WVU School of Medicine Rural Track students learn about unique health challenges during Nutrition Immersion trip

A trip to the dollar store for fruits and vegetables. A gas station that doubles as a general store for pantry goods. In a world full of one-touch app conveniences, a group of West Virginia University medical students recently immersed themselves in a rural food desert experience, and they say the empathy they learned is just what the doctor ordered.

The students visited Pocahontas County as part of a rural nutrition immersion trip. The trips expose students to specific health issues facing West Virginians, but also many other patients throughout the country, according to Treah Haggerty, M.D., M.S., associate professor and director of the Rural Scholars Program.

“Our students walk away with a better understanding of communities, cultures, health systems, and resources that impact their patients,” Dr. Haggerty said. “It helps to illustrate an issue in a way that really resonates with our students.”

Pocahontas County is one of the state’s premier tourism regions, home to resorts, skiing and hiking, but with a population of just under 8,000 people, quick access to nutritious foods can be a challenge. In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture deems the area as one of several low-access food areas in West Virginia.

Food deserts are defined as an area with limited access to fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods. Throughout the weekend trip, students visited Cass, Greenbank and Arbovale.

“The trip opened my eyes to some of the challenges the patients I’m going to be taking care of could be facing that aren’t necessarily centered around medicine,” said Austin Goncz, a second-year medical student. “For instance, when we were in Arborvale, the only places to conveniently shop were at a gas station that doubled as a general store and a Dollar General.”

Through various didactic sessions and experiential learning opportunities, students were introduced to resources and skills for improving their future patients’ diets. This included a discussion about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Students were then challenged to purchase and prepare a meal from local stores based off a budget a patient receiving SNAP benefits might face.

“Students gain an understanding of the possible barriers patients may face in their communities,” Haggerty said. “Some parts of our state have limited access and disparities that could prevent them from being able to access the recommendations we prescribe them as physicians. It challenges us as providers to be able to think empathetically to provide customized recommendations based on an individual.”

According to SNAP, a single person currently receives around $250 per month as part of the program, averaging to about $2.50 per meal. Students were tasked with purchasing and cooking a nutritious meal for 18 students and faculty members with $45.

“It was very difficult and challenged me to think through reading labels and how to get the most out of limited resources,” said Taylor Rice, a second-year medical student from Richmond, Virginia.

For Rice participating in the trip was an opportunity to gain hands-on experience outside of the classroom.

“The trip provided me with ways to be creative and ask questions to better understand a patient and how to best serve their needs,” Rice said. “Anywhere you practice in the future, you’re going to be providing care for rural patients because they may have to travel to you. The Rural Track prepares us so well to care for people of different backgrounds.”

The Rural Track program collaborated with WVU Medical Weight Management to develop the immersion experience. The trip was funded by the WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health.

Along with the Nutrition Immersion trip, students in the Rural Track program also participate in rural immersion trips focused on recreational tourism and healthcare as well as health disparities and unique challenges faced by those living in rural West Virginia.

For more information on the Rural Track program visit medicine.wvu.edu/rural-track-program/.

-WVU-

cno 1/31/23

MEDIA CONTACT:

Cassie Thomas

Director of Communications

School of Medicine

304-293-3412

cassie.thomas@hsc.wvu.edu