Medical school is seen by most as tedious and a next-to-impossible educational endeavor. Endless hours of study and time spent in labs turn most students away from choosing medical school as an option.
UB has developed a way to condense the vast world of medical school into a much less time-consuming manner. Mini-medical school is a great way for students to immerse themselves in the medical field without being dedicated to years of school.
UB's mini-med program started in 1997 when Assistant Dean Harry Sultz approached Alan Reynard, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology, for assistance in making UB the 12th mini-medical school in the country.
"Dr. Sultz read some articles about mini-med schools coming up at universities around the country. He thought they were a brilliant idea and wanted to set one up here at UB," Reynard said. "...Sultz had been interested in a community service project where people could learn about health issues."
The idea was that mini-med schools would begin to attract students interested in health careers and would allow both college and high school students to get involved, said Roseanne Berger, a senior associate dean for graduate medical education.
"The original concept was to design a mini-medical school that mimicked medical school in many ways, combining basic sciences and clinical sciences together in a series of lectures and distinguished speakers," Berger said. "It would be a way to educate the public about health care and give them an appreciation for what goes on in a medical school."
According to Berger, the mini-medical school serves several purposes: to interest people in health care and medicine, to educate the public about health care and to help people appreciate the vast world of medicine.
"An educated consumer is the best customer," Berger said. "This applies to the medical field as well as the world of business. We try to teach our students what they can get from the field of medicine and what to expect when they visit their doctor."
According to Berger, the program is well rounded and students cannot obtain a "degree." A certificate of completion is handed out and participants are encouraged to come back for more lectures.
"Our final goal is to have people appreciate what a gem they have in a medical school here in Western New York," Berger said.
A series of classes are offered through the fall, spring and summer containing 13 or 14 lectures and additional speakers. Topics range from infectious diseases, surgical restoration and the drama of trauma, said Mechelle Lumpkin, program coordinator.
"Anybody can attend for a minimal cost," Lumpkin said.
The fee for an individual is $35; it is $50 for couples, $25 for senior citizens, $40 for senior couples and $20 for students, Lumpkin said.
According to Berger, the mini-med school is made to be as realistic as possible. The faculty has made it a goal to invite and include experts in the field and full-time UB medical professors in the series of lectures, as well as many distinguished speakers from the medical community.
"I've been coming for about six years now," said Margret Bender, a retired nurse. "I like to come and get informed about the new technologies in medicine, and hear what the guest speakers have to say."
According to Berger, lectures generally have a particular theme, and for each series the best experts are invited to speak about their field.
"Recently there was a clinic on diabetes, so we had the leading expert in the field, who is a world renowned researcher, come in and speak about diabetes and dieting," Berger said. "We then had a faculty member talk about routine management of diabetes, and after that we brought in a nutritionist to do some diabetic health teaching."
The upcoming theme deals with the chaos of an emergency room, according to Berger.
For further information on the program and to find out lecture schedules, students can visit www.smbs.buffalo.edu/minimed.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
