PACT Week 2 General Meeting

Leport Volunteering Program

Introduction

• PACT at UCI partnered up with the Leport clinic in 2012 with PA-C Mike Cordia to create a program specifically geared towards pre-PA students because once as a pre-PA student, Mike understood the struggles in finding a PA to shadow or to gain that direct patient care interaction
• With the profession growing and gaining popularity, this program offers pre-PA students an opportunity to work alongside PAs and to gain a better understanding of what it means to work as a PA with other healthcare professionals.

The Goal of the Leport Volunteer Program

• To learn what it means to work in the medical field with a variety of health care professionals as a PA
• To learn proper etiquette and bedside manner when dealing with patients
• To gain insight on the daily work environment of a PA
• To figure out if you really want to pursue this profession

Leport’s Bariatric and General Surgery Clinic

• Bariatric Surgery - focus on weightloss surgery, such as the lapband, gastric bypass, or sleeve gastrectomy.
• General Surgery - cysts
• 5 PAs: Mike, Richard, Ashley, Jessica, and Farisha.
• 3 Doctors: Dr. Ali, Dr. Russo, and Dr. LePort
• Clinic is owned by Dr. LePort

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Role as a Volunteer

• As a volunteer you will:
• Work alongside and shadow a PA
• Get trained as a back-office medical assistant
• Room patients
• Take patient vitals (weight, blood pressure, height, waist measurements)
• Learn to use the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system
• Prepare trays for in-office procedures
• Restock rooms

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Application Process

• Applications are sent out Week 8 and collected Week 10
• Interviews take place Week 1 of next quarter
• Orientation is on the weekend of Week 1 on campus
• Training will be during Week 2 at the clinic
• *Note: You will need to provide your own transportation
• Volunteers are expected to complete 100 hours by the end of their rotation.
• *Note: You will need to pick up extra shifts throughout each quarter
• Possible rotations: Winter-Spring, Spring-Summer, Summer-Fall

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Requirements

• Must be an ACTIVE, paid member of PACT
• Must commit to at least one 4 hour shift per week for the full rotation
• Ex: You would need to make sure you are available for one shift per week for both Winter and Spring quarter
• Must be able to take blood pressure. If you can not we will teach you at orientation.
• Demonstrate a passion for the PA profession and a commitment to PACT.
• After becoming a volunteer, must still maintain ACTIVE membership in PACT or face elimination from the program.
• If you do not maintain active membership within PACT but you already have hours at the clinic, those hours will not count as PA shadowing hours but only volunteering hours and you will be eliminated from the program.

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Clinic and Volunteering Program Rules

1. May only have 4 EXCUSED MISSED SHIFTS/ rotation = Can not show up to scheduled shift and informing Gloria (the MA) and the Co-presidents (either Coco or Lydia) BEFORE said shift.
1. Having more than 4 unexcused missed shifts will result in a suspension from the program (until further notice) and a meeting with the PACT board.
2. Unexcused Missed Shifts: not letting Gloria, Coco, or Lydia know ahead of time that you are missing your shift.
• Having more than 2 unexcused missed shifts will result in automatic elimination from the program. No excuses accepted.
3. Uniform: a pair of navy blue scrubs, closed toed shoes, preferably no perfume, deodorant, hair in a ponytail, but most importantly, a smile and good vibes :)

Shift Schedule

What You Will Learn

• Take blood pressure (vitals)
• Use of the Electronic Medical Records System and HIPPA (patient privacy)
• Medical terminology and understand bariatric/general surgery procedures
• To communicate effectively and work alongside medical professionals
• More about the PA profession and the life of a PA!!