University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences linked up with UCA and met with students interested in the medical field during x-period Nov. 2 in the Student Center.
UAMS recruiters in different UAMS programs such as the college of pharmacy, graduate school, regional programs and the college of health professions met with students to inform them of the different specialties they can explore within UAMS programs.
A UAMS pharmacy recruiter informed students that if they take certain prerequisites, they don’t have to finish their degree before getting into the college of pharmacy. Also, about 75 percent of students are able to go to community retail aspects such as Walgreens, Wal-Mart and Kroger. Students have the option of in-patient and out-patient pharmacies, as well.
UAMS graduate school recruiters informed students of the various graduate programs students may want to look into after graduation, including neurology, microbiology, micro chemistry, clinical nutrition, pharmaceutical sciences and more.
UAMS regional program recruiters informed students of services they provide such as health career presentations, day in the life programs, college advising, Medical Applications of Science for Health (MASH) and Community Health Action in Medical Public Service (CHAMPS) programs, and advancement into medicine.
“I think the students [who]came out today get to experience the exposure to all the programs we have and will help them in the long run make those tough decisions, because without that exposure, people don’t know what they want to do,” Nick Pettus from the Center for Diversity Affairs said. “But with the exposure, opportunities become limitless and I think the students that came out today are just a step ahead of other students.”
UAMS also does residency training and additional education training at the Fayetteville campus, where students do physical therapy, nursing and the last two years of medical school.
UAMS recruiters made it clear to students that it’s best to look into volunteer and shadowing opportunities prior to entering their field to make sure it is the field they are interested in. UAMS also helps students with their mock interview process, in which students interested in medical school can receive inside help from residents in the field of their choice.
Students can receive as much practice as possible until they are ready for real interviews. Recruiters strongly encouraged students to join the AIM, Advancement Into Medicine, which is a student organization for the entire region.
In this organization, students receive extra information about research and scholarship opportunities. Although AIM will mostly meet on the Fort Smith campus, students are still encouraged to join.
This article originally appeared in the Nov. 11, 2015 print edition of The Echo.
image via jfb-levage.com
