Volunteering Teaching Assistant
Mentorship at the University of Central Florida
My most meaningful experience while being a Volunteering Teaching Assistant, VTA, for the Human Anatomy course at UCF was getting to experience the growth of all the different students that I had the pleasure of getting to teach each term. I have gotten to experience on many occasions’ students coming into anatomy feeling fearful, unsure and even bored to seeing them flourish, succeed, overcome and even say they truly enjoyed anatomy. The transition I would see the students go through throughout the course makes me so excited and happy that it greatly contributes to the many reasons why I love being a VTA.
What I Learned
The number one skill I gained from these experiences was being a mentor. As a VTA, there are times when I feel like I’m a mentor for the students as a majority of them who want to succeed in the course will approach me and ask me how I did it. The students will ask me questions like what’s the best way to study for the course, what I recommend they use to study, and sometimes even how they can become a VTA in the future. All of these are things I associate with being a mentor since mentors are individuals who teach, and give help and advice to those who are less experienced in a subject matter. A great example of this type of mentorship from this term was when one of my students asked me how I became a VTA and what the process entails.
How I Applied It
One way I have used my skill as a mentor outside of being a VTA is as a student myself. All the studying tricks and tips that I give to my anatomy students I utilize myself when studying for my senior-level courses. I use my mentor skills in my classes when I have fellow peers in the same class ask me how I’m doing so well and if can help them study. For example, I just took the first exam in microbiology, and I was only expecting to study with a friend who is taking the same course; however, he ended up bringing one of his friends and his friend brought two of his friends. So, I ended up having a study group with a total of four people where I was leading the conversation and asking them questions about the material.
In the Future
I expect to use my mentor skills to help other students who want to embark on a similar journey in the medical field. I know that for students like me who are first-generation it is challenging to find someone willing to be their mentor and help guide them through the process of medical school. This ties back to my goals of getting into medical school and becoming a doctor. In the end, it will help me give back to my community which is the whole goal of this milestone.
What People Are Saying
Sofia, Fall 2023
Earned an "A"
"Alisa made learning anatomy a breeze. Her infectious positivity and drive for learning inspired me to go the extra mile and attend her weekly library sessions. Her hard work and skill in adapting to students' needs makes her a talented TA. Her engaging personality demands attention from students, and her vast knowledge made her a key resource for any questions I had during my experience in anaomy. The mnemonics and study tips Alisa created displays her passion, creativity and willingness to support students' learning journey."
Abby, Fall 2023
Earned an "A"
"I had the opportunity to have Alisa as a VTA for my Anatomy class at UCF in Fall of 2023. Thanks to her leadership and dedication to her students, I and my classmates gained confidence in our understanding of the material and test taking abilities...While I am someone who often struggles to focus in class, and would often end up studying on my own instead of paying attention during class, during Alisa’s segments I rarely struggled to engage...In addition to Alisa’s teaching abilities, she also maintained excellent peer connections. She would learn every student who came to her sessions’ names and always referred to each person as such..."
To read Abby's full testimony click here
Nicol, Spring 2022
Earned an "A"
“Alisa really made anatomy easy to understand. She was always super engaging and was constantly checking to make sure I was comprehending the material. Anatomy is a challenging class, but Alisa never made me feel bad for not knowing all the content. With her, I believed I was capable of doing well in the class and I did thanks to her dedication, patience and willingness to always go above and beyond.”