This month, eight pre-medicine students at The Master’s University were invited to give a series of presentations to members of the trauma department at Antelope Valley Medical Center. The students presented ideas to improve the quality of care provided by the department, drawing on research conducted throughout the semester.

One of the presenters was Daniel Jerden, a sophomore studying biology with a pre-medicine emphasis. His group presented on reducing complications during treatment of chest injuries.

“Many of my classes have stressed the importance of communicating scientific information in a way that is both precise and approachable for the intended audience,” said Jerden. “We’re trained to source reliable data, thoroughly understand our material, and structure presentations thoughtfully. Even though this presentation was outside the classroom, the approach TMU taught us — rigorous research, careful organization, and clear communication — guided us every step of the way.”

Dr. Daniel Ybarra (adjunct biology professor at TMU) connected the students with this opportunity as the capstone of his Research in Biology course, allowing them to gain experience presenting research to medical professionals.

“I was personally impressed by the quality of work and diligence of each student,” Ybarra said. “They represented The Master’s University well — but most importantly, they represented our Lord well. I don’t think it could have gone any better.”

Other presenting students included Faith Azer, Noah Benavidez, Matthew Hamm, Andrew Crabtree, Kaiden Lin, Hannah Choo, and Ryan Lowe.

This probably won’t be the last time TMU pre-med students get to work with Antelope Valley Medical Center. Thanks to the work of Ybarra and the diligence of the student presenters, the medical center has begun to seek an educational affiliation agreement with TMU, opening the door for future collaborations.

Learn more about TMU’s biology programs here.