The newly-formed chapter of Phi Delta Epsilon (PhiDE) will be holding an informational meeting for prospective members on Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Chemistry 1171, discussing PhiDE’s history, events, benefits and steps needed to turn from a colony to an official chapter.

PhiDE is an international, pre-medical and coed fraternity with existing chapters on other UC campuses. The fraternity seeks to establish a chapter on campus to appeal to pre-med students, despite the presence of Mu Delta, a pre-existing pre-med fraternity that has been on campus since 2011, as well as Rho Psi Eta, UCSB’s pre-health sorority, established 2007.

According to Amy Tsang, Vice President of PhiDE Recruitment and second-year biopsychology major, the fraternity is unique because it is the only co-ed pre-medical organization on campus, differentiating it from all-male Mu Delta and all-female Rho Psi Eta, and includes pre-medical and medical school students.

“We’re unique to UCSB in the way that we have medical school fraternities, as well as pre-medical school fraternities,” Tsang said in an email. “This means we have a strong alumni network, as well as tied to medical schools across the nation!”

PhiDE president and third-year cell and developmental biology major Mimi Xu said the fraternity provides members benefits after graduation from college, including assistance in choosing a specialty and finding residency training.

“We hope this fraternity prepares premeds for medical school by offering many resources such as volunteering and internship opportunities, guest speakers, academic help, etc.,” Xu said in an email.  “We also hope members will create lifelong friendships with people who have the same goals and aspirations, and have a supportive network of people when things get tough.”

According to PhiDE Vice President of Programming and second-year biology major Kevin Le, the new chapter will require 25 students to join to form the founding class, and there are tentative plans to hold the first rush in the fall quarter of 2015.

“Students looking to join this fraternity should be ready for a challenge, but a worthwhile challenge,” Le said in an email.  “Joining a new fraternity on campus and building it up from the ground is definitely something that is not easy. However, the potential growth and lifetime bonds you could develop from doing so is what makes it worth it and so exciting.”

Carl Provenzano, Inter-Fraternity Council president and fourth-year biopsychology major, said PhiDE will offer pre-med students a great way for students to get involved.

“I think it’s great to bring out groups that tend to different demographics,” Provenzano said. “And it’s coed and it targets the medical students. It is definitely official and it’s great that students can find a niche and get involved.”

A version of this story appeared on page 6 of the January, Thursday 22, 2015 edition of the Daily Nexus.