UCLA PREP

This summer I had the amazing opportunity to attend a 7 week program at the David Geffen SOM at UCLA. PREP (Premedical Enrichment Program) changed my life (no matter how cliche that is, it's true). The Office of Academic Enrichment and Outreach chooses 30 students, primarily from disadvantaged backgrounds, from a pool of 200+ qualified applicants (I am not writing this so that I can brag about myself, but to rather put into context the type of people that I was able to learn and grow from and with during those seven weeks). Needless to say, they were legit (and I hate using that word).

The program was everything that I wanted and more. MCAT preparation (they test that gets you into med school), workshops on how to develop better study skills, life management classes, science review classes, weekly clinical perceptorships (at UCLA Med Center and other hospitals and clinics in LA county), field trips, guest speakers and more. There is so much that I could write and so many stories I can tell, so I am and going to just write the highlights (in bullet points b/c it is too hard to transition from each one):

1) First of all, it was so REFRESHING to be around minorities again. Allow me to elaborate. I go to predominantly white school (which I LOVE dearly) where I am 1 of 2 black people in my major (amongst all frosh, soph, jr. and sr.). It was nice to be around people that looked like me (even if not the same race)- blacks, latino/as, asians- all who have a passion for serving people in underserved communities through medicine. People who don't come from money and who have experienced struggle, feeling guilty for having to leave their family to go to college (and being the first person in their family to do so), people who at first didn't think that they could actually get into med school. Expereinced racism from outsiders and well as their own race. Outcasted for not being "ghetto" (I will give you my definition of it at the end). It was awesome, and I missed it. I felt kinda like home.

2) One of my favorite trips we took was to East L.A., to a place called Skid Row. Several blocks of poverty, crack, illness and 10,000 homeless. Not far from the skyscrapers and the Staples Center. When we pulled up to the first rescue mission in our UCLA Bruin Bus (yea, that was awkward. Thank God we walked everywhere else and didn't drive that collosal thing around), it was a mix between TJ and Liberia. The majority of the skid row pop. is black (around 75%) and latino (close to 25%). I saw very few white people there (not to say that there aren't a lot of white homeless ppl, just not in skid row). As we walked with our "tour guide", Micheal, who works at rescue mission (and is a former LAPD), we saw random public bathrooms (nice porter potties) in the middle of sidewalks, lots of homeless people chillin out and no Ralphs, Albertons, Vons. Anywhere. That's a big deal. We saw a lot of overweight men, women and children. also amputees. We found out that diabetes and hypertension are a HUGE HUGE HUGE problem amongst the homeless population. Let's pose a scenario. I am homeless, have high BP and diabetes and I get into a free clinic. The doctor gives me insulin and tells me to increase the amount of vegetables and fruit and protein in my diet. I go back to the streets, have no fridge to put my insulin in and no Ralphs to buy fresh food...only markets which are too expensive, and so is Ralphs. So I get McDonalds (think the $1 menu) to feed me and my family...That's what the cycle looks like.

We were able to go the Midnight Mission also. It is not faith based anymore but was originally founded by a pastor/social worker (sometimes the same thing). He would preach these long sermons to homeless ppl and promise them a meal at midnight if they stayed. Many came to know the Lord through it. Now, the mission is non-faith based but is doing a huge ministry to the ppl of skid row and a lot of them are coming to know Christ still. One of the guys that works they used to be homeless. He ended is 30 yr marriage and left is 3 children to use crack...but by coming to the program he found Christ and has been free from drugs for 8 years.

It really made me think.. I didnt realize that homeless need healthcare too...I had forgotten about them. Sadly. But being there in Skid Row was awesome. You see such an immense need and what you can do for these ppl....how you fit. and you see a new face of homelessness...not just broke down middle aged men but women and children that were kicked out of gov subsidized housing, have no health insurance and who are stretching that dollar for all its worth. I saw how rigourous these programs at the shelters are....and how bad they want to permanently break the cycle of alcoholism, drug use and poverty within these families. And I thought of my family. My distant family. Some who were homeless at times....What I saw was their reality

3) On one of my clinicals, I had the honor of shadowing Dr. Josephine Isabel- Jones, a pediatric cardiologist of 40 years. She is technically "retired" but she works at a few clinics in LA, does medical missions in Peru and is a chair of one fo the admissions committees for the SOM. She is pretty much amazing. And she has 4 children and was really present in their lives growing up. It was school talking to her about her life. She is black and was the first black ppl to complete the residency program that she went through. She has broken through so many barriers not just back east but even my coming to UCLA in the late '60s. Her life, work and character inspires me.

3) I am an ENFJ (extravert-intuition-feeling-judger)--> we took a myers brigg test. that was really fun and eye opening :)

4) I have always had a passion for education. Both for myself and for other people. And I have always been pretty into politics. But I thought that as a MD that would be very limited. At UCLA, i met a lot of ppl who have dual degrees like a MD with a MBA, PhD and MPH (masters in public health). That is something that I really want to pursue. A MPH will allow be to be involved in health care reform, policy and creating programs for underserved communities. Having an MD combined with an MPH will give me credibility in both arenas. It's exciting to see what options are out there....and that you can individualize the career. For now, I am planning on getting the masters before I go to med school...but there are 5 year programs now at a lot of UC med schools that allow students to pursue their masters in between there 3rd and 4th years of med school...but we shall see

5) I learned that the MCAT is NOT the worst day of my life. That it is a critcally thinking test. And that I don't have to know everything but rather I can develop better critical thinking skills and learn how to better reason through questions. Besides, on the day of the test, my memory will fail me and I will have to rely on logic.

6) I learned the importance of minorites going into specialities and research because most of the research being done in medicine is on white communities and does not reflect the health in minority communities.

7) Be impeccable with your word and do not make assumptions (for example, when stating how you feel or your opinion use the "I" instead of "You" pronoun).

8) I MUST get 7-8 hours a sleep per night. I don't know how. But I must.

9) No matter what speciality I choose, I have to be happy. And I want to be happy. I don't want to be a surgeon or do emergency medicine and then not be able to have a medicine...or worse, have one and never see them. That would not make me happy.

to be continued...

AIDS neglected in Black Americans

I am a subscriber to Google Alerts (Health Care) and I read this article today. It's appalling.

from Caymanmama.com - Health News News):

Brooklyn, New York (CaymanMama.com) — In some U.S. cities, the rate of HIV among black Americans is very close to that of people in developing countries of Africa, according to a report released by the Black AIDS Institute. As per the report, if blacks in the U.S. have constituted their own country, the nation will be ranking at the 16th position for people having and living with HIV, 105th position for life expectancy and the 88th rank for infant mortality.

The United States is at the vanguard of the AIDS and HIV global response but it lacks the sense of urgency when faced with the crisis. “Left Behind! Black America: A Neglected Priority in the Global AIDS Epidemic” includes details about the total number of the black American population that is infected by HIV. It also exceeds the total number of people suffering from the virus in seven countries that are served by the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief by the President.

The CEO and founder of the Black AIDS Institute, Phill Wilson reported, “When we give aid to foreign countries, we demand that they have a national AIDS plan, but we don’t have a plan in the United States.” The report has been created to make a call for the nation to act on the prevention of HIV in black communities with increased HIV testing. After the situation was announced through the report, AIDS leaders said that there is an urgent need to work on the black communities so that the public can get enough strength to fight the prejudice and stigma suffered.

Rev. Al Sharpton reported in a news conference that after watching the critical and disproportionate levels of AIDS in the community of Black Americans, the issue should be the most important main concern in the United States.

prelude

I never thought that I would have a blog. The people that I knew that had blogs in high school were quite odd and had no social skills so they talked to their computers. Thanks to a few friends (and strangers), I have revised my view of bloggers. Basically, I am a stalker. (Although I wouldn't quite call it a stalker because they put it online for everyone to see). Anywho...

My name is Taylor Johnson and I have a blog. Kinda weird. But in a good way. A space for me to reflect, pray, vent my frustrations about life and faith and family and probably school, share about my joys, revelations and visions. Be myself. (or rather learn how to be). Process, debrief, become a better writer and articulator. It's going to be hard to be this open (even though I doubt that anyone will read it)...but it is a good type of challenge and I know that I will grow from it. I may be too corny, sarcastic, judgemental, liberal, conservative, naive or even hypocritical, but know that it is me, naked for the world to see.

So...critique, learn, laugh, enjoy and hopefully be blessed.