Housing & Student Activities

	Driving Directions to St. Joseph's Hospital and Buckhannon

Housing Overview
The St. Joseph's Hospital RHEP site maintains two student housing options, one in Buckhannon (Uphsur County), and one in Elkins (Randolph County) that are free to students. At both locations, we provide all bed linens, pillows and blankets; towels; dishes, pots, pans, and silverware; a microwave oven, stove, coffee maker and refrigerator; a TV & VCR, clock radios, telephone, and washer and dryer. Smoking is prohibited in both the Buckhannon house and the Elkins apartment. Pets are also prohibited at both locations.

Elkins The student apartment in Elkins is a 2nd floor walk-up with a living room, eat-in kitchen, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. The apartment accommodates five students comfortably. It is within short driving distance from Davis Memorial Hospital and most all of the private practice rotation sites, clinics, and service agencies in Randolph and Barbour counties. Elkins apartment telephone number,  636 - 6051. Students should bring a calling card for long distance calls.

Buckhannon A new house was rented in May of 1998 to accommodate students completing rotations in the Buckhannon/Weston area. It is a large, three bedroom home with two full bathrooms, a roomy living room and kitchen, full sized deck and front porch, and even a  jacuzzi! The house accommodates seven students comfortably and is located within a short distance from St. Joseph's Hospital. Drive-time to Weston, Rock Cave, and Helvetia is approximately 30 minutes. Buckhannon  house telephone number 473 -1709. Students should bring a calling card for long distance calls. Otherwise, all utilities are paid.  Students with special housing needs should contact the Site Coordinator.

*For students completing Psychiatry rotations at Sharpe Hospital in Weston, an apartment is provided within the hospital facility. Students rotating there should contact Sharon Franklin at 269-1201, extension 401 to make housing arrangements. Please contact the RHEP site Coordinator upon arrival at Sharpe.

Access to student housing can be obtained by contacting the Site Coordinator or Site Secretary 
at (304) 473 - 2074. At this time, an orientation to the RHEP program and rural rotation site will also be scheduled to take place during the first week of the clinical rotation.

Student Activities
During their rural rotations, RHEP  students take part in activities which are designed to complement the clinical portion of their learning experience, The rural curriculum includes 80% clinical teaching and 20% problem-based instruction, community outreach, and research.

Interdisciplinary sessions (IDS), take place weekly. These sessions bring students from various disciplines and rotation sites together with professionals to examine case studies from a cooperative, problem-based perspective. Usually held on Fridays from 12:00pm to 2:00pm, the IDS topics may cover virtually any health-related concept. St. Joseph's Hospital hosts the majority of sessions. Students rotating at St. Joseph's Hospital or at Davis Memorial Hospital may also take part in Medical Staff  In-service meetings.

Community service projects bring students closer to the rural populations they serve while on site. Projects can range from health screenings to presentations on alcohol abuse and domestic violence. The Site Coordinator organizes these, but students are encouraged to develop their own projects for approval.

Research activities also are community-based. Students may take part in formal and informal surveys and projects, or create their own projects to learn more about the health concerns of the local community.