School of Medicine Students Collaborate to Address Health Issues in Innovative Program

What you need to know

Students at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University recently came together with local community leaders at the School of Medicine campus in Nutley to address areas of health needs in their communities and to discuss plans for improvement.

The gathering was part of the students’ Human Dimension course, a core component of the School of Medicine’s curriculum. During the three-year course, students are matched to families from underserved areas throughout New Jersey, and they are also immersed with a local New Jersey community to understand their health assets and barriers. At the end of their first year, the students present their initial community findings to leaders as part of their Community Assessment Project (CAP).

More information about the program

In these recent CAP presentations, students reported on communities including Nutley, Clifton, Paterson, Passaic County and Hackensack. Some health issues spotlighted included vaping in schools, the need for public safety education and healthy eating workshops. Students spent time with community members by attending local, county and state community meetings, interviewing local stakeholders and leaders and volunteering at various community agencies.

At the end of the Human Dimension course, students will have a vivid understanding of the health care disparities and the multifactorial causes of health inequities and will have developed creative solutions to address these issues alongside their community leaders. The course intends for students to have the insight and skills to be able to deliver the best possible care to the communities they will one day serve.