Penn State Health Professions Fair

TOMORROW WEDS, OCT 21, 11a-4p ET

Health professions programs will be visiting VIRTUALLY with Penn State students tomorrow. Come and visit with them to learn more about their programs and to let them get to know YOU! 

Graduate and Professional School Week has gone virtual and will require students to register to attend. Although not required, it is recommended that students register before the event to maximize the amount of time they have available during it. 

Register now!

Penn State Health Professions Portfolio

Now Open!

Penn State Prehealth Advising is now utilizing an e-portfolio for students preparing to apply to health professional school. The portfolio allows you to record academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and reflect on preprofessional competencies. It has been developed to reflect the information required in application systems like AMCAS, AACOMAS, and AADSAS.

Utilizing the e-portfolio allows you to continuously review your preparation and candidacy over a multi-year period leading up to applying to school.

If you plan to apply to medical, dental, physician assistant, optometry, or podiatry school for 2022 matriculation, please begin building out your portfolio. This will provide the basis for comprehensive advising leading up to your application submission and interview season.

Students planning to apply to other health professions programs and students expecting to matriculate after 2022 can also request access to the portfolio at this time.

Empower Orphans

Empower Orphans PSU is an organization that strives to support and elevate youth from all around the world. We are currently volunteering with multiple programs throughout the State College area, and would love YOUR help to fulfill our mission. Check out our website for more information about who we are at https://tinyurl.com/y34espo6! Feel free to email info.psu@empowerorphans.org to find out our meeting times and how you can help.

Purple Thursday

On Thursday, October 22nd, the Penn State Gender Equity Center will be participating in the Purple Thursday, an annual event promoted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence. This event highlights our support for survivors of dating and domestic violence and the efforts we have taken to reduce the stigma, advocate for survivors, and work for greater safety and equity for victim survivors.

On Thursday, we are asking you all to shed light on this important topic by wearing purple and posting a picture on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter and sharing why you support survivors of such abuse or violence. Be sure to tag @pennstategenequity using the hashtag #PurpleThursday2020 so we can promote your pictures on our socials. If you don’t have a social media account, you can email your pictures to genderequity@psu.edu and we will be sure to upload them to our social media. Whether you post a picture as an individual or make a collage of your office, department, or organization participating, we would love to see you in your finest purple supporting survivors.

And speaking of shedding light on this issue, be on the look out for our friends at the Bryce Jordan Center, the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, and Schreyer’s Honors College who will be lighting up their spaces and buildings to promote awareness of this important issue.

AAMC Encourages New Holistic Review Process

Concerned about how COVID-19 will impact your ability to meet admission requirements? AAMC has issued new holistic review resources to encourage medical schools to evaluate each applicant in the context of their current experience:  

Holistic Considerations in Light of the Intersections of Covid-19, Racism, and Inequality
Admissions Officer Interviews in Response to Covid-19, Racism, and Inequality

News from the Office of Science Engagement

The Office of Science Engagement has many resources and ways for you to get involved with internships and jobs!

Explore the Opportunities! 

Primary Care Day

Saturday, OCT 31, 2020

We encourage Penn State students to sign up to attend Primary Care Day to learn more about Penn State College of Medicine and Primary Care Professions!

REMINDER: Registration will close Friday, October 23rd @ Noon

2020 Primary Care Day registration is at the following link:

ttps://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GXNDVR6

Health Disparities Facing Hispanic Communities 

This inaugural RRED Talk features a
panel of Penn State Hispanic faculty,
staff and community leaders engaged in outstanding health disparities research with Hispanic communities who will present, Ted-talk-style, on topics including: CDC Racial & Ethnic
Approaches to Community Health
(REACH) Project, CHW Research
Training; Language Barriers; Fostering
culturally sensitive research; social
determinants of health, health policy and health disparities; cultural competence in health education and health promotion; and Latino Connections. These talks will
be followed by a Q&A session.

Register here!

Audiology Learning Experience

Friday, December 11, 9am - 4pm EST

We wanted to share with you an exciting opportunity for students interested in the health professions and who may want to learn more about the profession of audiology. 

Osborne College of Audiology's annual Audiology Learning Experience is both academic and career-related. It offers participants the opportunity to investigate the academic study associated with the Doctor of Audiology program, as well as the profession of audiology and its many career options.

This year's one-day event will be a highly interactive online experience and is open to undergraduate students who are interested in audiology as well as to those who may be undecided about their career direction.  

Students will have the opportunity to interact with faculty, staff, and current students, as well as virtually tour our clinical skills lab and the Pennsylvania Ear Institute.

We hope your students can be a part of the Salus Audiology Learning Experience! The first 15 people picked for the workshop will receive a Salus University application fee waiver that can be used when applying through CSDCAS for the 2020-2021 cycle.

Register Now

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University PULSE Program for Undergraduate Students

We are delighted to introduce the 2021 Premedical Urban Leaders Summer Enrichment (PULSE) Program, an academic enrichment program for college undergraduate students interested in healthcare professions. The PULSE program provides academic, clinical, research and service learning opportunities with a focus on urban health needs. PULSE is a six week summer program offered from June 1st through July 9th, 2021.

The PULSE program is free to accepted students.  Applicants will be accepted based on academic standing, professor recommendations and commitment to a career in the health professions.  Students from groups underrepresented in medicine and/or financially and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged to apply. College credit is not offered for PULSE, however students will gain educational enrichment opportunities and experiences that could prove invaluable for their future careers.

Program highlights include coursework in basic sciences; discussions about health, economic and educational disparities affecting urban communities; and a capstone poster symposium during which students present observations on what they learned.

Visit their website for more info: http://www.rowan.edu/coopermed/diversity/undergrad/

APSA Undergraduate Mentorship Program - Deadline Extension

The APSA Undergraduate Mentorship Program has extended the application deadline by two weeks to October 31st, 2020!  As you may know, this is one of our most rewarding programs for undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing physician-scientist careers. We currently have many mentors (MD, DO, MD/PhD, and DO/PhD trainees) who are incredibly eager to start mentoring undergraduate students.

We would appreciate it if you could forward this message to any undergraduate student interested in medicine! Once again, the application can be found here and additional details regarding the program can be found at our website. Thank you for your time, consideration, and support for undergraduate education! Please let us know at askmentorship@physicianscientists.org if you have any questions at all. We look forward to working with your students.

NARAP: COVID 19 Potential Tracers Registry

Contact Tracers represent among the best currently available public health interventions to halt the spread of coronavirus infections.   

Tracing  

·         involves in-depth telephone calls to Cases, those determined to be infected  

·         follow-up calls to their Contacts at risk for becoming infected  

·         encouraging isolation for Cases and quarantine for Contacts,  

·         insuring the availability of resources to accomplish these crucial measures  

·         assessing for symptoms of deterioration.  

Contact Tracers will develop patient interaction skills readily transferable to the traditional clinical arena as well as to Telemedicine, a sure part of future healthcare. 

Learn more now!

FlexMed Program Application Cycle '20-'21

Application Deadline Jan 15, 2021 

What is Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai?

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), located on the border of the Upper East Side and East Harlem, has a reputation for innovation and advocacy. We encourage and support the bold thinking and disciplined science that will change the face of medicine. 

Learn more here: ISMMS Website

What is FlexMed?

ISMMS developed an early acceptance program known as FlexMed. It is the first program of its kind in the nation, offering college sophomores from any major early acceptance. Students submit their application to FlexMed in the winter of their sophomore year of college and learn of acceptance to the ISMMS MD Program by the summer of that year. Once accepted, students will be free to pursue their area of study, unencumbered by the traditional science requirements and the MCAT.  

Learn more here: FlexMed Website

What are the benefits of applying and being accepted into FlexMed?

All Majors Welcome!: You do not need to be Pre-Med

Early Acceptance: end of your sophomore year in college

No MCAT: accepted students are not permitted to take the MCAT

Revised pre-med requirements: eliminating Organic Chemistry

Flexibility: “Flex” intellectual, creative, humanistic and scientific muscles

Academic Freedom: you will be free to pursue the area of study you want, unencumbered by the traditional pre-med science requirements

If you would like additional information or would like to discuss this program,

please contact Cristina Gallo at Cristina.Gallo@mssm.edu or

Jackie Chudow at Jacquelyn.Chudow@mssm.edu

Attend A FlexMed Webinar To Learn More!

2020 Sustainability Art Competition

Are you a creative soul who loves art AND cares about the environment? Do you believe in the power of the arts in facilitating important conversations among community members about the major issues and challenges of our time? If so, it's time to enter your art in the Sustainable Art Competition!

Find out more here!

City Semester Pittsburgh

Are you a Penn State student who:

• Is looking for a spring, summer or fall 2021 internship,
• Is interested in sustainability and making an impact on the community,
• Was planning to study abroad before COVID-19 hit,
• Or might be looking for a unique alternative to remote learning?

Learn more about the City Semester Pittsburgh program. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, we have transitioned the program into a flexible format that allows for both virtual and in-person learning.

We are holding an online information session on Tuesday, October 27. Please join us and invite students who may be interested in this program.

CITY SEMESTER PITTSBURGH GENERAL INFORMATION SESSION

• When: Tuesday, October 27 at 3 p.m.
• Where: Virtual! RSVP here.
• What: Join Penn State Center Pittsburgh Director, Tom Bartnik for an engaging discussion about the City Semester program and sustainability in Pittsburgh.

If you can’t make the session and want to learn more about the program, visit citysemesterpittsburgh.psu.edu or contact psu-pittsburgh@psu.edu. 

RSVP: Accelerated PSU MPH Program Info Session

Penn State College of Health and Human Development and Penn State College of Medicine offer an accelerated-degree for Penn State undergraduates in Biobehavioral Health (BBH), Health Policy and Administration (HPA), and Kinesiology (KINES) degree programs. Students can earn both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree as part of a integrated undergraduate/graduate (IUG) program. 

IUG students have four years to complete their undergraduate coursework, then complete their MPH degree in Hershey. The MPH degree requires 42 credits, of which 12 can be double counted. BBH, HPA, and KINES students take 12 credits of graduate-level courses during their senior year of their undergraduate degree. Students apply during their junior year through the Penn State Graduate School (not SOPHAS). Applications must be submitted by January 15

• Thursday, October 22: Fall Open House for Public Health Graduate Programs - Online and in-person event from 5 to 7 p.m. To attend please click on the RSVP button below.
• Wednesday, November 11: IUG Virtual Info Session - Online event from 7 to 8 p.m. To attend please click on the RSVP button below.  
• Thursday, December 17: Winter Open House for Public Health Graduate Programs - Online and in-person event from 5 to 7 p.m. To attend please click on the RSVP button below.  

RSVP now!

PSU Financial Literacy Mentoring Program - Open to ALL Penn State

As of today, 152 members have joined the financial and life skills mentoring program with the Penn State Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center. This program is open to all Penn State regardless of location, campus, major, college to engage in discussing financial literacy topics to reach financial freedom and security for all. 

Click here to view step-by-step instructions for students and mentors to join this program and enjoy the experience of communicating with knowledgeable PSU alumni and advocates of financial literacy.  

College of Health and Human Development Majors and Minors Night!

We're excited that you're interested in learning more about the possibilities about how our 8 majors integrate and apply principles of the life sciences, social sciences, and business in ways that help our students pursue in-demand careers that change lives for the better.

Whether you're interested in a career in healthcare, public health, education, recreation, the hospitality industry, or scientific research and development, the College of Health and Human Development offers you options that are practical and purposeful.

HHD’s majors bring together the science of life with the business of being human.

Discover your passion. Find your purpose. Make it personal. Choose HHD.

Major and Minors Night

Thursday, October 22

7:00-8:30 p.m.

For more information and Zoom session links:

http://bit.ly/HHDMajorsNight

2021 MCAT Dates 

**AAMC Announces 2021 MCAT Test Dates***

There are 31 MCAT testing dates between January and September including a similar number of testing appointments as in previous years. We’ve added an extra date in January, knowing there might be students who wish to test and are applying to the 2021 application cycle. View the 2021 US MCAT schedule (Links to an external site.). 

***Changes to Testing Procedures***

Beginning in January, the MCAT exam will once again return to its traditional length. Each exam day will offer two full-length exam sessions: one at 7:30 a.m. and the other at 3 p.m. This schedule helps limit the number of people in a test center and allows for the necessary social distancing. You can learn more about the AAMC’s health and safety protocols on our website (Links to an external site.).

As in a typical testing year, scores will be reported within a 30-35 day window following test dates.

You can read more about registration and the 2021 testing plans on our website (Links to an external site.).

***Major Changes to MCAT Registration Timeline Announced***

Registration for the 2021 testing year will be staggered to give examinees a better scheduling experience and to allow the AAMC to adapt to shifting pandemic conditions.

• Tuesday, November 10 at noon (ET) – Register for January and March dates
  • Preregistration starts on Monday, November 2 at noon (ET). Save time on registration day by filling out your information in the MCAT Registration System (Links to an external site.) in advance. 
• February – Register for April, May, and June dates
• May – Register for July, August, and September dates

We will announce specific dates and times, as well as any policy changes, in advance of each registration opening.

 Fellowship Applications Open In October

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring wants you to know that the 2021 applications for three opportunities are now open. Please consider applying!

Learn more here!

Undergraduate Research Workshops

Oct. 20 - Introduction to Data Management
Oct. 28 - Introduction to Qualitative Research
Oct. 29 - Introduction to Quantitative Research

ICOM SOMA ShaDOw Day

ICOM SOMA is excited to announce "ShaDOw Day" on October 24, 2020! SOMA will be hosting the live event virtually from 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM MST. This event allows for direct interaction with ICOM Student Doctors and the ability to ask questions, watch them perform OMM, and learn about their lives as medical students. 

Vaccinate America Guest Speaker 

On October 27th at 7 PM, Vaccinate America will be hosting guest presenter Dr. Faoud Ishmael, MD/Ph.D., a physician at the Mount Nittany Physician Group specializing in immunology and allergy science. Come hear him talk about his work, his job in the pandemic, and life as a physician and research scientist. The meeting is free for anyone to attend and is available at: https://psu.zoom.us/j/91053155737. For more information about Vaccinate America, please contact Kendall Godwin at kag74@psu.edu and check out our instagram page @vaccinateamericapsu.

Naturopathic Approaches to Diabetes

Join the AANMC and Dr. Mona Morstein to learn how powerful naturopathic medicine can be for Type 2 Diabetes! In this educational presentation, attendees will understand how NDs comprehensively manage patients with Type 2 Diabetes, including ordering labs/imaging, and prescribing evidence informed therapies like diet, supplementation, exercise, sleep, stress management, and detoxification. Dr. Morstein will also touch upon management of diabetic complications.

Register here!

Pre-Health Group Advising Sessions

Join our Prehealth Group Advising Canvas Course to get the direct links* to the sessions and access the recordings. 

Direct links to live session can also be found on our website. 

THIS WEEK:

Personal Statement Workshop    TONIGHT, Oct 20 @ 6P  Zoom link Password: 449959

Health Professions Interview Workshop THURS, Oct 22 @ 6P  Zoom Link 

Articles to Consider 

Articles to consider during this difficult time in our nation.

Read some now!

Virtual Fairs & Open Houses

-MANY NEW EVENTS!-

Feel like you are missing out by staying at home? Want to learn more about osteopathic medicine, medical school in the Caribbean, or postbacc opportunities? Visit and connect with these and other programs virtually at these live events!

 Check it out today!

Miss an issue of the newsletter? 

Head over to our website for an archive of past issues to see what you missed!