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Academy of Medical & Public Health Services AMPHS is a humanitarian nonprofit organization operated solely by volunteers, dedicated to advancing the healthcare of underprivileged communities across the nation and around the world.
We accomplish our goals by providing free and low cost community activities that help found the basis of improvement of health and well-being..
Help AMPHS help the community! Support our programs! Any donations would be appreciated. We hope you join us in our mission to provide better and more accessible healthcare for all.
Find out more about us and how you can help by visiting www.facebook.com/AMPHS.National Academy of Medical & Public Health Services 5306 Third Avenue, Second Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220 A M P H S N a t i o n a l P u l s e (718) 765-4000 | info@amphsonline.org
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Contents 12
13
3
Executive Director’s Letter
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Editor’s Note
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Reaching Far, Staying Near
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The Importance of Health Screenings
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Art of Medicine - AMPHS National
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Art of Medicine - Academy of Medical & Public Health Services
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Art of Medicine - Robitussin
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Surviving Bootcamp
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Art of Medicine - Lost Voice
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CEO’s Corner – The Need for Accessible Healthcare
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Art of Medicine - Give me an MD
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Teddy Bear Clinic Mania
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Art of Medicine - Listen to Mommy
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Art of Medicine - Summer
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Kiddie Corner
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Art of Medicine - Essence Annihilation A
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AMPHS – The Inside Story
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Puzzle Panel
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24 25 31 AMPHS National Pulse
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from the President & Ceo June 2011
Journal of Medical Arts & Humanities EDITORS Sandy Truong, Mon Yuck Yu
Dear Friends and Family of AMPHS National, Over the past few months, we have worked very hard to increase our number of programs and community members served. To that end, we are looking for a way to reach out to a broader community - a way of impacting more people than just those who we serve.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Hewett Chiu, Junte Lin, Manjiri Nadkarni, Paul Rezkalla, Tony Schwartz, Sandy Truong, Tina Truong, Liqiao Wang, Jennifer Zhu
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Sandy Truong, Mon Yuck Yu
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Hewett Chiu, Tina Truong, Mon Yuck Yu, Jennifer Zhu
AMPHS National Pulse is a publication of AMPHS National. Š 2011 AMPHS National. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of AMPHS National. All opinions expressed therein are the opinion of individual AMPHS staff members and not the organization, management or Board of Directors.
We want to let people know of the successes we've achieved, the challenges we've met, and the obstacles we've overcome. We want to let this wider range of audience know of the programs and resources available to them, that there are others out there who care for them despite their socioeconomic status. We want to let them know that here at AMPHS National, hope is not forgotten. Although we are a medical & public health services organization focusing on the sciences in our work, we want to reach out to our community members through the arts. It is therefore my great pride and pleasure to announce the creation of the AMPHS National Pulse, a bimonthly journal dedicated to telling the stories of the many underprivileged families whose lives have been changed through our work. Pulse is not just any other journal. It is unique in that it integrates the humanities with the sciences. It bridges the gap between the medicine and public health work that we do every day at AMPHS National and the arts with which h we use to express what we do. We aim to tell our story through the photographs, expressive artwork, poetry, and anecdotes we use to reflect on our projects. In doing so, we are able to become the voice of the many underserved community members whose voices vo may otherwise never be heard. We hope that this is the start of a long tradition of integrating the humanities with the arts and sciences, drawing upon the importance of journalism and creative expression, and embracing the beauty of a small community ty non-profit non through different means of open communication. Sincerely yours,
5306 Third Ave 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY, 11220 718-765-4000 Cover illustration by Hewett Chiu
Hewett Chiu President & CEO AMPHS National
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from the Editors Welcome to the first edition of AMPHS National Pulse Pulse! Since March 2010, AMPHS National has strived to be a premiere interdisciplinary service and learning organization through its clinical screenings, emergency life support classes, and children’s programs, but now we are bringing you even more. The goal of our journal is to be the first of its kind to welcome you to the world of medical art arts and humanities. While art and medicine are two very different disciplines that rarely intersect, we are now merging them to bring you AMPHS National’s very first Medical Journal of Arts & Humanities. Everyone has their own creative output output; in this issue we have works from different ends of the spectr spectrum, ranging from photography to poetry. For the past couple of weeks, our contributors have worked hard to draft and revise their work to bring you stories about AMPHS and the community members that we influence. Our feature stories will give you the inside scoop on what AMPHS is all about about, health screenings and Teddy Bear Clinics ics inclusive. Our programs do not only serve underprivileged community members, but also represent the spirit of our volunteers. Their voices not only reflect the impact that AMPHS National has had on the community, but also on themselves, as individuals ls developing their dreams and careers. At the same time, AMPHS National Pulse provides a portal for expression, allowing them to turn healthcare and medicine into an art within itself. We hope you enjoy this unique interdisciplinary journal, which is the e first of many more to come. In the future, we hope to integrate community health statistics, as well as additional health tips, into the publication, so stay tuned! Please feel free to email us at info@amphsonli info@amphsonline.org if you have any questions or comments, or if you are interested in submitting your work to our publication review committee.
Sandy Truong Editor
&
MISSION STATEMENT AMPHS is a humanitarian nonprofit organization operated solely by volunteers, dedicated to advancing the health care of underprivileged communities across the nation and around the world. We accomplish our goals by providing free and lowlow cost community activities act that forge a firm foundation for the improvement of health and well-being.
VISION STATEMENT AMPHS strives to be a premiere interdisciplinary medical and public health service organization, building faith and transparency within our communities. From strengthening our foundation through the public trust, we work to integrate healthcare systems, education, awareness, and disease prevention such that all people can appreciate healthcare not as a privilege, but as a basic human right.
Mon Yuck Yu Editor
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[Editor’s Letter]
Family CPR & First Aid For Humans & Pets
Care to save a loved one today? What will you do when your spouse, child, or pet becomes the victim of an emergency? Here at AMPHS, we will equip you with the necessary skills to respond to compromised breathing, cardiac arrest, choking, bleeding, shock, and other emergency situations, ttaught aught by American Heart Association and AMPHSAMPHS certified instructors. To enroll, please email us at info@amphsonline.org or call (718) 765 – 4000.
Limit 5 family members Flat Rate Prices: With Without Certifications With Certifications Each Additional Member
$220 $350 $50
Academy of Medical & Public Health Services 5306 Third Avenue, Second Floor, Brooklyn NY 11220 (718) 765 – 4000 | info@amphsonline.org
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Contributor Bios Hewett Chiu Hewett is co-founder and co-President President of the Board of Directors at the Academy of Medical & Public Health Services Worldwide, and President & CEO of AMPHS National Operations & Government Affairs. Hewett strongly believes in accommodating community needs through philanthropy and is especially interested in improving healthcare systems. As such, Hewett has extensive experience in healthcare management, with concurrent experience as President of a federallyfederally recognized Medical Reserve Corps.
Mon Yuck Yu Mon Yuck is the Chief of Staff at AMPHS National. Mon Yuck has been involved with community organizations for many years. She has worked in leadership positions in service organizations and non-profits, profits, such as the American Red Cross and the Chinese-American American Planning Council. As such, she enjoys working with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, especially when they all come together to fulfill a single mission, goal, and promise. Part of her duties include organizing and managing staff members, ensuring staff satisfaction and staff engagement, and overseeing a vast array of projects.
Tony Schwartz Tony received his medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine and is currently applying for residency in Family Medicine. He has a Masters degree in Physiology and Biophysics, from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern California with an academic minor in Business Administration from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. Tony was President and CFO of an import/export company specializing in electronics, owed his own IT consulting company and was a Pharmacy Technician. He participated in medical research in the Stanley M. Tahara, Ph.D. lab at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.
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Sandy Truong Sandy currently acts as Senior Research & Development Specialist at AMPHS National. In the short amount of time that she has been with AMPHS, Sandy has successfully coordinated three projects: Teddy Bear Clinic, Click4Change Challenge, and AMPHS National Pulse Journal. Sandy serves as co-editor of the AMPHJS National Pulse along with Ms. Mon Yuck Yu. Sandy is also a senior in college on the pre-med med track majoring in English and minoring in Creative Writing. During the school year, she workswith America Reads to tutor first graders in math and la language nguage arts. In her spare time Sandy loves to write stories and poetry. She hopes to write a novel of her own someday.
Jennifer Zhu Jennifer is currently a third year undergraduate student at City College majoring in biology biology. During the summer she works as a day camp counselor counselor. Jennifer started volunteering for AMPHS after participating in the W Winter Medical Bootcamp in January 2011 2011. At AMPHS she holds the position of Executive Administrative dministrative Assistant, where she assists the senior ior staff members with their daily tasks. In her spare time she enjoys reading for leisure and making arts and crafts.
Manjiri Nadkarni Manjiri is a college student on the pre-medical pre track and majoring in psychology. She came to the United States when she was thirteen. Motivated by the plight she witnessed, she decided to take an active role in serving her community and creating social impact. She has been involved in several different community service and social advocacy organizations organizatio throughout high school and currently volunteers at AMPHS. One of the main reasons she likes working at AMPHS is that she truly believes in the mission of the organization: that healthcare is not a privilege,, but a basic right and that it should be readily ly accessible to all.
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Contributor Bios Paul Rezkalla Paul is currently a senior in college taking pre-med medical coursework and studying history.. He has had extensive experience in primary care clinical settings,, working at Bay Ridge Medical Services for three years. Living in the Bay Ridge community, he understands the impoverished conditions that exist there and in nearby neighborhoods and believes that bringing simple preventative care to the community is a huge hu step in helping people lower their risk factors. At AMPHS, Paul is responsible for organizing partnerships with local community organizations to bring together a network of resources for the people we serve. He enjoys soccer, humanities, nature, and mu music.
Junte Lin Junte is a swim instructor at the 33rd Street Y. She believes that teaching swimming has been a particularly rewarding experience because it's a pleasure to be able to share this wonderful exercise with others. Swimming provides a good cardio workout as well as helps strengthen unused muscles. She enjoys joys working with children, whom she describes a as very energetic and fun to be around. Her vision for AMPHS is to incorporate a swimming program to help children with physical disabilities learn to overcome their obstacles obstacles.
Liqiao Wang Liqiao is a M.S. student and graduate assistant in Statistics/Biostatistics at Georgia State University. She plans to start her career as a biostatistician in the field of public health, which is the reason why she joined AMPHS. She hopes to gain more experience rience in analyzing survey results and data in the public health field through the Survey Analyst position at AMPHS.
Tina Truong Tina holds the position of Research and Development Specialist at AMPHS National. She enjoys working at AMPHS simply because of the good feeling of accomplishment that overwhelms her after a tiring day of work,, since she knows that she has put a step forward in helping those in need of medical services.
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AMPHS National’s Public Programs FACTS & FIGURES 5 Total Partnerships Formed 96 Total Students Taught 156 Total Free Community Screenings Completed 402 Total Community Members Served
Pet CPR & First Aid Classes Your pets are there for you. Will you be there for them? This class will teach you to perform rescue breathing, canine and feline CPR, and choking management, as well as give you guided instruction to care for bleeding and shock.
Teddy Bear Clinic Our Teddy Bear Clinics provide a positive learning environment to help children better understand the physician’s role.
Health Screenings Every third Saturday of the month, AMPHS conducts free health screenings nings for the community as a part of our initiative to provide health care access to underprivileged communities. Drop by for a free screening of your BMI, visual acuity, blood pressure, respiration rate, and heart rate!
Medical Bootcamps Our medical bootcamp sessions are comprised of workshops intended to offer students a taste of the medical school curriculum. Topics covered include medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and medical ethics. Students will also be given the opportunity to participate in the patient-simulation patient laboratory.
CPR &First Aid Classes Prepare for the unexpected. Help your friends and loved ones. We offer American Heart Association certifications.
Academy of Medical & Public Health Services 5306 Third Avenue, Second Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220 (718) 765-4000 4000 | info@amphsonline.org www.facebook.com/AMPHS.National www.twitter.com/AMPHS_National S_National
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Reaching Far, Staying Near By; Manjiri Nadkarni
A
fter moving from one New York City neighborhood to another, I realized that I have been coming across people with different lifestyles, views and experiences. I have seen immigrants living in desperation—for example, some illegal immigrants are even afraid to go to the doctor because they fear that their status will be reported to higher authorities. These people prefer living with scary, painful diseases rather than face being thrown out of the country. If such plight is preferable to them, imagine the adversity they are trying escape by living here. On the other hand, I have also known people who blame all of America’s problems on immigrants living off their tax dollars. Coincidently, they also happen to be far above the poverty line and might not know how destitute life can be for some people. This is a complex social, political and economic issue and each of us is entitled to our own point of view. We might have experiences and justified reasons that lead up to the formation of our views. I, personally, do not know what the solution to this and many other such problems is--or if there is even one. However, I do know this: American or not, we are all human and we all have a right to basic healthcare. As a
premedical student, I am just beginning to understand the complexities that parallel the health care system in the country. It is not as simple as treating everyone for free or avoiding the issue itself. AMPHS, within its promise, holds the potential to make a big difference with small steps. The many who are served during the AMPHS community health screenings are underprivileged, uninsured people who aren’t aware of the resources available to them. During the health screenings, they not only become aware of whether they need to see a doctor, but also where and how they can find one if they don’t have insurance or immigration status. AMPHS might not be impacting health care reform legislation or treating patients, but it is making a huge difference by connecting those in need with the necessary resources--those who are living right here with us in New York City. The overwhelmingly grateful response of the community members who have been impacted by AMPHS alone stands as testimony to the necessity of the work here. We have come a long way, and it is only the beginning. AMPHS National exemplifies how far-reached impact can be made without having to travel very far.
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The Importance of Health Screenings By; Junte Lin
hen we are sick, we automatically pay a visit to our doctor. It is so natural that we don’t give it a second thought. We rely on physicians, who hold the key to our health, and ultimately our lives. As such, it is possible to take healthcare for granted without giving it the recognition it deserves.
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When illness overtakes a person, they are confined. They are no longer able to enjoy their lives. Long-term illnesses may prevent people from pursuing their hobbies, tending to their job, or looking after their household. Most importantly, illness can cause a person to give up his or her hopes and dreams. At AMPHS, we help people alleviate their problems of not being able to access proper health care. Community members who don’t have access to healthcare are unable to go for regular checkups, and from our screenings, we have discovered that a lot of them have not been able to see a doctor in years. By conducting our health screenings, we are able to inform the community about healthier lifestyles as well as individual risk factors for major diseases. Our satisfaction comes not only in the profuse words of gratitude or the bright smiles that our community members give us when their lives have been changed, but also in the comfort that we are able to serve the community by giving them access to one of the basic needs of a human being.
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Academy of Medical & Public Health Services Together like friends, Bonded like a family, Cheers AMPHS National! -Jennifer
Zhu
AMPHS National Anything can happen if you believe. Miracles don’t just materialize we create them. Problems we overcome together, Health screenings are what we provide. Serving the community is what we do. Nothing can make us stray from our mission. Any obstacles we shall overcome, Together as a family. Inspiring stories and encouraging words Only fuel our passion and determination. No one shall crush our dreams. All is well and we shall persevere Losing faith is not an option, we only strive to be the best. -Sandy
Truong
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The Art of Medicine
Robitussin thrown down the hatch, Smells worse than dead fish from the catch. Who invented this? It tastes just like piss, I'd rather sniff a horse-radish patch!
- Paul Rezkalla
Medicine Tina Truong Color pencils and pen on paper
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Surviving Bootcamp By; Jennifer Zhu
Bootcamp--when I first heard about it, I thought about crawling through obstacles in mud and rain, gaining valuable skills such as perseverance, agility, and teamwork. It would be intense training that not only benefits me physically and mentally, but socially as well. The scenarios that I had drawn out in my mind had me pondering whether or not I would have the perseverance to go through a week-long session of such intense training. Nevertheless, it convinced me that it would make for an interesting experience. It turned out that I wasn’t the only one who thought that way. Seven other undergraduate college students joined me on a Sunday morning at the AMPHS headquarters in Brooklyn Sunset Park. Right away we entered our “training,” which consisted of two to two-and-a-half hour long classes and workshops back-to-back, with a brief intermission for lunch in the middle of our nine-hour day. Each course was taught as if we were first- or third-year medical school students, and we were often pelted with large amounts of information in Medical Anatomy & Physiology, Internal Medicine, and Pharmacology. We were also forced to think on our toes when, for example, we had to prepare for a court case in Medical Ethics about malpractice in only one night. Furthermore, we learned valuable skills in Basic Life Support and First Aid, as well as other resuscitation techniques using our patient simulation lab. During the week, we
learned to document patient histories based on material from USMLE examinations. We repeated this continuous cycle of classes for six days. The seventh day was AMPHS’s monthly health screening, a free public event where community members could come in and be screened for disease risk factors by various health professionals regardless of income. Keeping in mind the knowledge that we had accumulated over the past few days, I shadowed MDs and certified AMPHS instructors as they asked community members specific questions and determined their height, weight, BMI, visual acuity, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate to evaluate their risk factors for target diseases. We were able to see the material that we had been taught being put to use. It was a gratifying conclusion to the week-long training we had undergone-- to be able to see, practice, and use what we had been training for. While we learned a lot from the courses, we also met people from various backgrounds. Not only did we encounter various MDs with different interests in medicine, but also classmates with different mindsets. It tied in well when it came to working together to present cases to the jury during the medical ethics case, assisting one another in tworescuer CPR, and resuscitating our simulated patient, Mitch, back to a stable state. While there had been no mud or rain, it was a worthwhile week of intense training that I thoroughly enjoyed!
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The Art of Medicine
Lost Voice Too many voices shouting from all directions Drowning out my own words and thoughts Why can’t they understand its importance? Why can’t they see its value? Trapped in a world without a voice Unable to speak my own mind Controlled like a mindless puppet Unable to cut these lines Why, oh why, does it have to be this way? Be happy for the passion I found Be happy for the star that I treasure Don’t keep me away, don’t threaten me Curtains falling and the day is ending I yearn to fly free and escape this cage -Sandy
Truong
Cardinal on a Branch Hewett Chiu Pencil on paper
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Pet CPR & First Aid Academy of Medical & Public Health Services
Skills You Will Learn: • • • •
Rescue Breathing Canine and Feline CPR Choking management Bleeding & Shock Management
DID YOU KNOW?
Don’t let yourself or your pet become victims of inexperience.
According to the American Animal Hospital Association, 1 OUT OF 4 more pets c can be saved if just one pet first aid technique is applied prior to getting veterinary treatment!
Prepare your family for the worst.
5 hours / class Price: Students & Seniors: $98/person Pet Professionals:
Here at AMPHS National, we strive to provide pet guardians and pet care professionals with the First Aid and CPR skills needed to respond to illnesses and emergencies. Disasters may happen, but we will empower you with the knowledge and confidence to react under pressure.
$108/ person Regular Retail Price; $120/person
Follow us on:
Academy of Medical & Public Health Services 5306 Third Avenue, Second Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220 (718) 765-4000 4000 |info@amphsonline.org AMPHS National Pulse Page 20
CEO’s Corner
The Need for Accessible Healthcare By: Hewett Chiu
hen we first started holding screenings for community members, we knew we would see families who haven't been to a doctor for a few years. Most families who come to our screenings are socioeconomically underprivileged. They immigrate to America with the idea that this is the land of opportunities, that they will be able to turn their dreams into a reality. However, what they don’t understand is the reality of how difficult it is to live the American dream.
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We all know that our government, let alone our healthcare system, is far from perfect. There are so many opportunities to dream big and live your dreams. However, with so many opportunities comes just as many loopholes for underprivileged families to fall through the cracks of our healthcare system and nd not receive much much-needed — and many times — lifesaving care We are now in an era where we need to take action ourselves to improve society. There are too many uninsured families in America, and most of them lack knowledge of the resources that are actually ually available to them. This is not simple ignorance, but a consequence of the limited efforts that have been made to reach out to these families. We cannot simply just sit back and wait for the healthcare system to change. It is up to us to make that difference. In taking action, we need to start from the ground up. We need to ensure that we have a firm foundation in providing accessible healthcare to everyone in the community. How can we ensure this? By promoting healthcare access, taking proactive action to letting families know that obtaining healthcare is not impossible, and being side side-by-side side with them through the entire process. How can we reach all those in the community? Through individual local organizations that are built within the roots of each community, which families have come to know and trust over time. Non-profits profits such as AMPHS are positioned in a unique perspective within the healthcare system. We are not an organization that directly renders medical care to patients, yet y we have the mission of bringing healthcare to underprivileged communities. How can we do that?
“There There are too many uninsured families in America, and most of them lack knowledge of the resources that are actually available to them. them.” AMPHS National Pulse
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CEO’s Corner
To start, we act as the much-needed bridge between the patients and the healthcare providers. Usually, without insurance or a method of payment, patients would not be able to see a healthcare provider. At AMPHS, trained volunteers perform free community health screenings. From the screening, we then offer customized resources and referrals to these community members from our vast resources and referrals network. As such, we act as a resource hub where community members are able to get an initial health screening to understand their general overall health.
If needed, they are then given the resources to help them seek further care as needed, such as contact information for free clinics or social services personnel to enroll in a suitable health plan. In doing this, we are not replacing anyone's role in the healthcare system. We are merely filling in a gap. We are not taking over any provider's role, as we are not seeing patients, caring for them, or practicing medicine in any way. We are not taking over social services personnel's role, as we are not directly offering any services for them. We are merely bringing all these services and resources together to bridge the knowledge gap currently present in underserved communities with the hope that somehow, through the many options we have developed, we would be able to break barriers and lead underprivileged families to obtain health care.
“We are merely bringing all these services and resources together to bridge the knowledge gap currently present in underserved communities …” AMPHS National Pulse
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Academy of Medical & Public Health Services
Welcome to our AMPHS Teddy Bear Clinic! Have your child be a doctor for a day and give their favorite teddy bear a check-up! There will also be games and prizes! Can Knockdown…. Knockdown….Duck pond…Bean Bag Toss Egg-in-Spoon Spoon-Race..Bowling…….And More! For children between the ages of 3 3-9 years old. All proceeds go towards our community health projects! When: July 14th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, Where: 5306 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn NY Academy of Medical & Public Health Services 5306 Third Avenue, Second Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220 (718) 765 765-4000 | info@amphsonline.org
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The Art of Medicine
Raising Hope Hewett Chiu Pencil on paper
Give me an MD not DO, For the years of hard work to show. I suffered Pre-Med, Thank God I'm not dead. Osteopathic-Med, Heck no!
- Paul Rezkalla AMPHS National Pulse
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Gain an insight to TWO of our successful Teddy Bear Clinics! In-House and at the Brooklyn Public Library!
TEDDY BEAR CLINIC MANIA InIn-House Teddy Bear Clinic & Carnival! Introducing Minds to Medicine By: Sandy Truong
W
ithin the few months that I joined
AMPHS National, I had the pleasure of coordinating the Teddy Bear Clinic and Carnival. This event is geared towards familiarizing children to the hospital setting, whether they are visiting for an annual checkup or being admitted for a medical emergency. It is designed to mirror the experience of a regular doctor’s visit. AMPHS National Pulse
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During the Teddy Bear Clinic, AMPHS members demonstrate and explain various check-up and medical procedures on the teddy bears that the children bring in. They also demonstrate how certain medical instruments are used, such as the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope. Afterwards, the children are able to perform these medical procedures on their own teddy bears and examine the medical equipment. While I was interning with AMPHS National I also worked part-time as an America Reads tutor at P.S.56, Lewis H. Latimer Elementary School. During the first week of April, Ms. Nelson, the first grade teacher with whom I was working, was introducing the students to different professions ranging from teaching to medicine. Since the children were learning about medicine, I thought the Teddy Bear Clinic would be a perfect opportunity for them to do some hands-on learning. Ms. Nelson and the chaperons were excited to have the children attend the Teddy Bear Clinic because they don’t have many opportunities to be exposed to such learning environments. The Teddy Bear Clinic was held in-house at the AMPHS office in Sunset Park on April 8th. When the students arrived, we divided them up into three groups. The first group went with Dr. Schwartz, Vice President of the Division of Medical & Public Health Services at AMPHS, into the Examination Room to start conducting check-ups on their teddy bears. The second
group attended the Carnival, played various games and won prizes. The third group went with me to the Theatre Room and watched movies. We rotated the groups about every 45 minutes to allow the children sufficient time to participate in all the activities. I was really glad my students were able to attend the Teddy Bear Clinic because they had so much fun learning about medicine with Dr. Schwartz. He was the attending physician for the Teddy Bear Clinic and he started with the basics, asking the children for their bears’ name, age and health condition to see if the bears were sick. While he was working with one of the students, the other students gathered around him looking on with interest and anxiously waiting their turn. The students were able to measure the bear’s height and weight on their own with the scale and tape measure, but the most exciting part for them was using the actual medical equipment. Dr. Schwartz had a spare stethoscope with him and he showed the students how to use it. He would first listen to bear’s heartbeat and in turn allow the children to hear it for themselves; some of the children even attempted to listen to their own heartbeats with the instrument! The students were also allowed to use the blood pressure cuff with supervision and they pretended to give shots to their bears when Dr. Schwartz diagnosed their bears as being sick. They were extremely fascinated with the x-ray machine (simulated using the
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Photobooth function on an Apple iPad), and they all wanted to take the x-ray themselves.
While the Examination room was busy with patients, the Carnival room was buzzing with excitement. The seven students that were in the carnival room were running around playing various games with different levels of difficulty, such as duck pond, bowling, eggand-spoon race, and golf. After winning each game we awarded them points; by the end of each carnival session we totaled up their points and allowed them to pick a prize to bring home. At P.S. 56, the students don’t have a gymnasium for exercise and physical education, so the students are constantly restless and very talkative. It was nice to see them use up that energy and just have some fun!
The Art of Medicine
I think the Teddy Bear Clinic was a great opportunity for the students to come in and enjoy themselves while learning a little bit about medicine. The children got to play doctor for a while and learned how to use the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. They also participated in some recreational activities that allowed them to use up their unspent energy. Where else can you find an event that makes medicine fun? For our first Teddy Bear Clinic, we simulated general check-up clinics, but for future Teddy Bear Clinics, we plan to specialize in addressing specific diseases. So stay tuned for the next Teddy Bear Clinic; whether it’s in-house or at the Brooklyn Public Library, we’re going make it fun and educational!
"Listen to Mommy" I do not like milk I do not like green veggies But they make me grow
Two Silly Poems from Jennifer Zhu: "Summer" Thick like a blanket Soothing against the cold wind Summer has arrived! AMPHS National Pulse Page 27
Teddy Bear Clinic at Brooklyn Public Library! First Day at AMPHS By: Tina Truong
W
orking with AMPHS National was
definitely a fun experience for me. When I first started out, I had not really joined AMPHS yet. That morning I wanted to tag along with my sister, Sandy Truong, Senior Research and Development Specialist, to visit AMPHS since I kept hearing her talk about how fun it was to work there. Arriving at the office, I met Hewett Chiu, the President & CEO of APMHS. It was an awkward meeting. I later met the rest of the members--Jennifer, Tony, and Mon Yuck.
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That day, a Teddy Bear Clinic was scheduled at the Bay Ridge Brooklyn Public Library, so we left the office early to go set up. During the Teddy Bear Clinic, I had no idea what to expect. We all set up tables in a large room at the library to imitate what a clinic would look like. One table was supposed to be a nurse’s desk. One of us was to act as a nurse, signing people in to the waiting room and creating medical records. The next station was the waiting room, which was at a table sectioned off into six “beds” for the bear patients. The BMI station was the first station to which the “patients” would be sent from the waiting room. Jennifer was assigned to be at the BMI station to measure the height and weight of the teddy bears. After the children complete the BMI assessment with Jennifer, they would either visit Tony or Hewett to take the bears’ blood pressure and treat the bears’ conditions (i.e. fever, cold, etc.). At the last station, Mon Yuck would take pictures of the teddy bear patients with an Apple iPad to simulate the x-ray experience.
When we opened up the “hospital,” kids and their parents just started pouring in! Many of the kids were running around, and some sat in the “waiting room” while they colored with the crayons that the library had provided us. Some of the children didn’t bring a teddy bear or plush toy, so we lent some out to them. My job was to take pictures, while Sandy and I alternated between signing people in, making charts and passing out fliers. I got some great shots, which can be viewed on our Facebook page! We had been there since eleven o’clock in the morning, but when the clock struck one, everyone decided that we would go back to the office since the frenzy had died down. Despite the shrieking young children at the Teddy Bear Clinic (I was surprised none had cried!), the experience convinced me to volunteer at AMPHS. Everyone was very welcoming when I first met them, and after the awkwardness faded away, we all acted as if we were one small family, and I was a new addition to it. I asked Hewett if it was alright to come back next week and he agreed. So I went home that night, completely tired but feeling good that I had accomplished something. I started to fill out my volunteer application; it was the end of a day, but the beginning of a new experience.
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Kiddie Corner
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The Art of Medicine ‘
Essence Annihilator Innocent hearts, innocent minds wander willingly into your maze, Right leads to surgery and left leads to healers But where is the path to the cardiology ward? You promised your heart to me, but I sense an irregularity. I hear the arrhythmia of your heartbeat, But I don’t want to believe eve the EKG. No man-made made device can measure love. Twists and turns—II arrive at my destination only to find you missing. Looking out from the center, I spot a bleeding pedestal. Unknowingly it is my heart on a platter, A gash straight down the middle, a scalpel stabbed in the center. Revealing the chambers where my hidden secrets lie. One keeps my hopes for us, And the other holds my perfect image of you, To the side are our dreams for the future, In the center is my love for you. Now it’s all in the open You’ve torn my heart apart On your walls, the remains of other broken hearts In your palm, the fate of others Is your heart made out of stone? Does ink run through your veins? I want to cut open your heart like you dissected mine To reveal the monster you truly are. -Sandy
Truong
Monster in my Heart Mon Yuck Yu Pencil on paper
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AMPHS - The Inside Story By; Tony Schwartz
I started working at AMPHS while applying to residency. I had graduated medical school, but did not start my residency right away. I found AMPHS through its association with the United States Medical Reserve Corp and decided to assist in its broader mission missio of helping the underserved community. AMPHS’s offices are located at the heart of an under-resourced resourced area in Brooklyn, where we serve the community in many ways. There were so many great experiences working for AMPHS that it’s hard to pick one to share, but here is one that happened recently that exemplifies my experience with AMPHS: We partnered with the Brooklyn Public Library and held a Teddy Bear Clinic at one of their Bay Ridge branches. A Teddy Bear Clinic is an activity for children where they t bring their own teddy bear and our clinical staff shows them how to do a basic physical exam. The purpose for this is so the kids get used to seeing a doctor and become desensitized to it if they are scared — plus, it is a lot of fun for them. We show them how to do an exam and then let them perform this on their own teddy bear. At this event, two brothers came to my station (eye exam, ear exam, mouth, heart and lungs). They didn’t have their own teddy bears, so they picked out a couple that the
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library had provided for kids who had forgotten their bears (or did not have one). I like to start a patient encounter by finding out who I am talking to, so I asked, “What is your teddy bear’s name?” The first brother replied, “Max.” I do the exam while teaching him the proper “technique” and all goes great. The next brother is ready for his teddy bear exam. I ask him, “What is your teddy bear’s name?” He replies, “Alex.” I look at the mother and say, “Wow, that is really coincidental! My nephews are named Alex and Max!” I wanted to share this story because it shows how you never know when a great or coincidental or ironic experience will come along. Working with AMPHS is such a great way to interact with the community that I am confident something (if not many) interesting encounters will come up that have an impact on your life. The Teddy Bear Clinics were just one of the many experiences I have had at AMPHS. Here are some of the things I have done with AMPHS, including the Teddy Bear Clinics: 1. Health Screenings: I participated in planning and executing health screenings both at our Brooklyn offices and with our partners at various community centers, for example, churches, public libraries, etc. 2. Teddy Bear Clinics: We have helped children desensitize their fear of physicians by showing them how a doctor examines a patient, using their teddy bears. We then showed them how to do simple exams on their own teddy bears. This was informative and a lot of fun for these kids. 3. Teaching: I was involved with planning and teaching pre-medical students medical school level courses with the goal of teaching these students some medicine and having them get an idea of what is taught in medical school while also earning American Heart Association certifications 4. Procurement of Grants: I participated in two grant request proposals. One was the Catherine B. Reynolds Grant, where we presented a project we call the Center for Health and Wellness (CHAW). This is a combination of Pet CPR classes and pet therapy for terminally-ill patients. We won a $1,000 seed grant for this project. I also participated in planning for another grant proposal (although I did not “pitch” this one), called the Social Impact Business Challenge, where we came up with a medical ethics “game” to be marketed to college-level ethics professors. We won this very competitive grant of $20,000! 5. I have also participated in planning and executing many other projects with AMPHS. Because of their multi-disciplinary mission, there was never a shortage of projects to plan. Part of my job was to partner with other organizations that serve the community and help with planning health screening. AMPHS has been an important commitment to me; based on my experiences at the organization, I have some advice to offer to prospective volunteers: 1. High School students: College admissions definitely look at extra-curricular activities. If you intend to major in a life science or are really interested in medical school some day, this volunteer experience is a definite plus on your college application.
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2. College/Pre-medical students: If you intend to apply for medical school, you need volunteer experience. Everyone volunteers to do hospital rotations (and you should too), so doing a volunteer experience outside this will show some uniqueness. Plus you will be involved with a non-profit that deals with underserved populations in a “medical” way. 3. Medical Students: We realize that time demands do not allow for much outside volunteer work; however, volunteering for an occasional health screening, or teaching a class will look great on your residency application. Plus you can sharpen your skills talking to patients, doing screenings, etc. 4. Resident Physicians: Again, we realize the time constraints. However, having some volunteer experience will really make you stand out if you are planning on applying for any fellowships. 5. Attending Physicians: This is a great way to give back to the community and get the underserved into the medical system. We have found that there are many barriers that lead to patients not seeking medical care. Financial obstacles are one, but many people think they are healthy and don’t realize they have risk factors for cardiovascular disease; some people have just procrastinated; some people are afraid of physicians, etc. When we partner with community organizations we have the opportunity to reach these people and recommend further screenings or other health care services. 6. General volunteers: Perhaps you are just looking for a great way to give back to community. There are many opportunities that require no clinical experience, e.g. grant writing, business plan writing, marketing, etc. Volunteering with AMPHS is a very rewarding way to serve the community and also improve your CV. The volunteers are great people to work with; they are very motivated and they all come from diverse backgrounds. You might work with other physicians, college students, business students, MBAs—you never know who you might meet! I highly recommend this experience.
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Puzzle Panel
Bones of The Body
Atlas Axis Carpus Cervical
Clavicle Coccyx Femur Fibula
Humerus Lumbar Metacarpals Metatarsals
Pelvis Phalanges Radius Sacrum
Scapula Skull Spine Sternum
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Winners for the Reynolds Social Entrepreneurs Competition and…
Finalists for Ashoka Click4Change Challenge! Challenge
Image Source: The Arizona Republic
P ET T HERAPY F OR T ERMINALLY I LL P ATIENTS S UPPORTED B Y P ET CPR C LASSES ! We are the sole organization in New York City offering regular Pet First Aid and CPR classes while providing our pet parents with the opportunity for recreational, motivational, and educational benefits that will enhance the quality of life for countless terminally ill patients through involvement in pet therapy.
When a knowledgeable, caring, and open minded healer treats a courageous and receptive
SUPPORT OUR VENTURE BYY EITHER VOLUNTEERING OR TAKING NG CLASSES!
patient, animals may just be the final ingredient to bringing peace to someone’s life.
Academy of Medical & Public Health Services 5306 Third Avenue, Second Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220 (718) 765-4000 | info@amphsonline.org www.facebook.com/AMPHS.National AMPHS National Pulse www.twitter.com/AMPHS_Nationa onal
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