utive dean, founding chair of the Department of Medical Education, and faculty advisor to the Gold Humanism Honor Society, took part in the tree planting with students Ryan Severdija and Priyen Patel. “Today, we pay our respects to Mother Earth,” she said. “Like a tree, we must be strong and resilient, grounded in our roots and helping others with no expectation of returns.” Moderating the virtual event, Jacklyn Perrault noted that there have been 465,000 COVID-19 cases and 6,000 deaths in Miami-Dade County so far. “For every lost life, there are countless loved ones missing them every day,” she said. “Many others have experienced the loss of jobs, income, and even their homes. Today, we acknowledge those losses and focus on healing as we continue our spirit of compassion and community support.” For the remembrance ceremony, Gauri Agarwal, M.D., associate dean for clinical curriculum, read a poem she wrote about how water links all humanity. “In the past year our collective tears have fallen into the great rivers of the Earth,” she said. Melissa Jones noted that medical students have played a role in the great pandemics of the past century, as well as the response to the 9/11 attacks. “Medicine is an unyielding call to action for us,” she said. “Today, as we remember the health care workers who lost their lives helping others, we must encourage family and friends to protect themselves by wearing masks and getting vaccinated.” On the musical side, student Arnaldo Franco played “Until the Last Moment” by Yanni on his piano, and four students from the Frost School of Music presented the first movement of Beethoven’s 14thstring quartet. Reflecting on the past year, Benesh said COVID-19 changed her life, giving her a depth of understanding that will make her a better doctor in the future. “Cherish the moments you have with the people you love,” she said. “And always be hopeful of new beginnings.”
MOBILE CLINIC TAKES VACCINES Written by Janette Neuwahl Tannen Published on March 31, 2021 Category: Alumna, Secondary Faculty, Service
The UHealth Pediatric Mobile Clinic is now offering the COVID-19 inoculations to adult family members of their patients in disadvantaged communities throughout Miami-Dade County. Armed with supplies from the state, the University of Miami Health System’s Pediatric Mobile Clinic is visiting some of Miami-Dade’s neediest communities to deliver COVID-19 vaccines. “We have to be part of the solution to getting this pandemic behind us,” said Dr. Lisa Gwynn, medical director for the Pediatric Mobile Clinic, as well as interim chief of the Division of General Pediatrics at the Miller School of Medicine. “We hope to make this a part of what we do and to offer what we have in these communities longterm.” At least twice a week, and on some Saturdays, the mobile clinic is now offering COVID-19 vaccines to underserved populations in Little Haiti, Hialeah, Florida City, and Homestead at churches, schools, or community
health centers, said Gwynn. For the most part, these are locations the mobile clinic already visits to deliver medical care and annual vaccinations to uninsured children. Now that they have COVID-19 vaccines, however, Gwynn’s staff is working with these partner sites to let families know they will be in the area beforehand. So, adults can make appointments for the inoculations. In just the past three weeks, the mobile clinic has distributed 414 of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines that were supplied by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Department of Health among four different community sites, according to Gwynn. Although they are given small allotments now, this could change in the future, she noted. Some Hialeah residents who received the vaccine this week said they were relieved to be inoculated. While some felt they had to get vaccinated for work, others wanted it for their own safety. “I’ve stopped traveling for work and
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