April 6, 2023 — “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Arguably the most common question asked to young children and teens, this inquiry is often met with excitement, grand plans and hope for the future. Some dream of saving lives, exploring space or teaching young minds. Others look to careers in trade, management or business. But some individuals, especially people with disabilities, are often overlooked.

Beginning in August with the 2023-24 school year, the University of Florida College of Medicine and UF Health will welcome the first cohort of Alachua County Public Schools students to Project SEARCH, a program for neurodivergent high school students to intern at the hospital and build the skills they need to succeed in a competitive workforce.

The program is one of hundreds of other Project SEARCH sites around Florida, the U.S. and the globe that helps individuals with developmental disabilities gain job experience, independence and employment. Project SEARCH was first developed in 1996 at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

“It is an honor to be able to launch Project SEARCH at the University of Florida Gainesville campus,” said Colleen Koch, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., dean of the UF College of Medicine. “Through this collaboration with UF College of Medicine, UF Health Shands Hospital and our Alachua County School Board, we will expand internship opportunities for neurodiverse young adults to receive work training that will set them up for a lifetime of success.”

James J. Kelly Jr., C.P.A., interim CEO of UF Health Shands, said, “We look forward to welcoming our Project SEARCH interns to UF Health. This great program will immerse students in a supportive environment where they will gain exposure to a host of careers in health care.”

About 10 high school students from Alachua County will be selected for the first cohort of Project SEARCH. Participants must have finished all their graduation requirements and be between the ages of 18-22 years old, per program requirements. They must also have an individual education plan, or IEP, with at least one year left in the public school system.

After the application, assessment and selection process, students will spend the year rotating through three internships at UF Health that last 10 weeks each and follow typical school day hours. In addition to on-the-job training, students will receive education, support and career counseling from an Alachua County Public Schools District program instructor and supervisors from other community partners, including the Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida, the Florida Department of Education Vocational Rehabilitation division, the University of Florida Center for Autism and Related Disabilities and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Some students may be hired by UF Health at the end of their internships, while others will go on to be selected for competitive jobs elsewhere in the community.

“Project SEARCH is unique because it’s a full workplace immersion in a health care setting,” said Liliana Bell, a senior project manager with the UF College of Medicine. “Being able to have this option for individuals gives them a purpose and helps them feel like, ‘I can do this.’”

Bell has been working to get the program started locally for about a year since she joined the UF College of Medicine team under Dean Koch. As the mother of a child with Down syndrome, Bell said she hopes Project SEARCH’s success at UF and UF Health will not only benefit the student interns who participate but also help the greater community believe in the abilities of all people.

“This program creates awareness and acceptance of all individuals and all abilities, which is so important,” she said. “Project SEARCH puts individuals who are neurodivergent out there, and it allows people in the community to see them for more than just a diagnosis — to see them for the person they are and can be.”