CLINICAL SPECIALTY COURSES (4 are included in the FPA Full Premed Scholars program and the Clinical Track; Can also be taken individually)
1) The Cardiology and Resuscitation course (June 1-5, 2026) is an intensive one-week camp covering courses designed by the American Heart Association and American Red Cross, and obtain official course certifications. Topics covered include resuscitation, anaphylaxis, opiate overdose, cardiopharmacology, and more. During this week we do hands-on medical simulation, a heart dissection, and delve into acute care resuscitation topics. We will also complete a course on EKG interpretation, and learn how to read a chest x-ray.
2) The Trauma and Surgical Skills program (Session I: June 8-12, 2026; Session II: July 20-24, 2026) teaches hands-on skills such as suturing, splinting, basic point of care ultrasonography, airway management, epistaxis control, abscess incision and drainage, history and physical examination skills. We also have formal didactics on special topics in medicine, including a certification from the American College of Surgeons. We will solve various clinical cases using problem-solving skills, including laboratory and imaging interpretation.
3) The Medical writing & publishing course(June 15-19, 2026) introduces students to medical writing, study design, and how to search the medical literature and report results to support their work. We will also learn how to critically appraise published works. Students 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. Remote option possible.
4) The Neurology course (June 22-26, 2026) covers stroke, epilepsy, brain injury, headache, CNS infections and more. We learn how to use a reflex hammer, perform a lumbar puncture, use a peripheral nerve stimulator, perform cerebrospinal fluid analysis, obtain certifications from the American Stroke Association, and learn how to read a brain computed tomography (CT) scan. We keep it intriguing, and even solve a neurologic emergency in an escape room setting. We partner with the American Academy of Neurology for this course.
5) The Psychiatry& Mental Health course (June 29-July 2, 2026) covers schizophrenia, ADHD, mood disorders including depression, anxiety and bipolar disease, and other selected topics. We learn how to conduct a formal psychiatric history, and receive certification in cognitive assessment. We explore the use of neuroimaging for psychiatric disease and learn about electroconvulsive therapy for refractory cases. We partner with the National Alliance for Mental health (NAMI) for this course. Please note July 3 is a University holiday, so this camp is only 4 days.
6) The Clinical Research program(July 6-11, 2026) introduces students to research methodology and biostatistics in medicine, and 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. Students will also learn how to write a research abstract and present their work at the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine meeting on July 11th, 2026. The SAEM conference will be held at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, and transportation is provided. Acceptance into the clinical research program is very competitive and class size is capped at 35.
7) The Dermatology & Plastic Surgery course (July 13-17, 2026) covers skills such as punch biopsies, KOH prep, melanoma recognition, and how to do a skin exam. Students will learn advanced suturing techniques using their own simulated facial laceration trainers, including the ear, lip and nose. We also learn surgical knot tying, techniques to minimize scarring, the science behind skin grafts, and more. Our guest faculty includes a practicing oculoplastics surgeon.
8) The Obstetrics & Gynecology course (July 27-31, 2026) introduces students to reproductive anatomy using anatomical models and labeling exercises, and participation in menstrual cycle and hormone regulation simulations to understand normal and abnormal physiology. We explore the world of labor and delivery using birthing mannequins to learn to deliver a baby, learn to interpret fetal heart rate tracings, perform a speculum pelvic exam, newborn APGAR scoring, and episiotomy repair on task trainers. We also have high-fidelity laparoscopic surgical trainers which students will use to learn how to suture laparoscopically. We learn interpretation of gynecologic ultrasound and pathology images, and engage in patient-centered communication role-play scenarios. Additional didactic topics include sexual health, gynecologic oncology, and reproductive endocrinology (infertility, menopause, PCOS).
VIRTUAL OPTIONS
For students who are unable to join us in person, we offer the Cardiology and Resuscitation course virtually fromJuly 20-24, 2026. This course has more of an independent study component, where students receive the course material after registration. Class time is used for exam review. This course is held in the evening, and thus can be taken concurrently with Trauma session 2. The Medical Publishing course can also be taken virtually if needed.