A.T. Still University Community Mentors Project
Purpose
The A.T. Still University Community Mentor Project partners medical students with members of the intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) community to mutually help each other achieve goals. Students and Mentors work on goals each month in order to help the mentor achieve whatever goals they have in mind. The Mentor/Mentee program is a key component of the IDD Elective at ATSU-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Community Mentors Needed!
Do YOU want to help teach medical students more about individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities?
We are recruiting members of the IDD community to mentor and work with ATSU medical students on personal goals YOU want to achieve!
Mentor Roles:
- Meet with Mentees (ATSU Students) at least 2 hours per month beginning October 2022 through the end of April 2023
- Be honest with Mentees regarding your goals and experiences
Project Accomplishments in 2021/2022
Infused an elective medical course with content relevant to treating patients who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities
Created/implemented the Project Advisory Committee
Matched 23 Mentors (Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities) with 46 Mentees (ATSU medical students)
Hosted four health fairs
Conducted three standardized patient encounters each year
Created two end-of-the-year virtual symposium, including lectures from experts in the field
Previous ATSU students with their mentors!
Quotes from Previous Mentors and Mentees:
“They are now going to be better doctors since they have improved their communication skills with people with intellectual disabilities. Most importantly, their lives are better since they made a new friend!” - Mentor
“I learn that the coming doctors show us that they do cared about us the disabled as real persons not problems may they working with us and not on us." - Mentor
“This elective reinforced many of the attributes that originally inspired me to choose medicine. So much of the medical curriculum focuses on diseases, numbers, and statistics but this elective reminded me that there are always people at the end of those numbers.” - Mentee
"I learned that no matter who you are interacting with or what your “position” is in that interaction, there is always something to learn." - Mentee
Contact Us:
Email: kcomiddelective@atsu.edu
Partnership:
A HUGE thank you to the SB40 board for their support for this project and their continuous support for the local IDD community.
