By: Caitlin Jones, 10th Quarter UWS Doctor of Chiropractic and Sports Medicine student
Welcome to Portland Q3 doctor of chiropractic (DC) students! If you aren’t already here, I hope that you are excited to make the move and to finally have some in-person classes on campus. It will definitely make being in the DC program more real when you start working on your adjusting skills in a classroom setting. You can also get treated at the campus health center by upper quarter students and get to know the clinicians that you’ll be working with when you get to clinic.
To help with the transition to campus life, here are some top things to prepare for:
- Move to Portland! If you aren’t already here, be sure to reach out to admissions for advice on where to look for housing in the area. The admissions team and some of the student ambassadors have been active on your group’s Facebook page with ideas, so be sure to check them out. You can also check out UWS Switchboard to see if any of your classmates are looking for roommates too!
- Explore Portland. There are some great places to explore and still remain COVID safe. There are a ton of local restaurants, hikes and neighborhoods to explore. Some of the best walkable neighborhoods are Mississippi, Alberta and the Pearl district. There are some great hikes within an hour of Portland along the Columbia River Gorge, up to Mount Hood, and out to the coast such as Cannon Beach and Astoria. There are also great outdoor spaces within Portland at Pittock Mansion, Powell Butte and Mt. Tabor. Keep an eye out for a blog coming up on great places to visit while you’re here!
- How to get to campus. You have the option for either a TriMet pass to use public transportation or a parking pass. TriMet passes can be picked up at the front desk. Parking is $35 a quarter and you’ll have the first week to pick up your pass from the front desk. So, don’t worry about getting a ticket on your first day! An email will be sent out with a link to the commute declaration where you can opt for either a parking or a public transportation pass. You can find the declaration form here.
- ID Badge. You’ll receive an ID badge your first day which you’ll need to wear on campus. You’ll also need it to get into the building past the front desk and into certain rooms like the second floor study room.
- COVID-19 precautions. I hope you know this already, but if you are feeling sick, please stay home! If you’re feeling great, then come to campus with your mask that is to be worn over your mouth and nose at all times. There are hand sanitizing stations in every room and all over campus. Please wash and sanitize your hands frequently throughout the day. There are only two places to eat on campus: the student commons and the mindful eating space. Social distancing is also incredibly important to help stop the spread. There are many signs on campus to help remind everyone to keep some space.
- Standard Process Student Commons. A great open space with a variety of seating and lots of microwaves. This is also where the Spinal Tap coffee kiosk and campus store is located. There you can grab meals, snacks and some much-needed caffeine. They also have a variety of things such as mobility tools, UWS gear, educational books and study tools and more.
- Library. I know you all have spine models, but our library has a ton of resources for you! They have individual bone models including real bones and extremities. There are also books and the helpful library staff who can assist you with your research. In case you didn’t know, while you’re a student at UWS, you have access to some very expensive resources like Dynamed, Pubmed, SPORTDiscus and Natural Medicines. The staff are wizards at pointing you in the right direction for your research so be sure to utilize them!
- Student Navigator. Have a question and not sure where to go? Check out the Student Navigator and it can point you in the right direction.
- Student clubs. All clubs are currently meeting virtually, so you don’t even need to wait until next quarter to get involved! Joining student clubs are one of the best things you can do as a student. You meet other people and learn different techniques from upper quarter students. It really helps you to connect the things we learn and gives you enough chiropractic practice to help get you through the basic science courses you’re in. There are a ton of clubs to join so be sure to check out the list in the Weekly Vitals and follow the individual clubs Facebook and Instagram pages to get their Zoom links.
- Make an appointment at the campus health center! As a student, you’re provided chiropractic care at the campus clinic. Just call 503-255-6771 to schedule an appointment. The clinic is amazing, because you get to see what you’re going to learn at UWS. You’ll make connections with upper quarter students, the clinicians you’ll be working with, and best of all, get chiropractic treatment! We have all of the physical therapy modalities like laser light therapy and therapeutic ultrasound as well as a brand-new rehab room with tons of great equipment. It’s a great experience treatment-wise as well as a learning opportunity.
We are really looking forward to having you join us on campus and if you have any questions, please reach out to admissions, post on your Facebook group page, or feel free to reach out to me at caijones@students.uws.edu.
See you in March!