High school counselors, teachers, parents and students interested in careers as physicians are highly encouraged to attend a public seminar about the Boston University Early Medical School Selection Program at the University of the Virgin Islands on Thursday, Jan. 24. The presentation takes place at 6 p.m., in the first-floor conference room of the Administration and Conference Center on UVI's St. Thomas campus. It will be videoconferenced to North West Wing Rooms 134-136 on the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix.
 
The seminar will be presented by Dr. Samantha Kaplan, director of the Early Medical School Selection Program (EMSSP) at the Boston University (BU) Medical School. The program at UVI has produced 25 physicians in the more than 20 years it has existed. It is designed to offer an early and decompressed transition from university to medical school curriculum.
 
"In addition to providing details on the EMSSP program, Dr. Kaplan will also discuss the general process of applying to and attending medical school," said Interim Dean of UVI's College of Science and Mathematics Dr. Sandra Romano. "The program is also scheduled in the evening to make it easier for high school students and their parents to attend," Dr. Romano said. "We really encourage parents to come along with their students."
 
UVI currently has five students in the program, which covers their junior and senior years of study. Chinamaere Igwebuike and Monique Meade, who studied at UVI through their junior year, are in their senior year at BU. Three UVI juniors - Denese Dorival, Nerissa Washington, and Marisela Narcisse - are also participating and are scheduled to study at BU next year. All are biology majors. After completing the program and graduating with a degree from UVI, students then enter the BU Medical School.
 
UVI's connection with BU also includes an arrangement that allows fourth-year students in the School of Medicine to participate in a clerkship at the Roy L. Schneider Regional Medical Center, according to Dr. Romano. In this part of the program, different groups of four BU students each rotate on to St. Thomas each month. The first group arrived last weekend and is housed in UVI's residence halls. UVI graduate Mutahammis Kareem ('09), who is from St. Croix, is part of this group.
 
To secure a space in the seminar or for more information please call Aimee Sanchez at (340) 693-1249 or send email ecs@myuvi.net. EMSSP information is also available from the Pre-Med page page in the College of Science and Mathematics section - http://stem.uvi.edu - of the UVI website.