Baystate Health's Student Volunteer Corps—UMass medical students in Baystate's PURCH track and other health professions students—is actively engaged in COVID-related and other efforts at Baystate facilities and in the community.
COVID-19 Tracking
Students are assisting faculty members Drs. Sarah Haessler and Mihaela Stefan with COVID-19 contact tracing and the development of a registry for Baystate Health.
Supporting Isolated Elders
Working with Greater Springfield Senior Services, students make phone calls to isolated elders. Each student is assigned a “buddy” to check in with weekly.
They are also working with Armbrook Village to do in-person, physically distant meet-and-greets with elders at the dementia-friendly facility in Westfield.
"Read-Alouds" for Children
To support Springfield Public Schools, recordings of the students reading books are being distributed to grade school children. The plan is to share them with Baystate Children’s Hospital patients as well.
Community Gardening
At Gardening the Community in Springfield students are planting seeds, developing garden beds, and clearing out overgrown areas to support nutritious, locally grown options for community members.
Updating Baystate's Employee COVID Resource Guide
Students are updating the Employee Resource Guide with social service and COVID-related resources. It is also shared with the greater community through Baystate Health's Community Benefits Advisory Council groups.