At the end of the Spring 2024 Semester, 19 first-year and sophomore students in the College of Science visited the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. The trip, organized by the Department of Preprofessional Studies at Notre Dame, provided students an opportunity to explore the medical school experience first-hand.
The diverse group included first-generation college students, most of whom would be first-in-family to medicine someday. For just about every student in attendance, it was a first-ever encounter with medical school—and with the daunting medical school application process.
Darrell Nabers, MSc, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Recruitment at Stritch School of Medicine, introduced the students to a typical application cycle and the yearly curriculum, clinical hours, and clerkships at Loyola. Dean Nabers' explanations—including charts and tips to break down an otherwise intimidating undertaking—made the journey to medical school feel more accessible, the students said. Nabers also provided insight into the application review and interview process at the Stritch School of Medicine, as he reminded students the institution considers the whole person during the admissions process.
Next, three current medical students gave tours of the facilities at the Stritch campus, providing a glimpse into a day in the life of a med student. Stops on the tour included an anatomy lab, clinical simulation rooms, study libraries, a wellness center, and eateries.
University of Notre Dame alumna Jenna Sobczyk '18, a current second-year med student at Stritch, served as one of the tour guides, enthusiastically answering questions and sharing positive stories from her experience so far. Sobczyk earned her Master's at Loyola before applying for medical school; she reminded the students in her tour group that their journey to medicine could take a variety of routes, and that they shouldn't feel locked into one single formula.
After lunch, Freager Williams, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stritch, joined the visiting students to share his journey to become the first in his family to pursue a career in medicine. He emphasized the need for compassion for humanity in his field, because that will leave an impact on patients and could lead to healthier outcomes, he said. His passion overflowed as he answered students' questions—and then excused himself to head into the operating room for a surgery.
To close the day, a panel of six current Year 1 and Year 2 Stritch medical students answered the Notre Dame students' questions about curriculum, work-life balance, the application process, the experience at Stritch, and more. The personalized, honest, and practical answers equipped the students with even more tools as they plan to pursue a career in medicine for themselves.
Naysa Villa, a first-year student from California majoring in biology, said it was her first time visiting a medical school and seeing an anatomy lab; after the visit, she felt more confident to apply to medical school as a first-gen student. Villa especially appreciated learning about the course schedule for the first year in medical school: "It was helpful to ease my anxiety," she said.
A group of three Neuroscience and Behavior majors echoed Villa's sentiments: they felt like they gained a layer of preparation that allievated the stress of what's to come and instilled them with confidence.
"I find that they are excited, encouraged, and energized by seeing and hearing the lived experiences of the doctors, and med students," said Kristian Lax-Walker, Associate Advising Professor at Notre Dame, and organizer of the day's visit. "My goal is to grow the program so even more students can have the opportunity. We have a diverse group of students and those who are first-Gen, first-in-family to medicine, and underrepresented in medicine are often seeing a medical school for the first time."
The group was hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Stritch School of Medicine.
