Arthur Bookstein
Network Director
Arthur Bookstein is a third-year medical student at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with degrees in Molecular & Cell Biology and Public Health, and minors in Bioengineering and Conservation & Resource Studies. He completed his Master in Public Health with an emphasis in Biostatistics & Epidemiology at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. He intends to pursue further training in Medicine-Pediatrics and Oncology, and become a physician who advocates for vulnerable populations through clinical practice, research and policy. His research interests include cancer health disparities and prevention, global oncology, and Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) cancer survivorship. He has published research in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI), Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention (CEBP), and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). In his free time, he enjoys long-distance cycling, language learning, and volunteering.
Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) Project:
My project is a multi-faceted campaign to empower the health of local Japanese and other AANHPI communities in Los Angeles. My primary focus involves creating health education classes on topics like healthy aging and cancer screening, which are offered in both English and Japanese at community centers. As part of the outreach aspect of my campaign, I am also providing multicultural health resources at local community events and recruiting participants from underrepresented groups to join the All of Us Research Program. Additionally, I am helping to launch a new Mental Health Ambassadorship program under LTSC, which will encourage high school students from Japanese and other AANHPI communities to engage with mental health and dispel cultural stigma surrounding this topic.
In terms of research, I am currently conducting an analysis of language and cultural barriers and their impact on HBV/HCV and Liver cancer among Asian Americans in the All of Us database.
Michael Yi
Network Director
Michael Yi is a current fourth year medical student at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, has completed a research fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Murad Alam at the Northwestern University, and is passionate about minority and disadvantaged populations. He has published in the JAAD, JID, JEADV, AODR, and the Journal of First-Generation Student Success, created multiple social media videos to improve awareness of health issues in minority communities, led numerous school-wide events, and has been a mentor for First-Generation Asian-American students and prospective medical students. In his free time, Michael enjoys reading, snowboarding, and finding the best tacos restaurants.
Asian Health Coalition Project:
As an ambassador, I am working on YouTube videos and shorts that discuss public health disparities that affect various minority populations. I have also taken part in the NIH’s Research Scholar Program for the past two years and presented my work on the association between dermatologic and psychological conditions in Asian-American populations at the Research Scholar Program’s Research Symposium.
Tsz Chun Marcus Chung
Network Director
Tsz Chun (Marcus) Chung immigrated from Hong Kong, achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and is currently a second year medical student at A.T. Still University – School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona. Tsz Chun’s commitment to healthcare stems from his belief that everyone deserves care, regardless of their background. He is fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. His diverse work experience includes roles as a Community Outreach Worker, Medical Assistant, Specialty Mental Health Counselor, and Research Assistant. Tsz Chun has volunteered extensively, including coaching high school students on diabetes management and providing mental health support through hotlines. He has also spearheaded community projects such as organizing pepper spray distributions for self-defense in the Asian community and co-founding One Dollar Rides, a service providing affordable transportation.
Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California (APIDC) Project:
Promote All of Us Research Program in Asian Americans and the population with disabilities; Promote COVID-19 Vaccination in local Asian American communities; Promote mental health awareness (i.e. depression in communities of Asian Americans and Disabilities); Social media outreach about mental health
2024-2025 APAMSA National Board Applications Open!
CALLING FOR CANDIDATES to run for the 2024-2025 National Board!! We’re excited to announce that applications are now open. If you are interested in gaining leadership experience, this is your chance to run for a position on our National Board! For full details, visit our website at apamsa.org/elections.
APAMSA Spring Semester Partnerships Intern
Job Title: APAMSA Spring Semester Partnerships Intern
Effective Date: February 5 – May 31, 2024
Compensation: $18.75 per hour
Weekly Hourly Expectation: 5-10 hours/week
Note: This internship is only available to current members of Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA).
Job Summary: Vot-ER develops nonpartisan civic engagement tools and programs for every corner of the healthcare system—from private practitioners to medical schools to hospitals and community health centers. Their work is driven by a community of health care professionals, organizers, and clinical students united by a common vision: healthy communities powered by inclusive democracy. The APAMSA Partnerships Intern will support Vot-ER’s Partnerships team as we prepare for the 2024 electoral season and amplify our non-partisan tools, collaborations, and policy work. Our work planning, building and executing is bold and deeply innovative, and we are committed to building systems that are responsive to the partners we collaborate with. This internship will be focused in one of the following two objectives:
1) Policy: Supporting our policy team in identifying and taking action upon policy-related offensive and defensive opportunities at the local, tribal, state and federal level as well as within different health care institutions; or
2) Community Civic Engagement Program: Working to build and support Vot-ER’s small grant-making program to offer resources and training to Community Health Centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers as they integrate voter registration and voter turn-out into their work with patients and communities.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact advocacy@apamsa.org See the job posting and submit an application at: https://voter.recruitee.com/o/anams-vot-er-partnerships-2
As I Am: an AANHPI Mental Health Storytelling Project
“As I Am” is a mental health storytelling project, which aims to:
1) Increase awareness of mental health experiences among AANHPI medical students
2) Use storytelling as a form of healing as we seek to learn and relate to the experiences of our peers.
Submit your story at http://tinyurl.com/apamsaasiam. There is a 150-word limit for submissions, and stories can be submitted anonymously. The project will be shared using Instagram Stories from the National APAMSA account (@nationalapamsa).
Please contact Karen Qi at mentalhealth@apamsa.org for any questions or concerns. Thank you, and take care!
Learn About Cancer Disparities in the AANHPI Communities with HAAPIE!
APAMSA is helping to enroll participants for a cancer disparities research study at MCW to help educate the general public, but primarily those who are in healthcare as students, staff, and faculty, on health issues and health disparities experienced by Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs). This pilot will lead a larger effort in creating a national health curriculum on AANHPIs through the HAAPIE Initiative (Health Advancement for Asian/Pacific Islanders through Education).
If you are interested in participating in our study on the effectiveness of our curriculum, please complete the study consent and pre-questionnaire here: https://tinyurl.com/haapiecancer
Afterwards, you will be given instructions on enrolling in the course in Thinkific. All participants who complete the course requirements will receive a certificate of completion. The first 40 participants will also receive a $30 Amazon gift card.
If you have any questions, please contact Ming Lin (mlin@mcw.edu), Joyce Lee (johlee@mcw.edu), Iaong Vang (ivang@mcw.edu), or Dr. Lor (kblor@mcw.edu). Thank you!
Calling for a Humanitarian Truce in Gaza
Since the first attacks on October 7th, 2023, Gaza has been embroiled in a devastating conflict as tensions that have been mounting for many decades have erupted in these most recent tragedies. Thousands of civilians have lost their lives, and countless more have had to flee their homes for fear of further death and destruction. In light of these tragic developments, the United Nations General Assembly called for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza on October 27th. The vast majority of the delegates chose to adopt the resolution with a 120-14 vote. In the midst of the ongoing military conflict, their resolution emphasizes the need to support and care for the millions who lack access to food, water, medicine, and fuel. The resolution also calls for all parties to honor international humanitarian law, especially with regard to the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel, and humanitarian facilities, such as hospitals and schools.
We at National APAMSA unequivocally uphold the value of human life everywhere, and we join the U.N. General Assembly in demanding that it be protected at all costs. We firmly assert that civilian lives must not be jeopardized, even in the midst of a military conflict, and we strongly urge for a humanitarian truce to be enacted. We affirm the statement of the Committee of Interns and Residents in emphasizing that as members of the medical profession, we are committed to maintaining the health and safety of every person regardless of background. No civilians on any side of the conflict should have to face the fear of death or have their access to the necessities of life threatened, and we commend the healthcare workers who have been caring for the sick and injured even at the risk of their own lives.
Moreover, we recognize and likewise condemn the ways in which the conflict has led to an increase in racially motivated hate crimes against both Jewish and Muslim people in the United States. As stated in our most recent Official Statement, we stand against all instances of racial hate crimes and violence within our communities. Relevantly, we also reaffirm Resolution 20.002 of our Policy Compendium: that we support and uphold the importance of refugee and migrant health and safety, both within and outside our national borders.
We are aware of the recent developments in which Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day truce starting on November 23rd, 2023. However, the truce would entail an exchange of only a limited number of hostages; it does not itself indicate a definitive end to this present conflict.
We therefore maintain our call for a ceasefire to be established and for unrestricted humanitarian aid to be provided to all who have been affected by the conflict, and we urge our community members to join us in contacting local government representatives and legislators to raise their own voices to this end. Please reach out to your local regional director or the National APAMSA Mental Health Director at mentalhealth@apamsa.org. You can find our list of additional supportive resources here.
If you have questions about the statement, please reach out to the Rapid Response Director at rapidresponse@apamsa.org
Deconstructing the Asian Monolith Bias: From Monolith to Mosaic
Join Columbia APAMSA for a Zoom workshop that dives deep into the Asian Monolith Bias and its pervasive influence in healthcare. Together, we will discuss how this bias manifests and its implications for patient care on the diverse AANHPI communities in the US.
During this workshop, we will explore strategies and approaches to dismantle these systemic inequities, fostering a more inclusive and equitable healthcare landscape for all. Attendees for this workshop will be entered in a raffle for one of two $50 gift cards – one for Moshi Drinks and one of your choice!
Please help us spread the word to those outside of APAMSA as well as we hope to raise awareness of the Asian Monolith Bias to more non-APAMSA attendees! RSVP here: tinyurl.com/columbiabngap
Statement on the Illinois Stabbing
On October 14th, 2023, 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume was killed and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, was critically wounded in a horrific stabbing by their landlord, allegedly because they were Muslim. Having moved to Illinois only 2 years ago, the Muslim Palestinian family has been devastated by what is now being investigated as a potential hate crime, as the authorities believe this attack was likely connected to the Israel-Hamas conflict that erupted just a week prior.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has shaken the world with the tragedies that have arisen from it. There are no winners in war, and we at National APAMSA grieve for all those who have lost so much and suffered so greatly from it. Indeed, increased reports of hate and violent threats against both Muslim and Jewish communities across the country have been pouring forth in just the past few days. We lament how the eruption of this conflict has sparked such hate and violence, and we condemn all acts of racially targeted attacks.
We strive to protect and uphold the health and safety of all our communities, and we absolutely do not tolerate any threats to those values. As news coverage continues to focus on this most pressing issue, we urge those in political offices and the media to proceed with caution so as not to inflame already mounting tensions that may exacerbate threats of violence. APAMSA condemns all forms of racism, and we look to our country’s leaders to do the same.
We offer our deepest condolences to Al-Fayoume’s family and all those in the Muslim and Arab American communities, and we hope Shahin will recover soon.
For questions about the statement, please contact Eric Kim at rapidresponse@apamsa.org. For local support, please contact the Region 6 Directors at region6@apamsa.org.