New Quinnipiac University School of Medicine initiative helps high school students interested in health care careers

The Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University is helping students across Connecticut determine their future career in the health care field through the development of a health career pipeline initiative, one component of which is establishing Health Professions Clubs for high school students.

The first Health Professions Club meeting was held on Oct. 29 at Hamden High School. Gabbriel Simone, program coordinator of health career pathways at the School of Medicine, led a group of 16 students through a series of tests and exercises that emphasized the different types of health professions and helped students identify their goals for the future.

After Simone distributed a health career pre-test around the classroom, Hamden High junior EJ Neri raised his hand. "What's a DO [doctor of osteopathic medicine]?" he said.

"That's why we're taking the test," said Simone, smiling. "It's okay if you don't know the answers, that's why we're here."

To join the club, high school students currently enrolled in targeted schools must write an essay demonstrating an interest in becoming a member. In return, club members receive career development support, invitations to information sessions on the college application process and visits to the University's Center for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. A maximum of 20 students are accepted from each school.

Each club member will also be assigned a Quinnipiac pre-medical studies undergraduate student to act as a mentor as they complete high school.

Charles Collier, assistant dean of health career pathways at the School of Medicine, said he hopes to reach a total of 150 high school students in the New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford areas through the club initiative. "The Health Professions Club is a vehicle through which we can mentor, guide and direct students to a health profession," he said.

Besides Hamden High School, other schools currently participating in the program include: New Haven Academy and Hill Regional Career High School in New Haven, Hyde Leadership School in Hamden and Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport. The Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology (ConnCAT), a New Haven-based post-secondary career training facility, is also a participant.

"The more exposure my students get, the more information and tools they have to choose their health career," said Elaine Edwards, a Hamden High School teacher. "This program is a great bridge between high school and post-secondary education."

Monsurat Mimiko, a junior at Hamden High School, said she wants to find the right field in pediatrics that emphasizes interaction with patients. "I want to be more certain of what I want to do," she said. "And I have a ton of questions for my mentor already."

Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 6,400 full-time undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students in 58 undergraduate and more than 20 graduate programs of study in its School of Business and Engineering, School of Communications, School of Education, School of Health Sciences, School of Law, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, School of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the North in U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges issue. The 2014 issue of U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges named Quinnipiac as the top up-and-coming school with master’s programs in the Northern Region. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton Review’s “The Best 377 Colleges.” The Chronicle of Higher Education has named Quinnipiac among the “Great Colleges to Work For.” For more information, please visit www.quinnipiac.edu. Connect with Quinnipiac on Facebook at www.facebook.com/quinnipiacuniversity and follow Quinnipiac on Twitter @QuinnipiacU.