Nursing Students Talk Vaccine Efforts At Rowan College Town Hall

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — More than 18,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered at Rowan University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) since distribution of the vaccine began in December, according to Rowan College of Burlington County.

The site is staffed by Rowan College at Burlington County Nursing students and faculty, offers the Moderna vaccine, and operates like a well-oiled machine, officials said.

The streamlined process involves checking in with a greeter when you initially arrive, getting your temperature checked and scheduling your second appointment all before receiving the vaccine.

Students Lee Cohen and Lauren Wolicki will join Dr. Joshua Coren, of Rowan University’s SOM, and RCBC Dean of Health Sciences Dr. Karen Montalto to share their experiences on the college’s next Facebook Town Hall at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Coren wears multiple hats at Rowan University as the Interim Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs; the Chair and Professor of the Department of Family Medicine; and the Director of Continuing Medical Education. He emphasized the benefits of Nursing students working in a collaborative environment and interacting with the public while increasing their skill sets at the vaccination site.

“We’re seeing nursing students, medical students and faculty from both schools working side-by-side,” Coren said. “This is exactly what you hope to see. These teams working together to accomplish one goal, and that’s to get shots in arms.”

Cohen, who’s taught middle school biology in Mount Laurel for the past 26 years, has volunteered at Rowan SOM since January. She feels a renewed sense of purpose in this new calling.

“It’s almost indescribable,” Cohen said. “It’s a feeling that I’m part of history and making people safe. It’s just a really good feeling.”

Wolicki, who previously earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and comes from a long line of nurses, commented that volunteering to administer vaccines has reaffirmed her decision to switch career paths. She’s currently a 3+1 Nursing student at Rowan College at Burlington County.

“Being able to step in as a student and take some of the burden off of healthcare workers who are so taxed right now was a big factor for me,” Wolicki said. “I will remember forever that I was a part of this — albeit a small part — but a part of the solution.”

To learn more about Rowan’s vaccination center, visit rowanmedicine.com/vaccine. To learn more about RCBC’s 3+1 Nursing program, visit rcbc.edu/3plus1/nursing.