PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A clinical education professor at the University of Maine at Presque Isle is in Vermont to help mitigate effects of coronavirus on health care facilities in that area.
Matt Papsadora of Caribou, UMPI assistant professor in the physical therapist assistant program and academic coordinator of clinical education, has deployed to Vermont as part of his service with the Vermont National Guard.
He and his unit are helping to establish and operate a 400-bed field hospital at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex, Vermont. Those overseeing the site will be providing triage and treatment support to non-COVID-19 patients to reduce the strain on local healthcare facilities.
“I’m excited for this opportunity to help the people of this community,” Papsadora said.
Thanks to distance technology, Papsadora will still be able to work with his UMPI students.
“My plan is to continue teaching my current classes as I had been doing. My students are on clinical rotations so all coursework will continue for me in an online, asynchronous platform, and I will continue to stay in touch with my students as often as possible,” he said.
The work at the field hospital is expected to extend at least until the end of the month.
