Duquesne is rooted in Western Pennsylvania.
They have a long history here over 100 years.
We think that the medical school at Duquesne I think is very complimentary and
is very timely for the needs, not only of our community here,
but across the nation.
A lot of times when kids present to us,
they're not able to fully participate in recess,
or they're not able to participate in after school sports.
So we work very closely with the child and the family to get them on the right
medications,
to make modifications in the home setting that can actually improve asthma
control.
When we came back to school, I was sitting in the nurse's office.
Couldn't breathe, couldn't do nothing.
They called my mom and she had to come get me.
We also see that a lot of children, when they come to us,
they visit Urgent Care and the ER.
Many of them have been hospitalized numerous times prior to coming to the
clinic. And they've also missed significant school.
Asthma is the leading cause of chronic school absenteeism,
providing the care at the school site and getting these children on the right
medication regimens and providing that extra level of support.
We're able to keep them out of the hospital and in school.
Before I couldn't run around outside, but now taking my medicine.
I could run around, I could be happy, I could run around with all my friends.
Before the asthma clinic,
we probably went to the hospital twice a year and stayed
at least three to four days in a hospital with his asthma.
But after the clinic and they started using the Asthma X and
Albuterol frequently, it got better. It helps them stay out of the hospital,
which helps me stay at work. Yeah. And they stay in school.
So it helps out a lot. I like this program.
We partnership with community centers that are providing similar services.
It makes a smooth connection for community health workers to do their job.
As soon as I mention center of life, most people are pretty welcoming.
Then obviously Duquesne, everybody knows Duquesne University.
So once I let them know who I'm in collaboration with,
it's usually well received.
Anytime you have a new medical college,
it does provide graduates who are able to support the needs of the
communities that they're in. In Western Pennsylvania,
we have a bit of an aging population who have increasing medical needs.
So having more providers available to meet those needs is certainly a benefit.
And in particular, the more primary care physicians that we can train,
the better. Duquesne has been a longstanding member of our region.
They've educated students for many, many years,
and they service students who often come from our region.
So I think they have a good understanding of just the general complexion of our
region and what the needs of those types of communities are. And in particular,
people who, you know, may live in rural settings.
I think they have an understanding that there are those folks that we serve.
Many of the patients that we serve do come from rural areas.
So anything that we can do to get care more easily to them
is a benefit.
Right on this spot in Swissvale is where my high school St.
Ansel's used to stand.
It was torn down about 20 years ago over my shoulder here was
the grade school. That's where my mom taught for many years,
that's now closed down.
The collapse of the steel mills and related industries around here meant not
only that the businesses left, but the services left.
And those services are key to healthy people and healthy communities.
Duquesne has deep relationships in these communities here in the Mon valley,
also downtown, and the rural communities surrounding us.
This means that we work directly with people.
We walk alongside them as partners for their health and wellbeing.
And it means that people have access, not just to medicine,
health screenings,
but also to individual care as a way to lessen stress in their lives more
broadly. When we walk with people, we meet them where they are,
our faculty and our students get time to know our community partners in towns
like this and all over the region. We value more than anything,
an honest and open engagement with our community partners.
It takes a lot of time, but it's worth it and it makes a real difference.
There is just no substitute,
it all starts with authentic relationships.
What's so exciting about the work that we do is that we do it in partnership
with strong community organizations and strong community leaders. We listen,
we learn from those leaders, we learn from those groups,
And that's what gives us the best chance to actually solve the problems.
It's the community groups that know best, What needs to be done.
We have to learn from them,
which we do and co-create with them to solve problems.
And that's what we've done.
Our philosophy is to approach the whole patient, mind, body, and spirit,
by looking at the whole patient and doing a complete physical where
you're also assessing, how are you doing mentally? How are you doing physically?
Do you have any spiritual concerns you'd like to discuss?
So empowering our physicians to be able to treat and care for the
whole patient.
It will be a very bright open space with
lots of light.
And that is just a fun environment for students to learn in.
We'll be using HoloLens technology to teach anatomy.
So in addition to the traditional cadaver lab that students learn their
anatomy on,
our students will also have HoloLens and learn through 3D
holograms for areas like the brain that are very difficult to
visualize, you know, small areas.
We can blow the brain up six feet high and students in groups can
learn together and really know their anatomy so much better.
So they'll spend their first two years on campus here at Duquesne.
And then we're partnering with community hospitals in the region.
The students will move to these communities and they'll do a series of
clinical rotations. We expect about 50% of them to be family docs,
internal medicine, OB, pediatrics, and then the other 50%,
all the other specialties surgeons, ER, docs, Psychiatrists.
The com success will be built on what already has made Duquesne's other schools
so successful early support from key alumni and community partners,
which we have already seen and is fabulous.
A direct fit with our mission as a Catholic and Spiritan Institution enrolling
and graduating diverse classes of physicians who are committed to treating
the whole person.
Having our students and faculty work side by side with folks in communities like
this and being just as trusted as partners in the School of Medicine,
as we already are in Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Sciences and so many areas.