A novel approach
Medical students leads library fundraiser for UF Health Jacksonville
When meeting with her patients, third-year UF medical student Morgan Andreoni always asks for their social history to find more personalized ways to support them. While on rotations at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, she learned that one of her patients was a bibliophile, so Andreoni reached out to UF Health Jacksonville’s arts and medicine program coordinator, Lauren Anter, to gather a selection of books for stress relief and a creative outlet as part of the hospital’s interdisciplinary therapies.
Encouraged by her patient’s positive response, Andreoni and her preceptor and mentor, associate professor of family medicine Reetu Grewal, MD, FAAFP, decided to collect books from the community to expand the arts and medicine program’s library.
Word spread quickly, and the arts and medicine office was soon overflowing with an estimated 300 new books, including stories for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, thanks to Andreoni’s efforts.
The books are now available to UF Health Jacksonville employees and their pediatric and adult patients for free, with no return required.