Section 1
This section has an unlimited enrollment. Section 1 is open to all students (freshman through senior) and can be taken with even the busiest course schedule as there are NO EXAMS in this course. 100% attendance, however, is required to pass this class. Through a weekly two-hour lecture students receive accurate, straightfoward, and detailed information regarding every step of the medical education process. They are taught how to use their four years in college in order to be prepared and competitive for medical school. Everything from the timing of one's AMCAS application to the medical school interview is covered. Students will learn about the two major types of medical school curricula, how to pick a medical school, the examination process in both medical school and residency, how medical students choose a specialty, and the lifestyle in medical school, residency and beyond. Tips on the application process and on financing one's medical education are given directly from the Associate Dean of Admissions and the Associate Dean of Financial Aid, respectively, for the School of Medicine. Two Q&A sessions with resident physicians from several different specialties are held in order to learn what doctors like and don't like about their chosen specialties and the challenges they've faced during their training. A Q&A session is also held with medical students from WUMS, and includes both MD and MSTP (MD/PhD) students who will provide honest information on how to prepare for medical school and what to expect. Important topics such the importance of professionalism in medicine, medical ethics, the pros and cons of universal healthcare, how physicians cope with death and dying and the growing problem of medical malpractice are also covered. Weekly essay assignments prepare the student for the myriad of questions they might face on the interview trail. The purpose of this course is to prepare students for the realities of a life in medicine and/or help them decide whether medicine is the right career for them.
1 credit (Pass/Fail) - Held on Wednesdays, 3:00-5:00 pm, in Lab Sciences 300.
Section 2
This section is open to sophomores through seniors only (no freshman) and has a 50 student limit. In addition to the weekly lectures noted above, students also shadow physicians in the Emergency and Trauma Center of Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the main teaching hospital of the Washington University School of Medicine 3 hours every other week (with the ability to shadow every week, space permitting). Here they'll see firsthand how physicians treat both routine medical problems and life threatening emergencies. By interacting with a variety of residents from emergency medicine and other specialties, they'll get a candid look at the training involved at a major academic teaching hospital.
In order to take this section, students must be able to choose a shift time that they can make on the same day and time every other week which will be there's for the entire semester. They will then be able to change their shifts using the on-line Shift Scheduling system on a weekly basis. They must also complete two PPDs tests and complete the HIPAA on-line tutorial before being allowed to shadow. Those interested in enrolling in Section 2 of this course should pay special attention to the PPD & HIPAA section of this web site.
2 credits (Pass/Fail) - Lecture as noted above. Shadowing takes place at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
