Biomedical sciences student earns prestigious Community Health Gap Year Fellowship in Alabama to expand experience in rural care

Rochester, New York – A biomedical sciences student is preparing to take a significant step toward her future in medicine after being selected for a highly competitive fellowship focused on community health and service.

Elena Fuentes Solano, who recently completed her coursework, has been named one of just 12 participants in the Project Horseshoe Farm Community Health Gap Year Fellowship. The selection marks a notable milestone—not only for her personally, but also for her university, as she becomes the first student from Rochester Institute of Technology to earn a spot in the program.

Set to begin on June 22 in Greensboro, Alabama, the yearlong fellowship offers an immersive experience designed for individuals planning careers in health care. It places participants directly into community settings, where they work closely with a range of vulnerable populations. Fellows volunteer with seniors, individuals living with mental illness, and children considered at risk, while also contributing to broader community efforts.

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For Fuentes Solano, the opportunity represents more than just a resume-building experience. It is a chance to better understand the challenges faced by people in underserved and rural areas—something she believes is essential for any future physician.

“The program builds empathy through volunteerism and an understanding of the need among vulnerable populations,” said Fuentes Solano, a Brighton, New York, resident originally from Cartagena, Spain. “I am most excited about volunteering at schools with little kids and high school students.”

Her path toward medicine began early, shaped by a childhood injury that left a lasting impression. At just three years old, she broke her elbow during a gymnastics class. The experience sparked a curiosity that never quite faded. Over time, that curiosity evolved into a clear goal: becoming a pediatrician.

Despite coming from a family of engineers, Fuentes Solano chose a different direction, one centered on patient care and human connection. She now plans to apply to medical school in June, using the fellowship year as a bridge between her undergraduate studies and the next phase of her education.

Already, she has built a strong foundation through both work and volunteer service. She is currently employed full-time as a medical assistant at Fairport Pediatrics, where she interacts with young patients and their families on a daily basis. In addition, she volunteers at the Sibling Clubhouse at Golisano’s Children’s Hospital at Strong Memorial Hospital, supporting children whose siblings are undergoing medical treatment.

Her earlier volunteer work also includes time spent on the long-term care floor at Strong Memorial Hospital, where she regularly visited patients with chronic conditions. These experiences, she says, have taught her the importance of consistency and personal connection in caregiving.

“I think that will help me at Project Horseshoe Farm,” she said. “It’s the one-on-one every week where you get to know the person. And at first, it might start off slow until you find that common ground.”

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The fellowship itself is known for emphasizing exactly those kinds of relationships—encouraging participants to move beyond clinical tasks and truly engage with the people they serve. It is this focus on empathy and understanding that drew Fuentes Solano to the program in the first place.

She first learned about the opportunity through Amber Charlebois, director of the university’s Pre-Health Professions advisory program, who quickly recognized that the fellowship would be a strong match.

“Elena is truly an amazing soul, possessing a calm confidence that exudes kindness,” Charlebois said. “I am beyond excited that she was selected as a fellow for Project Horseshoe Farm; it is a phenomenal program that aligns perfectly with her passions.”

Beyond her academic work, Fuentes Solano has been deeply involved in campus life. She served as a residential advisor, helping guide and support fellow students, and worked as a supplemental instructor for general and analytical chemistry courses. Her role as an EMT for club sports also placed her on the front lines of student health and safety during competitions.

In the research sphere, she contributed to work in assistant professor Stefan Schulze’s lab within the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, gaining valuable scientific experience to complement her clinical interests.

Her achievements have not gone unnoticed. At the upcoming commencement ceremony, Fuentes Solano will be recognized as a member of the Honors Program and named an Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar from the College of Health Sciences and Technology.

As she prepares to leave New York for Alabama, Fuentes Solano carries with her not only academic knowledge, but also a growing sense of purpose. The year ahead promises challenges, new perspectives, and moments that will likely shape the kind of physician she hopes to become—one grounded in empathy, service, and a deep understanding of the communities she serves.