Q and A with medical scholar track alum, Navid Radfar, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine

How did the curriculum help you in reaching your goals?
The core curriculum provided a strong foundation for me in the medical sciences. Attending seminars, conducting research, and through my course work, I could see the clinical application of my studies manifest - there was a purpose to what I was studying. The core curriculum helped me realize that medicine is the right path for me. I loved what I studied at SGS and that translated into my persistence/diligence to gain admission into medical school. The curriculum also helped me on the MCAT - Biology section. Although I was not required to do a research rotation due to undergraduate research experiences, I enrolled. Conducting Neuroscience research with Dr. Pang helped me transition to my next research role in the Department of Neurological Surgery at NJMS.

If you participated in extracurricular or co-curricular activities please tell us how they helped broaden your horizon, build your soft skills, or help you in your personal or professional development.
As a graduate student, I volunteered at the Rutgers Student Family Health Care Center as a Case Manager. In this position, I worked on an interdisciplinary medical team to ensure medically underserved patients receive proper care. Primarily, I interviewed patients to understand their social and economic constraints, working to eliminate any barriers to healthcare they face. This often takes the form of obtaining low-cost medications, scheduling referrals to specialty clinics, and working with various fee assistance programs to ensure our patients receive medical care. This experience taught me a lot about what I value and how I can impact society. I learned how to interact with patients as a clinician and how to reason through symptoms when discussing patient cases with medical students and physicians. I was able to practice my public speaking by presenting my experiences to medical students, educating them about assistance programs and potential patient scenarios. My experiences in Newark have strengthened my desire to serve underprivileged populations as a volunteer attending physician in a student run clinic.

Please share advice for a student starting their education on the Newark Health Science Campus of Rutgers SGS.
I can go on for days about this. The first thing that comes to mind is to learn how to learn, and enjoy what you're learning. This program can serve as a stepping stone into professional school and is an opportunity to learn more about yourself as a scholar and your capabilities. I recommend students to take classes that interest them. I enjoyed the classes I took and made it my business to learn everything presented in class. Most importantly, if you can teach the material, then you know the material. Take the time to meet with a friend and discuss/work through the content presented in class / take turns teaching each other different concepts.