CHS Undergrads Translate Learning into Action in Educational Outreach Program
CHS Undergrads Translate Learning into Action in Educational Outreach Program
Students from the Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences (BS-RHSC) Program visited Tippin Elementary School in mid-November to lead activities in the American Physiological Society’s K-12 outreach program Physiology Understanding (PhUn) Week. This is the second time that the Clinical Applied Physiology (CAPh) Lab, led by Dr. Alvaro Gurovich, has designed and produced this community engagement activity. The lab is primarily comprised of students in the BS-RHSC program. This year, over 90 second-graders participated in activities at six different stations, with demonstrations led by UTEP BS-RHSC students majoring in three of the program’s tracks. Activities included:
- Sensory stimulation, led by students in the Occupational Therapy track
- Cardiovascular and blood flow model, led by students in the Physical and Occupational Therapy tracks
- Respiratory systems station, with diaphragm models, led by students in the Speech Language Pathology track
- Reaction time station, led by students in the Physical Therapy track
- Muscular electrical stimulation station, led by students in the Physical Therapy track
- Electrocardiogram and heart electricity station, led by students in the Physical Therapy track
The PhUn week event is a perfect example of the UTEP College of Health Sciences’ effort to incorporate educational experiences that align with the University’s EDGE initiative, with a focus on real-world, relevant educational experiences that complement the curricular training that students receive. “Community engagement provides several benefits to our students. That is why it has been included in the UTEP EDGE, as enriching experiences are linked to lifelong success. As a program director, I am committed to student success and building opportunities, and PhUn Week is a great platform to do that,” said Dr. Carolina Valencia, BS-RHSC program director and EGE Fellow for the College of Health Sciences.
The event uses a “train the trainer” model for sustainability and student participation purposes. Last year, BS-RHSC students working in Dr. Alvaro Gurovich’s CAPh Lab took the lead in organizing PhUn week activities at Hornedo Middle School. This year, those same students organized the event and trained incoming BS-RHSC students on how to implement the activities. “I have great and talented students working in the CAPh Lab who have taken this outreach program to a new level. They care for each other and they care for their community. Only good things happen when you care about people,” said Dr. Gurovich.
The UTEP PhUn week event is primarily sponsored by the American Physiological Society. This year, local nonprofit agency Desert Mountain AHEC (Area Health Education Center) also contributed in-kind support through a donation of supplies for some of the activities. Desert Mountain AHEC helps prospective students explore the health care field through activities designed to increase knowledge of and interest in the medical field.
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