University of Kentucky
College of Health Sciences
Reaching Our
Community, State & World
Message from the Dean Whether just down the street or thousands of miles away, the staff, faculty, students and alumni of the College of Health Sciences are committed to one thing – making a difference in the lives of others. As you will see through this publication, outreach initiatives are one of the cornerstones of our college. Just as education and research play a major role in shaping who we are, outreach initiatives enrich our experiences and are evidence of our commitment to a brighter tomorrow.
Lori S. Gonzalez Ph.D., Dean
Charlotte A. Peterson
Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research
Sharon Stewart
Ed.D., Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Peter Berres
M.A., Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
Janice Kuperstein
Ph.D., Chair, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
Karen Skaff
Ph.D., Chair, Department of Clinical Sciences
Department of Clinical Sciences Clinical Leadership & Management Clinical Nutrition Clinical & Reproductive Sciences Physician Assistant Studies Radiation Sciences
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Athletic Training Communication Sciences & Disorders Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Sciences Doctoral Program
For years, the college has been committed to international and interprofessional outreach. We have developed partnerships around the globe that help foster global citizens and compassionate health care professionals. Our students, faculty and staff have the chance to be exposed to radically different practices, making them more aware of both the need and the opportunity that exists in today’s health care world. And while these experiences are invaluable, the College of Health Sciences also remains committed to the university’s landgrant mission that calls on us to make a difference for our state. From Paducah to Pikeville, the college is transforming lives and impacting health care. In fact, the majority of our students choose to remain in Kentucky after graduating and many of them serve in rural areas where access to quality health care is limited. It is our goal that one day soon quality health care will be available to all of Kentucky’s citizens and that the College of Health Sciences will play a major role in achieving that goal.
As the dean of the college, I am most proud that the activities featured here are not conducted out of obligation. Instead, each came about out of a commitment to make a difference. Lexington had a need for free physical therapy and the Salvation Army PT clinic was born. A faculty member realized health networks in rural Kentucky were inadequate and decided to create a program to help patients navigate local health opportunities. And when faculty and staff traveling in Ecuador stumbled upon a tragic bus accident, their first reaction was to risk their own safety to help others. These experiences shape who we are today and who we become tomorrow. As you explore the pages of this publication, it is our hope that you will learn more about the ways our faculty, staff and students are impacting our community, state and world. If you have any feedback on this publication or the outreach initiatives in the college, please feel free to contact me at (859) 218-0480 or by e-mail at lsgonz01@uky.edu. I hope you enjoy the 2010 report on Outreach – Reaching Our Community, State and World. Sincerely,
Lori S. Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Dean, University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences
Outreach: Reaching Our Community, State and the World, 2010 Published by the Dean’s Office, University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences for distribution to alumni, donors, students, university personnel and friends. © 2010 University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences. No part of this publication, including photographs, design and text content, may be reproduced without prior permission from the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences. Written and designed by the College of Health Sciences Office of Advancement: Nick Basham, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator; Allison Horseman, Director of Advancement; Keturah Taylor-Washington, Staff Support Associate
Table of Contents World Giving Sight in Kenya...................................................................................... 1 Opening Eyes & Doors.................................................................................... 7 Serving in South America................................................................................. 9
State Reaching Out Across Kentucky..................................................................... 13 Guiding Kentuckians Through the Health Care Puzzle................................. 15 Collaborating for Those in Need.................................................................... 17
Community At the Crossroads of Education & Outreach................................................. 19 Helping Just Down the Hall.......................................................................... 23 A Partnership with the Community............................................................... 24 Outreach Activities......................................................................................... 25 Outreach Index.............................................................................................. 31
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Sam Powdrill, a faculty member in the Division of Physician Assistant Studies, drives a bus he designed to transport eye patients to the hospital for surgery and to conduct mobile eye clinics.
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Born in India and raised by his missionary parents, Sam Powdrill, MPhil, PA-C, a faculty member in the Division of Physician Assistant Studies, is no stranger to traveling the world and helping those in need. Beyond his teaching duties and the myriad of other trips and organizations he is involved with, Powdrill sets aside an entire month each year to conduct eye surgeries in Kenya. His annual destination is the eye unit he established nearly twenty years ago at Tenwek Hospital. Powdrill and his family spent more than a decade at the facility located in western Kenya, which is one of the largest mission hospitals in Africa. Powdrill expects to treat 100 to 200 people during each month-long visit and views his trips to Kenya as a major opportunity.
“There’s just such a need there,” said Powdrill, “Here in the states, there’s one ophthalmologist for every 20,000 – in Kenya, it’s one for every million people.” One of Powdrill’s specialties is his ability to complete difficult and delicate surgeries in rural settings with very limited resources, including little or no access to water, electricity, fuel or food. Much of this work is done in remote villages using mobile eye surgery units he helped establish. While already inspiring, examining the larger story of Powdrill’s journey only further highlights how impressive his body of surgical and clinic work really is. After finishing high school in India, Powdrill traveled to the United States to attend Kentucky Mountain Bible School. There, students
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Eye patients wait to receive post-operative care while enjoying their new found sight the day after cataract surgery.
are required work a certain number of hours per week outside the classroom. Powdrill spent much of this time pursuing practical work, such as building, carpentry and mechanics. “I’ve used a lot of those skills in medicine, making my own instruments and at times my own equipment,” explained Powdrill. Powdrill left Kentucky Mountain Bible School three years later and eventually made his way to Indiana Wesleyan University to study nursing.
“I wanted to do something that had a positive impact on people’s lives,” said Powdrill. After completing his degree, Powdrill joined a mission group in need of nurses and traveled with them to India and later, to Honduras. There were no medical practitioners in the area at the time, so he began reading medical texts and shadowing visiting physicians. Powdrill soon realized he needed more medical training to pursue the type of work he wanted to do.
There’s just such a need there. Here in the states, there’s one ophthalmologist for every 20,000 – in Kenya it’s one for every million people.”
— Samuel Powdrill, Physician Assistant Studies faculty
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World “I was looking for a specialty area and I sort of stumbled across this one,” said Powdrill, speaking about ophthalmology, the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye. Powdrill decided to attend the community eye health program at London’s Institute of Ophthalmology, which is targeted toward ophthalmologists and focuses primarily on prevention of blindness and topical eye disease. “There are only two of them worldwide,” he explained. “One in London and the other is at Johns Hopkins.” After completing the program and a two and a half year stint conducting research in Sierra Leone, Powdrill decided he wanted to become involved in a medical organization. Through an acquaintance he made in London, Powdrill learned about Christian Blind Mission International (CBMI), the largest non-government organization working with the blind across the world. He joined CBMI in 1991 and soon traveled to Tenwek Hospital. Powdrill eventually came to spend 13 years practicing and working with community eye health at Tenwek and the surrounding regions. While he first learned how to operate on the eye during his time studying in London, Powdrill’s body of surgical work truly began at the beginning of his stint in Kenya, when a patient came to Tenwek Hospital with a lacerated cornea. He completed that first surgery and the patient recovered well – since then, Powdrill has done more than 300 similar repairs. Powdrill continued conducting surgeries and shadowing visiting surgeons, learning how to repair cataracts and other operations. He especially credits Jim Boynton, an ophthalmologist from Rochester, New York, a talented surgeon and teacher who walked Powdrill through many surgeries. A patient waits for surgery. The tape above her eye is marked with details of the operation to help avoid the confusion associated with large numbers of patients and language barriers.
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Seeking to further develop his medical knowledge and training, Powdrill left Kenya and traveled to the U.S. in 1997, where he enrolled at the University of North Dakota’s physician assistant program. After graduating in 1999, Powdrill traveled back to Kenya to complete additional training at Kenya’s Medical Training College. A tribute to his self-taught skill set and experience, Powdrill found he had actually seen more cases than many of his instructors.
I think the most exciting part of it is being able to mesh a holistic approach – the physical, the medical, the spiritual, the educational, the emotional – in with care. To me, that’s what care ought be about.”
To reach those in more isolated locations, Powdrill established a mobile eye unit. Due to scarce local resources, he and his team would travel with all the equipment, water, food and fuel they would need. From 2002–2004, he was the only eye surgeon conducting mobile eye surgeries in the country.
Under these difficult conditions, Powdrill learned to use very few instruments and very simple techniques. He is able to complete a cataract surgery in 10 minutes using an incision that requires no sutures.
— Samuel Powdrill, Physician Assistant Studies faculty
Shorty thereafter, he returned to Tenwek. The following four-year period between 2000–2004 represented the bulk of Powdrill’s surgical record, where he completed more than 1,000 major eye surgeries per year.
Many of Powdrill’s surgical techniques are not the most modern ones available. However, the ones he chooses to use can be done without the use of expensive and complicated equipment – equipment that is unsuitable for
“Our students and faculty are not just concerned with the quality of health care down the street, but are also looking to make a difference throughout the world. International experiences often provide them with a new understanding of the many health care challenges others face. Many of our students return with a new outlook on life and a renewed commitment to leaving their mark on the world.” — Sharon Stewart, Ed.D., College of Health Sciences Associate Dean of Academic Affairs 5
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use in the field even if he preferred it. Beyond his techniques, perhaps the most impressive feat is his incredibly low infection rate. Despite difficult conditions surrounding the practice of mobile eye surgeries in rural Kenya, Powdrill has only had a single infection. In 2004, Powdrill and his wife left Kenya and returned to the United States to care for his now retired and aging parents. With a home in Wilmore, Ky., an open faculty position in the Physician Assistant Studies program at the University of Kentucky was a natural fit. The College of Health Sciences’ mission fits step-in-step with Powdrill’s desire to make an impact on peoples’ lives. As an assistant professor in the Physician Assistant Studies program, Powdrill now teaches several clinical lab courses, enabling him to share his extensive body of knowledge and experience. His role in the college offers him the ability to incorporate outreach and education as well. Each year during UK’s spring break, Powdrill participates in a medical mission trip to Piedras Negras, Mexico. Working with Crossroads Missions based in Louisville, he supervises and assists physician assistant students while they participate in free medical clinics.
Powdrill conducts an eye surgery at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya.
Powdrill’s continuing efforts, whether it be teaching and mentoring students, working in a local clinic or mending eyes in Africa, speak to his passion and desire to make a positive change not just in people’s bodies, but in the rest of their lives as well. “I think the most exciting part of it is being able to mesh a holistic approach – the physical, the medical, the spiritual, the educational, the emotional – in with care,” explained Powdrill. “To me, that’s what care ought to be about.” For more information about Kenya’s Tenwek Hospital, visit www.tenwek.org. To contact Samuel Powdrill, e-mail spowd2@email.uky.edu.
Powdrill examines a young child during a medical mission trip providing free clinics in Piedras Negras, Mexico.
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Opening Eyes & Doors
A Professor’s Quest for International Collaboration & Opportunities A student’s educational experience should expand well beyond the boundaries of the University of Kentucky’s campus, says David Fahringer, a faculty member in the Division of Physician Assistant Studies in the College of Health Sciences. David Fahringer, Physician Assistant Studies faculty member, accompanies Anjam Nassar and Kim Jarocki to the College of Health Sciences Hall of Fame and Scholarship Dinner. Nassar and Jarocki became the first physician assistant students from England to complete clinical rotations in the U.S.
Fahringer, M.S.P.H., PA-C, speaks from his firsthand experience of traveling throughout the world to teach and serve, including a six-year stint in Swaziland, Africa. After his time in Africa, Fahringer found his way to the University of Kentucky where he enrolled as a student in the Physician Assistant Studies program. He later joined the division’s faculty and has been involved in international studies with the program ever since. “I think social awareness is key, even when traveling to England, which is a similar culture, but still different,” said Fahringer. “The appreciation of what we have and what we don’t have is an eye-opener for students.”
Anjam Nassar and Kim Jarocki, physician assistant students from the University of Wolverhampton, practice suturing on pigs’ feet under the guidance of Physician Assistant Studies faculty member Samuel Powdrill.
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Fahringer, along with many other college faculty both past and present, has dedicated much of his time to establishing and fostering educational experiences and collaboration with institutions across the world. The
partnership between the University of Wolverhampton in England and the University of Kentucky is a testament to that dedication. The connection between the two universities sprang from a chance encounter nearly two decades ago. Dr. Vince Gallicchio from the College of Health Sciences’ clinical lab program (then the College of Allied Health) and Dr. Nicholas Birch from the University of Wolverhampton’s lab science program met during a conference in Australia. They soon became friends and started discussing an exchange program between the two sites. Since 1992, more than 250 students and faculty from both universities have traveled to each other’s campuses to engage in academic study, clinical rotations and collaborative research. Physician assistant students from the University of Kentucky first traveled to the University of Wolverhampton in 1993. Those students were the only physician assistants in the country, because it was a nonexistent profession at the time.
Anjam Nassar and Kim Jarocki became the first physician assistant students from England to travel to the U.S. for clinical rotations.
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In the fall of 2009, two physician assistant students from the University of Wolverhampton traveled to the University of Kentucky for a four-week clinical rotation. Anjam Nassar and Kim Jarocki became the first physician assistant students from England to travel to the U.S. for clinical rotations.
We’re in a global village. No longer should borders be restrictive. I really believe in the need for a global health care worker.”
the University of Kentucky, is now a faculty member in the college’s Division of Clinical and Reproductive Sciences. “We get applicants all over the country because our school is noted for the study abroad program,” said Fahringer. “I think we can take pride in that.”
— David Fahringer, Physician Assistant Studies faculty
“We’ve taken it from just an exchange of students and faculty to collaboration on grants, publications and research, and that’s where I think it should go – as a whole university, not just one program,” said Fahringer. “We’re in a global village. No longer should borders be restrictive. I really believe in the need for a global health care worker.” Exchange programs like the one with Wolverhampton have not only helped the program gain national and international recognition, it has helped attract top-tier students and faculty to the College of Health Sciences as well. For instance, Oliver Oakley, Ph.D., one of the first students from Wolverhampton to travel to
Beyond his academic and research pursuits, Fahringer has also been involved as a consultant on how to bring the physician assistant role to other countries, including England. “There are different characters, different settings, but the same story,” said Fahringer. “One thing I tell people when working in another country is not to adopt everything we’re doing here in the physician assistant structure, but to adapt to what will work for them and then tweak it along the way.” To contact David Fahringer, e-mail dafahr1@email.uky.edu.
“Exploring other cultures will afford students an appreciation of the global health care needs that exist, while allowing them to gain both personal and professional rewards. Personally, some of my most valuable experiences are a result of my international travels and the exposure I have had to various cultures around the world.” — Mark Hunt, Health Administration ’85 Fellow of the UK College of Health Sciences who has designated his financial gifts toward international initiatives
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A young boy plays in an area riddled with trash in a Tsachilla village near Santo Domingo, Ecuador.
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Serving in South America Shoulder to Shoulder Global
Two thousand six hundred and fifty six miles south of Lexington, Kentucky sits Santo Domingo, Ecuador.
indigenous population (called the Tsachilas). These clinics see patients all day, with a short break for lunch.
The city houses an impoverished community of 20,000 people called Carlos Ruiz Burneo. This community is the focus of Shoulder to Shoulder Global, a Kentucky-based organization that has been providing medical care and supplies to the area for nearly twenty years.
When patients first arrive, they are screened and a medical history is taken. Patients then move from one medical station to the next, receiving care and information.
The organization supports a year-round medical clinic in Santo Domingo and coordinates multiple medical brigades from the University of Kentucky throughout the year. Many colleges from the university are represented, including students and faculty from the colleges of dentistry, health sciences, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, education and arts and sciences. In recent years, students and faculty from the Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Communication Sciences and Disorders and Clinical Laboratory Sciences programs in the College of Health Sciences have traveled to Santo Domingo to serve. “The ones who choose to go are pretty adventurous,” said Lynn English, PT, MSEd, DPT, a faculty member in the Division of Physical Therapy. “They’re eager to try anything.” Participants spend the majority of their time conducting clinics, going on home visits in the neighborhood and visiting the
This setup provided students the opportunity to work with others in a unique and interprofessional environment. “I’d never worked with dentists, physical therapists or nurse practitioners before,” said Jessica Seymour, a Physician Assistant Studies student who participated in the May 2009 brigade. “It all worked together so well. It should be like that everywhere – I could see that kind of collaboration being a lot more efficient in a clinical setting.” Working in such a different environment presents students and faculty with a range of challenges.
It’s an unbelievably diverse experience. You have to use every creative resource you have.”
–Lynn English, Physical Therapy faculty, Shoulder to Shoulder participant
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I’d never worked with dentists, physical therapists or nurse practitioners before. It all worked together so well. It should be like that everywhere.” — Jessica Seymour, Physician Assistant Studies student, Shoulder to Shoulder participant
“We’ve done things as diverse as making a splint for a 5-year-old with arthritis, to teaching parents how to manage children with developmental disabilities, to getting a walker for a young woman with a neurological problem who couldn’t get around her home without holding onto her father’s shoulder,” explained English. “It’s an unbelievably diverse experience. You have to use every creative resource you have.” Like any service activity, the experience is as valuable to the participants as it is to the people they serve.
Andrea Gonzalez, College of Medicine graduate, examines a child in the clinic.
“The benefits for students are being aware of global health issues, especially public health issues in other countries, the ability to compare and contrast health systems in various countries and how to appreciate the various cultures around the world,” said English. “They also gain a better understanding of the role of rehabilitation and how differently it might work in a culture that’s not like ours.” “I will never forget my experience in Ecuador,” said Mikal Mathies, a Physical Therapy student who participated in the May 2009 brigade. “Aside from the practical experience of treating patients, the brigade provides a better appreciation for health care in the U.S. and the chance to be an eyewitness to the disparities in health care access and medical treatment in impoverished countries. It also added value to my physical therapy school studies. A classroom setting could not provide the opportunity to conquer the unique challenges, solve new problems and learn to adapt and respond effectively as my practical experience in Ecuador.” For more information about Shoulder to Shoulder Global, visit www.shouldertoshoulderky.org.
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Jessica Seymour, a Physician Assistant Studies student, works with a translator to communicate with a local family at the clinic.
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In the News Students and faculty from UK participated in a medical mission trip to Ecuador – on the way, their bus was caught in traffic after a tanker truck and bus collided. The 40-plus members of the team rushed in to help the Ecuadorian medical response units. To read the Herald-Leader’s story, “UK mission group helps rescue bus crash victims in Ecuador,” visit:
ᏢᏢ www.bit.ly/sts-ecuador
Indigenous residents of a Tsachilla community near Santo Domingo, Ecuador present cultural programs to visitors.
A tanker truck and bus collided on a shoulderless and narrow road, sending the bus careening down a ravine. Members of the UK Shoulder to Shoulder team were stuck in traffic near the accident site and rushed down to assist in the rescue effort.
The 40-plus members of the UK Shoulder to Shoulder brigade from May 2009 relax after the rescue effort. The team is comprised of students, faculty and staff from UK’s colleges of medicine, nursing, public health, health sciences, dentistry, design, education and arts and sciences. Students and faculty from the College of Public Health presented a variety of health education topics to residents of the community.
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Reaching Out
Kathy Panther
Communication Sciences & Disorders, ’76
Louisville
Across Kentucky
Of the College of Health Sciences’ 6,000 alumni, 64 percent have chosen to remain in the Commonwealth. These alumni live, practice and serve in 114 out of Kentucky’s 120 counties. Here’s a snapshot of a few of these alumni and why they choose to practice in Kentucky.
Tim Thurston
Physician Assistant Studies, ’91
Paducah “I love Louisville. We have the advantages of city life including the arts, great local restaurants, and eclectic neighborhoods. We can easily access nature in our parks and along the Ohio River. Frazier Rehab Institute has afforded me the opportunity to be part of a dynamic team that provides highly individualized, compassionate and cutting-edge rehab to our patients. Our state of the art building on the downtown Louisville medical campus is second to none and provides our patients a truly healing environment.” Photo courtesy Mike McKune
Jase & Natalie Pinerola Bowling Green “I love living and working in Western Kentucky. As a surgical physician assistant, I get to make a difference at work and in the community. But what is unique about my situation is that those people I care for on the operating table are my family, friends and neighbors. They trust me with their lives and I don’t take that responsibility lightly.” Photo courtesy Kathryn Joyner
Physical Therapy, ’90
“Both of us have a passion for physical therapy. We get to help people return to an active life. For some, that means just being able to walk from the kitchen to the living room, and for others it means running a marathon. The need for physical therapy exists throughout the state, especially in rural locations. We have the opportunity to serve multiple areas of the state and being able to help those around us makes our choice of careers that much more rewarding.”
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Traci Mullins
Clinical Laboratory Science, ’98
Lexington “My desire to make a difference in the lives of other Kentuckians led me to join the United States Public Health Service. Being a part of this federal organization has opened doors to many public health assistance and learning opportunities. I completed my Master of Public Health in the fall of 2009 and hope to pursue opportunities to make a difference in the lives of Kentuckians by working with federal agencies.”
Clinical Rotation Sites* Reaching across the state is not limited to alumni. CHS students complete hundreds of clinical rotations throughout Kentucky, the country and the world each year.
62 Rotations 9 166 Students 139 Locations 70 KY Counties 23 States 6 Countries *Clinical rotation sites for the 2008/2009 academic year
Wayne & Andrus Sizemore Communication Sciences & Disorders, ’96
Janice Blythe
Clinical Nutrition, ’74, Ph.D., ’87
Hazard
Berea “As one who grew up in rural Kentucky, I deeply appreciate the numerous opportunities and challenges offered by that landscape. As an educator, nutrition/health professional, and local citizen, my decision to serve in rural communities enables me to contribute to and benefit from a better quality of life; it continues to provide me with a strong sense of place.”
“My wife Andrus and I met at the University of Kentucky. When it came time to decide where to practice, it was an easy decision. We wanted to return to Eastern Kentucky, where we have roots, so we could make a difference in the lives of children. Being able to help the next generation gives us both extra motivation and reassures us we made the right decision to extend care here at home.” Photo courtesy Jan Pelfrey Photography
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Guiding Kentuckians
Through the Health Care Puzzle The Health Navigator Program Many Kentuckians are unaware of the health care resources available in their communities. The Health Navigator program in the College of Health Sciences has been established to help Kentuckians connect with these resources and find the health information they need. “The Health Navigator program trains students to help patients find health resources,” explained Geza Bruckner, Ph.D., a professor in the Division of Clinical Nutrition in the College of Health Sciences and director of the Health Navigator program. These student health navigators communicate via phone with individuals seeking help from across the state. The students help patients navigate through their health care questions by providing information and informing them about local community resources related to their health. The program began in the fall of 2009 through a grant written by Bruckner. He plans to track the health of an individual before and after interacting with students trained as a health navigator and will use these data to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Renee King, the program coordinator, Pangela Dawson, MSPAS, PA-C, a faculty member in the Division of Physician Assistant Studies, and Anne Harrison, PT, Ph.D., a faculty member in the Division of Physical Therapy, also assist with the program. The group meets regularly to discuss how to integrate the program into students’ curriculum as well as work through any issues that arise. “This is a pilot project so there’s a learning curve for all involved,” said Bruckner.
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The Health Navigator program is currently collaborating with Kentucky Ambulatory Network (KAN) clinicians in six counties. “The patient goes into the clinician’s office and they are advised to fill out the health risk assessment questionnaire,” explained Bruckner. “If they have health risk behaviors they want to change, they call the 800 number on the brochure or card they are given.”
State
That number contacts UK HealthCare, which, in turn, contacts King. She then puts patients in contact with a student health navigator best suited to assist their needs. The program is also designed to be a cross-disciplinary experience for students. While patients will be paired with a student whose educational training most closely applies to their health concerns (i.e., someone with diabetes would be paired with a Clinical Nutrition or Physician Assistant Studies student), questions beyond a student’s knowledge will undoubtably arise. In that case, students are encouraged to seek the assistance of others in different disciplines.
The Health Navigator program trains students to help patients find health resources.” — Geza Bruckner, Director of the Health Navigator program
In this early phase of the program, only students in the Clinical Nutrition, Physician Assistant Studies and Physical Therapy programs are participating. However, Bruckner has high hopes for the program and envisions it expanding to include more programs in the college and across the University of Kentucky, as well as reaching more people across the state.
For more information about the program, contact Renee King at renee.king@uky.edu or visit http://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/healthnavigator
“We must support the backbone of our delivery system – small rural providers. It’s good business and good public policy. Initiatives such as the Health Navigator program in the College of Health Sciences will help connect those rural providers and their patients with the UK services they need to live a healthier, fuller life.” — Richard Lofgren, MD, UK HealthCare Chief Clinical Officer 16
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Collaborating for Those in Need
The Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network Spinal cord injury is a life-changing event. The longterm recovery and treatment of such injuries requires a multitude of resources and collaboration that rural regions of Kentucky may be hard-pressed to provide. Members of the Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network (KARRN), including Patrick Kitzman, PT, Ph.D., a faculty member in the Division of Physical Therapy, have been involved in a concerted effort to develop collaborations so persons with spinal cord injuries (SCI) can get the long-term health care they need – regardless of where they live. To help accomplish this goal, the first Rural Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Conference was organized and held at the Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Ky. “We had over 230 participants, which is not bad for our first try,” said Kitzman. “We had health care providers from many disciplines (medicine,
physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, social work), persons with SCI and their caregivers, students from the University of Kentucky Physical Therapy program, Eastern Kentucky University Occupational Therapy program, the Somerset Community College Physical Therapy Assistant program, educators and community partners. I know our guest speakers were surprised that we were able to attract such a large and diverse crowd.” Topics at the conference included community integration and quality of life, exercise and nutrition, prevention and treatment of secondary complications and developing a peer-mentor support system. “The hope for the conference was that all of the different types of participants would begin to interact with each other and that was fairly successful,” said Kitzman. “I know several of the guest speakers really enjoyed being able to interact with the clients (persons with SCI) as well as the students and health care providers.”
Individuals living in rural areas, especially in Appalachia, face great disadvantages in health care… conferences like this are how we’re trying to address this issue.” — Patrick Kitzman, Physical Therapy faculty member
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KARRN’s overall goal is to identify, develop and disseminate information and
State strategies, and maximize resources to improve outcomes and quality of life for individuals with neurological impairments living in rural Kentucky Appalachian counties. “Individuals living in rural areas, especially in Appalachia, face great disadvantages in health care,” says Kitzman. “Groups like the Center for Rural Development, the Center for Excellence in Rural Health, as well as community training programs and conferences like this are how we’re trying to address this issue.” Kitzman relayed a memorable moment and his hope for next year’s conference. “We did have one individual with a spinal cord injury give his story – how therapy and vocational rehabilitation helped him get his life back and helped to give him a direction after his injury,” said Kitzman. “His talk was awesome – it was exactly what all of the participants wanted to see and hope to see more of at our next meeting.”
For more information about KARRN or to see how you can get involved, contact Patrick Kitzman at phkitz1@email.uky.edu. Webcasts from the conference are available online for continuing medical education credits. For more information, visit www.cecentral.com/KARRN.
“If we only focused our resources on conducting research that industry leaders and federal funding agencies wanted us to conduct, we could pile up the research dollars and hit that Top 20 research mark. We could do that and fail the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As Kentucky’s flagship, land-grant university, it is our responsibility to conduct the kind of research that will change lives in Kentucky and hit the ground in Kentucky. This is exactly what research in the College of Health Sciences is doing – making a difference in communities across the Commonwealth.” — Lee T. Todd, Jr., University of Kentucky President 18
Community
At the
Crossroads
of
Education & Outreach The Student-run Salvation Army Physical Therapy Clinic
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Community
Outreach and education cross paths frequently in the College of Health Sciences. A great example of one such intersection is the free studentrun physical therapy clinic at the Salvation Army on West Main Street in Lexington. Every Thursday night, physical therapy students, along with a faculty member or community-based faculty member, see patients at the local Salvation Army who cannot afford health insurance or otherwise pay for such services. The clinic offers students a chance to give back to the community, gain clinical experience and overcome a number of challenges. “They (the students) are at a point in their academic career where they’re hungry for patient contact,” said Lynn English, PT, MSEd, DPT, the faculty coordinator for the clinic. “I think that is a huge draw for them, that they actually get to put their hands on people, in a situation where they’re not being graded. They are mentored without pressure – different than a typical clinical setting.” After a doctor’s referral, Eileen Roach came to the student clinic to receive treatment for a herniated disc.
“The students really seem to know what they’re talking about,” said Roach. “It’s pretty cool.” “I do it to gain experience,” said Maggie Tincher, a student volunteer at the clinic. “It makes me nervous sometimes, but it helps.” Students are faced with several challenges, including scheduling volunteers, handling the day-to-day details of the clinic and working with limited resources. “We don’t function at the Salvation Army like we might at an outpatient clinic,” said English. “We don’t have equipment, we don’t have space. Most of what we do is examinations and teaching a patient how to manage whatever problem they have.” While it’s preferred to see patients for several sessions, students usually face the challenge of having very few interactions with them. “We don’t expect to see everyone each week,” said Heather Gream, a student coordinator at the clinic. She went on to explain that they do the best they can with their patients and try to help them keep track of the exercises they’ve learned.
It’s really great they do this. I don’t have insurance and probably wouldn’t be able to afford physical therapy otherwise.”
With limited financial resources, the clinic relies on donations for their medical equipment.
— Eileen Roach, clinic patient
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“We ask people to bring things back and donate when they can,” said Gream. Clinic volunteers currently share a single examination table and little else.
They have to be pretty creative to work with so few resources and such little amount of equipment. It’s a challenge and a good learning experience for the students.”
“I think it’s an eye-opener for the students because it’s not a typical way to practice,” said English. “It’s good because it prepares them for situations they might encounter later.”
English will begin the process “They (the students) have of expanding the clinic during to be pretty creative to — Matt Hall, community-based faculty member her upcoming sabbatical leave. work with so few resources Her plans include finding a and such little amount larger facility and expanding the clinic’s operating hours, allowing more of equipment,” said Matt Hall, a community-based faculty member students to participate and the ability to serve more patients. and a physical therapist with the Kentucky Orthopedic Rehabilitation Team (KORT). “It’s a challenge and a good learning experience for the “It’s really great they do this,” said Roach, who came to the clinic for students.” her third visit. “I don’t have insurance and probably wouldn’t be able to afford physical therapy otherwise.” In addition to the lack of equipment, many patients at the clinic speak English as a second language, if at all. “The language barrier can be big,” said Tincher. Despite the challenges, it’s a way students can give to the community and a great learning opportunity.
For more information about the student-run Salvation Army clinic, visit www.mc.uky.edu/saclinic. To find out how you can become involved, contact Lynn English at lenglis@uky.edu.
“The faculty and staff of the College of Health Sciences are absolutely committed to improving their community through outreach and service. We strive to instill that same sense of responsibility and good citizenship in our students. Endeavors like the Salvation Army clinic are clear indications these efforts are bearing fruit. I’m incredibly excited to see what the upcoming generations of health care providers will accomplish.” — Lori S. Gonzalez, Ph.D., College of Health Sciences Dean 21
Community
The student-run clinic is held in an extra room in the Salvation Army’s Hangar Lodge. Heather Gream, a student volunteer, can be seen in the left corner of the room working with a patient on the clinic’s single examination table.
Matt Hall, a community-based faculty member and a physical therapist with the Kentucky Orthopedic Rehabilitation Team (KORT), walks Heather Gream, a student volunteer at the clinic, though examination techniques. They are evaluating the progression of Eileen Roach, a patient on her third visit to the clinic.
Betran Noe is examined by Maggie Tincher, a student volunteer at the clinic.
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Community
Corie Winstead, a student in the Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders, works with three-year-old Richard Oakley at the UK Communication Sciences and Disorders Academic Clinic.
The Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders operates three clinics on the first floor of the Charles T. Wethington, Jr. Building.
Helping Just Down the Hall
The UK Communication Sciences & Disorders Academic Clinic As a medical education institution, the College of Health Sciences is uniquely positioned to provide affordable, quality health care to members of the community. Since beginning in 1951, the UK Communication Sciences and Disorders Academic Clinic has been able to provide care to hundreds of patients from throughout the region. Located on the first floor of the Charles T. Wethington, Jr. Building, the clinic is only steps away from faculty offices and classrooms. “The clinic provides the opportunity for our students to develop their clinical skills,” said Donna Morris, the academic clinic coordinator and a faculty member in the Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders. “The community benefits because students are better prepared.” The clinic exists as an in-house training ground for Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate students. These students work in
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conjunction with a faculty supervisor, which gives students an opportunity to learn from faculty and gain hands-on training with patients before beginning their clinical rotations. “This helps me remember why I went into this field in the first place,” said Katherine Kline, a student participant in the clinic. Open all day Monday through Friday, the clinic runs a full schedule of appointments and sees patients in age ranging from birth to 100-plus years with a wide range of communication disabilities. Between 60-100 patients are seen for weekly visits during the course of a semester. “We heard about the program a year ago and thought it would be a good opportunity for Richard,” said Michele Oakley, speaking of her 3-year-old son who has a weekly appointment at the clinic. “We tried other programs, but they didn’t work as well. This one is better tailored to his needs and he has advanced quickly.”
This helps me remember why I went into this field in the first place.”
— Katherine Kline, Communication Sciences & Disorders student
For more information about the UK Communication Sciences & Disorders Academic Clinic, contact Donna Morris at dsmorr0@email.uky.edu.
Community
A
Partnership with the
Community
Commonwealth Collaboratives Two faculty members from the College of Health Sciences, Donna Morris and Jane Kleinert, each received a Commonwealth Collaborative award. These $10,000 awards are intended to fund partnerships between UK’s faculty and Kentucky communities to improve “Kentucky’s schools, business climate, environment, health care and lifestyles.” Below are summaries of their projects.
Teaching Academic Age-Appropriate Learning via Communication Awarded to Jane Kleinert, Ph.D., Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Jacqui Kearns, Ed.D., Director of the National Alternate Assessment Center at the Human Development Institute. It is based on collaborative research involving nearly 13,000 students nationwide, which shows there is a significant number of students with cognitive disabilities in our Commonwealth (as in the other states studied) who have not yet acquired formal communication systems. In a collaboration between UK and targeted school districts and schools, this project will identify children communicating at a pre-symbolic level of communication development and train school staff, teachers, speech-language pathologists and other service providers in strategies to improve children’s communicative abilities. The funds will be used to purchase communication devices and materials to demonstrate and loan to school systems for students in the project.
Early Childhood Language and Literacy Program Awarded to Donna Morris, M.A., CCC-SLP, Communication Sciences and Disorders. The purpose of the project is to positively impact the education and quality of life of preschool age children in Kentucky who have or are at risk of developing language and literacy difficulties. The partnership between the Child Development Center of the Bluegrass and the UK Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinic will result in teaching parents, speech-language pathologists and educators the current strategies for improving language and emergent literacy skills. This program will provide direct intervention for preschool children along with training for parents, professionals and Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate students. For more information about UK’s Commonwealth Collaboratives, visit www.uky.edu/UE/CC.
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Outreach Activities Members of our college participate in hundreds of outreach activities every year – far too many to feature here. The following pages are a small sampling of what we’ve done recently to help those in our community, state and across the world.
Shady Lawn and Parkside Homes
Keturah Taylor-Washington, CHS staff and member of the CHS Staff Council, delivers a personal care basket to a resident in the Shady Lawn home.
CHS staff members Linda Allen, Keturah Taylor-Washington, Jackie Sabel, Sharon Goins and Carlo Labudiong share a hug with a resident of the Parkside home.
Members of the College of Health Sciences participate collectively in at least one large service project each year. In 2009, through donations by faculty and staff, members of the Staff Council were able to purchase enough items to assemble and distribute 100 personal care baskets to residents of Shady Lawn and Parkside Homes. Baskets contained shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, socks and other items. Shady Lawn and Parkside are two privately-owned personal care homes located in Cynthiana, Ky. Each home houses approximately 50 residents who come from all over Kentucky and the Cincinnati area. Most of the residents suffer from some form of mental illness, have been victimized by abuse or are homeless. They have marginal incomes and many do not have enough money to purchase basic items such as toiletries or clothes. For more information about the homes or how you can get involved, contact Linda Allen at laalle1@email.uky.edu.
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CHS faculty and staff donated items for and assembled 100 personal care baskets for residents of Shady Lawn and Parkside homes.
Outreach Activities
Canned Food Drive
Staff member Marie Poole helps a firefighter pick up toys donated to the Lexington Firefighter Toy Program.
Lexington Firefighter Toy Program CHS students, faculty and staff donated hundreds of items in a canned food drive for God’s Pantry Food Bank, an organization that collects and distributes donated food to agencies across central and eastern Kentucky.
CHS faculty, staff and students collected more than 75 toys in December 2009 for the Lexington Firefighter Toy Program, which helps thousands of children in Fayette County.
For more information about God’s Pantry Food Bank, visit www.godspantry.org.
For more information about the program, visit www.lfdfof.org.
“At the College of Health Sciences, it’s not just about coming to work and getting your job done. It’s about joining together to make a difference. What we do every day touches someone – whether that is a student, alumnus, fellow co-worker or stranger who benefits from our outreach initiatives. At the end of every day, I can feel good about myself and my college.” — Carlo Labudiong, Computer Support Specialist, CHS Staff Council President 2009-2010 26
Outreach Activities Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter International Work Project
Peter Berres stands with the Jaikum family, who will be moving in to the home Berres and his team members built during the 2009 Carter Work Project.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter stand with two Habitat for Humanity build teams after the homes’ completion.
Peter Berres, CHS Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand and volunteered in Habitat for Humanity’s 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. It is “an annual, internationally-recognized week of building that brings attention to the need for simple, decent and affordable housing in partnership with low-income families. The Carter Work Project is held at a different location each year and attracts volunteers from around the world.” The 2009 project built homes for families in Thailand, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. For more information about the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, visit http://bit.ly/carterworkproject.
DanceBlue is a University of Kentucky dance marathon event that raises money to assist children being treated at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Oncology Clinic. The CHS DanceBlue team has raised almost $6,000 in 2009 and 2010. For more information about DanceBlue, visit www.danceblue.org.
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DanceBlue
Members of the CHS DanceBlue team, Amy Phlegley, Karly Hassman, Kourtney Trudgen, Angela Dixon and Ashton Smith.
DanceBlue raised a record-setting $636,638.58 in 2010.
Outreach Activities
Central Kentucky Heart Walk
CHS joined the fight against heart disease in the annual Central Kentucky Heart Walk. Participants walked with their families, friends and pets to raise money for the American Heart Association. For more information about the Central Kentucky Heart Walk, visit www.bit.ly/lexingtonheartwalk.
CHS faculty and staff joined UK HealthCare employees in support of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Day. Employees wore red and donated to support research and education efforts focused on saving women’s lives. For more information about Go Red for Women, visit www.goredforwomen.org.
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Outreach Activities
Cycle4Sunday
Student members of Cycle4Sunday hold a check for $2,190 they presented to Laura Ebert, Executive Director of Surgery on Sunday. Cycle4Sunday was started by the Physical Therapy class of 2011 to raise money for Surgery on Sunday, an organization that provides outpatient surgeries to Kentuckians in need. Pictured are the class of 2011 and the class of 2012, who will take over Cycle4Sunday in 2010. For more information about Cycle4Sunday and how you can help, visit www.cycle4sunday.com. For more about Surgery on Sunday, visit www.surgeryonsunday.org.
“Through groups like Cycle4Sunday, we are able to purchase more medical supplies and further our cause in Kentucky. Since beginning in 2005, we have provided much-needed surgery services to more than 3,000 of Kentucky’s working poor who can’t afford health insurance and we have over 1,000 people currently on our waiting list. We are honored that this student group is committed to help us achieve our mission.” — Laura Ebert, Surgery on Sunday Executive Director 29
Outreach Activities
Hispanic Health Fair
Physician Assistant 5K Run/Walk
Communication Sciences and Disorders students Mary Katherine Bradley and Katherine Brown deliver information about hearing loss, speech problems and other related issues.
Physician Assistant Studies student Dustin Adkins checks an attendee’s blood pressure.
The Physician Assistant Studies class of 2011 sponsored the second annual Chick-fil-A Physician Assistant Day 5K/1-Mile Fun Walk/Cornhole Tournament, held on September 12, 2009 at the UK Coldstream Park. The class sought to promote the physician assistant profession within the community in preparation for October 6, National Physician Assistant Day. Students Aleece Fosnight (left) and Sarah McClellan
Students and faculty from the Physician Assistant Studies, Physical Therapy and Communication Sciences and Disorders programs have joined with other UK medical center colleges and community physicians to offer free health screenings at the Hispanic Health Fair. For the past ten years, first-year students in the College of Medicine have hosted the Hispanic Health Fair on a Sunday afternoon in May. The event provides a variety of health services, including physical exams, women’s exams, diabetes screenings, blood pressure screenings and vision screenings free of charge.
(center) present a check for $200 to a representative Approximately 50 walkers took from Lexington Refuge Medical Clinic. part in the 1-Mile Walk and 120 runners participated in the 5K race. Additionally, 12 cornhole teams participated in the tournament. All together approximately 200 individuals participated in the event.
Two hundred dollars from the event was donated to the Refuge Medical Clinic, a non-profit free clinic that provides medical and dental services to uninsured residents of Jessamine and Fayette counties. The remainder of the proceeds were donated to the Joseph Hamburg Student Society (JHSS), the official UK Physician Assistant Student society, and will be used to fund JHSS sponsored activities, including mission trips. The society aims to support the academic achievement and clinic excellence of physician assistant students in the UK Physician Assistant Studies program. For more information about the Refuge Medical Clinic, visit www.refugeministriesky.org.
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Outreach Index Each day, CHS students, faculty and staff make a difference in their community, state and world through a multitude of organizations and activities. Here is a list of many of the organizations to which they choose to give back.
American Heart Association American College of Sports Medicine Appalachian Outreach Project Area Agency on Aging Area Health Education Center Association of Fundraising Professionals Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital Sensory Processing Camp Chester Sims Veterans Home Children International Diocese of Lexington Educational Inclusion Task Force Down Syndrome Association of Central Kentucky Faithful Fellowship of Outdoorsmen Food for Hunger Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services Huntington City Mission Journal of Allied Health Journal of Rural Health
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Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network Kentucky Association of HealthCare Public Relations Kentucky Commission on Services and Supports for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Kentucky Community Crisis Response Team Kentucky Council on Developmental Disabilities Kentucky Physical Therapy Association Lee and Owsley County Appalachian Outreach Project Lexington Rescue Mission Lymphology Association of North America Nathaniel Mission New Missions Operation Feed Our Children Osher Life Long Learning Institute Parkside Manor and Shady Lawn Personal Care Homes Pi Beta Phi, Eastern Kentucky University Public Relations Society of America Read to Succeed
Riding for Hope Saddle Up Safely Safe Aging Coalition Salvation Army Salvation Army Free Physical Therapy Clinic Shoulder to Shoulder Global Sister Cities Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association Surgery on Sunday Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure The Bourbon Chase ROAD Race University of Kentucky DanceBlue University of Kentucky Hispanic Health Fair University of Kentucky Military Veterans of America University of Kentucky Newman Center Various area churches Various adult day care centers Wendell Foster Home Wounded Warrior Project
Become a Part of our Mission & Future We invite you to join the College of Health Sciences in our commitment to service, education and research. When you give to the college, you’re enabling our students, faculty and staff to continue the great work they’re doing within our community, throughout Kentucky and across the world. Giving to the College of Health Sciences is not just a one-way association…we want our relationship with you to be a true partnership. Tell us what you’re passionate about – whether it’s local service projects, international studies, student scholarships, research, educational opportunities or whatever it might be – and we can work together to make it a reality. Contact Allison Horseman, our Director of Advancement at (859) 218-0563 or allison.horseman@uky.edu to see how you can become a part of our mission and future. If you’d like to give online, please visit https://giveto.uky.edu/AH_p/ah.htm.
To send a gift by mail, please address it to: College of Health Sciences 900 S. Limestone Street Charles T. Wethington, Jr. Building, Rm. 123 Lexington, KY 40536-0200
College of Health Sciences Online www.mc.uky.edu/healthsciences
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