When spring break rolls around, some college students bolt for Boca, frolic in Fort Lauderdale, or camp out in Cancun.

But during the 2005 Pitt spring break, 14 members of the University’s Pre-Medical Organization for Minority Students (POMS) left for Logan, W.Va., where they spent their break volunteering their time to provide medical screenings and healthcare counseling to older residents and mentor local high school students.

Logan—the epitome of an underserved, rural U.S. town—is distinctive in being home to proportionately more seniors than reside in many Florida cities, but also to a large number of young people.

Pitt premedical students’ efforts spanned this generation gap. POMS members visited community health centers frequented by seniors, performing blood pressure readings, blood glucose tests, and urine analyses; they also counseled seniors about their health histories and concerns about diet and medication. The Pitt students talked with Logan high school students about how to prepare for college and make the most of their opportunities.

POMS members who went on the West Virginia trip included (pictured standing, from left) biological sciences major Aieshya Dixon, molecular biology major Maneisha Patel, microbiology major Anneka Johnson, molecular biology major Veronica Jarido, psychology major Marita Garrett, and psychology major Aria Lans. Kneeling is psychology major Samuella Scott. Lans is a junior; all of the other students are sophomores.

Three POMS graduating seniors, not pictured in the group photo, also participated in the trip: religious studies major Kahleb Graham (See You Can Do It.), music major Rachel Carter, and chemistry major Nwakaego Inyamah.