South Suburbs Undergrads Selected for Renowned Northwestern Medicine Summer Pre-Med Internship Program (Palos Heights, IL) — Three students from the south suburbs of Chicago were selected to serve in the prestigious Northwestern Medicine Summer Pre-Med Internship:

Asia Ford of Lansing, University of Houston
Jacob Liskh of New Lenox, University of Southern California
Hayley Ellington of Orland Park, University of Michigan

Since 2019, Micah J. Eimer, MD, cardiologist and medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Glenview, Evanston and Deerfield Outpatient Centers, has turned a local summer internship program into an international destination for college students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare.

While the program has grown three-fold since its inception, now attracting students from across the country as well as in Puerto Rico and Canada, he is proud of what the program offers students—but what he didn’t anticipate was how much of a difference it would make to the physician mentors as well.

“We strive to provide a blend of both academic work and observation, and we are pleased to offer these dedicated students who have already shown a passion for medicine an 8-week, paid opportunity to work with some of the leading experts in medicine,” said Dr. Eimer. “What I’m realizing now is how impactful it also is for the physicians, who are provided a moment to ‘step back’ from their packed schedules and work demands, and take some time to provide individual guidance and inspiration to a younger adult who has shown a passion for the study of medicine.”

Each student receives their assigned clinical department where they work with and report to both a physician lead as well as a program administrator. Then, once a week, they rotate to observe a different specialty.

Student academics and a commitment to community service were considerations during the acceptance process, as well as ensuring the class would include a mix of students from different backgrounds, locations and life experiences. Just 3% of students were accepted to the program, welcoming students from 31 schools.

In addition to the direct work experience the students receive, the program also provides a weekly lecture series Topics include:

Navigating Medical School Admissions
Diversity in Healthcare
Physician Wellness
Women in Medicine
Journey in Medicine
Clinic of the Future

To date, 196 pre-med students have completed the program, with many now in medical school. The current class has 51 students, who have the opportunity to shadow and learn from more than 45 leading physicians at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, in the northern suburbs at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital and the Northwestern Medicine Outpatient Centers in Glenview and Gurnee; Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital in Palos Heights and Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield.

South Suburbs Undergrads Selected for Renowned Northwestern Medicine Summer Pre-Med Internship Program

Related Articles

Responses