PATCH Medical School Panel Attracts Record Numbers

On October 15, more than250 people attended a lunchtime OUWB Medical School panel organized by PATCH (Pre-Professional Association Towards Careers in Health) and involving a number of Honors College students and professors currently teaching for The Honors College.

Tudor Moldovan, an Honors College student and treasurer of PATCH, said, "The medical school panel was inspired by the Michigan Medical Education Day, as we sought to emulate it here at Oakland to provide a similar experience, wherein students could directly converse with faculty members about key aspects of medical school and being admitted."

Among the topics discussed during the panel were the MCAT, M.D. vs D.O. programs, admissions requirements for different schools, and the importance of research and volunteering. Panelists included Christina Grabowski MSA, assistant dean of admissions, OUWB School of Medicine; Dr. Barry S. Winkler, current HC professor, and professor emeritus of biomedical sciences, Eye Research Institute; Robert F. Ruiz, director of admissions, University of Michigan School of Medicine; Elizabeth Lyons M.A., CHM admissions counselor, MSU College of Human Medicine; Stacy Hata, first-year medical student, OUWB School of Medicine; and Julian Thwainey, second-year medical student, OUWB School of Medicine.

Tudor commented that "the audience was all pre-medical students considering applying to medical school. This really gave them the opportunity to be informed of what to expect and the work that must be done in order to achieve success. It also made me personally more cognizant of the things that I too should be doing, such as more volunteering and perhaps research during the summer."

Afterward, several HC students commented that it was highly informative and benefited them overall by preparing them for the tasks they must accomplish.

Dr. Winkler's passion for research was said to be one of the great panel highlights; a fact The Honors College celebrates as it joins other Oakland units in encouraging and pursuing undergraduate research excellence. The PATCH medical panel event, as well as a recent Honors College career event, shows a strong increase in medical and health interests among OU undergraduates. The support of OU Career Services is helping to improve access to key information for this growing group.