New York Times, AOL and other media outlets feature COM's "Learning by Living" geriatrics program

The New York Times on Aug. 24, 2009 and AOL Health on Sept. 13 featured the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine's program of immersing medical students interested in geriatrics into nursing homes as residents for two weeks to get a patient's view of geriatric care. The three-quarters-page Times story included photos and a five-minute online video. The “Learning by Living” project was designed and piloted by Marilyn Gugliucci, Ph.D, COM director of geriatric education and research, in 2005.  The Times story and video focused on 38-year-old UNE medical student Kristen Murphy, who spent 10 days as a resident of Sarah Neuman Center for Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Mamaroneck, N.Y. The story was the third most emailed Times story on the day of publication. The AOL story focused on Murphy and Viki Johnson, MSII, who spent 10 days at Highlands Long Term Care Center in Fitchburg, Mass. The stories on the program were also picked up by several online media, including the AARPBulletinToday, the Herald Tribune, Gainesville Sun, and The Tuscaloosa News. On Aug. 25th, Murphy was interviewed about her experience by KCBS, a San Francisco radio station. On Aug. 31st, Gugliucci and Johnson, MS II, were interviewed by Virginia Prescott of New Hampshire Public Radio's "Word of Mouth" program. Johnson discussed her experiences as a resident of a different nursing home this summer. More on the "Learning by Living" program.

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The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.