By Anne Hestand/ETR
Not your typical High School Junior, Gorman Brown, of Longview High School has spent her summer volunteering, meeting new people, traveling and learning more about her passion, medicine and food.
Gorman was recently selected to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine in Houston, Texas. She was the only student from the City of Longview to attend. The 10-day forum introduced students to a variety of concepts in public health, medical ethics, research and general practice including visits to medical facilities and clinics. Selected on her academic excellence, leadership potential and interest in medicine as a career, Gorman is looking forward to bright future. “The medical Forum at NYFL was a great experience,” she said. “It really opened my eyes to a wealth of opportunities in the medical field.”
She prepared for the forum by learning about and researching significant current issues and trends in the field of medicine, medical discoveries and health care issues that affect our daily lives.
While there, Gorman participated in Problem Based Learning situations, including a mock bus crash disaster, disaster triage and debates on medical ethics with practicing physicians. “The National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine creates a virtual classroom with Hospitals, clinical facilities and healthcare professionals. By shadowing key personnel, these students will have a great opportunity to gain a behind-the-scenes perspective on a medical career,” said Dr. Marguerite C. Regan, NYFL Dean of Academic Affairs.
“I really am going to miss the friends and connections I made while at NYLF. I met so many great people” Gorman said and knows she now has added skills and knowledge to make well-informed career and educational choices for her future.
Moreover, Gorman has a great sense of the value of community involvement and the importance of giving back as well. As a volunteer, she reflects her passion for animals and food. Before attending the NYLF/MED she spent Saturday mornings volunteering at the Historical Farmers Market in Longview and helping with cooking demos. She loves to cook and had the opportunity to attend the American Chef’s Association’s State Convention. Gorman says her love of cooking began at an early age, but continued even after the light bulb burned out on her easy bake oven as a child!
In addition, she loves animals, especially horses. She has spent past summers as a volunteer at the Windridge Therapeutic Equestrian Center of East Texas. According to Gorman, she loves watching kids interface with the horses and seeing kids free from their handicaps and knowing they are safe.
As she looks to the future, Gorman is excited about the upcoming school year and the challenges it holds. She hopes to combine her passion for food and animals and looks to studying horticulture and equine science at Texas A and M University. Her ultimate goal is to work at a horse clinic in South Texas and cater on the side.
Gorman is grateful to family and friends who bankrolled her trip to Houston and support her every endeavor. She promises she will “strive to do whatever it takes to attain her goals.”
