National Medical Society to Hold Convention in Dallas

On May 30, 2002 through June 2, 2002 of this year the National Society for Non-Traditional Pre-Medical and Medical Students, Inc. (aka "OldPreMeds," or, OPM for short) will be holding their second national convention and workshop in Dallas, Texas.

National Medical Society to Hold Convention in Dallas

On May 30, 2002 through June 2, 2002 of this year the National Society for Non-Traditional Pre-Medical and Medical Students, Inc. (aka "OldPreMeds," or, OPM for short) will be holding their second national convention and workshop in Dallas, Texas at the Best Western North Dallas Hotel located at US HWY. 35 and US Hwy. 635.

The National Society for Non-Traditional Pre-Medical and Medical Students, Inc. is a duly formed and incorporated Texas non-profit corporation that is registered as a 501(c)3 educational society whose membership is composed of pre-medical and medical students throughout the United States.

The Society serves as an educational forum and conduit for informational exchange for non-traditional students seeking to gain entry into medical school and includes, as members, students who are interested in admission to or are currently enrolled in either M.D. or D.O. granting institutions located within the United States or her territories, with complete impartiality. The Society, or OPM, operates in a manner very similar to the way medical education works. Members, who are more senior in the process, pass along their acquired knowledge, experiences and wisdom to those who have not progressed as far. To accomplish this, OPM has members of all ages (early 50s to early 20s) at all levels of training (pre-med students, med students, residents and attending - even including a Dean, Assistant Dean and a Professor of Biochemistry) that are willing to answer questions, to guide, provide encouragement and support regarding the process of entering and succeeding in medical school.

The Society primarily directs its efforts toward non-traditional students and their families but not to the exclusion to those of more traditional age. OPM was born when the original six members realized that they faced a virtual absence of information that addressed the unique needs of non-traditional applicants and medical students. These needs and responsibilities simply must be addressed. OPM was founded as a vehicle to accumulate, organize and distribute "pearls of wisdom" among our membership, merely for the asking. What began as an informal and experiential exchange service has evolved into a community of well over 800 members at all stages of the medical education process. We feel a vested interest in facilitating the success of our members and we do as much as our schedules permit to accomplish such a task.

The original founders and current membership envisions the Society to be an organization that will always direct its efforts to the needs of non-traditional applicants and students from the early pre-medical days until they are an attending physician. With each step, the member becomes more and more of a resource for those more junior to him/her. Further, as the Society generates its first alumnus class (beginning with this year) OPM will begin to serve as a networking tool for its members.

During the May 30 through June 2 conference and workshop in Dallas, Texas, the membership of the society will be uniting in fellowship as an exchange medium in order to discover, explain and expand upon our current knowledge in order to better assist each other and those of our individual communities regarding the process of medical education and the medical profession in general. Numerous premedical and medical students from across the United States, along with their spouses and significant others will be in attendance during this convention. Speakers at the convention will include: Jane Anderson, MS (Director of Admissions, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine); Judy Colwell, MA (Medical Student Admissions Consultant, previously the Assistant Director of Admissions for the Stanford University Medical School); Dave Kelley, RRT, MS-III (Student at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine); John Pelley, PH.D. (Professor of Biochemistry and prior Dean of Admissions at the Texas Tech University School of Medicine & author of "Success Types"); Joanne Sanders, MD (Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist, Cook Childrens Medical Center, Ft. Worth, TX) and, Kristi Whitenton, BFA, MS-II (Student at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine).

This year the Society will also be installing the first elected members of its executive council which is composed of its national officers that have recently been elected. These newly elected officers comprising the executive council are as follows:

President - Kathy Rahman,

Vice President - Joe Pegram, Florida

Secretary - Rachel Wankum, MS-III, Illinois, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine

Treasurer - Geoff Aumaugher, Michigan, Baker College and Oakland Community College

Chair of Fundraising and Public Relations - Patrick Hays, Texas, Kilgore College

Chair of Projects and Planning - Linda Wilson, Missouri, University of Missouri at Columbia

With David Kelley, MS-IV, Michigan, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, continuing to serve the society as a corporate director and as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Topics to be covered at this years convention include being a competitive medical school applicant, personality types as a tool in competing for medical school admission, using life experiences, networking, medical school financing, careers and the state of medicine in the immediate practice future, as well as premedical and medical school discussions, application workshops and other activities of the membership. Kaplan and the Princeton Review are providing lunch for the membership during the convention.

Members of the general media and college media are invited to attend.

The convention for the year of 2003 will be held in Washington, DC. Please contact the Chair of Projects and Planning for additional convention information.

If you would like more information about the society you can visit us on the internet at www.oldpremeds.net, or by writing us at The National Society for Non-Traditional Pre-Medical and Medical Students, Inc. (or, OldPreMeds), PMB#363, 5065 State Street, Saginaw, MI 48603.

This National Press Anouncement Has been Issued From:

Patrick Hays, Chair of Fundraising and Public Relations
National Society for Non-Traditional Pre-Medical and Medical Students, Inc.

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