Hello everyone, my name is Jameel Shareef. Like my colleagues and fellow blog contributors I am also a second year Bio Med student following the research track here at PCOM. As I will describe in further detail shortly, PCOM is a very warm and welcoming school with people from all walks of life and the Bio Medical Sciences Masters Program is an amazing opportunity that allows future science and health professionals to get acclimated to graduate level school work after entering the working world for a time or it can act as resume or GPA booster for graduates interested in applying to professional school, but first let me share a few things about me.
I earned my Bachelors Degree in Biology from the esteemed Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. I originally entered Morehouse with the intent to pursue a career in medicine. I had always been interested in science and from my early childhood years. My father worked as a pharmaceutical sales rep, which introduced me to various health care professionals at a very young age and provided me with various shadowing opportunities as I got older. During the summer before my senior year, I obtained an internship at the Atlanta Veteran’s Administration Hospital in the inpatient pharmacy. This opportunity intrigued me opened my eyes to another potential career path in the health care industry that I initially had very little knowledge of. In my time there, I gained invaluable experience as health care provider and knowledge on the intricacies of hospital pharmacy and various techniques such as IV prep, dosing, and dispensing. I also made the rounds on the patient floors with the medical team on several occasions. In the summer after I graduated, I also work as an intern at the Association of Black Cardiologists (www.abcardio.org) in Atlanta, GA, a non-profit organization committed to the study and eventual elimination of cardiovascular health disparities amongst minorities. While working there, I completed various administrative tasks, such as, compiling and organizing data from surveys taken at various community events around the country into spreadsheets, applying for logo patents, and created company profiles for the executive officers of ABC for potential corporate sponsors. I also began laying the groundwork for a mentorship program for high school and college students interested in careers in medicine.
The VA internship helped me to secure a position as a certified pharmacy tech at Dekalb Medical Center in Decatur, GA, where I worked for a year and a half after finishing at Morehouse. Here I expanded my knowledge of previously learned techniques that I could not perform as an intern such as handling narcotics and preparing chemo meds in the IV room. I enjoyed my time at Dekalb in my expanded role in the pharmacy, but I began to see that my true passion in patient care was in role of a physician. These realizations reignited my passion for medicine and fueled my desire to become a physician. I chose to move back home and focus on getting into school, preferably a post baccalaureate or masters program to help boost my credentials and compensate for my time away from school and it was here that I learned of PCOM and the Biomedical Sciences program.
From the first time that I walked through the doors at PCOM as visitor, I felt welcome and knew that I was in the right place, and even now as I am entering my second year those feelings still exist. One person who is primarily responsible for the warm atmosphere at PCOM is Ms. Debbie who works the front desk in Evans Hall. She remembers almost everyone’s name and greets everyone with a big smile. No matter what kind of day you are having she always manages to put a smile on your face. This same warmth is an integral part of the culture at PCOM and is also shared by staff, faculty, and fellow students.
When classes finally started, there was a bit of an adjustment period for me having been out of school for close to three years. It is true that we only have class three days a week but the amount of a material that I received in each four hour lecture was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Two things that are extremely important in this program or any other program for that matter are time management and keeping your priorities in order. Taking it easy for a day could set you back several days in terms of the material. Keeping your head above water is very doable; it is just a matter of finding a balance between school and personal life and doing what works for you. To all the incoming students I look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to PCOM. To prospective students interested in coming to PCOM, I hope that this post has been informative and has been helpful in your decision to attend. Until next time.
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