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Show THE DAILY HERALD. Prma. I Friday, October 11.19 School moves minority students to study science Editor's note: Xavier Unia historically Nark, small Catholic college in New Orleans, gels more black students into medical schools than any other university in the country. It provides workshops for minority students thinking about studying science and it closely monitors each premed student. at. versity, high-scho- By JANET McCONNAUGHEY Associated Press Writer NEW ORLEANS The letter to Lora Carmicle was on Xavier University stationery, from the premedical adviser. Her daughter, Stephanie, had missed a meeting of the Freshman Honor Corps. Lora Carmicle does not even remember the letter it was four years ago. Stephanie Carmicle, now in medical school, remembers, though. In an age when many schools do not even bother taking class attendance, didn't she find an honor society roll call nitpicking and intrusive? "I really appreciated it," said Ms. Carmicle, 22. t That kind of personal attention is part of the reason Xavier, a Catholic school with 3,500 students, gets more black students into medical school than any other university in the country, she said. This year's figures aren't in yet, but 81 Xavier graduates were accepted by medical schools in 1995. That's 2 12 times the number of black Harvard graduates accepted to medical schools that year. "It's important to note that they (Xavier) don't take students who are, in general, what you think of as academic superstars," said Dr. Herbert W. Nickens, head of the J Association of American Medical division of community ( Colleges' and minority programs. Xavier's students are ambitious and willing to work hard, but from average academic backgrounds, he t said. "So what Xavier does with ! them is really pretty remarkable." Its medical school acceptance J ; rate was why Ms. Carmicle went j to Xavier, even though it meant i commuting to school. , "I was thinking about North western, because I really wanted to go away from home," she said. But Northwestern had the number of black Graduates accepted at medical schools, while Xavier topped the list. "It didn't make sense to me to .go to No. 9 w hen I could stay here and go to No. 1," she said. Ms. Carmicle entered the University of Southern Alabama medical school this fall, one of at least 76 students accepted at medical 'schools after graduating in the spring from Xavier. J ninth-highe- st high-scho- v ff$2M By JEANE DIXON For Oct. 12 ARIES (March 2 April I9: Kick back 'and relax today. Be logical if you have a diligence of opinion with loved one. A sense of J "humor helps you get through trying times. Dine at home, then Match a good nun le. TALRL'S (April y 20): A good day to visit libraries, museums or art galleries. A community theater production may also hold strong appeal. Say "yes" if someone oilers to play Cupid. (iF.MINI (Mav 2 June 20): Donating items to charity will make J your home seem more spacious. Your love Jiifc improves when you meet someone with strong spiritual values. CANCER (June 2 July 22): An on- -l J n approach to romance is again, counter-productivMake a real commitment! Old friends urge you to bring greater balance to your life. All work and no play w ill leave vou depleted, i g 22): Be candid with a LEO (July friend. Trying to hide your feelings could damage your relationship. Have more faith in your abilities. Meditation will help you sort out difficult matters. 22): The more VIRGO (Aug. you connect with nature, the heller you will feel. Take a favorite canine companion for a ;.. of the Xavier graduates who go on to medical, dental or similar schools get those professional degrees roughly the same as the national success rate. Xavier was not always the national leader. It was getting about five students a year into medical J.W. school when Carmichael. a chemistry professor, was named premedical adviser in And 93 percent 1974. The first thing Carmichael did was keep careful tabs on each student, making sure they went to class, applied early for the Medical College Admissions Test, finished medical school applications ahead of deadline. In the science department, all first-yebiology and chemistry students must visit their advisers once a week with a report of how they have done in class that week a practice adopted from the athletic department. "The idea was. 'How can we get the shy student to the advisers ar 1 m. moment. lit): InvestAQUARIUS (Jan. ment offers mav sound belter than they really friend A are. oilers lo play Cupid. Welcome the chance lo meet someone eligible. Wear soinethins elegant, not flashv. PISCES (Feb. 20): Issue an invitation to someone you find attractive. Do not appear too eager, however, or yon could blow ii. Try lo keep a sense of humor if you must deal wilh an older person's whims. Catalog-Se- nd CO 81009 af Phone & Mail Orders Accepted such a letter descended onto campus, took her son's car keys and stopped his allowance until she got better reports, said Dr. Jacqueline Hunter, a chemistry professor and premed adviser. Nickens said he had not realized that Xavier kept such close tabs on its students. ' But I'm not at all surprised," he said. "Their motto is sort of a tough-lov- e approach to academics ... I think the letter home is a perfect example of that." More than of Xavier's students do not meet its entrance standards. But they are accepted because Xavier. as a historically black university, feels committed to giving them a chance. Sister Grace Mary said. "We give them developmental courses, and we work very hard to help them to make it," she said. "We feel that the top students can go to any college in the country, but there is a large segment of students youi big schools won't look one-quart- er live er A cream made from human bile acid can prevent genital herpes and has the potential to combat most sexually transmitted diseases. So say doctors at Cincinnati's Chil- dren's Hospital. Focusing on preventing sexual diseases in women as a strategy to protect fetuses and newborns from infection with syphilis, herpes, the gonorrhea or chlamydia, researchers reported a high success rate with cholic acid. Other researchers report that the topical cream penciclovir effectively reduced the lesions, pain and contagion of cold sores from the herpes simplex virus type I. Penciclovir cream, made by SmithKline Beecham. is under Food and Drug Administration review. A Band-Ai- d approach: Snor- - take note: In tests ol snoring remedies, the Good Housekeeping Institute says the best of the bunch is Breathe e Right, the strips worn on the bridge of the nose that are designed to open nasal airways. Chew on this: Going to see your dentist isn't so much like pulling teeth anymore. In 1959. dentists performed 34 tooth extractions per 100 population. By 1990. American Demographics magazine says, it was down to 19 per 100. Compiled by Marc Schogol of the Philadelphia Inquirer from w ire reports and other sources. Write to him at the Philadelphia Inquirer. P.O. Box 8263, Philadelphia. PA 19101. Band-Aid-lik- Swearing fits in Rupture of tendon linked to antibiotics By RON KOTULAK and JON VAN Chicago Tribune A link between a new class of antibiotics and a relative!) rare of the spontaneous rupture Achilles tendon has been spotlighted in an orthopedic journal called Foot and Ankle International. The article hy Dr. Saul G. Trevino, an orthopedic surgeon at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and colleagues concerns the fluoroquinolone family of antibiotics that include norfloxacin, cipeofloxacin. pefloxacin and ofloxacin. Several cases have been documented by public health authorities, but physicians suspect that the problem is underreported because of a lack of awareness of the link in the United States. "The possibility of an asscia-tio- n between fluoroquinolones and tendon rupture should be considered when tendon inflammation in elderly occurs, especially patients also receiving steroid therapy," said Trevino. In an era when strokes and heart attacks are on the decline. Baby Boomers may be looking toward runaway rates of congestive heart failure as they age. An by study researchers at the Albert F.instein College of Medicine followed nearly 8.700 people with high blood pressure that was lowered using drugs. Although the patients had fevi-e- r strokes and heart attacks than expected, rates of congestiv e heart failure jumped tenfold between 1973 and 1994. At a meeting in Chicago sponsored by the American Heart Association. Dr. Michael Alderman, chief author of the study, said, "The study suggests that just controlling high blood pressure is not enough." 18-ye- A new ty pe of w ater faucet that leaks upon demand has been designed by researchers at the University of Illinois at some situations Urbana-Champaig- Knight-Ridd- er Mind the elderly: Mental impairment is not a "normal" part of aging and many cases of dementia can be treated. And even when the problem cannot lie cured, such as Alzheimer's disease, early diagnosis is still advisable, says new guidelines for doctors drawn up by the federal Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. Expletives undeleted: It could be an inexpensive solution to the problem of froen water pipes bursting, said Jeff Gordon of the university's architecture school. Gordon and colleague Bill Rose s have worked out that when inside a water pipe, the pipe w on't burst if there is some way to relieve the pressure build-u- p causes as the ice expands. The solution is a faucet that would let water leak out as pressure builds. Gordon said. Burst pipes are primarily a problem in the South, where homes aren't built to protect pipes from the elements. "They get away with it for years at a time," said Gordon, "but then they get a cold snap. We're not talking one person lost a pipe. We're talking about the whole town." Your mom may not approve, but swearing can be useful in social conversation to reduce tension or show solidarity with a group. "We have been told all our lives that swearing is inappropriate, but there are actually times when it may be appropriate," says University of Florida researcher Kristy Beers. Beers said swear words have become more acceptable in daily speech and words that were taboo a decade or two ago are now heard on prime time television. Is Your Child Happy At School? ( Dippingv1 r 1 Chocolate ) Sale! 1 4kaV FBI ) Kids are happy at Ivy Hall HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE DEMO 9 X o OCT. 12, 19, 26 11 A.M. Provo Store has one chance for an education. Things thai are important to you are important to us, for example: unr-forms, small class size, superior teaching staff and physical1 facilities, all taught in a value oriented environment. We invite you to visit us. Ask questions. Sense the feeling here. We're-- ' confident you'll see and feel the difference. If your child1' 2 to il' needs a change, consider your options. Call schedule your tree tour. '. . University Mall 221-142- WILTON CAKE Laam Ida bauca. toflmg and Iroatmg tha caka. star, aholl boroart, rpiot. hgurt piping and mora WEDNESDAY. I PU '20 NOV. hn aura On 0m I 15? (SupotsM not InrtmJejrf) SHEPHERD' S candy Orem, UT 84058 Provo 1700 N. State (801)226-216- 9 IVY HALL ACADEMY 221-142- 2 ifMui The 373-554- 2 :; Grades PK thru Eighth Grade Ivy Hall Academy school admits students of race, color, and national or ethnic origin. j any i iY fjifli ihiaiHHiifli sfraj sH fit attsi f" 'J' Your child only clusters, cherry cordials, peanut-butte- r cups, and a variety of Halloween suckers. FREE FREE candy molds for adults. (No csndy samples. children plesse due to limited space.) Only I (801)225-457- 1 a workshop. One mother who got high-scho- Learn to make peanut Valid October 2 thru October 1 9, 1 988 Only at Sims Footwear in Orem, UT , students for college science classes. ol Pag D3 FOOTWEAR Qur Gift To You $10 ! ticipate in the small Catholic university's Stress on Analytical Reasoning (SOAR) program to prepare before midterms? said Sister Grace Mary flickinger. academic adviser to the basketball team, biology professor and. until last year, chair of the biology department. Tutoring is free, paid for with grants from the National Science Foundation and other public and private groups. There are mandatory study halls and students are encouraged to form study groups to work out problems they're unable to figure out on their own. Premedical students also get special workshops. There is no premed degree, but there are chemistry, biology and psychology degree programs designed to make sure students get all the science classes required by most medical schools. Certain workshops are designed to help students study for standardized tests, others to help them learn how to get and fill out the applications needed for medical schools. Attendance is required and letters are sent home if students miss Knight-Ridd- your name and address to: Consumer Information Center, Department Source, Pueblo, $10 ( Cream helps prevent herpes them ers and those of you who Newspapers long walk. Judge others by their actions, not their reputations. LIBRA (Sept. 2.VOct. 22): You Icel liberated from recent pressures. Have fun. but avoid behaving irresponsibly. A former romantic partner may still he available. 2 ): Your comSCORPIO (Oct. pany is in great demand. Choosing between two desirable invitations will he difficult. Find fun things to do with your mate. Your romantic fate is in your hands. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 Dec. 2 ): projects enjoy highly favorable influences Strong impulses steer you in the right direction. Start a new class or exercise program hut talk with your doctor before goine on a strict diet. CAPRICORN (Dec. 19): Welcome a chance to socialize this weekend. Accept the invitations that appeal lo you most. True Iriends will understand if you cannot change prev iously made plans at the last Receive the FREE Consumer Information SIEIIS W I AP Photo Gregory Powell end Sabrina Hampton perform experiments in the chemistry lab at Xavier University in New Orleans in this July photo. The pair par Horossopo m "When they do go to Xavier. those same schools will take them for graduate schxl or medical school." It wasn't until the 1990s, though, that the number of medical school acceptances began rising like a helium balloon. No single factor is responsible. It's a combination of all of Xavier's programs, said Hunter. One important program is a series of summer classes to gnxim students for minority science courses. These began in 1974 w ith a program to prepare for high-schchemistry. Xavier added preparation for biology and math and Stress on Analytical Reasoning, to prepare students for college science classes. These are not makeup courses students must have at least a low B average without any D's or F's during the most recent grading period Tests given each class at the start and end of the program show large gains in the subject matter, according to Xavier. It says those with low Scholastic Aptitude Test scores before attending Stress on Analytical Reasoning show an average gain of 120 points. The programs are given much of the credit for Xavier's surge in science enrollment from 429 in fall 1976to 1.551 in fall 1994. Ms. Carmicle, w ho was a member of national honor societies for both chemistry and premedical students, went through all the summer programs except MathStar, the algebra program. "It was my mother's idea. But I did have fun, I'll admit." she said. She also found that she loved chemistry something she doubts she would have learned otherwise, even though she attended McMain High, one of New Orleans' best. "i had a good teacher at McM.-in- . but they just didn't have the facilities," she said. "Chem-Sta- ? helped me see this was something in which I was interested." th Hl A atiaaTl fcufcaltjifj hm M i Jh j dim jui mt irli sV slUiftini "1 - hi fc |