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Ohio University’s Summer Scholars offers the medical school experience without the financial burden

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — In Appalachia, many medical students have difficulty finding affordable medical school and higher education. Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine offers financially burdened medical students a chance to test the waters and potentially earn a ticket into medical school.  

“Summer Scholars started off as a Title VII program, a federally funded program, to encourage students who were underrepresented or educationally or economically disadvantaged to go into health care professions,” said Jill Harmon, Senior Director of Admissions and Recruitment at Heritage Hall. 

The annual Summer Scholars program gave participants hands-on medical school experience without the expenses. 

To apply for the program, the student must come from a community considered a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or Medically Underserved Area (MUA). Students must also have letters of recommendation, a U.S. citizenship and a minimum of one year each of college-level general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and physics. 

The program accepts 24 applicants who have encountered barriers impeding their path to medical school but are passionate about practicing medicine “in populations and communities with limited medical resources and access to healthcare,” according to the Summer Scholars website. 

Summer Scholars student participating in the Clinical Training and Assessment Center [Natalie LaFleur | WOUB]
“I saw it as a great opportunity to give me…a reality check of, ‘Is this something you really want to do?” Just kind of throw me in and I’ve enjoyed it,” said Summer Scholars participant, Osahon Ogbebor. 

The four-week program offers academic courses in medical morphology, histology, physiology, immunology, and biochemistry. Summer Scholars also offers hands-on activities such as dissecting a cadaver, practicing osteopathic manipulative medicine and participating in clinical skills courses. 

If participants successfully complete the program, they are offered a guaranteed interview for Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine’s medical school.