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Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University Medical Center students met at Vanderbilt Fieldhouse for a soccer exhibition between the intitutions.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Students from Meharry Medical College (MMC) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) gathered Oct. 14 for a soccer exhibition at the Vanderbilt Fieldhouse. The game – which was organized by Adam Evans, a medical student at Meharry, and David Tovar, an MD/PhD student at Vanderbilt – sought to increase interactions between the schools.
“We both have soccer clubs,” Tovar commented, “so it just seemed like a natural fit to bring the two groups together.”
Evans agreed. “I wanted to organize the soccer game because I figured that it would be a great segue towards building a relationship between the two schools,” he said.
Students from both institutions expressed an interest in collaborative, student-led activities. This prompted Tovar to contact Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance (MVA) Executive Director Consuelo H. Wilkins, MD, MSCI for possibilities. Meharry students also visited the Alliance office to learn how they could be more involved.
That initial enthusiasm paved the way for a dinner meeting sponsored by the Meharry-Vanderbilt Student Alliance (MVSA) on Sept. 19 to discuss ideas for the 2016-17 academic year.
October’s game was the first time both schools met on the soccer field and the first MVSA activity of the academic year. The original idea was an annual exhibition, but both Evans and Tovar are considering increasing that to twice a year.
“My initial intention was an annual game,” Evans explained, “but people have been asking to hold it more regularly, so I am considering a spring game as well.”
“This was the first time, so it’s still evolving,” Tovar added.
The game was a close one. Vanderbilt narrowly won 4-3, holding back a late push from Meharry until time ran out.
“It really came down to the wire,” Tovar said. “It was intense, but everything was civil. It was a really great time.”
For more information about the Meharry-Vanderbilt Student Alliance, contact MVA Program Coordinator Kim Avant at kim.avant@meharry-vanderbilt.org, MVA Director of Planning and Community Engagement Elisa Friedman, MS at elisa.c.friedman@meharry-vanderbilt.org or call the MVA office at 615-963-2820.
About the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance
Founded in 1999, the Alliance bridges the institutions of Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Its mission is to enrich learning and advance clinical research in three primary areas -- community engagement, interprofessional education and research -- by developing and supporting mutually beneficial partnerships between Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the communities they serve. Through community engagement, the Alliance serves a large community of stakeholders including surrounding universities and colleges, community organizations, faith-based outlets and community health centers. Its interprofessional education enhances students' interdisciplinary understanding and improves patient outcomes through integrated care. The research conducted provides access to experienced grant writers and materials supporting the grant application process and facilitates grant-writing workshops.