For college students, the future is full of potential and opportunities. And as gap years for students grow in popularity, Grace Medical Home has been able to help aspiring medical school students maximize time between schooling through a partnership with the University of Central Florida Burnett Honors College.
Seventy-five percent of Burnett Honors students are in STEM, and 30 percent of those students plan to attend medical school. Sheila Amin Gutiérrez de Piñeres, Dean of Burnett Honors College, makes it her mission to find opportunities for students to become more well-rounded. That’s where Grace comes in.
Grace began its partnership with the Burnett Honors College last December. Since then, Burnett Honors students have completed gap year internships at Grace to gain valuable, hands-on experience before they move on to medical school. Students must also have volunteer hours to qualify for medical school, which they’re able to accomplish with gap year internships at Grace. The internships count toward both direct contact and shadowing hour requirements.
“Grace serves an important part of our community,” Piñeres said. “They are a God-send.”
Piñeres said the internships at Grace help students mature and see “all of the pieces to the puzzle of healthcare.” Because of the community that Grace serves, the experience prompts students to ask different questions than other medical students, helps them come up with creative solutions, and provides insight from a unique perspective.
One gap year student, Demani Barnes, has continued work at Grace as a volunteer following his internship.
“Being at Grace has allowed me to be more appreciative of developing various qualities that are critical in my pursuit of becoming a great doctor and the simplifications of just being a better human in society,” Demani said.
With Grace and Burnett Honors College in partnership, the future looks bright.
“We will create a generation of physicians that have compassion, understanding, and are perceptive to the challenges of life,” Piñeres said.
