The Excellence in Public Health Award recognizes medical students who are public health champions, advancing the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) mission to protect, promote and advance the health and safety of our nation, and who are helping address public health issues in their community. Since 2012, the Excellence in Public Health Award has been given by the USPHS to inspire medical students to commit themselves to public health and to become leaders in the field.

 

Hensley was selected as a recipient of the award due to her work with the Coyote Clinic, a student run free clinic held at the Avera Health Downtown Clinic once per month. As an executive member of the Coyote Clinic, she led flu shot drives in 2020 and 2021 to aid people experiencing homelessness, successfully inoculating more than 220 people.

 

“When we give of our talents for those most vulnerable it is not only doing good to those impacted, but also for the community,” Hensley explained. “I am grateful to have organized this event for two years and look forward to how this event will grow in the many more years to come. A community is as healthy as our weakest member and I am proud to be part of the solution to assist in the medical care of those vulnerable individuals by doing all I can, with what I have, where I am at.”

 

This award is open to second-, third-, and fourth-year students. Dr. Suzanne Reuter, assistant dean of medical student affairs, nominated Hensley for the honor