Einstein Hosts Leading Student Conference

Nearly 200 medical students and college pre-medical students from throughout New York and New Jersey visited Einstein on Sunday, February 10, for an annual conference that focused on the profession's future – and their own.

The students attended "Youth in Medicine: Building Our Tomorrow," a joint regional meeting of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and the Minority Association of Pre-Med Students (MAPS). This year's conference was the first hosted at Einstein; previous meetings have been held at New York University, Weill Cornell Medical College, and other leading schools within the region.

SNMA, which includes MAPS, is a national, student-run organization focused on the needs and concerns of current and future medical students of color. Founded in 1964, SNMA now includes 6,000 members, making it the oldest and largest group of its kind.

"Youth in Medicine," which drew students from 19 SNMA chapters and 17 MAPS chapters in the region, was coordinated by the Einstein chapter of SNMA and the medical school's chapter of the Latino Medical Student Association, along with students from other area schools.

Dr. Allen M Spiegel, the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean at Einstein, presented the conference's keynote, speaking on "The Future of the Medical Profession: Serious Challenges, Extraordinary Opportunities." Faculty from a variety of institutions discussed topics including "An Immigrant's Journey to Open Heart Surgery," "Fighting Poverty and Healthcare Reform," and "Pathways to Academic Medicine."

Students also attended workshops on topics such as preparing for the MCAT, research in medical school, and maintaining a work-life balance in medicine.

"The conference focused specifically on preparing both medical and premedical students for the next stage in their academic careers," said Fa'iz Bayo-Awoyemi, a second-year Einstein student and secretary of the Einstein SNMA chapter. "It was also a great chance to network and promote professional growth."

He added, "The conference was a real success, especially because it was so well-attended in spite the blizzard [Winter Storm Nemo] that hit just days before."