Our Spring 2024 #MedCanes Ambassadors
Victoria Jenifer and Amanda Kaine will be posting about their Miller School experiences as #MedCanes Ambassadors.
The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine #MedCanes Ambassador Program recruits current, top-tier Miller School students who are interested in sharing insight about life on and off campus via social media.
New ambassadors are chosen each semester. Victoria Jenifer, M.D. class of 2026, and Amanda Kaine, Office of Graduate Studies MiBS class of 2024, are the Spring 2024 ambassadors. They took some time out of their busy academic and extracurricular schedules to talk about representing the Miller School.
Why did you want to become #MedCanes Ambassadors?
Victoria: I heard about the program through a friend, and I thought it would be an amazing way to share with a national audience everything that the Miller School does, my accomplishments as a student and why I love it here. I’ve always been a bit reserved, so I also wanted to feel more comfortable in front of a camera and other people, and this is a great opportunity to push myself through social media.
Amanda: The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has given me so much, and to be able to showcase everything I’m doing here and connect with the medical community all over the country, and the world, is why I decided to apply to the program. And social media is a terrific gateway to reach such a wide audience of people of all ages.
What does being a #MedCanes Ambassador entail?
Victoria: We began by meeting with the Miller School marketing and communications team to figure out what content we want to create for our posts, which we share on TikTok and Instagram a few times each month.
My first post was introducing myself and talking about some of the reasons why I wanted to come to the Miller School. The second post will be a day in my life as a med student—going to classes and doing clinical rotations at Jackson Memorial Hospital, as well the fun portions of life outside of school. Then, as the semester continues, I’m sure I’ll have a lot more to talk about.
Amanda: My first post is a narrative about my academic path, which has been kind of nontraditional. I’m in the middle of a gap year at the university, before going to medical school, and am enrolled in the Miller School’s Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MiBS) program. I’m interested in becoming a physician-scientist, subspecializing in trauma and acute care, and the MiBS program’s curriculum is a great way to prepare me for the rigors of medical school.
Without giving away too many spoilers, can you tell us some of your accomplishments?
Amanda: In addition to my academic and research endeavors, I’m a certified emergency medical technician, nutrition coach and advanced cardiovascular life support provider, and I’ve served as a first responder and an emergency room technician. I’ve been a dancer all my life, so outside of school, I dance a lot and listen to music.
Victoria: The Miller School lets us do rotations in our second year, instead of third year, like most med schools, and I’ve had a really good experience thus far. I’m a kinesthetic learner—someone who learns by doing—so watching the residents, fellows and physicians during rounds has taught me so much. When I’m not in classes or the hospital, I love working out at the gym and going to the movies or out to eat with friends. Medical school can be stressful, so you have to find ways to re-center yourself.
Tags: #MedCanes Ambassadors, Department of Medical Education, medical education