Medical Minute | July 2023
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Pictured: Avenue M students receiving tips and advice related to suturing from Elise Fannon, a general surgery research resident at UC Davis Health.
As the 2022-2023 academic year winds down, the California Medicine Scholars Program would like to celebrate the progress of the California Medicine Scholars and the efforts of the four Regional Hubs of Healthcare Opportunity. During this inaugural year of the program, regional hubs were heavily focused on recruitment and orientation for the first cohort of scholars. Throughout the year, scholars at each of the regional hubs engaged in a wide range of exciting activities designed to help them navigate the pathway to medical school and introduce them to experiences related to a career in medicine. We are proud of the accomplishments achieved across the state throughout this year and look forward to building on our successes during the next academic year!
During the summer, students from the inaugural cohort will be participating in summer enrichment programs that include activities such as hands-on medical simulations, transfer workshops, and learning from professionals currently in the medical field (more on this in the updates below). In addition, recruitment for the next cohort of California Medicine Scholars will begin in July at some of the regional hubs. For more information about recruitment, follow the California Medicine Scholars Program on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
Pictured: Scholars from the San Joaquin Valley Regional Hub had the opportunity to visit the UCSF Fresno Clinical Skills and Simulation Center to experience immersive demonstrations and activities.
Below, we provide a recent highlight from each regional hub:
- Avenue M, Greater Northern California Regional Hub of Healthcare Opportunity: During a rigorous two-week summer education program hosted at the UC Davis Center for Health and Technology, scholars from the AvenueM, Greater Northern California Regional Hub participated in numerous workshops that provided an opportunity for scholars to learn about the path to medical school, explore different areas of medicine, and engage in hands-on activities such as drawing blood and suturing.
- Inland Empire Regional Hub of Healthcare Opportunity: The Inland Empire Regional Hub hosted a summer kick-off event for scholars in late June at the UC Riverside School of Medicine. The keynote speaker for the event was Jessica Osanyinpeju, a current UCR medical student who began her journey at a community college. As part of the day’s activities, scholars had the opportunity to connect and get to know their mentors who will help guide them across the various milestones. During the lunch-and-learn session, scholars who have been interning at the UC Riverside Center for Community Studies presented to their peers in the cohort about navigating healthcare systems.
- Region X Regional Hub of Healthcare Opportunity: In early June, the Region X Regional Hub hosted a Transfer Recognition Ceremony for scholars in their pilot cohort who are transferring to a four-year university in the fall. Dr. Maria Araneta, Associate Dean of Diversity & Community Partnerships at UC San Diego, welcomed scholars who would be transferring to UC San Diego. In addition, current UCSD transfer students shared useful tips for managing course workloads, finding research opportunities, and adjusting to the quarter system.
- San Joaquin Valley Regional Hub of Healthcare Opportunity: At a San Joaquin Valley Regional Hub orientation event hosted at UCSF Fresno in early May, scholars and their families visited the campus’s simulation lab as part of an array of engaging activities. The event also included a tour of the campus, presentations from institution partners within the regional hub, and a session specifically for families on how they could support students during the journey to medical school.
The California Medicine Scholars Program is part of the Governor’s Budget for 2023 and will receive $2.8 million in annual state appropriations as ongoing funding, beginning in 2023-2024. This funding will support continued program operations in the current four regional hubs and also provide a solid foundation for statewide and regional program sustainability and growth. Read the press release from the Foundation for California Community Colleges here.
Pictured: Scholars from the Region X regional hub who are transferring to a four-year university, standing with Dr. Maria Arenata (middle row; far left), the Region X team, and staff from the UC San Diego Triton Transfer Hub.
California Medicine Scholar Profile
Marissa Abeyta is a scholar at the Region X Regional hub who will be transferring to UC San Diego in the fall as a global health major. Previously, she attended Cuyamaca College in eastern San Diego County. As a scholar in the California Medicine Scholars Program, Abeyta remarked that not only has the program allowed her to explore medicine more deeply, but also gain a group of friends who are part of her cohort and will be on the journey to medical school with her.
“My experience with CMSP has been healing and validating,” Abeyta said. “As a community college student, the idea of attending medical school feels very far away. As a high school dropout, it feels like it’s an eternity away. Being selected as a Region X Scholar has enabled me to not only gain valuable experiences exploring several aspects of medicine but also to make beautiful memories with a group of new friends. I have been welcomed into the UCSD School of Medicine family in such a way that it now feels very natural that I should be allowed to study there someday. CMSP has enabled me to have hope for my future again like I did when I was a child, but it has also provided me with the support and resources necessary to actually bring my dream to fruition. It has been an enriching and frankly life-changing opportunity for me.”
Regional Hub Staff Profile
Arra Jane Soriano is the Workforce Programs Manager at the UC Davis School of Medicine, helping lead an array of initiatives including Avenue M, Greater Northern California Regional Hub of Healthcare Opportunity. As a former community college student, Arra is adept at supporting current community college students interested in the pre-med pathway and providing them with helpful advice to support their success.
“For students on the premed pathway – especially those who start at community college – it is incredibly important to make connections,” Soriano says. “Forming relationships with your peers, professors, advisors, and mentors is priceless. The path to medicine can be long, so building a community around you who supports you in a multitude of ways will be invaluable throughout your journey.”
CMSP Events and Workshops for Students
In this section, we provide a summary of recent and upcoming CMSP events and workshops.
Recent Events and Workshops
Scholarship Bootcamp Part 1
Best-selling author Marianne Ragins provided a workshop to students where she highlighted numerous strategies and tips around finding, applying to, and being awarded scholarships for college. As part of the event, scholars learned about the best time to start searching for scholarships, where to find scholarship opportunities, and the qualifications sought by scholarship committees.
View a handout from the workshop >
The Path to Practice: A Medical Student Speaker Series: Sahak Hovsepian
Sahak Hovsepian, a third-year medical student at George Washington University, spoke to students about his journey from community college to medical school. During the workshop, Mr. Hovsepian discussed the different types of volunteer, research, and clinical experiences that are key to getting admitted to medical school. He also discussed numerous other topics, including time management, the significance of self-care, and ways to develop relationships with faculty across institutions of higher education. Following his presentation, scholars used the Q&A session to ask questions about Mr. Hovsepian’s experiences in the operating room, study tips for science courses, and his experience as an EMT.
Upcoming Events and Workshops for Students
Please help us spread the word about upcoming events by sharing them with students. For more information and to stay updated, please follow the California Medicine Scholars Program on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
August 8, 2023, 1 - 2:30 p.m. - California Medicine Scholars Program Statewide Social
During this event, California Medicine scholars across the state will have the opportunity to meet, interact, and share ideas and experiences with one another. The session will include various activities and group discussions designed to promote a sense of community among students in the program. Please note, this event is only for students currently enrolled in the California Medicine Scholars Program.
Pictured: Scholars from the Inland Empire Regional Hub who are currently interning at the UC Riverside Center for Community Studies present to their peers about navigating healthcare systems during a lunch-and-learn session at the CMSP Summer Kickoff.
Other Resources to Share with Students
CMSP has curated a collection of valuable resources that can support students on their journey to medical school. We encourage you to share these resources with students.
CaliforniaColleges.edu is a free college and career planning resource with useful tools for students, parents, and educators. The Academic Planner tool featured on the website allows students to plan future coursework, review completed courses and grades, and ensure they are on track to achieve their college and career goals.
FindYourAlly.com provides undocumented and mixed-status California community college students, staff, and faculty with free immigration legal services. The initiative was developed by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, in partnership with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC).
The PUENTE Community College Program is an academic, counseling, and mentoring program for underrepresented students to build foundational skills to support success in both academic and career goals while in community college. The program is offered at over 70 community college campuses across northern and southern California.
Research and Data
Research, data, and evaluation are important to the California Medicine Scholars Program to ensure that we are not only capturing the successes of this program but also continuing to improve based on current information.
Research Spotlight
This February 2023 article considers the experiences of medical school admission leaders, including deans and directors of admissions, specifically around challenges and opportunities related to increasing diversity in admissions. The authors discussed pertinent topics that arose from interviews with leaders including the way diversity is defined, the advantages and drawbacks of holistic review, and selective inclusion.
Perspective: Racism in Academic Medicine Is Hindering Progress Toward Health Equity
This publication from the California Health Care Foundation provides a broad view of the ways in which racism penetrates academic medicine. In the article, the authors describe examples of institutional racism that Black students, faculty, and physicians have faced. In looking forward, the article focuses on the need to not just increase the number of Black students who gain admission to medical school, but also support these students throughout medical school and as they begin their careers.
In this recent editorial, the authors analyze the numerous issues related to using the term pipeline when referring to students progressing toward STEM degrees or a career in medicine. Considering the various pipeline projects that have threatened sacred lands and water supplies, the term is particularly offensive for American Indian and Alaskan Native students and communities. Separately, pipeline implies limitations to entry and exit points, and in addition, frames educational and career development as a passive process in which students are commodified throughout the process. The authors advocate for use of the term pathway instead, in part because it better communicates respect and value for students’ experiences, agency, and choices–particularly for students who have been historically excluded.
In the News
In case you missed them, the following links highlight our work:
To learn more about the California Medicine Scholars Program, please visit our website. For more information contact us at: info@california-medicine.org.