Fall 2016: Baylor undergraduate student, Davis Payne, utilized a makeshift laparoscopic trainer that he designed in his garage and joined a group of his peers (Mary Taylor Tillman, Austin MacDonald, and Jordyn Farewell) in making a small research course out of it. The course was designed to facilitate research opportunities and grant surgical exposure to pre-med students living in Earle Residence Hall, the Science & Health Living-Learning Center. The inaugural class finished with fifteen students.

Dr. Marty Harvill, a Biology Department Faculty Member, continued to progress the course with Davis Payne, until he graduated. As a rising sophomore, Kyle Langston (pictured lecturing to a Laparoscopy Lab section) decided to reimagine the structure of the course. Over his next 3 years at Baylor, Kyle worked with Dr. Harvill, Taylor Weber-Harder, and his peers to establish and expand Laparoscopy Lab where we currently have 60 students. Kyle formally created the roles of 2 TAs and 5 RMs in each course section and continued to provide valuable leadership and mentorship as a TA with Taylor Weber-Harder. With Davis Payne's vision, Kyle's courage to step up as an incoming sophomore, and Dr. Harvill's continued support, Laparoscopy Lab grew into a community and well-known course for Earle Hall freshmen.

All of the individuals who helped shape Laparoscopy Lab went on to have great success! Since then, Kyle Langston went on to attend one of the top medical schools in Texas. He is in his third year as a medical student at UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, TX and he still continues to come back and speak to Laparoscopy Lab students during panel events, offer valuable advice on navigating the Baylor pre-medical journey, and discuss how Laparoscopy Lab shaped him to be a better medical school applicant, leader, and teacher. His fellow TA, Taylor Weber-Harder, went on to attend Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. You do not want to miss out on the opportunity to gain advice from medical students or those who are current Laparoscopy Leaders and were mentored by these individuals!