Pre-med students visited the University of Vermont October 25–26, 2024, for the fourth annual “Look at Larner,” a two-day event for aspiring medical students from populations underrepresented in the profession of medicine.
In an upper-limb anatomy lesson, Look at Larner participants learned about the network of nerves in the shoulder, arm, and hand with Abigail Hielscher, Ph.D., associate professor of neurological sciences (at left, in white coat). (Photo: David Seaver)
Mikayla Howie ’27 remembers feeling apprehensive about applying to medical school. She wanted to be a physician, but as a Latina growing up in New England, she did not see physicians who were people of color. She was a good student, but she worried she wasn’t “good enough” to get in to medical school. Her epiphany came during her internship at a children’s hospital, where she heard from a physician who recounted his difficult journey to medicine.
“He described the obstacles he encountered as a premedical student, then doing a post-baccalaureate program and applying to medical school. Despite the obstacles, when he experienced doubt, he pushed through and became a physician,” Howie said. “It was at that moment, listening to that physician, when I realized that you don’t have to be a perfect person, just be authentic and believe in yourself. That inspired me to keep pushing forward.”
Howie shared this sentiment with pre-med students who visited the University of Vermont October 25–26, 2024, for the fourth annual “Look at Larner,” a two-day event for aspiring medical students from populations underrepresented in the profession of medicine. This year’s participants included undergraduate students, college graduates, and career-changers interested in pursuing a medical degree. They included Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, sexual and gender minorities, including those identifying as LGBTQ, transgender, or non-binary, and individuals from financially disadvantaged and rural backgrounds. The event aims to help learners envision what their experience in medical school might look like. Howie and Kelly Tran ’27 served as Look at Larner program leads.
See photos and read more about the 2024 Look at Larner event.