Pathways in Community Services
The Medical Postbac students will complete community service at multiple venues in Palm Beach County, focusing on various wellness and disability centers. They include:
- Genesis Health Services – federally qualified health center that serves low-income populations.
- Boca Helping Hands - serves the community with food packages, employment, and financial assistance.
- Trust Bridge Hospice Care – provides hospice and emotional care to support patients and their families facing severe illness.
- Twin Palms Center – serves developmentally challenged adults.
- Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center – serves adults with memory impairment.
- The Florida Department of Health – serves low-income populations with the WIC program, pre-natal and pediatrics services.
These elements are the hallmarks of character that medical schools covet. Students will be exposed to various clinical experiences with children, pregnant women, adults, and senior patients who receive medical care at these locations. Students will have the opportunity to be trained as medical assistants and acquire experience dealing with a population from a limited socioeconomic status, with decreased literacy level and/or limited English proficiency, all of which may create barriers to accessing adequate medical care. As a result, students will be able to recognize the importance of good communication and disease prevention, resulting in better health outcomes.
The students will keep a personal journal, recording thoughts and impressions as they reflect on their experiences. They will incorporate these experiences into their personal statements and use them to prepare to answer interview questions.