Summer Health Fairs

Interested in gaining clinical experience in Charlottesville this summer? Volunteer with the University of Virginia's School of Nursing to practice your assessment skills and provide sun safety knowledge within the Charlottesville community at any of their three Summer Health Fairs.

• July 28 - African-American Cultural Festival, Washington Park
• August 4 - Westhaven Community Day event
• August 18 - Health Fair at Southwood (focused on back-to-school)

Students and alumni interested in volunteering may contact Emerson Aviles at esa2by@virginia.edu or 434-924-1689.

For more information, visit UVA Today: Nursing Students Shed Light on Sun-Safety Realities and Myths

Stories from DACA medical students

The Stritch School of Medicine was the first medical school to openly accept
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) students, also known as DREAMers. 

This May, the first six students graduated with the Class of 2018. 

These are their stories.

Marshall University School of Medicine Summer Program July 22-26th

July 22nd - 26th, 2018

The Marshall University Joan C Edwards School of Medicine is accepting applications for the 2018 Project P.R.EM.E.D program - Providing Real World Experiences for future Marshall Educated Doctors.

This program is designed to expose, recruit, retain, and support ethnic minority college freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors from historically disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds. It provide excellent exposure to the health professions and medical school process, exposing participants to life as a medical student.

• Tour the Joan C Edwards School of Medicine
• Attend medical school classes and meet faculty participating in medical research
• Participate in hands-on activities with physicians, physician residents, and medical students
• Meet medical school and university administrators as well as community leaders
• Receive a medical student mentor who will serve as a personal guide during the undergraduate experience

 Eligibility

• Grade point average of 3.0 (program will work with students that may be a bit under 3.0)
• 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year in college
• Letter of recommendation from a faculty member or university administrator
• Personal statement
• US citizenship or permanent residency required 

Deadline to apply
April 30, 2018

More information and application
Questions? Contact Dr. Shelvy Campbell at campbels@marshall.edu

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).

Internship Program at SUNY Optometry

Interested in learning about the optometry profession? 

New York State residents who are full time college students and identify as historically underrepresented or economically disadvantaged are eligible for the State University of New York College of Optometry CSTEP Programs:

• Spring Internships Monday, June 4 - Friday, June 15. This is an exploratory program, designed to let students shadow in the clinics, visit private practices, go through professional school readiness workshops, network with students and faculty, and do a research presentation.
  
• Summer Academic Program  Every Tuesday, May 29 - July 24. Students take introductory optometry curriculum courses with renowned faculty, for 2 elective credits, possibly transferable to the students' college institution. They also shadow one day in the clinic. 

More information and application

Ohio State I-DOC Summer Program

July 22 - 25, 2018

The 12th Annual Improving Diversity in Optometric Careers (I-DOC) program
is an intensive three-day residential program that introduces participants
to the profession of optometry.

The goal of the programs is to attract ethnically underrepresented minority
undergraduate college students to careers in optometry and increase
the number of underrepresented students who enter optometry schools at
Ohio State and across the nation. 

Financial assistance provided for participants covering all meals,
on-campus housing, activities, and airfare up to $500 for those traveling to Columbus. 

Application, eligibility, and further information
Application deadline: April 9th, 2018

Apply for a summer externship!

Applications are now being accepted for the UVA Career IDEAS Externship Program!

What is an externship? 
It's a job shadowing opportunity that can last anywhere from 3 to 7 days. It allows you to gain personal exposure to a career field and can serve as the gateway to a new professional experience. Some externships even allow you to gain introductory skills required for a particular industry or job function.

The Career IDEAS Externship Program connects students with meaningful externship opportunities in J-Term and during the summer months. You can apply to the program via Handshake.

The program is open to all students, but priority will be given to those who have not had an externship or internship experience.The following groups are especially encouraged to apply:
2nd and 3rd years who are first-generation college students and part of underrepresented populations.

Summer 2018 Health-Related Externship Sites

• Atlantic Research Group
• Charlottesville Blue Ridge Dental 
• Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle Emergency Communications Center
• George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
• K2 Dental Arts

More information & application

UVA Summer Medical Leadership Program

SMLP is a free, six-week summer medical enrichment program for undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine.

Program includes:

• Lecture series by leaders in medicine
• Mentoring by eminent physicians
• Exposure to clinical settings
• Personal career development counseling
• Workshops on medical school admissions, financial planning, time and stress

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis until April 15th, 2018.
 More information and application

"Diversity of thought, background, and perspective has been clearly shown to improve everything. Here at UVA SMLP, we believe the road to health equity requires diverse leaders in healthcare to ensure all benefit from the promise of advances in medicine and information technology. Our goal is to provide educational experience for talented, committed individuals who are pursuing careers in Medicine so they may become leaders in healthcare."
-Dr. Michael D. Williams, MD FACS
 Director, Summer Medical Leadership Program
 Director, Center for Health Policy
 Associate Chief Medical Officer, Clinical Integration
 Director, Emergency General Surgery
 Associate Professor, Surgery and Public Health Sciences

EVMS Enhancing Diversity in Medicine Campus Visitation Day - 3/24

 Saturday, March 24th, 2018

8:00 AM - 4:00 pm 

Program Highlights

• Diversity and healthcare
• Review MD admissions factors
• Perspectives from MD students and physicians
• Interactive clinical sessions
• Mock admissions interviews
• Professionalism in Medicine

Registration Deadline: Friday, 3/16

Click for more information and registration.

 

Latino Medical Student Association Annual Conference

Siempre Unidos: Celebrating Diversity & Bridging the Gap

April 13 - 15th, 2018

Miami, FL 

Miami - Dade Honors College - Wolfson Campus

The purpose of the conference is to bring together high school students, pre-medical students, medical students, graduating physicians, residents, practicing physicians, and other health professionals, interested in service, mentorship, and education to advocate for the health of the Latino community. 

The conference will include a series of workshops on

• healthcare needs of the Latino community
• student leadership training
• clinical skills
• medical school and residency application panels
• networking 
• recruiting
• healthcare policy

Conference attendees are also encouraged to participate in the research poster fair and apply for the regional and national scholarships!

Registration
Poster forum information
Regional Scholarship application - March 31st deadline

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Interested in learning about healthcare for the Latino community in Charlottesville?
The Daily Progress Distinguished dozen: UVA doctor helps Latinos get good care

Pre-Medical Urban Leaders Summer Enrichment (PULSE) Program

June 4th - July 13th 

Explore careers, gain clinical skills, and broaden your knowledge of medicine, science, and technology this summer at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University's 2018 PULSE Program.

PULSE offers academic, clinical, research, and service learning opportunities focused on Urban medicine. The primary goal of the program is to provide students from underrepresented and/or educationally and financially disadvantaged backgrounds exposure to medical professions. PULSE runs 5 full days per week for 6 weeks.

Outline
PULSE offers 3 phases designed to serve students at all stages of undergraduate education. The curriculum includes course work, seminars, study skills workshops, and exposure to clinical settings. Placement of students in Phases, I, II, or III will be based on completed courses and academic performance.

Eligibility Requirements
Completed on year of college (by the start of program) and the following coursework:

• At least one semester of biology
• One semester of math
• One semester of expository writing or college composition
• 3.0 GPA or higher

Additional information and application

Application deadline: January 29, 2018

Detroit Mercy Dental Summer Enrichment Program

May 31 - June 28, 2018

The Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) aims to assist students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds with gaining admission to dental school, and succeeding in their future careers in dentistry.

Over the span of 4 weeks, various educational and professional development experiences will be provided to SEP participants, including: 

• intensive DAT courses
• dental school application assistance
• simulation lab activities
• dental specialty panels
• primary care exposure
• academic success, professional development, and cultural competency seminars

SEP provides cost-free housing and complimentary DAT preparation. A stipend to cover food and travel expenses is also included.

Program Qualifications:

• Identify as an underrepresented racial minority or economically / educationally disadvantaged student
• Entering 3rd or 4th year of college, or recently graduated (within last 5 years)
• Minimum 2.75 GPA
• Demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career in dentistry and improving the health of underserved patient populations 

Application deadline: March 2, 2018 

For more information and application, please visit this link.

SHPEP Webinar - Steps to Success with the SHPEP Application - 12/14

The Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) application process is now underway for potential scholars!

Steps to Success with the SHPEP Application
Thursday, December 14th, 5-6 PM

This webinar will:

• Review the important steps to successfully complete a SHPEP application
• Offer tips for completing the personal statement 
• Allow attendees to hear directly from SHPEP alumni members and mentors who craft letters of recommendation for potential SHPEP scholars
• Review a quick checklist to consider before hitting the submit button on your application.

Join the webinar an get equipped to submit a stellar SHPEP application!
Register now.

Marshall University - Summer Research Internship for Minority Students in Biomedical Sciences

The Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine is offering the Summer Research Internship for Minority Students (SRIMS) for its tenth year!

The SRIMS program begins May 29th, 2018 and includes 9 weeks of graduate-level research in the field of biomedical sciences. Participants receive formal research training while expanding their learning experience through workshops, seminars on current topics, mentoring, and use of state of-the-art core facilities.

• $3,000 stipend provided to each participant for the nine-week experience
• free room and board
• assistant with travel

Click here for more information, program eligibility, and application requirements.

Application deadline: February 9th

2018 Gateways to the Laboratory Summer Program

Overview

Applications for the 2018 Gateways to the Laboratory Summer Program are now being accepted. Applications are due February 1. Access the application here. Some highlights of the program include its unique blended learning and virtual mentoring format. Find out more about the program here. Finally, many students who participate in the program have incredible outcome. More information about that is located here.

 

Eligibility Information

1. You must be a 1st or  2nd year students at the time of applying
2. You must be an underrepresented minority student or student with a disability
3. You must be a U.S Citizen or Permanent Resident
4. You must be interested in pursuing combined MD-PhD degrees after college

Additional Information

For more details about the Gateways to the Laboratory Program, check out the “Tri-I Pod” podcast which is available on iTunes! Especially check out episodes 3 and 4.

If you have any additional questions please contact the Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program at mdphd@med.cornell.edu.

UVA Summer Medical Leadership Program - Summer '18

June 2nd - July 14th, 2018

The UVA Summer Medical Leadership Program (SMLP) is an intensive six-week residential summer medical academic enrichment program for 30 undergraduate students from underrepresented groups and disadvantaged backgrounds who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine, and chosen from a nationwide pool of applicants. The number one goal is to expose participants to the "real world of medicine" to prepare them not only for admission to medical school, but to assume future leadership positions in the medical / biomedical field. Students are housed at no charge on campus, as well as receive a stipend of $600 to cover basic living expenses.

Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis until April 15, 2018.

Selection criteria:

• Undergraduate college students
• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
• Come from a disadvantaged background (i.e. economically disadvantaged background, racial and ethnic groups that have historically been underrepresented in medicine, or from parts of the country such as rural areas where residents have been historically underrepresented in medicine, first generation college student, meet the American with Disabilities Act requirements, and/or identify as LGBTQIA)
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• Strong personal statement and 2 letters of recommendation
• Demonstration of serious interest in a medical career
• Note: preference given to veterans, surviving spouses, or children of a veteran killed in the line of duty

Find more information and how to apply.

Georgetown Univeristy ARCHES Program Summer 2018

6 week program for 8 undergraduates who are rising juniors and/or seniors interested in study medical studies. This program will engage selected participants in clinical experience, guided research, and immersive service at Georgetown.

Benefits

• Shadowing
• Research
• Clinical Rotations
• Community Service

Program Logistics

• Dates: July 27-August 11, 2018
• Stipend: $4,000
• Travel: Up to $250 per student on a case-by-case basis, determined by the Georgetown Office of Diversity & Inclusion
• Housing: Dorms on Georgetown University campus
• Meals: Students are responsible for their own meals except for meals provided by ARCHES program events

Additional Information

1. Apply by February 5, 2018 at som.georgetown.edu/guarches

2. Questions? Please contact Kimberly Walker (Kimberly.walker@georgetown.edu) or call (202)687-7320
3. First generation college students and students underrepresented in the health professions are encouraged to apply.

 

Enrichment Summer Program at Michigan State University

The Enrichment Summer Program (ESP), sponsored by the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, provides academic advancement and career knowledge for undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds interested in veterinary medicine. There is no fee to participate. The program is open to students interested in pursuing veterinary medicine and plan to apply to a professional program for entrance in fall of 2019. Consideration is given to residents of Michigan who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The program will take place from Sunday, June 3 through Friday, June 22, 2018.

What does the program involve?

Participants will experience a robust didactic curriculum, clinical learning opportunities, and leadership development sessions.

• Content areas including: physiology, epidemiology, histopathology, etc
• Clinical experiences include: emergency medicine, oncology, internal medicine, etc
• Leadership development includes: financial health, work-life balance, written and verbal communication, and career development.

What are the benefits of the program?

• Receive intensive preparation for professional school
• Obtain exposure to the diverse professional opportunities in veterinary medicine
• Gain field and clinical experience with multiple species of animals
• And many more

What are the expectations of the participants?

Participants are expected to commit to all assigned program components/offerings, practice professional conduct and wear professional attire at all times, and complete at least 50% of required prerequisites by June 3, 2018

How do I apply?

The deadline for applications is January 31, 2018. Visit http://cvm.msu.edu/about/diversity/enrichment-summer-program for more information.

Medical College of Wisconsin Research Opportunity

May 30 - August 3, 2018

The Medical College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee invites you to explore your interests in biomedical sciences through a summer training experience as a research intern in the Diversity Summer Health-Related Research Education Program (DSHREP).

DSHREP is a competitive program designed to provide research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in biomedical science. Qualified students accepted into the program are "matched" with an established faculty investigator(s) to participate in research project(s) addressing the causes, prevention, and treatment of cardiovascular, pulmonary and hematological diseases. Check out the following video:

Application Deadline February 1 2018 at 6 PM EST
Apply here: https://mcwisc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eV4T4POOttTg7kh

 

Questions?
Contact the Office of Student Inclusion and Academic Enrichment (studentdiversity@mcw.edu)