HAPS blog: Behind the scenes

We skipped introductions to bring you a fun pre-semester challenge last week, but there are some new faces running the HAPS Communication Committee and blog.

Up first, Communications Committee Chair, Melissa Clouse:

Clouse

Hello all!  I would like to beg a few minutes of your time to briefly introduce myself.  My name is Melissa Clouse and I am an Instructor of Practice and the Director of Pre-Health Programs at Doane University, located in Crete, Nebraska.  I have been a HAPS member for about two years, and am continually blown away by this amazing group of educators.  I jumped at the opportunity to get involved in the Communications Committee at my first HAPS conference (in Salt Lake City).  Following my introduction to the HAPS community I couldn’t believe that there were so many people interested in exactly the same things I thought were fascinating…..so I almost couldn’t resist finding a way to provide some time and energy to the organization.

Recently, I was asked to step into the ComCom Chair position.  Although I’m a bit daunted to attempt to follow the exceptional leadership of Wendy Riggs, I know firsthand how supportive our members are so I am confident that we can continue ComCom’s great work.  I thrilled that I will continue to work closely with Wendy as she steps into the Secretary role.  I’m looking forward to learning more about the inner workings of HAPS….it’s an organization that makes my teaching and professional life better in so many ways, and I especially look forward to working with respected fellow HAPSters.

Up next, blog master, Ann Raddant:

Headshot

Howdy, HAPSters! I’ll be soliciting posts and working with our fabulous crew of editors to keep the blog looking fresh all year. I joined HAPS in 2013 when I was still a Ph.D. student, and I have found my membership to be so valuable through every step of my career. My day job is lecturing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Go Panthers!) and my night and weekend job is my 1.5 year old son, Hudson. I am excited to be able to contribute to an organization that helps me better a better instructor in so many ways.

Do you want to see yourself and your ideas on the HAPS blog? IT’S SO EASY!!  We need posts that are 200-500 word, preferably with pictures (and captions), a short author bio and picture.  Then, just email your submission to HAPSblog@hapsconnect.org.  We will take care of the rest, and you will bask in the warmth that can only come by sharing your experiences/wisdom/tips/ideas with like-minded HAPSters!!

 

 

 

HAPS Leadership (#19): Presidents Emeriti

The Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS) is over a quarter-century young and still growing.  Each year has given us new adventures and new challenges.  It has been the presidents that have lead us through those times, helping HAPS to grow, survive, and prosper.

140226 (1) Emeriti

The Presidents Emeriti Advisory Board is the collection of this venerable group.  These individuals help to maintain the institutional memory of the Society (“Oh my god, we already tried that!”).  The Emeriti are a great bunch to talk with at the Annual ConferencesHenry Ruschin can tell you about evacuating the hotel in Toronto in the middle of the night.  Ric Martini can regale you with stories of dealing with SACS and accreditation.  John Waters can explain how that led to the creation of the HAPS-Institute.  Don Kelly and Dee Silverthorn can tell you about the challenges of keeping up with online technologies.

140226 (2) Emeriti

First-Timers for each annual conference get a special treat.  We offer a special First-Timers Breakfast (Sunday morning), where first-time attendees get to have a sumptuous breakfast with the Emeriti, learning about how incredible the coming week is going to be.  Don’t believe all of the stories that Bill Perrotti and Kevin Petti will tell you, but enjoy the experience nonetheless.

140226 (3) Emeriti

As I get closer and closer to becoming the current President of HAPS (holy crap, that’s just 125 days away!), I’m happy to know that I’ve got a great advisory board of knowledgeable and enjoyable people to rely on.  Joe Griswold is the master of strategic plans.  Sandy Lewis, Gary Johnson, and Mike Glasgow can expound upon the growing pains of HAPS from a little club to a sizeable educational society.

140226 (4) Emeriti

Not all of the Emeriti are able to attend each annual conference, but we generally have a very strong presence each time.  Check out the President’s Suite and you’ll invariably find a few holding court.  Margaret Weck will show off her tie-dye shirt and Kevin Patton will tell you about the historic bottomless bucket-o-crab legs!  Be careful making eye-contact with Henry Ruschin; you may find yourself volunteering to host a future HAPS conference.  But, hey, with such a great group of people to hang around with, would that be such a bad thing?

140226 (5) Emeriti

HAPS Leadership (#15): Communication Committee

“Recruiting someone to tweet for us seems to cause them to dissolve into thin air!”

140129 (1) Pat BowneI’m laughing as Pat Bowne is explaining some of the ups and downs of the Communication Committee.  When she’s not rubbing elbows with royalty, Pat is helping HAPS reach out through various social media sites.

“I started tweeting to advertise my novels.  That started to mesh with my passion for A&P and I started tweeting for HAPS.  At the time, I was one of two Regional Directors (the other being Jason LaPres) who was tweeting routinely.  The Board decided that we should have a focused approach to social media.”

That decision created the Communication Committee.  Working with the Membership Committee and Marketing Committee as a Super-Committee, the various chairs have negotiated various responsibilities and themes.  From their tele-retreat, they decided that the Communication Committee would use our Twitter account to advertise upcoming research, medicine, and teaching, and our Facebook account to advertise about HAPS-specific events.  Add to that David Evan’s weekly email of HAPS Links, and we’re getting word out fairly consistently.

“One of the challenges is recruiting new committee members to help with the postings.  As I said, when we recruit someone and get them access to our twitter account, they seem to spontaneously combust…I hope there’s not a connection.”  I can see her smile even through the phone line on that one.

Pat is tweeting twice per day and re-tweeting her weekly posts on Saturday.  If you’re curious to follow our social media footprint, go to the HAPS website.  In the top right corner are links to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.  Each will take you into a whole new world.

140129 (6) Social Media

“If you have a passion for any of these sites and a passion for Anatomy and Physiology, I think we’ve got a great arena for you.  And don’t worry; we’ll make sure that you don’t disappear into the ether!”

HAPS Leadership (#12): Membership Committee

140108 (2) CrowdThe Human Anatomy & Physiology Society runs on its membership.  The members are the driving force that makes HAPS the great organization that we all enjoy.  Keeping track of this vital group is the responsibility of the aptly-named Membership Committee.  Leading this group is committee Chair, Elizabeth Pennefather-O’Brien.  I had the opportunity to connect with Elizabeth over the break and wanted to share with you what I learned.

What attracted you to the Membership Committee?

I’ve been a member since I joined HAPS.  Involvement in this committee really aided in my integration into the HAPS community.  Interactions with the chairs and members helped me really connect to HAPSters at my first annual conference.

Describe some of the functions of the Membership Committee.

We keep an eye on the demographics of the Society to learn who you are, what you want from us, and what you can share with us.  We’ve offered surveys in the past that have helped us to improve Society benefits for its members.  We develop incentive programs to increase membership, such as differential dues for members.  We maintain a Jobs Wanted site on our website to help you find your next dream job.

Tell me about “the Maps”.

140108 (3) US mapThat is one of my favorite parts of the annual Conference (Shameless Plug = 2014 Jacksonville registration is now open!).  We create a North America map and a World map for each conference, allowing attendees to pin where they are coming from.  I enjoy spending time by the map to see the array of places that people come from…as well as take note of where we missed this year.  Did you know that we had 46 of 50 US states, 5 of 10 Canadian provinces, and representatives from Australia, Denmark, Egypt, Grenada, India, New Zealand, and Nigeria?  It is absolutely wonderful to have people from so many places gather to engage in educational conversations about Anatomy & Physiology.

Tell me about the energy of the Membership Committee.

140108 (4) Intl mapIt’s a great group.  We’ve gone through some changes over the past few years.  With the hiring of an Executive Director and the formation of a Marketing Committee, our focus and duties have shifted a little.  However, we’re finding our niche and are really excited about some new projects on the horizon.

Such as…

We’re developing our next survey and would love assistance in making sure that we gather the right demographic information.  We’re looking to promote continued membership (got ideas for retaining our members?) as well as increase our international membership140108 (1) Elizabeth Pennefather-O'Brien 2013We’re also working on ways to keep lines of communication strong throughout the year.  If you have questions or ideas, we’d love to hear from you.  Drop me an email at eobrien@hapsconnect.org.  Have a good one, ay!

HAP Leadership (#11): The First-Timer

140101 (1) 2013 HAPS Jacksonville logo

I am so excited!  I just got approval from my college to attend the Annual HAPS Conference this coming May in Jacksonville, Florida.

Wow, this will be my first time to a HAPS conference.  I had been a lurker on the list-serv for four years and finally built up enough courage to reply to some of the queries and post a question of my own.  Wow, the response was incredible.  The sharing of ideas, experiences, and perspectives was amazing.  After a year, I decided that I needed to meet some of these people in person.

On the HAPS website, I read about the upcoming annual conference in Jacksonville.  I decided to submit a proposal for a workshop and took that proposal to my division dean.  She just came back with approval for me to go to the conference, with partial support for expenses.  I’m applying for one of the HAPS scholarships; keep your fingers crossed!

140101 (2) Riverfront Hyatt

Now, I’ve got to figure out everything that I’ll need for the conference.  I’m already seeing some people post on the list-serv, looking for roommates.  That’ll be a good way to save money and a great way to meet someone new.  The conference will start on a Saturday evening with a welcome mixer at the Riverfront Hyatt.  Someone named Tom Lehman is organizing a t-shirt swap; I need to check with our Marketing Department and get a shirt to swap.

Checking out the chamber of commerce website, I see that there’s a great boardwalk in front of the hotel.  I’ll make sure to pack my running shoes for some morning jogs.  The Sunday itinerary starts with the First-Timer’s breakfast.  Cool!  I’ll get to meet several other newbies like me and enjoy breakfast with previous presidents of HAPS.  The rest of the day will be attending Update Seminars and checking out the Exhibitor’s Hall.  Wow, I hear that several of the authors of the textbooks and lab manuals that I use will be there.  How cool is that?!

The Steering Committee is organizing a Scavenger Hunt.  I’ll need to review through the pictures of the Chairs on the APP so I can get my scavenger hunt card filled out.  All of the completers go into a drawing for a free conference registration to the next year’s conference in San Antonio.  Whoa!  I’m excited to meet other First-Timers and work together to find everyone.  It looks like we’re on our own for lunch; that’ll be a great time to get to know other HAPS members – I mean, HAPSters!  I’m a HAPSter!

Monday will start with the HAPS Foundation 5K Run.  That’ll be a great way to start the morning, with plenty of time to still make the Business meeting and be part of the legislative process.  More seminars and vendors; lots to keep me busy!

140101 (3) Florida State College

Tuesday and Wednesday, we’ll have workshops at Florida State College.  I’m excited to give my workshop and see what others think.  I’m also amazed at the description of some of the other workshops that I can attend.  Wow, here’s a neat one on histology that I can really use.  Here’s one on flipping the classroom; been curious to learn more about that idea. Oh wow, here’s one on cadaver labs.  Oh man, there is so much to choose from!

I just found out that a Jazz Festival will be going on that first weekend on the Riverfront.  Oh, seriously too cool!  I know where I’ll be in the evenings.  I bet a lot of other HAPSters will be there, too.  Awesome!

140101 (4) Jazz Festival

The Atlantic Beach is twenty-five minutes from the hotel.  A friend told me to check out the Ragtime Tavern for really good coconut shrimp.  Hmm…have to find some time to get out there and check it out.

140101 (5) DisneyApparently, there’s an optional Disney package that I can check out.  Unfortunately, I won’t have time for that, but I do want to check out the other Thursday trips offered the day after the conference.

Holy crap, there’s just too much to do!  I am so excited; I can’t believe that I have to wait five months for the conference.  Oh well, that’s okay.  I’m curious to check out the list-serv after Winter break and see if anyone has advice on things to do or see while in JAX.  I wonder if anyone in HAPS likes baseball or microbreweries.  I cannot wait to find out!

HAPS Leadership (#10): Serving you the member

But I can't run in golf shoes!
But I can’t run in golf shoes!

I was playing the back nine at Torrey Pines when I got the call.  “Sir, HAPS President O’Loughlin has injured her ankle and cannot participate in the World Summit 10K next week.  You’ll have to step up.”  Just then, HAPS One – a refurbished Huey helicopter – came through the clouds and landed on the tee box of hole #16.  Before I knew it, I was being whisked away to Albuquerque, New Mexico to run in the same heat as Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin.

Okay, enough with the Walter Mitty riff.  Back to reality.

As the president-elect for the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS), I’ve been writing weekly blog entries to share with you the “behind the scenes” work within the Board of Directors and the Steering Committee.  I have several more entries to publish in the coming year, but I wanted to take today to share the global function of these groups in terms of HAPS.

HAPS is primarily a volunteer organization.  Incepted in the late 1980s, it started as a bunch of college teachers wanting to share ideas about teaching anatomy and physiology.  It grew into a larger body of educators that reached from coast to coast.  In time, we realized the need for official assistance and hired both a management firm and an executive director.  However, a lot of the work is still performed by volunteers.

What an enthusiastic bunch!
What an enthusiastic bunch!

The Board of Directors serves as the Executive branch of the HAPS leadership.  They monitor the finances and policies of HAPS.  They serve as the interface with other societies and with vendors.  They help to make conferences – regional and annual – a reality.  Keeping in contact with the membership, they find out what works at the conferences and what doesn’t (the Monday mixer has been a big hit, the laser tag competition on the Las Vegas strip…not so much).

The Steering Committee serves as the Legislative branch of the HAPS leadership.  Each member of the SC is the chair of a separate committee.  Each committee tackles an issue or policy important to HAPS.  The Chairs come together in the SC to make sure that these projects work together and nothing is being left out.  They bring up concerns from their committee members and take responses back to those same members.

Volunteerism is the key!
Volunteerism is key!

Here’s where you come in.  “Ask not what your Society can do for you…”  No wait, feel free to ask what HAPS can do for you.  The Board and the Steering Committee would love to hear from you.  We’d love to find out what you are curious about or what you’d like to share or do.

  • Check out the HAPS Committees web page and see if there is a committee that sounds interesting to you.  Contact the Chair in charge and learn what they’re doing and how you can participate.
  • Contact your Regional Director and find out what is going on in your area or share what is going on in your area.  See if we’re hosting a regional conference in your area and start making plans.
  • Speaking of making plans, check out the next Annual Conference in Jacksonville, Florida in 2014.  Next week, I’ll share some ideas of things to be thinking about while making plans to attend.
  • OMG, there are so many ways to be active within HAPS.  There’s the list-serv, the Facebook page, the Twitter account, and so on.
Buckle up!
Buckle up!

We’re boldly going to new frontiers in education.  Here’s your chance to step up and enjoy the amazing journey with us!

HAPS Leadership (#9): Eastern Regional Director

(I asked Javni Mody what it’s been like as a member of the HAPS leadership.)

1218 (1) shyIn 1993 I was still a rookie professor teaching anatomy and physiology. I thought I should spread my wings a bit more and do some networking.  One of my colleagues was a member of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society (HAPS) and she talked very fondly about the organization, so I thought maybe I would attend a HAPS annual meeting.  She could not attend the 1995 meeting that year, so I was all alone when I reached St. Louis.  Being  a shy person, I thought that  for next five days I would not be talking to anybody and would be eating meals in my hotel room all by myself!!!

What I had in store for me for next five days was a big pleasant surprise.  I do not remember initiating a conversation; people kept coming up to me, introducing themselves and asking me if I would like to join them for a meal!!!  That is when my addiction to HAPS began.  I attended several HAPS annual conferences before realizing what was meant by the “HAPS Leadership”.  I always thought that Monday morning business meetings during the conferences were for people who had to do some “business” with HAPS,while it meant “to sleep in” for me!!!

I was asked to chair the Regional Conference Committee a few years down the line after joining HAPS.  After serving that committee for four years, I decided to serve HAPS as the Marketing Manager.  Having no business experience, I was pretty apprehensive at first but it was a great experience for me.  I got a chance to work as a bridge between HAPS and the vendors.  At the pleading of my darling husband, I took a year off from HAPS leadership, but my addiction caught up with me and I decided to run for the office of Eastern Regional Director and the rest is the history!!!!!

As the Marketing Manager, I had worked closely with the board, but I still did not have the full comprehension of what exactly goes on “behind the scenes” to run this big an organization mainly by volunteers.  Getting involved with the HAPS leadership has been a wonderful experience for me.  As board members we meet twice a year in person, but we have e-meetings every month, which conclude with a video conference on a Sunday night.  This has interrupted several of my social plans, but seeing other board members on the video chat and discussing matters which are important to the organization makes up for it.  In my opinion HAPS members are some of the kindest people I have known.  One of my duties as the regional director is to send a Regional Director’s letter to the HAPS members in my region.  So many members send me a note of gratitude for keeping them informed after reading that letter!!!

Keeping in touch with you!
Keeping in touch with you!

Being on the Board has given me an opportunity to give something back to the organization that I love so dearly!!!

Javni Mody

HAPS Eastern Regional Director

HAPS Leadership (#1): The president-elect

Meet the HAPS Board of Directors
Meet the HAPS Board of Directors

Our president, Valerie O’Loughlin, blogged recently about our mid-year meeting in Jacksonville.  She explained how the Board of Directors (BOD) and the Steering Committee (SC) meet for an extended weekend to get a lot of work done.  It was a very productive time, allowing us to clearly work through the budget for this year, see the status of work on the 2014 Annual Conference in Jacksonville, begin our next round of Strategic Planning meetings, and anticipate any other business that might crop up in the coming months.  We got a lot done, but we also enjoyed each other’s company and renewed bonds of friendship and camaraderie that reinforces why we took on these leadership roles.  As the president-elect, I observed Valerie lead the meetings and offered input when I could.  Until this year, I had been the Chair of the Steering Committee for a number of years, so I was quite familiar with the workings of the mid-year meeting.  However, I have to admit it was strange to now be part of the “Executive Branch” after several years in the “Legislative Branch“.

One of the topics that was discussed during the mid-year meeting was this Blog.  There has been a lot of enthusiasm for this blog and we wish to keep making it as useful as possible.  One original purpose of the blog was to give everyone a peek into the workings of the HAPS leadership.  We realized that we had lost some of that direction.  So, here I am.

As president-elect, one of my tasks will be to offer you a view of the leaders of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society.  I’ll be posting each Wednesday on a different position within the BOD or SC, offering you some insight into their work as well as their personality.  I’ll be interviewing the various HAPS leaders, letting them offer you their take on their position, what they have put into it, and what they have gained from it.  Willing to put my money where my mouth is, I volunteered to be the topic of the first entry in this blog series.

At the 2013 Annual HAPS Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, I was elected as the president-elect for HAPS.  That translates into a 3-year commitment.  During this current academic year, I am the president-elect.  My main job is to learn how to be the president.  I attend the monthly e-meetings, keep up on the email chatter, and field occasional phone calls within the BOD and SC.  I participate in discussions led by our president while anticipating how I will lead the Society in the coming year.  During the 2014-2015 year, I will be the President, taking the helm of this incredible organization.  I will set the agendas for the BOD meetings, interact with other educational societies, and develop President’s Initiatives for my tenure (I’ll let President Valerie tell you more about that idea in her blog entry).  My year as president will culminate with presiding over the 2015 Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas.  During the 2015-2016, I will serve as Past President, updating the Policy & Procedures manual while offering advice and institutional memory to the new President of HAPS.  That’s sums up my three years in a nutshell.

BallotThere is one other major duty that I have as president-elect.  I serve as the Chairman of the Nominating Committee.  I gather a committee of individuals to create a slate of candidates for next year’s elections.  The four positions on the BOD that will be up for election are President, Treasurer, Western Regional Director, and Eastern Regional Director.  We’ll contact individuals, asking if they would be interested in running for these various positions.  After we’ve cajoled and bribed enough people to fill the slate, we’ll put together a ballot on the website.  It will be open for your vote during the spring, with the winners of the various races announced before the next Annual Conference.

Cheers!
Cheers!

It is so exciting to be part of the HAPS leadership.  I could go on and on, but I know when it’s time to stop and take a breath.  If you have any questions about the HAPS leadership, feel free to email me at TLehman@HAPSConnect.org.  Meanwhile, keep your eyes peeled for the next entry in this blog.  Next week, I’ll tell you about two gentlemen who are doing incredible things with test questions.

HAPS Poker Walk: fun and merriment for a good cause

Among my duties as President-elect of HAPS was to organize and oversee the yearly 5K fun run/walk that is held during the Annual Conference. This event was developed a few years ago as a way to raise monies for the HAPS Foundation, and for our members to have an opportunity to socialize and get some exercise at the same time. (For those of you not familiar with the Foundation: the HAPS Foundation was established to manage funds that may be used to advance current and future HAPS projects, such as the HAPS-Institute and the Learning Outcomes Project. The Foundation also provides money for scholarships and awards to our members.)

Look at all the registrants for the HAPS Poker Walk!
Look at all the registrants for the HAPS Poker Walk!

Since this year’s meeting was in Las Vegas (which typically has temps of 100+ degrees at this time of year), we were concerned about having a regular run and potentially killing off our members. (As a general rule in organizations, it is not a good idea to cause bodily harm to your membership.) 🙂 Our current President Dee Silverthorn suggested we hold a Poker Walk instead, so members would not get overheated.

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All types of participants came to walk this year. 🙂

What is a Poker Walk, you ask? Some more official rules may be found here, but a nice summary is that it is part walk, part scavenger hunt, topped off with a hand of poker. Participants start off at a central location and receive a poker chip and a clue to their next destination. They walk to the next destination where they will get another poker chip and a clue to the third destination. This repeats until the participants have collected 4 chips, and they return to the starting point. There they exchange their chips for a 5-card draw poker hand. For an additional donation, they may exchange one of their cards. The best poker hand(s) win prizes.

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Poker Walk volunteers dance away for participants at the first destination.

I was assisted in the planning of this event by Tom Lehman (Steering Committee chair and new President-Elect) and Bob Crocker (co-chair, Foundation Oversight Committee). The three of us were able to address various challenges in the planning and eventually came up with a route that wasn’t too terribly long and had easily identifiable landmarks. Multiple volunteers from the board, steering committee and membership got up extra early on Monday morning so they could staff the various locations. McGraw-Hill graciously donated water bottles to all participants and the annual conference committee had a variety of prizes to give both before and after the event.

But the big question remained…. Would people get up early on Monday to participate in a walk at 7am? The answer was yes! We had over 60 people participate and engage in the fun. Volunteers at each station entertained the participants, and our final station dealt poker hands like card sharks. The annual conference committee had many prizes on hand so many participants walked away with a prize. Many people commented that they had a great time and would like to so this again. So next year, when our annual conference is in Jacksonville, be prepared for another similar event. While the event may not be a poker walk per se, it will be something that is fun, gets us moving, and helps the HAPS Foundation.

Building homes and partnerships with Medical Sciences and the community

Who let this person have a hammer?
Who let this person have a hammer?

Anatomy and physiology courses offer wonderful opportunities for service learning. Our students may volunteer at local health clinics and hospitals, they may organize health fairs for school children, and/or they may visit individuals in hospices and retirement homes. These service learning ventures often are organized by the professors and it is the students who are the primary volunteers, but this is not always the case. Our medical students at IU frequently initiate and organize their own community engagement ventures. And recently, one such venture solicited both student AND faculty volunteers to work together.

halfway done with the siding!
halfway done with the siding!

This venture was a Habitat for Humanity build. Our first year class representative (Bryce) was active with Habitat for Humanity in the past, and he arranged a Medical Sciences ‘build’ day where both medical students and faculty could participate. Bryce took it upon himself to solicit volunteers, prepare the work schedule, and liaison with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter to set up a good date and site. I’ve always been impressed with Habitat’s work, and I jumped at the chance to participate in a build. In addition, I was looking forward to working with my students and colleagues in a non-classroom setting.

The morning started out chilly and many of us were a little sleepy, but we were excited to begin work.  We began the morning with learning a bit about our tasks (either putting up vinyl siding on two homes or doing the indoor painting) and we met the families who would live in these homes, as they worked beside us.  We learned about the ‘sweat equity’ these families had to earn (by working on other families’ homes first) before they could build a home of their own.  And we met the wonderful coordinators and leaders of the local Habitat chapter.

Many of us had never put up siding before, but we quickly learned, thanks to the guidance provided by Bryce.  Slowly but surely,

from none to done in a day!
from none to done in a day!

the back of one house (which had no siding in the morning) was completely covered with siding by the day’s end.  This was a remarkable feat for us, especially considering we made some mistakes and had to remove some of our work and start over again.  Students and faculty worked as a team towards a common goal.  So the team wasn’t in the hospital room or O.R. – but the team building was incredibly valuable.   And in a single day, we had a tangible product to show for our hard work.

I personally viewed this opportunity as a way that I could help some others in our community.   What I did not expect was how this opportunity helped strengthen the relationships I had with my students and colleagues, and how much *I* learned from this whole venture.

IU School of Medicine Habitat volunteers - a job well done!
IU School of Medicine Habitat volunteers – a job well done!

So I challenge all of you to think ‘outside the box’ when it comes to service learning ventures with your A&P students.  Don’t feel that the community engagement must occur in a health care setting, just because we teach anatomy and physiology.  Perhaps your local animal shelter needs some volunteers to help exercise the animals, or perhaps the local Boys and Girls club would like a group of students and faculty to simply play some board games with their kids.  In the end, we strengthen our relationships with the community and all of us learn to work as a team – and isn’t that what we want our future health care professionals to know?