Health Issues in the African American Community 014:347

CASE: A Brief Overview

The Rutgers Citizenship and Service Education (CASE) program is the student's link to volunteer and internships through out the tri-state area. Whether looking for flexible community service or "real world" experience to compliment academic learning, CASE is the link between the student and the more than 300 local organizations (source: case.rutgers.edu). CASEcombines academic study with community service in an effort to expose students to careers and professions in their field of interest.

Because CASE is a supplement to Health Issues in the African American Community, you will choose a volunteer site where you can gain insight on the profession/s that it entails as well as learn about medical procedures, treatments, therapies and alternatives. If you are interested in the health allied professions, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU!!

Benefits:

1 credit, 4 points added to your GPA A VERY, VERY EASY “A”!

An opportunity to get real world work experience in a field of your interest

You can choose the placement of your choice

There is travel expense reimbursement for qualifying students

You can receive a recommendation from your placement site

All you have to do is:

Dedicate a total of 40 hours a semester, which is the equivalent to about 3-4 hours a week at

your placement site

Keep a journal of your daily experiences at your placement site

Have your supervisor sign your timesheets on a weekly basis (not at the end of the semester)

Submit a 3-page, double spaced final paper at the end of the semester

How?

You can register for this course with a special permission number that will be assigned to

you, should you decide to participate

Attend the CASE Orientation Training Session on Saturday, September 17, 2005 from 8:30

am – 12:00pm at the CollegeAvenueStudentCenter (see blue flyer)

Questions, comments and/or concerns, please contact:

Erika Vela

Health Issues in the African American Community 014:347

Special Topics--CASE Course Description:

The course you are enrolled in, Health Issues in the African American Community, is affiliated with the Rutgers Citizenship and Service Education (CASE) program. By combining academic study with community service, the CASE program offers you the opportunity to get real world work experience and earn one (1) credit at the same time. You can register for this course with a special permission number that I will give you should you decide to participate.

This is an optional course, but please be aware of how valuable it is. Depending on your available method of transportation, you will choose a volunteer site in the area of New Brunswick/Piscataway or Newark where you will complete 40 hours in the semester, which is about 3-5 hours a week. You will have a Supervisor and gain insight on the profession/s that it entails as well as learn about medical procedures, treatments, therapies and alternatives. If you are interested in the health allied professions, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU!!

This is a contract to inform you of my requirements and expectations. If anything seems unclear, you can either email me at or ask me in class on the first day that we meet for the fall.

Course Materials:

Bound Journal Book

Text

Journal Criteria:

Journal entries should address the following aspects of your particular case study.

Doctor Aspect: Shadowing

Each student is required to find a physician or another health care provider in which to “shadow.” The “shadowing” will entail observing the doctor on a weekly basis and keeping a journal of the day’s thoughts, events, and questions. Students are expected to focus on a variety of topics including, but not limited to: (1) the responsibilities of the doctor within the facility, (2) the doctor’s interactions with overall environment, i.e. relationships with other doctors, co-workers, patients, (3) how the doctor is perceived by others, (4) treatment of patients by physician – including both positive and negative aspects, i.e. racial factors, economic factors and, (5) ethical/ moral decision making process.

Patient Aspect

Students should focus on a collective group of patients and observe them. The most productive and effective means of achieving significant results is by volunteering at a hospital or medical facility for a few hours a week. Students should focus on topics such as: (1) approximate percentage of different types of patients based on ethnic background (Hispanic, African American, Asian, etc.), (2) type of disease(s) that these patients have and the treatment that is being received, (3) patients’ opinions of treatments and medical staff, (4) patients’ concerns, fears, apprehensions, (5) patients’ mental and physical condition. Journal entries should focus on these topics and other intriguing observations, thoughts, interviews, and conclusions.

Final Paper:

Each student is required to complete a 3 page typed, double spaced paper on essay on his/her case study experience. In addition the formal, essay style format (background information, notes, facts, statistics), the essay should also address personal revelations. Here are some suggestions:

  • How did this experience affect your decision to work in the medical field?
  • Did this experience make you want to continue to pursue this type of career?
  • What are some of the new perceptions of the medical field and how has it changed your view?

REMEMBER that you are more than welcome to find your own CASE sites in the area in which you choose, so long as you have available the means of transportation needed to travel to and from the location of your choice.

Below please find suggested names of Community Partner Agency, addresses and site supervisors for your individual CASE sites:

  1. New Jersey Women and AIDS Network

5 Elm Row, Ste.112

Aleia Moore, Program Coordinator

Phone 732-846-4462 ext. 103

2.RWJ-University Medical Group-OB/Gyn

125 Paterson St.

New Brunswick, NJ08901

Laurie StaeblerPhone 732-235-8026

Fax 732-235-6650

Email

3.Saint PetersUniversityHospital

254 Easton Avenue

New Brunswick, NJ08901

Elizabeth ManePhone 732-745-8573

4.UMDNJ-RWJMSEricB.ChandlerHealthCenter

125 Paterson St.

Clinical Academic Bldg. Suite 1400

New Brunswick, NJ08901

Spanish-English Interpreting

Nicholas NapoliPhone 732-235-6305

Email

5.The Chai Project

Diana McCague Executive Director

Shane Smith, Office Manager

Phone 732-247-7014

6. The Interfaith Network of Care

Sue Dowling, Executive Director

Phone 732-247-1655

Email

7. Broadway House for Continuing Care

298 Broadway, Newark, NJ07104

Stacey Norris, Programs & Special Events Coordinator

Phone 973-268-9797

8. University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Mittie Simmons

Phone 973-972-4382