USA Residents Visit Theodore High School, Participate in Community Outreach Project

A group of pediatric resident physicians at USA talk to a group of high school students at Theodore High School Tuesday, March 6, 2018.

Several University of South Alabama pediatric resident physicians recently participated in a community outreach project at Theodore High School, exchanging motivational letters and hosting a question and answer session during lunch.

In collaboration with Kyle Harper – a teacher at Theodore High School – second- and third-year residents received a photo of a student and were encouraged to write them a motivational letter. The residents then presented the letters to each student, followed by a problem-solving ‘breakout’ activity and question and answer session.

According to Dr. Bryce Willen, chief resident of pediatrics, the purpose of the activity was to give back to the community, while focusing on resident wellness and burnout prevention. “The project originated because we thought an outreach activity would provide our residents with an added sense of community,” he said. “Overall, the activity was a tremendous success; both the students and residents got more out of the experience than they anticipated.”

Dr. Willen said having an opportunity to interact with engaged and inspired youth was refreshing. "The students asked tough questions about our jobs, including dealing with death, what to do with debt, how much caffeine we drink, having a family and everything in between,” he said.“Our residents are very diverse and have unique stories to tell. This experience allowed them to connect with the students, and they used that connection to share positive and motivating stories.”