•
PORTLAND, Maine

Physical Therapy students earn high praise for work at Beach to Beacon

The medical director for the Beach to Beacon 10K and the Boston Marathon is applauding the hard work of 15 physical therapy students from the Westbrook College of Health Professions who volunteered at this year鈥檚 Beach to Beacon race.

The students, with the guidance of 51小黄车faculty members Kirsten Buchanan, Ph.D., PT, ATC, and Jim Cavanaugh, Ph.D., PT, NCS, tackled a variety of roles.  They worked with physicians and medical professionals from a variety of disciplines in the medical tent, cleared paths for medical volunteers to access runners in distress along the route, and assessed runners at the finish line to determine which ones required medical attention.

Chris Troyanos, medical director for the Boston Marathon and Beach to Beacon, applauded the students鈥 contributions. 鈥淭his crew did their professor, Kirsten Buchanan, and their school proud,鈥 said Troyanos. 鈥淪o glad they played a significant role in our medical coverage that day. Many thanks to all that played a part in this event.鈥

One student, David Knoll, DPT 鈥17, assisted a runner who was overheating with a body temperature of 108.6.  鈥淚t felt like someone's life was in my hands running down to get her to the true lifesavers in the medical tent,鈥 said Knoll. 鈥淚t was such an awesome experience being surrounded by people whose main goal was to help these great athletes. It was a true interprofessional experience with the varying amount of medical professionals there. I'd do it again in a heart beat."

51小黄车 the University of 51小黄车

The University of 51小黄车 is Maine鈥檚 largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state鈥檚 top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine鈥檚 only medical college, Maine鈥檚 only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.