MS1 Class Information – Feb. 8, 2024

Disadvantaged students can apply for new program to explore health care for the underserved

If you come from an economically or educationally disadvantaged background, a new grant-funded elective program here at UWSOM can both help you learn about important topics such as health equity and emerging healthcare issues AND provide a stipend. You will help the community as you learn and engage.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded UW Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) is seeking applications from students in clinical healthcare professions (medicine, MEDEX, physical therapy and occupational therapy (PT/OT), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), pharmacy, dentistry and social work) who are interested in rural and underserved care, helping their community and supporting their career development. The 2024-2025 HCOP Ambassadors program is 1.5 years with a $1,000 stipend for completion of the program. Applications are being taken now for a start in March.

The deadline to apply has been extended to March 1, 2024.

HCOP Ambassadors is an interprofessional program that includes:

  • Educational Enrichment: Learning about topics such as social determinants of health, health equity, health disparities and current and emerging health issues
  • Career Development: Networking with other students and healthcare professionals

Program Requirements:

  • Peer to near peer mentoring of high school and undergraduate students aspiring to health careers
  • Completion of an elective clinical training
  • Completion of asynchronous modules on health equity issues
  • Service-learning engagement with community organizations (for medical students, this can be combined with the Independent Investigative Inquiry (III) requirement)

Please see this flyer for information about requirements and benefits.

To be eligible, a student should be:

  • Economically disadvantaged as defined by Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) (See pages 3-4 of this PDF), or,
  • Educationally disadvantaged:
    • First in your family to go to college, or,
    • Graduated from a high school with low funding or low percentages of seniors receiving a high school diploma or low number of graduates who went on to college, or,
    • Went to a high school with a large number of students who received free or reduced lunches

Emergency medicine and radiation oncology opportunities

From time to time, we share opportunities outside of UW Medicine:

Emergency medicine: The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine and NYU School of Medicine are offering five NYU/Bellevue Emergency Medicine Diversity Equity Inclusion Fellowships. The paid Fellowships provide students who have completed their first year of medical school with an in-depth exposure to emergency medicine early on in their education. See this flyer for more information.

Radiation oncology: The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is offering the ASTRO Medical Student Fellowship Award for Underrepresented Populations. The deadline to apply is Feb. 15, 2024. For more information, see their site.


Tip of the Month” from the Career Advising Student Advisory Board

Cardiovascular System (CVS) can be a demanding block. This month’s tip is to remember that all the physicians teaching and mentoring you at this stage are possible resources — even beyond the classroom. Get to know your small group leads. You can always ask them about what their specialty is like and how they decided on a specialty when they were in your shoes!

  • Reviewed by Career Advising Student Advisory BIPOC board member L’Oreal Kennedy. Originally written by BIPOC alum Shanelle Briggs, M.D.

In case you missed it, here is a link to the previous newsletter for MS1s.

Have a wonderful week!