Neil Goldfarb
Associate Dean for Research
Jefferson School of Population Health
On Sunday, January 30th, we held the mid-year retreat for the Greater Philadelphia Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Program at the Aletha R. Wright Center in Camden, NJ. As many of this blog’s readers already know, the Jefferson School of Population Health is the home of this regional chapter of the national Schweitzer Fellowship program. The Program provides opportunities for graduate students in a wide variety of health-related disciplines, from Universities throughout the Delaware Valley, to explore their interests in population health by conducting a year-long community service project, while pursuing their degrees.
The Aletha R. Wright Vision of Hope Center provides shelter and community-based assistance to adult homeless men. The Schweitzer Fellows spent the afternoon painting and sprucing up an exercise room, a media room being converted to a chapel, and a long hallway in need of some character. Afterwards, the Fellows shared their reflections on their projects, at this, the midway point to the academic year. I’d like to share with you a few of my own reflections on the day’s activities.
First, the Schweitzer Fellows are a truly inspirational group. They continually demonstrate passion for helping communities in need, and the program in turn is helping them to see past the “patient” to the “person.” The Fellows are a self-selected group who have applied for these positions through a competitive process. How do we broaden the opportunities for more students to share in this type of experience – especially in light of the constant challenge of securing funding, and resistance from academic program leaders who don’t encourage their students to apply?
Second, Nicole Moore, the Program Director, and I (faculty mentor), contacted many charitable organizations in the Delaware Valley looking for a site interested in having the assistance of 17 volunteers for a day, before Ms. Brown at the Wright Center welcomed us. Most of our calls and e-mails did not even receive a response. I was surprised and appalled, and wonder how often potential volunteers are turned away, or turned off, by non-response to their offers of help. Surely, our charities can do a better job of encouraging volunteerism.
Finally, for those of the Not-so-Great Society who think that we can’t afford the health insurance provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, I encourage you to go spend a day at the Aletha R. Wright Center talking to the residents. Then let’s talk about how we can eliminate all the waste in healthcare today, to pay for coverage for all.
