PreMedLife Magazine - May/June 2012 Issue

PREMEDLIFEΤΜ

SchoolSpotlight

Weill Cornell Medical College

MAY/JUNE 2012WWW.PREMEDLIFE.COM

Hidden Factors Behind Medical School Admissions p.8 | New Scholarship for NYC Med Students p.15

Interview withDr. Ambati

Current “Youngest Doctor”World record-holder talksabout his pre-med years

6 Buckets on How to be Premed

A breakdown of the complicated process of

medical school admissions

Where Do Non-TraditionalApplicants Fit?

5 factors to consider whenapplying to medical school

as an older applicant

+Hundreds of programs across the country offer students the option of combining their love for medicine with one of many other fields

THEDUAL DEGREE

How I Got an ‘A’ inOrganic Chemistry

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

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

Pixe

lsAwa

y

www.thafitnessgroup.com

May/June 2012 | PreMedLife Magazine | 3

FEATURES Where Do You Fit? Choosing the RightSchool as a Non-Traditional Student | 185 factors that older applicants may want to consider before selecting a medical school

The 6 Buckets of Being Premed| 36Dr. Miller breaks down the complicated process of the medical school admissions

Dual Degree Medical Programs| 42Hundreds of programs across the country offerstudents the opportunity to combine their love ofmedicine with a number of other fields

DEPARTMENTSSchool Spotlight| 31Weill Cornell Medical College offers students a unique opportunity to continue their passion formusic while still pursuing a career in medicine

Especially This Specialty | 41Find out what being an Academic Physician is all about and what it will take to become one

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

The Goods| 66Gadgets & gizmos to keep you entertained. From a personal library kit maker to an electric plug organizer,these goods are sure to keep you entertained.

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

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

IN THIS ISSUEInterview with Dr. Balamurali Ambati | 24Current “Youngest Doctor” World Record HolderDr. Balamurali Ambati talks about his pre-med yearsand gives advice about pursuing a life in medicine

How I Got An ‘A’ in Organic Chemistry | 35One student shares strategies for tackling the infamous weed-out course for students who are applying to medical school

CONTENTS18 15

10

24

May/June 2012www.premedlife.com

‘LIKE’ USPreMedLife magazine provides ahost of features, everything from get-ting into medical school to tips foracing the MCAT. Visit our facebookpage often to get online exclusivearticles covering topics that pre-medstudents care about most.

Facebook.com/PreMedLife

EAT SMART, LITERALLY! - Check outThe Goods to find out what anEinstein’s Energy Bar has to offerp.66

www.premedlife.com

www.facebook.com/premedlife


HERE’S HOW TO REACH US...Kisho Media, LLC P.O. Box 7049New York, NY 10116Main Office (347) 231 - 6429

HAVE A STORY IDEA?Email us at [email protected]

WANT TO SUBSCRIBE?Log onto www.premedlife.com and sign-up to receivean email with the latest issue is available online

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING ORPARTNERING WITH PREMEDLIFE?Email us at [email protected]

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].

4 | PreMedLife Magazine | May/June 2012

from the

SMART AND AMAZINGOur premed readers are amazing and I’m not just saying that becauseyou’ve made PreMedLife magazine the #1 online magazine for premedstudents. Whenever I hear from a premed student who is working theirbutt off to get into medical school to fulfill their dream of becoming adoctor, it moves me. And in a way, for someone who was a premed stu-dent myself back in the days, a small part of me lives vicariously throughour readers. There’s something about the readers I hear from, whethermajoring in theater or history, that makes them so great! I love theirdrive, their dedication, their passion for medicine, and their uniqueness.Together, it gives me great feeling to know that we here at PreMedLifehave entered into their lives through our magazine. I am honored to bea part of your journey and hope that when you “make it big” in a med-ical student sense of the phrase, that you will continue to be a part ofPreMedLife by “saying it forward” and passing on the lessons you’velearned as a premed to the many students who will follow in your foot-steps. With that said, my hope is that PreMedLife magazine will continueto inspire you to work hard for your chance to strut your stuff in thatwhite coat that has your name written all over it.

Sheema [email protected]

SShheeeemmaa

publisherPublisher/CEO | Sheema Prince

Executive Director/COO | Jonathan Pearson

EVP, Operations | Monique Terc

Managing Editor | Monica Lee

Assistant Editor | Fred Matthias

Digital Editor | Donald Gibbons

Contributing Writers | Suliman El-Amin,Desiree Hykes, Stacy Jones, Suzanne M. Miller

Production Coordinator | Shawn Klein

Social Media Manager | Tammy Li

Interns | Bruce Thompson, Nancy Pomales,Kelly Sanchez, Tracey Michaelson, Mara McGee,Kevin Weber, Gary Hill, Tashaun Robinson

Find us on Twitter @premedlifeFind us on Facebook.com/premedlife

PREMEDLIFEthe lifestyle magazine for premedical students

www.premedlife.com

www.premedlife.com

www.twitter.com/premedlife

www.premedlife.com

www.premedlife.com

PreMedLifeMagazine

twitter.com/premedlife facebook.com/premedlife

SubscribeToday

For more information about PreMedLife MMagazine, visit us online at www.premedlife.com

don’t worry IT’S FREE...(we know you’re probably broke)



www.premedlife.com


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.

THE TWEET PEEK

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER.COM@PREMEDLIFE

FOR DAILY UPDATESLIKE THESE

GIVING BACKShould more MDs pay it for-ward? @kumedcenter grad

gives $100K for med studentsscholarship bit.ly/w2LJ6Z

TRENDING TOPIC #SometimesYouHaveTo

study when everyone else ispartying

MCAT NEWSWhat looming MCAT

changes mean for aspiringdoctors bit.ly/xMFe6d

VICTORY CLIMBPremed climbs mountain tocelebrate med school accept-

ance bit.ly/yW9iq5 - Howwill YOU celebrate your med

school acceptance?

AMERICA’S DOCTORSRT @nytimeshealth - Is

America Stealing the World’sDoctors? nyt.ms/zYMQVA

PERSEVERANCEWoman who becomes MD at58 years old says “don't’ letanyone discourage you from

pursuing your dreams”huff.to/ynjtxc

RE-APPLICANT FILESWhich Factors Predict the

Likelihood of Reapplying toMedical School? An Analysisby Gender bit.ly/w4DIDF

#meded

CORPORATION CASHNow that’s wuz up!

@Comcast pledges $1.055million to New Jersey med

school for scholarshipsbit.ly/ADjR3B @comcastcares


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:

HLiving allowance H$4,725 for tuition or student loans HHealth care HMoving expenses

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

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


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

New Study Reveals Hidden FactorsBehind Medical School Admissions

Medical school applicants tailor their responses toessays based on what they think they know aboutthe admissions process, according to a recent studypublished in the journal BMC Medical Education.

"Applicants were observed to be conformingto the expectations of the selection process inways intended to maximize their chances ofacceptance," wrote the study authors. "Applicantsadmitted to giving answers perceived to be themost acceptable to the school, and to having ashared understanding about the ‘unwritten rules’of acceptable conduct in the process."

Investigators, led by Jonathan White, from theUniversity of Alberta and Jean-Francois Lemay,from the University of Calgary came to this con-clusion when gathering information about howapplicants approached the essay questions used instudent selection. The investigators based theirstudy on the analysis of three essay questionsused in the selection process at their medicalschool in 2007.

The first essay on volunteerism was submittedonline before the applicants’ interviews, with thequestion being posted three months before theapplication deadline, while the other two essays,on professionalism and reflection were complet-ed by applicants at the conclusion of their multi-ple mini-interview process. Each essay wasapproximately one page in length and was com-pleted in 30 minutes. Then essays used for analy-ses were selected at random from the applicantsinvited for an interview, and were anonymizedbefore analysis began.

The results revealed that in many instances, mate-rial given in an answer did not seem to relate directlyto the question provided, but appeared to have beenincluded for another, unstated purpose. Specifically,answers included information which did not beardirectly on the question asked, but seemed instead tobe intended to impress the readers. For example, inthe question on volunteerism, an applicant includedthe following statement "my GPA increased dramat-ically in the subsequent two years, ending with a3.78/4 for my final year." Moreover, investigatorsstated that not only did applicants try to use theiranswers to express a sense of entitlement to admis-sion to medical school, they answered questions byrestating and agreeing with the assumptions implicitin the question.

Referred to as the "What do they want me tosay?" theory, the investigators said they observed

many elements of the theory after sitting downwith applicants for interviews to discuss theirresponses. "These findings bring to light the ten-sion between a 'genuine response' and the 'expect-ed response' that we believe applicants experiencewhen choosing how to address an essay question inthe admissions process," the investigators wrote.

So how can medical school admissions committeemake it so that applicants do not feel the need toresort to the "What do they want me to say" mode?

Well, the investigators of this study suggest two waysin which the selection process might be modified tounderstand and address this effect: discussing thehidden curriculum of the admissions process moreopenly, and avoiding questions which ask directlyabout the self. "Studies such as this can help us appre-ciate the unintended consequences of admissionprocesses and can identify ways to make the selectionprocess more consistent, transparent and fair," theinvestigators concluded.

To increase their chances of getting into medical school, prospective students are admitting to giving answers that they think medical school admissions committees are looking for

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

wave

brea

kmed

ia

http://www.uag.edu/medicine

https://www.facebook.com/uagschoolofmedicine


NEWSBITES

The incentive for applying to the University ofIllinois College of Medicine may be getting alittle bit bigger. In March 2012, the big wigs atUI College of Medicine discussed plans topossibly scale back a 21 percent increase inmedical school tuition. The decision cameafter a protest by students who expressed con-cerns over driving away talented recruits andhurting the college's reputation for having adiverse student body. Current students wereagainst the higher increase, saying that thecost of earning a degree could possibly turnprospective students away from attending theschool or even push them toward higher-pay-ing specialties to pay back student loans. "We

have the most diverse medical school in thecountry," said Ricardo Estrada, one of theschool's trustees. "A position like this couldchange that."

A revised plan for a much smaller 3 per-cent tuition increase of only $500 a semesterfor both current and incoming students fromIllinois is underway. According to the pressrelease announcing the revised plan, the orig-inal increase was intended to raise about $8.5million for new initiatives to improve financialaid and update education resources at theschool, like computer-based testing and newcourse directors for certain classes.

University of Illinois MayReduce Med School Tuition

For students considering Cooper Medical Schoolof Rowan University(CMSRU), the pot of finan-cial aid just got a lot bigger. Students enrolled atCMSRU will now have a chance to receive schol-arships funded by a $1.055 million gift courtesyof Lawrence J. Salva, who is senior vice presi-dent, chief accounting officer and controller ofComcast Corporation. The million dollarendowment - the largest gift yet for CMSRU -will benefit students for years to come. The giftwill provide $100,000 scholarships for the med-ical school's charter class which will be welcomedin August 2012. "Today is truly a great day forRowan, the medical school and South Jersey,"said R.R. Tallarida, assistant vice president fordevelopment and acting executive director of theRowan University Foundation.

According to the press release announcing thelargest one-time gift by a Rowan alum, the aver-age medical student graduates with nearly$150,000 worth of debt, and about 30 percent ofthe students accepted at CMSRU will be consid-ered disadvantaged.

Mr. Salva and his wife have expressed theirexcitement about the medical school and thefuture it brings for Rowan and South Jersey."We were given the opportunity to help med-ical students make a positive impact on oth-ers," Salva said. "It's especially gratifying toshare the fruits of our success to create theseopportunities. We hope the physicians trainedat CMSRU will stay in South Jersey to practice,especially as primary care physicians. Theregion needs them."

Alumni Pledges $1.055 MillionGift to New Jersey Med School

Flick

r\Ta

x Cr

edit

There are several factors that affect whether anindividual decides to apply to medical school for asecond time, according to a study published inAcademic Medicine.

For the study researchers from the Associationof American Medical Colleges analyzed data on3,326 people who reapplied to medical school in2010 after being rejected as first-time applicants in2009. Researchers found that woman were less like-ly than men to reapply after being rejected by a med-ical school, while Hispanics and Blacks were morelikely to reapply than whites. In addition, beingmore than 23 years old reduced one's likelihood ofapplying twice.

Moreover, the study also revealed that the lessdebt people had, the more likely they were toreapply. Specifically, nearly 40% of those whoreapplied to medical school in 2010 said they hadno debt, while 27% had debt of $20,000 or more."The study was prompted by a broader goal of bet-ter understanding factors that might be associatedwith a medical school aspirant transitioning to anapplicant," said Douglas Grbic, PhD, lead studyauthor and AAMC senior research analyst.

Certain FactorsAffect Decisionto Reapply toMedical School,Study Finds

Flick

r/nc


NEWSBITES

According to an announcement made by theDepartment of Health and Human ServicesSecretary Kathleen Sebelius, the NationalHealth Service Corps (NHSC) program hasprovided $9 million to fourth-year medical stu-dents in exchange for their commitment towork in primary care.

The pilot program, which is funded throughthe Patient Protection and Affordable CareAct, will give students up to $30,000 every yearfor four years if they agree to practice at least40 hours a week for three years or at least 20hours a week for six years in medically under-served rural urban communities. "This newprogram is an innovative approach to encour-aging more medical students to work as pri-

mary care doctors," said Sec. Sebelius. The firstround of students participating in the programwere selected from 85 applicants and will beginreceiving aid in July 2012.

"This is wonderful news, because [the pro-gram] specifically addresses one of the majorissues that we feel challenges the students whoseek to practice in primary care, and that is med-ical school debt," said Perry Pugno, MD, MPH,vice president for education at the AmericanAcademy of Family Physicians, who was award-ed an NHSC scholarship in 1976. "That pro-gram back then worked for me, and I think thisnew program is just a wonderful support fortoday's medical students, who certainly face amuch larger debt burden," he said.

$9 Million for Med StudentsWho Go Into Primary Care

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

MEDICAL SCHOOL PIPELINE

Students who attend New York UniversitySchool of Medicine will now have the optionof pursuing a Masters of BusinessAdministration (MBA) at the same timethrough the school's new MD/MBA dualdegree. Students who pursue this path willbegin their studies at the School of Medicinefull-time for the first three years and thenspend the summer of their third year throughthe spring semester of their fourth year takingcoursework towards their MBA. Followingthis, students go back to the medical school forthe summer and fall of the fifth year, followedby a final semester at NYU Stern in the springof the fifth year.

"We are thrilled to introduce our newMB/MBA dual degree program and offer ourstudents yet another individualized learningpathway," said Steven Abramson, MD, seniorvice president and vice dean for education."Our growing dual degree program provides

our students with a variety of options to tailortheir degree to suit their educational needs andto help prepare them to succeed as futurephysician leaders in many different settings."

Prospective students wishing to participate canapply to the medical school and business school atthe same time and must complete separate appli-cants for the MD and MBA programs.

According to the press release announcingthe new degree option, the program is part ofNYU School of Medicine's Curriculum for the21st Century (C21), which is designed to seam-lessly integrate the basic and clinical science tobedside application throughout medicalschool. The new program is a move to positionthe institute at the forefront of transformingmedical education in order to best meet theneeds of tomorrow's physicians.

For more information about NYU's dual MD/MBAdegree visit school.med.nyu.edu.

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

New York University School of Medicineto Offer Students New MD/MBA Option

Stud

entSpotlight SIMON DOWNES

University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

Simon is 46 years old. Before moving to Japan he was an ERTechnician at Kaiser Permanente.. He worked there while doubling asa nursing assistant in hospices in and around the city. At the sametime, he took basic sciences at San Francisco State University and SanFrancisco City College.

Want tto bbe ffeatured iin oour SStudent SSpotlight?Log on to www.premedlife.com and tell us why you should be selected


As a future medical student, it is important toknow that the majority of medical schools inthe country are doing their part to keep phar-maceutical sales representatives away from you,that is according results of what the AmericanMedical Student Association calls thePharmaFree Scorecard.

The PharamaFree Scorecard, which was firstdeveloped five years ago, analyzes gifts andmeals from industry to doctors, paid promo-tional speaking for industry, acceptance of freedrug samples, interaction with sales representa-tives and industry-funded education. This year'sscorecard report found that 102 of 152 medicalschools (67%) received a grade of A or B fortheir policies on pharmaceutical industry inter-action with not only medical school faculty, butalso medical students themselves. Specifically,only two schools - University of South DakotaSanford School of Medicine and Florida StateUniversity College of Medicine - completelyban sales representatives from campus.

Here are some highlights of the survey:Harvard Medical School received an 'A' thisyear. In 2008, Harvard had no policies andreceived an 'F' on the Scorecard. Due in large partto student activism over the past four years, theschool now has one of the strongest policies inthe country that includes a ban on speakerbureaus in addition to a strong gift, disclosureand samples policy.

Four schools significantly improved their scoresfrom 'F's to 'B's. These schools are: Universityof Texas Health Science Center at Houston,University of South Carolina, HowardUniversity and Morehouse School of Medicine.All eight of the Texas medical schools scored atleast a B. The University of Texas MedicalBranch at Galveston, however, remains the loneA in the Lone Star state.

Approximately one quarter of U.S. medicalschools improved their conflict-of-interestpolicies since the release of the 2010PharmFree Scorecard.

More than two-thirds of medical schools nowhave grades of A or B (102 schools).

Schools with model policies on speakingarrangements have grown tremendously; 17schools ban or severely restricting participationin speaker bureaus.

"The PharmFree Scorecard is an evolving toolwhich assesses the policies of academic medicalcenters and medical schools with regards to the

interaction between students and faculty and thepharmaceutical industry," says Danielle Salovich,AMSA national president. "With all of the per-suasive data about how marketing influences eventhe best-intentioned physicians, it is gratifying tosee that medical schools are taking the necessarysteps toward practicing evidence-based medicine,which translates into better patient care."

Most Schools Working to Keep PharmaReps Away from Their Med Students

The results of the PharmaFree Scorecard are in and it looks like the majority of medical schoolsare doing their part when it comes to their policies on pharmaceutical industry interactions

NEWSBITES

Flick

r/M

oney


NEWSBITESKey Questions May Reveal A LotAbout Medical School Applicants

In an article published in the journal Academic Medicine, a medical schoolinsider dishes on what he and his colleagues believe are the most revealinginterview questions. As it turns out, Steven L. Kanter, MD, the writer ofthe piece, says that in general, the most revealing questions are simple andto the point, yet provide an opportunity for applicants to show their cre-ativity, their curiosity, and the depth and quality of their thinking.

In general, if interviewers ask the "right" questions, they may be ableto find out a lot about an applicant and gain insight into many thingsabout an applicant like what inspires them, past behaviors and overalltendencies, how they deal with adversity, and the nature of their deci-sions overtime.

Among all of what Dr. Kanter categorizes as "revealing questions"that colleagues shared with him, the following are three that he saiddeserved mentioning:

Dr. Kanter says that the first question, "What are you going to do tochange the world" was a question which the late Peter Safar, a physician whopioneered cardiopulmonary resuscitation, would begin interviews withprospective faculty candidates. "Of course, such a question can be interpret-ed on several levels and in many ways," said Dr. Kanter "which makes it aquestion that has the potential to reveal much about the interviewee."

The second question, "Tell me about a book you have read recently andhow it has changed you" came from the director of a college honors pro-gram who said that this was the "simple" questions he asked to pick stu-dents from a group of wonderful, talented, and overqualified applicants.According to Dr. Kanter, when the director posed the question to studentshe wanted to know whether students understood a story or an issue or an

idea from start to finish. "He felt that this question gave interviewees theopportunity to reveal whether they were critical thinkers and whether theyhad the ability to develop a deep and sophisticated understanding of aproblem or topic," Dr. Kanter explained. "And, as we discussed this ques-tion further, we agreed that a question like this can elicit from intervieweeswhether they read only to fill themselves with new facts or whether theyread also because reading transforms them."

The last question, "Do you enjoy your own mind? And, if so, how"was shared by a physics professor and recipient of many teaching awardswho wondered whether interviewees enjoyed thinking. The question,which is "intentionally broad" does not give interviewees any clue as tohow to structure their answer. "This gives interviewees free rein to revealthemselves to the interviewer - for better or worse - in a way that mightnot occur otherwise," Dr. Kanter noted. "Also, the question allows inter-viewees to reveal interest they cultivate in addition to professional pur-suit. Essentially, it asks them to discuss what they think and feel aboutwhat they think and feel."

Dr. Kanter says that the common thread linking the questions is thenotion of transformation. "These questions give interviewees significantlatitude to disclose the depth of their insights, the breadth of their per-spectives, and how they respond to and process knowledge," Dr. Kanterconcluded. "And the questions provide fertile ground for an applicantcompeting for a faculty position, a residency slot, or a seat in a medicalschool class to reveal his or her sources of inspiration and capability tothink creatively and independently."

The article was published in the April 2012 issue of Academic Medicine.

Flick

r/Be

n O

h


Recent study findings reveal that students who areintroduced to medicine during a shadowing or obser-vation experience in urban hospitals are less likely tobecome family physicians.

To better understand influences on the areasof medical education associated with students'choice of a family medicine career, researchersdeveloped a questionnaire addressing medicalschool admission, curriculum, and what they callstructural factors.

Despite the fact that 20% of the United Statespopulation lives in rural areas, only 9% of physi-cians practice in these areas, and only 3% of cur-rent medical students plan to practice in rural areas.One of the questions on the questionnaire was "Inwhat types of medical care settings did you observeor shadow prior to entering medical school 1.)Urban Doctor 2.) Rural Doctor 3.) Rural Hospital4.) Urban Hospital.

The results revealed that the "premedical experi-ence" factor was significant for its association withnot choosing family medicine. Specifically, observingor shadowing in an urban hospital was inversely relat-ed to family medicine residence.

According to the authors, the results of theirstudy can be used by admission committees of spe-cial programs geared toward recruiting studentswho will practice medicine in a rural setting.Despite statements of interest, intentions, plans,and decisions regarding family medicine at the time

of interview, the study authors advise selectioncommittees to be wary of students whose intro-duction to medicine was informed through shad-owing or observing in urban hospitals.

The study findings were published in The Journal ofRural Health.

NEWSBITES

Over the next five years, the new CityDoctorsmedical scholarship program will provide tuitionbased scholarships worth more than $11 millionto New York City residents pursuing medicine.

In order to be eligible for the scholarship,students must commit to give back to communi-ty by practicing primary care medicine at one ofthe hospitals that are a part of the Health andHospitals Corporation (HHC). The scholarshipis a partnership between the New York CityHealth and Hospital Corporation and St.George's University.

According to the Association of AmericanMedical Colleges (AAMC), the U.S. could face ashortage of 90,000 physicians by 2020 and theoverall shortage could worsen as the physicianworkforce ages and retires just as moreAmericans will need care. The demand for pri-mary-care physicians -- general practitioners,internists, family physicians and pediatricians -will be even greater as a result of the growth of

Americans over 65 years old, and under the newfederal health care reform law which aims toexpand health insurance to an additional 32 mil-lion Americans and ties reimbursements toimproved health outcomes and better coordina-tion of care for each patient.

"Primary care providers are the main sourceof healthcare for many New Yorkers. Yet notenough medical school graduates are choosing acareer path in family medicine, pediatrics, orinternal medicine, and are often lured into high-er paying specialties," said HHC President AlanD. Aviles. "The CityDoctors scholarships willserve as a great incentive to ensure the publichospitals can secure a pool of outstanding pri-mary care physicians who not only share ourmission to increase access to preventive care andkeep New Yorkers health, but also have real tiesto the communities we serve."

25 New Yorkers will be the recipients of theCityDoctors scholarships who have demonstrat-

ed academic excellence and financial need. Thefirst batch of scholarships will be awarded thisupcoming summer and fall. For the first year ofthe program, New York medical students willreceive full-tuition scholarships valued atapproximately $216,000 each, and another 20recipients will receive half-tuition scholarshipsfor a medical degree from St. George'sUniversity Medical School in Grenada.

Students interested in applying for theCityDoctors scholarship must submit an essayexplaining why they should be awarded thescholarship and how they will contribute to thehealth care of New York City using their attend-ing position in primary care at an HHC hospital.Applicants who wish to be considered for Fallsemester scholarships should submit their appli-cation before June 1, 2012.

For more information and to complete a schol-arship application, visit the CityDoctors NYCScholarship website, www.citydoctors.com.

New Scholarship to Pay Medical SchoolTuition for New York City Residents

Shadowing inUrban SettingsMay Leave BadImpression onPremed Students

Flick

r/Ch

ris W

ong

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


NEWSBITES

An increasing number of medical students are decid-ing to simultaneously pursue an advanced degree inanother discipline, according to a report issued bythe Association of American Medical Colleges.

The report revealed that combined enrollmentnationwide in MD/PhD, MD/JD and MD/MBAprograms alone has increased 36%, from 3,921 in2002 to 5,349 in 2011. "Our reason from providingdual-degree programs stems from the realization

that the standard medical school curriculum willnot adequately prepare all students for medicine asit will be practiced over the next 30 years," saidJoseph P. Grande, MD, PhD, associate dean foracademic affairs at Mayo Medical School inRochester, Minn. "There will be sweeping changesin delivery of medical care, medical care policy, andthe relationship between the medical care estab-lishment and government."

Henry Sondheimer, MD, AAMC senior directorfor student affairs and student programs saysthat more schools are adding dual-degree pro-grams, and more students are enrolling in them.Specifically, enrollment in MD/PhD andMD/MBA programs in particular are increasingas the health care systems move toward the med-ical home of care, accountable care organizationand evidence-based practice.

More Medical Students Take Path toSimultaneously Pursue An Extra Degree

A new scholarship sponsored by the global divisionof Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine inBaltimore, Maryland will provide financial assistanceto aspiring medical students from outside the UnitedStates to study at the school.

"We are pleased to offer this opportunity to ourinternational medical students," says StevenThompson, Johns Hopkins Medicine International'schief executive officer. "For more than 120 years,Johns Hopkins has been a recognized national andglobal leader in education, research and patient care.This scholarship is an important component of ourcore mission to help to raise the standard of healthcare around the globe."

The newly established fund will give students theopportunity to access $80,000, an amount that willbe increased by $80,000 each year, totaling $320,000by 2016.

"This has been a long-standing objective forJohns Hopkins and our medical school," saysDavid Nichols, M.D., vice dean for education at theschool of medicine. "We hope that it will encour-age talented young people who chose a medicalcareer but who don't have substantial personalresources to come to Baltimore and learn at one ofthe world's most established medical schools. Wetrust that it will also help us to nurture a new anddiverse generation of leaders who will transformmedicine around the world and improve the healthof the global population."

JohnsHopkinsSchool ofMedicineSupportsInternationalStudents

Flick

r /Ca

li4Be

ach


FEATURE ARTICLE

Perhaps you took some time off to start a family, serve inthe military or even began another career. Although you areconfident that you will succeed in medical school you mayhave some concerns about how well you will adjust to aca-demic life. As a non-traditional medical student your worldwill be different. You will not only have to master a rigorouscurriculum but also readjust to the life of a full-time student.The steady income, set schedule and free time you wereused to as a working professional will become a distantmemory. Replacing these comforts will be extended hoursof study, a fixed budget and limited family time. In addition,

you will have to learn how to work and play with classmatesthat may be much younger than you. All of these aspects ofstudent life can make medical school more difficult than ithas to be. Therefore, as a returning student you shouldsearch for programs that make the transition from workingprofessional to student doctor as seamless as possible.

Finding the right program is not an entirely straight-forward process as it will depend on the specific require-ments or preferences of an applicant. Still, there are fivefactors that older applicants may want to consider beforeselecting a medical school.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT MEDICAL SCHOOLAS A NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENT

WHERE DO YOU

By Suliman El-Amin

MISSION STATEMENT WHAT IS THE SCHOOL'S PURPOSE?First, nontraditional applicants need to review theschool's mission statement. It is a simple way forthem to determine if they are an ideal candidatefor an institution. Admission committees use thestatement to guide them in identifying studentsthat are right for their program. For example, aschool may say that their core purpose is to createphysicians that work to improve healthcare

through patient care and civic activities. Theadmissions committee of these schools are thenlikely to seek applicants who show evidence ofcommunity service and leadership. Similarly state-supported institutions may express that their goalis to create doctors that provide medical care fortheir state. In these cases the school may not evenconsider an applicant if they are out of state orlack strong ties to the state of the institution. Theirjustification for the rejection would be that theapplicant's goals do not align with the school's

objective. This fact highlights the importance ofunderstanding a program's mission. It is a formalstatement that outlines the institution's action planfor achieving its vision for medicine.

The mission statement also reveals the educa-tional goals of the institution and expectations forits graduates. This may seem like a trivial point buta school's mission mandate will influence the deliv-ery of its curriculum. For instance, some programsstate that their aim is to produce primary care doc-tors or help poor and underserved populations.6

As a non-traditional applicant,finding the right program is not anentirely straight forward process.

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

anto

npra

do


More than likely such institutions will have a spe-cific framework to equip their students to meetthese objectives. These ideologies are significantfor applicants selecting these schools because theywill be incorporated in coursework.

COSTHOW WILL YOU FINANCE YOUR EDUCATION?The second factor that older applicants shouldthink about is cost. That is, how much debt willthey incur over the course of their entire medicaleducation? According to the AAMC the mean debtfor medical school graduates is approximately$160,000. This number includes both undergradu-ate and non-educational debt such as credit cardsand car loans. The debt amount will be larger forstudents who have accrued loans from post-bac-calaureate or graduate programs. For these stu-dents, choosing a program with a modest tuition orthat offers grant and scholarship money would bebeneficial. For example, if a student attends amedical school with tuition of $35,000 a year asoppose to $40,000 they will save $20,000 in educa-tional cost over four years. This amount may seemminiscule compared to the entire debt balancehowever when you take into account loan interestit becomes significant.

The point is that as a nontraditional student youhave to realistically consider ways to alleviate thefinancial burden of a medical education. Thesmartest practice is to have a financial plan beforeapplying. This begins with having a good budgetand knowing how much money you have to bor-row to fund your education.

The school's financial aid office's website is agood place to start learning about a school's finan-cial aid package. They will give information on stu-dent loans, institutional grants and scholarships. Itis also important to contact them if there will be asignificant reduction in your income as your finan-cial aid package will be based on your previousyear's salary. Moreover, schools will require you tosubmit your parent's information even if you arean independent student or married so if this is aproblem you should talk to a financial aid coun-selor. Taking these simple steps will assure that youwill have an adequate amount of funds and thesmallest sum of loans possible for your education-al career.

SUPPORT WHAT ACADEMIC SERVICES DOES THESCHOOL OFFER?A third element to look for is a strong academicsupport network. Many schools have learningresource centers in place but the extent of theirsupport services varies. In most institutions youwill find peer tutoring, counseling and mentoring,and testing for learning differences. Older studentsshould seek schools that go beyond these services.An ideal program may offer additional assistancesuch as writing labs, USMLE reviews and studyskills workshops. The extra help will come in handyif you initially feel overwhelmed by the workloador inadequately prepared for a class. This also

demonstrates that a school is committed to makingsure that all students master the curriculum.

Academic support is normally offered througha school's student affairs office so this is a goodplace to look in order to determine the strength ofthe institution's support system. Some key aspectsto search for are an assigned learning supportoffice with its own staff and administrative team.The individuals providing learning services shouldalso possess a background in education with par-ticular emphasis on adult learning. This will ensurethat the academic support team can offer bothcontent tutoring and adult learning strategies.Finally, the academic support services must be con-fidential and readily available without the need of areferral. This is essential because you do not wantto fall too far behind if you are having a problemin a class nor do you want everyone to know youmay be struggling in your studies.

DIVERSITYWHAT ARE THE SCHOOL'S DEMOGRAPHICS? Another feature to search for is a diverse studentbody. The significance of this element is two-fold.First, diversity reacquaints you with the differentcultures and ideas that you may have experienced inthe workforce. Second, it almost guarantees thatyou will not stick out as anomaly in your class. Amulticultural educational experience is also impor-tant because it improves your ability to work withpatients of differing race, gender and sexual orien-tation. Furthermore, it will positively influenceyour attitude towards caring for traditionally under-served populations.

A good way to determine the level of diversityof a school is by reviewing AAMC's statistics onthe race and ethnicity of its student body. Theschool website may also give information on theracial and gender make-up of the past year's enter-ing class; however, this is rare. Keep in mind thatstatistical data about a program's demographics arejust numbers and may not give the full picture ofthe student body makeup. The best method offinding out about a school's composition is by vis-iting its campus and observing its students. Bydoing this you can see if there is a good mixture ofolder students and that the school is supportive of

students of differing faiths, ethnic backgroundsand sexual orientations.

LOCATIONWHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE?The final aspect to be assessed before choosing aschool is its location. Aside from going to classevery day you have to eat, sleep, and play at or nearyour campus. So why not have the ideal learningand living environment? It will make the hard roadof becoming a physician a little bit softer. Besides,the last thing you want to worry about after a longday of lectures is your living space.

Some things to think about when choosing thelocation of your school is its setting. In other words,do you prefer a city, suburban, or rural living? If youhave a spouse and children you need to take intoaccount their living preference as well. The neigh-borhoods near the campus should be closely scruti-nized to see if they are affordable, safe and conven-ient (e.g. lots of grocery stores, banks, post officeetc.). Similarly, traffic flow, parking, and mass transitmust be carefully assessed if you decide to live farfrom campus. They will make a big difference as youwill have less time to commute.

Non-traditional students have many things tothink about when deciding on a medical program.Evaluating a school's mission, cost, learning sup-port services, class profile, and location will givethem a good idea of what the school has to offer.However, I encourage adding additional criteria tothis list and ranking schools by the number of yourpreferences that they match. Yet, in order to dothis, you have to do your homework. Websites onlygive a snapshot of what the school is about. Inorder to get a real picture feel free to contact theadmissions and diversity departments. They canput you in contact with current students or recentalumni so that you can ask them questions aboutthe school. An open house is also a great way tolearn what a school really has to offer.

Dr. James Reed, physician and author of Agreeor Disagree: Opinions Matter suggests a proactiveapproach to selecting a school. He explains that "astudent has to walk around the campus and speakwith people that are not serving as tour guides.Often time these students will give you an unbiasedopinion about the program."

Remember, becoming a great physician is a life-long process that requires an immense amount ofhard work and dedication. The first real step in thispathway will be receiving your undergraduate med-ical education. Therefore it is imperative that youattend an institution that you feel closely matchesyour preferences and requirements. By doing this,it will make the journey of becoming a physician alittle more comfortable.

SULIMAN EL-AMIN is a 32-year old medical student atGeorgetown University. A former United States CustomsAgricultural Specialist, he enjoys spending time with hisfamily and painting.

“AS A NON-TRADITIONALSTUDENT YOU HAVE TO

REALISTICALLY CONSIDERWAYS TO ALLEVIATE THEFINANCIAL BURDEN OF AMEDICAL EDUCATION. THE

SMARTEST PRACTICE ISTO HAVE A FINANCIAL

PLAN BEFORE APPLYING.”

THE STRENGTH TO HEAL and learn lessons in courage.

©2011. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved.

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.

To learn more, call 877-406-5863 or visit healthcare.goarmy.com/info/n474.

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

nelk

a781

2

thafitnessgroup.com

the anti-freshman 15



BACK - IN THE -

DAY


WHEN I WAS premedBalamurali Ambati, MD was not your average

premed student working hard to get into medical school.The premed student, who at the age of 17 graduated from

Mount Sinai School of Medicine and entered the Guinness Bookof World Records as the World’s Youngest Doctor is now 34.

Today, Dr. Ambati is an ophthalmologist, educator, andresearcher currently working at the University of Utah. What was

life like for him as a premed? Dr. Ambati talked to PreMedLifemagazine about making it through his pre-medical years, hisdrive and motivation to pursue medicine, what becoming the

world’s youngest doctor was like, and donating his time overseaswith a Flying Eye Hospital.

“Every premed should understand what they're getting into and understand their own reasons for doing medicine.”


WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TOPURSUE A CAREER IN MEDICINE?

I became a doctor for several reasons. When I was4 years old, I was burned on both my legs and I wasin the hospital for about three months. I had threesurgeries at the time for skin grafts and so on. Thiswas a very formative experience - just seeing thedoctors and nurses. And as I got older I enjoyedbiology and that seemed to fit well. My uncle was aphysician and I was able to see a little bit of whathe did. So all of those things were the main factors.

YOUR WIKIPEDIA PAGE SAYS THATYOU WERE DOING CALCULUS AT THEAGE OF 4, HOW TRUE IS THAT?

Well, I don't quite remember but my parents saythat I was, so I take them at their word.

HOW MUCH OF AN INFLUENCE DIDYOUR PARENTS HAVE ON YOUR DECI-SION TO BECOME A DOCTOR?

Critical. Everything I've done is due to God'sgrace, family support. My parents and brotherwere very vital - helping me learn at home as wellas opening doors because of all the administrativeresistance that I experienced at various stagesbecause of my age. They were very important.

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEWS?

I remember the interviews. I was admitted to oneout of nine of the schools I applied to, but all youneed is one.

DO YOU REMEMBER IF ANY OF THEQUESTIONS YOU WERE ASKED DUR-ING YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL INTER-VIEWS PARTICULARLY EASY OR DIFFI-CULT TO ANSWER?

There were some interviewers that were hostilebecause I was very young. It is what it is. I did thebest that I could at the time. So let's see - I wasinterviewing when I was age 13 and some inter-viewers would be hostile in a sense of asking ques-tions like "how would you react to seeing a nakedman or a naked woman?" I don't remember how Ianswered the questions but that was a tough ques-tion at the time.

DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU PRE-PARED FOR THE MCAT?

Yeah - I took the MCAT in April of my Junioryear in college and I basically took a practiceexam on old test questions every saturday duringthe Spring semester from January to April andstudied two MCAT review guides. Those were themain things I did.

IN GENERAL, DO YOU THINK YOUHAD TO SACRIFICE A LOT DURINGYOUR COLLEGE YEARS TO GETWHERE YOU ARE NOW?

Well, I didn't smoke, or drink, or do drugs. NYUwas a commuter school at the time - 60% of thestudents commuted from home so there wasn'tthat much of a party life sort to speak. I'm sure Imissed the parties that did happen. But I don't think I scarified anything important. I made a lot of great friends, I had a lot of great times, and awonderful experience.

WHAT DO YOU THINK BEST PREPARED YOU DURING YOUR COLLEGE YEARS TO BE SUCCESSFULIN MEDICAL SCHOOL?

Well, NYU has a very challenging curriculum - organ-ic chemistry was my hardest class. And going from

high school where I breezed through most of myclasses to hitting a wall in organic chemistry was goodpreparation for showing me that I had to step mygame up a notch. And that experience of a muchhigher level of competition was very humbling.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS THEMOST CHALLENGING TIME FOR YOUDURING YOUR COLLEGE YEARS AS APREMED?

Getting through organic chemistry was the mostchallenging time for me.

To rread mmore oof oour iinterview wwith DDr. AAmbatiwhere hhe ttalks aabout mmedical TTV ddramas aand ttheFlying EEye HHospital, vvisit wwww.premedlife.com.

“My parents and brother were very vital - helping melearn at home, as well as opening doors because of allthe administrative resistance that I experienced at var-ious stages because of my age. “

www.premedlife.com

PREMEDLIFECAMPUSEDITIONWant a unique leadership oppor-tunity to add to your medicalschool application?

Now you can apply to beCEO/Editor-in-Chief of thePreMedLife Campus Edition atyour school.

WHO: You

WHAT: As CEO/Editor-in-Chief,you are talked with putting togeth-er a staff, producing content, andpublicizing your edition on campus- running your own online maga-zine that is a part of thePreMedLife network.

WHERE: Your high school, college,or university.

WHEN: The application deadlinefor Fall 2012 launches is August 6

WHY: Running your own campusedition of PreMedLife magazinewill provide you with a uniqueleadership opportunity that willsurly help you stand out from therest of the crowd.

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.premedlife.com ‘Start Campus Edition’Deadline for our FALL 2012 LAUNCH

AUGUST 6TH

www.premedlife.com/start-campus-edition


Advertisement

Prepare to set aside a good deal of time whenspeaking to medical students attending St.George's University (SGU)-the pioneer in globalmedical education located on the Caribbeanisland of Grenada. SGU students and alumnirarely shy away from boasting about the qualityof education the University provides.Particularly, it is the School's reputation forreadying their students for a career in globalmedicine that sets St. George's University apart.

PROGRESSIVE DEGREE OPTIONS FOR

FUTURE MEDICAL LEADERSThe University offers multiple degree optionstailored to students' unique career goals.American medical students may begin theirBasic Sciences studies on the main campus inGrenada, or at St. George's affiliate in theUnited Kingdom -- the Keith B. Taylor GlobalScholars program, delivered at the Universityof Northumbria.

An exciting option beyond the stand-aloneMD degree, dual MD/MPH, MD/MBA, andMD/MSc degrees are available to St. George's

medical students. Dual degree graduates are ableto participate in a wide range of classes withpractical exercises that hone many of the skillsrequired to positively impact private practices,rural hospitals, and health care systems, multi-faceted large hospital systems, and more.

THE WORLD IS THEIR CLINIC

St. George's is affiliated with educational insti-tutions worldwide, including in the UnitedStates, the United Kingdom, Canada, andIreland. The University draws students and fac-ulty from more than 140 countries to Grenada,enhancing the international character of stu-dents' educational experience. All students com-plete clinical training in the University's 60+affiliated hospitals and clinical centers aroundthe globe. St. George's has produced nearly12,000 graduates pursuing careers in over 45countries. Alumni often point to the University'simpressive network of international clinicalaffiliations and medical selectives as a key com-ponent to their deep understanding of globalhealth issues.

A CCENTER OF ACADEMIC LEADERS

In its more than 35 years of academic achieve-ment, St. George's has achieved impressive passrates on the USMLE. In 2010, SGU first-timetakers-from 49 countries-equalled the 92% first-time pass rate of students in US and Canadianschools on the United States medical LicensingExamination (USMLE) Step 1. The USCouncil on Education for Public Health(CEPH) also recently accredited St. George's

Master of Public Health Program, making theUniversity only the fourth non-US institution,and the only school in the Caribbean region tobe granted this coveted distinction.

A WWORLD-CCLASS CAMPUS

Over the last decade, more than $250 million USdollars have been spent to create a beautiful,state-of-the-art campus, rivaling some of themost prestigious universities in the world. SGU'scampus includes 65 state-of-the art buildingsspread out over 42 acres in a vibrant, seasidelocation. The True Blue campus, as it's called,provides all the amenities and technologicallyadvanced facilities of a world-class institution,while offering beautiful scenery and majesticviews of the Caribbean Sea.

Information on SStt. GGeorge's UUniversitty is available at www.sgu.edu, and through YouTube,Facebook, and Twitter at StGeorgesU. St.George's American students are featured onwww.sgu.edu/usa.

The St.George's Way:

REDEFINING TOMORROW'S MEDICAL LEADER

www.sgu.edu

www.sgu.edu/usa

Any patient from any placewith any condition could

arrive at any time

©20

12 S

t. G

eorg

e’s

Uni

vers

ity

US/Canada: 1 (800) 899-6337 ext. 9 1280sgu.edu/future-students • [email protected] Grenada, West Indies

Unpredictability is the new reality for doctors today.

So prepare yourself by studying global medicine at

St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies. On the 2010

USMLE Step 1 – one of the most important tests medical

students take to become doctors – SGU’s first-time test

takers from 49 countries equalled the 92% fi rst-time pass

rate of students at US and Canadian medical schools, while

our US and Canadian students scored a 94% fi rst-time pass

rate. Successful preparation like this has helped SGU train

more than 11,000 physicians now practicing in 45 countries

to be leaders in global medicine. See for yourself why SGU

places more doctors into the US health care system than

two-thirds of US medical schools. And be ready for anything

headed your way.

www.sgu.edu/future-students

www.youtube.com/stgeorgesu

www.twitter.com/stgeorgesu

www.facebook.com/StGeorgesU

exclusive content, contests & giveaways, reader polls, & more...‘LIKE US’ on Facebook atfacebook.com/premedlife

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

adam

_r



For musically-trained premeds who have everthought there would come a point when they wouldhave to choose between their love of music and med-icine, a program offered by Weill Cornell MedicalCollege has made it so you will never have to chooseone over the other. Launched in 2009 the Music andMedicine Initiative is the brainchild of David Shapirowho wanted to do something for the medical collegeduring his time as an overseer. Today, word the pro-gram has spread and prospective students call theschool because they are particularly interested inapplying to the Music and Medicine program.According to the school's website, the Music andMedicine program is an entirely privately funded ini-tiative undertaken by the school's faculty and stu-dents. "We believe strongly that the program willenhance the medical college experience for our stu-dents, and that it will also be a great benefit to theWeill Cornell community at large."

Aside from this unique program, Weill CornellMedical College is a top-ranked clinical and medicalresearch institutions that encourages and supports asmall group learning structure rather than presentingknowledge through a traditional lecture-style format.Moreover, the medical college's clinical component isdesigned to give students the opportunity to gainearly exposure to patients.

Beginning in the first year, medical students arepresented with core basic science courses andMedicine, Patients, and Society I, which is where stu-dents begin to learn about the patient-physician rela-

tionship from the conceptual and practical angles.Then in the second year, students only take two corebasic science courses, the second part of Medicine,Patients, and Society, and an Introductory Clerkship,which will give students their first opportunity toexperience all parts of the hospital setting. Next, thestudent's third year begins with a five-week sequenceof introductory courses preparatory for the clinicalcurriculum that follows immediate thereafter. Andfinally, in the fourth and final year, medical students"correlate their preceding medical school experiencesand begin to function effectively in the physician'srole while sharpening their clinical skills in prepara-tion for residency training. During the last leg ofmedical training, students complete four months ofelective courses, a four-week internship in GeneralMedicine or General Pediatrics, an AdvancedBiomedical Sciences course, and additional credits ofbasic science research, a research tutorial or teaches abasic science course.

In addition to its Music and Medicine program,Weill Cornell Medical College also offers variousprograms that have become world-renown in thefield of medical education. These programs include,but are not limited to, the Wilderness Medicine andEnvironmental Preparedness Elective, the GlobalHealth Program, and the Comprehensive Center ofExcellence in Disparities Research and CommunityEngagement.For more information about Weill Cornell Medical Collegevisit weill.cornell.edu.

WEILL CORNELLMEDICAL COLLEGE

NEW YORK, NY

DEGREE(S) OFFERED:MD

MD/PhDMD w/ Honors in ResearchMD w/ Honors in Service

MD/MBA

SCHOOL TYPEPrivate

# OF APPLICANTS5,722

# OF APPLICANTS INTERVIEWED823

# OF STUDENTS ACCEPTED101

# Science Majors58 in entering class

# Non-Science Majors31 in entering class

Science GPA3.77

Average MCAT Score34.9

TuitionTuition and fees for

2010-2011 $48,736

Unique FeatureMusic and Medicine Program

quickfacts

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

Wik

iped

ia.co

m/C

orne

ll010

www.weill.cornell.edu

When reflecting on these past few weeks, I had a lot of regrets. I wished I hadmade more contacts, talked to more people, and conducted more interviews. Iwas focused on the quality of the written component of my experience, and Iwas afraid my final paper would fall short of the expectations I had initiallyestablished for myself.

However, I now see that my thought process was off track. I was focusingon the physical product - the paper - and not paying enough attention to theprocess that brought me to the writing phase of my research. No, I did not haveas many interviews as I set out to have, but the ones I did have were incrediblyinsightful, and the majority of them turned into deep conversations that lastedwell over an hour. Many of my contacts also referred me to other people orresources relating to my topic, and from that I gathered a well-rounded view thatI could not have experienced from only poring over journal articles.

The greatest product I took away from this study abroad is a nearly com-plete change of mentality about NGOs and their work with populations suchas those in Nicaragua. Though it may sound corny and cliché, I feel that, as afuture health care provider, I have greatly matured. I have begun to see the'bigger picture' and have changed my views concerning work with under-served populations.

I am somewhat ashamed to say that I was one of those people whose inten-tions were not entirely selfless when I spoke of participating in future healthbrigades abroad or taking part in short-term service work. I was selfish, and Iwanted another space on my résumé to be filled. I felt this was justified by thefact that I would have a fulfilling experience and would have made some hugedifference in someone's life. However, I found that on a trip so short-lived, theonly real change would occur within oneself, unless that person is lucky enoughto make an impact on someone else.

I have come to realize the potentially devastating effects such "volunteertourism" may have on a community. We may think there is nothing wrong withproviding free health care or community workshops, as they may be items somepopulations may never receive - but if done the wrong way, the work of NGOscan lead to dependency and a lack of confidence in a community's own self-sus-tainability. A two-week medical brigade from the states is likely to have morehigh-tech equipment and more access to resources like lab tests or specialty carethan the health care providers of the native population. Will this lead the mem-bers of the community to believe that the care they are provided year round isinferior, and will they lose faith in their local health care providers' work becauseof his or her lack of resources? Oftentimes, brigades are short-term, provideinadequate follow-up care, and do not work in conjunction with existing organ-izations or the government. When this occurs, is it really making a positiveimpact on the community? If it does, then why are there still so many areas inNicaragua that struggle with inadequate healthcare even after numerous brigadesvisit every year? Wouldn't you think conditions would be much better after allthis hard work? Perhaps the correct reasoning is that not all the time and moneyfrom NGOs has been used in sustainable practice.

I don't mean to sound pessimistic - there are many great NGOs that doamazing, well-planned work. However, the "good Samaritan" attitude oftenoverlooks the needs of the populations most at risk. To prevent such mis-takes we must educate ourselves on the consequences of our actions. Asfuture physicians, we have a calling to serve people in need - let's make surewe do it ethically.


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

CATCHING UP WITH...

STACY JONESUndergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh

WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME TO TELL THEM ABOUT MY STUDY

ABROAD TRIP TO LEÓN, NICARAGUA, I OFTEN BLANK OUT - IT'SJUST TOO MUCH TO SUMMARIZE IN A FEW SENTENCES. THE

MAIN REASON FOR MY STUDY ABROAD TRIP WAS TO CONSTRUCT AN

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT. I CHOSE TO INTERVIEW REPRE-SENTATIVES FROM NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS)THAT WORK IN THE HEALTH FIELD IN NICARAGUA, ESPECIALLY

CONCERNING THE TACTICS THEY USE TO DEAL WITH CULTURAL

AND LINGUISTIC DIFFERENCES ENCOUNTERED BY VOLUNTEERS.EACH WEEK I HAD TO WRITE A REFLECTION PAPER ABOUT MY PROJ-ECT. THE FOLLOWING IS THE REFLECTION I WROTE DURING MY

LAST WEEK IN NICARAGUA WHICH SUMS UP A LOT OF WHAT ILEARNED DURING MY SHORT 6 WEEKS IN LEÓN.

Flick

r/er

ic m

olin

a

Maximo Jerez Monument in frontof the Cathedral de la Asuncion inLeon, Nicaragua

w w w . p r e m e d s u r g e r y . o r g

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

weknowyou love us...so why don’t you ‘LIKE US’?

facebook.com/premedlife



WHAT WAS YOUR STUDY STRATEGY FOR ORGO?An important aspect about organic chemistry was knowing the different pathways,what normally happens, what the exceptions are, and how it all ties together. Itreated it like a math class and continuously practiced problems. It was verydifficult for me to memorize pathways or even structures, so I just kept practicingproblems, and the more I did - the easier it was to commit to memory. I completedthe homework problems a minimum of two times, and even three to four timeson sections that were more difficult.

DID YOU USE ANY OTHER MATERIALS TO STUDY OTHERTHAN YOUR TEXTBOOK AND TEXTBOOKCOMPANION/STUDY GUIDE? I mainly focused on the textbook and study guide my professor postedbefore each exam.

WHAT DID YOU DO THE NIGHT BEFORE AN ORGO EXAM?(I.E. DID YOU STUDY OR RELAX?) The night before an exam, a couple friends and I would get together andwork through the study guide. We would each go through it once on ourown, and do it a second time as a group. Usually the details that are easy tomiss arise during the group sessions and you tend to remember them morewhen you're talking it out. Groups are great to study with, but it's alsoimportant to know the general idea, so that's why we would study inde-pendently at first.

DID YOU ATTEND EVERY SINGLE ORGO LECTURE?Yes, I attended every lecture.

WHAT WAS YOUR NOTE-TAKING STRATEGY FOR ORGO?I'm a very visual learner, and my professor was great in visualizing a lot of con-cepts. I would write out processes or general information that she emphasized inclass. In retrospect, I wish I had skimmed over chapters before attending lectures- it would have cleared up confusions that I had during lecture.

DID YOU RECORD YOUR ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LECTURES?I did not. Since I'm such a visual learner, it would not have helped me.

HOW MUCH DID YOU RELY ON YOUR PROFESSOR'S LECTURETO LEARN WHAT YOU NEEDED TO KNOW?The lecture was the bare minimum amount of information I had toknow. I relied more on the homework problems, quizzes, and the study guidethat was posted before an exam. Lecture material contained very importantfacts that my professor wanted to drive home, but I wouldn't have done wellon exams just knowing that material.

WERE YOU WORRIED ABOUT HOW WELL YOU'D DO INORGANIC CHEMISTRY BEFORE TAKING THE COURSE? I was very worried about organic chemistry before the first semester. I had hearda lot of classmates and upper classmen express how difficult the class was, so Iwas really nervous going into it. After the first exam, I developed a studyingrhythm that worked for me. As the semester goes on, the material gets chal-lenging, so I was still worried throughout, but not as stressed. And the same goesfor the second semester.

DID YOU PREFER TO STUDY ALONE OR IN A GROUP?I like to study alone initially, to take my own time to understand the general ideaand flow of things, but then I like to study in a group to fill in any gaps I may have.You'd be surprised at how much information you do know!

HOW MANY HOURS WOULD YOU SAY YOU SPENT EACH DAYOR WEEK STUDYING FOR ORGANIC CHEMISTRY? Each week I would spend about 4 hours studying, and about 6 hours closer toexam time. Ideally, I would have liked to commit at least 45-minutes to an houreach day to organic chemistry, but I wasn't able to do that. The students in my classwho did do that, ended up with better grades in the class, and a better long-termmemory of the concepts.

IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR YOU DID TO STAYMOTIVATED WHILE TAKING ORGANIC CHEMISTRY? I was pre-med and I knew how important this class was for the MCATs and myGPA. I just kept working hard to do the best that I could do.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO STUDENTS TAKING THECOURSE FOR THE FIRST TIME?Do NOT be afraid at what you hear. But do realize you will have to work hard.Organic chemistry clicks for some people and takes longer to click to for others.I was in the latter category, so that's why I would work on homework problems,and re-work them until I fully understood each problem. Even though I mighthave done a lot more work than some of my classmates to get the A, I eventual-ly received it and you will too! Practice a lot of problems and don't be afraid torework problems you have already worked - you'll be surprised at how much youdon't remember and how much you do!


GOODADVICETips from students who have been there and done that...paying it forward <<<

How I Got an ‘A’ inOrganic ChemistryOne student shares an air-tight strategy for acing theinfamous premed weed-out organic chemistry course

This issue’s Good Advice comes courtesy of PANKTI, a Biomedical Engineering major atthe Illinois Institute of Technology who will be starting medical school in the Fall 2012

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

cicuc

ium

ama


THE SIXBUCKETS OFHOWTOBEPREMED

A NEW FRAMEWORK FOR DESCRIBING AND SIMPLIFYING THE PREMED AND MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS

|DR. SUZANNE M. MILLER, MD, FACEP

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

dvar

gg


T he medical school admissionsprocess is one of the most complex,competitive, and time-consuming

admissions methods in the country. For overa decade as a Harvard pre-med advisor andnow as a medical school admissions consult-ant, I have thought about how to breakdown the complicated medical school

admissions system into one that can be eas-ily understood and followed. The resulting"Six Bucket" structure clearly lays out whatit takes to get into medical school and servesas the foundation of a new venture,www.HowtobePreMed.com. Fill up all sixbuckets and you have a very good chance ofgetting into medical school.

As you well know, academics are a hugepart of the medical school admissionsprocess. The Academics Bucket is filledwith items weighed by the medicalschool admissions committees whenassessing if you are ready to excel aca-demically in medical school: GPA (Total,Science, and Non-Science), MCATScore, Undergraduate/graduate schoolstrength, Course strength, Major.

I am often asked, "What GPA andMCAT do I need to get into HarvardMedical School." I always answer, "It

depends." Many pre-meds think it takesa 4.0 GPA and 45 MCAT score to getinto medical school. They are wrong.Pre-meds with 4.0 GPAs and 45 MCATscores have used my consulting servic-es after they were NOT accepted tomedical school. Yes, good grades and adecent MCAT score are generallyrequired to gain acceptance to medicalschool, but there is no exact GPA orMCAT that guarantees admission.Medical school admissions committeeslook at pre-meds' "whole package"

when deciding whom gets into medicalschool. Great grades and MCATscores, a top-20 school pedigree, upperlevel classes, and a challenging orunique major are not enough to get intomedical school. You need to be well-rounded and stand out amongst theother 43,000 applicants. Think of theAcademics Bucket as being filled withhurdles. You pass over the GPA andMCAT hurdles and move on to moreexciting items that fill the other HowTo Be Pre-MedTM Buckets.

ACADEMICS BUCKET

>>>


Pre-meds frequently ask, "Do I need researchto get into medical school." I always emphat-ically answer, "Yes!" But "research" may notmean exactly what you think. Research doesnot have to involve pipetting in the lab or cre-ating mutant rats. Laboratory research is anexcellent way to delve deeper into basic sci-ence and work with other brilliant scientiststrying to solve a problem, but it is not the onlytype of research available to pre-meds.

In the eyes of medical school admissionscommittees, research can be defined as anyactivity that involves asking a question andthen trying to answer it. You form a hypothe-sis and attempt to solve it. The goal of yourresearch is to prove to the medical schooladmissions committees your talent for analyt-ical thinking and problem solving.

Many activities fall under this broader def-inition of research, including:

Studying HIV transmission rates from moth-er to child in Uganda

Determining the most cost-effective way toimplement an electronic health record systemat the local health clinic

Investigating scientists to be included in thebook Most Notable American WomanVolume V

Analyzing the health disparities of CostaRicans versus Nicaraguans in San Pablo deHeredia, Costa Rica

Looking at how states fund immunizationsfor a congressionally-sponsored immuniza-tion finance study

Using nanotechnology to develop handheldlaboratory analyzers to be used at the bedside

Studying GAD65 antigen therapy in recentlydiagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus

Drafting a white paper on global payment sys-tems versus fee-for-service payments forhealth care reform consulting firm

Performing language tests on elderly individu-als with and without dementia to determine ifsubtle language deficits can predict develop-ment of Alzheimer's Disease

Designing a mechanical straw mechanism thatallows quadriplegic patients to control drink-ing from wheel-chair mounted water bottle

As you can see, "research" has a broadmeaning. The key is to find a problem you areinteresting in solving, and then working tofind a solution.

RESEARCH BUCKET COMMUNITY SERVICEBUCKET

When it comes to medical school admissions,community service refers to any activitywhere you are helping someone else.Medicine is a caring profession, and, throughyour community service experiences, you canprove your passion for helping others.

Medical school admissions committeesstrongly prefer you show consistency andleadership in your community service activi-ties. For example, it is more impressive to vol-unteer in the emergency department for fouryears and receive promotions from volunteerintern to volunteer trainer to volunteer super-visor than to participate ina one-week community health fair for under-served populations each year in college. Whenchoosing your community service activities,think commitment and leadership.

Similar to choosing research and extracur-ricular activities, you can think outside the boxand be creative when selecting your commu-nity service experiences. You don't necessarilyhave to volunteer in a medical setting, thoughthat certainly doesn't hurt. You just need tohelp other people.

Here are some of my favorite communityservice examples from former clients:

Teach mahjong to local nursing home resi-dents and then organize tournaments

Institute "Sunday Suppers" on inner city streetcorner to feed homeless population

Tutor military personnel on how to re-entercollege and the workforce

Provide language translation to help individu-als applying for government benefits

Wash the feet of homeless individuals atweekly clinic

Develop sustainable system for collectingmedical supplies for clinic serving Sherpacommunity in Nepal

T h ew o r d

"Extracurricular," by strict definition,refers to any activity outside of the class-room. But in the context of medicalschool admissions, I use extracurricular tomean any experience that does not fit intothe category of academics, research, com-munity service, or clinical experience.Examples of extracurricular categoriesinclude: Clubs, Sports, Arts/Dance,Hobbies, Travel, Languages.

Extracurricular activities are a great way tostand out in the medical school admissions

process. This is another chance to be creativeand follow your passions. Admissions com-mittees may not remember that you had a 3.7GPA, but they will likely remember that youclimbed 50 14,000-foot mountains inColorado over the last 5 years or speak fluentGaelic or collect classic bicycles and auctionthem off for charity. Do not be afraid to fol-low your passions, even if they do not direct-ly relate to medicine. Your extracurricularexperiences will contribute not only to yourmedical school admissions chances, but willhelp you live a happy, well-balanced life. Theseare the activities that often continue throughmedical school and beyond and make youwho you are.

When choosing extracurricular activities,the same rule applies as for choosing everyother pre-med experience: focus on commit-ment and leadership. Fewer stellar experiencesare more powerful than many "one-offs," orthings you spend little time doing.

Members of medical school admissionscommittees often say lack of clinical experi-ence in the most common reason why pre-meds are not accepted to medical school.Does that surprise you? It initially surprisedme until I thought more about it. Evenmore than academic achievement, researchactivities, and community service experi-ences, medical school admissions commit-tees want to see that you know what it is liketo be a doctor. Medicine is a grueling pro-fession and certainly not the easiest path youcan choose. Do you know what you are get-ting yourself into? Medical school admis-sions committees look for the answer to thisquestion in your clinical experiences.

The clinical experience category is lessbroad than the Research, Community Service,and Extracurricular Buckets. It specificallyrefers to activities related to doctoring.Examples of clinical experience include:

Shadowing physicians

Volunteering/working in a clinic, office, orhospital

Performing clinical research

Traveling on international medical missions

When looking for clinical experiences, try toget a broad view of the medical professionand witness the day-to-day life of differenttypes of physicians. It's also a good idea tovolunteer or work in diverse environments,such as an office setting, emergency depart-ment, and inpatient hospital ward.

EXTRACURRICULARSBUCKET

CLINICAL EXPERIENCEBUCKET


I like to refer to application "skills" as applica-tion "art" because it takes tremendous creativ-ity, writing, and interviewing skills to gainacceptance to medical school. Through theapplication, you have to create a story thathelps you stand out among the other 43,000applicants and convinces the medical schooladmissions committees why you will make anexceptional medical student and physician.You can use the following parts of the med-ical school application to develop your com-pelling story: Recommendations, AMCASWork/Activities, AMCAS PersonalStatement, Secondary Essays,Interviews,andLetter of Intent/Update Letters.

You may wonder how to decide on yourstory. This is one of the hardest parts of theadmissions process. My suggestion is to lookat your experiences and see how they weavetogether. Have you dedicated significant timeand effort to studying infectious disease in thelaboratory and clinic? Then you can use theseexperiences to tell the story of how you wantto become a physician-scientist dedicated totreating HIV patients. Have you played com-petitive sports your whole life and witnessedhow orthopedic surgeons help patients andathletes get back on their feet after injuries?Then you can craft an interesting story dis-cussing how you'd like to become an ortho-pedic surgeon who focuses on sports medi-cine and dream of becoming an Olympicphysician one day. Have you spent yearsstudying how health policy affects public hos-pitals and recently worked full time at theNational Academies' Institute of Medicine?Then you can develop a story focusing onyour passion for creating lasting health reformin the US that improves care for the under-served. The key is to look back over all ofyour life experiences and see how they cometogether into a unified story that leads to amedical career. This story creation is the trueart of medical school applications.

As you can see, the medical schoolapplication process is about so muchmore than grades and MCAT scores.To get into medical school, you need to fillup all Six Buckets, of which the AcademicsBucket is but one. Luckily, you can cross-fill the buckets. For example, clinicalresearch falls into both the Research andClinical Experience Buckets. Volunteeringin a clinic counts for both CommunityService and Clinical Experience Buckets.

Given that I was once a pre-med andknow the culture well, I expect you are a bitoverwhelmed by these Six Buckets and wantto run out and fill them all now. Resist thisurge. Filling the Six Buckets occurs over

APPLICATION SKILLSBUCKET

years, starting with your first year of college.Remember, admissions committees strongly pre-fer commitment and leadership in all activities to"one-offs." Be strategic when choosing how tospend your time. Focus on what you love doingand you will likely do it well. And if you are think-ing of applying this cycle and haven't filled all ofthe buckets, why not wait on applying? There is norule that says you have to go to medical schoolright after college. Taking time off will likely onlyhelp your application.

Good luck and get in!

DR SUZANNE M. MILLER, MD, FACEPCEO, www.MDadmit.com, Co-Founder and President,www.HowtobePreMed.com, Author of The MedicalSchool Admissions Guide: A Harvard MD's Week-by-Week Admissions Handbook, 2nd Edition.

www.MDadmit.com

www.HowtobePreMed.com

www.premedlife.com

PreMedLifeMagazine


SubscribeToday



www.premedlife.com




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

ACADEMIC PHYSICIANWHAT DOES AN ACADEMIC PHYSICIAN DO?More like a career path rather than a medical specialty per se, academic medi-cine is just another option available to a physician deciding on a practice, andcan be either full time or part time. In addition to juggling research and clinicalduties, academic physicians are tasked with making teaching rounds to train andmentor medical students and new doctors. Physicians who ultimately make aca-demic medicine their home are attracted to the practice mainly because of theintellectual challenge the field often presents. According to one source, often,individuals interested in academic medicine pursue their careers either as teach-ers (referred to as clinical-educators) or as researchers (physician-scientists),with patient care as part of both roles.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BECOMEAN ACADEMIC PHYSICIAN?

Undergraduate (4 Years) (to obtain bachelor's degree)

Medical School (4 Years) (to obtain MD or DO degree)

1 year of additional year of basic science training (to acquire the knowl-edge, skills, and experience to begin careers in various areas of academic medicine)

HOW MUCH DO ACADEMIC PHYSICIANS EARN? Compensation for physicians employed by medical school varies dependingon location. According to one report, while primary care professors reported an average income of $198,000, primary care department chairs report-

ed an average salary of as much as $282,296. In addition, specialty care pro-fessors earned 260,075 and full professors earned up to $280,000.Remember that many academic physicians also hold positions in clinical orresearch settings and earn a whole separate check for those responsibilities.

WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY LIKE FOR AN ACADEMICPHYSICIAN? Academic physicians are like the multi-taskers of the medical community.For most clinicians, a typical day will involve juggling teaching responsibil-ities as well as conducting medical research or providing clinical care topatients. In a single day, an academic physician could meet with fellowinvestigators to discuss results and data from a research study, hold a one-on-one session to mentor a medical student, and make a trip to the hospi-tal to see and care for patients.

WHAT DO SOME ACADEMIC PHYSICIANS SAY THEY LOVEABOUT THEIR SPECIALTY?Mentoring students.

WHAT DO SOME ACADEMIC PHYSICIANS SAY THEY DIS-LIKE ABOUT THEIR SPECIALTY?Paperwork.

WHAT UPPER-LEVEL COLLEGE CLASSES SHOULD YOUTAKE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BECOMING ANACADEMIC PHYSICIAN?Independent research, Leadership development

ACADEMIC MEDICINE is a loosely defined term whichdescribes the branch of medicine pursued by doctorswho engage in a variety of scholarly activities. Whilethe traditional role of clinical academics is to provideclinical care, do research, and teach, AcademicPhysicians today may also spend some of their time inmanagerial and representative roles.

Flick

r/ n

ayuk

im


More and more medicalstudents are choosingto pursue advancedtraining in another fieldin addition to theirmedical education.

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

iofo

to


The decision to pursue a combined degree is typically based on astudent's long-term goals. For a student who has always seenthemselves as a physician who practices medicine in a hospital,

clinic, or at a private practice, a combined degree may not be needed. Thelevel of training and education provided through the typical four-yearmedical school program will most likely provide sufficient training. Evenfor highly specialized concentrations, medical school, residency, andinternships can usually provide students with the adequate training andbackground needed.

If a student is interested in contributing to the development of healthcare policies, then maybe an MD/MBA degree is the way to go. Or maybemitigating intellectual property issues in biotechnology is something thatsounds like music to some student's ears - then an MD/JD program wouldbe a great match for such a desire. Either way, there are tons of options forstudents wishing to branch out and practice medicine in an area other thanthe traditional roles many have been exposed to for years.

For premeds who want the best of both worlds, whatever those twoworlds may be, the option of pursuing a dual MD degree (also called com-bined or joint degree) may be the perfect way to marry two fields of inter-

est. Students enrolled in dual MD programs have the opportunity to com-bine their passion for practicing medicine with research, law, or many otherfields. From popular courses of study like Public Health and BusinessAdministration to those who pursue lesser-known tracks like theMD/Master of Divinity degree for students preparing for the practice ofministry, there are plenty of MD dual programs out there.

For those of you who have a strong attraction to a particular interest,how cool would it be if you could have your medical education fit wantinterest you most? As students who build a strong medical foundationthrough their medical school curriculum, the addition of combined degreecoursework will immerse students into whatever area they've decided topursue, whether its business administration, public health policy, or law, thebenefits of dual degree programs are plentiful. Many student do not evenrealize they have the option of pursue dual degrees in certain areas andwish they would have known that certain school offered specialized pro-grams ahead of time. Along with some of the more popular dual MD pro-grams offered through many medical schools, PreMedLife magazine hascreated this first-ever resource that brings all the information aboutdual degree programs together in one place!

DDUALUALdegree

Hundreds of programs across the country offer students the optionof combining their love for medicine with a number of other fields

THE


THE EARLY PHYSICIANBA/MD or BS/MDStudents admitted to these programs pursue a bachelor of science (BS) or bachelor of arts (BA) degree in their chosen major and upon com-pletion of their undergraduate degree, have the opportunity to purse a doctor of medicine (MD) degree from the partnering institution. Entryinto BA/BS-MD degree programs are very competitive and highly selective. Some programs may not require the MCAT for acceptance intomedical school.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

Baylor University

Boston University

Brooklyn College

Caldwell College

College of New Jersey

Drew University

Drexel University

George Washington University

Hofstra University

Howard University

Kent State University

Lehigh University

Montclair State University

New Jersey Institute ofTechnology

Northeast Ohio Medical University

Northwestern University

Ohio State University

Penn State College of Science

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rice University

Richard Stockton College of NewJersey

Robert Wood Johnson MedicalSchool

Rosemont College

Rutgers University - Newark

Sophie Davis School of BiomedicalEducation

St. George's University

Stevens Institute of Technology

SUNY Stony Brook University

SUNY Geneseo

University of Akron

University of Alabama

University of California, Riverside

University of Connecticut

University of Colorado

University of Florida

University of Kentucky

University of Miami

University of Missouri-Kansas City

University of Nevada, Reno

University of New Mexico

University of Rochester

University of South Alabama

University of Texas-Pan American

University of Toledo

Villanova University

Wayne State University

Youngstown State University


THE PHYSICIAN SCIENTISTMD/PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) These programs are designed to train students in medicine and research. If you are interested in becoming a research physician, like the onesyou might find working at the National Institutes of Health, then these programs are designed specifically for this interest. Students who grad-uate with MD/PhD degrees are called physician-scientists or physician-investigators. In addition to caring for patients, MD/PhD candidates.For more information, visit the AAMC's page MD-PhD Dual Degree Training.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

University of Alabama School ofMedicine

University of South AlabamaCollege of Medicine

University of Arizona HealthSciences Center

University of Arkansas College ofMedicine

Loma Linda University School ofMedicine

Stanford University School ofMedicine

University of California, DavisSchool of Medicine

University of California, IrvineSchool of Medicine

University of California, LosAngeles School of Medicine

University of California, San DiegoSchool of Medicine

University of California, SanFrancisco School of Medicine

University of Southern CaliforniaSchool of Medicine

University of Colorado HealthSciences Center

University of Connecticut Schoolof Medicine

Yale University School of Medicine

Georgetown University School ofMedicine

Howard University College ofMedicine

University of Florida College ofMedicine

University of Miami Miller Schoolof Medicine

University of South FloridaCollege of Medicine

Emory University School ofMedicine

Medical College of Georgia

Morehouse School of Medicine

University of Hawaii John A.Burns School of Medicine

Loyola University of Chicago -Stritch School of Medicine

Northwestern University MedicalSchool

Rosalind Franklin University ofMedicine and Science - ChicagoMedical School

Rush Medical College of RushUniversity

University of Chicago PritzkerSchool of Medicine

University of Illinois at ChicagoCollege of Medicine

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Medicine

Indiana University School ofMedicine

University of Iowa College ofMedicine

University of Kansas School ofMedicine

University of Kentucky College ofMedicine

University of Louisville School ofMedicine

Louisiana State University, NewOrleans School of Medicine

Louisiana State University,Shreveport School of Medicine

For the complete list of school'soffering MD/PhD programs visitthe AAMC's MD/PhD DegreePrograms by State atwww.aamc.org.

www.aamc.org


THE PHYSICIAN INVESTIGATORMD/MSTP (Medical Scientist Training Program)To help meet the need for investigators who are well trained in both basic sciences and clinical research, the National Institute ofGeneral Medical Sciences established the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) to encourage and support the training of stu-dents to undertake careers in biomedical research and academic medicine. MSTP students participate in an integrated program ofgraduate training in the biomedical sciences and clinical training offered through medical schools.

MSTP participants may choose from a wide range of research training programs in the biological, chemical, or physical sciences.Students are supported by grants which provide for stipends, tuition allowance; and modest sums for travel, equipment, and sup-plies. In addition, many institutions supplement the basic stipend provided by the MSTP grant.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

University of Alabama atBirmingham School of Medicine

Stanford University


University of California, Los AngelesSchool of Medicine/California Institute of Technology

University of California, San DiegoSchool of Medicine

University of California, SanFranciscoSchool of Medicine

University of Colorado Denver

Yale University School of Medicine


Northwestern University MedicalSchool

University of Chicago

University of Illinois at ChicagoCollege of Medicine


University of IowaCarver College of Medicine

Johns Hopkins University School ofMedicine

University of Maryland School ofMedicine

Harvard MedicalSchool/Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology

Tufts University School of Medicine

University of Michigan MedicalSchool

University of Minnesota MedicalSchool

Mayo Medical School

Washington University School ofMedicine

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Columbia UniversityCollege of Physicians and Surgeons

Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-KetteringTri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program

Mount Sinai School of Medicine

New York University School ofMedicine

State University of New York atStony Brook

University of RochesterSchool of Medicine and Dentistry

Duke University Medical Center

University of North Carolina atChapel Hill School of Medicine

Case Western Reserve UniversitySchool of Medicine

Ohio State University College ofMedicine

The MSTP currently has 40 participatingprograms involving 45 degree-granting insti-tutions with a total of 933 trainees. (Thereare approximately 75 medical schools thatdo not have NIGMS MSTP traininggrants but that also offer opportunities forM.D.-Ph.D. studies.)

For aa llist oof iinstitutions oofferingMedical SScientist TTraining pprograms vvisitthe NNational IInstitute oof GGeneral MMedicalSciences rresource. wwww.nigms.nih.gov

www.nigms.nih.gov

PreMedLifeMagazine


SubscribeToday






THE ADVANCED PHYSICIANMD/MS (Master of Science) or MD/MA (Master of Art)For students who do not wish to pursue a PhD, but want to extend their research portfolio, MD/MS programs are just the way todo that.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

University of California Berkeley


University of Louisville

Texas A&M Health Science CenterCollege of Medicine


THE PHYSICIAN LAWYERMD/JD (Juris Doctor of Law)These programs are designed to accommodate the increasingnumber of individuals seeking an interdisciplinary education inlaw and medicine. Programs are generally designed to lead to the

concurrent award of degrees in law and medicine at the com-pletion of the program involving academic and clinical study.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

University of California Berkeley


University of Louisville



Baylor College of Medicine


Duke School of Medicine

Mayo Medical School


Perelman School of Medicine atthe University of Pennsylvania

Southern Illinois University Schoolof Medicine

Texas Tech University School ofMedicine

The University of Chicago PritzkerSchool of Medicine


University of Iowa Carver Collegeof Medicine


University of Illinois College ofMedicine

University of Minnesota School ofMedicine


Vanderbilt University School ofMedicine

Yale School of Medicine


THE PUBLIC HEALTH PHYSICIANMD/MPH (Masters of Public Health)The Master of Public Health degree supplements a student's medical education by providing them with skills in population-basedresearch, design and evaluation of health promotion and disease prevention programs, and management of the health care deliverysystem. Programs generally focus on the diseases, health status and system of health care delivery for population groups. This pro-gram opens up expanded career opportunities in various fields of service including, but not limited to academic medicine, research,health administration, and public health, including local, state, federal, and international health agencies.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...


Boston University School ofMedicine

Columbia University College ofPhysicians and Surgeons

Drexel University College ofMedicine


Eastern Virginia Medical School


George Washington UniversitySchool of Medicine

Harvard Medical School

NYU School of Medicine


Yeshiva University's Albert

Einstein College of Medicine

Jefferson Medical College

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Louisiana State University Schoolof Medicine

Medical University of SouthCarolina College of Medicine


New York Medical College

Northwestern University FeinbergSchool of Medicine


Oregon Health & Science

University School of Medicine


Saint Louis University School ofMedicine

Stanford School of Medicine


SUNY Upstate Medical University

Temple University School ofMedicine

East Carolina University BrodySchool of Medicine

University of Texas School ofMedicine

The University of Toledo Collegeof Medicine

Tufts University School ofMedicine

Tulane University School ofMedicine


University of Buffalo School ofMedicine

University of Alabama atBirmingham School of Medicine

University of Arizona College ofMedicine


UC Davis School of Medicine

UCLA School of Medicine

University of California San DiegoSchool of Medicine


For tthe ccomplete llist, vvisit oour WWebsitewww.premedlife.com

www.premedlife.com


THE BUSINESS PHYSICIAN MD/MBA (Masters of Business Administration)These programs are designed for students who are interested in both medicine and the business aspects of medicine. Multipleaspects of the sector are addressed, including health care delivery, the life sciences industry, and health information technology. Thiscombined degree is ideal for students considering advancement in medical leadership, either within group medical practices, gov-ernment agencies, health care companies, and research and pharmaceutical firms.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...


Boonshoft School of Medicine

Boston University School ofMedicine

Brody School of Medicine


Columbia University College ofPhysicians and Surgeons

Creighton University School ofMedicine

Drexel University College ofMedicine


Geisel School of Medicine atDartmouth

Georgetown University School ofMedicine


Howard University College ofMedicine

Jefferson Medical College

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine

New Jersey Medical School




Saint Louis University School ofMedicine

Stanford School of Medicine

Texas Tech University School ofMedicine


Tufts University School ofMedicine

Tulane University School ofMedicine

UC Davis School of Medicine


University of Arizona College ofMedicine




University of Cincinnati College ofMedicine



University of Illinois College ofMedicine

University of Iowa Carver Collegeof Medicine



University of Miami School ofMedicine


University of Nevada School ofMedicine

University of North CarolinaSchool of Medicine

For aa ccomplete llist, vvisit oour wwebsitewww.premedlife.com oor ggo ttohttp://mdmbaprograms.com/5.html

http://mdmbaprograms.com/5.html


THE INTERNATIONAL PHYSICIANMD/MPH (Masters of Public Health) in Global HealthThese programs offer students the opportunity to combined medical training with public health from a global perspective.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

NYU School of Medicine Duke School of Medicine

THE PUBLIC SERVICE PHYSICIANMD/MPA (Masters of Public Administration)These programs are designed for students looking to pursue a medical career that combines public health and medicine. For a discussion ofthe pros and cons of MD/MPH programs in general and the timing of public health course work, see the MD/MPH Guide produced bythe American Medical Student Association.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

Boston University School of Medicine NYU School of Medicine

THE BIOETHICAL PHYSICIANMD/MA in BioethicsThe goal of these programs is to train medical professionals in the basic ethic principles underlying medical practice and to educatethem about bioethical issues that they are likely to confront. Students who enroll in these programs will be equipped with anincreased ethical awareness during their medical training and in their future careers. In addition, these programs are designed to pre-pare students for a variety of professional roles including practicing as bioethicists in medical institutions and as public policyadministrators in a variety of health care organizations.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...



University of Pittsburgh

Case Western Reserve University

Wake Forest University School ofMedicine

Albany Medical College

Yeshiva University's Albert

Einstein College of Medicine

Northwestern University FeinbergSchool of Medicine

Perelman School of Medicine



THE PHYSICIAN RESEARCHERMD/Masters of Science in Clinical EpidemiologyThis program is designed for students who are interested in academic careers in clinical research. The goal of this program is totrain individuals for successful careers as independent academic clinical investigators. The program is designed to provide in depthknowledge of the research techniques appropriate for clinical epidemiology research.

SCHOOL OFFERING...Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

THE PUBLIC SERVICE PHYSICIANMD/Masters of Health ScienceThis program is designed for medical students who wish to complete an extra year of research.

SCHOOL OFFERING...

Yale School of Medicine

THE INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PHYSICIANMD/Masters of Advanced Studies or MD/MS in Clinical Investigation these programs are designed for students focused on mastering clinical research methods and pursuing independent research careers.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

University of California DavisSchool of Medicine


University of Louisville School of Medicine

Washington University School of Medicine

THE JR. PHYSICIAN INVESTIGATORMD/Masters in Translational Research This program is designed to provide students with in-depth instruction in the fundamental skills, methodology, and principles necessaryto be a well-trained junior investigator. These programs strive to produce researchers who are knowledgeable about the complex issuesassociated with conducting sound clinical research.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania


THE INTERFACING PHYSICIANMD/Masters of Science in Health Policy ResearchThis program is designed primary for physicians pursuing careers in the interface of health services research and health policy. The primaryfocus is on: health economics, health policy, qualitative/quantitative data collection, research study design and data analysis.

SCHOOL OFFERING...Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

THE BIOETHICAL PHYSICIANMD/MA in BioethicsDesigned specifically to meet the needs of the clinician or clinician-in-training by providing a combination of course work and research expe-riences needed for a successful career in clinical investigation. Students gain an understanding of clinical research methodology, biostatistics,and research ethics and are provided with the necessary skills to conduct independent clinical research, to teach, and to mentor others.Graduates will gain the ability to identify important research questions, develop research protocols, generate pilot data, conduct clinical inves-tigations, analyze and write the results in a publishable form and develop and submit grant proposals.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...


Yeshiva University's AlbertEinstein College of Medicine



UC San Diego School of Medicine


University of Texas Medical Schoolat Houston

THE ANATOMY-OBSESSED PHYSICIANMD/Masters of Science in Applied Anatomy Designed for students seeking advanced training in the anatomical sciences.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

THE HIGH TECH PHYSICIANMD/Masters of Science in Biomedical EngineeringThese programs are designed to prepare medical students to be opinion leaders and bridge the gap between medicine and technologyin the evolving biomedical engineering/health care industry, a field that applies high-tech research to improvements in health.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...University of Maryland School of Medicine University of Minnesota Medical School

THE BIOMEDICAL PHYSICIANMD/Masters of Science in Biomedical InvestigationThe goal of this program is to train medical students in basic or clinical research approaches so that the physician graduate mayconduct research to advance health.

SCHOOL OFFERING...

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

THE ETHICALLY-FOCUSED PHYSICIANMD/Masters of Science in Health Care EthicsThese programs offers students the opportunity to earn a medical degree, explore the area of health care ethics in more depth, and givesthem a year to explore their passions as they gain a MS degree in Health Care Ethics.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...

Creighton University School of Medicine Drexel University College of Medicine

THE STORYTELLER PHYSICIANMD/Master of Science in Narrative MedicineThis program is designed for the student who wishes to improve the effectiveness of care by developing their capacity for attention, reflec-tion, representation, and affiliation with patients and colleagues through writing and reflection of stories of illness.

SCHOOL OFFERING...

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

weknowyouloveus

...so why don’t you ‘LIKE US’?




56 | PreMedLife Magazine | May/June 201256 | PreMedLife Magazine | May/June 201256 | PreMedLife Magazine | May/June 2012

THE BIO-AGENT PHYSICIANMD/Master in Biohazardous Threat Agents & Emerging Infectious DiseasesThe program supplements a student's medical education with a degree that addresses the knowledge gap in the science of biohazardousagents and emerging infectious diseases facing the world community; whether such threats occur naturally or are purposefully designed.Graduates of the program find opportunities both in biodefense companies as well as with the government agencies.

SCHOOL OFFERING...Georgetown University School of Medicine

THE ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIANMD/Master in Physiology & BiophysicsThis program is designed to train students to objectively assess the safety and efficacy of various Complementary and Alternative Medicine(CAM) modalities such as acupuncture, massage, herbs and supplements, and mind-body interactions and introduces scientific rigor to muchneeded evidence-based research.

SCHOOL OFFERING...Georgetown University School of Medicine

THE PUBLIC POLICY PHYSICIANMD/Master in Public Policy Designed for students to understand the intersection of public policy and medicine. Graduates learn to address such policy issues as manag-ing health care costs and access, regulatory requirements, and addressing public health concerns related to topics such as immunizations anddisease control.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...





Brown University School ofMedicine

THE I.T. PHYSICIANMD/Master in Health InformaticsThrough this program students are prepared to apply information technology to medicine so they can be effective informaticians within theirmedical specialties.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...University of Minnesota Medical School University of Michigan Medical School


THE PHYSICIAN NEUROSCIENTISTMD/MS in Medical NeurobiologyThis program adds an additional year of study, research and teaching experience to the medical curriculum, culminating a Master's ofScience Degree in Neurobiology and Anatomy that is conferred along with the MD degree upon graduation.

SCHOOL OFFERING...University of Rochester School of Medicine

THE TRANSLATIONAL PHYSICIAN MD/MS in Clinical and Population Translational ScienceThis program is designed to develop competencies in clinical researchers interested in conducting translational research.

SCHOOL OFFERING...Wake Forest University School of Medicine

THE STATISTICS PHYSICIAN MD/Master's in Biomedical InformaticsThis program allows students to supplement their medical education with a program that applies statistical techniques and technologiesto the medical and health sciences.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...Stanford School of Medicine Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

THE PHYSICIAN DENTISTMD/OMFS Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery or MD/DDSDental schools, in conjunction with medical school programs, offer a training program leading to the MD degree and a certificateof specialization in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The goal of these programs is to mostly prepare a clinically superior surgeon whopossesses the additional knowledge and ability to pursue a career in any aspect of oral surgery, be it clinical, teaching, or research-oriented

SCHOOLS OFFERING...Columbia University College ofPhysicians and Surgeons

Mayo Medical School

Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Oregon Health & ScienceUniversity School of Medicine




University of Mississippi School ofMedicine

PreMedLifeMagazine


SubscribeToday



www.premedlife.com




THE ANALYTICAL PHYSICIANMD/Master's in Health Services ResearchThis program is concerned with the analysis of health policy in the public and private sectors.

SCHOOL OFFERING...Stanford School of Medicine

THE BIOMEDICAL PHYSICIANMD/Masters of Science in Biomedical SciencesThis program is aimed at training those individuals wishing to perform research in medical sciences incorporating the perspectiveand/or skills achieved through clinical medical training.

SCHOOL OFFERING...The University of Toledo College of Medicine

THE DISEASE STUDYING PHYSICIANMD/Masters in EpidemiologyThis program involves additional training in the field of epidemiology which involves the study of disease - and predisposing conditions fordisease - among human populations in all parts of the world, with an emphasis on approaches to improving levels of health.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...


Stanford School of Medicine Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of Pennsylvania

THE OTHER PHYSICIAN LAWYERMD/Masters of Advances Studies in Health Law or MD/MS in JurisprudenceThese programs are designed to bridge the differences between the practice of health care and the practice of law to establish acommon understanding of the principles guiding each profession. The program equips graduates with a more complete under-standing of the best scientific, ethical, regulatory, and management practices of concern to both professions, with a goal of estab-lishing mutually compatible solutions in policy and practice.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...UC San Diego School of Medicine Robert Wood Johnson Medical School


THE PHYSICIAN NUTRITIONISTMD/MS in NutritionThe combined knowledge of nutrition and medical principles gained from this dual degree program is expected to address the increas-ing emphasis in medical and graduate education on multidisciplinary work, encourage robust approaches to investigative efforts of majorpublic health problems such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease can cancer, and improve the ability of the practitioner to usebehavior strategies to enhance patient compliance with lifestyle recommendations.

SCHOOL OFFERING...University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

THE RESEARCH PHYSICIANMasters of Medicine/PhD or MD/Master in Clinical ScienceThis program is designed to train medical students in clinical research methods to translate clinical, biomedical and technologicaldiscoveries into advances in population-based, clinical, or basic science research.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...Keck School of Medicine of USC University of Texas

School of Medicine

THE PHYSICIAN TEACHERMD/Master of Arts (Education)Designed for students who would like a strong foundation in educational theory, research, principles and applications - and who would liketo acquire this foundation at the same time they are completing the requirements for the M.D. degree.

SCHOOL OFFERING...

University of Michigan Medical School

THE PHYSICIAN THEOLOGISTMD/Master of Divinity and Master of Theological StudiesThis program is designed to prepare students for the practice of ministry. These programs are designed to join the domains of caring for thebody and caring for the spirit.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Yale School of Medicine

THE GLOBAL PHYSICIANMD/MA in International RelationsThis degree program combines clinical training with an international diplomacy, language, and business perspective to bridge the fieldsof international relations and medicine. The program is designed to produce well-rounded physicians who understand the principles ofinternational law, politics, economics, and business.SCHOOL OFFERING...Tufts University School of Medicine

THE LIBERAL ARTS PHYSICIANMD/Master of Arts in Liberal StudiesThis program is designed to offer a multidisciplinary opportunity for students to explore topics in medical history, ethics, theology, and otherfields within the medical humanities.

SCHOOL OFFERING...


THE OTHER LIBERAL ARTS PHYSICIANMD/Master of Arts in Liberal Studies in Ethics and ProfessionalismThis program will supplement a student's medical education with a constellation of issues surrounding the conduct of profession-al workers in contemporary culture. The goal of this program is to enrich the students' understanding of the moral complexity ofprofessional life, and to assist them in arriving at a balanced, consistent, and defensible judgment of the ethical conduct expectedof those in positions of responsibility.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...Georgetown University

THE PHYSICIAN DIRECTORMD/Master in Health AdministrationTo supplement a student's medical education, this program is designed to help students shape the direction of health care organization.

SCHOOLS OFFERING...Medical University of SouthCarolina College of Medicine

Ohio State University College of Medicine

The Commonwealth Medical College

Virginia Commonwealth UniversitySchool of Medicine

weknowyouloveus





THE GENETICS PHYSICIANMD/Masters of Human Genetics and Genetic CounselingThis program trains medical students to understand the molecular, clinical and psychological implications of differences in thehuman genome, and to translate these intricacies to health care professionals, laboratory researchers and patients/families.

SCHOOL OFFERING...

Tufts University School of Medicine

THE BOSS PHYSICIANMD/Master of Health Services AdministrationThis program prepares students for careers as physicians and health-care executives or to provide administrative support for theirmedical practice.

SCHOOL OFFERING...

University of Kansas School of Medicine

http://www.waxandscents.com


PREMEDREALITY>>> Premed students share real stories of experiences that happen along their journeys to becoming physicians

Idid not know him, he never played a part in mylife, but I could not let a fall on the ice take hislife. I pressed my gloved hands on the gentle-

man's frail chest, eyes locked on his face as I pound-ed rhythms on his sternum. In those few moments,my own responsibilities and frustrations faded, and Iviewed the man under my care as someone of myown blood. Orders were barked, footsteps soundedfrom every direction, and red flowed into testingtubes, through gauze patches, and onto my gloves asthe man's wavering pulse jumped from life to neardeath. I kept my CPR in rhythm, focus-driven andemotionally pleading for him to stay with us….untilhe did. Skin once ashen returned to pink, his chestexpanding with a breath powerful as one's first. As Istood back, I locked eyes with my patient, and hisexpression became forever banked in my memory.His eyes spoke the words he could not: "Thank you,I was not ready to go…"

Since I was young, I loved the Emergency Roomfor its unpredictability, tales of survivorship, andsupport when lives are lost. However, I did notdecide to pursue medicine until the end of college,maturity and experience had to mold and guide metoward a career not for temporary means, but for life.The sciences gripped me strongly through college, Ihave an everlasting interest in anatomy (especiallywhen it goes awry), and people from all paths of lifefascinate me. I am one who, late at night, sits with ablanket and watches Trauma: Life in the E.R., guess-ing the diagnosis while trying to find out more aboutand what could be done for the person in front ofme. As college neared its end, I searched for a way toapply these various interests to real world exposure,

and due to being heavily devoted to academics on achaotic commuter schedule, employment wasbeyond reach. I heard about internships, and likemany, I had the image in my mind of someone serv-ing coffee to a superior, not learning anything, orhearing from one who worked in an internship end-

ing up hating the choice they made. Despite myjudgments, I was told through my advisors to makean appointment with the university's Career Center.Through discussion with them, I found the missingfacet of my life, the tie combining interests I've hadsince birth to a few months in the real world: The

"I remain entwined by the memories of days and nights in the E.R., and those memories would never let me go, not even if I were drowning." -Dr. Pamela Grim MD from her book "Just Here Trying to Save a Few Lives"

LESSONS FROM MYINTERNSHIP

A personal story about finding the missing facet of her life through an emergency room internship

BY DESIREE HYKES

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

studi

osno

wden


Emergency Medicine Internship at MorristownMedical Center. I applied and was accepted the fol-lowing January.

Medicine has an essential moment-to-momentconnection with someone's wonderful and horrify-ing times in life. Those who wish to become part ofit need a vital or powerful role alongside it as part-ners with patients, dedicated with the doctors.Medicine's career paths branch like the Celtic tree oflife, interconnected yet variable, and for the pre-medical student, choosing a specialty to enter can bequite a challenge. However, the internship providedme sheers to trim these branches with, narrowingdown and shaping choices I made into a specialty Icould not imagine my life without. My first day asan intern was riddled with nerves, unsure of what todo, who to ask, and how to proceed with the newrole I had in an environment I was thankfully famil-iar with. To connect with patients, physicians, resi-dents, and nurses who could teach me all I wishedto learn, I had to take risk. Nothing can prove one'sdedication and establish a mentor-follower relation-ship better than by asking questions. Does a patientmake you curious? Ask. Do you wonder how thedoctor arrived at their diagnosis? Ask. Does apatient's family seem lost, hesitant, or reluctant?Ask. Priceless experiences could be the result ofyour questions, so ask, experience, and learn.

Are you drawn to emergency scenarios, restoringorder from a chaotic situation? Take an evening (ormore) as part of the Trauma Response Team. Doesnew life perk your curiosity? Hold the hand of awoman giving birth or of her newborn to know thescience and emotions of a human welcomed to theworld. Do the mind's breakdowns go along withyour strong listening ability? Console psychiatricpatients and their families, become the vital "some-one to talk to" as they recover. Do you get satisfac-tion out of working with your hands and mind intandem? Assist a surgeon with sutures and otherprocedures from Outpatient to Operating Room.As an intern, I was blessed with these opportunities,yet I would have none of them if I did not questionthe physicians I worked alongside of. Ask to domore than shadow, offer to do more than stand backand observe, and your dedication will be remem-bered by a patient, family, or doctor. By offeringyourself to medicine beyond a background role, les-sons learned from these experiences can influencedecisions regarding your future in medicine. Manysay we are shaped by experience, and this can begained by questioning those around you, participat-ing, risk-taking, and learning while growing intellec-tually. Shape yourself by utilizing the world aroundyou and all who walk in it, you will have no regretsby doing so, and in the end you will have enrichingself-discovery. The five months of my internshipgave me more insight into myself then I could haveever obtained in five years.

When going into an internship, I encourage youto bring a notebook, one capable of fitting in a labjacket pocket for example. During the day, write allyour thoughts. How did it feel to sit alongside adying patient, to save a life, to see life lost? What

was it like to tell a patient's loved one their familymember survived an emergency situation? How doyou feel in the different departments of a hospital,why do you favor one over the other? Commonly,I would go into a patient's room with this smallnotebook, pen at the ready, and take bulleted noteson their symptoms, interaction with the doctor andmedical staff, and on their life in general. I wouldwrite as though I was a film director watching ascene, observing fine details of body language to thegrand reason why the patient was a patient in thefirst place. If questions come to your mind whiletaking notes, write those down as well. The collec-tion of notes you acquire after the internship haspassed can serve as valuable springboards for med-ical school applications, personal statements, jobs,and interviews. Write all your experiences, lessons,questions, and thoughts, and when someone asksyou why you choose to enter a certain specialty, thenotes reflecting on your experiences in the intern-ship can be attention-grabbing and heartfeltresources from which to provide the answer.

Lastly, an internship can be a time of compari-son and contrast. Combine observation andthought with every day of the internship, what haveyou seen that you will mimic for your patients?What actions do you admire or refuse to imitate?This is essential when observing bedside manner.Take note of the body language, words, and man-nerisms of the physician and patient you are work-ing with. For example, one evening I worked with aphysician who, instead of standing beside thepatient gurney and staring down at them, would sitwith eyes locked on the patient, hands folded, in arelaxed but attentive state. I noticed the patient feltless intimidated, more comfortable, and open withthe doctor who sat at eye level with her, listeningand acting as an equal instead of standing over thepatient, giving an already emotionally rattled persona feeling of inferiority or being intimidated. Thedoctor's body language allowed for more effectivecommunication, a stronger feeling of trust, humili-ty, and concern between the doctor and patient,ensuring proper information was obtained for effi-cient healing. I vowed to take a similar approachwith my patients, I wish for them to be partners withme during their recovery, and the physician's bodylanguage I witnessed correlated with this personalvalue of mine. With this in mind, I applied thisbody language to patients in my care, and I encour-age premedical students to try this form of bodylanguage with a patient. This observation and appli-cation of body language is an example of medicine'sfavorite adage of "see one, do one, teach one".When the internship was complete, I was left withfeelings of self-enlightenment, discovery, and price-less life experience. What I had done for andlearned from patients I will pass on to premedicalstudents as I have done through this article. Whentimes of hardship strike, I find myself reflecting onthe internship and its daily intellectual and personalgifts. The memory of hugging a grieving family insolace, experiencing the chaos and order of everyhospital department, and diagnosing alongside

physicians provides personal strength, reason, andwant to pursue medicine despite any obstacle. As Ihave throughout my life, I support those who strivefor their dreams, and I offer my timeless support asyou enter medicine. Seek an internship, its value isirreplaceable, and its lessons forever valuable. Ihope you find your moment during the internshipwhere, like the turning gears of a grand clock, everypiece that creates your identity falls into an entirepassion, a purpose in life.

In one evening during those five months, I savedthe life of a man who, from falling on the ice, hadsuffered a full myocardial infarction. My under-standing of life and death, personal interests, values,and principles I've had since birth were encom-passed into seeing my patient return to life. Mymedical passions lit like lightning when I locked eyeswith the man I once thought passed away, and for amoment, my breath was stolen from me. Awayfrom the patient's room, my hands shook and myeyes watered as I realized I found my life's passion.I said to the doctor I worked with that evening, "Idon't care what I have to do, I must do what you dofor the rest of my life."

I entered the internship unsure of my life's direc-tion, but had I never applied, I would be lost on theocean of uncertainty still. As you advance into yourlife and career in medicine, may the memories andlessons of your experiences guide you throughhardships and victories. Take and utilize the lessonsfrom an internship to future patients, families, andmedical students that may one day turn to you forguidance. Let the internship be a partner, like apatient to a doctor, in shaping your life's dreampiece by piece. Never be afraid to be curious andask questions, the answers will become a solid foun-dation for creating one who understands what heal-ing entails.Desiree Hykes is a Drew University Biology Honorsgraduate, seasoned theatrical performer, and hasobtained multiple awards for her artistic interestsand academics. With her passions for the sciencesand humanities such as Anthropology, she is pursu-ing medical school to become a New York Citybased Trauma Surgeon.

DESIREE HYKES is a Drew UniversityBiology Honors graduate, seasonedtheatrical performer, and hasobtained multiple awards for herartistic interests and academics.With her passions for the sciencesand humanities such as Anthropology,she is pursuing medical school tobecome a New York City basedTrauma Surgeon.


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

Plug Out Plug Organizers The Plug Out Plug Organizers sticks via non-markingadhesive right below an electrical outlet and keepsunplugged cords neatly in place for when you're ready toswitch out one plug for another.

Sprout Bookmarks The Sprout Bookmark stays put in the middle of yourbook while you're reading and is made from silicone soit doesn't slip out. Fun and cool to look at, the book-marks are quite practical too.

Personal Library Kit Do you lend out your books to classmates?

Now you can keep track of who has what withyour very own Personal Library Kit. The kit

provides you with old-fashioned library circula-tion techniques for fun and book retention.

EDITO

R’S PI

CK


Einstein's Energy Bar The all-natural Einstein's Energy Bar is

packed with fruit and nuts to give you theenergy boost you need. And when you open

up the pack of gum, you'll find fun factsand activities to keep you busy. .

Origami Sticky Notes With Origami Sticky Notes you can prac-tice the Japanese art at your desk (but notin class of course) and make use of thesticky notes you may no longer need.

100 Small Favors Tickets If you need a small favor or are willing to giveone out, these Small Favors Tickets allow therecipient to redeem for a small favor.

PreMedLifeMagazine


SubscribeToday



www.premedlife.com




THE MINDFUL MEDICAL STUDENT: APSYCHIATRIST'S GUIDE TO STAYING WHO YOUWARE WHILE BECOMING WHO YOU WANT TO by Jeremy Spiegel, MD In a booked dubbed as a valuable tool in learning the hidden cur-riculum of medical school, Dr. Jeremy Spiegel shares insight on howhe dealt with many of the unspoken experiences of medical schoollike cynicism, loneliness, and dishonesty. "It is essentially a manual onhow to maintain sanity in an often grueling medical environmentand culture," one reviewer wrote. Almost like a self-help book formedical students, Dr. Spiegel provides readers with practical ways toidentifying and protecting oneself from the downs that may comewith becoming a physician.

GENETIC ROUNDS: A DOCTOR'S ENCOUNTERSIN THE FIELD THAT REVOLUTIONIZEDMEDICINE by Robert MarionFor students who are thinking about becoming geneticists,Dr.Robert Marion shares real life stories of daily life as a clini-cal geneticist. Currently a professor of pediatrics and obstetricsand gynecology and women's health at the Albert EinsteinCollege of Medicine, Dr. Marion touches on dealing with diffi-cult ethical dilemmas faced by patients and their families, mak-ing life-changing decisions, and more. In a close to homeaccount, Dr. Marion writes about the time when he tells his for-mer college roommate that his kid is not just a slow starter butlikely has a syndrome called Bardet-Biedl - and to make a longstory short, his long-time friend is so upset that he never speaksto Dr. Marion after this experience. The collection of storieswill surely give readers a glimpse into the world of genetics.

A PIECE OF MY MIND: AMERICA'S DOCTORS SHARETHEIR MOST DRAMATIC INSPIRING AND MOVINGEXPERIENCE by The Journal of the American Medical Association and Roxanne K. YoungBest known as the weekly A Piece of My Mind feature in the popu-lar publication The Journal of the American Medical Association, the bookis a collection of stories submitted by physicians, medical students,patients, and spouses. Readers will learn about the fears, feelings, andeveryday experiences of not only those who take care of patients butalso those who are taken care of too.

MEDICAL SCHOOL INTERVIEW GUIDE:PREPARATION AND PRACTICE FOR MEDICALSCHOOL ADMISSIONS by Matthew BrutscheFor any student who wants to be well prepared for their medicalschool interview, this book aims to provide the most effective waysto effectively make yourself standout as one of the most qualifiedapplicants walking through the medical school doors. In what mayseem like an odd bit of information, Brutsche shares with readerssales techniques in order to teach students how to be more "likeable"during their interview. With more than 10 years in the sales industry,plus experience as an admissions representative, Brutsche wrote thebook after seeing the deficiency in most students ability to persuadeinterviewers. Readers can expect to learn interview tips, tricks, andstrategies to be fully prepared and confident walking into their med-ical school interview.

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 & BodynewstouseAccording to an Australian study, people who spent a lot oftime sitting in front of a television or at a desk were morelikely to die - yes die- than those who were only sitting a fewhours a day.

After studying more than 200,000 adults age 45 andolder, researchers found that too much time sitting waslinked to shortened lives. Specifically, people who saidthey spent at least 11 hours a day sitting were 40 percentmore likely to die during the study than those who sat lessthan four hours daily.

“When your are standing or walking, your leg muscles areconstantly working which helps to clear blood glucose andblood fats from the blood stream,” said Hidde van derPloeg, the study’s lead author from the University of Sydney.

The study was published in the journal Archives ofInternal Medicine.

Too Much SittingMay ThreatenLife Span

For all of the coffee drinkers out there, researchers ErnestMario School of Pharmacy have reported that a combina-tion of caffeine and exercise reduced the risk of cancer inmice that were at high risk for developing skin cancer.

According to the animal study presented at the annualmeeting of the American Association for Cancer Research,mice who got a dose of caffeine and exercised on the wheelhad 62 percent fewer non-melanoma skin cancers.

For the study, researchers exposed high risk mice toultra violet light and then gave one group of mice caf-feine, one group an exercise wheel, and a third group boththe caffeine and the exercise wheel.

“We found that this combination treatment can decreasesunlight-caused skin cancer formation in a mouse model,”said Yao-Ping Lu, associated research professor of chemicalbiology and director of skin cancer prevention at theRutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy.

For the mice who only had caffeine but no exercise,researchers reported a 27 percent reduced risk of skin can-cers and those that exercised only had a 35 percent reducedrisk. The researchers believe that exercise plus caffeine givea combined effect that may keep skin cancer at bay.

Coffee Helps ReduceSkin Cancer Risk

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

Valen

tyn_

Volk

ov©

Dep

ositp

hoto

s/pz

.axe


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

Popular social networks, like Facebook and Twitter, are notto blame for keeping college students up at night, accordingto a new survey of students at the University of NewHampshire.

Despite a study which reported that the use of Facebookamong college students was associated to lower grades, thisnew survey found that students who use Facebook, Twitter,and other social networks for over one hour or more a dayare just as likely as those who use social networks for a halfhour or less per day to sleep seven or less hours per night.Of the 1,247 students survey, 97% of them reported thatthey use Facebook.

“The study indicated that using social media is hardlywhat keeps students up at night,” said Chuck Martin anadjunct professor at UNH. “Using Facebook and to a less-er degree YouTube, blogs or Twitter, do not appear to haveany impact on how much or how little students sleep.”

FB, Twitter NotKeeping StudentsUp at Night

A new study published in the journalCommunication Education reports that moreeffective learners are less likely to send andreceive text messages during class.

The study was designed to study whethertexting during class influences students’ cogni-tive learning.“Because this study showed that sustainedattention is a vital variable that mediates therelationship between texting during class andcognitive learning outcomes, it is important forteachers to help students maintain their sus-

tained attention on learning and to lessenunrelated classroom activities via effectiveinstructional strategies, such as by employinghands-on activities or clickers during lecturesto sustain students’ attention during class andto prevent them from texting,” the researcherssuggested. “Additionally, displaying a visiblecountdown watch on the lecture screen for aclassroom activity may pressure students whotext during class to limit unnecessary taskswitching and to keep the same pace withother students on the assigned learning task.

Effective Students MoreLikely to Text Less inClass Than Others

Dep

ositp

hoto

s.com

/Yur

i_A

rcur

s

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

cienp

ies



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

SUMMER IS HERE!

©D

epos

itpho

tos/

Rafa

el A

ngel

Irus

ta M

achi

n

Even before the end of the Spring semester rolls around, most studentsare already thinking about how they will spend their summer. As apremed, there are several ways you can spend your summer, and hon-estly, there’s no right or wrong way to spend your summer. If youchoose to go on vacation with your family and kick up your feet andrelax, go ahead and don’t feel bad because, if you’ve worked your buttoff all year - you deserve a break! Don’t feel bad if you’re going on vaca-tion when your classmate says that they are participating in an 8-weekresearch internship at the National Institutes of Health for the summer.What is best for them may not be what’s best for you at the moment. If

you feel that you need a break from studying or just want to spend sometime relaxing and not studying or interning, go right ahead. But justknow that after your relaxation time is up it’s important that you getback to business. And with all of the rest you’ve had, you better be sharpas a knife when classes begin in the Fall - there’s no excuse.

Getting into medical school is no walk in the park (or on the beachfor this matter). If you’re taking a break, you better be on point withwhere you stand as a premed. Whether it’s remaining academically com-petitive or planning for premed internship in the future, staying on topof where you are as a premed is important.

weknowyouloveus





®

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

AT SCHOOL

PreMedLife Magazine - May/June 2012 Issue

Documents

Transcript of PreMedLife Magazine - May/June 2012 Issue