West Central AHEC Director Mary Jane Clark attended a discussion panel at Western Illinois University in Macomb on March 1. She provided students with information about professional development opportunities and health care resources offered by West Central AHEC.

The event gave students an opportunity to explore healthcare careers in different medical fields, such as nursing, dentistry, veterinary sciences, ophthalmology, optometry, dermatology, anesthesiology, pharmacy and family medicine. The students also met graduate school representatives and heard advice from medical practitioners.

The panelists included Madelyn Dulin, a fourth-year student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine – Rockford and Milton Hutchinson, a first-year student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria. They were joined by three physicians from McDonough District Hospital in Macomb: Laura Peck, MD, chair of surgery at MDH, Macomb; Jeffrey Sparks, DO, ENT-Otolaryngologist, MDH; and Olivia White, MD, general surgeon, MDH.

The panel discussion took place at the sixth annual Jill M. Brody/McDonough Eye Associates Pre-Med Symposium hosted by WIU’s Centennial Honors College.