UCSF Fresno Latino Center inspires, prepares students for careers in health at sixth annual “Medical Mania” event

University of California, San Francisco, Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research (UCSF Fresno LaCMER) will host its 6th Medical Mania event, Saturday, August 22, 2009, at the California State University, Fresno, Satellite Student Union from 8 a.m. – noon.

Medical Mania 2009 is an event for all students in the entire UCSF Fresno Latino Center pipeline, including students and parents from the Junior Doctors Academy (at Terronez, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon middle schools), Doctors Academy (at Sunnyside, Caruthers and Selma high schools), and the Pre-medical and Health Scholars Program at Fresno State.

This year's theme is "Medical School Musical: We’re All in This Together!" The theme is a spin on the movie "High School Musical". The event will open with a “Medical School Musical” skit led by Doctors Academy alumni, which will feature two main characters falling for each other while in the application process to health professional school with a few obstacles thrown in their way.

Following the opening, UCSF Fresno LaCMER will present the “2009 Doctor of the Year” award to Sidney Carpenter, MD, for his involvement and support of students since 2002. Dr.Carpenter, a pathologist for Kaiser Permanente Fresno, has mentored ten students through the Doctors Academy clinical and research summer internship program; facilitated numerous middle school and high school student presentations on medicine and pathology; and has been involved with the annual Doctors Academy “job shadow month” held in February.

The second half of the morning will feature workshops for students and parents led by health professionals, school counselors, Doctors Academy alumni, medical students and educators. Sessions include a hands-on “Human organ demonstration” facilitated by a UCSF medical student; “Disease Detectives” a medical investigation for junior high students led by family practitioner Dr. Victoria Sorlie; “A Walk on the Dark Side”, a workshop facilitated by Dr. Eric Hickey about criminal psychology; and “Test-taking Strategies for Pre-med Students” led by UCLA faculty Dr. Hy Doyle.

Visual opportunities: Medical School Musical skit, medical student facilitating a hands-on demonstration with high school students using real human organs, a frog dissection for middle school students, world renowned criminology professor, Dr. Eric Hickey talking to students about the criminal mind, Doctors Academy alumni in pink scrubs.

Event Details:

When:         Saturday, August 22, 2009

Where:         California State University, Fresno Satellite Student Union

Who:          300 people – pipeline students, parents, health professionals, medical students 8:00 a.m.                  
Registration
Satellite Student Union

8:15 a.m.      Medical School Musical: We are all in this together! Satellite Student Union

Welcome and Introduction of Pipeline Programs

Katherine A. Flores, M.D., Director
UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education & Research Andrew Rogerson, PhD, Dean
College of Science and Mathematics California State University, Fresno

“Doctor of the Year” Award presented to Dr. Sydney Carpenter

9:45 – 10:30 AM     First Workshop (see workshop schedule) Campus wide

10:45 – 11:30 AM    Second Workshop (see workshop schedule)Campus wide

Background:

Located in Fresno, the Latino Center for Medical Education and Research is a unit of the UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program. The Center addresses the serious shortage of physicians and other health care professionals in the area. The mission of the Center is to develop individuals to become health care professionals who will ultimately return to the San Joaquin Valley and to provide culturally competent health care services to the medically underserved. To accomplish its goal of increasing the number of health care professionals in the area, the Center is working to create a strong educational pipeline within the public schools in Fresno County.