Mansfield biology majors explore future in healthcare through Penn State College of Medicine summer program

Three biology majors with concentrated study in cellular biology and molecular genomics at Commonwealth University-Mansfield got a closer look at medical school earlier this summer, along with investigating issues in primary care.

Rising seniors Sadie Beers and Natalie Drumm were joined by Emma Wonsick, a rising junior, for three weeks in the Penn State College of Medicine Primary Care Scholars Program learning about the philosophy and practice of primary care in family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics.

In addition, they learned about healthcare delivery, medical school admissions, special programs at Penn State College of Medicine, and the school’s curriculum process. All three scholars are advised by Kristen Long, associate professor of biology and Future Healthcare Professionals Club advisor at Mansfield.

“It was helpful to hear from current medical students on what their day-to-day life looks like and the strategies they’ve learned to be able to handle medical school,” Wonsick said. “One of the best parts of the program was when we got to work in small groups on a problem-based learning scenario … a type of learning that’s utilized in many medical schools to help students understand and apply information they’re learning. It was fun to participate and get a glimpse of the kind of learning done in medical school.”

Wonsick, who’s interested in becoming a primary care pediatrician and possibly serving as one in the military, added that this was a very insightful program.

“I would strongly recommend this program to other students,” Wonsick said. “This program will give you a great understanding of what it’s like to be a primary care doctor and the many different areas of medicine you can work in. You’ll also learn about life as a medical student and the process of applying to medical schools.”

Though held virtually this summer, there were numerous opportunities for the scholars to interact with faculty and current med students at the College of Medicine through large group presentations, small discussion groups, panel discussions with students, and individual application consults.

A few of the clinical topics included sports medicine, women’s health and obstetrics, and osteopathic medicine. Additional sessions addressed accelerated pathway programs, the U.S. healthcare system, and leadership in primary care.

“I was interested in this program because I was hoping to solidify my career goals and expand my understanding of primary care,” Beers said. “This program provided me with valuable information not only about careers paths in primary care but also the application process for medical schools.”

She added, “The program also allowed me to connect with professionals in the field. I would definitely suggest this program to upcoming students. It was incredibly informative and demystified the primary care field and the application process for medical school.”

Leading up to this summer’s PSCOM program, Wosnick said Mansfield provided her and fellow biology majors a lot of assistance and guidance for not just the primary care opportunity but medical school in general.

“Mansfield does a great job of finding events and programs that could be beneficial to students and getting that information out … I never would’ve found out about this program on my own,” Wosnick said. “Mansfield has helped prepare me academically for getting into medical school. My professors have given me lots of confidence in myself as a student, and they encourage me to do challenging things that will better prepare me for my future.”