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Isabella Ramicone
Professor Gary Vaughn

English 2089: Intermediate Composition

12 April 2017

Medical Sciences: Seeking Medical Success Through Collaboration

Thousands of college students in the United States desire to pursue a career in medicine.

They engage in a highly rigorous curriculum and participate in extensive extracurricular

activities, including biomedical research, volunteer work, physician shadowing, as well as pursue

other interests and hobbies. Despite the focus on choosing ones own path to medical school,

there seems to be endless boxes to check and many students feel burdened by the tremendous

amount of work. However, their goal of becoming an MD supersedes all of the stress that

accompanies an undergraduate career. Medical school acceptance rates are generally low and

students must not only shine academically, but they must be significantly involved in outside

organizations and activities that support individual growth and demonstrate interest in the

medical field. An undergraduates experience may seem rather unstructured due to the wide

variety of paths available, including clinical practice, community-based outreach, and biomedical

research. As a result, medical students must design their own path in order to complete an

undergraduate degree and attain admission to medical or professional school.

Medical Sciences is a new major at the University of Cincinnati, founded in the 2015-

2016 academic year. A highly competitive program, Medical Sciences serves to provide qualified

undergraduate students with a different experience than most pre-medical or pre-professional

programs. The major directly provides students with hands-on experiences within the medical

field, as well as a variety of community outreach, global health, and research opportunities.

Additionally, each student has access to individual faculty mentors who work at the University of
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Cincinnati College of Medicine or at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, as well as to current

medical students at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The relationships with

professionals in the field and advisors are stressed in order to ensure that students have access to

sufficient resources, are prepared to pursue their career of choice, and to demonstrate the

importance of professional relationships with individuals in the field in order to understand a

group dynamic and how to work and collaborate with others. There is a tremendous focus on

experiential and collaborative learning, and many interesting electives are offered that would not

typically be available to students until graduate or professional school, including cadaver labs,

Bioinformatics, and discussion-based courses on Public and Global Health. Medical Sciences

provides a rigorous, dynamic curriculum, yet the major is small in size. This permits students to

build personal relationships with one another and other professionals with a goal of discovering

and employing their passions in order to become the best students, medical professionals, and

individuals they can be.

Because the program is new, highly focused, and close-knit in nature, with only 40

students in the 2015-2016 academic year and roughly 60 in the 2016-2017 academic year, it

separates itself from other majors at the University of Cincinnati and therefore fits John Swales

definition of a Discourse Community. Swales, a professor of linguistics and a noted scholar,

defines a discourse community as having six specific criteria, including a common set of public

goals, mechanisms of intercommunication, participatory mechanisms among members,

possession of one or more genres, a specific lexis, and a threshold level of members with a

variety of experience (221-222). This major is the first of its kind, and universities across the

nation look to it as a model for pre-medical and pre-professional experience. As a result, little to

no research has been conducted about the specific impact of this majors availability of a variety
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of resources and unique undergraduate experiences on the small group of students, as well as on

the interactions between the members of the group and how these interactions directly impact

student success. Through analysis of the Medical Sciences discourse community, it can be

observed and understood how such a community forms, how the members have impacted its

formation and growth, the relationships that have been created, and how the community aids in

the development and resolution of points of conflict within the group. Overall, the impact of the

community and its successes and the evolution of the community to fit the vast, original needs

and goals of all of its members can be directly observed.

In order to better understand the inner workings of the Medical Sciences discourse

community and to determine how communication and literacy impacts each group member, the

roots of the major were explored and examined so as to better understand the dynamic of the

group. As a member of the discourse community, I was able to make direct observations and

conduct personal interviews with other students and reflect on the individual academic and social

experiences in order to better understand the communitys formation and its inner workings.

Through this process, I was able to directly visualize how constant collaboration and

communication fosters individual and group success and how student satisfaction and

competition plays into the availability of resources and opportunities. In following Swales

criteria for classification as a Discourse Community, the Medical Sciences major can be broken

down and further analyzed to understand the communitys success in preparing its students for a

higher level of education and collaboration with other professionals and individuals.

The students within the Medical Sciences major represent a discourse community

because of the programs unique structure and the diversity of its members. It is comprised of a

group of intensely motivated students stemming from a variety of academic backgrounds, career
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interests, and passions. The students also stem from varying upbringings and are representative

of 24 cities, four states, and two countries and is comprised of 61% females and 39% males

(med.uc.edu). Each student holds a distinct passion and a variety of specific goals, opening many

doors and leading them down different paths in terms of elective choice, outside involvement,

and interactions with other students. Because of the diversity of its members, the Medical

Sciences discourse community possesses multiple genres and literacies, with students interested

in pursuing medicine, pharmacy, research, and public health, as well as in their representation

from a variety of communities and cultures, impacting their interests, elective and extracurricular

choices, and passions.

Despite the strong presence of individuality, the students are united in their passion for

education, knowledge, and the medical field, and they possess strong personality traits, such as

resilience, motivation, and determination, in addition to an extensive involvement in leadership

roles, outside organizations, and volunteer work. This is evidenced inside and outside of the

Medical Sciences community. Within the community, several organizations have been founded

by the students, including Medical Sciences Student Government and Medical Sciences Student

Ambassadors. Medical Sciences Student Government consists of five students who meet

regularly with UC faculty and other organizations to build relationships with other organizations,

establish programs within the major, and improve student life and interactions among students.

Medical Sciences Student Ambassadors consists of a group of students with a variety of different

social and academic involvement to recruit new members, promote the major to other

organizations and potential students, and serve as a resource and firsthand account of experiences

within the community. These organizations can be considered participatory mechanisms, as they

were formed independently by the students and have brought about tremendous success in
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increasing member involvement, fostering relationships, and integrating multiple perspectives in

order to work towards group success within the community. They open the doors of

communication within the community, permitting student voices to be heard and promoting

change to improve the major academically, socially, and to increase communication among

members.

Each members unique identity is the foundation for the group dynamic within the

Medical Sciences discourse community. The students, united in their motivations, goals, and

passions for outside activities, are strengthened as they satisfy a highly science-focused

curriculum together. Kyle Knapp, a second year in the program, notes that he feels very

connected to others in the program, despite each individuals strong identity.

We all share values of being incredibly driven, studious and goal oriented, we also

all want to end up within a career in health care. While many of us are very

different people and have very different personal goals and values, aside from

those already listed, the nature of the major and having us spend so much time

together fosters a community and almost forces identification with other

members. I think these connections help not only with the continuity of the major

but also help with individual success.

There exists a shared goal of medical or professional school, and all members seek to

selflessly serve a variety of populations and address the disparities that plague healthcare today.

The small group size has fostered strong relationships and bonds between students, who choose

to collaborate on all aspects of the undergraduate experience, from exam studying, to homework,

and to scheduling for the coming semesters, as well as joining and forming new clubs and

campus organizations.
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As a direct result of the students tight bond and similar daily schedules, they have

created their own lexis and means of communication in order to effectively collaborate, identify

areas of potential struggle or weakness, and prepare and plan together for exams, homework, or

upcoming organization meetings. Students utilize GroupMe, a mobile app designed for

messaging on multiple platforms, to communicate with the entire group in one location. Through

GroupMe, Medical Sciences student collaborate on homework assignments, explain difficult

problems or class concepts, share information on meeting and organization locations and

opportunities, as well as share GIFs, photographs, and inside jokes to lighten the mood or to

boost group morale. The students have effectively developed a means to communicate with one

another, collaborate in real time, and are able to provide an instant source of support and

guidance to other students. There also exists a weekly set of announcements, sent out only to

Medical Sciences students, that details important upcoming events and programming, provides

updates on class schedules and birthdays, and makes students aware of volunteer, shadow, and

research opportunities available only to Medical Sciences students. Additionally, the students

lexis is defined by words or phrases used only by the community itself, including MedSci, in

reference to the group as a whole, MSBC, or Med Sci Boys Club in reference to a GroupMe

shared by all male members of the community, and abbreviations for courses, like BLT, as

representative of the Biomedical Lab Techniques course that all students took together during the

fall semester. In utilizing abbreviations and a common language as a means of communication,

the students are able to effectively and efficiently communicate with one another. The students

incorporate words from their academic and work experience into daily conversations, detailing

elaborate, biological and chemical processes and knowledge obtained from lectures, projects, and

research. The small size of the major allows all members to be up-to-date on all events and
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upcoming assignments and examinations, decreasing the confusion felt by members in larger

programs and a more streamlined and efficient way of establishing study times and group

opportunities.

All of the components of Swales definition of a Discourse Community are evident in the

Medical Sciences major. However, despite the tight bond among members, there exists conflict

within the group. In any undergraduate major, especially those focused on a pre-professional

track, conflict is present among members, especially with respect to academic performance and

availability of resources. This is seen directly in the Medical Sciences discourse community in

daily class performance and extracurricular opportunities, including involvement and leadership

positions in other organizations and access to shadowing and volunteer positions. Cassidy

Moody, a second year in the program, agrees that competition is present, but it is not as grave of

an issue as it is presented in other programs.

As a premed major, there are definitely some competitive undertones within the

various grade levels. Juniors compare MCAT scores and letters of admission and

sophomores compare things like organic chemistry exam scores and number of

publications, but it all seems to take place in hushed tones that gradually make

their way through the cohort. It doesn't seem to cause any major issues in the

community but everyone is definitely aware of it.

What sets this community apart is that this conflict is not as typical as common educational

conflict, in which students are viewed as cutthroat and directly compete and manipulate to get

ahead. Underlying the group dynamic is a strong sense of support and encouragement. Students

are eager to help one another and present a mindset of togetherness. When one member of the

group is struggling, other members come together to support and guide the student with extra
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homework help, a study partner, or simple encouragements or casual distractions. Although

volunteer and shadow opportunities are hard to come by, students are eager to hear of other

students experiences and utilize it as a means of networking. They actively learn by direct

communication with other members and push for success of the group and their peer network, in

addition to the pursuit of their own individual success. The Medical Sciences major is small,

unlike the large group of pre-medical students at UC, and the members of this community refer

to themselves and act as a family. Each member of Medical Sciences roots for the individual

success of other members, fostering strong relationships and individual and group unity.

A second point of conflict within the community is a result of the variety of personalities

and interests of its members. The major, because of its small size and the uniqueness of its

students, tends to form sub-groups or cliques that are centered on the specializations of its

members. The major presents many unique opportunities geared towards clinical medicine,

public health, biomedical research, and community-based outreach. This divides the already

small group into a more diminished size, potentially isolating students from one another and

increasing potential competition for academic and community resources. Ann Johns, author of

Discourse Communities and Communities of Practice: Membership, Conflict, and Diversity,

comments on what may occur when individuals in a community form a smaller, more specialized

community within the larger group. She states that professionals may affiliate at various levels

of specificity within their discourse communities. They often share language, knowledge, and

values with a large, fairly heterogeneous group, though their allegiances may be with a

specialized group within this broader club (505). This is applicable to the Medical Sciences

community in that smaller, more specific communities have been created based on student

interest and involvement. Students tend to be apart of similar organizations, hold leadership roles
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within them, and design their own path on the way to medical or professional school. Some

students chose a highly research-oriented path, completing bench and clinical research in local

hospitals, while other students devote ample time to working with community and outreach

organizations to raise awareness for health disparities in the Cincinnati area and focus on the

more human side of healthcare. Students have been observed in friend groups and certain

individuals interact with one another more than others, but this does not hinder individual growth

or have a negative impact on the major. Kyle Knapp acknowledges the presence of such cliques

and groups but states that they are not of a major concern. Despite these sub-specializations

and more specific interactions with one another, students primarily hold membership in the

Medical Sciences discourse community and are united by their common goals, work ethic, and

passion for knowledge and the medical profession. They utilize conflict as a way to strengthen

the bonds within the community and raise each other up, creating a supportive environment

amidst the stress and difficulties of preparation for higher education.

The Medical Sciences Discourse Community represents a unique group with a shared

bond incomparable to other undergraduate majors and student programs. Because of its small

size and diverse membership, shared goals, and specific forms of communication, the

community successfully presents itself as one of guidance, support, and success. Each member is

able to actively participate, whether it be through casual conversation in a text message, in a

leadership role, or in collaboration with faculty. The major sets high expectations and clear goals

for its students, but provides the extraordinary opportunity to discover and pursue individual

passions, while reinforcing the importance of collaboration and the human connection in

medicine and in all professional fields. The members, in constant communication with one

another, constitute an unparalleled collection of individuals, who desire to become highly

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specialized professionals in the field and maintain in contact with members of their

undergraduate community. This specific Discourse Community differs from Swales definition in

that is not simply defined by its standards of membership or its means of communication, but is

defined completely and entirely by its members and their interactions with one another. The

community makes Medical Sciences the renowned program that it is by establishing strong

collaboration and tight bonds under high stakes circumstances, demonstrating that collaboration

and personal relationships bring about true success.

Works Cited
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Johns, Ann. "Discourse Communities and Communities of Practice: Membership, Conflict, and

Diversity." Writing About Writing: A College Reader. Ed. Elizabeth Wardle and Doug

Downs. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 499-518. Print

Knapp, Kyle. Personal Interview. 9 April 2017.

"Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Undergraduate, Medicine - ..WB1PRD02W." College

of Medicine. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

Moody, Cassidy. Personal Interview. 9 April 2017.

Swales, John. The Concept of a Discourse Community. Writing about Writing: A College

Reader. 2nd ed. Ed. Elizabeth Wardle and Doug Downs. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's,

2014. 217-228. Print.