Inspiring Lives Magazine Winter 2017: Issue 3 | Page 70

West Virginia University School of Dentistry recruiter Franklin Hairston connects with a student at HSTA ’ s 2016 college fair .
Photo : WVU
and are first in their families to attend college . More than half are financially disadvantaged , and one-third are African American . Why the focus on minorities in rural areas ? While working with underprivileged college students , Dr . Ann Chester , who developed and directs the HSTA program , learned that many of their peers had eliminated college as an option early-on because of personal , financial , and social challenges . This knowledge helped her build HSTA ’ s foundation of mentoring — support and encouragement that also provides role models for the students , who frequently lack healthcare professionals to look up to as models of success .
In the early days of HSTA , Chester noted that students learned health-based science and research skills quicker when they participated in practical projects that directly impacted their family and friends , so she made this a major part of the curriculum . Community-based research projects — where students survey and educate their own community about health issues — encourage support from students ’ families and friends and make them an active part of the students ’ success . Focusing on health-related issues that match the students ’ interests helps them gain confidence , develop research skills , and improve health literacy and practices within their communities .
Students who are part of HSTA learn and hang out together . They become friends and provide encouragement .
The “ vibe of their tribe ” improves drastically when they are around others who achieve , making them inclined to do so themselves .
The communities where HSTA students live are accustomed to students interacting with them , asking questions , learning , and being a part of their lives . The residents care about the students ’ success , and the research and support system HSTA provides has already helped increase the number of health care professionals in the state , while cultivating lasting relationships within communities . For this reason , the program also boasts an unlikely benefit : it has become a plug-and-play network for researchers to reach rural areas with questions and education . Here ’ s just one story : Few participants were available to work with Dr . Alicia Zbehlik ’ s team , which was researching occurrence and knowledge of osteoarthritis at a hospital near Dartmouth College in Hanover , NH . A small sample group and no way to access more participants stalled the research .
When Zbehlik discussed her predicament with Chester at a conference , Chester suggested that Zbehlik partner with HSTA to achieve her desired sample base . Zbehlik agreed to the collaboration , hoping for another 100 responses to her survey . In just 9 months , the HSTA students brought in 1,129 quality responses from 17 counties in West Virginia .
70 INSPIRING LIVES WINTER 2017