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For many students, from high school age and up, �ٺ���Ƶ can be the starting point on their map to a career in medicine and-or public health.

More specifically, the starting point is Mapping Your Path to Medicine — the title of this year’s pre-medicine and pre-public health conference, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9, presented by the American Medical Student Association chapters at the �ٺ���Ƶ School of Medicine and American River College, Sacramento.

The conference aims to support students in academic and admissions preparation for entry into medical and public health training, and to introduce this kind of study to students who are classified by the American Medical Student Association as “underrepresented in medicine.”

The ARC chapter originated the conference nine years ago, drawing 231 students. �ٺ���Ƶ joined with ARC along the way, and last year’s conference drew 3,277 students — making it the largest pre-medical gathering at any undergraduate institution in the United States, and the only two-day conference.

�ٺ���Ƶ is hosting the conference for the third year in a row, with The Pavilion as the main meeting hall.

The program includes panels of medical school deans, each discussing his or her institution, its admission requirements and what qualities that the institution is looking for in applicants.

The conference also will include more than 100 workshops on such topics as the Medical College Admission Test and crafting personal statements for the admissions process; the pre-medical curriculum, summer programs and financial aid; and study skills and time management. Participants also will have an opportunity to explore career options.

Representatives of more than 100 medical and public health schools from around the country are scheduled to attend this year’s conference, with admissions deans and other staff leading many of the workshops.