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.



Statement on the Treatment of Jaahnavi Kandula

On January 23rd of 2023, 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula was struck and killed by a police officer’s vehicle that was responding to a “priority one” call. A Master’s student of Northeastern University’s Seattle campus, Kandula had immigrated from India, where her single mother was an elementary school teacher and had taken on financial debt to support the move. Yet the tragedy of her story has only grown as recently released footage revealed the manner in which vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, Dan Auderer, had responded to the incident. In it, Auderer is heard laughing while discussing Kandula’s death, finally quipping, “Just write a check… yeah, $11,000. She was 26 anyway, she had limited value.”

 

It is difficult to describe the horror and anger that naturally arise upon listening to Auderer’s callous behavior. Not merely in virtue of Kandula’s talent and potential, but as a human being deserving of dignity and respect, she deserves far more than to be laughed at so flippantly. We at National APAMSA are horrified with Auderer’s actions, and we call upon the Office of Police Accountability to conduct its investigation with the utmost seriousness and urgency. We demand that justice be brought to the situation for the sake of Kandula’s memory and her family. We cannot stand idly by and allow the dehumanization and diminishment of members of our AANHPI community go unpunished.

 

We offer our sincerest condolences to Kandula’s loved ones, who had to suffer from not only the loss of someone so dear to them, but also the insult and disrespect from those that are ostensibly there to protect and serve our communities. We urge other AANHPI communities to join us in our condemnation of these disturbing developments. We also urge organizations associated with or otherwise involved in this nation’s police force to fight for robust and just accountability practices for police officers throughout our communities.

If you have any questions or concerns about the statement, please contact Eric Kim at rapidresponse@apamsa.org



Advancing Asian-American Health Through Qualitative Research

Join us on November 15, 2023 from 7-8:30pm EST with Dr. David Yang, a Research and EMS Fellow at Yale University Department of Emergency Medicine, for a research workshop that provides an introduction into qualitative research methods available in the field of AANHPI-related research. Dr. David Yang will present his own research, describe his experiences with research along his training journey, and share some opportunities that are available in the field. You can RSVP here (https://forms.gle/ef9bUEDVFCfMCzPY6).

For questions about the event, please contact research@apamsa.org.


2023 Hepatitis Conference

We are happy to announce that the 17th Annual Hepatitis B/C Conference will be taking place in-person on Saturday, November 11, 2023 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST at our updated venue: The NonProfit Center, 89 South Street, Suite 302, Boston, MA 02111-2680!

We are also ecstatic to announce that the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine APAMSA Chapter will be collaborating to host this conference! APAMSA members and non-members are all welcome to register and attend.

WELCOME TO THE 17TH ANNUAL APAMSA HEPATITIS CONFERENCE!

Each year, we strive to collectively engage in the global fight against liver diseases, including hepatitis B and C, and to raise awareness about health disparities and their impact within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) population. We are excited to welcome you all in person in Boston, MA on 11/11/2023! Our members at Boston University have graciously partnered with us to put together the best conference yet!

The objectives of the conference are to raise awareness about the impact of liver diseases on the AANHPI community, to encourage future health care providers to advocate for policy changes to address the current health disparities that the AANHPI community face, to provide opportunities for current health profession students to network with prominent leaders in hepatology and to provide a venue for students to present their research on topics related to GI/hepatology.

 

Venue: The NonProfit Center

89 South Street, Suite 302
Boston, MA 02111-2680

SCHEDULE

8:00 AM – 8:50 AM: Registration/Breakfast

9:00 AM – 9:10 AM: Opening Remarks

9:20 AM – 10:05 AM: Dr. Su Wang

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM: Dr. Ponni Perumalswami

11:10 AM – 11:55 AM: Keynote Address by Dr. Anna Lok

12:00 PM – 1:45 PM: Lunch,
Research Poster Session & Oral Presentations

2:00 PM – 2:45 PM: Dr. Jason Blackard

3:00 PM – 3:50 PM: Breakout Sessions

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM Closing Remarks

9:00 PM – 12:00 AM Social (TBA)

Su Wang, MD, MPH, FACP

Medical Director of Viral Hepatitis Programs and the Center for Asian Health at the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center

Su Wang, MD, MPH, FACP is the Medical Director of Viral Hepatitis Programs and the Center for Asian Health at the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, part of the RWJBarnabas Health System in New Jersey.

Dr. Wang is a practicing internist and has served as principal investigator for a number of viral hepatitis screening and linkage-to-care grants sponsored by the US CDC and other funders. She has led primary care-based hepatitis B and C programs, community screening and outreach efforts, patient and community-based advocacy, and community based research initiatives.

She serves as Senior Advisor for Global Health for the Hepatitis B Foundation. She was also Past President of the World Hepatitis Alliance She has served on a number of WHO guideline development committees.

She received her Medical Degree from the University of Miami and her Masters of Public Health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Dr. Wang completed a combined Internal Medicine and Pediatric residency at Georgetown University Hospital and then served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She was previously the Director of Hepatitis Programs at the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center in New York City.

Ponni Perumalswami, MD, MSCR


Associate Professor of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Dr. Perumalswami examines strategies to improve health services and access to care for patients with liver disease. She graduated from University of Michigan and received her M.S. in clinical research at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Perumalswami received her M.D. degree from Wayne State University. Her research focuses on the development of clinical and behavioral health care models to identify and address system-level barriers to liver care within underserved and vulnerable communities. In 2020, Perumalswami joined the steering committee of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Hepatitis C Virus Elimination Plan, which informs policy and practice to mitigate the spread of viral hepatitis. She also works with the Michigan Opioid Collaborative on outreach and training initiatives aimed at increasing hepatitis C screening and treatment by primary care providers in rural areas of the state.

Anna Suk-Fong Lok, MD 


Assistant Dean for Clinical Research

Dame Sheila Sherlock Distinguished University Professor of Hepatology and Internal Medicine

Dr. Anna Lok graduated from University of Hong Kong Medical School. She completed her medicine training at Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong and hepatology training in London. She was a faculty at the University of Hong Kong until she moved to the US in 1992. She joined the University of Michigan in 1995 as Director of the Hepatology Program. She became Associate Chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Internal Medicine in 2008 and Assistant Dean for Clinical Research in 2016.

Dr. Lok’s research focuses on natural history and treatment of hepatitis B and C. She has published more than 600 papers on viral hepatitis and liver diseases, including five iterations of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) guidelines on “Hepatitis B”. She also participated in the development of the first World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on hepatitis B and C. She was one of the top 1% most cited researchers in the world for the period 2002-2012. Dr. Lok served as Associate Editor of Hepatology in 2002-2006, Senior Associate Editor of Gastroenterology in 2011-2012, and President of AASLD in 2017. She has mentored many fellows and faculty and was recognized with an American Gastroenterological Association Distinguished Mentor Award. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2022

Jason T. Blackard, PhD

Professor, University of Cincinnati

Dr. Blackard received his PhD in Biological Sciences in Public Health at Harvard University in Boston, MA (2000).  He completed a post-doctoral fellowship (2002-2005) at Massachusetts General Hospital where he investigated the interactions of flaviviruses with the human immunodeficiency virus

Dr. Blackard directs a translational research laboratory focusing on human and mechanistic studies to understand virus-virus and virus-host interactions. Current work involves studies of hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), human pegivirus (HPgV), HIV, and BK polyomavirus.

******Research Submission Information*******

DEADLINE EXTENDED

 

 

DEADLINE: 10/23/2023 at 11:59 PM CST

Thank you for your interest in submitting your research for consideration for presentation at the 17th Annual APAMSA Hepatitis Conference. We look forward to evaluating your hard work. We prefer research to cover GI/Hepatology topics but also accept research related to AANHPI communities.

The poster session is tentatively scheduled for 12 PM to 2 PM. At least one author is required to give a presentation during this time. Poster awards will be given by our judges.

To submit your abstract, please submit it here by October 23rd at 11:59PM CST.

Please contact us at hepatitis@apamsa.org if you have any questions.

 

REGISTRATION: 

To register, please fill out and pay through the registration form. Both steps must be completed in order for you to be fully registered. Below are our registration deadlines:

  • Early Bird Registration: $30, Ends October 7th, 2023
  • Regular Registration: $35, Ends October 29th, 2023
  • Late Registration: $40, Ends November 4th, 2023

TRAVEL SUBSIDY: 

To receive financial aid to attend the Hepatitis Conference, please fill out the travel subsidy application

HOUSING INFORMATION:

Discounted housing provided by the Boston Downtown Marriott is available on Friday, November 10th, 2023 on a first come, first serve basis. Deadline to sign up is October 28, 2023 at 11:59PM. This is a shared room with max occupancy of 4 per room. The price is $50/person. We will assign rooms to the best of our ability based on gender identity and housing preferences. If you would like to also stay Saturday in the hotel room, we have discussed this with the staff and will be able to lock in a price for you to book. Please fill out the registration form above if you are interested in housing.

Ming Lin

Health Affairs Vice President

Medical College of Wisconsin

Christopher Huy Doan

Hepatitis Director

John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB Galveston

Jay Lee

Hepatitis Director

A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Jane Park

Hepatitis Director

Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine

Justin Yun

Hepatitis Speakers Committee

John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB Galveston

Bunnarin Theng

Hepatitis Speakers Committee

John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB Galveston

Jasmine Haraburda

Hepatitis Speakers Committee
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Jamyang Choedon

Hepatitis Logistics Committee

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Harlem

Kevin Yu

Hepatitis Logistics Committee

NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine

Robert Hu

Hepatitis Logistics Committee

Creighton University School of Medicine

Danny Domingo

Hepatitis Graphics Committee
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine

Peter Wang

Hepatitis Graphics Committee
John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB Galveston

David Wang

Hepatitis Graphics Committee
John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB Galveston

Contact Us

Questions? Email us at hepatitis@apamsa.org.
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Statement on the Jacksonville Shooting

On Saturday, August 26th, Jacksonville, Florida bore witness to the latest of violent hate crimes when a white man killed three Black people before killing himself. The police have since established that the attack was a racially motivated hate crime; the shooter’s guns were marked with swastikas, and his laptop contained “more than 20 pages of racist writings.” This most recent tragedy now joins the long procession of racially-motivated gun-related attacks that have occurred over the past few years. We at National APAMSA lament the fact that we have had to respond with such frequency to these horrifying and racist acts. We grieve for the victims and their loved ones, and we reiterate in no uncertain terms our staunch opposition to the lack of gun control in this country. 

The prevalence of firearms not only poses a public health threat to our communities, but it also serves as a means for racism to manifest in the most heartbreaking of ways. We urge our legislators to reckon with how pressing the need is for gun reform, and we encourage all those who were affected to reach out for support as needed.

For questions about the statement, please contact Eric Kim at rapidresponse@apamsa.org. For local support, please contact the Region 4 Directors at region4@apamsa.org.