OVERSEAS COORDINATOR
About me
 I am a medical student at a unique program called MSIH (Medical School
for International Health) a collaborative venture between Columbia and
Ben-Gurion Universities. The initial three years of training is based
out of Israel and the final year is comprised of electives primarily
at Columbia University.
In addition during the final year of
training, all students are required to participate in a two-month
externship to places such as Ethiopia, India, Nepal, and Peru. My
undergraduate degree is form the University of Toronto, where I
studied Neurophysiology and Bioethics (I am a Canadian citizen and
grew up in Toronto).
After medical school I plan on pursuing a MPH
and wish to immerse myself in international health issues. Following
the MPH degree, I wish to pursue a career in surgery and have a
particular interest in analyzing and improving error in surgery,
safety in the operating room, and especially access to healthcare in
developing countries for illness requiring surgery.
I am AMSA's International Trustee (America Medical Student Association) and am
also on the editorial staff of AMSA's new Global Pulse Journal. The
first edition scheduled for publication in mid March is focusing on
HIV/AIDS another particular interest of mine.
Non-surgical in nature, I am fervently involved in promoting and facilitating
cross-cultural sensitivity and early bioethics education in medical
school, access to generic anti-retroviral, and student/physician
externships in the developing world with the goal of educating the
country's own indigenous people. HIV/AIDS is a physically,
emotionally, and economically crippling disease.
At the end of 2003,an estimated 40 million people worldwide - 37 million adults and 2.5
million children younger than 15 years - are living with HIV/AIDS.
Why does the topic of HIV/AIDS make my blood boil and cause my hair to
stand on end?
The simple answer is because there is something we can
do about it! People do not need to suffer any longer; in its basic
form, like everything else in the developing world, it comes down to
access and education.
This is my stance and immediate improvement is
my vow. It is an honor to collaborate with SGAC Uganda and people
like Muhwezi. Together, I feel we can climb any mountain that awaits
us on the horizon.
Jared Ament
Medical School for International Health (MSIH)
Columbia & Ben-Gurion Universities
SGAC-Ug OVERSEAS COORDINATOR
jaredament@gmail.com
|
