Shaler Area freshman Ava Stabile has always had an interest in medicine, and next month, she will have the opportunity to learn more about the medical field in a program designed for the next generation of physicians.

 

Ava is one of 50 high school students to be accepted into the 2021 I Look Like a Cardiologist program run by the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute. 

 

This year’s program will be offered virtually in January 2021.

 

“I thought that doing this program would be beneficial to me, since I’ll be able to learn more about medicine and get detailed information about cardiology,” Ava said.

 

“It definitely will be a good learning experience. I’ve always had an interest in medicine and this program seemed to be a good fit for my future goals.”

 

The program sessions include a panel session, instruction in cardiology basics, including cardiac anatomy, types of cardiology practice, and cardiac technology, and case studies related to women, race, privilege, medicine, education, and society. The program also pairs participants with a young physician mentor.

 

The physician mentors are all UPMC attending physicians, fellows, or residents. 

 

“I hope to learn more about cardiology, and about the medical field in general,” Ava said. “I hope that this program continues to fuel my aspirations of working in medicine, and gives me a good understanding of what I should expect if I were to take that career path.”

 

Applications for this competitive program had to include transcripts, test scores, and three essays for consideration.