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EDUCATION
Annette Gutierrez (left) and Lori Boies
Demystifying the doctor:
An early introduction to a life in medicine
By Lori Boies, PhD, and Annette Gutierrez, MEd
When interacting with college freshmen, many of whom consider course of 14 weeks, the mentors and interns spent 40-plus hours dis-
themselves “pre-med,” it is always interesting to hear their varying cussing medicine, as the interns shadowed and helped the physicians
motivations to pursue a life of medicine. and dentists. This year, the course included 17 students, 14 physi-
cians and two dentists. In addition to shadowing, students were given
Their reasons range from pure interest in the human body to al- opportunities to learn about current healthcare laws, ethics, and
truistic motivations to the stereotypical ideal of a “good life” full of common practices on what makes a good physician.
fast cars and country clubs with a few patients sprinkled in for good
measure. Many, however, do not know what it is like to be in a doc- Many students experienced life-changing moments that confirmed
tor’s shoes for a day; their experiences with physicians typically have their interest in medicine/dentistry and became re-energized in study-
consisted of how physicians are portrayed in the media, movies and ing for their courses. The relationship built between the mentor and
sitcoms, as well as intermittent visits to their family’s doctor while the student allowed for honest conversations that, most likely, would
growing up. not have happened had the student just shadowed the practitioner one
or two times as compared to an entire semester. The following quotes
In efforts to help give students a clearer picture of the life of a truly highlight the value of this course to our students.
physician, before devoting years to both medical school and a resi-
dency, the department of biological sciences at St. Mary’s University “If I had to summarize my experiences into lessons, I would explain
has developed a structured, semester-long course titled, “Internships how I have learned to look past the surface, value and respect human
in Medicine and Dentistry,” targeted toward sophomore-level stu- life, and the importance of passion and love in/for the medical field.”
dents. The goal is to allow potential future physicians (and dentists) – Jacqueline D. Carballa
to build a relationship with a physician mentor and begin to develop
an idea of the true experience, responsibility and time commitment “I’ve been given the great opportunity to shadow my mentor not only
required to be a physician. in a hospital, but her private practice. Having that opportunity has
shown me the difference in working in two different environments, and
Selected students received HIPAA and OSHA certifications before
touring facilities and meeting their mentor in January. Over the
30 San Antonio Medicine • July 2015
