Today@Sam Article

Heritage Magazine: Learning To DO Medicine

July 3, 2023
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd

Student doctors at Sam Houston State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine have a passion for not just practicing medicine but teaching it as well. One such student did that by establishing the “You Can D.O. Medicine” camp, which is going on its second year of showing high school students that pursing medicine is within their reach.

While in class last year, Darian Dozier’s professor asked for outreach ideas utilizing recently awarded grant funding. Dozier is an avid blogger with the goal of turning her blog into a nonprofit for assisting prospective medical students. With this in mind, she proposed a summer camp for local high school students to learn about osteopathic medicine.

“One of the things I hope to be able to do in the future is create a summer program for early intervention, especially for underserved areas and students who normally don’t get those opportunities,” Dozier said.

After Dozier’s professor accepted her proposal, she got to work and recruited other student doctors like Parisa Jesudasen, a first-year medical student at the time. With Jesudasen as her assistant director and group of six excited classmates serving as counselors, Dozier organized a successful camp. Now, Jesudasen will lead the 2023 session, held over four days of spring break.

“It was incredible and so enriching because this was my first year of medical school and, through this camp, I was able to take all the knowledge I learned and share it with others,” Jesudasen said. “I think that’s such a unique experience and something that I love to do. It was amazing to be able to impact members of my community.”

The camp has expanded its reach to more schools, including the students of Conroe High School, and Oak Ridge High school.

“At the end of the day, the COM wants to bring in students from these areas because that early exposure can be a motivator,” Dozier said. “I hope it’s a catalyst for these students to pursue something they might not have considered before.”

New to the camp this year, students will practice and learn about diagnostic ultrasound from members of the COM’s ultrasound club, in addition to hands-on medical skills. Further, it will incorporate lessons on what a medical student’s journey looks like from application to residency and how to be mindful about mental health throughout that journey.

Dozier and Jesudasen look forward to seeing how the camp will continue to grow in size and scope, allowing more young people to discover the possibilities of a medical career.

SHSU’s COM opened in 2020 and will graduate its first cohort in 2024.

To view the full Spring 2023 edition of Heritage Magazine, follow this link. 

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