Health Buddies & USF Train Future Health Care Leaders

University of South Florida students participating in Health Buddies volunteer training with Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay.

Preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders starts with real-world experience. Through a partnership with the University of South Florida, Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay’s Health Buddies program is training students to support adults living with chronic conditions while gaining valuable skills in compassion, communication, and patient care.

This year, students at the University of South Florida studying psychology, aging studies, and nursing have the opportunity to join the Health Buddies Club in partnership with our Health Buddies program. The Health Buddies Club is an on-campus opportunity that offers students studying medicine a real-life experience to help adults suffering from chronic conditions. Students get 12 weeks of training on nutrition, fall prevention, prescription management, health resources, financial fraud, and elder abuse.

Through weekly telephone calls, our volunteers empower their Health Buddies to self-manage their health. Together, Health Buddies participants and volunteers show an improvement in health knowledge, feel connected to the community, enjoy speaking to someone from a different generation, and gain a new friend! Just hear how impactful these connections are by these testimonials:

“Health Buddies impacted my everyday life. I share the information I learned with everyone who will listen! I loved the experience of connecting with my client and providing the education to her, and now I get to share that education and apply it to my life as well”.
-Zoe C., USF Volunteer

“Pamela has been a life saver for me. I was facing a lot of anxiety and stress due to an upcoming surgery. Thanks to Pamela’s reassurance, I made it through my surgery and have been able to have a much easier recovery. She helped put things in perspective and has been a constant friend that I can rely on. I felt alone and isolated before I was connected to Pamela, and now I know I have a friend I can count on!”
-Elaine M. Health Buddy Participant