(Physicians Medical Forum 2015 Doctors On Board students in Mock Suture Clinic learn knot tying techniques)
Physicians Medical Forum (PMF) aims to expand the pipeline and the number of African American/Black students who want to become physicians. PMF also provides a network of support that encourages medical students and residents to pursue their careers as physicians in the Oakland/San Francisco Northern California, Bay Area. PMF’s mission is to improve the delivery of culturally competent medical care to better meet the healthcare needs of the community-at-large. To that end, on Saturday, March 19th, the non-profit organization will host its sixth annual Doctors On Board Pipeline Program” (DOB), a day-long, tuition-free, information-filled series of workshops on admissions, exam prep, financial aid and mentoring sessions with physicians that inspire the growth of Black students to attend medical schools and residency programs.
Stalfana Bello, M.P.A., Physicians Medical Forum Executive Director, stated, The Doctors On Board Pipeline Program is a one of a kind program that pulls together major resources to focus students on becoming physicians. The beauty of DOB is that almost all of the students will be the “First Generation” in their families to become doctors or pharmacists.
Dr. Albert L. Brooks, PMF President and Chief of Medical Services at Washington Hospital in Fremont, California said, “Historically, African American/Black students have had extremely limited access to higher education and without exception in the field of medicine. This remains to be a startling truth, even today. Doctors On Board provides students their first step to successfully manage their exciting journey to becoming doctors.”
(Stalfana Bello, PMF Exec. Dir. addresses Physicians Medical Forum 2015 Doctors On Board students)
Many of Northern California’s most prominent physicians, including members of the Sinkler Miller Medical Association and representatives from medical schools in Northern California and nationwide, will provide students with an innovative opportunity to explore varied facets of medicine and provide information about medical school preparation, specialties field, and life as a physician.
Segments of the DOB Program will include:
- Workshop on admissions & financial aid; information on the revised SAT Exam
- Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Preparation
- Workshop with currently enrolled medical students and residents
- Mock medical clinics with real patients
- Knot Tying Basic Skills Training
- Mock suture clinic training session
- Mentoring interviews with more than 50 physicians of varying specialties from throughout the Northern California Bay Area
- Workshop for parents and families of future doctors
- Students will be awarded Certificates of Completion immediately followed by a reception (at the end of program).
Students who wish to take part in this innovative, inter-active, one-day program may learn more and register by visiting www.PMFMD.com. Interested parties must submit Student Application online or via mail as soon as possible, and must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, March 4, 2016. Parents, guardians and adult family member of students who are accepted into the program may also register at the website to attend the workshop, “Guide to Parents/Family of Future Doctors.”
WHO: Physicians Medical Forum (PMF)
WHAT: “Doctors On Board Pipeline Program” (Pre-Medical School Conference)
WHEN: Saturday, March 19, 2016 | 6:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. Registration & breakfast (6:30 A.M. – 7:30 A.M.) Workshops, mentoring, lunch, mock medical/suture clinics (7:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M.) Workshop: Guide for Parents/Family of Future Doctors (2:30 P.M.- 4:30 P.M.) Certificate of Completion Award ceremony and reception (4:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.)
WHERE: Oakland Marriott City Center | 10th and Broadway, downtown Oakland
Leading physicians, faculty, residents, medical students and business professionals will instruct, mentor and network with the program’s student participants. They will include representatives from the PMF Board of Directors, Kaiser Permanente, Sinkler Miller Medical Association (SMMA), Student National Medical Association (SNMA), UCSF, UC Davis, and Stanford Schools of Medicine, Well Fargo, US Navy Medical Officers Program, Tour for Diversity in Medicine, Highland Hospital and San Francisco General Hospital (partial list).
Physicians Medical Forum is supported by The California Wellness Foundation, Kaiser Foundation Hospital Fund for Community Benefit Programs at the East Bay Community Foundation, California Healthcare Foundation, Sinkler Miller Medical Association, San Francisco Foundation, Wells Fargo, The Talaton Group and the National Medical Fellowships.
