The first four students to graduate from medical school through Florida Gulf Coast University’s pre-health professional program partnership with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) are completing residencies in Florida.  Soon, these doctors will be helping alleviate the critical shortage of healthcare professionals in Florida and beyond.

Besides playing a role in increasing the number of physicians needed to serve the state’s burgeoning population, FGCU’s Early Admissions Program ensures a seamless transition from undergraduate classes to medical school. Organized and supported by the College of Arts & Sciences and the Department of Biological Sciences, the program offers students guaranteed admission to LECOM provided they complete their bachelor’s degree at FGCU and meet specific academic and professional standards. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania, LECOM has a branch campus in Bradenton.

The quartet of inaugural graduates features one in resident in radiology, one in internal medicine and two in psychiatry. All four are completing post-graduate training at high-level medical facilities.

Having graduates succeed in medical school and go on to the residency portion of their professional journeys represents a major milestone for FGCU’s partnership with LECOM. It illustrates how the university has a part to play in addressing the dearth of healthcare professionals even without having its own medical school.

LECOM ‘an incredible opportunity’

Among the foursome of FGCU alumni in residency is Melissa Chen, a 2020 Honors College biology graduate. Chen, who enrolled at FGCU while in high school through the program, is completing her psychiatry residency at the University of Central Florida/HCA Gainesville Consortium at North Florida Hospital.

“My FGCU professors were tremendously supportive, and the education I received laid a strong foundation for the knowledge I built upon in medical school. While general and organic chemistry may not be everyone’s favorite subjects, you’d be surprised how often those concepts resurface in medical training and practice,” Chen said. “FGCU provided excellent preparation for medical school, and I am incredibly grateful for that experience.”

On track to complete her training in 2028 with plans to pursue a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, Chen characterized pre-acceptance into LECOM as an incredible opportunity, especially for students who are the first in their family to pursue a medical career.

“It alleviates much of the stress associated with medical school admissions, including the need to take the MCAT — something that can be a major hurdle for students,” she said. “The medical school application process is competitive, and it is not uncommon for students to take gap years to strengthen their applications and prepare for the MCAT. Knowing that I had a guaranteed spot at LECOM allowed me to focus on my education without that added pressure.”

Pre-acceptance eases stress

Josie Lorea, a 2023 Honors College biology graduate and member of FGCU’s Hall of Fame, is in her second year as a medical student at LECOM after completing the pre-professional health program.

“This program prepared me for the rigors of medical school by providing me with opportunities and challenges that better equipped me to transition to medical school. A specific example of this is having required senior research courses,” said Lorea. “These courses focused on collecting and processing data with professional guidance and allowed me to present research early in my academic career. This gave me a solid foundation when trying to get involved with research in medical school, which can be very challenging without previous research experience.”

Pre-acceptance into LECOM also provided Lorea with a sense of security, she said.

“Always knowing what I had to do to maintain and complete my acceptance relieved a lot of anxiety during my time in undergrad,” she said. “Because of this, I felt like I was able to excel academically while also finding more joy in my extracurriculars due to having lower stress levels.”

After completing her general coursework as a second-year medical student at LECOM, Lorea will begin her third-year clinical rotations in St. Augustine working toward a career in public health.

A strong support system

As a rising sophomore at FGCU majoring in biology with a pre-professional health concentration, Sarah Sonny is just beginning her journey into the medical profession.

“I found that FGCU’s small class sizes and community, coupled with LECOM’s holistic medical approach, made the early acceptance program the best choice for me,” said Sonny, who hails from Texas. Her long-term career goal is to become a physician specializing in surgical and internal medicine.

“Through participating in this pre-health professional program, I will have a strong support system and gain the skills necessary to be a successful physician. I believe that FGCU’s focus on sustainability and LECOM’s emphasis on providing for underserved communities will support me in becoming a well-rounded doctor who advocates for her patients,” she said.

FGCU’s partnership with LECOM currently has about 50 students enrolled in pre-professional programs in medical, dental and pharmacy, with room to accommodate up to an additional 25 students next year.