of Public Health Sciences and chair of graduate programs at the Miller School of Medicine, also said that researchers at the Miller School and elsewhere have demonstrated that stress is not always an adversary.
A A. U. AMANDA NWABA
“In fact, exposure to a mild stressor prior to inoculation with the influenza vaccine has been shown to actually enhance immunological response, potentially conferring greater protection from the flu,” he said. The MBSR program has been studied in thousands of participants suffering from chronic high-stress levels, as well as inpatient groups living with a variety of chronic diseases. Results from these studies indicate that regular mindfulness practice results in reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms, along with other benefits.
IRENE GOO
Program: M.D./M.P.H. How Nwaba’s work has been related to COVID-19: “The Student National Medical Association (SNMA) chapters at UM and FIU partnered for a project aimed at decreasing the spread of misinformation related to COVID-19 by teaching youth how to critique public health information, communicate effectively on social media, and appreciate civic engagement. Our project is sponsored by the Association of Black Cardiologists and will consist of a series of webinars for mainly Black and Latinx Miami youth to educate and empower them as they continue to navigate their role in their community, and more specifically their online social circles, during the pandemic.
Dr. David Lee
pain with one another as one community, something that far too many have been lacking since March of last year.” – Nwaba
Additionally, the Miller School of Medicine’s executive student government hosted a COVID Diaries event that was aimed at providing a sense of community to Miller students who wanted to discuss how COVID-19 has affected their lives. Students were invited to share how the pandemic has affected their lives, whether directly related to an experience with COVID-19 or relating to the impact of isolation and feelings of uncertainty. The hour-long session was emotional and honest, and more importantly it was a safe space for Miller students to share their frustrations, worries, and
Program: M.D./M.P.H. How Goo’s work has been related to COVID-19: When quarantine and other restrictions prevented students from taking part in their usual community work, Goo connected with the organization ContraCOVID through Instagram. This allowed her to contribute to community efforts and assist community programs in gaining a wider audience through advertisements across platforms. Goo worked with fellow second-year students Danny Castaneda, Erin Dandes, and Nick Lee to develop a series of community resource guides. They compiled information about social assistance programs, COVID-19, health care, and unemployment and distributed these guides to Spanishand Creole-speaking communities in Miami. The guides provided other information about bill deferrals, financial assistance, and food resources — one of the most significant issues people are experiencing during the pandemic. Goo and her team collaborated with community partners, including churches and local organizations, to ensure accessibility and a wider audience for available outreach efforts.
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