The following are a few of the specific, faculty-mentored community engagement events our students participate in throughout both didactic and clinical year curriculum:
Creek Valley Health Fair in Hildale, Utah
UPAP joins together with Cherish Families, Hildale City, and many partners to understand and respond to community needs by jointly organizing the annual Creek Valley Health Fair. This brings together many necessary medical services and resources to the polygamist and plural marriage communities of Hildale and Colorado City, along with the communities surrounding them. This includes free nutrition women’s health education; health screenings for blood glucose, skin cancer, vision, hearing; immunizations; and fun activities for everyone to enjoy as a community.
The Junior League CARE-Fair (or Community Assistance and Resource Event Fair) is an annual, two-day event organized and directed by the Junior League of Salt Lake City. UPAP joins together health disciplines, resources, and interpreters to provide needed health screenings, along with donated vouchers for follow-up care at local clinics. Typically, major barriers, such as time, language, financial, and transportation constraints, prevent some Utah families from receiving many basic health and human services. PA student leaders work with Junior League of Salt Lake City to eliminate many of these barriers by engaging with communities in need and recruiting medical and other service providers. Under the supervision of clinical faculty, PA students join with other health students to obtain medical histories, perform general screenings, provide free vouchers for follow-up care, and connect the attendees with needed resources to receive the follow-up care.
UPAP students have played the role of Medical Client Guides at the annual Project Homeless Connect in Salt Lake City. The goal is to provide as many services in one day and in one location to those in our community who are at-risk. Attendees are paired with Volunteer Guides, who build a relationship with them and help them connect with all of the services available at the event. When a Guide brings up a health issue, a Medical Guide teams up with the Guide and their attendee to navigate through all of the Medical services they need at the event.
PA Day on the Hill
UPAP meets with their colleagues in the Utah Academy for Physician Assistants as part of their annual visit to the Utah State Capitol Building. PA students engage with legislators and industry leaders on public health issues, and network with their peers as they learn more about the PA profession.
To learn more about our other community engagement activities and partnerships within the UPAP curriculum.