Jan. 17, 2024 — As a first-generation American who navigated learning English while primarily speaking Spanish with her family, University of Florida medical student Dulce Morales understands the challenges that can come while learning to read.

“I needed the extra help,” said Morales, whose family is originally from Mexico. “Thankfully, my mom loved to learn and read, and so she had a lot of books for us. I think that played a big role in where I am today and pursuing higher education.”

Inspired to help the next generation of readers, UF medical students like Morales founded a program called Turning Pages that offers one-on-one reading sessions with Alachua County public school students. By helping the students with reading comprehension, Gators are not only improving local literacy but also gaining insights into the lives of communities they will serve as physicians.

The UF College of Medicine established Turning Pages after two medical students, Brett Haeffner and Shemiele Lewis, expressed an interest in volunteering with the community. Since last spring, Gators have worked with students at Lake Forest Elementary School for two semesters, partnering with reading buddies from second through fourth grade.

Haeffner, a member of the M.D. Class of 2025 who is applying to residency programs in pediatrics, said one of the reasons he was interested in starting the program was that he had dyslexia as a child, which made it difficult for him to read.

“My mom had to make a lot of efforts to teach me how to read and also get enough resources in the schooling system so that I could learn and follow along in class,” Haeffner said.

By volunteering with Turning Pages, Haeffner has gained perspective on the difficulties children face at home and school, and he has formed long-term connections with students.

“I’ve learned a lot more about the students by meeting with them at the school than you can in a 15-minute visit in a pediatrics office,” Haeffner said. “I want to work with a wide variety of patients, so spending extended time together is very helpful and something that I hope to build upon as a physician.”

Lewis, a member of the M.D. Class of 2027, echoed the sentiment.

“Not all patients are going to come with the same story and the same background, but I feel like, as a physician, it’s my job to be able to understand them and connect with them through their own life experiences,” Lewis said. “This opportunity has given me some of the tools to be able to do that because these kids are from a life that I’ve not lived.”

Lake Forest Principal Beth LeClear said she was intrigued by the initial email she received from UF medical students about Turning Pages, a program she said sounded “right up our alley.”

LeClear emphasized the importance of reading comprehension for changing students’ trajectory. In Florida, students must repeat a year if they do not read on grade level, beginning mid-elementary school. Some studies show that grade retention, especially for older children, may affect high school graduation rates.

“You don’t have the same opportunities if you cannot read,” LeClear said.

Staff at Lake Forest helped identify students for the program who would benefit from additional reading time during the week. Since attending weekly 30-minute reading sessions with their reading buddies, the students have formed a rapport with their medical student partners.

“It’s exciting for our kids to see college students who will be future doctors. The medical students are so disciplined about coming, the teachers are encouraging of the involvement, and you can tell the students are invested as well,” LeClear said. “And in five or 10 years, they’ll remember this person who came and worked with them, who they learned from, and who told them, ‘You can be anything.’”