Community Service/CESL Groups

Community Service/CESL Groups

ALL EARS

ALL E.A.R.S. is a student volunteer program sponsored by The Healthcare Foundation Center for Humanism and Medicine. We collaborate with the Palliative Care team at University Hospital to identify patients who are terminally ill, lonely, or facing long hospitalizations. Student volunteers are paired with these patients and spend time with them and their loved ones over the course of their hospital stay, providing social and emotional support. New students are partnered with experienced upper-classmen, who offer mentorship in communicating with patients and establishing meaningful connections. Occasionally, there are opportunities for group- based activities that include music, crafts, and reading with patients.

For more information:

allears@njms.rutgers.edu

DVIP

DVIP 2

Domestic Violence Intervention Programs @ NJMS is a student initiative to address the issue of domestic violence in the Newark community. Our purpose is to promote domestic violence intervention, education, awareness and research in the community. We aim to understand the problem through student and community engagement and affect physician perspective to actively address this issue as a public health concern. Many student initiatives and long term service opportunities are available through this platform. Currently, our outreach efforts include education and discussion sessions at a local elementary school and a local drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, and screening patients at the hospital in various clinical settings. We also host a number of events on the NJMS campus including Domestic Violence Awareness Month Day and Denim Day. Many of these events are put together in collaboration with the University Hospital Coalition to End Abuse.

For more information:

dvip@njms.rutgers.edu

Green Club

Green Club 2

The Green Club @ NJMS is a student initiative to address the issue of food insecurity in the Newark community. Our purpose is to provide a source of fresh and local produce through our very own Community Garden and to promote education, awareness, and research on food issues and their impact on health in the community.

The Rutgers NJMS Community Garden was started in 2013 but moved in April 2018 to a new location outside the George F. Smith Health Sciences Library. From this new location, we continue to provide fresh vegetables and fruits to Newark community residents. We have been working on several collaborations to engage community members with this new garden. This includes a partnership with Science Park High School students part of the Garden State Scholar Program, to teach teenage youth about gardening, while also thinking about food security and the impact of our food choices on the environment.

For more information:

greenclub@njms.rutgers.edu

NJMS

Involvement with Disability Education and Advancement (I.D.E.A) aims to improve the mental and physical health of students with disabilities. We hold bimonthly meetings at the John F. Kennedy School for middle and high school students with special needs in Newark. In our health-centered workshops, we teach students about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, encourage them to make good food and snack choices, and help them develop confidence in their unique abilities through a variety of hands-on activities.

For more information:

idea@njms.rutgers.edu

NJMS Human Rights Initiative is committed to advocating for health and human rights by taking action. We run the Human Rights Clinic at NJMS, where we provide pro-bono medical evaluations for asylum seekers and other victims of human rights violations. We also organize education and advocacy events regarding human rights throughout the year.

Please contact us at

njmshumanrights@njms.rutgers.edu.

NJMS

Interprofessional Patient Empowerment and Navigation (Inter-PEN) is a program based at Rutgers NJMS that gives RBHS students an opportunity to actively participate in patient care as part of an interprofessional student team. We work with patients at University Hospital who have complex medical and social situations that have led them to high utilization of Emergency Department services.

Teams are composed of students from several Rutgers Biomedical Health Science (RBHS) schools, including medical, social work, pharmacy, and nursing. Activities teams may pursue with their patient include: healthy grocery shopping, health device training (pillbox, pedometer, diabetic syringes, etc.), and connecting patients to appropriate medical and social services such Rx delivery services and food stamp programs. Ultimately, our goal as a student organization is to work together and learn and learn about how different fields contribute in maintaining the health of our patients.

For more information:

interpen@njms.rutgers.edu

Ironbound

The Ironbound community is a culturally rich area, with one of the highest Brazilian and Portuguese immigrant populations in the country, who have little access to healthcare and are challenged by language and cultural barriers. The Ironbound Initiative hopes to fill a gap in the community by addressing the needs of the Ironbound community centers and their patient populations.

Community Impact:
• Health education sessions on preventative primary care and nutrition measures.
• Refer community members and advocate for them through further care with SFHCC, if deemed necessary.

Learning Objectives:
• Learn about the health and social needs of this community and generate new ideas to effectively address them.
• Develop the ability to present health care information and counsel on preventative measures.
• Improve Cultural competency and medical terminology when collaborating with Portuguese and Brazilian populations.

For more information:

ironboundinitiative@njms.rutgers.edu

NJMS

Do you enjoy teaching/mentoring? Do you want to be involved with one of NJMS’s most prestigious programs? MiniMed School gives NJMS students the opportunity to educate high school students from across the state. Students gain exposure to a variety of relevant and important medical topics including: HIV, diabetes, cancer, basic health awareness, and heart disease. MiniMed runs for 8-weeks on Wednesday nights each semester, and includes dinner. As one of the defining programs here at NJMS, it is a great opportunity to get involved and earn CESL credit at the same time.

For more information:

minimedschool@njms.rutgers.edu

New Moms

New Moms is a volunteer organization that focuses on women’s health outreach in the Newark community. We host educational sessions for underserved pregnant women and new mothers at Harmony House Women’s Shelter, which is a short drive from campus. At each session, we discuss a variety of topics ranging from pregnancy health, sexual and reproductive health, newborn health and development, and proper female health screenings. In addition, we perform blood glucose and blood pressure screenings. We close each education session with an open discussion during which the women can share their stories as patients, their birth experiences, and the challenges they face in obtaining proper prenatal and healthcare and sustaining a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families.

For more information:

newmoms@njms.rutgers.edu

NJMS Squared

NJMS Squared is a service organization that aims to provide academic coaching and mentorship to students in the Newark public school system. Currently, students from NJMS work with students at Science Park High School for after- school tutoring, chess, and a weekly SAT course. One-on-one pairings between medical and high school students are also offered based on common interests and experiences. All of these programs are tailored toward a common goal: assisting young students in the local community achieve academic and personal success at the highest level.

For more information:

njmssquared@njms.rutgers.edu

Project BEAM

O'Darah Outreach - Project B.E.A.M.'s (Beyond Education Academics and Medicine) goal is to organize the NJMS community members who are interested in educating and increasing the health literacy of Newark youth between the ages of 13-15. Our program actively engages this age group by holding small group session and quiz competitions for a week each month in local high schools. Each week focuses on a different module from the Project B.E.A.M. curriculum, which are all health topics presented in an interactive, informative, and practical way. By presenting health educational information regarding the prevalence, incidence, pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of different diseases, we can help reduce health disparities among the community of Newark as a whole. In addition, we provide medical students interested in global outreach with the opportunity to travel abroad on a medical mission trip to Ghana.

For more information:

projectbeam@njms.rutgers.edu

NJMS

Patient Partnership Program is a CESL-approved project at NJMS that partners medical students with patients with chronic medical conditions at University Hospital to enable students to establish long term, supportive relationships with a patient and to enable patients to educate students about their barriers to care and social factors that impact their health. Students will help the patient to understanding his conditions and treatment plans, call the patient to remind him to take his medications and attend appointments, and accompany the patient to doctors’ appointments when possible to serve as his advocate.

For more information:

patientpartnershipprogram@njms.rutgers.edu

NJMS

Project Peds is an organization that serves medical students interested in learning about pediatrics and its specialized fields. A wide array of pediatric specialists and general pediatric physicians are invited to expose students to the various fields within pediatrics and to discuss their own experiences as doctors. Students are encouraged to participate in a number of volunteer events, some specifically on the pediatric floor of the hospital, such as the Halloween and Valentine's day parties, and others that take place outside of the hospital, like Flu clinics and charity walks. In addition, students have many opportunities to spend time with children in the hospital by volunteering in the nursey or spending time in the playroom on the pediatric floor. In order to provide guidance to those students interested in pursuing careers in pediatrics we have a mentor program, which connects students with faculty members in a wide range of pediatric specialties.

For more information:

projectpediatrics@njms.rutgers.edu

NJMS

Public Understanding of Medicine in Action (PUMA) is an organization that facilitates discussions about health topics with residents of halfway houses in Newark. Every Monday, we go to Renaissance House and Kintock Group to guide lectures and engage in hands on activities with the residents of these correctional institutions. Topics discussed include sexual health, mental health, nutrition and exercise, substance abuse, and more. Through participation in PUMA, students will connect with individuals from a particularly vulnerable population in our community, learn about the unique needs of individuals transitioning from the criminal justice system, build relationships with community members and reflect on stereotypes and biases that affect this population, learn from the experiences of the residents, gain patient education experience, and develop interpersonal skills.

For more information:

puma@njms.rutgers.edu

NJMS

NJMS ReCOVER Initiative: Recovery for Capacity Building Overseas - We are a student run service organization in collaboration with International Surgical Health Initiative (ISHI) that aims to reduce and recycle the medical waste produced in the University Hospital operating rooms and intensive care units. We collect, sort, and package medical equipment for shipping to low income nations including Sierra Leone and Ghana.

For more information:

project.recover@njms.rutgers.edu

RCHC

The Rutgers Community Health Clinic seeks to bring primary healthcare directly to Newark residents. Students directly interact with patients residing within the New Community Corporation senior housing facilities, under the guidance of University Hospital’s Emergency Medicine resident and attending physicians. Here, students work in inter-professional teams with colleagues from other RBHS programs within the School of Health Professions. Clinical experiences also occur at the Rutgers Nursing School’s Focus Clinic on Broad Street. The ultimate goal of NJMS RCHC is to provide clinical services to some of Newark's most vulnerable populations, while simultaneously providing health care education, fostering long-standing trusting relationships and maintaining continuity of care in the community. Students have the ability to perform history and physical exams under the direct supervision of resident and attending physicians.

For more information:

rchc@njms.rutgers.edu

SFHCC

Established to meet the needs of the medically underserved, the Student Family Health Care Center (SFHCC) offers free, quality health care to the Newark community. Patient care is provided by groups of medical, pharmacy, dental, and nutrition students for quality, patient centered interprofessional care. Case managers on site provide access to insurance and other services that are individualized to each patient. As a part of SFHCC, you will learn to hone all skills regarding patient care, from bedside manners to management of disease. We also run teaching and reflection sessions throughout the year to improve clinical skills. First-year medical students start out by learning how to be integral members of each patient's treatment team, and eventually rise to be team leaders as third and fourth year medical students. Through SFHCC, students are able to learn how to care for patients while refining their leadership skills.

For patients, we provide the opportunity to establish consistent primary medical care by offering physical examinations, chronic disease management, lab testing, gynecological care, and psychosocial counseling. All services are provided by volunteer medical students under the supervision of board-certified physicians.

For more information:

Visit our website or email

sfhcc@njms.rutgers.edu

SLAM

SLAM is a program designed to expose the students (all grades) of University High and Orange High School in Newark, NJ to the different fields of healthcare in a way that is both educational and enjoyable to the students. The goal of SLAM is to increase interest in the healthcare professions among Newark’s High students (98% of which are minorities) as well as provide guidance to at risk students at a critical juncture in their education.

For more information: