LEWISTON – Sarah Chandonnet of Lewiston attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine in Los Angeles from July 11 to 20. She joined 350 other high school students from around the country who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential and an interest in a career in medicine.

Chandonnet will be a senior at Lewiston High School in the fall. She is a cheerleader and a member of the class of 2005 executive board. A National Honor Society member, she just recently completed a two-week internship at the Bates College chemistry lab working with Glen Lawson.

The 10-day forum introduced Chandonnet to a variety of concepts in public health, medical ethics, research and general practice and included site visits to medical facilities and clinics. Students engaged in a simulation using problem-based learning, an educational method in which students were presented a fictional patient’s case history and diagnosed and developed a treatment plan.

“The National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine creates a virtual classroom out of hospitals, clinical facilities and healthcare professionals,” said Donna Snyder, executive director. “By shadowing key personnel, students like Sarah Chandonnet have a great opportunity to gain a behind-the-scenes perspective on a career in medicine. This is a critical time for these students to be exploring their future career paths, just prior to immersing themselves in course work once they are in college.”

In addition to visits to medical schools and clinical facilities, Chandonnet heard from leaders in the medical field.

The forum is a nonprofit educational organizations that brings various professions to life, empowering young people to make well-informed career choices. For additional information, visit www.hylf.org.