Through integrating experiences from clinical exposure in the Ronald Reagan Emergency Department, Neurological Rounds, Health Fairs, and Presentations, the UCLA Stroke Force Program strives to minimize response time and to facilitate treatment of stroke.
Recognizing the community need for stroke public education and awareness, the UCLA Stroke Force was formed in 1996 under the leadership and guidance of Dr. Sidney Starkman, Head of UCLA Emergency Neurology and Emergency Medicine Director of the UCLA Stroke Center. In the Stroke Force program, undergraduate premedical students undergo specialized training in stroke and then serve as speakers who reach out to various communities.
In recent years, the medical advancements in acute stroke treatment have progressed beyond what was ever imagined. But the public’s knowledge has remained unchanged. Many individuals live with the historical view of rehabilitative care as the only treatment for stroke. We now have preventative care, and the public must know. We yearn for the day when stroke loses its title as the #3 cause of death and the #1 cause of disability in adults in America. Stroke Force will not relent until this lack of knowledge is in the past. Through integrating experiences from clinical exposure in the Ronald Reagan Emergency Department, Neurological Rounds, Health Fairs, and Presentations, this sect of the Stroke Force Program strives to provide a force to minimize response time and so facilitate treatment.The students receive academic credit for participation in the program. To date, more than 120 students have participated in the program, delivering over 300 lectures to over 7000 individuals. Formal testing has demonstrated that these presentations are highly effective, resulting in a significant increase in post-education stroke awareness.
Stroke Force strives to make known that “Time is Brain.”
