Senior Mentor Program fosters connections and experiences for med students

Senior Mentor Program fosters connections and experiences for med students

Monday, November 10, 2025

Media Contact: Kayley Spielbusch | Digital Communications Specialist | 918-561-5759 | [email protected]

At her home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Mary Elliott and her dog, Coal, greeted medical students Kelly Fonk and Audrick Yee.

The walls inside the home were lined with photos that reflect the rich life Elliott has led, including underwater photography she and her husband, Randy, captured on their many diving trips.

Fonk and Yee, second-year medical students at the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, are there as part of the school's Senior Mentor Program, which pairs two second-year medical students with senior mentor volunteers. The Senior Mentor Program was established in 2013 on the OSU Center for Health Sciences campus in Tulsa and has since expanded to the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation campus in Tahlequah.

Students conduct six visits covering specific health and wellness topics over the fall and spring semesters.

As an OSU alumna, Elliott has always sought ways to give back to her alma mater. Being a senior mentor allows her to do just that.

She follows in the footsteps of her husband, who has volunteered with the program for over a decade.

Elliott, who has been a mentor for four years, saw the benefit of the program for OSU-COM students through her husband's experience and knew she wanted to be a part of it.

"It's a great opportunity to help a student have a firmer grip on how to communicate and relate to an older adult. I was a nurse, and we were taught they're not just a patient with a condition, but a human being. We also have value," Elliott said.

Sitting on the couches in Elliott's living room, Fonk and Yee arrived prepared with materials for their visit's focus, which was food, health and nutrition.

This was their second visit to her home, a unique aspect of the Senior Mentor Program.

Dr. Kelly Rudd, clinical associate professor of medicine and program director for the Senior Mentor Program, said that facilitating visits within the senior mentor's home allows students to gain the full context of their lives, which aligns with the principles of osteopathic medicine.

"By considering emotional, social and environmental factors alongside physical health, osteopathic medicine promotes holistic wellness and illness prevention. Home visits are an ideal way to cultivate this perspective in our students, offering lessons and insights that cannot be replicated in a classroom setting," Rudd said.

The goal of the home visits is not to give medical advice, but rather to improve the students' listening and interpersonal skills.

"Getting them out of the classroom and talking with people, getting that human interaction, is so important to their education," said Dr. Justin Zumwalt, director of educational development. "Geriatric medicine is growing nationally. The Senior Mentor Program supplements classroom knowledge with real-world experience. It fosters empathy in our students for a population they will care for as physicians."

Fonk appreciates what visiting her mentor at her home brings to her education.

"This program gives us a deeper perspective into what our future patients' lives are like through being able to go into the community and spend time with our senior mentors inside their homes," Fonk said. "It's a personal manner we probably won't experience again in our education."

During their home visit, Fonk and Yee discussed Elliott's health and nutrition. The topics they covered included her eating habits, dietary restrictions, a nutrition screening and a kitchen safety assessment.

One of the primary goals of the Senior Mentor Program is to grow the students' knowledge and nurture positive experiences in the care of older adults, helping them become competent, compassionate and empathetic physicians.

This was reflected in Fonk and Yee's conversation with Elliott, as she shared about one of her favorite dishes to cook, pie Italiana. It is a family recipe passed down from her mother.

"It's a dish that has eggs, sausage and cheese that's in a pie crust. Christmas morning was pie Italiana and peaches from Porter, right after stockings," Elliott said.

According to Rudd, of the approximately 200 medical schools in the United States, only 19 offer senior mentorship programs. Even fewer foster continuous relationships between medical students and their mentors.

Getting to know Elliott has been one of Yee's favorite parts of the program.

"Getting to know our mentors, and having ones who are so receptive and welcoming, provides a refreshing break from the constant grind of studying. I really enjoy our conversations - not just about medicine, but also about life, values and experiences outside the program's framework. Those moments remind me of the human side of medicine," Yee said.

Elliott said she enjoys the students coming to her home and recognizes the value it brings to their education.

"They see what environment we live in, all the obstacles that we may encounter and the community around us," she said. "It's a unique way to teach students something they're not going to learn any other way."

Yee said his experience in the program is shaping his approach to patient care, reminding him of the importance of building connections.

"I've learned how meaningful it can be to take the time to listen and get to know someone beyond their medical conditions. That's something I want to carry with me into my future practice - making sure I see patients as whole people, not just focusing on the science," he said.

As the visits progress during the fall and spring semesters, Elliott said she looks forward to engaging in more conversations and sharing her experiences.

Meanwhile, Fonk and Yee said they are eager to continue strengthening their connection with their mentor and will carry the experience with them into their future careers as physicians.