Madeline Jentink '17

 


Madeline

Name: Madeline Jentink 

Graduating Class: 2017

Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Your Story:

From a young age I told my family I wanted to be a doctor, for no other reason than that my pediatrician growing up was super cool. He wore a monkey named Max on his stethoscope and I loved going to the doctor. When I got older I found a passion for studying and learning, and I fell in love with the human genome and human anatomy in my 10th grade biology class. I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in Biochemistry, with hopes of becoming a doctor.
 Throughout my time at Gustavus I shadowed a couple different physicians and volunteered with the Mayo Hospice System. I spent a large amount of time in the Nobel Hall of Science working as a teaching assistant for labs, a tutor for beginning level biology students, and as a research student in a biochemistry lab. I pursued a minor in music and played in a variety of ensembles throughout my time at Gustavus. Through music I had the opportunities to tour around the United States and internationally to Eastern Europe.

 When it came time to apply to medical schools I applied to 17 MD programs. I had never considered applying to DO programs because I didn’t know anything about them and wasn’t aware of the prevalence of DOs within medicine. After reading my medical school personal statement my major advisor said that it seemed like the way I wanted to practice medicine aligned more with the osteopathic philosophy than allopathic. After that, I learned more from the pre-health advisor about osteopathic medical schools, and she showed me that DO schools matched MD schools in board passing rates, residency placements, and MCAT and GPA requirements for acceptance. After researching it further I fell in love with the osteopathic philosophy, it was definitely the way I wanted to practice medicine. 

 After being offered interviews at 4 DO schools, I committed to the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. I had formed connections with the professors I had met and the current students there. I loved the opportunities the school would provide me, and I couldn’t imagine attending a school that didn’t teach their students to practice medicine from a holistic approach. After a couple interviews at MD schools, I felt even more confident in my desire to become an osteopathic physician.

 Becoming an osteopathic physician for me means that I will provide patient centered care. I will look at their body as a collective entity that needs healing, rather than one particular symptom. I will be able to practice meaningful touch through my training in osteopathic manual manipulation. I am so excited to attend medical school in Chicago and I am so thankful to Gustavus for helping me discern my path in life!

Top Five Activities/Experiences: (in no particular order)

  1. Summer Research in Dr. Jeff Dahlseid’s lab at Gustavus
  2. Emergency Department volunteer at Children’s Hospital in Saint Paul
  3. Gustavus Wind/Symphony Orchestra
  4. Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority
  5. Camp Counselor at Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp

Advice:

  1. I wish I would have searched out more opportunities to volunteer, especially in medical settings earlier in my college career.
  2. I wish that I would have looked into osteopathic medicine sooner in my college career, and shadowed more specialties. I thought I knew what I wanted so I limited the clinical experience I sought out.
  3. I encourage future students to pursue what they’re passionate about in college. Grad school will be highly specialized, and if you have passions outside of that, its okay to spend time doing that. If you’re really passionate about it that will shine through in a grad school interview, and you can be proud of the time you spent doing that.

 

Future Plans: Attending the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University in Downer’s Grove, Illinois, start Fall 2017.


 Updated 6/26/2017 HB