High School Seniors Explore Medical Career Paths

"Maybe a medical career is for me."

That’s possibly the thought that led 112 high school seniors from 40 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada to The University of Texas Medical School at Houston campus, as part of a National Youth Leadership Forum experience. Second-year medical student Mark Boyle coordinated the tour.

Max Buja, M.D., welcomed the students, and Wallace Gleason, M.D., assistant dean for admissions and student affairs, and Gary Rosenfeld, Ph.D., assistant dean for educational programs, were the principal speakers. Other activities included introductions to gross anatomy, neuroscience, and sound lab rotations, as well as a question- and-answer period with a medical student panel.

Gleason introduced students to an overview of the admissions process, and emphasized that bewing comforatble in the student interview, in addition to intellectual strength, is important because it provides the admissions team with insight into the candidtate’s personality.

A well-rounded student with good interpersonal conversational skills, a first-rate knowledge bank, and a stomach for the reality of hospitals, are core indicators, Gleason said. Students are rated on a scale from one to five, five being the best.

The admissions team also looks at a candidate’s motivation and his or her drive to be successful. Because of the nature of the doctor-patient relationship, where a tremendous amount of trust is required, impeccable integrity is a must. In addition, the physical rigors of demanding and long hours require good physical stamina.

Rosenfeld gave a bird’s-eye view of what it’s like for college sophomores or juniors, who attend UT-Houston Medical School’s Summer Research Program. Student interns, he said, become immersed in their chosen departments, and subjects ranging from NASA research to biorhythms are explored. At the end of the 10-week experience, an abstract with the student’s name is published on the Web.

Rosenfeld also outlined four realistic outcomes that each student can hope to take away at the conclusion of the research program: "The ‘A-ha’ Effect" – the thrill of discovery and the creation of new knowledge; "The Career Jump Start" – the possibility of a career in research or combined research/clinical endeavors; "The Fun Connection" – an opportunity to explore, as a consumer of scientific research, the limitless subjects of scientific inquiry, and to find, "Am I cut out for this?"; and "Lasting Professional Relationships" – relationships formed in a laboratory setting, where professor and student work together toward a common goal, facing unknown outcomes.

"The bond becomes very strong, is a unique experience, and can last a lifetime," he said.

Fifty students out of 300 applicants are normally accepted for the 10-week summer research program, and each receives a $2,500 stipend. Requirements include 12 hours of a science discipline, a 3.0 grade-point average, a 250-word essay describing experiences and interests, a college transcript, and two letters of recommendation.

Those interested in applying for next summer’s program should e-mail Jimmie Pope, program coordinator, at Jimmie.L.Pope@uth.tmc.edu.

For more information on the National Youth Leadership Forum, visit http://www.nylf.org.

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URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/08_01_02/page_29.html