On Saturday, any Ohio University undergraduate can be a medical student.
Students will have the opportunity to tour OU’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and speak with medical students, alumni and faculty members as part of “Medical Student for a Day.”
The event is a collaboration between the Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention, OU-HCOM’s admissions office, Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students and OU’s chapter of the Student Medical Association. It will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Grosvenor Hall.
About 30 volunteers, including faculty members, staff and administrators, will meet students in Grosvenor Hall.
“This is really giving OU students an opportunity to get firsthand knowledge of what it’s like in medical school to prep for their future and apply for med schools,” said Brandi Baker, coordinator for multicultural student access and retention services.
Though the event was originally meant for minority students, everyone is invited to attend, Baker said.
“There’s a big disconnect between undergrads and the medical college,” said Obehi Okojie, vice president of the Student Medical Association. “Many don’t know that there’s a medical school on campus. Also, a lot of students don’t know what the College of Osteopathic Medicine is. Hopefully this will raise more awareness on college.”
After the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students and the Student Medical Association brainstormed the idea, they took it to the Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention and Admissions, who fund the event.
“It would have been almost impossible to do it alone without these offices,” said Demarcus Fry, president of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students. “It connected pieces together to organize, plan and target more students. It’s been very effective working with the two different offices.”
If this event is successful, there are plans to hold similar events in the future.
“A lot of people have dreams, wants and wishes, but for whatever reason, they think it’s out of their reach,” Okojie said. “The task seems daunting. When you walk in there, they will hopefully realize we have stories to tell; we have inspiration to give. I want those students to be a part of it. Even if one person is able to convince themselves that they can make it too — then it’s worth it.”
sj950610@ohiou.edu
