Penn Medicine News Blog Archive: Community

"Imagine the sound of this gong is like a rocket ship that can send messages up to your loved one," said drummer Josh Robinson, "take 10 seconds to think of your message, and when I ring the gong, it'll reach your loved one." This therapeutic music class was one of...

Penn Medicine faculty, staff, and students shared their love and knowledge of biomedical science with families, students, and the general public at a dozen events during the 2013 Philadelphia Science Festival.

“I want to put trauma doctors out of business.” Rhonda Holmstrom, Trauma Outpatient & Injury Prevention Coordinator, says this with a smile, knowing it’s not a realistic goal, but she –- and other members of the trauma team at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -– are reaching out...

It's Monday afternoon after another warm, sunny weekend here in Philadelphia, and that familiar reddish tint of sunburn is on faces all around me. As we emerge from a particularly gloomy and cold winter, people have been embracing every opportunity to spend time outside, but we're apparently out of practice...

Penn’s signature event at the 3rd annual Philadelphia Science Festival next week is a sure sign of the times. “Big Ideas: Funding and Innovation” draws on current themes and reminders of where the bright ideas really come from.

Penn Medicine will play a starring role in the Philadelphia Science Festival again this year. The Festival is a citywide collaboration showcasing science and technology every April. This year it runs from April 19 - 28, 10 days to celebrate the region’s strengths in science and technology, bringing together more than 100 partners from academia to museums to restaurants.

Officially our nation’s first hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital has been a stalwart pillar of its surrounding Philadelphia community since its founding in 1751. No wonder than, with over two and a half centuries of history and continuous service behind it, the hospital inspires its employees to “give back” to the community....

Last week, a fleet of community health workers fanned out to help patients in need of some extra support, as part of an ambitious new Penn Medicine program that brings relatable neighbors and peers on board to help vulnerable Penn Medicine patients navigate the medical system and address underlying causes of illness.

The Center for Brain Injury and Repair will again participate in Science Day at the Ball Park, as part of the 2013 Philadelphia Science Festival

What do the songs “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees and “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen have in common? And – what could they possibly have to do with health care or saving lives? Well, as it so happens, both songs have a steady rhythm of 100 beats...

“The needs that call Penn Medicine to action in the community are profound. Twenty-five percent of Philadelphians live in poverty – that’s nearly 400,000 adults and children – and one in seven city residents have no health insurance. Hunger and homelessness remain, still, throughout the city. These societal problems only...

Roy Hamilton, MD, assistant professor of Neurology and director of Pipeline Initiatives for the Perelman School of Medicine's Council for Diversity and Inclusion, has cultivated a handful of education and outreach programs that extend from high school through medical school and residency. Through exposure, mentorship, and education, his efforts are helping to prepare students before they get to the next step, so they can anticipate and succeed along the way. For all his efforts to educate and help young people advance to next stage of their career , Dr. Hamilton recently was awarded the 2013 University's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Award for Community Service.

The Pennsylvania HeartRescue Project, led by the Center for Resuscitation Science in Penn’s department of Emergency Medicine, has partnered with the American Heart Association and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Emergency Medical Services to form the “Lend A Hand, Save a Life” CPR Challenge, which launched last month and will continue through late May. The initiative aims to train 250,000 people across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The new year frequently brings with it resolutions to improve our lives. And the two goals topping most people’s lists are losing weight and getting more exercise. Every January, gyms suddenly become more crowded and weight-loss programs see significant increases in membership. Diet aid apps are downloaded by the thousands....

Later this week, a cast of 15 local actors and actresses will take to the stage at The Playground @ The Adrienne Theater in Center City to share a story of one woman’s journey through life, and cancer. The Healing, billed as “a story of love, fame, hurt, and healing”,...

Taking a look back, 2012 has been a year marked by breakthroughs in medical research, system-wide growth, and landmark philanthropic support for Penn Medicine. As we set our sights on the year ahead, we also celebrate the past year's accomplishments and give thanks to the outstanding faculty, staff, and students...

No one wants to be in the hospital, but being there during the holidays –- away from family and friends -– makes a difficult situation even harder. That’s why staff at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania go out of their way to bring the holiday spirit into patient...

Nathan Francis Mossell, MD, the first black student in Penn’s School of Medicine, received his medical degree in 1882. On his first day, he later wrote, he was “accompanied by a storm of protest” as his fellow incoming students sounded their displeasure. “I was not perturbed in the least,” wrote...

As a Digital Communications Editor, much — if not all — of my typical day is spent behind a keyboard in a regular office separate from our clinical facilities. For someone who is relatively new to Penn Medicine, this can create issues of scale. You’re told from the very beginning...

UCHCFrom providing screenings for high blood pressure in West Philadelphia barber shops to arming women who are recovering from addiction with the skills to build new lives with their children, Penn Medicine’s employees reach far beyond our campus community to help, care for, and inspire people to improve their health. Each year since 2007, Penn Medicine has highlighted the work of its faculty, staff and students in Philadelphia and its neighboring communities in Simply Because. Last year’s book is full of the faces and stories of everyone who comes together to be part of these programs.