Student Leadership Advisory Board Spotlight: Megan Plain, UVA '20

Megan Plain is a 2nd year pre-medical student in the College majoring in History and Cognitive Science. She is a member of the Women's Lacrosse team and a Member-at-Large on the Pre-Health Leadership Advisory Board. In this post, Megan describes her experience as a pre-health student and student athlete. 
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What does a typical week look like for a women's lacrosse student athlete and how does it work with the pre-health track?
The typical week varies depending on the season. In the off-season, only 8 hours per week of mandatory team activity are allowed. 

• Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: Weight lifting from 2:30 - 3:30, Run / Practice from
  3:30 - 4:30. 
• Tuesday: Morning practice from 7:15 - 9:0
• Thursday: No team activities

This schedule offers us flexibility on both Tuesday's and Thursday's since we have almost the entire day available for classes. For a pre-med student, this is the perfect time to schedule labs required for biology, chemistry, physics, and organic chemistry.

When we are in-season, we are allowed a maximum of 20 hours per week of mandatory team activity. We usually play games on Wednesday and Saturday, which accounts for about 6 hours out of each game-day given the pre-game meal 3 hours before game time, followed with getting ready in the locker room with the team. We then have practice all other days of the week except Sunday, which include pre-game film and a once-a-week lift. In addition, we usually travel for half of our games, which requires time away from classes. As a result, it is important to plan accordingly with academic work to determine what can be finished on the road or what should be done on campus.

What resources have been critical to you in the first two years? 
One of the most helpful resources for me has been my own teammates. Beginning second semester of first year, upperclassmen were extremely helpful when choosing certain classes and figuring out how to manage both lacrosse and academics. Another important resource is our athletic academic coordinator, Kate Stephensen, who helps us ease into the life of a student athlete at UVA. She also provides us with academic resources such as tutors and group sessions for classes. First years also have time management tasks to help hold themselves accountable for the work they have to complete. She also opens different opportunities for getting involved in the university, which became helpful for me especially as a 2nd year. In addition, the Career Center has been a great resource to help plan out the upcoming years. It can be overwhelming to look at all the different classes you have to take for both the pre-medical requirements, as well as your major(s). As a result, meeting one-on-one with a pre-health advisor can help ease the stress of figuring out what classes should be taken in specific years, as well as find extracurricular opportunities that work with your schedule.

What is your major and what impacted your decision to pursue this major? 
I am pursuing a major in Cognitive Science - with a concentration in Neuroscience - as well as a second major in History. I had originally planned to apply to the Neuorscience major, but I then discovered the different opportunities Cognitive Science offered because of its diverse course options. Cognitive Science allows me to select classes in the four different core areas which is a benefit both for major credit as well as for my own experience. I think exploring different types of classes in college is important to discover your passions. For me, I discovered I actually enjoy linguistics classes, something I would never considered if I had pursued a different major. History, on the other hand, is something I find intriguing and also adds diversity to my course load. I think balancing your schedule with both science classes and another field of study can serve as a way to add variety and balance, providing a different stimulus and view point within your academic career.

Are you still able to participate in other extracurricular activities even with your practice schedule and course load? 
Absolutely. I try to participate in other activities or clubs in our off-season when I have more time available. Last fall, I was able to volunteer at the Innisfree Village with a program known as the Charlottesville Area Riding Therapy (CART). This is a non-profit organization which works directly with children and adults with special needs. The program was very flexible and I was able to choose the best times that worked with my schedule. Madison House is very helpful in finding different opportunities for pre-med student athletes that accomodates the tight time constraints of their schedules. Academic Affairs also offers many opportunities to get involved in organizations that work directly with different athletic teams and the NCAA. For example, Student Athlete Mentors (SAM) are athletes involved in each of their respective teams, and work as a support system for teammates to voice their concerns or frustrations with anything whether it be academics, athletics, friendships, or just life in general. Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) plays more of a legislative role and serve as representatives of the University. These are just some of the many organizations available for student athletes to get involve outside of athletics.

What about studying abroad? Are there opportunities for pre-health student athletes abroad? 
Yes! Many of my teammates have found study abroad programs specifically during the summer session. I personally will be heading to Switzerland this summer for a six-week program through the School for International Training. Although study abroad opportunities may be a little more challenging to find given a student athlete's limiting schedule, programs are definitely available that are pertinent to your plan of study. I found the Study Abroad office to be very helpful in identifying programs that piqued my interest and worked with my schedule.

How has being a student athlete prepared you for a career in healthcare? 
Being a student athlete requires discipline, time management, and resilience. All of these attributes will be extremely helpful in healthcare given its demanding and intense schedule. Success in the medical field is also reliant on teamwork, which is at the heart of athletics. As part of a sports team, athletes are able to understand how to respect each other and incoporate each person's different attributes to further the success of the team. This is a aquality that will be vitally important in the medical field. Being a student athlete has given me the confidence and work ethic to chase any dream. It's really easy to lose faith when things aren't going well, but, in an intense athletic competition, you have to pick yourself up and make things happen in order to come away with a win. In the medical profession, and in life, working hard and having confidence in yourself is so important, especially when you are impacting someone else's life and well-being. 

Ana Torres, UVA '19 - Reflections on Pathways to Diversity in Healthcare

In February 2018, UVA Pre-Health Advisors and student representatives participated in the Pathways to Physician Diversity National Summit sponsored by the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

With stakeholders from medical schools, private practice, post bac programs, undergraduate institutions, MD-PhD programs, non-profit organizations, and more, the Summit provided an environment for national conversation on current challenges and future solutions to the access pathways for underrepresented students in medical education.
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Ana Torres is a 3rd year Kinesiology major interested in pursuing a career in medicine. Ana currently serves on the Pre-Health Student Leadership Advisory Board, as President of Daniel Hale Williams Pre-Medical Society, and as a mentor in the Hispanic/Latino Peer Mentoring Program. Next year, she'll be a member of the 4th Year Trustees and work as a Resident Advisor.

In what ways did this experience benefit you individually? How might it benefit other pre-health students? 
One of my biggest motivations for becoming a doctor is the need for diverse representation in healthcare, not only among minorities, but also among women. I believe this will provide a service to the patient population and medical field as a whole but also serve as an inspiration for other minority students who may doubt their ability to achieve this goal. Though this has always been my motivation, it never felt like a real cause. My participation in the Physician Diversity National Summit allowed me to interact with other like-minded individuals and reinforced my motivation for this cause. Beyond confirmation of my personal goals, there were many benefits to this experience.

• Networking: Since this was the first event of its kind, there were a disproportionate amount of professionals compared to pre-medical student participants. To my advantage, this allowed me to pursue personal interactions with the professionals represented including physicians, pre-medical advisors, medical school admission officers, and post-bac program representatives. They were all excited to see pre-medical students there and were willing to help. I met a lot of people at this event who I've followed up with and continued forming relationships. I have even been able to bring the connects I made to other students here at UVA.
• Advisor Relationships: I traveled to the Summit with two of the UVA Pre-Health Advisors and another undergraduate pre-medical student. The intimacy of the trip and our discussions at the conference allowed us some really meaningful conversation apart from the formal meeting. It allowed for a nice experience outside the formal academic / UVA setting. 
• Learning: 
• I learned about different communities who need representation and support but are not currently well represented. Specifically, the Native American population. 
• I also learned about different programs and organizations. To name a couple, SIU MEDPREP (postbac program) and Artmesis' Society. I probably would not be aware of either of these organizations without attending this conference. Now I will be able to access them throughout my pre-medical journey. 
• Any conference that aligns with the goal of diversity in healthcare will be beneficial to any pre-health student. Not only will it build on your professional skills, but you will learn more about yourself and your goals. 
• After the Summit, I attended the Annual Medical Education Conference in San Francisco through an organization on grounds called Daniel Hale Williams Pre-Medical Society (DHW). The environment at this conference provided an equally inclusive feeling of support as the Diversity Summit. I even saw several familiar faces. A lot of the physicians in attendance are members of an organization similar to DHW and continue their involvement throughout their professional career. DHW allows for the same feeling of support here at UVA and can also connect students to these types of professional opportunities and networks.

 If you could convey 3 primary messages to your peers as a result of your experience, what would they be? 

• Diversity is excellence: The idea that excellence is sacrificed or compromised for the sake of diversity arose as a frequent theme of conversation at the Summit. Every time it surfaced, conference attendees refuted it. It is important for minority students to understand their presence enhances the medical field. It is not a flaw. Success is not always in a perfect GPA or MCAT score and shouldn't be since there are many factors that contribute to the characteristics of a great physician. As denoted in the image below, in many cases minority students face additional obstacles and challenges their counterparts may not. Diversity in the medical field will not only help future patients, but it will also improve the collective practice of all healthcare providers. 
  
• Use your resources: Join a pre-medical organization on grounds. Many of the physicians at the Summit spoke of specific organization that helped them and their mentees throughout their career path. These organizations can often offer entrance exam help, shadowing opportunities, conference experiences similar to the Summit I attended, in addition to a community of support. It is great to be surrounded by a group of like-minded people that can support and walk alongside you on your journey. I chose to join DHW here at UVA. You can learn more about it here.
• Do not give up.  If a career in medicine is something you really want, you will get there. No one's path is the same and it may take longer than you originally thought, but your experiences and failures will only make you stronger. It's not really about the failures, but how you react to them and use them to strengthen yourself. Ask for help when you need it, look for mentorship and opportunities. Also, always remember to reach back to help others follow in your foot steps. Working together as a team is how we achieve this goal of improving diversity.
  

Mariam Gbadamosi, UVA '20 - Reflections on Pathways to Diversity in Healthcare

In February 2018, UVA Pre-Health Advisors and student representatives participated in the Pathways to Physician Diversity National Summit sponsored by the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.

With stakeholders from medical schools, private practice, post bac programs, undergraduate institutions, MD-PhD programs, non-profit organizations, and more, the Summit provided an environment for national conversation on current challenges and future solutions to the access pathways for underrepresented students in medical education.
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Mariam Gbadamosi is a 2nd year Human Biology major interested in pursuing a career in medicine. She is a Peer Advisor in the Office of African American Affairs and a Peer Health Educator in the Department of Student Health. 

Describe your experience at the Pathways to Physician Diversity National Summit. 
I really enjoyed my time at the Summit because despite the stagnation of diversity in medicine, I was able to hear new perspectives from a variety of stakeholders invested in the cause. The perspective of a pre-health advisor differs from that of a resident physician and from that of a program funder but all of those perspectives are integral to the puzzle. On many occasions, attendees repeated that the lack of diversity in healthcare will not be solved by one program alone. Increased diversity in healthcare is only attainable with the culmination of everyone's collective effort. What struck me the most during the Summit was everyone's enthusiasm and willingness to listen and collaborate with one another.

Describe 3 speakers from the Summit who were most meaningful to you. Who are they? What did they have to say? Why was it meaningful to you? 

• Dr. Richard Carmona: He shared the quintessential underdog story. He was a high school dropout from Harlem, New York who rose to become Surgeon General of the United States. He started his medical career when he enlisted in the army as a medic and learned tough lessons about doing public health work in Vietnam. He eventually worked his way through community college and to medical school. President George W. Bush nominated Carmona to the office of Surgeon General and he was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate, 98-0. Dr. Carmona's story spoke to me because he represented a "non-traditional" path to medicine and stories like his are not what students typically think of when they imagine the path to becoming a doctor. Dr. Carmona reminded me more than ever that where you come from and whatever setbacks you face should never close the door to a career in medicine. 
• Voices from the Pipeline Panel: This panel featured minority physicians at various career stages who discussed their paths to medicine. This discussion stood out because they highlighted the barriers they experienced after admitted to medical school, as well as barriers that persist throughout their careers. Two themes -- mentorship and sponsorship -- surfaced throughout the discussion. Both of these factors were instrumental in allowing the physicians on the panel to overcome the barriers they faced in medical school and beyond. In addition to seeking these relationships, each physician committed to turning around and becoming mentors and sponsors for those coming behind them. 
• Mentorship: ongoing relationships formed with more experienced physicians that allow insight into the "hidden curriculum" of medicine
• Sponsorship: support or promotion of someone; opening doors to someone for whom the doors may not have otherwise opened.

• University of Maryland, Baltimore County Meyerhoff Scholars Program: This presentation highlighted the enormous impact of targeted pathway programs on increasing diversity in medicine. The program provides underrepresented students in STEM mentorship and research experience on their paths to terminal degrees like PhDs or MD/PhDs. They identified that low expectations, academic and cultural isolation, stereotype threat, and lack of support were some of many factors that impede underrepresented students from persisting in STEM fields. With the help of this program, UMBC is the leading school in the nation for graduating African Americans that earn MD/PhD degrees. This presentation stood out to me because it illustrates that a supportive - rather than malignant - environment is a crucial piece to the medicine pipeline.

If you could convey 3 primary messages to your peers as a result of your experience, what would they be? 

• There is no single path to medicine and it is fine to have a roadblock. The door to medicine is always open and it is perfectly fine to take a "non-traditional" or path less traveled. 
• Seek mentorship from anyone that may have guidance to offer you even if they don't look like you or do exactly the same thing you want to do. Also, try to offer mentorship to those who may benefit from your insight. 
• The issues of lack of diversity in healthcare don't end after admission to medical school. They are present throughout the field. But don't let that be a discouragement. As one of the Summit speakers put it, "The spotlight will always be on you, so why not let them see you succeed?"

Is there anything else you'd like to share? 
I would just like to share some thoughts on why diversity in medicine is particularly important and why there should be greater investment in this challenge. The United States is becoming a more and more diverse country, which is reflected in the patient population. However, it isn't reflected in our physician population. Increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in medicine will go a long way to increase the cultural competence of the field as a whole and to tackle health disparities. 

Reference: Trends in Racial and Ethnic Minority Applicants and Matriculants to U.S. Medical Schools, 1980-2016. AAMC Analysis in Brief, 17 (3).

Student Spotlight: Olivia Ingram, UVA '20

Olivia Ingram is a 2nd year UVA student and an Ambassador for Atlantis (previously known as the Atlantis Project). She completed a medical fellowship in Mallorca, Spain for three weeks in summer 2017. As an Ambassador for Atlantis, she works to spread the word about the program.
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What is Atlantis? How did you hear about it? 
Atlantis is a summer program that allows college students to go abroad to Europe or South America to shadow doctors and experience the world of healthcare from another culture's point of view. Fellowships range from 3 - 8 weeks in the summer and are available in 8 countries including Spain, Ecuador, Greece, and Croatia. I found out about it by research summer experiences for pre-medical students. When I found Atlantis, I was uncertain about the program and its reliability. After reading further reviews, I decided to enroll. The program exceeded my expectations.

What did your experience with Atlantis consist of? Can you describe a typical day? 
In Mallorca, I stayed in a house with 9 other students in the program who were from different universities in the United States. Each week consisted of 4 days shadowing in the hospital, 1 day of a planned excursion, and free weekends. I experienced 4 different specialties in the hospital (ER, ICU, Radiology, and Cardiology), volunteered to help doctors with their English, and even became a co-author of a paper currently in submission for a medical journal. My typical day consisted of waking up around 8am, eating breakfast, and taking the train to the hospital. At the hospital, each day varied, and some days were more exciting than others, but that is common for physicians. We finished shadowing around 3pm and headed back to our house. Usually, I did something fun in the afternoons such as go to the beach or into the city to go shopping or to dinner. The experience was a great balance of medical preparation and exploration of a new country.

Why do you recommend this opportunity for other UVA grads? For whom might it be well suited? 
As a pre-medical student, I find it difficult to go abroad for a semester, as much as I would like to. This program allows students to experience time abroad, while also accessing exposure to a medical environment you would not access in the United States. The program also helped me with my Spanish. Most physicians there are able to speak English, but they enjoy if you want to practice Spanish with them.

Is there anything else you would like to share? 
Please reach out to me if you have any questions. I am happy to speak more about my experience. I can be reached at oai4tu@virginia.edu.
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Pre-Health Advising supports students sharing their clinical experiences; but does not endorse specific organizations that sponsor clinical service trips abroad. We recommend all students carefully review organizations prior to enrolling in an international trip to fully understand the legal, ethical, and safety concerns participants may face when engaging in health-related activities.

Student Spotlight: Jesse Persily, UVA '18

Undergrad Seeks Answers to a Mystery of Pancreatic Center
UVA Today, February 27, 2018

Jesse Persily spent his summer chasing after answers to questions about one of the most deadly kinds of cancer.

Persily, a 4th year human biology major, received a Harrison Undergraduate Research Award last year to perform research on a specific subset of cancer patients. His work analyzed cell surface receptors on pancreatic cancer cells in the context of liver metastasis...

Persily, and the team in Dr. Todd Bauer's laboratory, developed a way to model clinical relevant scenarios in mice. The process takes advantage of the intrinsic ability of cancer cells to divide repeatedly. When a tumor is removed from a patient, small tumor chunks are sewn onto the pancreata of mice. The resulting tumors can be minced into what are called "patient-derived cell lines," which can be grown for months at a time on cell culture dishes, or frozen for later investigation.

....

"I was drawn to the Bauer lab because I was interested in pursuing a career in medicine, and the opportunity to work with a physician who also ran a basic science research lab seemed to good to pass up," Persily said. "I thought it would allow me to look at academic medicine from a number of different perspectives."

"I was drawn to pancreative cancer because I knew it was a disease with a horrific prognosis, worthy of active investigation," Persily said. "Finally, I knew surgical residents spent time in the lab, and I loved the idea of getting to work with physicians in training."

...

"By developing an understanding of the underlying biology and common methodology, I've learned how to put new findings in the context of old information," he said. "I've also learned the experiment you design dictates the questions you can and can't answer, which has allowed me to critically assess the conclusions others and myself draw from the data."

"I've also learned I love the process of taking information, synthesizing it, and using that to come up with intelligent, answerable questions," he said. "I've learned how to fail, and that in science, it's not about the failures, but about how you move forward from them, how you shape your understanding of the biology based on the answers you get, so you can continue to work toward a goal, even in the face of data you didn't expect."

*Excerpts from original article; emphasis added. 

Read the full story on UVA Today >>

Student Leadership Advisory Board Spotlight: Ted Obi, UVA '18

UVA Student Aims to Pursue Medicine on Both Sides of the Atlantic
UVA Today, February 20, 2018

A Lawn resident, Ted Obi, won the Paige Pre-Medical Scholarship, which recognizes a fourth-year student who has taken all his pre-medical requirements and plans to attend medical school.

If Ted Obi has his way, the taxed healthcare system in rural Ghana will be streamlined by a telemedicine program conceived at the University of Virginia.

The fourth-year student traveled to Koforidua, a rural community in Ghana, last summer with a team of UVA students. Funded by the Center for Global Health and the Parents Fund, Obi and the group, with project leader Emmanual Abebrese, a third-year UVA medical student, spent seven weeks in Ghana.

"Our research objective was to assess the feasibility of establishing a telemedicine platform in Koforidua, Ghana," Obi said. "Telemedicine is the remote diagnosis of patients with the use of telecommunication technology like Facetime." While not a new concept, this specialized version of telemedicine would be unique to Ghana.

There is a shortage of doctors in the West African country because many leave the country for better paying jobs. Because of this, patients are often faced with the difficult decision of waiting long hours to get health care or delaying treatment so they can continue to work and earn money for their families.

Obi, who is in the psychology distinguished majors program, and his partners spent two weeks at a regional hospital, where they spoke with patients outside a waiting room.

Read the full story on UVA Today >>
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Ted Obi is a 4th year majoring in Psychology and pursuing a career in medicine. He is a member of the Pre-Health Student Leadership Advisory Board. Ted's advice to pre-medical students: 
"Pursue your own pre-med path and be persistent because a career in medicine requires a great deal of delayed gratification."

Student Leadership Advisory Board Spotlight: Zara Siddiqui, UVA '18

Zara Siddiqui is a 4th year majoring in Psychology and pursuing a career in medicine. She is the President of Women in Medicine Initiatives (WIMI) and has special interest in women's health issues, mental health, and health disparities around the world. 
Her advice for pre-health students:
Remember there are many different paths to get to where you want to be! Not everyone takes the same route and it's okay if your journey is different from someone else's. 
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What is MEDLIFE? 
MEDLIFE is an organization with a mission to provide healthcare and health education to people in areas with low access to resources. MEDLIFE goes beyond physical health care to also provide age and gender specific health education, which is crucial for sustaining positive change in any community. They recruit undergraduate and graduate university student volunteers to staff mobile clinics in Tanzania, Peru, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. According to the MEDLIFE website and World Health Organization, there are less than two doctors for 1,000 people in Latin America because about a quarter of the population live in rural areas that are isolated and don't have the transportation to seek medical care.

How did you learn about MEDLIFE? 
My cousin went on a trip to Lima, Peru and told me about her experience there, and how much it taught her about global health and health disparities. She also had a fantastic time exploring Lima's sand dunes and making new friends. As she was trying to get into dental school, she volunteered in the dental clinic, which helped her learn about dentistry and get hands-on clinical experience. Since I want to go to medical school, I decided it would be a great opportunity to get exposure to healthcare outside the U.S., so I checked out the trips on the MEDLIFE website and signed up for one in Cusco, Peru. I originally didn't know UVA has a MEDLIFE chapter until I actually got there and met one other UVA student! If you ever decide to go on a MEDLIFE trip, check to see if UVA is going as a group so you don't have to travel alone.

What did your experience in this position consist of? Can you describe a typical day?
Day 1: Travel
Day 2: Arrive in Cusco and travel to our hostel, Inka Sol, which is full of gorgeous greenery, cacti, flowers, beautiful tile flooring, and a parrot! Cusco is at a much higher elevation than VA, so it was easy to get out of breath climbing up the stairs. Most of us were taking altitude sickness medication because our bodies weren't used to the change. I met my roommates and we went out to explore and eat at the Plaza de Armas, a bustling square full of shops, restaurants, and a massive cathedral. I had to exchange my American dollars for Peruvian Sols. Everywhere you look there are massive green mountains!
Day 3: Walking Tour all around the city - our guide taught us all about the history of the city and its culture. Turns out, Cusco is the most beautiful city I've ever seen. We then had some free time to explore, so we got some lunch (guinea pig is a Peruvian staple!), ate ice cream, listened to a street band, and explored the cathedral all while taking in the gorgeous sights.
Day 4: Our first excursion was the "reality tour." We all got on a bus to explore the whole city led by MC, who gave us plenty of history lessons. One of our stops was a hospital in Pisac. It wasn't as staffed and as big of a hospital you would see in America, and all the one ambulance had was a stretcher -- no oxygen or medical supplies. If a woman wanted to come to the hospital to give birth, she would have to travel several weeks before her due date and stay in a special living area (made by MEDLIFE) with the family.
Day 5: Clinic Day 1. On our first clinic day, I was on the dental shift and medical shirt where I got to shadow, learn from, and help the physicians. We saw hundreds of patients and the police would bring kids by the truckload to the clinic from school to get checked up. They even put on a show for the kids and made the whole day like a fun festival to encourage families to come.
Day 6: Clinic Day 2. My favorite part of this hot day was working with an OBGYN. It was hard not knowing Spanish, but one of my friends was able to translate everything the doctor said. She had us help her make pap smears and showed us how to do breast exams. The resources were pretty scarce - there was only one sheet covering the examining table that each patient had to use and the only source of light was from the window, but the doctor did her best to provide the best care possible.
Day 7: Community Project. We traveled about an hour to a small rural village called Yuncaypata. The homes didn't have proper floors, ventilation, or electricity. We had the opportunity to help the inhabitants build fireplaces but bricks that we made using naturally found materials like mud, manure, hair, and straw. We learned that the improper ventilation in the houses caused problems like asthma.
Day 8: Clinic Day 3. This was the most crowded and hectic day! There was an enormous amount of people but we managed to implement a system to keep everyone organized. For the more urgent patients, like one man who stumbled over with a huge bleeding gash on his head, they would go straight to the doctor without waiting. Sometimes patients had to wait a while, but we got to see hundreds of patients, which was amazing.
Day 9: Full day excursion at Machu Picchu - a truly unforgettable and breathtaking experience.
Day 10: Travel

Why do you recommend this opportunity for other UVA grads? 
This is a wonderful experience for anyone seeking clinical / patient contact experience or who wants to shadow physicians abroad. It increased my passion for women's health and gave me a greater perspective on the diversity of healthcare systems. You get to experience a new culture, explore a new country, and meet amazing people. Although not necessary for applying to medical school, I would encourage applicants to participate in a program like MEDLIFE or another activity to get exposure to healthcare that's different from what we're accustomed to in America.

Is there anything else you would like to share? 
MEDLIFE has trips during breaks during the semester as well as internships -- check out the website for more information at medlifemovement.org. If you have any questions or want to know more, contact me at zhs5de@virginia.edu.

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Pre-Health Advising supports students sharing their clinical experiences; but does not endorse specific organizations that sponsor clinical service trips abroad. We recommend all students carefully review organizations prior to enrolling in an international service trip to fully understand the legal, ethical, and safety concerns participants may face when engaging in health-related activities.

Student Leadership Advisory Board Spotlight: Connor Liggett, UVA '18

Connor Liggett is a 4th year pre-medical student in the College majoring in Biology. He is the President of Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) and a member of the Pre-Health Student Leadership Advisory Board. In this post, Connor describes his experience preparing for and taking the Medical College Admission Test - MCAT. 
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What factors contributed to your decision to take the exam when you took it? 
I decided to take my MCAT in January of my 3rd year. My strategy was to plan my exam around a few key factors. Mainly, I wanted to strike a balance between waiting to take my exam until I had studied the subjects covered while at the same time leaving myself enough time to study and take it again if necessary. By the time I started thinking about the MCAT (summer between my 2nd and 3rd year), I had taken general chemistry, introductory biology, organic chemistry, and a psychology class or two. However, I had not taken any physics (I didn't have AP physics in high school) or a biochemistry course. I knew biochemistry is a huge portion of the exam and I wanted to have at least some exposure to physics before taking it. At the same time, I was planning on applying to medical school during my fourth year and didn't want to apply without having my scores. My solution was to take biochemistry and physics I in the fall of my 3rd year, take the MCAT in January, and then get my results in time to take it again just before applying that summer.

How long did you prepare for the exam? 
I dedicated about one month to exclusively preparing for the exam. When I was choosing the date of my exam, I wanted to leave myself some time to study when I wouldn't also be taking classes and taking the exam in mid-January left me with all of winter break to set aside for studying. I was able to stay at home with my parents and because I did not need to work, I was able to study for 6-9 hours a day, everyday for a month. One month may not seem like a long time, but if you really focus, you'd be surprised how much you can get done in a month.

That being said, the way I look at it, I actually prepared for a lot longer than one month for the exam. You're really doing the hardest part by taking your science classes. In class is where you learn everything you need to know for the exam and if you plan carefully, the exam preparation you do should mainly be review, test-taking skills, and practice. 

What methods of preparation did you use? 
I will be the first to admit I do not think I would have done well with "self-studying." I have no doubt there are people out there who would do perfectly fine studying on their own for the MCAT, but I do not see myself as one of them. Personally, I studied for the exam by taking a course offered by the Princeton Review. The course was online "Winter Bootcamp" that coincided really well with my winter break and lasted about 4 weeks. It offered live sessions taught by instructors in each of the different subjects covered on the MCAT along with a set of review books and access to online practice exams. A typical day for me would consist of 2 or sometimes even 3, 3-hour long sessions where instructors reviewed almost all of the material on the exam. The format of the class was a sort of web classroom where everyone logged in and the teacher spoke over slides, asked questions, and was able to see our responses. I also made sure to plan times for taking practice tests.

Describe how you felt the day of the exam.
To be honest, I was extremely anxious. I remember it was really difficult for me to fall asleep the night before, even though I knew I had to be up early. While I knew I had worked hard, there is always that feeling of "I could have studied this subject a little more." But at some point, you need to relax and feel confident in yourself and in your preparation. the MCAT is such a big part of an application that it can really feel like a lot of pressure, but I think the key is to be able to manage that pressure and even find ways to turn it to your advantage. Rather than feel overwhelmed, try and use that pressure as motivation to help you study. It's also important to remember that at the end of the day, the MCAT is just another test. We've taken hundreds of tests before (if you're here at UVA you must be pretty good at them!) and even if you have a bad day, you have the chance to take it again.

Describe how you felt after taking the exam.
RELIEVED. I can't tell you how good it feels to walk out of that testing center after 7 hours and realizing you're done. The exam was long, but it was honestly such a blur. It was one of those experiences where you're so focused that you don't really noticed the passage of time. One piece of advice I have is to try not to read too far into how you think you did. If you felt good about it - good! And if not, don't spend your time hung up on any particular section or questions. It can be extremely hard to gauge how well you did. I came out of my exam thinking "oh man, that CARS section was really hard," only to find out later that I did really well.

The next month of waiting for your scores to be released can be pretty tough, but try not to worry about it too much. It will come soon enough and you might just surprise yourself like I did! If you are applying to medical school, get used to waiting. Trust me, it's a common theme.


What advice do you have for students preparing to take the exam? 
The most important thing is to make a plan that works for you and stick to it. Make sure you're honest with yourself. Are you someone who can study by themselves using books or would you benefit from a more structured program? I know classes can be expensive, but this is not a time to skimp if you don't have to. Think of this as an investment in your future -- it will pay off in the end if you put in the work and you can pay your parents back when you're a physician. If you want to take a class and your family really can't afford it, don't give up. You'd be surprised how willing people are to help in situations like this and there are ways to find assistant if you ask. Also, check out the Fee Assistance Program through the Association of American Medical Colleges. Check out more resources and student testimonials.

Consider your timeline for applying, the classes you've taken, and your study method, and then schedule your exam so you can balance all those factors as best you can. If possible, try and set aside some time for studying outside of the school year so you don't have classes on top of preparation. If you have to work, plan ahead and let your boss know your situation so you can balance work and studying.

I would highly recommend taking at least a semester of biochemistry before taking the MCAT. Taking biochemistry the semester right before my exam made a huge difference for me. In general, you'll have it so much easier if your studying is more review and refreshing your memory rather than learning new material.

Good luck! If you have any questions at all about what I did to prepare or my MCAT experience, please don't be afraid to shoot me an email at cjl3pu@virginia.edu. I'm happy to talk more about it!

Student Leadership Advisory Board Spotlight: Nandan Srinivasa, UVA '19

Nandan Srinivasa is a 3rd year neuroscience major and mathematics minor pursuing a pre-medical undergraduate track. In this post, he will discuss his experience with the UVA Scribe Program, what it means to be a medical scribe, and how to get involved! =============================================
What is a medical scribe? 
A medical scribe documents the patient's entire medical record, including reason for visit and physical exam findings. The scribe works as a team with the resident doctor and nurse to ensure that documentation is efficiently recorded such that more time can be dedicated towards patient care. As part of the UVA Medical Scribe Program, a scribe can work in the Emergency Department as a part-time student worker or as a full-time job in a medical clinic in a variety of specialties such as Orthopedics and Cardiology. 

What made you decide to engage in this clinical opportunity? 
Before I became a scribe, I was an Emergency Department Clinic and Lobby Liaison Volunteer. While I volunteered at the hospital, I loved interacting with patients and learning more about the layout of the hospital; however, I wanted more experience in learning about patient care and how to track imaging results. Furthermore, I wanted to get more involved in the Emergency Department to learn if medicine was the right path for me. 

What does your experience in this position consist of? Can you describe a typical day? 

When I enter the Emergency Department, I introduce myself to the resident doctors and let them know that I will be scribing for them. Whenever the doctor signs up for a patient, I follow them into the patient’s room and take notes on the patient’s pertinent medical history and reason for visit. After I leave the room to document the results on a computer, the doctor will dictate the physical exam findings to be included in the patient’s chart. Each patient is very unique and presents to the emergency department with a distinct background story.

As a medical scribe, I am required to work for about 12-16 hours for a minimum of 2 years after hire. In addition, I’m required to work during the entirety of the first summer after hire. Shifts can range between 4-8 hours long and the hours are very flexible based on academic schedules. The shifts can be anytime between 7AM-12AM any day of the week. 

What distinguished this opportunity from other options you might have pursued? 

As a medical scribe, I am present for the patient-doctor interview and directly learn from the patient about their current symptoms and ailments. Even though I am unable to directly participate in patient care, I learn how doctors combine laboratory and radiology results to present the best course of treatment for the patient. In addition, I learn how to organize a patient’s information in a chart to include the pertinent medical history and other background information crucial for patient care, skills that are essential to master during medical school. 

What is challenging about scribing? 

One challenging part of scribing involves learning how to write certain aspects of the patient’s chart from their voice. Additionally, every patient is different and occasionally some patients present to the ED with a complicated medical history. It’s important to include all pertinent information in the chart such that if another doctor opens the chart one year later, they will know why the patient presented to the ED then. Furthermore, it is challenging to balance the time commitment per week with my schoolwork, exams, and extracurricular activities. To manage my work, I create a calendar every month with my work interspersed with my scribe shifts to ensure I have enough time to study for exams as well as dedicate enough time to the program. 

How did you determine whether to scribe or engage in another experience such as working as an EMT or medical assistant? 

As an EMT, you safely transport the patient directly from the scene to the hospital. En route, you can administer some anesthetics and drugs to alleviate some symptoms of the patient while taking basic vitals. As a medical assistant, you learn many administrative tasks such as filling out patient’s medical records and scheduling appointments. Instead of learning solely about the medical record of the patient, a medical assistant learns more about the bookkeeping and business aspects of the clinic or hospital. On the other hand, a medical scribe focuses solely on filling out the patient’s medical record and tracking lab/imaging results. As a medical scribe, I am present for a versatility of cases in an emergency room, ranging from a sore throat to a cardiac arrest. 

Why do you recommend this opportunity for other UVA grads? 

As a medical scribe, I’ve gained great clinical exposure from the atmosphere of an Emergency Room and the versatility of patients that present to the ER. I’ve learned basic medical terminology and a variety of common diseases from all major organ systems due to the extensive training period during the first few months after becoming hired. Most importantly, scribing has reinforced my career goals of practicing medicine as I love working as a team with nurses and other doctors. I truly enjoy the high-paced environment of the ER; it is challenging, yet rewarding. 

How does the application project work?  

There are two rounds for part-time undergraduate students and 4^th year students during January and August every year. The application involves submitting an unofficial transcript, resume, and answering a few essay questions. After a few weeks, invitations for interviews are announced and offers are emailed out soon afterwards. The next application round will open in January 2018.   

Find updates about UVA Scribe Program hiring on the UVA Medical Scribe Program Facebook page.