PreMedLife Magazine - March-April 2012

PREMEDLIFEΤΜ

SchoolSpotlight

University of Minnesota Medical School

MARCH/APRIL 2012WWW.PREMEDLIFE.COM

2012Summer

PreMed

Program List

Included!

2200++ PPAAGGEESS

Premeds Become Top Earners p.8 | New Way to Pay for Med School p.10 | New MCAT Approved p.20

Study-Life Balance

5 tips for handlingschoolwork and social

life when you’re premed

Confessions of a Surgeon

A surgeon’s inside look at what happens behind

operating room doors

Premed’s Guide to Spring Break

Find out what you can dowhile visiting the top Spring

Break destinations for 2012

+Medical Schools Across the Country HavePartnered Up with Top Business Schools to Offer Combined MD/MBA Programs

BEST MEDICAL SCHOOLS FORENTREPRENEURIALSTUDENTS

www.premedlife.com

For fitness tips, exercise tutorials, health news, events, and workout programs checkout THA (Train Hard Achieve) Fitness Group at www.thafitnessgroup.com

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March/April 2012 | PreMedLife Magazine | 3

FEATURES Best Medical Schools for Entrepreneurs| 22Medical schools across the country have partnered upwith some of the top business schools to offer topnotch MD/MBA combined programs

Achieving the Study-Life Balance| 42Tips for handling school work and social life whenyou’re a premed

A Premed’s Guide to Spring Break| 46If you’re traveling to the top destinations for 2012,here are some premed-friendly activities for you to do

DEPARTMENTSSchool Spotlight| 37Get a glimpse into what the University ofMinnesota Medical School has to offer

Especially This Specialty | 45Find out what being a Rheumatologist isall about and what it will take to become one

IN EVERY ISSUENewsbites| 8Relevant news & information for students applying to medical school

The Goods| 70Gadgets & gizmos to keep you entertained. From astinky dorm room kit to a never soggy bowl, theseitems are sure to make you smile.

In The Stacks| 73Books to inspire you or provide you with advice along your journey to medical school

Better Life, Better You| 74Advice & tips for taking care of yourself tomake it through your hectic pre-med life

College 101| 76Four fast steps to fixing your focus issues

IN THIS ISSUEBook Excerpt:Confessions of a Surgeon | 32A surgeon’s inside look at what happens behind operating room doors

On Campus | 38One premed shares what her visit the University ofTexas Medical Branch in Galveston was like

CONTENTS46 15

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March/April 2012www.premedlife.com

Exclusively oon tthe WWebPreMedLife magazine provides ahost of features, covering everythingfrom getting into medical school totips for acing the MCAT, promotingthe optimal status and candidacy forpre-medical students. Visit our face-book page often to get online exclu-sive articles covering topics that pre-med students care about most.

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SOCIAL MEDIA LOVER? - Check outThe Goods to find out what a braceletthat comes with a unique code can dop.71

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4 | PreMedLife Magazine | March/April 2012

from the

SO WHY DO YOU WANTTO BE A DOCTOR? You may hear this question a lot and although you may know in yourhead how you would answer this question if asked on the spot - do youreally know why you want to pursue a career in medicine? Schooling islong. Tuition is expensive. Training is time consuming. This is why it isimportant that you pursuing a career in medicine for all of the right rea-sons. If you’re doing it for the wrong reasons - it will show sooner orlater. When you answer this question, answer it in a way that no one elsecould or would. Make your answer a one-of-a-kind response thatencompasses the past, present, and future stages of your life. When youare truly able to answer this question in an honest and candid way, oth-ers will easily see how much becoming a doctor means to you. So takesome time to reflect closely on events that have occurred in your life orexperiences that you’ve had to then mold an answer that will standoutfrom the overused and expected responses that many other premedsoften present to the world.

Sheema [email protected]

SShheeeemmaa

publisherPublisher/CEO | Sheema Prince

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Managing Editor | Monica Lee

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PreMedLife magazine is published six times per year by KishoMedia, LLC. and copies are provided to select colleges and uni-versities free of charge. The information in PreMedLife maga-zine is believed to be accurate, but in some instances, may rep-resent opinion or judgment. Consult your pre-med advisorwith any questions you may have about the medical schooladmissions process and related topics. Unless otherwise noted,all photographs, artwork, and images may not be duplicated orreprinted without express written permission from KishoMedia, LLC. PreMedLife magazine and Kisho Media, LLC. arenot liable for typographical or production errors or the accura-cy of information provided by advertisers. PreMedLifeMagazine reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Allinquires may be sent to: Kisho Media, LLC. P.O. Box 7049,New York, NY 10116. To reach us by phone call (347) 231-6429 or email us at [email protected].

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Diana AltamiranoPost Baccalaureate @ Georgia Gwinnett CollegeDiana is a non-traditional studentwith a business degree. She is cur-rently taking science classes as apre-med post-baccalaureate student.

Tamara EdginBiology @ University of ArkansasCommunity College at BatesvilleTamara is currently workingtowards an associates degree andplans to transfer to Lyon College,a four-year university.

Jaime GarciaInternational Economics @ University ofWashingtonJamie is the first in his family toattend college. He has gained experi-ence in the medical field and is cur-rently an emergency room volunteer.

Ola HadayaMiddle Eastern Studies @ RutgersUniversity, New BrunswickOla is a 17-year-old student who isin the process of applying to medicalschool. She speaks 3 languages.

Chesha HayterBiomedical @ Southern OregonUniversityChesha is a non-traditional studentand a mother, who after starting hereducation later in life has learnedmany things.

Hillary LeeNeural Science @ New York UniversityHillary will start on the pre-medtract in Fall 2012. She says her tran-sition from Missouri is an experi-ence she can share to help otherslike herself.

Alexandra MassaNeuroscience @ Stonehill CollegeAlexandra is currently a volunteer ather local hospital’s emergency depart-ment. She is interested in providingcare to third-world countries whereaccess to medical supplies are limited.

Linda MukumbutaBiology & Public Health @ Universityof Texas, San AntonioLinda is a 19-year-old junior who iscurrently affiliated with 4 pre-medorganizations. She says a career inmedicine is truly her calling in life.

Touria RguigBiochemistry @ University ofTexas, AustinTouria is a honors student whospeaks 6 languages. She’s also anauthor on a research paper publishedin Synthetic Metals Journal.

Will SmithPost Baccalaureate @ California StateUniversity, SacramentoWill is a non-traditional pre-medstudent with a degree in compara-tive religion. He has worked as anER tech.

Chandler StisherBiology @ University of Texas, AustinChandler is the first in his family toattend a 4-year university and hashad aspirations of becoming a doc-tor since he was 11 years old.

Marina ZeledonBiology @ Potsdam State UniversityMarina likes to read, research, andtalk about medical school journeyswith current doctors. She is on herschool’s equestrian team and has astrong passion to become a doctor.

THE PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE STUDENT ADVISORYBOARD IS AN EXEMPLARY GROUP OF PREMED STU-DENTS from a variety of backgrounds who have a widerange of accomplishments. They will help keep usinformed about what we need to know to makePreMedLife magazine the go-to resource for aspiringdoctors. If you have any questions for any of our board mem-bers email us at [email protected] >>>

studentstudentadadvisorvisoryyboardboard

Tiffany Que-SmithArt & Design @ San Jose State UniversityTiffany is a non-traditional studentwho translates her thoughts into artwhich luckily for her, is extremelyhelpful when studying.

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

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Undergraduate Degree Total % Who Are 1 Percenters Share of All 1 Percenters Health and Medical Preparatory Programs 142,345 11.8% 0.9%

Economics 1,237,863 8.2% 5.4%

Biochemical Sciences 193,769 7.2% 0.7%

Zoology 159,935 6.9% 0.6%

Biology 1,864,666 6.7% 6.6%

International Relations 146,781 6.7% 0.5%

Political Science and Government 1,427,224 6.2% 4.7%

Physiology 98,181 6.0% 0.3%

Art History and Criticism 137,357 5.9% 0.4%

Chemistry 780,783 5.7% 2.4%

Molecular Biology 64,951 5.6% 0.2%

Area, Ethnic and Civilization Studies 184,906 5.2% 0.5%

Finance 1,071,812 4.8% 2.7%

History 1,351,368 4.7% 3.3%

Business Economics 108,146 4.6% 0.3%

Miscellaneous Psychology 61,257 4.3% 0.1%

Philosophy and Religious Studies 448,095 4.3% 1.0%

Microbiology 147,954 4.2% 0.3%

Chemical Engineering 347,959 4.1% 0.8%

Physics 346,455 4.1% 0.7%

Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Administration 334,016 3.9% 0.7%

Accounting 2,296,601 3.9% 4.7%

Mathematics 840,137 3.9% 1.7%

English Language and Literature 1,938,988 3.8% 3.8%

Miscellaneous Biology 52,895 3.7% 0.1%

Source: 2010 American Community Survey, via ipums.org


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

Premedical Students Most Likely to Become Country's Top EarnersThe majors that give someone the greatest chanceof making it to the top 1 percent of earners arepre-med, economics, biochemistry, zoology andbiology, according to the Census Bureau's 2010American Community Survey.

As the Occupy Movement began to gain theattention of many leaving minds wondering moreabout the top 1 percent who controls almosteverything, the finding came after the New YorkTimes received a question from an academic

adviser at a Texas university asking what the top 1percent of earners majored in.

But premeds aren’t the only ones living the lifeon the top, studying law can lead you to a positionin the one percent club. Census data also showedthat one out of every eight lawyers is in this demo-graphic. The chances rise to one out of every threefor lawyers in Wall Street practices. Additionally,chief executive officers are also eligible to join thehigh earner club, with approximately one in five

earning in the top one percent. What’s more, if thecompany the CEO works for is a medical supply ordrug company, the chances are even greater that heor she will earn in the top one percent.

Below is a chart showing the majors most like-ly to get into the top 1 percent that everyone'sbeen talking about. More than one in 10 peoplewith a pre-med degree make it into the 1 percent,and about 1 in 100 of the 1 percenters withdegrees majored in pre-med.

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NEWSBITES

With soaring tuition of both undergraduate and grad-uate studies, more and more schools are looking forways to ease the burden of debt among their students.One school in California has proposed a way to elim-inate the upfront costs of college by having workinggraduates pay 5 percent of their salary back to the sys-tem for 20 years. The plan, called the UC StudentInvestment Proposal, was conceived by students atthe University of California but many say it could pos-sibly be used by other states and private universities.According to the schools Web site, under the StudentInvestment Plan, graduates will only every have to paya stable, predictable fraction of the money they make- that means no loans and no debt. For an in-deptlook into the UC Student Investment Proposal, visithttp://www.fixuc.org/proposal.

New Approachto Pay forMedical School

A proposal for a new medical school that will focus a lot on hands-on learning and training studentsin an integrated approach between courses may be in the works for Martinsville, Virginia. TheHenricopolis College School of Medicine is hoping to be the first in the U.S. to focus on NativeAmericans and plans to have a non-traditional student body. "Some that have been maybe a little older,have more experience, come from different backgrounds. It's going to be a very different lookingspecies then the standard medical school," said chairman of the Board and CEO, Dr. Noel Boaz.Theboard is now trying to raise $25 million, then they will start looking for professors and then begin seek-ing accreditation.

Virginia May Soon GetBrand New Medical School

Third-year medical residents increasingly forgo smalland solo physician practices to work as salariedemployees for hospitals, hospital-owned practices,health systems, medical groups and other health careorganizations, according to a recent survey from ahealth care consulting firm. "The great majority offinal-year residents surveyed, 94 percent, would pre-fer a straight salary or a salary with production bonusin their first year of practice," the survey said. "Only2 percent would prefer an income guarantee, a typeof compensation structure usually offered in inde-pendent rather than employed practice settings. Thisreinforces the fact that residents today are not par-ticularly entrepreneurial and would rather earn a pay-check initially than assume the financial risk of prac-tice ownership."

Apparently, this is an emerging trend that isshowing itself across all specialties and subspecial-ties. The majority of American Academy ofFamily Physicians (AAFP) members, 59 percent,now work as salaried physicians, according to

AAFP membership figures. Results from the sur-vey indicate that physicians are facing extraordi-nary challenges and changes and shying away fromentrepreneurial endeavors and moving towardworking for hospitals, health systems, medicalgroups and other organizations.

"A great deal of uncertainty still exists regardinghow health care will be delivered post reform -whether it will be through emerging models, such asaccountable care organizations, medical homes andconcierge practices, through traditional models ormodels yet to emerge," the survey revealed. "Thisuncertainly is heighted by recent and looming cuts tophysician reimbursement that may take placethrough adjustments to the sustainable growth rate,through the debt ceiling agreement and through newpayment formulas."

Surprisingly, the survey also found that near-ly 50% of the residents who took the survey saidthey are unprepared to handle the business sideof medicine.

Increasing Number of Medical SchoolGraduates Forgo Opening Solo Practices

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NEWSBITES

Medical school applicants who have clinical expe-rience may not be better candidates than thosewho don't, according to a recent study publishedin the journal Medical Education.

The study, conducted by researchers at theUniformed Services University (USU) of theHealth Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, wasdesigned to determine if self-reported clinicalexperience during pre-medical years is a validindicator of future performance in medicalschool and internship. The results of the analysisrevealed that applicants who self-reported previ-ous clinical experience may not better candidates.Specifically, of the 1112 medical students whograduated from USU between 1993 and 1999,researchers found no difference in the perform-ance between those who had prior clinical experi-ence and those who did not. More surprisingly,

when it came to overall medical school GPA,applicants who reported previous clinical experi-ence had statistically significantly lower cumula-tive GPAs upon graduation than those who didnot report such experience.

"Although replication is certainly needed,we believe the implications of these findingsare noteworthy and suggest that medicalschool admissions committees may need toreconsider the validity of self-reported clinicalexperience as an indicator of future perform-ance," the authors concluded. "Moreover, ourfindings provide further evidence for the useof alternative applications procedures forselecting the best medical trainees, such as themultiple mini-interview, a rigorous assessmenttool with substantial evidence in support of itsreliability and validity."

Clinical Experience Fails to MakePremeds Better Students in Med School

Here’s a list of new medical schoolsthat are being developed in the U.S.

MEDICAL SCHOOL PIPELINE

According to statistics compiled by theAssociation of American Medical Colleges,Latinos are increasingly applying to medicalschools in the U.S., a number which also reflectsthe high demand for Spanish-speaking physi-cians to serve the growing U.S. Hispanic com-munity. "The number of Latino doctors whoare leaving the profession due to retirement ordeath is so great that not even the present num-

ber of (Hispanic med school) applicants can fillit," said Dr. Jorge Girotti, director of theHispanic Center of Excellence at the Universityof Illinois.

"Latinos are now 4 percent of all doctors inthe United States, but those percentages areeven lower among dentists, 2 percent; and nurs-ing, 1.5 percent. So we need Latinos in allbranches of medical care."

Demand for Spanish-Speaking DoctorsDraws More Latinos to Medical School

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lk VIDEO: Watch news coverage of @premedlife names Johnson Cityone of the nation’s best cities for attending #medschool bit.ly/ypHfD1

#Premed talks TSA-level security screening before entering MCAT testing roombit.ly/wzWmYH (via @The_Herald) Do you agree?

We’ll bring you more than a measly rose! Show us some love thisValentine’s Day - www.facebook.com/premedlife

CALIFORNIA NORTHSTATEUNIVERSITYCOLLEGE OF MEDICINERancho Cordova, CaliforniaAnticipated TBA

WESTERN MICHIGANUNIVERSITY SCHOOL OFMEDICINEKalamazoo, MichiganAnticipated Fall 2014

PALM BEACH MEDICALCOLLEGEPalm Beach, FloridaAnticipated TBA

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,RIVERSIDE SCHOOL OFMEDICINERiverside, CaliforniaAnticipated Fall 2012

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

UPDATED 10/2011

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As part of a new initiative to attract minoritystudents to careers in medicine, 11 doctors, den-tists and medical school students have gone ontour to offer a full day of premedical enrich-ment activities at historically black colleges. Theinitiative, called Tour for Diversity in Medicine,was made possible with a $210,000 grant fromthe Aetna Foundation and aims to provideminority college student with information andadvice to plan for careers in medicine and den-tistry. According to the press release announc-ing the project, although minority populationscomprise more than 26% of the U.S. popula-tion, African Americans, Hispanics, and NativeAmericans combined represent only about 6percent of practicing physicians and 5 percentof dentists.

"Our goal is to increase interest in healthcare as careers for students from minoritypopulations and help them overcome per-ceived barriers to medical and dental school,such as high tuition costs, long training and achallenging application process," said AldenLandry, MD, an emergency room physician atBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center inBoston and co-director of Tour for Diversityin Medicine. "By offering workshops withestablished health care practitioners from sim-ilar backgrounds to theirs, we believe we canopen the pipeline for talented young people ofcolor who can make a significant difference inimproving health care in the U.S."

In February 2012, the inaugural Tour forDiversity in Medicine plans to stop at the fol-lowing schools: Hampton University,Hampton, Va., Johnson C. Smith University,Charlotte, N.C. , South Carolina StateUniversity, Orangeburg, S.C., TuskegeeUniversity, Tuskegee, Ala., and Jackson StateUniversity, Jackson, Miss.

During each stop, over 100 students areexpected to participate in a full-day programof sessions covering the application process,admissions tests, choosing a specialty, andmore. In addition, students have the opportu-nity to interact with physicians and medicalstudents and hear about their stories ofachievement and persistence.

Without the assistance of mentors over theyears, I would not be a doctor today," said

Kameron Matthews, M.D., J.D., co-director ofthe Tour for Diversity in Medicine and a fam-ily physician in Chicago. "We want to connectstudents with physicians and dentists who arededicated to their growth and their future." Planning is already underway for two more tours,one in fall 2012 to colleges with large Latino pop-

ulations and another in spring 2013 to collegeswith significant Native American populations.

For more information about the Tour forDiversity in Medicine, follow them on Facebookand on Twitter @Tour4Diversity or visitwww.tour4diversity.org.

Med Students and Doctors TakeMedical School Recruitment On Tour

New diversity initiative takes recruitment to a whole new level by going on tour to different colleges and universities across the country to encourage minority students to pursue medicine

NEWSBITES

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The UC Davis Department of Surgery Pre-Medical Surgical Internship & Mentorship Program is a unique opportunity for pre-medical students to work with and be mentored by surgeons and physicians in the nationally recognized medical center.

This program is not volunteering, but the ability to experience what surgeons do everyday. You will be with thephysicians every step of their day when they are working and treating patients in the clinic, by the bedside, in the intensive care unit, Emergency Department, and right next to them in the operating room.

This program is open to all pre-medical students regardless of school attended or grade level (graduates andreturning students are welcome as well). This program seeks to foster a relationship between physicians andpre-medical students. There will be 3 cycles throughout the academic year that you can apply and participate.

For more information about the program: www.premedsurgery.org

Don’t just watch Grey’s Anatomy. Be a part of it!

UC DAVISDEPARTMENT OF SURGERY

Pre-Medical Surgical Internship& Mentorship Program

Become a Fan:premedsurgery.org/facebook

Follow Us:twitter.com/premedsurg


NEWSBITESMedical Schools Train Future Docs to Practice Defensive MedicineA new study shows that medical studentsare being taught what's called defensivemedicine to help them avoid medical lia-bility. According to the study, published inthe February issue of Academic Medicine,nearly two-thirds of students and three-quarters of residents said their attendingphysician implied that they take medicalliability concerns into consideration whenmaking clinical decisions. Moreover, near-ly half of respondents said their attendingdirectly instructed them to do so.

"At its core, medical malpractice isabout preventable injury to patients,"said Kevin O'Leary, MD, lead studyauthor and associate professor and asso-ciate chief of Northwestern's Division

of Hospital Medicine. "I think we losetrack of that and focus on the potentialrisk to ourselves when we should focuson the potential risk to our patients. Wecan help trainees with clinical decision-making without having to rely on [med-ical liability] as the motivation."

The study also found that also com-mon is physicians who practice assurancebehaviors - when they provide additionalservices that are of little clinical value tothe patient. Specifically, 92% of studentsand 96% of residents witnessed suchbehaviors, while only 34% of studentsand 43% of residents saw physiciansavoid providing services to patients forfear of medical liability risk.

Medical Students Residents

Assurance Behavior Often Sometimes Rarely/Never Often Sometimes Rarely/Never

Order more test than medically 45% 42% 13% 43% 50% 7%indicated

Prescribe more medications than 15% 48% 37% 17% 41% 42%medically indicated

Refer patients to specialists more 26% 41% 33% 28% 49% 24%often than medically indicated

Suggest invasive procedures to 7% 40% 53% 5% 34% 61%confirm diagnoses more thanmedically indicated

Avoidance behavior Often Sometimes Rarely/Never Often Sometimes Rarely/Never

Avoid certain procedures or 6% 24% 70% 5% 33% 62%interventions

Avoid caring for high-risk patients 3% 15% 82% 0% 16% 84%

Source: "Medical Students' and Residents' Clinical and Educational Experiences with Defensive Medicine," Academic Medicine, February(www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22189882/)

DEFENSIVE MEDICINE IN MEDICAL EDUCATIONA 2010 survey of more than 200 medical students and residents found that the majority had witnessed differenttypes of defensive medicine practiced as part of their clinical training.

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Texting has a negative impact on people's linguisticability to interpret and accept words, according to arecent study.

The research, conducted by a graduate studentJoan Lee from the University of Calgary for herdisseration, was designed to investigate the influ-ences of messaging and print media on judgmentsto determine whether there are differences inwhat people find grammatical based on their mes-saging and print media exposure. Lee said thatwhile some studies point to messaging media asbeneficial to or having no effect on languageskills, her findings show otherwise. For her study,Lee used a standard means of testing grammati-cality in the field of linguistics called acceptabili-ty judgments, which enable the examination of"reactions to sentence types that might occur onlyvery rarely in spontaneous speech or recordedwritings. She asked 33 university students abouttheir reading habits, including text messaging, andpresented them with a range of words both realand fictitious.

"Our assumption about text messaging is thatit encourages unconstrained language. But the

study found this to be a myth," says Lee. "Thepeople who accepted more words did so becausethey were better able to interpret the meaning ofthe word, or tolerate the word, even if they didn'trecognize the word. Students who reported tex-ting more rejected more words instead ofacknowledging them as possible words."

Lee suggests her study shows that reading traditionalprint media exposes people to variety and creativity inlanguage that is not found in the peer-to-peer textmessaging used by many. Reading encourages flexi-bility in language use and tolerance of differentwords. It helps readers to develop skills that allowthem to generate reading of new or unusual words.

NEWSBITES

In February 2012, it was announced that more than $9million in funding to help medical students replayschool loans if they agree to work in underserved areas.U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary KathleenSebelius said the program would encourage more stu-dents to pursue careers in family medicine and helprelieve a shortage of primary care doctors. The loanrepayment program, also funded by the federal law, ispart of the National Health Service Corps and pro-vides up to $120,000 to students who commit tospending three years as primary care doctors in areaswhere there are shortages. The corps was created in1972 and has tripled in size over the last three years.The program already provided loan repayment formedical residents, while the new effort reaches studentswhile they are still in medical school.

"Most Americans who live in underserved areas don'thave access to basic care," Sebelius said during the visit toEisner Pediatric and Family Medical Center. "It is not justa problem in some rural, isolated communities. It's a bigproblem in cities, like here in L.A."

Med Students Who Work in UnderservedAreas to Share Millions to Payback Loans

Texting MayAffect MCATPerformance

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Human anatomy - the class most often associatedwith medical school - just got a lot cooler for first-year students at New York University (NYU)School of Medicine thanks to a new online 3Dinteractive virtual cadaver called the BioDigitalHuman™. Taking dissecting and examining acadaver to a whole new level, NYU anatomy stu-dents are exposed to a unique educational experi-ence that is grounded in realistically simulating 3Dorgans and other anatomical structures so theycan explore in more detail than ever before.

And for those students who want to write a let-ter to their first cadaver, the new, interactive virtu-al experience will not be a replacement, but willsupplement the traditional use of human cadaversin anatomy instruction. "While cadaver dissectionwill remain a cornerstone of the modern medicalcurriculum, the BioDigital Human plants medicaleducation at NYU School of Medicine firmly inthe 21st century," explained Sally Frenkel, PhD,associate professor at NYU School of Medicine,who worked in partnership with BioDigitalSystems, LLC. to create the 3D models of humananatomy. "The BioDigital Human gives students anew way to learn by allowing them to rotateorgans or the entire body 360 degrees in anyplane, view the continuity of organ systems andvasculature from one region to any other, andzoom in as desired." Typically, anatomy studentsgather information from various sources likeatlases, textbooks, dissection manuals, and classlecture notes. But now, BioDigital Human givesstudents to chance to engage in new learningstrategies never before possible where they canlearn any time, at any point and go back to reviewinformation as needed.

"The BioDigital Human is a state of the artsupplement to actual cadaver dissection," saidDr. Frenkel. "Students can continue the labexperience at their own convenience anywherethey can use their iPads and laptops, meaningthey can study anatomy in student dormitories oreven at Starbucks."

Like watching a 3D movie, but in a moresophisticated way, students wear 3-D glasses asthey dissect life-sized digital content on a virtualcadaver displayed on a projector screen in theschool anatomy lab. "Virtual dissections can beperformed in layers, and structures or areas ofinterest can be isolated or integrated with thesurrounding region to another, and zoom in as

desired," noted Dr. Frenkel. And if seeingorgans in 3D wasn't enough, students can alsouse laboratory iPads to magnify and explore thevirtual cadavers in greater detail. The school saysadding this 3-D element to anatomical graphicscreates an immersive, virtual set up (developedby NYU School of Medicine's Division ofEducational Informatics, in collaboration withBioDigital Systems LLC) that is an unprecedent-ed 3D anatomy installation."While it's fantastic for gaining a spatial sense ofanatomy that I found to be lacking in basic anato-my atlases, I don't believe this technology canreplace cadaveric dissection because of the uniquerelationship students build with the human body bybeing able to hold and feel the body, organs, andcavities," said Susanna Jeurling, a 24-year-old firstyear student at NYU School of Medicine."Additionally, when you are learning anatomy youtend to focus intensely on the area that you arestudying at the moment -- thorax, abdomen, pelvis,etc. -- and I think the BioDigital Human is a greatway to remind yourself not only about the anato-my of specific organs but how the systems interactwith each other to form a complete human."

The recently debuted learning tool is just oneway the school is bringing to life its new

Curriculum for the 21st Century (C21), which wasdesigned to take advantage of computer-assistedinstruction innovations and new capabilities ofweb-based digital applications to drive the evolu-tion of medical education forward. As part of thisinnovative new curriculum, teaching will relyheavily on new web-based modules, computer-assisted instruction, and simulation, as well asincreased collaborative teaching and learningamong scientists, physicians, nurses, and otherhealth professionals.

To learn more about NYU School ofMedicine's innovative technology for medicaleducation visit http://school.med.nyu.edu.

NYU Takes Med School Course To NewLevel With Interactive 3D Cadaver

New York University School of Medicine debuted its virtual cadaver, the BioDigital Human, to givemedical students an innovative way to explore the human body in more detail than ever before

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As part of an agreement between Michigan's AlmaCollege and Michigan State University, premedical stu-dents will now have the chance to earn reserved spaceswithin the MSU's College of Human Medicine. The newearly assurance program is designed to give preference tostudents interested in working with members of under-served populations.

"Alma College is a mission-oriented college that sharesour medical school's core values," MSU College of HumanMedicine Dean Marsha D. Rappley said in a statement."We are confident that Alma College's early assurance pro-gram candidates will bring the rigor of a superb liberal artsand science education along with a passion for serving oth-ers that is needed in the physicians of our future."

Prospective students will complete a program of clini-cal and service experiences, as well as academic advisingdirected toward admission to MSU's College of HumanMedicine. Then, students who meet the admission require-ments for the College of Human Medicine are eligible toapply during their junior year. Students who make the cutwill be guaranteed admission to the College of Humanmedicine and begin a relationship with the college duringtheir senior year.

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Michigan State University Reserves MedSchools Spots for Local Premeds

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which oversees accrediting for medical schools in theU.S., has given the proposed King College School of Medicine & Health Science the "applicant school"status, putting the school one step closer to becoming reality. Expected to open its doors in 2014, KingCollege School of Medicine plans to have 60 to 75 students during its first year. According to a pressrelease issued by the school, "a major objective of the proposed medical school is to graduate well-trained physicians with a desire to practice in non-urban areas in order to reverse a worsening physicianshortage while also creating greater access to medical services across Southwest Virginia and the five-state region. For more information about the proposed King School of Medicine & Health SciencesCenter visit, www.kingschoolofmedicine.org.

Second Medical School WinsInitial OK to Open in Virginia

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A nationally recognized accrediting organiza-tion for U.S. medical schools has put UpstateMedical University on probation after grow-ing concerns over how the school is run, itscurriculum, and other issues were raised.Accreditation is important because it showsprospective students that a medical schoolmeets national standards.

Apparently, Upstate Medical Universityfell below the standards in multiple areas,one being the school's lack of a centralcommittee with the authority to makechanges to the school's courses. There wasalso concern over a cheating scandal thatoccurred at the school last year involvingfourth-year medical students who helpedeach other on online quizzes in a requiredmedical literature course. Upstate MedicalUniversity will have two years to fix prob-lems identified by the Liaison Committeeon Medical Education (LCME).

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Brand New College of Medicine MaySoon Start Accepting ApplicationsCentral Michigan University recently receivedpreliminary accreditation for its new Collegeof Medicine which means that they may soonbegin recruiting for its first class of students.

The inaugural class is expected to start in thesummer of 2012 and will be trained to becomeprimary care physicians who are dedicated toserve the needs of communities in mid- andnorthern Michigan. According to the school'sWeb site, students admitted to the medical

school will learn from a curriculum designed toprepare them to practice in Michigan - particu-larly the medically underserved communities inthe central and Northern areas of the state -when they complete their residency training. Inaddition to learning the health needs ofMichigan residents throughout the curriculum,students will gain first-hand experience byworking with physicians and hospitals through-out the region.

"With the inaugural class now anticipated tobegin in the summer 2013, students will be taughtthe innovative medical curriculum in a $24 mil-lion, 60,000-square-foot addition to the HealthProfessions Building," said Ernie Yoder, M.D.,Ph.D., MACP, founding dean of CMU College ofMedicine. Housing clinical exam rooms, groupstudy rooms, simulation rooms and anatomy labs,the addition has also been designed as an envi-ronmentally-friendly environment.

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The Association of American Medical Colleges(AAMC) has announced that beginning in 2015, anew version of the MCAT will be given that willplace more emphasis on the sociobehavioral sci-ences in medical school preparation. According tothe AAMC, the changes are designed to help stu-dents prepare for rapidly changing knowledge,while addressing the needs of growing, aging, andincreasingly diverse population. "Being a gooddoctor is about more than scientific knowledge. Italso requires an understanding of people. By bal-ancing the MCAT exam's focus on the natural sci-ences with a new section on the psychological,social, and biological foundations of behavior, thenew exam will better prepare students to buildstrong knowledge of the socio-cultural andbehavioral determinants of health," said DarrellG. Kirch, M.D., AAMC president and CEO.

A new section of the exam called the"Psychological, Social, and BiologicalFoundations of Behavior" will test a student'sunderstanding of core concepts in psychologyand sociology, which are essential to working inti-mately with others within the health care setting.Before this change, the MCAT focused primarilyon core science reasoning skills in areas like phys-iology, physics, and chemistry, along with basicreading comprehension. According to Dr. Kirch,a recent survey showed that the public has highconfidence in the medical knowledge and abilityof doctors, but feels physicians often lack thebasic social skills required to really connect with apatient. "Bedside manner is a complex mix ofunderstanding people, where they come from,and why they behave the way they do, and wethink this shift in emphasis [of the test] will actu-ally help us round out that dimension of a gooddoctor," Dr. Kirch said.

Another new section, called "Critical Analysisand Reasoning Skills" will also be added to therevised test to measure a students' ability to ana-lyze and apply information from social sciencesand humanities including ethics and philosophy,cross-cultural studies, and population health.

Kirch said he hoped the new test would attractstudents beyond those who majored in a hard sci-ence. "We are hoping these changes might helpmore individuals say that 'I can have a passion forEnglish literature, history, economics and stillhave a vital career as a physician," said Kirch.

"That there's not a narrow expectation of whereyour intellectual interest reside." He added, "It's asignal that somebody who was a psychologymajor, or conceivably someone who majored incross-cultural studies, has as much potential toenter medical school as someone who was aphysics major."

Moreover, the new test will no longer have awriting section and will take an extra two hoursto complete. To prepare for the new exam,which will not change until 2015, Dr. Kirch sug-gested that students might want to add introduc-tory courses in psychology and sociology to thenatural-sciences courses they have traditionallybeen told to focus on.

The revamped test was developed by a 21-member advisory committee that spent three

years studying the matter and analyzing 2,700survey responses from college and medicalschool faculty members, medical residents, stu-dents, and advisers.

"At a time when medical schools are strug-gling to attract more minority students to meetthe needs of an increasingly multicultural popu-lation, a broader, revamped test should help,” Dr.Kirch said. "That, combined with a more holisticlook at applicants in both interviews and lettersof recommendation, should give medicalschools a better sense of which applicants havethe personal, as well as the intellectual, attributesto be successful doctors."For a detailed list of all the sections on the

2015 MCAT exam, check out the "PreviewGuide for MCAT2015."

Overhauled MCAT To Include TwoBrand New Sections Starting in 2015

According to the AAMC, the changes to the MCAT preserves what works about the current exam,eliminates what wasn’t working, and gives attention to the concepts tomorrow’s doctors will need

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FEATURE ARTICLE

What if Mark Zuckerberg were a premed student in college?Would the world of medicine be different because of a service orproduct dreamt up by the very same guy who revolutionized theworld of social networking as we know it? Guess we'll neverknow what could have become of a prodigy like Zuckerberg in themedical arena but as it turns out there are - and will continue to be- Mark Zuckerberg's of the medicine and science - they're calledphysician entrepreneurs. From iPhone ECG's and EZ Vein (adevice designed to help medical professionals more easily insert anIV catheter into patients during a crisis situation) to private prac-tice startups and innovative health care management system devel-opment, more and more doctors are taking on the role of entre-preneur to fill a void or improve some aspect of the medical andscientific worlds.

Today, an increasing number of students are bulking up theirmedical education with a joint MD/MBA degree. The numberof medical students turning to dual-degree MD/MBA pro-

grams to prepare them for taking on entrepreneurial roles con-tinues to rise and the interest for programs that offer studentsto pursue the business side of medicine is steadily growing.Whether it's to get a better grasp around the business side ofmedicine or if it's to prepare for developing their own ventures,students can now choose from 65 MD/MBA programs acrossthe US, according to the most recent numbers from theAssociation of MD/MBA Programs (AMMP).

The following is a list of MD/MBA programs - but not justany programs. Among the schools listed you'll find those whichnot only offer a medical degree but that have joined with someof the most notable and distinguished business school pro-grams in the country. From recognized entrepreneurial centersand special conferences to curriculum specializations in entre-preneurship and business plan competitions, the followingschools made our list of top schools if you're thinking aboutbecoming a physician entrepreneur. >>>

WHEN MEDICAL SCHOOLS PARTNER WITH B-SCHOOLS OFFERING TOP NOTCH ENTREPRENEURIALCOMPONENTS, STUDENTS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMBINE EXPERTISE AND LEADERSHIP

BESTMEDICALSCHOOLS FORENTREPRENEURS


This 5/6-year combined MD/MBA program is offered by theUniversity of California, Irvine School of Medicine andThe Paul Merage School of Business.

Students must first be enrolled in the MD program in order toapply to the combined degree program. During their secondor third year of medical school, interested students apply toThe Paul Merage School of Business. MBA courseworkbegins following completion of the student's third year ofmedical school. The MCAT, along with the completion ofthree years of medical school training in good standing andpassage of USMLE Step I, currently serve as a waiver for theGMAT entrance examination, which is usually required forapplication to the MBA program.

The MD/MBA program offers students the opportuni-ty to take electives such as Healthcare Entrepreneurship:From Physician to CEO which is a course structured tobuild business development skills to create and manage amedical practice or a science-based enterprise andDevelopment of New Ventures in Healthcare Serviceswhich is designed to introduce students to the process ofdeveloping a medical services company.

The business school is also home to the Don Beall Centerfor Innovation and Entrepreneurship which serves as thehub of thought leadership in the important science of inno-vation management. Programs offered through the DonBeall Center include: the Business Plan Competition;Vator.tv People's Choice Poll for entrepreneur elevatorspeeches; an entrepreneurial skills training workshop seriescalled Students to Start-Ups; The Matrix Mixer, whichbrings together like-minded colleagues from a number ofgraduate programs on campus to foster and execute newideas, and the Orange County Incubation Network, a plat-form that supports the commercialization of inventionsdeveloped at the institution.

University of California, Irvine School of MedicineThe Paul Merage School of Business

University of Arizona College of MedicineEller College of Management at The University of Arizona

This new 5-year combined MD/MBA pro-gram is offered by University of ArizonaCollege of Medicine and the EllerCollege of Management at TheUniversity of Arizona.

The program is offered at the Tucson andPhoenix campus locations. The program willbe five years in length with the first two yearsin the UA College of Medicine, the thirdwithin the Eller College of Business, and thefinal two years at the UA College of Medicine

with a continuing connection to theresources and classes at the Eller College ofManagement. The Eller College is home tothe McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, arecognized leader in entrepreneurship educa-tion designed to give students the tools need-ed to launch their enterprise or innovativeidea. MD/MBA students are offered elec-tives such as Industrial Analysis and NewVenture Development, New VentureFinance, Planning of New Ventures, andSocial Entrepreneurship.

Dartmouth Medical SchoolTuck School of Business at Dartmouth

This 5/6-year combined MD/MBA pro-gram is offered by Dartmouth MedicalSchool and the Tuck School of Businessat Dartmouth.

The MD/MBA degree offers students diversecareer opportunities in areas such consultingand entrepreneurship. The five year programis tightly scheduled to allow further medicaltraining or accelerated progression into acareer, saving one year's tuition.

The six year track will allow students toexperience the full impact of both pro-grams, including the Tuck SummerInternship Program. Course work with theprogram is individualized and determinedby the student, with guidance from theMD/MBA directors. Educational plansvary, though students typically spend thefirst three years at Dartmouth MedicalSchool, acquiring a thorough grounding in

the basic sciences in the classroom and lab-oratory, and intensive clinical training at theDarthmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.The fourth year of the program is spent atthe Tuck School of Business, where theschool's innovative core curriculum pro-vides training in the broad integrative skillsthat are the hallmark of organizational lead-ership. In the fifth year, students completetheir medical clerkships and required cours-es, as well as electives for both schools, inte-grating the experience of the previous fouryears and applying it to areas of their ownspecial interest.

For students who have chosen the six-year option, years five and six are dividedbetween medical school and businessschool, which allows the student to partici-pate in the Tuck Summer InternshipProgram, as well as spread their electives outbetween the two schools.

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The Johnson School of Management atCornell University

This 5-year combined MD/MBA program is offered by WeillMedical College of Cornell University and The JohnsonSchool of Management at Cornell University.

Students who will receive a dual degree will begin their pro-gram in the medical college and take a one-year leave ofabsence after the third year. They then join the JohnsonSchool's Accelerated MBA program in late May of their thirdyear of medical school and complete the MBA degree require-ments by the following May. The MBA degree is granted afterthe student completes the fourth year of medical school andobtains their MD degree. Medical students in their fourth yearmay apply for the Accelerated MBA program which they willbegin in late May of their fourth year, and they complete theirfourth year after completing the Accelerated MBA programthe following May. The GMAT examination is no longerrequired for Weill Cornell students to apply.

Many of Cornell's alumni who have earned an MD/MBAdegree have gone on to develop entrepreneurial ventures inmedically related fields such as drug delivery, diagnosticprocesses, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. For studentslooking to following the same route, the school has a specialprogram called the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Instituteprogram which is designed to provide a foundation of knowl-edge and skills needed to develop successful ventures. Up forgrabs is a scholarship which is awarded to one medical or grad-uate student each year for a full-tuition scholarship for theJohnson School portion of the Accelerated MBA program.

Cornell Weill Medical College

Creighton University College of BusinessThis 5-year combined MD/MBA pro-gram is offered through CreightonUniversity's School of Medicine andthe Creighton College of Business.

The MBA degree is largely completedduring a yearlong absence from medicalschool. Students in the program com-plete the MBA curriculum as full-timestudents between the second and thirdyears of medical school. Prior admissionto medical school and the MCAT scoreimplied by that admission is accepted inlieu of a GMAT score submission forthis program. One hallmark of the pro-gram is its flexibility - as long as students

take at least 15 credits during their year-long absence from medical schoolbetween years 2 and 3, they can completethe remaining 14 hours for the MBAdegree in a number of different ways.This flexibility will give students theopportunity to work at jobs or intern-ships, conduct research, and engage inother activities that enhance their practi-cal experience.

Through this MD/MBA program stu-dents have the opportunity to delvedeeper into bioscience entrepreneurshipcourses such as TechnologyCommercialization and BioscienceEntrepreneurship.

Creighton University School of Medicine

Marshall School of BusinessKeck School of Medicine

This 5½ -year combined MD/MBAprogram is offered by the Keck Schoolof Medicine and the Marshall Schoolof Business.

Students admitted into the programbegin a year of core MBA courses fol-lowing the successful completion ofthe first two years of medical school.

During the last two and a half years ofthis dual degree program, students par-ticipate in their clinical clerkships atKeck School of Medicine, and studentswill get the opportunity to take electivecourses at the Marshall School ofBusiness which offers a wide range ofentrepreneurial-related courses.

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New York UniversityStern School of Business

This 5-year combined MB/MBA is a newprogram offered by New York UniversityCollege of Medicine and NYU's SternSchool of Business.

Students enrolled in the program spend thefirst three years at NYU School of Medicine.The summer of the third year through thespring semester of the fourth year, studentsspend their time at NYU Stern to pursueMBA coursework. Then students return tothe medical school for the summer and fall oftheir fifth year, followed by a final semester atNYU Stern in the spring of the fifth year.Students who pursue the MD/MBA degreetake 9 less credits than if they were to com-plete the stand-alone MBA. In addition, stu-dents can take advantage of the credit-sharingbenefits of the program which allows them to

receive credit for certain aspects of the med-ical school curriculum. Another nice benefitfor those applying to the MD/MBA programis that the GMAT or GRE, which are nor-mally required for the MBA program, iswaived and applicants need only complete theMCAT to be considered for the program.

MD/MBA students may also obtain aTeaching Fellowship or GraduateAssistantship position while registered atNYU Stern which pays students for thesepositions in the form of tuition remission atStern. All MBA electives and specializations,including Entrepreneurship and Innovationwhich offers courses like Business Start-UpPracticum, Entrepreneurial Finance,Marketing for Entrepreneurs, and NewVenture Financing, are available toMD/MBA students.

Wake Forest School of MedicineWorrell Professional Center

This 5-year combined MD/MBA program is offered bythe Wake Forest School of Medicine and the WorrellProfessional Center.

The first year includes MBA courses in the full-time pro-gram, a Wake Forest Business Solutions course and a sum-mer internship; the next two years are devoted to medicalschool and some management electives; the fourth year isspent in clinical rotations in the medical school; and in thefifth year students complete medical rotations and man-agement electives.

So for students looking to take a break before startingmedical school, why not spend the time working towardsan MBA degree? Elective courses include, but are not lim-ited to Financing The Entrepreneurial Venture,Entrepreneurship & Venture Formation, and BusinessPlan Practicum.

University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey Rutger’s Business School

This 5-year combined MD/MBAprogram, located at campuses inNewark and New Brunswick, isoffered by the University ofMedicine and Dentistry in NewJersey and Rutger’s BusinessSchool.

The New Brunswick-basedMD/MBA program, which is acollaborative effort with theUMDNJ-Robert Wood JohnsonMedical School, is also designed toprovide medical students with theknowledge and skills necessary forpursuits within the health careindustry. Students interested in theMD/MBA program are required toapply directly to Rutgers University

Business School either prior tomatriculation at NJMS or duringtheir first year of medical school.Since Rutgers' business school hasan MBA concentration inEntrepreneurship, students need-ing to fulfill their electives canchoose from many of the coursesdesignated for the entrepreneur-ship concentration such asBusiness Law for Entrepreneurs,Growing New Ventures in aSupply Chain Environment,Negotiations, and Introduction toProject Management. And amongthe courses MD/MBA students arerequired to take is one calledUrban Entrepreneurship &Economic Development.

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Drexel University College of MedicineDrexel University LeBow College of Business

This 5-year combined MD/MBA program is offered byDrexel University College of Medicine and DrexelUniversity's LeBow College of Business.

The business school has many resources, including the BaiadaCenter for Entrepreneurship which is designed to bridge educa-tion and entrepreneurship by linking research, coursework, expe-riential learning, and entrepreneurial thinking with practical guid-ance for budding entrepreneurs.

Home to one of the nation's leading entrepreneurship pro-grams, the Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship gives students theopportunity to participate in interactive workshops, entrepre-neurial courses, and an annual Business Plan Competition andEntrepreneur Conference.

This 5-year combined MD/MBA programis offered by Tulane University Schoolof Medicine and the Freeman School ofBusiness.

Students typically apply to this programduring their third year of medical schoolafter taking the GMAT exam. Acceptedstudents spend the fourth year of the pro-gram in the Freeman School and the fifthyear of the program is divided between themedical school and the Freeman School.Among the courses required, students getthe opportunity to take courses inEnterprise Valuation and New Venture

Planning. In addition, a special course,called the Tulane TechnologyCommercialization Course, is designed togive students the knowledge and tools need-ed to transform life science technologiesinto entrepreneurial ventures. At the end ofthe course, completed business plans arepresented to panels of experienced entre-preneurs who provide substantive feedbackas the plan's viability and required next stepsfor development and funding.

According to the schools' Web site,the course aims to train the bioinnova-tors of the future who are able to bringideas from paper to reality.

Tulane University School of MedicineFreeman School of Business

University of Chicago Pritzker School of MedicineUniversity of Chicago Booth School of Business

This 5/6-year combined MD/MBA program is offered by theUniversity of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine andthe University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Students complete the first two years of medical school beforetaking a yearlong leave of absence to pursue full-time course-work at Chicago Booth. Following the year of full-time MBAwork, students return to the medical school for their clinicalclerkship year. During their fourth and final year of the MDdegree, students take electives at both the Pritzker School ofMedicine and Chicago Booth.

Among the 14 concentrations offered by Chicago Booth isEntrepreneurship which offers a curriculum designed to inte-grate all business areas including marketing, finance, opera-tions, and strategy. From New Venture Strategy toCommercialization Innovation, students will have the option totake courses that address their individual interests.

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Perelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaWharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

This 5-year combined MD/MBA programis offered by the Perelman School ofMedicine and the Wharton School of theUniversity of Pennsylvania.

Students are enrolled in the MD programfull time for the first three years and inMBA coursework full-time during theirfourth year. During the summer betweenthe fourth and fifth year, students typical-ly participate in a business internship.

However, some students elect to doresearch or additional clinical rotationsduring the summer. Then in their fifthyear, students will take a semester atWharton and a semester at the MedicalSchool - students can choose to do eitherone in the Fall and the other in the Spring.What's nice is that the MBA degreecounts toward a required component ofthe medical curriculum called theScholarly Pursuit.

University of Michigan Medical SchoolStephen M. Ross School of Business

This 5-year combined MD/MBA programis offered by the University of MichiganMedical School and the Stephen M. RossSchool of Business.

The program begins with three years at themedical school followed by a year of MBAcourses and a summer MBA internship.Then the fifth year is split, with one semes-

ter spent completing medical degreerequirements and the other finishing upMBA coursework. The business schooloffers a variety of entrepreneurial -relatedelectives including, but not limited to,Entrepreneurial Management, LegalAspects of Entrepreneurship,Entrepreneurship via Acquisitions, andNew Venture Creation.

Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard Business School

This 5-year combined MD/MBA program isoffered by Harvard Medical School andHarvard Business School.

Harvard's MD/MBA program is designed toeducate students who work in a take on manyroles, including those who develop and mar-ket pharmaceuticals, medical devices, andother health-related products. Beginning in

their first year, MD/MBA students partici-pate in a summer internship in BusinessManagement, and in their fourth year stu-dents take many entrepreneurial relatedcourses such as Leadership andOrganizational Behaviors, and Strategy, TheEntrepreneurial Manager. Then, in their finalyear students can choose from 30+Entrepreneurial Management courses.

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PHYSICIANS ENTREPRENEURSIN REAL LIFE...

SUSAN NICHOLAS, MD, MBA is a serial entrepreneurand the Founder and CEO of Atlanta-based DocPons,Inc., a website dedicated to health care professionalsoffering discounted primary-care and allied health serv-ices to help doctors attract new clients.

ASHER HASAN, MD, MBA is the Founder and CEO ofNaya Jeevan, a not-for-profit social enterprise dedicat-ed to providing low-income families in Pakistan withaffordable access to high-quality health care.

In 2012, MITESH PATEL, MD, MBA, Sachin Nanvati,and Derek Juang, MD founded Docphin, a free plat-form that personalizes medical news and research.

RYAN EGELAND, MD, PHD, MBA is a medical andbiotechnological innovator who founded a DNA chipcompany with genetic pioneer Ed Southern which wasacquired after led a partnership with Sharp in Japan.

MICHAEL MATLY, MD, MBA is a serial entrepreneurand currently leads business development and new ven-tures at the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation. Hehas led the creation of internally incubated ventures andexternal partnerships with Fortune 50 companies andcutting-edge start-ups.

STEVEN LUI, MD, MBA is the founder of IngenioiusMed, an award-winning mobile platform that auto-mates the revenue and charge capture processes forover 9,000 physicians in more than 800 health care facil-ities across the US.

KEVIN MCGARVEY, MD, MBA is the co-founder ofWilderness Medventures which develops adventurewilderness courses in remote parts of the world for for-mal medical training.

MARY JO BORMAN, MD, MBA founded AdvancedICU Care in 2004 to transform care in the intensive careunits of hospitals throughout America by combiningthe technology of telemedicine with the clinical expert-ise of experienced intensivists and critical care nurses toprovide around-the-clock coverage.

LOLETA ROBINSON, MD, MBA is the co-founder andChief Medical Officer at Syan Biosciences, a privatelyheld, start-up company that focuses on the develop-ment of lab-on-a-chip technologies for biosensors usedin the in vitro diagnostic point-of-care market.

VIVEK MURTHY, MD, MBA founded Epernicus, asocial networking website and professional networkingplatform resource for research scientists.

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In this excerpt Dr. Paul Ruggieri gives readers an introduction towhat they’re in store for when he shares what life as a surgeon. Heshares the successes, failures, remarkable advances, and cama-raderie that make it exciting. He uncovers the truth about the abu-sive, exhaustive training and the arduous devotion of his old-school

When I meet someone for thefirst time in a social settingand reveal (sooner or later)that I'm a surgeon, the reac-tion is often something

close to awe (at least among those who don'tspend their days in the world of healthcare).This unearned respect can be flattering, but thetruth of the matter is I'd rather have my newacquaintance realize that I'm a human being, thatI'm not perfect, that I'm not a demigod, and thatsurgery (as well as the rest of medicine) is an artas much as a science. And some days, calling it anart is a stretch.

Becoming a surgeon was the most difficultthing I've ever done. The training is designed totest your mental and physical endurance as muchas your intelligence or skill with a scalpel. Thosewithout a deep reservoir of desire and driveneed not apply. Yet - once through the fire, theyears and years of school and residency - work-ing as a surgeon has provided the most exhila-rating times of my life. I wouldn't trade it foranything. Most days, that is…

On the good days, I delight in being a mem-ber of a unique club of extraordinarily talented,complex, brilliant, driven, and compassionateprofessionals. We're saving lives. On the baddays, I realize I'm part of a world inhabited byflawed, greedy, egotistical, and insecure practi-tioners (and I include myself in that description).We're making mistakes but (usually) correctingthem before lasting damage is done. The middleground looks like this: I get to work with a mot-ley crew of healthcare professionals, surroundedby diseased organs, blood, pus, and guts, in aroom without windows hidden behind a set ofswinging doors, where we spend too much timeon your feet but get to improve the quality ofsomeone's life or (maybe) extend someone's life.At the end of the day, it usually feels pretty good.

My profession is complex and complicated.It demands a dedication to a way of life that is

like no other. For me, the road leading into theoperating room is a lonely one, the path to aplace where I am responsible for all that tran-spires, be it good, bad, or complicated. Mostdays in the O.R. do go well (thankfully),whether the crew and I experience exhilaration,fear, boredom, satisfaction, or humiliationbefore we call it quits.

I love being surgeon. I love being able tomake a clear, tangible difference in the quality ofa person's life. Sometimes I even save a life. I amhonored every time a patient comes to me, andI'm humbled at the trust that's given.Confessions of a Surgeon is my love letter to allof them, but it's more than that, too. What youhave in your hands is the result of my desire toshare an honest, open look at this startling pro-fession, an occupation so unfamiliar to most itmay as well be taking place on the moon.

More than thirty million people a year in thiscountry enter hospitals to undergo surgery, forconditions including bad joints, clogged heartarteries, and diseased gallbladders. Once you arewheeled into an operating room, a host of fac-tors - the most important of which is your sur-geon - come together to influence the conditionin which you will leave that room. I've long want-ed to push open the O.R. doors and show thepublic the mysterious place where lives areimproved, saved, damaged, and sometimes, lost.I wrote this book to take you right up to theoperating room table and give you an up-closeview of what I see as a surgeon. I want you tomeet the person behind the surgical mask.

I also want you to get a glimpse of thearray of demands and constraints and desiresthat tug at working surgeons today: Apatient's conflicting family members, eachwith a different idea on how a loved one'scondition should be addressed. Repugnantcriminals whose lives you are charged withsaving. Lawsuits. The uneven, nonsensicalreimbursement system. The cost of running a

business (most surgeons are in pri-vate practice and, therefore, running a busi-ness). Practicing surgery today is much morethan being a surgical professional - and a lotof it is stuff we never bargained for in med-ical school.

This book is my story, and my examinationof a unique occupation - truly a "calling" inmany aspects - that requires years of arduoustraining, followed by years of arduous work,where fatigue and malpractice lawyers take turnsattempting to distract us from the job at hand: aperson's life.

What in the world possessed me to writethis book? This question has floated throughmy mind ever since the idea was conceived.Even now, I ask myself. I ask, yet I continue towrite. I write because I seek the truth aboutmyself and about those I have affected for bet-ter or worse. I believe the truth will set youfree. It has for me.

Confessions of a Surgeon:THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE COMPLICATED…Life Behind theO.R.Doors

PAUL RUGGIERI, MD, FACS is a practicing generalsurgeon, writer, husband, and stepfather. His prac-tice specializes in general, advanced minimallyinvasive, and thyroid surgery. Throughout his activetwenty year career, Dr. Ruggieri has held depart-ment of surgery chairman positions at several com-munity hospitals. He has also been a clinical instruc-tor at Harvard Medical School. He is board certi-fied in his specialty and a Fellow of the AmericanCollege of Surgeons. Follow Dr. Ruggieri:

www.paulruggieri.comTwitter @ConfessionsMD

www.paulruggiari.com

www.twitter.com/confessionsMD

Global Healthcare for Pre-Health StudentsMontevideo, Uruguay: Maymester and Summer I, 2012

Dr. Lynette Austin, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, teaches in the areas of child language, bilingualism, and cultural/linguistic diversity.She is also a licensed bilingual speech-language pathologist. Dr. Austin and her husband Stephen served as missionaries while living in Buenos Aires for a number of years, along with their children Alison and Daniel. During that time she worked in private practice as a speech-pathologist and as a consultant to hospitals and schools in the Greater Buenos Aires region.!Dr. Cynthia Powell is an assistant professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at ACU. She is the chairman of the ACU Health Professions Advisory Committee and the ACU pre-medical advisor. She enjoys working with students,traveling and learning about new cultures. She and her husband Dr. Greg Powell (professor of Chemistry) participated in this program in 2010 and she is excited to be involved again.

The CoursesCHEM 340 – World Healthcare Systems – Providesstudents with knowledge of how health care is provided to various socioeconomic groups in both the United States andUruguay, comparing the strengths and weaknesses of eachsystem. Students will participate in medical missions clinics andvisit professional schools and public and private hospitals in South America. This course is required for all program participants and will count as an upper-level chemistry elective.CORE 220 – The Question of Community – Asks questionsof community and explores the foundations of human communities around the world. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the course will examine such influences on communities as culture, politics, ethics, morality, history, economics, gender, religion, the arts, institutions and naturalresources. Other topics impacting communities will be discussed, including social justice, poverty, affluence, war and the influence of technology.COMP 353 – Hearing Rehabilitation – Explores habilitationand rehabilitation for persons with hearing impairment. Theory and practice of acoustic amplification, auditory training, speech reading, speech habilitation, and educational considerations for the hearing impaired. Educational programming, cultural influences and social adjustments for the deaf. Please speak with the administrative coordinator in CommunicationSciences and Disorders Dept. about any necessary prerequisites.

Students must be enrolled in two courses, including World Healthcare Systems.All courses may be subject to change.

Program Features• Great central location in Montevideo, the capital of

Uruguay, a country that boasts a unique blend of European and Latin American cultures.

• Planned class-related excursions including Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Iguazu Falls (Brazil).

• Health clinic held at the El Chana Church of Christ in conjunction with needs of the local congregation.

The CostTuition and fees are the same in Latin America as they are inAbilene (2012-2013 rates). The additional program fee of$5,500-6,000 includes:• Transportation between DFW and Montevideo• Housing in Casa ACU• Program-related excursions and enrichment activities• Basic medical and traveler’s insurance• 10 meals per weekJust as in Abilene, student aid may be available. Talk to yourfinancial aid advisor as soon as possible. Call 325-674-2300.

ApplicationAcceptance to the Global Healthcare in Latin America program is based on a variety of factors including:• Completed application packet with satisfactory references.• Availability of space.• $250 non-refundable application fee.• Completion of at least two semesters on campus.• Academic record and interests, a minimum cumulative GPA

of 2.5 as of date of application and up to date of departure.• Students must be in good standing with ACU (no

probation of any kind) as of date of application and up to date of departure.

• Application Deadline: Nov. 4 (May be extended in special cases: please see a study abroad representative for details.)

Note: Consideration also will be given to a student’s suitability for participation in a study abroad program.

Further InformationAll information on this flyer is subject to change without notice. Please contact the ACU Study Abroad office for the most up-to-date information.Mail: ACU Box 28226, Abilene, Texas 79699-8226Office: Hardin Administration Building 124Phone: 325-674-2710Email: [email protected] Web: www.acu.edu/studyabroad

110509


St. George's University's School of Medicine in Grenada, WestIndies pioneered the concept of international medical education. St.George's has contributed nearly 11,000 physicians to the globalhealth care system; these graduates have been licensed in all 50United States and Canada and have practiced in over 45 countriesacross the world. The majority of St. George's medical students havecome from the top 100 United States colleges and universities. Over500 St. George's students came from Ivy League schools and nearly4,000 graduated from universities in the US News & World Report'slist of Top National Universities in 2011.

St. George's US medical students may begin their BasicSciences studies on the main campus in Grenada, or at theUniversity's affiliate in the United Kingdom -- the Keith B.

Taylor Global Scholars program, deliveredat Northumbria University. Beyond thestand-alone MD degree, medical students atSt. George's have the opportunity to pursuejoint MD/MPH, MD/MSc, and MD/MBAdegrees. Students complete their clinicaltraining in the University's 60+ affiliatedhospitals and clinical centers in the UnitedStates, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

LEADING THE WAY IN

MEDICAL EDUCATIONSt. George's was the first private medicalschool in the Caribbean, and first privateinstitution in the region to be accredited bythe Caribbean Accreditation Authority forEducation in Medicine and HealthProfessions. In 2010, SGU's US and Canadianmedical students surpassed medical schoolstudents in the US and Canada with a 94%first time pass rate on the United StatesMedical Licensing Examination Step 1. Infact, overall, SGU's first-time USMLE takers- students who were from 49 different coun-tries - equaled the first time pass rate of 92%in the US and Canada for 2010.

RESEARCH POSSIBILITIES

Partnering with the nearby WindwardIslands Research and Education Foundation(WINDREF), St. George's continues toadvance public health and environmentallysustainable development through multidisci-plinary research. WINDREF draws interna-tionally recognized scholars and regional sci-entists and partners with prestigious NorthAmerican, Caribbean, European, and Africaninstitutions in global research affecting the

region, including medical and veterinary public health, marine andterrestrial biology, and ecology. The Foundation maintains aunique scientific resource center at its research Institute on St.George's main campus.

A MMAJESTIC ENVIRONMENT

More than $250 million US was spent to create a beautiful, state-of-the-art campus, rivaling those of the most prestigious univer-sities in the world. St. George's students are truly taken aback bythe beauty of their physical accommodations. The sprawling cam-pus includes 52 buildings spread out over 42 acres in a vibrant,tropical seaside location. St. George's True Blue campus providesall the amenities and technologically advanced facilities of aworld-class institution, while offering beautiful scenery andmajestic views of the Caribbean Sea.

Information on the University is available at http://www.sgu.edu,and through YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter at StGeorgesU.Would-be American medical students may view their contempo-raries at St. George's by visiting http://www.sgu.edu/us.

ANNIE BBENZIE,SGU MEDICAL STUDENT, 2ND TERM

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IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL SCHOOL HAS

SEEN THE FASTEST RATE OF APPLICATION GROWTH

AMONG ALL US MEDICAL SCHOOL. IF IT'S NOT THE

FLEXIBLE M.D. PROGRAM WHICH ALLOWS STUDENTS

THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE AN ARRAY OF

OPTIONS, THEN MAYBE IT'S THE LOCKED IN TUITION

POLICY WHICH ALLOWS FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE FROM

3 ½ YEARS TO 6 YEARS TO COMPLETE THEIR MEDICAL

EDUCATION AND PAY THE SAME PRICE TO EARN THEIR

M.D. HEY - STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY

OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL SCHOOL EVEN LOOK GEN-UINELY HAPPY IN THE VIDEO UPLOADED ON

YOUTUBE.

The University of Minnesota Medical school hasbecome known for programs that allow students theopportunity to custom fit their medical education tomeet their personal and professional needs. TheUniversity of Minnesota Medical School caters to stu-dents who are interested in taking a year off to pur-sue an international medical experience, pursuingresearch on a particular topic, earning a dual degree,and even practicing medicine in a rural area. Theschool's innovative structure allows students to pur-sue these types of opportunities which are designedto meet individual needs and tap into a student's cre-ativity and passion.

From the moment students are accepted “they’vegot options” - students can choose to study at eitherthe Twin Cities or Duluth campus. For students look-ing to collaborate across many disciplines throughoutthe university, the schools main campus in the TwinCities of Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the way to go. Onthe other hand, taking a two-hour ride north will

bring students to the smaller Duluth campus wherethe focus is on training physicians who will practice inrural and Native American communities.

Beginning in their first year, students are emergedin a world of lectures, labs, discussions, and inde-pendent learning. But as one student tells it, there'salso time for a little fun. No matter which campus astudent attends, the first two years of the medical cur-riculum is designed to link science and clinical medi-cine, and introduce students to clerkships. Then in thethird and fourth years students complete the medicalcurriculum at the Twin Cities, Duluth, or in thegreater Minnesota by participating in the RuralPhysicians Associate Program. Unique in its ownright, the Rural Physicians Associate Program givesup to 40 third and fourth year medical students thechance to live in rural Minnesota communities for 36weeks while they study primary health care under thesupervision of a local physician.

And in addition to its traditional "non-traditional"medical degree, students can also choose from 6dual-degree which the school also offers in the fol-lowing areas: medical research, public health, bio-medical engineering, law, business, or health infor-matics. Probably a dream for all the IT premeds outthere, the school's MD/MHI degree (MD combinedwith a master's of health informatics) is designed toprepare students for a future in health informatics, aninterdisciplinary field that applies computer, infor-mation, and cognitive sciences. According to theschool's Web site, the MD/MHI degree preparesmedical students to apply information technology tomedicine so they can be effective informaticianswithin their medical specialties."

For more information about the University ofMinnesota Medical School visit www.med.umn.edu.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTAMEDICAL SCHOOL

Minneapolis, MN

DEGREE(S) OFFERED:MD

MD/PhDMD/MPHMD/MSMD/MBAMD/MHIMD/JD

SCHOOL TYPEPublic

# OF APPLICANTS3550 - Twin Cities

1281 - Duluth

# Applicants Interviewed476 - Twin Cities148 - Twin Cities

# Applicants Accepted170 - Twin Cities60 - Twin Cities

Cumulative GPA3.73- Twin Cities3.66 - Twin Cities

Average MCAT Score32.5 - Twin Cities29.13 - Twin Cities

Tuition$ 11,217.00 Tuition

In State

$ 14,806.00 TuitionOut of State

quickfacts

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

www.med.umn.edu

Anyway, I forgot my camera, so I didn’t get to take a bunch of pictures.However, I inundated Julia with questions during our 1.5 hour tour, so I havesome info for those who may be considering going to school at UTMB, whichincludes schools for medicine, nursing, physical therapy, and biomedical sci-ences.

If you’re afraid of coming to Galveston because of its watery destructionduring Hurricane Ike, you shouldn’t be anymore – as I’m told – since the newconstruction in and around the buildings have been revamped to prevent sim-ilar future damages. In one of the hospitals, Julia showed me a dent that indi-cated how much water had entered. It freaked me out when I saw that thewater level went all the way up to pretty much the ceiling. We’re looking atbetween 10 to 15 feet of water! I think we could easily have solved a Texasdrought that Fall.

Eventually, Julia took me to the bookstore and library, where I naturallyasked her about the coursework and the student body. She said it’s a bit over-whelming your first year, only because you’re still adjusting to the idea of med-

ical school. After that, it gets much, much easier. The main library doesn’t stayopen for 24 hours, because UTMB’s philosophy is basically “do somethingbesides study, por favor”. However, there are other buildings with libraries thatARE open for 24 hours for those who just can’t get enough of books, copiers,trash bins, and not having a life.

There are separate floors for different needs. The second floor is for groupstudy, so people can talk and whatnot. The third floor is where not a creatureis stirring, not even a mouse. Also, there’s a separate library with historical med-ical artifacts. I didn’t get to check it out, but I skimmed a brochure, and thestuff looked pretty neat. There are things, such as letters that Louis Pasteurwrote, drawings of what physicians thought embryos looked like, and oldmicroscopes. I wish I had gotten the chance to explore it!

Since we were in the main library, I wanted to look at a few books to see ifthere were pages ripped out (signs of a competitive environment), but I didn’twant Julia to think I was being a weirdo or too enthusiastic about looking atbooks, so I straightforwardly asked her if the students are competitive. She saidthat considering how students are ranked – the top 15% are honors, and thenyou have high pass and then pass/fail – she thought that students were goingto be cutthroat, but in reality, they’re really not. In fact, it’s the complete oppo-site. Students actually send out their notes, charts, etc. to the class, and every-one helps each other out. Julia said that she learned a lot from her peers, whichwas good for me to hear, because I’m avoiding highly competitive schools atall costs. Those people just have terrible and selfish personalities… ANYWAY!

Speaking of notes from peers, you can purchase all the class notes you’llneed for the year from students the year above you for about $200 to $250.Student scribes type up class notes during lecture, and these notes are laterreviewed by a couple of editors and sometimes even faculty members. Examsare mostly lecture-/PowerPoint-based, and you can buy the textbooks if youwant to know more or something. It depends on how well you want to do inthe class is what Julia said. Lectures don’t change that much each year, so you’llpretty much have updated notes. Sweet deal, I’d say.

On a side note, some students don’t even come to lecture, because all ofthe lectures are recorded and put online a couple of hours after. Julia skippedher class to give me a tour, so that was cool, haha.

And these professors who are giving you these lectures… Are they helpful,you ask? About “95%” of them are friendly and approachable, but you always


SUPER PREMED Interested in writing for PreMedLife magazine? Submit your article to [email protected].

ON CAMPUS WITH...

TI HOANGUniversity of Rochester, Class of 2013

HELLO, ALL! I TOOK A DAY FROM BREAK YESTERDAY TO VISIT THE

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS

UTMB) IN GALVESTON. IT’S THE OLDEST MEDICAL SCHOOL SOUTH

OF THE MASON-DIXON LINE, OR YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AS THE OLD-EST SURVIVING MEDICAL SCHOOL WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.THE PICTURE ABOVE IS OF THE ASHBEL SMITH BUILDING, WHERE IHAD TO MEET MY TOUR GUIDE, JULIA. YOU THINK IT LOOKS AMAZ-ING IN THE PICTURE? TRY CHECKING IT OUT IN PERSON. IT’S BEAU-TIFUL! BUT THE AWESOMENESS DOESN’T STOP THERE. ONCE YOU

WALK THROUGH THE DOOR, THERE ARE THESE HUGE, BREATH-TAK-ING STATUES OF FAMOUS PHYSICIANS, INCLUDING HIPPOCRATES AND

LOUIS PASTEUR. I WAS DEFINITELY IMPRESSED.

Campus VisitLeft: Ti Hoang (center)wrote a review for herblog about the Universityof Texas Medical Branchafter taking a tour. Below:The Ashbel SmithBuilding at the Universityof Texas Medical.

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We’ll pay you $2,062 a month while you are in a residency program. This monthly living expense will help you gain the strength to heal. In addition, you’ll gain experience with top medical professionals and the most advanced technology. You’ll be able to practice in your community and serve when needed. You’ll be helping ourSoldiers, your country and your career.

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have the other 5% who aren’t so much (sounds bet-ter than my current professor ratio at least). Inaddition, their exams, which pop up about every 4weeks, are all multiple-choice and last about 2-3hours. (The MC-style is supposed to mimic theUSMLE so that you can practice your test-takingtechniques before taking the USMLE.) Normally,students don’t fail the exams, but if you do, you’reto study independently and retake it. Julia said thatshe doesn’t know what happens if you fail it again,because she doesn’t know of such a case. Good tohear. But then again, she also told me that UTMBhas the best scores in Texas, so…

With all of this crazy stuff with exams and pro-fessors and whatnot going on, I had to ask aboutthe curriculum. The schedule isn’t bad in Year 1,since you’re done by 4 PM or noon – depending onwhether you have PBL, which I’ll explain later –and Julia said that she just goes home and relaxesunless she has an exam coming up. In other words,life isn’t incredibly stressful. These are the classesyou’d take.

I was curious about where rotations occur, andthere are 3 sites – at UTMB, UT-Houston, and at ahospital in Austin, TX. Julia mentioned that mostUTMB students stay to do their rotations, becauseat UT-Houston, there’s a high student-to-professorratio, so there’s less interaction with the professor.You’d get more of that at UTMB. In Austin, therearen’t any medical schools, so the faculty’s not usedto teaching, which could make for an awkward orun-fun time.

Okay, so this PBL thing I just mentioned isway cool. It stands for Problem-Based Learning,and those who watch House will enjoy this! Agroup of 8-9 students will receive cases that youwork on together. Your job is to solve these casesby figuring out what’s wrong with the patient, justas Foreman, Thirteen, and Taub would, but youdon’t have a House-like figure telling you you’rewrong all the time.

The last thing I want to say about the cur-riculum is that students utilize standardizedpatients, and I know UT-Houston does, too.Keeps some pressure off and gives students prac-tice, which is nice.

OKAY, so let’s get to the non-school compo-nent of my visit, even though it was short, since it’sthe least of my worries. UTMB is located right bya beach. Like… I’m pretty sure I could’ve bikedthere from the campus. Awesome bonus pointsalready. There’s also the gym that’s about a 10-minute walk from campus, too. Additionally, Julia

had taken me to the student center, where they loveto hand out free stuff all the time (apparently, youcan get plethora of highlighters/candy or score aponcho) and help you create a club. There was evena whole wall of XBox games and stuff, which Ifound amusing. Several lounges are open for chilltime anytime. There are numerous organizations atUTMB, both academic and non-academic, and youcan also go on mission trips during weekends orthe summer.

Housing right next to the campus is about$1200, but if 4 people split the place, it’s only $300per person, which isn’t bad. There’s also housingoff the island that’s more family-oriented if you’remarried or something like that.

I ended the last part of my tour asking aboutfinancial aid. Ms. Walker, who coordinated the tourfor me, told me that UTMB has really good finan-cial aid packages and also gives out scholarships toqualified 1st years. Up to 85% of the loan amountmay be canceled!

So I think this ends your leg of the tour, too. Itried to remember most of what I was told. Butdon’t just take my word of UTMB – go check it outyourself! You’ll be wise to pick a gorgeous, sunnyday to go so that you can chill on the beach after-wards. Unfortunately, Mother Nature made surethat UTMB almost “blew me away”.

YEAR ONEGross Anatomy and Radiology (you getto dissect the cadavers yourself !AWEEESSSOMMMMEEE); Molecules,Cells, & Tissues; Pathobiology & HostDefense; Neuroscience & HumanBehavior; Practice of Medicine.

SUMMER Free time or research or take electives

YEAR TWOCardiovascular/Pulmonary;Gastrointestinal/Nutrition;Renal/Fluids & Electrolytes;Endocrine/Reproduction;Derm/Heme/Muscle; Great Syndrome;Practice of Medicine

YEARS THREE & FOURVary, since students are getting clinic expo-sure. Students are not in the clinic in theirfirst 2 years, unless they’re volunteering orshadowing.

TI HOANG is a pre-medical junior at the University ofRochester and is majoring in Spanish and minoring inpolitical science. She has her own blog called "TheStethoSCOOP" at thestethoscoop.wordpress.com andplans to pursue either family medicine or neurologyafter medical school.

If you want to do something different this Spring Break,check out Gap Medics which offers pre-medical studentsthe opportunity to shadow health care professionals at hos-pitals located in Africa, India, Thailand, and The Caribbean.From one week to a month or more, the program isdesigned to provide students with a unique experience tospend time shadowing both junior and senior doctors inevery aspect of their work. At the end of each day, studentsthen get the chance to participate in hands on "experiencesessions" and ask the doctors any questionsthey may have about that day. And onthe weekends, students get thechance to undertake activities suchas safaris in Africa, camel trekkingin India, diving and snorkeling inthe Caribbean, or temple trekking inThailand. The programs start everyweekend so students can choose anyweekend to arrive at the program site. Formore information about Gap Medics visitwww.gapmedics.com.

ALTERNATIVESPRING BREAK>>> A different way to spend your time off

www.thestethoscoop.wordpress.com

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STUDYlifeBALANCE

Tips for handling school work and social life when you’re a premed


SCHEDULEDOWNTIMEINTO YOURSCHEDULEWhile you can't control all of the factors thatimpact your study/life balance, there are certainlysome things that you can control. If you're not inclass then, you're studying. If you're not studying,then you're working on a paper. If you're notworking on a paper, then you're doing some otheractivity that must be done, right? We'll as impos-sible as it may seem, it is quite important to setaside some time in your busy schedule to relax. Ifyou don't have a formal schedule beside the onethat forms from your schedule of classes, thenyou need to make one. It should be quite easy todo this since your classes will become the frame-work. If it is only for 15 minutes a day, thereshould be some point during your day whichinvolves doing something that you find enjoyable.

DROP ACTIVATESTHAT DRAINYOUR TIMEPremeds who spend their time participating incountless activities are often so busy being busythat they don't take a step back to evaluate whatthey're really spending their time on and if it'sstill worth what it once was. It's important tospend time on the activities that truly matter to

you. Being involved in many activities is likeknowing "a lot about a little bit." Yes, medicalschool admission committees like to see thatyou're involved in extracurricular activities, butthat doesn't mean that you have to have yourhand in everything going on.

If you joined a club or organization at thebeginning of the semester and a month later findyourself not really gaining anything from goingto meetings, then stop going. Don't keep forcingyourself to go just because you think it will lookgood to medical school admission committeesthat you were a part of the "Smartest Premedson Campus" society for three years! If you're notinvolved and taking something away fromattending a weekly meeting run by an organiza-tion or group you've joined, then in the bestinterest of you study/life balance, stop going.Whether the extra time you free up after ditch-ing a "time-draining" activity allows you tospend your time exploring a passion of yours ormaybe reading some scientific journals to brushup on your verbal and reading skills, so be it. Bygetting rid of activities in your life that takemore away from you than you gain, you'll beginto see how doable a study/life balance can be.

LEARN HOWTO SAY"NO"You don't have to say yes to everything you areasked to do. If you have a weakness for saying "yes"when you really want to say "no," then achieving astudy/life balance is not something you really want.You don't have to say "no" all the time, but fromtime to time, saying these words will give you backthe time that you were handing out for free.Learning how to say "no" the "right" way can ridyou of the guilt you may feel when turning someonedown. If you're able to offer alternatives or sugges-

tions to the person asking for your time, then thismay be the best way to handle a "no" situation. Ifyou learn how to say "I can't, but…" people willusually be more receptive to your "no" response. Soif you're helping a million and one people out andcomplain about not having a social life or time to doanything you want, here's one way to make a change.Being able to say "no" can mean the world of dif-ference when it comes to finding more "life" time.

CHALLENGEPREMEDSTEREOTYPESIn the sometimes competitive world of premed stu-dents, spending hours studying is considered thenorm. But you don't have to study all the time justbecause everyone else it doing it. What matters mostis making the time you do spend studying count.Contrary to popular belief, all premeds do not spendall of their time studying. Yes, it's important that youget awesome grades and score well on the MCAT,but as you already may know, the best medicalschool candidate is one who is a well-rounded stu-dent as well. Don't just go to the library just becausein your mind you feel like you need to be studying.

And another premed stereotype that can mean agreat deal when trying to find a study/life balancedeclaring one of the "typical" premed majors. If youdon't already know, you don't have to be a sciencemajor to get into medical school. In fact, each yearthousands of non-science majors get accepted intomedical school. And by not being weighted down bysuch a heavy courseload as a science major, studentswho elect to go the non-science route may findmore time to enjoy the things they wouldn't havehad time to do if they were taking 3 or 4 sciencecourses at the same time because of their major.

Do you think that just because you're premed youcan't have a social life? Does staying on top of yourstudies and maintaining a health study-life balancesound like an oxymoron? For many premeds, finding abalance between completing school work and having asocial life is often hard to achieve. From attending lecturesand completing lab reports to studying for the MCAT andparticipating in extracurricular activities, premeds have a loton their plate. Achieving a balance between academics andsocial life is not a luxury - it's a necessity! Yes, you're

premed, but that doesn't mean that for the next few yearswhile you're preparing to become the best medical schoolcandidate possible that you're a slave to a schedule that hasyou studying like a maniac. You have the same amount oftime in a day as President Barack Obama, who whilerunning the nation, finds time to shoot some hoops andwatch an episode of "The Kardashians." So why are wetelling you this? Don't tell yourself that you're too busyto have a social life - it's not true. Here are a four waysto bring a little more balance to your premed life:

PreMedLifeMagazine


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

RHEUMATOLOGYAs a growing medical specialty, the importance of rheumatology is beginningto emerge as an important practice worldwide. A rheumatologist can holdeither a Doctor of Medicine Degree (M.D.) or a Doctor of OsteopathicMedicine degree (D.O.).

WHAT DOES A RHEUMATOLOGIST DO?Rheumatologists receive additional training to investigate and determine thecause of swelling and pain that a patient may feel within their joints, muscles,and bones. There are more over 200 types of rheumatologic diseases, includ-ing the following which are among the more familiar: rheumatoid arthritis,gout, back pain, and fibromyalgia. They treat localized pain like in the back,neck, and shoulders, as well as complex systemic pain caused by diseases likerheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus. During a visit they review medical his-tories and perform diagnostic tests. Many rheumatologists also conductresearch to determine the cause and better treatments for the disabling andsometimes fatal diseases they seek to treat.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BECOMEA RHEUMATOLOGIST?

Undergraduate (4 Years)

Medical School (4 Years)

Residency - (2-3 Years)

Fellowship - (2-3 Years)

Some rheumatologist choose to complete additional training to furtherspecialize in a specific type of rheumatology such as pediatric rheumatology.

WHAT ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD RHEUMATOLOGIST? As all physicians should, rheumatologists must have excellent bedside mannerand the ability to help patients feel at ease. Patients, self-motivation, good hand-eye coordination, and manual dexterity are essential for succeeding within thisspecialty. They also should have good communication and interpersonal skillsand the ability to work with a variety of patients and other professionals.Moreover, the ability to work handle stressful situations and made effective deci-sions at a moment's notice is also a must.

WHAT DO SOME RHEUMATOLOGISTS SAY THEY LOVEABOUT THEIR SPECIALTY?The doctor-patient relationships that forms as they work together to dis-cover the causes of various conditions and find the best treatment plans;Educating patients beyond basic science in an easy-to-understand way sothey gain a better understanding of their condition; Range of conditionsand disease presented; Challenges behind diagnosing conditions that areoften difficult to identify during the beginning stages.

WHAT DO RHEUMATOLOGISTS EARN?The annual salary for a rheumatologist ranges from $171,000 to $200,000.

WHAT UPPER-LEVEL COLLEGE CLASSES SHOULD YOUTAKE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BECOMING ARHEUMATOLOGIST?Immunology, Cell Biology, and Genetics

Rheumatology is a sub-specialty of internal medicineand pediatrics, devoted to diagnosis and therapy ofrheumatic diseases - arthritis and other clinical condi-tions involving joints, soft tissues, autoimmune diseases,vasculitis, and heritable connective tissue disorders.


PREMED’S GUIDE TO SPRING BREAK 2012

Just because you're premed doesn't mean you have to miss out on all the funthat happens during spring break. If you're studying during spring break -that's a problem. Not only does spring break give a chance to break up the

redundancy that comes along with living the premed life, but it also allows you tobring a balance between your study and social life. So check it out, we searched thetop spring break destinations for 2012 and did a little research to see if we couldfind some "premed" activates that you might be able to plan into your schedule.So if you're planning to visit one of these top spring break destinations, accord-ing to StudentCity.com, here's a way to make you feel a little less guilty about tak-ing a "pause for the cause."

Cancun, MexicoEven if you have no plans on taking an astronomy course, the ALFAPlanetarium includes an ImaxDome system cinema as well as areas for educa-tion exhibitions and interactive activities. Even though it's geared more towardchildren and young people, the ALFA Planetarium will give you a greater appreci-ation for science and technology.

It might be nice to visit one of the world's largest underwater museums, sub-merged in the clear waters of Cancun. The Cancun Underwater Museum aimsto demonstrate the interaction between art and environmental science and hopesto form a complex reef structure for marine life to colonize and inhabit. Here'syour chance to witness marine biology up close and personal.

Bet you've never seen a turtle farm? Isla Mujeres Turtle Farm is a scientificfacility where you can see sea turtles in the hundreds, which lay their eggs on itssand from May to September.

A trip to the aquarium is always enjoyable so why not stop by Cancun'sInteractive Aquarium. At this hands-on attraction, you'll be able to touch seaurchins, swim with dolphins and feed sharks locked in an underwater cage.

Panama City Beach, FloridaThe Science & Discovery Center of Northwest Florida is designed to educateand inspire visitors through hands-on, interactive exhibits and programs that aredesigned to promote discovery of science, technology, and history. Don't feel badif you're one of the "older" kids in the room, let loose and tap into your inner

Cancun, Mexico

Panama City Beach, Florida

Las Vegas, Nevada


child. And if you're planning on being in area on Friday, March 30, the Mad ScienceSoiree is an evening for the older, 16 and over crowd, full of food and science fun.

One of Panama City's top beach attractions, WonderWorks is an upside-downbuilding that features over 100 interactive exhibits designed for visitors of all ages.From an anti-gravity chamber and a pulley challenge (did someone say physics inaction?) to a piano reminiscent of the movie, "Big" and Mindball pit that puts twoparticipants in a unique mental contest, you'll definitely enjoy yourself at this fun-filled attraction.

Animals from different species can teach us so much about humans and theworld around us, so why not pay a visit to Zoo World, a zoological and botanicalconservatory. Home to over 260 animals including exotic and endangered species,Zoo World, offers visitors the opportunity to get an up close and personal view ofanimals in a lush, tropical setting. And hey, maybe because they know you'll be intown, Zoo World is even offering college students special discounts on admissionsand programs with your college ID.

And we couldn't leave out Panama City's Ripley's Believe It or NotOdditorium. This popular attraction is more than just a museum of the strangeand the unusual, but a collection of oddities housed in what appears to be a sink-ing ship. The oddity museum features bizarre, one-of-a-kind exhibits and attrac-tions. And if you're not interested in this kind of stuff, then maybe you'll enjoy acompetitive Laser Race activity.

Punta Cana, Dominican RepublicThe Ocean World Adventure Park has gained the reputation as a "must-see"attraction in the Dominican Republic and is the most advanced marine interactionpark of its kind. Guests of Ocean World Adventure Park have the opportunity totouch, pet and feed dolphins, sea lions, sharks, stingrays, exotic tropical birds, meettigers, walk through a tropical rain forest and much more.

Las Vegas, NevadaAt the Las Vegas Natural History Museum you'll see everything from a realwooly mammoth tooth and a shark jaw bone to exhibits on just about every wildanimal under the sun. It also features so much information and so many lifelikereplicas of extinct and present day animals that you'll feel like you're at the zoo, withinteractive exhibits featuring animated dinosaurs, a Nevada room with SouthernNevada’s plant and animal life, an international wildlife room, shark exhibit with livesharks, children’s hands-on exploration room and gift shop.

Nassau, BahamasWaterscape Paradise Island is the largest outdoor aquarium in the world, featur-ing six lagoons, five swimming pools, 40 waterfalls and underwater walkways forviewing fish.

Situated only minutes from the heart of downtown Nassau , Bahamas, theArdastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Center is a one-of-a-kind place.

The 5-½ acre park is part jungle, part gardens and home to hundreds of beau-tiful mammals, birds and reptiles from around the world, including many endan-gered species from the Bahamas and the Greater Caribbean . Ardastra offers avery intimate setting to mingle with amazing wildlife and is committed to thepreservation and conservation of endangered species. You can’t miss the worldfamous marching flamingos.

South Padre, TexasSea Turtle, Inc is dedicated to the education, research, and rehabilitation for thepreservation of Sea Turtles and their environment. We are growing and we lookforward to continuing and expanding out commitment to the environment and itsinhabitants through education and participation in conservation efforts worldwide.Each day a volunteer from Sea Turtle, Inc. meets visitors at the facility and talksabout the different species of sea turtles, their importance to the environment, andwhat we as individuals can do to pull them back from the edge of extinction.

Anyone who has learned about Darwin know that birds can teach us a wholelot. So why not pay a visit to the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center isRio Grande Valley's premier destination for birdwatching. The unique location onSouth Padre Island is the perfect place to observe the birds, butterflies and naturalwildlife in coastal South Texas. Visit us on South Padre Island, walk the bayfrontboardwalks, take a birding tour and explore the nature center.

The Dolphin Research and Sea Life Nature Center is a cost-effective wayto entertain yourself and engage in understanding the importance of respectingwildlife and preserving nature. Visitors love the "touch tanks" that enable them toget hands-on experience with various live samples of marine life. Within the cen-ter, visitors will find knowledgeable volunteers who are willing and able to answerquestions about the displays and who give educational presentations to visitors.

Miami, FloridaThe Miami Science Museum aims to make a difference in people’s lives by

inspiring them to appreciate the impact that science and technology can have onevery facet of our world. From exhibits called Heart Smart that addresses the issuesaround heart disease to hands-on exhibits that explore everything from basic ener-gy principles to the future of renewable energy, visitors are sure to find somethinginteresting to do at this attraction. Need some mental exercise? Attend the AnnualBrain Fair, a free educational event sponsored by the University of Miami onSaturday, March 17 from 10 am - 4 pm at the Miami Science Museum. Find out ifyou are a super taster, discover ways to be smarter, and hold a real brain! These andother fun activities will give you the mental workout you've been looking for.

The Miami Sequarium is a world-class marine-line entertainment part. It offersa 38-acre tropical paradise with spectacular views of the city's skyline, eight differ-ent marine animal shows and presentations offered daily featuring whales, dolphinsand sea lions, hands-on experience with feeding California Sea Lions, a MangroveHabitat with crocodiles, alligators, endangered sea turtles, and native birds.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico


PRE-MEDSUMMER PROGRAMLIST2

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Arizona Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Summer Students Program Phoenix, Arizona June/July 2012 6-Week

PROGRAM NAME LOCATION DATE DURATION

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Los Angeles, California June-August 2012 6 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)

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ERE’S

STILL

TIME T

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LY TO

THESE

PROG

RAMS

UCLA Pre-Medical Enrichment Program (PREP) Los Angeles, California June 20-August 3 2012 7 Weeks

UCLA Re-Application Program (RAP) Los Angeles, California June 20-August 3, 2012 11 Months Summer Session7 Weeks + Academic Session9 Months


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.

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 2012Email [email protected]

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 1, 2012Email [email protected]

Websitewww.medsch.ucla.edu/smdep

MealsStipendHousing

DESCRIPTION PERKS PROGRAM INFO APPLICATION DEADLINE

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)

MARCH 1, 2012

Phone(310) 825-3575

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

MAY 3, 2012 (priority deadline)MAY 10, 2012 (final deadline)



Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy Duarte, California May-July 2012 10 WeeksorJune-August 2012

2012 PREMED SUMMER PROGRAM LIST

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Duarte, California May-August 2012 12 WeeksContinuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE) Program June-August 2012

June-September 2012

Graduate Experience for Multicultural Students (GEMS) Denver, Colorado June - August 2012 10 Weeksat the University of Colorado - Denver School of Medicine

Yale University Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) New Haven, Connecticut June-July 2012 6 Weeks

College Enrichment Program (CEP) at the University of Connecticut Storrs, Connecticut May - July 2012 6 Weeks

Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation Internship Program Ridgefield, Connecticut TBA TBA


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

Email: [email protected]

Websitewww.cityofhope.org/education/sum-mer-student-academy/Pages/default.aspx

MARCH 2012

Websitewww.cityofhope.org/education/summer-student-academy/Pages/CURE-pro-gram.aspx

CONTACT PROGRAM


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.

$3400 stipendTravel Allowance

MARCH 2012(303) 724-6084Email: [email protected]

Websitewww.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/med-icalschool/programs/GEMS/Pages/default.aspx

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, 2012Email: [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.html

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 2012Email: [email protected]

Websitemedicine.uchc.edu/prospective/hcop/college.html

$800 StipendRoom & Board



College Summer Fellowship Program at UConn School of Medicine Farmington, Connecticut TBA 10 Weeks


Summer Medical/Dental Education Program (SMDEP) Washington, DC June-July 2012 6 Weeksat Howard University

Georgetown Summer Medical Institute (GSMI) Washington, DC June/July 2012 Varies

STEP-UP/BSURE Program Baltimore, Maryland June - August 2012 8 Weeksat the University of Maryland, Baltimore County

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


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 15, 2012


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, 2012Email: [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 2012 OR Email: [email protected] UNTIL THE PROGRAM IS FILLED

Websitewww.umbc.edu/bsure

$4,000 StipendTravel Allowance

JUNE 2012

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

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

MARCH 30 2012



Minority Students Health Careers Motivation Program Miami, Florida June-July 2012 7 Weeks


Professional Education Preparation Program (PEPP) Lexington, Kentucky June 13-July 11 2012 4 Weeksat The University of Kentucky

MCAT-DAT Review Summer Workshop Louisville, Kentucky July-August 2012 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 2012 8 WeeksNational Institutes of Health (NIH) Baltimore, Maryland

Frederick, Maryland


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

(305) 284-3187

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

LATE MARCH 2012


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; MARCH 1, 2012Email: [email protected]

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

HousingMeals

Free MCAT-DAT review workshop for eligiblestudents

(502) 852-8109; MARCH 1, 2012Email [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, 2012Email [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, 2012

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

Stipend


College Summer Enrichment Program Worcester, Massachusetts May 27-June 22, 2012 4 Weeksat the University of Massachusetts Medical School


Siteman Cancer Center Summer Opportunity Program St. Louis, Missouri June - August 2012 10 Weeks


Montefiore Medical Center's Health Opportunities Program Bronx, New York July - August 2012 6 Weeks(Monte-HOP)

Summer Undergraduate Mentorship Program Bronx, New York June-July 2012 6 weeksat Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University


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, 2012

Websitewww.umassmed.edu/outreach/sep.aspx

StipendHousingTravel Allowance

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, 2012Email [email protected]

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

$3500 Stipend

PREMEDLIFE MAGAZINE DESCRIPTION PERKS PROGRAM INFO APPLICATION DEADLINE

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 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


Premedical Achievement Program (PMAP) East Lansing, Michigan June - July 2012 6 Weeksat Michigan State University


Summer MCAT Review Program East Lansing, Michigan May 21 -25 2012 1 Weekat Michigan State University

University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, Nebraska June - July 2012 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 2012(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, 2012

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.

[email protected] MARCH 1, 2012

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

$4000 StipendHousing



UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical and New Jersey Dental Schools Newark, New Jersey June-July 2012 6 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)


Biomedical Careers Program (BCP) at Robert Wood Medical School Piscataway, New Jersey June - July 2012 6 Weeks

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons New York, New York June-July 2012 6 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)



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



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


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 May 14 -July 12, 2012 8 Weeks

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


Pre-Professional Internship Program Cincinnati, Ohio January 3-6, 2012 1- 2 Weeksat Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine January 10-13, 2012

June 5-8, 2012June 12-15, 2012July 10-13, 2012July 17-20, 2012


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.


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

Housing andTravel Stipend

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 MARCH 31, 2012

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

Stipend Travel Stipend


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 MAY 15, 2012 FOR JUN [email protected] JUNE 19, 2012 FOR JUL PROGAM

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


Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Cleveland, Ohio June - July 2012 6 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)


Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine Athens, Ohio June 11 to July 17, 2012 6 WeeksSummer Scholars Program

MedStarz Program at the University of Toledo College of Medicine Toldeo, OH July 2012 1 Week


Mini-Med Spring Break at Drexel University College of Medicine Philadelphia, Pennsylvania March/April 2012 Choose from 7 1-week sessions


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


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


Websitewww.drexelmed.edu/Home/OtherPrograms/MiniMedSchool


Summer Premedical Enrichment Program (SPEP) Cincinnati, Ohio June - July 2012 6 Weeksat the University of Cincinnati


Summer Premedical Academic Enrichment Program (SPAEP) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania June - July 2012 8 Weeksat the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Pre-med Enrichment Program Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May - August 2012 10 Weeksat the University of Pennsylvania Health System

Pre-Med Program at St. Mary Healthcare Center Langhorne, Pennsylvania Begins May 2012 TBA

Summer Pre-Med Program at Doylestown Hospital Doylestown, Pennsylvania Late-May - August 2012 10 Weeks



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).

(215) 898-3980 CONTACT [email protected]

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.

(215) 710-2096 CONTACT [email protected]

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




The University of Texas Dental Branch and Medical School at Houston Houston, Texas May-June 2012 6 WeeksSummer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)

Health Career Opportunities Program (HCOP) Houston, Texas May 15-June 29, 2012 6 Weeksat The University of Houston College of Optometry

Physiology Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE) San Antonio, Texas June - July 2012 8 Weeks


Virginia-Nebraska Alliance Summer MCAT Preparatory Program Richmond, Virginia TBA 5 Weeks

UC Irvine Summer Premed Program Irvine, California June - July, 2012 2 Week Sessions


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.


Websitehttp://physiology.uthscsa.edu/new/teaching/undergrad_sum_program.asp

$3000 Stipend


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]

Websitehttp://prehealth.richmond.edu/mcat-preparation/virginia-nebraska-alliance.html

$1500 StipendHousingMeals

This program is for high school students whoare not in college yet. UC Irvine's SummerPremed Program is dedicated to fostering inhigh school students an interest in pursuingcareers in medicine. .The two-week coursescombine lectures given by UC Irvine Schoolof Medicine faculty members and hands-onworkshops to provide students with a first-rate exposure to the medical field.

[email protected] CONTACT PROGRAM

Websitehttp://www.som.uci.edu/summerpremed/


THEGOODS>>>Our pick of items that will add some flair to your premedlife and perhaps make you smile

Fresh Wave Stinky Dorm Kit The Fresh Wave Stinky Dorm Kit ensures your livingspace will always receive a passing grade. Use it anywhereor on anything (even your roommate) that could use agood, non-toxic deodorizing. The Natural odor eliminat-ing kit includes a special crystal gel and spray for totaldorm de-stinkification.

I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook The I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook is a one-stopshopping guide and cookbook designed to offer collegestudents relief from fast food and dining hall duds. Evenif you've never cooked before, this book will show youhow quick and easy it is to turn your groceries into deli-cious dishes.

Obol, the Never Soggy Cereal Bowl If you hate soggy cereal than this specially designed

bowl is the answer to your soggy problems. TheObol® has two sections - an upper area for your cere-

al, and a lower reservoir for milk. The unique designlets you enjoy cereal r anything crispy until the last bite.

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Dream Cheeky Mail Box Friends AlertThe Dream Cheeky Mail Box Friends Alert is a message

monitoring software that can be personalized for all ofyour email and social media accounts. This gadget incor-

porates color and sound to stay connected when you can't.

Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet The Boogie Board is the "green" alternative to paperand ink that lets you take notes without creating anywaste. The pressure-sensitive surface allows you tocreate lines of different thickness depending on howmuch pressure you use. The tablet displays notesuntil you erase them with the touch of a button. It'sperfect to use for making lists or reminder notes.

Skanz Bands The Skanz Bands bracelets come with a QRCode that's unique to you. The second some-one scans your code, the free customizablebracelet automatically takes them to your per-sonal Skanzsite. Share your contact info,Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, music,photos and more.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES GUIDE TO ESSENTIALKNOWLEDGE by The New York TimesThis book from The New York Times will be an indispensable resourcefor you as you prepare for your medical school interview. Whilesome of the questions you get during your interview will be pre-dictable, you never know what topic might come up in conversationduring your sit down with your interviewer. From the history ofWestern art to an in-depth look at biology, economics, philosophy,theater, and many other subjects, this guide will also come in handywhen you're researching a topic for an assignment or paper.Whatever your use, this book of knowledge is an easy reference tool,jam packed with a ton of useful information.

DOCTORS IN THE MAKING: MEMOIRS ANDMEDICAL EDUCATION by Suzanne PoirierDo you ever think that medical school is just peaches and creamfor everyone? In a book put together through close readings ofdiaries, memoirs, and blogs of physicians-in-training, SuzannePoirier gives readers a closer look at not only what becoming adoctor is all about, but also the physical, emotional, and spiritu-al events that occur during the process. "Although most stu-dents emerge from medical education as well-trained, well-pre-pared professionals, few of them will claim that they survivedthe process unscathed," Poirier wrote. "The authors of theseaccounts document - for better or for worse - the ways in whichthey have been changed."

101 TIPS ON GETTING INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL by Jennifer C. WelchFrom the unique perspective of a medical school admissions direc-tor, Welch strives to guide readers through the often overwhelmingprocess of applying to medical school. In this book, Welch uses real-life scenarios from thousands of medical school applications andinterviews to show premeds what schools and admissions commit-tees are really looking for. From which premed course to take tomaking a lasting impression at your medical school interview, thisbook of 101 tips should give you a feel for what works - and whatdoesn't when it comes to becoming the best medical school candi-date possible.

THE REAL LIFE OF AN INTERNIST by Mark D. Tyler-LloydFrom medical student to intern to practicing specialist, this book fol-lows the careers of internists, the largest specialization among doc-tors. Through a collection of stories, readers get first-hand accountsfrom students and doctors who are studying internal medicine at dif-ferent stages of their careers. From stories about patients with mys-tery ailments to delivering bad news to a patient, the real stories ofinternists give readers a candid look at what life is like for doctors inthe field. If you're thinking about going into internal medicine, thisbook will surely give you a taste of what your future may hold.

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 pre-med life

Health | Wellness | Fitness | Nutrition | Mind & BodynewstouseThe results of a new study published in the Journal ofApplied Physiology suggest that physical activity may boostcognition by improving neurons' power supply.

The study, conducted by J. Mark Davis, a physiologist atthe University of South Carolina, and his colleagues, foundthat in mice, the levels of a particular signaling molecule,called "a master regulator" of mitochondria production,increased in the brain after thirty minutes a day of treadmillrunning. "It appears that the brain adapts and changes bybring more of these powerhouses online" said Davis. "Theincreased energy supply allows the brain to work faster andmore efficiently."

These new findings could provide further insight into thebenefits of exercising and how it influences brain functionsoverall. "The evidence is accumulating rapidly that exercisekeep the brain younger," Davis told Scientific American.

Regular ExerciseMay Keep YourBrain Running

Some foods may help relieve tension and enhance memory powerfor students preparing to take exams, say researchers at a univer-sity in India who are working on creating a special diet for test day.

The researchers who have begun testing their special diet amongschool students say that they are seeing wonderful results, with con-siderable improvement in academic performance and stress man-agement among the study group. For the study, students were divid-ed into four groups and told to follow four different prescribeddiets. Included on the list were cereals and grains, leafy vegetables,and fruits, all foods that produce Tryptophan, which produces sero-tonin, the neurotransmitter in the brain that normally helps reducestress. Then, the students' performance was compared with studentswho were not involved with the study.

"The students who followed the prescribed diet exhibited con-siderable improvement when compared to students of the place-bo group," said Rohini Tiwari, who supervised the research at theall-women university. This does not mean that diet managementalone will help, warned C Yegammai, who was also involved withthe study. "We also give them training on stress and anger man-agement and taught them the importance of a good night'ssleep," she said.

Special Diet May Help Test Anxiety

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>>> See upcoming health and fitness events atthafitnessgroup.com

Students who do not get enough sleep may develop prob-lems later on in life when it comes to their memory, accord-ing to a study published in the journal American Academy ofNeurology. The study, led Yo-El Ju, M.D., of WashingtonUniversity School of Medicine and member of theAmerican Academy of Neurology, included 100 peoplebetween 45 to 80 years old who had no signs of dementia.For two weeks a device was placed on them to study theirsleep patterns. In addition, researchers also analyzed partic-ipant questionnaires and sleep diaries.

Results from the study revealed participants who wokeup more than five times per hour were more likely to haveamyloid plaque compared to participants who did not wakeup as often. A build-up of amyloid plaques is the usual indi-cation of Alzheimer's disease, in the brains of people with-out memory loss. Moreover, Participants who spent lessthan 85 percent of time in bed sleeping were more likely tohave markers than those who spent more than 85 percentof time in bed sleeping.

"The association between disrupted sleep and amyloidplaques is intriguing, but the information from this studycan not determine a cause-effect relationship or the direc-tion of this relationship," said Yo-El Ju. "We need longer-term studies, following individuals' sleep over years, todetermine whether disrupted sleep leads to amyloidplaques, or whether brain changes in early Alzheimer's dis-ease lead to changes in sleep."

Lack of SleepCauses ProblemsLater in Life

More time spent on Facebook may lead tofeeling of unhappiness, according to astudy published in the journal ofCyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.

For the study, approximately 425 under-graduate students were given question-naires about their Facebook habits like,how many friends they have, how longthey've been on Facebook, and how oftenthey check their pages. In addition, thequestionnaire also asked how much theyagreed or disagreed with such statements

like "Life is fair" or "Many of my friendshave a better life than me." Controlling forseveral factors including race, gender, religion,and relationship status, researchers found thatstudents who used Facebook longer and moreoften agreed that others were happier and hadbetter lives and agreed that life is less fair.

Adding more evidence to the notion thatFacebook is linked to depression, this is notthe first study of its kind to analyze theeffects of Facebook on adolescents andyoung adults' happiness.

New Study LinksFacebook to DepressionAmong College Students

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FOUR FAST STEPS TO FIXING YOUR FOCUS ISSUES

COLLEGE101>>> Tips and advice for getting through your days as a student in college

Focus is the big hairy bugbear that stalks many stu-dents. Twenty minutes into their two hour study ses-sion they find themselves talking or texting or trim-ming their toenails or doing absolutely anything ratherthan studying. So how can you deftly dodge the dis-traction of friends, phones, Facebook, food, etc.?Follow this simple formula and become the awe-inspiring focus fiend you always knew you could be.

1. GET ON YOUR BLINDERS.Way back in times gone by, when your great granpap-py was still in knee pants, coach horses wore blinders.Blinders are small shades or screens, mounted besideeach eye, that focus the horse’s attention forward andkeep them from being spooked by every little thingthey trot by. A skittish animal can’t be spooked bywhat it doesn’t see.

Your brain is a skittish animal, so get it blinders.Make a list right now of the things that tend to dis-tract you when you’re studying. Really. Do it now!Bust out your big fat pencil and your big chief padand get to listing.

What did your distractions include? Friends?Your computer? Your phone? Hunger pangs? Nowcome up with some ways can you blind yourself tothose distractions during focus time. You might goto a study carrel way back in the aging spotty bow-els of your university library and turn your phoneoff. Take an apple and a small bottle of water sohunger and thirst won’t lure you out of your studyhole. Go to the bathroom on your way in, so youcan be at peace with your bladder.

This step is a roundhouse kick to the tender mid-section of future distractions. Put on those blindersbefore each study session, and most of your currentfocus woes will wilt like a supermodel at a spelling bee.

2. SET YOUR FOCUS GOALS.Actually write down those goals and watch yourwillpower swell to rideeekulous proportions. Here’show. Track yourself for three days and get an averagefor how long you usually focus before distractiondescends to reek havoc on all your study plans. Set agoal to increase that by 10% per session. Then set afinal goal; the goal that represents your entrance intothe ranks of the focus demi-gods. For example, afterthree days tracking, I find that I usually lose focusafter about 20 minutes on average. My next goal is toget 22 minutes without losing focus. Once I meet thatgoal, I will go for 24 minutes. This process stops onceI’ve reached four hours straight of laser-like mentalcutting-torch intensity. YES!

3. SPUR YOURSELF ON WITH REWARDS.Establish a reward for completion of each goal; smallrewards for small goals, and one massive honkin’ecstasy-inducing hunka-hunka-burnin-love reward forcompletion of The Final Goal. “Once I’ve success-fully maintained my focus for 24 minutes, I get a ten-minute reddit fix. When I achieve four hours, I willorder the never-ending plate o’ nachos at Mi FamiliaTaqueria and eat until my jaws cramp.”

Don’t neglect the rewards step. The rewards arewhat turn this whole process from horrible mind-numbing drudgery into a romp through a mysticalland full of edible rainbows and beer-sneezing uni-corns.

4. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS.Psychological studies in abundance have proved howhelpful tracking is to behavioral modification. Bottomline for you: write down your progress as you work onthese goals. It functions as a regular source of con-

crete feedback that will keep you cranking out longerand longer focus times. Don’t worry about down-loading special apps or using a fancy daytimer to dothis. That’s just an excuse to procrastinate. All youneed to do is keep a piece of paper in your backpackor notebook that lists dates and times and maybesome comments, like this…

1/12/12 -Focused 22 min.1/13/12 -24 min. - treated myself to cafe latte,1/14/12 -23 min. - Aaargh! Curse you brain. You shall not win!1/15/12 -28 min. - Nyah, nyah! Reward; 10 minutes of “spe-cial attention” to the voodoo doll of my biochem prof.

Tracking progress as an aid to achieving behavioralgoals has been proven effective for everything fromcuring phobias to quitting smoking. Put it to work foryou by simply taking a few seconds to track yourprogress after each study session.

So put on your blinders, set your focus goals, spuryourself on with rewards, and track your progress,and you will soon find yourself a jedi master of force-ful focus. Be gone foul distraction demons! You haveno power here!

Follow this link for more on building your abil-ity to focus.

© Cody Blair, All Rights Reserved.

CODY BLAIR has spent over a decade helping studentsand teachers discover the secrets that make learningsimple! His ebook, Secrets Smart Students Know,reveals how the best students use powerful study skills,maximize their memory, avoid procrastination, andmaximize their focus to achieve fantastic grades withmuch less work! Click now to find out more about sim-ple methods to maximize your study skills.

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BECAUSE I DON’T JUST WEAR THE SHIRT, I LIVE IT.GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. LIVE UNITED®

Michael Cleveland is part of United Way’s ongoing work to improve the education, income, and health of our communities. To find out how you can help create opportunities for a better life for all, visit LIVEUNITED.ORG.

INSTEAD OF JUST HANGING OUT ON SATURDAYS

I HELP KIDS HANG IN THERE

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PreMedLife Magazine - March-April 2012