Unlike traditional medical school classes, the McCollough Institute emphasizes innovative interdisciplinary pre-medical courses that focus on leadership, community service, research and medical ethics.
“When you think of medical school and learning how to be a doctor, you think of chemistry, physics or biology, but not everything else that’s so important, such as bioethics or medical history,” said Geoffrey Alintoff, a freshman from Marlboro, New Jersey.
Geoffrey, an inter-disciplinary studies major, said the McCollough Institute has been “an absolute blessing.”
“Being a part of the McCollough Institute has connected me with so many other incredible students. We all live in the same dorm, and that has been such an invaluable resource because we’re all extremely close friends, take the same classes and study together.”
– Geoffrey Alintoff
The McCollough Institute’s focus on inter-disciplinary studies includes freshman foundation courses, biweekly convocations, independent research and seminars.
Geoffrey said each week in their freshman convocation, professors come speak to the class about their research projects and interests in their fields. When Dr. Kevin H. Shaughnessy from the Department of Chemistry gave a presentation on his organic chemistry research, Geoffrey knew where he wanted to be on campus.“
Everything that he spoke about just seemed so interesting to me,” Geoffrey said. “I’ll be starting research with him next semester,” Geoffrey said. “I don’t know the specific project yet, but he has his own lab and they’re working on multiple different projects.”
While Geoffrey is just beginning his career at the Capstone, he already has a plan for what he wants to do following his anticipated 2024 graduation, and he believes the McCollough Institute will be just the tool to help him accomplish his goals.
“I’d love to be able to go to medical school and attain an MD/MPH [Master of Public Health],” he said. “Something I’ve always been very passionate about is helping underserved populations. An MPH allows you to take a more humanistic approach to medicine. That more humanistic approach to medicine is something that I think is just so important when it comes to rural medicine, which is where I’d ultimately like to work.”
Geoffrey said the McCollough’s unique approach to medical education has been “amazing,” and has allowed him to “understand so many other aspects of medicine besides just actual medicine.”
About the Institute, Geoffrey said, “My experience has really been shaped by it and I would not have it any other way coming to this school,” he said.
Programs and initiatives funded by gifts, such as the one given by the McColloughs, continue to inspire and shape our students into future leaders in their fields.
