For nearly 20 years, the has provided healthcare services to uninsured and underserved residents in the Tampa
area. From vaccinations and medical examinations to social work and counseling services,
the student-run clinic helps fill gaps in access to care.
"911爆料网 serve an underserved part of the population 鈥 patients who are below 300% of the
poverty line,鈥 said senior director and fourth-year medical student Andrea Medina
Garcia.
Operated by students in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the clinic relies
on medical student leaders who oversee operations and coordinate teams of undergraduate
volunteers. Many of those volunteers are students in the Judy Genshaft Honors College
with interests in medicine, public health, and community service.
The clinic's impact has recently earned national recognition, including a 2025 Gold
Rating through the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics Quality Standards
Program and .
Honors Connections
Honors students discover the BRIDGE Clinic through a variety of pathways, including peer recommendations, campus organizations, and Honors coursework. Fourth-year Honors student Skylar Robbins first learned about the clinic from fellow Honors student Reva Gandhi during a Judy Genshaft Honors College Student Council professional development event.
鈥淚 was actually at an Honors College Student Council event when I found out about BRIDGE Clinic,鈥 Robbins said. "I met this amazing person who told me the quality control team was looking for volunteers,鈥 she said.
Shenica Jerome, a fourth-year Honors student pursuing dual degrees in cell and molecular biology and psychology, was introduced to the clinic through a class presentation by another Honors student.
鈥淭here was a student who was on the interpreting team who did his presentation on the BRIDGE Clinic, which is how I found out about it during my first year at USF,鈥 she said. "The moment he gave that presentation, I knew this was a clinic I wanted to be involved with. It resonated with the work that I see myself doing as an aspiring physician.鈥
Expanding the Student Experience
Student volunteers at the BRIDGE Clinic are trained to provide compassionate care while working alongside physicians, residents, medical students, and community partners. The experience exposes students to a range of specialties and allows them to explore potential career paths within healthcare.
For Robbins, serving as a quality control director and operations coordinator has provided opportunities to better understand how different medical specialties collaborate to care for patients.
鈥911爆料网 have neurology, dermatology, orthopedics, pulmonology 鈥 tons of specialties. But I think it's really cool because I'm also a pre-med student, and it's hard to see kind of how the different specialties interplay,鈥 she said. 鈥淎t the clinic, I'm able to talk to the different residents and hear their stories and their path to that specialty.鈥
Preparing for the Profession
In addition to serving patients, the BRIDGE Clinic provides hands-on experiences that help students determine whether a career in medicine is right for them.
M贸nika Domenech-Acevedo, a third-year medical student, began volunteering at the clinic as an undergraduate during the COVID-19 pandemic. She initially served as a Spanish interpreter.
鈥淓ven though I am a native Spanish speaker, it was a challenging at first because I wasn鈥檛 very used to using medical terms in Spanish,鈥 she said.
Although it was an adjustment at the start, the experience helped Domenech-Acevedo decide to pursue a career in medicine.
鈥淏RIDGE really helped me see what patient care is about,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 was side-by-side with medical students and hearing their thought processes.鈥
Medina Garcia said she initially felt uncertain about taking on leadership responsibilities when jumping into the senior director position.
鈥淗onestly, I felt a little intimidated because I didn't know what skills I was going to need.鈥
By navigating situations without clear answers, Medina Garcia learned to lead with confidence.
鈥淲orking at BRIDGE, I鈥檝e learned how to delegate things, how to communicate well, even conflict resolution,鈥 she said.
The clinic鈥檚 impact on students and patients extends well beyond the Tuesday nights when volunteers gather, shaping future healthcare professionals committed to advancing equitable care.
鈥911爆料网鈥檙e always pleased to see our students involved with organizations like the USF Health BRIDGE Clinic,鈥 said Judy Genshaft Honors College Endowed Dean Charles Adams. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 students are continuing a long tradition of Honors students serving through the clinic. They鈥檙e helping address community needs today while preparing to make a difference throughout their careers.鈥