Ultimate Medical Academy Marks Year-Long Heart Health Focus with Embrace-a-Clinic Recognition
Heart health initiatives held throughout the year reflect UMA’s commitment to healthcare issues.
Video: AHA UMA Embrace-a-clinic plaque presentation – YouTube
Tampa, Fla. – November 1, 2023 – 
Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA), a non-profit higher education institution with the mission of equipping and empowering students to excel in healthcare careers, was recognized Monday for its support and generous donation to Tampa Family Health Center (TFHC) through the American Heart Association. Through the sponsorship, UMA helped TFHC, a local health clinic in an underserved Tampa community, provide blood pressure monitoring equipment so that more than 100 patients could have the tools for essential home blood pressure monitoring.
Starting in January 2023, Ultimate Medical Academy has been leading a year-long campaign called “Start with Your Heart” in support of the American Heart Association. The campaign engages UMA team members, students, partners and community members in educational opportunities, healthy activities, fundraisers and solutions to support heart health. Through this campaign, Team UMA walked 54 million steps over two challenges, provided 100 blood pressure cuffs to TFHC to distribute to patients in an underserved community, conducted a Summer of Self-Care educational series for team members and students offering heart health articles, webinars, community quiz and more, and is participating in the AHA’s Tampa Bay Heart Walk happening at Raymond James stadium on November 4th, with a goal of at least 750 registered Team UMA walkers.
The “Start with Your Heart” campaign reflects UMA’s commitment to healthcare issues, especially those that disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America, with the disease disproportionately impacting women of color. More directly involved with the American Heart Association, UMA’s Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Strategy Officer Alexandra Schaffrath serves on the AHA Tampa Bay’s Go Red for Women Campaign Executive Cabinet and April Neumann, Executive Vice President, Workforce Transformation, serves on the AHA Tampa Bay’s Heart Walk Executive Cabinet.
“Heart disease has heavily impacted my family and many friends, so it is incredibly uplifting to see the UMA community’s commitment to this cause focused around heart health,” said Schaffrath. “Our team’s remarkable accomplishments this year represent a shared success in raising critical awareness around this cause, especially given that a significant portion of our workforce and student body comprises women, including a substantial community of women of color.”
The year-long effort has been designed to include all of Team UMA — over 1,800 members — and more than 15,000 students across the country. Through a combined effort of team members, family and friends, partners and corporate donations, UMA’s sponsorship and fundraising for AHA this year is on track to reach $75,000.
“At the American Heart Association, we deeply appreciate UMA’s commitment to combating heart disease and stroke,” shared Qiana Cressman, Executive Director of the American Heart Association – Tampa Bay. “We are taking great strides toward a heart-healthy future, and UMA’s generous support is an indispensable part of that journey.”
“At UMA, we believe in the ripple effect of care – when we take care of others, they are more able and empowered to pass that care forward,” shared Neumann. “Raising awareness, providing actionable steps, and encouraging proactive care are all keys to ending heart disease. As a healthcare educational institution, we feel a deep connection to this cause and can use our unique abilities and expertise to make a difference.”
To learn more about heart health, visit https://www.ultimatemedical.edu/hearthealth/, developed through UMA’s partnership with the American Heart Association.
Contributions to the 2023 Tampa Bay Heart Walk can be made at https://umanow.com/TPAHeartWalk.
About Ultimate Medical Academy
The need for skilled healthcare workers in the United States continues to grow. Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) is an accredited, nonprofit educational institution that helps to meet that need by equipping and empowering students to do vital work at the heart of healthcare. In addition to offering diploma and degree programs, UMA works closely with healthcare companies to connect students directly to job opportunities.
Based in Tampa, Florida, and operating for more than 29 years, UMA offers hands-on learning at its main campus in Clearwater, Florida as well as content-rich, interactive programs through its online campus. The institution supports students through every step of their journey with access to academic support, interview and resume coaching, job search assistance, technical support and more.
UMA has more than 80,000 alumni and more than 15,000 active students nationwide. The institution also provides certified continuing medical education (CME) through ongoing training and professional development opportunities to physicians, nurses and other medical professionals throughout the U.S. annually.
UMA is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES, www.ABHES.org). The continuing medical education programs are individually accredited and are not included within the institution’s grant of accreditation from ABHES. Learn more by visiting www.ultimatemedical.edu.
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