PA Students in Jacksonville Provide Blood Pressure Screenings, Support Breast Cancer Awareness

The Physician Assistant class of 2011 at NSU’s Student Educational Center in Jacksonville recently provided free blood pressure checks as part of National PA week held Oct. 6-12, 2009. More than half of the student body and staff were available to give information on blood pressure and practice bedside manner at the blood pressure screenings held at the Jacksonville Town Center.

“It was exciting to see a little bit of what it’s going to be like next year in clinicals, a little hands on action and applying what we have learned”, said Michael Palmer, one of the students in the Jacksonville PA program. Jacksonville’s PA school student society wanted to do everything possible to promote National PA Week and inform the community about the PA program that is new to Northeast Florida. As an end to a very eventful week, nine students met Mayor John Peyton for the Mayor’s Proclamation for National PA week.

The class of 2011 also took part in Breast Cancer Awareness Month events. On Oct. 7, four students volunteered at the Orange Park second annual Pink Ribbon Symposium, which provided information regarding breast cancer awareness and new treatments that are now available. On Oct. 16, the entire class raised money for the Hero Bra Fundraiser benefiting a mammogram hotline. The students decorated bras and donated money for each bra that was made.

“It was a great way to get everyone in our class involved with our student society and community service, especially those who don’t have time outside of school and family commitments” stated Brittany Mertz. The student government is also putting together a team for the relay race in February 2010. The class is also looking forward to next year when they will be able to volunteer more medically based community service hours.

PA week proclamation.JPG: Members of the class of 2001 Physician Assistant program in Jacksonville display the mayor’s proclamation of National PA Week.