Wayne State University School of Medicine students have banded together to launch a cultural and academic academy for middle and high school students of Detroit.

The Promoting Uplift to Lives of Success and Empowerment (PULSE) Enrichment Academy meets two Saturdays of each month from August to April, bringing Detroit students onto the School of Medicine campus to be taught a variety of cultural and academic subjects by SOM medical students.

The academy, the brainchild of second-year medical students Letacia Sims, Cecelia Calhoun and Dakisha Felder, was established with a Widening the Pipeline Program grant from the School of Medicine’s chapter of the American Medical Student Association. Many of the students volunteering as teachers and tutors are members of the Wayne State University School of Medicine chapter of the Black Medical Association/Student National Medical Association. Ms.Sims, Ms. Calhoun and Ms. Felder are community service chairpersons for the SNMA.

“We saw a need for this type of programming,” said Ms. Sims, a native of Georgia who wants to practice pediatric medicine. “Kids need to expand their horizons in academics and culture. SOM students need volunteer hours, and the children of Detroit need the help, so it’s mutually beneficial. We get to give back to the community.”

The academy’s goals are to promote educational advancement in seventh- through 10th-graders, improve the awareness and health status of youth, and to ensure a future for creative outlets beyond secondary schooling for Detroit students.

The academy meets at the School of Medicine’s Scott Hall two Saturdays a month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to three one-hour classes, participants receive a breakfast snack, and free transportation to the site. Classes range from dance to the exploration of Japanese culture. Tutoring in classroom work and homework assistance, as well as ACT and SAT test preparation, is provided by SOM students volunteering in the academy. For middle school students, tutors assist with Michigan Education Assessment Program test-style questions.

Thirty SOM students now serve as volunteer teachers in the academy. Volunteers rotate based on the subject matter to be taught on upcoming Saturdays. There are 47 students taking classes in the academy. Ms. Feldman said the academy can accept more students.

The Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotions Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention, Detroit Recovery Project and Helping Hands provide van transportation for the academy students from three pickup and drop-off locations.

 The academy is open to any middle or high school student in the Detroit area. To participate, students must either find their way to one of the designated pickup points for provided transportation, or a parent must provide individual transportation to Scott Hall.

While the School of Medicine has donated space and supplies to the academy, Ms. Sims said the SNMA continues to seek monetary and supply donations from individuals and businesses.

For more information about the academy, or to make a donation to support the project, call (248) 943-8835, or email dfelder@med.wayne.edu or lsims@med.wayne.edu.

The School of Medicine sponsored a student essay competition in a continuing effort to improve teaching and learning. The competition, which was open to all graduate and medical students, asked participants to describe the attributes of “what makes the best learning experience.”

The winning essays were chosen from among the 83 received that best provided creative, important insights for improving teaching and learning at Wayne State University.

Organized by Stephen DiCarlo, Ph.D., professor of cardiovascular physiology, the competition was designed to generate feedback from students that will help instructors at the School of Medicine.

“Many of us in medical schools were hired not because of our ability to teach effectively but because of our expertise in research,” he said. “In fact, few if any of us had formal training in education. We must approach our teaching with the same seriousness and effort we devote to our research.”

“Effective teachers use elements that are similar to what makes a good television show,” said third-year medical student and second-place winner, Mausumi Syamal. “Successful teachers must use humor and experience while never underestimating the audience.”

“We, as teachers, interact with several hundred students a year. It’s most likely that we make an impact on far more lives, as teachers, than we do in the research lab,” said Dr. DiCarlo.

The essays, intended to become a useful resource for the faculty, will be distributed to all instructors. “The biggest winners are our school, faculty and students who will benefit from the creative, helpful insights,” said Dr. DiCarlo.

2008 Essay Competition Winners

Tamara Kamash, MSIII First Place $1,000

Mausumi Syamal, MSIII Second Place $500

Katherine Gurchak, MSIII Third Place $250

A leader in children’s medicine and assistant professor of pediatrics at the School of Medicine, Sophie Jan Womack, M.D., died February 17, 2008, of complications from surgery. She was 53.

A Detroit resident, Dr. Womack was a tireless proponent of children’s health and safety throughout her career and through her volunteer efforts, including The Coalition Inc. – Circle of Hope, which she formed with her husband, the Rev. Dr. Jimmy Womack.

Dr. Womack served as vice president of medical affairs for Harper University Hospital and Hutzel Women's Hospital, and was a former division chief of neonatology at Sinai-Grace Hospital. In 2005 Dr. Womack received the Pathfinders in Medicine Award from the School of Medicine – an honor given to individuals who have demonstrated great leadership and advanced the quality and availability of medicine.

Dr. Womack, was elected the first black female president of the Wayne County Medical Society of Michigan. She was the third woman and the first African-American woman to be elected president of the 157-year-old organization. She worked within the society to build coalitions and to discuss the critical issues that affect the physicians and patients in the region. She gave special attention to addressing the financial barriers that keep many eligible students from receiving a medical education.

Originally from San Antonio, Texas, she graduated from Howard University and Meharry Medical College. She received her master's degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

The Womacks have two daughters -- 21-year-old Brandi and 20-year-old Ashley. She is also survived by four sisters and a brother, and her mother, Irene Thompson.

Funeral arrangements: 2-9 p.m. February 20, at Swanson's Funeral Home, 14751 McNichols, Detroit; noon-8 p.m. Thursday February 21, at Plymouth United Church of Christ, 600 E. Warren, Detroit, and 10 a.m. family hour with funeral at 11 a.m. February 22, at Plymouth United Church of Christ.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to The Coalition Inc., 2310 W. McNichols, Detroit 48221.

 

In recognition of Black History Month, two healthcare professionals from the Wayne State University Center for Urban and African American Health will present seminars on African-American health issues.

The Feb. 23 seminars, to be held at the Detroit Public Library, will cover issues regarding African-American diet, health practices and health-seeking behaviors. Issues such as the prevalence of diabetes, cancer and heart disease, as well as cultural impacts on the health of African-Americans, will be discussed.

Mary “Toni” Flowers, R.N., community liaison with the CUAAH, will present “Down Through the Years: A Historical Overview of African-American Health,” from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Flowers will cover the history of African-American encounters with the health system from slavery’s inception through current times. 

John M. Flack, M.D., professor and interim chair of Internal Medicine at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, and CUAAH principal investigator, will speak on “Changes That Will Make a Difference Today and Tomorrow: What the Current Research Demonstrates.” Dr. Flack’s talk, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., will focus on current studies of African-American health issues.

To register for the sessions, call (313) 833-1450. Free parking will be available in the employee parking lot on Putnam Street. Refreshments will be served.