After their arrival to the medical school in July, students from the MD Class of 2029 got the chance to give back to the community during the annual Day of Service.
Day of Service took place over a period of three days – July 28, 30, and 31 – as students spent time helping at a dozen sites throughout Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan. Some students also spent time giving back on August 9 and August 23. The students were able to assist several local organizations, including:
- Bronson Cancer Center
- Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center
- El Concilio
- Friendship Village
- Habitat for Humanity
- Institute of Public Scholarship
- Kalamazoo CASA
- Kalamazoo Literacy Council
- Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes
- Kalamazoo Valley Cleaners
- Street Medicine Kalamazoo
- YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo
Day of Service focuses on the building of partnerships with community organizations and the development of teamwork skills and leadership. Students gain first-hand and up-close experience with the needs of the Kalamazoo community and the projects reflect the medical school’s commitment to community service.
Next up, in October, the first-year students will take part in the capstone event for Medical First Responder training. The all-day event, which is held at the Kalamazoo Regional Fire Training Center and consists of several emergency scenarios, including a mass-casualty incident, a vehicle extrication, and rappelling down an elevator shaft.
First-year students experience MFR – a fast-paced, hands-on training that equips learners with the skills and knowledge to perform basic patient assessments, manage simple medical emergencies, and provide basic cardiac life support.