NEW JERSEY 2022 Summaries
Catholic Partnership Schools
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Through Their Eyes: Caring for the Next Generation of Camden
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Student Interns:
Theresa Coutinho, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Cassandra Yap, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Academic Preceptors:
Mara Gordon, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Daniel Hyman, DO, Cooper University Healthcare
Esther Malave, MD, Cooper University Healthcare
Anthony Rostain, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Community Preceptor:
Teresa Casañas, Dual-Language Preschool Teacher, Catholic Partnership Schools
Jameka McGraw-Byrd, Executive Director, Catholic Partnership Schools
Community Site:
Catholic Partnership Schools is a formally recognized 501(c)3 network of four schools and a Community Learning Center that aims to provide a safe, loving, achieving environment for its students. It is a single nonprofit entity that centralizes financial, academic, and operational management and oversight.
https://www.catholicpartnershipschools.org/
Team's Experience:
Cassandra Yap assisted in CPS’s Mars Exploration Program in which students coded robots to complete a variety of challenges. She created games and “missions” for the students and enjoyed watching them learn from each other. Theresa Casañas worked in CPS’s dual-language preschool, where students participated in arts and crafts, nature projects, games, and language skills in English and Spanish. She improved her Spanish to communicate with the students and learning how to work with young children including students on the Autism spectrum. Together, the two Bridging the Gaps student interns led a healthcare program for third and fourth graders, which served as an excellent opportunity to integrate science, healthcare careers, and fun activities into the students’ summers. The healthcare program covered topics on cardiovascular health, oral health, and various medical fields. The interns presented complex scientific and medical information in a fun and kid-friendly way in hopes of inspiring the students to consider pursuing a healthcare field.
Intern Statement:
Theresa Coutinho and Cassandra Yap: “While Camden is considered a disadvantaged area, we see and appreciate the passion and determination from CPS to ensure that their students are given the same opportunities as any other community. This is why being a part of Bridging the Gaps and learning from other students who have dedicated their time at different organizations has been extremely educational. It was a wonderful experience to work with such hardworking educators and faculty members. As future physicians, we hope to model the same ideals and provide patients with the best comprehensive resources for their overall health, no matter their background or where they come from. We learned the importance of fostering great connections with those you work with and how be your students’ or patients’ biggest proponents. To us, CPS recognizes what the people of Camden require, which is a safe community for families dedicated to the betterment of children’s education. Through working at the site and Wednesday didactic sessions, we learned much about communication with younger populations, elevating their wisdom and being flexible at a site where many programs are happening. We have learned ways of being a better educator, which we hope to use in the future as a physicians committed to medical education and lifelong learning.”
Camden Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
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Harm Reduction Program in Camden
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Student Interns:
Megha Andrews, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Academic Preceptors:
Rosanna Eang, DO, Cooper University Health Care
Mara Gordon, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Anthony Rostain, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan Universit
Community Preceptors:
Martha Chavis, CEO/President, Camden AHEC
Joye Rozier, Chief Program Officer, Camden AHEC
Community Site:
Camden Area Health Education Center (AHEC) is a community-based organization in Camden, New Jersey, that aims to improve the health of the community through education, advocacy, and partnerships. It uses a holistic approach to recognize the impact that lifestyle, environment, economic status, and access to care have on health. The organization provides services to youth, families, and seniors. Health education services are provided on-site and on the mobile van at various sites throughout the area. The services reach over 10,000 individuals a year and include Rapid HIV and STI screening and treatment, syringe access, and community wellness programming.
Team's Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student intern worked with the various programs at AHEC. The intern participated in the twice-weekly syringe access program (SAP), engaging directly with clients to give out clean needles as well as other harm-reduction supplies, such as Narcan, sharps containers, condoms, and wound care materials. The intern looked at SAP utilization data to identify any discrepancies between the utilization of the AHEC SAP and local, state, and federal data. The intern developed an oral health program at the SAP site, providing oral health education, flyers, and supplies to SAP participants. The intern also engaged with the community health worker (CHW) program and learned to be an advocate of CHWs as a physician as well as brainstormed ways in which CHWs can be used to address various health disparities in Camden. In addition, the BTG intern took part in a community assets assessment scavenger hunt and a homeless outreach program in which AHEC presented education on condom use, Narcan, and HIV screening.
Intern Statements:
Megha Andrews: “I have learned numerous lessons from this experience that will shape the rest of my time as a medical student and as a future physician. I have seen the significance of integrating myself into the community that I serve while simultaneously having the humility to recognize that I need to rely on the expertise of others who can do what I may not be able to. I have seen the value of doing something as simple as a walkthrough of the neighborhoods in which my patients reside and the power of a small 10-minute conversation to build a connection. I am grateful to have witnessed the strengths of this city and the sense of community that it possesses. I leave this summer with a greater pride in the city that I am in, hopefulness for the work that is being done, and an aspiration to contribute to the betterment of this city and its people.”
Camden Coalition
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Experiencing a Regional Health Hub From a Medical Student Perspective
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Student Intern:
Akanksha Anandanatarajan, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Sanjana Rajendran, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
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Academic Preceptor:
Mara Gordon, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Anthony Rostain, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
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Community Preceptor:
Michelle Aydniec, BSN, RN, Camden Coalition
Dayna Fondell, MSN, RN, Camden Coalition
Mouy Eng K. Van Galen, Camden Coalition
Community Site:
The Camden Coalition began in 2002 as a monthly meeting of primary care providers from across Camden to discuss how to improve care for city residents. It has transformed into a multidisciplinary community-based nonprofit, working to improve care for people with complex health and social needs. https://camdenhealth.org
Team's Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns participated in several projects at Camden Coalition. They created a baby formula resource directory — a comprehensive list of hotlines and resources to support individuals in southern New Jersey during the formula shortage crisis. For Safer Cities Childbirth, they triaged patients who were found to be pregnant at the Emergency Department, using the Health Information Exchange (HIE), and reached out to connect them with the appropriate care (e.g., prenatal care, termination services, domestic violence services, etc.). The interns created a diabetes checklist presentation for community health workers on symptom identification, home-management, and connection to advanced care for prediabetes and diabetes. Last, the interns worked on a pilot program
to reduce the barriers to colorectal cancer screening services for uninsured and underinsured Camden residents. Staff worked to decrease language, health education, and transportation barriers, while providing support to each patient. The interns’ duties included data analysis and patient feedback to streamline the process.
Intern Statement:
Akanksha Anandanatarajan and Sanjana Rajendran: “As the summer progressed, we described the Camden Core Model as, ‘the future of successful medicine.’ The model addresses aspects of hospital medicine that have felt ineffective to us, even with our limited experience as first-year medical students. When outreaching to patients, we came in contact with barriers to healthcare that we had never previously considered. One high-risk patient in particular was considering not going to her prenatal appointment for the sole reason of not having the money to pay for parking. No amount of medical knowledge on our part would have made a difference in this patient’s situation. This was an issue that required care coordination with social services. In the case of the diabetes project, we gained a deep respect for community health workers. In the office, we might only see that a patient’s sugar levels remain high despite their reports of taking their insulin. When a community health worker does a home visit, they may be able to uncover that a patient is not aware of the sugar content in the foods they keep in their pantry or is unsure about how to take their insulin correctly. Our time at the Camden Coalition has been an invaluable introduction to the complexity of care. Most important, it has been humbling as future physicians. Our work cannot be effective without the input of advocates, policy reformists, community health workers, social workers, and countless other professionals outside of the realm of traditional medicine.”
Center For Family Services
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Living Proof Recovery is Possible: Peer Outreach in Camden
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Student Interns:
Savannah Pedersen, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Academic Preceptors:
Jessica Horvath-Matthews, MD, Cooper University Health Care
Community Preceptor:
Megan Lepore, Center For Family Services
Brandy Mullin, Living Proof Recovery Center
Community Site:
Center For Family Services has been a leading nonprofit serving the New Jersey community for over a century. It employs over 1,500 staff and offers more than100 programs. The organization’s mission is to support and empower individuals, families, and communities to achieve a better life through vision, hope, and strength. It’s vision is for all people to lead capable, responsible, fulfilled lives with strong families and healthy communities. Living Proof Recovery Centers are a program of Center For Family Services. The recovery centers are peer-led, volunteer-driven places that provide support for all members of the recovery community. Their programing includes wellness classes, medication-assisted treatment, sober living resources, educational assistance, treatment resources, recovery plan development, and peer mentoring and coaching to help individuals find their personal path to a life of recovery.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student intern experienced a handful of Center For Family Services’ programs. The intern helped connect people to resources and programming at the Family Success Center, went door-to-door to spread information about food distributions, and assisted with street outreach, handing out resources and completing surveys. Most of the work was with the Living Proof Recovery Center through the Recovery Corp programming and expanding existing outreach resources.
Intern Statements:
Savannah Pedersen: “It’s one thing to intellectually discuss social determinants of health, stigma experienced by vulnerable populations, and the importance of community outreach — it is entirely different to connect with individuals and hear their stories firsthand. It must be experienced to be understood. Through my work this summer, I connected with individuals I never would have had the chance to meet otherwise and gained valuable insights as a result. I’m passionate about taking what I’ve learned forward as I progress in my career. This experience is one I will never forget.”
Joseph’s House of Camden
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Homelessness in Transition: Fostering Healthy Communities Beyond the Doors of the Shelter
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Student Interns:
Amir Davoodi, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Jane Hatzell, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Academic Preceptors:
Danielle S. Nordone, DO, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Thomas J. Wall, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
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Community Preceptor:
Shawn Sheekey, Executive Director, Joseph's House of Camden
Community Site:
Joseph’s House of Camden (JHOC) is a temporary emergency shelter for those experiencing homelessness. Without judgment, guests are given meals, clothing, personal storage, access to showers and a safe space to sleep. Beyond its role as an overnight shelter, Joseph’s House provides comprehensive social services ranging from financial assistance, employment opportunities, and legal aid to case management and access to medical care. Emblematic of its vision, “No neighbor has to sleep outside, even for one night,” JHOC is relentless in its pursuit to serve the community while striving to empower every guest in creating an individualized pathway out of homelessness.
https://www.jhoc.org/
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student interns created a COVID-19 survey tool to help staff determine which guests are vaccinated, which want to be vaccinated, and what concerns guests may have about the vaccine. When COVID-19 vaccines were administered at Joseph’s House each month during the BTG internship, the interns answered any questions guests had and encouraged them to get vaccinated. The interns also collaborated with CMSRU’s Street Medicine Club to deliver a Narcan administration training to staff and guests at Joseph’s House. They also created an oral health Jeopardy game to play with guests and distributed oral health materials. Finally, the BTG interns collaborated with other volunteers to organize donations and serve meals.
Intern Statements:
Amir Davoodi: “Nearly every public health paper I have read has professed that factors such as race, income, and education are just as impactful in predicting health status as genetics or prescriptions. My experiences at Joseph’s House have put faces to that data. The guests experiencing homelessness are amongst the most marginalized members in our communities, inhabiting a socioeconomic climate that exacerbates their ability to access adequate healthcare. These interactions reinforced my conviction that medicine is the vehicle that can bridge the gap between a patient’s unique circumstance and the physician’s medical expertise, fostering healing in both patients and the communities in which they reside.”
Jane Hatzell: “I learned more about social justice and inequities this summer than I have throughout my formal education, and I attribute this knowledge to the many firsthand conversations that I had with both staff and guests at Joseph’s House. Everyone has an important voice, and I am grateful to have heard many diverse stories that I will carry with me throughout my career. While the social workers and other staff members at Joseph’s House do incredible work to help guests in their unique circumstances, this is a systemic battle. I am now more motivated than ever to fight for change and more equitable care. In the meantime, I am glad to know about Camden’s many resources, including Joseph’s House, to offer to future patients.”
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Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative (SNJPC)
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Student Interns:
Ashley Russell, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Academic Preceptors:
Mara Gordan, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Behjath Jafry, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Anthony Rostain, MD, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
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Community Preceptor:
Barbara May, RN, MPH, Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative
Community Site:
The Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative (SNJPC) improves the health of pregnant women, children, and families in South Jersey. SNJPC offers a comprehensive set of programs and services that enhance the system of care, strengthen communities, and provide families the tools they need to lead healthier lives.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student intern worked on two main projects for the summer program. For one project, the intern partnered through SNJPC with the Family Engagement Network and Family Health Initiatives to develop language for the perinatal risk assessment form on the new patient portal, which is used by providers throughout South Jersey. The intern used health literacy tools learned during the BTG weekly sessions to provide a brief, basic summary of over 150 terms relating to chronic medical conditions, pregnancy-related conditions, and social determinants of health. The intern located websites that offer more information on the terms in easy-to-understand language that patients can access through the patient portal. As part of the second project, the intern worked with SNJPC’s Fetal and Infant Mortality Review group to develop a novel guide for hospitals in South Jersey on debriefing after an unexpected neonatal or maternal outcome occurs. The guide outlines which specific events require debriefing, when the debriefing needs to be held, and who needs to attend the debriefing from the hospital and the community. It also provides a sample script for facilitators of debriefings to follow. The guide will be made available to providers in South Jersey to help assist in determining causes that contribute to neonatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Ideally, it will provide the foundation for instituting system-level changes to help prevent unexpected outcomes.
Intern Statements:
Ashley Russell: “My experience at the Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative this summer has been such an incredible blessing. Everyone I have had the good fortune of interacting with at SNJPC or an affiliated organization exudes dedication and genuine concern for the families of New Jersey. No matter the program in which they work, they all maintain the same passion for caring for and serving the underserved communities in South Jersey. Their knowledge about the many resources offered through SNJPC and their compassion for helping their community have inspired me to educate myself on all the resources available for the people I serve in my community, so that I can provide them the best and most useful help, both currently as a student and in the future as a provider. More specifically, though, my work this summer brought to the forefront of my mind the value of being able to explain topics and resources in the most basic terms so that they may be fully understood and effectively utilized by patients. The opportunity I had this summer to practice that skill was incredibly significant and I am so grateful to be able to apply what I have learned for the rest of my career.”