AspiringDocs.org Video Contest Focuses On Students' Role In Increasing Diversity In Medicine

Main Category: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 16 Oct 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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The AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) has launched its second http://www.AspiringDocs.org Video Contest, this time asking students-"What motivates you to increase diversity in medicine?"

In an increasingly diverse world, it is necessary to have a physician workforce that can identify with the cultural needs of different patients. The online video contest gives college students an opportunity to explain how they plan to play a role in meeting this demand, and the chance to receive assistance to help make their dreams of becoming a doctor come true.

Students are asked to submit a short video in response to the contest question. Ten winners will be selected. Each will receive $500 toward the cost of applying to medical school and a suite of AAMC publications, including "The Official Guide to the MCAT®."

The video contest is a feature of the AAMC's AspiringDocs.org campaign, a Web site and outreach effort to increase diversity in medicine. Launched in 2006, the AspiringDocs.org Web site provides college students with the information, tools, and support they need to decide if a career in medicine is right for them. It also helps students understand and navigate the medical school application and admission process, prepare for the MCAT, and apply for financial aid.

To enter, college students should grab a video camera-the first tool in their doctor's bag-and follow these steps:

- Record a video, no longer than 2 minutes, that answers the question: What motivates you to increase diversity in medicine?
- Upload the video to YouTube.
- Fill out the entry form at http://www.aspiringdocs.org/onlinecommunity/videocontest
- Check out http://www.youtube.com/aamcvideo for updates and to see videos featured online.

Entries are due at midnight, E.T., on December 1, 2009.

The contest is open to all undergraduate students enrolled at an accredited U.S. university, college, community college, or junior college. Contest entrants must be U.S. residents age 18 or older. Winners will be announced by February 28, 2010.

For more information, go to http://www.AspiringDocs.org.

Source
Association of American Medical Colleges