There were several opportunities for hands on learning, from the dissection of a pig heart with an amazing team of cardiologists and heart surgeons from California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, to typing their own blood at Dameron Hospital. Students were able to visit Shriners Hospitals for Children and engage in “medical play” with the patients, a day that never ceases to be among one of the most intense but powerful days of the program. Since the program’s inception, I would argue that this is one of the most valuable educational tools that we have in San Joaquin County. Due to the time-intensive nature of medical school and the road to becoming a full-fledged
doctor, we are just now beginning to reap the rewards from this program, which began in 2001. There currently are a several residents who are Decision Medicine products, and more alumni who are in Medical School at this very moment, planning on eventually making their way back to their roots to give back to the community that raised them. It is these immersive, hands-on, inspiring educational experiences that give students the necessary drive to achieve their goals in all fields, and Decision Medicine has proven yet again to be a key player in the effort to gain high quality, homegrown physicians for San Joaquin County.
HPSJ Health Careers Scholarships Decision Medicine Students Honored HPSJ Chief Medical Officer Lakshmi Dhanvanthari, MD, (center) presented $2,500 HPSJ Health Careers Scholarships to DM 2016 graduates Crystal Torres (left), attending UCLA, and Si Jie Tang (right), attending Yale, at the August 7 ceremony at Stockton Golf and Country Club. They were joined by HPSJ-DM program mentors HPSJ Chief Information Officer Cheron Vail (far left) and HPSJ Project Management Director Fran Hattner (far right). Dr. Dhanvanthari said, “We are proud to recognize your outstanding academic achievements and the commitment you have demonstrated to service in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. We have faith in the potential you continue to show and we join with your family, as well as your teachers and friends, to support your efforts as you pursue your health career higher education goals.”
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SAN JOAQUIN PHYSICIAN
FALL 2016