MERCEDES — Patrick Ojeaga had all the practice he needed to inject the flu vaccine on patients in the Indian Hills colonia.
Ojeaga, a second-year UTRGV School of Medicine student was one of a dozen first- and second-year students who received hands on experience on administering vaccines to patients.
It was only days earlier that he learned how to administer the flu vaccine by using his teacher’s arm as practice.
“It was fun,” said Ojeaga, a second year medical student from McAllen, who administered his very first flu shot to Dr. Eron Manusov, assistant dean of Clinical Education and professor and chair of the UTRGV School of Medicine’s Department of Family and Community Medicine. “Dr. Manusov was really calm, which made me calm.”
Ojeaga and the students who traveled to Indian Hills, an unincorporated community north of Mercedes, assisted clinical staff and medical residents from Knapp Family Medicine in treating patients.
“We are going to be really prepared when we hit our third year and start our preceptorships (hands-on training under the guidance of a medical professional),” Ojeaga said. “The small class size provides a family environment.”
The students, all under the supervision of School of Medicine faculty and healthcare professionals, also administered flu shots to patients, something students at other medical schools do not get to do until later in their studies.
The School of Medicine has been offering healthcare to residents of the Indian Hills community for the past two years in its efforts to close gaps in healthcare access to people living in underserved areas.
Ojeaga said he also enjoys having the opportunity to interact with patients much sooner than students at other medical schools.
“I tell a lot of interviewees (students interested in the School of Medicine) when they come in that we get patient exposure right away,” Ojeaga said. “I know I have a jump on other students at other schools because we get that exposure right away.”
