Photo: GR8Y Productions
Northwestern undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in medicine and the life sciences recently participated in the spring break intensive portion of the NU Docs program, an immersive experience that provides students with hands-on exposure to various healthcare settings.
Hosted by Feinberg’s Office of Health Equity, Northwestern University Health Professions Advising and the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, NU Docs provides a pathway for students to become patient-centered physicians by participating in a 10-month-long program featuring structured exposure, networking and mentorship opportunities with current medical students, residents and physicians.
“As medicine continues to evolve, we must ensure that every student with an interest and a passion has the necessary tools to not only survive but thrive. That starts with exposure, mentorship and networking. NU Docs provides all of this and serves as an important conduit connecting the Evanston campus to the incredible work happening here on the Feinberg Campus,” said Quentin Youmans, ‘15 MD, ‘21 MSc, ‘18, ‘19 GME, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology and director of Pathway Programs and Student Support in the Office of Health Equity.
Photo: GR8Y Productions
The program was established nine years ago as an alternative to traditional spring break experiences, offering undergraduate students at Northwestern a unique window into careers in the life sciences. Today, the program kicks off during spring break on Feinberg’s campus and continues throughout the academic year.
During the week, this year’s cohort attended a welcome breakfast with Health Professions Advising and Office of Health Equity leaders, faculty panels about careers in medicine, admissions advising sessions, clinical shadowing, and interactive sessions across campus, including the Northwestern Simulation Lab, the Anatomy Lab and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
This year’s cohort of 25 Northwestern undergraduate students was selected from a competitive pool of 125 applicants.
“As a leading academic medical center and as an integral college within the greater collective that constitutes Northwestern University, and in keeping with our position as a leading institution of higher education, we have a duty to identify, amass and mentor the next generation of scholars, investigators, clinicians, advocates and leaders. Few other academic medical centers offer the full compartment of legacy, experience, nurturing, discovery and, especially, scholarship with all of our activities couched in excellence. There is none better than us to welcome the next generation and find those stars who will enable our mission: to impact the practice of medicine through discovery and education to improve human health,” said Clyde W. Yancy, MD, MSc, the Magerstadt Professor and chief of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine, and vice dean for Health Equity at Feinberg.
The NU Docs program was established in 2017 by John Franklin,MD, MSc, MA, professor of Medical Education and associate dean for health equity and student support, together with Constance Wright, , JD, MEd, the inaugural assistant provost for Undergraduate Education at Northwestern.
“NU Docs helps future physicians understand the tenets of health equity and furthers our goal of creating competent and compassionate physicians to care for everyone with need,” Youmans said.
