The CVS Health Foundation Volunteer Challenge Grant was awarded in support of the Individual Volunteerism work of CVS Health employee and Auburn University pharmacy student Willie Dunnam, according to the award letter from the foundation. The clinic is housed at The Salvation Army of Coastal Alabama on Dauphin Street in Mobile.
“We not only feel like the AED is an important tool to have in our clinic but also an important tool for The Salvation Army,” said Alison Rudd, Ed.D., clinic operations director and assistant director of the USA Simulation Program. “This is just a continued reflection of not only our service to our patients, but our partnership with a wonderful community agency.”
Dunnam, who served as the clinic’s community outreach coordinator in 2018, and third-year medical student Ravi Rajendra, co-president of the clinic, were instrumental in obtaining the grant, Rudd said. As community outreach coordinator, Dunnam helped set up the clinic’s involvement in Project Homeless Connect.
“While working with Willie Dunnam on several clinic projects, I realized that one of our biggest strengths at USA SRFC is our interdisciplinary format,” Rajendra said. “Though we may come from different health professions and though our skill sets may vary, we all have the desire to help heal our patients.”
The mindset of encouraging partnerships between healthcare professionals was the impetus for applying for the grant, he said. On any given day at the clinic, the student team could consist of future physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants, nurses, audiologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and social workers.
“Since our backgrounds vary, we’re able to solve problems from different angles and spend more time with patients to help explain common health conditions,” he said. “Finally, SRFC allows us to learn not only from each other, but also from our patients.”
