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Bethesda, MD – The University Services University of Health Sciences, the nation’s only federal medical school designed to educate physicians for the armed forces, hosted APAMSA’s 13^th annual national conference on October 6^th – 8^th.   More than 400 medical students, pre-medical students, and physicians attended this year’s conference. 

The theme of this year’s conference, “Medicine: A Call to Service,” reflects the rapidly evolving field of medicine and the increasingly diverse role of physicians. The conference offered numerous workshops, distinguished speakers, experts on Asian Pacific American health and a unique opportunity for students to network and learn from each other.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Connie Mariano, M.D., was the first military woman in American history to be appointed White House Physician. In 1992, she was nominated by the Navy and selected by the White House for this honor. In 1994, Dr. Mariano was named Director of the White House Medical Unit and chosen by President Clinton to serve as his personal physician. Dr. Mariano served nine years in the White House where she was the physician to three sitting American Presidents. Besides speaking about her unique experiences as the White House Physician, Dr. Mariano relayed to students her advice and insights into what it meant to be an Asian Pacific American  in the medical field.

The conference showcased 18 workshops and presentations covering public health topics and pressing issues concerning the Asian Pacific American community. Some of the topics included Hep B in the Asian American communities, challenges facing multicultural families, international adoption pediatrics, domestic violence in the Asian American community, HIV/AIDS in Asian Pacific American Communities, stereotypes and educational profiling of Asian American students and cultural competency and diversity in medicine. Practical hands-on workshops such as suturing, acupuncture, pregnant patient simulator and Ayurvedic medicine were offered as well.

Also featured was a health policy debate between two former Asian American White House Fellows who are currently practicing physicians.  Dr. Erwin Tan, MD, and Dr. Michael Suk, MD, JD, MPH, shared their opposing viewpoints on the roles APAMSA can play in health policy and social justice.   

In addition,  Dr. Charles Beadling, a nationally recognized expert in military and emergency medicine, used a combination of oral presentation and simulated interactions with casualty patients to demonstrate the medicine involved in mass casualties and triage basics.

APAMSA is the only national medical student organization, representing nearly 15,000 medical students nationwide, dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the Asian Pacific American community. To learn more about APAMSA, please visit us at http://www.apamsa.org.

Photo captions:

#1.  An eclectic mixture of medical students from all over posing for a picture at the closing banquet.

#2. Kathy Lee (APAMSA National President), Dr. Mariano M.D. (past white house physician), and Tony Wang (APAMSA National Membership Vice President).

#3. Participants at the orientation on the first day of the conference. Dean Larry Laughlin (of the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences) gave the opening remarks.