June 1, 2004   AU Students Win First and Third in National Health Care Competition Three Auburn University students will be honored Monday, June 7, in Washington, D.C., for winning first and third places in a national health care competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Veterinary sophomore Joni Lindquist of Tompkinsville, Ky., won first place in May in the 2003-2004 Secretary's Award program, single discipline category, for her proposal, "Shocking the Hearts of Rural America." It proposes placing defibrillators in veterinary clinics and on veterinary ambulatory trucks so heart attack victims in rural areas can have access to more immediate emergency care. "Placing a traveling defibrillator with a veterinarian who knows the back roads would increase the access of rural citizens to quality health care and it would reduce response time," said Dr. Charles Hendrix of the College of Veterinary Medicine, the students' advisor. Dr. Sarah Musulin of Gainesville, Fla., a member of the 2004 veterinary class, and nursing student Elizabeth Steeley of Scottsboro, Ala., won second place in the interdisciplinary category for their paper, "Walk, Wag and Smile: An Interdisciplinary Exercise Program Highlighting the Human-Animal Bond through Dog Walking." The proposal encourages veterinarians to suggest a mild to moderate walking program to reduce obesity in overweight clients with overweight dogs. Its objective is to increase the number of adults who exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes per day.  "Encouraging people to use a pedometer while walking 'man's best friend' has the potential to reduce obesity in many of our nation's citizens and their pets," Dr. Hendrix said. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and Surgeon General Richard Carmona are expected to present the awards during the Monday ceremony.  The students also submitted their papers for the national Hill's Public Health Award, sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition. Dr. Musulin and Steeley took first place in this event, and Lindquist captured third place. Each project's informational material, such as brochures and posters, was prepared by the College of Veterinary Medicine's graphic artist, Tempie DeVaughn. Since 1999, Auburn students have placed eight times in the Health and Human Services competition, bringing home more than $32,000 in awards monies. Return To News