"Makeup of A Doctor" Series Highlights Importance, Success of College's Partnership with Charles Drew Science Scholars Program

A special feature of content on the College of Human Medicine Office of Admissions website highlights an important partnership, as the college continues to seek beneficial collaborations and pathways to help guide students from disadvantaged, underserved populations to medicine.

The College of Human Medicine Admissions Office has partnered with the Charles Drew Science Scholars Program in the College of Natural Science since 2014. The Medical Preparation Opportunity allows undergraduate students from underserved and disadvantaged backgrounds interested in med school and other pre-health/pre-professional routes the opportunity to participate in preparatory programming, mentoring, and possibly even early assurance pathways. 

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds continue to be underrepresented in medical education. Programs like these help offer equitable access to these pathways and, ultimately, to make medicine more representative.

A number of students have successfully matriculated to medical school among other pre-professional routes. The Makeup of a Doctor series includes several of these stories. Encompassing three separate article pieces, each offers a different and informative perspective on the collaboration. This includes several contributions from a current College of Human Medicine student as well as a recent alumni.  

  • "Turning Plan Into Practice," gives context to how the collaboration came to be. Upon looking to expand the college’s Early Assurance Opportunity (EAO) pathway, the college found in Drew Scholars strong mission-alignment and shared goals, allowing students from underserved and disadvantaged backgrounds to benefit from direct guidance. Along with the history of the program, we touch on what's next for the partnership.
  • Now moving onto her second year of medical school at the College of Human Medicine, Nikita Banghu's journey has been a transition, made smoother by the preparation she received taking part in the partnership for several years prior to matriculating. Nikita discusses in "It Takes a Village," her experience while in Drew and how the partnership set her up for success as a current medical school student.
  • And early participant in the Medical Preparation Opportunity and now a recent graduate of the College of Human Medicine, Deja Rice has a complete view of the partnership's benefits. Looking back on her tough journey, Rice shows in "Graduating Through Adversity," how she was able to connect the dots, with guidance and mentorship at times she needed it most. The partnership was a stepping stone for Dr. Rice to become more than just a physician. 


 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

After Another Strong Match Day, CHM Seniors Set to Take On Residency Positions Throughout the Nation

Image
Not many things came easy this last year. Yet despite plenty of disruptions and challenges, the Class of 2021 responded honorably in every way. That included displaying high levels of poise and patience during a residency selection cycle steeped in uncertainty amid a global pandemic that has upended life beyond just medicine. While the 2021 edition of Match Day marked the second in which fourth-year College of Human Medicine (CHM) students and their families were forced to celebrate virtually on the account of the pandemic, this year's seniors were the first to see their entire residency match process pivot to virtual.  Going online certainly presented it's hurdles, but the virtual nature of this year's interviews also helped to eliminate some of the larger barriers—time and cost—that are associated with the process during more traditional cycles.  The 2021 Main Residency Match became the largest in National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) history, with 38,106 total p
Read more

So You've Been Put On The Waitlist: What's Next?

Image
You've  waited for a decision and word has finally arrived: you've been placed on the waitlist. It's okay for applicants to feel some anxiety when placed as an alternate. That's normal. More uncertainty isn't something an applicant begs to endure. But don't necessarily take it as a bad omen either. More than disappointment, you should have hope. You still have a chance, after all. Considering the sheer number of applicants across the country each year, the truth is that it's actually pretty common to be in this situation. Thousands of accepted students matriculate off the waitlist each year. With only 5-10% of students matriculating from the waitlist at some schools, others accept as high as 50-60% of their incoming class from waitlisted applicants. The question then is, "What should I do now?" Remain Positive Waitlist does not mean rejection. While this isn't ideal, getting your name onto a waitlist is an accomplishment and shows
Read more

New Situational Judgement Testing Requirements for the 2023 Cycle: Additional Options and Recommendations

Image
While the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) has been a standard of the medical school admissions cycle, additional testing on top of academic metrics has more recently begun to show value as institutions aim to assess applicants more holistically and equitably.  To better provide care for patients in an ever-evolving health care industry, the next generation of doctors must understand far more than chemistry and human anatomy.  The College of Human Medicine began requiring in 2021 that all candidates take the Casper Test, an open-response situational judgment test administered online. Innovative responses to educational imperatives have been an important trait of the college, extending that spirit to the admissions office.  The college, for instance, was one of the initial medical schools in the U.S. to implement the Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) as part of its interview process and has continued with the effort now for close to a decade. So, including a situational judgment te
Read more