Medical Student Programs & Activities
Internal Medicine Interest Group
From primary care to cardiologist, infectious disease specialist to gastroenterologist, Internal Medicine hosts a wide range of career options. The University of Colorado School of Medicine offers opportunities to learn about them all through the Internal Medicine Interest Group.
Our faculty and student panels help students understand why Internal Medicine is such a compelling career and provide answers to student questions about life as an internist. Our lecture series introduces students to the various subspecialties and are synchronized with our systems-based pre-clinical curriculum. We reinforce lectures with field trips to clinical sites of care such as dialysis units and catheter labs. Perhaps most importantly, we also offer students the opportunity to shadow residents and faculty in their area of interest with opportunities in primary care, specialty care and hospital settings. Finally, IMIG arranges an annual career fair where faculty from each division meet with students informally to talk about their fields, career opportunities, fellowships and elective courses.
The Internal Medicine Interest Group is a student run club supported by the University of Colorado, Department of Medicine and the Colorado Chapter of the American College of Physicians. Its goals are to:
- Promote communication among student members and faculty
- Provide information about careers in internal medicine to medical students
- Promote the profession of internal medicine
- Serve the medical school and campus community
Membership is open to any University of Colorado medical student. The second year medical students serve as co-chairs of the organization with additional first and second year students serving on the steering committee.
FACULTY SPONSORS
Kelly White, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine
kelly.white@ucdenver.edu, 303-724-1797
Nichole Zehnder, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine
nichole.zehnder@ucdenver.edu, 720-848-6286
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Kristina Oatis (kristina.oatis@ucdenver.edu) 303-724-1798
Noon Seminars: The internal medicine interest group sponsors lunchtime seminars for both the first and second year medical students, regardless of their expected area of interest. The meetings offer a speaker and a free lunch and are very casual. The speakers provide career information as well as topics of interest in internal medicine (i.e., international health, health policy, etc.) The sessions encourage learning, questions, and student/doctor interactions in a fun atmosphere. This is a good “career planning” club no matter what area of medicine interests you. A committee of first and second year medical students plan these activities.
Career Fair: The first internal medicine career fair was held in April 2004 and has since been held annually. It provides an opportunity for students at all stages of their medical school experience to network with faculty within internal medicine and its various subspecialties. Faculty in each division are available to meet with students informally to talk about their fields, career opportunities, fellowships and elective courses. In addition, ACP and other internal medicine career information is available.
Shadowing: Students are matched with both faculty and private physicians to shadow primary care, specialist, and hospitalist physicians. Students also have the option to shadow internal medicine residents.
American College of Physicians (ACP) student membership:
ACP provides great information about careers in internal medicine and has online and print resources for students and residents training in Internal Medicine. This organization also sponsors or co-sponsors local activities including noon seminars, student awards, a national student abstract competition, and attendance at local and national meetings. Membership for students is free of charge. Join online at www.acponline.org.
See also: departmental and campus diversity and justice resources for medical students, including the Department of Medicine's DREAM program, which offers underrepresented groups early exposure to research opportunities, opening up a possible physician-scientist pathway for these students (as well as helping position them for competitive residency programs).
ACP provides great information about careers in internal medicine and has online and print resources for students and residents training in Internal Medicine. This organization also sponsors or co-sponsors local activities including noon seminars, student awards, a national student abstract competition, and attendance at local and national meetings. Membership for students is free of charge. Join online at www.acponline.org.
See also: departmental and campus diversity and justice resources for medical students, including the Department of Medicine's DREAM program, which offers underrepresented groups early exposure to research opportunities, opening up a possible physician-scientist pathway for these students (as well as helping position them for competitive residency programs).