Chelsea Center

Experiential Education Opportunities for ALL students

Explore Medical and Veterinary Careers

The Chelsea Center is thrilled to help students dive into two exciting summer opportunities for healthcare education on Mizzou's campus: Mizzou Mini Med School and the Advanced Veterinary Academy. These programs feature a competitive application process and look fantastic on college applications and workplace resumes alike. If students choose to enroll in coordinated Chelsea Center summer coursework, we can sponsor the total cost of the program. Please tell your students to register their interest on GivePulse, send them to us to learn more, or email Dr. Kerry Arens at arens.kerry@wgmail.com.

Mizzou Mini Med School

Missouri high school students interested in careers in medicine can preview what medical school is like during Mini-Medical School. Students will stay in residence halls and eat in dining rooms on campus.

Participation includes

Introduction to Patient-Based Learning (PBL)
Special sessions with clinical and research specialists
Hands-on experience in anatomy, microbiology, and clinical skills
Meaningful interactions with current School of Medicine students, faculty, and staff
Seminars on college and medical school application processes and life as a medical student
Social activities (such as pool parties, trivia nights, field games, movie nights, etc.)

Additionally, the University of Missouri Office of Medical Education and The Ellis Fischel Cancer Center (EFCC) have partnered this year for Mini Med to deliver some cancer research experiences to all campers. Throughout the camp session campers will get to visit the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center’s state-of-the-art theranostics and molecular imaging, comparative oncology and translational medicine, and the precision oncology facilities.

This program is available to juniors (rising seniors) graduating in 2025 and offers two sessions: June 1-5, 2025 and June 8-12, 2025. Applications are accepted beginning 1/17/25 and must be submitted by March 15.

Eligibility and Application Materials

Eligibility

Permanent address in Missouri OR attend high school in Missouri
3.0 GPA
Be available from 3:30 p.m. Sunday until 3:30 p.m. Thursday the week of your camp session

Application Materials:

Mini-Med Application - opening January 17, 2025
High School transcript (at least five semesters) sent by high school*
Science teacher's recommendation sent directly by teacher*

Mizzou Advanced Veterinary Academy

For students interested in a career in veterinary medicine to provide care to the four-legged, winged, feathered, and scaled residents of our planet, The Advanced Veterinary Academy at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine is the way to go! Through a series of lectures, labs and related activities, the three-day academy presents participants with a peek at the life of a veterinary student. The Academy program will simulate being a veterinary student in both the classroom as well as on clinical rotation.

Admissions Session, ACT, GRE and Interview Prep:
Learn proper interview etiquette, dress, body language, eye contact and demeanor. Test-taking tips for the ACT and GRE.
Anatomy: Explore biomedical science through the broad expanse of anatomy. This session includes a brief instructional lecture followed by an animal dissection.
Career Exploration: Learn about jobs in government agencies, academia and industry.
Clinical Pathology: Is it cancer, diabetes, genetic or otherwise? Learn what is going on inside the body by what is found in blood and tissue.
Comparative Medicine: Learn about comparative diseases, viruses and ailments plaguing both animals and humans.
Food Animal Medicine: Learn how integral veterinarians are to America’s safe beef production.
Gross Pathology: Discover how forensics applies in animal medicine.
Lecture: Participants will sit in on an actual lecture alongside first- or second-year veterinary students.
Public Health: Understand and appreciate the important role veterinarians play in disease prevention, food inspection, disaster preparedness and epidemiology.
Radiology: Review radiographs and learn how pertinent they are to an accurate, clinical diagnosis.
Small Animal Medicine: Shadow students and clinicians on rounds.
Surgery: Scrub in on a surgery alongside clinical students observing critical procedures and complex cases.
Toxicology: Is chocolate bad for dogs? What plants are harmful, possibly fatal, if ingested?

Applications are being accepted now, and are due by March 15. This experience will take place on Mizzou's campus from June 9 - 12. Students will stay in residence halls and eat in dining rooms on campus.

Program Criteria

High school junior or senior.
Minimum age of 16 or entering into junior year of high school. Maximum age of 18 or entering freshman year of college.
Must have spent, or be currently spending, time job shadowing a veterinarian. (Chelsea Center can help you arrange this)
Complete a 500 to 1,000-word essay addressing knowledge of the veterinary medicine profession, career goals and objectives related to the profession and how the academy can further those goals.
Submit two letters of recommendation: one from a non-family member (e.g., pastor, teacher) and one from a veterinarian.
Maintain a minimum 2.7 GPA.

Reminder: We can help students who are pursuing their A+ hours find connections to service learning that include the mentorship or job shadowing components the A+ program requires. Have your students stop by to talk with us, or independently explore their GivePulse account opportunity listings by using their school google email credentials at wgsd.givepulse.com.