Two Students Accepted Into Compassion Ambassador Program
CAmP provides opportunities to a competitively selected group of first-year medical students at partner institutions to conduct mentored projects that aim to understand and/or increase empathy and compassion. It is modeled after the Sanford Scholar Award Program at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.
In addition to implementing their projects, students engage in a three-day summer program in San Diego that is designed to enhance overall project efficacy, further develop empathy and compassion skills, and create a cohesive cadre of student leaders in empathy and compassion. The award provides financial support to students for their compassion-related projects under the guidance of a faculty mentor at their own institution.
Two SSOM Class of 2027 students, Phebie Rossi and Madeline Vagts, were accepted into the program with their individual research projects.
“Walk a Mile in Someone Else’s Shoes: An Experiential Approach to Cultivating Compassion in Future Physicians”
Prior to entering clinics and hospitals following didactic training and Step 1, second-year medical students at the Sioux Falls campus will enter the community for one half-day as a member of a vulnerable population. Groups of three to four students will be homeless, battered women or undocumented uninsured citizens and will complete a series of objectives to gain a better understanding of the lives and struggles their patients experience before walking in the clinic.
Rossi’s mentor is Dr. Michelle Schimelpfenig, SSOM associate dean at the USD – Sioux Falls campus.
“Hygiene Matters: Integrating Patient Hygiene Goals into Treatment Plans for Enhanced Compassionate Care”
Vagts’ project aims to improve patient hygiene in hospitals by advocating for its inclusion in care plans to bridge the gap between current practices and optimal care standards, emphasizing the impact of hygiene on patient well-being. By engaging health care providers, including physicians, in discussions focused on patient hygiene, the project aims to foster a culture of compassionate care in hospitals.
Vagts’ mentor for the project is Dr. Craig Uthe, SSOM clinical professor of family medicine and chief well-being officer.
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