Larner Medical Students Mentor Vermont High Schoolers Interested in Careers in Health and Medicine

Each year, a select group of second-year medical students from the Larner College of Medicine joins the Vermont Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Scholars program to mentor and act as role models for Vermont high school students interested in health and medicine careers. These students participate in summer programs across the state, where they teach, demonstrate, and advise on essential health science concepts, including clinical patient care, teamwork, communication, self-awareness, professionalism, and career pathway planning. Their goal is to inspire students to explore topics that spark their interest and possibly consider a career in health and medicine.

The Northern Vermont AHEC’s Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (GIV) Institute on Health & Medicine and the Southern Vermont AHEC’s MedQuest program are two such initiatives. These programs provide Vermont high school students with opportunities to explore various health careers in a rich learning environment. With engaging content, group discussions, clinical skill-building, team activities, job shadowing, and mentorship, these programs inform students, particularly those in rural and underserved areas, about training opportunities, education pathways, and urgently needed health occupations.

The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont Health & Medicine Institute, held on the University of Vermont campus from July 12-18, is a week-long residential science enrichment and career exploration program for high school students. Larner medical students serve as program staff and work in interprofessional teams to create and lead active, hands-on learning modules covering topics such as general medicine and patient care, surgery, diagnostic imagery, respiratory health, nursing, emergency medicine, pre-hospital care, neuroscience and psychology, biomedical research, dentistry, and rehabilitation therapy. Students come from across Vermont to participate in the Health & Medicine Institute.

Nakyah Furtado, inspired by a family member’s health battle, attended the institute to learn more about her mother’s condition. Alexis Hebert, who babysits, aimed to prepare for emergencies. Both shared their experiences with local TV stations, emphasizing the importance of learning about health and medicine. Larner medical student Ann Wong taught participants the basics of suturing, and other mentors included Hamza Azhar Karim, Jessa Bradley, Selena Henry, support Horton, Emma McMahan, Stephanie Miller, Sithara Nambiar, Anna Paritsky, Isabel Park, Gabreilla Pedro, and Romoye Sohan.

MedQuest, Southern Vermont AHEC’s three-day non-residential program, took place at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington and Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor from July 20-22 and July 29-31, respectively. Through workshops and job shadowing, students learned basic medical skills and terminology, explored various health care careers, and were introduced to future education and career tracks. Emma Anderson, a rising senior at Burr and Burton Academy, expressed excitement about tailoring her interests to her desired career path. Larner medical student Tariq Qayum emphasized the importance of mentorship, noting that programs like MedQuest provide students with the opportunity to explore health care and see that careers in medicine, nursing, and related fields are attainable.

Tariq Qayum and Margaux Eller mentored high school students during MedQuest, highlighting the value of hands-on learning and real-world experiences. The program’s mentors and instructors include Margaux Eller, Daron Forohar, Joseph Gallo, Grace Giroux, Eric Goodney, and Tariq Qayum.

These early pipeline programs are crucial components of Vermont AHEC’s efforts to grow the state’s health workforce. They provide long-term strategies that inform students, especially those in rural and underserved areas, about training opportunities, education pathways, and urgently needed health occupations at all levels. By engaging students early in their educational journeys, Larner medical students are helping to inspire the next generation of health care workers.

For more information on the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont Health & Medicine Institute and MedQuest, visit the official portal directly: official portal.

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