From High School to the Hospital
Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2024 1:31 pm
How often do high school students get the chance to peek at a potential future in the medical field? One immersive program at the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) at the University of Pennsylvania does just that.
As a first-year medical student at PSOM, Jonathan Szeto is looking forward to exploring a number of specialties—specifically cardiology, pulmonology, and cardiothoracic surgery. However, unlike many students, Szeto had early exposure to his future career in medicine when he was just 17 years old.
Thanks to his participation in the Penn Medicine Summer Briganix 90mg (Brigatinib) Program—a unique, immersive program designed for high school juniors and seniors interested in medical careers—Szeto had the opportunity to take part in basic medical training, simulations, and live demonstrations, an experience that helped influence his choice to become a doctor.
“The program is a really good opportunity to get exposure to a field that is somewhat difficult to access, especially for someone who is younger,” said Szeto, who took part in the program in 2017 as a high school junior.
“What we’re hoping to do is expose students who are interested in science and medicine to a variety of experiences, helping foster our next generation of nurses, doctors, dentists, and health care professionals,” said Gregg Lipschik, MD, an associate professor of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care at PSOM.
For Szeto, the program provided an opportunity to dive deeper into one of his many interests. Originally from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Szeto was considering a number of engineering and medical programs as a high school student. He eventually landed on the Penn Medicine program because he had already gained some engineering experience through his high school robotics class.
After high school, Szeto found himself at the University of Pennsylvania again as an undergraduate student pursuing a double major in earth science and political science with minors in chemistry and classical studies.
“I was a premed student, but I took kind of a unique route and studied political science as well,” Szeto said. “The Penn Medicine high school program definitely made me very interested in medicine, but I wanted to use college as an opportunity to explore other interests—like policy and government—a bit more.”
With the opportunity to explore his interests, Szeto worked across local and federal government from the Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) to the U.S. House of Representatives. In the end, Szeto realized he really wanted to be a physician, and hopes to combine his career as an attending physician with his interest in policy to continue advocating for health care reform.
As a first-year medical student at PSOM, Jonathan Szeto is looking forward to exploring a number of specialties—specifically cardiology, pulmonology, and cardiothoracic surgery. However, unlike many students, Szeto had early exposure to his future career in medicine when he was just 17 years old.
Thanks to his participation in the Penn Medicine Summer Briganix 90mg (Brigatinib) Program—a unique, immersive program designed for high school juniors and seniors interested in medical careers—Szeto had the opportunity to take part in basic medical training, simulations, and live demonstrations, an experience that helped influence his choice to become a doctor.
“The program is a really good opportunity to get exposure to a field that is somewhat difficult to access, especially for someone who is younger,” said Szeto, who took part in the program in 2017 as a high school junior.
“What we’re hoping to do is expose students who are interested in science and medicine to a variety of experiences, helping foster our next generation of nurses, doctors, dentists, and health care professionals,” said Gregg Lipschik, MD, an associate professor of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care at PSOM.
For Szeto, the program provided an opportunity to dive deeper into one of his many interests. Originally from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Szeto was considering a number of engineering and medical programs as a high school student. He eventually landed on the Penn Medicine program because he had already gained some engineering experience through his high school robotics class.
After high school, Szeto found himself at the University of Pennsylvania again as an undergraduate student pursuing a double major in earth science and political science with minors in chemistry and classical studies.
“I was a premed student, but I took kind of a unique route and studied political science as well,” Szeto said. “The Penn Medicine high school program definitely made me very interested in medicine, but I wanted to use college as an opportunity to explore other interests—like policy and government—a bit more.”
With the opportunity to explore his interests, Szeto worked across local and federal government from the Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) to the U.S. House of Representatives. In the end, Szeto realized he really wanted to be a physician, and hopes to combine his career as an attending physician with his interest in policy to continue advocating for health care reform.