UConn Health

July 12, 2013 | Christopher DeFrancesco '95 (CLAS) - UConn Health

Urban Health Scholars Provide Community Care

Medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy, social work and physician assistant students staffed a wellness expo in Hartford’s South End.

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Urban Health Scholar Mary Cearly, a UConn medical student, explains the importance of a blood pressure reading. (Francis Sadowski for UConn Health Center)

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Claudia Odiaka, a dental Urban Health Scholar, performs an oral health screening under the watch of Dr. Ruth Goldblatt. (Ursula Kubrynski/UConn Health Center Photo)

Once again this summer UConn Urban Health Scholars provided care at the Senior Health and Wellness Expo at Hartford’s South End Senior Wellness Center.

Students from the UConn schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Social Work, along with Quinnipiac University physician assistant students, provided services including blood pressure readings, body mass index measurements, oral health exams, and education on smoking cessation.

The students are enrolled in the Urban Service Track, a formal two-year curriculum run by the Connecticut Area Health Education Center that enables students to take part in hands-on service learning activities in underserved urban communities with the support of preceptors and staff.

“Bringing health professions students and our seniors living in the community together is a win-win for everyone,” says Dr. Bruce Gould, UConn School of Medicine associate dean for primary care and Connecticut AHEC director. “It affords our seniors some access to services and self-management skills and gives our students real-time experience in community and population health.”

The city sponsors the annual expo to promote healthy choices, healthy living and healthy aging in the community.

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Alyssa Kanagaki, a physician assistant Urban Health Scholar from Quinnipiac University, and UConn pharmacy Urban Health Scholar Ken Lin present their program on smoking cessation, “No If’s, And’s or Butt’s.” (Francis Sadowski for UConn Health Center)
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Urban Health Scholar Mary Cearly, a UConn medical student, explains the importance of a blood pressure reading at the Senior Health and Wellness Expo in Hartford. (Francis Sadowski for UConn Health Center)

 

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