Internet Resource Guide for Future Physician Assistant School and Medical School Applicants

Carly Torgersen ENGL 202C

Table of Contents
I. Preface II. Professional Resources A. The New England Journal of Medicine B. The Journal of the American Medical Association C. PubMed III. Government Resources A. Catalog of U.S. Government Publications B. Statistical Abstract of the United States IV. Resources for Gaining Hands-on Experience A. Penn State Student Affairs: University Health Services B. Mount Nittany Health V. Resume-Building Resources A. Penn State: Student Organization Directory B. Penn State: Eberly College of Science C. Physician Assistant Education Association 3

4 5 6

8 10

11 12

13 14 15

Preface
Whats in the Guide?
This guide contains valuable information regarding online communication resources for undergraduate science students seeking a career in healthcare. More specifically, this guide provides abstracts and usage tips for key research tools, online professional journals, professional societies, and other Internet sites. These online resources have a central focus of science, medicine, and healthcare. Each of the resources included in this guide was carefully chosen with the guides audience in mind. These resources are highly credible and contain a wealth of information pertaining to your educational and professional goals.

Who is the Guide for?

This guide was created for undergraduate students at the Pennsylvania State University who are planning on applying to a physician assistant program or medical school. Specifically, this guide is meant to provide such students with online resources to assist them in successfully completing their undergraduate coursework. For example, the index and professional journals included in this guide can efficiently and effectively help students as they prepare research papers, laboratory reports, and presentations. This guide was also created to provide these students with useful online resources that can assist them in building their resumes in terms of gaining hands-on healthcare experience and getting involved in student organizations. If undergraduate students want to become competitive applicants for physician assistant school or medical school, it is highly beneficial for them to start utilizing their resources earlier rather than later in their educational career, and this guide is the first step.

What the Guide Assumes Users Know

This guide assumes that users know how to open and view PDF files. In addition, it assumes that users have a basic understanding of how to navigate online material, such as how to locate links and search boxes. This guide also assumes that users are familiar with the physician assistant profession and have a basic understanding of what this career entails. It would also benefit the user to have an idea of what majors available through Penn State meet the course requirements to apply to physician assistant school or medical school. Such majors include, but are not limited to, biology, premedicine, and general science.

How the Guide is Organized for Use

The guide is organized so that the professional and government resources are presented first, followed by the resources that can assist undergraduates in gaining hands-on healthcare experience and expanding their resumes. For each online resource provided, this guide includes a title, website address, abstract, and helpful tips for using that resource.

Tips for Using the Guide

In order to use this guide efficiently, refer to the Table of Contents so you can find the specific page you are looking for. The page numbers are located at the bottom of each page. In addition, you should be aware that all of the resources provided, excluding the professional organization, are aimed towards both future physician assistant school and medical school applicants. The professional organization is specifically included for undergraduates who plan on applying to physician assistant school.

The New England Journal of Medicine

Location: http://www.nejm.org/medical-article-index Abstract: The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) marked two hundred years of service to the medical community in 2012, making it the oldest continuously published medical periodical today. NEJM is committed to providing physicians with top-of-the-line research and essential information that incorporates both biomedical science and clinical practice. NEJM is also committed to presenting this information in a clear and clinically useful format. As a result, NEJM is the most widely read, cited, and influential general medical periodical in the world. It is read by over 600,000 people in 177 countries each week. The fastest way to search on NEJM.org is to enter a search item into the search box near the upper right-hand corner of the page. This search box allows you to search by keyword, title, author, or citation, and the results generated give you access to all articles published by NEJM from 1812 to present day. You can also try an Advanced Search, which allows you to search by keywords in titles or in the full text, as well as by author name, article type, and specific date ranges. Once your search results have been generated, you can sort them by Most Relevant, Newest, Oldest, Most Viewed, or Most Cited by clicking the designated links within the results set. In addition, you can further filter the articles by topic, article category, or date. All NEJM content from January 1812 to present is available to Penn State students through the Penn State network. NEJM is a relevant and useful resource for undergraduate students seeking a career in healthcare because it provides an abundance of credible research and information that can be utilized to do research for course assignments and to keep up-to-date with the most current science and healthcare-related literature. Tips: The Advanced Search link is located near the upper right-hand corner of the page Enclosing a phrase in quotations in the basic search at the top of any page will narrow the results to just the desired phrase To view articles by a particular author, enter the first initial and full last name (e.g., J. Doe) NEJM search will avoid punctuation; letters or numbers separated by punctuation are treated as separate words Use the wildcard (*) if you are using a fragmented word (e.g., child* will return articles containing child, childcare, and children) The search box generates a set of results with all the default settings (all specialties, all categories, all years) You can run searches with more than two search terms that use the operators OR, AND, NOT (e.g., if you enter human AND diseases, you will retrieve only articles that mention both human and diseases) Make sure you are connected to Penn States network when using this resource because Penn State pays for its students to have free access

The Journal of the American Medical Association

Location: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/journal.aspx Abstract: The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) is an international peer-reviewed medical journal. Furthermore, it is the most widely circulated medical journal in the world. JAMA has been continuously published since 1883, and it is published 48 times per year. The topics covered by the journal articles published in JAMA include allergy/immunology, cardiology, emergency medicine, health promotion/disease prevention, infectious disease, and pediatrics. In the upper right-hand corner of the home page, you can type a keyword or phrase into the search box in order to run a basic search on any topic of interest to you. This search will generate a list of related journal articles, which are available in PDF format. If you click on the Advanced Search link located next to the search box, this will allow you to further specify your search by journal, article title, year of publication, and volume number. Articles can also be accessed from the table of contents of current or previous issues by clicking on the Current Issue or All Issues links at the top of the page. In addition, you can easily access articles from the Specialties and Topics page, which also has a link at the top of the page. All JAMA content from 1883 forward is available to Penn State students through the Penn State network. JAMA includes research articles, editorials, commentaries, advice for patients, book reviews, and news. JAMA is a relevant and useful resource for undergraduate students seeking a career in healthcare because it provides a wide variety of credible information and research that can be utilized to do research for course assignments, such as research papers, and also to keep up-to-date with the most current science and healthcare-related news. Tips: Once your search results appear, you can further sort your search by Best Match, Most Recent, and Oldest You can search specific journals, such as JAMA Dermatology or JAMA Surgery, using the links located at the bottom of the page Create a free account by clicking on the Create a Free Personal Account link in the upper right-hand corner of the page in order to receive email alerts (see below) Take advantage of the alerts feature, which notifies you via email when something new publishes to the JAMA Network, such as new issues or online first articles. First, click on the Alerts link at the top of the page. Next, click on the My Email Alerts tab on the left-hand side of the page. This will allow you to set up publication alerts, search alerts, topic alerts, or content alerts Make sure you are connected to Penn States network when using this resource because Penn State pays for its students to have free access

PubMed
Location: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed Abstract: PubMed is an online database that consists of over 23 million citations for biomedical literature from life science journals, MEDLINE, and online books. It is a free resource that is developed and maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), at the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), located at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). PubMed citations and abstracts, which date from the late 1940s to present day, are focused in the fields of biomedicine and health, covering portions of the life sciences, behavioral sciences, chemical sciences, and bioengineering. The search box at the top of the home page allows you to search by a keyword or phrase. In order to access an article, click on the Title link (as shown in Figure 1 below), and a separate page containing the articles abstract will open. In the upper right-hand side of this page, you can either click on the Free in PMC free full-text archive button, if it is available, or the Get it! Penn State button, if you are using the Penn State network. The Get it! Penn State button allows you to access the article through the Penn State Library website. This information is relevant and useful for undergraduate students who are pursuing a career in healthcare because this database contains links to full text articles and abstracts that can help you gather research for laboratory reports and research papers. PubMed can also keep you up-to-date with the latest medical breakthroughs and technological advances. Figure 1 is an example of what the search results page looks like.

Figure 1. Format of Search Results

Tips: The search results are sorted by recently added, however, you can change the filter using the drop-down menu at the top of the results page Clicking on the PubMed Quick Start Guide link on the left-hand side of the home page provides answers to important questions, such as How do I search PubMed? and How can I save my results? Use the Quick Tour links, which walk you through how to do a simple subject search or search by author step-by-step. These links can be located by clicking on the PubMed Quick Start Guide link on the home page To search PubMed by subject, do not use punctuation, tags, or operators Suggestions will be displayed as you type key words or terms into the search box. Click Turn off in the bottom right-hand corner of the drop-down menu to temporarily disable the autocomplete feature

Catalog of U.S. Government Publications

Location: http://catalog.gpo.gov/F Abstract: The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) is a useful online search tool that allows you to access federal government publications. The CGP contains over 500,000 records, which have been generated since July 1976, and it is updated daily. The historical and current publications are available as electronic and print sources. The CGP has basic, advanced, and expert search options. The Basic search option allows you to search for a publication by keyword(s) in the title, author, or subject. The Advanced search option allows you to search by words/phrases in the title, publication place, series number, etc., as well as by the year, format, language, and catalog. In addition, the CGP allows you to search by New Titles and view a list of your previous searches. This search tool is valuable because it provides direct links to online versions of publications. In addition, its Locate a Library feature allows you to find a close federal depository where a particular publication can be found. This website is relevant and useful for an undergraduate pursuing a career in the health professions because it can provide you with reliable, up-to-date information regarding healthcare, medicine, and technological breakthroughs in science when preparing research papers, laboratory reports, or presentations. It can also be useful for researching future career information/data. Example Search: I used the CGP to locate the report entitled Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Physician Assistants in Physician Offices. This report discusses the growing demand for health care services in the United States due to the expansion of health insurance coverage and the aging baby-boomer population. It provides data regarding the current employment of nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants in physician offices, as these health professionals will be essential in preparing for the future. Figure 2 on the next page shows a sample record view. The record shows that this data was published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Center for Health Statistics, which are all important departments/organizations that are relevant to the healthcare field. Tips: When running an advanced or expert search, use quotation marks for phrase searching, e.g., "international relations" You can run searches with more than two search terms that use the operators OR, AND, NOT (e.g., if you enter human AND diseases, you will only retrieve results that mention both human and diseases) Pay attention to the Search hints at the bottom of the page when running an advanced or expert search in order to obtain helpful hints for further specifying your search

Figure 2. Sample Record View of Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Physician Assistants in Physician Offices

Statistical Abstract of the United States

Location: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ Abstract: The Statistical Abstract of the United States, which has been published since 1878, is an online resource that contains summaries of statistical information pertaining to the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. The data provided by this resource is not entirely up-to-date because it is re-published every two years, and the current data is from the 2012 statistical abstract. Sources of data include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations. The sections of the 2012 statistical abstract are listed alphabetically on the left-hand side of the page. Useful information pertaining to the healthcare professions can be obtained in the Health and Nutrition and Science and Technology sections. For example, if you click on the Health and Nutrition link, and then click on Health Conditions, Diseases from the drop-down menu, a list of Excel and PDF files will be generated such as Cancer-Estimated New Cases, and Survival Rates and Children Immunized Against Specified Diseases. You could use such information if you were assigned to write a research paper or design a presentation about a topic pertaining to medicine, such as a specific disease or treatment. Tips: Use the subtopics available for each section of the 2012 statistical abstract in order to narrow down your search results

10

Penn State Student Affairs: University Health Services

Location: http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/volunteer/ Abstract: The Penn State Student Affairs University Health Services website contains a Volunteer Opportunities link. The Volunteer Opportunities page provides information about the University Health Services (UHS) departments that offer volunteer and service learning programs for Penn State students to participate in. Undergraduate students can enhance their medical school or physician assistant school application by gaining clinical experience. Some volunteer opportunities available through the UHS website are positions in clinical services, emergency medical services (EMS), health promotion and wellness (HPW), and physical therapy. There is a separate link available for each of these opportunities on the left hand-side of the page. Clinic volunteer workers, for example, have the opportunity to work closely with members of the clinical staff as well as assist the nurses in a variety of duties. In addition, it gives students an opportunity to interact with and assist patients. Volunteering opportunities such as these allow undergraduate students who plan on applying to physician assistant school or medical school to gain valuable experience in a healthcare setting. These hands-on experiences not only enhance your resume and make you a more competitive physician assistant school or medical school applicant, but they also give you an opportunity to network with professionals in your field of interest. Furthermore, these volunteering opportunities allow you to apply what you have learned thus far in your undergraduate career to real-life situations. Taking advantage of such opportunities will also give you a better idea of what your future profession entails in terms of duties and responsibilities. Tips: Bookmark this website and check it frequently for important information about the application process and deadlines Applications to become a clinic volunteer are accepted January until early February each year and the selected students begin a training course the following fall semester In order to become a clinic volunteer, students are evaluated based on their application, GPA, class standing and potentially their presentation at an interview Beginning in the fall semester, all participants in the Clinic Volunteer Program are trained to conduct an initial intake screening of patients in a two-credit Bio-Behavioral Health course The classroom portion of the Clinic Volunteer Program takes place mostly during the fall semester and volunteers must commit to working in the clinic for one four-hour block of time each week for two semesters

11

Mount Nittany Health

Location: http://www.mountnittany.org/careers/ Abstract: Mount Nittany Health is the parent organization for Mount Nittany Medical Center, Mount Nittany Physician Group, and the Foundation for Mount Nittany Medical Center. Based in State College, Pennsylvania, Mount Nittany Health provides primary, specialized, emergency, and surgical care to Central Pennsylvania residents. Mount Nittany Health employs approximately 1,700 skilled healthcare professionals and support staff, with over 220 credentialed physicians in over 40 specialties and sub-specialties practicing at their facilities. Each year, Mount Nittany Health volunteers contribute over 68,000 hours of service. Undergraduate students at Penn State that plan on applying to a physician assistant program or medical school can utilize this website to seek out internships and volunteer opportunities. If you click on the Internships link on the left-hand side of the careers webpage, it will lead you to information regarding the details and application process of their internship program. Similarly, if you click on the Volunteer Opportunities link on the left-hand side of the careers webpage, it will lead you to information regarding volunteering at Mount Nittany Medical Center, such as reasons for volunteering and how to apply. In order to become a competitive applicant for a physician assistant program or medical school, it is essential that you gain experience in the healthcare field. This hands-on experience gives you the opportunity to interact with patients as well as professionals in your field of interest. Taking advantage of opportunities like these show that you are passionate about medicine and that you are motivated to become more knowledgeable about your future career. Tips: All internships at Mount Nittany Health must be under the direction of an accredited educational institution and fulfill academic credit for that institution Mount Nittany Health accepts summer internship applications until mid-March In order to apply for an internship, you should allot 45 minutes and be able to provide your academic advisers and/or instructors name and contact information, your prior semester course list and grades, your current course list and grade point average, goals and objectives for your educational experience, and dates for your internship You should only apply to be a volunteer if you are willing and able to devote a minimum of two 3-4 hour shifts per month and if you will provide a minimum of 40 hours of service or more throughout your entire time as a volunteer In order to become a volunteer, you must complete and submit all application materials (including proof of immunizations and references), participate in a 90-minute interview, attend a two-hour orientation, and complete training sessions with experienced volunteers (3 to 12 hours, depending on location) You should start getting your references together well in advance

12

Penn State: Student Organization Directory

Location: http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/hub/studentorgs/orgdirectory/ Abstract: The Penn State Division of Student Affairs Office of Student Activities website contains a student organization directory. This directory is a listing of all student organizations that are recognized at Penn States University Park Campus. In order to search for a student organization that interests you, you can either use the alphabetized list in the middle of the page or run an Org Search. You can use the Org Search to search by the first letter of the organizations name, category, or keyword. Once the search results appear, clicking on one of the student organizations in the list leads you to a separate page that provides information regarding that particular organization. This information includes the category, office address, office phone number, mission, website, and officers/advisors. This information is relevant and useful for undergraduate students at Penn State who plan on applying to physician assistant school or medical school because, although grades are important, admissions committees also want to see that their prospective students are well-rounded individuals. Being involved in organizations and clubs can help you enhance your leadership and communication skills, and it also provides you with the opportunity to meet other students who share similar educational and professional goals. There are various organizations at Penn State that are relevant to healthcare. For example, the Pre-Physician Assistant Clubs mission is to provide students interested in the physician assistant profession with support and valuable information about graduate school and the career itself. Other relevant clubs include the Emergency Medical Services Association, Global Medical Brigades, Pre-Medical Society, and the Student National Medical Association. Tips: The contact information included in the directory allows you to communicate with student organization representatives regarding membership and events specific to the purpose and mission of the organization You can access a description of the different organization categories by clicking on the category descriptions link next to the Select the Organization Category drop-down menu in the center of the page Any further questions can be directed to The Office of Student Activities, which is located in room 209 of the HUB (Phone number: 814-863-4624, Email: studentorg@sa.psu.edu)

13

Penn State: Eberly College of Science

Location: http://science.psu.edu Abstract: The Penn State Eberly College of Science is the home of the basic biological, physical, and mathematical sciences. The colleges website contains a plethora of information about the college, admissions, alumni events, research, and seminars. Undergraduate students at Penn State who plan on applying to physician assistant school or medical school are going to find the information most pertinent to them by placing their cursor over the Current Students link at the top of the page and then clicking on the Academic Advising Center link when the drop-down menu appears. Clicking on this link will lead you to a page entitled Academic Advising In The Eberly College of Science, which contains the location, hours, and phone number for the academic advising center. This information is relevant and useful because your academic advisor can assist you with numerous aspects of your educational experience, including scheduling your courses, choosing a major that fits your career goals, and learning about internship/externship program opportunities. Another useful link is the Ask the Science Advisor link located on the left-hand side of the page. This link allows you to ask and receive answers to questions regarding your major, schedule, Penn State resources, etc., via the Internet. All you need to provide is your first and last name, email address, and affiliation to the university (e.g., current student, university faculty, etc.), along with your question, in order to receive a response in five to seven business days. For additional information, you should direct your attention to the green links on the lefthand side of the page. Other useful links include Majors, Requirements, Academic Advising, and Syllabi, News and Events, and Research Opportunities for Undergraduates. Tips: Forming a close, professional relationship with your academic advisor is important because, in order to apply for physician assistant school or medical school, you need to provide letters of recommendation. Some schools require a letter of recommendation from your academic advisor. If you meet with your advisor regularly and demonstrate a genuine interest in your field of study, a strong work ethic, and integrity, your advisor could potentially provide you with a strong recommendation In order to choose a major that will fulfill the course requirements for physician assistant school or medical school, click on the Majors, Requirements, Academic Advising, and Syllabi link on the left-hand side of the page. This page includes the requirements to enter each major and recommended academic plans

14

Physician Assistant Education Association

Location: http://www.paeaonline.org Abstract: The website for the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) is a valuable resource for any undergraduate student who is considering applying to a physician assistant program. PAEA, which was founded in 1972, serves as a resource for individuals and organizations from various professional sectors interested in the educational aspects of the physician assistant profession. PAEA is the only national organization in the United States representing physician assistant educational programs. PAEA is the organization primarily responsible for collecting, publishing, and disseminating information on the physician assistant programs. The mission of PAEA is to pursue excellence, foster faculty development, advance the body of knowledge that defines quality education and patient-centered care, and promote diversity in all aspects of physician assistant education. The PAEA website contains numerous useful links for prospective physician assistant program applicants. For example, the Physician Assistant Program Map link, which is located in the upper left-hand side of the page, leads you to a page that contains a map of the United States. You can click on any state, and it will lead you to a detailed list of all the physician assistant programs in that particular state, as well as their location, email address, website, credentials awarded, and whether or not they are a CASPA (Central Application Service for Physician Assistants) participating program. The website also has a PA Focus link that leads to information regarding the CASPA application process, applying to physician assistant school, and the physician assistant profession. Tips: Bookmark this page so that you can use the Physician Assistant Program Map regularly to look into potential schools Pay attention to information regarding the CASPA application process in order to start preparing the necessary materials (e.g., letters of recommendation) well in advance

15