College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

A partnership with the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center is immersing University of Dayton pre-health students in a care model that emphasizes treating the whole person, allowing them to gain valuable experience in a clinical setting while learning about the real-life impacts of military service and its health implications.

UD students are shadowing Dayton VA providers in the internal medicine, cardiology, nephrology, dentistry and the emergency departments, among others.

“Access to high-quality experiences like this is an important reason our students stand out during the application process,” said Kate Chesar, pre-health experiential learning coordinator for UD’s Pre-Health Resource Center.

During the past five years, UD students' acceptance rates to medical and physician assistant schools have been about 35% higher than the national average, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

UD students in the Dayton VA job shadowing program attend an orientation to familiarize themselves with the history and culture of the Dayton VA, which has served the health care needs of veterans for nearly 160 years. The Dayton VA provides care to about 45,000 patients annually.

During the 2024 fall orientation, students met with the medical center’s director, Dr. Jennifer DeFrancesco, who discussed the hospital’s service model, where doctors receive a fixed monthly or annual payment per member to provide services. She said this approach enables physicians to deliver care that addresses not only immediate symptoms but also the broader factors affecting a patient’s health.

“The Dayton VA is proud to be part of training our nation’s next generation of doctors, and we are very impressed by these UD students,” DeFrancesco said. “We hope this experience instills in them an understanding of the sacred mission we have here to care for veterans. We hope that we’ve inspired the students to find their calling in health care and serving veterans, as well as the larger Dayton community. I look forward to having them join our team one day as future physicians.”

In alignment with the Marianist educational tradition at the University of Dayton, which emphasizes educating the whole person, the medical center strives to provide holistic care. This commitment includes addressing emotional and social factors influencing patients’ well-being.

“I have seen how holistic and integrated care positively impacts the veterans they serve,” said Andrew Reid, a senior biology major from Kettering, Ohio. “Some patients present with unique treatment needs, while others have complex medical histories. I have learned that building trust and rapport with patients is essential to helping them feel comfortable and enhancing their level of care.”

Reid values the insights he gained while shadowing internal medicine, emergency room and dental providers at the VA last fall. The experience introduced him to clinical learning and the ethical responsibilities and realities of providing compassionate care to veterans who served the country.

“There is a sense of pride and purpose among the VA staff that motivates them to go the extra mile for those they serve,” Reid said. “It has been enlightening to see how honored the staff members feel to serve those who have dedicated their service to our country and to understand the accompanying sense of responsibility and commitment to care. There is a clear culture of respect and a dedicated focus on their mission.

“It has been an honor and privilege to gain insight into the unique needs of veteran patients and the various programs designed to support them. This experience has provided me with perspectives I did not encounter while shadowing health care professionals in private hospitals.”

UD’s Pre-Health Resource Center works diligently to establish and maintain partnerships like the one with the Dayton VA Medical Center. Recently, the resource center added a program to offset transportation costs for students traveling to experiential-learning opportunities off campus.

Another group of students will shadow at the Dayton VA Medical Center this summer, marking the one-year anniversary of the partnership.

“It can be life-changing for students when they can develop real-world connections during their undergraduate experience,” said Elizabeth Rhoads, executive director of the Pre-Health Resource Center. “Community partners like the Dayton VA Medical Center are a critical piece of our Marianist educational experience.”

Top photo: UD pre-health students with Dayton VA Medical Center Director Dr. Jennifer DeFrancesco.

Middle photo: Biology major Andrew Reid with a Dayton VA physician and nurse.