Margaret Moore (left) and Lisa Friedman (right) our first summer medical student interns participating in the Don Innes Pathology Summer Enrichment program
In undergraduate medical education, it is sometimes difficult to gain experience in pathology until the fourth year. This delays students’ exploration of the field. The Summer Innes Internship in Pathology provides rising second year students with a unique blend of clinical skills, education, and research opportunities. We feel honored to have been the first students to participate in this internship. The program exposed us to many of the varied domains of both clinical and anatomic pathology. We were able to work directly with residents and faculty, attend tumor boards and lectures, and start research projects. We participated in activities as diverse as blood bank rounds, autopsy reviews, brain cuttings, and cytogenetics analysis. In reviewing our summer activities, we participated in over 30 unique educational experiences in different areas of pathology. Over the summer, our knowledge of pathophysiology deepened, and we became increasingly competent and confident in reviewing cases. Though we may not be able to diagnose all the cases that come through surgical pathology, we nonetheless feel like we have improved our clinical thinking and gained a great appreciation for the specialty. This was a wonderful experience, and we look forward to helping shape the program for future students.