By Frank Couch
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Anesthesia Pathway student John Park, BSN, RN, has been selected as a Student Advocate for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Foundation.
Student Advocates serve as a liaison between the Foundation and each student’s respective nurse anesthesia program. They attend quarterly meetings and provide their colleagues with information from the foundation, including research/academic scholarships and awards, upcoming fundraisers and events and mentorship opportunities.
Park said his passion for advancing the science of anesthesia through education and research is one of the key reasons he sought to join the program. He is committed to extending all of the resources available through the AANA Foundation to his collogues to make sure other students’ education and research needs are met.
“I look forward to understanding how the AANA Foundation influences the CRNA and SRNA community on the state and national level,” Park said, adding that he looks forward to sharing meeting highlights with colleagues to maximize educational, leadership and scholarship opportunities for everyone. “I am committed to fostering an environment that keeps UAB’s Nurse Anesthesia students’ spirt of inquiry and learning alive.”
As a member of the Student Advocate Program, Park hopes to bring awareness to research scholarships and grants that can alleviate financial hardships, and he hopes to encourage attendance at state and national conferences to heighten awareness of current health care topics. The program also provides opportunities to network with CRNA programs nationwide and to establish mentor relationships with CRNA leadership. These opportunities are additional ways Park hopes his participation will have a positive impact on the UAB School of Nursing’s Nurse Anesthesia pathway.
