Introduced by Sandy Nichols: Dr. Bartolome, a family physician, author and activist.  Undergraduate studies at UC Davis, BS degree in Exercise Physiology.  MD and MBA, University of Irvine, with emphasis in Information Technology.  Co-founder of the Society for the Advancement of Excellence in Pre-Medical Education, an honor society that emphasizes educating future doctors about the needs of medically-underserved populations and the value of civic responsibility.  He is developing PreMedZone.com, a web based social network for premedical students: education, "The PreMedical Voice", information, mentorship, admission services and personal development tailored to the premed; designed to increase the number of disadvantaged students that enter the pipeline of medical care services in the world.  He currently has a family practice with the Ventana Health & Medical Center, PismoBeach.   
 

Dr. Bartolome explained that pre professional students face a long, arduous process to get into advanced degree schools, such as medical schools.  He noted that there is sometimes a lack of good information and mentorship to help the student and therefore there is a loss of good people to enter their respective professions at the beginning of this process.  Many times these students are very involved, busy in community work and have a keen social/civic mindset; and,  may miss the mark or a test score requirement.  He also said that we need heroes in the respective professions; especially in the law field where students could look at them with pride.  His program, such as PreMedZone, promotes ethics and values and the need to establish mentors in the respective professions to guide the student and help them through the process of entering post graduate programs.  His program will provide pod casts, audios and other media of people who are good examples of the profession; a multi-tiered mentoring system on line.  People, who are competent, respected and have good social/civic skills, ethics, values, etc.  For more information, call Dr. Bartolome, 805-489-2205, www.premedzone.com .