Association for the Advancement of Minorities in Medicine (AAMM)

Statement of Purpose

AAMM is a resource for pre-med students, middle/high school students, and the general community. We participate in programs that reach out to middle school, high school and undergraduate students to encourage them to continue their education. In educating them about the health care profession and we encourage them to achieve their goals of working towards a career in medicine. In the long run, we hope that these students will help reverse the health care provider shortage our state faces, especially in rural areas, and will ultimately help in decreasing health disparities.

We participate in mentoring programs and medical student panels for undergraduates.

We reach out to the community with our student run immigrant clinic. This clinic serves immigrants who are in need of medical services but do not have the financial capabilities for medical care. In 2009 we hope to extend these services to more schools, students, and rural communities.

Outreach

AAMM has several programs to promote interest in medicine and to help pre-medical students achieve their goals of becoming a physician. These programs include mentoring, visiting high school and middle schools, and providing student panels, mock interviews, advisement, and medical student shadowing to pre-medical students.

Mentoring Program

AAMM is committed to the youth of our community. We want to motivate and encourage them to go to college. This passion led us to develop a mentoring program for middle school and high school students. We want to be a resource and support system for any student that may need or want a mentor. If you are in need of a mentor or know someone that can benefit by having a mentor you can contact us to get set up with a medical student mentor.

We also provide mentoring to pre-health students participating in the Office of Diversity’s Undergraduate Health Sciences Enrichment Program (UHSEP), a summer program for incoming freshmen interested in pursuing a health careers. In addition, AAMM offers informal mentoring to pre-medical students who need advice from a fellow colleague on the process of applying to medical school.

Pre-Medical Student Programs

AAMM is the only medical student organization working with pre-medical students to promote health careers and to support those already committed to pursuing one. We coordinate the following activities:

• Student Panel: several medical students gather and hold a question and answer forum for pre-medical students in the spring of each year.
• Mock Interviews: pre-medical students currently applying to medical school have the opportunity to partake in a mock interview conducted by a medical student. This gives the applicant a chance to experience what is to be expected on interview day, as well as allowing for practice and a chance for them to ask advice from medical students.
• Shadow a Medical Student: a chance to follow a medical student for a day through various classes and activities is offered to pre-medical students.
• Mentoring: pre-medical students in need of advice on what steps they need to take to pursue a medical career or need help with the application process are matched to medical students who are willing to help them out.

We work with the both the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University pre-medical organizations, although at this point in time, only mentoring if offered to NMSU students due to the distance between our schools.

High School and Middle School Programs

AAMM members travel to middle schools and high schools around Albuquerque, as well as around the state to stimulate interest in the opportunities in the medical field, with an emphasis on doctoring. Our goal is to speak to diverse student populations in the state of NM and provide exposure to the students based on the experiences of medical students, also from diverse backgrounds.

The purpose of these visits will be to show to the students the opportunities that exist educationally and in the medical field. AAMM members will share their personal stories of how they were inspired to become a part of the medical community, as well as the personal barriers that they had to overcome to get to where they are today. They will inform students on how they can overcome barriers that they may face on their road to success. Students will also have the opportunity to ask the presenters questions and be involved in discussion and various activities

Immigrant Clinic

The immigration clinic is a student run clinic overseen by Dr. Brian Solan, one of the few Civil Surgeons in the city, whose purpose is to provide low cost immigration physical exams to immigrants seeking Residency or Citizenship status. The exam fee, which can usually cost hundreds of dollars, is waived allowing easier access to obtaining the required exam and in exchange medical student volunteers are allowed to practice their clinical skills on real patients under the supervision of physicians from UNM.

Each year during AAMM elections two coordinators are elected to take charge of the clinic. It is the coordinators responsibility to manage the clinic through scheduling of patients, scheduling of student volunteers who provide the exams, assuring completion of required vaccinations, blood work and tuberculosis tests, and completion of required INS paperwork. One Vaccine coordinator and two PPD checkers are elected as well. It is the Vaccine coordinator’s responsibility to review any patient vaccine records and determine which vaccines are appropriately needed. Students are shown how to administer vaccines to patients. It is the PPD checker’s responsibility to determine whether the Tuberculosis test is positive or negative and if positive to refer the patient to a radiologist for a chest X-ray. In essence, the clinic provides a great service to the community while educating medical students with real patient interactions.

Senior Recognition Event

AAMM tradition is the annual event to honor the AAMM graduating seniors. This usually is a lunch/dinner that takes place a week before graduation. This provides an opportunity for the seniors to be recogonized and to celebrate their achievements in AAMM and medical school.

This year’s graduation lunch was held on Saturday May 2nd at the El Pinto restaurant.

Salsa Night

AAMM hosts an annual salsa dance every spring at the historic El Rey Theater to raise funds for ongoing community outreach projects. This event is open to the public.. The community’s support in this event is vital to aiding in the fulfillment of our mission to provide outreach to the minority community.

If you like salsa dancing or just want to help support the organization be sure to attend the Salsa night at El Rey! Keep your eyes peeled for announcements regarding the 2010 salsa event!

How you can get involved

If you are a middle school, high school, or undergraduate student who would like more information or a medical school mentor, or if you are a teacher who would like us to speak to your class about college, science, and the medical field , or if you are a medical student who would like information about events and meetings you can also contact us.