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Development & Alumni Relations
UNM School of Medicine
Basic Medical Sciences Building
  - Rm 182B
MSC 08 4720
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131

Telephone (505) 272-5112
Fax (505) 272-6581

Office of Development & Alumni Relations

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2008 Competitively Selected Grant Recipients

Annual contributions of the society's members support exceptional programs and cutting-edge research at UNM School of Medicine - all selected through a competitive review process.

These programs have the potential to impact health and health care across the nation and throughout the world. Each selected project advances the relations between the School of Medicine community and the communities it serves; provides outreach, improves health/health care, and/or supports an innovative research project; actively involves medical students.

In addition, the project describes how its community-based partner(s) will be involved, and what resources the partners will contribute to the project.

The number of funded proposals selected for grant awards depends on the total of the annual gifts made by members.

 

Fit is Fun: The Tijeras Healthy Lifestyle Program
S. Yvonne Ellington, MPA, PA-C - Family & Community Medicine
S. Yvonne Ellington, MPA, PA-C ~ Rita Stevens Espalin
Awarded $7,841

Roosevelt Middle School (RMS) in Tijeras, NM, is the site of this after-school health and fitness program. To address the childhood obesity epidemic at the community level, "Fit is Fun" will involve active participation of UNM School of Medicine (SOM) medical students and physician assistant students in developing and supervising physical activities and delivering presentations on health-related topics for RMS students. This program is a preventive approach to promote healthy lifestyle habits for all children. The culmination is a fund raiser "fun run" for RMS. The active involvement of the UNM SOM students will provide a positive presence and interest in the health of the Tijeras community.

 

Formative Assessment of Rural High Schools in Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes
Alberta Kong, MD, MPH - Pediatrics
Mary Ramos, MD, MPH ~ Andrew Sussman, PhD, MCRP ~ Jim Schwar, PhD, MPS ~ Alberta Kong, MD, MPH ~ W. Gill Woodall, PhD ~ Seth Farnsworth, MS1
Awarded $5,290

This study will investigate rural key-stakeholders' perspectives of feasible and sustainable changes that may be acceptable within the school environment to support high school students in achieving a healthier lifestyle. Data from this project will be used to develop a school-wide cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes prevention study in response to the NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement, PA-08-074 Community Participation in Research (RO1).
Combining medical education and research, UNM School of Medicine partners with NM Dept. of Health, and Belen and Socorro High Schools. It brings multidisciplinary UNM faculty and medical students into the community to promote health and to learn from the community how to best deliver obesity prevention and intervention.

 

Metropolitan Homeless Project: An Opportunity for UNM Homeless Patients
Lily Velarde, PhD, MPA – Family &munity Medicine
Amy Clithero, MBA ~ Lily Velarde, PhD, MPA ~ Cynthia Arndell, MD ~ Julie Sierra, MD
Awarded $13,805

In the Albuquerque area, there is a critical need for respite care, which is defined as acute and post-acute medical care for homeless persons who are too ill or frail to recover from a physical illness or injury on the streets but not ill enough to require hospitalization. In partnership with the Metropolitan Homelessness Project, this endeavor increases the number of respite beds for hospital inpatients that are homeless. Not only does this save the University money, it improves the health status of the marginalized population. This promotes the excellence of the SOM by using a service learning approach to education and healthcare, and ties together education, service, and research.

 

Centralized Resources to Assist Rural EMS - The Rapid Sequence Airway Demonstration Project
Darren Braude, MD - Emergency Medicine
Darren Braude, MD ~ Mike Torres, RN, CFRN ~ Tim Bajema, MD
Awarded $15,188

Espanola Valley Emergency Medical Services (EVEMS) is the sole Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider in the predominantly rural Rio Arriba County. There is a critical need to implement an advanced airway program, specifically using Rapid Sequence Airway (RSA). To support EVEMS, the project team will implement an RSA program and demonstrate centralized medical direction, education, and quality assurance resources. This includes the use of advanced technology, and can be used to facilitate the safe implementation of advanced procedures in the rural NM EMS setting.