Merrillville resident and Indiana University Northwest senior Miracle Anokwute is going to become a doctor.

And, thanks to the Freshman to Physician Experience at IU Northwest, he can do that on the same local IU campus where he has pursued pre-med biology studies for the past three years.

“For students who want to go into a medical profession, our campus is great for it, because we offer our medical school right here,” said Anokwute, who recently received his acceptance letter to the IU School of Medicine - Northwest (IUSM-NW).

Anokwute will join several current medical students, IU Northwest faculty members and admissions representatives on campus from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 17, for an informational session about pre-professional and med-school studies. The event will take place in the Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium, located in the Savannah Center.

Attendees will:

-       Learn how the undergraduate pre-med experience provides the academic tools and real-world learning experiences necessary to succeed in medical school;

-       Take a tour of campus and the IUSM-NW facilities;

-       Meet with pre-med advisors and medical school faculty members;

-       Receive inside information about how to increase the chances of being accepted to the IUSM;

-       Speak with current students about their experiences in the pre-med and medical programs;

-       Learn about the many undergraduate scholarship opportunities that help to defray the cost of tuition for pre-med students.

Expansion of IUSM-NW from a two-year to a four-year program in 2010 made it possible for local med students to remain on campus for their third and fourth years of medical school and furnished them with the opportunity to undertake experiential learning and research projects related to public-health issues that affect Northwest Indiana communities.

As part of their fourth-year electives, IUSM-NW students may also choose to pursue month-long rotations at Chicago hospitals and may pursue residency programs at those locations after graduation.

“Northwest Indiana, like the rest of state, faces a future shortage of physicians,” said Patrick Bankston, Ph.D., Associate Dean and Director of IUSM-NW and Dean of the College of Health and Human Services. “By enabling students to complete all four years of medical school in Northwest Indiana, we expect them to have the kinds of professional experiences and relationships that will lead them to practice here and provide our citizens with skilled and compassionate medical care.”

For more information on the Freshman to Physician Experience at IU Northwest, or to RSVP for the information session on Sat., Nov. 17, call (219) 981-4348.

About Indiana University Northwest

As one of seven Indiana University campuses, IU Northwest leads the region as the premier, urban campus dedicated to serving the needs of more than 6,000 students from the state’s most diverse and industrialized region. Committed to helping its local Northwest Indiana communities thrive, IU Northwest is best-known for providing a personal, quality and affordable education close to home.  IU Northwest positions its students to be leaders with more than 70 undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional degree options available from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, the School of Business and Economics, and the School of Education. The campus is also host to IU School of Medicine-Northwest, which actively involves students in research and local healthcare needs through its four-year medical doctorate program. For more information, please visit www.iun.edu.