A Unique Start: My Summer of Clinical Discovery at Beacon Medical System

Early Exposure: The Hospital Medical Education Program

During the summer of 2025, I had the amazing opportunity to be a part of the Hospital Medical Education Program at Beacon Medical System in South Bend. This program not only taught me how to apply my education in a clinical setting but also allowed me to interact with patients and providers in a way that no other first-year medical student would be able to. Patient interaction is one of the most important parts of being a competent physician, so getting personal experience with this early in medical education is key to becoming the best physician you can be.

Exploring Specialties and Clinical Rotations

The HME program can almost be thought of as “mini” rotations. Getting to pick different specialties that I had an interest in, and being able to get a taste for each one, was a phenomenal experience that allowed me to get a feel for what I may want to make a career out of. Each day was different—whether spent in the emergency room providing acute care, or in a specialist office following up with long-term patients.

This is part of what makes the HME program unique, and personally, one of my favorite highlights of the program.

A Memorable Moment: First Procedure in the Emergency Room

A specific moment I will never forget would be my day in the emergency room, working with a patient who had come in for an abscess. The physician had decided to do an incision and drainage, and assuming that I would just be observing, I took my spot in the corner. To my surprise, she turned to me, handed me the scalpel, and said, “Alright, cut.”

As any shocked medical student would, I stood frozen, not knowing anything about how to incise and drain an abscess. Luckily, I was guided through the process and made it through successfully. This really stuck with me because of just how willing the physician was to provide hands-on experience to a first-year student, while allowing me to gain some confidence in the exam room. I believe experiences like this are crucial to our medical education and are a great way to build confidence.

The Value of Hands-On Experience

Days like this were common. There were plenty of hands-on moments, and everyone I ran into was incredibly eager to teach and wanted us to learn as best we could. Outside of getting this hands-on experience, observing a wide range of procedures and encounters allowed me to apply the things we are taught in class. It’s very easy to get caught up in books and lectures during preclinical years, so seeing just how it all applies in practice is rewarding and quite motivating, as well.

Finding another first-year program like this would be difficult, and I believe that if you are able to be a part of it, then take that opportunity and make the most of it.

About the Author

Neil is a second-year osteopathic medical student at the Marian University Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine (MU-WCOM) who aims to advocate in the field of cardiology. Feel free to email him regarding the HME program or with any other questions at npatel848@marian.edu!

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