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PAIRS Program Provides Education Outside of ClassroomIn an effort to advance the education of Boston University (BU) medical students, the BU Alzheimer's Disease Center (ADC) Education & Information Transfer Core launched the PAIRS Program in September 2007. The program, which "pairs" first-year BU medical students with "buddies" who have early stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) or a related cognitive impairment, augments both the students' medical education and clinical skill development. The BU ADC program replicates the highly successful and award winning "Buddy Program" developed by Ms. Darby Morhardt at the Northwestern University ADC in Chicago, IL. Both programs focus on fostering relationships between future physicians and older adults, allowing the medical students to better understand how aging adults function with a neurodegenerative diagnosis. During the current academic year, seven medical students are participating in the BU ADC PAIRS Program either because of a developing interest in neurology and geriatrics or because of a personal experience with AD. "We are quite excited about this new educational initiative because it offers an excellent opportunity for medical students to learn first hand about cognitive and functional changes associated with pathological brain aging and its impact on patients and their families," said Dr. Angela Jefferson, PAIRS Program Director and BU ADC Education & Information Transfer Core Co-Director. Since the program's launch this past fall, students and "buddies" have met for monthly activities, such as watching football games, reminiscing about memorable vacations, or taking walks. For the older adult participants, these activities provide an opportunity to get to know the students while contributing to their clinical training. Students also meet monthly with the PAIRS Program staff to discuss their "buddy" interactions and to receive ongoing education about AD, caregiver issues, and current treatment options. As a result of the monthly "buddy" activities and educational sessions, the students have broadened their understanding of the aging population and developed a better sense of what life is like for patients with AD and their families. "A great thing about the PAIRS Program is the balance it gives to our education," said current PAIRS Program student Jami Johnsen. "We might learn what proteins are involved in AD, but that doesn't teach you much about what having that disease means to a patient or their family." Ms. Darby Morhardt, founder of the Northwestern University ADC "Buddy Program," said, "I was delighted when the BU ADC expressed interest in replicating our Buddy Program. Over the years, students have responded with much gratitude for the experience of getting to know someone in the early stages of dementia outside of a clinical setting and in a way that they can never learn from a textbook. The PAIRS Program allows Boston University medical students the opportunity to have this unique experience which they will undoubtedly carry with them for years to come. I look forward to our continued collaboration." The PAIRS Program is being funded, in part, by a generous educational grant from the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center. For more information about the PAIRS Program, please contact Ms. Erin Whalen at 617-414-1078 or ewhalen@bu.edu. |
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