Chief resident Sean Cook, MD, teaches students at Roosevelt Elementary School in Manville about the dangers of smoking.
Training to be a physician takes determination and resolve, lots of hard work and a wealth of knowledge about the human body. At the Somerset Family Practice Residency Program at Somerset Medical Center, it also takes an individual who is committed to educating people about their health outside of the traditional hospital setting.
'Working in the community, residents gain the knowledge and experience they need to practice family doctoring,' explains Richard Corson, MD, director of the Somerset Family Practice Center and Residency Program and a former graduate of the residency program. 'They also gain an understanding of the world outside of the physician's office.'
Cynthia Vanson, MD, and Sapna Dalal, MD, third-year residents with Somerset Family Practice, also know how important it is to be active in one's community. Both physicians joined the Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church on a recent mission to Honduras.
'It was a wonderful learning experience for us,' says Dr. Vanson. 'We were able to promote better health by teaching people ways to prevent infection and maintain proper nutrition and we had an opportunity to identify health issues we might not regularly see.' As the first physicians to join the church's mission, both Dr. Vanson and Dr. Dalal spent time before the trip collecting a variety of medical supplies, including blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, blood glucose testing machines and crutches.
Many Somerset Family Practice residents participate in an annual Tar Wars program, designed to teach fourth- and fifth- grade students about the dangers of smoking. Residents visited 16 classrooms in Somerville, Manville and Dunellen to explain the physical, social and financial repercussions associated with tobacco dependency.
Resident Eric Brezina, DO, one of the coordinators of Tar Wars, conducted several exercises with students, including breathing through a straw while running in place to simulate how someone with asthma feels.
Residents also recently developed a new educational program to teach area high school students about the importance of testicular self-examination. To determine its success, the residents have developed a research component for the project, which measures knowledge and awareness before and after the education component.
In addition, residents participate in a variety of health clinics with local townships, speak at high school career days and work with the Somerset Medical Center athletic trainer for the Somerset Patriots, the county's minor league baseball team.
A commitment to including community outreach in its residency training is just one of the reasons the Somerset Family Practice Residency Program was one of two New Jersey residency programs to match all seven of its residency openings in the National Residency Match Program.
'Somerset Family Practice Residency Program attracts high caliber residents who offer so much to our community,' says Dr. Corson. 'Each time our residents participate in a community outreach activity, they bring back new experiences that will ultimately benefit our patients.'
