Last weekend, Vanderbilt Radiology attendings, trainees and staff volunteered their time in support of the 25th anniversary of Hands on Nashville Day.
Hands on Nashville, a Middle Tennessee-based non-profit organization, coordinates service opportunities to support and benefit local non-profits and public education systems.
Dr. Andrea Birch, Associate Professor and Associate Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and second-year diagnostic radiology resident Dr. Erik Landman assembled a team of Vanderbilt Radiology volunteers for participation in Hands on Nashville Day at Glendale Spanish Immersion Elementary School.
“Community service is a great way for us as physicians and physicians-in-training to step outside the medical arena and help our local community with their social needs as well,” said Dr. Landman. “It is important for us as an institution to be visible in our community and we, as a department, look forward to continuing our philanthropic efforts in the future.”
From 8:30 a.m. to noon, Vanderbilt Radiology volunteers were hard at work cleaning and painting hallways, and laying mulch on the school’s playground.
“As radiologists, our work is often accomplished in a dark room, and sometimes with little patient interaction,” said Dr. Birch. “Painting and mulching at Glendale provide us with an opportunity to be visible and accountable; and to support our community, building bridges, in a tangible and meaningful way. At the end of the day, what we all confirmed is that with a collaborative spirit we can all be the change that makes our community a better place.”
In total, more than 1,500 volunteers from various organizations across the Nashville area, including Vanderbilt Radiology, participated in service opportunities at 25 metro Nashville public schools for Hands on Nashville Day.
“It was a wonderful experience of team work and giving back,” added Rich Pierce, Department of Radiology Chief of Finance and Administration. “It was a great opportunity to bond with our colleagues, and to make valuable contributions to our neighbors and new friends in the community.”
For additional information on Hands on Nashville, and to participate in the organization’s future service opportunities, click here.
