Doctors to Bee Helps Students Interested in Med School

Keegan Steele is weighing his options: attend medical school at Marian University in Indianapolis or at Indiana University. He was quickly accepted into both, and Indiana gave him the choice of the rural health program, too.

Steele -- who will graduate in May 2019 -- attributes his academic success to a strong biology program and biomedical science concentration, attentive faculty, and supportive peers.

Four years ago, Steele joined Doctors to Bee, an SAU club for undergraduate students interested in or planning to attend medical graduate school.

"The biggest thing I benefited from was the mentorship. When I joined, the juniors and seniors were taking the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and applying to med school. They helped carry along the underclassmen, the first-year and sophomore students, and helped lead us in the way we needed to go," he said.

"There is a family-like atmosphere SAU has in general, and especially within the biology cohort," Steele said. "At a lot of other schools, there is a cut-throat mentality because everyone is competing for the same spots in med school. Here, I've never felt like that at all."

Many of the students who join Doctors to Bee are chemistry and/or biology majors, and some also have a biomedical science concentration. The programs are very rigorous, and students have to be fully committed to their goal, said club president, SAU senior Jason Capper.

"Doctors to Bee provides that base of support a pre-med student might not have," he said. "It is a tough journey, and it is common to feel as if it is a lonely journey. Knowing there are other students who are, or have, experienced similar things is very beneficial," he said.

At meetings, members share study tips and discuss the best ways to prepare for admissions tests, about graduate programs and applications, and how to best manage current, or future, course loads. They invite local physicians to discuss their journey and medical career, and to share tips and offer perspective.

"All of it is super helpful," Steele said.

Capper joined Doctors to Bee as a sophomore. "I wanted to get as much help as I could," he said, adding that at the time, he wanted to start preparing for the MCAT. "The members of the club definitely helped me and gave me a base for where to start and how to continue my studies."

Doctors to Bee will host more meetings and activities next year, and Capper hopes more students will get involved.

"Having that support, and knowing where and how to start is really important," he added.