January 30, 2004 -- If you’ve always wanted to attend medical school but settled for the Discovery Channel or the novels of Robin Cook, now is your opportunity to go for free and without grades or tests — to U.Va.’s Mini-Med School. The School of Medicine is offering its seven-week program on Thursday evenings, 7-9 p.m., March 25 through May 6. The course, supported by a grant from Pfizer, brings in some of the Medical School’s most popular professors each week to discuss different topics in medicine. This year’s curriculum includes presentations on hypertension, anatomy, aging, the ups and downs of blood sugar, and the expanding tragedy called AIDS.

To apply for admission, call 924-5839 or 924-2563 or apply on the Web at www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/minimed. The deadline is Feb. 27. Due to popular demand, “students” will be chosen by lottery and notified by March 15.