paint the hallway with SHARE: jan 4-jan 7

flickr/cx1uk

We know you're in med school, but do you have secretly burning desires to unleash your creativity?

Are you an artiste under-cover?

Or, do you just like getting messy?

SHARE is painting a mural on the hallway at NJMS: the hallway that connects MSB to the hospital, by the anatomy lab. We plan to paint on the days of January 4th (Monday) through January 7th (Thursday), which is right when we come back from our winter break. Come join us for some good, un-clean fun and help make our school pretty (MSB needs a little face-lift, don't you think?)! We will be sending out more details via email and this blog, so please be on the lookout.

Oh, we'll be painting figures in block colors - so you should definitely come even if you think you have no artistic talent. If you've managed to get through kindergarten, you'll be fine. And if you haven't gone through kindergarten, well...

Maybe you're just gifted and don't require formal training in coloring shapes.

flickr/.danielle!

Cheers!

Hailey Choi, NJMS'12

Healthy Food Demo at Math Night, Maple Ave School

'Soul Food' recipe books! Avni Shah (NJMS '13), Arun Gurunathan (NJMS '12), James Lin (NJMS'12)

Tuesday, October 20th, REACH organized a healthy food demonstration for children and their families at Maple Ave School in Newark, NJ. The students prepared a variety of foods, including Healthy Tuna Wraps and Sugarless Honey Cake (Alex Belfar, NJMS '12), and Kale-Banana Smoothies. About 100 children (K-8) and their parents enjoyed trying different foods and learning how to make them.

The purpose of this outreach event was to promote nutrition and healthy eating in families. Many of the parents took the recipes that were presented, and replied that they liked towards the idea of nutrition-conscious cooking and would like to incorporate them at their homes.

upcoming SHARE events this month:

Domestic Violence Awareness Panel: October 21st, 5.30PM B556
Learn how to address issues of domestic violence from clinicians, public safety officer, domestic violence shelter representatives!
co-sponsored by Voices of SHARE and Domestic Violence Awareness Group.

also mark your calendars for:

the first meeting of ESMP: October 9th, 3PM B552

Learn how to get involved and mentor children in Newark Elementary Public Schools for an hour a week.

view our calendar here!

Delivery! Tolietries for Covenant House!

SHARE leaders James Lin ('12) and Arun Gurunathan ('12) 

with the youngsters and staff of Covenant House.

Thursday, September 24th - SHARE leaders James Lin ('12) and Arun Gurunathan packed their cars full of toiletries collected from a two-month-long Toiletries Drive throughout the NJMS campus. Covenant House, a shelter for at-risk youths in and around Newark, had to cope with recent cuts in its budget and was in need of supplies for the youngsters.

Generous hands from not only students, but from faculty and staff members of NJMS gave boxes of toothpaste, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, and more in an effort to help the youths at Covenant House feel more welcome.

For those who donated, a winner will be chosen at random and be given a prize.

Look out here - and also e-mail and SHARE bulletin board - for the winners!

photos from past events

SHARE waffle sale

SHARE week lecture

Shashi Kapadia (NJMS '11) speaking for PINACLE

ESMP

Community Panel at SHARE week

Emily Fay (NJMS '12) and James Lin (NJMS '12) at SHARE week

Covenant House at SHARE week

SHARE week (ii)

Makes you want to come to SHARE week, doesn't it?

On Thursday, September 3rd, 2009, leaders from 4 different community organizations in Newark were invited to a panel discussion. The discussion focused on topics such as: the nature and goal of the organizations, progress and difficulties of the organizations, and how NJMS students can help.

Doing what we do best: Eat!

Invited guests from the community include:

Casto Maldonado, from FOCUS, a community center offering services for the Hispanic populations of Newark;

Angla Stewart, New Community Corporation;
Teri Bennet, Welcome Baptist Church;
and Gina Butler, Covenant House.

Community leaders speaking to the students.

The leaders shared their experiences in helping the community and encouraged the students that helping those around them, who may not have the same privileges that the students may have, will enrich them personally, an important experience for future physicians. Mr. Casto Maldonado also stressed that as much as student initiative in helping the community is important, studying as medical students and becoming a good physician should be the prime reason and focus. "The community needs good doctors", he said.

Shashi Kapadia (NJMS '13) and Nelson Chiu (NJMS '12)

James Lin, assistant director and community resource, and Emily Fay, secretary and event organizer of SHARE, led the panel discussion.

Emily Fay (NJMS '12) and James Lin (NJMS '12)

The panel discussion lasted about an hour, and raffle prizes were given out at the end of the evening. A $10 gift card to Dunkin' Donuts to a student chosen at random, and a $50 certificate to Mompou was given to one of the three students who attended all four days of SHARE week. 

SHARE e-board and Leaders of the Community

A total of 71 students attended SHARE week evenings at least once. SHARE hopes that many students gained a greater perspective beyond the scope of anatomy textbooks through SHARE week. A good number of students signed up for various organizations and inquired about the activities. The leaders of SHARE hope that the students enjoyed this event. Please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions! 

SHARE week (i)

words and photos by Hailey Choi

Monday August 31st through Thursday September 3rd, 09, SHARE e-board put on SHARE week, a series of dinner lectures designed to introduce NJMS students to the various programs and activities under SHARE. The series started at 5.30pm each evening, in the First-year lecture hall. The first three days introduced students to what SHARE is, and what it does; the event culminated on Thursday, when a panel of community leaders were invited to speak about their experiences and interactions with NJMS. In addition to filling the minds of students with possible inspirations, SHARE week also filled the tummies with free food each night.

Free sandwiches? Yes!

At each session, the students were asked to enter their names in a raffle to win the prize of the night. All 4 days, a $10 giftcard to Dunkin' Donuts was awarded to one lucky student; a special prize, a $50 certificate to  Mompou was given to one of the students who attended all 4 days of SHARE week. 

Puja Shah (NJMS '12) and Carmen Castilla (NJMS '12), leaders of STATS.

Leaders from the sub-organizations of SHARE - SFHCC, New Moms, SSS, REACH, STATS, PINACLE, ESMP - as well as the Voices of Share non-credit elective, were invited to briefly introduce their organizations. The leaders emphasized their personal gains from their experiences and how new students can get involved. 

STATS T-shirts, AIDS pins, and chocolate and condoms to take home.

A few upperclassmen were invited to talk as well. Chinmoy Bhate, a 4th-year director of SFHCC, gave a behind-the-scenes look at the student clinic. Shashi Kapadia, a 3rd-year leader of PINACLE, also described the functions of PINACLE. 

Dr. A. Natale-Pereira, faculty advisor of SHARE, was also present on the first evening. She enjoyed the presentations and engaged the students in the audience to share their experiences involving the community. She encourage students that now is a great opportunity to get involved. 

Students learn about SHARE.

The lectures lasted for about 1 hour each night, giving the students some break-time from their studies and providing nourishment. James Lin (NJMS '12) and Emily Fay (NJMS '12), two organizers of SHARE week, hope that the students were inspired, not only with free goodies, but with a wealth of resources that SHARE has to offer.

(report continued in following post)

First-year students with STATS T-shirts and smiles.

SHARE waffle sale

words and photos by Hailey Choi

How good do these waffles look?

SHARE opened a waffle sale on C-level of MSB, by the escalators, on Wednesday, September 2, 2009. SHARE leaders began preparing for the sale at 7.30am, and started cooking at 8am. The sale ran until 1pm. Smells of freshly cooked waffles permeated the building, and many generous hands exchanged monetary donations for some toasty Belgian waffles and unlimited toppings of fruit, icecream, syrup, chocolate, and more.

Ever heard of waffle cheers? It's yummy.

The waffle sale was held as a fundraiser for SHARE activities. Although SHARE is funded generously by the Student Council and the Dean's fund, some regulations do not allow students to buy gifts for the community, pay for transportation of Firehouse children that STATS works with, etc. The money raised will also be used to cover emergency situations (this summer, the SHARE petty cash was used to pay for transportation for Cares Day).

Previous fundraiser events - from bake sales and coffeehouses - were used for other purposes, including buying flu vaccines for patients at the student clinic and sending clinic directors to a convention.

Fruit and bagels were offered as well

More fundraiser activities for SHARE and its sub-organizations are in the making. Please be on the look-out for more updates and enjoy the goodness of SHARE.

Pauline at the waffle press!

SHARE presents to legislators of the Northeast

words and photos by Hailey Choi

Natasha Nayak (NJMS '12) introducing Student Sight Savers.

The leaders of SHARE were given an opportunity to present our programs and activities to the state legislators of the Northeastern states at a luncheon held at New Jersey Medical School, on Thursday, August 20th, 2009.

The luncheon was part of a 3-day program called Legislators in the Lab, intended for assemblymen and senators from Northeastern states to become more familiar with the medical schools of the area. The National Press Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) and NJMS also publicized the event to others. A news article about the event can be found here.

Leaders of the 7 different sub-organizations of SHARE, as well as the SHARE executive board, put together a brief 15-minute presentation that summarized the various community service projects initiated and carried out by the students of NJMS. The leaders hoped to present the student initiative and dedication to community service, a value that is one of the strongest points at New Jersey Medical School.

NJMS is located in the inner city of Newark, NJ, where there are many underserved populations. The students interact with the community in multiple occasions, from offering health screenings, tutoring, free clinic, to leader empowerment. The goal of SHARE is not only to offer the abilities of the students at NJMS, but also to promote a continuous relationship with the community and for the students to learn from the community leaders.

Thomas Eck (NJMS '12) presenting Student Sight Savers.

On their evaluations, the legislators remarked that they had gained a complete understanding of the medical school's relationship with the community through participating in the Legislators in the Lab program. They rated SHARE programs to be one of the most informative and itneresting points of the 3-day program. All participants felt that the student program and involvement should be a major part of future programs.

From the interaction of the legislators with the student leaders, they seemed very impressed with not only the student efforts in community service, but also by their professionalism. Many commended the powerpoint presentation and the students' expertise in describing their activities. The student-run free clinic, SFHCC (Student Family Health Care Center), peaked the interest of many. A 2-hour tour of the clinic in the evening was also included as part of the program.

Carmen Castilla (NJMS '12) and Puja Shah (NJMS '12) represent STATS (Students Teaching AIDS to Students)

For the student leaders, the luncheon provided a chance to publicize SHARE activities at NJMS and also to practice presenting their various programs in a formal setting. The student leaders were also given time to sit at tables with the legislators and converse with them - answering any questions and curiosities. After finishing the presentation and interacting with the legislators, the student leaders left for their classes feeling proud and hoping that their presentation made a difference.

bensi-sponsored orientation lunch

written by Hailey Choi

Do you like pasta? We know we do!

Many thanks to bensi for helping us out with our Orientation Lunch on Monday, August 10th, 2009. We provided our incoming first-year medical students with quality Italian food and fed their hearts with some inspirations for community service.

Thank you for caring,
from SHARE at NJMS.

Cares Day: painting the halls of Covenant House

written by Hailey Choi
we offer good quality painting

and smiles.

As an opportunity to meet fellow students for the first time and helping the community, SHARE Cares Day was an important pre-event for Orientation Week for the Class of 2013 at New Jersey Medical School. Over 65 first-year students as well as a good handful of second-year students gathered at 10:45am on a Sunday morning to have some messy fun and make friends.

Two bus-loads of eager students took off from NJMS for Covenant House in Newark, NJ. Covenant House is a shelter for the at-risk youngsters of Newark, providing a safe home as well as social, emotional, and educational care for teenagers and young adults. Covenant House was in need of some hands to re-paint the walls of the cafeteria and to organize its supply of donated clothes.
The first-year students were able to engage in some hands-on activity and also learn about the community of Newark through an informational tour of Covenant House.

the staff at Covenant House, including Janette and Mike, with SHARE t-shirts

The gracious hands at Covenant House also fed our hungry student group a hot lunch.

more friends-making over a hot lunch

The student turn-out and response for SHARE Cares Day was bright and optimistic. The first-year students found the event's relaxed environment a nice way to reduce the anxiety of beginning medical school. Many replied, "it was a good way to meet new people". The only

downside was that there was a lot of down-time. We had over 65 student volunteers, and limited jobs. One of the projects scheduled for the day was canceled last minute. The down-time, however, may not have been such a bad thing, as it may have given the students more time for socializing. (Who knows how much time you have for socializing in medical school?)

SHARE has been organizing Cares Day for many years. We have been paining various parts of Covenant House since 2006. We find that it's a good open environment, where a large group of students can engage in one activity, which is crucial as a prelude to the start of school.
We hope that our work at Covenant House - aside from letting us have fun - would provide the youths of Newark with a cleaner, refreshed home brushed with hands that care for the community. Thanks to all those who helped, and please be on the lookout for more great SHARE activities throughout the year!

medical-student-painters after a day's hard work.

Our event was mentioned in the Star Ledger!