The entire School of Medicine community is cordially invited to Together We Thrive 2026, led by Sheryl Heron, MD, MPH, MACP, Associate Dean of Community and Engagement and K’Erika Green, MPH, CAPM, Program Coordinator in partnership with Healthy Emory, Artrounds, and the Center for Holistic Student Success.

➡️Please take a moment to register for events and share with others in your network!⬅️

🌞Day One of Together We Thrive 2026🌞

March 19th @ Noon via ZOOM:  Building Community and Engagement Webinar Series – Gen-U, Gen-Me, Gen-We

Join the School of Medicine and the Center for Holistic Student Success for an engaging 1-hour intergenerational webinar that uses storytelling, art, and music to explore how learning, resilience, and social change emerge when generations work together.  

Moderated by Dr. John Lewis (emergency medicine), this interactive experience centers on the powerful interplay between fluid intelligence, creativity, adaptability, and innovation, and crystalline intelligence, wisdom, experience, and historical perspective through three generational lenses. 

GEN-U: highlights emerging voices navigating uncertainty and change through creativity and support.

GEN-Me: explores the challenges and growth of mid-career professionals who bridge innovation with systems-building and mentorship.

GEN-We: reflect the wisdom of senior faculty and elders, emphasizing legacy, continuity, and lessons learned through historical struggle. 

Participants are invited to reflect on their own roles within a shared community and to consider how bidirectional learning across generations strengthens academic, clinical, and community spaces. 

Together, this experience affirms a simple but powerful message: when generations learn from one another, together we thrive. This session is open to all faculty, staff, learners, trainees, and community members. 

Moderator: John Lewis (emergency medicine) 

Panelists:

• Elsa Lewis (learner)
• Ramya Ginjupalli (M3)
• Douglas Ander (emergency medicine)
• Holly Gooding (pediatrics)

Students interested in gaining hands-on clinical experience in eye care and community health now have an opportunity to work with the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to vision care across Georgia.

The organization provides free vision services to uninsured Georgians and students in Title I schools, traveling across the state and throughout Atlanta to deliver care directly to communities that need it most. Through mobile clinics and on-site services, volunteer and contract eye doctors provide eye exams and connect patients to additional care when needed.

To support this work, the foundation is currently hiring full-time Ophthalmological Technicians and also offering internship opportunities for students interested in clinical experience.

Full-Time Opportunity: Ophthalmological Technician

Students graduating soon or those interested in beginning a clinical career in healthcare can apply for a full-time Ophthalmological Technician position starting this summer.

Position Details

• Role: Ophthalmological Technician
• Pay: $19–$20 per hour
• Start Date: As soon as students graduate
• Application Timeline: Applications are accepted now and reviewed on a rolling basis

Technicians work directly with optometrists and ophthalmologists to help provide primary vision care to patients in both mobile clinics and on-site clinical settings.

What You’ll Do

Students in this role will gain valuable healthcare experience through responsibilities such as:

• Assisting eye doctors during patient examinations
• Explaining vision testing procedures and preparing patients for exams
• Administering tests to measure visual capabilities
• Collecting patient histories and assisting with eyeglass frame selection
• Maintaining patient records before, during, and after examinations
• Processing intake forms and applications
• Ordering eyeglasses and coordinating follow-up services
• Providing referrals for specialty care such as surgery, hearing services, or primary care
• Setting up and maintaining optical equipment

The position also requires strong communication, professionalism, and patient service skills, especially when working in fast-paced clinical environments.

Benefits

Full-time employees receive:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Approximately 17 days of paid time off (PTO) per year

Internship Opportunity for Students

In addition to the full-time role, the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation offers an internship program for students seeking clinical exposure while completing their education.

Internships can be:

• Part-time during the school year
• Full-time during fall, spring, or summer semesters

Interns receive:

• Volunteer clinical hours
• Hands-on experience in patient care environments
• Opportunities for letters of recommendation

This opportunity is ideal for pre-health students exploring careers in medicine, optometry, public health, or other healthcare professions.

How to Apply

Students interested in the Ophthalmological Technician position or internship opportunities can submit a resume and cover letter or send questions directly to:

Caroline York cyork [at] lionslighthouse [dot] org

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so students are encouraged to apply early.

Why This Experience Matters

Working with a nonprofit healthcare organization allows students to gain real clinical experience while serving communities that may not otherwise have access to vision care. Whether applying for medical school, optometry school, or other health professions programs, experiences like this provide meaningful insight into patient care, clinical operations, and community health outreach.

Students interested in building clinical experience while making a difference in communities across Georgia are encouraged to apply.

Student Opportunity: Gain Hands-On Community Health Experience with BEL

Students looking for volunteer hours, practicum experience, or real-world exposure to community health work have an opportunity to participate in an upcoming outreach event hosted by Black Educated Lesbians (BEL), a Metro Atlanta nonprofit organization focused on community health and wellness.

This spring, BEL will host a community health outreach event serving more than 100 community members. The event will also serve as a structured learning opportunity for students who want to gain practical experience in community engagement and population health.

Students who volunteer at the event may assist in several roles, including:

• Health education outreach – sharing wellness information and engaging with attendees
• Participant navigation and intake – helping community members register and access services
• Community resource coordination – connecting attendees with available programs and partner organizations
• Survey collection and needs assessment support – assisting with gathering community feedback and data

These roles give students the chance to observe and support community-based health work in a real outreach setting.

Students who participate will receive:

• Documented service hours
• Defined volunteer responsibilities
• On-site supervision

This opportunity is ideal for students who need:

• Practicum or internship hours
• Volunteer or service-learning hours
• Community engagement experience
• Exposure to population health or community outreach

Students who are simply interested in learning about community health resources and partnerships are also welcome to attend the event as participants.

Get Involved

BEL welcomes students who are interested in gaining hands-on experience while supporting community wellness in Metro Atlanta.

Participation in events like this allows students to see how community organizations engage with residents, provide health education, and build partnerships that improve access to care.

Students interested in volunteering or learning more about the event should reach out for additional details and participation information.

Draw Medicine is a Health Literacy Fellowship for pre-med and pre-health students that focuses on teaching verbal and visual healthcare communication skills while improving health literacy education and providing exposure to 8 different areas of medicine. 

Over the past three summers, Draw Medicine has hosted a fellowship program for over 500 of the top undergraduate students in the country. (Check out some of our Fellows talk about their experience!). 

The fellowship is designed for pre-med students who want:

• A valuable and fun summer experience
• To learn medicine and gain exposure to multiple medical specialties 
• A practical, standout skill they can use in research, clinics, and interviews (drawing!)
• Mentorship and community with other motivated pre-meds

This Fellowship is a 10-week, remote, mainly asynchronous experience designed to expose Pre-Meds to the world of medicine and patient care, guiding Fellows on how to verbally and visually (through drawing!) communicate pathologies and operations to patients through case-based learning in over 8 specialties — No art background necessary! We’ll be covering a wide array of specialties, such as Cardiology, Ophthalmology, General Surgery, Pediatrics, Nephrology, Orthopedics, ENT, OBGYN, and more!! Follow us on Instagram to learn more! 

The fellowship starts in June and is a remote, asynchronous program designed to accommodate maximum flexibility, so that fellows can integrate this program into their busy summer schedules. Because the guided training videos can be watched at any time of the day and at any pace, there shouldn’t be any time conflicts. You’ll also get a chance to meet and interact with the rest of the fellows in the program during these workshops. We want to provide our Fellows with a network of like-minded individuals who want to integrate art and medicine who you’ll be able to connect with for the rest of your professional healthcare journeys!. Though the Fellowship is designed for non-artists, we welcome artists as well!

There are only a limited number of spots, so if you’re interested, we’re encouraging students to apply as soon as possible! 

If you have any questions, feel free to email me directly and we can schedule a time to connect! You can also get more information for the Fellowship Here! If you’re thinking of applying but will need some time to fill out the application, please let me know (Rebecca [at] drawmedicine [dot] com).

Children’s Care Pediatrics – Sandy Springs, GA

If you’re looking for meaningful hands‑on clinical experience during your gap year, Children’s Care Pediatrics in Sandy Springs is offering an incredible opportunity! Located conveniently near Northside Hospital and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, this pediatric practice is looking to hire 2–3 new Medical Assistants.

💡 Why This Opportunity Stands Out

Children’s Care Pediatrics has a strong track record of helping students advance into competitive health programs. Recently:

• Two former MAs were accepted into Mercer University’s PA program
• One MA was accepted into MCG School of Medicine, starting this August

It’s a supportive environment that truly invests in students and their career goals.

🩺 What They’re Looking For

The practice hopes to hire students who are planning a gap year and are available to start soon or even immediately. This is an excellent chance to gain patient-care experience, build professional confidence, and work closely with a friendly, tight‑knit healthcare team.

🕒 Work Schedule & Benefits

• Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM
• No weekends
• No holidays
• Occasional opportunities to take off Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays
• Fun, collaborative team culture
• Starting pay around $18/hour, with flexibility based on experience

📩 Ready to Apply?

Interested students should send their resume directly to:
📧 averyjgregory [at] gmail [dot] com