Vision: The Apprentice Corporation endeavors to be a positive influence in the lives of future medical professionals all over the world and to enthuse these aspiring medical professionals towards reaching their goals and dreams.
Mission statement: The Apprentice Corporation, using the trade name The Apprentice Doctor® has the mission of assisting medical professionals globally ─ whether aspiring, in training or practicing ─ with suitable medical and surgical simulation training resources and events.
May we offer to you a “no strings attached GIFT” — The most useful and comprehensive organizer of ALL your preparatory activities for applying to Med School – and it is perfectly complimentary!
The following are resources offered by The Apprentice Doctor®:
- The Apprentice Doctor® unique “Simulation Labs in a Box” uniquely designed Medical an Surgical Courses and Kits for improving and perfecting student’s clinical and surgical skills
- Apprentice Doctor distance learning resources as well as pre-medical Camps
- Information regarding career choices in medicine
- Teaching students core values in medicine
The Origin of The Apprentice Doctor®
The Apprentice Doctor® idea materialized in 2002 when Dr. Anton Scheepers felt a desire to offer aspiring doctors and related medical professionals a glimpse into the field of medicine. The idea was to offer the student a hands-on experience and thus the concept of a ‘course and kit’ combination.
The First Training Kit
The first kit was the “The Apprentice Doctor® How to Examine Patients Foundation Course and Kit”. We have upgraded the Course and the Kit several times and presently the For Future Doctors Course is an accredited Premedical course for high schoolers in the USA.
Other educational Courses with accompanying Kits are “The Apprentice Doctor® How to Suture Wounds Course and kit” and “The Apprentice Doctor® Venipuncture Course and Kit“. These kits are aimed at students in the medical field who want to learn how to suture. The idea of a simulation lab in a box with instructions (instead of learning how to perform medical skills on a real patient in the clinical setting) seemed to have been well accepted by those in the medical education arena worldwide.
What Does the Future Hold?
We are in the process of expanding the range of kits. We offer a number of very popular International Apprentice Doctor® Camps per year – aimed at high school students interested in following a career in medicine. Other Apprentice Doctor Clinical Skills Workshops include: Suturing, venipuncture, Examine Patients, Airway Management and other workshops for medical/healthcare students.
Partnerships
The Apprentice Doctor synergizes with a number of very influential organizations with similar goals:
- A number of AHEC Summer Camps Programs
- The B.E.S.T. (Brain Expansions Scholastic Training) Program preparing the brain for maximal performance – of course, essential for studying medicine!
- Universities like ASU, USF, and Duke
- Science Centers – Sci-Bono and SciTech
Expert Consultation
The Apprentice Doctor® program consults with a number of professionals and experts in their field:
- Dr. Godfrey Sears PsyD, NPSYP, MPP, MPPQ, BMPQ; Psychology/Psychiatry and Neurology
- Dr. Dexter Frederick MD – Double board certified – Pediatrics and Internal Medicine
- Dr. Anton Scheepers MChD – Surgery and Dentistry
- Prof Nathan Mowa – APU – Medical Research, Physiology and Biology.
Endorsements and Accreditation
The Apprentice Doctor® is a member of the IELA (International E-Learning Association)
The Apprentice Doctor® Future Doctors Course material is the official course material of:
- The Duke University Apprentice Doctor® Chapter,
- The University of South Florida associated BEST Academy,
- The ASU’s (Appalachian State University) Future Doctors and Scientists Program
- Numerous Area Health Educational Centers’ (AHEC) Summer Camps
- The Johannesburg Sci-Bono Discovery Science Center (as part of the National Department of Education)
The Apprentice Doctor® Future Doctors Course material is the official course material of:
- The University of South Florida associated BEST Academy,
- The ASU’s (Appalachian State University) Future Doctors and Scientists Program
- The Apprentice Doctor® Chapter at A&M University, College Park TX
- The Apprentice Doctor® Chapter at Round Rock High School, Austin TX
- Various Area Health Educational Centers’ (AHEC) Medical Programs
- The Johannesburg Sci-Bono Discovery Science Center (as part of the National Department of Education)
It is also accredited via the *Solid Rock Community and Virtual Schools in Tampa Florida, USA with:
- AdvancED – which is the largest community of education professionals in the world,
- The National Association of Private Schools (NAPS),
- The Florida Coalition of Christian Private Schools Association (FCCPSA)
About the founder:
Dr. Anton Scheepers is the founder of The Apprentice Doctor® and the Future Doctors Academy. Dr. Anton is a qualified and practicing Medical Professional with more than 20 years experience as a specialist surgeon in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of a wide spectrum of diseases, injuries, and defects in the head, neck, face, jaw, and the hard and soft tissues of the head and neck region. It is a recognized international surgical specialty and it is uniquely placed right at the center of the medical and dental worlds.
Dr. Anton Scheepers has completed rotations in:
- General Surgery
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgery
Anton is president of The Apprentice Corporation since 2002
He is an international presenter at premedical and medical skills conferences, workshops and camps across the world. Dr. Anton Scheepers is a gifted presenter with a colorful career. From treating leprosy patients in a large leprosarium to treating soldiers and civilians in a bush war in Namibia, and rendering medical services to prisoners – including death-row prisoners to working with classified and dangerous psychiatric patients.
His training varied between basic medical sciences, surgery, and dentistry. He started a medical sciences section in the largest Science Center in Africa – the Sci-Bono Discovery Science Center and was involved with medical research in collaboration with Dr. Sandy Marks Jr. from the University of Massachusetts. Experience includes academic, public, military as well as private practice – all this experience in one person and now Dr. Anton is eager to see young people fulfilling their dreams of becoming great medical professionals.
Dr. Anton Scheepers has a keen interest in medical education as the head of the Premedical Sciences Department at the Solid Rock Community and Virtual Schools based in Tampa, Florida. He is still a practicing medical professional as well as the director of The Apprentice Corporation – an organization with the mission of assisting prospective medical professionals towards fulfilling their dreams. He is the author of 4 books*, a number of International medical articles and the accredited Apprentice Doctor® high school course material available at selected schools in the USA.
*Books published:
- For Future Doctors Foundation Medical Course ISBN: 978-0-9815066-0-9
- How to Suture Wounds Course ISBN: 978-0-9815066-1-6
- The Apprentice Doctor Venipuncture Course ISBN: 978-0-9815066-2-3
- For Future Medical Professionals Activity Logbook ISBN: 978-0-9815066-4-7
Dr. Anton Scheepers has written articles in various publications of International Medical Journals on subjects such as:
- Penetrating injuries of the head and neck
- Histoplasmosis
- Dental treatment of the psychiatric patient
- Various articles on Oral Manifestations of Leprosy
- In addition to the publications, Dr. Scheepers has presented papers at numerous national and international conferences
Awards and commendations include:
- P Grant Smith Gold medal for Maxillofacial Surgery
- The College of Medicine Silver Medal in Maxillofacial Surgery
- The Michael and Janie Miller Prize final year Surgery
- Commendation for excellent service rendering by the Director of the Department of Health
- Commendation for excellent service rendering by the director of Prison services