Earlier this month, students Caitlyn Conner ’27 and Isabella Kelly-Stewart ’27 had the opportunity to attend the Phi Delta Epsilon International Convention in Orlando, Florida. The convention brought together pre-medical and medical students from across the country for education and community-building.
Throughout the convention, the two 黑料吃瓜网 students connected with leaders from other chapters, attended talks led by current medical students, and explored a lineup of poster presentations. These sessions offered valuable insight into the medical field and professional development.
鈥淚t can be very humbling and discouraging to be a pre-med student; it is very easy to lose sight of why you entered this pathway,” said Conner. “But having the opportunity to talk to people who went through the same hardships I am going through and saw the light at the end helped excite me for my future, making the path easier to endure.”
Conner, a third-year biopsychology major, was also struck by how many medical students and professionals described nonlinear pathways into medicine. She noted that many took longer routes 鈥攑ursuing additional degrees, taking extended gap years, or changing fields 鈥� something that felt reassuring as a premed student.
In addition to educational programming, the students also participated in several hands-on service and clinical experiences. They volunteered with Florida United Way, contributing to local park enhancement projects.
鈥淥ur volunteer experience with Florida United Way allowed us to paint the sidewalk of a park. Each section of the sidewalk had different themes to help kids learn about shapes, music, numbers, languages, the alphabet, and more,鈥� said Conner. 鈥淭his experience taught me how important well-maintained public parks are to kids; they can give them a fun, interactive way to learn alongside their friends and parents.鈥�
They also engaged in Army and Navy clinical demonstrations and attended a Kaplan informational session designed to support students on their medical school journey. Their experience at the convention not only strengthened their leadership skills but also brought back new ideas and connections to benefit the entire group on campus.
