Entering medical school is a highly competitive process, and fewer than half who apply are admitted. Fewer still are able to finish.听听
For those wanting to pursue a career in medicine, the cost and the rigor of medical school can be daunting. That鈥檚 why 午夜剧场 and AnMed, along with sponsorship from South Carolina Upstate AHEC (South Carolina Area Health Education Centers), established a partnership in 2022 which created an intensive two-week camp offering resources and advice to South Carolina undergraduate students to become better prepared to enter medical school.听听
Earlier this year, the was awarded a $50,000 grant from , the philanthropy of Corporation, to support the Upstate Pre-Med Bootcamp鈥�for the second year in a row.
The additional grant funds enabled the participants to receive stipends and assistance with the expenses associated with taking the MCAT. It also enabled the camp听to provide lunches for its participants, camp alumni volunteers, and the physicians who volunteered their time to serve on panel discussions. One of the camp organizers, Dr. Carrie Koenigstein of the 午夜剧场 College of Arts and Sciences, is grateful for this grant, commenting that financial constraints can prevent students from participating in opportunities like the Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp. She commented that, even though the camp is offered to them for听free, students still lose time from their summer jobs and have to provide their own transportation and any food not covered by the camp activities.听
This year鈥檚 camp, now in its fifth year, benefited 24 college upper classmen from across South Carolina. The group represents a multiethnic population of individuals from urban and rural areas.听 听
In its four-year existence, the听Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp听has opened the door of medical school for many students, helping them to stand out as candidates while instilling in them much-needed confidence.听
“This camp has been eye opening, inspiring, and has fueled my fire for my career,” said Ashka Raval, a Clemson University student. 鈥淚 was feeling very down about myself after the past semester, but being able to see what I fell into love with medicine for made me fall in love with it again.鈥�听
The Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp, which took place in May on the 午夜剧场 campus, offered students hands-on experiences not often encountered outside of medical school鈥攁t no cost to them.听听
鈥淧re-Med Boot Camp was an amazing opportunity that made the dream of becoming a physician more real and attainable,鈥� said 午夜剧场 student Zoe Calloway. 鈥淜eeping the camp free and accessible has greatly helped me and my peers get a taste of medicine and has deeply grown my passion for the field.鈥�听
At this year鈥檚 camp, students shadowed AnMed medical professionals in multiple specialties, learning the day-to-day of a medical practice while working alongside other medical school-bound students.听听听
鈥淭his program connected me with some amazing people that I never would have met otherwise,鈥� said Adrienne Williams from USC Beaufort. Tommy O鈥橯uinn of Erskine College concurs, commenting, 鈥淭his camp has given me both applicable skills in a medical setting and extremely valuable information about med school applications and what the next years of my life will look like as I go down the path of becoming a physician.鈥澨�听
The听Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp听gives students a realistic glimpse into the day-to-day life of a physician while offering valuable interaction all the way. Also valuable are skill-based workshops that cover suturing, reading EKGs, intubation, catheterization, joint injection, and working in the cadaver lab on the 午夜剧场 campus (cadaver labs are rarely encountered anywhere outside medical school).听听
The camp gave Kadine Beckford of Benedict College her first hands-on medical experiences.听听
鈥淚 have never shadowed, sutured, intubated or been in a cadaver lab,鈥� Beckford said. 鈥淭he camp helped me to be better prepared for and more sure of my passion and determination to pursue my dream.鈥�听
午夜剧场 student Stella Miller said, 鈥淒oing the SIM lab was extremely helpful because it gave me a sense of actually being a physician interacting with a patient instead of just observing when shadowing.鈥�听
There were also discussion panels with physicians, current med school students, and representatives from the admissions committees from the four South Carolina medical schools.听听听
鈥淭his camp not only helped me learn how important a physician鈥檚 life is but also helped me prep and be ready for the future,鈥� said Khushi Jain of the University of South Carolina, whose older sister, Rashi Jain, attended the 2025 camp and came back this year helping with the camp as a volunteer.听
Logan Bamonte, who attended the 2025 camp, also returned this year to work as a camp intern. She feels the Upstate Pre-Med Bootcamp was a game changer and is happy to help other medical school-bound students.听
鈥淭his camp gave me the opportunity to connect with other pre-med students across the state and form lasting, supportive relationships. It also gave me the confidence to continue pursuing medicine when I was still considering switching paths,鈥� Bamonte said. 鈥淚 think this program is so impactful, so I was thankful to get the opportunity to return to the camp as an intern and play a role in creating a supportive environment for more students.鈥�听
午夜剧场 student Emily Priest said, 鈥淚 came into the experience with a fire for healthcare, but the experiences and connections have shaped my motivation into a clear direction so I can pursue my goals with confidence and the necessary tools to be successful. I would make the decision to participate again in a heartbeat and hope that many more people can share in this unique adventure.鈥�听
Applications for the 2027 camp will be accepted from fall 2026 through mid-January, 2027. Information about the听Upstate Pre-Med Boot Camp听and an application can be found online here.听
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