Bay Pines VA Pioneers Launch Lymphedema Fellowship, Increase Support for Soonest and Best Care for Veterans
Bay Pines VA Healthcare System has added another milestone to the organization’s 90-year history by becoming the first healthcare system in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to launch an Occupational Therapy Lymphedema Fellowship.
“When I came to Bay Pines nearly five years ago, I was able to use the experience from my private practice to help establish the lymphedema program here,” said Bay Pines VA Lymphedema Specialist Jaquita Jones. “This specialty is near and dear to my heart, and I’m really excited to be able to expand it through this fellowship.”
The fellowship is a year-long, paid opportunity that is open to one licensed occupational therapist. The participant will receive experience in the field of lymphedema via evidence-based education, advanced training, and high-quality mentorship from Jones. Those who are interested can click here for information about how to apply before the May 30, 2024 deadline.
“VA is the best place to work for treatment of this disease,” said Jones, who has 14 years of lymphedema experience. “All the equipment I need, like compression garments and lymphatic pumps are provided to me, and this makes my job so gratifying because I know I can deliver excellent health care outcomes to the Veterans I serve.”
Lymphedema is a chronic disease that occurs when a person’s body begins to accumulate a buildup of fluid, typically in their extremities, due to a damaged lymphatic system. This may be hereditary, but it can also be caused by conditions such as cancer, obesity, or trauma to the body.
To establish the lymphedema fellowship, Jones worked with Bay Pines VA Supervisory Occupational Specialist Shane Tong, a U.S. Navy Veteran. Tong says his own experience as a fellow at VA helped shape the trajectory of his career and now, he looks forward to sharing the wealth.
“Becoming a fellow made me a more seasoned practitioner, because it forced me to learn more, get outside of my comfort zone, and really focus on finetuning my skillset,” Tong shared. “Because of all I’ve gained from the VA fellowship program, it feels like the prudent thing to help the next generation become good practitioners.”
Jones shares that sentiment. When she entered the field years ago, Jones was inspired by two important women in her life who were diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, the passion she has for this area of medicine remains, but her why is a bit different.
“My father was a Marine who served in the Korean War, and the impact of his service never left me,” Jones said. “My goal is to make sure that every Veteran I treat walks away from our interaction thinking ‘wow, the VA takes really good care of its people’. Shaping the next generation of health care professionals is just one of the ways I can repay Veterans for all they’ve done for our us.”
Jones and Tong remind all aspiring candidates that the application deadline is May 30, 2024. Details are available here.