Project Clear View: Promoting Healthy Eyes Through Community Health Education
| Responder | Chandler Eyre |
| Project Title | Project Clear View: Promoting Healthy Eyes Through Community Health Education (2022-2023) |
| Start Date | 9/17/23 |
| End Date | 3/9/23 |
| Project Location: City | San Antonio |
| Project Location: County | Bexar |
| Other Student Leaders | Prerna, Das, Medical Landon Paskett, Medical Sahar Ali, Medical Chloe Trusty, Physician Assistant Studies |
| Community Partner Organization | Prevent Blindness Texas |
| CSL Mentor – Name | Kanapa Kornsawad |
| Other Mentors | |
| Is this project interprofessional? | Yes |
| Professions Represented | Medicine,Physician Assistant |
| Project Category | Clinical Service |
| Project Activities | Health Education,Health Screenings |
| Is this project conducted as part of a student organization? | No |
| Student Organization Name | N/A |
| Is this project done as part of an academic course (required OR elective)? | No |
| Course Name | N/A |
| Community Partner Name | Teresa Licon |
| Community Partner Job Title | Senior Program Manager |
| Total Number of Students on Project Team | 5 |
| Number of Community Beneficiaries | 80 |
| Total Number of Other Faculty/Staff | 0 |
| Number of Other Community Volunteers | 3 |
| Mentor Hours | 10 |
| Student Leader Hours | 30 |
| Total Number of Student Hours | 80 |
| Semester Service Hours | 10 |
| What type of funding did you use to conduct this project? | CSL Mini or Midi grant from the Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics,I did not use any funding for the project. |
| Mini/Midi Grant Amount Awarded | 1300 |
| Did you do this project as part of Federal Work Study from the Office for Financial Aid? | No |
| Did you receive In-Kind Donations for this project? | No |
| Amount of In-Kind Donation $ | N/A |
| CSL Abstract | Abstract.pdf |
| CSL Poster | Chandler Eyre Vision Screenings Poster.pdf |
| Challenges | This was the first time we had worked as a group on this project, and with this community partner. Our connection with the partner happened very near to the start of the fall CSL project, and so as it began, there were some logistical issues that we had to work through. Namely, confirming locations of screening events, coordinating goals, plans, and communication lines with the community partner, and ensuring that our efforts were meaningful and worthwhile for the student volunteers.
As we move forward, our experience will be shared with younger students who we plan to hand off the project to. To summarize our thoughts, we would say that when engaging in a new project, plan for unexpected problems to arise that will take some problem solving as you work to streamline your process. |
| Lessons Learned | I would say that the biggest lesson we learned would be to set a timeline very specific to when you want to complete each SMART goal. There were some SMART goals that we had written down which we were on track to complete, but they fell to the side at first because when other issues arose, our focus did not go directly back towards those goals. If you have a clear timeline for your group, and everyone is on the same page with dates and deadlines, you will find that your project and your efforts will be much more rewarding. |
| Success Story | When we were doing a screening event at the YWCA community center near the center of San Antonio, there was one particular woman who came to the booth who looked as though she was exhausted, while also worried about something. It was clear that she was very stressed. Our routine went on as usual—we handed her a questionnaire that she filled out, participated in a basic acuity test, and had a fundoscopic image taken in a dark room with our machine on site. Afterward, however, she came back to the chair and poured her heart out.
She said that her husband of nearly 40 years had passed away just a few months earlier, and she hadn’t been able to properly take care of herself since his passing. Aside from the emotional weight of losing her partner, he also took care of their personal affairs such as insurance, housing arrangements, budgeting, and other practical aspects of day-to-day living. She enjoyed this about their relationship, she said. Since his passing, she had been looking for a job, but her prescription needed to be updated, and she couldn’t see well enough to drive or explore work opportunities. As she explained all of this to us, a few tears welled up and slowly went down her face. Gratitude was her gift to us, and it was the best thing we could have received that day. We weren’t looking for anything in return during our time there at the YWCA, but paradoxically, the woman who seemed to have so much on her plate was able to provide us with more than we could have hoped for. Success in these projects is measured by finding the one. Each individual life that is touched, matters. |
| Conferences Where You Presented Project | N/A |
| Publications of your Project | N/A |