TopNATIONAL PRE-MEDICAL AWARD GOES TO AMSA PRE-MED @ UCLA
News! AMSA Pre-Medical Chapters at University of Florida and UCLA Win National AMSA Award and Honorable Mention!
AMSA national's Medical Education Action Committee congratulates the University of Florida (UF) on winning the First Annual
Premedical Project of the Year Award, along with $150 and University of California (UCLA) Pre-Medical Chapter for Universal Health Care Event.
Seconf Prize Award, Honorable Mention, Goes to UCLA's Pre-Medical AMSA Chapter's Universal Healthcare Fair
Receiving an Honorable Mention for the Award is the University of California Los Angeles. The UCLA Premed chapter held an amazing Universal Healthcare Fair. The themes of the exhibit related to the U.S. healthcare crisis and the growing population of the uninsured. By handing out informational pamphlets and by showcasing the plight of the uninsured on large, poignant autobiographical posters, members educated hundreds of students and large groups of other visitors about the bleak reality of our healthcare system today. It was fantastic to see a premed chapter getting involved in an AMSA strategic priority issue and really bring the issue to the students of their university!
Photos of Universal Healthcare Fair at UCLA's Bruin Plaza, January 10, 2007
AMSA Pre-Med UCLA Students Distributing Colorful Balloons at Their
Universal Health Care Day on UCLA's Central "Bruin Plaza"
The pre-medical students explained the plight of the uninsured and underinsured residents of California and the US, using the photos and biographical statements of more than fifty people who had volunteered to tell their stories. The photos and stories were displayed on large stand-up panels lining the entire central "Bruin Plaza" of the campus all day for two days. The students gave away many hundreds of the attractive information devices: bright colored helium - filled balloons with healthcare reform messages tied to them!
Each balloon bore a large printed tag describing one of dozens of important facts about the problems with the US healthcare system and insurance, lack of access and impact on patients' health. Hundreds of visitors took the balloons home and read the messages urging them to action for Universal Health Care and "One Care Now" -- the California advocacy organization for Single-Payer health insurance.
From the Award:
"Both of these chapters have put out admirable work and both will be
recognized on the AMSA website. You will soon be able to read the full
descriptions of each of these events online under the link Addressing
Premedical Education on the Medical Education webpage. Thank you to
all of the chapters who applied for the Premedical Project of the Year
Award and keep putting on your inspiring events!"
University of Florida's Fall Festival for Kids
UF's winning project was an amazing event named Fall Festival. Held in November, the Fall Festival focuses on helping children in their community afflicted with type-1 diabetes during a season when they cannot partake of the usual Halloween candy or pumpkin pies.
Members prepared treats safe for the kids and presented those along with a carnival atmosphere, complete with stations created and manned by UF Premed AMSA members. While the children were being entertained, the festival offered parents informational discussions on new research, technology, and management strategies for diabetes. The parents were given the opportunity to network and share stories with other families, as well as talk to professionals on hand about any issues relevant to their lives. The innovation and community impact of this event, along with its replicability and applicability to any condition, is what in the end put this project on top.
Source: Brandon Deason, AMSA National Pre-Medical Representative,
Medical Education Action Committee, 2006-2007
Originator of PreMedical Project of the Year Awards