Dahl-Chase internship observing 15th year

The Dahl-Chase Summer Student Program, an eight-to-10-week internship, celebrates its 15th anniversary in July, providing opportunities for young medical students to work directly with physicians.

From four to seven students are selected each year to participate in the program sponsored by Dahl-Chase Pathology Associates of Bangor. The goal of the program is to offer students interested in medicine a chance to see Dahl-Chase practice and Eastern Maine Medical Center.

Those chosen to participate work with physicians who sponsor individual students. Duties of students vary from routine filing of slides and reports to establishing and performing research.

Among the students at Dahl-Chase is Cornell University junior Susan Loiselle, a biology major concentrating in genetics. Loiselle said that learning how EMMC works had been a help to her. She works with Dr. Robert Malvesta, tracking breast cancer patients.

Loiselle described the work as replicating a study to test data for reliability. Patients who have undergone a relatively new treatment are monitored, and the study will continue for at least four years.

Dr. John Kaiser, program director, said that the program often is a student’s first exposure to the study of medicine.

This year, seven students were selected. Usually, participants are pre-medical students, but some nursing and lab technician students have joined the program in the past.

Many candidates apply for the program each year. The application process begins in December and lasts until March, with selection based on academics, experience, demonstrated initiative, history of hard work and a personal interview.