OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Graduate Students Are Part of Pioneering Care at the OHSU CAIRE Clinic
In an era where the medical community races to keep pace with the evolving challenges of Infection Associated Chronic Conditions (IACCs), our graduate students are helping with efforts to manage one of the post-pandemic’s perplexing repercussions: long COVID. Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) launched its Long COVID-19 Clinic in 2021 as the world was grappling with the pandemic’s relentless surge and the initial rollout of vaccines. This clinic was established as a beacon of hope for those suffering from the long-term effects of COVID-19, known as long COVID. These symptoms have baffled patients and healthcare professionals alike, with their persistent, often debilitating, nature.
In a recent feature on OPB’s Think Out Loud, Nurse Navigator Jen Arnold (MPH-Health Promotion student), alongside Dr. Aluko Hope, professor in the Department of Medicine and the Medical Director of the CAIRE Program (Critical and Acute Illness Recovery and Engagement) at OHSU, shared insights into the clinic’s groundbreaking work. In addition to Arnold, graduate students like primary Physical Therapist Noriko Yamaguchi (PhD – Community Health), Olivia Ainsworth (PhD – Community Health), Sydoney Blackmore (MPH/MSW ’25), Nikita Ikirezi (MPH – Health Promotion), and Alex Gill (MPH – Health Promotion), have been at the forefront of understanding the community needs of both healthcare providers and patients navigating the long-lasting impacts of COVID-19.
This recognition by OPB highlights the significant impact of our graduate students in addressing current public health challenges. Our graduate students’ dedication to their work at the OHSU CAIRE Clinic exemplifies the ethos of our public health program, emphasizing practical engagement and the pursuit of solutions to pressing health issues.