Walk with a Doc Encourages Friendship, Movement, and Learning

When Taryn Elsner (AZCOM ‘28) joined the Walk with a Doc club at Midwestern University’s Glendale Campus, she was initially looking for a nice break from studying and a chance to get involved with community volunteering. What she found was the start of a great friendship.

Walk with a Doc is a nationwide club that brings community members and healthcare providers together for a monthly walk to learn about health and connect with others. Midwestern University has hosted its own chapter of Walk with a Doc since January 2025.

One of the first people Taryn talked with at her first walk was Sharon Sparks, a local community member who has attended walks at Midwestern for over two years. Since February of last year, Taryn and Sharon have walked together every month and grown their friendship. Sharon even attended her bridging ceremony in the spring.  

“The act of movement helped to facilitate our friendship. Since we were already physically moving forward while walking, our conversation and friendship progressed in parallel,” Taryn explained. “Like all friendships, we both put in the time and effort to see one another through Walk with a Doc.”

Sharon enjoys getting acquainted with the students and faculty while exercising outdoors. “Taryn is very friendly and kind,” she said. “We’ve spent time talking about my life, her life, and our families while we walk.”

In addition to the natural conversations about health during the walks, each walk begins with a presentation from Midwestern University students and faculty on fall prevention, sponsored by The Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition. These tips are particularly helpful to attendees like Sharon, who broke her hip after a fall several years ago that prompted her to join the walks.

Although Walk with a Doc appears to be an educational opportunity primarily for community members, Taryn believes it’s equally insightful for current and future physicians as well. 

“Sharon continues to surprise me every time we walk; there is always something new I can learn from her. It reminds me that support comes from many different places,” she reflected. “It’s taught me to pause with intention and value the ways people can show up.”

Tiffany Hughes, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., Acting Program Director of the Master of Public Health degree in the College of Graduate Studies at Midwestern University, facilitates the club on campus. She has observed the students’ communication skills develop, specifically in interacting with older adults.

“Intergenerational friendships are less common these days with families often spread out, and fewer young adults interacting with grandparents and older people. These friendships are important to reduce ageism and increase understanding of how generational differences might play out in the healthcare setting,” Dr. Hughes said. 

Taryn agreed, “Through Walk with a Doc, I am so much more prepared to make connections with patients. And through interacting with different professions at the walks, I’m more prepared to work in an interprofessional setting and refer my patients to the specialized providers they need.”

For all participants, Walk with a Doc is an opportunity for connection. “There is something innately human about wanting to be heard and understood,” Taryn said. “Especially for physicians, it’s important to recognize it’s not about having the perfect response or solution. Relationships require each person to be vulnerable, which can be intimidating. However, that vulnerability is well worth it for the connections made.” 

These walks are also a chance for students to identify community involvement opportunities after their time at Midwestern University. Taryn reflected on her time overall as the MWU Walk with a Doc president, saying, “It reminds me to support things in my future career that fill my cup and to facilitate creating these communities wherever I end up.”

For more information about Midwestern University's Walk With a Doc program, contact Dr. Tiffany Hughes.