Local Undergrads Hone Skills at Midwestern University Mentoring Event

College students from Aurora University got a taste of real-world healthcare training during a recent mentoring event at Midwestern University’s state-of-the-art Clinical Skills and Simulation (SIM) Center on the Downers Grove Campus.

Hosted as the capstone experience of the Mentors in Medicine & Science (MIMS) program, the event paired local undergraduates with student mentors from Midwestern’s medical, dental, and health professions programs. Together, they rotated through interactive stations focused on clinical skills like identifying heart and lung sounds, taking patient histories, and measuring vital signs.

The spring event, held in April, welcomed 20 mentees and 12 mentors who were able to attend. These participants represent just a portion of the program’s full mentor-mentee cohort.

Mentees had the chance to experience Midwestern’s One Health philosophy first-hand, an approach that brings together students from different healthcare fields to learn and work as a team, recognizing how human, animal, and environmental health are all connected. “The Simulation Center at Midwestern University was incredible,” said Andrea Garcia, a junior pre-dental student at Aurora University. “I didn’t know dental students trained alongside PA and medical students in their first year. It was cool seeing how hands-on and collaborative the program is.”

“The Simulation Center experience changed how I think about dentistry,” said Yarexy Castaneda, a sophomore pre-dental student also from Aurora University. “I always thought dentistry was just about oral health, but I learned how important it is to understand a patient’s full medical background. Learning about patient health histories, CPR, and SOAP notes really opened my eyes.”

Mentors like Isabella Matthews (CCOM ’28), a student at Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM), also appreciated the chance to be the guide they once needed. “When I was applying to med school, I had no one to really guide me. I did a lot of doom-scrolling and felt lost. That’s why I wanted to be a mentor,” she said. “I know how confusing it all can be, and it’s been really rewarding to help someone else figure it out in real time.”

Fellow medical student Danielle Gilchrist (CCOM ’28) shared a similar motivation. “I remember feeling like I was bothering people when I had questions about applying to medical school. I wanted to be the kind of mentor I wish I’d had,” she added.

The MIMS program is sponsored by the Offices of Multicultural Affairs and Community Outreach, Student Services, Admissions, and Communications. For more information about the MIMS Program, visit MIMS-IL.