summer research fellowships are available for 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.
$3200 Stipend Living Allowance
The UCLA SMDEP will serve as a model learning community in which students examine health care issues in medically underserved communities. 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.
Meals Stipend Housing
Summer research program geared specifically to undergraduate students who are interested in pursing a career in biological research, science education, environmental science or biotechnology. Over the summer, students will pursue individual research seminars in one of five research areas students may elect to study.
Stipend Room & Board
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Phone(602) 200-0437 Email foundation@azheart.com
MARCH 2012
Phone(501) 526-6503
FEBRUARY 2012
Website brin.uams.edu/students2.asp
Phone(310) 825-9573 Email uclasmdep@mednet.ucla.edu
MARCH 1, 2012
Website www.medsch.ucla.edu/smdep
jay.brewster@pepperdine.edu
FEBRUARY 2012
Website seaver.pepperdine.edu/surb
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 47
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Stanford Summer Research Program (SSRP)
Stanford, California
TBA
8 Weeks
UCLA Pre-Medical Enrichment Program (PREP)
Los Angeles, California
June 20-August 3 2012
7 Weeks
UCLA Re-Application Program (RAP)
Los Angeles, California
June 20-August 3, 2012
11 Months Summer Session 7 Weeks + Academic Session 9 Months
Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
Duarte, California
May-July 2012 or June-August 2012
10 Weeks
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE) Program
Duarte, California
May-August 2012 June-August 2012 June-September 2012
12 Weeks
UCSD Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
San Diego, California
TBA
8 Weeks
48 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Email: ssrpmail@stanford.edu
Program offers undergraduates who want to prepare for and enter Ph.D programs in the sciences an opportunity to work with Stanford's distinguished faculty and work in one of Stanford's state-of-the-art research facilities. Participants will work with a faculty member and a lab mentor to craft a research project. The program culminates with a research symposium, where students present individual talks and posters on their summer projects in front of the faculty, lab mentors, and University administrators.
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website ssrp.stanford.edu
Program designed to provide premedical and predental students from disadvantaged background 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.
Travel allowance for eligible participants
Phone(310) 825-3575
Comprehensive, structured re-application program designed to assist students from disadvantaged background who have been unsuccessful in gaining admission to any U.S. medical school. The program begins with an intensive 8-week summer session, focused upon prerequisite science review and MCAT preparation. An individualized academic-year program that consists of a science curriculum will follow.
Stipend (Depending on availability)
Phone(310) 825-3575
Program gives promising students with an interest in research and health science careers practical experience and helps them develop important skills for their futures. Our instructors are world-renowned 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.
$4000 Stipend
Email: psalv@coh.org
Program is designed to engage the scientific curiosity of promising young high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented populations who are interested in cancer research as a career.
$4800 Stipend
Website www.cityofhope.org/education/s ummer-studentacademy/Pages/CURE-program.aspx
Program for motivated undergraduate students interested in seeking future training in a combined MD/PhD program. Principle focus is an 8-week research project conducted in the laboratory of a faculty member in the biomedical sciences.
$1600/Month Stipend Housing Travel Allowance
Email: (800) 925-8704
MARCH 1, 2012
Website www.medstudent.ucla.edu/prospective/?pgI D=181
MAY 3, 2012 (priority deadline) MAY 10, 2012 (final deadline)
Website www.medstudent.ucla.edu/prospective/?pgI D=183
MARCH 2012
Website www.cityofhope.org/education/summer-studentacademy/Pages/default.aspx
CONTACT PROGRAM
FEBRUARY 2012
Website mstp.ucsd.edu/surf/Pages/default.aspx
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 49
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Graduate Experience for Multicultural Students (GEMS) at the University of Colorado - Denver School of Medicine
Denver, Colorado
June - August 2012
10 Weeks
Summer Student Research Fellowship at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, Connecticut
June-August 2012
10 Weeks
Yale University Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) New Haven, Connecticut
June-July 2012
6 Weeks
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation Internship Program
Ridgefield, Connecticut
TBA
TBA
College Enrichment Program (CEP) at the University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
May - July 2012
6 Weeks
College Summer Fellowship Program at UConn School of Medicine
Farmington, Connecticut
TBA
10 Weeks
50 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
Selected GEMS interns will enroll in a research internship course, Topics in Biomedical Science and Research. The course will be conducted by distinguished research faculty and will consist of lectures, demonstrations, and laboratory research assignments with a mentor.
$3400 stipend Travel Allowance
Program offers a unique clinical research opportunity for college students pursuing careers in medicine. Fellowship is designed exclusively for pre-medical students completing either their junior or senior year in college. It offers the student an introduction to research methodology, patient treatment, and ethical issues in medicine as well as exposure to a broad spectrum of health care providers within a large community teaching hospital.
$1500 Award
Program for highly motivated college students who are considering a career in medicine. The Program exposes students to a problem-based learning model of science education that is similar to that used in medical school
Stipend Food Housing Travel Allowance
APPLICATION DEADLINE
(303) 724-6084 Email: GEMS@ucdenver.edu
MARCH 2012
Website www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/medicalschool/programs/GEMS/Pages/default.aspx
Rportal@harthosp.org
FEBRUARY 2012
Website www.harthosp.org/ResidenciesFellowships/default. aspx
(203) 785-7545 Email: Linda.jackson@yale.edu Website www.smdep.org/progsites/yale.htm
(202) 798-9988
Research & Development: Throughout the summer, interns will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with top researchers in their field. Medical: Interns within the medical department have the opportunity to assist on both early and late phase clinical trails. Whether the project entails enrolling participants into a clinical trail or measuring and analyzing trail results, interns work with leading doctors and researchers to assure that all Boehringer Ingelheim products meet all requirements set forth by the Food and Drug Administration.
MARCH 1, 2012
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website us.boehringer-ingelheim.com/career/internship.html
The program addresses the needs of University of Connecticut freshmen and sophomores. The program is designed to provide sound development of scientific and mathematical skills. The program consists of courses in individual programs of study in: Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Calculus, and Physics. The program will consist of 30 hours per week of formal lecture, laboratory, directed study, and clinical experiences addressing the needs of college freshman or sophomores.
$800 Stipend Room & Board
The program is designed to offer undergraduates who are completing their sophomore, or preferably their junior year of college, and plant to purse a 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.
$2500-$3000 Stipend Housing
(860) 468-3574 Email: leo.lachut@uconn.edu
APRIL 2012
Website medicine.uchc.edu/prospective/hcop/college.html
(860) 679-2487 Email: dieli@uchu.edu
MARCH 15, 2012
Website medicine.uchc.edu/prospective/enrichment/collegefellow/index.html
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 51
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) at Howard University
Washington, DC
June-July 2012
6 Weeks
Georgetown Summer Medical Institute (GSMI)
Washington, DC
June/July 2012
Varies
STEP-UP/BSURE Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland
June - August 2012
8 Weeks
Pre-Medical Summer Enrichment Program (PSEP) at The University of South Florida
Tampa, Florida
TBA
6 Weeks
Minority Students Health Careers Motivation Program
Miami, Florida
June-July 2012
7 Weeks
52 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
The program is designed to provide an educational experience of exceptional quality that will strengthen the overall academic preparation of underrepresented minority, disadvantaged, and low-income students who express interest in admission to medical or dental school.
PROGRAM INFO
Stipend Housing Meals
APPLICATION DEADLINE
(202) 806-0378 Email: hu_smdep@yahoo.com Website www.smdep.org/progsites/howard.htm Email: gsmi@georgetown.edu
The program, combined with the informative and supportive environment at Georgetown University School of Medicine, will provide preparation and insight for individuals exploring the calling of medicine as a career, and those making-up medical school course.
MARCH 1, 2012
:
JUNE 2012
Website som.georgetown.edu/prospe ctivestudents/specialprograms/summer
Tuition: $3,862 (5 Credits) for Human Gross Anatomy and Human Physiology; $3,090 (4 Credits) for Medical Histology (Microscopic Anatomy) and Medical Biochemistry. Tuition includes the use of course textbooks and lab fees (for Anatomy). Summer research program for talented students who are dedicated to the advancement of underrepresented groups in the sciences and mathematics. Students selected for this internship will experience state-of-the-art scientific research and are encouraged to consider and pursue biomedical research careers in areas of specific interest to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
$4,000 Stipend Travel Allowance
The program is designed for highly motivated students who are preparing for medical school or physical therapy school. The program is designed to enhance the competitiveness of talented minority and disadvantaged students for admission into medical school and serves as a recruitment tool to USF COM Medicine. The program includes a review of concepts in biology, general and organic chemistry, and physics. Participants will work closely with faculty in areas of reading skills, test taking skills, etc. Participants are also pared with physicians in the local community to have an opportunity to develop an appreciation of the "real world of medicine" through weekly clinical experiences.
$1500 Grant
The program is designed to be a mini first-year medical education experience that exposes participants to classroom instruction in select basic science courses in the medical education curriculum and offers physician-shadowing opportunities. Great attention is placed 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.
$400 Stipend Housing Meals Travel Allowance
(410) 455-2271 Email: sutphin@umbc.edu
FEBRUARY 2012 OR UNTIL THE PROGRAM IS FILLED
Website www.umbc.edu/bsure
(813) 974-4707 Email:pamattoe@health.usf.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website health.usf.edu/medicine/osde/p sep.htm
(305) 284-3187
LATE MARCH 2012
Website www6.miami.edu/provost/oae/ motivationprogram.html
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 53
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Health P.A.S.S. Program
Des Moines, Iowa
July 2012
4 Weeks
Professional Education Preparation Program (PEPP) at The University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
TBA
TBA
MCAT-DAT Review Summer Workshop at the University of Louisville School of Medicine
Louisville, Kentucky
July-August 2012
4 Weeks
Buck for Brains Summer Research Program at the University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Varies
8 Weeks
Frontier Nursing Service Courier Program
Wendover, Kentucky
TBA
Up to 12 weeks
Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Bethesda, Maryland Baltimore, Maryland Frederick, Maryland
mid-May-June 2012
8 Weeks
Summer Internship Program at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
June-August 2012
9-10 Weeks
54 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
The program is for promising college sophomores and juniors to prepare for and enhance their chances of getting into medical school and other health professions programs. Health P.A.S.S. will provide participants with wellrounded perspectives on what it's like to be a medical school student in osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine and surgery, physical therapy, and physician assistant studies. In the program's courses, clinical opportunities and practical exposure, students will gain the confidence that they can achieve a degree and career in any of Des Moines University's four clinical areasand the knowledge they need to get started.
Travel stipend Meals Materials Housing
The program provides academic enrichment in chemistry and biology, as well as clinical experiences, medical and dental experiential activities, laboratory experiences, seminars, demonstrations, and clinical site visits.
Housing Meals
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE FEBRUARY 2012
(800) 240-2767 x 1709 Website www.dmu.edu/healthpass
(859) 257-1968; Email: ctsnyd0@email.uky.edu Website www.uky.edu/pimser/programs/peppbrochure.pdf
Free MCAT-DAT review workshop for eligible students
(502) 852-8109; Email klfarm02@louisville.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
(859) 257-6322 Email bguer00@email.uky.edu
APRIL 15, 2012
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.
$3500 Stipend
The program provides a type of internship for young women and men who had a desire to go into the medical field. For young women and men who are interested in the healthcare field, the Courier Program provides limited opportunities to shadow healthcare professionals including: family nurse practitioners, physicians, nurse-midwives at FNS rural healthcare centers, at Mary Breckinridge Hospital and Home Health Agency.
$42/week for room and board and for the complete 12 weeks $500.
(606) 672-2317 Email information@frontiernursing.org
The program is designed to provide an independent 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.
Stipend
cohend@mail.nih.gov
The program provides experience in research laboratories to students of diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented minority students and students from economically disadvantaged and underserved backgrounds. The purpose of this exposure to biomedical and/or public health research is to encourage students to consider careers in science, medicine and public health.
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.research.uky.edu/students/rctf.html
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.frontiernursing.org/Courier/TodayCourier.shtm
MARCH 1, 2012 (more info avail mid Nov 2012)
Website www.jhsph.edu/student_affairs/diversity /DSIPFactSheet.pdf
$3,000 Stipend Housing
Email cwill@jhmi.edu
FEBRUARY 1, 2012
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 55
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
College Summer Enrichment Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School
Worcester, Massachusetts
May 27-June 22, 2012
4 Weeks
Four Directions Summer Research Program at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
June 11-August 2, 2012
8 Weeks
Siteman Cancer Center Summer Opportunity Program
St. Louis, Missouri
June - August 2012
10 Weeks
Biomedical Research Apprenticeship Program (BioMed RAP) at Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
TBA
10 Weeks
56 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2012
(508) 856-2707
A tuition-free four-week residential program for undergraduate sophomores and juniors interested in entering the health professions. The goals of the program are to help participants improve their qualifications and competitive standing for admission to professional, graduate and/or medical school. The program includes enrichment activities to enhance participants' academic and communication skills. Sessions include the professional school application process with emphasis on medical school admissions and financing professional school. Seminars on biomedical research and cultural contemporary health issues are also provided. Additionally, the SEP offers participants the opportunity to interact with medical students, scientists, physicians, and other health care professionals
Stipend Housing Travel Allowance
The focus of activity during the summer is participation in a basic science research project. Students are assigned a medical school faculty mentor who will work closely with the student to ensure completion of a project over the 8-week summer period. Additional program goals include: Experience cutting edge research at a leading medical school, understand the medical school application process, exposure to Native American health care issues, integrate Native traditions including talking circles, networking with Native American students and faculty
Travel Allowance Housing Living stipend for food and other necessities
(617) 525-7644 FourDirections@partners.org
Program provides opportunities for undergraduate, 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.
$3500 Stipend
(314) 454-8439 Email waldhofft@siteman.wustl.edu
As a BioMedRAP/CD-BioRAP participant, students will conduct independent research with outstanding faculty mentors, work in a cutting edge science and technology environment, gain exposure to some of the nation's finest biomedical investigators and an extensive variety of research topics, receive individualized career counseling and develop your career interests, participate in workshops, seminars and journal clubs, build a social network with student peers and faculty, and prepare to apply to the best Ph.D. and M.D. /Ph.D. programs in the United States
Stipend Travel Allowance Housing
Website www.umassmed.edu/outreach/sep.aspx
FEBRUARY 8, 2012 @ 11PM
Website www.fdsrp.org
MARCH 1, 2012
Website www.siteman.wustl.edu/internal.aspx?id=254
(314) 362-7963 Biomedrap@msnotes.wustl.edu
JANUARY 31, 2012
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 57
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Premedical Achievement Program (PMAP) at Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
June - July 2012
6 Weeks
Summer MCAT Review Program at Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
May 21 -25 2012
1 Week
University of Nebraska Medical Center Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Omaha, Nebraska
June - July 2012
8 Weeks
Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program at the Eppley Cancer Research Institute
Newark, New Jersey
TBA
10 Weeks
58 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
The program is an intensive MCAT and medical school admissions preparation program is open to disadvantaged students who will be applying to medical school.
PROGRAM INFO
Stipend may be available for eligible students
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Email: MDadmissions@msu.edu (517) 432-6589 Website www.mdadmissions.msu.edu
(517) 355-2363
The program is designed to help students prepare for the MCAT by building upon their undergraduate learning by helping them to synthesize a stronger overall command of related scientific and biological principles. The program will help students solidify the knowledge and skills students they have already developed in their undergraduate work and show them how to tap the critical thinking skills necessary for success in the MCAT. Instructors explain concept overviews, then provide guided practice through problem sets, followed by close analysis with an eye to understanding MCAT philosophies and mechanics, and while instructors are available outside of class time for consultation, this approach may not be suited to every student's learning style.
MARCH 2012
MAY 1, 2012
Website lrc.msu.edu/gre/CLIMB.php
Tuition: $800 (includes all materials, pre- and post-testing and follow-up advising). The program is designed to identify, recruit, and assist future dentists and doctors through a comprehensive six-week summer experience for talented freshman and sophomores. The overall 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. Various clinical shadowing experiences will help students build a strong foundation in their chosen discipline as well as potentially spark new passions in the medical and dentistry field.
Meals Travel Assistance Stipend Housing
(800) 701-9665 Email smdep@unmc.edu
Students in the summer program work for 10 weeks doing hands-on cancer research in Eppley Institute laboratories. Students get to try research, learn techniques and new concepts, and work with professional researchers, all while earning a competitive summer salary. Virtually all of our former summer students have been successful in gaining acceptance to graduate and professional schools. Students gain hands-on laboratory experience in cancer research labs, daily interactions with research faculty, staff, and students, weekly seminar program, and present your own research at a poster session.
$4000 Stipend Housing
crgp_info@eppleyits.comundefined
MARCH 1, 2012
Website www.smdep.org/progsites/nebraska.htm
MARCH 1, 2012
Website http://www.unmc.edu/eppley/summer.htm
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 59
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical and New Jersey Dental Schools Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Newark, New Jersey
June-July 2012
6 Weeks
Biomedical Careers Program (BCP) at Robert Wood Medical School
Piscataway, New Jersey
June - July 2012
6 Weeks
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
New York, New York
June-July 2012
6 Weeks
Gateways to the Laboratory Summer Program at Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering
New York, New York
June - August 2012
10 Weeks
60 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2012
Program serves to advance our institution's core mission of meeting society's current and future health care needs by preparing individuals underrepresented 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 and dentistry.
Stipend Housing Meals
(973) 972-3762 anthondd@umdnj.edu
Academic enrichment program for undergraduate 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 healthcare-oriented activities.
Tuition Free
(732) 235-4558 summerprogram@umdnj.edu
The program provides students seriously interested in applying to medical or dental school with a well-defined, integrated approach to learning, focusing on the basic science curriculum needed to apply to 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.
Meals Travel Assistance Stipend Housing
(212) 305-4157 Email smdep-ps@columbia.edu
The program was established for underrepresented minority and disadvantaged college students who wish to pursue the combined MDPhD degree. Over the summer, students will: Work independently on a research project. Students will present and participate in weekly journal clubs. Participate in a hands-on tour of the Gross Anatomy Lab. Sit for a Mock MCAT exam. Partake in a Lab Techniques Workshop and Clinical Skills Workshop. Participate in Career Development Workshops. Scrub into surgeries at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Give an oral, written and poster presentation of your research in front of your family, friends and colleagues. Have on going mentorship by your "Big Sib" (a current MD-PhD student) as well as weekly meetings with the Program's leadership.
$4300 Stipend Travel expenses
(212) 746-6023 Email mdphd@med.cornell.edu
Website www.smdep.org/progsites/newjersey.htm
MARCH 2012
Website rwjms.umdnj.edu/osap/bcp.html
MARCH 1, 2012
Website www.smdep.org/progsites/columbia.htm
FEBRUARY 1, 2012
www.med.cornell.edu/mdphd/summerprogram
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 61
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Undergraduate Mentorship Program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Bronx, New York
June-July 2012
6 weeks
Montefiore Medical Center's Health Opportunities Program (Monte-HOP)
Bronx, New York
July - August 2012
6 Weeks
Project Asian Health Education and Development (AHEAD)
New York, New York
June - August 2012
8 Weeks
The Travelers Summer Research Fellowship Program for Premedical Students at Weill Cornell Medical College
New York, New York
June - August 2012
8 Weeks
Project Healthcare at NYU Langone Medical Center
New York, New York
June - August 2012
10 Weeks
62 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
The program will be comprised of a six-hour per week commitment to a shadowing experience with an assigned mentor and fourteen hours per 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.
PROGRAM INFO
$1000 Stipend Transportation Meals
MARCH 2012
(718) 430-2792 hcoe@einstein.yu.edu Website www.einstein.yu.edu/hcoe
(718) 920-4678 cwhittak@montefiore.org
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.
APRIL 2012
Website www.einstein.yu.edu/hcoe
The program is designed to provide training and experience for college students who are interested in pursuing a career in the health care field. The program consists of a practical field placement, seminars and workshops, and participation in the development and completion of a community health project. Students explore various health careers, and gain an understanding of the dynamics of the New York Asian American community and of current health issues impacting the health status of Asian Americans in the United States.
Meals Travel Assistance Stipend Housing
The program is designed to give 25 premedical students deeper insights into the field of medicine, including issues that greatly affect the health of traditionally underserved groups. Through the experiences of laboratory or clinical research, the students learn how one purses a specific research problem under the supervision of a faculty member, thus providing an early education into basic research techniques that could be applicable to any area of medicine.
$140/Week Stipend Housing Travel expenses are paid for students that live some distance from Ne w York
Project Healthcare is an innovative volunteer program for enthusiastic and inspired college and post-baccalaureate students. Created by the Bellevue Hospital Center Emergency Department, PHC allows students an opportunity to experience and observe many different aspects of healthcare. The program is comprised of several weekly rotations which are based in the Emergency Department. It offers the committed student a unique healthcare experience, which is intended to furnish a wealth of knowledge about the numerous options for a career in healthcare.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
FEBRUARY 2012
(212) 379-6988 ext. 619
Website www.cbwchc.org/job/ahead/ahead.html
(212) 746-1057
FEBRUARY 1 2012
Website www.med.cornell.edu/education/programs
(212) 562-3041 Email bellevuepavers@nyumc.org
JANUARY 2012
Website emergency.med.nyu.edu/electives/college-students
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 63
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Scientific Work Program (SSWP) at Franklin Hospital
Valley Stream, New York
TBA
4 weeks
ACCESS Summer Research Program at Cornell University
New York, New York
TBA
10 weeks
AGEP Summer Research Institute (SRI) at SUNY Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York
TBA
10 Weeks
Bronx-Westchester Area Health Education Center
Bronx, New York
May/July 2012
Varies
64 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
The program is an intensive residential research internship program for underrepresented minority undergraduates majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Students will get a unique opportunity to work on independent research projects in cuttingedge laboratories under the direction of Stony Brook University faculty. Health Careers Internship Program (HCIP): This program allows students aspiring toward a career in the health professions the opportunity to work in a health care setting and interact regularly with health professionals. Students must be Junior or Senior in college. Summer Health Internship Program (SHIP): The program provides a six-week summer placement opportunity for junior/senior high school, and freshman/sophomore college students who have expressed an interest in the health field. Students are exposed to a variety of careers in the health fields as well as to health issues affecting their communities.
APPLICATION DEADLINE FEBRUARY 15, 2012
MFalzone@nshs.edu
The program is designed to help college students decide whether or not a career in medicine is right for them. This renowned program offers students the opportunity to complete a four-week summer internship where they have the chance to observe and ask questions in order to learn more about the medical field. Throughout these four weeks, accepted students rotate through various departments in order to gain a well rounded experience of the hospital. Some of these departments include the operating room, emergency room, radiology, geriatrics, laboratory, psychiatry as well as the rehabilitation unit. Participants also have numerous opportunities to go on rounds with doctors, observe physicians in their private offices and attend hospital conferences. The Access program of Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences is a summer internship program that trains underserved college students in the biomedical sciences. Interns gain hands-on experience in a biomedical research laboratory and are encouraged to apply to PhD programs. Selected students are placed in laboratories at the Weill Cornell Medical College under the mentorship of experienced faculty members. n addition to the laboratory experience, students attend lectures and discussions aimed at enhancing their understanding of the current status of biomedical research, the pathways available for entering research careers, and the range of available career opportunities. Students also participate in weekly journal clubs, attend workshops that teach them how to prepare for interviews and seminars, and take part in social activities.
PROGRAM INFO
Website http://www.northshorelij.com/NSLIJ/ Pre-Med+Internship+Program
$3000 Stipend Up to $300 for travel expenses Housing
(212) 746-6565 ffreyre@med.cornell.edu
FEBRUARY 1, 2012
Website weill.cornell.edu/gradschool/summer/index.html
$3500 Stipend (631) 632-1387 Round-trip airfare sunyagep@notes.cc.sunysb.edu Housing Website Meals
FEBRUARY 2012
www.stonybrook.edu/agep/undergrad.shtml#sri
(718) 590-1110
VARIES
Website www.bwahec.org/programs
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 65
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
MD/PhD Summer Undergraduate Research Program at University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska
TBA
10 Weeks
Summer Program for Future Doctors at East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina
TBA
8 Weeks
Science Enrichment Preparation (SEP) Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
TBA
8 Weeks
Indians into Medicine Program at the University of North Dakota
66 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
Grand Forks, North Dakota
TBA
6 Weeks
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
The program is designed to provide appropriate experience and training to enable students to become competitive for admission to the school's MD/PhD Scholars Program. Benefits of the program include, gaining research training and experience that will make them more competitive for medical school, graduate school, other summer research programs, and MD/PhD program, exploring personal motivation for a career in medicine and biomedical research, meeting the UNMC faculty, participating in a student poster session.
$3000 Stipend
The program is an intensive, challenging, educational summer program that allows participants to experience the pedagogical style and demands of the medical school curriculum. The Summer Program for Future Doctors is a great opportunity for participants to strengthen their basic science knowledge base, enhance their critical thinking skills, gain a better understanding of the application and admissions process, and exhibit their abilities to successfully handle the academic, social, and emotional demands of medical school.
Housing and Travel Stipend
APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2012
(402) 559-8242 sacox@unmc.edu Website www.unmc.edu/com/summer/9.htm
(252) 744-2500 ascc@mail.ecu.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ascc/SPFD.cfm
(919) 966-2264
The SEP Program is an honors-level academic enrichment program for disadvantaged undergraduate students (rising sophomores and juniors) who seek admissions into graduate/health professional programs. Students will engage in more than 150 hours of classroom instruction in physics, organic chemistry, human physiology and quantitative skills/biostatistics, attend classes and seminars in reading speed and comprehension, test-taking strategies, essay writing, and interview techniques, visit local health facilities and network with health care professionals, and shadow a working professional in your health field of interest. 2 programs. Pathway at UND: This program is for tribal community college students planning to transfer to UND in health care or pre-health curricula. Pathway courses are taught by University instructors, and are designed to prepare participants for advanced courses in the areas of anatomy, physiology, biology and physics. Pathway also includes a learning skills component to promote successful learning styles and study habits. Pathway students are eligible to apply for one-year tuition waivers at UND. Med Prep at UND: This program is for American Indian college upperclassmen and graduates who are preparing for medical school coursework. The program is divided into two major components: pre-medical students preparing to take or retake the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and students entering medical school.
PROGRAM INFO
FEBRUARY 15, 2012
Website nchcap.unc.edu/sep.php
Stipend Travel Stipend
(701) 777-3037
MARCH 31, 2012
Website www.med.und.edu/inmed/summerprograms.html
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 67
2011 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Cleveland, Ohio
June - July 2012
6 Weeks
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine Summer Scholars Program
Athens, Ohio
June 11 to July 17, 2012
6 Weeks
MedStarz Program at the University of Toledo College of Medicine
Toldeo, OH
July 2012
1 Week
Research, Observation, Service, and Education (R.O.S.E) Program at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Cincinnati, Ohio
Mid June - Early August 2012 8-10 Weeks
Chester Summer Scholars Program
Cleveland, Ohio
June - August 2012
Pre-Professional Internship Program at Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine
68 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
Cincinnati, Ohio
January 3-6, 2012 January 10-13, 2012 June 5-8, 2012 June 12-15, 2012 July 10-13, 2012 July 17-20, 2012
10 Weeks
1- 2 Weeks
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2012
The program is designed to identify, recruit, and assist in preparing as many highly talented, committed, and hard-working minority and economically disadvantaged students as possible for careers in dentistry and medicine. We hope to imbue our students with the confidence and skills necessary to allow them to return to school better prepared to perform well in more rigorous basic science and math classes.
Meals Travel Assistance Stipend Housing
(216) 368-0529 smdep@case.edu
Summer Scholars participants prepare for the challenges and rewards of medical school. Twenty-five applicants are selected each year to participate in this rigorous six-week program designed to give you an intensive and realistic introduction to the first-year curriculum at OU-COM. In addition to traditional medical school curricula taught by medical college faculty, graduate students and upperclass medical students, the program focuses on case-based problem solving and smallgroup/team work.
Room and board Stipend Program materials Round-trip travel expenses
(800) 345-1560 schriner@ohio.edu
The program provides students exposure to medicine and will include experiences that encompass sessions on navigating the medical school application process, introduction to the Problem Based Learning (PBL) model in small group sessions, hands on experience in the gross anatomy lab, clinical lectures on medical topics, diversity and cultural competency exercises, and contact with physicians in the clinical setting.
Housing Travel allowance
(419) 383-4229 medadmissions@utnet.utoledo.edu
The R.O.S.E. program is part internship, part early acceptance to medical school, and part mentorship program. The purpose of the program is to provide stimulating experiences and contact with academic medical faculty for high ability, intellectually curious pre-medical college students.
ROSE students have conditional acceptance to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; $3000 Stipend
(513) 558-5581 ROSEProgram@uc.edu
The program awards 15 collegiate undergraduate students the opportunity to spend the summer in clinical laboratory research at MetroHealth Medical Center. The program is an opportunity for pre-medical and scientifically-oriented students to explore the potential for a career in medical research or academic medicine.
$2000 Stipend Free Parking Supplies and equipment are provided
(216) 778-5940 jmoore@metrohealth.org
The Pre-Professional Internship Program at the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine (OCPM) is designed to provide insight into the many facets of podiatric medicine and the education involved with obtaining the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Degree.
Website www.smdep.org/progsites/casewestern.htm
MARCH 1, 2012
Website www.oucom.ohiou.edu/summerscholars
MARCH 1, 2012
Website www.utoledo.edu/med/md/admissions/medstarz.html
FEBRUARY 1, 2012
Website www.med.uc.edu/rose/index.html
FEBRUARY 2012
Website www.metrohealth.org/body.cfm?id=289
(216) 916-7488 lfranck@ocpm.edu
DEC 13, 2011 FOR JAN PROGRAM MAY 15, 2012 FOR JUN PROGRAM JUNE 19, 2012 FOR JUL PROGAM
Website www.ocpm.edu/?page=admission-internships
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 69
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Premedical Enrichment Program (SPEP) at the University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
June - July 2012
6 Weeks
Summer Premedical Academic Enrichment Program (SPAEP) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
June - July 2012
8 Weeks
Pre-med Enrichment Program at the University of Pennsylvania Health System
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May - August 2012
10 Weeks
Pre-Med Program at St. Mary Healthcare Center
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Begins May 2012
TBA
Summer Pre-Med Program at Doylestown Hospital
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Late-May - August 2012
10 Weeks
70 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2012
(513) 558-7212 lathel.bryant@uc.edu
Residential program for 18 college juniors, seniors, and postbaccalaureate premedical students. Students receive intensive exposure to medicine as a career through t ours, speakers, seminars, and shadowing. Students are exposed to the medical school experience and the academic curriculum through a noncredit course in cardiophysiology, extensive interaction with medical students and faculty, and detailed guidance through the medical school application process. Emphasis is on strengthening critical thinking/problem solving skills, increasing selfawareness, and making each participant a competitive medical school applicant.
Website comdo-wcnlb.uc.edu
This program, open to high school graduates and college students, is designed specifically to prepare and support students who wish to pursue careers in the field of medicine. Spend seven weeks in Level I, strengthening your academic skills and learning more about careers in medicine. Or, spend eight weeks immersed and engaged in the work of physician-scientists including laboratory research and MCAT preparation through Level II. Both programs will enhance your skills and knowledge in science, writing and public speaking. You'll discover a challenging and stimulating program in the environment of a major academic medical center.
$1000 Stipend Transportation Housing Meals
(412) 648-8987
The aim of this program is to prepare minority students for careers in academic medicine or other positions of leadership in medicine. Students will be engaged in a program of research, clinical observations, classroom exercises and teaching observations, designed to stimulate their interest in academic medicine. In addition, the students will be engaged in the following: activities pertaining to the medical school application process and medical school admissions; classroom instructions and simulated testing to prepare the students for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).
$2500 Stipend
(215) 898-3980 jcraig@mail.med.upenn.edu
This program is for students who have complete their second year of college with a GPA of at least 3.2 in a course of study that qualifies them for medical school entrance.
The program is designed for college students who have complete their junior year and are pursing academic programs leading to medical school. Doylestown Hospital physicians assist with the program, which includes lectures and "hands-on" volunteer work on patient floors and in many departments.
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.medschool.pitt.edu/future/future_03_spaep.asp
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.uphs.upenn.edu/coeomh/premed.html
Conditional acceptance to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; $3000 Stipend
(215) 710-2096 lschonewolf@stmaryhealthcare.org
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.stmaryhealthcare.org/body.cfm?id=132
(215) 354-2204
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.dh.org/body.cfm?id=616
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 71
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Mini-Med Spring Break at Drexel University College of Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
March/April 2012
Choose from 7 1-week sessions
Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy (VSSA)
Nashville, Tennessee
June - August 2012
TBA
Oncology Education (POE) Program
Memphis, Tennessee
Mid-June - August 2012
Varies
Dialysis Clinic, Inc. Collegiate Medical Summer Internship Program
Nashville, Tennessee
June 1 - July 30, 2012
8 Weeks
72 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
(215) 762-6800 minimed@drexelmed.edu
Participants will experience a medical education as seen through the eyes of 3rd and 4th year medical students during their clinical rotations in the hospital and clinical practices. The experience can enlighten participants about a career in medicine, whether they're about to enter medical school or are just beginning the application process. Participants will accompany the teaching team and 3rd and 4th year medical students on hospital rounds and be part of discussions between physician, patient, and medical students. Throughout the five-day program, participants will also see patients in clinical practice, attend department lectures, or go into the operating room. Participants will have the opportunity to talk with 3rd and 4th year medical students about their experiences preparing for medical school, what their first two years were like and what it's like now that they're out of the classroom and in the hospital.
MARCH 2012
Website www.drexelmed.edu/Home/OtherPrograms/ MiniMedSchool
Tuition: $1500 The program offers biomedical research opportunities to undergraduates who want to pursue a career in biomedical sciences. There are two major tracks within the VSSA; the Basic Science Programs for undergraduates interested in careers in research, and the Undergraduate Clinical Research Internship Program for undergraduates who wish to pursue a career in medicine. Participation in any one of the Summer Science Academy programs is a valuable learning experience that enhances a student's skills and makes him or her more competitive for acceptance to frontline graduate programs.
$2500-$4000 Stipend
The POE program offers a unique opportunity for students preparing for careers in the biomedical sciences, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychology, or public health to gain biomedical and oncology research experience. The POE program provides a short-term training experience (internship) in either laboratory research or clinical research. Students participating in the Pediatric Oncology Education program will receive training in a superb academic environment created by the interaction of committed basic scientists, research-oriented physicians, and postdoctoral fellows.
$4000 Stipend Housing
This program is a summer internship for premedical students in the clinical area of organ transplantation. The internship includes shadowing physicians on rounds in the hospital, observing and assisting in an outpatient/clinic facility, and observing transplant and transplant-related surgical operations.
(615) 343-2573 michelle.grundy@vanderbilt.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website medschool.mc.vanderbilt.edu/ssa/
(901) 595-2488 Suzanne.gronemeyer@stjude.org
FEBRUARY 1, 2012
Website www.stjude.org/poe
(615) 327-8814
FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Website http://www.dciinc.org/summer_internship.php
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 73
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Michael E. DeBakey Summer Surgery Program at Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas
Mid-June- August 2012
8 Weeks
The University of Texas Dental Branch and Medical School at Houston Houston, Texas Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
May-June 2012
6 Weeks
Health Career Opportunities Program (HCOP) at The University of Houston College of Optometry
Houston, Texas
TBA
6 Weeks
Physiology Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE)
San Antonio, Texas
June - July 2012
8 Weeks
Scholars Program in Organic Chemistry at University of Texas - Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas
TBA
10 Weeks
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PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
studentprograms@bcm.tmc.edu
The Michael E. DeBakey Summer Surgery Program offers the pre-medical student a glimpse of a career in surgery long before they will ever pick up a scalpel for the first time. During the eight weeks, students become familiar with the hospital environment, the operating room, and the lifestyle of a surgeon. They are expected to become an integral part of their surgical teams by participating in rounds, surgery, and conferences.
JANUARY 17, 2012
Website http://www.debakeydepartmentofsurgery.org/ home/content.cfm?menu_id=17
The program seeks motivated students from a variety of backgrounds including those who are underrepresented or underserved that are interested in pursuing a career in dentistry and medicine, including those who have an interest in serving the underserved. The mission of SMDEP is to assist students in enhancing their knowledge, skills, and attitudes to make them more competitive and to improve their chances of becoming successful applicants to a medical or dental school of their choice. SMDEP scholars will experience academic enrichment in five core areas: microbiology, anatomy and physiology, pre-calculus/calculus, physics, and organic chemistry. Students will have clinical experiences in such areas as emergency medicine, family practice, internal medicine, restorative dentistry, and oral surgery.
Meals Travel Assistance Stipend Housing
(713) 500-4532 Rebecca.L.Lopez@uth.tmc.edu
The program involves specific activities designed to enhance qualifications for entry to the professional program including preparation for the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), counseling regarding the admission and application process, academic counseling, time management training, and test-taking/skills.
Financial aid assistance information is given to all students
(713) 743-2047 rboykins@optometry.uh.edu
This research program designed for highly motivated college undergraduate students with a genuine interest in experimental research careers in biomedical science. Undergraduates will have the opportunity to receive hands-on experience in on-going research projects under the direction of a faculty member as well as work with postdoctoral fellows and graduate students.
$3000 Stipend
The goals of the program are to improve college students' performance in organic chemistry and to provide these students with exposure to clinical medicine. The SPOC program will be conducted on the UT Southwestern campus in Dallas and has two components: 1) a 10 week course in Organic Chemistry and 2) clinical preceptorships with practicing physicians at UT Southwestern or in one of our affiliated clinical sites.
$1000 Stipend
MARCH 1, 2012
Website www.smdep.org/progsites/houston.htm
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.opt.uh.edu/students/undergrad
(210) 567-4324 physiologygrad@uthscsa.edu
MARCH 11, 2012
Website http://physiology.uthscsa.edu/new/teaching/ undergrad_sum_program.asp
(214) 648-7517 SPOCPrograms@UTSiuthwestern.edu
TBA
Website www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 75
2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Virginia-Nebraska Alliance Summer MCAT Preparatory Program
Richmond, Virginia
TBA
5 Weeks
Integrated Biological Sciences Summer Research Program (IBS-SRP)
Madison, Wisconsin
June - August 2012
10 Weeks
Study and Treatment of Human Disease in Mwandi, Zambia
Mwandi, Zambia
Early July - August 2012
4 Weeks
UC Irvine Summer Premed Program
76 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
Irvine, California
June - July, 2012
2 Week Sessions
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
The program offers a summer MCAT Preparatory Program to students enrolled in Virginia's historically black colleges and universities and other Alliance schools. The program provides students the opportunity to advance their skills through an intensive course.
$1500 Stipend Housing Meals
APPLICATION DEADLINE
(804) 287-6484 jvaugha2@richmond.edu
APRIL 2012
Website http://prehealth.richmond.edu/ mcat-preparation/virginia-nebraska-alliance.html
(608) 262-5267 beasen@wisc.edu
In the program students do independent research projects with faculty mentors for ten weeks in one of seven research areas: Bioenergy Cellular and Molecular Biology Computational Biology & Biostatistics Environmental Biology Neurobiology Plant Development, Breeding and Genetics Virology. These seven disciplinary clusters are intellectually woven together at weekly meetings in an interdisciplinary learning community through evolutionary theory and the research process. In addition to meeting with the interdisciplinary group, students prepare research proposals, final papers, and oral presentations summarizing their work. The summer program in Mwandi, Zambia offers students an opportunity to work or various research & service projects at the United Church of Zambia's mission hospital, primary school or preschool. UCZ's mission hospital compound is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).Immediately following the spring semester, students will travel to Mwandi to conclude their course work which will consist of an independent project and a medical experience at the UCZ hospital compound. Students will spend approximately 3 weeks on-site in Mwandi and will write a final research paper based on their independent project.
PROGRAM INFO
FEBRUARY 2012
Website cbe.wisc.edu/srp-bio/
Housing
CONTACT PROGRAM
vecase@davidson.edu Website www.bio.davidson.edu/people/vecase/mwandi/index.html
ELIGIBILITY: Students in good standing Davidson students enrolled in a pre-med spring course This program is for high school students who are not in college yet. UC Irvine's Summer Premed Program is dedicated to fostering in high school students an interest in pursuing careers in medicine. It also seeks to empower medical students and pre-professional students who are accepted as program coaches to become lifelong teachers and leaders.The twoweek courses combine lectures given by UC Irvine School of Medicine faculty members and hands-on workshops to provide students with a first-rate exposure to the medical field. Students also are exposed to the practice of medicine and patient care at UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange County's only university hospital.
summerpremed@uci.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website http://www.som.uci.edu/summerpremed/
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 77
THEGOODS
>>>Our pick of items that will add some flair to your premedlife and perhaps make you smile
Half Full Optimist's Glass For the student who could always use some positive reassurance, get a daily dose of optimism with a glass that will always be half full.
PI
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ITO
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Crocheted Headphones Your headphones don’t have to look so plain anymore thanks to these adjustable ones which are outfitted in a yarn cover handmade by artist Traci Medeiros-Began. The “gear muffs” have a 44-inch long cord and come in turquoise, pear, and mustard.
` 78 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
Maze Pen While many in the corporate world may use this Maze Pen to entertain themselves during a boring office meeting, you’ll be using it as a quick brain game to keep those mental gears turning. See how fast you can move the balls from the top of the pen through the maze to the bottom and back again.
Doodle Table Cloth Instead of using this for your table, use this need cover for your desk and when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working on problems, feel free to draw on it. The Doodle Tablecloth is pre-shrunk 100% cotton and is printed to look like a giant piece of graph paper, complete with printed lines, holes, and red margins. It comes with eight wash-out fabric markers.No matter what gets doodled on the tablecloth, it all washes out in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
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The Daily Mood Flip Chart This amusing flip-chart lets everyone know just what your mood is on a certain day. There are 47 moods to choose from and each includes its own smiley, sarcastic definition, fascinating facts and even sample sentences.
a a
The Hungry Scientist Handbook When you mix DIY projects with food, it's both fun and tasty. The Hungry Scientist Handbook is filled with 20 projects created by a mix of programmers, geeks, and professors, including edible origami, glowing lollipops, a pumpkin pinhole camera, integrated circuit trivets, and more. It may help you look at your chemistry lecture in a whole new way.
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 79
PreMedLife Magazine don’t worry IT’S FREE... (we know you’re probably broke)
Subscribe Today For more information about PreMedLife Magazine, visit us online at www.premedlife.com
twitter.com/premedlife 80 | PreMedLife Magazine | September/October 2011
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IN THE STACKS
Books we thought that aspiring doctors might be interested in reading<<<
BETWEEN EXPECTATIONS: LESSONS FROM A PEDIATRIC RESIDENCY by Meghan Weir In a personal chronicle of her residency at Boston's Children Hospital and Boston Medical Center, Dr. Meghan Weir shares lessons she learned and recounts what life was like for her during these days. Her story reveals the countless challenges and obstacles, as well as the rewards, that come with practicing medicine. Dr. Weir also talks about the many patients she encounters, from children in an oncology ward to treating premature babies with heart defects. This is a good read for any student considering a career in pediatric medicine. THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot In this captivating real-life medical mystery, science journalist Rebecca Skloot tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a 31year-old who died of cervical cancer in 1951. The problem comes in when without her knowledge, the doctors who were treating her took tissue samples from her cervix to use for research. From these tissue samples, these researchers ultimately "spawned the first viable, indeed miraculously productive, cell line that has been the cornerstone of significant medical discoveries from AIDS treatments to the polio vaccine. In a story that could be a model case for an ethics discussion (in a medical school interview perhaps), Skloot writes about ethics, science, and the pursuit of scientific research. INTERPRETING THE MEDICAL LITERATURE by Stephen Gehlbach From the moment you decide that you want to attend medical school it is important to begin to read medical literature. Becoming an avid reader of medical literature will not only benefit those who are preparing to take the MCAT, but will also carry over into a future in medicine, making the task of reading this type of literature less daunting and more digestible. Stephen Gehlbach's guide is designed to help the reader gain the tools needed to effectively interpret the complex language of research studies, a skill required to perform well on the MCAT's verbal section. If you're part of a journal club at your school, this is a book that should definitely be on the list of books to cover. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s especially good for those who may need to learn how to critically evaluate studies for the purposes of preparing for the MCAT or simply becoming better versed and familiar with medical literature in general. BECOMING DR. Q: MY JOURNEY FROM MIGRANT FARM WORKER TO BRAIN SURGEON by Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, Mim Eichler Rivas An internationally renowned neurosurgeon and neuroscientist, Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, also known as Dr. Q, shares with readers how he made it to Harvard Medical School from a small village in Mexico. Without reading his story, some may ask how a farm worker earning $3.35 an hour who didn't speak any English could overcome adversity and pursue his dreams of becoming a doctor. Dr. tells of how he make his dreams reality.
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 81
BETTERLIFEBETTERYOU
10
>>> Information on taking care of yourself as a student living a busy pre-med life
'NO FAIL' STEPS TO PREVENT
HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN! It starts on Halloween and doesn't stop until New Years...the demise of our healthy diet and lifestyle. Every year we go into the holidays with good intentions, yet we come out with an extra 10 pounds. And what's worse, some serious doubts to whether or not we will ever get the weight off and keep it off. Well, doubt no more my friends...I have come up with your Holiday Plan of Attack - a plan that will have you holding steady through the holidays and have you ready for serious weight loss in the New Year. Look, very few of us can actually lose weight during the holidays, BUT if you go in fighting, you can certainly keep from gaining...and who knows, maybe lose a little? First off...ask yourself...are you willing to do the work? It will take some planning, and WILLPOWER to make this work but you can do it. Now, you need to tell yourself that you can do it. When you throw in the towel on the entire holiday season, eat every finger food, casserole and dessert you can get your hands on, while kidding yourself thinking "I'll just diet come the new year"...you are setting yourself up for failure. The healthy and thin people don't do it this way. They don't eat everything in sight and make up for it later. They plan ahead, budget their calories, exercise religiously throughout the season, yet they enjoy the holidays just as anyone else...they just go about it smarter!
So how do you get in on this secret healthy holiday lifestyle? Here are 10 simple steps that will work for anyone:
it! Oka7 if you feel really guilty about throwing it away just take it to work and leave it in the kitchen or break room...it'll be gone in minutes!
1) PLAN! Print out or use a pocket size calendar from now through Jan 1. Write in all parties and events immediately as you know about them. Also, write in planned shopping days or family functions...down to your kid's sports or music practices and programs. Now, pencil in 5 times each week when you can exercise. Yes, I said 5 (at least). So, if you know you have a party on a certain evening, plan to exercise that morning before work instead. When you don't plan your workouts, the busy season will get the best of you and exercise will be the first thing you cut out. Remember, all this exercise is THE KEY to burning off the excess fat and calories you will most certainly be taking in. Just think about how many extra candy dishes, baked goods, food gifts, etc. that floats around. You are bound to have a nibble (or a feast) here and there so you need the extra calorie burn...FOR SURE!
3) Don't go to that party hungry! Have a half of a turkey sandwich, spoonful of natural peanut butter or handful of nuts or maybe a piece of fruit before that party, especially the late one's. You'll be much less likely to overeat and do some serious damage.
2) Clean House! If you have a party, get rid of the non-healthy foods ASAP! Restock your kitchen by throwing out ALL the seasonal treats, chips, sweets or other high calorie/ empty foods right after the party (or simply send EVERYTHING home with someone else). That's right, throw them out! If the "bad" food is not there you won't be tempted to eat
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4) Don't stuff yourself ! If you are at a holiday dinner and don't want to overindulge I have a fool proof way of keeping yourself from overeating. And there is NO rule that says you have to eat everything on your plate. Try this trick...shake lots of salt all over your food when you find yourself starting to feel the slightest bit full. It will appear you are still joining in on the fun but will keep you from continuing to eat when you are already full and satisfied. 5) Choose Wisely. Look, I'm not going to tell you to not eat all your favorite holiday foods. What I will say is portion control! Have a little of your favorites but NOT a lot. Here are a few food choice tips: skip the skin on the turkey and go for breast only, watch those casseroles and lean heavier on vegetables that are au natural, watch the high fat gravies, and drink lots of water!
>>> See upcoming health and fitness events at healthandwellness.weebly.com
COOKING 101
6) Be the "healthy" lone ranger. Be the one who brings a healthy fruit platter, a lower fat and calorie version of pumpkin pie (yes, it does exist), a nice healthy pumpkin or ginger bread, a yummy salad or that favorite broccoli salad using low fat versions of mayo or substituting yogurt. My point, there are healthy ways to make those holiday favorites...you just need to give them a try. Many times no one will know the difference.
How to Make Ramen Noodles Using a Coffee Maker
7) Slow down. Chew each bite well, set your fork down, take your time and give your brain time to tell you when you're full. Party and social eating is what I call "mindless" eating. You know....you're talking, eating, talking and eating more and more and more. Keep tabs on how much you are eating by getting yourself one plate of food, making the best choices possible, with a few small portions or bites of the yummy sinful stuff (it is the holidays ya know) and then that's all folks. No seconds. Period. 8) Don't go shopping without healthy snacks. Going hours without eating will guarantee overeating when you finally do eat. Take a piece of fruit, a baggie with a dried fruit and nut mix, a protein bar or some sort of purse sized snack for munching on while shopping. It will keep your energy up and keep you from grabbing a giant pretzel (drizzled in chocolate I'm sure) or a Cinnabon Roll instead...Yikes! 9) Take charge at restaurants. Think ahead and plan to go to places where you are sure you can order something healthful, especially when doing all that holiday shopping. Take the lead and pick where you eat so you know there are healthy choices available. Order sauces, topping and dressings on the side and put half of your meal in a "To Go" box first thing, that way you are sure not to overeat. 10) Don't beat yourself up. So you totally blew your diet at lunch, get back on ship and have a light healthy dinner and hit the gym to burn a few extra calories. Don't use that one bad meal as a reason to give up on the whole day, or even worse the whole week. These are the little mental battles we MUST recognize and not let get the best of us. The absolute worst thing you can do is throw in the towel and give into the holidays. Believe me...it will make your job come the first of the year a true battle.
College students, travelers, and those with limited kitchen space are always on the lookout for ways and methods that allow them to make a successful meal without the usual kitchen appliances, such as stoves and ovens. Step 1. Even a coffee maker can be put to good use making a meal – ideal for that hotel room or poky dorm! Follow these simple instructions to make ramen noodles using a coffee maker. Step 2. Crumble the ramen noodles in the package. Smaller pieces are easier to heat up rather than an entire block. Step 3. Add the pieces to the carafe. Make sure that any block pieces are evenly placed so that they're not stacking on top of each other. Step 4. Add the seasoning. Put the seasoning into the coffee filter. Add about 2 cups (475 ml) of water into the reservoir of the coffee maker. Step 5. Turn the coffee maker on and wait for your ramen to be done. Remove and throw away the used coffee filter. Step 6. Pour noodles and water into your bowl. The coffee pot will be hot, so do this with care.
Step 7. Add any desired toppings to your ramen noodles. Serve and enjoy! Tips: Clean the coffee maker well after use to prevent the flavor tainting your next cup of coffee. Alternatively, don't add the flavoring into the coffee filter. Instead, stir it in after you put the noodles in the bowl. Then you only need to rinse the coffee pot! Using a different container than the coffeemaker pot (that fits the hot plate and can withstand the heat) is usually a good idea, since most homes only have one of those and then you don't have to clean it before making coffee. Instant soup and veggiedogs can also be prepared using the coffeemaker. If you're in a dorm room, be sure that it's not against dorm policy to be cooking in your room. Clean the coffee maker thoroughly after use so that the next guest doesn't get an unpleasant surprise! It's also advisable to add the flavoring to your bowl and not the coffee maker if the coffee maker isn't your own – the next guest might have an allergy to the flavoring contents. Reprinted from wikiHow under a Creative Commons license.
Copyright (c) 2007-2011 Darlene Nicholson
November/December 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 83
COLLEGE101
>>> Helpful advice to manage and deal with life as a college student
Learning Comes in all Shapes, Forms, & Classes
Next semester, take a class that you’re (really) interested in. If you’re planning for next semester and it looks like it’s going to be jammed packed only with classes you’re required to take - you’ve got the wrong idea. It’s okay if it’s not a science class and you shouldn’t feel guilty about taking a class that has nothing to do with your long-term career goal. Flip through your Spring 2012 course book and identify some of the classes that, from their name alone, catch your eye as something you might be interested in. Whether it’s art for beginners or intro to tap dance, get it in there. Taking a course or multiple courses outside of your pre-medical requirements will help to make you a more well-rounded individual. And even if the class that you’re (really) interested in so happens to be a science course that is an upper division course or a course not required for your particular major, it’s still all good. Find a way to make it happen. Not only will taking a “different” type of course help you become a more well-rounded individual, it will also, without a doubt, teach you
84 | PreMedLife Magazine | November/December 2011
something about yourself - whether it’s finding out about what you like or what you dislike, what you’re good at or what you’re bad at. For every course you take, you can learn something from the book you read, from the professor teaching, from the student sitting next to you, as long as you make a point to reflect on the encounters and experiences you have. Don’t use being a pre-med as your excuse for not pursuing your intellectual passion. You actually have more flexibility for course electives than you may realize. Matter of fact, medical schools would probably love to have more applicants who took more art, history, or music classes if the applicant was a science major. By creating a balance in your course load you will bring about balance in your, what can sometimes be hectic pre-med life. It is very important that you create this balance now because once you enter medical school, it may be possible, but will be extremely hard to pursue your knowledge curiosities with the demanding course load you’ll have. So cease the moment and make it yours.
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After graduation, take a stand against poverty by joining AmeriCorps VISTA— Volunteers in Service to America. You’ll put your passion to work to help those in need, and you’ll gain experience you can’t find in other kinds of entry-level jobs. You’ll also receive:
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Living allowance $4,725 for tuition or student loans Health care Moving expenses
37 million Americans live in poverty. Take a stand. Join AmeriCorps VISTA.
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