Community Projects

During an Idaho SEARCH Program rotation, students and residents will have an opportunity to make a difference in the host community by designing a community project. The student or resident, with guidance from their community mentor(s) and their clinical preceptor, will design a service project that focuses on health concerns in the community.

Examples of Successful Community Projects:

• Integration of Services Assessment
  Daisy Garcia, RN, MSN for Terry Reilly Health Services in Nampa, Idaho
  This two-phase project included assessment of existing service delivery to diabetic Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers and the design and implementation of an integration system between the TRHS and the Farm Worker Outreach Program.

• Mental Health Services Available to Patients in Cottonwood, Idaho
  Maggie J. Cross, MD for St. Mary’s Hospital & Clinic
  The goal of this project was to identify providers in Idaho County who are professionally trained to assist in providing care for patients seeking mental health care.

• Health Risks of Body Alteration (tattooing or piercing)
  Megan Strowd, MD for Terry Reilly Health Services in Nampa, Idaho
  Megan conducted research on the health risks of body alteration and made a presentation to at risk teens in a local school.

• First Annual Dirne CHC Sponsored Health Fair
  Holly Bassler, DO for Dirne Community Health Clinic in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
  Holly helped organize a screening health fair to coordinate with Cover the Uninsured Week in May 2005.

• Cardiovascular Review for Emergency Medical Technicians in Cottonwood, Idaho
  Jeremy Ostrander, MD for St. Mary’s Hospital in Cottonwood, Idaho
  This project resulted in a presentation to local EMTs that focused on cardiac physiology overview, pathophysiology, EKG interpretation, basic treatment options, and case examples.