Medicine-Minded Fords Get Exposure to Primary Care

Steve Jaharis '82 finds his career as a primary care physician in Winnetka, Ill., infinitely rewarding.“I've often seen several generations of the same family, and I'm the first contact for any problems that arise,” he says.“I like the idea of being a medical ‘home' for my patients.”

In hopes that prospective doctors will be inspired to follow this same path, Jaharis sponsors a number of primary care internships for Haverford students planning to study medicine. Every year since 2000, several students have received stipends to pursue summer internships in settings where primary care is provided to largely underserved populations.

“I want to solidify their enthusiasm for medicine in general,” says Jaharis,“and hope that they will consider specializing in primary care when they finish medical school.”

Interested students are responsible for finding their own opportunities, and then applying for funding--typically during spring semester--through Haverford's pre-health advisor, Michele Taylor. They must also submit a written report of their experiences after completing their internships.

“It's a fantastic opportunity,” says Taylor.“Lots of people become energized about practicing afterwards, and working in underserved areas.”

Four Fords—Ben Amendolara '10, Rebecca Burger-Caplan '10, Bobby Danforth '10—and Amirah Nash '11—served primary care internships this past summer. Amendolara interned at Lourdes Center for Public Health in Camden, N.J., and helped set up a telemedicine program for diabetics.

Nash worked with Philadelphia FIGHT, a non-profit organization that provides primary care, education and outreach to people at risk for HIV/AIDS. During her time there, she assisted with activities during AIDS education month, volunteered at the reception desk of a clinic, and helped with events such as the Prison Healthcare and Reentry Summit. A highlight of her experience was a luncheon at a local Italian restaurant for women affected by HIV and AIDS, who discussed their management of the disease.“It was incredible getting to know the women and hearing about all of the different things they've been through,” she says.

Danforth split his summer between the Family Practice Clinic in Waco, Texas, and Glide Health Services in San Francisco's Tenderloin district. At the Family Practice Clinic, Danforth observed basic check-ups and obstetrician visits.“I tried not to obsess too much with details and focused more on the doctor-patient interaction,” he says,“so as to develop a sense of how to approach patients later in life.”

At Glide, he became involved in the organization's HIV-prevention activities. He was impressed, he says, by how doctors encouraged a sense of empowerment in individuals with severe health issues.“I hope that I can retain that focus on the patient, and the sense of compassion, that I observed at Glide,” he says.

Burger-Caplan traveled the furthest afield, interning with Ghana Unite for Sight, which works to improve eye health and eliminate preventable blindness. Each day, Burger-Caplan traveled to remote villages to help doctors conduct educational outreach, take patient histories, provide glasses and eye drops, and refer patients for free surgeries in ophthalmology clinics. She also did her own research on self-perception among people with varying degrees of visual capacity. As part of her project, she had her patients create self-portraits using drawing materials and a small mirror.

“Many children in Ghana work rather than attend school, and often did not know how to draw or even hold a pencil or crayon,” says Burger-Caplan.“It was wonderful to watch them, working so hard and creating images that were truly beautiful.

“The experience,” she adds,“reinforced my commitment to pursuing a career in medicine.”

-Brenna McBride