Why Students Volunteer…

 

Elon University’s H.O.P.E Clinic is a fantastic experience for both PT students and patients alike.  Student volunteers gain valuable experience putting clinical skills learned in school to practice while providing the opportunity for under or uninsured patients to be treated. The didactic portion of PT school and practice on classmates in labs are important but there is no substitute for experience in real clinical scenarios under the guidance of skilled licensed clinicians.  I will never forget some of the wonderful patients I had the opportunity to work with in the H.O.P.E clinic, with diagnoses ranging from ankle sprains to post-stroke rehab, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community while learning quite a bit along the way.

-Amanda Castanza, class of 2017

 

The H.O.P.E. Clinic was a large reason why I chose to attend Elon University for my DPT.  I loved the idea of jumping into meaningful patient care my first year of graduate school.  I also had the opportunity to serve at the Clinic Coordinator throughout my time at Elon, organizing fundraisers, collecting supplies and resources for clinicians and patients, and ultimately working behind the scenes to support my classmates and their patients grow and improve.  I love that the H.O.P.E. Clinic provides a unique service to an underserved local population, and that, as a student, I could leave behind a legacy upon which my successors could grow and continue to serve the community.  I cannot imagine my Elon DPT experience without involvement in the H.O.P.E. Clinic and I am excited to stay in touch with its leadership and cheer on further growth and development for years to come.

-Lindsey Roberts, class of 2020

 

HOPE Clinic gave me the opportunity to practice skills from class in a realistic, low stress setting! I’m grateful for the HOPE Clinic and the mentors who volunteer and help mold us into great clinicians.

-Jamila, class of 2019

 

HOPE Clinic gave me the opportunity to not only be a leader but also a clinician in a “stress-free” environment. You go through PT school with clinical experience that is consistently being graded and watched. When in the HOPE Clinic, you get the chance to really learn and help the community at the same time.

-Brianna, class of 2019

 

HOPE Clinic was an incredible opportunity to take newly acquired knowledge and skills and apply it to clinical practice early on as a growing professional under the guidance of experienced clinicians. It was these experiences that laid the foundation for the clinician I am today: compassionate, positive, and accountable. But above all else it’s where I learned to be a better advocate. An advocate for my profession, for my patients, and for my community.

-Connor, class of 2020

 

Being apart of, and volunteering with, the HOPE clinic was by far the most valuable experience I had at Elon. Stepping into the HOPE Clinic on a Tuesday night reminds you of why you’re in PT school. Not only does it allow you to get hands on practice with real life patients, but it also allows you to help people that otherwise wouldn’t have access to treatment. I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity and being involved with HOPE.

-Sarah, class of 2020

 

The HOPE Clinic was the most rewarding activity I participated in at Elon.  I made friends and gained great experience in leadership, communication and patient care. Being able to discuss real life clinical topics with students across all three classes was very beneficial. The clinic set up also gave me a fantastic opportunity to immediately put to work the clinical knowledge I gained in the classroom. Finally, and most importantly, The HOPE Clinic offered an opportunity for us to give back and provide care to the local community.

-Shannon, class of 2016

 

H.O.P.E. clinic afforded me the unique opportunity to grow in many ways while fulfilling many roles. Some of those include refining my skillset as a student physical therapist in a safe/encouraging environment, building rapport with patients, strengthening communication and managerial skills, and improving as a leader within the community and school setting. This clinic served not only to shape and grow students becoming clinicians, but to bridge a gap in the community by providing care to those underinsured and underserved. This opportunity gives each student experience with pro-bono work, which hopefully inspires each one to pursue bettering and serving their community around them as they continue through life.

-Nicole, class of 2020

 

The HOPE clinic is an invaluable resource for the DPT students, alumni, professors, and most importantly the surrounding community. As a founding committee member of the HOPE clinic I am incredibly proud of the DPT program’s continued commitment to the community and to providing vital evidence-based hands on experience for students. My only regrets are that I wasn’t able to participate more as a student and I don’t live close enough to volunteer currently.
-Jeff Scott, PT, DPT, GCS, class of 2014

 

Being a part of the HOPE Clinic was one of the top highlights of my experience in Elon’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program. As the Clinic Administrator and a student clinician, I had a unique opportunity to sharpen my skills as a leader while also helping develop a place where the underserved could receive much needed physical therapy and students like myself could gain valuable hands-on experience to be better prepared as clinicians themselves. I can confidently say that my experience in the HOPE Clinic was just as important as my time in the classroom and helped make me into the physical therapist I am today.

-Nathan Thompson-class of 2018