The health coach internship allows University of Mount Union pre-med and pre-health students to meet their learning objectives by getting involved with the healthcare of the future by regularly meeting with patients with chronic conditions who have a history of frequent hospitalizations. Health coaches serve a preventive role by helping patients to maintain their current medications, adhere to testing regiments and, possibly, find other underlying causes for the patients’ problems.
Through this internship, students become part of the Alliance Community Care Network, an Alliance Community Hospital-wide effort comprised of a physician-directed team of nurses, counselors, social workers, nutritionists and ancillary support personnel. The goal of the program is to reduce hospital stays and emergency room visits by these “high-risk” patients, thus reducing healthcare costs.
Students seeking additional support and preparation for a future career in Pre-Medical and other pre-health profession fields may find involvement in the University of Mount Union’s Pre-Health Professions Club to be extremely beneficial. From guest speakers to professional school application preparation, the club offers future healthcare practitioners resources, tips and hands-on experiences in the pre-medical and pre-health professions, allowing them to explore what their future may hold first hand.
The Pre-Health Professions Club is a student-led organization on Mount Union’s campus. Students pursuing a variety of majors with an array of career goals make up its membership. The common goal that ties them together is a desire to make a difference in the lives of others as future members of the healthcare professions.
Throughout the school year, the club has several activities to help prepare its members for a career in the health related fields. These include bringing in outside speakers, performing workshops and arranging outreach experiences. Recent speakers include admissions representatives from several medical schools, former Mount Union students who are now in health-related graduate or professional programs and current healthcare practitioners.
The goals of the Pre-Health Professionals Club are to:
- Promote awareness and education related to any field of the health profession
- Provide students with knowledge of the ethics and responsibilities that they will encounter on the path to becoming health professionals
- Promote group communication that will prepare students for the application process, situations they will encounter in research, practice, health professional school and general hospital settings
- Provide students with speakers and guests from the medical and allied health fields that will educate about the healthcare profession
- Give students various opportunities to take field trips that relate to the healthcare professions
- Provide opportunities for individual students to shadow a variety of healthcare professionals
For many students, applying and interviewing for professional school can be both stressful and intimidating. At the University of Mount Union, our Pre-Medical and Pre-Health Professions Committe prepares you to approach this process with confidence and composure. In fact, during a student’s junior year, they have the opportunity to participate in a mock professional school interview, during which members of the Pre-Medical and Pre-Health Professions Committee simulate what a professional school sit down interview would be like. Students who are interested in continuing their education by attending professional school, whether it be medical, optometry, pharmacy, dental or veterinarian school, can take advantage of this practical and invaluable preparation.
Members of the committee are given the student’s transcript, personal statement and list of activities to review prior to conducting the mock interview. During the 30-minute mock interview, students will be asked a variety of questions regarding their interest in the field, commitment to the chosen profession, academic readiness, experience, interpersonal skills, character and values. In addition, committee members will ask the students about their knowledge of the healthcare system and how it will be affected by medicine in the future. They also give students scenarios, ranging anywhere from problem solving to ethical situations, that challenge students to think on their feet.
Once the interview is finished, members of the committee transition to a mentor role where they talk about what went right and wrong. By discussing strengths and weaknesses of the interview, students leave knowing their areas of improvement. This relevant experience allows them to refine their interview skills in a more efficient manner. Students are later given written feedback on their interview in addition to their application materials (personal statement, list of activities, etc.)
Currently, the committee is made up of Mount Union faculty members. In the near future, the committee will include either practicing or retired doctors as well.
Research in their individual majors, job shadowing experiences, and, due to the University’s proximity to Alliance Community Hospital, students have shadowing and volunteer opportunities right at their fingertips.
Currently, students are able to take a one-credit “didactic” course, “Community Healthcare: From Theory to Practice.” This innovative course, led by an interdisciplinary team of health professionals, focuses on the medical, psychosocial, behavioral and economic challenges/opportunities that exist within our rapidly evolving healthcare system. The faculty includes healthcare staff from Alliance Community Hospital. Throughout the course, students observe patient interactions and progressively become familiar with the services provided by each organization or department. Observation settings include emergency room, hospice, outpatient pharmacy clinic, Visiting Nurse Association and inpatient hospital rounds.