Last week, Kenneth “Kenny” Tresch Jr. of Carriere returned from Mississippi State University’s Rural Medial Scholars program, which was held in Starkville.
The five-week program is for students who are currently in their junior or senior year of high school and aspire to become doctors, program office associate Jasmine Harris-Speight said.
According to www.msucares.com, in 2010, Mississippi ranked last in the nation in the number of physicians per person.
The program provides an opportunity for students to learn more about careers as Family Practice physicians, the website states.
“Participants take two college-level courses and shadow different doctors,” Harris-Speight said. “They perform activities that doctors would normally perform and also spend a day at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. The program provides an opportunity for them to become better prepared for medical school and ensure they still want to become a doctor.��
The participants are chosen for the program, which requires students to have a minimum score of 24 on their ACT, complete an essay stating why they want to be a doctor and maintain a grade point average of about 3.5, Harris-Speight said.
This year, Speight said about 60 students applied, 25 were selected and 24 participated.
Students stay on campus and go home during the weekends, Speight said.
Tresch, who will be a senior this school year, attends the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science in Columbus.
“The medical field has always interested me,” Tresch said. “I would like to help people and plan to work in orthopedics. I’ve always found it interesting.”
Tresch said the program was nice, but wished it lasted longer. He said he learned numerous things about the medical workplace and “definitely” wants to study medicine.
“One of my favorite parts was watching the doctors and going to the Intensive Care Unit,” Tresch said. “I also got to witness an orthopedic surgeon in action. I’m not dead set on working in a rural area, but I’m open to anything.”