2023 NERA Winter Symposium Flipbook

2023 ANNUAL

VIRTUAL MEDICAL SCHOOL

WINTER SYMPOSIUM

OVERVIEW

This FREE virtual event will be hosted for pre-medical

students from diverse backgrounds. Sessions will include

panels, presentations, and workshops to demystify the

medical school admissions process and provide helpful

resources for students interested in pursuing medicine.

THURSDAY, JAN. 12TH, 2023
10AM TO 3PM EST

FEATURED MEDICAL SCHOOLS:

Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

ABOUT THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL ALLIANCE MEDPREP HCOP ACADEMY PROGRAM

The Northeast Regional Alliance (NERA) MedPrep HCOP Academy Program is a partnership between
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai's Center for Multicultural and Community Affairs, Rutgers
New Jersey Medical School, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons,
Manhattan-Staten Island Area Health Education Center.

The Program uniquely builds on the collective expertise of four outstanding institutions to expand
health careers preparation for minority and disadvantaged students from junior high school through
medical school with the goal of increasing competitiveness for medical school. Ultimately, we expect
that our scholars will have the humanism, professionalism and interpersonal skills required of a
future physician caring for a diverse population.

The Northeast Regional Alliance (NERA) MedPrep HCOP Academy is a free summer enrichment
program for under-represented and/or economically disadvantaged college students interested in
the medical field.

The NERA MedPrep Program

The program is open to New York City and New Jersey resident college freshmen and sophomores
interested in attending medical school. MedPrep is a 3-year summer commitment designed to give
students an opportunity to develop key skills and competencies that are important to success on the
road to medical school.

• Participate in programs at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Columbia University Vagelos
College of Physicians and Surgeons and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

• Stipend support
• No Application Fee
• MCAT Prep
• Clinical and Research Experience
• Academic Counseling and Mentoring
• Cultural Competency Education

*To provide a safe educational environment for all of our college pipeline programs, NERA will
follow current CDC and Institutional guidelines for the Summer 2023 sessions; requiring that
students participating in the program follow social distancing, wear a mask, and be vaccinated
against COVID-19 (proof of vaccination will be required). These rules will be amended as new
guidelines or regulations become effective. Please note that residential programs will have additional
requirements.

Table of Contents

GENERAL CONFERENCE ATTENDEE INFORMATION 3
Conference Announcement.................................................................................. 4
Conference Agenda.............................................................................................. 5
Welcome Address by Dr. Hetty Cunningham......................................................... 6
Opening Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sammy Wu...........................................................
7
HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PANEL 8
Moderator: Simran Wahan (SHPEP; NERA)…......................................................... 9
Admission Panelist 1: Dr. Gary Butts (Mt. Sinai)…................................................. 10
Admission Panelist 2: Dr. Lynne Holden (Einstein)…............................................... 11
Admission Panelist 3: Dr. Will Turner (Columbia)…...............................................
Admission Panelist 4: Mercedes Rivero (Rutgers)….............................................. 13
14
WORKSHOPS 15
Wellness & Work-life balance, Emilia Leon.......................................................... 16
Imposter Syndrome in the Healthcare Field, Heather Butts................................. 17
The Heart of Your Application, Your Personal Statement, Deya Luna.................. 18
Medical School Admissions Workshop, Keyauna Ramos......................................
Let Excellence Be Your Brand, Samantha McLaughlin.......................................... 19
How to Set Yourself Up for Success as an Undergrad, Paul Lewis........................ 20
20
RECRUITMENT FAIR EXHIBITOR INFORMATION 21
Recruitment Fair Exhibitor List........................................................................... 22
Albert Einstein College of Medicine.................................................................... 22
International Career Advancement Program...................................................... 23
Manhattan Staten Island Area Health Education Center..................................... 24
Summer Public Health Scholars Program ...........................................................
Summer Program for Under-represented Students ...........................................
Conference Evaluation......................................................................................
Acknowledgements............................................................................................

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January 12th, 2023,

Dear Conference Attendee:

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 2023 Annual Virtual Medical School Winter Symposium.
This opportunity provides a platform for undergraduate Pre-Medical students to engage with
like-minded students who have similar interests and connect with medical school administrators.
In addition, presentations will be facilitated to provide resources that are pertinent to the
personal, academic, and professional development processes.

As you forge ahead on your journey of academic excellence and professional success, we hope
that you take full advantage of this opportunity to establish new relationships and glean
information that will be especially useful for you as you move forward. You are encouraged to
fully participate in the sessions designed to equip you with valuable tools and best practices.

The conference planning committee has worked diligently to organize the line-up of sessions that
we hope will be exciting, informative, and well worth your while. We are excited to have you
join us and thank you for attending the 2023 Annual Virtual Medical School Winter Symposium!

Best wishes,

Conference Planning Committee
2023 Annual Virtual Medical School Winter Symposium
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

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Winter Symposium Agenda

1/12/2023 | 10AM-3PM

10:00 AM – Welcome Remarks, by Dr. Hetty Cunningham
10:15 AM – Morning Keynote Address, by Dr. Sammy Wu
10:30 AM – Demystifying Admissions Panel
Panelists: Dr. Will Turner (Columbia), Dr. Lynne Holden (Einstein), Dr. Gary Butts (Mt. Sinai), Mercedes
Rivero (Rutgers)
11:30 AM – Q&A
11:45 AM – Break
12:00 PM Concurrent Workshop Block 1 *BREAKOUT ROOMS*

• Wellness & Work-life balance, Presenter: Emilia Leon
• Imposter Syndrome in the Healthcare Field, Presenter: Heather Butts
• The Heart of Your Application, Your Personal Statement, Presenter: Deya Luna
12:45 PM – Break
1:00 PM – Concurrent Workshop Block 2 *BREAKOUT ROOMS*
• Medical School Admissions Workshop, Presenter: Keyauna Ramos
• Let Excellence Be Your Brand, Presenter: Samantha McLaughlin
• How to Set Yourself Up for Success as an Undergrad, Presenter: Paul Lewis
1:45 PM – Recruitment Fair *BREAKOUT ROOMS*
2:50 PM – Closing Remarks
3:00 PM – Adjournment

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Welcome Address

PRESENTER: Dr. Hetty Cunningham

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Dr. Hetty Cunningham, MD

Hetty Cunningham, MD is Director of Equity and Justice in Curricular Affairs, Co-Director of
the Anti-Racism Coalition, Director of the Narrative Medicine Portfolio curriculum at Columbia
University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She is Associate Professor and Vice
Chair for Education and the Learning Environment in Pediatrics at Columbia University Irving
Medical Center. Dr. Cunningham partners with faculty, staff, and students across learning
spectrum to promote equity, justice, and anti-racism.
Since joining the Department of Pediatrics faculty in 1998, Cunningham has worked to improve
health equity at all levels, with a particular focus on curriculum and faculty development in
health disparities, implicit bias, social determinants of health, race in medicine, cultural
competency, communication skills, and narrative medicine for medical students, residents, and
faculty. Dr. Cunningham is a second-generation Harlem resident, where she lives, sees patients,
and teaches pediatric residents at a New York-Presbyterian Hospital-affiliated community-based
practice. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and completed
her pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 1996.

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Opening Keynote

PRESENTER: Dr. Sammy Wu

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

_____________________________SESSION DESCRIPTION_____________________________

My presentation "Resilience/Perseverance as a First-Generation College Student" will focus on
my past and current experience as a resident physician from a first generation, low-income
background as the first in my family to graduate from college. I will address obstacles,
difficulties, stressors I have encountered and overcome as a pre-medical undergraduate student,
medical student, and resident physician, and offer words of wisdom to students pursuing
medicine.

_______________________________ PRESENTER BIO_________________________________

Dr. Sammy Wu is a current PGY3 Resident Physician at New York-Presbyterian Hospital
Columbia/Cornell in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and plans to pursue a cancer
rehabilitation fellowship. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and is the first in his family to
graduate from college. He graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelor of Science in
Neuroscience in 2016 and graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2020.

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Demystifying the Medical School Admissions Process

MODERATOR: Simrankaur Wahan (Simran)
10:30-11:45 AM

_______________________________ MODERATOR BIO_________________________________

Simran Wahan serves as the Program Coordinator for the NERA Med Prep HCOP Academy
and Summer Health Professions Education Program at Columbia University Vagelos College of
Physicians and Surgeons. In this role, she is responsible for managing undergraduate student
recruitment and program initiatives.
Born and brought up in New York City, Simran is a 2019 graduate of Columbia University with
a degree in Biology and Psychology, and she is currently a Master of Healthcare Administration
Student at the Mailman School of Public Health.

Panelists:

Dr. Gary Butts, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Dr. Lynne Holden, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Dr. William Turner, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Mercedes Rivero, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

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_______________________________ PANELIST BIO_________________________________

Dr. Gary Butts, MD

Dr. Gary Butts is currently Executive Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Mount Sinai
Health System. He is a visionary leader with more than 20 years’ experience in designing, developing and
managing DEI programs and strategies in executive level academic healthcare. Since 2014, he has been
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the Mount Sinai Health System and Dean for Diversity
Programs, Policy and Community Affairs for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Butts has
overseen the development of one of the nation’s (if not world’s) most comprehensive, full thickness and
impactful DEI programs for a health care system. In these roles, Dr. Butts is responsible for oversight,
management and integration of all aspects of diversity programs and policies for the Mount Sinai Health
System to ensure diversity and inclusion as an integral core institutional value and resource across the
health system, including the medical and graduate schools (over 3,800 faculty and 650 students), graduate
medical education (nearly 3,000 trainees) and the Mount Sinai Health System hospitals (42,000+
employees).
In 2019, he co-founded the Diversity Innovation Hub (DIH): A Mount Sinai Venture, which he directs. A
first for a health care system, the DIH intentionally intersects priorities of diversity and inclusion with
innovation and technology, addressing the lack of inclusion of women and people of color in the health
innovation and technology space by expanding the diversity and capacity of entrepreneurs with tech and
innovation pipelines targeting high school, college and medical students and resident trainees. Dr. Butts
recently chaired the MSHS Task Force to Address Racism across the health system and is a key lead in
advancing the Roadmap for Action to implement the recommended strategies.
Dr. Butts completed his training in pediatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital after graduating from Cornell
Medical College. He holds joint appointments as Professor with tenure in the Departments of Pediatrics,
Medical Education, and Environmental Medicine/Public Health.

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_______________________________ PANELIST BIO_________________________________

Dr. Lynne Holden, MD
Lynne Holden, M.D., discusses the importance of mentoring and increasing the number of medical
students from first-generation and immigrant backgrounds and groups underrepresented in medicine. Dr.
Holden is a professor of emergency medicine and senior associate dean for diversity and inclusion at
Einstein and an emergency medicine physician at Montefiore.
Dr. Lynne Holden earned her B.S. in Zoology from Howard University, graduated from Temple
University School of Medicine and completed her medical training in the Jacobi/Montefiore Emergency
Medicine Residency Program where she was selected as a Chief Resident. She is a practicing Emergency
Department Physician at the Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, NY, Professor of Emergency
Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (the 5th African American female in the country)
and Vice-Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Since October 1, 2022, Dr. Holden serves as the
Senior Associate Dean, Diversity and Inclusion at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She has also
been selected to be a Director at the American Board of Emergency Medicine-the first African American
female in the organization’s 46-year history.
With over 27 years in the Einstein community, Dr. Holden has served as a Co-chair of the Albert Einstein
College of Medicine Admissions Committee (13 years), as an Introduction to Clinical Medicine Instructor
(5 years) , Co-Director of the Emergency Medicine Interest Group (2 years) and in various residency
leadership positions (Associate Residency Director, Site Director at Montefiore, Associate Site Director
now Interviewing Team) in the Jacobi-Montefiore Emergency Medicine Residency Program which is one
of the largest training programs in the country.

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_______________________________ PANELIST BIO_________________________________

Dr. William C Turner, MD
Dr. William C. Turner is a practicing hospitalist and Associate Professor of Medicine at
Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he
completed his undergraduate studies in Black Studies and Biology at Amherst College and
received his medical degree from Mount Sinai Medical School in New York City. After
completing his residency and chief residency in internal medicine at NYP/Columbia in 2002 Dr.
Turner joined the faculty of Columbia University's Vagelos School of Physicians and Surgeons
where he is an Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Faculty Advisor for the Black and Latino
Student Organization (BALSO) and has clinical and research interests in medical education and
diversity in medicine.

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_______________________________ PANELIST BIO_________________________________

Mercedes Rivero

Mercedes Rivero is currently the Asst. Dean of Admissions as well as the Director, of the EOF
Summer Medical Experience Scholars Program at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, NJ.
With over twenty-five years of experience in medical education and admissions, she has garnered
extensive leadership experiences while honing her skills in academic and career advisement, crisis
management, program development, fundraising, public relations, and strategic communication. Dean
Rivero has accomplished this while remaining focused and resolute in her commitment to advancing
efforts that increase educational opportunities for students from disadvantaged and underrepresented
backgrounds.
In addition to her extensive experiences in medical school admissions, Dean Rivero serves on the US
Senators Service Academy nomination committee and is also tasked with identifying and mentoring
highly qualified NJ high school students who have the potential to shape the next generation of leaders.
Dean Rivero was a founding member of the Northeast Diversity Collaborative (NEDC), an educational
initiative led by medical education professionals aimed at increasing resources and support
for underrepresented students through focused innovation and impact projects. She has also served in
various regional and national leadership roles, through the Association of American Medical Colleges
(AAMC), including as Chair of the Northeast Group on Student Affairs and member of the Executive
Steering Committee. She previously served as Chair of the UMDNJ Affirmative Action Advisory Council,
on the Board of Advisors for the National Youth Leadership Forum and a member of the selection
committee for the National Medical Fellowships Program.
Through various leadership roles, her experiences have served to strengthen her advocacy on issues that are
most significant for disadvantaged students. Her work has been impactful and garnered many accolades
over the years. In 2019, Dean Rivero was named "Honorary Medical Alumnus", an award presented
by the Alumni Association of the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
Rivero is the proud Mother to two amazing daughters: one a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Air Force
and the other, a 3rd year cadet at West Point, the United States Military Academy.

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__________ Workshop Sessions __________

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Wellness & Work-life balance
PRESENTER: Emilia Leon, LMSW

12:00-12:45 PM

___________________________SESSION DESCRIPTION_____________________________

Join this session to learn about the 7 dimensions of health & wellness and learn about how
having a good work-life balance is essential to joining the medical field!

_______________________________ PRESENTER BIO_________________________________

Emilia Leon, LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) graduated from NYU in 2018 with a
specialization in integrated youth behavioral health. She worked at Henry Street Settlement in the Parent
Center where she provided group therapy for parents. Her experience at the Parent Center consisted of
working with a diverse population (ex; first time parents, immigrant parents, parents in recovery, and
parents with ACS involvement). Her journey began at Mount Sinai as an intern at the Adolescent Health
Center where she provided individual psychotherapy for youth between the ages of 10-24. She has been
working at Mount Sinai since 2019 and is currently working on GP 6 West with Vascular and Thoracic
Surgery. Additionally, she is one of the co-leaders of the Social Work Anti-Racism Initiative (SWARI)’s
Social Justice Group. She was a mentor for NERA last year and is now working alongside Laudy Burgos,
LCSW-R as a program assistant.

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Imposter Syndrome in the Healthcare Field

PRESENTER: Heather Butts
12:00 PM-12:45 PM

___________________________SESSION DESCRIPTION_____________________________

Imposter syndrome refers to the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been
legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills. Professor Butts will discuss how imposter
syndrome shows up in healthcare settings and tips for managing imposter syndrome.

_______________________________ PRESENTER BIO_________________________________

Heather M. Butts, JD
Heather M. Butts received her B.A. from Princeton University. She was a history major, concentrating
on American and African American Studies. She received her J.D. from St. John’s University School of
Law, her Master’s in Public Health from Harvard University, and her Master’s in Education from
Columbia University’s Teachers College. Professor Butts is an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Health Policy and Management at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. In addition,
she holds appointments as an Adjunct Professor in Health Law and Bioethics at St. John’s School of Law
and Long Island University Post.
Before teaching, she served as a regulatory specialist at Columbia University’s Medical Center
Institutional Review Board (IRB). Her responsibilities included training and educational efforts of the
Columbia University research community. Before that professional experience, she was a Senior
Associate at Price Waterhouse Coopers, LLP in New York City. She performed compliance risk
assessments on projects involving reviews of faculty group practices, policies, and procedures. Professor
Butts is the co-founder of H.E.A.L.T.H for Youths, Inc., a nonprofit organization focusing on college
readiness and preparation. Her organization partners with 53 programs yearly to help more than 4,000
students achieve their college dream. During COVID-19, her organization has worked on dozens of
projects to help the community including turning little free libraries into food pantries, getting resources
to underprivileged families; organizing several community gardening programs to get fresh produce to
those in need.
Her publications include: Alexander Thomas Augusta: Physician, Teacher and Human Rights Activist for
the Journal of the National Medical Association, Personality and Policy Perception: What Responses are
Seen as Appropriate for COVID-19, Federal Agencies Continue Focus on Clinical Trial Oversight (co-
author), Housing Bias and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder(co-author) and two books including African
American Medicine in Washington, D.C.: Healing the Capital During the Civil War Era and Healing
Civil War Veterans in New York and Washington, D.C.

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The Heart of Your Application, Your Personal Statement
PRESENTER: Deya Luna

12:00 PM-12:45 PM

_____________________________SESSION DESCRIPTION______________________________

Much in the way the heart pumps blood through the human body, the personal statement gives life to the
rest of your medical school application. An effective personal statement not only connects all the different
components of your application but also allows readers to imagine you, the applicant, as a specific, living,
breathing potential new student—not just a name on the page.
In this session, we’ll discuss the role of your statement in the broader context of your entire application.
After we discuss the broader picture, we’ll zoom in and discuss the mechanics of personal statement
writing—including strategies for effective narrative writing, the drafting and editing process, and making
every word count.

_______________________________ PRESENTER BIO_________________________________

Deya Luna

Deya Luna currently serves as the Program Manager for the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs
(ODMA) at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S). She manages
the Gerald E. Thomson Undergraduate Pre-Medical Program, a free pre-med mentorship program for
underrepresented and first-generation undergraduate students attending Columbia and CUNY.
Born and raised in rural California, Deya holds a degree in linguistics from Columbia University and is
currently a Master of Fine Arts Candidate in the Graduate Writing Program at the Columbia University
School of the Arts.

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Medical School Admissions Workshop
PRESENTER: Keyauna Ramos

1:00 PM-1:45 PM

______________________________SESSION DESCRIPTION____________________________

presentation will provide a brief overview of the admissions process including requirements,
program tracks, and application deadlines. We will also discuss support programs, student life,

housing, and more.

_______________________________ PRESENTER BIO_________________________________

Keyauna Ramos

Keyauna Ramos graduated from Ohio State University in May 2017 with a B.A. in Strategic
Communications and a minor in Women's Studies. She started working at Columbia VP&S in
July 2018 in the Office of Student Affairs, and really enjoyed supporting the medical students. In
October 2020, Keyauna transitioned to work in the Office of Admissions as an Admissions &
Recruitment Coordinator where she has been dedicated to increasing diversity at VP&S. She
loves to travel, try new restaurants, and dance.

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Let Excellence Be Your Brand
PRESENTER: Samantha McLaughlin

1:00 PM-1:45 PM

_______________________________SESSION DESCRIPTION_____________________________

The journey to becoming a physician can be riddled with challenges of all types. Navigating the
obstacles on this journey is analogous to completing the pre-requisites for admission to medical

school. In this process, excellence is marked by those who persist in overcoming challenges,
whatever they may be. This session is intended to provide a few best practices for successfully
maneuvering those adversities, while maintaining excellence as an integral part of your personal

brand.

_________________________________ PRESENTER BIO_________________________________

Samantha McLaughlin
Samantha McLaughlin serves as Director for the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at Columbia
University, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S). In this role, she is responsible for
managing recruitment and student support initiatives for underrepresented minority medical students.
She also directs and sponsors programming for multicultural and affinity student groups at VP&S.
Concurrently, she leads a portfolio of projects that supports the college’s on-going commitment to
diversifying the healthcare workforce by providing the resources and training necessary to advance
promising students from the primary school level onward. Ms. McLaughlin directly oversees the
implementation of project activities for five pipeline programs, including the Summer Health Professions
Education Program and the NERA Med Prep HCOP Academy.
Ms. McLaughlin holds a Master's degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration and a
Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Her professional training and current work address student
advisement and counseling/mentorship, grant writing and reporting, project coordination and
execution, budget management, team operation, personnel training, cross-departmental collaboration,
and vendor relations.

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How to Set Yourself Up for Success as an Undergrad
PRESENTER: Paul Lewis

1:00 PM-1:45 PM

___________________________SESSION DESCRIPTION____________________________

In the "How to Set Yourself Up for Success as an Undergrad" workshop, we will be talking about the
premed requirements and extracurriculars (clinical, non-clinical, & research) so you can create a plan for
success. Feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

_______________________________ PRESENTER BIO_________________________________

Paul M. Lewis

Paul M. Lewis is a Medical Student at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College where he concentrated in
Neurobiology with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy. He has experience in diverse areas of
global and public health having served as the Director of a program for underprivileged Native American
youth, the President of a peer education group to promote holistic wellness, and the Community
Education Chair of a drug and alcohol education group. Paul is the Founder of Harvard College VISION
Global Health Society and the Global Health and Leadership Conference. He was a recipient of the Finley
Fellowship from Harvard to spend a postgraduate year in Japan to learn about end-of-life care. While
there, he helped found the International Young Researchers' Conference. Afterwards, he worked as a
TMS Therapy Clinician at Dignity Brain Health to treat patients with Major Depressive Disorder. At
Columbia University, he co-leads the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Allen O.
Whipple Surgical Society, and the Global Health Organization. His current research is on glioblastoma in
the Gabriele Bartoli Brain Tumor Lab.

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_______Recruitment Fair______

PRESENTERS: Various Admissions and Program Representatives

1:45 PM – 2:45 PM

BREAKOUT ROOM INSTITUTION QR CODE

1 Columbia’s Summer Health Professions
Education Program (SHPEP) & Med-Prep

2 Manhattan Staten Island
Area Health Education Center (MSI AHEC)

3 Columbia’s Gerald E. Thomson
Undergraduate Pre-Medical Program (GET-
UPP)

4 Mount Sinai Office for Diversity &
Inclusion

5 Columbia Summer Program for
Undergraduate Rising Stars (SPURS)

6 Columbia Summer Public Health Scholars
Program (SPHSP)

7 International Career Advancement Program
at Columbia University

8 Rutgers NJMS Office of Diversity

9 Albert Einstein College of Medicine &
Emergency Department Clinical Exposure

& Mentoring Program

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Albert Einstein College of Medicine & Emergency Department
Clinical Exposure & Mentoring Program

___________________________PROGRAM DESCRIPTION_____________________________

This year-round volunteering, shadowing, and community service program in one of the Bronx's busiest
Adult or Pediatric Emergency Departments targets undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students
interested in pursuing a health career.

International Career Advancement Program (ICAP)

___________________________SESSION DESCRIPTION_____________________________

This presentation will introduce ICAP and the Next-Generation Program, specifically practicum
opportunities for summer and fall of 2023. Next-Generation projects are focused on global public health
and engage in the design, implementation and evaluation of ICAP supported programs. 2023 placements
include multiple locations across sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and South America, as well as
New York-based and remote projects with foci ranging from data management and analysis, public health
policy and governance, research manuscript and development, and more.

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Manhattan-Staten Island Area Health Education Center
(MSI AHEC)

___________________________PROGRAM DESCRIPTION_____________________________

Located in the community of Harlem, the Manhattan‐Staten Island Area Health Education Center
(MSI AHEC) provides health professions education, career exploration and exposure primarily
for minority and economically disadvantaged high school and college students in pursuit of a
career in health care.

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Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP)

___________________________PROGRAM DESCRIPTION_____________________________

The Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) at Columbia University is designed for
undergraduate students and its goal is to increase interest in and knowledge of public health and
biomedical science careers. The program is designed for undergraduates entering their junior or senior
year and recent baccalaureate degree students who are undecided about their career goals. This is a
rigorous program which includes Public Health coursework at Columbia University; hands-on field
experience and immersion in a diverse, economically disadvantaged urban environment; seminars and
lectures with public health leaders; and mentoring by faculty members, ensuring students' exposure to the
breadth and importance of public health as a career option.

Summer Program for Underrepresented Students (SPURS)

___________________________PROGRAM DESCRIPTION_____________________________

The Summer Program for Undergraduate Rising Stars at Columbia University is a pipeline program
addressing the lack of diversity in biomedical research, which is rooted in the limited number of under-
represented students entering the field of science. The SPURS program addresses the need to increase the
pipeline of highly qualified trainees into the biomedical sciences. Each year we host several students in
basic science laboratories across the Medical Center for an intensive 9-week program. At the end of the
summer, students present their research work in a large forum. SPURS provides extensive training in
basic science research and enhances the likelihood that the students will achieve a career in science by
pursuing an advanced degree (M.D. and/or Ph.D.). Students receive in-depth training in research
methodology, including (a) the design and analysis of experiments; (b) critical reading of scientific
literature through journal clubs and discussions of ethics in science; (c) the presentation of scientific
results at laboratory meetings; (d) presentation of their research at poster sessions; (e) an oral presentation
of their research to an audience of scientists; and (f) career counseling.

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Conference Evaluation

Thank you for your participation in the
2023 Virtual Medical School Winter Symposium. We hope that
the resources provided will be beneficial to you as you continue

on your journey to medical school.
Please take a moment to share feedback with us about your
conference experience by accessing the Qualtrics survey using

the QR code below.

.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The NERA Alliance wishes to extend gratitude to Columbia University
Irving Medical Center and all featured guests for their support in

ensuring the seamless execution of the 2023 Virtual Medical School Winter
Symposium.

Special thanks to all conference volunteers and presenters for their
collaboration.

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