The Med-Peds Interest Group seeks to advance Penn State College of Medicine medical students’ knowledge in the field and specialty of internal medicine/pediatrics (Med-Peds), give opportunities for medical students to work with Med-Peds residents in clinical and community service settings and provide guidance, knowledge and resources for medical students applying to Med-Peds residencies.
The group values its strong connection and support with the Med-Peds faculty and residents who have allowed the group to integrate well into the Med-Peds community at Penn State.
The local group is also a medical student interest group chapter of the National Med-Peds Residents’ Association, allowing participants to interact with other medical school’s Med-Peds interest groups as well as residencies.
Activities
Med/Peds Mystery Case Conference
These lunch lectures allow medical students to act like doctors, working through real-world cases and figuring out the disease and treatment. Led by local Penn State Med-Peds residents, the conferences allow students to solve patient cases unique to Med-Peds physicians in a systematic manner. The lunches provide great exposure and training in how doctors solve real-world patient cases, learn about Med-Peds specific diseases and learn about Med-Peds from the residents themselves. The residents especially take the time to teach medical students how to form differential diagnosis and how to think through cases. This is great preparation for third-year clerkships.
Dinner with Residents
The Med-Peds residents and the interest group get together to have a dinner where students can meet and interact with the Penn State Med-Peds residents, learn about Med-Peds and even hear about unique Med-Peds cases, all in a relaxed environment off-campus.
Med-Peds Skills Nights
Hosted by Med-Peds residents and faculty, skills nights occur in the fall and spring allowing medical students to see simulated patients, interview them, perform physical exams and present to Med-Peds residents. Skills nights occur in the simulation center and allows medical students to work closely with Med-Peds residents and faculty and learn from the experts themselves. The goals and purpose of the skills nights are to help prepare medical students on interviewing patients of all ages, perform physical exams and present their findings in a manner that is expected of them in third year. This program emphasizes the contrasts between pediatrics and adult case interviews and physical exams, how to properly describe physical exam findings and how to present well to attendings and residents. Skills nights are designed to help prepare students for their third-year pediatric and medicine clerkships as well as increase interest and awareness in Med-Peds.
National Med/Peds Residents’ Association Community Service Day
This event, usually in the spring, is where Med-Peds residents and students interested in Med-Peds can go out to the community and give back. In previous years, the group has helped plant trees with Habitat for Humanity and also formed its own team for Kiss Hershey Back!
Med-Peds Mentorship Program
The Med-Peds Interest Group and the residents have set up a mentorship program for Penn State College of Medicine students. The program pairs medical students with Med-Peds residents, allowing the students to learn about Med-Peds, have shadowing opportunities with their mentor and receive advice on medical school courses as well as the residency application process. Anyone interested in Med-Peds is encouraged to apply.