PPC Training Programs

For the pediatrician, PPCs offer a three-year fellowship in pediatric pulmonary medicine with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary leadership. 

From the moment I started my time with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC), I was inspired by their mission to cultivate leaders in pediatric healthcare, particularly emphasizing the importance of interprofessional representation in the field.

Throughout the traineeship, I found myself immersed in a learning environment where I not only gained invaluable clinical skills but also developed a profound understanding of the significance of family-centered care. The PPC's commitment to equipping healthcare professionals with the tools to provide compassionate care to children with respiratory conditions resonated deeply with me.

One of the most impactful aspects of the traineeship was the emphasis on leadership development. Through mentorship and hands-on experiences, I fine-tuned my abilities to make meaningful differences for those I work with. The PPC provided me the confidence and determination to advocate for positive transformations that will benefit pediatric patients and their families.

I owe a lot to the faculty at PPC. They were there for me every step of the way, serving as mentors and showing me what it means to be a leader in pediatric healthcare. Their commitment to nurturing the next generation of healthcare leaders was truly inspiring and helped me shape my own career path.

Overall, my time with the PPC has been life-changing. It's given me the skills, knowledge, and passion to make a real impact on the lives of pediatric patients and their families. I can't wait to put all this into practice as I pursue my dream of becoming a specialized clinical pharmacist focusing on pediatric care.

Presentations and Projects

Describing Medication Administration and Adherence Techniques in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis Taking Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor
 

I have been so blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of University of Arizona’s PPC program this year. Throughout the school year, I have learned many things ranging from being a good leader in the medical realm to seeing how a registered dietitian can play an impact on the pediatric community as a whole. In this reflection, I would like to highlight a couple memorable experiences that have taught me valuable lessons regarding maternal and child health.

In the beginning of my PPC training, I was granted the privilege to participate in the leadership training seminar teaching us the importance of communicating with others and understanding where people come from. While I remembered this teaching, the concept never really run in my heart until I’ve had a couple memorable experiences including visiting Mexico and working with a couple patients and their families in the cystic fibrosis (CF) clinic.

During my internship, this was my first time visiting Nogales in Mexico. On one hand, I was quite excited to go, but on the other hand, I was a bit nervous. These feelings rung in my heart since I’ve never crossed the border, there were different experiences that my friends and family have shared with me, and the language was quite foreign to me since I’ve never quite picked up Spanish well. Although these were concerns that I’ve had, I was still pretty excited to learn about the culture, the environment, as well as experience the country as a whole. During the trip, I have been blessed with the eye-opening experience to learn so much about the country’s culture, the accessibility to medical resources, as well as the different foods the country had. Reflecting back upon the trip, I’ve learned so much about how different factors can play a role in impacting a person’s health as a whole especially with different opportunities for accessibility to medical resources, different living conditions, as well as environmental conditions such as weather. This taught me the importance of understanding a patient’s condition, decision making thought process, as well as being more mindful of a patient’s culture when working with patient’s and their families.

Other than the trip, I have been able to work with a few patients in the cystic fibrosis clinic that taught me the importance of working together with the patient as well as their family. While interacting with the patients as well as their families, I’ve learned how mothers can play a huge impact on a child’s health. Whether it be raising them, supporting them, or teaching them, it was clear that maternal and child health has a positive correlation. This experience taught me the importance of working together with both the patient and the patient’s family as a team when coming up with feasible plans to set up the patient for success in recovery and maintaining health.

Overall, my experience as a nutrition trainee at PPC has been extremely valuable and it has taught me the importance of advocating for patients and their families, teaching the fundamentals of nutrition to both medical professionals as well as the patients, and also making sure to communicate adequately and respectfully to come up with feasible plans for both the patient and medical professionals when working as a dietitian.

Presentations and Projects

Pediatric Nutrition in UA's Undergraduate DPD Program

When I first heard of the UA Pediatric Pulmonary Center traineeship, I was intimidated to join due to minimal direct practice experience. However, in the first few weeks of the program, I realized that choosing the PPC was the best decision I had ever made for my professional and personal life. My experience at the PPC was life-changing and contributed to my professional and personal growth.

Throughout the year, I was surrounded by compassionate providers who bestowed their knowledge on trainees, which allowed me to adopt professional skills to provide patient-centered and compassionate care. The faculty at the PPC gave lectures throughout the year that constantly had me thinking critically about the skills I was implementing and provided new skills that I could implement with patients, professional groups, and personal relationships. Furthermore, the PPC taught me to collaborate with other providers to ensure patients receive the highest quality of care by engaging in quality improvement projects.

In addition, the PPC provided an amazing mentor, Randee Luben, who taught me much about medical social work and what kind of provider I want to be. Under Randee's mentorship during cystic fibrosis and severe asthma clinics, I got a better understanding of theories, such as the person-in-environment, and modalities, such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy.

I am certain that I would not be the confident, knowledgeable Master of Social Worker I am today if I had not joined the UA Pediatric Pulmonary Center.

Presentations and Projects

Procedure Anxiety

Joining the PPC was the best decision I made! Being part of the traineeship amplified my experience throughout my academics and internship rotations. At the beginning of the traineeship, we were able to attend a leadership workshop that taught me skills and provided tools that I utilized in all aspects of my life and significantly enhanced my professional, peer, and personal relationships, and built the confidence needed to take on all of the other undertakings I committed myself to.

For my clinical hours for the traineeship, I had the privilege to attend a few different pediatric clinics run by Dr. Daines. This exposed me to different conditions and diagnoses and provided me with the opportunity to employ the practical application of existing knowledge and do continuous research to expand my personal understanding. A majority of my clinic hours were spent with the Cystic Fibrosis Clinic. Before joining the PPC, I did not understand CF well, as I had only read a few chapters about it in a textbook in undergrad. By the end of the academic year, I found myself educating other working professionals, providing medical advancement news, and fielding misinformation within the medical community regarding CF.

This program has an emphasis on interdisciplinary care and the importance of an interdisciplinary team. My fellow trainees from other disciplines were amazing. I witnessed how our specialties considerably overlap and the significant differences between approaches when you only look at it from one specialty lens.

Presentations and Projects

Dietetic Reference Guide for Cystic Fibrosis

I joined the Pediatric Pulmonary Center’s traineeship program to gain more experience working with children and families in an interdisciplinary setting. There has been a shift in healthcare to provide more whole-person care to patients that addresses not only their physical health, but also their mental and social health. The interdisciplinary team at the PPC truly strives to do this, with social work being key piece in making it happen. Throughout my time at the PPC, I was able to gain experience in providing assessments and interventions for children and their families to provide better outcomes for them.

I was given the opportunity to at first observe several disciplines to understand a patient’s experience in clinic, then to participate in the multi-disciplinary team by stepping in as the social work provider. My time in both Cystic Fibrosis Clinic and Severe Asthma clinic allowed me to better understand Person-in-Environment Theory, and see the ways in which micro, mezzo, and macro social work is needed when working with individuals and their families. Many systems are involved with a patient’s healthcare, their family system, their healthcare clinic’s system, and the larger US healthcare and insurance systems.

Something that stands out to me about my experience at the PPC when compared to other internships or hands-on internships I’ve been a part of in the past is that the PPC truly focuses on teaching and investing into their trainees. Due to my involvement with the PPC, I was able to attend lectures from various disciplines, have weekly supervision meetings with faculty, and attend a leadership conference. Each of these gave me the chance to refine my skills and further develop professional skills that I know will serve me well as I embark on my social work career.

Presentations and Projects

Road to Transition

Presentations and Projects

Information Update of the Arizona Stock Inhaler Website

Looking back at my experience with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC), I feel incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to be involved in this program.

The pharmacy traineeship with the PPC is an experience like no other— the involvement of pharmacy within this type of program is incredibly unique, more specifically, a one-of-a-kind opportunity for pharmacy students in the country. My experiences in this traineeship emphasized the incredible value of patient-centered, personalized, and holistic care, while also illustrating the strength in a cohesive, multidisciplinary team.

The integrative nature of the PPC is inspiring; I was able to work alongside other pharmacy professionals, physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers, dietitians, family advocates, and many others. Despite having a variety of clinical experiences prior to my traineeship, I never had the opportunity to work on such a well-rounded, diverse team. Working alongside our staff towards improving the lives and experiences of children with Severe Asthma and Cystic Fibrosis has been incredible, and I’ve learned so much in what feels like such a short amount of time. With the help of our incredible faculty and my fellow trainees, I also feel that I was able to contribute to what I feel is one of the highest levels of patient care.

Outside of direct clinical interactions, I also had the opportunity to participate in clinic projects, interdisciplinary case studies, and leadership and professional development trainings that contributed a great deal to my overall experience. The combination of clinical, educational, research, and leadership trainings centered around pediatric care helped me develop myself into a better student, trainee, and future professional. Every part of this traineeship was so incredibly thoughtful and helpful in my pursuit of a future as a specialized clinical pharmacist.

Presentations and Projects

Road to Transition

I became interested in the trainee program with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) because of my goal of working with children, youth, and families in direct practice; my experience with chronic and long-term illness (with family, friends, and my own) and their impact on one’s life; and from learning about social work in integrative health setting in one of my classes.

The social work traineeship with the PPC has provided a comprehensive experience that incorporates leadership development, reliance on evidence-based practice, client-centered care, and collaboration within a multidisciplinary team, all of which are consistent with the values of the social work profession. I feel most impacted by the leadership training, the experience of working within a multidisciplinary team, and the work on the capstone project.

The leadership training has provided helpful guidance in current work, and I expect it will continue to do so in the future. For example, the training offered assessments and taught skills to recognize how one’s traits influence personal leadership and communication styles and how to manage both the helpful and not so helpful aspects of those styles. It also presented approaches to identify and encourage traits and styles of others such that one can use that knowledge to encourage healthy and respectful working environments and relationships.

Presentations and Projects

Pediatric Procedural Anxiety/Distress: Resources for Caregivers

Throughout my traineeship, I experienced several opportunities that involved community engagement.  My opportunity with the MCH program allowed me to work with additional trainees from other similar programs across the country.  I also had the opportunity to engage and collaborate with trainees from other disciplines.  I had the privilege of attending the LEND leadership training workshop, Making Lifelong Connections Conference (MLC) in San Diego, California, the PPC Annual School Healthcare Training Event, and the border tour in Nogales, Mexico.  The border tour, with a focus on border health, was a particularly memorable and incredible experience.  I was proud and grateful for the opportunity to present my Capstone project at the poster session at the MLC conference.  This was another valuable experience that encouraged networking with current and former trainees.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, my clinic attendance was virtual most of the time; however, when appropriate I did participate in clinic visits at the Center.  I enjoyed shadowing the Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis dietitian and gained valuable knowledge.  During these clinic visits, I became more and more comfortable with communicating with patients and with the interdisciplinary team.  I have always enjoyed attending the Pediatric CF clinic while also gaining more disease-specific nutritional knowledge.  These clinic visits provided further enrichment by experiencing the social, mental, and emotional aspects of managing the chronic illness of CF.

Presentations and Projects

CFTR Modulators & Nutritional Status

The time I have spent with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) as a long-term nursing trainee has been an incredibly valuable part of my doctoral nursing journey. As a pediatric intensive care unit nurse, I had some exposure to the pulmonology specialty; however, I was not at all familiar with the outpatient care of pulmonary disease or the multidisciplinary collaboration that is required for these patients to receive the best care. The educational opportunities provided by the PPC taught me not only about the pathophysiology of different pulmonary diseases, but also about the social and emotional needs of patients and families coping with chronic illness. In each lecture reflection, trainees are required to identify a specific Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Leadership competency, which guided virtual discussions and encouraged us to make connections between our learning and the values required to contribute to MCH leadership.

In attending and presenting at the Making Lifelong Connections conference and participating in the All Centers Family Collaborative, I was able to work closely with other disciplines from PPCs across the country. Attending cystic fibrosis clinics has allowed me to observe and actively participate in the interdisciplinary care of these patients. I am honored and grateful to have been a part of this program and to have learned from and worked with the amazing PPC faculty. I would highly recommend participation in this meaningful program to students in any specialty with an interest in pulmonology and a desire to be involved in interdisciplinary collaboration.

Presentations and Projects

Evidence-Based Recommendations for Decreasing Procedural Related Pain and Anxiety in Pediatric Patients
Music Therapy for Decreasing Procedural Related Pain and Anxiety in Pediatric Patients: A Best Practice Approach

The Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) has been an integral part of my learning journey.  I have developed a better understanding of multidisciplinary collaborations and holistic pediatric specialty care through my participation in the program. The additional learning opportunities and conferences contributed immensely to my learning. The focus on MCH competencies throughout the program helped guide  our professional development and were the highlight of our discussions.  As a PPC trainee, I have had the opportunity to work closely with medically diverse populations and have developed my interest in pediatric pulmonary health.

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unexpected challenge for students and providers of all disciplines.  The PPC adapted to the changes and provided a virtual platform for students to continue learning.  In-person experiences were thoughtfully included, which provided a deeper understanding and were invaluable to our professional growth as trainees.  

A highlight of my experience included the opportunity to attend in the Making Lifelong Connections Conference which I found delightful. Participants had the opportunity to network with other trainees and colleagues. Also, various capstone project presentations were shared by different disciplines. This enriched the experience, allowing trainees to appreciate the different capstone project developments across the country and brainstorm ideas for further inquiry.  

I am grateful to have had the experience of learning from leaders in pediatric pulmonary care. What an honor it has been to be a part of such a meaningful and impactful program! I extend my gratitude to every individual involved in making this opportunity possible. 

Presentations and Projects

Telehealth Interventions for Pediatric Asthma Management
 

     When I reflect upon my time with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center I am filled with feelings of gratitude and pride. This traineeship was a one-of-a-kind opportunity unlike any other available to current pharmacy students in the United States. Every conversation I have about my experience in pharmacy school brings me to talk about this program and the experiences that will continue to guide me in my future endeavors. 

     The PPC has one of the most integrative interdisciplinary teams I have ever been a part of. I had the opportunity to participate in direct patient care with Dr. Hanna Phan, Pharm.D., FCCP, FPPA alongside other team members like Medical Doctor’s, Medical Residents, Respiratory Therapist’s, Social Worker’s, Nurses and Nutritionists. Bearing witness to the exceptional level of care provided to our patients due to this interdisciplinary practice was revolutionizing for me. I now aspire to practice pharmacy in an ambulatory clinic setting that encompasses collaborative practice for the betterment of our patients care. 

     The curriculum over the 2-year traineeship was incredibly diverse. We had various lectures ranging from life course theory to research ethics to medical topics I had not seen before. I learned a great deal about other disciplines within the PPC which will only empower me to be a more collaborative pharmacist. Additionally, we had the honor of attending multiple conferences and leadership trainings. These opportunities helped me to develop my professional and networking skills. For our longitudinal project my co-trainee, Liz Vuong, and were able to disseminate a survey to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on medication access and telehealth in the Cystic Fibrosis population. This project allowed us to see what level of effort goes in to producing a high-quality project to be submitted for presentation at a conference. We are planning to develop a manuscript and to submit it for publication which I am especially excited for. 

     Overall, this traineeship has helped me to develop a clear image in my head of what I want my future career to look like. I have made friendships and gained mentors that I will cherish throughout the years. I want to say thank you to the PPC faculty, the patients and my co trainees for an experience of a lifetime.
 

     When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I was determined to find my way into a meaningful internship placement that would provide me with the experiences I needed in order to become the best social worker I can be. To me, the pandemic indicated the huge and growing need for competent social workers in almost every sector of work and the world, and I did not want this strange and isolating time to cause my education to suffer. The PPC traineeship is a highly structured learning experience, with talented and knowledgeable faculty at the helm, making it an adaptable curriculum to the virtual life that we all found ourselves in during this year. 

     Due to the necessary switch from in-person to virtual clinics, lectures, conferences, and other learning experiences, it was sometimes challenging to build relationships with fellow trainees and faculty as well as gain a deep understanding of the work being done at the PPC. However, I was given the support and tools I needed to meet this challenge, and the overall experience was enriching and helpful in my journey toward becoming a Master-level social worker. The lectures were fascinating, and we were given the chance to apply what we learned from them in a clinic setting. The speakers were experts in their field, and the written reflections I completed for each lecture really helped me to understand the lessons. I also attended several virtual conferences, which helped me meet people across the country working with MCH populations and learn how they applied the MCH competencies in their work.

     I was also able to participate in several in-person and virtual clinics with Severe Asthma and Cystic Fibrosis patients, giving me the unique opportunity for direct practice skill-building and experience, as my MSW concentration was in Policy, Administration, and Community practice (PAC). This placement allowed me to really dive into how micro, mezzo, and macro social work practice can be performed together in order to provide holistic and long-lasting care. I developed a program evaluation proposal for the PPC, and also partnered with the direct practice trainee, Amanda Rader, to build, implement, and evaluate a curriculum and research project for PPC patients, complete with IRB approval. The wide variety of experiences in this traineeship were very helpful in developing my skills and understanding of social work practice in a medical setting. I have also found a deep appreciation of the unique, necessary, and far-reaching work of being part of an interdisciplinary team made up of individuals from different backgrounds and expertise, all working together for the care, comfort, and dignity of the people they serve.

Presentations and Projects

Creative Wellness
 

     I learned about the Pediatric Pulmonary Center from my Field Advisor at the Tucson branch of the ASU School of Social Work. The previous year I immersed myself in school social work, and in my second year I was excited to continue to deepen and expand my social work knowledge and experiences. Having chosen the Advanced Direct Practice concentration, but also with a natural inclination for macro-level analysis and advocacy, the PPC was a natural choice for me. Also, having been raised in a family with health professionals, I had learned about the joys and challenges of our healthcare system, and also more recently the power of multidisciplinary models of care.  All to say, I felt the PPC model offered immense opportunities for learning and growth.

     Naturally, being a PPC social work trainee during the COVID-19 pandemic made for a unique experience. The lectures, conferences, interdisciplinary projects, and most meetings and clinics were held virtually. The only in-person interactions I had were with my Field Supervisor and PPC faculty (Randee Luben), several home visits, and monthly clinics for children with severe asthma.  Despite the limitations of this reality, particularly in formation of deeper relationships with other PPC trainees and professionals from different disciplines, I learned an immense amount, and had a holistic experience that will certainly guide me forward as a social worker.

     Throughout the course of the PPC, it was a privilege to meet inspiring and courageous patients with pulmonary diseases and their families, and learn the importance of centering their voices and experiences in the course of collaborating in their care.  I was able to gain insight into leadership, and learn about my own strengths and weaknesses as a leader.  Through listening to various taped lectures, I was able to learn about various themes around cystic fibrosis, severe asthma, and other pulmonary disorders.  Additionally, I learned about the nuances of research, with particular emphasis on ethics, as well as lessons in advocacy and politics when it comes to changing policy in efforts to improve patients’ and families’ lives.  Through written reflections, I engaged in thoughts around these topics with other budding leaders in a variety of disciplines, including nutrition, pharmacy, and nursing.  The sense of solidarity and common cause was evident through these exchanges, and I believe we all grew greater respect and understanding for each other in our respective fields.

     Notably, particularly given the historical moment that we inhabit as we continue to grapple with racially-motivated violence and structural inequities, throughout the year we had several opportunities to engage in dialogue about these issues.  The MCH competencies guided our learning, and this notion of “cultural competence” was just one of twelve core competencies that we explored over the course of the year.  

     The opportunity to work on a capstone project, while it demanded a great deal of work, provided opportunities for growth along a number of lines.  First, I was able to collaborate with the other PPC social work trainee, Kelsey Pinckney, which was a very valuable and fruitful experience in teamwork.  We created a small research project and curriculum of Creative Wellness workshops to offer to both adolescent patients and their caregivers.  With Randee’s support, we submitted a proposal to the IRB and were able to bring the project to fruition with great success.

     It was a whirlwind of experiences!  I am grateful for all those who make it possible, which I’ve come to understand is a large and powerful network of compassionate, committed individuals with hopes for improved health and wellbeing for children, adolescents and families.  Thank you for all of your energy, vision and commitment.

Presentations and Projects

Creative Wellness
 

     As a Postgraduate Year 2 (PGY2) Pediatric Pharmacy Resident trainee, my primary goal was to develop clinical knowledge to prepare for a career in pediatric pulmonary medicine.  The PPC traineeship helped me achieve my goals and provided me with additional opportunities that I would otherwise not have if I did not complete this traineeship.  

     I gained valuable experiences in all aspects of pediatric pulmonary medicine while working under the guidance of a multidisciplinary faculty.  During my time as a PPC trainee, I had many opportunities to interact with various professions, including physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, dietitians, social workers, psychologists, patient/family advocates, and other pharmacy professionals (e.g., pharmacists, pharmacy students, and pharmacy technician).  These interactions highlighted the importance of an interprofessional approach to patient care.  The close relationships with other disciplines helped me better understand everyone’s role in healthcare.  Moreover, I participated in patient care activities (both direct and indirect) to learn how shared decision-making between various health care disciplines, patients, and caregivers can improve patient outcomes.  The emphasis on patient-family-centered care helped me learn that high-quality patient care goes beyond the application of clinical guidelines.  

     In all, my training as a PPC trainee has provided me with a solid foundational knowledge of pediatric pharmacotherapy that allows me to provide evidence-based patient care in interdisciplinary environments.  The combined didactic, clinical (acute and ambulatory), leadership, and research training centered around care for children with special health care needs and medical complexity related to pulmonary medicine will help prepare me for my future career.  Additionally, I have gained transferrable skills (e.g., leadership, research) that I can apply in my future professional endeavors.  

Presentations and Projects

Asthma Control during the COVIID-19 Pandemic in Pediatric Severe Asthma Patients
 

     I initially had no idea that there was a traineeship opportunity related to the pediatric field, which is where I was wanting to gain experience as I am most interested in pediatric dietetics. I learned of the PPC nutrition traineeship program through Kayle while discussing opportunities for me to enhance my clinical experience for the dietetic internship applications. I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to get involved in an area of nutrition that I did not have much experience in, especially with it being in such a specific patient population. 

     The COVID-19 pandemic made it to where certain regulations had to be in place in order to take on trainees. Attending clinics virtually was difficult at first, however it really became normal as the year progressed. I think that the traineeship program did a great job in allowing students to continue working with them while still adhering to strict guidelines that protected its high-risk clients. As clinics progressed, I was able to interact more with clients, and got great experience writing multiple notes for patients in each clinic. Cystic fibrosis clinics were probably my favorite part of the traineeship not just due to the clinical experience that it gave me, but also being immersed in the nutritional, physical, and mental aspects of a patient population that I was unfamiliar with enabled me to become more involved and more educated on the specific needs of these patients. Having this insight, especially during something as hard as a pandemic, was eye opening for me.

     The many different conferences related to this traineeship allowed for interaction and connection with other MCH programs; I was able to get outside my comfort zone and present our groups Family Collaborative assignment for the second half of the conference, as well as present my Capstone project at the MLC conference earlier this month. I enjoyed having the case study part of the traineeship being part of a group of girls that came from different areas of healthcare than myself, which allowed each of us to understand better the many qualities that each person brings in providing patients with the best quality of care. A great take away from this traineeship is just the overall need for more connectivity between the interdisciplinary team. Great patient outcomes start with a team of healthcare workers that work well together, who learn and grow from listening to different points of view, and who above all put the needs of the patient above the needs of themselves. I think this program has been great for me in getting many different perspectives on patient and family dynamics that could be affecting patient outcomes.

     I am hoping that the pediatric-specific nutritional reference guide I created for incoming nutrition trainees proves beneficial to the traineeship program as a whole. I enjoyed creating a material that would survive past my time with the program and make the clinical experience of future trainees a little bit better. Pediatrics is not a huge nutritional topic that is covered in undergraduate studies, and this traineeship really gave me more education and experience in a field of nutrition that I am most interested in making a career from. 

     My time with the PPC has only increased my desire to work in pediatrics and given me the motivation needed to continue my studies. I am interested too in volunteering in more mother and infant areas of the Tucson community, as well as spreading awareness to others the importance of nutrition in this patient population. I have really enjoyed my time with the PPC and would love to remain connected in the future.  

Presentations and Projects

Nutrition Reference Guide for PPC Nutrition Trainees
 

     In a blink of an eye, two years has passed and I have completed the two year, long-term pharmacy traineeship with the Pediatric Pulmonary Center. I still remember being presented with the opportunity during my first year of pharmacy school. I jumped on the opportunity upon hearing about it because it is one-of-a-kind in the country, and I just knew my experience would be invaluable. I wanted to advocate for the health outcomes of the CF and severe asthma pediatric population within our community, while actively participating as a member of the pharmacy team. The PPC traineeship provided me with a learning experience unparalleled to any other and I believe it has helped shaped me into a well-rounded pharmacy student and future pharmacist. 

     The curriculum itself encompasses a wide range of learning experiences and opportunities that I didn’t expect. As trainees, we are expected to attend clinic to optimize our patients’ health management, attend and reflect on lectures of various topics relevant to our traineeship, and participate in national conferences. I was able to apply what I learn in the classroom to the clinic and interact with patients under supervision of a faculty member. As a pharmacy student, this opportunity is rare to come by. I left every clinic session feeling inspired and motivated. The team was friendly, welcoming, and are all experts in their field that fuel student learning. The lecture topics were incredibly diverse and taught me so much about other disciplines, disease states, and professional development. I especially liked how interactive they all were because I felt encouraged to discuss. We were also encouraged to attend every conference opportunity provided to us and we had the chance to submit our projects as well. Although the COVID-19 pandemic changed the modalities of these opportunities, they were still provided to us and were well adapted. I was also able to work directly with the other long-term pharmacy trainee, Kate McCulley, to study the effects of the pandemic in medication access in those with CF. I found myself challenged throughout the two years and was fully supported to accomplish the curriculum goals. 

     My biggest takeaway from this traineeship involves the relationships, friendships, and connections I’ve gained the past two years. From the patients I interacted with in clinic to the strangers I connected with at conferences like Making Lifelong Connections, I’ve gained such valuable insight on healthcare optimization, advocacy, and interdisciplinary teamwork that is extremely difficult to find elsewhere. It is evident that the PPC faculty and team value this learning opportunity and strive to provide us with the best experiences, and I am honored to have been a part of it as a pharmacy trainee. 

Presentations and Projects

Nutrition Reference Guide for PPC Nutrition Trainees
 

I wanted to participate in the PPC traineeship program to gain a better understanding of pediatric nutrition in the clinical setting. I previously had very little experience working in maternal and child health. With regard to clinical pediatric nutrition, the bar certainly was met, as I had the opportunity to gain experience working with both pediatric and adult patients in CF clinic.

Beyond CF clinic, there were a multitude of other experiences that provided exposure to maternal and child health. The first field trip I participated in was to the border in Nogales, Sonora. This experience was designed to provide context for issues around health disparities on the border. Before this trip I had never been to Mexico, and I honestly did not know what to expect. The group was able to tour several U.S. and Mexican government agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations providing support to migrants. It was eye-opening to hear about the challenges and dangers women and children face as they make their way to the border.

Another unique experience was attending the Making Lifelong Connections annual meeting in New Mexico. There was ample opportunity to network with other trainees and former trainees, and hear about the work others are doing in maternal and child health. Everyone who attended seemed very committed to promoting their cause, as well as support others who are doing similar work. It was very inspiring and motivating to see the programs and projects being conducted. I hope to use this experience to better educate the next generation of registered dietitians and health care professionals.

In my work as an instructor, I work with students who intend not only to become RDs, but also physicians, nurses, pharmacists and physical therapists. Much of what I learned in the traineeship program should also be part of any well-rounded pre-health curriculum. My goal is to expand the topics we cover with students as part of our undergraduate program to include some of the key concepts in maternal and child health.

For example, through the traineeship program I was exposed to life course theory. While very intuitive in many ways, it is not something we normally share with undergraduate students in any great detail. I will be presenting life course theory to students in a 400-level nutrition course and soliciting their feedback. I anticipate that students will be receptive, since there is a general desire for more training related to social aspects of health.

Overall, I have grown tremendously professionally and personally with this traineeship program. I now have a better understanding of the issues and research related to maternal and child health. Through the traineeship I also have a better grasp of the government hierarchy, as well as training programs in maternal and child health. I am glad to have been part of this program and hope to remain connected with it.