OPINION
FOOD
Dream On
A medical student wonders if being just a doctor is enough? » PAGE 3
A Chinese New Year Away From Home
IN THIS ISSUE
News Briefs » PAGE 3 Mythbusters » PAGE 5 Puzzles » PAGE 7
Synapse Student seeks out traditional comfort food » PAGE 6
The UCSF Student Newspaper
Thursday, Feburary 6, 2014
NEWS
Campus Groups Mark Black History Month
synapse.ucsf.edu
Volume 58, Number 18
Chinese Culture Night
NEWS
New Student Government Referendum Passes Easily
By Angela Broad Staff Writer
B
lack History Month in February is a chance for the UCSF community to highlight the contributions of African-American and black-identified individuals, to bring medical services to underserved area and to foster discussions about justice and inequality. The Multicultural Resource Center (MRC), the Office of Diversity, the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and others are sponsoring events commemorating Black History Month, from photo installations to community outreach programs. Here is a roundup of the month’s top events: Prep School Negro - film screening and director discussion February 6, 5:15-7 p.m., Cole Hall, Parnassus The UCSF LGBT Resource Center and the UCSF Multicultural Resource Center will screen the documentary, Prep School Negro. Documentary director Andre Robert Lee reflects on his adolescence in Philadelphia, where a scholarship to an elite private school changed his life in unpredictable ways. The film also highlights the experience of students of color in the present day who face the challenges and contradictions of prep school life. A Q&A session with director will follow
By Michael Le Contributing Writer
PhotoTiffany Hsu/DS3 Left to right: Chelsea Wong (D3), Thomas Nguyen (D3), Mason Tran (D4) and Ralph Thomas (D3 dressed up in traditional Chinese clothing and a lion headdress at the annual Lunar New Year celebration hosted by the Chinese Health Professional Student Association on January 30.
the screening. Open to the entire UCSF community. Black History Month Celebration – reception February 13, 3 – 5 p.m., Lange Reading Room, Parnassus. RSVP required. The UCSF Office of Diversity will host a Black History Month Celebration honoring Michael A. LeNoir, MD, president of the National Medical Association, and the Physicians Medical Forum for their continued support of UCSF faculty, students and trainees. RSVP is required by February 11. For more details visit http://diversity.ucsf.edu/node/3296451.
Cracking the Codes – film screening and discussion February 19, 5:15-7 p.m., Toland Hall, Parnassus The MRC promotes a campus culture of inclusion and equity, cultural competency and interprofessional collaboration, and supports the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff, students and trainees. The Center will host a screening and discussion of Cracking the Codes, which is a powerful exploration of systemic inequity and racial justice. See http://crackingthecodes. org/ for more.
BLACK HISTORY » PAGE 3
NEWS
LGBTQI Health Forum: New Perspectives and Training Registration now open for February 22 event By Michael Liu Contributing Writer
T
he sixth annual LGBTQI Health Issues Forum offers participants the unique opportunity to learn about the clinical concerns of the LGBTI community and how to provide sensitive care to these underserved populations. The LGBTI population is at a higher risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, depression, anxiety and substance abuse. Take advantage of this event to learn about LGBTI health risks and disparities, and how to provide more knowledgeable, effective and sensitive care. There will be workshops and
breakout sessions to accommodate all knowledge levels of LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex) health issues. The forum will be held on February 22 and registration is now open. Last year, more than 300 students from UCSF and colleges around the country attended. UNAIDS Civil Society Partnership Advisor Eric Sawyer is slated to give the keynote address. A founding member of ACT UP and a co-founder of Housing Works and Health Gap, Sawyer’s work is a potent reminder that healthcare is often political and that all health professionals can play a role an important role in advocating for the care of the underserved. Through its brand of ‘in your face’ activism, ACT UP helped bring national attention to the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Sawyer also created Housing Works to address homelessness among people with HIV/AIDS. To-
day, at UNAIDS, he continues the fight to ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world have access to care. A patient panel will address real-world LGBTQI experiences within the healthcare system. Breakout sessions will cover LBQ women’s health, MSM health, bisexual wellness, transgender health, intersex health issues, HIV issues, LGBT elders, parenting and youth, LGBTQ mental health and substance abuse. There will also be an outness panel featuring faculty, interns and local health professionals, who will discuss their diverse experiences being out in their professions. New this year will be a lunchtime screening of Transgender Tuesdays, a documentary about the lives of eight transgender patients of the Tom Waddell Health Center, the first low-cost public health clinic offering dedi-
LGBTQI HEALTH FORUM » PAGE 3
U
CSF students have approved a referendum to change the student government structure by an overwhelming margin of 88 percent to 12 percent. Sponsored by Associated Students of UCSF (ASUC) and Graduate Students’ Association (GSA), the referendum proposed the merger of the two campus-wide student governments into a single entity, unifying dental, graduate, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and physical therapy students under one identifiable banner. The new entity will be called the Graduate and Professional Students’ Association (GPSA). Approximately 30 percent of the overall UCSF student population participated in the referendum, which was held in an online vote from January 21-28. Graduate and physical therapy students voting in the referendum also overwhelmingly approved the formation of student governments to respectively address their needs, which were handled previously by GSA. Approval of the referendum allows work to proceed with the official dissolution of ASUC and GSA and plan for campus-wide elections in April 2014 to elect the five executive council officers of the GPSA Executive Board. Officers of the academic council of the GPSA Executive Board will be appointed by the respective academic governments. More information about GPSA and the next steps related to the transition to GPSA from ASUC and GSA can be found at gpsa. ucsf.edu.
Michael Le is a seventh-year DDS-PhD student in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences.
Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Synapse will print messages of love in its next issue. Send your messages to synapse@ucsf.edu by 10 a.m. Monday, February 10.
2 | February 6, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
EVENTS MISSION BAY EVENTS FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS AT MISSION BAY
Thursday, Feb. 6, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 4th Street & Nelson Rising Lane, Mission Bay Join the food truck lunch party every Thursday at Mission Bay and explore the tasty culinary options to break up your routine. Each week will feature two different vendors, so there will always be something new. Grab some friends, get some food, and take your lunch experience up a notch. Rumor has it: come early and don’t miss out.
DIGITAL HEALTH WORKSHOP
Thursday, Feb. 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Genentech Hall, N-114, Mission Bay Malay Gandhi, Chief Strategy Officer, Rock Health and Jason Oberfest, CEO & CoFounder, Mango Health. This special workshop will cover the major topics that a digital health venture needs to examine – assessing the opportunity, business models, regulatory, metrics, revenue and customer acquisition strategies and cover B2B and B2C ventures. The workshop is part of our Idea to IPO course and we are opening a limited number of spots to the UCSF community. Sponsored by Goodwin Procter. Register at dhealthworkshop.eventbrite.com with UCSF email address.
SYNAPSE NEWSPAPER
Friday, Feb. 7, noon-1 p.m., Graduate Division, CC-310, Mission Bay Synapse is looking for Mission Bay and Parnassus writers, bloggers, photographers and designers. Come to the lunch meeting, share your story ideas and enjoy a free lunch. For more information, email synapse@ucsf. edu.
MUSLIM FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICES
Friday, Feb. 7, 1-2 p.m., Helen Diller, 160, Mission Bay The Muslim Community at UCSF holds regular Friday prayer services (Jum’a) for the UCSF Muslim community every week. Come join your fellow brothers and sisters for prayer, lunch and socializing. All are welcome.
MISSION BAY RIPS
Friday, Feb. 7, 4-5 p.m., Genentech Hall Auditorium, Mission Bay Research In Progress Seminar is a seminar series at which one student and one postdoc present their current research. Talks are 15 minutes in length and are preceded by a 20-minute social. Snacks and beverages are provided
PARNASSUS EVENTS PET A PUP AT DOG DAY FRIDAYS
Friday, Feb. 7, noon-2 p.m., Millberry Union, 111W, Parnassus There will be a pup every Friday in February, so don’t miss out. Take time to de-stress with Toby, a Golden Doodle, from Animal Assisted Therapy of SPCA. Enjoy some tea or hot chocolate, and leave your stress at the door.
MUSLIM FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICES
Friday, Feb. 7, 1-2 p.m., Medical Sciences, 168, Parnassus The Muslim Community at UCSF holds regular Friday prayer services (Jum’a) for
the UCSF Muslim community every week. Come join your fellow brothers and sisters for prayer, lunch and socializing. All are welcome.
CAMPUS EVANGELISTIC FELLOWSHIP
Friday, Feb. 7, 7-10:30 p.m., Nursing, 517, Parnassus Join the Campus Evangelistic Fellowship for its weekly meeting, with Bible study, hymn singing and fellowship.
GIVE KIDS A SMILE DAY!
Saturday, Feb. 8, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., UCSF School of Dentistry, Parnassus This is a free clinic for children ages 4-17. Services include free dental sealants, fluoride treatments and screenings. The Bay Area Schweitzer Fellows will provide adult health education. No appointments are necessary. All are welcome. The event is hosted by the California Pubic Health Association at the UCSF School of Dentistry. For more information, please contact the California Public Health Association at CPHANatUCSF@gmail.com or Facebook. com/ucsfCPHAN.
GSA MEETING: GRADUATE, NURSING & PT
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 5:30 p.m., Library, 220, Parnassus Meet your executive board members at the monthly GSA meeting and be a part of the discussion on topics relating to student priorities. Visit the GSA website for more details and to RSVP. http://bit.ly/gsawebsite.
IHI OPEN SCHOOL AT UCSF MONTHLY MEETING
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 6-8 p.m., Library, 215, Parnassus The UCSF IHI Open School Chapter will hold monthly meetings every second Tuesday of the month. Join us for case discussions, article reviews, quality improvement and patient safety classes, speakers, etc.
PARNASSUS FARMERS’ MARKET
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., ACC, 400 Parnassus Ave. Shop the Farmers’ Markets on Wednesdays to pick up locally grown produce and more. Sponsor: Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association.
VALENTINE'S DAY CARD MAKING AND SALE
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Millberry Union Event and Meeting Center, Parnassus Create a handmade card for your loved ones to make their day extra special. Sharon TongRobinson will demonstrate "Stampin’ Up" techniques using stamps, ink and cutouts to create handmade one of a kind cards. Donate one of your handmade cards to the UCSF Medical Center. Your card will brighten the day of a patient in the hospital. There will also be homemade sweets, handmade jewelry and other gifts for sale at the hospital.
SYNAPSE NEWSPAPER
Wednesday, Feb. 12, noon-1 p.m., Millbery Union 123W, Parnassus Synapse is looking for Mission Bay and Parnassus writers, bloggers, photographers and designers. Come to the lunch meeting, share your story ideas and enjoy a free lunch. Email for more information and to RSVP:
synapse@ucsf.edu.
UCSF RUN CLUB
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Millberry Union Central Desk, Parnassus Please drop by and join UCSF Fit & Rec for a run. Each Wednesday night, the Run Club runs various distances (from 3-6 miles) at 9 to 11 minutes per mile.
ENGLISH CORNER
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 6-8:30 p.m., Clinical Sciences, 130, Parnassus English Corner is an informal conversational English class given as a free community service and provided on a voluntary basis by both people born and raised in the United States as well as many people who have, at one time in their lives, experienced life as a new immigrant to the United States.
OFF-CAMPUS OFF THE GRID: UPPER HAIGHT
Thursday, Feb. 6, 5-9 p.m., Stanyan and Waller Streets, SF Off the Grid is a roaming mobile food extravaganza that travels to different locations daily to serve delicious food, with a free side of amazing music, craft and soul.
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: LUNAR NEW YEAR NIGHTLIFE
Thursday, Feb. 6, 6-10 p.m., Cal Academy, Golden Gate Park Celebrate the Chinese New Year in style with lion dancers, martial artists, masked performers, and more. Create kinetic dragon sculptures with the help of SCRAP SF and be amazed by Bian Lian, an ancient Chinese mask performance that’s part opera, part mystery. Participate in a traditional Chinese tea ceremony with Flourishing Oasis, and make good fortune scrolls with the Chinese Historical Society of America. Catch a powerful performance by the Jing Mo Athletic Association, a Chinatown-based martial arts performance troupe. http://bit.ly/ NightLifeTickets, http://bit.ly/CLSDiscounts.
EXPLORATORIUM AFTER DARK: SEXPLORATIONS
Thursday, Feb. 6, 6-10 p.m., Pier 15, SF Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it...Peek into the whys and hows of sex across myriad life forms and discover some of the surprising ways nature brings sperm and eggs together.
ANNOUNCEMENTS DIRECTING CHANGE STUDENT VIDEO CONTEST: DEADLINE MARCH 1
Submit a 60-second video addressing Suicide Prevention or Ending the Silence of Mental Illness. Winner will receive $500. This contest is part of statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and to promote the mental health and wellness of students. For more info, visit www.DirectingChange.org.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: GSA INTERIM PRESIDENT
The Graduate Students’ Association is seeking an interim president from March to June. Any graduate, nursing or physical therapy student interested in running for interim president of GSA, please attend the next GSA Meeting on Feb. 11.
BRIDGE PROJECT — FOCUS GROUP ON DOCTORAL GRADUATE STUDENT EXPERIENCE: PARTICIPANTS NEEDED
Focus groups are being conducted as part of a larger study, the BRIDGE Project
(Biomedical Research Career Identification in Graduate Education), which will develop and test interventions designed to improve the overall experience of doctoral graduate students and build a diverse biomedical and behavioral research workforce. We are seeking students in different phases of their programs, with a particular interest in students who are near PhD candidacy, as well as recent PhD graduates. Contact: Kiersten Robertson, kiersten.robertson@ucsf.edu
BLACK HISTORY MONTH RECEPTION: REGISTRATION DEADLINE FEB. 11
Thursday, Feb. 13, 3-5 p.m., Lange Reading Room, Parnassus The UCSF Office of Diversity and Outreach cordially invites you to a Black History Month Celebration and Reception, with special recognition and appreciation to the Physicians Medical Forum for its continued support of UCSF faculty, students and trainees, and Michael A. LeNoir, President, National Medical Association.
ARE YOU A FIRST GENERATION TO COLLEGE STUDENT (FG2C)?
Register with the First Generation Support Services Office, for access to all of the First Generation Support Services and to help the office advocate for you. bit.ly/firstgenregister.
OCPD PSR: USING ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR TO CREATE SCIENTIFIC FIGURES REGISTRATION DEADLINE FEB. 19
Thursday, Feb. 20, 3-5 p.m., Library, 220, Parnassus Featuring Joe DeRisi, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Learn the basics of creating scientific figures and graphics by getting how-to instructions for common graphic elements, including modifying a published (pdf) figure for presentation or teaching purposes and creating a new scientific figure. Admission $17 for UCSF trainees/$27 for others. ocpdillustrator-p.eventbrite.com.
APPLY TO BE THE 2015-16 UC STUDENT REGENT. DEADLINE FEB. 20
The Student Regent is a voting member of the Regents of the University of California, attends all meetings of the Board and its Committees and serves for two years (one year as a designate and one year as a voting member) commencing July 1. All mandatory University fees and tuition are waived for the Student Regent during the academic years in which he or she serves as a Regent-designate and as a member of the Board. Submit applications by Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. http:// regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/about/ members-and-advisors/student-regent.html.
LGBTQI HEALTH ISSUES FORUM REGISTRATION OPEN
Feb. 22, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., 500 Parnassus Ave. The sixth annual LGBTQI Health Issues Forum offers participants the unique opportunity to learn about the clinical concerns of the LGBTI community and how to provide sensitive care to these underserved populations. Sponsored by the LGBTQI Student Association. Registration includes breakfast and lunch. $15 for UCSF students, $10 if you register before Feb. 10. Register at http://tinyurl.com/RegisterLGBT.
WALK WHILE YOU WORK IN THE PARNASSUS LIBRARY
The Parnassus Library has installed two new Walkstations so that you can walk while you work on a computer on the second floor of the Technology Commons. The library also has more height-adjustable workstations available. library.ucsf.edu/content/neww a l k s t at i ons - av ai l abl e - l i br ar y - t e c h commons.
synapse.ucsf.edu | February 6, 2014 | 3
Give Kids a Smile Day!
Black History » FROM HOME PAGE
Hypertension Sunday – volunteer event February 22, all day, Oakland sites SNMA members from UCSF, UC-Davis, and Stanford, along with interested classmates will work with physicians and high school volunteers to provide blood pressure screenings at church sites around Oakland. Typically, at least 25 students from UCSF participate in this activity. This event is an opportunity for students to both serve the community directly and to network with each other and physicians of color. For more information, contact Daniela.Brissett@uscsf.edu.
Third- and fourth-year dental students volunteering at last year's Under the Sea-themed clinic.
Give Kids a Smile Day! is a free clinic for children ages 4-17. The annual event will take place at the UCSF School of Dentistry on February 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Services include free dental sealants, fluoride treatments and screenings. The Bay Area Schweitzer Fellows will provide adult health education. No appointments are necessary. All are welcome to attend the clinic. It will be a fun, kid friendly jungle-themed dental clinic. The event is hosted by the California Pubic Health Association at the UCSF School of Dentistry. For more information, please contact the California Public Health Association at CPHANatUCSF@gmail.com.
OPINION
Dream On
A medical student hits the reset button By Winnie Chan Contributing Writer
"J
ust show your passions on your residency applications and everything else will work out," my mentor said. I sat there and realized, “holy crap...I have not shown my passions these past three years. Hell, I don't even know if I have had any.” Having always thought my actions were driven by my passions, I was pretty shaken up at that moment. My mentor appeared unfazed. My goal and dream for the longest time was to become a doctor. That was a big deal. It is a big deal. Passion was what got me into medical school. But once I got here, I stopped dreaming. I stopped looking forward. I stopped being the goal-
driven person that once defined me. A part of me faults just being too busy — I was just trying to keep my head above water. Perhaps a bigger part of me faults my self-esteem. Returned to being a little fish in a big ocean filled with sharks, I felt insignificant and incapable. Many opportunities came up, and I just brushed them off, thinking I wasn't worthy, that there were so many other classmates who could do it better, or deserved it more. And another part of me thought, "I just want to be a doctor. Isn't that enough?" Daughter of parents who emigrated from China — who weren't even college educated
Synapse
DREAM ON » PAGE 6 500 Parnassus Ave. Millberry Union 108W San Francisco, CA 94143 tel: (415) 476-2211 | fax: (415) 502-4537 synapse@ucsf.edu
The UCSF Student Newspaper synapse.ucsf.edu STAFF
Yi Lu | EDITOR Jenny Qi | EXECUTIVE EDITOR Angela Castanieto | ASSOCIATE EDITOR Akshay Govind | ASSOCIATE EDITOR Steven Chin | MANAGING EDITOR Victoria Elliott | COPY EDITOR
About
Synapse is the UCSF student-run weekly newspaper, which runs on Thursdays during the academic year and monthly during the summer. Synapse seeks to serve as a forum for the campus community. Articles and columns represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Board of Publications or the University of California.
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Paid advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of Synapse. Synapse and its editorial board reserve the right to decline advertisements promoting false or misleading claims, known health risks, or content deemed by the editors to be antithetical to the interests of UCSF students or the UCSF community. Synapse does not accept advertisements from tobacco or alcohol manufacturers, or sexually oriented personal ads. Synapse reserves the right to run any ad with a disclaimer.
Karen Pierce: The African American Experience in Bayview-Hunters Point – lunch discussion February 27, 12:10-1 p.m., HSW-302, Parnassus The SNMA UCSF chapter presents a lunch discussion with Karen Pierce, a formidable local community activist, lawyer, and environmental health specialist. The discussion will give current and future clinicians insight into the physical environment, beliefs and lives of members of the African-American community in San Francisco’s BayviewHunters Point neighborhood. Contact Sidra. Bonner@ucsf.edu for more information. Dream. Fight. Progress – performing arts February 27, 6-8 p.m., Cole Hall, Parnassus In a new event this year, the Student National Dental Association will co-sponsor a night of performances with other campus minority organizations. The evening will include food, drinks, motivational speakers, spoken word, performances and poetry. Contact Eric. Brown@ucsf.edu for more information. Black Wednesdays – community event Wednesdays in February, all campuses UCSF students are spearheading “Black Wednesdays” to encourage the visibility of underrepresented minorities on campus and in medicine. On the second, third, and fourth Wednesdays of February, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to wear black shirts to show solidarity with underrepresented groups. Please contact Jordan.Handcox@ ucsf.edu for more information. Visibility Installation – photo installation Throughout February, MRC, MU123W The MRC will kick off a photographic installation at the beginning of February, titled the Visibility Installation. Made up of photos of African, African-American and black-identified students and others at UCSF, it will be on display throughout February.
Angela Broad is a first-year medical student.
LGBTQI Forum » FROM HOME PAGE
cated services for transgender clients. A Q&A session will follow, with film director Mark Freeman and several of the transgender patients featured in the documentary. For more information, including how to register, please visit http://tinyurl.com/RegisterLGBT. The forum also counts as a oneunit credit elective; UCSF students should register under FCM 170.01B. Registration for the forum includes breakfast and lunch and is $15 for UCSF students, but only $10 if you register before February 10. The forum is open to all students and individuals interested in learning more about the unique health concerns of the LGBTI community. Special thanks to the UCSF Student Fee Advisory Committee, UCSF Committee on LGBT Issues, UCSF Graduate Students' Association and Bay Area Physicians for Human Rights (BAPHR) for their generous support in funding this year's health forum.
Michael Liu is a second-year medical student.
NEWS BRIEFS
UCSF Receives $50M Gift for Women's Health
UCSF Medical Center will name its new women’s hospital at Mission Bay in honor of Betty Irene Moore, a patient safety pioneer and advocate. The hospital has received a $50 million gift from Bay Area residents Gordon and Betty Moore to help fund the region’s first women’s hospital and to advance the innovative initiatives of the UCSF National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health. The gift is a private donation from the Moores, whose leadership and philanthropy have profoundly influenced health care practices in the United States. Gordon Moore is a co-founder of Intel Corp. In 2000, he and his wife Betty established the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to support progress in science, nursing and patient care, as well as environmental conservation. UCSF will name its new women’s hospital the UCSF Betty Irene Moore Women’s Hospital. The specialty hospital is part of the new UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay, a 289-bed state-of-the-art hospital complex for children, women and cancer patients that will open in February 2015.
UCSF Researchers Among Those Recognized by President Obama Three UCSF researchers and one Yale faculty member who recently accepted a position at UCSF are among 102 recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States government to science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. UCSF honorees include Karunesh Ganguly, MD, PhD, assistant professor in residence at the UCSF School of Medicine and the UCSF Department of Neurology; Katherine Rauen, MD, PhD, MS, a medical geneticist and former director of the UCSF NF/Ras Pathway Genetics Clinic; Shingo Kajimura, PhD, assistant professor at the UCSF Diabetes Center, the Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, and the UCSF School of Dentistry; and Young-Shin Kim, MD, PhD, MS, MPH, associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine, who recently accepted a position with the UCSF Department of Psychiatry. The winners will receive their awards at a Washington, DC, event in the coming year.
UCSF Team Reveals How the Brain Recognizes Speech Sounds UCSF researchers are reporting a detailed account of how speech sounds are identified by the human brain, offering an unprecedented insight into the basis of human language. The finding, they said, may add to our understanding of language disorders, including dyslexia. Scientists have known for some time the location in the brain where speech sounds are interpreted, but little has been discovered about how this process works. Now, in the January 30 edition of Science Express, the fast-tracked online version of the journal Science, the UCSF team reports that the brain does not respond to the individual sound segments known as phonemes — such as the b sound in “boy” — but is instead exquisitely tuned to detect simpler elements, which are known to linguists as “features.” The work may add to our understanding of reading disorders, in which printed words are imperfectly mapped onto speech sounds, said UCSF neurosurgeon and neuroscientist Edward F. Chang, MD, senior author of the new study.
4 | February 6, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
Take the IT Security Challenge! Go to http://awareness.ucsf.edu EVERYONE WINS A PRIZE!
The thief got the phone but not the data.
“Drat! Foiled again!”
Protect UCSF and yourself. Secure your phone and tablet. Smartphones and tablets are targeted by thieves because they are valuable and easy to conceal. They can contain your personal information and UCSF confidential data. Use UCSF’s free service to instantly secure your device. Be smart – go to security.ucsf.edu and use our free tools to protect the UCSF community. Together, we can advance health worldwide - securely.
UCSF IT SECURITY AWARENESS
synapse.ucsf.edu | February 6, 2014 | 5
NEWS
Meet-and-Greet Relieves MEPN Candidates’ Anxieties
Medical Mythbusters
by Jenny Qi
Photo by Sam Lee/MEPN1 First-year MEPN student Matt Reynolds fields questions from MEPN candidates.
By Sam Lee Staff Writer
T
he UCSF School of Nursing’s two-day interview process for hopeful Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) candidates can be a stressful experience. So, in the nursing spirit of care and collaboration, the idea was born by MEPN students three years ago to bring interviewees back on to campus the day after their interviews to answer questions, offer advice and ease anxiety. “The hardest part of the application process is now over,” current (MEPN) students told the anxious MEPN candidates during meet-and-greet sessions held last week. The Nursing Student Council provided food and drinks for the events. UCSF Nursing School’s MEPN is a threeyear program leading to a Master of Science degree in Nursing and is designed for persons without previous nursing preparation
but who hold a bachelor's degree in another field. Graduates of this program are prepared as advanced practice nurses. Emily Seiter, a MEPN candidate applying to be a family nurse practitioner, flew all the way in from Chile for her interview and she appreciated the free breakfast and insights provided by the current students during her smaller breakout session. Current first-year MEPN students recalled the application process last year when life was full of questions and uncertainty. Those who attended last year’s meet-and-greet session found it helped them arrive at a decision about whether or not to attend UCSF. Those who helped out with this year’s meet-and-greet were more than happy to carry on this MEPN student-led tradition. Hopefully it is something that can be paid forward for many more years to come.
Sam Lee is a first-year MEPN student.
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Jenny Qi is a third-year BMS student.
NEWS
Pharmacy School Kicks Off Script Your Future 2014 Challenge By Niki Arab Staff Writer
S
cript Your Future is an annual national campaign and competition among health professional schools to promote medication adherence throughout the month of February. This is the second year the UCSF School of Pharmacy will participate. The school hopes to recruit more individuals from other professional schools at UCSF to join in its patient outreach events. According to Script Your Future statistics, one out of every three Americans never even fill their first prescription and three out of four Americans do not take their medication as directed. Medication is intended to prevent or treat illness, so why would patients not take them? “Many people believe that adhering to medications is simply a matter of remembering,” said Dr. Jennifer Cocohoba, an adviser for the medication adherence challenge. “That’s true in some cases, but there are so many other dimensions to adherence, which can affect adherence. Patients may not like to be reminded of their disease, or may be having side effects, or may not understand how to take their medications properly.” There may also be challenges in obtaining the medications within complex health insurance systems and problems affording medications. “All these factors can play a role in
patients not sticking to their medicines,” added Cocohoba. The national Script Your Future campaign began in 2011, and includes the following competition categories: overall national challenge, target market challenge, health disparities and under-represented community outreach, creative interprofessional team event, and chronic condition outreach. Last year UCSF received honorable mentions. For patient outreach events, the UCSF team is working to promote awareness by speaking individually with patients about their medication usage. The team will be stationed at the Ferry Building every Saturday and still has spots for more student volunteers. In addition, the team is trying to utilize social media to improve its outreach. The social networks include: facebook.com/UCSFhealthyourself, twitter.com/ syfUCSF, and Instagram (username syf_UCSF). Be sure to watch out for the team’s video and medication adherence pledge stickers —maybe on your next cup of coffee — and consider taking the pledge yourself. Be sure to hashtag us (#scriptyourfuture #syfUCSF). If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please contact Niki Arab (P1) the team advisors Jennifer Cocohoba, Pharm.D, and Kirsten Balano, Pharm.D. For more information about the national campaign, please visit www.scriptyourfuture.org.
Niki Arab is a first-year pharmacy student.
FOOD 6 | February 6, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
Dream On » FROM PAGE 3
My Traditional Lunar New Year Away from Home By Steffie Tu
G
rowing up Chinese-American, I found myself caught between two cultures: the American culture I was born into, and the one that I inherited, the Chinese culture. At an early age, my parents taught me to embrace both, but most importantly, to hold onto the good morals and positive celebrations from each culture. Thus, they put me in weekend Chinese school for a couple of years, although I do not recall much. The Lunar New Year was one of the most important celebrations in my family growing up. Not only because it is widely celebrated for centuries around the world, but also because of the customs and traditions behind it and the positive message it brought into our lives. It taught me to value and cherish my family and to respect my elders by remembering to pay respects to my ancestors. Traditionally, families would feast but also leave a portion of it for their ancestors, visiting them at the burial site and burning incense. Since my family burial sites were across the Pacific, we left that part out, but we never forgot to keep them with us during the celebratory dinner. Before everyone gathered for the annual dinner, which occurs before the Chinese New Year’s Day, my family needed to prepare the house for guests. One of these preparations was to thoroughly clean the house. This sig-
nified getting rid of all bad luck and fortune from the year before, and to bring in the good luck from the New Year. Some years my family would make paper ornaments out of red envelopes and hang them around the house, celebrating the good fortune to come in the new year. New Year’s dinner would always be one of the most delicious meals of the year; I would look forward to my grandmother and mother’s cooking for weeks. Everyone in the family would gather; cousins who I had not seen in a year would come, and the dinner table would always be filled with laughter and warm conversations. It is also tradition for the daughters of the family, if married, to return to their parents’ homes as well. The feast always consisted of a variety of meats and seafood; my mom always made sure fish was on the table, which signified fortune and abundance. Another one of my favorite dishes was Shaghainese nian gao, which is a flat sticky noodle, stir fried with vegetables and chicken to perfection. This dish, also known as New Year cake, was traditionally made in my household because its name sounded similar to prosperity and the new year in Chinese. Red envelopes would also be passed out during dinner to the children from the family members. As a child, I would be so excited, as my parents would put in eight dollars, which made me feel rich and excited. Eight was a significant and lucky number, meaning
Photo by Steffi Tu/P1 Jason Barca, a third-year pharmacy student, and girlfriend (not pictured) enjoying a Chinese New Year’s meal of Shanghainese nian gao at China North Dumpling in San Francisco.
that one would hope to bring in wealth for the New Year. After receiving these red envelopes, the children were told to put them under their pillows and to sleep on them. This carried over the good from the last year, and helped start the New Year with good luck and wealth. This year, unfortunately, I did not get to go home to spend the Lunar New Year with my family. However, it did not deter my goal to have a celebratory dinner. My parents always taught me to hold my traditions close to heart, and so my boyfriend and I sought out a restaurant that made Shanghainese nian gao, which it turns out, is a difficult task to do in the heart of San Francisco. Nonetheless, we did end up finding one in Outer Sunset and definitely enjoyed a scrumptious New Year dinner with each other.
and had to start their lives over from scratch — makes it to "the big leagues" and becomes a health care professional. Shoot, isn't that the American Dream? Being a doctor is still a big deal. But at UCSF, is being just a doctor enough? All my peers are doing ground-breaking research, or starting and nurturing organizations to change the world. I should have felt inspired by my peers and my environment to do more. Looking back now, I wish I had changed my outlook during my first three years. I wish I had seen these people as amazing role models, but instead I viewed them as being way out of my league. (You know, like how you try to motivate yourself to work out, but you see Victoria’s Secret models and you know you'll never in any world look like them, and then get discouraged, throw up your hands and think "what's the point?") While in medical school, I stopped being a leader. I stopped being a teacher. I stopped being a mentor — all things that I loved doing, and all things that made me a qualified medical school applicant. I'm writing this because I want to continue to dream, to set goals, to look forward. I want to stop just treading water, doggy-paddling and waiting for something to float by. On the other hand, I don’t want only my profession to define me. I want to be a mother and a wife and be the best I can be in those roles as well. In exploring these unresolved visions of myself, there has been a bit of clarity. I’m not happy unless I’m striving to be better. So I'm telling myself now, Dream On.
Winnie Chan is a third-year medical student.
Steffi Tu is a first-year pharmacy student.
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You can begin training for the career you’ve always dreamed of with financial assistance from the U.S. Army. Through the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)*, you could be eligible to receive a full tuition scholarship for an accredited medical program. The HPSP provides reimbursement for books, laboratory equipment and academic fees. You’ll also receive a sign-on bonus of $20,000 and a monthly stipend of $2,157. During breaks, you’ll have the opportunity to train alongside other members of our health care organization. To learn more, call (650)347-3967 or visit San Mateo Medical Recruiting Center 400 S. El Camino Real, STE 450 San Mateo, CA 94402 Email: usarmy.knox.usarec.list.9e3j@mail.mil www.goarmy.com/amedd.html
*Certain requirements and eligibility criteria apply. ©2013. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved. Information subject to change.
synapse.ucsf.edu | February 6, 2014 | 7
PUZZLES The Weekly Crossword
by Margie E. Burke
9 10 11 12 13 ACROSS 1 Land parcels 15 16 14 5 Long-legged 18 19 17 wader 9 Fats Domino 22 20 21 tune, "Ain't That 23 24 25 a ____" 14 Gumbo veggie 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 15 Raven's haven 34 35 33 16 Ear-related 17 Smear on, as 37 38 36 paint 40 41 39 18 Flooring unit 19 Lengthy lock 44 42 43 20 Startling 45 46 revelation 22 Fit to be tied 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 23 Astronaut's 56 57 55 drink 24 Notion 59 60 58 26 Add to 62 63 61 29 Duck-billed mammal Copyright 2014 by The Puzzle Syndicate 33 Unspoken "I 56 Sad news item 6 Supreme 31 Shoe top dunno" 34 Parishioners 57 Filthy deposit follower 32 Down-and-dirty 35 Big galoot 58 Monopoly 7 Dot on a map 34 Rented property 36 Rain buckets purchase 8 Boil, perhaps 37 Husky's tow 37 Take forcibly 59 Ill-gotten gains 9 Fullness 38 High point 38 Water conduit 60 Extend credit 10 Victory shout 40 Pirate treasure 39 Word after tight 61 Playful water 11 Square footage 41 Look of lechery or tail critter 12 Nautical pole 43 Flirt with sleep 40 Woodworking 62 Say no to 13 Ultimatum word 44 Hit-or-miss 63 Apt to snap 21 Hungry feeling 46 Vidalia veggie tool 41 Like some 25 Postmark part 47 Resound Week of 2/3/14 - 2/9/14 jackets 26 Colorado ski 48 Poetic cave 42 Unnecessary DOWN town 49 Joint ailment 44 Gate guard 1 Ore deposit 27 Conversation 51 Woodwind 45 Ill-mannered 2 Rubber-stamp piece? instrument 46 Uncap, perhaps 3 Test answer 28 Fuddy-duddy 52 Raised, as dogs 47 Goad 4 1942 Hitchcock 29 80's TV sitcom, 53 Breathing 50 Judge's title thriller "Growing ____" apparatus? 55 Three, it's said 5 Have in mind 30 Spotted horse 54 Whirlpool 1
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Edited by Margie E. Burke
Difficulty : Easy
HOW TO SOLVE:
(Answer appears elsewhere in this issue)
Copyright 2014 by The Puzzle Syndicate
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SCIENCE MOM
Top 10 Reasons for Having a Child While in Graduate School By Debbie Ruelas Staff Writer
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here are a lot of reasons why having a child in graduate school is difficult, but on the other hand, it can also be very rewarding. Below is my Top 10 list for why having a kid in grad school at UCSF is awesome:
10. Graduate student insurance. I think my baby literally cost me about $20 out of pocket. All my ultrasounds, check-ups and blood tests were totally covered. 9. Free baby stuff from postdocs and PIs. When I was pregnant (and even now that my kid is older) I had a ton of postdocs and PIs asking if I would like to use their children’s old clothes, strollers, cribs, toys, etc. 8. Access to absorbent pads from lab. Changing diapers can be messy. 7. No competition for PCR machines at 8 a.m. Yes, people with kids get up earlier, but it’s kind of nice having the lab all to yourself early in the morning. 6. Changing poopy diapers makes the mouse-house seem like a walk though a rose garden. 5. Confidence that your colleagues and people around you are vaccinated. With more Bay Area parents opting out of vaccinations for their kids, it’s nice to know that the vast majority your colleagues are in favor of vaccinating their families. 4. Flexibility. I can take time off if my kid is sick, and I can leave work early to take my kid to the pediatrician. Because little children can get sick often, this is a big plus. 3. Greater appreciation for developmental biology. I always considered it schmaltzy when people would talk about the “miracle of birth,” but it really is amazing how one tiny sperm and egg can develop into a perfect human being. 2. Best health care in the world! You can’t beat UCSF when it comes to pre- and post-natal care. 1. Coming home after a day of failed experiments is more fun when you have a kid at home who’s satisfied playing a game of peek-a-boo with you.
Debbie Ruelas is a sixth-year Biomedical Sciences student.
Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham
Solution to Sudoku
www.phdcomics.com
Parnassus Poets Lessons from Cell Culture
III. Heart cells beat spontaneously in a dish when given proper nourishment. IV. Cells become anything with the right factors: molecular inspiration. ~ Anonymous title: "Professed?" - originally published 1/13/2014
8 | February 6, 2014 | synapse.ucsf.edu
Solutions
Solution to Sudoku
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Get a gourmet taste of Italy. panini, insalate, zuppa, hot pasta, gelato, dolci We offer student discounts. Millberry Union, Plaza Level 415.681.9925
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You’re Funding Fun! A portion of every dollar you spend at campus retail vendors helps support Arts & Events at UCSF
You’re Funding Fun! A portion of every dollar you spend at campus retail vendors helps support Arts & Events at UCSF