UB Students Offer Free Sports Physical Sessions at Community Center – UBNow: News and Views for UB Faculty and Staff
Parents whose children are playing sports this year took advantage of free sports physical sessions provided by UB faculty and students last Saturday at the Seneca-Babcock Community Center.
The event was co-hosted by UB’s Lighthouse Free Medical Clinic and the Seneca-Babcock Community Association.
The Lighthouse Free Medical Clinic is the student-run clinic for UB’s health science units, including the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the School of Public Health and Health Professions. William Blymire, clinical assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at the Jacobs School and physician at UBMD Internal Medicine, is the clinic’s medical director.
Lily McGovern, a second-year medical student at UB, explained her motivation for participating in the event. “As head of the Lighthouse Free Medical Clinic, I am committed to recognizing and addressing unmet health needs in the medically underserved community,” she said. “Our team helps young people looking for physical studies or sports almost every clinic night, and this need has increased with a new school year on the horizon.
“This event increases our ability to provide sports physical exams for those in need and provides UB students with an exciting opportunity to give back to the community,” McGovern continued. “We are also grateful for the participation of collaborating professionals from medicine, public health and athletic training, who graciously volunteered their time.”
Jessica S. Kruger, clinical assistant professor of community health and health behavior in UB’s School of Public Health and Health Professions, noted that sports are a great way for students to learn the job. teamwork and become physically active.
“Yet many families face barriers to getting a physical school,” Kruger said. “These barriers can be related to time, access, affordability or other competing demands. At Lighthouse Free Medical Clinic, our mission is to serve the uninsured and underinsured in Buffalo. The purpose of this event, organized in conjunction with the Seneca-Babcock Community Association, is to help reduce these barriers and serve the community.
Licensed physicians volunteering for the Lighthouse Free Medical Clinic supervised the students during the event. Attendees included medical students from the Jacobs School, students from the public health and athletic training programs of the School of Public Health and Health Professions, and students from the School of Social Work. Students helped patients navigate various health stations, helping to take family histories and educating patients on injury prevention.
“I think it’s paramount that we as medical students serve our Buffalo community early and often as we work toward becoming doctors,” McGovern said. “I love getting out of the classroom and using my skills to help my neighbours. I’m also an aspiring pediatrician, so I love any opportunity to work with young people.
UB students who participated learned skills related to interprofessional collaboration, a key part of their health science education at UB, Kruger added.
“Teamwork is essential in healthcare, and by working together we can serve the community and instill these values,” she said. “Working with underserved communities has a lasting impact on students, and those who start working with underserved populations early in their careers tend to want to continue working in those communities in the future.”
