LAPTOP INFO COMING BY THE END OF THE DAY!

What is an Advocate?

Every year, fifteen or sixteen students from the second year class gain the dubious title “advocate.”  But what does this really mean?  It means they were elected by their peers to:

 

- Serve as mentors, friends, and resources to the incoming class of first-year med school students (MS1s)

- Act as liasons between the Office of Student Affairs and fellow students

- Be a resource to their own class (current MS2s)  and assist them with their needs

- Help fellow students with personal or academic difficulties

- Assist the MS2 class presidents (Megan Jordan and Dan Verges) in planning orientation for MS1s

 

 

What They Really Do?

During Orientation, advocates facilitate a lunch between themselves and our 10 or so assigned MS1s.  The purpose of this lunch is to feed the MS1s (duh), get to know you all better, and answer any burning questions you might have.

 

Advocates also serve as mentors and peer counselors to their assigned MS1s.  Some how or another, we made it to second year and fooled the rest of our class into thinking we were respectable.  There must be something you can learn from us. Furthermore, all MS1 faculty mentors will know who the corresponding advocate is for each MS1.   So if a mentor is worried about a student, he/she can call on the advocate for some more help in making sure all is good.  Plus, we’re here to listen to you and give advice if you want it.  It’s our way of providing each MS1 with support to make it through the year.

 

Finally, all advocates went through training in the spring.  Although we may not be trained fighting machines or robots in disguise, we are trained in a variety of areas such as financial aid, residency/match info, Student Health Services, the promotions committee, academic assistance, psychological support services, and much more.  It means we’ve got some answers and a few tricks up our sleeves.  And if we don’t know the answer, we’re highly motivated to find it.  

 

Have Questions About Anything?
Email any advocate! We have been through it!