News

Parks4Kids Campaign: April 11th 10am-1pm

Inline image 1

The Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics 

Medical Student and Resident Committees

Invite you to join us for the:

Parks4Kids Campaign

Franklin Park Beautification Event

Saturday, April 11th, 2015

10am - 1pm

Research has shown that children living in urban areas with access to parks and recreational resources are less likely to become obese during their young lives than those without access to these outdoor resources.1


Join the MCAAP and a group of teens from Hyde Square Task Force, a local after-school community program, for a morning in the park!

We will be clearing invasives in the

200-acres of woodlands in Franklin Park, a forest oasis in the heart of the city.

We’ll also be picking up the winter litter to help prepare the park for local kids to use this spring.

Meet at Franklin Park's Valley Gates Parking Lot (see attached map),

midway along Franklin Park Road, Dorchester, MA 02021
Valley Gates

Free Parking Available

Location is accessible by bus and subway 

RSVP Here

Bring your friends and family along- all are welcome! Wear old clothes and bring work gloves if you have them. 

* Light refreshments will be provided *

For More Information,  Please Visit :

www.franklinparkcoalition.org

1.  Wolch et al.  Childhood obesity and proximity to urban parks and recreational resources: A longitudinal cohort study. Health & Place. Jan  2011. 17(1). 207-214.

#FACEPoverty Advocacy Opportunity: Advocate to #ExtendCHIP on Social Media

#FACEPoverty Advocacy Opportunity: Advocate for CHIP on Social Media

Unless Congress acts, funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program runs out on Oct. 1, 2015, which could cause millions of children to have their insurance coverage disrupted or lose access to affordable coverage altogether. Throughout March, AAP will be participating in coordinated social media and advocacy efforts with other child health-focused organizations to urge Congress to extend CHIP funding. As pediatricians in training, we encourage you to add your voice to the conversation and tell your member of Congress that CHIP is a critical program using #ExtendCHIP. Also consider joining two specific social media events:

What: Twitter storm in support of CHIP

When: Wednesday, March 18 at 1pm ET

Where: #ExtendCHIP

Host: @AmerAcadPeds, @ACOGNews, @First_Focus, @hospitals4kids, @Teeth_Matter, @GeorgetownCCF, other child health advocacy groups

What: Twitter chat on CHIP

When: Wednesday, March 25 at 2pm ET

Where: #WellnessWed

Host: @MomsRising

Below are two example tweets that you are welcome to use, and attached is a document with many pre-crafted messages. Find your member of Congress on Twitter

  • As a pediatrician, I see how #CHIPworks to help kids access the care they need http://ow.ly/H3ZAd [insert your representative or senator’s handle here], #ExtendCHIP
  • Millions of children depend on CHIP to keep them healthy, including many of my patients.[insert your representative or senator’s handle here], please #ExtendCHIP

Follow and use #FACEPoverty for ongoing social media advocacy for our Section's advocacy campaign.

March 2015 CHIP Campaign Social Media messages

Fourth Years: Use #FutureFAAP and #Match2015 to Celebrate on Friday!

To all of our fourth-years--good luck on Friday!  Here is a message from the AAP about using social media to celebrate on Match Day:

Match week starts today March 16, and culminates with Match Day this Friday, March 20. As your professional home in Pediatrics, we want to celebrate the good news! Join us in welcoming the newest members of our Pediatrics family by taking part in our social media #Match2015 celebration. We also ask that you use your voice to #FACEPoverty by advocating to #ExtendCHIP. To share the good news of those matching into Pediatrics, Med/Peds, etc, follow and use #FutureFAAP. For more information and to see the congratulatory messages, visit and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Medical students: For those matching, tell us if you matched and then on Friday tell us where. For those not in this year's match we encourage you to follow along and engage by congratulating your fellow medical students. Below are sample tweets to use to share the great news!

Example message: @AAPSOMSRFT it’s official! #IMatched into (pediatrics/med-peds, etc) #FutureFAAP #Match2015

Consider sharing a pic or taking a selfie to share with the group. Remember to use the hashtags #FutureFAAP #tweetiatricianselfie in your message

Example Message: #FutureFAAP #tweetiatricianselfie {attached pic/selfie} #Match2015

Upcoming Speak Out About What Ails the Healthcare System in Massachusetts

From the Organizers:
We hope you can join us and bring your stories and concerns about how health care is delivered in Massachusetts.  Health care providers, patients, and a panel of experts and community leaders will give testimony and provide comments on what needs to be improved and how we can hasten the process.  .
The attached leaflet provides details.
Please pass this on to friends and colleagues
See you on March 26, 6-9 PM, at Armenise Amphitheatre, HMS, 210 Longwood Ave. in Boston.

New Minority Senior Scholarship Program at Children’s National for Interested Senior Medical Students

Exciting opportunity for fourth-year medical students from Children's National:

We are excited to begin accepting applications in January 2015 for the inaugural year of the Minority Senior Scholarship Program (MSSP) at Children’s National Health System in Washington, DC.    The goal of the program is to improve exposure to academic pediatrics for senior medical students from underrepresented minorities (URM) in medicine including Hispanic/ Latino, African-American/ Black, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander per the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and recent literature.  More details are available on our website www.childrensnational.org/MSSP

The Program

Annually, 8 URM medical students in their 4th year will be selected to participate in a one-month rotation between July and October.  During this time, MSSP will provide exposure to academic pediatrics through:

  • Clinical experience in a subspecialty elective or acting internship
  • Faculty and resident mentorship both during the rotation and afterward
  • Networking opportunities to help participants learn more about careers in academic pediatrics
  • Community service opportunities to help encourage an interest in medicine among local minority and disadvantaged children.

Scholarship

We feel strongly that there should be no financial barriers to participation in this career guiding experience so MSSP offers:

  • A stipend to offset travel and living expenses (average of $500)
  • Complimentary housing for participants from outside of the Washington, DC Metro area
  • Waived $75 elective application fee typically charged to students from unaffiliated institutions.

How to Apply

Applying is easy. Applications are due May 1 and all application information is available on our website.  Selections will be based on merit and placements will be based on rotation availability.  Applicants will be notified by email and/ or phone in late May/ early June.

 

Please contact us with any questions at MSSP@childrensnational.org , abdavis@childrensnational.org

MSSP Flyer 2015

Stanford Department of Pediatrics Funded Visiting Clerkship for Underrepresented Minority Medical Students

The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford Department of Pediatrics

Funded Visiting Clerkship for Underrepresented Minority (URM) Medical Students

Four funded visiting clerkship positions in general pediatrics and pediatric subspecialties will be available at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford from August through November of 2015 for qualified applicants from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine.

*   Funding includes up to $2,000 for reimbursement of travel and housing.
*   Each student will be paired with a faculty member that will serve as a mentor and advisor.
*   Each student will be paired with a URM resident who will introduce them to the Stanford Medical School/Center diversity community and its resources.
*   Each student will be given the opportunity to have a personal meeting with the Pediatric Residency Program Director.
*   Participants will be invited to interview for residency in pediatrics at LPCH.

Program Description

The visiting clerkship program is designed to give students a chance to experience the exceptional training that LPCH has to offer.  In addition, it provides LPCH residents and attending faculty a chance to form a close working relationship with each student.

Visiting students will spend four weeks on one of the following: Inpatient floor (general pediatrics, subspecialty, or Hematology/Oncology), NICU, or PICU.  As LPCH is a tertiary care center, students will have exposure to a variety of patients ranging from bread-and-butter pediatrics to medically complex patients.  Alternatively, students can spend the month on a Subspecialty Elective rotation (endocrinology, infectious disease, or cardiology).  Students are also invited to attend morning report and noon conference daily, as well as weekly grand rounds.

For application information and additional details, please see the attached information sheet or send an email to Carrie Johnson, Pediatrics Residency Coordinator  - CaJohnson1@stanfordchildrens.org

URM Clerkship Announcement 3.2.2015

ABCD Solutions Series

See below for information about the Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) Solutions Series.  The events are a great opportunity learn more about how poverty impacts our patients and their families.

The ABCD Solutions Series explores the dilemmas of economic opportunity as these intersect with select federal, state, and local policies and/or systems that impact the lives of men, women, and children living in poverty in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The 2014-2015 session will center on some of the fundamental issues that frame conversations about how to create and grow systems that help low-income individuals and families rise out of poverty—access to quality health care, safe and affordable housing, coordination of public services, including alternatives to ‘criminalization’ for court-involved youth, and growing regionalization—to name a few. The ABCD solutions series sets the stage for this and more and asks the audience to think intentionally and differently about action-oriented solutions to address age-old challenges to true economic opportunity for all.

 

Housing Access Solutions We Don't Want to Think About...That Just Might Work

 Help ask the tough questions...

  • How can landlords help keep rents 'affordable'?
  • How might linkage, zoning, and other regulatory mechanisms increase the housing supply for families living in poverty?
  • Is micro-housing an answer for low-income individuals?
  • Should housing expenses be earmarked in a person's cash benefits?

... and leave with answers that lead to action!

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Light Refreshments served at 3:00 PM
ABCD Melnea Cass Room, 3rd Floor
178 Tremont Street, Boston

Panelists

Sheila Dillon

Department of Neighborhood Development, City of Boston

Eric Shupin

Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA)

Richard Taylor

Center for Real Estate, Sawyer Business School, Suffolk University

Greg Vasil

Greater Boston Real Estate Board