Medical students in the Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MU-COM) volunteered at Tindley Renaissance Academy’s annual Back to School Health Fair on Saturday, August 2, organizing stations with activities aimed at teaching everything from being heart healthy to emotional and mental health.
Marian University’s Student National Medical Association (SNMA) group organized the university’s participation and has worked with the school for more than a year, conducting activities for the kids aimed at inspiring a love of science, health, and medicine.
“We want to give children the tools they need to take ownership of their health,” Anita Boakye, president of SNMA, said. “It is essential to equip them with the tools they need to thrive, and helping them learn about their health and bodies is one way to do that.”
The group’s mission calls them to “support current, future, and future-underrepresented minority students, address the needs of underserved communities, and increase the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent, and socially conscious physicians.”
“I feel strongly that to be a good physician, you should be a good neighbor and aware of and willing to serve your community,” Boakye said. “In the rigor of medical school, it is easy to lose sight of those concepts and values, so this activity was a wonderful way to remind ourselves of this goal, SNMA’s mission statement, and the core values of Marian University.”
Participating in Tindley’s Back to School Health Fair allowed the group to educate more than 300 K-12 students about their health.
While SNMA served as the community partner with the school, medical students from many other groups at MU-COM volunteered at the event, including members from the Preventative Health and Wellness Club and the Pediatrics Student Interest Group.
“This is an awesome testament to the community we’ve built in the Class of 2019,” Boakye said.
