Skip to main content

Military Health System

USU Facility Dogs Help De-stress USU Med Students

Image of A dog interacts with students. A dog interacts with students

Recommended Content:

Psychological Fitness | Mental Health is Health Care

Daily demands on students at the Uniformed Services University’s F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine can be stressful.

That’s where Shetland and Grover, USU’s designated facility dogs, come into play – literally.

The Hebert School of Medicine is the first and only medical school with a full-time complement of facility dogs.

Shetland, a yellow Lab; and Grover, a black Lab, often wander through the student lounge, library, or school courtyard seeking out hugs or getting belly rubs from students as part of their official duties to comfort, de-stress, and calm them.

While Shetland is calm and dignified, Grover is a bit more energetic and goofy. Each brings his own personality to student interactions.

Having the dogs “builds community and adds a little levity,” said Kameha Bell, assistant dean of the Office of Student Affairs’ Well-Being Program.

Bell leads the facility dog program at the medical school and is Shetland’s guardian.

“The ultimate goal is to support the well-being of our community,” she said.

Dogs on a Mission

Shetland and Grover’s mission is to promote wellness on campus as well as the benefits and responsible use of animal-assisted interventions in health care, referred to broadly as pet therapy.

Bell and highly trained student handlers spend part of their time with the dogs at events, such as university blood drives, where they explain the differences between service dogs, facility dogs, and companion animals.

Facility dogs like Shetland and Grover are service dogs trained to perform a variety of physical tasks, such as providing emotional and physical support for veterans with disabilities, low-vision, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

As facility dogs, they also provide comfort and affection in a variety of settings to help improve physical, social, emotional, and cognitive functioning.

Before he was selected to be USU’s first facility dog in 2019, Shetland trained for four months with an accredited service-training organization. He then completed several more weeks of training to ensure he was acclimated to his new home.

Grover underwent the same training regimens and was recently inducted into service.

Stressors

Extra stress can come at exam time or in preparation for the medical school’s Bushmaster simulated deployment practicum at the end of the four-year program.

It’s then that Shetland and Grover get reinforcement from the Red Cross Therapy Dogs, said Navy Ensign Kimberly Dodd, a med student and one of USU’s facility dog student handlers.

“If someone feels like they might not do as well on that exam, we have the dogs there for social support,” said Dodd.

Having all the facility dogs from USU and Walter Reed together “really brings up the mood on exam days when students need that extra support,” she added.

Other military hospitals and clinics have facility dogs to support patients and staff. These include:

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland

Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

• Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in Virginia

Shetland & Grover’s Impact

Shetland and Grover are ambassadors of the benefits facility animals can bring.

Their impact at USU is primarily “joy,” said Marine Col. (Dr.) Catherine Kimball-Eayrs, commandant of the medical school.

It’s also “the peace and calm that the dogs can bring” to stressed-out medical students.

“The students start to relax and have fun with the dogs,” she said. “To watch the joy of that interaction, and how it brings some peace and calm to folks’ lives in a time where none of the schools -- medical school, nursing school, any other -- is easy, is very rewarding.”

A second major impact, said Kimball-Eayrs, is that students learn the role of animal-assisted interventions.

“Our students are exposed to facility dogs and understand their role in a community,” she said. “This helps them prepare for when they come across facility dogs at other military hospitals, clinics, and programs.”

And “when [USU students] are future health care providers, they can help spread the knowledge and support and, in the right situation, maybe get a dog placed with a service member who could really benefit from it,” she said.

Shetland & Grover - USU Facility Dogs

You also may be interested in...

Start the Conversation 29 Sec PSA

Video
6/18/2021
Start the Conversation 29 Sec PSA

Talking to someone about getting help can be difficult. This video introduces some tips to help you start the conversation.

Recommended Content:

Real Warriors Campaign | Psychological Fitness | Suicide Prevention

Start the Conversation 59 Sec PSA

Video
6/18/2021
Start the Conversation 59 Sec PSA

Talking to someone about getting help can be difficult. This video introduces some tips to help you start the conversation.

Recommended Content:

Real Warriors Campaign | Psychological Fitness | Suicide Prevention

inTransition PSA Insights providers video

Video
6/17/2021
Thumbnail of inTransition coach

In this video health care providers talk about the importance of helping service members maintain continuity of care as they encounter a change in status.

Recommended Content:

inTransition Videos | Psychological Fitness

inTransition PSA: Insights - Families video

Video
6/17/2021
Thumbnail of inTransition coach

This video shows families of service members discussing how inTransition helped their loved ones maintain their mental health care treatment during changes in status.

Recommended Content:

inTransition Videos | Psychological Fitness

inTransition Long PSA Doorknob video

Video
6/17/2021
Thumbnail of inTransition coach

This video shows health care providers who treat service members discussing how service members can maintain their mental health treatment as they experience a change in status.

Recommended Content:

inTransition Videos | Psychological Fitness

inTransition PSA: Maze video

Video
6/17/2021
Man walking through maze

This video explains how to navigate the switch to a new mental health care provider when you’re experiencing a change in status.

Recommended Content:

inTransition Videos | Psychological Fitness

inTransition Profile video: Retired Army Captain Joel Serrano

Video
6/16/2021
Military personnel displaying coins

Captain Serrano discusses how important the InTransition program has been for him and can be for other veterans.

Recommended Content:

inTransition Videos | Psychological Fitness

inTransition PSA Blocks video

Video
6/16/2021
Clip of the inTransition BLOCKS PSA

This video explains how the inTransition program can help with change in military status

Recommended Content:

inTransition Videos | Psychological Fitness

Total Force Fitness Reintroduction

Video
2/17/2021
Total Force Fitness Reintroduction

The Military Health System is reintroducing Total Force Fitness. The Total Force Fitness concept focuses on a service member’s entire health throughout their career, connecting eight dimensions of fitness to optimize health, performance, and readiness holistically.

Recommended Content:

Physical Fitness | Environmental Fitness | Medical and Dental Preventive Care Fitness | Nutritional Fitness | Spiritual Fitness | Psychological Fitness | Social Fitness | Financial Fitness | Mobile Apps

What to Expect at Your First Appointment

Video
9/20/2018
Suicide Prevention

You’ve reached out for help, you’ve found the right provider, now Kristin Gwin from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center shares what to expect at your first appointment.

Recommended Content:

Psychological Fitness | Suicide Prevention | Mental Health is Health Care

Kristin Gwin, Walter Reed Social Worker Talks About Getting Help

Video
9/12/2018
Suicide PRevention

Kristin Gwin, a Social Worker at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center understands that getting help can be an intimidating process. She offers advice on how to get started by letting a professional know you want help.

Recommended Content:

Suicide Prevention | Psychological Fitness | Mental Health is Health Care
<< < 1 2 3 > >> 
Showing results 31 - 41 Page 3 of 3
Refine your search
Last Updated: February 01, 2023
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery