A H E C

University of South Florida Area Health Education Center Program

See WELCOMEPage 15

See PHPPage 6

Fall 2004

Kathryn Scallon has been named assistant director for development and public relations for the USF Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program. In this

role, Kathryn will work as the liaison between the AHEC Program and Centers, Gulfcoast North AHEC and Gulfcoast South AHEC, the USF College of Medicine and the communities served by AHEC to grow program awareness and community access, build community/academic partnerships for health and garner philanthropic support for special projects.

USF AHEC Welcomes Kathryn Scallon

PHP Students participate in a water quality exercise, led by Hills-borough County Environmental Protection Commission Scientists.

A Seventh Successful Summer for the PHP Programs!Ellen Kent, MPH

“Thank you for giving me the wonderful opportunity to enjoy this program. It will give me a lifetime of memories… I had lots of fun but at the some time learned many things… I met 20 new people and I believe now that I have 20 new friends. I had a wonderful time and I can’t wait to come back for more!”

“We were very busy and the days were long but they were well worth it. I met many new friends and experiencing college life by living on the USF campus was a great experience.…I am glad that I had the opportunity to explore public health.”

“Everyone had a lot of fun and we learned so much!”

“I just wanted to tell you thank you so much for creating this program because I had such a blast that I dreaded coming home. I could have stayed a whole month and still wouldn’t want to come home!”

These enthusiastic comments are just a few of the responses from the thirty-five students who experienced two different Public Health Possibilities programs at USF this past June.

Got a Special Project?Ellen Kent, MPH, joined the USF AHEC Program as Faculty Coordinator for Special Projects this past year. In this role, Ellen coordinates a number of projects for the AHEC

Program and Health Sciences Center (HSC). These include National Primary Care Week (celebrated each October); the Great American Teach-In (every November); and new this year, the Health Sciences Center (HSC) Service Corps, an interdisciplinary service group in which students from all of USF’s HSC Colleges participate together in service

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How to ʻCook Up ̓a Successful Interdisciplinary Student Service Project!Ellen Kent, MPH

Recipe: One successful student service project to serve ~ 75

Ingredients: • Creative ideas• Enthusiasm • Friendliness • Dedication• Cooperation • Collaboration and communication

with the community • Hard work • Sufficient funding • A ‘dash’ of faculty leadership

thrown in!

All of these key ingredients were carefully blended together last spring, when the HSC Service Corps served up its first big event: the April 20 Spring Fling Picnic for Hope Lodge residents, in recognition of Global Youth Service Days. (NOTE: The HSC Service Corps serves as a ‘clearinghouse’ of service projects that all HSC students can participate in; see also http://hsc.usf.edu/ahec/hscservice_corps.html.)

The idea for the picnic actually originated with two dedicated MS II students, Shannon Reed and Jessica Pease, who thought it would be nice to have a simple spring picnic to bring some cheer to the Hope Lodge residents. (Hope Lodge is actually an ACS supported facility on campus, adjacent to the Moffitt Cancer Center, which provides free lodging to patients and their caregivers who are receiving treatment at Moffitt and other hospitals in the area.)

Then the staff had to be designated, so a core group of students who served on the HSC Service Corps Advisory Committee agreed to plan this special event.

Then the venue had to be selected. The students and Hope Lodge staff decided on the picnic area behind the medical school which faces Lake Behnke as a scenic, yet convenient area.

Next, the menu was determined. With the generosity of student leaders from two medical student organizations, the group ordered a chicken dinner buffet from Gladstones!

But what good is a picnic without entertainment? The planning group thought it would be nice to have raffle prizes for the patients! Two nursing students, Melissa Molinari and Dean Cains, dedicated a lot of time to personally speak to local business owners and request donations for prizes that could be given to the patients as raffle items. In addition, two medical students offered to play the violin and flute, and a group of public health students volunteered to lead a salsa dancing demonstration.

The planning paid off. The students created a festive picnic setting for the early evening picnic, with colorful table settings and balloons around the gazebo. The promotional flyers attracted over 30

See CookPage 7

Hope Lodge April 20 Spring Fling Picnic, in recognition of Global Youth Service Days.

COMING SOON!The USF Area Health Education Center office is working on a new look for all our publications—including ACCESS!

For the last year, the University has been working on updating its look and image and AHEC is following suit. This is an exciting first step in building our brand!

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by Sarah A. Worth

Two USF medical students took up a cause and landed a grant that may help fix a problem in the impoverished area near the University of South Florida. David Wilson and Leslie Passmore, both third-year medical students, were awarded nearly $30,000 by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to bring health education and screenings to the community that is just west of USF, an area that has come to be known as Suitcase City due to the transient nature of its residents. The area is high in crime and poverty and lacks basic resources, especially health resources, Wilson said.

The grant is for four years and is part of AAMC’s Caring for Community Grant Program and is in collaboration with the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative. At USF, the grant is a partnership of effort by the medical students and the USF AHEC Program (which matched some of the funds to bring the total to $40,000), as well as the USF Health Sciences Center Service Corps.

The project is a win-win because it provides health information and screenings to a population needing them and it provides the medical students with an avenue to further their clinical experience in the public sector, said Cynthia Selleck, ARNP, DSN, the project’s administrative officer and director of the USF AHEC Program.

The College of Medicine Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs, Steven Specter, PhD, said the project is an ideal example of how students can involve themselves in the

Medical Students and AHEC Partner on Grant to Reach Families in the University Area Community

community. “This type of program will help set them up for a life-long connection with community service,” he said.

The main emphasis for the “UAC H.O.P.E. Project” (University Area Community – Health Outreach, Promotion, and Education Project) will be biweekly health education and accompanying health screening sessions coordinated and conducted by the USF medical students. They will revolve around “themes” for the month that correspond with national health observances already planned, such as October and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and November with the Great American Smokeout..

The AAMC grants were given to projects that were designed, developed and administered by medical students with existing community agencies. USF medical students are working with the non-profit, public/private

University Area Community Development Corporation (UACDC), which already has a partnership with USF AHEC and means the USF project will have access to a network of local social and community service programs and agencies. Two class coordinators from each of the first two years provide continuing interaction and support. Volunteers for each of the sessions come from all four years.

In addition, the students plan to partner with HSC Service Corps, which looks for projects like this for students from the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Public Health and the School of Physical Therapy to participate in. Aside from helping a good cause,

volunteers may come from a new requirement of USF medical students that they provide a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer activity each year during their first and second years at the COM.

For more information about the project, contact second-year medical student coordinators, Natalie Carballo ncarball@hsc.usf.edu or Arthur Parsee aparsee1@hsc.usf.edu or the USF AHEC Program Office at 974-3507.

University Area Statistics• 40,000 residents live in less than four square

miles.

• Physician to population ratio is 17,964 residents to each primary care physician.

• Has the highest concentration of single mothers in the Tampa Bay region.

• Has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the county,

• Has the highest infant mortality rate in the county.

• 83 percent of all housing are rental units.

• Has the highest crime rates in the county.

• About three out of four children move every year.

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Ten projects from the USF Health Sciences Center have been awarded over $332,000 in financial support for academic year 2004-2005 by the USF AHEC Program. These projects are designed to further AHEC’s mission of establishing community/academic partnerships that increase access to quality health care for the medically underserved in its nine-county service area.

Through a competitive process, HSC faculty were asked to submit proposals for innovative service-

learning projects for health professions students that will enhance service delivery for underserved communities through community-academic linkages. Projects that received funding successfully described how they will accomplish this goal by either 1) extending academic health resources directly to medically underserved communities, 2) influencing health professions education toward primary care and practice possibilities, 3) providing information and support for health professionals in underserved

communities, or 4) influencing the future makeup of the health care workforce through diversity initiatives.

Of the ten proposals funded, nine will offer quality training for health professions students or residents in underserved sites while one other will focus on increasing the number of young people interested in entering the nursing profession.

Dept./ College

Recipient Title Overview

Pediatrics Dr. Rani Gereige Community Pediatrics Provides training for residents in rural pediatrics.

PediatricsDr. Ellyn Theophilopoulos

Rural PediatricsExposes third-year medical students to rural pediatrics, at-risk youth, literacy and advocacy.

Family Medicine Dr. Kira ZwygartFamily Medicine Third-Year Clerkship

Places third-year medial students at several free clinics and community/migrant health centers.

Family MedicineDr. Laurie Woodard

Public Sector Medicine Program

Provides first- and second-year medical students with experience in the delivery of health care to the underserved.

Internal Medicine

Dr. Kevin O’BrienAmbulatory Internal Medicine Rotation

Provides placement for medical students and residents.

College of Public Health

Dr. Ellen DaleyWomen’s Health Collaborative

Places public health graduate students at underserved sites to work with second-year medical students.

College of Nursing

Dr. Patricia BurnsNursing Professionals of the Future

Introduces middle school students from underserved areas to the nursing profession.

College of Nursing

Dr. Judith Karshmer

Nurse Practitioner Student Placement

Utilizes a Nurse Practitioner to coordinate placements in rural and underserved areas.

Obstetrics/Gynecology

Dr. William Spellacy

Obstetrics/Gynecology Third-Year Clerkship

Places third-year medical students at Genesis Clinic and Catholic Mobile Medical Services.

Psychiatry Dr. Marlene HartCommunity Behavioral Medicine

Supports a third-year psychiatric resident and medical student placement at the Tampa Community Health Center.

AHEC Funds Community-Academic LinkagesAnne Maynard, MPH

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To learn more about how you can become involved with AHEC please call Kathryn Scallon at (813) 974-9699.

c I would prefer to have a Foundation representative contact me.

Please make checks payable to:

USF Foundation/AHEC ProgramCollege of Medicine MDC 7612901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.Tampa, FL 33612-4799

Name

Address

City State ZIP

Email

Visit our web site at www.hsc.usf.edu/ahec

Gifts to the USF Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Mobilizing Resources, Influencing the FutureThe Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program, located at the University of South Florida College of Medicine and Health Sciences Center, is poised to embark on a much needed journey with your support.

As partners, we are committed to working together and dedicated to enhancing the lives of Florida’s most vulnerable populations who often go without health care due to geographic isolation, economic or social status and more. The University of South Florida AHEC Program and its two centers, Gulfcoast North AHEC (GNAHEC), located in Land O’ Lakes and Gulfcoast South AHEC (GSAHEC), located in Sarasota; in conjuction with the Health Sciences Center at USF, engage students, faculty, staff and community partners in our mission to increase access to quality health care in rural and underserved areas.

The programs that are implemented by our two Centers extend academic resources to medically underserved communities, influence health professions education, provide information and support for community health professionals and influence the future health professions workforce. With these components in place, we will impact the future health care of Florida’s populations.

Our vision is that no Floridian should be without timely access to quality health care. We can only accomplish these goals with the help of our constituents.

If you are considering making a gift, please contact:

Kathryn ScallonAssistant Director, Development & Public RelationsUniverity of South Florida AHEC Program(813) 974-9699 kscallon@hsc.usf.edu

AHEC Funds Community-Academic Linkages

Your friendship and support mean a lot to us and our mission I would like to direct my gift to:

c Scholarships

c Youth Health Career Opportunities

c Community Health Programs

c Continuing Education Activities

c Area of Greatest Need

c Other

I am pleased to enclose my contribution of: c $50 c $100 c $250 c $Other ________

USF/AHEC gladly accepts gifts by credit card.If you would like to make your gift by credit card, please complete the following.

c Visa c MasterCard c Discover c Amex

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Card Expiration Date

Signature

The University of South Florida Area Health Education Center (AHEC), Gulfcoast North AHEC and Gulfcoast South AHEC are dedicated to building community and academic partnerships for healthy communities.

Thank you for joining usin our quest

to improve thequality of health in

our underservedcommunities

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For the past seven years, over 170 high school students have learned about the diverse academic disciplines and exciting career possibilities in public health through the introductory PHP program and the advanced PHP-PLUS program. These career-preparation programs help Florida youth (many who are from rural and underserved backgrounds) gain the background knowledge and confidence to help them prepare for college and a possible career in public health or other health professions. Dr. Elizabeth Gulitz, with the help of Ellen Kent, established the programs in 1998. The Florida Department of Education funded the introductory PHP program and the PHP-PLUS program was funded by Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center (GNAHEC). Ellen Kent, MPH, AHEC Faculty Coordinator for Special Projects, now directs the programs with funding from GNAHEC and AHEC.

The program grows and changes each year, retaining the most successful seminars and field sites, while also offering new learning experiences for the students. For example, each year, a migrant health panel discussion has been held in which the students learn the interdisciplinary nature of public health. Panelists have inlcuded clinicians, social workers, educators and immigration attorneys.

Program highlights this year included: volunteering at the Good Samaritan Mission in Wimauma; visiting the Suncoast Community Health Center in Ruskin; speaking with researchers at The Florida Department of Health Laboratory at USF; performing water quality tests at the Hillsborough River with scientists from the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission; dissecting sheep heart and lungs at MOSI; and participating in a seminar on global health with COPH graduate students.

Students were especially excited about their two day field site experiences, in which they worked in small groups with graduate students and community experts. This year, students toured different departments of the Hillsborough County Health Department, learned about preparation for hurricanes at the USF Global Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, explored a wide realm of a global health issues and discovered the health and environmental benefits of exploring alternative forms of transportation at the USF Center for Urban Transportation Research.

In fact, this year’s participants even made a PSA at Radio Disney! The students concluded their week with excellent presentations about their two-day experiences as well as capsule summaries about the breadth of their learning experiences in the entire program.

This summer, the returning PHP students participated in a new program,

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the “PHP Summer Service Sensation.” During this intensive three-day program, the 15 returning PHP students led a safety fair for children in the Ruskin area, engaged children at the San José Mission in exercise and safety games, learned about new service projects which they can conduct in their own high schools, and had a lively discussion with HSC students who had participated in HSC Service Corps events. In fact, the success of this seminar paves the way for additional service projects in which the PHP students will be able to work alongside both the PHP students in college and the HSC students during the school year.

Both PHP programs will be highlighted on the WUSF University Beat radio program this September, and a link to this broadcast will be included on the PHP web sites for 2004: http://hsc.usf.edu/~ekent/PHP/PHP%20Programs.html.

2004 AHEC Health Professions Summer Academy June 6–19

Students from the Health Professions Summer Academy participate in an educational tour of Tampa General Hospital. This summer marks the 4th successful year of the academy.

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patients and their caregivers and about 35 medical, nursing, physical therapy and public health students. The student musicians provided elegant entertainment throughout the evening. An informal introduction was given by the Hope Lodge staff and an ACS representative, and the patients and students all dined together. The COPH students’ salsa dancing lessons were so lively that one patient’s caregiver just couldn’t ‘resist’ and he began to dance with one of the COPH students!

Finally, the medical and nursing students were the best MC’s in town when it came to giving out the raffle prizes, and each raffle ticket was called out with

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a shake of the tambourine, a roll of the drums and quite a bit of student pizzazz!

In sum, with all of the hard work of the students, as well as some guidance thrown in from two faculty coordinators, Ellen Kent, MPH, AHEC Faculty Coordinator for Special Projects, and Suzanne Jackson, MPH, Program Director, Office of Diversity Initiatives for the College of Medicine, this first capstone large project for the HSC Service Corps was a memorable event for the patients, their caregivers, and the students.

In fact, this recipe proved so successful that the Hope Lodge staff have asked for a “second serving” next

spring and other community organizations are already “making reservations” for similar special events for their own target audiences. These exciting HSC Service Corps events and projects for 2004-05 are now listed at: http://hsc.usf.edu/ahec/hscevents2004.html as well as http://my.calendars.net/servicecorps.

If your community group is looking for some enthusiastic students to cook up a successful service project for your clients, and serve it with great flair, feel free to contact Ellen Kent, MPH, and she will connect you with some eager, energetic and enthusiastic HSC students!

In an effort to increase access to and awareness of professional and consumer level child health information on the Internet, the University of South Florida AHEC Program, Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center (GNAHEC), Inc., and All Children’s Hospital are expanding their support of the Florida School Nurse Project (FSNP). Included in the expansion will be hands-on workshops and other training, web-enhanced audio teleconferences, and further development of the FSNP website, www.fsnp.org, to provide up-to-date and timely information to school nurses and other school health professionals.

This newly developed program will allow us to work with school nurses in our nine-county region, training them in the utilization of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases and resources and other health-related information available to them free of

charge. Through the FSNP website and other means, access to healthcare information will be increased. We will also be collaborating on training modules and promotion of the NLM database resources, while providing other information in support of the Florida School Nurse Project. The primary focus of this project is to educate and provide consumer health information on children to school nurses and other related professionals. “This expansion was made possible by an award from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine that was announced this month,” said Jacqueline Leskovec, MLIS, MA, RN, University of South Florida AHEC Librarian.

An email discussion group is currently an active part of the FSNP website, and further development of the website is being planned. If a nurse has a student health issue occurring at his or her school, resources are available

online. Questions can be posed to the discussion group so that others may respond and provide insight or advice. Physicians and experts in child health issues also belong to the group and are able to reply. School health professionals thus have a direct link to assist them in their daily work.

If you are a Florida school nurse or other related health professional who works with children’s health issues, become a member of the email discussion group. Interested participants can add their email address by visiting the Florida School Nurse Project website at www.fsnp.org. More information regarding these opportunities is forthcoming via the USF AHEC Program site at http://hsc.usf.edu/ahec.

National Library of Medicine Award Received by the University of South Florida AHEC Program, Gulfcoast North AHEC and All Childrenʼs Hospital

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Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center, Inc. Land O’ Lakes, Florida

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Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center, Inc. Land O’ Lakes, Florida

An increasing number of teenagers are suffering from eating disorders, obesity, lack of nutrition and other related illnesses and this epidemic should not go unrecognized. That is why MORE HEALTH INC. and AHEC have partnered up to begin the much needed education and prevention curriculum for high school students called “Food for Thought.” This program will target adolescents by illustrating the severity of eating disorders, informing on the dangers of obesity, and encouraging healthy nutritional habits. Shocking statistics only prove that education on these topics is essential for students: 50 percent of boys and 75 percent of girls at the high school level claim they are unhappy with their appearance; 1 out of every 8 adolescents suffer from depression; and suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in high schools.

“Food for Thought” not only provides information from a nutritional aspect, but additionally discusses the important issues of self-esteem and misconceptions involving body types. Colorful pictures from the media, such as magazines, enable the teens to see the distorted view society has on body images and how the perception of “size” has dramatically changed over the decades. Also included in the discussion is a touching video, “The Truth about Body Image,” which incorporates interviews and testimonies from supermodels, athletes, and high school students who have been influenced by the media’s pressure to be perfect. Other hands-on material mentioned during the program include replicas of internal organs vital to healthy living, the food guide pyramid, a body mass index chart, and vitamin/mineral visuals. This 90-minute curriculum provides a wealth of information that

“Food for Thought”Bethany Majka, BS

Step Up Florida:On Our Way To Healthy Living

According to the Florida Department of Health, Step Up Florida was a non-competitive physical activity event aimed at the obesity epidemic in Florida. This was done by promoting a healthy and physically active lifestyle along with encouraging various physical activity opportunities available to citizens and visitors throughout Florida. With many companies, agencies, and organizations searching for ways to make daily chores,

errands, and tasks more convenient, regular exercise has become a lesser priority. On February 11, 2004, Florida Department of Health Secretary, John O. Agwunobi, MD., M.B.A, demonstrated his support by joining the Hillsborough County Health Department, local leaders and citizens to promote healthy living choices by walking a scheduled Step Up Florida route through downtown Tampa.

Everyone knows that regular exercise greatly reduces risk factors for many chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease, but what some may not know is that frequent exercise can help individuals rest better, increase metabolism for more energy throughout the day, and decrease stress and depression. So, follow Dr. Agwunobi’s example, get to steppin’ and enjoy all of the superb exercise environments that our beautiful Florida has to offer.

If you are interested in organizing a walking program in your neighborhood, please contact Kristina Garcia, Coordinator of Community Health Education, Gulfcoast North AHEC, by phone at (813) 631-4350 x 27 or e-mail tgarcia@gnahec.org.

allows time to answer questions, share comments, review topics and observe any other supporting visuals. Lastly, handouts are then distributed to act as reinforcement after the presentation.

MORE HEALTH INC. and AHEC are also providers of the successful osteoporosis education programs “Bone Zone” for 2nd graders and “Fit for Life” targeting middle school students. It

is expected that this new high school curriculum, “Food for Thought,” will reach a tremendous number of teenagers in the communities we serve. To schedule any of these educational tools or for additional information please contact Bethany Majka at (813) 631-4350 or bmajka@gnahec.org.

Kristina Garcia, MS, CHESCoordinator of Community Health Education

L to R: Cynthia Keeton, Hillsborough County Step Up Event Coordinator, Dr. John O. Agwunobi, Secretary, Florida Department of Health and Kristina Garcia, GNAHEC Coordinator of Community Health Education

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Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center, Inc. Land O’ Lakes, Florida

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Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center, Inc. Land O’ Lakes, Florida

Creating successful community partnerships is a major part of AHEC’s mission. Another part is recruiting middle school and high school students, particularly those from rural or medically underserved areas, into various health care career opportunities. What better way for Gulfcoast North AHEC to fulfill these two parts of our mission than to host health career activities with students from the GEAR UP Program. GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) helps at-risk students succeed by offering them academic, social, and cultural enrichment activities that prepare them not only for middle school and high school, but for college and a career.

In April, 2004, 20 enthusiastic students from Blake High School’s (Tampa) GEAR UP Program spent the day learning about the human heart by participating in the Museum of Science & Industry’s Vital Signs Dissection Program. As part of this program, students were able to dissect a sheep’s heart, lungs and trachea, as well as participate in a health scavenger hunt, and all this while learning about numerous health careers.

Another learning experience, this time a more extensive three-day health career camp, was held. Twenty-nine eager students from Memorial Middle School’s GEAR UP Program participated in various hands-on experiences designed to teach them about health careers by offering an opportunity for students to interact with professionals in their work environment. The students were able to

Partnering For SuccessChristina Mathis, MBA

Bethany Majka, the newest team member of Gulfcoast North AHEC, was hired as the Coordinator of Student Enrichment on May 20th this year. Bethany has recently received her Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Community Health Education from Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee. At FSU she became familiar with AHEC as she participated in the IMPACT program at the Big Bend AHEC. She moved to Tampa from Orlando, where she was born and raised; however, she frequently returns home to

visit friends and family on weekends. She is enjoying exploring new restaurants and night spots in Tampa. Bethany has a keen interest in health and fitness and plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Health next year. In her first few months with us, Bethany has demonstrated her talent and skills in a professional way. She is very enthusiastic and a wonderful addition to our team.

Welcome, Bethany!

Jody Lazzara, LMHCWelcome Our New Team Member

Bethany Majka

Students from Blake High School and Memorial Middle School par-ticipated in GNAHEC’s GEAR UP program. Above, students check out “SimMan” at the University of South Florida College of Nursing.

See PartneringPage 13

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Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center, Inc. Sarasota, Florida

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Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center, Inc. Sarasota, Florida

Research has shown that breast-feeding far outweighs the health benefits of bottle feeding infants. The health professionals may know this but how do we get this information to all these women having babies out there…especially in Spanish? Gulfcoast South AHEC has one solution. In March 2004, Edna Apostol, MPH, Executive Director of GSAHEC trained Community Health Workers (CHWs) on the concept of ¡Dar el Pecho es lo Mejor! (Breastfeeding is Best!). Through our Community Health Partnership Project, we partnered with the Healthy Start Coalition of Manatee County to reach current or wanna-be breast feeders to support and share the tremendous benefits for both the Mom and baby.

Ansley Mora, BA

¡Dar el Pecho es lo Mejor!

In this training, Edna covered the importance of breastfeeding; the benefits to Mom and baby; culturally appropriate myths and facts; how breastfeeding works; how to position the baby; community resources available to breastfeeders; challenges, warning signs and what to do. Curriculum was provided in an easy-to-use, flip chart format so the CHWs (or Promotoras

Community Health Workers and instructor, Edna Apostol, MPH, Executive Director, GSAHEC (center back), at the end of class.

de Salud) could venture OUT into the community and share this information with new and expectant Moms. They collected comments, provided incentives, and offered support.

To date, these nine, Spanish-speaking CHW’s have provided 17 presentations

Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center (GSAHEC) was honored to present its first annual Recruitment & Educational Assistance for Careers in Health (REACH) sponsor of the year award to Ron Jones, a teacher at Port Charlotte High School and 4 year REACH sponsor. Ron Jones pioneered the role of the REACH sponsor and has been an active promoter of the benefits of the REACH program.

What is the REACH program? GSAHEC has been actively promoting and implementing the REACH program

for five years in local high schools. The REACH program is designed to provide minority, first generation college, underrepresented and/or underprivileged students interested in health careers a rare and unique opportunity to explore a variety of health career occupations. Additionally, REACH strives to assist students in establishing and maintaining a career in health. Our program is designed to provide a nurturing, fun, and stimulating

GSAHEC Presents the R.E.A.C.H. Sponsor of the Year Award!

FORGET the Oscars, and even the Golden Globes……..

Lance Malone, BS

See AWARD Page 15

L to R: Edna Apostol, MPH, Ex-ecutive Director, GSAHEC, REACH Sponsor of the Year Ron Jones and Lance Malone.

See CHWPage 13

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Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center, Inc. Sarasota, Florida

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Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center, Inc. Sarasota, Florida

Please welcome Samantha Haigler, MPH to the position of Clinical Training/Service Learning Coordinator.

A Florida native, Samantha holds a BS degree in Health Promotion from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina and an MPH in Maternal and Child Health from the University of South Florida.

Prior to arriving at Gulfcoast South AHEC, Samantha served as the Regional Coordinator for the American Lung Association’s Not On Tobacco program where she recruited and trained high school teachers to deliver a unique smoking cessation curriculum. Samantha is no stranger to health education having taught Family and Consumer Sciences in Hillsborough County during the 2003-2004 school year.

Samantha first learned of the USF AHEC Program while serving as a Project IMPACT student for Gulfcoast South. Samantha is excited about this opportunity to work with the staff of Gulfcoast South AHEC in their mission to establish community-academic partnerships for the health of the underserved. One of her goals will be to provide “ongoing” preceptor development to further enhance the service learning experience for health professions students.

Samantha can be reached at (941) 361-6602 or via email at shaigler@hsc.usf.edu.

GSAHEC welcomes Samantha Haigler

Samantha Haigler

Forty percent of the adolescents don’t eat breakfast. Zero percent eat vegetables for lunch or dinner. Seventy-five percent eat junk food for lunch and fifty percent chose junk food for dinner. Their average daily activity is less than 20 minutes /day and their average sedentary time is over three hours a day. Sixty percent don’t exercise. These discouraging statistics don’t belong to children that live in an impoverished third world country. These statistics belong to the kids that populate our malls, go to our movie theaters, and attend our schools….these are our kids.

It was this group of children that became the target population for this year’s Interdisciplinary Community Health Scholars (ICHS) project in Sarasota County. The task: to implement a cardiovascular disease prevention program for middle school students with the curriculum focusing on nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention.

The group worked in collaboration with Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Project Manager for Community Health Education, Mary Lanier RN, MSN. Two sites were targeted. The Laurel Civic Association summer youth program and Girls Inc.

The implementation of the project lead to the development of a curriculum with four nutrition and physical activity units. The first unit was named “Switch It Up.” It contained an in depth discussion of calories, weight gain and correct portion sizes. The group used everyday objects to illustrate what an appropriate serving size would be for an average adult. For example, 3 ounces of cooked meat can be compared to a bar of soap, average size softball is equivalent to about one cup, and your whole thumb equals about 1 tablespoon. The adolescents were also shown how to make healthy substitutions from common fast food menus and how to convert a lunch of chips and soda into one that contains milk and a fruit skewer.

Unit 2, “5 A Day,” was the introduction to the cooking component. This lesson was designed to encourage eating 5 to 9 fruits and vegetables a day by demonstrating easy, fun, and delicious fruit and vegetable recipes. Such examples included microwave breakfast cobbler, fruit kabobs, and ants on a log.

The third unit dealt with physical activity and was named “Get Moving.” It allowed the participants to receive their own personal pedometers and keep a record of their steps during the many cardiovascular activities that were taught. Veggie tag was a popular activity, along with dodgeball and a game called “Can You Move.” The participants were determined to be the first with 999 steps.

The last program unit was a “Get Fit” Game show. This interactive game gave the kids an opportunity to compete against each other at a quick pace. Answering questions with information recently learned, the game created the perfect atmosphere to see how much the kids had retained and brought home the major point that eating healthy foods now can lead to becoming a healthier adult later.

With the success of the program came the idea to create both an instructional aid manual for the sites and an informational booklet for the kids. The manual includes background information, class activities, and follow-up/home activities. The booklet contains nutrition and physical activity information as well as healthy recipes. Both will prove to be valuable resources.

Most of us know that many of the lifestyles of unhealthy adults were cultivated when they were children, mimicking the unhealthy choices of their parents. If we take the approach of teaching sound nutrition and exercise habits during the impressionable adolescent years, then we can hope that they will in turn form sound healthy habits as adults and possibly influence the generations to come. And maybe, just maybe, change some of their parent’s lifestyles as well.

Project “Get Fit”Charlene Chirillo, BSN, RN

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Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center, Inc. Land O’ Lakes, Florida

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Inspiration comes in many forms, and in this case it comes in the form of Peter Chang; a six-foot five inch Indian/Chinese American whose parents emigrated from Trinidad. His love of life,

learning and “giving back” are awe-inspiring. He is multitalented, bright, warm, incredibly optimistic and hard working. His goal to become a medical doctor in an underserved community is in part due to his several AHEC experiences.

Peter graduated from Durant High School in Plant City (FL) in 1999 and from the University of South Florida in 2003 with a major in Biology and minor in Chemistry. His first meeting with AHEC was participating in Access Day as a high school student. Once Peter began taking classes at the University, he was given the opportunity to be involved with Gulfcoast North AHEC in the summer of 2001 as a Health Careers Camp Counselor. In the summer of 2002, Peter participated in the AHEC Interdisciplinary Community Health Scholars program, where he worked for 8 weeks with a team of health professions students to implement cardiovascular health initiatives in medically underserved communities of Manatee County.

Peter has been an Honors Peer Advisor/Orientation Leader, Multicultural Welcome Week Coordinator and the Vice President of the USF Arts and Sciences Honors Society. He has been a Student Tutor and in 1999 was selected for the Florida Minority Scholarship Program. In 2001,

Peter was selected to participate in the Minority Medical Education Program (MMEP) at the University of Virginia. Here he was able to participate in the Clinical Experience Rotations, where he had hands-on encounters in numerous medical disciplines through interaction with participating physicians, and was elected Vice President of the MMEP class. For over a year Peter volunteered his Saturdays at All Children’s Hospital. His sole purpose there was to provide “a way for kids to be kids”.

His experiences in academia, patient care and community service have strengthened his resolve to become a physician where he can be useful. Peter is an extremely well rounded person, who can fix your car or your computer,

discuss world events or the intricacies of the biological functions of the human body and the chemical interactions that occur therein.

Nothing can keep such an optimistic, industrious person like Peter Chang down; but if AHEC had any part in launching this wonderful career, then a huge part of its mission has been fulfilled. We are delighted to have been a part of making this match.

Jody Lazzara, MS, LMHC

Peter Chang Meets AHEC: The Perfect Match

Peter Chang

Students discuss strategy as part of a Team Building Exercise at the Museum of Science & Industry. Peter Chang led the exercise.

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Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center, Inc. Land O’ Lakes, Florida

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to 26 individuals. When asked what they learned and about the benefits of breastfeeding, these individuals commented: “Breastfeeding brings closeness between the mother and child, and protects the baby from illness.” “The presentation clarified myths and facts about breastfeeding.” “Breastfeeding is good for the baby; it’s healthy, easy and more hygienic.” One of the mothers commented that this was the first time she had a “health lesson” and plans to tell her family and friends about the benefits of breastfeeding.

GSAHEC is extremely pleased with the results of this partnership and will continue to support these CHWs in their efforts to spread the word about breastfeeding.

actively participate at the University of South Florida’s College of Nursing Laboratory and College of Public Health, the Museum of Science and Industry’s Vital Signs Dissection Program, and All Children’ Hospital in St. Petersburg.

Gulfcoast North AHEC was delighted to have the chance to partner with a program whose students are so dedicated to learning. Additionally, GNAHEC will keep in contact with the middle school campers over the years to see if the camp experience made a lasting impression on the career choices that they eventually make.

PartneringFrom page 9

GEAR UP Program students check out the Labs at the University of South Florida College of Nursing. GEAR UP participants also visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, and All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.

CHWFrom page 10

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Diversity Initiatives Program by Ericka Moore, MPH

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This year, the USF AHEC Program Office is participating in Multicultural Welcome Week. This annual event assists incoming students from diverse cultures in their college transition to the University of South Florida. While taking part in this program, students have the opportunity to learn about involvement in various multicultural activities offered through organizations on campus. Multicultural Welcome Week also serves to introduce and connect incoming students to returning students. This connection is important because it allows new students to have an additional campus resource.

This event is a welcomed opportunity to educate and involve aspiring health professional students. The USF AHEC Program along with representatives of the HSC colleges will host an informational session on Tuesday, August 24th in the Marshall Center. During this session, we will discuss the undergraduate preparation required for entry into the health professional colleges as well as opportunities with AHEC. Students will have the chance to network with like-minded peers focused upon a health career. Students will also meet HSC staff who can provide additional support as they pursue a health career. For further information please contact Ericka Moore, MPH, emoore@hsc.usf.edu or (813) 974-5973.

Multicultural Welcome Week, August 18th – August 26th

Access Day Spring 2004

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Diversity Initiatives Program by Ericka Moore, MPH

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learning environment for all students.

Program Activities Include:• Activities to provide information on

health careers(including videos, health career guides, etc.).

• One-on one guidance from the program coordinator to address students’ individual needs.

• Assistance in preparing the student to enter health professions programs by focusing on decision-making skills, goal setting, self-esteem and motivation building, as well as, providing the necessary information regarding program requirements.

• Guest speakers to serve as role models (including practicing health professionals and health profession students).

• Community-based instruction activities including trips to colleges, universities, and health organizations to provide students with exposure to such environments.

• Summer internships with scholarships to provide the students with hands-on health care career experience.

In 2004 the REACH program was at Booker, Richard Milburn Academy, North Port, and Port Charlotte high schools and had 102 students in participation. The REACH program at Port Charlotte High had almost 50 students so it was a record year for the program, it was also the largest this year, and the growth was no doubt attributed to the continuous efforts of Ron Jones.

In order for the REACH program to be effective the students need a school based sponsor that can remind them of meetings, collect applications, collect the mountain of information needed to take a field trip, and be an advocate for the program at the school. Ron Jones has his office in the career center at PCHS which is where the students come for information about careers and he can direct those students interested in pursuing a health career to the REACH program. This system worked so well that we are

working with the career counselors at our other area high schools to start REACH programs. So far it has been a success and the REACH program continues to grow.

There are some things that you can’t duplicate into new programs. Ron has numerous contacts in the community which are more than happy to provide speakers and have us visit. This is important because local health care providers can talk about there experiences working in the community and many of them are former graduates of Port Charlotte High and were in the very spot most of these students find themselves. Ron has improved the REACH program at PCHS every year and taken on more of an active role in the implementation of program activities. I would like to thank Ron again for his efforts and look forward to continuing the REACH activities with his help this school year. Congratulations, Ron!

AwardFrom page 10

AHEC Program DirectorDr. Cynthia S. Selleck

Gulfcoast North Center DirectorJohn Wills, MS, LD/N

Gulfcoast South Center DirectorEdna Apostol, MPH

AHEC Program Assistant and Access EditorBillie Jo Whyte

AHEC ACCESS is published biannually for members of the health care community serving our nine counties: Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto and Charlotte.

Send correspondence to:

Billie Jo WhyteAccess EditorAHEC Program OfficeCollege of Medicine, MDC 7612901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.Tampa, FL 33612-4799

(813) 974-5782

bwhyte@hsc.usf.edu

learning activities, primarily in medically underserved communities. Through her coordination role with the HSC Service Corps, Ellen has been very involved with our student-run CATCH Health Fairs, the Reach Out & Read Program and much, much more.

Also new this year was AHEC’s role in developing curricula and teaching health education content to more than 400 elementary, middle, and high school-aged youth enrolled in the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) conducted on the USF campus. Ellen took the lead this summer in identifying students from all HSC Colleges to participate in the health education curriculum development and presentations. On top of all this, Ellen also plans and manages the Public Health Possibilities (PHP) program and PHP Plus program for AHEC. Both are summer

WelcomeFrom page 1

programs for high school students designed to introduce them to the broad field of public health. For information on any of these projects, contact Ellen Kent, MPH at (813) 974-6622 or ekent@hsc.usf.edu.

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Area Health Education Center Program College of Medicine, MDC 7612901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Tampa, FL 33612-4799

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PAIDPermit NO. 1632Tampa, Florida

For more event information, contact the AHEC in your service area or visit us on the web at http://hsc.usf.edu/ahec Gulfcoast North AHEC: 1-888-546-2432 Gulfcoast South AHEC: 1-800-967-0807

Karen Bush – Northeast Florida AHEC

Chrissy Mathis – Gulfcoast North AHEC

Barbara Cowen – Florida Keys AHEC

Anne Maynard – USF AHEC

Kristina Garcia – Gulfcoast North AHEC

Ericka Moore – USF AHEC/HETC

Samantha Haigler – Gulfcoast South AHEC

Sharon Schmidt – Central Florida AHEC

Jacqueline Leskovec – USF AHEC

Susan Wagner – Florida Keys AHEC

Bethany Majka – Gulfcoast North AHEC

Congratulations to all Florida AHECers who participated in the first-ever AHEC 5K Classic which took place at the National AHEC Organization 2004 Workshop on August 3rd in Baltimore! Even though the event started at 6:00 a.m., over 70 people gathered in the pre-dawn hours to run or walk a three mile course around Baltimore’s scenic Inner Harbor. The “Florida Delegation” was well represented by 11 athletes from the Sunshine State – and 7 of these were from the USF AHEC Program!

Based on the success of this event, plans are underway now to continue this fun & healthy tradition during the Florida AHEC Network Meeting being held November 3-5 in Tampa. AHECers from around the state will gather for a 1-mile or 3-mile stroll/sprint along Bayshore Boulevard. Honorary AHECers (board members, preceptors, and health professions students) are warmly invited to participate, so please call 813/974-9685 if you would like more information.

Again, congratulations to Team Florida AHEC! You talk the talk and walk the walk!

AHEC Front Runners!

If you have received this newsletter in error or if the address is incorrect, please send a note to Access AHECaccess@hsc.usf.edu.