The Department of Emergency Medicine recently launched its first DiversifiED Virtual Summer Apprenticeship Program which aims to create a space for underrepresented minority (URM) pre-medical students to interface with Emergency Medicine physicians.
The newly created apprenticeship program seeks to help participants demystify the medical school application process; perfect their medical school application essay; and establish mentoring relationships to guide them through the journey of becoming physicians.
During the five-week program, students met 1:1 with their mentors to gain valuable guidance in planning their academic future. They also attended panels led by experts on topics such as, How to Find a Mentor, Women Physicians and Family Life, Diversity in Medicine, ED Simulation, Telemedicine and COVID, Why I Became a Physician Assistant and Narrative Medicine.
The virtual summer apprenticeship program was created by DiversifiED, the Department’s diversity committee, to help reduce the shortage of premedical summer internships and programs that resulted from COVID-19. It is also part of the Department and Weill Cornell Medicine’s efforts to increase diversity and the number of underrepresented minorities in medicine.
More than 400 students from throughout New York City applied to this year’s inaugural program. The Department plans to expand the program in the future.
