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As I was preparing to finish my first year of college, I decided it was time to start looking for internships for the summer. I honestly didn’t know where to start. I knew I wanted to participate in something involving medicine or volunteering, so I started searching with that goal in mind.

As I searched and searched, I finally fell upon a program called “Readying Youth Scientist For Excellence In Medicine, Health Equity, and Discovery” (RYSE MED). The title literally had exactly what I was looking for while also being located in the city of Detroit at Henry Ford Hospital.  It involved medicine, while also helping those younger than me explore the idea of what health sciences really are. Like any other individual, I applied for this position.

Vivica Addrow

As I finished my first year of college, I had no clue what I would do for the summer. The only thing that I knew was set in stone for certain was taking a class at my local community college. Luckily, I finally heard back from the RYSE MED program and was admitted! Finally, I had a real plan for the summer.

The RYSE MED program is truly a remarkable program geared toward helping 11-12th grade students from the Detroit area explore opportunities they never thought to look at. I noticed that a lot of the students were very unaware about research in medicine and how it can help people. Not only were the students given the opportunity to explore research, but they were allowed to explore different specialties, including dermatology, emergency medicine, first aid, and more.

Individuals from each of these various specialties showed the students what they do in their everyday lives and shared the steps they can take to make their dreams come true. Watching the students immerse themselves into what was being said was truly remarkable. I remember wishing that I had a program like this when I was in high school. I believe that if there were more programs like this in the city of Detroit than many more students would know about the various careers that are available to them.

Written by Fall 2023 Campus Influencer Vivica Addrow.