On May 16, the MAPA DEI Committee and Girl Scouts of the River Valleys hosted their Learn First Aid with MAPA event in Rochester, Minnesota. Girls in grades 2 – 12 learned about first aid, wilderness safety, and the PA profession. MAPA’s DEI Committee Co-Chair, Jaci Tourtellott, PA-C, spearheaded the event. Tourtellott said that event organizers wanted to, “provide a fun and safe space for young girls and women to gain practical first aid and wilderness safety skills that meet the qualifications for the Girl Scout badge requirements.”
To achieve this goal, the Girl Scouts built their own first aid kit and participated in roll-playing drills where they practiced bandaging, splinting, and using a make-shift stretcher. They also learned how to recognize different types of emergencies and call 911. Lastly, they reviewed responses to allergies, nosebleeds, minor cuts & injuries, dehydration, hypothermia/frostbite, sun protection.
The session ended with the opportunity for the girl scouts to “interview a professional.” This session was Tourtellot’s favorite part. “Both groups were very interested in PAs and healthcare. They asked great questions,” Tourtellott explained. A central goal of the event was to increase awareness amongst young women and girls on the PA profession. “To see and feel that excitement from potential future colleagues and health care team members is invigorating,” Tourtellott said.
Connecting Across State Lines to Support The Next Generation of PAs
The New York Society of PAs (NYSSPA) held a similar collaboration with the Girl Scouts that inspired MAPA’s First Aid event. NYSSPA member, Deepthi Krishna, designed their event with the goal of engaging girls from diverse backgrounds. In addition to earning their first aid badge, Krishna wanted girl scouts to have the opportunity to learn about the PA profession.
After learning of this program in New York, MAPA Member, Brittany Strelow, PA-C, proposed a similar program for MAPA’s DEI Committee. Strelow connected with Krishna, who shared grant information and event materials from the NYSSPA event. Thanks to this connection, MAPA secured a PAs STEP Up Grant for $2,500 from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) to fund the event.
Additionally, the volunteer support from the MAPA community and the Girl Scouts of the River Valleys staff was instrumental to the event’s success. “We had a phenomenal amount of volunteers sign up,” Tourtellott said. Tourtellott was grateful for the “energy, knowledge, and care” that PAs and PA students brought to the event. “I think the participants felt that and matched it. The participants were very engaged and willing to learn, ask questions, and discuss topics,” she said.
Taking Home More than just a Badge
At the end of the event, each Girl Scout took home their First Aid Badge and a Future PA patch. Tourtellott hopes participants took away even more. “I hope they will recognize “PA” or “physician associate” when they seek medical care and also keep it in mind as they begin to explore career options,” she said. Above all else, Tourtellott said she hopes the girls remember a special day, “where they learned a few first aid things, had new experiences, and most of all had fun!”
