A few months ago, NORD and our members hosted a “Meet the Patients” event at the annual conference of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA). We were thrilled with the number of students who came to our booth and the interest they displayed.
Since then, more than 100 students have signed up for NORD’s free student membership. We anticipate that many more will do so as we promote awareness of it.
The students who want to join NORD have a sincere desire to learn about rare diseases and the challenges of living with a rare disease. Some have a personal connection. Many are preparing for healthcare careers and just want to serve their patients well.
We love the emails we receive from students. Their commitment to helping others gives us a great deal of hope for the future of the patients and families who are at the heart of everything we do. To illustrate the caliber and career aspirations of the students who write to NORD, we’re sharing a few quotes from recent emails:
“I am a first year medical student at (medical school)…I am contacting you to request a student membership… Additionally, I intend to start a rare disease interest group/club here at (medical school) with the goal of promoting awareness and giving our student population an opportunity to learn more about rare diseases…”
“I am about to embark on the first semester of my graduate education next week…My focus will be the clinical and translational science track…My brother was recently diagnosed with (a rare disease) and NORD has been helpful in providing information…”
“I am a pharmacy student at (college of pharmacy) pursuing a career in pediatric pharmacy. I am interested in promoting Rare Disease Day on my campus…”
“I am a third-year dental student at (medical/dental school) and am hoping to pursue special needs/care dentistry. I would like to sign up for the NORD student membership and newsletter, please…”
NORD’s free membership is for all undergraduate and graduate students, particularly those preparing for healthcare careers. Since we first announced it earlier this year, we’ve also received inquiries from high school students. We are happy to include them.
Student members receive a special quarterly e-newsletter from NORD. They have opportunities to share news from their campuses. NORD will provide literature, speakers and guidance for their campus events.
It’s easy to sign up. If you are a student who would like to learn about rare diseases, sign up today and connect with NORD’s Educational Initiatives team. Your educational journey is important to us. After all, you are the future for our patients and families!
