More than 50 inquisitive UD undergraduate students met with Delaware healthcare professionals in the north atrium of UD’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Health Science Center.

First State Clinical Connections

Article by Jamie Washington Photos by Evan Krape April 11, 2024

Delaware health professionals meet with UD students at STAR Campus

It’s never too early to start building a professional network.

That was the idea behind the First State Clinical Connections event in March, created by the University of Delaware’s Center for Health Profession Studies (CHPS). More than 50 inquisitive UD undergraduate students met with Delaware healthcare professionals in the north atrium of UD’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Health Science Center.

“We found that we had connections and frequently interacted with healthcare professionals, but realized that a lot of our students were unaware of them or they thought that they couldn’t interact with them until they were their colleagues,” said Saskia Richter, director of CHPS and medical scholars program and assistant professor of kinesiology and applied physiology.

The event was designed to help build the healthcare workforce in Delaware, which has a shortage of people working in a variety of medical fields. For two hours, students mingled with other students and made professional connections with representatives from seven local healthcare agencies: Christiana Care, Delaware Academy of Medicine, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Delaware Health Care Commission, Delaware Health Sciences Alliance, Delaware Institute for Medical Education and Research and Delaware Institute for Dental Education and Research.

Students asked questions about what they can do now to help them prepare for their medical or dental school applications, as well as whether parenthood has to be sacrificed in order to have a successful medical career. Students were grateful for the insights offered by the professionals, often asking for their contact information or jotting down notes to reflect on later.

“This has been helpful, not only meeting healthcare professionals, but also learning about the different resources that are available to us,” said Krishna Desai, a junior majoring in medical diagnostics. “I didn’t know a lot about the financial assistance programs that are available to Delaware healthcare professionals.”

Students crowded around Dr. Hisham Sherif, retired clinical cardiovascular surgeon and volunteer instructor at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, as he shared his story of earning his medical degree and, later, earning a doctorate in biomedical engineering from UD. It caught the attention of Allison Ramirez, a junior biology major.

“Talking to Dr. Sherif was cool,” Ramirez said. “He’s a cardiothoracic surgeon, and I’m interested in becoming a surgeon. Also, his journey of being an M.D. and Ph.D has given me something to consider.”

The event was designed to help build the healthcare workforce in Delaware, which has a shortage of people working in a variety of medical fields.

Nichole Moxley, bureau chief in Delaware’s Division of Public Health, spoke to the students about the state’s medical school loan repayment programs.

“We like to plant seeds of information now so that students know these options are available to them,” Moxley said. “Knowing that these resources are awaiting them means that they’ll be financially ahead because medical school debt can be paid off when they finish.”

Kate Smith, executive director of the Delaware Academy of Medicine, sees networking events like this one as an opportunity to recruit the next generation of students interested in the healthcare field.

“Building relationships with students now is paramount for the future of public health,” Smith said. “Public health employers will eventually have staff that will retire, so why not educate students on what public health is before they enter the job market and we’re in need?”

Some of the professionals were also students — in medical school — who understood how critical a networking event like this can be for all the students but especially those who are Delawareans and want to practice medicine here.

For Lauren Bowser, a third-year student at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) through its partnership with the Delaware Institute for Medical Education and Research (DIMER), being a role model for students attending the First State Clinical Connections networking event was imperative.

“I am a non-traditional student. I want to encourage and give back to high school and college students by educating them on the DIMER resources,” Bowser said.

Richter and Caroline Tillman, CHPS academic advisor, are hopeful about hosting future First State Clinical Connections networking events.

“Having this on campus made this accessible to students,” Tillman said. “It exposed our students to what it will be like when they attend professional conferences.”

Richter added, “This is our chance to foster connections so that our students can feel supported when they are ready to apply to medical school or begin their career in the healthcare field.”

Students mingled with other students and made professional connections with representatives from seven local healthcare agencies: Christiana Care, Delaware Academy of Medicine, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Delaware Health Care Commission, Delaware Health Sciences Alliance, Delaware Institute for Medical Education and Research and Delaware Institute for Dental Education and Research.