WVU Walk with a Future Doc program hosts second annual Run and Walk event

The West Virginia University School of Medicine’s Walk with a Future Doc program hosts its second annual 5K Run and Walk event at Edith B. Barill Riverfront Park in Star City on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The event is open to the public, and students and faculty at the WVU School of Medicine are encouraged to attend. Registration for the event is $15, with all proceeds going towards supporting the Walk with a Future Doc chapter at the University and its mission of promoting physical fitness and well-being.

Walk with a Doc is a national nonprofit organization that hosts events where medical professionals and trainees provide educational discussions or presentations followed by group walks with members of the community. It has several chapters established at medical schools across the country, known as Walk with a Future Doc, including the WVU chapter that was launched by a group of medical students in 2020.

Student officers said the first annual Run and Walk event hosted last year was a resounding success, and that they look forward to making the event a Morgantown tradition for years to come.

“We are excited to host our second 5K event, building on our regular walks where students and physicians share valuable health insights with fellow learners and community members,” said medical student Kaitlyn Heintzelman, who serves as the president for the Walk with a Future Doc chapter at WVU. “This event provides a great opportunity to engage more people with our organization’s mission of promoting health, learning and wellness in a fun and active way.”

The WVU Walk with a Future Doc program hosts group walks at Star City Riverfront Park in Morgantown at 10 a.m. on the first and third Saturdays of the month during the academic year. Each session features a brief presentation from a WVU School of Medicine or WVU Medicine medical professional or trainee, followed by a group walk along the rail trail at the park. Participants can also join the walks remotely via Zoom and walk along at home.

To learn more about the program and receive emails with all of the necessary information ahead of each walk, sign up for the WVU Walk with a Future Doc newsletter. To register for the 5K Run and Walk, click here. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, Oct. 1.