Club matches pre-med students into one-on-one mentorships

Running from the Hill to the middle of South Campus, a student was late for chemistry class.

Anirudh Madabhushi, a fourth-year physiological science student, slipped into a seat at the back of the classroom and simultaneously took out his notebook to start taking notes. But without someone familiar to whom he could turn, he could not get the notes from the first few minutes.

To address these types of problems many pre-medical students face, Madabhushi and his friend Matthew Singer, a fourth-year psychobiology student, founded Medical Friends at UCLA – one of a few pre-medical clubs on campus that pairs pre-med students with each other for one-on-one mentorship.

Through the club, first- and second-year students hoping to attend medical school are paired with third- and fourth-year students based on an interest survey that they fill out when applying to the club, Singer said.

Mentors assist their mentees by helping them find volunteer and research opportunities, giving tips on which professors to take for certain classes and sorting out personal issues.

Medical Friends differs from other premedical clubs such as the American Medical Student Association because it prioritizes mentorship and forming personal connections between members, Singer said.

After getting mononucleosis his freshman year, Singer said he missed the period of time when everyone figures out their place at UCLA. He said he joined numerous clubs over the next few years in order to do so, and found being a pre-medical student at UCLA is especially difficult because the resources are so scattered around campus.

Singer said he met Madabhushi in their third year and they realized they had similar views. They decided to work together to start a pre-medical mentorship club.

“(If there was such a club when I was a freshman), I would have worked smarter, not harder,” Singer said. “(We wanted) to make sure there is an avenue for all the resources for (pre-medical) students at UCLA in one place.”

The club also invites medical professionals to speak at meetings, give advice to mentees and tour different medical schools in the area such as the Keck School of Medicine of USC. The club also works closely with the UCLA Career Center.

“Student-to-student mentorship is a very healthy and interesting concept,” said Kathy Sims, director of the UCLA Career Center. “It is very complementary to other critical support that (pre-medical) students need which would include counseling that is available at the career center.”

The club currently has about 100 members. Madabhushi said.

Jennifer Dihenia, a first-year neuroscience student, joined Medical Friends in fall 2012. She said the club is very resourceful and she feels welcomed in the pre-medical community.

“(Medical Friends) is my safety net.” Dihenia said. “Other (pre-medical) kids have to fend for themselves.”

Shellpreet Kaur, a first-year biology student, said she attended the first meeting in fall 2012 after hearing about it at the Enormous Activities Fair. Although she did not join the club as she was hesitant because of the fees they charged, she said she liked the idea behind it.

Medical Friends charged $150 per mentee and $40 per mentor for this academic year. The cost will decrease next year, Madabhushi said.

Singer said the group hopes to expand to other University of California campuses next year.

“It’s amazing to see something that was once a vision in my head become a reality,” he added.

Email Soni at [email protected].