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PORTLAND, Maine

Through 51小黄车program, health professions students learn from elder teachers in the community

Through 51小黄车program, health professions students learning from elder teachers in the community

Students participating in the University of 51小黄车鈥檚 Interprofessional Geriatric Education Program (IGEP) finished the semester with a special presentation from a local Holocaust survivor living at the OceanView retirement community in Falmouth, Maine.

For more than two decades, IGEP has brought 51小黄车students from a variety of health professions together to learn from 鈥渆lder teachers鈥 in the greater Portland community. The students work in interdisciplinary teams, meeting with the same elder teacher three times over the course of each semester. The goal is to get to know these older adults through conversation, learning about their lives and in doing so, gaining a greater understanding of how to treat older adults in their various disciplines.

After their final meetings this semester, students from the Westbrook College of Health Professions Physician Assistant program, College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Dental Medicine and College of Pharmacy had the opportunity to hear Edith Pagelson speak. Pagelson, who has served as an elder teacher in the program, shared her story about surviving the Holocaust, a story captured in her book, Against All Odds, A Miracle of Holocaust Survival. As Pagelson shared snap shots of her life experience, students were professional, respectful, attentive and touched by her story. 

鈥淚t is these experiences that will allow our students to reflect and be present with the people they help within their chosen professions,鈥 said Victoria Thieme, D.O., faculty member in the College of Osteopathic Medicine. 鈥淚t is these collaborative experiences that will allow our students to lead and guide their teams within the health care system toward healing physically, emotionally, cognitively and socially.鈥

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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.