Cornell students to showcase their volunteerism Aug. 7

For the past nine weeks, students from Cornell’s Community Based Leadership Development Program have volunteered with Cayuga Medical Center's Emergency Department Patient Care Advocacy Team (PCAT).

Antron Spooner speaks with doctor
Provided
Patient Care Advocacy Team volunteer Antron Spooner '16 consults with Dr. Steve Elliott, a physician at Cayuga Medical Center.

As the program comes to a close, the participants will showcase their volunteer experiences through digital stories that they have produced at a showcase event Friday, Aug. 7, at 6 p.m. at Cayuga Medical Center. 

This summer was the leadership program’s pilot partnership with PCAT, Cornell Career Services and Cornell’s Public Service Center (PSC) to provide students with career exploration in health care fields, experience working with patients, and exposure to social issues and challenges facing the U.S. health care system.

The 17 participating students volunteered for at least four hours every week in the Emergency Department supporting staff in providing patient care as well as attending biweekly seminars to strengthen their leadership development and service-learning experiences.

Student volunteers checked in with patients at least every half hour and helped them understand what was going on with their visit, answered patients’ questions, kept them company and got them anything they might have needed. Students worked closely with nurses and doctors to make sure that each patient in the Emergency Department received the attention they required.

“The Cornell student volunteers have become an integral part of our Emergency Department over the summer,“ said John Turner, vice president of public relations at Cayuga Medical Center. “Their assistance allows our staff to ensure each patient receives the best possible quality of care. Through their dedicated service, it is our hope that these students were able to grow in their understanding of medicine, patient care and community.”

The students kept a weekly journal of their reflections on volunteering with PCAT. The digital stories that will be shown illustrate the highlights of their experience and their views on the role of leadership in medicine.

Media Contact

John Carberry