Kyle Gorman is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine.
In the following blog post, he reflects on how physical activity has evolved in his personal routine while he learns to find joy as a program leader in promoting health through movement for the sake of future patients.
“If even one student or patient walked away with a renewed relationship to their body and well-being, then the work was worthwhile.”
From Personal to Community Fitness
Physical activity has always been a constant in my life, but it has evolved dramatically with each stage of my development. Early on, it was grounded in sports, teaching me to be a team player and helping me build fine motor skills. Today, it has become a more purposeful and goal-directed vehicle for preserving long-term health, managing stress, and fostering discipline. As my personal routine continues to evolve, I find joy in discovering new ways to stay active and just as much joy in sharing them with others.
At the start of medical school, Exercise as Medicine provided the perfect outlet for that. The program, launched during my first year at Larner, consists of a hybrid curriculum with half didactic teaching and half practical instruction. The classroom sessions cover topics like aerobic capacity, proprioception, and motivational interviewing, while the hands-on component introduces foundational movement patterns and explores how they apply to both real-life activities and structured workouts. With practice and time, these teachings promise to help aspiring physicians and their future patients reach their fitness goals. As a student, the course gave me a deeper understanding of functional movement and helped me appreciate the remarkable variety that exists within the broad concept of exercise. I loved the physical exertion of each session, but I had not anticipated the mental challenge of eventually leading the program myself.
I earned my bachelor of science in biochemistry from the University of Hartford in 2021. Some of my favorite learning moments in undergrad were in lab courses, working to form hypotheses, design experiments, and interpret new data. During that time, I joined Andrew Koob, Ph.D.’s research group, where I worked on a project exploring astrocyte-mediated protein interactions in Lewy body dementia, a neurodegenerative condition. This project ignited my passion for neuroscience and ultimately led me to pursue the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Vermont.
Evolving to Lead
As a rising MS4, I was honored to step into the leadership role after its founder, Dr. Alex Jenkins, transitioned to residency. A passionate and knowledgeable fitness instructor, Alex brought a magnetic presence to every session, combining her deep understanding of kinesiology with a confident yet approachable leadership style. While I felt sure I could match her passion for promoting health through movement, I quickly realized how much I still had to learn about team leadership, curriculum planning, and sustaining a program that served such a diverse group of students.
From the outset, I wrestled with self-doubt, often asking myself, “Why would anyone listen to me?” I love exercise in all its forms, but I am not a certified coach or a subject matter expert. That internal tension mirrored the broader medical school experience, trying to find your voice in an environment filled with brilliance. At times, it felt like everyone around me had credentials or accolades that I could not compete with. But as I have come to realize, comparison is the thief of joy. I had to let go of the need to measure up and begin taking pride in my consistency, preparation, and willingness to grow. Over time, that mindset shift gave me a quiet confidence. I started trusting myself not as someone with all the answers, but as someone committed to bringing others together around a shared passion.
Fortunately, I did not have to do it alone. I was joined by four incredible classmates whose knowledge and enthusiasm elevated the program far beyond what I could have done on my own. Aiden Masters led an upper-body resistance session rooted in muscular hypertrophy and functional strength, delivered with equal parts science and humor. Julia Halvorson-Phelan not only secured her CrossFit gym as our course site but also introduced workout schemas that were new to me, including AMRAP (as many reps as possible) and EMOM (every minute on the minute), which added fresh intensity and variation to our workouts. Maisie Laud’s dynamic spin class brought energy, music, and sweat, leaving everyone exhausted and smiling. Ryan Trus wrapped up our course with an adaptive lower-body workout that catered to all fitness levels while inviting everyone to explore their limits. We were also supported by some incredible staff—Dr. Burgess and Janet Franz —who led a core and mobility session that quietly humbled even the fittest among us.
A Growth Mindset
Thanks to their collective effort, I was able to shift my focus from exercise science to course coordination, managing logistics, creating cohesion across sessions, and unifying a diverse team. In doing so, I gained valuable experience in communication, delegation, and adaptability. As with clinical rotations, you grow into the role you are asked to fill. You rarely hit it out of the park on day one, but with time, reflection, and the courage to stumble, you start to find your rhythm. As students, we often hear about the value of a growth mindset, but leading and teaching made me realize it matters just as much, if not more, on the other side of the podium. My goal in leading Exercise as Medicine was to share the joy, discipline, and confidence that movement has brought to my own life. I hoped to help others discover exercise as something meaningful they could shape for themselves and potentially for their future patients. If even one student or patient walked away with a renewed relationship to their body and well-being, then the work was worthwhile. Reflecting back, I not only saw that growth in others, but also appreciated tremendous personal development. I am proud of the community we built and deeply grateful for the growth, both personal and professional, that the experience provided.
