Eight rising college sophomores from close-to-home and beyond continued their quest for science and medical knowledge on June 24, as the first class of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine Pipeline Program for college students. A decade following the inception of the school’s highly successful Medical Scholars Pipeline Program for high school students, the newly launched ZPP focuses on taking college students like Kelly Centeno all the way to medical school and the fulfillment of a dream to become a doctor or other professional in medicine.
“When I learned about the ZPP, I took the opportunity and applied,” said Centeno, an MSPP graduate and sophomore at Brooklyn College. “In the MSPP, we received SAT and ACT preparation, which was very helpful. In this program, we will receive science enrichment courses that will help in preparation for the next semester in college.”
The mission of the ZPP is to enhance the matriculation of students underrepresented in medicine. The three-year, summer-intensive, academic enrichment program is designed to provide high-achieving college students who are interested in a career in medicine an opportunity for direct enrollment to the Zucker School of Medicine for those who are economically disadvantaged.
“It is an amazing opportunity for these deserving students and our medical school to bridge the gap for minorities in the healthcare professions even further with a program geared toward advancing underserved students enrolled in college and aspiring to careers in medicine,” said Gina Granger, assistant director of pipeline programs at the Zucker School of Medicine.
The ZPP also serves as an open door for students to explore other places and people beyond their community or region.
“The program caught my attention because my whole education has been in the south, I wanted to venture out and do something different,” said Alea Jones who recently finished her freshman year at the University of Mississippi. “While here, I hope to find out more about the medical field and our nation as a whole. I’m glad to have this chance to learn more about people outside of my area.”
Following the ZPP start, more than 60 high school students from Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties began a rigorous multi-year, four-week summertime academic program at the Zucker School of Medicine on June 27 developed to provide young scholars with early exposure to careers in the medical field.
Like the ZPP, the MSPP offers mentoring, healthcare skills training, clinical exposure and coursework, but also provides college preparation to turn students into highly competitive applicants to undergraduate and graduate schools in medicine and other fields. To date, nearly 200 students have enrolled in the MSPP, including 100 students who have completed the program. Of the graduates, 100 percent have matriculated into leading universities and graduate schools, an achievement that includes four MSPP alumni who are now medical students at the Zucker School of Medicine. Both the ZPP and MSPP are generously supported by donors who provide for a variety of social and cultural enrichment activities during programming.
“Our goal is to help all of our participants discover and develop confidence in their potential,” said Granger. “From high school to college and career, we strive to offer support and guidance for each step of their journey.”
The tenth anniversary of the MSPP will be commemorated during a closing ceremony to be held on July 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Zucker School of Medicine. The ZPP ends for collegians on Aug. 2. For more information about special programs at the Zucker School of Medicine, visit medicine.hofstra.edu/pipeline.
Submitted by the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine.
