PreMedLife Magazine - January/February 2011

PREMEDLIFETM

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011THE MAGAZINE FOR PREMEDICAL STUDENTS

FindingSummerInternshipsFinding The Right Match For Your PreMed Internship

2011Summer

Pre-Med

Program List

Included!

+Seven Deadly SinsTo Avoid in MedicalSchool Admissions

Interview TipsSteps to Help You

During the Process

School SpotliteMayo Medical School

Log onto www.premedlife.com to view the digital edition of this issue for FREE!

FREE CO

PY

January/February 2011 | PreMedLife Magazine | 3

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FEATURES Summer Internships | 12Tips to help you find the right matchfor your summer pre-medical internship

Steps for the Interview | 18Knowing 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 | 28Staying away from these mistakes can help youalong your journey to getting into medical school

DEPARTMENTSAsk The Experts | 10Your questions answered by knowledgeable insiders who give insight about the medical school admissions process

School Spotlight| 17Get a glimpse into what Mayo Medical Schoolhas to offer prospective students

Especially This Specialty | 27Find out what being a Pediatrician is all aboutand what it will take to pursue this specialty

IN EVERY ISSUENewsbites| 6Recent news & information relevant to students applying to medical school

In The Stacks| 69Books to inspire you or provide you with advice along your journey to medical school

Better Life, Better You| 70Advice & tips for taking care of yourself tomake it through your hectic pre-med life

College 101| 72Here are some things that every studentattending college should know about

CONTENTS18

617

12

2011 SUMMER PRE-MED

PROGRAM LISTThere’s still time to apply for summer pre-med programs for 2011 - but deadlines arequickly approaching. Check out our list of programs for pre-med students looking tospend their summer doing something productive.| 32

January/February 2011

We’re looking for pre-med students to join the PreMedLife Student Advisory Board. Are you interested in sharing youropinion about what topics matter most to pre-med students? Then join our team. Students selected to be a part of thePreMedLife Advisory Board will be acknowledge in every issue and considered a part of the PreMedLife staff. Sounds inter-esting? Send an email to [email protected] with your Name, College/University, and year (i.e. Freshman, Sophomore, etc).

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PreMedLife Magazine is published six timesper year by Kisho Media, LLC. and copiesare provided to selected colleges and univer-sities free of charge. The information inPreMedLife Magazine is believed to be accu-rate, but in some instances, may representopinion or judgment. Consult your pre-medadvisor with any questions you may haveabout the medical school admission processand related topics. Unless otherwise noted,all photographs, artwork, and and may notbe duplicated or reprinted without expresswritten permission from Kisho Media, LLC.PreMedLife Magazine and Kisho Media,LLC. are not liable for typographical or pro-duction errors or the accuracy of informa-tion provided by advertisers. PreMedLifeMagazine reserves the right to refuse anyadvertising. All inquires may be sent to:Kisho Media, LLC. P.O. Box 7049, NewYork, NY 10116. Or call (347) 231-6429 oremail [email protected].

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from thepublisherNew year, new you! Or maybe not. If you've been doing what you have todo keep up the good work. But if you've been slacking a bit, now's the timeto step up your game. The beginning of a new year marks the universal timefor anyone who hasn't been doing what they are supposed to do to get ittogether. You have about five more months to go before the semester endsso 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 hardwork you're putting in will certainly pay off. It may be hard to see the rewardsof all the long hours of studying you're putting in now, but it will all be worthit in the end. There's a saying that goes, "begin with the end in mind" and ifyou think like this, you may find it easier to get through the tough times. Andare the tough times really that though? What are you really complainingabout...studying? Get over it. And if you think these are tough times, justwait until you get into medical school.

If you don't realize it at this point, studying is an inevitable part of yourlife as a pre-med student. So you might as well find a way to make the bestof it. For now, there will always be tests to take, there will always be reportsto 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 whatit is that you're in for and make the best of it. Now's not the time to be sulk-ing over how much you have to do. Don't worry, spring break will be heresooner that you know, so try to keep yourself together until then. Let springbreak be your reward for doing what you're supposed to do.

Publisher

Sheema

6 | PreMedLife Magazine | January/February 2011

NEWSBITES>>> Recent news & information relevant to pre-medical students applying to medical school

More womenpick certain specialties to create work-life balanceDid you know that 63% of all women doctorsfeel that their work life balance is a challengeto them?

Medical specialties that allow for an oppor-tunity to balance work and family are becomingmore and more popular among female healthcare providers, according to a study presented atthe Alfred P. Sloan Foundation conference inWashington, D.C.

The study, conducted by Claudia Goldin, aneconomics professor at Harvard University,revealed that because of rapid growth in routinecolonoscopies that can be scheduled in advancewomen physicians are flocking to colon and rec-tal surgery as an occupation of choice becauseit can give them more control over their time.Specifically, in 2007 31% of colon and rectalsurgeons 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 careprofessions with a low career cost of family alsoinclude pediatrics and dermatology.

It is well-known that both men and womenwant a better work-life balance, especially if theyare parents. So if a woman has a decision to makeregarding her specialty of choice, she may likelyconsider many factors and make the best decisionthat will work well with her schedule. This willallow her to do what she loves-practice medicine-without doing too much sacrificing.

Innovative program aims to train doctors for underserved areasFor two years now, groups of medical students atMontana's WWAMI program at the University ofWashington School of Medicine participate in aninnovative medical program aimed to serve rural,underserved areas of Montana.

The program, called the Montana Targeted RuralUnderserved Track (TRUST), is designed to pro-vide health care in the rural and underserved pock-ets of the state. At the beginning of the program,students are matched with a mentor and a commu-nity to establish a long-term relationship that con-tinues over their four-years in medical school.

To jumpstart the program, in their first and sec-ond year of medical school, students take a class inrural health. In addition, students in the TRUSTprogram join together in a special health policyjournal club and participate in evening sessions witha group of health care providers serving in ruraland underserved areas in Montana.

TRUST students participate in a special healthpolicy journal club and participate in evening ses-sions with a select group of rural and underservedproviders from around Montana.

In the summer between the first and second yearof medical school, the students return to theirTRUST site to complete the one-month experi-ence, which includes a short community-based

research project. TRUST students in the secondyear move to Seattle and participate in anUnderserved Pathway, which allows students tofocus on the care of underserved populationsthroughout medical school. In the third year ofmedical school, students return for the fifth time totheir TRUST site to complete a five-month experi-ence in rural and underserved medicine.

"This is a very innovative program," said JayErickson, MD, assistant dean of the MontanaWWAMI Clinical Office. "The TRUST programhighlights the commitment that the MontanaWWAMI program is making to help meet thephysician workforce needs in Montana". Itdraws on successful programs already within theUniversity of Washington School of Medicine,as well as draws upon successful aspects ofother rural medical education programs nation-ally and internationally.

WWAMI is a cooperative program of theUniversity of Washington School of Medicine andthe states of Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.It is a program designed to make medical educationaccessible to students in the northwestern UnitedStates by decentralizing the educational process andby sharing existing facilities and personnel in uni-versities and communities in the WWAMI states.


NEWSBITES

Grossanatomycoursesmake forbetter docsMedical students may benefit from morehands-on work in gross human anatomycourses, according to a study published in theMedical Journal of Australia.

For the study, led by George Ramsey-Stewart, professor of surgical anatomy at theUniversity of Sydney, researchers evaluated anelective gross anatomy course offered in 2010to senior medical students at the University ofSydney. Included in the study were 29 studentswho were divided into eight groups and car-ried out whole-body dissections on eightcadavers over 34 days. Students were assessedby practical tests involving the identificationof 20 tagged structures in four "wet" speci-mens before, during, at the end of, and onemoth after the course.

Researchers reported that students' knowl-edge of anatomy improved significantlythrough the course, with pre-course assess-ment median scores of 8/20, mid-courseassessment media scores of 18.5/20, 19/20for the end-course assessment, and 19/20 forthe post-course assessment. In addition, allstudents rated the dissection course as "verygood" and recommended that the courseshould be available for all students.

"There is an apparent need for the introduc-tion of a standard basic national curriculum ingross human anatomy," said Professor Ramsey-Stewart. "This would ensure that medical grad-uates have a reasonable knowledge of grosshuman anatomy and are equipped to properlyunderstand the amazingly complex biologicalstructure with which most of them will be inti-mately concerned throughout the rest of theirprofessional careers."

Medical residents havemixed feelings on newlimit on work hoursStudent doctors are divided on new work-hourrules, according to a recent survey published in theNew England Journal of Medicine.

The new rules, approved by the AccreditationCouncil for Graduate Medical Education(ACGME) in September 2010, preserves the 80-hour limit on the resident workweek and requiresthat first-year residents work no more than 16hours continuously.

A 20-question survey, received by 11,617 stu-dents at 23 institutions, revealed that 51% ofresidents indicated the changes would have apositive effect on residents' quality of life andwell-being and 28% said the changes wouldhave a negative effect. In addition, respondentswere somewhat negative on patient safety.Specifically, 34% indicated the changes would

positively affect patient safety; 39% said patientsafety would be negatively affected.

The survey authors also reported that respon-dents had more negative views about the impact onthe quality of care delivered to patients.

Moreover, in their written responses, many"expressed concern about diminishing patient safe-ty and the quality of care by increasing the numberof patient handoffs and reducing the continuity ofcare, which the changes will necessitate in mostprograms," the authors wrote.

Public opinion has come down strongly against24-hour shifts for doctors and in favor of tougherwork-hour regulation for residents, but views onduty-hour reform are much more mixed from resi-dency program directors and others within themedical field.

Students will soon get a glimpse of the newperiodic table will sport a change to theatomic weights of some elements.

According to a recently released report, thenew table will express atomic weights of 10elements - hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon,nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, sulfur, chlorine, andthallium - in a new way that is designed toreflect more accurately how these elementsare found in nature.

"For more than a century and a half,many were taught to use standard atomicweights - a single value - found on the inside

cover of chemistry textbooks and on theperiodic table of the elements," said MichaelWieser, MD, an associate professor at theUniversity of Calgary. "As technologyimproved, we have discovered that the num-bers on our chart are not as static as we havepreviously believed".

This fundamental change in the presenta-tion of the atomic weights is based upon workbetween 1985 and 2010 supported by IUPAC,the University of Calgary and other contribut-ing Commission members and institutions.

New changes to the periodic table are coming soon


NEWSBITES

As Oakland University William BeaumontSchool of Medicine makes plans to open itsdoors in August 2011, more than 3,200 studentsapplied for the school’s 50 spots.

“It’s more than we expected,” said Dr.Angela Nuzzarello, associate dean for studentaffairs and associate professor of psychiatry.“We were pleasantly surprised, but there hasbeen a lot of interest in the medical school.”

The deadline to apply to the program wasin December, and the school has completed200 of 300 interviews. The school held openhouses in the spring and summer and con-ducted interactive webinars. Thirty-six per-cent of the applicants are from Michigan.While the first class will have 50 students,the school will increase enrollment by 25each year until there are 125 in 2014.

The school has a mentoring program,PRISM (Promoting Reflection and Individualgrowth through Support and Mentoring) thatprovides students with guidance in profession-al development for the student’s entire fouryears at OUWB. Students are grouped inteams of 10-12 students with a faculty mem-ber 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 tomake their selection.

Funded through tuition, philanthropy andresearch dollars, the program costs $42,760 ayear, which is slightly below average for similarprograms, Dr. Nuzzarello said.

New medical school gets flooded with applications for few spots

New medical schoolsadopt neighborhoodsMany of the new medical schools that haveopened their doors are trying to reshape medicaleducation by implementing a curriculum basedaround community.

Florida International University's College ofMedicine in Miami is one of these new schools.At FIU, each medical student is assigned a neigh-borhood in the Miami area and a family wholives there. "We've adopted those neighbor-hoods, and we never leave,” said Dr. John Rock,the medical school's founding dean. “Clearly, wehave a commitment to those neighborhoods to

be there and to work with households and withthe community to address the socio-determi-nants of health care.”

By placing the students within the neighbor-hoods, the school feels that students can learnthan just treating a disease.

Through the community care program —which they call Neighborhood Help — thedoctors at FIU say they are determined tomake actual, measurable improvements inthe health and quality of life in the neighbor-hoods they've adopted.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,RIVERSIDE SCHOOL OFMEDICINERiverside, CaliforniaAnticipated Fall 2012

FLORIDA ATLANTICUNIVERSITY SCHOOL OFMEDICINEBoca Raton, FloridaAnticipated Fall 2011

PALM BEACH MEDICALCOLLEGEPalm Beach, FloridaAnticipated Fall 2011

CENTRAL MICHIGANUNIVERSITY SCHOOL OFMEDICINEMount Pleasant, MichiganAnticipated Fall 2012

COOPER MEDICAL SCHOOLOF ROWAN UNIVERSITYCamden, New JerseyAnticipated Fall 2012

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHCAROLINA SCHOOL OFMEDICINE, GREENVILLEGreenville, South CarolinaAnticipated Fall 2012

QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITYSCHOOL OF MEDICINENorth Haven, ConnecticutAnticipated Fall 2013 or 2014

CHARLES E. SCHMIDTCOLLEGE OF MEDICINE ATFLORIDA ATLANTICUNIVERSITYBoca Raton, FloridaAnticipated Fall 2011

UPDATED 12/10

Here’s a list of new medicalschools that are being developed in the U.S.

MEDICAL SCHOOL PIPELINE

NEW

The percentage of admissions officers who have visited a student's social networking site to help evaluate that applicant


ASK THE EXPERT>>> Your questions answered by knowledgeable insiders who give insight about the medical school admissions process

I want to present myself as a well-rounded applicant tomedical admission committee members. What kind ofextracurricular experiences should I seek?

Medical schools like to see that bright intelligent students withgreat test scores are doing so while also pursuing other interests,

especially those who have been active contributors on campus, andwho have a range of interests. You should choose a few things to domeaningfully and well, rather than dabble in a long list of activities. Ifyou choose to do too much, you may well spread yourself too thin,resulting in your GPA suffering. Community service is a great way todemonstrate your concern and compassion for others.

Q|

A|

All Around Applicant

Students whohave a badsemester stillhave a chance atmedical school

I am very interested in participating in a study abroadprogram. When is the best time for a premed student tostudy abroad?

This answer depends on the individual student and on his/herpremed, personal and academic timeline. Some students chose

to take a year off between their undergraduate studies and medicalschool and some students choose to study abroad during their junioryear. Many students apply to medical school after taking at least oneyear off after graduating. Other students have completed all of theirpremed sciences by the end of their sophomore year, which leaves thejunior year open for studying abroad. Some students may chose asummer study abroad experience or less frequently, chose to studyabroad during their senior year. Your individual timeline should bediscussed with your advisors.

Q|

A|

Making Study Abroad Plans

I have a low undergrad GPA, should I do a an extra year,apply to a Master’s program, or get a second degree?

It depends on what your GPA is, its distribution by year, yourMCAT scores by section, your extra-curricular activities, and a

host of other factors. Basically, how close are you to making the pre-interview cut-offs?

Some schools have hard GPA and MCAT cut-offs below whichno exceptions are made. Some schools will consider the entire appli-cation, meaning a low GPA can be compensated by a great MCATand extra-curricular activities. Each of these schools have their ownpolicy in treating graduate degrees, second degrees, and 'victory lap'years. So, some of you may fall into a gray area that needs to belooked at in detail on a case-by-case basis.

If your GPA is very low, chances are extremely unlikely that anyamount of graduate work can make up it. Even after a seconddegree, several schools still consider the cumulative average of bothdegrees, 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 'wholeapplication' schools, a 'victory lap' year or a grad degree might be a moreefficient use of time to boost your academics and extra-curriculars.

Q|

A|

Low GPA Blues

GOT QUESTIONS?Get answers to your important premedical questions with the helpof experts and insiders about the process. Our Ask the Expert sec-tion connects you with individuals who can answer questions on awide variety of topics. Send them to [email protected], you can also visit your pre-health advisor to ask themany questions as well.

13%

Is there a preference among medical schools for a bachelorof science or bachelor of arts degree?

No. Each applicant's record is evaluated on an individual basis.Both degrees are acceptable for premedical programs. A medical

admissions committee would expect an applicant to do well with eitherdegree. Committees look at the quality of the transcript rather than thename of the degree.

Q|

A|

Degree Versus Degree

My personal issues over the last few months have taken atoll on my studies. Is it all over if I have a bad semester?

No. There is a false perception among premedical students thatif you have a bad science grade or a bad semester you will have

to give up. It’s not true. Medical school admission committees lookcarefully at student abilities and development. They expect an excellentacademic record but will make allowances for problem semesters or aslow start--some allowances.

Q|

A|

Dropping The Ball

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COVER STORY

SSUUMMMMEERRIINNTTEERRNNSSHHIIPPSSFFOORR PPRREEMMEEDDSSFINDING THE BEST MATCH TO DISCOVER YOUR LIKES & DISLIKES IN THE WORLD OF MEDICINE

W ith application deadlines for summer pre-medical programs fast approaching, many stu-dents are deciding on which program may bethe best option for them. From programs thatoffer academic enrichment to research oppor-tunities, students may have trouble decidingwhich option would be the best fit. Or stu-dents may be stuck on whether they shouldtravel to another state, stay close to home, oreven venture outside of the country.

A premed internship can help you decidewhether or not a career in medicine is rightfor you. During your internship period, youcan observe, ask questions and assist seniorsin fields such as general surgery, neurology,dermatology, oncology and hematology,

orthopedics, cardiology, plastic surgery, andmany more. You can go on rounds with doc-tors, get hospital experience, and look into adoctor's life.

An internship is an ‘employment’ situationin which a student works (often for free) inorder to gain hands-on experience.Internships offer valuable work experience,help you develop marketable skills and beefup your resume. Best of all, they can helpmake you more attractive to medical schools.

Here are a few tips on finding an intern-ship that will help you develop yourself as apre-med student while at the same timesprucing 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 internshipsmay allow you to

the opportunity towork alongside

doctors and notablescientists in a field

of medicine thatyou find interesting


START YOUR SEARCH EARLY

Although summer may feel like it's a worldaway, it's never too early to begin your searchfor an internship to take on during break fromschool. Many internship programs have earlydeadlines and begin making application andprogram details available as early as the wintermonths before the summer program is plannedto begin. Early January through March is theprimary recruiting season for most internshipprograms. Getting a head start will allow you toprepare and gather all the information and doc-uments that you may need for your application.

Starting your search early will also give youtime to contact any professors that you maywant to get recommendations from. It is alwaysa good thing to give your professors more thanenough time to complete and submit any lettersof recommendation.

Aside from Web sites that list opportunities,internships are often posted with your college’scareer center or financial aid office. Companiesmay send fliers or other announcements lettingstudents know about their opportunities. Checkwith your school to find out if there is an onlineresource with these type of postings.Pharmaceutical and health care companies willalso list internship opportunities on their ownWeb sites. Do a little research to find out whatsome of the top companies are in the field youare interested in. Then check out their Web sitesor contact their recruiters to find out whatopportunities they offer.

KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

If you're not planning to enroll in coursesduring the summer semester, it might bewise to look into finding an internship thatis appropriate for pre-medical students.Before even beginning your search, it is wiseto know what you are looking for.

Maybe there is a particular medical specialtythat you are curious to learn more about or per-haps the pharmacology elective you are takingsparked an interest in the pharmaceutical indus-try. Either way, knowing what kind of intern-ship you are looking for will make it a bit easierwhen beginning your search for the rightinternship. Once you have identified what it isyou are looking for, you will then have to decideif you want to stay local or if you are willing totravel to another state, or even abroad, for theinternship. Your decision on where you willapply for an internship may depend on manyfactors, including if travel expenses and hous-ing will be paid for. You may also want toresearch companies that are of interest toyou to find out if they are a good fit for yourcareer interests, and if your experience is agood fit for what they need.

PAID VS. UNPAID

As you begin your internship search, you'llcome across opportunities that are paid andsome that are unpaid. Although it may seem

clear to most of us that paid internships arepreferable; oftentimes, it is not all that sim-ple. You will find that there are some intern-ship that can offer you a valuable experiencebut cannot offer you any monetary incen-tives to participate in the program.

While being paid would be a bonus, par-ticipating in an unpaid internship in the fieldor company that you are really interested inmay be worth it. However, if you simplycannot afford to take on an internship thatdoesn't not pay, you may want to thinkabout volunteering your time on a part-timebasis which will allow you to gain a verysimilar experience that you can also includ-ed on your medical school application.

You should really base your final decisionon what your interests are as a future doctor.Knowing what kind of doctor you wish tobe will make this process very easy, but evenif you are unsure of which specialty you willultimately like to pursue you can use thesummer internship experiences to learnmore about what is out there and what kindof options are available to you.

Remember that there are tons of pre-medical students like yourself competingfor the same opportunities you will beapplying for. Participating in a summer pre-medical internship is always a good thing.Even if you take away from the experiencethat a particular field or specialty is not asinteresting as you initially thought, that isstill a good thing. If your internship experi-ence confirms that what you thought youlike is really what you like, even better.

Your overall goal should be to make your-self the best medical school applicant possi-ble. Participating in summer premedicalinternships will give you something to talkabout. You will be able to share your experi-ence with others and discuss how you may ormay not have changed from the experience.

CREATE YOUR OWN INTERNSHIP

After you get an idea of the already existinginternships, you might want to considerdeveloping your own. Students can approacha health provider they met through friends orfamily to design a summer with a variety ofactivities. Or, if you are a work-study student,the department you work in may be able topay you a stipend while you get to pursue yourintellectual interests.

Overall, internships will help, not hurt, anapplication to medical school. Internshipsshow that one has the initiative to seekexperiences in the medical field. There aremany things that go into being a pre-med-ical student and being able to say that youhad the opportunity to develop yourselfoutside of the classroom is a powerfulthing. Medical schools are looking for andneed all types of people, as physiciansinteract with all sorts of people, not justscientists or fellow physicians. They want tosee that you have taken the initiative tolearn about the benefits and drawbacks ofmedicine and that you have had some first-hand experience in a medical setting.

Simplyknowing

what type ofinternship

you are look-ing for is agreat start

After graduation, take a stand against poverty by joining AmeriCorps VISTA—Volunteers in Service to America. You’ll put your passion to work to help those in need, and you’ll gain experience you can’t find in other kinds of entry-level jobs. You’ll also receive:

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37 million Americans live in poverty. Take a stand. Join AmeriCorps VISTA.

800-942-2677(TTY 800-833-3722)

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According to the school’s Web site, Mayo MedicalSchool’s student graduation rate is 100%. That ispretty impressive considering not all schools canmake that claim. So what is it about Mayo MedicalSchool that makes it different from other schools?Might it be its small class sizes which allows formore personal attention from the faculty? Ormaybe its Mayo's curriculum which is designed to,as they state it, "provide extensive early patientinteraction and creative integration of the sciencesinto all training segments".

Taken apart or taken as a whole, the elementsthat make up the Mayo Medical School program isdesigned to expose students to cutting-edge med-ical practices. Students are guided to learn andimplement what they call the "Mayo Model ofCare". What in the world is so special about theMayo Model of Care you ask? Well, it is a systemthat integrates clinical practice, biomedicalresearch, and life-long education to prepare stu-dents to succeed whether they purse private prac-tice or academic medicine.

If you are the type of person who is ready toget right into things, Mayo's curriculum providesextensive early patient interaction and creative inte-gration of the sciences into all segments of thetraining. Students looking to develop their patientskills prior to residency are drawn to Mayo's pro-gram 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 thebrightest. Take for example, Dr. Michael Hutton'sgroup who demonstrated that Alzheimer's diseaseis a potentially reversible process. So yousee…you'll be pretty much be in a good place ifyour looking for a school that can provide expo-sure to cutting-edge medical practice and a broaddiversity of patients and disease.

Here are are some other impressive factsabout Mayo Medical School:

Ninety-five percent of Mayo fourth-year stu-dents report matching with one of their topthree residency choices.

Several Mayo medical students have been honoredwith 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 MayoMedical School received named scholarships,which provide significant tuition assistance.

80% of student research manuscripts are pub-lished - more than twice the national average.

MAYO MEDICAL SCHOOLRochester, Minnesota

DEGREE(S) OFFERED:MDMD/OMSMD/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 GPA3.82

TUITION

$30,660

MALE/FEMALE STUDENT RATIO

48%/52%

quickfacts

SCHOOLSPOTLITEGet a glimpse into what one medical school in the U.S. has to offer prospective students <<<


Be careful abouthow you approachcontroversial issuessuch as euthanasia,abortion, cloning,and so forth.


As a pre-med student, you already know that your admissions inter-view is a very important part of getting into medical school. Hereare some tips for students to consider when preparing for theirmedical school interview:

1. PREPARE YOURSELF MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY. When you arecontacted for an interview, you need to remember that this shouldbe an exciting but a pleasant experience. The interviewers are notgoing to invite you to accuse or condemn you. So be relaxed.

At this stage in your determination to get admitted to medicalschool, you should be prepared to tell anyone about yourself; whyyou 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 donot get admitted (causing harm to yourself is not an option), yourstrengths, and how to point out your weakness and make it soundlike a strength. For example: "I have a tendency, when I start some-thing, not to take a break until I finish it"; "people tell me I am toodisciplined"; "I keep a daily log of my activities and I am too con-scious about the use of my time". But please avoid giving animpression that you are just using a formula, a cliché to get by.Again, be genuine.

Be careful about how you approach controversial issues such aseuthanasia, abortion, cloning, and so forth. But you should have anopinion about the current condition of the health care system.

Do you have a special person in your life who tends to influenceyou or inspire you? This is a common question that you may beasked, and you should think about an answer.

Review your application, your personal letter, and all the docu-ments submitted to avoid contradicting yourself, leaving peoplewondering whether you have a clone or a split personality.

Locate where your interview will be before the date of the inter-view, and sleep well (six to eight hours) the night before. Know athing or two about the school you are interviewing at. And makesure you are abreast of the current, relevant news, what is hot in thenews about medicine, the new scientific discoveries, and so on. Youare not expected to know every detail, but some basic informationwill impress your interviewer. You should be aware of some politi-cal issues, the position of a given candidate on stem cell research,and other significant issues facing the scientific community. Most ofthis information is given regularly in the national and local news.

2. BE AWARE OF YOUR APPEARANCE. Dress appropriately - mod-estly and conservatively, meaning you should avoid showing offyour body, avoid being too flashy, avoid wearing loud outfits.Dressing according to the season and age, what is fashionablyacceptable and like other interviewees is a safe approach. Good per-sonal hygiene is important, but avoid heavy perfume; take care ofyour hair, nails, and breath; your teeth and shoes should be clean.Have enough money; including some change for any unexpecteddevelopment such as metered or paid parking. No need to display allof your electronic gadgets. Have your cell phone or beeper off. Ifpossible, avoid an empty or a too full stomach; avoid taking newmedicine for the first time because you do not know if it may affectyour cognitive ability and your behavior. If the interview is out oftown, avoid traveling the same day as much as possible.

STEPS THE FOR

MED SCHOOLINTERVIEW

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE |

BY JEAN D. FRANCOIS, MD


3. Show up on time, or even an few minutes early to find parking, to fresh-en up and fix yourself appropriately, to locate the floor where your interviewwill be held, the department and the people you need to see.

4. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. Drink some water, if available, and then walksteadily in a comfortable pair of shoes, with a winner's attitude. Be yourselfand 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 firmhandshake (but do not break anyone's fingers), while smiling and looking theinterviewer in the eye.

7. LET THE INTERVIEWER ENGAGE the conversation and indicate to youwhere you should be seated. Do not move the chair any closer than were heor 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 measureyou up to form a first impression. They are sizing you up. They want tocheck your demeanor, intelligence, communication skills, body language,emotions, listening skills, level of motivation, and ability to handle chal-lenges and controversies. So be natural, and take your time to understandand answer each question. Remember you are not running for a politicaloffice. You must answer the basic questions. Some interviewers may evenchallenge you, in order to evaluate your thinking pattern and see how alertand sharp you are.

Expect to tell a few interesting things about yourself, some unique lifeexperience 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 bot-tom line is that you must show your interest; be genuine, keep the answersshort and straight to the point, and talk decisively and at a comfortable,audible level.

Ask a couple of intelligent questions regarding research, campus activi-ties, scholarship and rewards for excellent performance, etc; even if you mayhave an idea about the answers.

There is no need to tell them every detail of your personal life, justwhatever is relevant to give you an edge and get you closer to admissionat their institution.

Do not criticize or put down any other institution, college, any part ofthe country, any religion, or any sexual orientation. Be neutral and talk pas-sionately about your sense of purpose in life. By all means, do not be nega-tive. Do not join the interviewer in complaining how bad things are, or thatthis is the end of the world. Be positive and enthusiastic. Don't run beyondreason, but do not be too brief in your answers either. Speak with a lightspirit and a naturally pleasant smile.

As much as it is possible, avoid scheduling two interviews in the sameday. Do not keep checking your watch. Let the interviewer see you off, butdo not take the initiative to say, for instance, "well, I guess that's set, I'll seeyou around, I have another interview in 5 minutes. Let me know if you wantme. Bye!" You cannot do it that way.

Different interviewers may put you though different types of inter-views. Some questions may test your common knowledge or your memo-ry; others may check for your skills and competency. Let's say they ask youa question out of left field; you have no clue. What do you do? Do notpanic. Try not to look unprepared; remain candid but upbeat. No matter

what, never lose your self-confidence. If you really do not know theanswer, be truthful, and use some clean humor when possible.

After the interview, the admissions committee will let you know abouttheir decision. If it is in your favor, you have a few days or weeks to acknowl-edge 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 child-hood. My brothers and sisters used to tease me for the stupid things I usedto say, I was willing to do anything to be sure I became a doctor. But grow-ing up, listening to people, including my own father, I became very confused,doubtful, overwhelmed. So I took accounting in college, switched to busi-ness, then got a master's in economics and worked in the business andaccounting world just to make a living. Yet I was uncomfortable and literal-ly lost. Something was missing. But by then I had already wasted quite a fewyears. To top it all, my GPA and my MCAT were not among the best. I wasalways working full time. Based on all the things I heard about medicalschool, I thought I was doomed. The only thing I had going for me was myleadership skills, my involvement in my community and my ability to per-form several tasks at the same time including raising a family, going toschools 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. Imade 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 secretiveabout it because of all the negative feedback I got initially. I did not want tohear anything negative anymore. Except for my spouse, those who knew myplan thought I was crazy. But I was so fired up, nothing could stop me any-more. Based on my personal situation and obligations, I targeted three statesand I applied to only ten schools. Once I was invited by two of them to beinterviewed, I did not follow up with the rest ( I should have).

When I went to the first interview, (in a neighboring state), it was snow-ing heavily. I showed up, but the interviewer did not. I had to reschedule. Iwas not impressed and did not follow through with that one either (I shouldhave). So practically, I had only one interview; and that one medical schoolaccepted 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'ssituation 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 PrescriptionFor A Successful Career in Medicine: The Guide for a Fulfilled Life in the MedicalField. For more information about this book and others, visit Dr.Francois’ Web site www.successfullife.us or www.yourexpertcoach.com(Being prepared).

DR. JEAN DANIEL FRANÇOIS attended New YorkMedical College, in Valhalla, New York, where heobtained his doctorate in medicine in 1992. Heis currently a practicing neurologist in his privateoffice. He is the author of many books, amotivational speaker, and a lecturer.

BIO

CCHHAALLLLEENNGGEEYOURSELF.

www.healthandwellness.weebly.com


As I arduously sorted through theendless stack of green papers withlab and exam results scribbled

about them, the eerie buzz of the medicradio went off overhead. "Hospital base,Medic 21, Code 3 notification, CPR inprogress, short ETA." Only having a fewminutes to prepare for an incoming ambu-lance is stressful enough, but when thepatient is under CPR, it adds an additionalshot of urgency and adrenaline. Undoingall my work for the last ten minutes, I shuf-fled all the papers back together and setthe heaping green bundle aside; prolongingthe agony for another time.

Hastily making my way back towardsthe resuscitation room, I went through amental checklist of what I was going toneed to do. Turning into the room I wasgreeted by an empty gurney, a clean floor,a blank monitor with its numerous cordsneatly coiled on their hooks and if it werenot for the shrill of the fluorescent tubeseliminating the room from above, therewas not a sound to be heard. Given anoth-er two minutes this would all change.

Reaching for a box marked "XL," Igrabbed two wrinkled, bright blue gloves,and threw them onto the counter. Aftersqueezing my hand into the first glove, theunmistakable chattering of an ambulancestretcher rolling over dirty laminated tilecrept down the hall. Moments later it was

within eyeshot. The next sound to breakthe room's tranquility was the high-pitchedhiss of oxygen coming out of a portabletank under immense pressure. Now thegurney, along with the rest of its accompa-niment was within arms reach. A stoutand scruffy man, dressed in tattered firefighter turnouts, with sweat dripping fromhis brow, interrupted the oxygen's hiss."This is Artie. He is 29 years old. We were

dispatched to a shortness of breath call,but when we got there he was pulselessand apnic. We intubated and tried to get aline, but. . . The medic's voice faded intothe background as I stared at what was infront of me. An absolute mountain of aman was draped lifelessly atop a stretcher(which seemed to disappear once parkednext to our hospital gurney.) His onlymovement was the forceful rise and fall of

Day in the Life ofan ER Technician|A personal story about a premed student working in the emergency room

PREMEDREALITY

BY WILL SMITH

Hastily making myway back towards

to resuscitationroom, I went

through a mentalchecklist of what

I was going toneed to do

his chest every time the medic squeezed the bag valve mask. Fadingback in I heard "…his parents said he was about 480, but that was ayear ago…" 480 indeed! That is, just to rule out the possibility that inthe past 365 days, the number 480 had dwindled. Locked arm in arm,eleven people surrounded both the ambulance stretcher and the hos-pital gurney. With white knuckles and a handful of canvas, we pulledArtie 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 hisshoulder and elbow, I dropped the stool and cleared some space forthe rest of me. Stepping up onto the rubber grips, I interlaced my fin-gers, locked my elbows, centered my weight between Artie's nipplesand started to thrust. Since the heart is the most important organ inthe body, it is kept in a protective cage. When it stops pumping theonly way to physically get it going again is to compress the walls ofthe cage, in turn compressing the heart; that was my job for the next20 minutes.

"Let's push an amp of Epi and an amp of Atropine. I want anoth-er 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! Sixtyvery long and intense seconds passed; at least for me it was. Dr. Gordered a second round of drugs to be pushed. To my immediate left,the respiratory therapist rhythmically squeezed a little blue bag, forc-ing air into Artie's lungs. Nurses poked and prodded, hoping to finda vein that had yet to collapse. X-Ray stood in the corner waiting totake their radiation spewing pictures. Everyone in the room was thereto 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 waitingcontinued. After ordering for the third round of medications to bepushed, Dr. G. stood in his perfectly pressed lab coat with armscrossed, thumbs on his chin, index knuckle on the tip of his nose, gaz-ing at the monitor. Without a word being spoken, the chaotic noiseand pandemonium of the last thirty minutes came to a screechinghalt; everyone turned their attention to the monitor. I did my lastchest compression, leaving Artie's heart to work on its own. Despiteeveryone's hard work and channeled intentions, the green line on thescreen didn't stray from its horizontal pattern. His heart was lifeless,as was he. Dr. G scanned the room looking at each person individu-ally. When it was their turn, each gave their opinion, a subtle nod ofthe head from left to right. I was the last to be consulted. Steppingdown from the stool, I reached up and shut off the monitor. "Thankyou everybody." Dr. G said in a very passive voice "I'm going to callit at 23.57."

Just before midnight on a cold Wednesday in February, a 29 yearold man named Artie weighing close to 500 pounds died of a fatalheart attack.

WILL SMITH is a UC Davis graduate and is currentlytaking post-bac classes at California StateUniversity, Sacramento. Until he gets into medschool, Will and his supportive wife will be enjoyingtheir first born child Macielyn Raigan Smith. "Ihave learned many things through my success as apre-med student," Will says "but I have learnedeven more through my failures."

BIO

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Pediatrics has become one of the most popular specialties among medicalschool graduates. And for those who love children, it truly makes work notseem like work at all. As the saying goes, "if you do what you love, you'llnever have to work a day in your life," and many students are doing just thatas pediatricians. Put it like this, if you love children and have a great deal ofpatience, 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 pointthat they reach adulthood. They will do everything from preventative caretreatments and immunizations to detection of developmental disorders anddisease. Pediatricians deal with the physical well-being of their patients justas much as they deal with the mental and developmental aspects. Thesephysicians do everything from administering medicine to speaking withchildren 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 oftheir 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 examin pediatrics

Pediatric Specialty Fellowship - (3 Years) to be eligible to take the subspecialty 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 schoolprogram, which can compress the first eight years of school into just six orseven years.

WHAT HOURS DO PEDIATRICIANS WORK?The American Association of Pediatrics reports that the average pediatri-cian works an average of 50 hours per week. This includes time spent in theoffice, visiting patients in the hospital, doing paperwork and being on callafter-hours. Most pediatricians also take either a half day or full day off dur-ing the week.

WHAT ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD PEDIATRICIAN?A good pediatrician has more than just the core competencies of diseasetreatment, which are reactive measures. Pediatricians should be warm, com-passionate, and open minded to thoughts and feelings. Pediatricians need tobe able to work well with kids and have a lot of tolerance for the parents aswell. The top pediatricians are able to communicate to a parent what is inthe best interest of the child, and assist them in the process of under-standing 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 ata hospital. Most qualified applicants are able to land a pediatrician job at ahospital because a hospital is one of the main places that a child will gowhen they are sick or hurt. Another common place where pediatrics grad-uates are able to find pediatrician jobs is at a private practice. A pediatricianjob may also be obtained at a community center.

WHAT DO PEDIATRICIANS EARN?Most people always think that any kind of physician makes a six figureincome from the start, but this is not always the case. If you have less thanone year's experience with being a pediatrician, then you may make anannual income of anywhere from $69,000 to $122,000. Nevertheless, thegrowth of pediatrician salaries can potentially go to the height of $400,000plus. Location may also determine who much a pediatrician has the poten-tial to earn. Although most pediatricians work on a more frequent basis, atleast to start, there is the possibility for a pediatrician to earn a fairly decentliving working part time.


ESPECIALLY THIS SPECIALTYLearn more about various specialties and what it will take to pursue a certain specialty<<<

PediatricianPediatrics is the branch of medicine that dealswith the medical care of infants, children, andadolescents. This includes everything from achild's emotional well-being to their physical andmental health. Pediatricians are sometimesreferred to as 'baby doctors' though they treatindividuals from birth to toddlers to teens andyoung adults.

Becoming a...

“Physicians do not choose this specialty because ofthe 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?” - Angela Diaz, MD

Deadly Sins to Avoid in Medical School Admissions


|PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE

Applying to medical school is a dauntingtask. The medical school admissionsprocess stands alone among the graduate

school options (business, law, PhD, etc.) as themost complicated, demanding, and expensive.Discounting the time required to fulfill the pre-med course requirements, the medical schooladmissions process generally takes 14-17 monthsincluding sitting the Medical College AdmissionTest (MCAT), obtaining recommendations, com-pleting the AMCAS application, writing second-ary application essays, interviewing, and execut-ing a post-interview strategy. With the manytasks required to gain entrance to medical schoolcome numerous opportunities to misstep. Thereare certain errors that are more likely to sink anapplication and your chances of becoming a doc-tor - the "Seven Deadly Sins."

I. MCAT: UNEVEN SCOREThough you may believe standardized testing is amoneymaking monopoly that does not appropri-ately assess your ability to be a doctor, it is a nec-essary evil. And as much as they hate to admit it,admissions committees pay attention to thescore. Interestingly, an applicant who scores PS14 WS Q VR 6 BS 10 (30Q) is worse off thanone who scores PS 10 WS Q VR 10 BS 10 (30Q).Admissions committees are looking for consis-tency and, for the most part, view each part ofthe score equally. Some admissions committeesplace more weight on the "numbered" scores(Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, BiologicalSciences) than on the "lettered" score (WritingSample). However, this is not a universal beliefand you should focus as much time on the writ-ing part of the test as on the other three parts. Inaddition, do not take a left side of the brainapproach and disregard the MCAT's VerbalReasoning section. Data show an applicant'sVerbal Reasoning score correlates with their per-formance on the USMLE exams, a point admis-sions committees take very seriously.

7By Dr. Suzanne Miller, MD, FACEPCEO, MDadmit | www.MDadmit.com

PreMedLifeMagazine


SubscribeToday


II. RECOMMENDATIONS:"FAMOUS" RECOMMENDERS Think of recommendations as a way for theadmissions committees to find out what you arereally like and to show your well-roundedness.Recommendations are notorious for making orbreaking an application. One luke-warm or(cringe) outright negative recommendation cansink your chances of becoming a doctor. Focuson obtaining recommendations from individualswho know you well as opposed to big-name pro-fessors you have never met. A glowing recom-mendation from your advanced biology teachingassistant whose office hours you visited weeklywill be much stronger than a two-line recommen-dation from your dad's famous researcher friendwho you met once at the mall. The power of arecommendation stems more from the letter'scontent than from the author's credentials.Coaches, community service leaders, and principalinvestigators may make excellent recommenders.One trick in obtaining recommendations is to aska teaching assistant or post-bac in the lab whoknows you well to write the letter, and then havethe professor or principal investigator co-sign thesame letter. Here are a few more tips on how toobtain excellent recommendations:

Be sure you know the recommendationrules of each medical school. Some schoolsrequire two science recommendations.Others (such as Harvard) now require a

recommendation from every researchsupervisor listed on your AMCASwork/activities section. Some schools donot count math as a science. The Texasschools can be particularly picky aboutsuch things. Check with each school eitherby searching the website or calling theadmissions office.

Speak with your undergraduate institution'spre-med advisor to determine if yourschool sends a pre-med committee letter ofrecommendation. If so, institution-specificrules and deadlines often exist. Be sure toknow the details for your school and hit thedeadlines. It looks very bad to medicalschool admissions committees if yourschool usually sends a pre-med committeeletter but does not send one for you.

When asking for recommendations, be sureto set up a face-to-face meeting with thepotential recommender and explicitly askfor a strong recommendation.

Bring each recommender an updatedrésumé, transcript copy, personal statement(if complete), and detailed instructions onhow to submit the recommendation.

Always waive your right to see the recommendation.

III. PERSONAL STATEMENT:CREATIVITY GONE BADThe personal statement causes great stress for manymedical school applicants. Personal statementauthors often use creativity in attempt to composeessays that stand out amongst the stacks of other per-sonal statements. Using creativity appropriately, suchas starting the essay with an interesting anecdoteseamlessly tied to the overall statement theme, cancertainly help the admissions officer remember youressay. But a fine line exists between originality thatworks and that doesn't. Here are some examples ofcreativity that often does not work:

Starting the personal statement with a quote.Quotes feel innovative and interesting. Yet,after reading hundreds of personal state-ments, I can attest that starting with a quoterarely works. Instead of creative, quotes usu-ally appear trite and even a bit cheesy. Skipthe quote and use an anecdote instead.

Writing the statement as a poem or rap. Ihave simply never seen a poem-like essaywork. They often come off as juvenile.

Over-utilizing foreign language skills. Thoughyou may be fluent in one or more languages, themedical personal statement is not he best place toshow off these skills. Write the essay in English.It is acceptable to use a foreign word or phrase tomake a point, but limit these references.


The personalstatement causesgreat stress formany medicalschool applicants.


IV. AMCAS ACTIVITIES:SPACE FILLMedical school admissions committees placemore weight on AMCAS work/activities thatshow leadership and dedication over a periodof time. They look down on repeats and"fluff" activities. Don't fill the space just to fillthe space. It is better to include five long-termactivities where you held a leadership rolethan fifteen activities you performed for asemester. Take a look at the following abbre-viated activity descriptions:

EXAMPLE 1

Captain and four-year member ofuniversity varsity swim team

Volunteered for African relief agency duringall four years of college being promotedfrom office assistant to Eastern African reliefteam leader

Worked with Dr. Dogood in InciteResearch Lab for last two years of collegeand work culminated in peer-reviewedjournal publication

Started with the Big Buddy program as afreshman and have continued throughoutcollege, most recently being elected assecretary for the organization

Volunteered in the emergency departmentof 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 fallsemester of sophomore year

Shadowed pulmonologist in her officetwice this year

Shadowed orthopedic surgeon in hospitalonce this year

Attended AAMC pre-med seminar last year

Worked in Dr. Cerebro's neuroscience labsophomore year

From work in Dr. Cerebro's lab, presentedposter at university research day

Dean's list for 4 of 8 semesters

Wrote article on pre-med society for uni-versity's weekly newspaper

Served Thanksgiving dinner at local soupkitchen for past three years

Won intramural squash championship last year

Ran university Haitian relief drive after earthquake

Member of university's Connecticut club forpast four years

Even though example two contains triple theexperiences, I think you will agree the authorof example one will look much more impres-sive to medical school admissions committees.

V. SECONDARIES: OOPS!WRONG SCHOOLLet's face it, secondary essays are a hassle.Who knew you had to write so much to getinto medical school? If you apply to 25schools, you could easily have over 50 second-ary essays to write. Most applicants wisely cre-ate ten to fifteen secondary essays that answerthe most common questions and then cut andpaste the appropriate answer into the specificapplication at hand. This results in using sim-ilar answers for different schools, which iscompletely acceptable. However, pasting theHarvard answer (with the Harvard name) intothe Yale application will not win you anyfriends in New Haven. When utilizing similaressays for different schools' secondary essayanswers, make sure you check the details ofeach essay and ensure they pertain to the cor-rect school. It is more than just embarrassingto detail how much you look forward to work-ing in Dr. Cho's behavioral science lab at theUniversity of Nebraska when Dr. Cho actual-ly works at UCSF. Proof every essay to avoidtanking your application with such a silly andeasily avoidable mistake.

VI. INTERVIEWS:CHECK THE SUITKnowledge of this deadly sin arose from per-sonal experience. While on the interview traildoing multiple interviews far from home, I putmy suit in checked luggage. Inclement weatherled to re-routing of the flight, and while I fleweast, the bag headed south. I didn't show up tothe interview in jeans but came darn close.When on the interview trail, always carry yoursuit onto the plane. Luggage can get lost evenon direct flights. Have everything you need in acarry-on bag including suit, shirt, tie, shoes,socks/stockings, jewelry, toiletries/cosmetics,and directions to the interview.

VII. WAITLIST:CONTACT A NO CONTACTMedical schools are often bombarded byapplicant questions from March until June,the busy season for admissions decisions andwaitlists (excluding schools that performrolling admissions). In order to decrease theburden on medical school admissions staffduring this hectic time, some schools requestyou do not contact them during certainmonths. No contact policies generally includephone calls, e-mails, and letters. They alsosometimes incorporate recommenders or pre-med advisors making a call on your behalf. Ifyou would like to be moved from the accept-ance or waitlist to the rejected list, feel free togive the school a call.

The medical school admissions process is dif-ficult, but 17,000 applicants per year over-come this challenge to matriculate at US med-ical schools. You can to. Staying on top of theadmissions process and avoiding the "SevenDeadly Sins" can dramatically improve yourchances of admissions success. If you'd liketo learn more about how to get into medicalschool, please check out The Medical SchoolAdmissions Guide: A Harvard MD's Week-by-Week Admissions Handbook availableonline through www.MDadmit.com, Amazon,and Barnes and Noble.

DR. SUZANNE MILLER is a practicingemergency physician and CEO of MDadmit, amedical school admissions consulting service.She began admissions consulting as a Pre-Medical Tutor and then Co-Chair of the EliotHouse Pre-Medical Committee while attendingHarvard Medical School.

Dr. Miller currently lives in Washington, DCwhere she serves as a clinical instructor at GeorgeWashington University School of Medicine andHealth Sciences and an assistant professor atVirginia Commonwealth University School ofMedicine. Dr. Miller enjoys teaching and travelinginternationally, providing medical coverage forthe Washington Wizards' and Capitals' games,and serving as a medical director for Racing thePlanet adventure races.

BIO


PRE-MEDSUMMER PROGRAMLIST2

011

Arizona Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Summer Students Program Phoenix, Arizona June/July 2011 6-Week commitment

PROGRAM NAME LOCATION DATE DURATION

Summer Research Fellowship at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, Arkansas TBA TBA

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Los Angeles, California June-August 2011 6 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)

Seaver Undergraduate Research in Biology at Pepperdine University Malibu,, California May 16-August 1, 2011 11 Weeks


Summer research and academic enrichment geared toward pre-medical students are a great wayto strengthen your medical school application. Most students who get accepted to medical schoolhave participated in one or more summer pre-med programs during the course of their under-graduate 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 wantto participate in academic enrichment programs, test preparation courses, research projects, orhospital internships, check out the following list of opportunities for Summer 2011. Be sure tocheck individual websites for application deadlines!

The list includes opportunities nationwide in several different areas. Among the areas includeare: California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, NorthCarolina Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and more.

DESCRIPTION PERKS PROGRAM INFO APPLICATION DEADLINE

A, pro bono, six-week program designed tomotivate and inspire students considering acareer in medicine. Students attend didactic(designed or intended to teach) lectures and par-ticipate in clinical rotations at both the ArizonaHeart Institute and Arizona Heart Hospital.

Phone(602) 200-0437 MARCH 2011Email [email protected]

Paid summer research fellowships are availablefor undergraduate students who will be juniorsor seniors by the fall semester. Selected studentswill work on a project relevant to human healthin a laboratory of a faculty member at either theUniversity of Arkansas, the University ofArkansas at Little Rock, or the University ofArkansas for Medical Sciences. The BiomedicalResearch fellowships are designed for studentswith a solid background in science who wish tobe part of an ongoing research project, developtheir technical skills and are interested in pursu-ing a research career.

Phone(501) 526-6503 FEBRUARY, 28 2011

Websitebrin.uams.edu/students2.asp

$3200 StipendLiving Allowance

The UCLA SMDEP will serve as a model learn-ing community in which students examinehealth care issues in medically underservedcommunities. Through a research project, prob-lem-based learning cases, lectures, clinical expe-riences, and small-group discussions, studentswill also improve their learning skills andincrease their science knowledge. The programtargets educationally and financially disadvan-taged community college students.

Phone(310) 825-9573 MARCH 15, 2011Email [email protected]

MealsStipendHousing

Summer research program geared specifically toundergraduate students who are interested inpursing a career in biological research, scienceeducation, environmental science or biotech-nology. Over the summer, students will pursueindividual research seminars in one of fiveresearch areas students may elect to study.

[email protected] FEBRUARY 14, 2011

Websiteseaver.pepperdine.edu/surb

StipendRoom & Board


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 Session7 Weeks + Academic Session9 Months

Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy Duarte, California May-July 2011 10 WeeksorJune-August 2011

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Duarte, California May-August 2011 12 WeeksContinuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE) Program June-August 2011

June-September 2011

UCSD Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) San Diego, California TBA 8 WeeksSummer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)

2011 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST



Program offers undergraduates who want toprepare for and enter Ph.D programs in the sci-ences an opportunity to work with Stanford'sdistinguished faculty and work in one ofStanford's state-of-the-art research facilities.Participants will work with a faculty memberand a lab mentor to craft a research project. Theprogram culminates with a research sympo-sium, where students present individual talksand posters on their summer projects in frontof the faculty, lab mentors, and Universityadministrators.

Email: [email protected] CONTACT PROGRAM

Websitessrp.stanford.edu

Program designed to provide premedical andpredental students from disadvantaged back-ground with a means of strengthening theirability and readiness to study medicine or den-tistry. Students will work at a rigorous pace witha highly focused scope to prepare for theMCAT and DAT. Participants will engage in anextensive and lively classroom review ofBiology, Chemistry, Physics, and VerbalReasoning. Participants are also assigned toobserve practicing physicians, dentists, andmedical researchers performing the typical func-tions of their professions.

Phone(310) 825-3575

Websitewww.medstudent.ucla.edu/prospective/?pgID=181

Travel allowancefor eligible participants

Comprehensive, structured re-application pro-gram designed to assist students from disadvan-taged background who have been unsuccessfulin gaining admission to any U.S. medical school.The program begins with an intensive 8-weeksummer session, focused upon prerequisite sci-ence review and MCAT preparation. An indi-vidualized academic-year program that consistsof a science curriculum will follow.

Stipend(Depending onavailability)

Program gives promising students with an inter-est in research and health science careers practi-cal experience and helps them develop impor-tant skills for their futures. Our instructors areworld-renowned physicians and scientists whoguide students in their research, while helpingthem develop their critical thinking skills.Weekly seminars allow students to presentresearch findings to their peers, a good primerfor what graduate and postdoctoral students do.

$4000 Stipend

Program is designed to engage the scientificcuriosity of promising young high school andundergraduate students from underrepresentedpopulations who are interested in cancerresearch as a career.

$4800 Stipend

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE

Program for motivated undergraduate studentsinterested in seeking future training in a com-bined MD/PhD program. Principle focus is an8-week research project conducted in the labo-ratory of a faculty member in the biomedicalsciences.

Email: (800) 925-8704 FEBRUARY 2011

Websitemstp.ucsd.edu/surf/Pages/default.aspx

$1600/MonthStipendHousingTravel Allowance

MARCH 2011

Phone(310) 825-3575

Websitewww.medstudent.ucla.edu/prospective/?pgID=183

MAY 2011

Email: [email protected]

Websitewww.cityofhope.org/educa-tion/summer-student-acade-my/Pages/default.aspx

MARCH 2011

Websitewww.cityofhop.org/edu-cation/summer-student-academy/Pages/CURE-program.aspx

CONTACT PROGRAM


Graduate Experience for Multicultural Students (GEMS) Denver, Colorado June - August 2011 10 Weeksat the University of Colorado - Denver School of Medicine


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




Selected GEMS interns will enroll in a researchinternship course, Topics in Biomedical Scienceand Research. The course will be conducted bydistinguished research faculty and will consist oflectures, demonstrations, and laboratoryresearch assignments with a mentor.

Program offers a unique clinical research oppor-tunity for college students pursuing careers inmedicine. Fellowship is designed exclusively forpre-medical students completing either theirjunior or senior year in college. It offers thestudent an introduction to research methodolo-gy, patient treatment, and ethical issues in med-icine as well as exposure to a broad spectrum ofhealth care providers within a large communityteaching hospital.

$1500 Award

$3400 stipendTravel Allowance

Program for highly motivated college studentswho are considering a career in medicine. TheProgram exposes students to a problem-basedlearning model of science education that is sim-ilar to that used in medical school

(203) 785-7545 MARCH 1, 2011Email: [email protected]

Websitewww.smdep.org/progsites/yale.htm

StipendFood HousingTravel Allowance

Research & Development: Throughout thesummer, interns will have the opportunity towork side-by-side with top researchers in theirfield. Medical: Interns within the medicaldepartment have the opportunity to assist onboth early and late phase clinical trails. Whetherthe project entails enrolling participants into aclinical trail or measuring and analyzing trailresults, interns work with leading doctors andresearchers to assure that all BoehringerIngelheim products meet all requirements setforth by the Food and Drug Administration.

(202) 798-9988 CONTACT PROGRAM

Websiteus.boehringer-ingelheim.com/career/internship

The program addresses the needs of Universityof Connecticut freshmen and sophomores. Theprogram is designed to provide sound develop-ment of scientific and mathematical skills. Theprogram consists of courses in individual pro-grams of study in: Organic Chemistry,Biochemistry, Calculus, and Physics. The pro-gram will consist of 30 hours per week of for-mal lecture, laboratory, directed study, and clin-ical experiences addressing the needs of collegefreshman or sophomores.

(860) 468-3574 APRIL 2011Email: [email protected]

Websitemedicine.uchc.edu/prospective

$800 StipendRoom & Board

The program is designed to offer undergradu-ates who are completing their sophomore, orpreferably their junior year of college, and plantto purse a career as a MD, DMD, MD/PhD, orDMD/PhD. Once a student is accepted to theprogram and has selected and found a facultysponsor in which to do research, the student willmeet with the faculty sponsor in June and devel-op a research protocol and suitable projectdescription. The student will commit approxi-mately 30+ hours per week for the project andwill work with the faculty sponsor or his/herdesignates.

(860) 679-2487Email: [email protected]

Websitemedicine.uchc.edu/prospec-tive/enrichment/collegefel-low/index.html

$2500-$3000StipendHousing

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE

MARCH 2011(303) 724-6084Email: [email protected]

Websitewww.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/medi-cine/departments/GEMS/Pages/default.aspx

FEBRUARY [email protected]

Websitewww.harthosp.org/ResidenciesFellowships/default.aspx

FEBRUARY 2011


Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) Washington, DC June-July 2011 6 Weeksat Howard University


Georgetown Summer Medical Institute (GSMI) Washington, DC June/July 2011 Varies

STEP-UP/BSURE Program Baltimore, Maryland June - August 2011 8 Weeksat the University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Pre-Medical Summer Enrichment Program (PSEP) Tampa, Florida TBA 6 Weeksat The University of South Florida

Minority Students Health Careers Motivation Program Miami, Florida June-July 2011 7 Weeks




The program is designed to provide an educa-tional experience of exceptional quality that willstrengthen the overall academic preparation ofunderrepresented minority, disadvantaged, andlow-income students who express interest inadmission to medical or dental school.

(202) 806-0378 MARCH 1, 2011Email: [email protected]

Websitewww.smdep.org/progsites/howard.htm

The program, combined with the informativeand supportive environment at GeorgetownUniversity School of Medicine, will providepreparation and insight for individuals exploringthe calling of medicine as a career, and thosemaking-up medical school course.

Tuition: $3,862 (5 Credits) for Human GrossAnatomy and Human Physiology; $3,090 (4Credits) for Medical Histology (MicroscopicAnatomy) and Medical Biochemistry. Tuitionincludes the use of course textbooks and labfees (for Anatomy).

Email: :[email protected]

Websitesom.georgetown.edu/prospectivestudents/specialpro-grams/summer

StipendHousingMeals

Summer research program for talented studentswho are dedicated to the advancement ofunderrepresented groups in the sciences andmathematics. Students selected for this intern-ship will experience state-of-the-art scientificresearch and are encouraged to consider andpursue biomedical research careers in areas ofspecific interest to the National Institute ofDiabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases(NIDDK).

(410) 455-2271 FEBRUARY 2011 OR Email: [email protected] UNTIL THE PROGRAM IS FILLED

Websitewww.umbc.edu/bsure

$4,000 StipendTravel Allowance

The program is designed for highly motivatedstudents who are preparing for medical schoolor physical therapy school. The program isdesigned to enhance the competitiveness of tal-ented minority and disadvantaged students foradmission into medical school and serves as arecruitment tool to USF COM Medicine. Theprogram includes a review of concepts in biol-ogy, general and organic chemistry, and physics.Participants will work closely with faculty inareas of reading skills, test taking skills, etc.Participants are also pared with physicians in thelocal community to have an opportunity todevelop an appreciation of the "real world ofmedicine" through weekly clinical experiences.

$1500 Grant

The program is designed to be a mini first-yearmedical education experience that exposes par-ticipants to classroom instruction in select basicscience courses in the medical education cur-riculum and offers physician-shadowing oppor-tunities. Great attention is placed on identifyingand removing any barriers that may prevent aparticipant from being a competitive medicalschool applicant. Workshops develop skills forpreparing strong admissions and financial aidapplications.

$400 StipendHousingMealsTravel Allowance

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE

JUNE 2011

(813) 974-4707Email:[email protected]

Websitehealth.usf.edu/medicine/osde/psep.htm

CONTACT PROGRAM

(305) 284-3187

Websitewww6.miami.edu/provost/oae/motivationprogram.html

LATE MARCH 2011


Health P.A.S.S. Program Des Moines, Iowa July 2011 4 Weeks


Professional Education Preparation Program (PEPP Lexington, Kentucky TBA TBAat The University of Kentucky

MCAT-DAT Review Summer Workshop Louisville, Kentucky July-August 2011 4 Weeksat the University of Louisville School of Medicine

Buck for Brains Summer Research Program Lexington, Kentucky Varies 8 Weeksat the University of Kentucky

Frontier Nursing Service Courier Program Wendover, Kentucky TBA Up to 12 weeks

Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research Bethesda, Maryland mid-May-June 2011 8 WeeksNational Institutes of Health (NIH) Baltimore, Maryland

Frederick, Maryland


Summer Internship Program Baltimore, Maryland June-August 2011 9-10 Weeksat Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine



The program is for promising college sopho-mores and juniors to prepare for and enhancetheir chances of getting into medical school andother health professions programs. HealthP.A.S.S. will provide participants with well-rounded perspectives on what it's like to be amedical school student in osteopathic medicine,podiatric medicine and surgery, physical thera-py, and physician assistant studies. In the pro-gram's courses, clinical opportunities and prac-tical exposure, students will gain the confidencethat they can achieve a degree and career in anyof Des Moines University's four clinical areas-and the knowledge they need to get started.

(800) 240-2767 x 1709 FEBRUARY 2011

Websitewww.dmu.edu/healthpass

The program provides academic enrichment inchemistry and biology, as well as clinical experi-ences, medical and dental experiential activities,laboratory experiences, seminars, demonstra-tions, and clinical site visits.

(859) 257-1968; CONTACT PROGRAMEmail: [email protected]

Websitewww.uky.edu/pimser/programs/peppbrochure.pdf

Travel stipendMealsMaterialsHousing

HousingMeals

Free MCAT-DAT review workshop for eligiblestudents

(502) 852-8109; CONTACT PROGRAMEmail [email protected]

The program provides undergraduates at theUniversity of Kentucky with hands-on expe-rience in academic research, working along-side "Bucks for Brains" faculty. Students areplaced in research settings ranging fromplant biochemistry to computer science toAmerican history.

(859) 257-6322 APRIL 15, 2011Email [email protected]

Websitewww.research.uky.edu/students/rctf.html

$3500 Stipend

The program provides a type of internship foryoung women and men who had a desire to gointo the medical field. For young women andmen who are interested in the healthcare field,the Courier Program provides limited opportu-nities to shadow healthcare professionalsincluding: family nurse practitioners, physicians,nurse-midwives at FNS rural healthcare centers,at Mary Breckinridge Hospital and HomeHealth Agency.

(606) 672-2317 CONTACT PROGRAMEmail [email protected]

Websitewww.frontiernursing.org/Courier/TodayCourier.shtm

$42/week forroom and boardand for the com-plete 12 weeks -$500.

The program is designed to provide an inde-pendent research experience in biomedicaland/or public health research to undergraduatestudents under the direct mentoring of estab-lished Johns Hopkins researchers. During theprogram interns work one-on-one with facultyon research projects in their field of interest andattend a health science seminar series.

[email protected] MARCH 1, 2011

Websitewww.jhsph.edu/student_affairs/diversity/DSIPFactSheet.pdf

Stipend

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE

The program provides experience in researchlaboratories to students of diverse backgrounds,including underrepresented minority studentsand students from economically disadvantagedand underserved backgrounds. The purpose ofthis exposure to biomedical and/or public healthresearch is to encourage students to considercareers in science, medicine and public health.

Email [email protected] FEBRUARY 1, 2011$3,000 StipendHousing


College Summer Enrichment Program Worcester, Massachusetts May-June 2011 4 Weeksat the University of Massachusetts Medical School


Four Directions Summer Research Program Boston, Massachusetts June - August 2011 8 Weeksat Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital

Siteman Cancer Center Summer Opportunity Program St. Louis, Missouri June - August 2011 10 Weeks

Biomedical Research Apprenticeship Program (BioMed RAP) St. Louis, Missouri TBA 10 Weeksat Washington University in St. Louis




A tuition-free four-week residential programfor undergraduate sophomores and juniorsinterested in entering the health professions.The goals of the program are to help partici-pants improve their qualifications and com-petitive standing for admission to profession-al, graduate and/or medical school. The pro-gram includes enrichment activities toenhance participants' academic and communi-cation skills. Sessions include the profession-al school application process with emphasison medical school admissions and financingprofessional school. Seminars on biomedicalresearch and cultural contemporary healthissues are also provided. Additionally, the SEPoffers participants the opportunity to interactwith medical students, scientists, physicians,and other health care professionals

(508) 856-2707 MARCH 15, 2011

Websitewww.umassmed.edu/outreach/sep.aspx

StipendHousingTravel Allowance

The focus of activity during the summer isparticipation in a basic science research proj-ect. Students are assigned a medical schoolfaculty mentor who will work closely withthe student to ensure completion of a proj-ect over the 8-week summer period.Additional program goals include:Experience cutting edge research at a leadingmedical school, understand the medicalschool application process, exposure toNative American health care issues, integrateNative traditions including talking circles,networking with Native American studentsand faculty

(617) 525-7644 FEBRUARY 12, [email protected]

Websitewww.fdsrp.org

Travel AllowanceHousingLiving stipend forfood and othernecessities

Program provides opportunities for undergrad-uate, pre-med and medical students enrolled atWashington University or other accredited uni-versities to work on cancer research projectsduring the summer. Opportunities range frombasic laboratory research to clinical research toprevention/control and population research.

(314) 454-8439 MARCH 1, 2011Email [email protected]

Websitewww.siteman.wustl.edu/internal.aspx?id=254

$3500 Stipend

As a BioMedRAP/CD-BioRAP participant,students will conduct independent researchwith outstanding faculty mentors, work in acutting edge science and technology environ-ment, gain exposure to some of the nation'sfinest biomedical investigators and an exten-sive variety of research topics, receive individ-ualized career counseling and develop yourcareer interests, participate in workshops, sem-inars and journal clubs, build a social networkwith student peers and faculty, and prepare toapply to the best Ph.D. and M.D. /Ph.D. pro-grams in the United States

(314) 362-7963 JANUARY 31, [email protected]

StipendTravel AllowanceHousing

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE


Premedical Achievement Program (PMAP) East Lansing, Michigan June - July 2011 6 Weeksat Michigan State University


Summer MCAT Review Program East Lansing, Michigan May 23 -27 2011 1 Weekat Michigan State University

University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, Nebraska June - July 2011 8 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)

Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program Newark, New Jersey TBA 10 Weeksat the Eppley Cancer Research Institute




The program is an intensive MCAT and med-ical school admissions preparation program isopen to disadvantaged students who will beapplying to medical school.

Email: [email protected] MARCH 2011(517) 432-6589

Websitewww.mdadmissions.msu.edu

The program is designed to help students pre-pare for the MCAT by building upon theirundergraduate learning by helping them to syn-thesize a stronger overall command of relatedscientific and biological principles. The programwill help students solidify the knowledge andskills students they have already developed intheir undergraduate work and show them howto tap the critical thinking skills necessary forsuccess in the MCAT. Instructors explain con-cept overviews, then provide guided practicethrough problem sets, followed by close analysiswith an eye to understanding MCAT philoso-phies and mechanics, and while instructors areavailable outside of class time for consultation,this approach may not be suited to every stu-dent's learning style.

Tuition: $800 (includes all materials, pre- andpost-testing and follow-up advising).

(517) 355-2363 MAY 1, 2011

Websitelrc.msu.edu/gre/CLIMB.php

Stipend maybe availablefor eligiblestudents

The program is designed to identify, recruit, andassist future dentists and doctors through acomprehensive six-week summer experiencefor talented freshman and sophomores. Theoverall goal of the program is to provide eachscholar the navigation tools necessary to reachtheir current and future goals. NMC's primaryfocus on core academics is a springboard forstudents in their pursuit of a career as a physi-cian or dentist. What makes this programunique is its emphasis on small-group learning.Instruction includes areas, such as health dis-parities, medical ethics, and public health.Various clinical shadowing experiences will helpstudents build a strong foundation in their cho-sen discipline as well as potentially spark newpassions in the medical and dentistry field.


Websitewww.smdep.org/progsites/nebraska.htm

MealsTravel AssistanceStipendHousing

Students in the summer program work for 10weeks doing hands-on cancer research inEppley Institute laboratories. Students get totry research, learn techniques and new con-cepts, and work with professional researchers,all while earning a competitive summer salary.Virtually all of our former summer studentshave been successful in gaining acceptance tograduate and professional schools. Studentsgain hands-on laboratory experience in cancerresearch labs, daily interactions with researchfaculty, staff, and students, weekly seminarprogram, and present your own research at aposter session.


Websitehttp://www.unmc.edu/eppley/summer.htm

$4000 StipendHousing

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE


UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical and New Jersey Dental Schools Newark, New Jersey June-July 2011 6 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)


Biomedical Careers Program (BCP) at Robert Wood Medical School Piscataway, New Jersey June - July 2011 6 Weeks

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons New York, New York June-July 2011 6 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)

Gateways to the Laboratory Summer Program New York, New York June - August 2011 10 Weeksat Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering




Program serves to advance our institution'score mission of meeting society's current andfuture health care needs by preparing individ-uals underrepresented in medicine and den-tistry, and doing so while championing cultur-al competency and humanism in all aspects ofeducation. SMDEP reaffirms our continuedcommitment to and involvement in pipelineinitiatives and will allow our two institutionsto attain even greater diversity. SMDEP willalso allow us to continue strengthening theacademic portfolios of these college studentsso that they are competitive candidates formedicine and dentistry.

(973) 972-3762 MARCH 1, [email protected]

Websitewww.smdep.org/progsites/newjersey.htm

StipendHousingMeals

Academic enrichment program for under-graduate students interested in careers in thehealth professions. The program targetsundergraduates who are economicallyand/or educationally disadvantaged. BCPoffers an intensive six-week summer pro-gram to serve students at all stages of under-graduate education. Students take part in avariety of science enrichment and health-care-oriented activities.


Websiterwjms.umdnj.edu/osap/bcp.html

Tuition Free

The program provides students seriously inter-ested in applying to medical or dental schoolwith a well-defined, integrated approach tolearning, focusing on the basic science curricu-lum needed to apply to medical or dentalschool. Students engage in intense labs, learn-ing-skills, and career development courses dur-ing the six weeks of the program, while attend-ing weekly clinical rotations and seminars. Theprogram strives to help students enhance andimprove their chances of becoming successfulapplicants and students at the medical/dentalschools of their choice.


Websitewww.smdep.org/progsites/columbia.htm


The program was established for underrepre-sented minority and disadvantaged college stu-dents who wish to pursue the combined MD-PhD degree. Over the summer, students will:Work independently on a research project.Students will present and participate in weeklyjournal clubs. Participate in a hands-on tour ofthe Gross Anatomy Lab. Sit for a Mock MCATexam. Partake in a Lab Techniques Workshopand Clinical Skills Workshop. Participate inCareer Development Workshops. Scrub intosurgeries at the New York-PresbyterianHospital. Give an oral, written and poster pres-entation of your research in front of your fam-ily, friends and colleagues. Have on going men-torship by your "Big Sib" (a current MD-PhDstudent) as well as weekly meetings with theProgram's leadership.

(212) 746-6023Email [email protected]

www.med.cornell.edu/mdphd/sum-merprogram

$4300 StipendTravel expenses

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 1, 2011


Summer Undergraduate Mentorship Program Bronx, New York June-July 2011 6 weeksat Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University


Montefiore Medical Center's Health Opportunities Program Bronx, New York July - August 2011 6 Weeks(Monte-HOP)

Project Asian Health Education and Development (AHEAD) New York, New York June - August 2011 8 Weeks

The Travelers Summer Research Fellowship Program New York, New York June - August 2011 8 Weeksfor Premedical Students at Weill Cornell Medical College

Project Healthcare at NYU Langone Medical Center New York, New York June - August 2011 10 Weeks




The program will be comprised of a six-hourper week commitment to a shadowing experi-ence with an assigned mentor and fourteenhours per week of lecture attendance. Thesefourteen hours will be distributed into the fol-lowing three core curriculum components: sixhours clinical didactic, six hours medicalinformatics, and two hours of MCAT prepa-ration and test taking strategies. Students arealso expected to conduct a research projectwhile in the program.

(718) 430-2792 MARCH [email protected]

Websitewww.einstein.yu.edu/hcoe

$1000 StipendTransportation Meals

The program is designed to promote, edu-cate, and encourage underserved youth topurse careers within the health fields.Students will gain valuable knowledge andprofessional skills through interactive work-shops, mentorship by physicians, observa-tion of physician-patient interactions, lectureactivities and independent learning.

(718) 920-4678 APRIL [email protected]

Websitewww.einstein.yu.edu/hcoe

The program is designed to provide trainingand experience for college students who areinterested in pursuing a career in the health carefield. The program consists of a practical fieldplacement, seminars and workshops, and par-ticipation in the development and completionof a community health project. Studentsexplore various health careers, and gain anunderstanding of the dynamics of the NewYork Asian American community and of cur-rent health issues impacting the health status ofAsian Americans in the United States.

(212) 379-6988 ext. 619 FEBRUARY 2011

Websitewww.cbwchc.org/job/ahead/ahead.html


The program is designed to give 25 premedicalstudents deeper insights into the field of medi-cine, including issues that greatly affect thehealth of traditionally underserved groups.Through the experiences of laboratory or clini-cal research, the students learn how one pursesa specific research problem under the supervi-sion of a faculty member, thus providing anearly education into basic research techniquesthat could be applicable to any area of medicine.

(212) 746-1057 FEBRUARY 1 2011

Websitewww.med.cornell.edu/education/programs

$140/WeekStipendHousingTravel expensesare paid for students that livesome distancefrom Ne w York

Project Healthcare is an innovative volunteerprogram for enthusiastic and inspired collegeand post-baccalaureate students. Created by theBellevue Hospital Center EmergencyDepartment, PHC allows students an opportu-nity to experience and observe many differentaspects of healthcare. The program is com-prised of several weekly rotations which arebased in the Emergency Department. It offersthe committed student a unique healthcareexperience, which is intended to furnish awealth of knowledge about the numerousoptions for a career in healthcare.

(212) 562-3041 JANUARY 2011Email [email protected]

Websiteemergency.med.nyu.edu/electives/college-students

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE


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) Stony Brook, New York TBA 10 Weeksat SUNY Stony Brook University

Bronx-Westchester Area Health Education Center Bronx, New York May/July 2011 Varies




The program is designed to help college stu-dents decide whether or not a career in medi-cine is right for them. This renowned programoffers students the opportunity to complete afour-week summer internship where theyhave the chance to observe and ask questionsin order to learn more about the medical field.Throughout these four weeks, accepted stu-dents rotate through various departments inorder to gain a well rounded experience of thehospital. Some of these departments includethe operating room, emergency room, radiol-ogy, geriatrics, laboratory, psychiatry as well asthe rehabilitation unit. Participants also havenumerous opportunities to go on rounds withdoctors, observe physicians in their privateoffices and attend hospital conferences.


Websitewww.northshorelij.com/NSLIJ

The Access program of Weill Cornell GraduateSchool of Medical Sciences is a summer intern-ship program that trains underserved collegestudents in the biomedical sciences. Interns gainhands-on experience in a biomedical researchlaboratory and are encouraged to apply to PhDprograms. Selected students are placed in labo-ratories at the Weill Cornell Medical Collegeunder the mentorship of experienced facultymembers. n addition to the laboratory experi-ence, students attend lectures and discussionsaimed at enhancing their understanding of thecurrent status of biomedical research, the path-ways available for entering research careers, andthe range of available career opportunities.Students also participate in weekly journal clubs,attend workshops that teach them how to pre-pare for interviews and seminars, and take partin social activities.


Websiteweill.cornell.edu/gradschool/summer/index.html

$3000 Stipend Up to $300 fortravel expensesHousing

The program is an intensive residential researchinternship program for underrepresentedminority undergraduates majoring in science,technology, engineering, or mathematics.Students will get a unique opportunity to workon independent research projects in cutting-edge laboratories under the direction of StonyBrook University faculty.

(631) [email protected]

Websitewww.stonybrook.edu/agep

$3500 StipendRound-trip airfareHousingMeals

Health Careers Internship Program (HCIP):This program allows students aspiring toward acareer in the health professions the opportunityto work in a health care setting and interact reg-ularly with health professionals. Students mustbe Junior or Senior in college. Summer HealthInternship Program (SHIP): The program pro-vides a six-week summer placement opportuni-ty for junior/senior high school, and fresh-man/sophomore college students who haveexpressed an interest in the health field.Students are exposed to a variety of careers inthe health fields as well as to health issues affect-ing their communities.

(718) 590-1110 VARIES

Websitewww.bwahec.org/programs

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE

(631) [email protected]

Websitewww.stonybrook.edu/agep/under-grad.shtml#sri

FEBRUARY 2011


MD/PhD Summer Undergraduate Research Program Omaha, Nebraska TBA 10 Weeksat University of Nebraska Medical Center


Summer Program for Future Doctors at East Carolina University Greenville, North Carolina TBA 8 Weeks

Science Enrichment Preparation (SEP) Program Chapel Hill, North Carolina TBA 8 Weeksat the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Indians into Medicine Program at the University of North Dakota Grand Forks, North Dakota TBA 6 Weeks




The program is designed to provide appropri-ate experience and training to enable studentsto become competitive for admission to theschool's MD/PhD Scholars Program.Benefits of the program include, gainingresearch training and experience that willmake them more competitive for medicalschool, graduate school, other summerresearch programs, and MD/PhD program,exploring personal motivation for a career inmedicine and biomedical research, meetingthe UNMC faculty, participating in a studentposter session.


Websitewww.unmc.edu/com/summer/9.htm

$3000 Stipend

The program is an intensive, challenging, edu-cational summer program that allows partici-pants to experience the pedagogical style anddemands of the medical school curriculum.The Summer Program for Future Doctors is agreat opportunity for participants to strength-en their basic science knowledge base,enhance their critical thinking skills, gain a bet-ter understanding of the application andadmissions process, and exhibit their abilitiesto successfully handle the academic, social,and emotional demands of medical school.

(252) 744-2500 CONTACT [email protected]

Websitewww.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ascc/SPFD.cfm

Housing andTravel Stipend

The SEP Program is an honors-level academicenrichment program for disadvantaged under-graduate students (rising sophomores and jun-iors) who seek admissions into graduate/healthprofessional programs. Students will engage inmore than 150 hours of classroom instructionin physics, organic chemistry, human physiolo-gy and quantitative skills/biostatistics, attendclasses and seminars in reading speed and com-prehension, test-taking strategies, essay writing,and interview techniques, visit local health facil-ities and network with health care professionals,and shadow a working professional in yourhealth field of interest.

(919) 966-2264 FEBRUARY 15, 2011

Websitenchcap.unc.edu/sep.php

2 programs. Pathway at UND: This program isfor tribal community college students planningto transfer to UND in health care or pre-healthcurricula. Pathway courses are taught byUniversity instructors, and are designed to pre-pare participants for advanced courses in theareas of anatomy, physiology, biology andphysics. Pathway also includes a learning skillscomponent to promote successful learningstyles and study habits. Pathway students are eli-gible to apply for one-year tuition waivers atUND. Med Prep at UND: This program is forAmerican Indian college upperclassmen andgraduates who are preparing for medical schoolcoursework. The program is divided into twomajor components: pre-medical studentspreparing to take or retake the Medical CollegeAdmissions Test (MCAT) and students enteringmedical school.

(701) 777-3037 APRIL 2011

Websitewww.med.und.edu/inmed/summerprograms.html

Stipend Travel Stipend

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE


Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Cleveland, Ohio June - July 2011 6 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)


Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine Athens, Ohio June - July 2011 6 WeeksSummer Scholars Program

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 Cincinnati, Ohio Mid June - Early August 2011 8-10 Weeksat the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Chester Summer Scholars Program Cleveland, Ohio TBA 10 Weeks

Pre-Professional Internship Program Cincinnati, Ohio January 4-7, 2011 1- 2 Weeksat Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine January 10-14, 2011

June 6-10, 2011June 13-17, 2011July 11-15, 2011July 18-22, 2011




The program is designed to identify, recruit, andassist in preparing as many highly talented,committed, and hard-working minority andeconomically disadvantaged students as possi-ble for careers in dentistry and medicine. Wehope to imbue our students with the confidenceand skills necessary to allow them to return toschool better prepared to perform well in morerigorous basic science and math classes.


Websitewww.smdep.org/progsites/casewestern.htm


Summer Scholars participants prepare for thechallenges and rewards of medical school.Twenty-five applicants are selected each yearto participate in this rigorous six-week pro-gram designed to give you an intensive andrealistic introduction to the first-year curricu-lum at OU-COM. In addition to traditionalmedical school curricula taught by medicalcollege faculty, graduate students and upper-class medical students, the program focuseson case-based problem solving and small-group/team work.


Websitewww.oucom.ohiou.edu/summerscholars

Room and boardStipendProgram materialsRound-trip travelexpenses

The program provides students exposure tomedicine and will include experiences thatencompass sessions on navigating the medicalschool application process, introduction tothe Problem Based Learning (PBL) model insmall group sessions, hands on experience inthe gross anatomy lab, clinical lectures onmedical topics, diversity and cultural compe-tency exercises, and contact with physicians inthe clinical setting.


Websitewww.utoledo.edu/med/md/admissions/medstarz.html

HousingTravel allowance

The R.O.S.E. program is part internship, partearly acceptance to medical school, and partmentorship program. The purpose of the pro-gram is to provide stimulating experiences andcontact with academic medical faculty for highability, intellectually curious pre-medical col-lege students.


Websitewww.med.uc.edu/rose/index.html

ROSE studentshave conditionalacceptance to theUniversity ofCincinnati Collegeof Medicine;$3000 Stipend

The program awards 15 collegiate undergrad-uate students the opportunity to spend thesummer in clinical laboratory research atMetroHealth Medical Center. The program isan opportunity for pre-medical and scientifi-cally-oriented students to explore the poten-tial for a career in medical research or aca-demic medicine.

(216) 778-5940 FEBRUARY [email protected]

Websitewww.metrohealth.org/body.cfm?id=289

$2000 StipendFree ParkingSupplies andequipment areprovided

The Pre-Professional Internship Program atthe Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine(OCPM) is designed to provide insight intothe many facets of podiatric medicine and theeducation involved with obtaining the Doctorof Podiatric Medicine Degree.

(216) 916-7488 [email protected]

Websitewww.ocpm.edu/?page=admission-internships

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE


Summer Premedical Enrichment Program (SPEP) Cincinnati, Ohio June - July 2011 6 Weeksat the University of Cincinnati


Summer Premedical Academic Enrichment Program (SPAEP) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania June - July 2011 8 Weeksat the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Pre-med Enrichment Program Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May - August 2011 10 Weeksat the University of Pennsylvania Health System

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




Residential program for 18 college juniors, sen-iors, and postbaccalaureate premedical students.Students receive intensive exposure to medicineas a career through t ours, speakers, seminars,and shadowing. Students are exposed to themedical school experience and the academiccurriculum through a noncredit course in car-diophysiology, extensive interaction with med-ical students and faculty, and detailed guidancethrough the medical school application process.Emphasis is on strengthening critical think-ing/problem solving skills, increasing self-awareness, and making each participant a com-petitive medical school applicant.


Websitecomdo-wcnlb.uc.edu

This program, open to high school graduatesand college students, is designed specifically toprepare and support students who wish topursue careers in the field of medicine. Spendseven weeks in Level I, strengthening youracademic skills and learning more aboutcareers in medicine. Or, spend eight weeksimmersed and engaged in the work of physi-cian-scientists including laboratory researchand MCAT preparation through Level II.Both programs will enhance your skills andknowledge in science, writing and publicspeaking. You'll discover a challenging andstimulating program in the environment of amajor academic medical center.


Websitewww.medschool.pitt.edu/future/future_03_spaep.asp

$1000 StipendTransportationHousingMeals

The aim of this program is to prepareminority students for careers in academicmedicine or other positions of leadership inmedicine. Students will be engaged in a pro-gram of research, clinical observations,classroom exercises and teaching observa-tions, designed to stimulate their interest inacademic medicine. In addition, the studentswill be engaged in the following: activitiespertaining to the medical school applicationprocess and medical school admissions;classroom instructions and simulated testingto prepare the students for the MedicalCollege Admissions Test (MCAT).


Websitewww.uphs.upenn.edu/coeomh/premed.html

$2500 Stipend

This program is for students who have com-plete their second year of college with a GPAof at least 3.2 in a course of study that quali-fies them for medical school entrance.


Websitewww.stmaryhealthcare.org/body.cfm?id=132

Conditionalacceptance to theUniversity ofCincinnati Collegeof Medicine;$3000 Stipend

The program is designed for college studentswho have complete their junior year and arepursing academic programs leading to medicalschool. Doylestown Hospital physicians assistwith the program, which includes lectures and"hands-on" volunteer work on patient floorsand in many departments.


Websitewww.dh.org/body.cfm?id=616

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE


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 Nashville, Tennessee June 1 - July 30, 2011 8 WeeksMedical Summer Internship Program




Participants will experience a medical educationas seen through the eyes of 3rd and 4th yearmedical students during their clinical rotationsin the hospital and clinical practices. The expe-rience can enlighten participants about a careerin medicine, whether they're about to entermedical school or are just beginning the appli-cation process. Participants will accompany theteaching team and 3rd and 4th year medical stu-dents on hospital rounds and be part of discus-sions between physician, patient, and medicalstudents. Throughout the five-day program,participants will also see patients in clinical prac-tice, attend department lectures, or go into theoperating room. Participants will have theopportunity to talk with 3rd and 4th year med-ical students about their experiences preparingfor medical school, what their first two yearswere like and what it's like now that they're outof the classroom and in the hospital.

Tuition: $1500

(215) 762-6800 MARCH [email protected]

Websitewww.drexelmed.edu/Home/OtherPrograms/MiniMedSchool

The program offers biomedical researchopportunities to undergraduates who want topursue a career in biomedical sciences. Thereare two major tracks within the VSSA; theBasic Science Programs for undergraduatesinterested in careers in research, and theUndergraduate Clinical Research InternshipProgram for undergraduates who wish to pur-sue a career in medicine. Participation in anyone of the Summer Science Academy pro-grams is a valuable learning experience thatenhances a student's skills and makes him orher more competitive for acceptance to front-line graduate programs.


Websitemedschool.mc.vanderbilt.edu/ssa/

$2500-$4000Stipend

The POE program offers a unique opportu-nity for students preparing for careers in thebiomedical sciences, medicine, nursing,pharmacy, psychology, or public health togain biomedical and oncology researchexperience. The POE program provides ashort-term training experience (internship)in either laboratory research or clinicalresearch. Students participating in thePediatric Oncology Education program willreceive training in a superb academic envi-ronment created by the interaction of com-mitted basic scientists, research-orientedphysicians, and postdoctoral fellows.


Websitewww.stjude.org/poe

$4000 StipendHousing

This program is a summer internship for pre-medical students in the clinical area of organtransplantation. The internship includes shad-owing physicians on rounds in the hospital,observing and assisting in an outpatient/clinicfacility, and observing transplant and trans-plant-related surgical operations.

(615) 327-8814 FEBRUARY 25, 2011

Websitewww.dciinc.org/camp/Internship.htm

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE


Michael E. DeBakey Summer Surgery Program Houston, Texas Mid-June- August 2011 8 Weeksat Baylor College of Medicine


The University of Texas Dental Branch and Medical School at Houston Houston, Texas May-June 2011 6WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)

Health Career Opportunities Program (HCOP) Houston, Texas TBA 6 Weeksat The University of Houston College of Optometry

Physiology Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE) San Antonio, Texas June 6 - July 29, 2011 8 Weeks

Scholars Program in Organic Chemistry Dallas, Texas June - August 1011 10 Weeksat University of Texas - Southwestern Medical Center




The Michael E. DeBakey Summer SurgeryProgram offers the pre-medical student aglimpse of a career in surgery long before theywill ever pick up a scalpel for the first time.During the eight weeks, students become famil-iar with the hospital environment, the operatingroom, and the lifestyle of a surgeon. They areexpected to become an integral part of theirsurgical teams by participating in rounds, sur-gery, and conferences.

[email protected] JANUARY 15, 2011

Websitewww.debakeydepartmentofsurgery.org

The program seeks motivated students from avariety of backgrounds including those who areunderrepresented or underserved that are inter-ested in pursuing a career in dentistry and med-icine, including those who have an interest inserving the underserved. The mission ofSMDEP is to assist students in enhancing theirknowledge, skills, and attitudes to make themmore competitive and to improve their chancesof becoming successful applicants to a medicalor dental school of their choice. SMDEPscholars will experience academic enrichment infive core areas: microbiology, anatomy andphysiology, pre-calculus/calculus, physics, andorganic chemistry. Students will have clinicalexperiences in such areas as emergency medi-cine, family practice, internal medicine, restora-tive dentistry, and oral surgery.


Websitewww.smdep.org/progsites/houston.htm


The program involves specific activitiesdesigned to enhance qualifications for entryto the professional program includingpreparation for the Optometry AdmissionTest (OAT), counseling regarding the admis-sion and application process, academiccounseling, time management training, andtest-taking/skills.


Websitewww.opt.uh.edu/students/undergrad/

Financial aidassistance infor-mation is given toall students

This research program designed for highlymotivated college undergraduate students witha genuine interest in experimental researchcareers in biomedical science. Undergraduateswill have the opportunity to receive hands-onexperience in on-going research projectsunder the direction of a faculty member aswell as work with postdoctoral fellows andgraduate students.


Websitephysiology.uthscsa.edu

$3000 Stipend

The goals of the program are to improve col-lege students' performance in organic chem-istry and to provide these students with expo-sure to clinical medicine. The SPOC programwill be conducted on the UT Southwesterncampus in Dallas and has two components: 1)a 10 week course in Organic Chemistry and 2)clinical preceptorships with practicing physi-cians at UT Southwestern or in one of ouraffiliated clinical sites.

(214) 648-7517 JANUARY [email protected]

Websitewww.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw

$1000 Stipend

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE


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) San Antonio, Texas June 6 - July 29, 2011 8 Weeks




The program offers a summer MCATPreparatory Program to students enrolled inVirginia's historically black colleges and univer-sities and other Alliance schools. The programprovides students the opportunity to advancetheir skills through an intensive course.

(804) 287-6484 APRIL [email protected]

Websiteprehealth.richmond.edu/mcat-preparation/virginia-nebraska-alliance

$1500 StipendHousingMeals

In the program students do independentresearch projects with faculty mentors for tenweeks in one of seven research areas: BioenergyCellular and Molecular Biology ComputationalBiology & Biostatistics Environmental BiologyNeurobiology Plant Development, Breedingand Genetics Virology. These seven disciplinaryclusters are intellectually woven together atweekly meetings in an interdisciplinary learningcommunity through evolutionary theory andthe research process. In addition to meetingwith the interdisciplinary group, students pre-pare research proposals, final papers, and oralpresentations summarizing their work.

(608) 262-5267 FEBRUARY [email protected]

Websitecbe.wisc.edu/srp-bio/

The summer program in Mwandi, Zambiaoffers students an opportunity to work orvarious research & service projects at theUnited Church of Zambia's mission hospi-tal, primary school or preschool. UCZ's mis-sion hospital compound is affiliated with thePresbyterian Church (U.S.A.).Immediatelyfollowing the spring semester, students willtravel to Mwandi to conclude their coursework which will consist of an independentproject and a medical experience at the UCZhospital compound. Students will spendapproximately 3 weeks on-site in Mwandiand will write a final research paper based ontheir independent project.

ELIGIBILITY:Students in good standingDavidson students enrolled in a pre-medspring course

[email protected] CONTACT PROGRAM

Websitewww.bio.davidson.edu/people/vecase/mwandi/index.html

Housing

This research program designed for highlymotivated college undergraduate students witha genuine interest in experimental researchcareers in biomedical science. Undergraduateswill have the opportunity to receive hands-onexperience in on-going research projectsunder the direction of a faculty member aswell as work with postdoctoral fellows andgraduate students.

[email protected] CONTACT PROGRAM

Websitewww.bio.davidson.edu/people/vecase/mwandi/index.html

$3000 Stipend

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE

THAT’S SO “JOCK WHO CAN COMPLETE A PASS BUT NOT A SENTENCE.”

ThinkB4YouSpeak.com

Think that’s mean? How do you think “that’s so gay” sounds? Hurtful. So, knock it off.


WIKIPREMED.COMThe WikiPremed MCAT Course is an open access com-prehensive course in the undergraduate level general sci-ences. John Wetzel founded WikiPremed to provide stu-dents anywhere in the world the means to prepare formedical school. A graduate of Stanford University, hescored a 38S on the MCAT in 1994. He is an experiencedMCAT instructor, having helped premedical students pre-pare for the MCAT in small group teaching through overfifty course cycles in a course he created. His notable con-tribution is to have developed the first unified, spiralingcurriculum for teaching the undergraduate physical andbiological sciences.

ASPIRINGDOCS.ORGAspiringDocs.org was created to raise awareness about thecritical need for more diversity in medicine and to encour-age African American. Latino/a and Native American stu-dents to apply to and enroll in medical school. TheAAMC's AspiringDocs.org campaign has released newpodcasts on why diversity matters in medical education,how to succeed in the interview process, and what medicalschool is like.

STUDENTDOCTOR.NETThe mission of Student Doctor is to assist and encourage all students through the challenging and complicatedhealth care education process. The Student DoctorNetwork is a 100% volunteer-run resource. SDN is operat-ed by a small group of unpaid volunteers that are dedicat-ed to providing students unbiased information.

MCATQUESTION.COMThis site is designed to helping students prepare for anessential component of the medical school applicationprocess. The creators believe in daily practice to keep themind sharp and to overcome the urge to procrastinate andcram information. The site was started because nobodyelse out there offered a free, useful service that encouragedand gave students the means to practice every day.

STUDENTDOC.COMThis resource is one of the oldest sites devoted to life as amedical student. Starting with your premed years, preppingfor the MCAT and applying to medical schools, student-doc takes students through the transformative journeyfrom student to physician.

MDAPPLICANTS.COMMDapplicants.com is a free site designed as a service topremedical and prospective premedical students. The aimof this site is to share the experiences of past applicantswith current, as a rough guide to what they may expect orthe type of preparation they may require. The site hoststhousands of profiles detailing the qualifications and expe-riences of students from all backgrounds as they gothrough the most rigorous of professional applications.

CHEMSPIDER.COMChemSpider links together compound information acrossthe web, providing free text and structure search access ofmillions of chemical structures. With an abundance ofadditional property information, tools to upload, curateand use the data, and integration to a multitude of otheronline services, ChemSpider is a valuable source of struc-ture-based chemistry information.

AAMC.ORGThe Association of American Medical Colleges offersexcellent MCAT resources on their site. Students canlearn more about the exam, order practice tests, create astudy plan, and take advantage of a number of otherfree prep resources.

MCATWIZARD.COMThe MCAT Wizard is part of the MCAT Genesis Project,a collaborative effort from medical students and profes-sionals. Free resources include test information, sciencetutorials and videos, an MCAT social network, and adiverse set of prep tools.

USEFUL WEB SITESFOR PRE-MEDSTUDENTS

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE


GADGETS&GIZMOS>>>Our pick of cool and unusual items that we thought our readers might be interested in

Willy Desk FanWilly cools you down in the heat of themoment… that moment being hot andbothered while sitting at your desk atwork! Push his nose to turn the batteryoperated fan on or off.

The Sock SackDoing laundry at the dorms, laundromator fraternity or sorority can be a hasslebut with The Sock Sack students willnever lose socks in the laundry again.

iPlunge Phone StandPlunge is the perfect solution for your

video emergencies — just squish itagainst the back of your iPod, iPhone, or

any device with a smooth hard surface


GADGETS & GIZMOS|

Contigo Autoseal Travel MugThis travel coffee mug earned Good Housekeeping's seal of

approval for durability and drinkability. The coffee stays hot for 4hours and does not leak due to the "autoseal" feature, which opensthe sipping mechanism with the press of a button. When the but-

ton is released, the mechanism closes, forming a spill-proof sealeven if your college student drops it or lodges it in a backpack.

Defrosty Ice CubesThese ice cubes do not dissolve or dilutein water and were made entirely to throwyou or your guests off guard. They aremade to look like Frosty just melted inyour drink

Decision MakerNo more agonizing over difficult deci-sions – now you've got a cute littlehelper who will do all the hard think-ing and provide you with the best pos-sible solution for any problem youmight have. Just ask, spin, and presto– instant decision-making!


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|PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE

MCAT & MEDICAL SCHOOL SEMINARGet an introduction to med school, the MCAT,and the application process. If getting into med-ical school keeps you up at night, you should takeadvantage of this seminar. Students will gain anin-depth knowledge of the MCAT and demysti-fy the medical school admissions process. At theend of the session, you'll know the MCAT andhow to put together an application that willimpress any admissions committee.

TESTFEST 2010FREE PRACTICE TESTPut your skills to the test by taking a free practiceexam. Participants also receive a detailed analysisof their results.

PRE-MED JUMPSTARTAdmissions and MCAT test experts to cometogether for this free workshop. Find out whatyou need to know about Medical SchoolAdmissions and the strategies you will need forthe MCAT.

ANATOMY OF THE MCAT Learn the ins and outs of all the areas of theMCAT. Meet expert instructors who will breakdown all the areas of the test, what to expectand what you need to know in order to beready on test day. A team of specialist instruc-tors will dissect the MCAT subject by subjectand share strategies designed to improve yourscore on each section of the exam.

STRATEGY SESSION FOR THE MCATAsk you know, the MCAT is a computer-basedexam. Attend this MCAT free event to learneverything there is to know about the MCATCBT. You'll meet an expert Princeton Reviewinstructor who will walk you through some ques-tions and teach you some of the company’sproven strategies that you can use on test day.

MCAT & MEDICALSCHOOL ADMISSIONSFORUMIn this free seminar, students will gain an in-depth knowledge of the MCAT and demystifythe medical school admissions process. At theend of the session, you'll know the MCAT andhow to put together an application that willimpress any admissions committee

HYPERLEARNINGMCAT CLASS At the Hyperlearning MCAT Free Class, youwill experience the most thorough, demanding,and effective MCAT prep course around. Aninstructor will teach you some of the company’smost effective test-taking strategies and lead youthrough several MCAT sample problems.

To find information about free programsbeing offered in you area log-on to:www.princetonreview.com/events.


SWITCHING TIME: A DOCTOR'SHARROWING STORY OF TREATING AWOMAN WITH 17 PERSONALITIES by Richard Baer, MDThis is a story of a Karen Overhill, a young womanwho feels like an impersonator in her own life. Shehas trouble recognizing the people who say they areher friends and she can't remember being intimatewith her own husband. During visits, psychiatristRichard Baer recognizes that Karen is on the verge ofsuicide and as he tries various medications to keep heralive he also tries to get to the bottom of what's caus-ing her bizarre behavior. Baer gets a letter in the mailfrom a little girl who writes that she's seven years oldand lives inside of Karen. As the story continues itbecomes clear that Karen is "switching time" withalternate selves as the situation warrants.

BEDSIDE MANNERS: ONE DOCTORSREFLECTIONS OF THE ODDLYINTIMATE ENCOUNTERS BETWEENPATIENT AND HEALER by David Watts, MDIn story after story, you get a taste of the life's rich-ness - from a story of a patient reliving his WWIIexperience coming upon a concentration campbefore it was widely know such camps existed to thejoy of learning a self-diagnosis is not nearly as dire asthe actual problem to the tragedy of a beautiful younggirl who keeps coming back to the hospital becauseher boyfriend refuses to admit he's got a STD to themystery of a medical student injuring herself essen-tially for the attention.

GIFTED HANDS:THE BEN CARSON STORYby Ben Carson, MDDr. Ben Carson gives readers a look into the life of aneurosurgeon. He started out on what he calls therough streets of Detroit. His father left the family andhis mother struggled to make ends meet. Ben trans-forms from a kid with little confidence and unsureabout where his life is going to a determined andnotable neurosurgeon. He tells the story of his strug-gles and his triumphs. For all the students who've everdoubted themselves, this is a story that will give you aboost of confidence.

HOW DOCTORS THINK: CLINICALJUDGMENT AND THE PRACTICE OFMEDICINE by Kathryn MontgomeryThis is a book basically defines the nature and impor-tance of clinical judgment. Although physicians makeuse of science, this book argues that medicine is notitself a science but rather an interpretive practice thatrelies on clinical reasoning. Montgomery writes apiece that stimulates readers to think more deeplyabout the practice of medicine.

IN THE STACKSBooks we thought that aspiring doctors might be interested in reading<<<


BETTERLIFEBETTERYOU>>> Information on taking care of yourself as a student living a busy life

For more information about health, wellness,and fitness visit The Fitness Group online at:wwwwww..hheeaalltthhaannddwweellllnneessss..wweeeebbllyy..ccoomm or connect with us at facebook/thefitnessgroup.CCOOLLLLEEGGEE SSTTUUDDEENNTTSS:: Email your fitness questions directly to [email protected]

EXERCISESWe know that as a pre-med student you’ll be spending lots of time at your desk, eitherin your dorm room or in the library, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to get out ofshape. Not only with these exercises help to keep you fit, they’ll also get some bloodflowing to your brain so you’ll be better equipped to handle those orgo programs. Hereare 3 quick exercises you can do at your desk.:

desk

Let your head fall forward with your chin towards yourchest. Roll your head towards your right shoulder. Don’t let

your shoulders pull up when you do this stretch. You shouldfeel a stretch along the top of your left shoulder. Hold for 5 sec-

onds. Do the same on the other side. Repeat 3 to 4 times on eachside. Do not extend your head backward.

NECK ROLL AROUND

In a standing or seated position, reach above your headwith both arms and lace your fingers together. Think of try-ing to touch the ceiling with your fingertips. Hold this positionfor 5 to 10 seconds and repeat 3 times.

OVERHEAD PRESSES

Stretching

Stretching

Bosu BallThis 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


GADGETS & GIZMOS|

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 ashoulder's width apart. Lower your chest to the edge of the desk, andpush back up. Remember to exhale on the way up. Do 20 times.

DESK PUSH-UPS

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 handsheld 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.

OVERHEAD PRESSES

Stand in front of your chair with your feet a hip's width apart. Placeyour 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 andlower your body to a comfortable level. Try 5 repetitions to start.

Gradually work up to 15 repetitions. To make it harder, reach yourhands overhead as if you were holding a beach ball.

DON’T SIT CHAIR SQUATS

DORMROOM

WORKOUT HELPERS

KettlebellUse these to perform different types of

presses, swings, squats, rows, and more to getyourself into great shape.

Core Balance PodsThese colorful pods are designed to improve

core strength and agility


COLLEGE101>>> Helpful advice to manage and deal with life as a college student

GOODBUDDIES TOHAVE INCOLLEGE...5


THESMARTBUDDYThe smart buddy might be someone in your dorm hall, a teach-ing assistant, or a tutor. It's always a good idea to have one ofthese buddies around. They may be able to explain things to youin a way that makes it easier for you to understand a conceptthat's been getting the best of you. If the world was perfect, wewould all be the smart buddy, but the fact of the matteris...there's a curve. And most students will fall somewhere in themiddle.

If you're the Smart Buddy...Give back. Share your study strategies. Ask your professor about tutoringand note-taking opportunities. Not only will you be helping others but asstudies show, you will be reinforcing your own knowledge.

THELOCALBUDDYIf you're leaving home and planning to live somewhere new,you might want to get yourself a local buddy. This person willbe familiar with almost everything in the area that you're in.They'll have the best restaurant recommendations, know thecheapest places to buy your necessities, and an array of infor-mation that will come in handy for anyone not familiar withthe area. You'll probably have to hunt out these people in oneof your classes since they'll probably be living at home insteadof on campus, but if you're ever in a jam, there's no betterfriend to have.

If you're the Local Buddy...Be generous. If some sorry-looking out-of-towner needs your help, show themsome love.

THECARBUDDYHaving this buddy goes without saying. Befriend someone with acar. There may come a time when you realize you're down toyour last bottle of water and know that buying it from the whole-sale club just a few miles away could save you a bundle than ifyou were to buy one bottle for an arm and a leg from the cam-

pus food court. You'll be glad you can catch a ride with your carbuddy whether its for a run to the supermarket or maybe a rideinto the city.

If you're the Car Buddy...You'll probably be very popular. So be prepared for the upsurge in unexpectedpeople who want to be your "buddy". You can usually get a group together andthey might be able to chip in to donate to your gas fund. Hey, nothing is free.

TheWorkoutBuddyYou tell yourself that you're going to the gym at 6 o'clock...6o'clock arrives and you bail out on yourself. But if you had a des-ignated workout buddy, their obligation is to hold you to yourword. They make you hit the elliptical machine when you thinkyou're all burned out or wake you up on Saturday morning to gofor an early jog along the campus trail. Blood flow to your braincan 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 probablyhave 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 fromgaining the infamous weight that comes along with college life, but it willalso increase the blood flowing to your brain.

The PopularBuddyThis student is in a trazillion clubs and organizations and is thesocial butterfly in your group. They know several people andmeet new people every day. Socializing comes natural to them.This person can't really offer you anything but is a leeway togaining other connections and other "buddies".

If you're the Popular Buddy...You may find yourself surrounded by timid little newbies trying to studyyour moves and figure out how it is that you do what you do.

There is no spokesperson with a catchy phrase to remind the driver to slow down, stop eating,

quit messing with the radio or pay attention to the road. There’s Only You. Speak Up.

PreMedLife Magazine - January/February 2011

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