The Medical Science Club was formed this year by juniors Isabella Monticciolo and Marissa Maddalon. Both have an interest in entering the medical field, and they hoped to share their interests in science with others in the community through creating this club. According to Monticciolo ‘17, “[they] knew there were students in our Berkeley community who had a passion for science and wanted to create a club where those students could share their interests and gain more opportunities to plan for their potential futures in medicine. With each club meeting, the founders’ goal is to help “expand aspiring student physicians’ concept, understanding, and experiences in the medical field,” said Monticciolo. And each meeting does just that — with a wide array of professional speakers , students are always able to gain new insights into the medical field.

Among the many speakers the club has hosted this year was Berkeley’s own Honors Biology teacher, Dr. Ralph Kline, who spoke about his experience as a chiropractor. Dr. Natalie Monticciolo discussed her profession as a dermatologist, and Dr. Vincent Monticciolo presented on the topic of dentistry. Ophthalmologist Dr. Munger also visited on Friday, April 8th. Furthermore, the club sponsored an alumni luncheon on March 8th where students heard from a panel of physicians and a medical school student. The luncheon was a success — dozens of enthusiastic students attended, generating an informative discussion with the panel.

All of the speakers who have presented in the club shared common themes — from their experiences in medical school to the daily undertakings and responsibilities of their professions. From such presentations, students were able to gain more information about the educational process of becoming a doctor while also learning about specific specialties in the medical field. Many students who aspire to be doctors are still unsure of the medical field they plan to enter — and many are still unaware of the vast array of specialties in each medical field. By hosting these speakers, students may discover a fascinating specialty that was previously unknown to them.

The Fanfare asked Maddalon and Monticciolo about their future plans for the club, and they explained that they were hoping to establish a Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) chapter at Berkeley. According to them,this would enable members of the Medical Science Club to prepare for and compete in national competitions. Though affiliation with the association would likely not take place until the next year, the future of this club promises to involve more students with an interest in medicine in the broader community.