Rising high school seniors and 2020 high school graduates who have an interest in a career in medicine may now apply or be nominated for the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society and Medical Foundation of Chattanooga’s 15th annual Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine. The program will be held June 1-4 and includes daily roundtable discussions with physicians. Students will also shadow a different physician each day. The deadline to apply is April 10.
Medical Society President James Haynes, MD, said the program is designed to: inspire students to consider careers in medicine by providing them with personalized mentoring/teaching experiences and information about daily life as a physician; inform future medical school students about resources available for financial assistance for medical education; and catalyze an increasing local interest in medicine among young adults so as to grow the population of physicians serving our community.
Students must complete an application and submit two recommendations, which can be from a teacher, principal, guidance counselor or other individual familiar with the student’s educational background and interests.
Applications must be received by the Medical Society by April 10. Applications and complete information are available at
www.chattmd.org.
Typically more than 100 students apply for the competitive program and approximately 25 students are selected.
“I can’t think of a better way to get students excited about pursuing a future career as a physician,” said Mark Brzezienski, MD, past president of the Medical Society and Foundation and founder of the program. “Youth Leadership Forum has been an important touchstone for so many of the students we have mentored. The fact that so many are in medical school or in residencies today is a testament to the program’s success.”