Lewis Associates e-Newsletter

Volume 2 Issue 1
November, 2002

Published by Lewis Associates. Dr. Cynthia Lewis, Phd., Editor
Email imaclewis@lewisassoc.com with your comments. Enjoy!

=> Welcome to Success Stories Newsletter!

=> Important News and Useful Links - Medicare launches $25 million campaign and MMEP application now available online

=> Dates and Reminders - AAMC 2002 Annual Meeting

=> Important People, Schools and Programs - Child Family Health International

=> Success Story of the Month - Anna and Brandon Miller, Doctors-To-Be and New Parents! Part 2

=> Question of the Month - Should I apply to a Post-baccalaureate "Program" and "What should I look for?"

=> Focus on a Health Profession - Need for Pharmacists Projected

=> Our Services

=> Contact

 

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Welcome to Lewis Associates!

This is the season for "Thanksgiving". Last week I gave a seminar on "How to be Successful in Life... As a Premedical student". One of the attitudes I indicate that successful people have is an "Attitude of Gratitude". None of us "make it" to our goals alone. Who has been or could be important in your journey?

If this is your application year (for entering Class of 2003) and for Class of 2004 students who are planning ahead in your last year of preparation, you need to establish a well-thought out strategy that will carry you through the difficult times coming up. Let us know how we can assist you.

Congratulations to the entering Class of 2002 advised by Dr. Lewis -- 94% acceptance for our pre-health applicants all over the U.S.! See our Class of 2002 Final Report including a Canadian acceptance.

What are your chances? If you want to change your career or reach your career goal, but do not know how to begin or how to jump over all those hurdles, Lewis Associates can implement strategies that will change your life. Read about it in our newsletter and website, then phone or email us directly to get started!

You may be like our Advisees - highly motivated and intelligent, but needing focus, guidance and specific technical expertise. Dr. Lewis is a trained biologist, having taught and directed her own research programs for many years at two universities. She received two postdoctoral fellowships (one at NIH) and received the 1990 NACADA Outstanding Institutional Advising Program in the U.S. She teaches Professionalism, Leadership, and Quality, and sets high standards for her Advisees.

Until the end of the year Lewis Associates will not only save you money and heartache on your application process, but you can also save money on your advising. You could save up to $500! Contact us for more information: imaclewis@lewisassoc.com or (805) 226-9669.

 

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n e w s & l i n k s

N E W S : Medicare launches $25 million campaign

Last week, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson unveiled the annual Medicare education campaign, designed to better inform the 40 million people with Medicare coverage about their health plans. The $25 million national advertising campaign features Medicare's newest television ads, and coincides with the annual election period for health plan options that begins in mid-November. This annual education effort highlights important coverage options including the new preferred provider organizations that are available in 23 states.

Information: Go to http://www.hhs.gov/news

The October issue of Academic Medicine contains a special set of articles and research reports covering a range of perspectives on medical errors. The preeminent journal of American medical education is available in full-text, online. Challenges abound for medical schools and teaching hospitals. View major articles and research from leaders in medicine, government, and health that address them. www.academicmedicine.org

L I N K S : Useful Link of the Month

http://www.aamc.org/students/minorities/mmep/

MMEP application now available online

The Minority Medical Education Program (MMEP) application is now available to students to apply for 2003 at http://www.aamc.org/students/minorities/mmep. Funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, MMEP is a FREE (full-tuition, room and board) six-week summer residency medical school preparatory program offering eligible students intensive and personalized medical school preparation. A well-established and well-respected national academic enrichment program, MMEP is located at eleven medical school sites around the country. MMEP gives students the competitive edge for medical school acceptance; of all MMEP graduates who have applied to medical school, 2/3 have been accepted.

For a list of the many students who have benefited from the program, contact Ryan Parker at the MMEP National Program Office at rparker@aamc.org

You can review all program descriptions requirements at http://www.aamc.org/mmep to help choose the site that best suits your needs. The deadline is March 1, 2003, but students are encouraged to apply early to increase their chances for being accepted. A full text for MMEP is available at the link above.

Please direct further questions concerning the application process for this year to the MMEP National Program Office at 1-877-310-MMEP.

 

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d a t e s

AAMC Annual Meeting

The AAMC's Annual Meeting, the nation's premier program for medical educators, will be held November 8 - 13, 2002 in San Francisco at the Hilton San Francisco, the Westin St. Francis, and the Renaissance Parc. AAMC President Jordan Cohen invites you to attend. Keynote Speaker NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, M.D. will give the keynote address on Sunday afternoon.

Plenary Session Featured speakers will link the meeting's theme of Improving the Nation's Health to the work of medical schools and teaching hospitals.

The AAMC Division of Community and Minority Programs (DCMP) and the Group on Student Affairs-Minority Affairs Section (GSA-MAS) is sponsoring its annual Minority Student Medical Career Awareness Workshop and Recruitment Fair. This is a free event on Saturday, November 9, 2002, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Hilton San Francisco and Towers, 333 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco, CA, 94102. This workshop and fair are targeted for minority college students and other individuals interested in pursuing a career in medicine. For information and to register, contact Juan Amador at jamador@aamc.org or at (202) 862-6149 and Angela Moses at amoses@aamc.org or at (202) 862-6203.

 

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p e o p l e & s c h o o l s

International Health Electives

International Health Electives for medical, pre-medical and nursing students and residents are available. They are offered through Child Family Health International, "a non-profit organization promoting primary care, Integrative medicine and Spanish literacy to U.S. medical students through clinical electives in Ecuador, India and Mexico". Most pre-meds go to Ecuador (4 or 8 weeks) and have reported exceptional hands-on clinical experience in a variety of settings. CSHI also has a very interesting 3-week long Integrative Medicine Rotation in India with lectures on Ayurveda, Homeopathy, yoga, meditation plus clinical experience in Dehra Dun and Delhi. Check out http://www.cfhi.org

 

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s u c c e s s s t o r i e s

A N N A   A N D   B R A N D O N   M I L L E R : Doctors-to-be and new parents

The Millers and Dr. Lewis

Please first go to our homepage to read the "Dual Success Story" of Anna and Brandon Miller. Just this week I received a copy of the UHS (Kansas city Osteopathic Medical School) Communicator Magazine with two of my alumni featured in pictures - Anna Miller is on page 6 in the "Score One for Health" article.

Brandon's Story: Brandon grew up in Southern California; most of his life was spent in rural East San Diego County. His mother is an elementary school teacher with a degree in English and his father was in sales. His parents lived on a small farm outside of the rural town. His father commuted to San Diego and his mother taught at a local school while also running a preschool for several years. When Brandon was age 8, his family invited a Navaho girl to live with them for three years while she completed high school. He says, "Margie came from an Indian reservation in Cameron, Arizona, where she lived with her tribe. They had no running water or electricity and only one store called the 'Trading Post'. Margie was very talented, always cooking and making jewelry. A few years after Margie returned to the reservation, our family received an invitation to attend her wedding on the reservation in a large circular structure called a Hogan, which had a dirt floor and several openings for ventilation. Most of the ceremony took place in the Navaho language and involved drawing pictures in the sand. The wedding party wore beautiful Indian dresses with feathers and turquoise ornaments. Margie and many of her family of about fifteen people, would come regularly to visit us usually arriving unannounced and stay with us for about a week. Margie lives on the reservation with her family and making jewelry that she sells to tourists at the Grand Canyon."

Brandon's best friend while growing up was his next-door neighbor who had eight brothers and sisters. Ricky had an emergency appendectomy when Brandon was age 9. Through three surgeries, Ricky sustained severe brain damage. Brandon was the first person his friend responded to in the ICU after surgery. Brandon says, "I spent the next month and a half visiting Children's Hospital to be with him. After awhile I got to know many of the doctors and nurses who were caring for Ricky. I still remember how his doctor took the time to explain everything to us, no matter how long it took. The doctor would let us listen to our hearts with his stethoscope and taught us how to use some of the medical instruments. Brandon says, "Ricky was released from the hospital a few weeks before I started the third grade. He had to take medication to control his seizures and could not attend school until his mental state improved. Ricky was diagnosed with severe brain damage and I was told that he would never be normal again. He was able to join my third grade class a few days a week with one of his older sisters. Many of the children did not understand why Ricky behaved the way that he did and teased him. As a consequence for sticking up for Ricky, I was ostracized. The way in which the children and some adults treated Ricky was my first experience with discrimination. Although I did not know it then, these experiences later provided an initial strong desire to become a physician."

Brandon entered SDSU as a premedical student and was elected floor representative and treasurer in his dorm. Brandon turned his energy to becoming a Certified Phlebotomist where he worked on campus and in a hospital ER for up to 20 hours per week. He says, "This experience gave me confidence and much direct patient contact. I became familiar with several of our patients who returned for blood work several times a month. One patient who had a profound impact on me was an older woman with hyperthyroidism. Her facial features were greatly affected by her condition, and other Phlebotomists avoided drawing her. I made an extra effort to make her feel comfortable whenever she came in."

Brandon volunteered at the Children's Hospital playroom and says, "One patient who had an impact on me was a one-year-old Hispanic baby named Maria. She was an AIDS patient who been in and out of the Children's Hospital most of her life. I often spent time with her on a blanket on the floor blowing bubbles as she smiled and laughed. It gave me a wonderful feeling of satisfaction to see her happy for the short time that I visited. Another child who had an impact was a ten-year-cancer patient named Andrew. I spent many hours with Andrew and became familiar with his family and friends. Although it was hard to watch him deteriorate during chemotherapy, nothing was more rewarding than to see him smile when I walked into his room with a stack of games."

Brandon worked for several years in our local Flying Samaritans chapter, which holds monthly clinics in rural Baja California. He says, "The clinic is often swamped with patients who line up outside and wait for hours for our arrival. The clinic opens its doors at sunrise and often gets to the last patients just before the sun goes down. I have learned a great deal about medicine by performing duties that would not be possible in the United States such as assisting the doctors, working in the pharmacy, drawing blood, and doing basic lab work-ups."

He says, "During college, I worked an average of twenty hours a week at jobs ranging from Sea World to a microbiology lab. For the first few years of college, I was a lead waiter at a restaurant. During the summers, I worked full-time and saved as much money as possible. I was hired as a technical laboratory assistant at Pathology Medical Laboratories where I worked in the microbiology department for two years. It was interesting to see the clinical side of medicine and learn to identify specific bacterial and viral diseases."

"After graduating, I was hired by Integra Life Sciences, where I joined a team of scientists who study the regeneration of auricular cartilage using an enhanced collagen matrix. My experiences there taught me many lessons about working as a professional. I gained experience presenting ideas in front of senior scientists and was confronted with many intellectual challenges which led to the development of problem solving skills."

Brandon comes from a middle class rural family with a real connection to home, family, and community. He moved his life forward by his own bootstraps. I had the privilege of attending Brandon and Anna's wedding - a meaningful ceremony in a lovely church. By far the most moving event for me occurred at the reception. Brandon said, "What means the most to me, is that our daughter told me yesterday that she is going to call me Dad." And, I sat with about four of his junior high school teachers who could not say enough nice things about Brandon and his family and how they supported each other.

The admissions process is never easy - and for a couple it is doubly hard to be competitive at the same school in the same year. Anna and Brandon are now in Florida doing third year clinical rotations and have a new baby.

If you wish to communicate with the Millers, email imaclewis@lewisassoc.com

 

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q u e s t i o n o f t h e m o n t h

Should I apply to a Post-baccalaureate program? and what should I look for?

This is a very personal issue...for some considering a post-bac program, the considerations include low cost or geographic area, for others it is strong teaching or cohesive personal support, others are looking for the fastest route or a linkage program to medical schools. Many times a motivated student does not need to enter one of these so-called structured programs. Living at home or in a less expensive setting and accomplishing the necessary improvements in one's application as a postbac is also possible with a strong advising program.

Let me know if you would like help in selecting a program. Over the 18 years I have been advising students, I have sent many into a variety of post-baccalaureate programs.

The most inclusive and informative website is: http://www-hl.syr.edu/hpap/LISTPB.HTM , which separates programs by your background and goals into 4 categories:

1. Those for minorities or individuals under-represented among health professionals to improve one's academic record.

2. Those for people who have completed few, if any, of the science courses required; some of these programs are very selective and expensive.

3. Non-degree granting programs that have support staff able and willing to provide advice and support and you select the academic program.

4. Degree-granting programs (e.g. MS) that differ in some respects from the standard graduate programs in university science departments.

We will feature an important question each month. Please submit one that interests you for Dr. Lewis to answer. Send your questions to imaclewis@lewisassoc.com

 

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h e a l t h p r o f e s s i o n

Need for Pharmacists Projected

Alexandria, Va. - A shortfall of as many as 157,000 pharmacists is predicted by 2020 according to the findings of a conference sponsored by the Pharmacy Manpower Project, Inc. The three-day conference was attended by twenty-four individuals from community, hospital, and managed care sectors of pharmacy practice; colleges and schools of pharmacy; industry; and government. Complete findings are detailed in the final report, "Professionally Determined Need for Pharmacy Services in 2020", located on the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Web site at www.aacp.org under Resources and Reports.

The demographic imperative underlying the report is the aging of the baby boomer generation. David Knapp, Ph.D., conference facilitator, and dean of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, noted that the first wave of baby boomers will turn 60 in 2006, and this will drive up medication utilization. Adults aged 60 and older on average use three times as many medications as adults younger than 60.

The conference forecasts a need for 3,250 pharmacy-trained faculty and administrators by 2020, compared with 2,600 currently, concluding that 15 additional pharmacy schools will be needed.

Pharmacy Manpower Project, Inc.
703/739-2330
http://www.aacp.org

Lewis Associates specializes in personal, effective and professional premedical advising and placement for traditional and non-traditional applicants. Often, non-traditional students are older than 21 years of age, career changers, international applicants or second-round applicants for admission to health professions school.

Lewis Associates' services meet the needs of all types of students from pre-applicants to applicants, including hourly advising support for specific needs. Click here.

"It's never too late to be who you might have been."

If this is how YOU feel, then, maybe Lewis Associates is the place for you. Lewis Associates provides Mentoring and Coaching through the rigorous and often circuitous pre-health preparation and application process. Other consultants may support programs like Law and Business or graduate school -- not Lewis Associates. We are the experts in Health Professions based on 23 years of a successful track record.

Call or email today to set your first appointment!

805.226.9669 imaclewis@lewisassoc.com

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