Marin Guthrie
Second-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine School of Medicine – Temple

Learn more about the Baylor School of Medicine Service Learning Program and volunteerism in Temple.

Question: How has SLP contributed to your medical education so far? What lessons from volunteering will you carry over as a practicing physician?

Answer: I have had the chance to reinvent the volunteering opportunity for students at Family Promise, and the impact on our volunteers and the families has been extremely rewarding. Instead of dropping off expensive fast food and playing with the children, we have created a program that puts the families in charge of their health, helping them feel comfortable in the kitchen while sharing in the joy of cooking. This program is unique because we collaborate with community members and provide them with lasting skills, much like how physicians get to educate and incorporate patients into the care plan. I think this program has helped me understand that listening to patients and meeting them where they are helps create plans that they can adhere to. When we involve patients and help them see the utility of their role, they are more likely to feel empowered and experience better outcomes.

Q: What organizations have you volunteered at through SLP?

A: I have volunteered with Family Promise for two years now, and this year I was the site coordinator. As site coordinator, I created an initiative called Comfort Cooking for Cheap. This is an evening cooking class where we supply ingredients for nutritious, budget-friendly meals that we then cook alongside the children and their families. We teach the children basic cooking skills and kitchen etiquette, including knife safety, hand hygiene and nutrition rules. For each meal, we create an accompanying recipe flyer with nutritional and financial tips for the parents, and we discuss topics such as buying in bulk to save, how to incorporate hidden vegetables into meals and alternative protein sources. We aim to keep each meal under $5 per serving and under one hour of cooking time. Family Promise is all about helping families develop self-sufficiency and directing them to long-term solutions, and we feel like our program is in line with this mission. The families have really engaged with us, and we are hoping to expand in future semesters. 

Q: What have you learned about the Temple community through the organizations where you have volunteered?

A: I think many of us learned this lesson from COVID, but seeing how many families are only one or two missed paychecks away from losing everything has been a heartbreaking realization. The families at Family Promise are working hard to get back on their feet, and luckily, the community truly rallies around them. People are willing to give their time, energy and money to causes that lift their neighbors. It is inspiring to see the efforts of Temple accumulate at events like Night of Promise, a fundraising event for Family Promise that highlights the families who have graduated the program and the success they have found. It is reassuring to know that those in need are not forgotten by our community.

Q: For potential or future students, what would you say about medical school and living in Temple?

A: I’ve enjoyed medical school due to the individual nature of our education and the supportive environment here at Temple. I have been encouraged to find my strengths and passions, then provided with the direction to apply myself in these areas. When I realized I was interested in OB/GYN, my learning community adviser connected me to shadowing resources, and from there, I was directed to research opportunities. The faculty has connected me to a support network that will allow me to have a strong residency application. I think the smaller campus size is instrumental in this, since it feels that everyone is looking out for each other and trying to build each other up. I’ve made so many lasting friendships and professional relationships, and I know I have been able to achieve much more because of the individualized nature of the support here.  The hospital system here offers the experience of a place like Houston with all the comforts and convenience of a small town, and it’s only an hour away from Austin.

By Dana Benson