Any current students want to comment on any programs or benefits the school has to offer?
I'm not too sure if there's a specific program you're looking for but I'll list the more unique programs - in no particular order:
EM M3 Rotation - Not many schools have a required EM rotation, especially 3rd year. We get to rotate at Stroger Cook County or Mt Sinai - both lvl 1 trauma centers downtown in Chicago.
International Community Clinic - Anyone at any stage of training can become involved. The clinic is next door (walkable) and held throughout the year. It is completely student run meaning all the logistics and administrative work are setup and maintained by students (leadership opportunity 2nd year). Students are assigned into teams of 3 which can consist of med students + podiatry + nursing + pharm to take a history and present to an attending. You may also have the opportunity to do a physical exam depending on the attending. Afterwards, the team/attending comes up with a DDx + plan. Great way to get clinical experience in first year.
IHIG (International Health Interest Group) - During M1/M2 summer, there are opportunities to travel abroad. We have several partnerships with various hospitals. The length + cost varies with each trip. I believe the biggest trip is the China trip where everything is paid for except the flight. There's also an opportunity to get elective credit if you do a presentation.
Preceptorships/OSCEs - More clinical experience. Each student is assigned a preceptor in second year. You'll have to do a full history + physical + write up and present to peers afterwards. This is done 4 times throughout the year. Also, like other schools, there are also paid actors and OSCEs. There's no shortage of clinical exposure for the first two years.
Mentorships - There are a lot of mentor opportunities. As with anything, how much you utilize your mentors is up to you. Each M1 is assigned a M2 mentor. Additionally, each student is put into Houses consisting of around 50 students. Houses are led by a practicing community physician. You'll get together at least once a month to discuss physician-related issues or just relax (bowling, BBQs, other social events).
Intramurals/Clubs - Since we're an interprofessional school, we have many many graduate programs and therefore a large student population. There's no shortage of students that participate in extracurriculars, and you'll be able to meet students from different backgrounds. Off the top of my head, you can get involved in Flag Football, Basketball, Ping Pong tournaments, Rock Climbing, any specialty related interest group (Cardio, EM), volunteer opportunities (food drives, community service, teaching high school students, etc). There's so many unique clubs that you can get involved in and also the opportunity to create your own.
Feel free to PM if you have any specific questions.
