CMANA Connection
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THE OFFICAL NEWSLETTER FOR THE STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE COPTIC MEDICAL ASSOCAITON
Haiti Mission
participant testimonials page 8
NEW
board
CONFERENCE
2016
NEW
save-the-date website
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CMANA Student Publication Editorial & Design Board:: Ramzy Lotfi
CMANA C o n n e c t i o n table of con tents
01 Event Bulletin 03 President's Message 05 Board Introduction 06 New Website 07 6 Tips for Picking a Speicalty 08 Haiti Mission Testimonials 12 Upcoming Missions 13 Med School Confessionals 14 5 Deficiencies Health Professionals Should Look Out For 17 What to Wear: Professional Attire vs. Business Casual 21 Finding Balance in Daily Life 23 Start A Local Chapter
WE ARE LOOKING FOR WRITERS!
Student Publication
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If you are interested in being a writer for CMANA Connection please contact us at: cmanastudents@cmanamerica.org
CMANA
Box 58 Manlius, NY 13104 USA
CMANA BULLETIN upcoming student events
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ONLINE REGISTRTION
CMANA BULLETIN upcoming student events
OPENING SOON!
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CMANA CONNECTION
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NATIONAL STUDENT PRESIDENT
MICHAEL KARASS, MD
H
ealing was at the heart of Christ's ministry. In the 2nd century AD, Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, identified care of the sick as a principal responsibility of church elders. "Early Christians nursed the sick to emulate the healing ministry of Jesus, to express their faith in the ongoing healing power of Christ; and to distinguish Christian heroism in the face of sickness and death from pagan fear." (Amanda Potterfield).
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JULY 2016
As Paul Offit, M.D., Chief of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (and self proclaimed agnostic) writes "By the third century, no single entity had advanced healing more than monasteries, which treated the sick, disable, and elderly..Christian monasteries which put inpatient and outpatient care into a single building gave birth to the modern day hospital. By the Middle Ages, Christians had created more hospitals that any other religious or secular entity"
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Now in the 21st century, as young Christian healthcare students, we are called to build on what we have received. This year we are blessed with many new beginnings starting with a new board and website. We ended last year with a successful conference with more than 150 attendees from all around the USA and Canada who came together in a spirit of fellowship and service to dig deeper into Spirituality and Healthcare. We were honored to have a slew of guest speakers including our keynote speaker, Dr. Harold Koening, Director for the Center of Spirituality, Theology, and Health at Duke University, Dr. George Tadros, interventional cardiologist and director of missions at CMANA, and Fr. Mena Attwa, who was called to serve in Africa for 11 years. We are also actively building a strong student chapter in Canada and are in the process of organizing our annual conference which will be held in Orlando, Florida from December 16-19th. We hope to be a light in a city that has recently seen a lot of darkness.
We are also excited to be coming out with this student driven newsletter; as a place where we can share the work God is doing, through personal experiences in our day to day lives, whether in a major hospital in NYC or in a rural clinic in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. We will also be sharing articles to help us balance our various roles as Christian young leaders in healthcare and we welcome your submissions. We are also thrilled to be partnering with Coptic Orphans through
the Serve to Learn program; allowing healthcare students at the graduate and undergraduate level to be involved in health education while serving our brothers and sisters in Egypt. We look forward to serving with you, through local and international service events, as we grow into one body in Christ.
IT IS FORGOTTEN THAT MEDICINE OWNS ITS GREATEST DEBT NOT TO HIPPOCRATES, BUT TO JESUS. IT WAS THE HUMBLE GALILEAN WHO MORE THAN ANY OTHER FIGURE IN HISTORY BEQUEATHED TO THE HEALING ARTS ITS ESSENTIAL MEANING AND SPIRIT. JESUS BRINGS TO METHODS AND CODES THE CORRECTIVE LOVE WITHOUT WHICH TRUE HEALING IS RARELY ACTUALLY POSSIBLE. THE SPIRITUAL "FATHER OF MEDICINE" WAS NOT HIPPOCRATES OF THE ISLAND OF COS, BUT JESUS OF THE TOWN OF NAZARETH! DR. JACK PROVONOSHA, PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION AT LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY
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YOUR NEW CMANA
STUDENT BOARD PRESIDENT: MICHAEL KARASS
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS: MARK RAMZY (NORTH REGION) RAMZY LOTFI (SOUTH REGION) SECRETARIES: AMYE FARAG AMEER HALIM COMMITTEE BOARD MEMBERS: JOHN SIDHOM DEMYANA AZER OLIVIA BASSILY MARIAN AWAD JACQUELINE YOUSSEF CANADIAN REPRESENTATIVE: NARDINE BEKHIT 5
NEW
CHECK IT OUT AT CMANAMERICA.ORG
WEBSITE DESIGN
About Us
Mission Trips
Student Chapter Activities Make a Donation
OUR MISSION INSPIRED BY THE LOVE OF GOD, WE STRIVE TO SERVE THE SICK, UNITE THE BODY OF CHRIST, MENTOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND EQUIP LOCAL MINISTRIES AROUND THE WORLD TO EXPERIENCE GOD’S HEALING POWER.
STUDENT MEMBERSHIP IS FREE!
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TIPS FOR PICKING A SPECIALTY
Some people walk in to medical school knowing
they’re going to be an orthopedic surgeon and
never waver in their calling. For others,
including myself, each new rotation brings more
to love and an even more difficult decision. Here
are some tips to help you search for the right
specialty!
Tips:
1. Seek feedback from those who know you best,
including yourself. Ask which rotations you
seemed happiest on, which rotation had patients
that affected you most, and which days were the
easiest to wake up for work. Ask mentors you
are comfortable with what they see as your
strengths/weaknesses and which specialties
compliment them.
2. Consider the patient population you want to
work with. For example, if you hate working
with old people, family medicine and
ophthalmology are probably not going to be good
fits for you.
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By Amye Farag, M.D. Intern at Phoenix Children's Hospital
3. Lifestyle. While you shouldn’t do a specialty for
the money (or the lifestyle), it is definitely something
to consider. If you expect to have regular 9-5 work
hours, surgery probably won’t be in your future. If
you hate evening shifts, emergency medicine
probably won’t work for you either. Each specialty
has its pros and cons, but some may be incompatible
with your post-residency life- choose wisely.
4. Ask as many questions of residents and attendings
about their jobs and how they picked them as you
can. They probably have more insight into how their
field will be changing in the future and you’ll want
to know this to make an informed decision.
5. Make a list of pros and cons for the specialties
you’re deciding between. You may find a common
theme- ie. Patient population, procedure vs thinking
specialty, clinic vs hospital setting. This can help you
narrow it down.
6. Pray
God will open doors you never imagined
would be possible and shut the ones you don’t belong
in.
THE MISSION OF
CHRIST IN HAITI TESTIMONIAL ONE
By Mark Ramzy, Paramedic, MS- IV Philadelphia, PA, USA When asked to define the experience during a medical mission trip to a developing country,many often begin to describe it as “amazing”, “unbelievable”, or “life changing”. After my most recent trip to Haiti, I think the best word to describe the entire mission is: Humbling. When you travel to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere where it’s per capita income is only $250, you begin to redefine what it means to be content with what you have.
When about 80% of the rural Haitian population lives in poverty and yet the majority of the people have a smile on their face and kindly greet you with open arms, you become amazed at how Christ-like these individuals are. Having back packed throughout Europe and Asia for extended periods of time, I can safely say, Haitians are some of the most humbled and content individuals I have ever met. The day-to- day interaction with them
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really helped me look inward to my own personal qualities and assess whether or not every action and decision I make is moving myself closer or away to Christ. Despite not knowing the language and many of them not speaking English, it was apparent that our non-verbal
behavior communicated something very universally understood: Love. For those who have never been on a CMANA medical mission trip, wherever you go remember Jesus’ teaching: “A new commandment I give to
you, Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).As an avid world traveler (20+ countries and counting) trust me when I say: In Haiti, regardless of their
poverty and the number of possessions they don’t have, I truly felt loved by everyone I treated. And for those of you who are about to go on a trip (especially if it’s your first), prepare to encounter Christ in some of the most amazing people you’ll ever meet.
A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE TO YOU, LOVE ONE ANOTHER. AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, SO ALSO YOU MUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER. BY THIS ALL MEN WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER . JOHN 13:35
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THE MISSION OF
CHRISTÂ IN HAITI TESTIMONIALTWO
By Ameer Joseph Albert Einstein College of Medicine Class of 2020 One of the things that struck me the most upon arrival in Haiti was the extreme level of poverty that the people lived in. I had witnessed poverty before, but never to this extent. I started to question the notions of justice and fairness, and wondered how God could allow His children to live in these dismal conditions. By the end of the mission I realized that these people were very rich in their simplicity, kindness, and contentment, and that I was the poor one.
This realization made me question the purpose of my daily endeavors and the goals that I strive for; if my whole life revolves on chasing goals in order to become content while these people have nothing and yet are content, then what am I doing with my life? I discovered that the key to their contentment is their reliance on God. Due to their poverty, they don't have any material or wealth to put their hope
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in; they have nothing or no one that they can rely on besides Him. My problem is that I rely on the blessings as opposed to the One who has provided me with the blessings, only to realize that I'm far from being content. Overall the experience was very eye-
opening and perspective changing, and I pray that the seed of missions that was planted in my heart during this trip continues to grow and multiply in my life.
BY THE END OF THE MISSION I REALIZED THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE VERY RICH IN THEIR SIMPLICITY, KINDNESS, AND CONTENTMENT, AND THAT I WAS THE POOR ONE.
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WHERE WILL CHRIST TAKE YOU NEXT?
Last mission this year: Egypt: November 5 – 12
UPCOMING MISSIONS Next Year Tentative Schedule 1/28 - 2/4 Ethiopia 2/5 - 2/12 Namibia
Exploratory trip restricted to certain specialties
5/27 - 6/3 Haiti & 9/23 - 9/30 Haiti 7/8 - 7/ 15 Bolivia & 8/19 -8/26 Bolivia 11/4 - 11/11 Egypt The registration for any mission trip opens 3 months prior to the trip. As a registered CMANA member, you receive all our updates via links we send to your email so always check your email regularly. If you are not a registered member, please go to the "Join Us" page on our website to complete the application. Only a certain number is allowed to go on each trip so if you missed the chance to register for a trip, you can still email us to be added to the waiting list if a spot opens.
For any questions related to mission trips please email us at missions@cmanamerica.com
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MED SCHOOL CONFESSIONALS
Anonymous Student Submission
Without An Anchor The first semester of medical school was a very personal experience for me, as it is for many students. It was filled with an unimaginable number of highs and lows. As the semester progressed and the workload got heavier, the number of lows started to surpass and overshadow the highs. I couldn’t figure out why I had suddenly started to drown. Undergrad wasn’t easy, but I never felt the weight of anxiety as I did in my first semester as a medical student. Sometimes it was hard to breathe, sometimes mom got an earful and/or tears over the phone, and sometimes I got into bed feeling miserable and alone.
I took a leap of faith and entrusted my struggles to individuals that I’m now proud to call friends. I didn’t feel so alone anymore; they brought me back from the dark hole I had hidden away in. Quiet prayers and words of support replaced thoughts of inadequacy. I realized that I was trying to make the journey without faith, which had fallen by the wayside—along with my sense of self—as the classes intensified.
It felt isolating. Was I the only one struggling? Was I the only one that was so lost? Suddenly, I was surrounded by brilliant people with inspirational life stories, in addition to incredible talent and skill. That was it. They call it imposter syndrome. Why was I in medical school? How and why did they choose me? I was obviously nothing compared to my peers.
Faith was something I grew up with. It wasn’t something I cherished because it was old habit. Church on Sunday, a few services during the week, youth meetings, rinse and repeat. It wasn’t until medical school that I recognized the treasure it actually was. It became my anchor, along with the people that brought me back from the endless loop of negative, selfdeprecating thoughts.
Everyone says, “No worries, everyone feels this way in their first year!” Their words of comfort echoed in my head and failed to fill the emptiness I felt. When I finally recognized that I needed something more, I reached out to my classmates. I hesitated though, I didn’t want them to see or know that I was struggling.
To the students who are struggling everyday, to those who have lost sight of their goal, try and remember that someone is out there who will listen to you. You are loved by someone, no matter how much you feel that you’re alone. Never think your problems are unimportant, but always remember that your God is bigger. “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and dominion forever. Amen.” I Peter 5:1011
Most people start medical school with a certain level of pride. Proud that we’ve gotten this far, proud that our parents are proud, and proud of the hard work we’ve done to earn that spot next to our peers. It was a humbling experience to recognize that I was struggling. It was humbling to bring myself to talk to my classmates and
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verbalize the emptiness I felt for months. Nothing made me happier than that I did.
“I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in the right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble.” Proverbs 4:1112
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NUTRITION DEFICIENCIES HEALTH PROFESSIONALS SHOULD LOOK FOR
By Sahara Soliman RDN/LN, CLC
Most American’s aren’t going to vitamin deficient regularly. There are some reasons with illness/disease, new growth, malabsorption, or even addiction can affect a person’s vitamin or mineral status. Here are 5 nutrients to be on the lookout for in the medical setting. cabbage) can decrease the absorption of dietary iron.
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Iron deficiency could be for a number of reasons. Iron deficiency anemia is characterized by fatigue, dark circle under and around the eyes, feeling cold, and spoon shaped nails where the nails are concave and the edges are raised. Most people affected are woman of menstrual age, pregnant/post-partum, and children. Too much calcium, sweets beverages, and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) can decrease the absorption of dietary iron.
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Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that interacts with the eyes, skin and vision when too low. Decreased night vision is the first manifestation to happen, followed by the keratinization of the eyes (conjunctiva and cornea) and bitot spots. Dietary vitamin A is high in green leafy vegetables, colorful orange and yellow fruits (color due to beta carotene), liver, egg yolk, fish liver oils.
Thiamine B1 deficiency, is common among alcoholics, severe anorexics, and people in developing countries living mainly on white rice or refined carbohydrates. Treatment is adding thiamine back in the diet. Clinical manifestations present themselves as irritability, fatigue, Anorexia, abdominal irritability, dry beriberi- peripheral neurological deficits occurring bilaterallyburning in the feet, muscle cramps in the calves, Wernicke-korsakoff with alcoholics- psychomotor slowing, paralysis of the eye muscles, impaired balance, coma, death, wet beriberi-myocardial disease with vasodilation, tachycardia, warm skin, sweating, lactic acidosis, later heart failure. Physically characterized by a round, swollen moon face, foot drop, weight loss, muscle weighting, jerky eye movements and a staggering gait.
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A B1
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Niacin B3 deficiency (pellagra) can be seen in alcoholism. The clinical manifestations include a localized pigmented rash that are usually bilaterally symmetrical, diarrhea, mucous membranes- easily seen in the mouthbecome red, swollen and increased saliva production, anorexia and neurological deficits eventually to a cognitive decline. Very deficient patients can show change in personalities. Foods rich in tryptophan, dairy products, are metabolized to niacin which can be used PO to increase levels.
Vitamin D deficiency has become more common and can affect anyone who is not exposed to enough sunlight. Depending on skin melanin, the patient needs direct sunlight for at least 20 minutes. The patient needs to be uncovered, no sun block and outside. In children, the clinical manifestation is called rickets causing bowing of the legs leading to delay in walking. Depending on how young the child is, the cranial bones are soft. In adults, it is called osteomalacia. It can cause muscle pain, weakness and bone pain. Tentany, from low calcium as these two nutrients work together, can cause tingling of the lips, tongue and fingers. Milk has Vitamin D added in or supplements of Vitamin D3 will increase levels. This is a fat soluble vitamin.
B3
D
References http://www.nutrition411.com/content/vitamin-and-mineral-deficiencies-physical-assessment http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional
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What to Wear
By Justine M. Latif Pharm. D Candidate Class of 2017 Florida A&M University
HEELS OR FLATS? TIE OR BOWTIE? Professional Attire Being in a professional setting often brings up the question as to what clothes are professional and what are not. Here are some tips on professional attire versus casual professional attire!
The Ladies
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Suits: •Jacket sleeve length should be 1/2 an in under the wrist •Neutral Colors: grey, navy, black, brown Pants: •Should fall just at the knees when standing If you have to tug on the skirt when sitting down, they’re too tight! •Avoid skirts with high slits Shoes: •Avoid opentoed shoes, sandals, or shoes with your heel showing •No stilettos •Use heels with a heel that’s 12 inches high •Wear trouser socks or neutral hosiery Shirts: •Use light, neutral colors; less patterns •No cleavage ladies! •Buttonups are widely acceptable
Professional Attire Suits: •Should be solid or have subtle pinstripes •Jacket should be buttoned when standing and unbuttoned when sitting •Threepiece suites are unnecessary; this isn’t a wedding •Neutral Colors: grey, navy, black, brown Pants: •Jackets and pants have to match •Have your pants tailored to an appropriate length •Tight jackets and pants are not recommended; we’ll see your guns later Tie: •Subtle colors are best •Tie should reach your belt Shoes: •Polished, leather shoes •Should match belt color Shirts: •Use light, neutral colors; less patterns •Long sleeve shirts •Sleeve of shirt should come out 1/2 an inch out under the suit jacket sleeve
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The Gents
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Business Casual Business casual is more appropriate once you land a job or internship, or when Casual Fridays take place. Your clothes should still be conservative, crisp, and neat; however, you’re free to be more comfortable.
Business Casual The Ladies
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Jacket: •Trendier blazers or suit jackets are appropriate •Jacket does not have to match pants Pants: •Capris and cropped pants can be worn •Stay away from bright colored pants •Subtlecolored pants are appropriate Skirts: •Should fall just at the knees when standing •If you have to tug on the skirt when sitting down, they’re too tight! •Avoid skirts with high slits Shoes: •Opentoed shoes, sandals, or shoes with your heel showing are okay •No stilettos •Use heels with a heel that’s 12 inches high •Wear trouser socks or neutral hosiery •Flats are great Shirts: •Blouses or shirts with patterns are acceptable •Sweaters or cardigans
Business Casual The Gents Jacket: •Sports coats are appropriate •Ties are not necessary •Does not have to match pants Pants: •Have your pants tailored to an appropriate length •More fitted pants are appropriate Tie: •Subtle colors are best •Tie should reach your belt •Bowties are acceptable Shoes: •Loafers or oxfords are appropriate •Socks should match tie or bowtie if one is worn Shirts: •Use light, neutral colors; less patterns •Long sleeve shirts •Can be worn with a sweater on top •Polo shirts are appropriate, but for more casual settings
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FINDING BALANCE IN DAILY LIFE By John-William Sidhom Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
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I’ve heard there are two ‘types’ of people when it comes to the time of day they best operate. The first type are called ‘early birds.’ These individuals get up easily in the morning and are most productive early in the day. They have no problem getting up and starting their day with full force. The second type are called ‘night owls.’ These people seem to reach their full productive potential in the late hours of the night. Conventional wisdom tells us that early birds tend to be really good at making lists and accomplishing goals while night owls are the more creative type; instead of making a list of objectives to complete, they go with the flow until something good comes from their work. To be quite honest, I’ve never been a morning person. All through college, I found my most productive hours to be late at night. It was as if it took the whole day for my brain to wake up; but once it turned on, I found my creative juices flowing and my best work would follow. As an engineering student at the time, much of my work was either problem solving or design. Tapping into the creative potential the night had to offer always seemed to result in my best work. The irony is I ended up eventually choosing a career where not only being a morning person is helpful but practically necessary. As a physician in training, days can start as early as 4 in the morning with shifts well over 12 hours in a day.
Going through my surgery rotation in medical school definitely highlighted for me the difficulty I had in working that early in the morning. So what is someone like me to do entering a profession where I’ll be called to be fully functional in the wee hours of the morning? A few months ago, under the influence of several people, I began to think about taking control of my mornings. Even though I felt I was a ‘night owl,’ I began to see the value of becoming an ‘early bird.’ If not for just my career, I began to learn about all the benefits of starting my morning early and with purpose. I developed a morning ritual as a way to set the tone for the rest of my day. I made a schedule for myself that I began to follow each morning to the minute. I set aside time in the morning to exercise, eat a filling and healthy breakfast, pray, read the Bible, and take a few minutes to write in a gratitude journal before I got off to start the rest of my day. I realized being a morning person was not just a matter of preference but a very effective way to make the most of my entire day. Instead of rushing out of my apartment in the morning feeling like a complete mental train wreck, I took an extra 3045 minutes in the morning to gather myself and prepare for the upcoming day. As a result, I was able to establish an inner peace and calm before tackling the challenges that were ahead of me. By making my morning ritual a routine, I’ve been able to build habits that have had resounding and disruptive effects in all other aspects of my life.
In the word of Charles Duhigg, the author of the book The Power of Habit, “Some habits matter more than others in remaking lives. These are ‘keystone habits,’ and they can influence how people work, eat, play, live, spend, and communicate. Keystone habits start a process that, over time, transforms everything.” But what about my creative side? Pursuing a career in medicine often calls for life of regimen and routine: the essence of medicine calls it to be ‘practiced’ until that routine can be executed to the highest proficiency to provide reliable and good care of patients. There really is little room for creativity in the practice of medicine. After all, would you want your physician to be creatively experimenting with your next surgery? Not at all. You want your physician to be doing for you what he/she has done for countless of patients before you; so much so they can do it in their sleep.
So for me to maintain an outlet for creativity, I began to pick up music more during my graduate years. I learned how to play the guitar and began to write/produce music as a means to maintain my sanity outside of medicine. After a long day where my mind has been whirling from work, it’s relaxing and relieving to let my mind go in singing, playing, and writing music. At one point, I thought a life of routine and regimen were incompatible with a life of creativity. Either you were an early morning to do list type of person or someone guided by more by your creative flow. It turns out, for me, both were invaluable to maintain balance in my life: they just occupied different parts of my day A morning routine sets the tempo for my day and musical expression ends my night on the perfect unwinding note.
“TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON, A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN” (ECCLES. 3:1).
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STARING A NEW Student Chapter
Do you have a local CMANA Student Chapter at your University? If not, here is a 3-step checklist to get you started: Spread the word at your local church youth group for a meeting for health and pre-health students Plan local CMANA Events like health fairs, community outreach, career education events, etc Meet regularly to recruit members to attend CMANA Missions & National Conferences
HOW TO GET INVOLVED: Register on the website: cmanamerica.org
If you would like to host a CMANA service event/spiritual day in your area, please contact us at cmanastudents@cmanamerica.org 23