Student Testimonial: Tufts Mini Med School

Kendall Ptasznik - Tufts Pre-College Intensive: Mini-Med School

Why Did You Choose to Participate In This Program?

I chose to participate in the Tufts Mini Medical School because of its unique, immersive, and hands-on experience. I wanted a summer experience where I could begin to dip my toes into the field of medicine and what being in medical school was like, while also ensuring that the program would be fun. After searching high and low on the internet, I came across this program. It stood out to me because of the varying activities- from lectures to the SIM lab to the hands-on clinical experiences. From my findings, no other programs were as immersive and hands-on as the one at Tufts.

What Was A Typical Day In Your Program?

A typical day at Tufts would start around 8 am on the bus to Boston where the Medical School is (we resided at the Tufts Medford campus). At the medical school, we would rotate through lectures, the SIM lab, and clinical experiences, all one-on-one with Tufts medical students. The most memorable moments of the program were the bonds we created in our group and with the medical students (the teaching assistants) and the SIM lab. We spent most of the day in a small group of fifteen and became so close. It was amazing to spend time with others who are interested in the same career field as me, and so insightful to be able to firsthand ask questions to a current medical student to see what the future could possibly hold.

What Was the Most Memorable Moment of Your Program?

The SIM lab was a unique simulation center where we, over the course of the two weeks, learned about mock patient STAN’s case (via watching assigned homework videos and in-person lectures from the instructor) and at the end of the second week, got to treat STAN in a mock emergency room. It was incredible to be able to use the exact facilities that real medical students use every day to truly immerse myself in the field of medicine and decide if the path is right for me.

What Advice Do You Have For Teens Looking For Summer Programs?

For teens looking at programs, I highly recommend comparing any program that stands out to you and why you can see yourself excelling in that program. Check out the Instagram pages for that specific program, YouTube videos created about the program, and look into every nook-and-cranny of the program’s website to gather as much information regarding the specifics of the program as possible. For me, attending the Tufts Mini-Medical Summer Program made for the best summer ever because of the memories I made! I could not have asked for a better way to help me decide whether the field of medicine is for me or not, and thanks to Tufts, I know it is.