Our medical school has a reputation for producing physicians trained to put patients at ease and communicate with them clearly and with compassion. That's no accident. Right from the start, we make sure our students have countless opportunities for hands-on experience.
 

In fact, their first year wraps up with a three-week Summer Clinical Practicum, or SCP. They work side by side with practicing community physicians -- seeing their patients and learning about Floridians' health concerns. Many of those patients come from elder, rural, minority and medically underserved populations, so our students experience firsthand the importance of our college's mission.

Hear what these students have to say about the SCP:

“I had a wonderful SCP experience. I had countless opportunities to practice my physical exam skills. Dr. Victor Micolucci puts his patients’ needs first and will not quit until they have adequate and affordable care. He is always searching for drug samples, insurance discounts and specialists willing to treat his patients. Many of his staff have been working with him for over 20 years. Many of his patients have been coming to him for over 30 years. My reasons for becoming a physician are to help people and form relationships with my patients and their families. Dr. Micolucci is a perfect example of both. He told me: ‘If you just sit with a patient for four minutes with your hand on their knee or shoulder, and you just sit and listen – to the patient it will feel like a lifetime.’ I am grateful for my placement with Dr. Micolucci’s office.”       – Jacqueline DePorre, Class of 2020

I was paired with Dr. Mohammad Yunus, who has a background similar to mine: Pakistani and Muslim. Working with him has taught me a lot about medicine and about life. Dr. Yunus allowed me to start interviewing and presenting patients very early during my SCP course. He also allowed me to chart patients, after which he would review and give constructive criticism. Since Dr. Yunus not only owns a clinic but also rounds at the hospice and hospital, I was able to experience inpatient medicine as well. This allowed me to broaden my scope of medicine to different outlooks in a rural setting. At the end of my SCP course, I knew that I had made a mentor for life.”      – Aazim Arif, Class of 2020

“I have nothing but great things to say about my SCP experience with Dr. Kevin Kasych! When we had free time between patients, he would create a case and work through it with me, helping me hone my differential diagnosis skills. The other doctors would frequently pull me into patient rooms if they wanted me to see something unusual or important. Dr. Kasych’s ability to make kids feel comfortable and speak honestly is amazing. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to experience life as a pediatrician so early in medical school. I   feel so much more confident conducting well-child visits, assessing for developmental milestones and going through an annual exam. This has me very excited for third- and fourth-year rotations!” – Alicia Bishop, Class of 2020

Since we're sending students out of Tallahassee for rotations, there are extra costs for lodging and living expenses – which can't be covered by university or state funds. Thus we depend solely on private support. To keep it going, we need you. Please support the SCP with a gift to the College of Medicine.