Clemson, MUSC crew as much as ship digital psychological well being symposium

Clemson, MUSC crew as much as ship digital psychological well being symposium

Lesslie Pekarek


Lesslie Pekarek, director of medical providers at Clemson, helped lead practically 100 professionals from throughout the nation in a psychological well being symposium in Could 2023.

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Clemson College and the Medical College of South Carolina (MUSC) hosted their first annual Collegiate Psychological Well being Symposium on Could 15. Offered by Precision Genetics, this digital occasion introduced collectively well-being leaders and psychological well being professionals from throughout the nation to debate the impression of the psychological well being disaster on faculty campuses.

The practically 100 attendees represented a variety of execs in increased schooling: well being middle administrators, medical administrators, physicians, counseling middle administrators, psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, public well being professionals, well being educators, well-being officers and rather more.

Following a welcome from Vice President for Scholar Affairs and Dean of College students Chris Miller, the symposium hosts had been launched – three people devoted to scholar well being and well-being at Clemson:

  • Lesslie Pekarek, M.D. – Director of Medical Providers, Scholar Well being Providers, Clemson
  • Birma Gainor, Ph.D. – Director of Counseling and Psychological Providers, Scholar Well being Providers, Clemson
  • Christopher Pelic, M.D. – Well being and Wellness Chief and Tenured Professor of Psychiatry, MUSC; Employees Psychiatrist, Scholar Well being Providers, Clemson

Through the periods, attendees engaged in conversations surrounding finest practices and efficient options on mitigating psychological well being considerations on faculty campuses. Outcomes from a presurvey guided the symposium subjects, which included finest practices for high-risk sufferers, scope of apply and authorized challenges, and ranging approaches to disaster administration.

A keynote deal with was delivered by Jennifer Jones, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist and medical researcher at MUSC. Jones spoke on medical research and scientific developments in psychedelic use in psychiatric situations, significantly highlighting the medical science of the compounds psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine.

The symposium hosts and various group of people in attendance fostered an environment conducive to knowledge-sharing and help, really uniting all within the effort to assist college students thrive in faculty and past. The care and concern shared by the group for faculty scholar psychological well being and well-being was evident.

“The digital Collegiate Psychological Well being Symposium was a wonderful instance of the necessity for constant, strong dialogue about problems with concern relating to faculty psychological well being,” stated Director of Counseling and Psychological Providers Birma Gainor. “The number of attendees, from function to location, solely bolstered how essential fostering dialog and data sharing could be for campuses. Working collectively has by no means felt so crucial.”

Related sentiments had been shared by occasion attendees.

“It was affirming to be in an area with colleagues who’re experiencing related struggles,” stated Marguerite O’Brien, director of LiveWell at Coastal Carolina College. “The presenters supplied attention-grabbing information and actionable concepts. Attending the symposium has given me some good concepts and a lift as we transfer into summer time planning and await the arrival of our incoming college students.”