Pictured Above: Pre-Med Club President Caitlyn Roland plans to apply her medical studies to a career in pediatrics or obstetrics and gynecology.
Courtesy of Caitlyn Roland
By Annalise Anderson
USF St. Petersburg’s Pre-Med Club provides students pursuing medical careers a chance to get a head start on their futures in the field.
With an aim to foster community among like-minded students, the club hosts weekly meetings, regular guest speakers and opportunities not otherwise available in the classroom.
According to Pre-Med Club President Caitlyn Roland, “there is no wrong time to start investing in your future.”
Roland is a senior at the St. Petersburg campus studying biology with a concentration in biomedical science. She joined the club in spring 2019 and became its president one year later.
“My favorite part about this club is that I am able to be in a community of people who share my path,” Roland said in an email to The Crow’s Nest. “This creates a space in which we can motivate each other, as well as share the interesting things that we have learned.”
The club’s weekly meetings cover a variety of medical related topics and often host guest speakers from other medical schools. Most guests are representatives of their school and present helpful information like admission requirements, demographics, class structure and special programs. Afterward, a Q & A session allows students to ask any questions they may have. Last semester, the club hosted a representative from Georgetown Medical School in Washington D.C.
“This (is) a great opportunity to personally meet recruitment directors and admissions staff from a variety of universities,” Roland said. “This gives our students a chance to get an inside look at what the medical school application process will entail.”
The club also invites physicians to attend meetings and share their experiences as practicing medical doctors. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Anthony Barile spoke last semester about his experience in the Navy, medical school and as a doctor amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
When there is no guest speaker, the club’s executive board members give presentations on topics “essential to success of a pre-medical student.” Topics include Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) study tips, how to build a resume or advice on how students can manage their mental health while pursuing rigorous studies.
The club hosted its first event in spring 2020: Bingo Night in the campus ballroom. Members joined for pizza and a chance to win prizes like an anatomy coloring book, MCAT flashcards and a Kaplan MCAT book set. Roland plans to partner with other USF medical clubs in the future to include prizes related to pre-dental, pharmacy, nursing and physician’s assistant paths. However, Bingo Night has been postponed until it is safe for club members to gather in person again.
COVID-19 has forced the Pre-Med Club to host its weekly meetings via Zoom. But the transition to a virtual world has presented new opportunities for the club.
“This online configuration has enabled us to hear from university representatives that may not have been able to visit USFSP in person,” Roland said. “In addition, these difficult times have inspired us to make an effort to help our community by having a mask drive. We will be collecting funds to purchase and sew masks and ship them to a local organization in need.”
Opeoluwa Morakinyo, also a biology senior with a concentration in biomedical science, is the Pre-Med Club’s vice president. She believes the club provides a supportive community for other medical students.
“A lot of the time, it can be very stressful as a biomedical student,” Morakinyo said in an email to The Crow’s Nest. “We have classes, work, volunteering – anything in order to improve our chances of getting into medical school – and knowing that there are other students in the same school going through it and we can lean on their shoulder is very refreshing.”
Morakinyo said that the club has helped to reassure her that she’s on the right path.
“I had come into USF knowing that I wanted to go to medical school to become a pediatrician and now that my time is coming to an end, it only affirmed it more how much I wanted to do this.”
After her time as club President, Roland plans to pursue a career in either pediatrics or obstetrics and gynecology.
“I love working with children, and I would love to be able to educate women on their bodies and help them through important chapters of their lives,” Roland said.
Roland encourages anyone “even remotely interested” in the medical field to reach out and attend one of the club’s meetings.
Students interested in the Pre-Med Club can find the club on Petesync or on Instagram at @usfsppremed. Those who wish to join the club can email Roland at caitlyngrace@usf.edu.
Courtesy of Caitlyn Roland
