Four sophomore students from Shenendehowa
High School, all with a passion for medicine and
determination to make a difference in the world,
were named finalists in a newly created initiative,
“ShenNext Medicine: Selecting Tomorrow’s
Doctors Today.”
It is a partnership of Shenendehowa High
School, Siena College and Albany Medical College
and the first of its kind in the united States,
according to hospital officials.
These four sophomores, who all want to become doctors, are among 75 Shen students who qualified for the program. They are now in competition to be accepted into both college and medical school at the same time. Next year, as a junior – more than a year earlier than usual –one student will be accepted, upon graduation from Shen, into the combined eight-year program of Siena College and Albany Medical College.
This student will also be awarded a scholarship at Siena College of $16,000 per year for four years.
The four finalists are:
• Ifeoluwa Adelugba, 16, daughter of Dare and Sade Adelugba of Clifton Park;
• Lauren Bausch, 16, daughter of Andrew and Jennifer Bausch of Clifton Park;
• Matthew Siniapkin, 15, son of John Siniapkin and Colleen Batson of Ballston Lake;
• Nadia Suguitan, 15, daughter of Norman and Genevieve Suguitan of Ballston Lake.
“These four students have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to study in a prestigious program on their way to reaching their dream of becoming a physician. This program is part of Shen’s ongoing effort to work with colleges and universities to provide more opportunities for our students,” said L. Oliver Robinson, Ph.D., superintendent of Shenendehowa Central Schools.
According to James J. Barba, president and CEO of Albany Medical Center, who, with Robinson, conceived the joint initiative, the four finalists “represent the future of medicine and underscore Albany Medical College’s and Siena College’s commitment to preparing well educated, compassionate and caring doctors of tomorrow.”
“Our four finalists will be in the running for acceptance into the ‘Siena College-Albany Medical College Program in Science, Humanities and Medicine,’ and I am convinced that any one of these fine young students will be an outstanding addition to the program,” said Edward LaRow, Ph.D., who has directed the program at Siena College since its inception in 1986, when it, too, was the first of its kind in the U.S.
It emphasizes humanities, ethics and social service as well as the traditional sciences. Today the Siena College-Albany Medical College program is highly selective, typically attracting about 460 applicants annually for 15 seats.
The four “ShenNext Medicine” finalists were selected by a panel representing Shen, Siena College and Albany Medical College, based on their essays detailing their commitment to become a physician; their caring and compassionate character; strong grade point averages; appropriate academic course of study and preparation; exceptional leadership and communication skills; and a history of community service.
They will participate in a specially designed mentoring program with Siena College students from the Siena College-Albany Medical College program as well as in special opportunities for enrichment at Albany Medical College. They will be judged by a panel of Siena students, along with input from LaRow and Vincent Verdile, M.D., dean of Albany Medical College, with consideration of their SAT scores and three letters of support. The first “ShenNext Medicine Scholar” will be announced in January 2014.
For more information on the “ShenNext Medicine: Selecting Tomorrow’s Doctors Today,” visit www.shenet.org. For more information on the “Siena College-Albany Medical College Program in Science, Humanities and Medicine,” visit www.siena.edu/amc.