Serpent, Staff, and Drum Indians Into Medicine Newsletter Quentin N. Burdick Indian Health Programs May 2012
More Than Beads and Feathers
Inside this Issue:
In the 2012 More Than Beads and Feathers campaign, two Indians Into Medicine Program alumni were recognized for their commitment, service, and continued success in their medical careers. Dr. Byron Baker, Mandan-Hidatsa, and Kimberly Rhoades, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, were two of nine individuals who were selected to have a campaign poster printed to recognize them for their outstanding achievements. Byron Baker received a B.S., M.D. and is a Family Medicine Physician at Baker Family Medicine in Bismarck, ND. Kimberly Rhoades received a B.S.D and is a Nutritionist for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe WIC Program in Fort Yates, ND. Thank you to our INMED alums for their outstanding services in which they provide our tribal communities. The Indians Into Medicine Program congratulates Byron and Kimberly for this honor they have had bestowed upon them.
More Than Beads and Feathers Page 1
Student Spotlight: Tyler Parisen Page 1
INMED Graduates Honored at 2012 Wacipi Powwow Page 2
Match Day Results Page 2
University of South Dakota Article Page 2-3
Alumni Review: Sharon Keene Page 3
Student Spotlight-Tyler Parisen Tyler Parisen’s motivation for pursuing a career in medicine came from being hospitalized because of his gallbladder. “I was really interested in why blood samples were being taken and ended up asking the
doctor what was being tested. The doctor went on to explain that my bilirubin was high and they had to monitor it. I immediately took interest in this and started researching the medical lab. Considering I was already declared a major in Forensic Science, laboratory science already intrigued me. My stay in the hospital helped me determine that the
medical field would be more rewarding for me and I changed my major,” Tyler stated. Parisen, an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, worked as a student extern at the IHS facility in Belcourt, ND. He was a recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship and graduated in May of 2011 with a B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science. The most rewarding aspect of working in a health career for Tyler is “...going home every night knowing that something I did that day helped confirm a diagnosis in time for proper treatment that could ultimately save a patient’s life. It is also rewarding to know that
you for a brief moment were part of a team that helped someone that may be sick feel better.” Working in the laboratory as a Medical Technologist, Parisen currently works for the Spirit Lake Nation at the Spirit Lake Health Center in Fort Totten, ND. SLHC is in the Aberdeen area of Indian Health Service. Tyler’s B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science is proven success of the INMED program. Tyler is now a first year graduate student at the University of North Dakota pursuing a Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Science.
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SERPENT, STAFF & DRUM
2012 Honor Ceremony
MAY 2012
Match Day Results Match Day for medical students can define where an individual may work in their future medical career. INMED graduates matched in the following residency programs this spring:
Amber Tincher University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences Bismarck, North Dakota
This year’s Indians Into Medicine Program graduates were honored at the 2012 Wacipi Annual Powwow held April 21st, 2012. Graduates honored at the INMED 2012 Annual Wacipi honor ceremony are listed as follows: Amber Tincher, Susan Derry, Estelle Ostgard, Melanie McCarroll, Cassie Roselius, Katheryn McEvoy, Brittany Crawford, and Jeri Ann Azure.
Kathryn McEvoy
Eleven students graduated this spring with nine participating in the INMED honoring ceremony. Graduates were robed with a Pendelton blanket by Tribal Board Charter Member Dr. David Gipp and UND Medical School Dean Joshua Wynne.
Estelle Ostgard-USD
The Indians Into Medicine Program is proud to have had these students as participants in the program the best of luck to them in their future medical careers.
Indians Into Medicine at USD Greeting from South Dakota! It was another busy but rewarding year for the INMED Satellite Office located in the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota. Since early October, 2011, the INMED Satellite Office visited 66 schools and attended numerous conferences where we spoke with over 1400 junior high, high school, and tribal college students who were able to learn more about the INMED Summer Institute and Pathway Programs. Particularly impressive this year was the number of teachers, counselors, and family members who recalled former students or family who had attended INMED as a teen and are now successfully involved in healthcare-related careers. One example of this occurred following a presentation at Pine Ridge High School. Following the INMED presentation, an elder who had been listening from the back of the room asked if he could share something with the students. He went on to speak to the group about his daughter who
University of Missouri Kansas City Program Kansas City, Missouri
Rochelle Miles-USD University of Arizona Health Sciences Center Univeristy of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences Bismarck, North Dakota
Susan Derry Carilion Clinic School of Medicine Roanoke, Virginia
Melanie McCarroll New York Methodist Hospital Program Brooklyn, New York
had attended INMED every summer as a child and is now a pulmonologist in New Mexico. He encouraged the students and emphasized how valuable their education in medicine would be to the Oglala Lakota Sioux Nation. By connecting his daughter’s success as a physician to the Pine Ridge High School and community, he spoke significantly more to the students than any planned presentation ever could. While attending a “Summer Programs Fair” at Marty Indian School in South Dakota, former INMED participants Frances Bullshoe (Black Feet) and Glenn Drapeau (Yankton Sioux) explained how they chose to use their INMED experience by teaching science at Marty. Frances has been with ...continued on page 3
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Marty Indian School for 11 years and teaches middle school science. She has a Bachelor degree in Biology and a Master degree in Education, Curriculum and Instruction. Glenn has a Bachelor degree in Biology and currently works with the South Dakota Gear Up Program. Glenn and Frances not only met while attending INMED, they married each other and will soon celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary! Glenn and Frances are proud to have grown up drug free and
SERPENT, STAFF & DRUM
MAY 2012
now take pride in raising their two children, Kimimina Hota and Hehaka Waste’ Hoksina, in a traditional indigenous home.
volunteers to discuss their own INMED experience or that of a friend or family member. INMED continues to be a highly respected “INMED prepared us academically program that has clearly made a for science degrees by exposing us to great impact on Indian country and scientific labs. INMED also gave us will continue to do so in the years a helpful base in chemistry and to come. biology that we used throughout college.” It is apparent that throughout South Dakota and Nebraska INMED is alive and well. Following almost every presentation someone
Alumni Review After high school in 1974, Dr. Sharon Keene attended the Indians Into Medicine Program at the University of North Dakota. Planning a career in law and politics, she switched focus after dubious political affairs occurred at the time and pursed an education in medicine. With family ties to the Fort Berthold reservation and being an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara), she knew that the lack of immediate medical care in tribal communities was and continues to be a vast challenge among the native population. Sharon trained in general surgery. “Currently there is no opportunity to utilize this specialty on Fort Berthold where I am a registered tribal member.” In Sharon’s experience, 24 hour emergency care is not available on the reservation and unfortunately one of her dear relatives was lost last fall to a heart attack at the age of 34. In his memory, Sharon has promised to establish a fund to improve health and health care on the reservation. Keene plans on working with medical professionals on Fort Berthold reservation to establish programs to meet this goal.
What motivated you to pursue a career in medicine? “Like many young people, I was driven by idealism and altruism. From a more mature, practical perspective, it is very rewarding and continuously stimulating intellectually to have the knowledge that comes with medical education and training.” What is the most rewarding aspect of working in a health career?
“The most rewarding aspect of my career is my ability to change lives for the betterespecially for my family-whether by prescribing an antibiotic to treat a bacterial infection, or anti viral to prevent a more serious case of the flu, or by making sure that “I am currently in the process of establishing a non profit 501c3 a family member who is seriously ill is corporation to solicit funds for programs that I will help identify and receiving the correct treatment!” oversee. I have pledged $10,000 of my own earnings, and other family members have pledged their support, too.” What need do you see the INMED Sharon is a dedicated health care professional seeking out ways to serve program fulfilling within the native tribal culture? her native population and stay connected with her tribal affiliations, culture, and heritage. We leave you with her quote:
“Teaching western medicine to young Native “My nephew was a bright, witty and educated young man who had Americans allows them to blend this information with their own cultural traditions planned to use his talents to improve the lives of people on Fort Berthold. He was living there and working with the tribal government and within the embrace of their families who at the time of his death. To lose him at such a young age, highlighted to are more likely to trust and perhaps adhere to me the problems with health and health care that remain unsolved their medical advice.” today. Well trained medical providers are the best way to answer that need.”
The “Serpent, Staff and Drum” is a newsletter of the Indians Into Medicine Program, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences. INMED is part of the Quentin N. Burdick Indian Health Programs. The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University or the School of Medicine & Health Sciences. INMED welcomes further distribution of information contained in this newsletter. We do request the INMED receive acknowledgement for articles reprinted. Submit articles for publication and address corrections to INMED Program-INMED address is located on back.
INMED PROGRAM UNDSMHS Room 2101 501 N Columbia Road, Stop 9037 Grand Forks ND 58202-9037 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
INMED Program UNDSMHS Room 2101 501 N Columbia Road Stop 9037 Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037 Phone: (701)-777-3037 Fax: (701)-777-3277 Website: http://www.med.und.edu/indians-into-medicine/ Indians Into Medicine is a comprehensive education program assisting Indian students who are preparing for health careers. Located at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks, INMED support services include academic and personal counseling for students, assistance with financial aid application, and summer enrichment sessions at the junior high through professional school levels.
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