Voices of Experience
By Sarah Singleton, M2 and founder of the M1/M2 Mentorship Program
Starting medical school isn’t easy. When I started classes last fall, I had so many questions—”What will classes be like?” “What if I pass out in our first anatomy lab?” “Should I kiss my social life goodbye?”
As I looked around, I realized many of my M1 peers—especially those from other states and countries—had even more to worry about, like figuring out how to dress for Michigan seasons, how to get around town, where to meet people, etc. Having done my undergraduate work at U-M, I at least knew the lay of the land.
So I began thinking of ways to help M1s with this transition, and then it hit me—what better group to provide insight and support thanthose who’ve walked in M1 shoes? And what better way to do it than in small, informal groups?
Thus, the M1/M2Mentorship Program was born. The program provides incoming first-year Medical School students with go-to people— second-year student mentors—to answer academic and social questions such as “How many books do I need to buy?” “How much do you work with cadavers in the first year?” “How much snow?” “Is Ann Arbor a good place to raise kids?” The mentors also offer general support and friendship during a crazy and overwhelming time.
The program began casually. In June, I e-mailed the incoming M1 class introducing the program. I then asked those who signed up two questions—“Where do you like to hang out?” and “Do you want to have anything in common with your group members?” The answers helped me match students and mentors according to similar interests so they could get to know each other outside of school in a comfortable environment. In particular, I wanted to match people with children so they could get family-specific advice and support.
The response was terrific: 71 M1s signed up. I also sent similar questions to the M2s, and 54 signed up to be mentors. I set up 19 groups, most containing four M1s and three M2s.
In July, I connected the mentors and mentees, and in August held an ice cream social meet-and-greet, funded by the Medical Center Alumni Society. There will likely be more group events, but the heart of the program is the personal mentor/mentee relationship, which can be whatever participants want—frequent or occasional, one-on-one or group.
In addition to building a studentto- student support system, this program creates an opportunity for increased M1/M2 interaction which, in turn, fosters a more connected U-M Medical School community—a true demonstration of Taking Care of Our Own.
Check out these other U-M Medical student-to-student resources at the Dose of Reality Web site and the U-M Podcasting Web site. |
