Bill Robertson, President & CEO of Adventist HealthCare, discusses the organization's partnership with USG. |
As the first and largest not-for-profit health system headquartered in Montgomery County, Maryland, Adventist HealthCare has more than a century-long tradition of serving the community. Each year, Adventist HealthCare serves more than 450,000 individuals in their hospitals and home health agencies with the quality medical care and compassionate health services they need. To ensure individuals across the community continue to receive extraordinary care, Adventist HealthCare is dedicated to partnering with USG to help build the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Adventist HealthCare includes Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Washington Adventist Hospital, Adventist Rehabilitation of Maryland and Adventist Behavioral Health. Through a robust partnership, Adventist HealthCare provides students at USG who are pursuing healthcare-related professions with:
- Clinical instruction
- Internships and clinical rotations
- Employment opportunities
- Scholarships
Medical professionals from Adventist HealthCare also add to USG’s career-focused learning environment as faculty and guest lecturers.
Salisbury Respiratory Therapy
Shady Grove Adventist Hospital provides Respiratory Therapy students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have gained in their program courses in the clinical setting. Students in the program complete both basic and critical care clinical rotations at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital learning to assist with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, monitoring of heart and lung functions of patients, the evaluation of patients in the cardiopulmonary laboratories, and education of patients and their families about lung disease and ways to maximize their recovery.
“Completing their clinical rotations at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital helps give our students confidence in their abilities by allowing them to apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations, said Adriana Guerra, Program Director, Respiratory Therapy at USG. “Plus, they are able to learn alongside their classmates, which allows for increased knowledge-sharing and further understanding.”
University of Maryland School of Nursing
A number of students in the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) at USG gain critical skills by completing a portion of their required clinical rotations at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and have the opportunity to participate in a variety of Adventist HealthCare community programs. Often times, UMSON nursing students are offered internship positions or hired by Shady Grove Adventist Hospital after graduation.
Nursing students at USG complete 180 hours in the clinical setting, working with their clinical instructors and nurses in obstetrics, pediatrics, medical-surgical nursing, and psychiatric care. UMSON faculty work with the nursing administration at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital to coordinate the rotations and mentor students through the process. Many students also participate in Adventist HealthCare’s Health & Wellness initiatives such as health and blood pressure screenings, lactation clinics, and pre-natal care.
“Our partnership with Adventist HealthCare represents an invaluable part of our curriculum. It is critical for nursing students to experience a variety of scenarios in a clinical setting before graduation,” said Dr. Rebecca Wiseman, Assistant Dean, University of Maryland School of Nursing. “Reciprocally, Adventist has an opportunity to recruit students for entry level positions.
University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Adventist HealthCare works with the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy to bring real-life experiences to the students at USG. Adventist HealthCare pharmacists often assist with facilitation of the Abilities Laboratory Series in the Doctor of Pharmacy program and provide clinical rotations in the hospital setting. Students learn to apply their knowledge to the patient care setting by reviewing and providing insight on medication profiles, laboratory values, and dosing adjustments, and also get the opportunity to educate patients at the bedside.
“Adventist HealthCare consistently answers the call to help our students achieve their potential as community healthcare professionals. It is important that we have the support of organizations like Adventist in order for our students to gain practical knowledge that simply cannot be achieved in the classroom,” said Heather Brennan Congdon, Assistant Dean for Shady Grove, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.
University of Maryland School of Social Work
The Behavioral Health branch of Adventist HealthCare has a long-standing relationship with the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Each year, a group of students pursuing their Master of Social Work degree at USG complete their year- long Field Placement requirements at Adventist Behavioral Health of Rockville or at Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park. Students are directly involved in interventional strategies and tactics used to enhance patient health and gain necessary perspectives and knowledge for a successful professional career.
“Our partnership with Adventist HealthCare allows our students to build an awareness of the professional relationship and apply theories of social work practice to real world situations, said Angela Elkins, Program Director, Master of Social Work at USG. “ In addition, students develop experience in professional communication and working with diverse populations – the kind of skills that can only be mastered in the field.”