Building comradery and encouraging service

The four learning communities at Quillen College of Medicine have been making strides in supporting rural communities.

Named for popular outdoor locations in the region, the learning communities (Hartsell Hollow, Cloudland, Iron Mountain, and Laurel Falls) were established to bring students and faculty together to focus on wellness, career development, and service projects.

Every year, the learning communities have maintained a social and academic support system, and they build onto it with every new class that is welcomed into the Quillen family.

“Learning communities are an emerging trend in medical education,” said Dr. Deidre Pierce, Associate Dean of Student Affairs. “We started with our first ‘draft’ into learning communities two years ago, and last year we were able to integrate it into the orientation class of our new curriculum.”

Service-learning projects have played a crucial role in the students’ lives and the community. These projects are pivotal in training new and compassionate physicians in rural Appalachia as there are many underserved populations that are affected by the social determinants of health. As part of a service-learning opportunity, each group chose one social determinant and created actionable projects that would make a difference in the lives of those in need.

• Hartsell Hollow – Hunger

• Cloudland – Equity

• Iron Mountain – Education

• Laurel Falls – Housing

Students participated in major projects starting with the food drive to collect canned goods for those in need. The drive was completed on behalf of Good Samaritan Ministries in Johnson City to distribute non-perishable donations to those experiencing food insecurity in the region.

Next was making birthday baskets for families in lowincome housing and families in need through non-profit organizations. For this to succeed, learning communities dug into their own operating budgets and allocated $150 each to purchase everyday necessities to include in the baskets.

“As we were gathering toiletries, toys, and accessories, it was difficult not to think about the items I take for granted in my life,” said Kari Anna Byrnes, Quillen Class of 2024.

“Projects like these open my eyes to difficult realities that many of our future patients face. This was a beneficial reminder that the help I can provide goes beyond treating an illness or prescribing medications.”

Learning communities have also taken part in a friendly competition to raise money for the ETSU Global Health Ecuador Brigade. The brigade is a team of medical students, pharmacy students, local physicians, and a pharmacist who will travel to Guangaje, Ecuador, to serve rural communities. The groups held multiple fundraisers throughout the year to raise funds for over-the-counter medications, organizational supplies, travel expenses, and more. The program coincides with the ETSU Global Year Program, an endeavor aimed at moving the university toward greater international influence.

The students gain much of their comradery from serving in their community, team-building exercises, career development, and hanging out after hours. This year, students participated in the campus ropes course and basketball court exercises. Both required students to think collectively as a team to achieve their overall goals and accomplish a task. Students have gone to dinner and ice skating, and more recently went head-to-head in a dodgeball tournament at the ETSU Basler Center for Physical Activity.

Throughout the semester, the Office of Student Affairs hosted various Lunch and Learn events where students gained valuable career and professional development experiences. These sessions provided the opportunity to develop additional skills, nurture professional identity, provide career advice, and encourage wellness skills beyond the science of medicine for the benefit of the Quillen community.

In the future, officials hope for a dedicated building for the learning communities to call home and host events. There will also be an added benefit with a career development class that will be integrated into the curriculum.