BUIES CREEK, North Carolina – CUSOM hosted two events in February dedicated to promoting diversity in the medical profession – the third annual Helping students Understand the Medical Profession (HUMP Day) and the inaugural Diversity in Medicine Conference.
“CUSOM hosts these events because we are passionate about recruiting students from diverse backgrounds,” said Kaitlyn Gardenhire, assistant director of recruitment and retention. “We know diverse students bring something special to our student body, and both of these events bring them to the medical school for a day to address some of the concerns specifically faced by students from diverse populations, as well as to have a fun, hands-on introduction to what medical school is like at Campbell.”
HUMP Day is hosted by the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) chapter in partnership with Southern Regional AHEC and is for high school students who show promise or interest in math and science who may consider healthcare professions. SNMA is joined by several medical school clubs to make the day a success: Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Christian Medical and Dental Associations, Student Osteopathic Medical Association, and the Psychiatry Club.
“We want to encourage the high school students to pursue a medical career, and hopefully they will come to Campbell for their medical education.” said Hong Liang, CUSOM 2019 and SNMA organizer of HUMP Day. “I really believe early exposure and education is important for young people; I wish I had opportunities for such experiences when I was in high school because I know it would have been an encouragement to me as I decided what career to puruse.”
The Diversity in Medicine conference was for undergraduate prospective students. They were welcomed by keynote speaker Dr. Tiffany Lowe-Payne, assistant professor of family medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine, who shared her struggles being from a diverse background and how she overcame obstacles in her journey to become a successful physician, professor, and author.
Both programs gave participants an opportunity to spend the afternoon in labs; they had rotations through anatomy lab, osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) lab and the Simulation Center. The students got to see plasticized cadavers and hear about a typical anatomy lab session. They learned the basic musculoskeletal exam and practiced 4 or 5 OMM techniques on each other. They experienced a simulated medical interaction with a hypoglycemic teenager in the Emergency Room.
In both programs, current medical students – MS-I’s, MS-II’s and MS-III’s – interacted with participants in a mentor relationship. The medical student volunteers assist with all of the lab activities and share their experiences on student Q&A panels as well as in small-group interactions during the Diversity in Medicine Conference lunch.
“The student panel is always valuable,” said Joy Henderson, director of admissions. “The opportunity for participants to hear student stories provides information relatable to the audience, and the in lab-learning from actual medical students, not only demonstrates practical implementation of in class learning, but provides an opportunity for the medical students to use their knowledge and skills.”
“I came from a very diverse population in Chicago,” said Gaurish Soni (CUSOM 2017). “Personally, I feel like it’s my duty to help other students who also come from various backgrounds get more information about the field of medicine. Growing up, I did not have a mentor close by who I could relate to, and I want to give aspiring medical students someone to talk to for the arduous road ahead.”
“The event itself shows that CUSOM strives to incorporate an array of backgrounds into our program through advocating diversity,” said Soni. “Also, it exemplifies an atmosphere that makes the inevitable high-stress environment of medical school more positive, constructive, and welcoming.”