Peter Wirth
Our class had the opportunity to visit the new Augusta campus of Maine General. Medical students first gave us tours of the new hospital. Many of the students were from the University of New England, while some were from other schools on rotation at MaineGeneral. Three students, none of which were from UNE, showed Emma and me around. Each student brought a unique perspective to medical school; one student went to Dartmouth, one was at the University of Oklahoma, and one was Canadian at medical school in the Caribbean. They were all very helpful and honest in giving Emma and me answers about the process of applying and attending medical school.
Both Emma and I are pre-med, so we found their advice to be especially helpful. Since they each had taken a very different route to end up in medical school, their advice underscored the importance of studying what we enjoy during undergraduate years. In addition they told us that at many of their interviews it was not MCAT scores that were discussed; rather, they were asked about their hobbies, their aspirations, and their reasons for becoming a doctor. These students greatly reduced my anxiety and showed me how they all made it work.
While talking to these students, we were showed around the hospital. We were able to see several wards, as well as the ER, library, and several rooms for residents and students. The hospital is beautiful, new, and state-of-the-art. The hospital rooms were large, comfortable, and inviting. Each room had its own bathroom attached. Some parts of the hospital reminded me more of a hotel than a medical facility.
Following the tour we began listening to presentations from fellow Colby students, as well as Kent’s Hill high school students. Each topic was very unique and all the students did an incredible job presenting. Some groups presented an interesting case study from the New England Journal of Medicine, while others presented a disease or disorder. Our group presented on a case of a college student who developed a brain infection following a diagnosis of mononucleosis. The audience of students and doctors was kind in their assessment of our presentations and complemented our ability to make sense of a very complex case.
This trip was helpful for me because it gave us the opportunity to interact with medical professionals (and those in training) in a relaxed environment. All of my questions were well answered and clarified many aspects of the medical school application process. In addition, being able to see these students interact with doctors and other hospital staff was insightful as to how the students were integrated into the healthcare profession.
Overall, this trip reminded me why I was pre-med; it is all too easy for me to get caught up in GPA, lab reports, and exams and forget the main reason why I’m doing it in the first place. Seeing patients and being able to provide a benefit to them and their families is an incredible opportunity that people in the medical profession get to do. Visiting MaineGeneral definitely reminded me why I am pursuing this career path and allowed me to meet students who are like-minded individuals on their way to becoming doctors.
