Pre-Med: Explore the Medical Field

Medicine is a long-term commitment that requires many years of training. Given this, many students find it difficult to decide whether medicine is the right career path for them. Through this one-week long program, students will gain insight into what it is like to be a physician. Students will have an opportunity to engage directly with physicians who are passionate about their work. Simultaneously, students will get to explore the state of the art UConn Health Center which is entering an era of unprecedented growth in all three areas of its mission: academics, research, and clinical care.

In addition, students will have an opportunity to gain guidance from UConn's Pre-Med academic advising staff. Moreover, students will be provided supervised transportation from the UConn Storrs campus to the UConn Health Center in Farmington. Students will return to the Storrs campus at the end of each academic day.

The UConn Pre-College Summer Pre-Med: Explore the Medical Field course will be taught by various doctors, professionals, and consultants from UConn Health. UConn Health is a vibrant, integrated academic medical center that is entering an era of unprecedented growth in all three areas of its mission: academics, research, and clinical care. A commitment to human health and well-being has been of utmost importance to UConn Health since the founding of the University of Connecticut Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine in 1961. Based on a strong foundation of groundbreaking research, first-rate education, and quality clinical care, we have expanded our medical missions over the decades. In just over 50 years, UConn Health has evolved to encompass more research endeavors, to provide more ways to access our superior care, and to innovate both practical medicine and our methods of educating the practitioners of tomorrow.

George Y. Wu, M.D., Ph.D.

Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Chief of the Hepatology Section, and Herman Lopata Chair in Hepatitis Research

University of Connecticut Health Center.

He graduated with a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Rochester, and received an M.D. and Ph.D. (biochemistry) from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He trained in internal medicine at Harlem Hospital, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and received subspecialty training in digestive diseases at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He has been a pioneer in the field of targeted delivery of biological substances specifically to liver cells, hepatocytes. He developed the concept of targeted rescue, targeted gene delivery, an immunocompetent model for HCV infection, and most recently targeted delivery of mitochondria. He has received numerous awards and prizes including the American Liver Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship Award, and an American Gastroenterological Association/Industry Research Scholar Award, American Liver Foundation Research Prize, American Gastroenterological Association-Gastroenterology Research Group Young Scientist Award, and a Chinese American Medical Society Scientific Award, was elected a Fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association, and the American Association for the Study of liver Diseases. He was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the Association of American Physicians, and was a Fulbright Specialist. He has received 10 patents, and founded two startup companies to commercialize inventions. He has published more than 210 peer-reviewed articles, and edited 12 books. He is the comprehensive editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology, and series editor for the Clinical Gastroenterology series published by Humana/Springer Press.

Agnest S. Kim, M.D., Ph. D.

Associate Professor of Medicine
Director, Non-invasive Cardiac Imaging and Echocardiography Lab
Director, Cardio-Oncology Program

Dr. Kim provides care to patients with a wide range of cardiovascular illnesses, including coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, and cardiomyopathy. She has expertise in advanced non-invasive cardiac imaging, including echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, cardiac MRI, and vascular ultrasounds. She has a particular interest in the cardiac care of cancer patients.

Dr. Kim received her bachelor’s degree at Yale College. She received her medical degree from Vanderbilt University. She completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital. After residency, she completed a fellowship in cardiovascular diseases at Yale-New Haven Hospital, during which she also obtained a Ph.D. in investigative medicine.

Climate Models

Prerequisites: High School Math and Physics with a grade of C or higher, and basic understanding of programming

Building climate models is designed to engage students to investigate the physical basis of climate change and learn Python coding skills to solve mathematical and physical equations. Topics covered will include, principles of the conservation of energy, theories and observations of Earth’s energy balance and climate feedbacks. Throughout the course, a mixture of lectures and interactive Python exercises with Jupyter notebook to introduce scientific principles and step-by-step Python practices to students will be introduced. This course is unique in several ways: 1) it provides hands-on exercises for students to explore the physical principles of Earth’s energy balance and climate feedbacks; 2) it allows students to learn Python coding with Jupyter notebook and apply it to study a societally relevant scientific question, i.e., the physical basis of climate change.

This course will advance students’ understanding of dynamical models and the concept of climate change through hands-on practices of building dynamical models and exploring physical principles driving climate change. In addition, this course will also advance students' computer literacy through introductions and exercises on writing Python code to solve and visualize simple dynamical models.

These outcomes directly contribute to students’ college application success by providing students with the experience of taking a college-level class. Students will also gain demonstrative coding skills to computationally solve mathematic equations. Climate Change and/or environmental literacy is one of the core knowledge requirements of the general education at many universities. This course will prepare students for college-level courses that teach this literacy. Moreover, through coding exercises, students are also exposed to Python programming, which may inspire their interests and prepare them for the continued education in data science and computational physics and climate sciences.

Ran Feng, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Growing up in southwest China, Ran studied meteorology and climate at Nanjing University, and Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Ran became fascinated by climate change and decided to work towards a PhD at the University of Michigan. Ran is currently interested in cloud and precipitation processes in warm climate states, and feedbacks that determine the sensitivity of climate system to forcings from greenhouse gases and other geological changes. Ran is currently teaching two courses separately on how to apply multivariate statistic methods to study observations of the Earth, and how climate models are constructed and implemented to make projections.

Pre-Med: Human Anatomy & Physiology

Our Human Anatomy and Physiology course is the perfect starting point for students interested in entering medical or related health-care fields. In this in-depth look at systemic human biology, you will explore how the cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal and nervous systems all work together to help you function. In UConn’s new, state of the art Human Anatomy Learning Lab, you will learn how the body is assembled and how the major organs relate to body function. This hands-on experience will provide an inside-out look at human anatomy and physiology and is an opportunity that most students who are interested in the medical field are not afforded until graduate school.

Mary Beth Osborne earned both her Bachelors of Science and Doctorate in physical therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a board-certified specialist in neurologic physical therapy. She is currently an assistant professor in residence at the University of Connecticut in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and involved in teaching courses in the neurologic rehabilitation and health/wellness domains. She is also the associate director of clinical education. At UConn, she is serving on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee for the College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Health and is a member of the Service Learning Faculty Fellows cohort for 2023.

She previously served as the co-director of Duke University Health’s neurologic PT residency program and worked as an outpatient neurologic PT where she provided care to individuals with a variety of neurologic conditions including concussion, stroke, degenerative diseases and vestibular dysfunction. She worked as an adjunct faculty member at UNC Chapel Hill for 5 years assisting with courses covering neurologic PT and evidence-based practice content areas. She has held positions with the Academy of Neurologic PT including chair of the Brain Injury Special Interest Group, member of the practice committee and is currently a nominating committee member for the Residency and Fellowship Special Interest Group. She has presented at local and national conferences on various topics in the neurologic PT realm.

Pre-Vet: Marine Animal Health and Veterinary Science – FULL

The Pre-Vet: Marine Animal Health and Veterinary Science course will be hosted at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT where students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the marine world. Throughout this course students will be interacting with aquarium research scientists, veterinarians, animal trainers and animal rescue professionals to understand the science behind their work. Students will gain knowledge and experience through labs and activities focused on animals at Mystic Aquarium including penguins, seals, reptiles and fishes.

Through this course students will participate in labs, tours and activities that will increase their scientific literacy in genetics, hematology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology. Students will learn about careers and education/career pathways directly from working professionals to understand if animal health and veterinary science is a desirable education and career path. Journal discussions will develop students’ skills in reading and analysis of primary scientific literature.

The course involves off-site visits to Mystic Aquarium and the UConn, Avery Point Campus. Supervised transportation is provided by the program and is included in the course cost and fees. Parents/guardians and students will be required to submit Mystic Aquarium participation forms prior to attending this course.

Learn about a wide variety of careers in animal health and veterinary science, from professionals in all stages of their careers.
Participate in lab programs focused on hematology, microbiology, molecular biology, anatomy and physiology, and learn how each is utilized to analyze an animal’s health.
Observe feeding and training sessions with beluga whales, penguins and sea lions, and have the opportunity to learn from and ask questions of their animal care teams.
- Please note: students will not have direct encounters with marine mammals.
Visit behind-the-scenes areas to view animal care, research and veterinary staff at work. This will include a visit to the animal rescue clinic to understand the veterinary care of both animals at the aquarium temporarily for rehabilitation as well as animals permanently in our care.
Explore current topics in marine mammal research during journal article discussions.

Dr. Laura Thompson, Ph.D.

Mystic Aquarium Research Scientist

University of Connecticut Assistant Professor in Residence of Marine Sciences

https://marinesciences.uconn.edu/person/laura-thompson/

Dr. Thompson is a research scientist at Mystic Aquarium where she has held multiple positions since 2005. Her time at Mystic includes carrying out her PhD studies on dive physiology in Marine Mammals, as a joint student with the University of Connecticut Marine Sciences Program. Dr. Thompson is involved in many aspects of research at the Aquarium including the development of non-invasive sampling techniques and investigating the response of the immune system to environmental and anthropogenic challenges. Her unique area of interest lies in understanding the complicated relationship between diving and health, via adaptation of the immune system in marine mammals as compared with humans. Dr. Thompson holds a BSc with Honours in Marine and Freshwater Biology from Queen Mary College, University of London and a PhD in Oceanography from the University of Connecticut. She is also an Assistant Professor-in-Residence at UConn, and lectures for Marine Biology courses offered at UConn and URI.

Pharmacy: Explore the New and Exciting Changes in the Profession

Where will you be in five years? That’s a hard question to answer, especially for high school students. UConn’s Pre-College Summer Pharmacy: Explore the New and Exciting Changes in the Professions course can help students figure it out. No matter what area of pharmacy you pursue, the underlying theme of pharmacy practice is to help people live healthier lives. Whether it be in a community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy or the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacists play a major role is assisting patients, clients and other health professionals in the proper use of medications to provide the best outcome for patient health.

A career in pharmacy is diverse and rewarding, with opportunities for patient care, scientific research and innovation. Offered during Session 5, our Pharmacy: Explore the New and Exciting Changes in the Professions session will provide students with an overview of the many career opportunities available to graduates of pharmacy programs and the path that they must follow to achieve their goals. This course will incorporate lectures, hands-on learning activities, guest lecturers and field trips.

Keep an open mind when deciding on what career or major option is right for you. There are so many specialties and opportunities available for pharmacists including working at pharmaceutical companies, state and federal agencies, insurance companies, uniformed services, hospital practice, community practice and academic pharmacy just to name a few. Pharmacists hold a unique knowledge and skill-set that is greatly valued by other health care providers and the public.

Students will be able to identify key roles of pharmacists in different parts of the healthcare industry, recognize how the profession has changed in recent years, compare how pharmacy is practiced around the globe, determine what skills are needed to be a pharmacist and give many examples of how pharmacists have changed patient outcomes.

Nathaniel ("Nate") Rickles is an Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs and Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy. He received his B.S. in psychology and chemistry from Dickinson College, Pharm.D. from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, M.S. and Ph.D. in the Social and Administrative Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nate also completed a psychiatric pharmacy practice residency and is board certified in this area. He was inducted as a Fellow of the American Pharmacists Association. He came to the UCONN School of Pharmacy in 2016. He taught previously at Northeastern University (Boston, MA) and Long Island University (Brooklyn, NY).

His primary research interests are to develop, implement, and evaluate intervention programs that improve community pharmacist communication with patients and/or other team members to subsequently improve medication adherence and patient safety. His research on medication adherence has explored measurement of adherence, factors affecting medication adherence, and interventions to improve adherence. Nate also explores educational methods to improve the teaching of communication skills. His primary teaching interests involve courses on communication skills, health promotion, cross-cultural health care, and research methods. He has published approximately 45 peer-reviewed publications, invited to present at more than 40 local, national, and international meetings, and presented 50 peer-reviewed posters or podium presentations at local, national, or international professional meetings. He had led and/or co-led several national, state and local research grants and continues to actively be involved in grants and publications. Nate was the lead editor on the third edition of the textbook Social and Behavioral Aspects of Pharmaceutical Care.

Pre-Law

Oliver Wendell Holmes famously stated that “the life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience.” In accordance with this observation, our Pre-Law course provides high school students with both academic and practical understandings of the law, legal education, and operations of the American criminal and civil justice systems as well as appellate processes. This course may be of particular interest to aspiring legal professionals as well as to those who have a curious interest in current legal issues.

Students leave this course prepared to enter a pre-law program at the college level with a more comprehensive understanding of legal theory, constitutional rights, as well as formal and informal systems for resolving disputes in the United States. Participation in simulations throughout the week bolster public-speaking skills. Engaging conversations centering on current legal issues feed each participant's intellectual curiosity.

Study theories of the law and the U.S. Constitution
Experience legal education by being a law student for a day during our visit to the UConn School of Law
Observe the American criminal justice system in action by visiting a local courthouse and meeting with real-life judges and prosecutors
Assess current issues relating to the civil justice justice system, particularly in relation to environmental litigation
Participate in the appellate process by way of a Moot Court simulation based on a highlighted case in constitutional law

Dr. Kimberly R. Bergendahl is an Associate Professor in Residence in the Department of Political Science and also serves as its Internship Coordinator and advisor to Crime and Justice minors. A recipient of the 2018 Honors Faculty Member of the year award, Dr. Bergendahl teaches courses in the fields of Public Law, American Politics, and Political Theory. She has been teaching the Pre-Law course in the Pre-College Summer Program since 2017. She also served as the coach and advisor for the UCONN Moot Court Competition Team. Dr. Bergendahl received her B.A. from Southeastern Massachusetts University and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. Her current research interests include the Senate Judiciary Committee's review of Supreme Court nominations throughout history, local and state regulations on environmental toxins, the influence that popular culture has on the law, and Political Science education and civic engagement.

Dr. Bergendahl has been active in local politics, including her previous service as a Justice of the Peace and on the Planning and Zoning Commission in the Town of Pomfret. A native of Rhode Island, she now resides in Pomfret Center, Connecticut with her husband, John, an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. They have two children, Thomas and Meredith, as well as a Beagle named “Marcie.”

Read more about Dr. Bergendahl in UConn Today

Biomedical Engineering – S4 8 SEATS LEFT

Prerequisites: High School Biology, Chemistry, and Physics helpful but NOT required

Biomedical engineering combines engineering, computer science, and life science to discover solutions to health problems, create medical devices and prosthetics, and treat diseases. Being such a broad field, the typical college freshman can be overwhelmed with the intricacies of the different sub-fields, how they relate, and most importantly, how to pursue a professional career in the field. This course is therefore designed to focus on these issues; it is an introductory, hands-on course that acquaints students with an overview of biomedical engineering, its principles, and real-life applications. These applications are found in medical device design, disease diagnosis and treatment, prosthetics, and the restoration of the functions of injured organs and tissues. Topics to be explored include electro-physiological measurement devices, human motion measurement devices, ultrasonic sensors, and 3-dimensional designing and printing.

After completion of the course, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of biomedical engineering and its role in the delivery of healthcare.
• Relate the broad biomedical engineering field to their interests and career aspirations.
• Demonstrate an ability to apply biomedical engineering principles to solve a real-life problem.
• Develop technical communication, teamwork, and critical thinking and analysis skills.

Learn about the state-of-the-art biomedical engineering research activities and how they improve our lives.
Learn about the prerequisite skills and knowledge needed to be competent in the biomedical engineering sub-disciplines
Work in a team to design and build simple yet functional medical device prototypes.
Use a computer-aided design (CAD) software to create physical structures for biomedical applications.
Communicate your technical results and data through an oral presentation and written report.

Patrick Kumavor is an associate professor-in-residence in the biomedical engineering department of the University of Connecticut. He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Connecticut in 2008. Dr. Kumavor has worked on a plethora of research activities ranging from ultra-secure encryption systems to biomedical diagnostic instruments for early-stage cancer detection. He has also taught and developed new courses in Foundations of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Measurements, Bioinstrumentation, Bioinstrumentation optics, Junior Design, and Senior Design where some of the capstone projects he has mentored have been featured in news articles. In addition, he’s worked with several undergraduate students on Independent Research Study Projects and as the BME honors advisor, has mentored many students working on their senior honors thesis projects. Dr. Kumavor’s present interest is working with undergraduate students to stimulate in them a passion for science and engineering.

Creative Writing

Students (and educators) too often regard the essay as merely an instrument of assessing learning, but the essay has a rich history as a creative genre. In this course we will approach the essay as the creative, dynamic, imaginative literary form that it actually is. Your approach to writing essays will not be the same and you'll never go back to the five paragraph essay again!

You will leave this course with a very different and improved understanding of the essay, and you will be better writers. The essays you write in the future may challenge some of your teachers’ more conventional expectations, but they will be better, more interesting, and more like the real writing professional essayists actually create. Your professors in college will be grateful.

Students will become better writers, more independent, more creative, and more original.
Students will choose topics of interest, explore genres of writing, develop their own voice, and write!
Learn a little bit about the history of the essay as a literary genre.
Read a variety of essays form a variety of essayists.
Experiment with writing different kinds of essays, such as personal essays, op-eds, commentaries, and rants.
Share writing with one another both for revision and entertainment.
Play around with some multimodal forms of composition.

Dr. Jason Courtmanche (Associate Professor in Residence; Director of Connecticut Writing Project) is a former high school English teacher who became an English college professor. He works primarily with undergraduates who want to be high school English teachers but also works with high school English teachers who teach the UConn Early College Experience course. If you are a student in Connecticut, there is a good chance that Jason taught one or more of your English teachers. He has won several teaching awards and has published academic essays, personal essay, poetry, and the rare work of fiction. He runs the Connecticut Student Writers contest, Letters About Literature, and the Scholastic Writing Awards. If you want to know more about what he does, check out his blog, The Write Space.

Connecticut Writing Project
UConn Early College Experience English course

Is Medicine for you?

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Learn the basics of climate physics and coding

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Learn through Direct Examination, Simulation, and Dissection

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Immerse yourself in the marine world and explore your passions for veterinary science, animal care, animal training and research.

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Optimizing Medication Use and Safety- Learn Pharmacist's Contributions Across the Healthcare Industry

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Experience the Law in Action

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Solving our Healthcare Needs: The Role of Biomedical Engineering

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Learn to write with voice, choice, and creativity!

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