PREMEDLIFE
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THE MAGAZINE FOR PREMEDICAL STUDENTS
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
FREE COPY
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Finding Summer Internships Seven Deadly Sins Finding The Right Match For Your PreMed Internship
1 1 20ummerd
S -Me st Pre am Li gr ded! o r P clu In
To Avoid in Medical School Admissions
Interview Tips
Steps to Help You During the Process
School Spotlite
Mayo Medical School
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CONTENTS
January/February 2011
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FEATURES
18
Summer Internships | 12 Tips to help you find the right match for your summer pre-medical internship
Steps for the Interview | 18 Knowing what to do and what not to do may make the difference at your medical school admissions interview
Seven Deadly Sins to Avoid in Medical School Admissions | 28 Staying away from these mistakes can help you along your journey to getting into medical school
6
DEPARTMENTS
17
Ask The Experts | 10 Your questions answered by knowledgeable insiders who give insight about the medical school admissions process School Spotlight| 17 Get a glimpse into what Mayo Medical School has to offer prospective students Especially This Specialty | 27 Find out what being a Pediatrician is all about and what it will take to pursue this specialty
IN EVERY ISSUE Newsbites| 6 Recent news & information relevant to students applying to medical school
2011
12
In The Stacks| 69 Books to inspire you or provide you with advice along your journey to medical school
SUMMER PRE-MED PROGRAM LIST
Better Life, Better You| 70 Advice & tips for taking care of yourself to make it through your hectic pre-med life
There’s still time to apply for summer pre-med programs for 2011 - but deadlines are quickly approaching. Check out our list of programs for pre-med students looking to spend their summer doing something productive.| 32
College 101| 72 Here are some things that every student attending college should know about
Want to be featured in PreMedLife Magazine? We’re looking for pre-med students to join the PreMedLife Student Advisory Board. Are you interested in sharing your opinion about what topics matter most to pre-med students? Then join our team. Students selected to be a part of the PreMedLife Advisory Board will be acknowledge in every issue and considered a part of the PreMedLife staff. Sounds interesting? Send an email to info@premedlife.com with your Name, College/University, and year (i.e. Freshman, Sophomore, etc).
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 3
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Find us on Facebook PreMedLife Magazine is published six times per year by Kisho Media, LLC. and copies are provided to selected 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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New year, new you! Or maybe not. If you've been doing what you have to do keep up the good work. But if you've been slacking a bit, now's the time to step up your game. The beginning of a new year marks the universal time for anyone who hasn't been doing what they are supposed to do to get it together. You have about five more months to go before the semester ends so now's your time to push to the finish. I know you're probably drained with all that you've been doing thus far (that is if you have been doing what your supposed to be doing), but the hard work you're putting in will certainly pay off. It may be hard to see the rewards of all the long hours of studying you're putting in now, but it will all be worth it in the end. There's a saying that goes, "begin with the end in mind" and if you think like this, you may find it easier to get through the tough times. And are the tough times really that though? What are you really complaining about...studying? Get over it. And if you think these are tough times, just wait until you get into medical school. If you don't realize it at this point, studying is an inevitable part of your life as a pre-med student. So you might as well find a way to make the best of it. For now, there will always be tests to take, there will always be reports to write, and there will always be reading to get done. So let's face it...if you're really trying to do this doctor thing, know what it is that you're in for and make the best of it. Now's not the time to be sulking over how much you have to do. Don't worry, spring break will be here sooner that you know, so try to keep yourself together until then. Let spring break be your reward for doing what you're supposed to do.
Sheema Publisher
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 5
NEWSBITES
>>> Recent news & information relevant to pre-medical students applying to medical school
More women pick certain specialties to create worklife balance
Innovative program aims to train doctors for underserved areas For two years now, groups of medical students at Montana's WWAMI program at the University of Washington School of Medicine participate in an innovative medical program aimed to serve rural, underserved areas of Montana. The program, called the Montana Targeted Rural Underserved Track (TRUST), is designed to provide health care in the rural and underserved pockets of the state. At the beginning of the program, students are matched with a mentor and a community to establish a long-term relationship that continues over their four-years in medical school. To jumpstart the program, in their first and second year of medical school, students take a class in rural health. In addition, students in the TRUST program join together in a special health policy journal club and participate in evening sessions with a group of health care providers serving in rural and underserved areas in Montana. TRUST students participate in a special health policy journal club and participate in evening sessions with a select group of rural and underserved providers from around Montana. In the summer between the first and second year of medical school, the students return to their TRUST site to complete the one-month experience, which includes a short community-based
research project. TRUST students in the second year move to Seattle and participate in an Underserved Pathway, which allows students to focus on the care of underserved populations throughout medical school. In the third year of medical school, students return for the fifth time to their TRUST site to complete a five-month experience in rural and underserved medicine. "This is a very innovative program," said Jay Erickson, MD, assistant dean of the Montana WWAMI Clinical Office. "The TRUST program highlights the commitment that the Montana WWAMI program is making to help meet the physician workforce needs in Montana". It draws on successful programs already within the University of Washington School of Medicine, as well as draws upon successful aspects of other rural medical education programs nationally and internationally. WWAMI is a cooperative program of the University of Washington School of Medicine and the states of Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. It is a program designed to make medical education accessible to students in the northwestern United States by decentralizing the educational process and by sharing existing facilities and personnel in universities and communities in the WWAMI states.
6 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
Did you know that 63% of all women doctors feel that their work life balance is a challenge to them? Medical specialties that allow for an opportunity to balance work and family are becoming more and more popular among female health care providers, according to a study presented at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation conference in Washington, D.C. The study, conducted by Claudia Goldin, an economics professor at Harvard University, revealed that because of rapid growth in routine colonoscopies that can be scheduled in advance women physicians are flocking to colon and rectal surgery as an occupation of choice because it can give them more control over their time. Specifically, in 2007 31% of colon and rectal surgeons under 35 years of age were female, compared to only 3% of those ages 55 to 64, and 12% of those ages 45 to 54. Goldin noted that other high-paid health care professions with a low career cost of family also include pediatrics and dermatology. It is well-known that both men and women want a better work-life balance, especially if they are parents. So if a woman has a decision to make regarding her specialty of choice, she may likely consider many factors and make the best decision that will work well with her schedule. This will allow her to do what she loves-practice medicinewithout doing too much sacrificing.
NEWSBITES Gross anatomy courses make for better docs Medical students may benefit from more hands-on work in gross human anatomy courses, according to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia. For the study, led by George RamseyStewart, professor of surgical anatomy at the University of Sydney, researchers evaluated an elective gross anatomy course offered in 2010 to senior medical students at the University of Sydney. Included in the study were 29 students who were divided into eight groups and carried out whole-body dissections on eight cadavers over 34 days. Students were assessed by practical tests involving the identification of 20 tagged structures in four "wet" specimens before, during, at the end of, and one moth after the course. Researchers reported that students' knowledge of anatomy improved significantly through the course, with pre-course assessment median scores of 8/20, mid-course assessment media scores of 18.5/20, 19/20 for the end-course assessment, and 19/20 for the post-course assessment. In addition, all students rated the dissection course as "very good" and recommended that the course should be available for all students. "There is an apparent need for the introduction of a standard basic national curriculum in gross human anatomy," said Professor RamseyStewart. "This would ensure that medical graduates have a reasonable knowledge of gross human anatomy and are equipped to properly understand the amazingly complex biological structure with which most of them will be intimately concerned throughout the rest of their professional careers."
Medical residents have mixed feelings on new limit on work hours Student doctors are divided on new work-hour rules, according to a recent survey published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The new rules, approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in September 2010, preserves the 80hour limit on the resident workweek and requires that first-year residents work no more than 16 hours continuously. A 20-question survey, received by 11,617 students at 23 institutions, revealed that 51% of residents indicated the changes would have a positive effect on residents' quality of life and well-being and 28% said the changes would have a negative effect. In addition, respondents were somewhat negative on patient safety. Specifically, 34% indicated the changes would
positively affect patient safety; 39% said patient safety would be negatively affected. The survey authors also reported that respondents had more negative views about the impact on the quality of care delivered to patients. Moreover, in their written responses, many "expressed concern about diminishing patient safety and the quality of care by increasing the number of patient handoffs and reducing the continuity of care, which the changes will necessitate in most programs," the authors wrote. Public opinion has come down strongly against 24-hour shifts for doctors and in favor of tougher work-hour regulation for residents, but views on duty-hour reform are much more mixed from residency program directors and others within the medical field.
New changes to the periodic table are coming soon Students will soon get a glimpse of the new periodic table will sport a change to the atomic weights of some elements. According to a recently released report, the new table will express atomic weights of 10 elements - hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, sulfur, chlorine, and thallium - in a new way that is designed to reflect more accurately how these elements are found in nature. "For more than a century and a half, many were taught to use standard atomic weights - a single value - found on the inside
8 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
cover of chemistry textbooks and on the periodic table of the elements," said Michael Wieser, MD, an associate professor at the University of Calgary. "As technology improved, we have discovered that the numbers on our chart are not as static as we have previously believed". This fundamental change in the presentation of the atomic weights is based upon work between 1985 and 2010 supported by IUPAC, the University of Calgary and other contributing Commission members and institutions.
NEWSBITES New medical school gets flooded with applications for few spots
MEDICAL SCHOOL PIPELINE Here’s a list of new medical schools that are being developed in the U.S. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Riverside, California Anticipated Fall 2012
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE As Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine makes plans to open its doors in August 2011, more than 3,200 students applied for the school’s 50 spots. “It’s more than we expected,” said Dr. Angela Nuzzarello, associate dean for student affairs and associate professor of psychiatry. “We were pleasantly surprised, but there has been a lot of interest in the medical school.” The deadline to apply to the program was in December, and the school has completed 200 of 300 interviews. The school held open houses in the spring and summer and conducted interactive webinars. Thirty-six percent of the applicants are from Michigan. While the first class will have 50 students, the school will increase enrollment by 25 each year until there are 125 in 2014.
PALM BEACH MEDICAL COLLEGE Palm Beach, Florida Anticipated Fall 2011
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
New medical schools adopt neighborhoods Many of the new medical schools that have opened their doors are trying to reshape medical education by implementing a curriculum based around community. Florida International University's College of Medicine in Miami is one of these new schools. At FIU, each medical student is assigned a neighborhood in the Miami area and a family who lives there. "We've adopted those neighborhoods, and we never leave,” said Dr. John Rock, the medical school's founding dean. “Clearly, we have a commitment to those neighborhoods to
Boca Raton, Florida Anticipated Fall 2011
The school has a mentoring program, PRISM (Promoting Reflection and Individual growth through Support and Mentoring) that provides students with guidance in professional development for the student’s entire four years at OUWB. Students are grouped in teams of 10-12 students with a faculty member who guides them in career exploration, team building skills, and more. OU has started making acceptance offers, most of which have been accepted, Dr. Nuzzarello said. Students have until May to make their selection. Funded through tuition, philanthropy and research dollars, the program costs $42,760 a year, which is slightly below average for similar programs, Dr. Nuzzarello said.
Greenville, South Carolina Anticipated Fall 2012 W NE
be there and to work with households and with the community to address the socio-determinants of health care.” By placing the students within the neighborhoods, the school feels that students can learn than just treating a disease. Through the community care program — which they call Neighborhood Help — the doctors at FIU say they are determined to make actual, measurable improvements in the health and quality of life in the neighborhoods they've adopted.
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE North Haven, Connecticut Anticipated Fall 2013 or 2014
CHARLES E. SCHMIDT COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY Boca Raton, Florida Anticipated Fall 2011
UPDATED 12/10
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 9
ASK THE EXPERT
>>> Your questions answered by knowledgeable insiders who give insight about the medical school admissions process
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. Remember, you can also visit your pre-health advisor to ask them any questions as well.
Low GPA Blues have a low undergrad GPA, should I do a an extra year, Q| Iapply to a Master’s program, or get a second degree? depends on what your GPA is, its distribution by year, your A| ItMCAT scores by section, your extra-curricular activities, and a
Students who have a bad semester still have a chance at medical school
All Around Applicant want to present myself as a well-rounded applicant to Q| Imedical admission committee members. What kind of extracurricular experiences should I seek? schools like to see that bright intelligent students with A| Medical great test scores are doing so while also pursuing other interests, especially those who have been active contributors on campus, and who have a range of interests. You should choose a few things to do meaningfully and well, rather than dabble in a long list of activities. If you choose to do too much, you may well spread yourself too thin, resulting in your GPA suffering. Community service is a great way to demonstrate your concern and compassion for others.
Making Study Abroad Plans am very interested in participating in a study abroad Q| Iprogram. When is the best time for a premed student to study abroad?
host of other factors. Basically, how close are you to making the preinterview cut-offs? Some schools have hard GPA and MCAT cut-offs below which no exceptions are made. Some schools will consider the entire application, meaning a low GPA can be compensated by a great MCAT and extra-curricular activities. Each of these schools have their own policy in treating graduate degrees, second degrees, and 'victory lap' years. So, some of you may fall into a gray area that needs to be looked at in detail on a case-by-case basis. If your GPA is very low, chances are extremely unlikely that any amount of graduate work can make up it. Even after a second degree, several schools still consider the cumulative average of both degrees, but several others will consider your most recent one. If your GPA and MCAT combo does not make the 'hard cut-off' schools but is just slightly below the competitive averages of 'whole application' schools, a 'victory lap' year or a grad degree might be a more efficient use of time to boost your academics and extra-curriculars.
Degree Versus Degree a preference among medical schools for a bachelor Q| Isof there science or bachelor of arts degree? Each applicant's record is evaluated on an individual basis. A| No. Both degrees are acceptable for premedical programs. A medical admissions committee would expect an applicant to do well with either degree. Committees look at the quality of the transcript rather than the name of the degree.
answer depends on the individual student and on his/her A| This premed, personal and academic timeline. Some students chose
Dropping The Ball
to take a year off between their undergraduate studies and medical school and some students choose to study abroad during their junior year. Many students apply to medical school after taking at least one year off after graduating. Other students have completed all of their premed sciences by the end of their sophomore year, which leaves the junior year open for studying abroad. Some students may chose a summer study abroad experience or less frequently, chose to study abroad during their senior year. Your individual timeline should be discussed with your advisors.
personal issues over the last few months have taken a Q| My toll on my studies. Is it all over if I have a bad semester?
13%
There is a false perception among premedical students that A| No. if you have a bad science grade or a bad semester you will have to give up. It’s not true. Medical school admission committees look carefully at student abilities and development. They expect an excellent academic record but will make allowances for problem semesters or a slow start--some allowances.
The percentage of admissions officers who have visited a student's social networking site to help evaluate that applicant
10 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
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COVER STORY
SUMMER INTERNSHIPS FOR PREMEDS
FINDING THE BEST MATCH TO DISCOVER YOUR LIKES & DISLIKES IN THE WORLD OF MEDICINE
W
ith application deadlines for summer premedical programs fast approaching, many students are deciding on which program may be the best option for them. From programs that offer academic enrichment to research opportunities, students may have trouble deciding which option would be the best fit. Or students may be stuck on whether they should travel to another state, stay close to home, or even venture outside of the country. A premed internship can help you decide whether or not a career in medicine is right for you. During your internship period, you can observe, ask questions and assist seniors in fields such as general surgery, neurology, dermatology, oncology and hematology,
12 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
orthopedics, cardiology, plastic surgery, and many more. You can go on rounds with doctors, get hospital experience, and look into a doctor's life. An internship is an ‘employment’ situation in which a student works (often for free) in order to gain hands-on experience. Internships offer valuable work experience, help you develop marketable skills and beef up your resume. Best of all, they can help make you more attractive to medical schools. Here are a few tips on finding an internship that will help you develop yourself as a pre-med student while at the same time sprucing up your medical school application:
GETTING A HEAD START WILL GIVE YOU AN ADVANTAGE OVER OTHER STUDENTS APPLYING FOR THE SAME POSITION THAT YOU ARE TRYING FOR
Summer internships may allow you to the opportunity to work alongside doctors and notable scientists in a field of medicine that you find interesting
START YOUR SEARCH EARLY Although summer may feel like it's a world away, it's never too early to begin your search for an internship to take on during break from school. Many internship programs have early deadlines and begin making application and program details available as early as the winter months before the summer program is planned to begin. Early January through March is the primary recruiting season for most internship programs. Getting a head start will allow you to prepare and gather all the information and documents that you may need for your application. Starting your search early will also give you time to contact any professors that you may want to get recommendations from. It is always a good thing to give your professors more than enough time to complete and submit any letters of recommendation. Aside from Web sites that list opportunities, internships are often posted with your college’s career center or financial aid office. Companies may send fliers or other announcements letting students know about their opportunities. Check with your school to find out if there is an online resource with these type of postings. Pharmaceutical and health care companies will also list internship opportunities on their own Web sites. Do a little research to find out what some of the top companies are in the field you are interested in. Then check out their Web sites or contact their recruiters to find out what opportunities they offer. KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR If you're not planning to enroll in courses during the summer semester, it might be wise to look into finding an internship that is appropriate for pre-medical students. Before even beginning your search, it is wise to know what you are looking for. Maybe there is a particular medical specialty that you are curious to learn more about or perhaps the pharmacology elective you are taking sparked an interest in the pharmaceutical industry. Either way, knowing what kind of internship you are looking for will make it a bit easier when beginning your search for the right internship. Once you have identified what it is you are looking for, you will then have to decide if you want to stay local or if you are willing to travel to another state, or even abroad, for the internship. Your decision on where you will apply for an internship may depend on many factors, including if travel expenses and housing will be paid for. You may also want to research companies that are of interest to you to find out if they are a good fit for your career interests, and if your experience is a good fit for what they need. PAID VS. UNPAID As you begin your internship search, you'll come across opportunities that are paid and some that are unpaid. Although it may seem
Simply knowing what type of internship you are looking for is a great start
clear to most of us that paid internships are preferable; oftentimes, it is not all that simple. You will find that there are some internship that can offer you a valuable experience but cannot offer you any monetary incentives to participate in the program. While being paid would be a bonus, participating in an unpaid internship in the field or company that you are really interested in may be worth it. However, if you simply cannot afford to take on an internship that doesn't not pay, you may want to think about volunteering your time on a part-time basis which will allow you to gain a very similar experience that you can also included on your medical school application. You should really base your final decision on what your interests are as a future doctor. Knowing what kind of doctor you wish to be will make this process very easy, but even if you are unsure of which specialty you will ultimately like to pursue you can use the summer internship experiences to learn more about what is out there and what kind of options are available to you. Remember that there are tons of premedical students like yourself competing for the same opportunities you will be applying for. Participating in a summer premedical internship is always a good thing. Even if you take away from the experience that a particular field or specialty is not as interesting as you initially thought, that is still a good thing. If your internship experience confirms that what you thought you like is really what you like, even better.
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Your overall goal should be to make yourself the best medical school applicant possible. Participating in summer premedical internships will give you something to talk about. You will be able to share your experience with others and discuss how you may or may not have changed from the experience. CREATE YOUR OWN INTERNSHIP After you get an idea of the already existing internships, you might want to consider developing your own. Students can approach a health provider they met through friends or family to design a summer with a variety of activities. Or, if you are a work-study student, the department you work in may be able to pay you a stipend while you get to pursue your intellectual interests. Overall, internships will help, not hurt, an application to medical school. Internships show that one has the initiative to seek experiences in the medical field. There are many things that go into being a pre-medical student and being able to say that you had the opportunity to develop yourself outside of the classroom is a powerful thing. Medical schools are looking for and need all types of people, as physicians interact with all sorts of people, not just scientists or fellow physicians. They want to see that you have taken the initiative to learn about the benefits and drawbacks of medicine and that you have had some firsthand experience in a medical setting.
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SCHOOLSPOTLITE
Get a glimpse into what one medical school in the U.S. has to offer prospective students <<<
MAYO MEDICAL SCHOOL Rochester, Minnesota According to the school’s Web site, Mayo Medical School’s student graduation rate is 100%. That is pretty impressive considering not all schools can make that claim. So what is it about Mayo Medical School that makes it different from other schools? Might it be its small class sizes which allows for more personal attention from the faculty? Or maybe its Mayo's curriculum which is designed to, as they state it, "provide extensive early patient interaction and creative integration of the sciences into all training segments". Taken apart or taken as a whole, the elements that make up the Mayo Medical School program is designed to expose students to cutting-edge medical practices. Students are guided to learn and implement what they call the "Mayo Model of Care". What in the world is so special about the Mayo Model of Care you ask? Well, it is a system that integrates clinical practice, biomedical research, and life-long education to prepare students to succeed whether they purse private practice or academic medicine. If you are the type of person who is ready to get right into things, Mayo's curriculum provides extensive early patient interaction and creative integration of the sciences into all segments of the training. Students looking to develop their patient skills prior to residency are drawn to Mayo's program because they are given a greater opportunity
to develop patient skills prior to their residency. Being at Mayo Medical School, students can surely say that they are among the best and the brightest. Take for example, Dr. Michael Hutton's group who demonstrated that Alzheimer's disease is a potentially reversible process. So you see…you'll be pretty much be in a good place if your looking for a school that can provide exposure to cutting-edge medical practice and a broad diversity of patients and disease. Here are are some other impressive facts about Mayo Medical School: Ninety-five percent of Mayo fourth-year students report matching with one of their top three residency choices. Several Mayo medical students have been honored with appointments to special training experiences, such as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute National Institutes of Health Cloisters Program. More than 85 percent of the students at Mayo Medical School received named scholarships, which provide significant tuition assistance. 80% of student research manuscripts are published - more than twice the national average.
quick facts DEGREE(S) OFFERED: MD MD/OMS MD/PhD
Private or Public? Private
LENGTH OF PROGRAM 4 Years
# OF STUDENT IN ENTERING CLASS 42
# APPLICANTS ACCEPTED 2.9%
STUDENT AVERAGE MCAT SCORE 10.9
Student Average GPA 3.82
TUITION $30,660
MALE/FEMALE STUDENT RATIO 48%/52%
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 17
Be careful about how you approach controversial issues such as euthanasia, abortion, cloning, and so forth.
18 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE |
FOR
STEPS THE
MED SCHOOL
INTERVIEW BY JEAN D. FRANCOIS, MD
As a pre-med student, you already know that your admissions interview is a very important part of getting into medical school. Here are some tips for students to consider when preparing for their medical school interview: 1. PREPARE YOURSELF MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY. When you are contacted for an interview, you need to remember that this should be an exciting but a pleasant experience. The interviewers are not going to invite you to accuse or condemn you. So be relaxed. At this stage in your determination to get admitted to medical school, you should be prepared to tell anyone about yourself; why you want to be a doctor, what is unique about you, what specialty (if any) you are interested in and why, what makes a great doctor, your exposure to the medical field, what you would do if you do not get admitted (causing harm to yourself is not an option), your strengths, and how to point out your weakness and make it sound like a strength. For example: "I have a tendency, when I start something, not to take a break until I finish it"; "people tell me I am too disciplined"; "I keep a daily log of my activities and I am too conscious about the use of my time". But please avoid giving an impression that you are just using a formula, a clichĂŠ to get by. Again, be genuine. Be careful about how you approach controversial issues such as euthanasia, abortion, cloning, and so forth. But you should have an opinion about the current condition of the health care system. Do you have a special person in your life who tends to influence you or inspire you? This is a common question that you may be asked, and you should think about an answer.
Review your application, your personal letter, and all the documents submitted to avoid contradicting yourself, leaving people wondering whether you have a clone or a split personality. Locate where your interview will be before the date of the interview, and sleep well (six to eight hours) the night before. Know a thing or two about the school you are interviewing at. And make sure you are abreast of the current, relevant news, what is hot in the news about medicine, the new scientific discoveries, and so on. You are not expected to know every detail, but some basic information will impress your interviewer. You should be aware of some political issues, the position of a given candidate on stem cell research, and other significant issues facing the scientific community. Most of this information is given regularly in the national and local news. 2. BE AWARE OF YOUR APPEARANCE. Dress appropriately - modestly and conservatively, meaning you should avoid showing off your body, avoid being too flashy, avoid wearing loud outfits. Dressing according to the season and age, what is fashionably acceptable and like other interviewees is a safe approach. Good personal hygiene is important, but avoid heavy perfume; take care of your hair, nails, and breath; your teeth and shoes should be clean. Have enough money; including some change for any unexpected development such as metered or paid parking. No need to display all of your electronic gadgets. Have your cell phone or beeper off. If possible, avoid an empty or a too full stomach; avoid taking new medicine for the first time because you do not know if it may affect your cognitive ability and your behavior. If the interview is out of town, avoid traveling the same day as much as possible.
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 19
3. Show up on time, or even an few minutes early to find parking, to freshen up and fix yourself appropriately, to locate the floor where your interview will be held, the department and the people you need to see. 4. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. Drink some water, if available, and then walk steadily in a comfortable pair of shoes, with a winner's attitude. Be yourself and be ready to give it your best shot. 5. KNOCK POLITELY and wait to be invited to enter, if applicable. 6. INTRODUCE YOURSELF to whomever you first meet, and give a firm handshake (but do not break anyone's fingers), while smiling and looking the interviewer in the eye. 7. LET THE INTERVIEWER ENGAGE the conversation and indicate to you where you should be seated. Do not move the chair any closer than were he or she puts you. Watch how you sit and how you project yourself. 8. SIT COMFORTABLY and remain calm, confident, pleasant and interesting. Remember that during the first couple of seconds, interviewers measure you up to form a first impression. They are sizing you up. They want to check your demeanor, intelligence, communication skills, body language, emotions, listening skills, level of motivation, and ability to handle challenges and controversies. So be natural, and take your time to understand and answer each question. Remember you are not running for a political office. You must answer the basic questions. Some interviewers may even challenge you, in order to evaluate your thinking pattern and see how alert and sharp you are. Expect to tell a few interesting things about yourself, some unique life experience that may have led you to be interested in the medical field, your plan for your life, the number of schools you have applied to, whether you would commit yourself to their school if accepted. The bottom line is that you must show your interest; be genuine, keep the answers short and straight to the point, and talk decisively and at a comfortable, audible level. Ask a couple of intelligent questions regarding research, campus activities, scholarship and rewards for excellent performance, etc; even if you may have an idea about the answers. There is no need to tell them every detail of your personal life, just whatever is relevant to give you an edge and get you closer to admission at their institution. Do not criticize or put down any other institution, college, any part of the country, any religion, or any sexual orientation. Be neutral and talk passionately about your sense of purpose in life. By all means, do not be negative. Do not join the interviewer in complaining how bad things are, or that this is the end of the world. Be positive and enthusiastic. Don't run beyond reason, but do not be too brief in your answers either. Speak with a light spirit and a naturally pleasant smile. As much as it is possible, avoid scheduling two interviews in the same day. Do not keep checking your watch. Let the interviewer see you off, but do not take the initiative to say, for instance, "well, I guess that's set, I'll see you around, I have another interview in 5 minutes. Let me know if you want me. Bye!" You cannot do it that way. Different interviewers may put you though different types of interviews. Some questions may test your common knowledge or your memory; others may check for your skills and competency. Let's say they ask you a question out of left field; you have no clue. What do you do? Do not panic. Try not to look unprepared; remain candid but upbeat. No matter
20 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
what, never lose your self-confidence. If you really do not know the answer, be truthful, and use some clean humor when possible. After the interview, the admissions committee will let you know about their decision. If it is in your favor, you have a few days or weeks to acknowledge the acceptance and confirm your intent to be part of that institution. PERSONAL TESTIMONY My passion for medicine goes as far back as I can remember in my childhood. My brothers and sisters used to tease me for the stupid things I used to say, I was willing to do anything to be sure I became a doctor. But growing up, listening to people, including my own father, I became very confused, doubtful, overwhelmed. So I took accounting in college, switched to business, then got a master's in economics and worked in the business and accounting world just to make a living. Yet I was uncomfortable and literally lost. Something was missing. But by then I had already wasted quite a few years. To top it all, my GPA and my MCAT were not among the best. I was always working full time. Based on all the things I heard about medical school, I thought I was doomed. The only thing I had going for me was my leadership skills, my involvement in my community and my ability to perform several tasks at the same time including raising a family, going to schools and working full time. This was not much at all. Then some guy called me "doctor" by mistake at an event I attended. That was it! It clicked! I regained my self-confidence, my determination. I made the decision to get to medical school and pursue my childhood dream. I had no coach, no mentor; as a matter of fact, I became a bit secretive about it because of all the negative feedback I got initially. I did not want to hear anything negative anymore. Except for my spouse, those who knew my plan thought I was crazy. But I was so fired up, nothing could stop me anymore. Based on my personal situation and obligations, I targeted three states and I applied to only ten schools. Once I was invited by two of them to be interviewed, I did not follow up with the rest ( I should have). When I went to the first interview, (in a neighboring state), it was snowing heavily. I showed up, but the interviewer did not. I had to reschedule. I was not impressed and did not follow through with that one either (I should have). So practically, I had only one interview; and that one medical school accepted me. The rest is history. Call it a miracle, faith, attitude, or anything else. I am happy to report to you, I am now living my dream. I am very grateful for that. Of course, everyone's situation is unique; but that was my personal journey with various detours. So perseverance, discipline, confidence, and faith in yourself, your skills, talents, and faith in a higher power can make the difference. This is an excerpt from Dr. Jean Daniel Francois’ book entitled Prescription For A Successful Career in Medicine: The Guide for a Fulfilled Life in the Medical Field. For more information about this book and others, visit Dr. Francois’ Web site www.successfullife.us or www.yourexpertcoach.com (Being prepared).
BIO DR. JEAN DANIEL FRANÇOIS attended New York Medical College, in Valhalla, New York, where he obtained his doctorate in medicine in 1992. He is currently a practicing neurologist in his private office. He is the author of many books, a motivational speaker, and a lecturer.
CHALLENGE
YOURSELF. www.healthandwellness.weebly.com
PREMEDREALITY
Day in the Life of an ER Technician |A personal story about a premed student working in the emergency room BY WILL SMITH
A
s I arduously sorted through the endless stack of green papers with lab and exam results scribbled about them, the eerie buzz of the medic radio went off overhead. "Hospital base, Medic 21, Code 3 notification, CPR in progress, short ETA." Only having a few minutes to prepare for an incoming ambulance is stressful enough, but when the patient is under CPR, it adds an additional shot of urgency and adrenaline. Undoing all my work for the last ten minutes, I shuffled all the papers back together and set the heaping green bundle aside; prolonging the agony for another time. Hastily making my way back towards the resuscitation room, I went through a mental checklist of what I was going to need to do. Turning into the room I was greeted by an empty gurney, a clean floor, a blank monitor with its numerous cords neatly coiled on their hooks and if it were not for the shrill of the fluorescent tubes eliminating the room from above, there was not a sound to be heard. Given another two minutes this would all change. Reaching for a box marked "XL," I grabbed two wrinkled, bright blue gloves, and threw them onto the counter. After squeezing my hand into the first glove, the unmistakable chattering of an ambulance stretcher rolling over dirty laminated tile crept down the hall. Moments later it was
within eyeshot. The next sound to break the room's tranquility was the high-pitched hiss of oxygen coming out of a portable tank under immense pressure. Now the gurney, along with the rest of its accompaniment was within arms reach. A stout and scruffy man, dressed in tattered fire fighter turnouts, with sweat dripping from his brow, interrupted the oxygen's hiss. "This is Artie. He is 29 years old. We were
24 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
dispatched to a shortness of breath call, but when we got there he was pulseless and apnic. We intubated and tried to get a line, but. . . The medic's voice faded into the background as I stared at what was in front of me. An absolute mountain of a man was draped lifelessly atop a stretcher (which seemed to disappear once parked next to our hospital gurney.) His only movement was the forceful rise and fall of
Hastily making my way back towards to resuscitation room, I went through a mental checklist of what I was going to need to do
his chest every time the medic squeezed the bag valve mask. Fading back in I heard "â&#x20AC;Śhis parents said he was about 480, but that was a year agoâ&#x20AC;Ś" 480 indeed! That is, just to rule out the possibility that in the past 365 days, the number 480 had dwindled. Locked arm in arm, eleven people surrounded both the ambulance stretcher and the hospital gurney. With white knuckles and a handful of canvas, we pulled Artie to the gurney. The physical work was over for everyone now; well, everyone but me. I weaved through nurses and fire fighters to get to Artie's head, dragging a little metal stool behind me. Once I was between his shoulder and elbow, I dropped the stool and cleared some space for the rest of me. Stepping up onto the rubber grips, I interlaced my fingers, locked my elbows, centered my weight between Artie's nipples and started to thrust. Since the heart is the most important organ in the body, it is kept in a protective cage. When it stops pumping the only way to physically get it going again is to compress the walls of the cage, in turn compressing the heart; that was my job for the next 20 minutes. "Let's push an amp of Epi and an amp of Atropine. I want another line if we can get it. We will re-evaluate in a minute." That was Dr. G's way of telling me to pump hard, fast and deep; no stopping! Sixty very long and intense seconds passed; at least for me it was. Dr. G ordered a second round of drugs to be pushed. To my immediate left, the respiratory therapist rhythmically squeezed a little blue bag, forcing air into Artie's lungs. Nurses poked and prodded, hoping to find a vein that had yet to collapse. X-Ray stood in the corner waiting to take their radiation spewing pictures. Everyone in the room was there to offer their services; in hopes of getting Artie's heart started again. "Alright guys lets get a final round in and see if we are getting any-
where." Time elapsed. The pounding, squeezing, poking and waiting continued. After ordering for the third round of medications to be pushed, Dr. G. stood in his perfectly pressed lab coat with arms crossed, thumbs on his chin, index knuckle on the tip of his nose, gazing at the monitor. Without a word being spoken, the chaotic noise and pandemonium of the last thirty minutes came to a screeching halt; everyone turned their attention to the monitor. I did my last chest compression, leaving Artie's heart to work on its own. Despite everyone's hard work and channeled intentions, the green line on the screen didn't stray from its horizontal pattern. His heart was lifeless, as was he. Dr. G scanned the room looking at each person individually. When it was their turn, each gave their opinion, a subtle nod of the head from left to right. I was the last to be consulted. Stepping down from the stool, I reached up and shut off the monitor. "Thank you everybody." Dr. G said in a very passive voice "I'm going to call it at 23.57." Just before midnight on a cold Wednesday in February, a 29 year old man named Artie weighing close to 500 pounds died of a fatal heart attack.
BIO WILL SMITH is a UC Davis graduate and is currently taking post-bac classes at California State University, Sacramento. Until he gets into med school, Will and his suppor tive wife will be enjoying their first born child Macielyn Raigan Smith. "I have learned many things through my success as a pre-med student," Will says "but I have learned even more through my failures."
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ESPECIALLY THIS SPECIALTY
Learn more about various specialties and what it will take to pursue a certain specialty<<<
Becoming a...
Pediatrician Pediatrics has become one of the most popular specialties among medical school graduates. And for those who love children, it truly makes work not seem like work at all. As the saying goes, "if you do what you love, you'll never have to work a day in your life," and many students are doing just that as pediatricians. Put it like this, if you love children and have a great deal of patience, becoming a pediatrician may be the way to go for you.
WHAT DOES A PEDIATRICIAN DO? A pediatrician is held responsible for caring for newborns up to the point that they reach adulthood. They will do everything from preventative care treatments and immunizations to detection of developmental disorders and disease. Pediatricians deal with the physical well-being of their patients just as much as they deal with the mental and developmental aspects. These physicians do everything from administering medicine to speaking with children who may be showing signs of stress.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BECOME A PEDIATRICIAN?
Pediatrics is not for those who aren't willing to dedicate at least ten years of their life studying. Undergraduate - (4 Years) to obtain bachelor's degree Medical School - (4 Years) to obtain a doctor of medicine degree (MD) Residency - (2-3 Years) to become eligible to take the Board exam in pediatrics Pediatric Specialty Fellowship - (3 Years) to be eligible to take the sub specialty Board exam to practice in specialties such as pediatric cardiologist or a pediatric endocrinologist. As an alternative, you could apply for an accelerated college/medical school program, which can compress the first eight years of school into just six or seven years.
WHAT HOURS DO PEDIATRICIANS WORK? The American Association of Pediatrics reports that the average pediatrician works an average of 50 hours per week. This includes time spent in the office, visiting patients in the hospital, doing paperwork and being on call after-hours. Most pediatricians also take either a half day or full day off during the week.
Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. This includes everything from a child's emotional well-being to their physical and mental health. Pediatricians are sometimes referred to as 'baby doctors' though they treat individuals from birth to toddlers to teens and young adults.
WHAT ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PEDIATRICIAN?
A good pediatrician has more than just the core competencies of disease treatment, which are reactive measures. Pediatricians should be warm, compassionate, and open minded to thoughts and feelings. Pediatricians need to be able to work well with kids and have a lot of tolerance for the parents as well. The top pediatricians are able to communicate to a parent what is in the best interest of the child, and assist them in the process of understanding the health of their child. Pediatricians should have the... Desire to work with children and to serve as an advocate for them Willingness to address the full range of illnesses affecting children Willingness to work in collaboration with pediatric subspecialist, surgical specialists, physiatrists, social workers, and other medical specialists.
WHERE DO PEDIATRICIANS WORK? One of the places where graduates are able to obtain a pediatrician job is at a hospital. Most qualified applicants are able to land a pediatrician job at a hospital because a hospital is one of the main places that a child will go when they are sick or hurt. Another common place where pediatrics graduates are able to find pediatrician jobs is at a private practice. A pediatrician job may also be obtained at a community center.
WHAT DO PEDIATRICIANS EARN?
O
Most people always think that any kind of physician makes a six figure income from the start, but this is not always the case. If you have less than one year's experience with being a pediatrician, then you may make an annual income of anywhere from $69,000 to $122,000. Nevertheless, the growth of pediatrician salaries can potentially go to the height of $400,000 plus. Location may also determine who much a pediatrician has the potential to earn. Although most pediatricians work on a more frequent basis, at least to start, there is the possibility for a pediatrician to earn a fairly decent living working part time.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Physicians do not choose this specialty because of the remuneration. Rather, they choose pediatrics because they love the field and they love children. My feeling is, if you can work and be so happy, why not do both?â&#x20AC;? - Angela Diaz, MD
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 27
|PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE
7
Deadly Sins to Avoid in Medical School Admissions By Dr. Suzanne Miller, MD, FACEP CEO, MDadmit | www.MDadmit.com
A
pplying to medical school is a daunting task. The medical school admissions process stands alone among the graduate school options (business, law, PhD, etc.) as the most complicated, demanding, and expensive. Discounting the time required to fulfill the premed course requirements, the medical school admissions process generally takes 14-17 months including sitting the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), obtaining recommendations, completing the AMCAS application, writing secondary application essays, interviewing, and executing a post-interview strategy. With the many tasks required to gain entrance to medical school come numerous opportunities to misstep. There are certain errors that are more likely to sink an application and your chances of becoming a doctor - the "Seven Deadly Sins."
I. MCAT: UNEVEN SCORE Though you may believe standardized testing is a moneymaking monopoly that does not appropriately assess your ability to be a doctor, it is a necessary evil. And as much as they hate to admit it, admissions committees pay attention to the score. Interestingly, an applicant who scores PS 14 WS Q VR 6 BS 10 (30Q) is worse off than one who scores PS 10 WS Q VR 10 BS 10 (30Q). Admissions committees are looking for consistency and, for the most part, view each part of the score equally. Some admissions committees place more weight on the "numbered" scores (Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, Biological Sciences) than on the "lettered" score (Writing Sample). However, this is not a universal belief and you should focus as much time on the writing part of the test as on the other three parts. In addition, do not take a left side of the brain approach and disregard the MCAT's Verbal Reasoning section. Data show an applicant's Verbal Reasoning score correlates with their performance on the USMLE exams, a point admissions committees take very seriously.
28 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
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II. RECOMMENDATIONS: "FAMOUS" RECOMMENDERS Think of recommendations as a way for the admissions committees to find out what you are really like and to show your well-roundedness. Recommendations are notorious for making or breaking an application. One luke-warm or (cringe) outright negative recommendation can sink your chances of becoming a doctor. Focus on obtaining recommendations from individuals who know you well as opposed to big-name professors you have never met. A glowing recommendation from your advanced biology teaching assistant whose office hours you visited weekly will be much stronger than a two-line recommendation from your dad's famous researcher friend who you met once at the mall. The power of a recommendation stems more from the letter's content than from the author's credentials. Coaches, community service leaders, and principal investigators may make excellent recommenders. One trick in obtaining recommendations is to ask a teaching assistant or post-bac in the lab who knows you well to write the letter, and then have the professor or principal investigator co-sign the same letter. Here are a few more tips on how to obtain excellent recommendations:
recommendation from every research supervisor listed on your AMCAS work/activities section. Some schools do not count math as a science. The Texas schools can be particularly picky about such things. Check with each school either by searching the website or calling the admissions office. Speak with your undergraduate institution's pre-med advisor to determine if your school sends a pre-med committee letter of recommendation. If so, institution-specific rules and deadlines often exist. Be sure to know the details for your school and hit the deadlines. It looks very bad to medical school admissions committees if your school usually sends a pre-med committee letter but does not send one for you. When asking for recommendations, be sure to set up a face-to-face meeting with the potential recommender and explicitly ask for a strong recommendation.
Be sure you know the recommendation rules of each medical school. Some schools require two science recommendations. Others (such as Harvard) now require a The personal statement causes great stress for many medical school applicants.
30 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
Bring each recommender an updated rĂŠsumĂŠ, transcript copy, personal statement (if complete), and detailed instructions on how to submit the recommendation. Always waive your right to see the recommendation.
III. PERSONAL STATEMENT: CREATIVITY GONE BAD The personal statement causes great stress for many medical school applicants. Personal statement authors often use creativity in attempt to compose essays that stand out amongst the stacks of other personal statements. Using creativity appropriately, such as starting the essay with an interesting anecdote seamlessly tied to the overall statement theme, can certainly help the admissions officer remember your essay. But a fine line exists between originality that works and that doesn't. Here are some examples of creativity that often does not work: Starting the personal statement with a quote. Quotes feel innovative and interesting. Yet, after reading hundreds of personal statements, I can attest that starting with a quote rarely works. Instead of creative, quotes usually appear trite and even a bit cheesy. Skip the quote and use an anecdote instead. Writing the statement as a poem or rap. I have simply never seen a poem-like essay work. They often come off as juvenile. Over-utilizing foreign language skills. Though you may be fluent in one or more languages, the medical personal statement is not he best place to show off these skills. Write the essay in English. It is acceptable to use a foreign word or phrase to make a point, but limit these references.
IV. AMCAS ACTIVITIES: SPACE FILL Medical school admissions committees place more weight on AMCAS work/activities that show leadership and dedication over a period of time. They look down on repeats and "fluff" activities. Don't fill the space just to fill the space. It is better to include five long-term activities where you held a leadership role than fifteen activities you performed for a semester. Take a look at the following abbreviated activity descriptions: EXAMPLE 1 Captain and four-year member of university varsity swim team Volunteered for African relief agency during all four years of college being promoted from office assistant to Eastern African relief team leader Worked with Dr. Dogood in Incite Research Lab for last two years of college and work culminated in peer-reviewed journal publication Started with the Big Buddy program as a freshman and have continued throughout college, most recently being elected as secretary for the organization Volunteered in the emergency department of local hospital for eight hours a day, twice a week for the past four summers EXAMPLE 2 Sang in university a capella group freshman year Member of college pre-med society for past two years Volunteered at blood drive for one weekend last semester Tutored disadvantaged students the fall semester of sophomore year Shadowed pulmonologist in her office twice this year Shadowed orthopedic surgeon in hospital once this year Attended AAMC pre-med seminar last year Worked in Dr. Cerebro's neuroscience lab sophomore year From work in Dr. Cerebro's lab, presented poster at university research day
Dean's list for 4 of 8 semesters Wrote article on pre-med society for university's weekly newspaper Served Thanksgiving dinner at local soup kitchen for past three years Won intramural squash championship last year Ran university Haitian relief drive after earthquake Member of university's Connecticut club for past four years Even though example two contains triple the experiences, I think you will agree the author of example one will look much more impressive to medical school admissions committees.
V. SECONDARIES: OOPS! WRONG SCHOOL Let's face it, secondary essays are a hassle. Who knew you had to write so much to get into medical school? If you apply to 25 schools, you could easily have over 50 secondary essays to write. Most applicants wisely create ten to fifteen secondary essays that answer the most common questions and then cut and paste the appropriate answer into the specific application at hand. This results in using similar answers for different schools, which is completely acceptable. However, pasting the Harvard answer (with the Harvard name) into the Yale application will not win you any friends in New Haven. When utilizing similar essays for different schools' secondary essay answers, make sure you check the details of each essay and ensure they pertain to the correct school. It is more than just embarrassing to detail how much you look forward to working in Dr. Cho's behavioral science lab at the University of Nebraska when Dr. Cho actually works at UCSF. Proof every essay to avoid tanking your application with such a silly and easily avoidable mistake.
VI. INTERVIEWS: CHECK THE SUIT Knowledge of this deadly sin arose from personal experience. While on the interview trail doing multiple interviews far from home, I put my suit in checked luggage. Inclement weather led to re-routing of the flight, and while I flew east, the bag headed south. I didn't show up to the interview in jeans but came darn close. When on the interview trail, always carry your suit onto the plane. Luggage can get lost even on direct flights. Have everything you need in a carry-on bag including suit, shirt, tie, shoes, socks/stockings, jewelry, toiletries/cosmetics, and directions to the interview.
VII. WAITLIST: CONTACT A NO CONTACT Medical schools are often bombarded by applicant questions from March until June, the busy season for admissions decisions and waitlists (excluding schools that perform rolling admissions). In order to decrease the burden on medical school admissions staff during this hectic time, some schools request you do not contact them during certain months. No contact policies generally include phone calls, e-mails, and letters. They also sometimes incorporate recommenders or premed advisors making a call on your behalf. If you would like to be moved from the acceptance or waitlist to the rejected list, feel free to give the school a call. The medical school admissions process is difficult, but 17,000 applicants per year overcome this challenge to matriculate at US medical schools. You can to. Staying on top of the admissions process and avoiding the "Seven Deadly Sins" can dramatically improve your chances of admissions success. If you'd like to learn more about how to get into medical school, please check out The Medical School Admissions Guide: A Harvard MD's Weekby-Week Admissions Handbook available online through www.MDadmit.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.
BIO
DR. SUZANNE MILLER is a practicing emergency physician and CEO of MDadmit, a medical school admissions consulting service. She began admissions consulting as a PreMedical Tutor and then Co-Chair of the Eliot House Pre-Medical Committee while attending Harvard Medical School. Dr. Miller currently lives in Washington, DC where she serves as a clinical instructor at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Dr. Miller enjoys teaching and traveling internationally, providing medical coverage for the Washington Wizards' and Capitals' games, and serving as a medical director for Racing the Planet adventure races.
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 31
2011
PRE-MED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST
PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Arizona Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Summer Students Program
Phoenix, Arizona
June/July 2011
6-Week commitment
Summer Research Fellowship at the University of Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
TBA
TBA
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Los Angeles, California
June-August 2011
6 Weeks
Seaver Undergraduate Research in Biology at Pepperdine University
Malibu,, California
May 16-August 1, 2011
11 Weeks
32 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 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
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.
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Phone(602) 200-0437 Email foundation@azheart.com
MARCH 2011
Phone(501) 526-6503
FEBRUARY, 28 2011
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
Phone(310) 825-9573 Email uclasmdep@mednet.ucla.edu
MARCH 15, 2011
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
jay.brewster@pepperdine.edu
FEBRUARY 14, 2011
Website brin.uams.edu/students2.asp
Website seaver.pepperdine.edu/surb
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 33
2011 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Stanford Summer Research Program (SSRP)
Stanford, California
June 19-August 13, 2011
8 Weeks
UCLA Pre-Medical Enrichment Program (PREP)
Los Angeles, CA
June-July 2011
7 Weeks
UCLA Re-Application Program (RAP)
Los Angeles, California
June-July 2011
11 Months Summer Session 7 Weeks + Academic Session 9 Months
Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
Duarte, California
May-July 2011 or June-August 2011
10 Weeks
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE) Program
Duarte, California
May-August 2011 June-August 2011 June-September 2011
12 Weeks
UCSD Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
San Diego, California
TBA
8 Weeks
34 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 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.cityofhop.org/education/summer-studentacademy/Pages/CUREprogram.aspx
CONTACT PROGRAM
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
FEBRUARY 2011
MARCH 2011
Website www.medstudent.ucla.edu/prospec tive/?pgID=181
MAY 2011
Website www.medstudent.ucla.edu/prospec tive/?pgID=183
MARCH 2011
Website www.cityofhope.org/education/summer-student-academy/Pages/default.aspx
Website mstp.ucsd.edu/surf/Pages/default.aspx
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 35
2011 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 2011
10 Weeks
Summer Student Research Fellowship at Hartford Hospital
Hartford, Connecticut
June-August 2011
10 Weeks
Yale University Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) New Haven, Connecticut
June-July 2011
6 Weeks
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation Internship Program
Ridgefield, Connecticut
TBA
TBA
College Enrichment Program (CEP) at the University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
June - July 2011
6 Weeks
College Summer Fellowship Program at UConn School of Medicine
Farmington, Connecticut
TBA
10 Weeks
36 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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
(303) 724-6084 Email: GEMS@ucdenver.edu
MARCH 2011
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
Website www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/medicine/departments/GEMS/Pages/default.aspx
Rportal@harthosp.org
FEBRUARY 2011
Website www.harthosp.org/ResidenciesFellowsh ips/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, 2011
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website us.boehringer-ingelheim.com/career/internship
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 2011
Website medicine.uchc.edu/prospective
(860) 679-2487 Email: dieli@uchu.edu
FEBRUARY 2011
Website medicine.uchc.edu/prospective/enrichment/collegefellow/index.html
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 37
2011 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) at Howard University
Washington, DC
June-July 2011
6 Weeks
Georgetown Summer Medical Institute (GSMI)
Washington, DC
June/July 2011
Varies
STEP-UP/BSURE Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Baltimore, Maryland
June - August 2011
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 2011
7 Weeks
38 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION 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.
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Stipend Housing Meals
(202) 806-0378 Email: hu_smdep@yahoo.com
MARCH 1, 2011
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.
:
JUNE 2011
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 2011 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 2011
Website www6.miami.edu/provost/oae/ motivationprogram.html
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 39
2011 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Health P.A.S.S. Program
Des Moines, Iowa
July 2011
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 2011
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 2011
8 Weeks
Summer Internship Program at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
June-August 2011
9-10 Weeks
40 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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
(800) 240-2767 x 1709
FEBRUARY 2011
Website www.dmu.edu/healthpass
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
(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, 2011
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, 2011
Website www.jhsph.edu/student_affairs/diversity/DSIPFactSheet.pdf
$3,000 Stipend Housing
Email cwill@jhmi.edu
FEBRUARY 1, 2011
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 41
2011 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
College Summer Enrichment Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School
Worcester, Massachusetts
May-June 2011
4 Weeks
Four Directions Summer Research Program at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
June - August 2011
8 Weeks
Siteman Cancer Center Summer Opportunity Program
St. Louis, Missouri
June - August 2011
10 Weeks
Biomedical Research Apprenticeship Program (BioMed RAP) at Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
TBA
10 Weeks
42 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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
(508) 856-2707
MARCH 15, 2011
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 12, 2011
Website www.fdsrp.org
MARCH 1, 2011
Website www.siteman.wustl.edu/internal.aspx?id=254
(314) 362-7963 Biomedrap@msnotes.wustl.edu
JANUARY 31, 2011
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 43
2011 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Premedical Achievement Program (PMAP) at Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
June - July 2011
6 Weeks
Summer MCAT Review Program at Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
May 23 -27 2011
1 Week
University of Nebraska Medical Center Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
Omaha, Nebraska
June - July 2011
8 Weeks
Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program at the Eppley Cancer Research Institute
Newark, New Jersey
TBA
10 Weeks
44 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION The program is an intensive MCAT and medical school admissions preparation program is open to disadvantaged students who will be applying to medical school.
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Stipend may be available for eligible students
Email: MDadmissions@msu.edu (517) 432-6589
MARCH 2011
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.
MAY 1, 2011
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, 2011
Website www.smdep.org/progsites/nebraska.htm
FEBRUARY 10, 2011
Website http://www.unmc.edu/eppley/summer.htm
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 45
2011 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 2011
6 Weeks
Biomedical Careers Program (BCP) at Robert Wood Medical School
Piscataway, New Jersey
June - July 2011
6 Weeks
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
New York, New York
June-July 2011
6 Weeks
Gateways to the Laboratory Summer Program at Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering
New York, New York
June - August 2011
10 Weeks
46 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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
MARCH 1, 2011
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 15, 2011
Website rwjms.umdnj.edu/osap/bcp.html
MARCH 1, 2011
Website www.smdep.org/progsites/columbia.htm
FEBRUARY 1, 2011
www.med.cornell.edu/mdphd/summerprogram
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 47
2011 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 2011
6 weeks
Montefiore Medical Center's Health Opportunities Program (Monte-HOP)
Bronx, New York
July - August 2011
6 Weeks
Project Asian Health Education and Development (AHEAD)
New York, New York
June - August 2011
8 Weeks
The Travelers Summer Research Fellowship Program for Premedical Students at Weill Cornell Medical College
New York, New York
June - August 2011
8 Weeks
Project Healthcare at NYU Langone Medical Center
New York, New York
48 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
June - August 2011
10 Weeks
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION 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.
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
$1000 Stipend Transportation Meals
(718) 430-2792 hcoe@einstein.yu.edu
MARCH 2011
(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 2011
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.
Website www.einstein.yu.edu/hcoe
FEBRUARY 2011
(212) 379-6988 ext. 619 Website www.cbwchc.org/job/ahead/ahead.html
(212) 746-1057
FEBRUARY 1 2011
Website www.med.cornell.edu/education/programs
(212) 562-3041 Email bellevuepavers@nyumc.org
JANUARY 2011
Website emergency.med.nyu.edu/electives/college-students
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 49
2011 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 2011
Varies
50 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
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. 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.
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
MFalzone@nshs.edu
FEBRUARY 15, 2011
Website www.northshorelij.com/NSLIJ
$3000 Stipend Up to $300 for travel expenses Housing
(212) 746-6565 ffreyre@med.cornell.edu
FEBRUARY 1, 2011
Website weill.cornell.edu/gradschool/summer/index.html
(631) 632-1387 sunyagep@notes.cc.sunysb.edu Website www.stonybrook.edu/agep
$3500 Stipend (631) 632-1387 Round-trip airfare sunyagep@notes.cc.sunysb.edu Housing Meals Website www.stonybrook.edu/agep/undergrad.shtml#sri
(718) 590-1110
FEBRUARY 2011
VARIES
Website www.bwahec.org/programs
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 51
2011 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
52 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
Grand Forks, North Dakota
TBA
6 Weeks
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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
(402) 559-8242 sacox@unmc.edu
MARCH 1, 2011
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
Website www.unmc.edu/com/summer/9.htm
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.
(252) 744-2500 ascc@mail.ecu.edu
FEBRUARY 15, 2011
Website nchcap.unc.edu/sep.php
Stipend Travel Stipend
(701) 777-3037
APRIL 2011
Website www.med.und.edu/inmed/summerprograms.html
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 53
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 2011
6 Weeks
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine Summer Scholars Program
Athens, Ohio
June - July 2011
6 Weeks
MedStarz Program at the University of Toledo College of Medicine
Toldeo, OH
July 2011
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 2011 8-10 Weeks
Chester Summer Scholars Program
Cleveland, Ohio
TBA
Pre-Professional Internship Program at Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine
54 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
Cincinnati, Ohio
January 4-7, 2011 January 10-14, 2011 June 6-10, 2011 June 13-17, 2011 July 11-15, 2011 July 18-22, 2011
10 Weeks
1- 2 Weeks
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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
MARCH 1, 2011
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, 2011
Website www.oucom.ohiou.edu/summerscholars
MARCH 1, 2011
Website www.utoledo.edu/med/md/admissions/medstarz.html
FEBRUARY 15, 2011
Website www.med.uc.edu/rose/index.html
FEBRUARY 2011
Website www.metrohealth.org/body.cfm?id=289
(216) 916-7488 lfranck@ocpm.edu
VARIES
Website www.ocpm.edu/?page=admission-internships
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 55
2011 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Summer Premedical Enrichment Program (SPEP) at the University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
June - July 2011
6 Weeks
Summer Premedical Academic Enrichment Program (SPAEP) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
June - July 2011
8 Weeks
Pre-med Enrichment Program at the University of Pennsylvania Health System
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May - August 2011
10 Weeks
Pre-Med Program at St. Mary Healthcare Center
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Begins May 2011
TBA
Summer Pre-Med Program at Doylestown Hospital
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Late-May - August 2011
10 Weeks
56 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
Residential program for 18 college juniors, seniors, and postbaccalaureate premedical students. Students receive intensive exposure to medicine as a career through t ours, speakers, seminars, and shadowing. Students are exposed to the medical school experience and the academic curriculum through a noncredit course in cardiophysiology, extensive interaction with medical students and faculty, and detailed guidance through the medical school application process. Emphasis is on strengthening critical thinking/problem solving skills, increasing selfawareness, and making each participant a competitive medical school applicant.
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
(513) 558-7212 lathel.bryant@uc.edu
MARCH 1, 2011
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 CONTACT PROGRAM
(215) 354-2204 Website www.dh.org/body.cfm?id=616
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 57
2011 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST PROGRAM NAME
LOCATION
DATE
DURATION
Mini-Med Spring Break at Drexel University College of Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
March/April 2011
Choose from 7 1-week sessions
Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy (VSSA)
Nashville, Tennessee
June - August 2011
TBA
Oncology Education (POE) Program
Memphis, Tennessee
Mid-June - August 2011
Varies
Dialysis Clinic, Inc. Collegiate Medical Summer Internship Program
Nashville, Tennessee
June 1 - July 30, 2011
8 Weeks
58 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
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.
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
(215) 762-6800 minimed@drexelmed.edu
MARCH 2011
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, 2011
Website www.stjude.org/poe
(615) 327-8814
FEBRUARY 25, 2011
Website www.dciinc.org/camp/Internship.htm
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 59
2011 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 2011
8 Weeks
The University of Texas Dental Branch and Medical School at Houston Houston, Texas Weeks Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
May-June 2011
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 6 - July 29, 2011
8 Weeks
Scholars Program in Organic Chemistry at University of Texas - Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas
June - August 1011
10 Weeks
60 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
6
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION
PERKS
The Michael E. DeBakey Summer Surgery Program offers the pre-medical student a glimpse of a career in surgery long before they will ever pick up a scalpel for the first time. During the eight weeks, students become familiar with the hospital environment, the operating room, and the lifestyle of a surgeon. They are expected to become an integral part of their surgical teams by participating in rounds, surgery, and conferences.
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
studentprograms@bcm.tmc.edu
JANUARY 15, 2011
Website www.debakeydepartmentofsurgery.org
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, 2010
Website www.smdep.org/progsites/houston.htm
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.opt.uh.edu/students/undergrad/
(210) 567-4324 physiologygrad@uthscsa.edu
MARCH 11, 2011
Website physiology.uthscsa.edu
(214) 648-7517 SPOCPrograms@UTSiuthwestern.edu
JANUARY 2011
Website www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 61
2011 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 2011
10 Weeks
Study and Treatment of Human Disease in Mwandi, Zambia
Mwandi, Zambia
Early July - August 2011
4 Weeks
Physiology Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE)
62 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
San Antonio, Texas
June 6 - July 29, 2011
8 Weeks
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION 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.
PERKS
PROGRAM INFO
APPLICATION DEADLINE
$1500 Stipend Housing Meals
(804) 287-6484 jvaugha2@richmond.edu
APRIL 2011
(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.
Website prehealth.richmond.edu/mcat-preparation/virginia-nebraska-alliance FEBRUARY 2011
Website cbe.wisc.edu/srp-bio/
Housing
vecase@davidson.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
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 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
vecase@davidson.edu
CONTACT PROGRAM
Website www.bio.davidson.edu/people/vecase/mwandi/index.html
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 63
THAT’S SO “JOCK WHO CAN COMPLETE A PASS BUT NOT A SENTENCE.” you Th ink tha t’s me an? Ho w do ? thi nk “th at’ s so gay ” sou nds . off it Hu rtf ul. So , kno ck
ThinkB4YouSpeak.com
PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE
USEFUL WEB SITES FOR PRE-MED STUDENTS WIKIPREMED.COM The WikiPremed MCAT Course is an open access comprehensive course in the undergraduate level general sciences. John Wetzel founded WikiPremed to provide students anywhere in the world the means to prepare for medical school. A graduate of Stanford University, he scored a 38S on the MCAT in 1994. He is an experienced MCAT instructor, having helped premedical students prepare for the MCAT in small group teaching through over fifty course cycles in a course he created. His notable contribution is to have developed the first unified, spiraling curriculum for teaching the undergraduate physical and biological sciences. ASPIRINGDOCS.ORG AspiringDocs.org was created to raise awareness about the critical need for more diversity in medicine and to encourage African American. Latino/a and Native American students to apply to and enroll in medical school. The AAMC's AspiringDocs.org campaign has released new podcasts on why diversity matters in medical education, how to succeed in the interview process, and what medical school is like. STUDENTDOCTOR.NET The mission of Student Doctor is to assist and encourage all students through the challenging and complicated health care education process. The Student Doctor Network is a 100% volunteer-run resource. SDN is operated by a small group of unpaid volunteers that are dedicated to providing students unbiased information. MCATQUESTION.COM This site is designed to helping students prepare for an essential component of the medical school application process. The creators believe in daily practice to keep the mind sharp and to overcome the urge to procrastinate and cram information. The site was started because nobody else out there offered a free, useful service that encouraged and gave students the means to practice every day.
STUDENTDOC.COM This resource is one of the oldest sites devoted to life as a medical student. Starting with your premed years, prepping for the MCAT and applying to medical schools, studentdoc takes students through the transformative journey from student to physician. MDAPPLICANTS.COM MDapplicants.com is a free site designed as a service to premedical and prospective premedical students. The aim of this site is to share the experiences of past applicants with current, as a rough guide to what they may expect or the type of preparation they may require. The site hosts thousands of profiles detailing the qualifications and experiences of students from all backgrounds as they go through the most rigorous of professional applications. CHEMSPIDER.COM ChemSpider links together compound information across the web, providing free text and structure search access of millions of chemical structures. With an abundance of additional property information, tools to upload, curate and use the data, and integration to a multitude of other online services, ChemSpider is a valuable source of structure-based chemistry information. AAMC.ORG The Association of American Medical Colleges offers excellent MCAT resources on their site. Students can learn more about the exam, order practice tests, create a study plan, and take advantage of a number of other free prep resources. MCATWIZARD.COM The MCAT Wizard is part of the MCAT Genesis Project, a collaborative effort from medical students and professionals. Free resources include test information, science tutorials and videos, an MCAT social network, and a diverse set of prep tools.
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 65
GADGETS&GIZMOS
>>>Our pick of cool and unusual items that we thought our readers might be interested in
iPlunge Phone Stand Plunge is the perfect solution for your video emergencies â&#x20AC;&#x201D; just squish it against the back of your iPod, iPhone, or any device with a smooth hard surface
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Willy Desk Fan Willy cools you down in the heat of the momentâ&#x20AC;Ś that moment being hot and bothered while sitting at your desk at work! Push his nose to turn the battery operated fan on or off.
` 66 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
The Sock Sack Doing laundry at the dorms, laundromat or fraternity or sorority can be a hassle but with The Sock Sack students will never lose socks in the laundry again.
GADGETS & GIZMOS| Contigo Autoseal Travel Mug This travel coffee mug earned Good Housekeeping's seal of approval for durability and drinkability. The coffee stays hot for 4 hours and does not leak due to the "autoseal" feature, which opens the sipping mechanism with the press of a button. When the button is released, the mechanism closes, forming a spill-proof seal even if your college student drops it or lodges it in a backpack.
`
Decision Maker No more agonizing over difficult decisions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; now you've got a cute little helper who will do all the hard thinking and provide you with the best possible solution for any problem you might have. Just ask, spin, and presto â&#x20AC;&#x201C; instant decision-making!
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Defrosty Ice Cubes These ice cubes do not dissolve or dilute in water and were made entirely to throw you or your guests off guard. They are made to look like Frosty just melted in your drink
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 67
Free events and programs across the nation are being offered to premedical students . From MCAT preparation to learning more about the medical school admissions process, students can take advantage of the many upcoming events. For more information about free programs being offered in your area, visit www.princetonreview.com/events.
FREEPREMEDEVENTS
|PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE
MCAT & MEDICAL SCHOOL SEMINAR
STRATEGY SESSION FOR THE MCAT
Get an introduction to med school, the MCAT, and the application process. If getting into medical school keeps you up at night, you should take advantage of this seminar. Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of the MCAT and demystify the medical school admissions process. At the end of the session, you'll know the MCAT and how to put together an application that will impress any admissions committee.
Ask you know, the MCAT is a computer-based exam. Attend this MCAT free event to learn everything there is to know about the MCAT CBT. You'll meet an expert Princeton Review instructor who will walk you through some questions and teach you some of the company’s proven strategies that you can use on test day.
TESTFEST 2010 FREE PRACTICE TEST Put your skills to the test by taking a free practice exam. Participants also receive a detailed analysis of their results.
PRE-MED JUMPSTART Admissions and MCAT test experts to come together for this free workshop. Find out what you need to know about Medical School Admissions and the strategies you will need for the MCAT.
ANATOMY OF THE MCAT Learn the ins and outs of all the areas of the MCAT. Meet expert instructors who will break down all the areas of the test, what to expect and what you need to know in order to be ready on test day. A team of specialist instructors will dissect the MCAT subject by subject and share strategies designed to improve your score on each section of the exam.
68 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
MCAT & MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS FORUM In this free seminar, students will gain an indepth knowledge of the MCAT and demystify the medical school admissions process. At the end of the session, you'll know the MCAT and how to put together an application that will impress any admissions committee
HYPERLEARNING MCAT CLASS At the Hyperlearning MCAT Free Class, you will experience the most thorough, demanding, and effective MCAT prep course around. An instructor will teach you some of the company’s most effective test-taking strategies and lead you through several MCAT sample problems. To find information about free programs being offered in you area log-on to: www.princetonreview.com/events.
IN THE STACKS
Books we thought that aspiring doctors might be interested in reading<<<
SWITCHING TIME: A DOCTOR'S HARROWING STORY OF TREATING A WOMAN WITH 17 PERSONALITIES by Richard Baer, MD This is a story of a Karen Overhill, a young woman who feels like an impersonator in her own life. She has trouble recognizing the people who say they are her friends and she can't remember being intimate with her own husband. During visits, psychiatrist Richard Baer recognizes that Karen is on the verge of suicide and as he tries various medications to keep her alive he also tries to get to the bottom of what's causing her bizarre behavior. Baer gets a letter in the mail from a little girl who writes that she's seven years old and lives inside of Karen. As the story continues it becomes clear that Karen is "switching time" with alternate selves as the situation warrants. BEDSIDE MANNERS: ONE DOCTORS REFLECTIONS OF THE ODDLY INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN PATIENT AND HEALER by David Watts, MD In story after story, you get a taste of the life's richness - from a story of a patient reliving his WWII experience coming upon a concentration camp before it was widely know such camps existed to the joy of learning a self-diagnosis is not nearly as dire as the actual problem to the tragedy of a beautiful young girl who keeps coming back to the hospital because her boyfriend refuses to admit he's got a STD to the mystery of a medical student injuring herself essentially for the attention. GIFTED HANDS: THE BEN CARSON STORY by Ben Carson, MD Dr. Ben Carson gives readers a look into the life of a neurosurgeon. He started out on what he calls the rough streets of Detroit. His father left the family and his mother struggled to make ends meet. Ben transforms from a kid with little confidence and unsure about where his life is going to a determined and notable neurosurgeon. He tells the story of his struggles and his triumphs. For all the students who've ever doubted themselves, this is a story that will give you a boost of confidence. HOW DOCTORS THINK: CLINICAL JUDGMENT AND THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE by Kathryn Montgomery This is a book basically defines the nature and importance of clinical judgment. Although physicians make use of science, this book argues that medicine is not itself a science but rather an interpretive practice that relies on clinical reasoning. Montgomery writes a piece that stimulates readers to think more deeply about the practice of medicine.
January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 69
BETTERLIFEBETTERYOU
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>>> Information on taking care of yourself as a student living a busy life
EXERCISES
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We know that as a pre-med student you’ll be spending lots of time at your desk, either in your dorm room or in the library, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to get out of shape. Not only with these exercises help to keep you fit, they’ll also get some blood flowing to your brain so you’ll be better equipped to handle those orgo programs. Here are 3 quick exercises you can do at your desk.:
NECK ROLL AROUND
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Let your head fall forward with your chin towards your chest. Roll your head towards your right shoulder. Don’t let your shoulders pull up when you do this stretch. You should feel a stretch along the top of your left shoulder. Hold for 5 seconds. Do the same on the other side. Repeat 3 to 4 times on each side. Do not extend your head backward.
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OVERHEAD PRESSES
In a standing or seated position, reach above your head with both arms and lace your fingers together. Think of trying to touch the ceiling with your fingertips. Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds and repeat 3 times.
For more information about health, wellness,and fitness visit The Fitness Group online at: www.healthandwellness.weebly.com or connect with us at facebook/thefitnessgroup. COLLEGE STUDENTS: Email your fitness questions directly to info@premedlife.com
70 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
GADGETS & GIZMOS| OVERHEAD PRESSES Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor. Holding a soup can or a even a small book, start with both hands held at shoulder height. Alternate reaching upwards with each arm. Keep the palms of your hands facing inwards towards your head. Breathe out as you push up and breathe in as your arm comes down. Try 5 repetitions to start. Gradually work up to 15.
DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T SIT CHAIR SQUATS Stand in front of your chair with your feet a hip's width apart. Place your hands on your hips and lower your butt until it's just above the seat. Then return to a standing position. Slowly bend your knees and lower your body to a comfortable level. Try 5 repetitions to start. Gradually work up to 15 repetitions. To make it harder, reach your hands overhead as if you were holding a beach ball.
DESK PUSH-UPS Upper-body strength. Stand a yard or more away from your desk, with your feet together. Place your palms on the edge of the desk a shoulder's width apart. Lower your chest to the edge of the desk, and push back up. Remember to exhale on the way up. Do 20 times.
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R E M P OO HEL R M OUT R DOORK
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Bosu Ball This item is often used for balance training. With the dome side up, the device can be used for athletic drills and aerobic activities. It can also be flipped over for more exercises
Core Balance Pods These colorful pods are designed to improve core strength and agility
Kettlebell Use these to perform different types of presses, swings, squats, rows, and more to get yourself into great shape.
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COLLEGE101
>>> Helpful advice to manage and deal with life as a college student
GOOD BUDDIES TO HAVE IN COLLEGE...
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72 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011
THE SMART BUDDY
The smart buddy might be someone in your dorm hall, a teaching assistant, or a tutor. It's always a good idea to have one of these buddies around. They may be able to explain things to you in a way that makes it easier for you to understand a concept that's been getting the best of you. If the world was perfect, we would all be the smart buddy, but the fact of the matter is...there's a curve. And most students will fall somewhere in the middle. If you're the Smart Buddy... Give back. Share your study strategies. Ask your professor about tutoring and note-taking opportunities. Not only will you be helping others but as studies show, you will be reinforcing your own knowledge.
THE LOCAL BUDDY
If you're leaving home and planning to live somewhere new, you might want to get yourself a local buddy. This person will be familiar with almost everything in the area that you're in. They'll have the best restaurant recommendations, know the cheapest places to buy your necessities, and an array of information that will come in handy for anyone not familiar with the area. You'll probably have to hunt out these people in one of your classes since they'll probably be living at home instead of on campus, but if you're ever in a jam, there's no better friend to have. If you're the Local Buddy... Be generous. If some sorry-looking out-of-towner needs your help, show them some love.
THE CAR BUDDY
pus food court. You'll be glad you can catch a ride with your car buddy whether its for a run to the supermarket or maybe a ride into the city. If you're the Car Buddy... You'll probably be very popular. So be prepared for the upsurge in unexpected people who want to be your "buddy". You can usually get a group together and they might be able to chip in to donate to your gas fund. Hey, nothing is free.
The Workout Buddy
You tell yourself that you're going to the gym at 6 o'clock...6 o'clock arrives and you bail out on yourself. But if you had a designated workout buddy, their obligation is to hold you to your word. They make you hit the elliptical machine when you think you're all burned out or wake you up on Saturday morning to go for an early jog along the campus trail. Blood flow to your brain can help you think and remember information better. If you're the Workout Buddy... You are already familiar with your way around the gym and you probably have people coming up to you all the time when you're working out. You're on a good path because working out will not only keep you from gaining the infamous weight that comes along with college life, but it will also increase the blood flowing to your brain.
The Popular Buddy This student is in a trazillion clubs and organizations and is the social butterfly in your group. They know several people and meet new people every day. Socializing comes natural to them. This person can't really offer you anything but is a leeway to gaining other connections and other "buddies". If you're the Popular Buddy... You may find yourself surrounded by timid little newbies trying to study your moves and figure out how it is that you do what you do.
Having this buddy goes without saying. Befriend someone with a car. There may come a time when you realize you're down to your last bottle of water and know that buying it from the wholesale club just a few miles away could save you a bundle than if you were to buy one bottle for an arm and a leg from the cam-
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There is no spokesperson with a catchy phrase to remind the driver to slow down, stop eating, LIk_\Jgfb\jg\ijfe%Zfd
quit messing with the radio or pay attention to the road.
Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Only You. Speak Up.