Pre-medical summer programs give interested students a taste of the profession.
Many undergraduate universities offer programs that give high school and college students interested in medical careers exposure to the skills and experience of medicine. Many of these programs focus on minority students or students with financial hardships. Once students graduate from medical school, they will have abundant job opportunities. The medical field, specifically physicians and surgeons, is expected to grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine
The National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine prepares high school students for a career path in medicine. The interactive curriculum, which involves clinical and research visits, is held on college campuses in eight cities across the country, including Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. Students who participate in the 10-day summer program were nominated by their teachers; mentors or alumni of the program, based on academic performance and leadership potential. All are in grades 9 through 12 and have at least a B+ average. Students learn academic requirements; career paths and ethical issues in the medical field and discuss such topics as global epidemics, treatment and care. They use this information afterward to suggest ways to raise public awareness about a global health issue, according to the National Youth Leadership Forum.
National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine
1919 Gallows Road, Suite 700
Vienna, VA 22182
703-584-9240
nylf.org
Summer Pre-Medical Enrichment Program
The Summer Pre-Medical Enrichment Program sponsored by the University of Cincinnati is a six-week summer program that exposes college juniors, seniors and graduates underrepresented in science or from disadvantaged backgrounds to the medical field. Each student receives a $1,500 stipend for books and materials, travel to and from the program and housing in a residence hall at the University of Cincinnati. Students are mentored by practicing physicians, whom they shadow at their jobs. Workshops teach students problem-solving skills for medical school and prepare them for the Medical College Admission Test. Students attend classes similar to medical school classes, including physiology and cardiology, and receive information about the medical school admission process. Participants must have completed two years of college coursework, including general chemistry and biology, and provide evidence of disadvantaged or underrepresented status, according to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
231 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati, OH 45267-2827
513-558-7212
MedOneStop.uc.edu
Dialysis Clinic Inc. Collegiate Medical Summer Internship Program
Dialysis Clinic Inc. sponsors a pre-medical internship in organ transplantation. Transplant centers are located all over the country, including Nashville, Tennessee, and San Antonio, Texas. Students shadow physicians at the hospital and observe transplant-related surgeries. In some cases, students collect data on the transplant process and work on a clinical research project. Additionally, students work as counselors in a camp for post-transplant or dialysis children. This internship opportunity is designed to give students experience in surgery and clinical research. Preference will be given to applicants who have just completed their junior year of college and demonstrate a strong interest in medicine. Students receive a stipend, housing and reimbursement for travel expenses, according to Dialysis Clinic Inc.
Dialysis Clinic Inc.
1633 Church St., Suite 500
Nashville, TN 37203
615-327-3061
dciinc.org
Tags: Youth Leadership Forum, Dialysis Clinic, Leadership Forum, medical school, National Youth, National Youth Leadership