Conference trains medical student advisors

With the number of applicants to M.D. schools having increased by 25 percent since 2002, it has becoming more difficult for students to get accepted. The Meeting Admission Targets: Recruitment & Innovations Conference held at USF Health on March 4 plans to address this issue by examining four major themes.

The first focuses on faculty development by looking at the main admissions requirements. Medical schools look for critical thinking skills on top of scientific knowledge and reasoning. 

This requires students to have exposure to social sciences and humanities, as well as the science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM) classes. Moreover students must develop this ability to associate the fields.

Another session at the conference will look at advising for students hoping to get into professional health schools. Lately, schools have taken to looking not only at GPA and test scores but at the student overall. 

This means the institutions look at interpersonal relationships and extracurriculars to find a well-rounded student. The session is intended to teach advisors about guiding students to fit the new requirements.

The third will focus on “transformational leadership in the academic and student services area,” because 6,500 pre-health students at USF transferred from state and community colleges. 

Recent changes to what schools are looking for is challenging the current academic curricula used by state and community schools as well as universities. The session plans to discuss those changes and how to enhance seamless transition between the three.

Finally, “Health Care in 2030: Policy, Practice and Pedagogy” will focus on the future of training medical professionals. 

Keynote speaker Tannaz Rasouli, Senior Director of the Association of American Medical Colleges, will present on her experiences with the training of health care professionals along with health care policy and practices.

There will also be a tour of the USF Center for Advanced Clinical Learning after the closing ceremonies at 3 p.m. The facility focuses on teaching and evaluating students on their clinical skills with students acquiring more than 50 hours within it during their four years.

Registration for the conference starts at 8 a.m. on March 4 with the conference going from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The optional tour will last another hour. It is free for anyone interested in going and will be held at the Wellness, Engagement, Leadership, Learning Student Center at USF Health.