Mentor Supported Shadowing Program

Mentor Supported Shadowing Program (MSSP)

Shadowing is an essential part of the pre-med curriculum but deaf and hard-of-hearing students may face barriers in having a limited network. Finding healthcare professionals to shadow and accessing communication during shadowing experiences supports students in figuring out the best career fit. In this program, NTID-supported students at RIT receive mentoring support with a team of experts, shadowing opportunities with healthcare professionals, and an accessible experience with real connections. The aim of this program is to increase the number of language- and culturally-concordant healthcare professionals for improved patient outcomes.

10

MSSP students

8

Healthcare professionals shadowed

Our program is growing!

Successful shadowing opportunities have been completed in these states:

United States map highlighting states where students have completed shadowing programs

Program Information

Message from MSSP Co-Directors:

Shadowing is a vital element in a student’s journey towards identifying whether a career is a fit. However, finding people to shadow requires already having access to those mentors, which is often not easy for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The “hidden curriculum” of mentoring and shadowing on the path to a career in the health care or biomedical science fields needs to be accessible to students. Tiffany Panko, MD, MBA, and Liz Ayers, MS RDMS RVT are proud RIT alums who navigated their undergraduate careers during a time when shadowing and mentoring opportunities were not readily available or accessible. They established the Mentor Supported Shadowing Program (MSSP) to remove these barriers, creating structured, supported pathways for NTID-supported students to explore healthcare careers. Students are matched with mentors who guide them through academic and professional preparation and participate in accessible shadowing experiences. The MSSP equips students with professional exposure, skills, and confidence they need to make informed career decisions and to thrive in their chosen fields.

Students in MSSP gain access to:

  • Professional development sessions
  • Individual and team mentoring
  • Basic Life Saving/CPR certification
  • Shadowing with healthcare professionals

Mentoring Philosophy

The Mentor Supported Shadowing Program fosters a philosophy in mentoring to encourage the nurturing and collaborative partnership between a MSSP preceptor and a student trainee. 

Mentoring is built on the trust between a student trainee and MSSP preceptor to communicate goals. The MSSP preceptor will then guide the student trainee with feedback, relevant information, and resources. MSSP preceptors and student trainees are expected to share constructive feedback with each other in order to maintain a healthy mentoring relationship.

Benefits of a mentoring relationship

  1. First-hand knowledge-sharing
  2. Gaining practical insight, guidance, and advice from experienced mentors
  3. Improving interpersonal relationships and communication skills
  4. Broadening understanding of varying perspectives
  5. Gaining a trusted partner to discuss more confidential challenges and goals

Who Should Apply?

NTID-supported students enrolled at RIT/NTID with a strong interest in biomedical science or healthcare-related careers may apply for the Mentor Supported Shadowing Program.

Deaf Hub Highlights

Emily Stamaris with a blue scrub smiles into the camera while resting her arm on the ultrasound machine.

Shadowing: Behind the Scenes: Emily Stamaris, BS, RDMS, RVT

Let’s learn more about Emily Stamaris, our fifth preceptor in this Shadowing: Behind the Scenes Series!

a woman stands next to an A E D device attached to a wall.

NTID researchers work to incorporate accessible AED machines on campus

Researchers have identified an AED that includes visual and text prompts, making it accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing users and those not familiar with the English language.

a college age woman in a light blue shirt sits in an office space in front of a whiteboard and shelving unit.

RIT student’s research prepares her for a career in neuropsychology

“Why does one person with a brain injury recover faster than another? Or why does someone in their 90s still live independently while another faces early cognitive decline? I want to understand what makes the difference,” says Experimental Psychology MS soon-to-be grad Bo Allaby.

Person standing with a donkey and a horse on a grassy area near a barn.

Research opportunities at RIT position grad to pursue Ph.D.

Over the past few months, RIT student Hannah DeFelice has looked forward to going to her internship office—a paddock in the center of a Holliston, Mass., farm—and spending quality time with her co-workers, a herd of 11 horses and three donkeys.

More Articles

MSSP Interest Sign-up

Healthcare Professional Database

Your support is integral for the success of the Mentor-Supported Shadowing Program. Are you interested in joining Deaf Hub? Sign up below!

Professional and personal growth opportunities include:

  • Gain new and unique perspectives that you can apply during interactions with patients and colleagues
  • Pass along your knowledge and expertise in becoming a healthcare professional
  • Contribute to the success and inspiration of students pursuing careers in health care


Thank you in advance for your consideration in supporting future healthcare professionals! 

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The Deaf Hub promotes representation of deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) individuals in health care & biomedical science careers. The Deaf Hub does this by supporting students in identifying opportunities to network with practicing healthcare professionals. NTID-supported students interested in shadowing healthcare professionals and take part in a mentoring program designed to prepare them for a career in healthcare are encouraged to apply.

Learn more and fill out the MSSP application

Contact Us

If you are interested in collaborating with us on research, exploring a partnership, or have specific questions, please email us at deafhub@rit.edu.