Fall 2026 registration open for Future Masters of Medicine sessions

LATROBE, PA – Registration is now open for the fall 2026 Future Masters of Medicine sessions at Saint Vincent College.

The free initiative, held in partnership with Independence Health System, introduces Westmoreland County high school juniors and seniors to a host of healthcare professions, demonstrates surgical procedures with medical professionals and provides practical training to participants. While students engage in these educational sessions, the College invites parents and guests to explore the majors and resources at Saint Vincent related to healthcare professions.

Six sessions with medical professionals instructing students on a variety of health-related topics are scheduled for the 2026-27 academic year:

• Sept. 16, 6 p.m. – Dr. Gregory Bisignani, orthopedic surgeon and Saint Vincent College Board of Directors member, will present “An Inside Look at Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears.” For parents and guests, Dr. Michael Rhodes, associate professor of biological sciences and chair of the Pre-Professional Health Committee at Saint Vincent College, will share insights about mentoring students to academic and professional success.
• Oct. 21, 6 p.m., at Seton Hill University – Dr. Heather Walker, an emergency medical physician, will present “Emergency Medicine: On the Front Line of Patient Care.” For parents and guests, there will be a panel discussion with Seton Hill University faculty who advise and teach students in healthcare-related programs.
• Nov. 11, 6 p.m. – Various healthcare professionals will present “Traversing Fields in Healthcare,” which explores a range of specialties. For parents and guests, there will be a panel discussion with Saint Vincent College faculty who advise and teach students in healthcare-related programs.
• Jan. 20 – Dr. Michael Szwerc, thoracic surgeon, will present “Advancing the Frontiers of Medicine: Robotics in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer.” For parents and guests, there will be a panel discussion with current Saint Vincent students enrolled in healthcare-related programs.
• Feb. 24 – Dr. Elizabeth Detschelt, vascular surgeon, will present “Aortic Aneurysms: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment.” For parents and guests, there will be a panel discussion with Saint Vincent alumni currently working in healthcare fields.
• March 17 – Bisignani will present “What You Need to Know About Knee Arthritis.” For parents and guests, there will be a panel discussion with the parents of current or recent Saint Vincent students studying or working in healthcare fields.

The sessions for students will be hosted in various locations inside the Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion on campus, including the Liberatore Human Anatomy Lab, an expansive, state-of-the-art facility with six surgical stations for anatomical research. Concurrent sessions for parents and guests will be hosted in room E104, located within the Dupré Pavilion.

Registration for the Sept. 16 and Nov. 11 sessions at Saint Vincent College, and the Oct. 21 session at Seton Hill University, is now open. The Jan. 20, Feb. 24 and March 17 sessions at Saint Vincent College will open at a later date. Students who register must be nominated by their school counselors, excel academically and have a strong interest in pursuing a healthcare career.

Depending on the number of sessions completed, participants who choose to attend Saint Vincent College as an incoming freshman will receive scholarships to the College. These one-time awards range from $500 to $1,500.

Implemented in 2024, Future Masters of Medicine was designed to combat a predicted worldwide shortage of healthcare workers that the World Health Organization now predicts will exceed 11 million by 2030. In the United States, the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis reported a projected shortage in the hundreds of thousands for full-time physicians and registered nurses by 2038 if current trends remain.

Healthcare-related studies are housed in the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing at Saint Vincent College.