Westfield State Physician Assistant Students Bring Health Education to Over 200 Westfield Intermediate Students

On Monday, December 9, Westfield State University Physician Assistant (PA) students brought health education and wellness lessons to over 200 fifth and sixth-grade students at Westfield Intermediate School. The PA students worked in small groups to teach interactive lessons on various topics, including choking prevention, infection control, movement skills, nutrition, social awareness, sleep hygiene, goal setting, and sun protection. The experience was especially poignant for the PA students, who are preparing to begin clinical clerkships in January.

This collaborative effort was co-facilitated by Shane Hogan, a teacher at Westfield Intermediate School (WIS) and proud 2012 Westfield State alumnus. Hogan’s involvement added a meaningful connection to the event, further strengthening the partnership between the University and the local school district. Additionally, Rory Dudeck, another Westfield State graduate and WIS Science teacher, brought one of his classes to participate in the event.

Hogan reflected on the ongoing partnership, commenting, “I previously worked at Paper Mill Elementary School in Westfield and started working with Dr. McDiarmid at that time to bring in her P.A. students to teach the K-4th grade students about various health and wellness topics through games, activities, and group discussions. When I moved to the WIS this year, Dr. McDiarmid and her students were able to adjust the lessons and activities to make them age appropriate for 5th and 6th grade students.”

Hogan was particularly impressed with the PA students themselves, praising their hard work and well-rounded skillset. “The PA students were exceptional,” he emphasized. “They were all professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. Our students here had a fun time learning and our P.E. and Health department felt like it was an incredible experience for them. We hope to continue this partnership for many years to come and are grateful to have such a valuable resource like Westfield State in town.”

For Westfield State PA student Hannah Ammirato, the event was both a learning opportunity and a chance to overcome initial nerves about working with pediatric patients. “Prior to PA school, I had not worked with pediatric patients, so I was nervous about being able to communicate and provide care for younger patients. I'm really grateful for the opportunity to do a pediatric OSCE at Westfield Intermediate School, because it helped me become more confident and comfortable working with the pediatric population. At the event, my group educated 5th and 6th graders on the spread of germs and the importance of covering your sneeze with a game demonstrating how far germs will spread (up to 27 feet!).”

Ammirato especially appreciated reactions from the younger students, who expressed amazement and shock at the information provided to them. She also remarked about a reinvigoration of her passion for pediatric care, as she worked to approach the students in a way that was exciting for them. “My favorite part of the event was seeing the shock of the students when they realized how far germs will spread, knowing this might make a difference in their decision to cover their sneeze and prevent the spread of illness,” Ammirato added. “I learned that there are interactive and engaging ways to teach children about important health subjects. I feel much more prepared to complete my pediatrics rotation this year.”

Fellow classmate Devan Chen echoed the value of the experience, noting how it prepared him to better connect with future patients. “It was a great opportunity to continue refining our patient education skills with kids in the community before we start seeing them as patients at our clinical clerkships,” he said. “The 5th and 6th graders at Westfield Intermediate School seemed just as excited to learn with us as we were to teach them. “

This opportunity was especially meaningful for Chen, who discussed the significance of being a first-generation college student as well as the first in his family to pursue medicine. “When I was their age, my parents relied on me to translate at medical appointments, so I think it's important as future medical providers to be cognizant of those dynamics and confident in our ability to navigate conversations about health at any level of complexity. I really value the practice of fostering health literacy as a means to give patients the resources they need to understand and be involved in their health care as much as they want to be. Patient education is so essential to our responsibility as future physician assistants and I'm so grateful we had this opportunity to exercise our skills with the kids at Westfield Intermediate School.”