Southeast Campus update

A note of welcome to incoming third-year students:

The Southeast Campus (commonly known as Fargo Campus) welcomes our new third-year students. Congratulations on completing the basic science component of your medical education, and we hope you are looking forward to beginning your clinical years with us. On the Southeast Campus, we have three large hospital systems (Sanford Health, Essentia, and the VA), along with many clinics, offices, and other facilities on which you will be rotating. We are glad you are here and look forward to getting to know you and helping you navigate the next two years and helping get you ready for the next step in your education—residency!

The COVID-19 pandemic will make your introduction to clinical medicine unique, and in the beginning you will do more online and virtual learning than past students. But be reassured that you will have the same education and opportunities as your senior classmates, just different ones, initially. You will see patients and participate as a part of the health care team. Enjoy this, as this is the reason you applied to medical school just a few short years ago. In fact, we recommend that you re-read your application essay to re-energize and remind yourself why you are doing of this work.

The Southeast Campus office is here to help you. Our mission is to help you succeed and prepare you for your next steps. Your first clinical rotations are the beginning of a wonderful and life-long journey caring for patients. COVID-19 doesn’t change this; you are becoming healers and caregivers and will face many disease-related challenges in your careers, and the current pandemic is one such challenge. There will be others. But in your role as (future) physicians, you will always be able to help. In the words of Sir William Osler:  The duty of a physician is to “heal sometimes, comfort always.”

We look forward to seeing you as soon as possible.