Students in the Millsaps medical mentorship program, which was initiated to increase the preparation and competitiveness of students applying for admission into medical schools, recently completed studies in the first year of the new program. The program, funded by Millsaps alumnus Raymond Martin, was designed to give students new insights into the field of medicine and boost success rates in medical school admission by providing students with clinical experience.

The program offers interested students a medical mentor to interact with and observe on the job. The mentorship program allows students to explore not only the medical field, but also personal issues doctors deal with, such as choosing a field of expertise and balancing family life with a demanding career.

"Dr. Martin wanted to make sure that our students interested in health careers had experiences that were very attractive to medical schools," said Dr. Timothy Ward, chair of the Millsaps chemistry department. "We match our students with doctors who can act as mentors for them, advising them in their career choices and providing general all-around guidance."

The one-hour credit class is limited to ten juniors and seniors per semester who have shown an interest in a medical career and meet rigorous academic requirements. After acceptance into the program, each student is placed with a faculty advisor from the pre-health committee, a group of faculty members which oversees the program. The students meet weekly with their mentor, once a month for a class discussion and once a month for a seminar series, such as Moreton lectures, Faith and Work Initiative lectures or addresses by invited speakers. The students are also required to write weekly journals and a final reflective essay.

Each session with their mentors offers students a chance to either visit the office or work directly with patients, an emphasis that medical schools like the one at University of Mississippi Medical Center strongly encourage.

Vonda Reeves-Darby, a Gastrointestinal Associates Partner, mentored Millsaps student Stacey Douglas during the year. "I have tried to give her as much variety as possible during the mentoring program," Reeves-Darby said. "I arranged for her to spend one afternoon with Dr. Virgina Anne Jones Whitley at the Woman's Clinic, and she also spent a day in the operating room with Dr. Phillip Lay. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for students to get more exposure to different types of medicine. It helps them form an idea of what other aspects are present in medicine."