MSU Medical Students Get Help From Local Patients

Medical Students from MSU get some special training, thanks to a Miles For Memories program, "Elder Education Day", or Patient Conversation 101 as its sometimes called.  Anne Clark was a guest on the 95.3 WBCK Morning Show with Tim Collins to talk about the upcoming interaction between dementia patients, caregivers and first and second year medical students from the MSU School of Osteopathic Medicine and MSU Medical school. 

Clark says its an effort to address what many cite as a  short-coming of medical practices and training.  The idea is to get physicians to stop seeing the patients as a number and more as people.  And due to the complexity of these issues,  many physicians who are diagnosing these diseases have a difficult time talking to patients and understanding them.

Clark says Elder Education Day gives medical students and the elders in our community a chance to gather together  so the students can hear about their experiences where there has been a complex diagnosis.   She says Miles for Memoris has been doing this for 4 years and by the next event they will have educated approximately 80 students

Persons diagnosed with a neuro-degenerative disease such as Parkinson’s disease and different types of dementia and their care partners will come together with the students on February 23rd for a lunch time meeting at the Kool Family Center. 

It'll be held in the Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. space, hosted by Senior Health Partners from 11am-2;pm.  Lunch is included and you can call Anne Clark at Senior Health partners if you’re interested in participating or just want to learn more about the program.

Call 269-441-0920