Oct 23, 202213 min read

October Newsletter

2022 Edition

“If you were born with the weakness to fall you were born with the strength to rise”

Rupi Kaur

The Editor's Take:

Study with AMWA UTD Newsletter,

PA Week, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Hello AMWA UTD! In this edition of the AMWA newsletter, your writers have written on Breast Cancer Awareness, Hurricane Ian, and Iran. Along with these articles, we are starting a new column that interviews a guest speaker that AMWA UTD had in the past month. This month we had Dr. Howell-Stampley, MD talk about finding your why and how mentorship is valuable. Read through her interview with Zoe Du and get inspired!

We also have an article submitted by an AMWA UTD Member about Cultural Competence in the Healthcare Field. Additionally, the Newsletter Committee has a Spotify playlist!

This month, National PA week was from October 6th to October 12th. The field of physician assistants began with Dr. Eugene Stead who founded the position in 1965 at the Duke Medical Center. In a field that was primarily dominated by nurses and primary care physicians, physician assistants helped expand the medical field and made it more accessible to patients. PAs conducts physical exams, provide diagnosis and treatments as well as assist in surgeries. PAs also get their choice of specialty and are free to switch throughout their career. PA education is intense but rewarding. The curriculum is considered to be a ‘condensed version’ of medical school and lasts an average of 26.5 months. At UTD and in AMWA, a majority of pre-health students are Pre-PA. Here are a few quotes by Pre-PA AMWA UTD members about why they chose PA and what inspires them about it.

“I feel that the process of becoming a PA and then working as a PA fits with many lifestyle goals I have for my future, which will help me provide the best care I can to patients. I aspire to one day practice as a PA as I think it would be very rewarding to apply my knowledge to help patients with different backgrounds and different needs.” - Becca Goldmann

“I chose the pre-PA track because of the ability for physician assistants to change their specialty as they see fit. I know myself well enough to know that I am curious about a variety of fields, and would love to explore the ones I’m interested in beyond just clinical rotations in PA school. Being a PA allows me to pursue various specialties throughout my life, which is so exciting!” - Alina Shah

“I switched from the Pre-med track to Pre-PA and it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. Being Pre-med, I was so conflicted thinking about the time it would take and how it would impact my family. I love that PAs get to experience a greater work-life balance and flexibility in the field to explore different specialties. Making the switch to Pre-PA made me genuinely feel like as a wife and mother, I was making the best decision for my family without sacrificing my own professional healthcare goals.” - Veonna Echols

As always, if you have any questions or ideas email me at Tanya.Baiju@utdallas.edu.

- Tanya

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By: Siya Kumar

In October, we acknowledge Breast Cancer Awareness. October became Breast Cancer Awareness month in 1985, with the help of the American Cancer Society, Imperial Chemical Industries, and Betty Ford who is a breast cancer survivor. The purpose of this month is to raise awareness and research for those who are affected by breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a disease in which the cells in the breast grow at an abnormal rate. It can begin in different parts of the breast such as the lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. The most common types of breast cancer are Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. In Ductal, the cancer cells initiate in the breast ducts unlike Lobular with starts in the lobules. Another type of breast cancer that is less uncommon is Paget's Disease, in which Paget Cells (Malignant Cells) are found in the epidermis layer of the areola.

Common signs of breast cancer are, lump in the breast/ underarm, thickening/ swelling of the breast, irritation/ dimpling of the skin on the breast, redness/ flakiness around the area of the nipple, and pain. Of course, after reading these symptoms it is common to get paranoid which is why it is important to get checked regularly by a primary physician. Getting checkups regularly allows for early detection of the cancer cells which can increase the chances of removing cancer.

Treatment of breast cancer depends on the stage of cancer. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are common treatment methods. Mammaplasty, tissue expansion, lymph node dissection, and mastectomy are a few surgical methods that can be used as treatment.

12.9% of women who are born in the U.S. will have cancer at some time in their life according to the National Cancer Insititute. Even though many people think breast cancer only occurs in women, it can develop in men too. Men account for 1 out of 100 undiagnosed breast cancers in the U.S. according to the CDC.

There are many organizations such as the American Cancer Society, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and Breast Cancer Research Foundation that dedicate their time and efforts to raising awareness. It is important to be aware of and support these organizations because the more funds and awareness researchers are given the more they are able to come up with cures. Pink Out is one of the biggest organizations that speak out about the dangers of breast cancer and talk about how we should show support for those who are affected. On October 22, 2022, Komen Dallas of North Texas will be conducting their “More Than Pink Walk” to show their admiration and support for those who are fighting the battle against breast cancer.

Guest Speaker Interview: Dr. Howell-Stampley

By: Zoe Du

The roadmap to becoming a health professional is often long and arduous, full of twists and turns, ups and downs. There will be sleepless nights, as we pour blood, sweat, and tears into achieving our goals. There will be failures that may lead us to doubt ourselves, but there will also be successes that make our hard work pay off. We are all at the beginning stages of our careers, still young and green, and we have so much still to experience and learn. While we have several years of lectures and textbooks to look forward to, perhaps the most important lessons we have to learn will come from our mentors.

In early October, AMWA UTD was fortunate to be graced by the presence of Temple Howell-Stampley, MD as a guest speaker at this year’s second general body meeting. An experienced internist, department chair, and program director of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program at UT Southwestern, Dr. Howell-Stampley has repeatedly broken barriers throughout her career. Her ability to overcome naysayers and nurture leadership in others through mentorship is inspiring, but it is Dr. Howell-Stampley’s humility that truly captivates, leaving her audience motivated and ready to take on the world.

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to speak to Dr. Howell-Stampley in a quick sit-down interview, in which she shared valuable insights into her journey and some of her wisdom on issues that often weigh heavily on our minds.

Is medicine right for me?

A career in medicine often represents a lifelong commitment that can be incredibly rewarding but it also comes with sacrifices and compromise; the decision to make that commitment should not be made lightly. Dr. Howell-Stampley’s advice? Find a mentor for guidance and identify physicians that will provide you with an opportunity for shadowing so you can learn more about the medical field and patient care. You need these opportunities to determine if medicine is the right fit for you. Medicine is not for everyone. There are a lot of sacrifices, long hours of studying and often delayed gratification.”

What is the most rewarding part of being a health provider?

What form does that delayed gratification take? That depends on who you ask, but here is Dr. Howell-Stampley’s answer. As is often the case in medicine, Dr. Howell-Stampley wears several hats: she is an internist providing patient care; she is a program director and professor who watches students grow under her mentorship; she is a leader who organizes her team. Each of these aspects of Dr. Howell-Stampley’s career carries its own unique reward.

“Patient care is very rewarding and plays out in many ways. Whether spending time talking with my patients about their health, personal lives, or challenges to celebrating their wins as they set goals, overcome obstacles, and achieve healthier lives. The relationships formed with my patients are lifelong, I truly enjoy walking with them on their healthcare journey. From an educational perspective, seeing my students learn, grow and succeed, ultimately earning their degrees is very rewarding. Many of them have overcome obstacles and challenges as well, so their success is all of our success. From a leadership perspective, getting my team on board and excited about a common goal and working together to achieve that goal is awesome and very rewarding.”

Balance

As pre-health students, we are essentially professional jugglers. Many of us are balancing some combination of academics, research, internships, jobs, and more. With only 24 hours in a day, how do we balance everything and how do we stay grounded when we start to feel overwhelmed? Unfortunately, there’s no easy solution and balance is something that even Dr. Howell-Stampley feels she could improve on. That being said, Dr. Howell-Stampley’s greatest pieces of advice are to learn to say no, to focus on what is within our control, and to have a strong support system who “will not make you feel guilty because you need to spend long hours studying.”

“As I have gotten older and more mature, I have learned how to actually say no to certain things, and I think that is an important skill to develop. Honestly, I still struggle with finding balance, but what keeps me grounded is my family. I work really hard to stay organized and to set my priorities to ensure I am available for my family just as I make myself available for my patients and work colleagues.”

And when life throws us curveballs, Dr. Howell-Stampley advises “learn to only focus on those things that you can control to lessen your anxiety and stress. Sometimes it is not easy, but it is so necessary and beneficial to your overall well-being.””

Imposter syndrome and confidence

Our minds can be among our best assets, but also our worst enemies. Sometimes we hear from others that we should “choose something else,” like Dr. Howell-Stampley was told by others very early on. Other times, our doubts just begin to creep in. Even the most accomplished individuals will experience imposter syndrome and, as Dr. Howell-Stampley says, “just because you are older and more experienced, imposter syndrome can still occur.” In those moments “you have to speak encouragement to yourself. Sometimes you have to tell yourself, ‘I can do this. I am worthy. I deserve to be here.’”

With that, I would like to impart the message that we can all do this, whatever “this” means to you. We are each on our journeys, and as Dr. Howell-Stampley would remind us, we all have our own “why” that makes our “what” more meaningful. Our motivations and dreams can change, but regardless of where our journeys take us, we are all intelligent, capable, and driven individuals that can achieve great things.

Hurricane Ian

By: Alyssa Chiev

Trees, buildings, homes, everything is destroyed. This is the worst Florida has ever looked since the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. Many are left without homes, water, power, and healthcare. Hurricane Ian produced devastating losses and the damage will take weeks, months, and maybe years to fix.

Hurricane Ian is a deadly category 4 hurricane that recently struck the state of Florida and left it in shambles. The hurricane winds went up to 155mph, almost labeling it as a category 5 hurricane. Ian not only affected Florida but surrounding areas such as The Cayman Islands, Cuba, Venezuela, Columbia, ABC islands, the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Carolinas. Damage includes homes being destroyed, flooding, and power outages that can last for a couple of months. Hurricane Ian left many without water and power for weeks. The area left with the most damages is Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island (in Lee County). About 55 out of the 119 deaths occurred within Lee County, most of which are from drowning.

The destruction that Hurricane Ian caused is estimated to be worth about $41-$71 billion according to Forbes. Since the hurricane is fairly recent, it is unknown how many homes were damaged. Flood loss from the National Flood Insurance Program and private insurance for residential and commercial properties is estimated to be between $8 billion and $18 billion. Uninsured flood loss for this area is estimated to be between $10 billion and $17 billion. Wind losses are estimated to be $23 billion to $35 billion. From Cuba alone, an estimated 8,000 homes were destroyed and about 68,000 homes are damaged. As of right now, 12,000 people are without power, but numbers were high in late September with an estimated 2 million.

Hurricane Ian impacted healthcare facilities across Florida and the Carolinas. Medically vulnerable people are finding it difficult to get the care they need. A lot of facilities are still closed because of a lack of power and water. Hospitals and clinics rely on large amounts of water and power to provide adequate care and without this, many are left without the proper care needed. Staffing is an issue as well within pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens because the staff is also impacted by the storm as well.

There are a plethora of organizations that will take donations such as:

The Florida Disaster Fund: The Florida Disaster Fund is the state’s official relief fund established to assist communities as they respond to the disaster. Donations can be taken online or text “DISASTER” to 20222
The Red Cross: The American Red Cross is one of the world’s largest humanitarian networks. The Red Cross set up a place to donate on their website or text “IAN” to 90999.
Convoy of Hope: Convoy of Hope is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing communities with groceries in Florida.
Islamic Relief USA: Islamic Relief USA is an organization partnering with the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to set up a fund to help people impacted by the storm

The effects of Hurricane Ian are irreversible. Many are still without shelter, power, water, food, healthcare, and other necessities. As of right now, we can support those who are impacted by these hard times and assist whether it be donating or volunteering.

Injustice in Iran

By: Alyssa Chiev and Siya Kumar

“Women, life, and liberty” is the phrase that is being chanted all over the streets of Iran. Currently, in Iran, thousands of people are protesting against the clerical rule after the horrific death of Mahsa Amini. Amini was taken into custody for “improperly” wearing her hijab. She spent three days in custody during which she was “severely beaten” by Iranian authorities according to the United Nations report.

The recent events in Iran have caused worldwide outrage and have led to many women standing up against gender discrimination. Women have faced years of oppression and want to go against the mandate put in place. The story of Amini’s tragic death has been spread worldwide causing people all over the world to want justice for Amini and other women who were also killed in the same circumstances, so that a situation like this will never happen again.

Way before the current protests in Iran had begun, the state of women's rights regarding clothing and the hijab have been a conflict of interest. In 1936, Reza Shah Pahlavi mandated that women of Iran could not wear a hijab in an attempt to “westernize” Iran. This mandate did not hold well among the citizens. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, it became mandatory for women to wear a hijab.

Mahsa Amini was arrested for improperly wearing her hijab in violation of Iran’s strict dress code. The United Nations report stated that Amini collapsed while in the custody of Iran’s morality police and was transferred to the hospital. The report given by the hospital stated that she had severe trauma to her head. On September 16th, Amini passed away after spending three days in a coma. The authorities claimed that Amini collapsed from a heart attack despite the family claiming that she did not have any pre-existing heart conditions. After her passing, a protest was formed outside of the hospital where she’d been, which then spread throughout the world.

Ever since the death of Mahsa Amini, civil unrest has grown in Iran day by day. These protests occur mainly in Iran but have been seen nationwide. They are mainly led by women, some of which are Iranian women burning their hijabs and cutting their hair in memory of Amini. The protests are a threat to Iran’s strict regime and there have been about 17 deaths according to the Iranian government, although other sources indicate more. Iran Human Rights, a nonprofit organization, claims that the total in actuality is 154.

One of the most recent and provoking deaths is the death of Nika Shakarami who was seen at a protest burning a hijab. Following the protest, Shakarami went missing on September 20th.This occurred disturbingly after telling her friend that she was being followed by the police. The authorities claimed that Sharkarami went into a building and construction workers may have pushed her off of the top of the building. Her body was found outside the next morning. Mohammad Shahriari, the Tehran judiciary official, told the media that Shakarami had “multiple fractures…in the pelvis, head, upper and lower limbs, arms and legs, which indicate that the person was thrown from a height.” However, Shakarami’s mother said that forensics reported that her injuries are sustained from blunt force trauma. The death of Nika Shakarami sparked outrage primarily due to her being the age of 16, making her one of the youngest victims of the protest.

There are various organizations to assist with the ongoing protests, these organizations include:

The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI)

The Center for Human Rights in Iran is an organization created to protect and fight for human rights in Iran. Donations would be used to research all violations of human rights in Iran. The link is here.

The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center

The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting human rights in Iran. They monitor human rights violations in Iran and make them public knowledge through research, publishing, and reaching the public. The link to donate is here.

Amnesty International

Amnesty International created a petition as a call for the states to “set up an independent UN mechanism now to investigate and ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law in Iran.” The link is here.

Following the recent events in Iran, we think it is important that we should stay informed on such topics. The protests in Iran are important and are affecting millions of people around the world.

AMWA Member Submission:

Cultural Competence in the Healthcare Field

By: Alina Shah

In the United States, access to healthcare is considered to be a luxury rather than an innate human right. There are a variety of healthcare disparities that make it difficult for citizens to be able to seek medical treatment. These include, but are not limited to, language barriers, religious differences, and cultural beliefs.

As future providers, it is important to be aware of how to overcome these healthcare barriers through practicing cultural competence. Cultural competence is the idea of providers providing quality care to patients with diverse cultures or beliefs. Providers must tailor their care to fit the needs of their patients rather than relying on the idea that every patient requires the same approach. Every patient is unique and deserving of personalized care that suits their values and beliefs. Medical care is not “one size fits all.” While eye contact and speaking actively signal understanding in some places, in others it can be a sign of disrespect.

Being culturally unaware of this could lead to miscommunication and the patient does not have concerns to discuss. By being culturally aware, the provider is able to further understand the woes of the patient and diagnose accurately. Furthermore, it can allow the patient to confide in the provider without fear of being misinterpreted. Cultural competence is ultimately important for the healthcare field. Without it, the trust between the patient and provider becomes minimal. It leads to the chance of low-quality care being provided and a greater opportunity for miscommunication to take place. Something to remember is that cultural competence is a conscious process. It requires respect, active listening, and a desire to learn. Even though it may seem challenging, it is our responsibility as future providers to be able to help our patients to the fullest extent.