Medi-Gators Virtual Shadowing Program

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The Medi-Gators Virtual Shadowing Program was created by Dr. Pouya Ameli and Alyson Moriarty at the University of Florida. This virtual shadowing program is free to UF students, and consists of 40+ presentations each semester from a wide-array of healthcare professionals (physicians, physician assistants, nurse practioners, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, social workers, etc.), intending to expose students to a wide variety of careers while also providing sessions dedicated on how to approach the professional school application process. Our program has helped to guide well over 6,000 UF students interested in Pre-Health careers, and counting.

Previously, finding a meaningful shadowing experience often required knowing the right people, making yourself available when your mentor was available, and having the necessary transportation, wardrobe, etc. to make a good impression. This naturally made it so that shadowing, and all the benefits that come with it, was primarily available to a select group of students.

The Medi-Gators team believes that all Pre-Health students deserve an opportunity to learn more about a career of interest, obtain guidance on how to effectively pursue a career, develop a relationship with a trusted mentor, and receive the many other potential benefits of shadowing. Our virtual shadowing format allows us to recruit the best mentors and give them an opportunity to relay their message to over a thousand students all at once. Sessions are recorded and available to students who work, have family obligations, or otherwise are unable to attend live. We enable students to shadow over 40 healthcare providers each semester – something that was simply not possible with traditional in-person shadowing.

For undecided students, rapid exposure to a broad range of careers can help to narrow down options to a few careers of interest. For students with defined career goals, exposure to the full breadth of healthcare professions provides an appreciation for the complexities of healthcare and how many professions play a role to provide excellent care to patients. We want students to have a good idea of how multiple careers in healthcare can look before they spend significant time and effort pursuing one.

At the end of our program, a completion certificate is provided to students who meet the minimum attendance requirements.

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Medi-Gators Mentorship Program 2022-2023

Our mentorship program intends to connect undergraduates, health professional students (medical, PA, nursing, dental, etc.), and healthcare professionals from similar backgrounds and with similar interests.

In the News…

Shadowing program gives pre-health students experience as pandemic restrictions remain

When the COVID-19 pandemic took opportunities away from pre-health students, Alyson Moriarty created her own. 
Medi-Gators offers job shadowing and mentorships to students. The program helps expose participants to healthcare professions. Its virtual format on Zoom makes shadowing more accessible for underprivileged students and parents providing for their families while fulfilling academic obligations.

Co-Founders Speak about…

Promoting the Profession: Highlighting a Unique Shadowing Program for Pre-Health Students

This podcast episode highlights a unique and innovative virtual shadowing program for pre-health students developed by the University of Florida Department of Neurology. Members of the ASHP New Practitioners Forum chat with founders of the Medi-Gators Virtual Shadowing Program to gather their insights and lessons learned when developing the program to improve access to shadowing, mentorship, and other health-related opportunities for all students.

COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HELPS LOCAL GIRLS EXPLORE CAREERS IN HEALTH CARE

Three University of Florida groups partner to engage underrepresented groups in medicine

Students from the Pace Center for Girls, an all-girls alternative school, and Girls Place, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young women, took a field trip to the UF College of Medicine July 26, gathering in the George T. Harrell, M.D., Medical Education Building and rotating among stations staffed by college faculty. The event, hosted by the college’s Women in Medicine and Science advisory board and Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development, along with the Medi-Gators Virtual Shadowing Program run through the department of neurology, was designed to inspire the next generation of female physicians and scientists, showing them the breadth of opportunities in health care.