Commentary

American Academy of Ophthalmology and National Medical Fellowships Announce Recipients of New Scholarship

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The inaugural National Medical Fellowships Scholarship in Ophthalmology is awarded to Ja’Qulane Scales of Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC, and Joshua Chazaro of Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Ill.

Published

5 years ago

January 11, 2019

Oakland Post

SAN FRANCISCO – The American Academy of Ophthalmology and National Medical Fellowships today announced the recipients of a new scholarship that supports the mission of both organizations to provide more opportunities to underrepresented minority students pursuing medical careers.

The inaugural National Medical Fellowships Scholarship in Ophthalmology is awarded to Ja’Qulane Scales of Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC, and Joshua Chazaro of Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Ill.

Both are second-year medical students participating in the Academy’s Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring program, which was designed to attract underrepresented minorities to a career in ophthalmology and help prepare them to be competitive residency applicants.

National Medical Fellowships provides scholarships and support for underrepresented minority students in medicine and the health professions.

Since 1946, the organization has awarded more than 30,000 scholarships totaling $40 million.

In 2018, the organization generously offered to provide two $5,000 scholarships to students participating in the Academy’s v .

Recipients are selected based on leadership qualities demonstrated through their research, academic performance and extracurricular activities.

Funding for the scholarships are provided through a grant from Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation.

Both Scales and Chazaro are pursuing a medical education, not only to pave the way for minority students interested in becoming ophthalmologists, but also to provide better care to patients in underserved communities.

There is a critical need to diversify the medical workforce.

African Americans make up 12.8 percent of the general population, but only 2 percent of ophthalmologists.

Hispanics and Latinos make up 16.3 percent of the population, but only 4.6 percent of ophthalmologists.

Overall, the shortage of health care professionals in communities of color is estimated to be between 46,000 and 90,000 physicians by 2025.

Simply documenting the lack of diversity in the medical profession isn’t enough, action is required to create a change that can improve health outcomes.

That’s why the Academy and the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology established the Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring program.

It pairs juniors and seniors in college and first- and second-year medical students with seasoned ophthalmologists dedicated to supporting their career development and helping them become competitive residency applicants.

Scales and Chazaro are among the first 22 students selected by the Academy to join the program for its inaugural year.

Scales is a native of Little Rock, Ark. and a member of the United States Navy. As a first-generation college graduate, she says the path to becoming an ophthalmologist can be challenging.

She’s grateful for the opportunity to be mentored by an established ophthalmologist. She intends to practice ophthalmology in an underserved community, working to close the gap in health disparities.

Chazaro is a native of Upland, Calif. Having witnessed the discomfort marginalized populations experience in a medical setting, he is committed to becoming a physician dedicated to delivering a better care experience.

“This scholarship will give me the opportunity to expand my goals as a medical student and further achieve my dreams,” Chazaro said.

“National Medical Fellowships (NMF) is thrilled to have collaborated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring program and grateful to the Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation for its support,” said president and CEO Esther R. Dyer, MLS, DLS.

“Through this scholarship, NMF can support the next generation of diverse leaders in the highly competitive field of ophthalmology.”

Past president of the Academy, Keith D. Carter, M.D., FACS, is also a past recipient of an NMF scholarship.

“I have always been grateful for this generosity,” Dr. Carter said. “The scholarship was very important and inspirational because of the effort of an organization offering to assist me with my training expense.”

Visit the Academy at aao.org/minority-mentoring-students to learn more about the Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring program. Visit National Medical Fellowships online at nmfonline.org.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Opinion: Surviving the Earthquake, an Eclipse and “Emil Amok.”

Last Friday, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook New York City, reported as the “biggest earthquake with an epicenter in the NYC area since 1884” when a 5.2 quake hit. A bit bigger. The last quake similar to Friday’s was a 4.9 in 1783.Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago. That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

In New York City, the eclipse was about 90 percent visible. Good enough for me. Though a full solar eclipse is a celestial rarity, blockages of any sort aren’t generally celebrated. My one-man play is about growing up with the eclipsed history of American Filipinos and how I struggle to unblock all that.

By Emil Guillermo

I’m a Northern Californian in New York City for the next few weeks, doing my one-man show, “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host, Wiley Filipino, Vegan Transdad.”

I must like performing in the wake of Mother Nature.

Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago.

That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

And it just doesn’t happen that often.

Beyonce singing country music happens more frequently.

When I felt New York shake last week, it reminded me of a time in a San Francisco TV newsroom when editors fretted about a lack of news an hour before showtime.

Then the office carpeting moved for a good ten seconds, and the news gods gave us our lead story.

On Friday when it happened in NYC, I noticed the lines in the carpeting in my room wiggling. But I thought it was from a raucous hotel worker vacuuming nearby.

I didn’t even think earthquake. In New York?

I just went about my business as if nothing had happened. After living near fault lines all my life, I was taking things for granted.

Considering the age of structures in New York, I should have been even more concerned about falling objects inside (shelves, stuff on walls) and outside buildings (signs, scaffolding), fire hazards from possible gas leaks, and then I should have looked for others on my floor and in the hotel lobby to confirm or aid or tell stories.

Of course, as a Californian who has lived through and covered quakes in the 4 to 6 magnitude range, I tried to calm down any traumatized New Yorker I encountered by taking full responsibility for bringing in the quake from the Bay Area.

I reassured them things would be all right, and then let them know that 4.8s are nothing.

And then I invited them to my consoling post-Earthquake performance of “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host…”

It was the night of the eclipse.

ECLIPSING THE ECLIPSE

For example, did you know the first Filipinos actually arrived to what is now California in 1587? That’s 33 years before the Pilgrims arrived in America on the other coast, but few know the Filipino history which has been totally eclipsed.

I was in Battery Park sitting on a bench and there was a sense of community as people all came to look up. A young woman sitting next to me had a filter for a cell phone camera. We began talking and she let me use it. That filter enabled me to take a picture of the main event with my iPhone.

For helping me see, I invited her and her boyfriend to come see my show.

Coincidentally, she was from Plymouth, Massachusetts, near the rock that says the year the Pilgrims landed in 1620.

In my show she learned the truth. The Pilgrims were second.

History unblocked. But it took a solar eclipse.

Next one in 2044? We have a lot more unblocking to do.

If you’re in New York come see my show, Sat. April 13th, 5:20 pm Eastern; Fri. April 19, 8:10 pm Eastern; and Sun. April 21st 5:20 pm Eastern.

You can also livestream the show. Get tickets at www.amok.com/tickets

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1. He wishes all his readers a Happy Easter!

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Commentary

Commentary: Republican Votes Are Threatening American Democracy

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We needed to know the blunt truth. The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening. That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

By Emil Guillermo

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We needed to know the blunt truth.

The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

And to save it will require all hands on deck.

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening.

That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

No man is above the law? To the majority of his supporters, it seems Trump is.

It’s an anti-democracy loyalty that has spread like a political virus.

No matter what he does, Trump’s their guy. Trump received 51% of caucus-goers votes to beat Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who garnered 21.2%, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who got 19.1%.

The Asian flash in the pan Vivek Ramaswamy finished way behind and dropped out. Perhaps to get in the VP line. Don’t count on it.

According to CNN’s entrance polls, when caucus-goers were asked if they were a part of the “MAGA movement,” nearly half — 46% — said yes. More revealing: “Do you think Biden legitimately won in 2020?”

Only 29% said “yes.”

That means an overwhelming 66% said “no,” thus showing the deep roots in Iowa of the “Big Lie,” the belief in a falsehood that Trump was a victim of election theft.

Even more revealing and posing a direct threat to our democracy was the question of whether Trump was fit for the presidency, even if convicted of a crime.

Sixty-five percent said “yes.”

Who says that about anyone of color indicted on 91 criminal felony counts?

Would a BIPOC executive found liable for business fraud in civil court be given a pass?

How about a BIPOC person found liable for sexual assault?

Iowans have debased the phrase, “no man is above the law.” It’s a mindset that would vote in an American dictatorship.

Compare Iowa with voters in Asia last weekend. Taiwan rejected threats from authoritarian Beijing and elected pro-democracy Taiwanese vice president Lai Ching-te as its new president.

Meanwhile, in our country, which supposedly knows a thing or two about democracy, the Iowa caucuses show how Americans feel about authoritarianism.

Some Americans actually like it even more than the Constitution allows.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1.