In order to continue expanding the pool of underrepresented minority, educationally and economically disadvantaged students in medicine, AMSNY also supports a number of successful pipeline programs throughout the educational continuum. These programs, which are housed at New York State medical schools and science colleges, continue to benefit students across the State.

They include the following:

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

The Medical Pathway Program has three main components: academic enrichment, clinical skills, and mentoring.  In the academic component, students work with a learning specialist to assess learning styles, adopt effective study and test-taking techniques, and acquire skills that are crucial to mastering information in medical school. In the clinical skills component, students experience hands-on, practical learning in the Emergency Department at Montefiore Medical Center and Jacobi Medical Center in block rotations. Within the mentoring component, students participate in weekly “internet mentoring” through interactive live chat room and/or webcasts with call-in capabilities. Through the mentoring component, students are connected with area experts who discuss the path to medical school and application process with them.

City College of New York

The goal of the Pathways to Careers in Medicine and Research Program is to enhance research methodology techniques, science and academic skills and clinical experiences of students in preparation for medical, science and other health professional graduate schools. The program places undergraduate students with faculty mentors who have received competitive grant awards for basic sciences research. The students become part of the mentor’s research teams and thus learn early in their careers the protocols and procedures necessary to perform research. These students continue their educational experiences through advanced degrees in basic sciences and medicine.

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

The Strategic Testing Application Techniques for Successful Entry to Medical School (STAT) Program is an intense twenty-four week academic enrichment boot camp to improve students’ application chances to medical school. STAT provides rigorous test preparation for the MCAT, and seminars in writing, interviewing, and health. Health seminars are reinforced by real world experiential learning exercises. The curriculum contains specially designed courses in Learning Strategies and Financial Planning. In the summer component, students participate in small-group medical clinical rotation experiences to further enhance medical school applications

CUNY School of Medicine

The Learning Resource Center provides resources, skills and support that assist specifically underrepresented students, whose pre-collegiate education has not sufficiently prepared them to deal with the rigors of college and the biomedical curriculum, in successfully completing their medical education. The LRC’s academic support programs seek to provide already talented and gifted students with the expertise needed to succeed at college, medical school and in the medical profession. Support programs include: academic counseling and workshops, a summer pre-matriculation program and a peer-tutoring program. Since its inception, the program has provided thousands of counseling and workshop hours.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 

The Med Prep Program prepares recent college graduates from educationally and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds, who are planning careers in medicine and research, for training in those fields. The program provides intensive classroom instruction for the GRE/MCAT, online resources, and mentoring by minority medical students and faculty. PREP Scholars interact with the larger student pool and work together on research projects. Ultimately, the program expands the students’ network and increases their awareness of opportunities in the health professions.

Staten Island University Hospital

The goal of the Physician Career Enhancement Program is to provide ongoing guidance, support and referral for economically and educationally underserved high school students who are interested in pursuing an education and career in health sciences. It consists of enhanced Princeton Review courses, clinical shadowing with medical residents, and an introduction to research. Participants also undergo communication workshops, college preparation interviews, and courses to enhance writing skills. The students are tracked through their remaining high school years, college experience, medical school, residency and entrée into the medical profession.

Science and Technology Entry Programs (STEP)

Eight of New York State’s medical schools participate in the Science and Technology Entry Programs (STEP), funded by the State Education Department. These rigorous academic enrichment programs target junior high and high school students interested in science, technology and health-related professions. The goals of STEP are to facilitate students with an interest in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields entry to and graduation from college and, subsequently, health professions. The ultimate goal is to expand the pipeline of under-represented minority and educationally and economically disadvantaged students in medicine.

The following schools participate in STEP:

• Albany Medical College
• Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons
• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
• NYU School of Medicine
• Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, SUNY
• University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Each of the schools develop its own unique STEP program which includes the following components:

• Exposure to the medical school environment and curriculum;
• Career presentations from various health profession fields;
• Internships;
• Participation in clinical and laboratory field experiences;
• College counseling;
• Personal counseling;
• Academic and study skills, including Regent’s and SAT review;
• Oral and written research projects;
• Self-esteem;
• Values and ethics exploration;
• Multicultural development;
• Social awareness development;
• Field trips;
• Parents Advisory Council (PAC);
• Commemoration: awards, scholarships, and other successes.