Our class, like those before continue in the tradition of making the QU PA program one of the best by taking an active role in providing community healthcare service that goes above and beyond.

Over the past year we've taken part in numerous activities including:

Primary Care Week!

Monday, October 18:

 Kick-off dinner

The dinner was held at Farmington Club. There were buffet appetizers, dinner and drinks.  Some people from UConn spoke about primary care and the impact of primary care week on the community.  At the dinner were UConn medical students, dental students and us. It was a lot of fun! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 20:

Reading

Some went to the elementary school and read health-related children’s books to two Kindergarten classes for about half an hour. Then they talked about things such as why it is important to brush your teeth, going to the doctor, eating healthy, etc. After that they helped the children with an art project for about an hour.  The children had a blast and really enjoyed us being there.

Professor Lord donated $40 towards books and Jen Patridge donated a $25 gift cert. to Borders also for books. The rest of the class also went out and graciously bought books for the children. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Park

Others were at Hartford cleaning up a much needed park.  It was completely overgrown littered with such things like needles, fast food wrappers, and condoms.  It was a very interesting experience, but in the end we did a great job trying to get the park back on track.

 

Others went to Hartford High School and talked to the students about the PA profession.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those involved:

Chairs: Lori Pazameta and Karen Rosen

Park volunteers: Melissa Mieszczanski,Courtney Hill,Suzan Fenstermacher, Kristin Marcous,Jennifer McDonnell,Karen Rosen, Sarah Gross, Emilee Conley, Deirdre Cannon, Heather Cronkhite,Joann Nachtygal,Amanda Stone and Ying Zheng

Hamden High School volunteers: Laura Rose and Lori Pazameta

Ridge Hill School volunteers: Sarah Way, Chelsea Hill, Sarah Fountain, Melissa Froehle, Michael Schweid, Fred Staples, Jef Saunders, Carolyn Harrington, Michaela Montecalvo, Matt Singleton and Sean P.

Professor in-charge: Professor Kohlhepp

 

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child is a program run by an organization called Samaritan's Purse.  Our class will participate in the program by making up shoe boxes full of toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and other items and/or donating money.  This program brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations in over 95 countries around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and donations. It provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in a simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas.

 

 

 

PA Week!

We went to Walmart in Hamden on Friday, October 8th and set-up two tables. One table had information about the PA profession in general and about the QUPA program.  The other table had information geared toward smoking cessation.  The kind of info. we had for the customers were the harmful effects of smoking, how to say no and never start smoking, things to help you quit smoking, and some "scary" pictures of hairy tongue, and what the lung looks like after being exposed to smoke. (The hairy tongue picture was a huge hit!!). Along with the brochures, we also handed out balloons, pens and lollipops celebrating PA week and we gave out stickers and rulers for smoking cessation.  We also took blood pressures and educated the customers on how to lower their blood pressure if it was higher than normal.

 

Diabetes Walk

Sunday, October 10, 2004 (during PA week)

Sponsoring organization: American Diabetes Association

Site: Penfield I Pavilion at Fairfield Beach in Fairfield, CT.

What was done by PA students: Students participated in a 3.5/6 mile walk/run for Diabetes. A table was set-up before and after the walk, which displayed information about the Physician Assistant profession, the QUPA program, smoking cessation, and pictures of the effects of smoking on the body. Balloons, pens and lollipops celebrating PA week were distributed. Pamphlets were also handed out to adolescents on how to say “NO” to smoking. In addition quit line numbers were given out. The photo of hairy tongue was a huge hit, so remember to bring it! Information was available on the specific effects that smoking could have on diabetic patients.  Additionally, the students performed free blood pressure screening.  The students recorded their blood pressures and advised at-risk individuals to follow-up with their health care provider. They ensued an overwhelming response with crowds of people at the table asking questions and wanting their blood pressures taken. In fact, their table was the last to clean-up because they didn’t want to turn anyone away!

 

Chairpeople:

Melissa Froehle: Walmart

Karen Rosen: Walmart

Melissa Mieszczanski: Diabetes

 

Walmart:

Sarah Way

Fred Staples

Gina Corrado

Monika Zelazny

Sarah Gross

Carolyn Harrington

Karen Rosen

Sarah Olson

 

Diabetes:

Melissa Mieszczanski

Karen Rosen

 

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer will strike more than 200,000 times this year and claim 40,000 lives.  Approximately 20 Quinnipiac University PA Students participated in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk and fund raising for the American Cancer Society.  Making Strides is a non-competitive five-mile walk that took place in Bushnell Park in Hartford Connecticut on Sunday, October 17, 2004. The walk was designed to raise awareness and foster camaraderie, as well as, fund raise for breast cancer research.  The money raised will go towards research, education, advocacy efforts, and patient support programs to defeat this disease.

Cow Chip Bingo 

Every year the American Academy of Physician Assistants sponsors the Host City Prevention Campaign.  The purpose of the campaign is to give something back to the communities that provided our association with facilities for our annual professional conference and to encourage philanthropy in the PA profession.  Each year a “theme” is chosen and it is up to PA school student societies across the nation to generate funds for donation.

The student society at QU is active every year in helping gather donations.  Each year we sponsor a 5K road race, silent auction and Cow Chip Bingo raffle in April.  In many years past, Quinnipiac has raised the most money to contribute towards the campaign than any of the other student societies nationwide.  We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to give back to the community, our profession as well as our school.

Midnight run

This project helps to feed and clothe the homeless in New Haven.  QU PA students volunteer their time the first Monday of every month. Students make “bad lunches” and donate seasonal clothing.  Recycling cans a bottles at the PA program provides the funds to pay for the food for this project.  Class officers include:  Brad, Laura, and Ellen –but it really is a whole class effort.

 

 

KEEP (Kidney Early Evaluation Program)

KEEP is an organization which works with the National Kidney Foundation to identify people at high risk for renal disease/failure and its associated comorbidities, such as Diabetes Mellitus and hypertension.  The organization travels to various underserved communities in Connecticut to provide screening for those who are at high-risk for renal disease.  The screening, which is run and operated by Quinnipiac physician assistant students, consists of blood pressure checks, weight assessment, urinalysis, glucose checks, and blood draws to test renal function.  The data is compiled in a folder for each patient and is reviewed by an on-site physician who makes recommendations for further testing.  This program offers a wonderful opportunity for students to interact with people in the community and to learn about their unique cultural backgrounds and their specific medical concerns. 

Chairpersons:  Emilee Conley, Margaret Gladski, Jacqueline Sanz, Monika Zelazny

Bike Crawl against Cancer

A growing number of people each year join Southington's Bike Crawl Against Cancer. This event is a fund raiser for cancer awareness and research. Several Bars and Restaurants sponsor the bike crawl. Each participant pays a small fee and rides his or her bike to each establishment to eat and drink. Everyone is in high spirits and the event lasts most of the day. This is a great event to show your support for cancer survivors, help in funding the future development of cancer research, as well as to meet new people. I hope to see you there next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hamden Fall Festival

The 5th Annual Hamden Fall Festival and Health Fair were held on Saturday October 16th at Brooksvale Park from 11-5. The annual event is based on a nature fall theme and is a day filled with music, food, crafts, and many activities for children. Accompanying the day is an annual health fair. The theme this year of Quinnipiac’s PA booth was smart eating and healthy lifestyles. The booth had a wide variety of information on many different health related topics and thanks to Prof. Lord, was decorated beautifully in a fall theme. There were balloons for the children, as well as lollypops, apples, and apple cider. There were approximately 23 students who helped out for day by providing blood pressure screenings and information to the visitors at the health fair. Overall it was a very fun day talking to the people at the fair about eating healthy, about their blood pressure and many other topics. All the students also enjoyed a day outside and especially a few who enjoyed playing and taking pictures on the tractor.

 

Click on the thumbnails to see the pictures!