The Long-term Enhanced Advising and Preparation for Medical School (LEAP) program provides tailored advice for prospective medical school applicants.
The program was inspired by the need to extend the benefits of the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP), which offers a concentrated six-week academic enrichment experience. LEAP builds on SHPEP by offering a virtual, inclusive and tailored pre-med advising program that extends beyond the summer and accompanies college students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in medicine — first-generation college students and students from underserved rural and urban communities — to their ultimate goal of matriculating into medical school.
“Student involvement has been crucial to the implementation and ongoing success of the LEAP program,” said Liliana Bronner, PhD, director of the program. “From the initial pilot phase to its current iteration, medical students have played an integral role in shaping the program’s offerings and ensuring its relevance to the participants’ needs.
“Their firsthand experiences and insights into the medical school application process have informed the development of workshops, educational sessions, and personalized advising. Additionally, these student leaders serve as relatable role models and mentors, fostering a supportive community that empowers participants to achieve their dreams.”
Below, UNMC medical students reflect on their LEAP experiences:
Sineah Donaldson, M4, LEAP lead program coordinator “After three years by myself, I was so grateful with the team additions of Nicole (Bender), Hannah (Im) and Tuoma Edegbele. They have brought great insight and new ideas to help take LEAP to its fullest potential. Over the last year, it has allowed our informational sessions to become more interactive and fun, even via Zoom.
“The most rewarding part was building rapport with the LEAP scholars, where they felt comfortable asking questions that pertained to their situations in the small group. It reminded me that even as my days get so busy with third- and fourth-year responsibilities taking this time once per month is making a difference.
“I am excited for our medical student office hours where we can chat with LEAP scholars in an informal setting. We have increased our quarterly sessions to monthly this upcoming year to include workshops. I also can’t wait to see the impact our program has had with some LEAP scholars having applied to medical school this last round and I can’t wait to see where they will be starting this fall!”
Nicole Bender, M2, LEAP associate lead coordinator
“The most rewarding aspect of my involvement with LEAP has been knowing that I am helping to shape the next generation of physicians. I was fortunate to have received great guidance during my pre-med journey, and LEAP has allowed me to pass on that information, as well as new things that I have learned while in medical school.
“Being a part of LEAP has impacted my journey as a medical student by helping me realize that even when I have endless hours of studying, I can still have an impact on aspiring medical students. Medical school feels daunting when you first start, and I never imagined I’d have time to be involved in something like the LEAP program. I have realized I am capable of more than I thought, and that medical school allows you to grow both in and out of the classroom.
“An example of how I made a difference for a pre-med student is when working with a student on writing his personal statement for his medical school application. The personal statement is one of the most difficult but also important aspects of the application, and it can really aid the admissions committees in understanding who you are and why you want to be a physician. We worked through the student’s personal statement and helped focus on showing who they are to the future readers.”
Hannah Im, M2, LEAP mentor facilitator and research associate
“As a LEAP facilitator, it was most rewarding to connect undergraduate pre-medicine students with current medical students. This experience has allowed me to recognize the important role medical students can have in supporting the next class of physician colleagues.
“Working with my fellow LEAP student workers has been a valuable opportunity to develop. I’ve also been able to conduct research with the LEAP advisers’ support, which has contributed to my overall growth as a scholar.
“In the coming year, I hope to collect more input from LEAP scholars to better tailor our programming to their needs as well as to gain a greater understanding of the challenges facing our group of pre-medicine students.
Tuoma Edegbele, M1, LEAP research assistant
“The most rewarding part of being involved with the LEAP program is interacting with the students. I take satisfaction in passing on wisdom to future medical students knowing that the info I passed on can make a difference in their careers. LEAP has reminded me of the importance of nurturing the next generation of medical students.
“There was one moment during a LEAP session where a student expressed interest in reaching out to share resources and wisdom about his experiences to other students. I enjoyed seeing how the culture of community outreach was spread in that manner.
“My hope for the future is simply to see the LEAP program continue to grow, prosper and serve as catalyst to the development of new mentorship and pathway programs here at UNMC.”