Academy Students Complete Oncology Internship at Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Cadets at Sarasota Military Academy (SMA), a local public charter school, have recently completed an Oncology internship program with Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH). The program, launched in 2018, was created through a partnership with SMH and the Academy to benefit cadets seeking careers in medicine.

The Oncology internship program, which includes a 12-week rotation throughout various hospital departments, allows cadets to explore a variety of opportunities and career options. The rotations include time spent in the surgery, genetic counseling, nursing and trauma departments. This year, SMA seniors Lukas Souza and Jonathan Borroso, and junior Isabella Evans, were selected for the program.

“The partnership between Sarasota Military Academy and Sarasota Memorial Hospital is a great example of how our Academy is able to offer our cadets opportunities that extend beyond ‘traditional’ curriculum methods,” said SMA-COL Christina Bowman, Sarasota Military Academy Executive Director of Schools. “We are always searching for new ways to assist our cadets as they work hard and pursue their personal and professional goals.”

SMA internship candidates are selected from cadets who complete the Academy’s Careers in Medicine course, submit an application and interview before a panel of judges. A maximum of three cadets receive the opportunity to participate in the internship program.

“We thoroughly enjoy being able to have cadets from Sarasota Military Academy complete the Oncology internship program through our partnership with the Academy,” said SMH Nursing Leader Barbara Poropat, BSN, OCN, NPD and Internship Coordinator. “Every semester, we continue to be impressed with the talented students who apply and participate, and we appreciate how engaged and dedicated they are throughout the experience.”

The partnership between SMA and SMH is a result of coordinated efforts by Dr. Jessica Patella, Sarasota Military Academy Science Instructor, Dr. James Fiorica, Sarasota Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer and Barbara Poropat, BSN, who serves as the primary internship coordinator and facilitator. To date, eleven cadets have completed the internship program.