As part of her problem-based learning curriculum in the M.D. Program for Integrated Learning at the Drexel University College of Medicine, Meghan Craven ‘09 was required to gain practical experience by working with a primary care physician for six weeks. She needed to look no further than fellow Park alumna Theresa Amerson ‘01, an internist at Boylan Medical Associates in Raleigh.

Theresa Amerson ‘01 discusses career options in medicine with Chris Carr ‘12.

Philadelphia-based Craven connected with Amerson using the Park Scholarships intranet, which provides contact information for Park Scholars and alumni, along with their fields of study and occupations.

While working under Amerson’s supervision, Craven gained a greater perspective on the daily activities of a practicing physician. “As a first year student, you don’t often receive much real world clinical experience and can instead get bogged down in memorization,” says Craven. “My internship allowed me to improve the clinical reasoning abilities necessary to figure out the next questions to ask and the next steps to treat, and Dr. Amerson was a great mentor in this regard.”

Craven returned to Drexel University this semester with a deeper understanding of the field of medicine after her summer in Raleigh.

Amerson remains committed to serving as a mentor to Park Scholars and alumni. “I had wonderful mentors throughout my undergraduate and medical education, and I am excited that I am now at a point where I can give that back to Park Scholars and alumni who are on the same journey,” says Amerson. She hosted a Park Scholarships Medical Networking Event at her home earlier this fall with Kimberly Bloomfield ‘02 and Emily Gifford Holmes ‘07.