Community Engagement
Authentic community partnerships are a valued component of the UT Southwestern mission. Working with schools and other community organizations allows UT Southwestern pediatrics residents to gain an appreciation of the many strengths and some of the challenges of the communities in which their patients live.
Since 2016, UTSW has partnered with John J. Pershing Elementary School, a Blue-Ribbon school in Dallas Independent School District. The majority of children at this school (93%) come from low-income households. The Team KidPower (KiPOW!) Program provides second grade students with a nutrition curriculum that is presented by pediatrics residents. The residents also serve as health mentors, modeling healthy eating during lunch and promoting physical activity during recess. This partnership has been supported by three American Academy of Pediatrics Resident CATCH Grants and two Clinical and Translational Community Engagement Grants. This program provides a bi-directional learning opportunity in that students not only learn from residents, but residents learn from the students.
Starting in 2013, UTSW has partnered with Garland Independent School District's New Horizons Program, a drop-out prevention program for pregnant and parenting teens. This collaboration was supported by an American Academy of Pediatrics/Community Pediatrics Training Initiative Grant. Residents deliver original interactive presentations on pertinent health topics to teens in the program. In addition, residents participate in New Horizons' annual open house, discussing issues such as the importance of seasonal vaccinations with teen parents. This program also provides bi-directional learning. Residents also learn to present health information that can be easily understood by teen parents and gain some insight into some of the challenges faced by teen parents.