Over the next few months, Maine AHEC will continue its inaugural Maine AHEC Case Competition, a longitudinal learning experience for health professions students to develop interprofessional communication, leadership, analytical reasoning, conflict resolution, and critical thinking skills that they may not otherwise receive through their formal education and apply it to a complex population health case that focuses on systemic issues. This year\u2019s case competition addresses the health disparities of Maine\u2019s fishing and lobstering communities through a vignette of a DownEast lobstermen, Steve B., who is battling a myriad of health challenges including a serious cardiac event. The groups of students are tasked with using critical thinking skills and evidence-based practice to develop the strategies on how to address the barriers to care for fishermen and lobstermen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Maine AHEC Case Competition is a six-month longitudinal learning experience starting in April and finishing in November. In April, the case is provided to all second year Maine AHEC Scholars who are split into small interprofessional teams of four. Each team then works on developing a case analysis presentation over six months and in November each team presents their case analysis to a panel of judges. The team that is given the best score is recognized and awarded a prize. Over the course of the six-month project, there are a number of structured events with guest speakers to share their lived experiences with the fishing and lobstering community. The guest speakers this summer included Miranda Rodgers, MD, who grew up in a multi-generational lobstering community on Orr\u2019s Island; Charles Rudelitch, Esq., who serves as Executive Director of the Sunrise County Economic Council; and Arabella Perez, LCSW, assistant professor at UNE who spoke about embracing a trauma-informed approach to health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In order for students to visualize the day to day operations of the fishing and lobstering community, participating AHEC Scholars were able to go on a lobster boat tour in Portland Harbor. Rebecca Young, third year dental student at UNE\u2019s College of Dental Medicine, is shown below with her teammates. \u201cThis experience really brought to life some of the health disparities we have read about among this community,\u201d says Young. \u201cSpeaking directly with people in the lobstering community allowed me to better understand the unique lifestyle, rigorous schedule, and burden of stress that comes along with lobstering. Understanding where these folks come from and what their background is may be the best first step in providing the best possible individualized health care\u201d says Young. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To develop the 2021 Maine AHEC Case Competition, Maine AHEC partnered with Holly Gartmayer DeYoung, the former director of Eastport Healthcare, in Eastport, ME. \u201cThe case encourages students to take a systems approach for addressing the real life, complex healthcare issues that are faced by the lobstering community. We were fortunate to partner with someone who spent a large portion of her career working in a fishing and lobstering community.\u201d says Ian Imbert, MPH, Maine AHEC Scholar program manager. <\/p>\n\n\n\n