Ready for the Journey
Dear CSUEB Community:
It is with great pride that we officially announce the launch of our organization, the CSUEB Pre-Med Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (CSUEB Pre-Med APAMSA). Recognized and affiliated with the National APAMSA, which operates at the Medical School level, our mission remains consistent with our National Organization: to address the unique health challenges of Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) communities. Furthermore, we are committed: to represent Asian Pacific Americans as a group within the pre-professional health care community at CSUEB, to be a resource for information on matters related to Asian Pacific Americans, to provide a forum for discussion of issues concerning Asian Pacific Americans in health care, and to provide a link between students and faculty of Asian Pacific American background.
With Fall 2021 as our first academic term in service, we are mindful of the challenges set forth before us in building out our organization and enriching the communities we serve. Thus, three Guiding Pillars come into mind:
Cultivating Relationships —
Practicing healthcare in any capacity, whether a nurse, dentist, clinical laboratory scientist, or physician, is not an insular role. It takes a team and a community of like-minded and diverse individuals to care for the patients we'll serve in the future. Each patient has a story. Each team member has a story. It is important that we recognize this simple truth, as we cannot go through our pre-medical journey alone; for every step of the way, we will need at least one person to help and guide us.
Growing our Community —
We understand that the pandemic has placed undue stress and burdens upon the community. Not all of us have access to reliable high-speed internet or the latest computers. On a different note, the pandemic has made us more isolated than ever before and more susceptible to mental health stresses. In 2020, The Journal of the American Medical Association had reported that the prevalence of depressive symptoms has increased threefold during the pandemic, and it is no doubt that this phenomenon is likely persisting to this day. Therefore, we need to grow together by sharing our wins as well as our struggles. It takes the community–and faith and trust in the said community–for better outcomes to occur.
Identifying Opportunities —
All the issues highlighted by the pandemic and remote learning provide us with a solid foundation to identify what’s working and what’s not. Video conferencing has enabled us to learn from the comfort of our homes. However, virtual shadowing does not provide the same experience as being physically present with a patient. During our inaugural year, we will rise to the challenge to address issues that we've long identified during our collective experiences at PHAP so that cohorts succeeding us will have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
Each of the three Guiding Pillars is important for us, as they are our North Stars as we navigate an uncertain academic year. These Guiding Pillars are not mutually exclusive but dependent on each other. Even with the great team that we have assembled — we need your help. There is much work to be done. We ask each of you to think about how you can support APAMSA in advocating for AAPI health issues and the AAPI community. Whether it be participating at our events or joining our team, we need your energy, skills, and talent.
We hope that you'll join us in our journey ahead.
Regards,
CSUEB Pre-Med APAMSA Student Governance
Lester Andrew Uy
Chapter Founder and President
Keshlee Roy
Advocacy and Diversity, Co-Director
Astrid Suen, MMedSc
Advocacy and Diversity, Co-Director
Elizabeth Cho
Health Affairs, Co-Director
Kelly Ouyang
Health Affairs, Co-Director
