We hope this note finds you well.
2020 has been a year like no other. Like all of you, COVID-19 impacted the Medical Honors Program (MHP) in ways that we never could have imagined. In the Spring, it forced us to move our entire interview process to a virtual format. At the end of the day, we selected eleven applicants to be the founding members of the UFCOM Class of 2025. Being resourceful, these students found ways to take their classes, conduct their research, and perform community service, all the while being respectful of public health policies. As we move into 2021, the MHP students will continue to operate in this manner and by May 1st, they will have completed their entire MHP year, under a global pandemic. This being said, the MHP faculty and staff have worked diligently to ensure that the class has had as many meaningful experiences as possible, including learning how to greet patients and take their basic histories in the UF COM Anaclerio Learning & Assessment Center (ALAC). In this issue of the MHP Newsletter, you can read about one MHP student’s research on viral transmission, how others transitioned to medical school during COVID, and about the upcoming MHP application cycle, for those that may be interested.
As we have mentioned in earlier versions of this Newsletter, there are a number of ways that you can give back to the program, such as one hour of your time with the class from wherever you are located. Please reach out to us, as we are always happy to get our Alums involved in the Lunch and Learn program.
Finally, as we turn the page on 2020, we hope that you and your loved ones are well and that 2021 is filled with great health and much happiness.
Warm Regards,
Danielle Thomas and Peter Sayeski