June 10, 2010
CONTACT: Tory Olson, 515-271-1834, tory.olson@drake.edu
DRAKE STUDENT FIRST ACCEPTED TO EARLY ENROLLMENT MED SCHOOL PROGRAM AT DMU
Scott Gleason, a senior health sciences major at Drake University, has been accepted to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine 3 + 4 Early Enrollment program at Des Moines University (DMU) Iowa Medical School. http://www.dmu.edu/
Gleason, of Fairfield, Iowa, is the first Drake health sciences student to be accepted to the 3 + 4 program.
The program follows a revised junior year curriculum that includes senior health sciences course work in addition to one semester of the program’s senior capstone experience. First year medical school classes fulfill elective requirements in Drake’s Health Sciences program in addition to the other semester of the senior capstone experience. Next spring, Gleason will earn a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Drake and will have completed his first year of medical school.
“Several professors wrote letters of recommendation for me and offered great input on my resume and personal statement essay — and that helped a lot,” Gleason said.
“The 3 + 4 Early Enrollment program is competitive, but the DMU Admissions Office was very impressed with our health sciences degree program and the courses and experiences that Drake students receive,” said Renae Chesnut, who serves as associate dean for student affairs at Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
“Admission into this competitive program recognizes Scott’s academic and professional accomplishments as well as the opportunities that were provided to him through the health sciences curriculum,” Chesnut said. “We are confident that Scott will provide a smooth path for other Drake health sciences students to follow into DMU’s medical school.”
Gleason said that his Drake education has been excellent. “My professors did a great job of preparing me for the future — Drake has helped me become an independent thinker and has provided me with opportunities that have given me a good idea of how the real world works in the health care field.”
Gleason plans to remain in the Midwest and to become a family practitioner.
“I would like to run a family medicine group practice with a concentration in diabetes treatment — something that could be very beneficial to many Midwestern people who suffer from diabetes but don’t have easy access to specialized care,” he said.