The Indiana University School of Medicine is following two students in the Class of 2028 on their four-year journeys from orientation through graduation. Mout-Maine Moustapha is a student on the Indianapolis campus, and Sarah Vaught is a student on the West Lafayette campus.
About 60% of IU medical students start their journey on one of the school’s eight regional campuses, which offer smaller class sizes. In Indianapolis, medical students will get a new home base this fall — the Medical Education and Research Building.
Moustapha is president of the Class of 2028. Here’s a snapshot of its demographics:
- 6,356 applications received
- 365 students enrolled (Fall 2024)
- 84% from Indiana
Vaught and Moustapha shared their insights about student life in Indianapolis and on a regional campus.
Sarah Vaught: Year One in West Lafayette
Vaught applied to the IU School of Medicine through the Early Decision Program and selected the West Lafayette campus as her top pick.
“I think prospective students should consider the regional campuses,” she said. “It’s really beneficial being in a smaller environment. We get a lot of one-on-one time with instructors and physicians, and I think the social aspect of having a smaller class size is beneficial as well.”
IU School of Medicine—West Lafayette welcomes about 24 first-year students each fall. It’s also home to the Care of Hispanic and Latino Patients Scholarly Concentration program, in which Vaught participates. “The goal is to be fully bilingual and communicate with patients using that specialized (medical) vocabulary,” she said.
Vaught, who is certified as an emergency medical technician, will work with the IU Health Emergency Department this summer as she continues to explore potential career paths including emergency medicine and pathology. She’s looking forward to learning more about disease pathologies during her second year of medical school.
Watch Vaught’s video recap of her first-year experience at IU School of Medicine—West Lafayette.
Mout-Maine Moustapha: Year One in Indianapolis
Moustapha quickly sought out student leadership as not only class president with the Medical Student Council but also as vice president for IU’s chapter of the Student National Medical Association.
“It feels great to be able to have relationships with the deans of the school,” he said. “We have monthly meetings where they give us updates about what’s going on around the school and what to expect for the future. But it’s also our time to voice our concerns. They actually care about what we say.”
Moustapha recently toured the $230-million Medical Education and Research Building — the new home base for medical students and the school’s flagship facility co-anchoring the newly launched Indy Health District, along with IU Health’s new downtown hospital. He commended school leadership for incorporating student input into the building’s design with its many collaborative, student-centric spaces.
This summer, Moustapha will be participating in the IMPRS summer research program and exploring the use of artificial intelligence in the field of peripheral arterial diseases. He will also take classes for the Business in Medicine Scholarly Concentration program.
“With the world of AI emerging, it’s easier to merge the passion I have for both health care and technology,” he said.
In his second year of medical school, Moustapha looks forward to building upon his foundational knowledge and increasing clinical experiences as he volunteers in the Student Outreach Clinic, where he can use his multilingual skills to help patients who speak Spanish, French or Yoruba.
Watch Moustapha’s video recap of his first-year experience at IU School of Medicine.
