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Margaret Boles, left; Holland Hardison, center; Lizeth Martinez-Lopez, right.
Three College of Health Professions Students Named Geriatric Student Scholars
| When the UAMS Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) selected its Geriatric Student Scholars for 2023-2024, three of the five students were from the College of Health Professions.
Those three students were: Margaret Boles, Holland Hardison and Lizeth Martinez-Lopez.
The purpose of AGEC’s Student Scholars program is to increase health professions students’ interest and exposure to older adults, to improve knowledge of older adults and the specialized care they need and to promote interprofessional collaboration among health professions students.
Margaret Boles is a second-year student in the Physician Assistant Program. Before pursuing PA studies, she worked with a variety of patients in both the outpatient and inpatient settings as a physician assistant.
She grew up in Northeast Texas and is a proud Texas A&M Aggie She has seen the power of encouragement and persistence in the geriatric population as she has helped them overcome physical setbacks. Boles also learned from her experience how necessary clarity is when communicating with elderly patients, and in her rotations. She has already witnessed the importance of the time and sympathy advanced-practice clinicians provide when the physician has limited time.
Holland Hardison is a third-year Doctor of Audiology student at UAMS. She is from Denham Springs, Louisiana, and received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Southeastern Louisiana University.
Through her experiences in the program, she has developed a passion for working with older adults and managing their hearing loss and balance disorders. Holland’s goal is to advocate for all healthcare professionals to provide holistic, patient-centered care for the geriatric population. Her future endeavors include working as a clinical audiologist and continuing to advocate for holistic care for older adults.
Lizeth Martinez-Lopez is a third-year physical therapy student at the UAMS Northwest campus.
She was raised in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, and attended the University of Arkansas, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology.
Outside of studying, Lizeth enjoys dancing to Mexican regional music and playing with her dog named Chiquita. Growing up in a Hispanic household, Lizeth has always been accustomed to a very fast-paced lifestyle and she said her family tends to thrive in chaos. As a first-generation college student, Lizeth has developed a passion for serving underrepresented communities.
Third-year College of Medicine student Melanie Beehler and fourth-year College of Pharmacy student Jasmine Wilson also were chosen as Geriatric Student Scholars for 2023-2024.
The Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative is a program of the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. The collaborative is funded by a Health Resources and Services Administration grant of $3.7 million for a Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program.