Accepted Students Take a “Second Look”
With the busy interview season behind them and acceptance decisions made, the Feinberg School’s Office of Admissions is giving accepted students another chance to experience the environment of the medical school during Second Look Weekend April 10â12.
This year 150 students representing 65 undergraduate are expected to participate; last year’s event drew 152 students, and 50 percent of participants matriculated to the medical school. Said Delores Brown, MS, MEd, associate dean for admissions, “Once students are admitted to medical schools, they begin comparing the schools, using a list of criteria important to them. Second Look Weekend provides students with answers to questions they may be weighing in these final deliberations. They might want to know more about the curriculum, dual-degree programs, research opportunities, Chicago itself, or student life.”
The weekend kicks off Thursday night with a welcome reception at Lake Shore Center. The following day presents students with a full complement of activities, beginning with the a state-of-the-medical school address by Executive Associate Dean for Education Raymond H. Curry, MD, and a curriculum overview by Associate Dean for Educational Programs John X. Thomas Jr., PhD. The morning ends with mock problem-based learning sessions.
After being treated to lunch at a local restaurant, students will have an opportunity to ask questions of third-year students during a panel discussion, then choose among three educational offerings. These include a computer simulation at the Weinberg Medical Informatics Training Center, a session on communication in medicine and its role in the curriculum, and an explanation of the “college” system and the incorporation of medical ethics and humanities into one’s medical studies. The evening concludes with dinner and a medical student variety show.
Adds Dean Brown, “Many of our current students were convinced Northwestern was their best match because of meeting and getting to know Northwestern medical students during Second Look Weekend. A good student will be a good student anywhere, one can argue. But it’s ideal for students to be confident with their decision and comfortable in their learning environment.”
On Saturday brunch will be followed by a Student Organization Fair with booths set up to give accepted students a look at the many extracurricular activities available to them. Second Look Weekend formally concludes at noon, but students are invited to spend the remainder of the day exploring Chicago, the city that they may be calling home in fall.
