Graduate & Professional School Weeks – Events for Prehealth Students

Join Beyond Barnard, our campus partners, and alumnae in a wide range of events during Graduate School Week (October 15-18) and Professional School Week (October 22-26)! Selected events of interest for prehealth students include:

Mentor Match – Finding Your Academic/Research Mentor | 10/15, 6:00 PM

Finding Your Summer Research Opportunity | 10/16, 12:00 PM

Crafting the Personal Narrative | 10/16, 6:00 PM

Pathways Within Psychology | 10/17, 6:00 PM

International & Domestic Competitive Fellowships Overview | 10/18, 12:00 PM

Pathways to the PhD | 10/18, 6:00 PM

Columbia Institute of Human Nutrition Information Session | 10/23, 12:00 PM

Application Year Overview: Part I | 10/24, 12:00 PM

A Day inthe Life of a Med Student | 10/24, 6:00 PM

Crafting the Personal Narrative | 10/25, 12:00 PM

Pathways to the MD | 10/25, 6:00 PM

Pre-medical students of all class years are strongly encouraged to attend A Day in the Life of a Med Student and Pathways to the MD for the chance to meet alumnae in medical school and in careers as physicians. For event details and to RSVP, click any of the links above.

For more Graduate & Professional School Weeks events, visit Handshake. In "Events," search either Graduate School Week or Professional School Week.

FlexMed Webinar

Attention second-year students: The Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai's (ISMMS) FlexMed program (an early assurance MD program) is currently accepting applications (due January 15, 2019).  If you are interested in learning more about FlexMed, read more about the program here: FlexMed Website

Additionally, the ISMMS Office of Admissions is hosting a FlexMed online informational webinar for prospective applicants on Wednesday, November 7 at 12:00pm EST. Please click here to register for the webinar. 

Upcoming Public Health Events

This Is Public Health Twitter Chat – Applying to Grad School

Join the This Is Public Health Ambassadors for a discussion on October 18 from 2 – 3 p.m. EST. Learn more about their own paths to graduate school and tips to competing your application with ease. Chat with ambassador and public health grads about how to:

• Find the right grad school
• Complete he application process
• Adjust to graduate student life.

To join the chat, RSVP Today!

This Is Public Health Grad Fair – New York, NY

Join over 30 schools and programs of public health in New York to learn more about graduate public health education. The event will be held at the New York City Fire Museum hosted by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health from 5:30 -7:30 p.m., October 24, 2018. Register today!

New Clinical Opportunity: WALLE Volunteer Program at CUMC

WALLE Volunteer Program Seeking Interns

The WALLE Volunteer Program is excited to invite pre-health students and alumnae of Barnard College to volunteer as interns. As part of a program at Columbia University / New York Presbyterian to implement universal screening for social determinants of health in clinical settings, students and alumnae have the opportunity to work as WALLE interns (Waiting Room as a Literacy and Learning Environment). WALLE interns seek to improve quality of care by informing patients about community resources that address health-related social needs. 

Responsibilities include: 

         • Assisting patients in completing clinical and social needs screenings through NowPow, a new IT platform
         • Referring patients to available community resources that may meet patients' needs
         • Interviewing patients to identify barriers to health-related social needs
         • Employing tenets of health literacy to engage caregivers in culturally relevant discourse 
         • Imparting knowledge about general health information and related social needs
         • Encouraging caregivers to articulate their concerns, beliefs, and questions about health-related social needs

Position Requirements

         • Must be technology savvy and have strong interpersonal skills

         • Bilingual candidates a plus (top three languages: Spanish, Arabic, and French)

Time Commitment
Minimum commitment of one semester, 4 to 8 hours per week, split between any day Mon. - Fri., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Shifts may be available in the adult and pediatric emergency departments on evenings and weekends.

How to Apply
Please email both Rebecca Lichtin (rdl2129@columbia.edu) and Emelin Martinez (emm9016@nyp.org) with your name, preferred email address, and a list of all sites at which you would be interested in interning by October 26^th, 2018. Upon receipt of your email, you will be sent a volunteer services department application to complete. Site options include:

         • Adult Emergency Department (Allen or Milstein Hospital)

         • Pediatric Emergency Department (CHONY)

         • Outpatient NYPH Ambulatory Care Network (pediatrics, internal medicine, family medicine, OBGYN, family planning)

If you have questions about this volunteer opportunity, please feel free to reach out to Rebecca Lichtin (rdl2129@columbia.edu).

Registration for 2019 MCAT Exams

Registration for January - June 2019 MCAT exams will open on October 25, 2018.

Students will have the ability to begin their registration process in advance of selecting their test date and location. Beginning next week, students will be able to complete the necessary background and biographical information and agree to the terms. The option to select a date and location will not be available until registration officially opens on October 25.

For additional info, visit the MCAT website or follow them on Twitter (@AAMC_MCAT).

Abriendo Puertas: Empowering Hispanic Students for Careers in Medicine

The New Jersey Medical School Office of Admissions in collaboration with the Office for Diversity and Community Engagement invite you for an afternoon of inspiration and empowerment. Join us for our special themed Admissions Seminar in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. 

This special event will feature a medical school admissions overview where you will get “down to earth” advice on applying, interviewing, and transitioning into medical school. You will learn about the social factors that impact educational outcomes and ways to leverage your cultural capital to ensure your success. There will also be a panel of distinguished Latino(a) physicians sharing their journey to medicine and offering pearls of wisdom regarding success.

We will provide light refreshments and there will be an opportunity for networking with NJMS administrators, alumni, faculty, physicians and students.  

Abriendo Puertas: Empowering Hispanic Students for Careers in Medicine

Wednesday, October 17, 2018 from 4:30pm-7:00pm in the Rutgers Oral Health Pavilion (B963)

Click Here to RSVP by October 16, 2018

Transportation: NJMS is just a short ride away from NYC by public transportation. You can take the PATH train (from Wall Street) or NJ Transit (from 34^th Street) to Newark Penn Station. From there, we can provide you with a permit to ride the Rutgers shuttle to NJMS. Call us at 732-445-4636 or e-mail Ms. Mallory Scott  atmes366@njms.rutgers.edu to request a shuttle permit.

Touro College of Pharmacy Info Session

October is American Pharmacists Month! Touro College of Pharmacy invites you to learn about everything they have to offer in an upcoming info session.

October 17, 2018 | 4:30pm
Room 533, 231 West 124th Street

Prospective students are invited to learn more about:
A unique curriculum featuring 54 weeks of rotations
State-of-the-art labs
Great location in historic Harlem

To RSVP, click here.

Columbia University Medical Center Summer Programs Virtual Info Session

Join the Virtual Information Session to learn about:

• Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
• Northeast Regional Alliance (NERA) Medprep Program
• Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP)

The info session will be held Friday, November 9, 2018, at 3:00pm. To sign up, visit https://tinyurl.com/virtualinfosession18

Columbia Summer Public Health Scholars Program

Columbia's Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) is a partnership between Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, College of Dental Medicine, School of Nursing, and the Mailman School of Public Health. SPHSP is designed to increase interest in and knowledge of public health and biomedical careers for juniors, seniors, and recent undergraduates. This competitive program equips students with the skill set and tools they need to pursue public health by providing rigorous public health coursework, hands-on field experience, seminars and workshops, and mentorship opportunities in New York City.

The 10-week program begins with a one-week orientation and ends with a showcase and expo at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Students are introduced to members of the CDC and have the opportunity to present their summer projects. All accepted students will receive housing accommodations on Columbia University’s Morningside campus along with a living stipend. All travel for students will also be covered by the program.

SPHSP applications for summer 2019 will open on November 1^st, 2018 and close January 31^st, 2019. For more information, please feel free to visit https://www.ps.columbia.edu/sphsp or email sphsp@cumc.columbia.edu

Casa de Esperanza's Hands of Hope Internship Program

Casa de Esperanza de los Niños strives to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect for at-risk infants, children and their families by providing comprehensive residential and family support programs that transform people and communities.

Hands of Hope is Casa de Esperanza’s internship program which recruits recent college graduates and other highly qualified young adults, from throughout the United States. These interns have a desire to help abused, neglected and HIV positive children through work with our agency. This program brings together approximately 25 young adults annually to live and work with some of our society’s most vulnerable children. The Residential Program is the backbone of Casa de Esperanza, and at its core are the Hands of Hope Interns. Hands of Hope Interns commit one year to live and work with these vulnerable children in the Residential Program’s agency foster homes. Responsibilities include daily care of the children, household management, and the coordination of medical appointments and therapy sessions.  The Hands of Hope Interns also work with caseworkers, psychological staff and community volunteers on a routine basis to ensure that the children in placement receive the highest quality of care.

Casa de Esperanza is based in Houston, Texas, and accepts applications year-round for the Hands of Hope internship. A one-year commitment is required. For more information about qualifications, responsibilities, compensation, and the application, please visit the Casa de Esperanza website.

University of Alabama 2019 Summer Program Applications Open

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) announces two exciting opportunities for undergraduate students: the Summer in Biomedical Sciences (SIBS) Undergraduate Research Program 2019, and the Preparation for Graduate and Medical Education (PARAdiGM) 2019. Both of these programs introduce outstanding undergraduates to the exciting career options of being a scientific investigator while also being a practicing physician. Eligible students may apply to both programs.

·         These two 8-week programs are held concurrently from May 31-July 26, 2019

o   Students will receive stipends and free on-campus housing but will be responsible for their own meals, for travel to and from Birmingham, and other expenses 

·         Students in both programs will be introduced to the concept of scientific research, principles of scientific experimentation, the proper methods of data analysis, the interpretation, presentation, and translational applications of research results, and to clinicians who practice at academic medical centers.

Applications must be submitted online and the deadline is February 15, 2019.

Summer in Biomedical Sciences (SIBS) Undergraduate Research Program http://www.uab.edu/sibs

The goal of this fellowship is to give talented undergraduate students the opportunity to experience the challenges and rewards of intensive, hypothesis-drive laboratory research. This experience should help students make well informed decisions about future career plans.  Previous research experience is not required. UAB especially welcomes applications from students who are interested in research as a potential career, including students interested in PhD and MD-PhD programs. They accept 15 students per summer into this program. They expect applicants to SIBS to have completed at least their sophomore year of undergraduate coursework. They anticipate that successful candidates will typically demonstrate grade point averages of 3.0 (“B”) or higher, especially in science, math, and related areas. 

Preparation for Graduate and Medical Education (PARAdiGM) http://www.uab.edu/medicine/paradigm/

The PARAdiGM program focuses on undergraduates from diverse and underrepresented minority backgrounds, and offers the opportunity to participate in the program for two summers. In addition to working in the laboratory of a faculty mentor with an actively funded biomedical research program, PARAdiGM participants will learn about careers in academic medical centers (AMCs) by shadowing clinician-investigators in their clinics, as well as on in-patient rounds. At the end of the first summer in the program, the students will write an abstract and participate in both a local and national poster presentation of their research results. The students will also receive instruction in essay writing, MCAT preparation, and critical career skills. The ultimate goal of the program is to provide undergraduate students with an understanding and appreciation of the biomedical research process so as to encourage them to pursue careers studying patients and their diseases after further postgraduate training in graduate and medical education. Previous research experience is not required in order to apply.  The PARAdiGM program is especially useful for students who do not have local access to biomedical research and/or academic physician-scientist role models. 

If you have questions about these programs, contact Randy Seay at sibs@uab.edu.

Optometry Virtual Fair

Planning to apply to optometry school? Attend the Virtual Fair to learn more about Doctor of Optometry programs on October 18, 2018 (9am - 8pm Eastern).

• Register to attend the free virtual fair to learn more about optometry programs
• Meet school representatives in live chat sessions online
• A one-time registration is required to meet multiple schools

Registrants also have the option to upload a resume prior to the event! To learn more and register, click here.

Attention Summer 2019 Applicants to Health Professions Programs: Upcoming Events

Cycle 2019 of Barnard’s Committee Application will officially open on October 25, 2018!

As we gear up for the Committee Application, please plan to attend one of several Application Year Overview: Part I sessions for all Cycle 2019 applicants later this month. Attending an in-person session is recommended if you are able to do so.

Wednesday, October 24, 2018 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Beyond Barnard Library | RSVP here

Monday, October 29, 2018 | 5:30 – 6:30 pm | Beyond Barnard Library | RSVP here

Tuesday, October 30, 2018 | 5:30 – 6:30 pm | Live Webinar | RSVP here

For those planning to apply to health professions schools in summer 2019, we ask that you update your intended matriculation year to 2020 in AdviseStream, if you have not already done so.

Note: If you have completed any part of the Committee Application during Cycle 2018, please download all of your application materials before changing your matriculation year, as you will temporarily lose access to the Committee Application planner in AdviseStream once you change your matriculation year. Access to the planner will be restored for 2020 matriculants on October 25.

Upcoming Prehealth Overview Session: 10/11 at 2pm

A friendly reminder to students who have not yet attended a Prehealth Overview session--your next chance to meet with a health professions advisor as well as prehealth peers is coming up on Thursday, 10/11, 2:00-3:00pm in the Beyond Barnard offices (Elliott Hall, 2nd floor). Prehealth students are expected to attend an overview session prior to scheduling individual advising appointments. Overview sessions discuss academic preparation, portfolio development, letters of recommendation, Barnard’s Committee process, and advising resources. They are intended to provide space, in a small-group setting, for questions about the prehealth experience. 

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP now, as space is limited.