SIU Med School Physician Pipeline Program Now Accepting Applications
Springfield area high school freshmen interested in becoming doctors are invited to take their career explorations one step further. Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield Public Schools (SPS) and the Sangamon County Medical Society are now accepting applications for the Physician Preparatory Pipeline Program (P4). P4 students begin the program during their freshman year and continue in the program throughout high school. The program nurtures their career interests through classroom and enrichment activities on medical topics. The deadline to submit an application is 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7.
A P4 informational meeting for parents and students will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, in the South Auditorium of the medical school’s main instructional facility, 801 N. Rutledge St., in Springfield.
“I hope we can recruit a new group of students to join us who are as keen about becoming physicians as the students who just graduated from our program,” said Wesley Robinson-McNeese, MD, SIU School of Medicine associate dean for diversity and inclusion. “Those young men and women are now enrolled in college and plan to pursue medical careers.” McNeese directs the program and will host the November meeting. 
District 186 students must submit applications to the District 186 Board Office, 1900 W. Monroe St., c/o Nalo Mitchell.
P4 sessions are scheduled for Nov. 7 – 10, Nov. 14 – 17, March 20 – 23 and March 27 – 30. Faculty and staff from both Springfield schools and the SIU medical school developed the program’s curriculum. The P4 components for the after-school program include participation in medical school-style curriculum; introduction to problem-based learning; tours and shadowing, and interactions with SIU students and faculty.
Parking is on the north side of the building across from the flag pole. Enter at the Security Office just south of the flagpole. The auditorium is on the second floor of the south building.
For more information about the P4 program, visit www.sps186.org/p4/ and www.siumed.edu/diversity/physicianpipeline.html, or contact McNeese at SIU, 217-545-7334 or wmcneese@siumed.edu, or Nalo Mitchell at SPS, 217-525-3047 or nalom@sps186.org.
