The American Medical Student Association, the nation's largest, independent medical student organization with nearly 60,000 members, will kick off a nationwide campaign at the WSU School of Medicine Wednesday, Jan. 11, to fight health disparities. The campaign asks Who's Your Doctor? as it attacks the issue of health disparities at its root—lack of preventive medicine.
A community health fair will be held in conjunction with the campaign kick-off in the Scott Hall cafeteria from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Wednesday. Afterward, students, faculty and government officials will join together to discuss current strides in addressing health disparities and future endeavors to eliminate them completely. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., Representative John Conyers (D-Mich.) will keynote the evening health summit.
"Health care in America faces a serious crisis," says Leana S. Wen, AMSA national president. "Research shows that racial and ethnic inequalities in medical treatment persist in significant measure for many diseases. As a result, many minorities are more likely to have poor health and die prematurely. The goal of the Who's Your Doctor? campaign is to encourage minority groups to establish a relationship with a primary care physician before they become ill."
It is estimated that the average office visit costs only $55, as opposed to the $360 average emergency room visit (American Institute for Preventive Medicine). This statistic reinforces the fact that prevention is not only important but also cost efficient.
As future physicians, AMSA believes that the medical community must take a proactive role in eliminating health disparities. Through self and peer education, innovative curriculum development and local and national policy changes, Who's Your Doctor? will provide opportunities for medical students to make a significant impact to achieve this goal.
"Primary care is the first step to preventing and controlling disease," said WSU School of Medicine Interim Dean Dr. Robert Frank. "This is an issue that is of the utmost importance here in Detroit . We are proud to be working together with our own students and AMSA nationally to raise awareness about health disparities and encourage people to seek out a family doctor."
"The WSU chapter of AMSA is pleased to host this event and promote the health and well-being of the community," says Cheryl Macy, MSII, local coordinator. "As medical students, it is disheartening to witness such disparities and we feel honored to be able to take action and participate in the most fundamental mission of public health-bringing preventative medicine to communities, without regard to income, insurance status, religion, race or culture."
The health fair will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., in WSU's Scott Hall, 540 E. Canfield, Detroit . The summit will follow at 5:30 p.m., in Scott Hall's Blue Auditorium. Both events are free and open to the public.