UF summer program encourages minority students to pursue health-care careers; helps prepare them for college life
Thirty-six North Florida up-and-coming high school seniors explored firsthand the dynamics of the health-care professions through this summer’s Health Care Summer Institute at the University of Florida Health Science Center.
Marking its sixth year, the program is designed to increase the number of minority high school students interested in pursuing a health career, as well as to provide students with information on how to be successful in college. It is offered through a partnership among the UF College of Medicine’s Office of Minority Affairs, the region’s four Area Health Education Centers and Shands at UF Food and Nutrition Services.
“The hope is for these students to be successful in college, go on to graduate from professional schools, and go back to their communities to serve the underserved population,” said Dr. Donna Parker, the College of Medicine’s assistant dean for minority affairs.
Desiree Hayes, senior education coordinator for the Northeast Florida Area Health Education Center, said the centers have been monitoring past participants’ progress to evaluate the program’s influence. A complete report will be available at the end of the year. “Tracking results show that greater than 60 percent of Health Care Summer Institute alumni are enrolled in institutions of higher learning,” Hayes said.
The Area Health Education Centers’ goal is to improve access to primary health care in North Florida's medically underserved areas through academic-community partnerships designed to recruit, train and retain community-based health professionals. Communities represented at this year’s institute included Sparr, Lake City, Pensacola, Ocala, Lake Butler, Tallahassee, Crescent City, Jacksonville and Gainesville.
Students participated in one of two three-week sessions held in June and July. During that time they had the opportunity to shadow health-care professionals in medicine, nursing, health professions, pharmacy, dentistry and veterinary medicine.
Participants also took courses on study skills and health professions, and had the opportunity to work in computer labs, learning how to build resumes and conduct research. Thanks to increased funding from the College of Medicine, the institute was able to offer a SAT prep course for the first time.
The program is open to students in the four ethnic groups defined by the Association of American Medical Colleges as being underrepresented in health care: African-Americans, Mainland Puerto Ricans, Mexican-Americans and Native Americans. Students are selected based on a combined ranking of grade point average, letters of recommendation and essays.
“I most enjoyed the shadowing experience, because you not only learn about health careers, you get to see them at work and learn what the job is really about,” said Joy Ford, a student from Columbia High School in Lake City, who plans a future as a surgeon.
Pensacola:
EDITOR’S NOTE: Pine Forest High School student Courtney Hixon of Pensacola participated in this year’s program.
Crescent City:
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following Crescent City students participated in this year’s program:
·Kandis Carey, Crescent City High School
·Jennifer Cazely, Crescent City High School
·Erica Farmer, Columbia High School
·Joy Ford, Columbia High School
Lake City:
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following students participated in this year’s program:
·Chakrita Bradley of Lake City, Columbia High School
·Eboni Ellis of Lake City, Columbia High School
·Erica Farmer of Crescent City, Columbia High School
·Joy Ford of Crescent City, Columbia High School
·Anneka Johnson of Lake City, Columbia High School
·Deadra Jones of Lake City, Columbia High School
Starke:
EDITOR’S NOTE: Union County High School student Alexis Highland of Starke participated in this year’s program.
Jacksonville:
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following students participated in this year’s program:
·Natalia Hooks of North Jacksonville, A. Phillip Randolph Academies of Technology
·Aja Lampley of Jacksonville, Stanton College Preparatory High School
·Serenia Manigo of Jacksonville, Stanton College Preparatory High School
·Keisha McFarlane of Jacksonville, Stanton College Preparatory High School
·Marcus Patterson of Jacksonville, Douglas Anderson School of Arts
·Tara Sinclair of Jacksonville, Stanton College Preparatory High School
·Cynthia Speights of Jacksonville, Stanton College Preparatory High School
·Michele Williams of Jacksonville, A. Phillip Randolph Academies of Technology
Gainesville:
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following Gainesville students participated in this year’s program:
·Pamela Barr, F.W. Buchholz High School
·Ashuantay Houston, Gainesville High School
·Porchia Journigan, F.W. Buchholz High School
·Pierina Rosario, Loften High School
Gainesville and Ocala:
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following students participated in this year’s program:
·Pamela Barr of Gainesville, F.W. Buchholz High School
·Ashuantay Houston of Gainesville, Gainesville High School
·Helen Howard of Ocala, Vanguard High School
·Porchia Journigan of Gainesville, F.W. Buchholz High School
·Zelcha Maxwell of Ocala, Vanguard High School
·Devondrea Poole of Ocala, North Marion High School
·Pierina Rosario of Gainesville, Loften High School
·Diakima Thomas of Ocala, North Marion High School
·Alicia Thornton of Ocala, North Marion High School
·Quiana Wilkerson of Sparr, North Marion High School
Ocala:
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following students participated in this year’s program:
·Helen Howard of Ocala, Vanguard High School
·Zelcha Maxwell of Ocala, Vanguard High School
·Devondrea Poole of Ocala, North Marion High School
·Diakima Thomas of Ocala, North Marion High School
·Alicia Thornton of Ocala, North Marion High School
·Quiana Wilkerson of Sparr, North Marion High School
Chattahoochee:
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following students participated in this year’s program:
·Yolonda Groomes of Greenwood, Jackson Academy of Applied Technology
·DeVondra Simmons of Chattahoochee, Chattahoochee High Magnet School
Gadsden County:
EDITOR’S NOTE: Chattahoochee High Magnet School student DeVondra Simmons of Chattahoochee participated in this year’s program.
Tallahassee:
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following Tallahassee students participated in this year’s program.
·Roscoe Green, Leon High School
·Lashawn Thomas, Florida State University School
Blountstown:
EDITOR’S NOTE: Blountstown High School student Nancy Brown of Blountstown participated in this year’s program.
Marianna:
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following students participated in this year’s program:
·Nancy Brown of Blountstown, Blountstown High School
·Yolonda Groomes of Greenwood, Jackson Academy of Applied Technology