Page 30 - WesternU View Summer 2019

College of Optometry students; COMP and PA students.

said volunteering at Care Harbor brings One Health into Guerrero was fitted for new glasses and had blood work
practice for WesternU students. All WesternU students go done. She hadn’t seen a doctor in more than 10 years
through Interprofessional Education (IPE) where they because of what she described as negative experiences in
work with students in other disciplines on cases to the past.
understand and appreciate everyone’s contributions to
“I would go in for one thing and they would only treat
health care.
me for that one thing. They don’t want to do extra,”
“Now they get to see a real-world example of that,” Guerrero said. “I had a great experience here. Look, I’m
Hedge said. “Inside, all the other colleges are providing leaving with a smile on my face. They were very, very
human health care, and helpful. It’s been a long
outside we are doing time since I walked out
veterinary care for those Care Harbor provides continuity happy from somewhere
people’s pets. The of care to its patients. Patients who that had to do with
veterinary students really doctors.”
get some great hands-on do not have a primary care doctor College of Optometry
experience today. They are students started Saturday
doing exams. They are are assigned a medical home
with energy and
giving vaccines. They are before they leave Care Harbor. enthusiasm. A group of
talking to clients and about 60 students gathered
getting some hands-on, Patients also receive information for last-minute instructions
real-world experience.”
about their eligibility for Medi-Cal from College of Optometry
Hedge said she was one of Associate Dean Raymond
four CVM Class of 2009 and other programs. Maeda, OD, FAAO, prior
graduates to volunteer at to seeing patients at 8 a.m.
Care Harbor – two who They clapped and cheered
serve as CVM faculty and two who practice in the area. whenever a classmate entered the vision center. The
They referred clients to local providers for spay and College brought together about 25 faculty, staff and local
neuter services and other medical issues. volunteer optometrists and more than 120 students to
provide vision care to nearly 700 patients during the
“And our goal, our hope for future events is that we can
event.
actually bring spay-neuter services here to this site so we
will be able to do everything here,” she said. Third-year College of Optometry student Joshua Roberts
said he enjoys volunteering at local events.
Pomona resident Claudia Guerrero brought her Boxer,
Lovely, for deworming and flea medication. “It’s great to be able offer services to people who otherwise
probably couldn’t afford it,” he said. “It’s awesome
“I thought it was great,” Guerrero said. “Everybody was
everyone is willing to dedicate a little time to help. The
nice. They all helped me out and answered all of my
area we live in has a lot of underserved people who maybe
questions. And they took care of my dog.”
don’t have access to health care. They need it the most. To

get them the health care they need is really important.”
28 | WESTERNU VIEW Summer/Fall 2019