Pre-Med Students Gain Unique Insight into the World of Medical School

From left, Professor Paul Edelen with MCC students Katia and Kiara Ruesta, and David Machado visited medical school classes at UConn.

Three MCC students, officers of the college’s Pre-Med Club, were granted permission by the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Farmington, Conn., to sit in on two medical school lectures there.

David Machado, of Manchester, and Kiara and Katia Ruesta, sisters residing in Vernon, Conn., attended a class on restrictive lung disease and a clinicopathologic conference earlier this week.

MCC Professor Paul Edelen, faculty adviser to the club, coordinated the field trip. The purpose was to expose the students to a med-school experience as they plan their academic futures at MCC and beyond.

Machado, who serves as president of the Pre-Med Club, observed, “I expected the class to be a little over my head, but surprisingly I understood what they were teaching thanks to my previous biology and allied medical courses.”

Kiara Ruesta is majoring in chemistry and is the vice president of the Pre-Med Club. She aspires to be a pediatrician and added, “It was an excellent opportunity to see what it is like to be a student in the UConn School of Medicine. Before going, I had no clue of what it would be like so this trip was very valuable to me.”

Katia is studying biology currently and is Pre-Med Club secretary. She said, “This experience has confirmed my desire to take on this challenge. In the lectures I was expecting a stricter environment, but it was more informal. It was a great experience that I will never forget.”

The Pre-Med Club is designed to assist MCC students in pursuing a career in medicine. It provides a way for individuals to interact and gain the experience needed to be successful in a medical profession.