On Thursday, May 23, 2024, Palm Beach County Medical Society Services (PBCMS) presented Palm Beach State College with the Community Hero Award at the 21st annual Heroes in Medicine Awards ceremony in Boynton Beach. The awards honor people and organizations throughout Palm Beach County who use their skills and resources to provide outstanding services. Proceeds from the event benefit Project Access, which provides health care for low income or uninsured residents of Palm Beach County.
As the leading educator of healthcare professionals within the county, PBSC was honored for its integral role within Palm Beach County. With 30 health science programs and 5,800 graduates of those programs in the last decade, PBSC graduates form the backbone of Palm Beach County’s healthcare workforce. “Anyone who has received health care in Palm Beach County is likely to have encountered a PBSC graduate, from first responders such as firefighters or paramedics treating at the scene or nurses, respiratory therapists, medical imaging or surgical technologists working in a healthcare facility,” said PBSC Dean, Health Sciences Edward Willey. “It is an honor to be recognized for the competent, compassionate care our faculty and our students provide to patients in Palm Beach County.”
PBSC’s central role within the community it serves is evidenced by the numerous partnerships the College has with healthcare providers. PBSC has relationships with more than 100 hospitals and medical facilities, which accept PBSC students for clinical rotations or internships. “We could not be successful without the invaluable support of outstanding clinical, hospital and other care setting partners and all of the individuals within the community who support our students,” Willey said.
PBCMS, a non-profit dedicated to improving the community’s health, recognized the College’s integral role within Palm Beach County by awarding PBSC the Community Hero Award. According to PBCMS, the award honors an institution, individual or professional who has devoted time, skills, and resources to assist others and contributed to the betterment of health care.
One of the many ways PBSC helps to improve the health of County residents is through its Give Kids a Smile initiative which provides free preventive dental treatment by students currently enrolled in the Dental Hygiene Associate in Science degree program under the direct supervision of clinical faculty. PBSC has donated ventilators and other medical supplies, helping the community meet the demand for durable medical equipment. Currently under construction at the Loxahatchee Groves campus is a high-tech $50 million Dental & Medical Services Technology building. At the Lake Worth campus, the Center of Excellence in Medical Simulation is undergoing a transformation that will offer medical simulation training for future nurses that is essential for their careers.
– Kerry Capell, Palm Beach State College News
Source: Palm Beach State College wins Heroes in Medicine award
