PMPDPP Students: To Portugal and Beyond!

Driven by a desire to shadow medical professionals and engage in healthcare practices on a global level, students of the Seton Hall University EOF Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Plus Program (PMPDPP) will soon be exploring new horizons.  Thanks to university support and a generous donation from the Three Doctors Foundation, selected EOF PMPDPP students will have the opportunity to participate in a one-week international study abroad shadowing experience to Lisbon, Portugal through Atlantis by CEA CAPA Education Abroad, “a leading provider of study abroad programs and international internships.” Facilitated by a site manager, students typically receive the invaluable exposure of approximately twenty shadowing hours in multiple specialties, in addition to immersing themselves in a different culture, developing a stronger sense of empathy and enhancing their understanding of being a leader in a global society.

As founders of the Three Doctors Foundation – two physicians and a dentist - and EOF PMPDPP alumni, Sampson Davis, ’95 M.D., Rameck Hunt, ‘95 M.D., and George Jenkins,’95 D.M.D., MHA, are well-versed in the benefit of mentoring, networking and experiential learning for creating a sense of belonging and combating imposter syndrome, and look forward to congratulating the sponsorship recipients in-person at The Three Doctors Mentor Day program scheduled for March 22, 2025 at University High School, in Newark, NJ, the doctors’ alma mater. Always motivated by the concept of paying it forward, giving back to the community and inspiring the current and next generation, Drs. Davis, Hunt and Jenkins have maintained a relationship with the SHU EOF PMPDPP by including students in programming opportunities, providing scholarships (including this semester) and creating ways for students to visualize their future careers. To this cause, a group of EOF Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Plus Program students visited Columbia College of Dental Medicine in NY, on Friday, January 3, 2025 - facilitated by EOF PMPDPP alum and Assistant Professor of Dental Medicine and Associate Dean for Access, Equity, and Inclusion, George Jenkins. The trip included discussions by dental students, Gabriella Trama (2nd year), Yussra Mahmud (3rd year), Dashaun Smith (3rd year) and Jayanne Pierre (4th year), a tour of the dental school, and a hands-on experience of EOF PMPDPP students creating dental impressions. Jenkins also shared his journey to dental school and provided a motivating session on knowing what drives you, your passion for a dental or medical career and staying focused. As EOF PMPDPP freshman B.S. in Biology - P.A. dual degree student Katie Alvarez-Perez commented, “My experience at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine made me realize that my path isn’t set in stone and that I should be open to all specialties.” What better way of impacting the future than inspiring others one at a time. 

The Three Doctors Foundation's mission is to inspire and motivate youth through education, to achieve leadership and career success in their community through the formation of positive peer and mentor relationships. The Three Doctors Foundation stands on the premise that "Our Children Can Not Aspire to Be What They Can Not See."

The EOF PMPDPP, a Seton Hall program under the Division of Student Services, was created by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education (now known as the State of New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education) to assist in providing opportunities to New Jersey students historically denied access to higher education and careers in the health professions. The program’s goals are to maintain a supportive environment that promotes academic success and social development, while assisting in preparing qualified students for the demands of a professional work environment, graduate program, medical, dental, physical therapy, physician assistant, veterinary and optometry school. Its success spans more than 50 years.

Categories: Alumni, Health and Medicine