Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med Program

Enrichment Sessions

One Saturday per month an enrichment session is held.  It includes a variety of speakers ranging from; motivational speakers, physicians discussing various health care issues, medical student panel groups sharing their medical school experiences and offering advice, instructors and tutors providing academic advice and assistance and team-building activities.

The purpose of these monthly workshops is to keep our students knowledgeable about health care issues, to gain insight about medical school and practicing medicine, for inspiration and encouragement, to help others and to stay motivated to succeed.  Students are required to attend at least half of the enrichment workshops that are held during the fall, spring ans summer semesters unless their are special circumstances that conflict (e.g, work, religious activities, etc.).

Extracurricular Activities

As opportunities become available, our students participate in extracurricular activities; CPR certification, hands on demonstrations in the Simulation Center on the Health Sciences Center Campus, medical school visits, attend conferences and Grand Rounds within the various medical departments.

Volunteering and Community Service

When most pre-med students are asked why they want to become a physician, many of them say its because they want to help people or like helping people.  Volunteering your time through community service illustrates your true commitment to helping people.  Our students participate in community service projects throughout the semester to reach out to the community and learn about ways they can help others whether it's by preparing and serving meals at the Ronald McDonald House or co-hosting a birthday party for the children in the Volunteers of America Family Emergency Shelter.  Students are required to participate in at least half of the scheduled community service projects per academic year unless their are special circumstances that conflict.  They're also encouraged to do some additional volunteering on their own.

Mentoring

Our students are assigned a peer mentor during their first semester of the program to help them get adjusted.  Their mentors provide advice, share their experiences and offer encourage to their mentee.  Our students also receive a first year medical student mentor who will assist them in preparing for medical school.  They offer admission, MCAT and interview advice as their mentee prepares for the medical school admissions process.

Clinical Observations

Students will attend clinical observations to gain exposure in the clinical setting.  They will see first hand how the medical office or hospital operates, how physicians and patients interact with each other and how various medical procedures are performed.  This glimpse into health care will give our students insight towards the career they're pursuing.  The Program Director consults with the students about their areas of interest in medicine and will either provide contacts or make arrangements for them to shadow a physician.  Announcements are also made on the listserv as new opportunities become available.

Research Opportunities

Clinical medicine and research are partners in health care.  Researchers play a vital role in seeking cures and treatments for various diseases and ailments.  The physician serves as a facilitator to implement what research has discovered, such as a new treatment for patients.  The University of Louisville has renowned researchers and numerous research opportunities taking place year round.  Some research opportunities are voluntary and others are paid. To seek out research opportunities at the University of Louisville, please go to http://louisville.edu/research/for-students/SROP.  As opportunities become available, our students are notified and encouraged to apply if they have an interest in research.  Research is optional.