VCU student activities from Spring and Summer 2017
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The VCU DPT students were this year's recipients of the VCU Currents of Change award for Student Initiated Exemplary University-Community Partnership. The award recognizes the partnership between the student's pro-bono PT clinic - the CARES Clinic - and the Center for Healthy Hearts, the organization that graciously offers space and support for the clinic.
The students then received the overall recognition for the Currents of Change award, chosen from all of the categories! The award is the lovely artwork pictured below which will brighten the walls of the CARES Clinic.
In addition, Ali Owens, VCU DPT Class of 2017 received the Richard I Wilson University Service Award last week. The award is given for 'demonstrating outstanding service and commitment to student organizations. university committees and the university community while maintaining academic excellence.' Ali was recognized for her service as the inaugural Board Coordinator for the CARES Clinic at VCU, a student run pro bono physical therapy clinic developed by the Class of 2017. Ali's leadership was instrumental in developing the clinic.
This June, a group of thirty medical professionals and VCU students traveled to Peru for an annual medical trip organized under the patronage of Richmond Global Health Alliance and Hombre Program. The medical team went to the small, rural community of Pampas Grande, in the region of Ancash, in the high Andes. They spent almost two weeks at the altitude of 12000 ft. The village of Pampas Grande was the place of all logistic arrangements and the site of the main health post providing primary care for the area.
Every day, the team visited different communities of the district, what required hiking or long bus rides. The physicians, pharmacists, and students of medicine, pharmacy, and physical therapy worked together to provide the high-quality service for the underserved population. The physical therapy team included a third-year VCU student and a PT clinician from Indiana. The PT team performed evaluations, hands-on interventions, patient education on proper body mechanics for farmersand construction workers, and provided individualized home exercise programs sharing handouts, brochures and adequate equipment.
Working in the district of Pampas Grande was quite challenging but very memorable and rewarding. The people of rural Peru are warm, extremely friendly, and very appreciative. This experience was a great addition to required clinical rotations in the US. Students had opportunities to test their clinical skills in an unfamiliar and hectic environment. For many of them, this trip was a life-changing event that prompted them to be more involved in global health initiatives in providing underserved communities.
