Page 1(“RFC” continues on p2)

Vol. 4 Issue 4 December 2016

By: Matt Gomez, MS2Student volunteers at the San Bernardino Free Clinic.

“Pun-ch Line” by Scott Cramer & Elias Fanous -Pages 3 & 9-

“Shake My World” by Sumedha Sinha

-Page 5-

A Year in the Free clinics

It is absolutely amazing to be writing this piece in celebration of San Bernardino Free Clinic’s one-year anniversary. It is wonderful to think that something that was once an idea and admittedly, a very unrealistic goal, is now set in place. It is truly a testament to the incredible work that can be accomplished when dedicated and passionate people work together. I see this every single time we open our doors for clinic and observe all the volunteers running around in the pursuit of serving the underserved. We wouldn’t be able to do this without the continued work of all of our undergraduates, medical students, physicians, and other volunteers. We are happy to do our small part to improve the health of the Inland Empire and provide much needed medical assistance to people who otherwise wouldn’t receive it. In one short year we have seen tremendous growth and change. We have expanded our “SBFC Volunteer” program and now have about 30 undergraduate volunteers

Politcal Pulse by Deema Akari

-Page 9-

ART et al. -Page 12-

(“SBFC” continues on p3)

Walking into the First Congregational Church in downtown Riverside on an RFC Wednesday evening, one may be overwhelmed by the chaos of moving individuals prepping the space for a long night of patient care. Tables, chairs, and number placeholders are loudly shuffled around the church foyer as patients line up outside, patiently waiting to be checked in. And though it may seem like the church is in pandemonium, the reality is the opposite. Riverside Free Clinic, also known as RFC, is a well oiled machine and its participants commit their time to fulfilling the needs of Riverside County’s underserved. The mission statement of the UCR SOM is simplistic and straightforward: to improve the health of the medically underserved in the Inland Empire. RFC is by far one of the best examples of a collective that upholds this mission. Made up of a partnership between the UCR SOM, Loma Linda School of Pharmacy, the RCC Nursing Program, Western School of Pharmacy, Redlands School of Education, and UCR undergraduates, RFC is a coalition of inter-professional collaborators that serve those left out of traditional healthcare.This union of healthcare professionals and students work with diligence and fervor every clinic often arriving at 5pm and leaving as late as 11:30 pm or later. The commitment to the patients of RFC shown by each volunteer is both commendable and inspiring.

The patients of RFC are a diverse group in dire need of healthcare services.

Medical Movie Review: “Let There Be Light”

by Rennie Burke -Page 8-

Population Survey -Page 2-

RFC SBFCBy: Eddie Lievanos, MS2

Quotable -Page 11-

“A Year in the Free Clinics ”

by Eddie Lievanos & Matt Gomez

-Cover-

Style Watch“Best Dressed of 2016”

by Nike Fanu & Srita Chakka

-Page 4-

Off Script with Dr Zhenyun Yang

-Page 6-

Horo-Scopes by Nostradamus A.

Charmander -Page 7-

THE SCOPE UCR School of Medicine’s

Men’s Style Corner: Boots

by Asbat Hasan -Page 10-

“The End of Political Correctness” by NY Larios

-Page 5-

Page 2

“In March, I did a road trip where I travelled to 11 states in 8 days on the east coast. There was one part where I was completely stranded in New Hampshire and I met this really nice lady who let me stay at her home. She took me in for a day for free.”

- Kashif Iqbal, MS1

Population SurveyWhat is your favorite memory from 2016?

“When my wife Skye and I rented a motorcycle in Cusco, Peru to check out some historical sights outside of the city.”

-Josh Winn, MS3

“The engagement of my daughter.” -Dr Andrew Alexander

(…“RFC” continued from cover)

“My favorite memory of 2016 was having the San Bernardino Free Clinic turn one year old since our grand opening on November 7th, 2015 and celebrating this momentous occasion.”

-Matt Gomez, MS2

“Between finishing 3rd year and when I was on my 4th year rotations. They thought I was a real doctor, so they kept calling me Dr. Mansour.”

-Trina Mansour, MS4

“Probably when I went to Colorado. It was just beautiful there and I didn't have to think about school.” -Saba Naamo, MS2

Folks that are undocumented, homeless,

impoverished, and much more attend RFC bi-weekly to utilize the available comprehensive health-care services. Each of the services offered, ranging from basic healthcare to dental services, is completely free of charge. On top of the aforementioned, no prior appointments are needed for RFC patients, and no individual seeking help is ever turned away. The gratitude shown by each patient after their visit at RFC is heart warming, and it is these patients that reignite my passion for medicine whenever I question my ability to succeed in medical school. Every night that I drive home from RFC, I reflect on their stories, their struggles, and their appreciation, and I find solace in my decision to pursue a career as a physician.

As a medical student, what I have gained from RFC is monumental. The opportunity to grow and improve my craft as a student physician in a setting where I am not being graded or judged is extremely valuable. Every attending physician and resident who volunteers at RFC is willing and able to teach us medicine in a meaningful way. Additionally, the autonomy to see a patient on your own and to develop a treatment plan is both challenging and rewarding. For myself, the “art of medicine” that so many of us are trying to perfect has not been learned in a classroom – it has been learned at RFC. To any medical student who has yet to come to RFC to volunteer, I challenge you to set aside the time on an upcoming RFC Wednesday. Put down your copy of First Aid and Costanzo, put on your white coat, and wrap that stethoscope around your neck. Though every student will have a unique patient experience, I guarantee that the medical education that you gain and the personal growth you make at a night at RFC will be more valuable than any self-assessment score in medical school. The mission of our medical school is tangible at Riverside Free Clinic, and I hope that the majority of us entered this profession to help those most at need. So come to Riverside Free Clinic and uphold our medical school’s mission of helping the medically underserved.—

Left to Right: Innocent and impressionable MS1 Micheal Garcia hopes to gain knowledge from RFC Lab Masters Veronica Scott (MS2), and Robbin Melo (MS2).

Students and staff were kind enough to share their answers to this issue’s question:

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who work with SBFC. We have introduced and expanded our “Patient Advocate” program. This is something that truly improves health outcomes and establishes a continuity of care for our patients as each one is assigned a Patient Advocate who knows them and their medical history and can assist the medical student during the interview. We have implemented our mental health program and now have a psychiatrist present at every single clinic to address the high mental health needs of our community.

Our research program, through the hard work of Annie Le, Trina Mansour and Sang Nguyen, has grown into something phenomenal, our work being selected for an APHA publication, Chancellor’s Research Fellowship and Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. Noah Ghossein, Lauren Quinto, and Brianna Manes, in following the clinic’s mission, have been in the community serving patients and securing partnerships that will benefit our patients. Amina Larbah has implemented our SBFC Education program allowing each patient to receive medical education about medical conditions. Erin Liang and Melinda Ma have been instrumental in recruiting a large physician-volunteer base. Cathy Dong and Michelle Epps have secured a vital CMA Foundation grant for the clinic. Valerie Armstrong has recruited a strong student volunteer base, and Mutahir Farhan continues to lead SBFC into a new and exciting chapter.

I couldn’t be happier with the new medical student Board and know that in their hands, the future of the clinic is secure. I am eagerly waiting to see the incredible things that this talented group of students will do.

We will forever be grateful to the people who turned this clinic into a reality and I‘m continuously blown away by the overwhelming support of the UCR SOM family. We want this clinic to feel like it belongs to everyone. With that said, if you ever have an idea or suggestion for improvement, please bring it forward and we would be happy to make it happen. Thank you so much for all of your help throughout this incredible, challenging, and memorable year with SBFC.—

“Pun-ch Line”

(…“SBFC” continued from cover)

“Pun-ch Line” is brought to you by the always dapper and never down Scott Cramer, MS2 (left) and Elias Fanous, MS2 (right).

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xSTYLE WATCH

Honorable Mentions

Deema AkariUCR School of Medicine’s Best dressed of 2016:

McKenna Geary, MS2

Eddie Lievanos, MS2

Annie Le, MS2

Elias Fanous, MS2

Madeline Mullen, MS2

Gerardo Lopez, MS2

Most of McKenna’s looks may make you dream of fall, but her seemingly effortless looks are one of the most consistent to walk the corridors of the SOM all year round. Although, her stylistic ease could easily be mistaken for witchery.

Our 2016 Best Dressed winner is none other than Deema Akari (left). I’m delighted to call this heavy metal princess, the belle of the SOM fashion ball. From white coat to fur coat, Deema effortlessly mixes today’s trends with 90s inspired looks with the help of the fashion finds from her mom’s closet. She credits her mom as major influencer on her style. Unfortunately for Deema, she faces difficult style decisions daily. With as many boots as she owns, it can be hard to figure out which one of her many beloved boots she’s going to sport. And her favorite pair may make you red with envy; they are over-the-knee red patent leather boots (as pictured) that the devil herself probably also owns.

Style Watch is brought to you by Nike Fanu, MS2 for Women’s Fashion & Srita Chakka, MS2 for Men’s Fashion

Madeline’s namesake may have you envisioning Parisian fashions but the state bred mademoiselle flaunts basics like a statement piece. Madeline proves you can find an outfit suitable for school yet one that is still able to garner a buzz on IG.

You can’t spell versatile without L-E. Whether Annie Le pairs oxfords with a dress or trousers, her fashions are gender fluid and always exude sophistication.

Elias’s fashion choices stem from the day’s activities & weather, as well as the effort he’s willing to give to getting dressed. In answering what inspires his artistry, Elias states, “Every one of you. I’m a people pleaser. I give the people what they want. You’re welcome.”

In his daily style routine, Eddie always employs a full length mirror check and cites Nike and Madeline as fashion inspirations. “I base my attire on comfort and the weather. If the sun’s out, my thighs will be out.”

These MD’s inject a high dose of fashion into the SOM with excellent results. Unlike ammonia and bleach, fashion and medicine do mix.

In preparing the day’s look, Gerardo states, “I usually pick an outfit I haven’t worn in a while. I try to stay away from the outfit repeating police” and cites Asbat Hasan, MS2 as his style inspiration.

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Med school can be boring but that doesn’t mean your fashion has to be. Until the next issue…

-XOXO Fashion Maven

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Shake, shake, shake. Shake, shake, shake. Shake your taste buds. Ladies and gentleman, you will be shaking with joy as you slurp the delicious yet refreshing shakes at Great Shakes located on 3540 Riverside Plaza Dr. Ste 330. Before indulging into the experience at Great Shakes, let me give you some top secret information. I’m a milkshake lover. It’s my Achilles’ heel in the food world. So walking into Great Shakes, I was expecting good (as most milkshakes are), but nothing extraordinary. Boy, my expectations were shaken. The store is utterly adorable, as squealed by our very own Rita Lis, “Oh my god, it’s so cute!” Its vibrant colors and back to the 1950’s vibe add to the mood of the ordering shakes. And… who wouldn’t love the opportunity to have their order taken by Adam Devine’s doppelgänger? The two guys working there were cheerful and sweet. More top secret information. I’m a big vanilla ice cream fan. Looking at the chalk board of options, which included unique things such as Date, Banana Graham Cracker, or S’more, I was leaning toward vanilla. However, Adam Devine guided me to another option. His encouraging words of “We can make you a vanilla shake if you don’t like it” set me free of vanilla’s hold. I tried White Chocolate Lavender and loved every bit of it. It was light, not too sweet, and yet managed to be rich. There were actual pieces of lavender in the shake, but somehow it was nicely done. It was not too powerful, and the lavender flavor still came through. It blended well with the white chocolate. The small donut on the straw and homemade whipped cream were the "cherry on top” of a perfect shake. The sizes are just right and reasonably priced. The small to large range from $5.50 to $7.50. With so many options, there is a shake for everyone. Along with multiple praises for the place hanging on the teal walls, a BuzzFeed article named Great Shakes #8 in the world and claimed “these will bring all the boys to your yard.” Very well said. Go out and try this place, and you’ll come back with an appreciation for the exquisite technique and art of Great Shakes.— 

Shake My WorldBy Sumedha Sinha, MS2

Left: Erin Liang (MS2) & Official Scope Food Taster Andrew Lee (MS2) inquisitively mull over the many options. Note: Andrew Lee’s luscious hair blocks the “Lactose Free Options Available” notice.

One of the rallying cries for the Trump voters across the country is the “end of political correctness”. These people are tired of a long, arduous, and apparently eight-year movement in which they have been stripped of their God-given right to openly speak their bigotry and then absolve their statements with a hasty, “It’s a joke. Get a sense of humor. Of course, I’m not <racist/sexist/homophobic/transphobic>.” They implicitly agree that the election of a president is symbolic and is indicative as to where the country stands at any given time; the president is a socio-political barometer: “We wanted change! That’s why we wanted Trump.” To underscore this point, a conservative made the following suggestion: “President Obama is president, so now you guys (blacks) can stop griping about racism”. If President Barack Obama was the symbolic end of racism, does it follow that President-Elect Donald Trump is its symbolic reinstitution? Donald Trump ran on a vague policy platform bolstered by attacks on immigrants, women, Muslims, Mexicans, so

this line of argument implies that these things are now acceptable. The pendulum has swung back. On the bright side, at least we have free license to start complaining about bigotry again. Many minorities have a story about the misguided concept of a “post racial” America. My particular story is set in a small, conservative city in mostly liberal California: Prior to medical school, I worked at a hospital. Never one to make friends easily, I tend to gravitate toward counterculture types, misfits and oddballs. I met a doctor who was of that description, so we struck up a friendship. In hindsight, this individual displayed certain warning signs that I chose to ignore: the most glaring was a tendency to think it was funny to point out my race and ask me why I wasn’t more stereotypically representative of it. I ignored it because I mostly had a good time with this person and thought I could to some extent educate instead of alienate. Moreover, I didn’t want to believe that anyone could be consciously cruel.

Opinion Piece By: NY Larios, MS1

(“End” continues on p6)

The End of Political Correctness

Page 6

…with Dr Zhenyun Yang

Each month, Tri Tran and Rita Lis choose

someone to interview for the inside story.

This month: Inside the life of UCR SOM’s

most beloved professor.

(“Script” continues on p7)

One night, we went out and hit a few bars in town. At the last one, intoxicated on more than a few cocktails, this person, a medical professional and my close friend, slurs to me in the manner you would tease someone about having a crush: “You’re a (n-word)”. Repeatedly. Drunks and children, goes the adage, tell the truth, or alternatively, tell you who they are. Shocked and overserved, my five-year old inner self offered back: “No, I’m not.” My guard let down, trapped by a will to please and conform, caught in a conservative town, confronted by someone white and privileged many times over, in a profession of leadership, and a close confidant—I could not get my thoughts together to mount a proper defense past something even weaker than, “I’m rubber and you’re glue…” It is one of the most frustrating and disheartening events of my life. Due to Trump’s election, the precedent has been set for an increase in these types of encounters. Because the off-color jokes, the teasing, they escalate when they become legitimized by elections, when they are supported by symbolic and actual power. Racists will let down their guard because they think many people voted for the reveal of bigotry, for the end of political correctness. From uncomfortable tokenism, “Why are black people prone to do x,y,z?” or “You’re a weird black person. Ha.Ha.Ha.” to sing-songing “You’re a (n-word)” after too many drinks. But hey, we’re just too sensitive: After all, it’s just a joke. Trump just says things. He doesn’t mean them. Words don’t have meaning. They don’t have consequences. They don’t extend across contexts. They are to be used in the moment and tossed like Kleenex. Forgotten. It’s just politics. Trump’s not a politician, so he can use rhetorical hyperbole and not be expected to mean it. Why is everyone so politically correct?

The argument for Trump is that he will clean up. He will bring order (end political correctness) back to America. We liberals—we’ll see. When the dust has all settled, and when America’s “great again”, we’ll have proof that all of the political divisiveness, all the damaged psyches, the moral trampling, the low morale—all will have been well worth it. The assassination of America’s moral fiber will be justified by the awesome tax breaks and reinstatement of the United States military to its full glory. By reducing our neighbors to stereotypes and by ignoring their pain, we’ll be enjoying the surplus of money in our pockets. We will sweep injustices under the rug to have unity again. Because in Obama’s America, we cared too much. The Donald will rectify this mistake and the ends will justify the means.

How to move forward? At this point, I am not completely sure. But I do know that everyone, liberal and conservative, must honestly confront and examine their biases. We must end tacit approval of hate speech, stop coding our dissent, stop excusing our bigoted loved ones, stop living using the many drugs of denial and avoidance (ex. Over indulgence in consumer goods and social media) to numb our current socio-political reality. There will be many thoughts about how liberals caused this to happen by embracing politically correct language and how that led to extremes. Asking that people respect the issues, rights and the existence of people who are different than the dominate culture is never wrong. After hundreds of years of living under the male, straight, Christian, white agenda, asking that ways of being is considered and respected is nothing to apologize for. We must fight for those rights more than ever. We must continue to be politically correct.—

Where are you from?Originally from China, I came to the US in 2000 and started my PHD in Anatomy at Indiana University Department of Anatomy in the school of medicine. I was a graduate student over there.

What made you do that?I was doing a Zoology masters degree in Shanghai in China before that, so I was doing some research on cell biology, and it led me to think. Back then, China was much less developed. For everyone, if you wanted to do science, you wanted to go to the US.

How did you decide to come to UCR?In my training when I was over in Indiana as a PHD student, because the department major was anatomy, the PHD program had two purposes for the graduates. First of all, of course you have to do research, publish papers, and so on. The second purpose was that you had to be able to teach medical anatomy, medical histology, or embryology in the medical school. So, after I got my PHD in 2005, I was doing research in Hematology, but I always liked to teach. So I was always looking for a teaching opportunity, especially teaching at the medical level. It’s very challenging and also much more interesting than teaching undergrads. Dr. Mo introduced me to here. I was like, “Oh this is such a good opportunity. I need to do a good job.” So yeah, that’s how I got to here. It is such an honor.

What inspires you to work with students?I really like to work with the students. That’s the passion that I have for teaching. So I had this kind of idea that I’d like to work with someone that I can pass some information to. I had my dream job when I was in middle school: teaching. So my undergrad major was Biology

(…“End” continued from p5)

Off Script

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(…“Script” continued from p6)education. So actually, after I got my Bachelor’s degree in Biology education, I went to a high school. I was a volunteer in Northwestern China, in the desert, so I was in a very small high school for three years, teaching Biology over there. I always like to teach. I love days with my students. Makes me feel young, makes me feel useful for something. I never thought of getting into the medical area, like becoming a clinician, but I like to teach. This is my number one dream job. I’m so happy I get to teach here. So that’s the reason I got out of the high school. When I was teaching Biology in high school, I felt that there was a lot of things I didn’t know. I only know what I read from textbooks, so I wanted to know more to get into graduate school in China. And that is also the motivation to come here to do some research, so that I know more.

What do you do in your free time?I like two things. First of all, I like reading all kinds of storybooks. And still learning. Believe it or not, I still look at some slides when I have time. I have slides at home and microscopes. But mostly reading the story books when I have time. Also, I like playing one type of Chinese chess. I’m almost professional level, but not there yet. It’s called Go. So I’m pretty good at that. I played it when I was very young and always kept playing that.

Can you tell us a bit about your family?I was married in 1997 and my wife was my college classmate. Both of us were volunteer teaching in the desert area in Northwest China after we graduated. We have two daughters. The older one is a freshman in Arcadia High School, and the little one is just 15 months old (a big surprise and gift to us last year).

What is your favorite thing about working at UCR?Working in the Anatomy lab. It’s much more fun than teaching lectures, especially histopath. I know the unfavorite part of my teaching: I spend a lot of time trying to prepare the slides. But when I try to explain them, my language skills are kind of a problem sometimes. I feel, oh that’s so bad, I don’t know how to say this. And that makes me feel really bad. So that’s why you can read my lecture slides without listening to the lecture. My purpose is, you can read the story yourself and get the information that you like, hopefully. That’s my goal.

Was there anything else you wanted to share?I came here to just do my job. But even though I love my job, you guys, all the students, give me so much honor, so much friendship, and I feel very comfortable. And I feel that you guys give me more than I give to you. I really appreciate it. So I would use this opportunity to thank everyone, all the students that I’ve taught so far.—

Horo-ScopesBy Nostradamus Aldebaran Charmander

As another solar revolution concludes, we rejoice with our loved ones, declare last year mirabilis or horribilis, and

ponder the disposition of the coming annus novus. Although it is folly to think that we may buck the yoke of fate by

declaring our New Year’s resolutions, the ever-benevolent stars have deigned to reveal how each of the 12 Zodiac may

best influence the eternal celestial clockwork.

Aquarius: January 20th-February 18th Water Bearer, with Venus still in your sign, you may feel as if you can do no wrong this year. In many ways, this is true— anything you initiate is bound to succeed..but at what cost? Be careful of vague resolutions—if you try too hard to put yourself out there more, you may find yourself with no way back in. And these winter nights are frigid!

Pisces: February 19th-March 20th Poor Piscean, Aquarius continues to sequester Venus from you, meaning romantic resolutions will be unfulfilled until she is liberated. I mean, the stars aren’t suggesting anything, but if you found a way to make Aquarius give up Venus, it’s possible that your crush may take notice of you. The stars offer to hold your earrings.

Aries:: March 21st-April 19th The Sun's shift into dependable Capricorn illuminates your 10th House of Career. This year, resolve to take pride in your achievements and don’t be afraid to strut a little. Beware, that your time in the sun may be short-lived as there are those that covet your spotlight. To prevent this, consider posting videos to the internet describing your every minor accomplishment. Your enemies won’t be able to detract from the primacy you’ve earned when faced with the onslaught of pedantic videos you’re about to unleash!

Taurus: April 20th –May 20th The Winter Solstice demarcates the Sun's entrance into calculating Capricorn, shining the light of awareness into your 9th House of Beliefs. The stars point out that although this is the perfect time to free yourself from those memories of 10 year old social-gaffs that continue to haunt you as you’re falling asleep, its also a great time for a gym membership! So many deals!

Gemini: May 21st-June 20th

Saturn in your 7th House of Relationships has been teaching you some significant lessons, hasn’t it? Like the one it taught you about your relationship with Taco Bell? The stars are astounded that you continue to eat there after that last time. You know the one. While they are a little exasperated, the stars suggest you resolve to eat more produce and whole grains.

(“Horoscopes” continues on p8)

Page 8(“Light” continues on p11)

By: Rennie Burke, MS2

After his success directing “The Maltese Falcon”, but before creating his masterpiece “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”, John Huston made a trio of propaganda documentaries for the U.S. government to promote the American effort in World War II. The third of these, "Let There Be Light”, never saw an official release like his other two, and it's plain to see why. The film chronicles the journey to recovery by a group of veterans suffering from profound PTSD (then called “combat stress”) in a Long Island military hospital. Despite Huston's upbeat take on their prospects for recovery, the images often tell a different story. Soldiers have difficulty moving, speaking, and living as before. If even half of what Huston shot is true (and according to those with knowledge of the production, nearly all of the patient interactions are authentic), the movie is a remarkable testament to the damage that war can do to the human psyche. It should be required viewing for anyone aspiring to work with veterans, refugees, and other populations that have survived violence and trauma.   From an opening montage that introduces the viewer to dozens of soldiers returning from combat in Europe, to the bittersweet ending in which only some of those soldiers are deemed fit to return home, "Let There Be Light" makes for difficult viewing. There is the man who has lost his ability to speak coherently. Another man is gripped by crying spells that, in his own telling, arise for little reason. Yet another has lost his ability to walk. With the soldiers’ consent, Huston filmed the encounters between these men and the psychiatrist performing intake interviews, when many soldiers were experiencing their symptoms at their worst. What unfolds more often than not is a story of recovery. Indeed, some soldiers have success with drug treatment, therapy, or both, and these scenes are especially moving. One

“Let There Be Light” directed by John Huston in 1946.

(…“Horoscopes” continued from p7)Medical Movie Review:

“Let There Be Light”Cancer: June 21st-July 22nd

Dear Cancer, your ability to see those delicate issues from all sides is one of your greatest strengths and draws all sorts of people to you. Take time to evaluate the kind of energy you're attracting from others, since—let’s be real—you probably get sick of that occasionally. This year, the stars have this immortal advice for your new year: Treat yo self.

Leo: July 23rd-August 22nd Leo, this year you will be inexplicably entranced by the issues you've done your best to avoid. For reasons known only by the stars, you may hop onto the back of a garbage truck or political views may fly unbidden and uncontrollably from your tongue at dinners with extended family. The stars suggest that rather than fight these urges, you resolve to dedicate this year to adventure. Otherwise, you may wake up to find that you’ve disassembled your car to find that sound that happens when you switch into 2nd gear.

Virgo: August 23rd-September 22nd You know those 8 spiders a year that you eat in your sleep? They are organizing an escape that some would call heroic. Redouble your interest in entomology and marvel at the surprising complexity of life. This year, the stars recommend you resolve to move somewhere with fewer spiders.

Libra: September 23rd-October 22nd The Sun's entry into solid Capricorn today sheds light on your 4th House of Foundations and makes today your lucky day! Which is good, because this year is your unlucky year. But enjoy this lucky day until the sun goes down :) The stars suggest you resolve to live every day to its fullest.

Scorpio: October 23rd-November 21st The stars refuse to help you bring your depraved aspirations into reality.

Sagittarius: November 22nd-December 21st Sagittarius, I received a piece of mail addressed to you. It was delivered by owl and has a UK postmark. I can’t read who the sender is exactly since the envelope seems to have been ‘damaged’ by the method of its delivery. Hog…borts? Do you know anyone at Hogborts?

Capricorn: December 22nd-January 19th

How scared are you of centipedes, Capricorn? Like, are you super scared? Like, you could handle a couple of centipedes? Maybe even a bunch of centipedes, right? The stars are just asking, but also suggest you resolve yourself to overcome your fears in the coming year. —

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Political Pulse with Deema Akari, MS2Opinion Piece: Women’s Health Concerns Under the Trump Administration

Women across the U.S express fears regarding their rights to healthcare as the inevitable inauguration day approaches. These concerns reference access to birth control under the Affordable Care Act and our leader’s plan to repeal it, thus limiting access to reproductive care for millions of women across the nation. Currently, the Affordable Care Act requires that birth control must be made accessible to women without co-payments. However if this legislature were to be dismantled, all bets are off for a group of voters who generally were made to feel marginalized by the Trump campaign’s rhetoric. The concern is that not only would the new administration end provisions of the ACA that require coverage for contraception and women’s healthcare, it may also cut back on funding for Planned Parenthood and abortion services. With

few options available, women are seeking out long term solutions that will outlast a presidency if necessary. Not surprisingly, this conversation has largely been taken to social media platforms such as Twitter where women are advising and discussing with one another their options come January 20th. The toneis one of fear and urgency as women across social media are discussing alternatives to the traditional oral contraceptive pill such as long term birth control and IUDs. Even in conversations between patients and their doctors, there has been a call for women to obtain the care they need while they still can. Budget specialists claim that it is very unlikely for lawmakers to introduce and pass an ACA repeal measure within the time they reconvene on January 3rd and inauguration day. "No way. I just don't think it's possible,"

says G. William Hoagland, 20 year Republican staff veteran of the Senate Budget Committee and senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Therefore realistically, the timeline is less urgent than some may believe. However those who work in women’s health and reproduction are still very concerned about the long term changes of this new administration. "It's an understatement to say that we're nervous," says Dr. Eve Espey, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Repealing the ACA is just one way that the Trump administration can make access to birth control more difficult. Limiting coverage through the courts would allow conservative judges to expand exemptions to coverage in employer sponsored plans

(Pulse” continues on p11)

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Srita Chakka, MS2 in American Rag

Christina Tapia, MS2 in Spirit Moda

Deema Akari, MS2 in Cape Robbins

Cristina Tapia, MS2 in Spirit Moda

Margaret Clark, MS2 in Ecco

Mark Hilado, MS3 in Clarks

Josh Winn, MS3 in Tony Llamas

Mayra Hernandez, MS3 in Dansko's

Kristianna Wi, MS2 in Uggs

Andrew Lapato, PHD in Aride

Dr Mary Marcinko in Luckys

Erin Liang, MS2 in Steve Madden

Kevin Ha, MS1 in Red Wings

Perhaps no other type of footwear has enjoyed as illustrious or as rich a history as the modern boot. The first evidence of humans wearing boots came from cave paintings many thousands of years ago. Mammoth fur and buffalo hide boots were definitely a necessity for every caveman looking to impress his special someone. Just look at the tasteful thickness of those hides. Simply irresistible.

“You, Jane. Me, decked out in this uncomfortably warm but stylish mammoth fur.”

We’ve come a long way since those days of primitive footwear, and you can now find boots in an endless variety of styles, materials, and sizes. Fashion is often cyclic. Certain items surge in popularity (I’m looking at you, chain wallets and Hot Topic), then fizzle away as soon as they came and turned every pre-teen girl into an Emo/Goth MySpace queen. These are transient fashion trends, and they predictably cycle every few decades. Other items, like boots, retain their dominance as a closet staple, and persist for literally ages. Now, we’re talking style. The versatility of boots is unmatched. Dressier boots from brands like Carmina or Alden can be worn with suits, while other more traditionally defined Red Wing work boots or Clark’s Desert Boots look great with simple T-shirts and jeans.

Hey! My eyelets are over here!

Red Wing Iron Rangers, the quintessential work.

spend $50 every other year on a new pair of sneakers. Others go for a $300 quality boot that, with proper care, will last a decade, look great, and won’t go out of style. It’s a matter of preference. So the next time you go to the mall, try on a random pair of quality leather boots. You may just never wear sneakers again.—

Regardless, boots today remain a hugely underrated men’s style piece. But why? One reason may be the high cost of entry. A decent, high quality, pair of boots can be priced anywhere from $100-$300, with many dressier boots breaking into the $500 price range and beyond. That’s not worth it, right? Well, like most clothing items, it’s really subjective. Some people prefer to

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Men’s Style Corner: BootsBy: Asbat Hasan, MS2

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Quotable

“My ego would be through the roof if I was a king. Through the roof!” -Tri Tran, MS2

“I feel like I just swallowed some wool. Alpaca too, so it wasn’t good.” -Sumedha Sinha, MS2

“Just because they’re terrible people doesn’t mean they’re not my heroes.” -Kevin Westbrook, MS1

“We’re doing drugs, right?”

-Srita Chakka, MS2 (Pharmacology lecture)

man who regains his ability to talk ecstatically repeats "I can talk!” over and over, in disbelief at his recovery. It is a moment of such genuine beauty and joy the viewer may be driven to join his exhortations. With varying success, Huston tries to capture similar moments in other soldiers’ treatment. The progress seems real, but Huston’s curation (he shot hours of footage tracking the progress of hundreds of soldiers, yet edited this footage to focus selectively on a few), as well as his concluding scene showing the soldiers all playing baseball together, happily recovered, gives the movie a more optimistic tone than it might have, were it not produced for the government.  As a piece of propaganda to showcase the fine treatment of veterans by the U.S. government, it works well, but as a record of the effects of combat on some soldiers, Pentagon censors believed it would do more damage than good. Moreover, the obviously integrated Long Island military hospital where filming took place, and the prominent role in the film’s narrative afforded to one Black soldier, horrified Department of Defense officials committed to accommodating the segregationist status quo in the American South. Thus, the film received only occasional screenings until the mid-1980s, when the government made it more widely available near the end of John Huston’s life. “Let There Be Light” is a terrifying record of how men who return from combat unscathed may carry equally deep wounds from their experiences. That shines through the veneer of cheerful, can-do American patriotism Huston attempts to imbue the movie with. It is a profoundly important, if sobering, watch.—  

“The more the merrier does not apply to chromosomes.”

-Khoa Nguyen, MS2

(…“Light continued from p8) (…“Pulse” continued from p9)like in the Hobby Lobby Decision of 2014. Redefining contraceptives and changing the definition of birth control would weaken the ACA clause requiring coverage without overturning the ACA. These reasons among others are making physicians and patients alike worried for the future.

While access to copay free birth control and other health services may or may not be immediately nor directly affected by the new administration, it is important for patients to be aware of the possibility of upcoming changes and to plan appropriately through thorough and informed decision making with their doctors. Regardless of what the Trump administration decides to do with the ACA and women’s healthcare, coming up with a plan for long term health is always a good idea.—

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ART

Share your creativity! To submit artwork for future Scope issues, please contact Khoa at knguy065@medsch.ucr.edu. Open to students and staff.

et al.

“Pug Christmas”Pedro Villa, Instructional Support Analyst2016, Water Color

“Lungs Apparent”Stephanie Dreikorn, MS12016, Mix Media

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The Scope would like to welcome our newest staff writers: Head Fashion Maven Nike Fanu (MS2) and Head Apprentice to the Fashion Maven Srita Chakka (MS2). Nike is a one semester of “Intro to Fashion Design & Industrial Sewing” dropout who was once fired from the fashion advice segment at her high school for calling out girls who wore ‘Uggs and shorts’ in the winter and summer. Srita Chakka still has no idea how she got this job.

The Scope thanks off staff contributing writers Eddie Lievanos, Matt Gomez, NY Larios, Asbat Hasan, Veronica Scott, & Erik Carpio. We would like to remind our readers that we welcome all viewpoints and look forward to publishing pieces from all sides. Further thanks to Eric Liao & Assistant to the Editor Christopher Lis in post production. As always, we thank Elias Fanous & Scott Cramer for much needed levity. Additional thanks to Pedro Villa & Stephanie Dreikorn for lovely artwork. If you would like to submit art, please contact the Senior Editor at khoa.nguyen@medsch.ucr.edu. If you would like to write for the Scope, please contact the Editor in Chief at rlis001@medsch.ucr.edu. If you celebrated Christmas, we hope that you had a very merry one! And we wish you a continued happy holiday season and wonderful new year!

Scope Staff Writers from right to left: Tri Tran, Editorial Advisor; Rennie Burke, Beat Reporter; Rita Lis, Editor in Chief; Sumedha Sinha, Top Food Critic; Deema Akari, White House Correspondent; Khoa Nguyen, Senior Editor. Photo Credit: McKenna Geary

Wedding Announcements

Karen Medina (MS2) & Andrew Clarey Devan Pandya(MS3) & Zara Khan (MS1)

"Congratulations Devan and Zara! From everyone at the SOM,

we wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!”

-Erik Carpio, MS3

“Congratulations Andrew and Karen Clarey on tying the

knot! It was a magical affair with many heartwarming moments. We wish

you the best in your lives together.”

-Veronica Scott, MS2

December 17th, 2016

Photo credit Veronica Scott Photo credit Ela Patel Deykes