Future Physicians America (FPA) helps students achieve their dream of becoming a physician. Taught by board-certified practicing physicians on medical school faculty, FPA programs are especially good for students who want a combined BS/BA-MD program. You'll get hands-on clinical experience, and work on an individual project that will be published in a peer-reviewed pubmed indexed medical journal. We have mentored hundreds of students over the last 20 years!
FPA offers four summer programs. The clinical skills and advanced certifications courses can each be taken as stand alone courses or in any combination with the medical writing & publishing course or clinical research course. Students who take all four components can obtain a certificate designating this as a full summer medical internship.
- The clinical skills program is a one week camp in which we teach hands-on skills such as suturing, splinting, basic point of care ultrasonography, airway management and physical examination skills. We also have formal didactics on special topics in medicine, using problem solving skills. For example, we apply statistical methods to decide whether a particular diagnostic test adds value to the physical exam in decision making. We will also have a course on EKG interpretation, learn the basics of reading a chest x-ray, and a head CT. Students have the optional opportunity to do an ambulance ride-along during this session.
- The advanced certification program is a one week in-person intensive training in courses designed by the American Heart Association, American Stroke Association and American College of Surgeons. Students get the same official course certifications that medical house officers receive. During this week we also do medical simulation and delve into acute care resuscitation topics.
- The medical writing & publishing course is a hybrid program. The first week is in-person where students are introduced to medical writing, and will work on an individual project that will be published in a Pubmed indexed peer-reviewed medical journal. All students are first authors on their paper. The second two weeks of the program are virtual. During this time, students continue working on their project, and develop personal college and/or academic plans with faculty. These two weeks are flexible as they are tailored to each student’s specific interests.
- The clinical research program is a hybrid program. The first week is in-person where students are introduced to research methodology and biostatistics in medicine. During this week, the students will also work on their own individual dataset. They will learn how to code variables, and how to write questions to get the information they need. Once data collection is complete, students will learn how to analyze these results, and write them up for publication. All students are first authors on their research paper, which will be published in a Pubmed indexed peer-reviewed medical journal. The second two weeks of the program are virtual. During this time, students continue working on their research project, and have access to the faculty via 1:1 appointments and weekly meetings.
