The Association of American Medical Colleges has recommendations about making the most out of your gap year. Medical school applicants' average age at matriculation is 24 years (AMCAS), thus the trend toward students taking bridge year(s) is becoming more common. These additional years allow students to gain valuable experiences, leadership skills, and potentially improved GPAs and test scores. More information can be found here. There is a myriad of options for your gap year; below are a few opportunities from individuals who are especially interested in Sewanee applicants.
Church Health Scholars Program
The Church Health Scholars Program is a service learning program for young professionals who are interested in serving the underserved in medical and public health fields. The program aims to promote learning through pairing service-based experiences with academic theory, theology, and personal reflection. If you are interested, apply here. The priority application deadline is February 11, 2024.
Research Technologist at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital
Dr. Charles Roberts, the Director of the St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center, is looking for strong candidates who are intellectually engaged and excited about the molecular and cellular biology of cancer. Research in the Roberts lab centers on chromatin-modifying proteins with a major focus on the SWI/SNF (BAF) chromatin remodeling/tumor suppressor complex and its relationship to cancers. Recent studies have revealed that genes encoding subunits of the SWI/SNF complex are mutated in over 20% of all cancers, a rate approaching that of p53, making this the most frequently mutated chromatin regulator in human malignancies.
We aim to discover the mechanism by which SWI/SNF complex contributes to the regulation of gene expression and lineage specification, and the mechanisms by which mutation of the tumor suppressor subunits drive cancer formation. We also seek to identify specific vulnerabilities that are conferred by SWI/SNF mutation with the goal of identifying and pursuing novel therapeutic opportunities.
We are seeking a highly motivated individual with an interest in biomedical research. The ideal applicant will utilize state-of-the-art techniques in genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology to characterize in vitro and in vivo models of human diseases with a particular focus upon chromatin biology and its relationship to aggressive cancers.
Apply on Handshake. Note: This position requires a two-year commitment. Kendall Wills, C'19 is currently employed in the lab.
Allergy and Immunology Clinic
Dr. Joe LaRussa would like to hire one graduating senior who is doing a gap year or two before graduate school - those considering medicine, nursing, or PA are ideal for this experience. He runs a pediatric allergy and immunology clinic. You will be doing triage, patient education, mixing allergy formulas, conducting skin tests, and administering shots. He is one of the few doctors in the south who treats children with peanut and food allergies by exposing them to small doses of the substances to create long term tolerance; you will assist with this part of his practice as well.
