Contestants Engage in Government-Inspired Public Service Challenge

Pediatric Residents at Golisano Children's Hospital Collaborate with Boys & Girls Club of Rochester

The Pediatric Links with the Community (PLC) Program at Golisano Children's Hospital, University of Rochester Medical Center, is a community health initiative aimed at improving the health and well-being of children in the Rochester community.

As part of their training, all pediatric residents at Golisano Children's Hospital participate in a two-week community-based rotation. Some residents choose to participate in the Child Advocacy Resident Education (CARE) Track, which includes an intensive two-week community-based rotation. During these rotations, residents work with a variety of providers at more than 30 different community sites, providing health care, education, and learning how to help underserved children and families.

Recently, more than a dozen pediatric residents were given an Apprentice-style challenge to create a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) for the Boys & Girls Club of Rochester. Dwayne Mahoney, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club, provided guidance for the PSA creation. The video created by the pediatric residents aimed at recruiting more teenagers to the Boys & Girls Club was well-received. In fact, both videos created by the pediatric residents won the friendly competition.

Shawn Brown of the Boys & Girls Club said there are no losers when helping the community. "We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the pediatric residents who participated in this challenge," Brown said. The winning teams earned donations in their honor from the Boys & Girls Club.

The PLC Program is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children in the Rochester community. It provides hands-on experience for pediatric residents in collaborating with community agencies, such as the Boys & Girls Club. This collaboration is helping to create a model of pediatrics that involves collaboration with community-based organizations.

Monroe County District Attorney Michael Green, a long-time supporter of programs like Boys & Girls Club, helped to judge the friendly competition. The PLC Program is part of Golisano Children's Hospital and the University of Rochester Medical Center, and it aims to assure the health of all children and advocate for their needs.

In summary, the PLC program functions as a bridge linking pediatric healthcare with community resources to address medical, developmental, and social needs of children served by Golisano Children’s Hospital. It enhances both clinical outcomes and quality of life in the community by providing hands-on experience for pediatric residents in collaborating with community agencies and advocating for children's needs.