Do you have an interest in the health issues greatly affecting the well being of people in eastern North Carolina? Are you curious about how state-of-the-art tools and techniques save and enhance lives? Would you like to learn more about medicine and science from the area’s leading physicians and scientists?

Apply to participate in the Mini-Med School, a special opportunity offered by the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. This series is presented as part of ECU’s centennial celebration.

The Mini Med School at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (BSOM) was started in 1998. The program was originally funded by a grant from Pfizer for the first five years. Today, the program is funded by funds from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. During the five years that Mini Med School was sponsored, there were over 500 graduates. The program is now back by popular demand. As part of the University’s Centennial celebration, the BSOM is bringing the Mini Med School back to introduce the community to the academic and professional experiences of a medical education.

What Is The Mini-Med School?
The program includes 18 hours of presentations about cutting edge developments, hands-on learning with new technology and question-and-answer sessions. The BSOM Mini Med School is taught by physicians and researchers in their fields, who are chosen for their ability to make the technical language of medicine understandable. As a participant, you will learn directly from the experts how your body works and how you can take an active role in maintaining your health. The Mini Med School is for adults 18 years or older who have a desire to learn more about medicine and your body. Class size will be limited to 90 participants.

The BSOM Mini Med School is a free, non-accredited, six-week program and does not fulfill any academic requirements. While you will not get a medical degree nor a license to practice medicine, you will acquire the background, the overviews, and the updates that can make all the pieces of the biomedical puzzle fall into place. The purpose of the program is to enlighten, entertain, and familiarize participants with medical terminology and to provide insight into biomedical research and patient care. In addition to learning about health care, you will also gain a greater understanding of how the BSOM continues to play a leadership in the region’s medical community.

Who Can Apply?
The Mini-Med School is an educational series designed to introduce members of the general public to the academic and professional experiences of a medical education. You do not need a background in medicine, science, or research to benefit from this program. While you learn about health care, you also will gain a greater understanding of how the Brody School of Medicine continues to play a leadership role in the region’s medical community.

The Mini-Med School is for adults 18 years or older who have a strong desire to learn more about medicine and medical education and are willing to commit 18 hours over a period of six weeks to fulfill this wish. Class size will be limited to 90 people. At the end of the series, participants will:

• have a sense of what it is like to be a medical student;
• have learned at least one skill at each session;
• play a leading role in the region's medical community.

What Is the Cost?
The popular lecture series is a community service offered by the Division of Academic Affairs at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. The BSOM offers this opportunity to the community at no charge. Donations to the BSOM Medical Foundation are welcomed.

Where Will It Take Place?
All classes except for Evidence Based Medicine on October 1, will be held in the Brody Medical Sciences Building on ECU’s Health Sciences Campus in Greenville. The Brody Building is adjacent to Pitt County Memorial Hospital on Moye Boulevard. Parking is available in the lots in front of the Brody Building. The October 1 class Evidence Based Medicine will be held at the Laupus Library, also on the Health Sciences Campus.

When Will It Be Offered?
The Mini-Med School will be held on six Mondays beginning September 10, 2007, and ending October 15, 2007. Class times are 6:30–9:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served from 6:00–6:30 p.m.