The American Medical Women's Association is an organization which functions at the local, national, and international level to advance women in medicine and improve women's health. We achieve this by providing and developing leadership, advocacy, education, expertise, mentoring, and strategic alliances.
The Association for Women in Science champions the interests of women in science, technology engineering, and mathematics across all disciplines and employment sectors. Working for positive system transformation, AWIS strives to ensure that all women in these fields can achieve their full potential.
The National Institute of Health, Women of Color Research Network is an online community that is addressing the challenges faced by all women and minorities entering and advancing in scientific careers.
GWIMS Women’s Specialty Societies has links to professional women’s organizations in different therapeutic areas.
American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology certifies U.S. obstetricians and gynecologists.
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists provides education and resources, as well as hosts conferences.
Society for Women's Health Research studies biological differences in disease through research, advocacy, education, and grant funding opportunities.
NIMH Women’s Mental Health Consortium (WMHC) provides journal updates, fact sheets, and education about women’s mental health issues.
Office of Research on Women's Health offers grant funding opportunities, career development, and research resources.
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses hosts webinars, events, conferences, as well as publishes a journal and provides education.
GENERAL GROUPS
OB/GYN Interest Group provides students opportunities to learn about women’s health issues. The group currently offers an OB Observation Program for first-and second-year students including shadowing labor and deliver as well as gynecological surgery; Dinner/discussions usually include topics like: Careers in OB/GYN, Careers in Surgical Specialties, and a Baby Catching Panel. Lunch seminars on a variety of women’s health issues and OB/GYN related topics are also planned. Student Leader(s)/Contact(s): Whitney Hendrickson, Christine Foley, Kate Marino, Katherine Hicks-Courant (katherine.hicks-courant@umassmed.edu), Michael Cohen (michael.cohen1@umassmed.edu) and Kim Bodenlos (Kimberly.Bodenlos@umassmed.edu)
Students for Mental Health host events, including a dinnertime lecture series and movie screening to promote discussion about mental health issues. As part of the group’s involvement in the Worcester State Hospital Adolescent Mentorship Program, medical students build meaningful and supportive relationships with troubled teens. Student Leader(s)/Contact(s): Lisa Salstein, Sharon Li, and Carrie Wu; Faculty Advisor: Yael Dvir, MD
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Sexual Health Interest Group prepares inter-disciplinary healthcare providers to be equipped to address the diverse sexual health concerns of patients. Events include discussion, speakers, and interviewing practice to explore issues of sexual health and satisfaction. Student Leader(s)/Contact(s): Julia Randall & Safiyah Hosein; Faculty Advisors: Julie Jonassen, PhD & Kate O'Dell, RN, PhD |
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The Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Group aims to promote education and awareness on the major types of CAM, including whole medical systems, mind-body medicine, biologically based practices, manipulative and body-based practices and energy medicine. We offer presentations featuring local CAM practitioners, hands-on workshops to experience CAM practices, yoga classes and a CAM elective course open to both medical and nursing students in the fall semester. Student Leader(s)/Contact(s): Michael Williams and Nithya Setty; Faculty Advisors: Emily Ferrara and Anne Gilroy, MA. VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES |
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Epworth/St. Anne’s Free Clinics |
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Come be a volunteer at one of the free care clinics to make a difference in someone’s health now. The Epworth and St. Anne’s Free Clinics offer medical services to the underserved and uninsured of the greater Worcester area. Founded by UMMS professor and family practitioner Paul Hart in 1994, the Epworth clinic is open to the public every Monday night from 6 to 8p.m. at the Epworth church on Lancaster Street in downtown Worcester. St. Anne’s is a free clinic that operates at St. Anne’s church just across Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury every Tuesday night from 6-8pm under the direction of founder Dr. Clermont. While both clinics are staffed by volunteer physicians, physician’s assistants, nurses, and social workers, they rely mainly on the participation of medical students to help meet the enormous need for their services. Every student in the preclinical years has the opportunity to volunteer their time at one or both of these clinics. Aside from an opportunity to practice taking a patient history, performing portions of the physical exam, and doing phlebotomy, what keeps volunteers coming back is the experience of making an immediate difference in the lives of patients. Informational meetings are held in the fall. Epworth clinic: Eric Evan-Browning (Eric.Evan-Browning@umassmed.edu), Katherine Hicks-Courant (katherine.hicks-courant@umassmed.edu), Juliana Clough (juliana.clough@umassmed.edu), Jaimie Reed (jaimie.reed@umassmed.edu), Waldo Zamor (waldo.zamor@umassmed.edu), Brendan Flanagan (brendan.flanagan@umassmed.edu), Amanda Gonsalves (amanda.gonsalves@umassmed.edu), Rachel Ackerman (rachel.ackerman@umassmed.edu) St. Anne’s clinic contacts: Nerissa Duchin (Nerissa.Duchin@umassmed.edu), Elise Sullivan (Elise.Sullivan@umassmed.edu), Dylan Perry (Dylan.Perry@umassmed.edu), Margaret Pyle (Margaret.Pyle@umassmed.edu)
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Grace House Wellness and Development |
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Project Community Healthlink's Highland Grace House (HGH) is a residential program for up to 15 adolescent women recovering from substance abuse. The Grace House Wellness project seeks to improve health outcomes for HGH residents by equipping them with life skills and stress reduction techniques, as well as providing them with student mentorship from UMass Medical School students. Program activities include bi-weekly yoga classes, a fitness buddy mentoring program, art therapy, guided meditations, as well as other targeted workshops that cater to the young women's interests. New students volunteers are needed to fill the role of "fitness buddy", which consists of mentoring and walking/running on a weekly basis with girls in the house. We are also looking for student volunteers skilled in art, dance, music, cooking, and/or any other talent worth sharing to develop and conduct workshops throughout the year. Student Leader(s)/Contact(s): Sara-Grace Reynolds (saragrace.reynolds@umassmed.edu) or Margaret Pyle (margaret.pyle@umassmed.edu). |
ADVOCACY GROUPS
Medical Students for Choice (MSFC) is an advocacy group dedicated to ensuring that all women have access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare. MSFC recognizes that one of the greatest obstacles to safe and legal abortion is the absence of trained providers. On a national level, we work to make reproductive health care, including abortion, a part of standard medical education and residency training. At UMass, we educate our student body about reproductive healthcare options, existing barriers to acquiring reproductive healthcare, and advocate for the right to reproductive healthcare here in Massachusetts. Activities have included shadowing at Planned Parenthood centers, visits from educational speakers, participative simulations of reproductive healthcare, and lunchtime discussion groups. Student Leader(s)/Contact(s): Nicole Mushero, Diana Thyssen, Cara Weinstein and Ashley Faden.
QMASS is an advocacy group for straight supportive, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) people at UMass. The group strives to ensure that GLBT health is covered adequately and appropriately in the medical school curriculum and that UMass creates an accepting environment for GLBT healthcare professionals, researchers, staff, students, and patients. Our activities include collaborating with professors to integrate GLBT health issues into the medical school curriculum, and organizing events designed to educate and to raise awareness about healthcare issues specific to GLBT patients. We are involved in community outreach, which includes speaking for PFLAG (Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the Department of Education’s Safe Schools Program, and Safe Homes, an organization for troubled GLBT youth, as well as gay-straight alliances in the local high schools. Student Leader(s)/Contact(s): Nicole Mushero, Diana Thyssen and Beth Baratta; Faculty Advisors: Drs. Jeroan Alison, Joyce Rosenfeld and John Trobaugh.
American Medical Student Association (AMSA) is the largest independent association for physicians-in-training in the United States. Activities focus on advocacy, community and public health, global heal, humanistic medicine, health policy, and medical education. Events held on a monthly basis.
Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is involved in educating students about health policy, informing students and the community about relevant changes to the health care system and its current state, implementing community health projects, and encouraging active participation in health policy. With ties to the American Medical Association (AMA), it is a national organization for political and lawmaking efforts. As the UMass chapter, students have the opportunity to be involved at any or all levels - chapter, state, national. The purposes of this organization include. Examples of some events we have arranged at UMass include letter writing campaigns to state legislators and a presentation by a state senator on the state’s new healthcare reform. At the state level, students from all four Massachusetts medical schools meet monthly to discuss state and national health-related policy and legislative actions, as well as upcoming local, regional and national events. Students also have the opportunity to attend biannual AMA meetings to discuss national policy with medical students from across the country.
Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) shared the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize for its nuclear/security efforts. As a non-profit organization composed of 20,000 physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals who are committed to the environment and health, nuclear/security, and violence prevention. The UMass Student Chapter of PSR sponsors various educational luncheons and events taking advantage of the abundance of local physicians in Massachusetts who are intimately involved in both local and national PSR projects. The focus of the UMass chapter helps students learn about community and global health issues that affect their patients, through education and outreach. Student Leader/Contact: Ava Chappell (ava.chappell@umassmed.edu)
The Health Professionals for Human Rights (HPHR) is the UMass Worcester student group affiliated with the national Physicians for Human Rights organization (PHR). PHR researches, documents, and advocates among international political groups to put an end to human rights abuses. HPHR is interested in advocacy and education for the prevention of human rights abuse that cause physical and mental harm to victims. Student Leader(s)/Contact(s):Geoffrey Buckle (Geoffrey.Buckle@umassmed.edu), Azmin Kahriman (Azmin.Kahriman@umassmed.edu), Amos Lichtman (Amos.Lichtman@umassmed.edu), Jonathan Paolino (Jonathan.Paolino@umassmed.edu), Elise Sullivan (Elise.Sullivan@umassmed.edu), Gina Zarella (Gina.Zarella@umassmed.edu) Geoffrey Buckle (Geoffrey.Buckle@umassmed.edu), Azmin Kahriman (Azmin.Kahriman@umassmed.edu), Amos Lichtman (Amos.Lichtman@umassmed.edu), Jonathan Paolino (Jonathan.Paolino@umassmed.edu), Elise Sullivan (Elise.Sullivan@umassmed.edu), Gina Zarella (Gina.Zarella@umassmed.edu)