\u201cSocial work students bring an important perspective to health care because they are trained to look beyond a person\u2019s immediate needs and consider the social, economic, family, and community factors that shape their health,\u201d says Rachel Schwartz, MSW program director and associate professor-in-residence at the UConn School of Social Work. \u201cThe Urban Service Track allows our students to put that perspective into practice while learning from other health professions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beginning at Bootcamp\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Focused on primary care, interprofessional education, and service to urban underserved populations, UST\/AHEC has helped prepare more than 1,000 graduates since its founding. Scholars participate in community engagement and experiential learning that connect their professional education with the realities faced by patients and communities that have historically encountered barriers to health care.<\/p>\n All UST\/AHEC Scholars complete the curriculum over two years. The program includes didactic and clinical training, including two clinical skills boot camps, two enhanced trainings, and six learning retreats focused on topics such as caring for veterans, urban youth, people experiencing homelessness, older adults, and patients of diverse national origins. Other topics include advocacy, caregiver burnout, patient safety, and improving communication.<\/p>\n During her first year in UST\/AHEC, Days participated in a clinical boot camp where she learned how to do blood glucose tests, oral exams, and blood pressure checks. UST\/AHEC students and alumni from previous years facilitated each station and supported the new cohort throughout the class.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a social worker, I\u2019m not expected to know how to screen patients for high blood pressure, periodontal disease, or diabetes; however, since my participation in UST\/AHEC, I can recognize the symptoms and refer clients to a specialist,\u201d Days says. \u201cThat is also helpful because clients may not be able to visit their primary care often enough to be screened for health conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n Commitment to Service<\/strong><\/p>\n Service is another required component of the program, with each scholar participating in at least two UST service activities each fall and spring.<\/p>\n Days, who is concentrating in Individual, Groups, and Families, currently works for a non-profit behavioral healthcare provider as a support staff member. In the past, she\u2019s coached a group of high school students for a biomedical hydraulic arm event; educated community members about the importance of nutrition, dental hygiene, blood pressure, and blood glucose at a wellness fair.<\/p>\n Social work students bring an important perspective to health care because they are trained to look beyond a person\u2019s immediate needs and consider the social, economic, family, and community factors that shape their health. The Urban Service Track allows our students to put that perspective into practice. \u2014 Rachel Schwartz, UConn SSW MSW program director<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Both Days and UST\/AHEC Scholar and MSW student Margaret Waweru participated in UST\u2019s Home and Community Care Project, working alongside UST\/AHEC mentor Dr. Kiran Lorick, assistant professor of family medicine at UConn Health and a physician at the Family Medicine Center at Asylum Hill in Hartford. Waweru teamed up with a student from the School of Medicine; and Days collaborated with a student from the School of Pharmacy. They each conducted a home health care visit with a client in the community to address social determinants of health.<\/p>\n \u201cEach experience has helped me gain new skills and strengthen my ability to provide culturally sensitive care in urban communities,\u201d Days says.<\/p>\n Waweru developed a strong interest in participating in the Urban Service Track after learning about its mission and impact in Connecticut.<\/p>\n \u201cThe program\u2019s commitment to preparing interprofessional health providers to serve underserved families and individuals in both urban and rural settings resonated deeply with me,\u201d she says. \u201cCollaborating with peers and professionals across disciplines contributes to improved health outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Zahkiyah](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/days-300x300.png\")
![\"Desiree](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/pickard-300x300.jpeg\")