Rising college juniors and seniors who plan to attend medical school participated in the Summer Scholars Premedical Internship Program at several Baptist Memorial hospitals this summer. Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation funds the program, which provides a stipend for each participating student.
Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, Baptist Cancer Center-Memphis, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville, Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women, the Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children’s Hospital and Memphis Lung Physicians Foundation hosted 16 interns for clinical shadowing.
The Graduate Medical Education department also held workshops for the students at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto and offered tours of the Baptist Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine campus.
Christie Russom-Woolrich, who works in Physician Services/Communications at Baptist Memphis, managed the interns’ clinical shadowing experiences within multiple hospital departments and Baptist Medical Group clinics.
Both cohorts of interns observed health care providers for four weeks. The first cohort began on May 11 and completed their internships on June 5. The second cohort began on June 15 and wrapped up on July 10.
“This exceptional program presents an opportunity most premed students only hope to receive,” Russom-Woolrich said. “Its success is directly attributable to the many dedicated Baptist Memorial team members, physicians and advanced practice providers who actively support learning and are willing to host shadowing experiences for these future providers. This is legacy work that will pay forever dividends.”
Students who participated in the program attend Baptist Health Sciences University, the University of Memphis, LeMoyne-Owen College and Rhodes College.
“Regardless of the educational or professional paths our scholars pursue, this Baptist adventure — where most scholars experience their very first exposures to birth, the pursuit of healing and wellness and end-of-life care — will never be forgotten. This special time will be carried with them wherever they go, and the impact of this experience will touch every patient they touch,” Russom-Woolrich said.
The Summer Scholars Premedical Internship Program has been in place for several years and was previously called Rhodes Scholars. This is the second year Baptist Center for Career Development has had a role in planning, promoting and expanding the program to other institutions of learning.
“Students interested in the Summer Scholars program submitted an application that included a personal statement and a resume,” said Manager of Career Development Michele Schlinsog. “Baptist Center for Career Development team members interviewed all applicants to determine the best candidates for the program and selected16 students from 40 applications. Many of the doctors and team members who worked with these interns were very complimentary of them, and the interns were grateful for the clinical exposure they received.”
