Student Profile: Glenn Goodwin

Glenn Goodwin is originally from sunny Ft. Lauderdale, FL and is current member of our 2014-2015 Postbac Premed class. He earned his B.A. In Nursing Science from Purdue University and also holds an A.S. in Emergency Medical Services. 

1) Tell us a bit about your educational/career path and what inspired you to make the shift into medicine? 

In my quest to become a firefighter, I was required to become a paramedic as well. I was dreading paramedic school because growing up, I never liked medicine or science. After a week of paramedic courses, my life changed, and by the end of paramedic school, I chose to pursue a career in medicine. After chipping away at school while working as a paramedic in the Miami-metro area, I became a registered nurse and gained employment in a pediatric emergency department. Once I was exposed to upper level medicine, and what the job of a physician truly entails, I knew that I had found my new dream. I have been chasing this dream ever since.

2) Why did you choose the Bar-Ilan Postbac Premed program? 

I am not religious, nor am I especially Zionistic; I chose this program simply because it is, by far, the best option for those trying to gain acceptance into medical school. The program length (less than a year), coupled with the relatively inexpensive tuition cost, made the decision a “no brainer”. Now that I’ve embarked on my classes, I am 100% sure that I made the right decision. This is the most academically challenging pursuit I’ve ever undertaken but the quality of education that I’m receiving is nothing short of excellent. I quit a magnificent and promising career and made many sacrifices to be in this program; I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

3) What are four words you would use to describe you? 

Focused, kind, open-minded and loyal.

4) What's your favorite thing about being in Israel thus far? 

There are a few things that I love about being here but my favorite would have to be the food. The Mediterranean diet is not only healthier, but more delectable as well!

5) What's one item from home you couldn't live without (and brought with you to Israel)? 

My basketball; I am so thankful that basketball is a popular sport here!

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To learn more about the Bar-Ilan postbac premed experience, including applying to be a part of our 2015-2016 class, visit: BarIlanPremed.com

Yom Ha'Atzmaut Happenings

Tonight starts the holiday of Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day), which is followed by Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, beginning at sundown on Wednesday, April 22nd. Yom Ha'Atzmaut celebrates the declaration of the state of Israel in 1948, which means this year we're celebrating Israel's 67th birthday!

If this is your first Yom Haatzmaut in Israel, you are in for an experience. Everyone will be out on Thursday celebrating, most likely with a BBQ (if it doesn't rain!), and you won't be able to walk two feet without bumping into dozens of Israeli flags. 

Looking for ways to celebrate? Though by no means an exhaustive list, here are a few guides from around the web of the happenings in Tel Aviv and around Israel. 

Chag Sameach!

Secret Tel Aviv's Yom Ha'Atzmaut Guide

Culture Trip's Ten Best Ways to Experience Independence Day in Israel

Anglo List's guide of Yom Ha'Atzmaut celebrations all around Israel

Frugal and Kosher's list of Free Things to do on Yom Ha'Atzmaut


Are there other links you think we should have here? Write us in the comments!

#TBT: First few weeks of the school year

Starting our third and final semester a couple weeks ago has us getting a bit nostalgic (and, of course, pretty excited), so we thought we'd share a few photos from the beginning of the school year, in honor of #tbt.  

Our 2014-2015 Postbac Premed Class on a tiyul (trip) to Jerusalem.

A bunch of us at a cookout at Director, Don Katcoff''s home to kick off the school year.

Having fun at the cookout.

Excited to be done with our first week of calculus!

Looking forward to sharing photos with triumphant looks on our faces when we finish in July :)

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Want to be in our shoes next year? To be a part of our 2015-2016 postbac premed class, apply now at BarIlanPremed.com

My top 5 favorite things about studying in Israel this past fall

Our apologies for the hiatus from the blog for a bit! We were all spending our time buried in books and drinking lots of cappuccinos as we prepared for finals. Now that we are on semester break, look forward to some more regular posting.

Finishing the fall semester and thus passing the half-way point of my time in Israel for the program, I've been thinking back on all of the things I've done here since August (when not studying orgo, physics, chem, bio, calc and statistics). Some are quintessentially Israel and some are simply the types of things that I think we are more inclined to do when living in new places.

Expect another post in the coming months on my favorite foods and local spots in Tel Aviv to hang out, but here's a way-too-short list of some of my favorite activities from the past six months: 

5) Hiking in Golan Heights at the Yehudiya Reserve- Lower Zeitan Stream. This is a gorgeous area any time of year, but hiking here in August, you really appreciate the many natural pools you pass along the way. So refreshing to jump in a gorgeous pool after hours of hiking in the heat!









4) Attending the Olive Festival in the Galilee

Fall is the season for the olive harvest in Israel and there are many events happening around the Galilee and Golan Heights that center around olives. We went to a farm where you got to pick and brine your own olives--a first for me! Fresh olives don't taste so great, but once they hung out in their curing solution for a month, they were delicious.








3)  Celebrating the grape harvest

 This may not be an "Israel-thing" per se, but something I had never done anywhere else: I attended a party at a vineyard, to celebrate the beginning of the wine harvest season. A fun night of wine tasting and dancing in a beautiful vineyard belonging to the Golan Heights winery.













2) Beach time 

Living in Tel Aviv, just a ten minute walk from the beach has been amazing and the fact that it was comfortable to swim well through the Fall (even in October!) was a perk I did not take for granted. Studying at a beach cafe? Going for runs along the water? Yes, please!










1) Celebrating the High Holidays
It may sound cliche, but there is something about being in Israel for the high holidays that is unlike anywhere else. Traditional religious observance aside, it was really amazing to be in a place where chag sameach ("happy holiday") was the standard greeting, where major companies like Coca Cola ran ads with shana tova ("happy/good new year") as a major tagline and round challahs were being sold in every bakery. Yom Kippur was the most striking of the holidays, where not a single car can be seen driving on even the busiest highways and all of Tel Aivv is filled with kids riding bikes in the middle of the street.

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Lila Miller Toub is a member of our 2014-2015 Postbac Premed Class. Originally from Orlando, FL, Lila graduated in 2008 with a B.A. in Communications from Northwestern University and spent the past five years working in philanthropy before deciding to make the transition to medicine. 

Resource Roundup: Which Healthcare Career is Right for Me?

If you're looking into postbac programs, chances are you are already pretty certain that you want to pursue a career in some sort of medicine, but it may not be obvious to you which type of healthcare career is the best fit for you. You may be asking yourself: should I be an MD? DO? DDS? DPT? NP? It can be an overwhelming and daunting task to zero in on exactly what you want to do.

While there's no substitute for speaking with current professionals in these various careers and seeing, first-hand the work they do in different healthcare settings, here are a few resources to help you get started:

1) Explorehealthcareers.org: This site offers a large array of resources regarding  virtually every type of health career, including salary statistics, education requirements and professional profiles. 

2) Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC): Aspiring Docs: Learn about the med school application process and decide if medical school is right for you. Be sure to check out the career options page, in particular. 

3)  American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine: Great resources on becoming an Osteopathic Physician. 

4) American Dental Education Association- Go Dental: Everything you need to know about potentially becoming a dentist. 

5) American Physical Therapy Association: Their section on information for prospective students helps you learn all about careers in physical therapy.

6) Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges: The student portal contains a plethora of information on pursuing veterinary medicine.

Are there other resources that helped you with your decision to pursue a a particular career in healthcare? Please include them in the comments section!

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Want to make 2015 the year you start pursuing your dream career in medicine? Applications for our 2015-2016 postbac premed class are still being accepted on a rolling basis. Apply early for your best chance at securing one of our limited spots.

Student Profile- Matthew Shore

Welcome to our new blog! We are excited to launch by introducing you to one of our current postbac premed students, Matthew Shore. Over the next few months, we will be featuring a number of our students to give you a sense of the wonderful talent we have here at Bar-Ilan. What other content can you look forward to from us? Check back soon for resources on making the transition to a career in healthcare, your medical school applications, highlights of the Bar-Ilan postbac experience, life as a student in Israel and the occasional organic chemistry joke. Have any questions or suggestions? Please don't hesitate to be in touch.

5 Questions with...Matthew Shore!

Matthew Shore is originally from Great Neck, New York and is a member of the 2014-2015 Postbac Premed class at Bar-Ilan. He graduated from Columbia University in the spring of 2014, with a degree in Psychology and Jewish Law, through the dual degree program with the Jewish Theological Seminary. While studying at Bar-Ilan, he is also volunteering at Schenider Children's Medical Center and training to be a first responder with Magen David Adom. 

1) What inspired you to make the shift into medicine? 
When I was the only one who stayed until the end of an autopsy at the Nassau County Medical Examiner's Office a couple of years ago, I realized there was something there.... Then, participating in a shadowing program at the North Shore-LIJ Health System last year confirmed my interest in medicine and in particular got me excited about hospital-based medicine.

2) Why did you choose the Bar-Ilan Postbac Premed Program? 
Because I could advance my career while interacting with everything I studied for my Jewish Law degree by living in Israel - the best of both worlds.

3) Five words to describe you: 
Adventurous, excited, humorous, happy, and outgoing

4) What has been your favorite thing about being in Israel so far?
Being able to look out the window and picture my ancestors walking and navigating the land I'm looking at many, many years ago.

5) What is one item from home you couldn’t live without and brought with you to Israel? 
My NYC Service Nalgene water bottle that I got during my internship at the NYC Mayor's Office a few years ago. It symbolizes my interest in service and ensures I don't harm Israel's environment by consuming disposable water bottles.

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To learn more about the Bar-Ilan postbac premed experience, including applying to be a part of our 2015-2016 class, visit: BarIlanPremed.com

New blog, coming soon!

We are excited to announce that in January 2015, we'll be launching our new blog, right here!

What content can you look forward to from us? Check back after the first of the year for resources on making the transition to a career in healthcare, highlights of the Bar-Ilan postbac experience, life as a student in Israel and the occasional organic chemistry joke. 

Until then, to stay up to date on our latest happenings, check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To learn more about the program and admissions for the 2015-2016 school year, please visit BarIlanPremed.com.