Healing Feet on the Run

“It was a great learning opportunity,” said third-year student Lauren Chan. “It opened my eyes to the athlete patient population and the challenges they face. It was also a really great way to give back and represent NYCPM and Touro University.”
The day began at 8 a.m. with an orientation before the students started working in a tent designated for runners with minor injuries. This real-world experience, organized by Dr. Loretta Logan, Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Sciences and Biomechanics at NYCPM, gave the future podiatrists invaluable opportunities to put their training into practice while providing critical care to athletes.

Fast Track to Real-World Medicine

For second-year student Megan Nguyen, the day began with assembling ice bags and preparing supplies for the wave of athletes soon to arrive. Nguyen described the atmosphere as both chaotic and inspiring, and she was deeply impressed by the resilience she witnessed.
“One girl twisted her ankle at the halfway mark and ran an entire half marathon on it,” she said.
Nguyen also found the experience critical to her career in medicine. “It was an incredibly fast-paced environment where you’re dealing with patients, many of whom are so exhausted they can’t really speak,” she explained. “You need to diagnose injuries quickly. I think those were skills I developed during this experience that I don’t always get to practice in the patient clinic.”
Third-year student Nadeen Matari emphasized the variety of cases they encountered. While some runners only required water or electrolytes, others needed bandaging for abrasions, treatment for muscle cramps, or assistance with locked joints. “It’s different from clinic work,” she said. “In the marathon setting, you’re not just treating injuries; you’re stabilizing people physically and emotionally so they can celebrate their achievement.”

The Essence of Community

Jill Schuldt, a third-year student at NYCPM who also teaches anatomy at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, described the experience as “life-altering.” Schuldt, who worked as a chiropractor before joining NYCPM, highlighted the collaborative nature of the event.
“You treat people from all over the world—of all abilities and ages,” Schuldt said. “It wasn’t just blisters and soreness; we helped someone who was going into shock, and others who had nutritional deficits. We worked with all different kinds of healthcare practitioners. It’s the whole essence of community: helping others in need no matter what the need is.”
For Chan, the marathon was an excellent complement to her in-class learning. “Part of our curriculum involves sports medicine, including shoe wear and lower extremity injuries,” she explained. “We learn it in the classroom, and at the marathon, we saw it in real life. It helped me understand that we’re going to have patients in the future who are training for events like this. Now I know more about what goes into the lead-up to the event and the significance of a marathon like this. It gave me a greater understanding of the care my future patients will need.”
Nguyen said that the most rewarding moment came at the end of the day when she had the opportunity to present medals to some of the elderly runners.
“It was such an incredible feat for them to run the race,” Nguyen said. “When we gave them their medals, many of them were brought to tears. It was a long day for everyone, and it was a really nice way to end it.”