RUMFORD — Four doctors cleaned the Greater Rumford Community Center on Wednesday afternoon as part of their training to learn what resources are available to their patients.
Among the chores done by James Flannery, Kathryn Mclellan and Jennifer Hanson, all of Swift River Family Medicine, and Sarah Kelley-Spearing of Rumford Hospital were sweeping and washing wrestling mats and washing the hardwood floor underneath.
“It’s to better understand the patients and the resources that are available to them, and it’s also to give back to them because they contribute to our education,” Mclellan said. “The four of us are training physicians and we’re finishing medical school. We’re in residency and so part of our training is volunteer work throughout the community.”
Flannery added, “When you’re working in the hospital and you tell people to get exercise … if you don’t actually know what resources they have, it’s kind of a hollow prescription.” He said seeing the center was important for him and the rest of the group.
The doctors were joined by Sharon Rickard, administrator for family medicine at Rumford Hospital; Dr. Stephanie Sinclair, Rumford Hospital and Elsemore Dixfield Family Medicine; and Ashley Derouche, medical assistant at Swift River Family Medicine.
Throughout the year doctors doing their residency training lead the Walk with a Doc program at Hosmer Field. Some work as ski patrolers at Black Mountain in Rumford.
In Auburn, they cleaned up along the Riverwalk and painted the New Beginnings group home in Lewiston and held a free clinic there. They also held a clinic for refugees resettling in Lewiston and Auburn.
This fall they will assist at the Dempsey Challenge.
