University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix Mask-Quaraders

In today's era of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing, medical students are trying to find ways to help in any way they can. The medical students at The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix (UA COMP) are no different. MS1s at UA COMP have banded together to create a group of students who are doing their part during the COVID-19 pandemic by helping to create PPE for healthcare workers. We create homemade cloth masks and face shields that healthcare workers can place over their N95 masks. We have distributed over 500 masks to many different hospitals and clinics, such as Banner Good Samaritan, Banner University Medical Center, The Phoenix VA, Banner Thunderbird, Veterinary Clinics, and various different blood donation locations. We have also raised over $500 dollars to fund our efforts via a Go Fund Me Campaign.

There are many students involved in this project and they are all helping out in different ways. There are students who are purchasing supplies, students who are fundraising, students who are cutting and preparing fabric and materials, students who are doing the sewing and creation of the masks, students who are reaching out to hospitals to determine if they need masks, and students who are physically going to hospitals and clinics to drop off the masks. 

The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix has been supportive and encouraging of our efforts. They are providing students who participate in this endeavor with volunteer credit hours through their Community Health Initiative Program and helping to put us in contact with hospitals who need masks. All of the work is done by maintaining social distance guidelines. It truly is a collaborative effort. We are doing what we can, with what we have, where we are.