Revisit Weekend prospectives join Medical Scientist Training Program students on a tour of the Rochester Public Market
By Katherine Herman, Admissions Co-Chair
Every year, the Rochester Medical Scientist Training Program hosts prospective students for Revisit, a recruitment weekend that involves a second look at the program, medical campus, and the beautiful city of Rochester. This year, nine students joined us from across the country to experience more of what Rochester has to offer.
Festivities kicked off Thursday evening at some of the program’s favorite haunts: The Gatehouse, for heaping helpings of delicious sweet potato fries and gourmet burgers, and Tap and Mallet, for a wide selection of brews from near and far. Current first and second years took some time away from studying to get to know their future colleagues who might be joining them in the Scientific Reasoning in Medicine journal club this fall.
Friday morning activities got started early with an on-campus welcome breakfast hosted by our program director, Dr. Kerry O’Banion. Prospective students then broke out into their individual itineraries for the day, which included meeting with potential mentors, touring the facilities, and even observing surgeries in the operating room! After touching base again for an informal faculty/student luncheon with the entire program, applicants enjoyed more conversations with investigators and learned more about extracurricular opportunities at the School of Medicine & Dentistry Activities Fair.
Prospectives were wined and dined at the incredible George Eastman House, home of the inventor and founder of Eastman Kodak, The mansion’s intricate architecture, lovely décor, quirky miscellany, and photography exhibits entertained guests before enjoying a fine dinner. Guests learned interesting facts about the early history of film, and prospectives even drew their own animated movies at the museum’s learning center!
Saturday morning, prospective students were guided through the Rochester Public Market – a place famous among Rochestarians for good, fresh produce, as well as a variety of food and nonperishable goods. Prospectives sampled the many restaurant options at the Market, including the renowned Juan and Maria’s Empanada Stop and fresh pastries, breakfast sandwiches, coffee and macarons at Flour City Bread Company. The afternoon included a drive-through tour of the trendy Park Avenue neighborhood and a fun day of climbing at RockVentures. After a hard day’s work, prospectives refueled at Pittsford Farms Dairy & Bakery for locally churned ice cream.
The entire program joined prospectives again for a Saturday evening soirée, held at ArtisanWorks, a one-of-a-kind space filled floor to ceiling with eclectic art installations. A cocktail hour and buffet were followed by a private tour of the various galleries.
Revisit Weekend 2014 concluded on Sunday morning with a tour of neighborhoods and housing options on- and off-campus, followed by a relaxing brunch near the Erie Canal. Andrew Cox, President and interim Admissions Co-Chair, commented, We hope the revisiters all had a wonderful time in our city – and we hope to see them in the fall!