National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine

[Ms Music]

Does anyone know anything about this forum/convention? My kid is interested in bio engineering, and has been invited to attend the forum. She wants to know if this is a good investment of time and money to attend.

I think she needs a mentor, but she claims she can't have one through school until she is a high school senior (she is a sophomore). This place is the next best thing IMO.

 

[Ms Music]

No responses at all?? Let me rephrase this, then.

Are conferences geared to high school kids beneficial in getting a good start towards their careers? Or are they a waste of time and money? She feels she must attend this to succeed in her chosen career, I think it is a waste of time...

 

[SW VandeCarr]

I can't vouch for its value, but here's some contact information. I know getting into medical school in the US is pretty competitive, so it's possible something like this might be helpful in allowing one to evaluate a possible medical career. It also might help in improving a candidate's chances of getting into medical school but frankly, I've never heard of it (but I'm fairly ancient).

http://www.nylf.org/med/

EDIT: If your daughter is focused on bioengineering, this may not be as useful since a medical degree would be an enhancement, but not a necessity. The NYLFM seems to be intended for pre-med students whereas it would seem to be better for your daughter to focus on the math and science courses required for engineering when she starts college. If your daughter has the aptitude to handle the math and science courses required for an engineering degree, she should be able to handle the anatomy and physiology courses relevant to bioengineering without the additional time and effort (and expense) of getting a medical degree.

 

[SW VandeCarr]

By the way, if you meant to include genetic "engineering" my advice would be the same except that biology and chemistry courses in high school and college would be appropriate. (I still would not neglect math up to and including statistics and differential equations). The goal would then be a post graduate degree in the biological sciences. Again the MD degree would be an enhancement, but not a necessity

Bioengineering usually refers to the design and use of mechanical/ electronic devices and implants in medical applications.

It really depends on whether your daughter is more interested in laboratory based research or in patient care.

 

[Ms Music]

Thank you very much, I think this might answer her question. If not, I will make her create her own sign on. :) Everything that I was able to find, the kids seemed to enjoy it, but it doesn't do anything at all for college, or career.

I think it is too bad that the schools (in our area) aren't providing assistance to kids any more... I am encouraging her to find a mentor on her own, I may know how to reach someone from Zymogenetics.

 

[SW VandeCarr]

Thank you very much

I think it is too bad that the schools (in our area) aren't providing assistance to kids any more... I am encouraging her to find a mentor on her own, I may know how to reach someone from Zymogenetics.

You're welcome. I agree that talented high school students need career mentoring well before their senior year. By that time, they need to be not only focusing on likely colleges, but also on sufficiently advanced math and science courses in high school to maximize the college experience should they follow through in that direction. If not, it's still not time wasted. Math and science are good for the brain.