Homecoming Weekend: October 3rd- 5th, 2019
Alumni Homecoming Weekend, annually held the first weekend of October, has become a key branding opportunity that showcases Charles R. Drew University ' s commitment to diversity and community engagement. Here is a brief recap of the weekend ' s highlights.
COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
School of Nursing Movie Screening: Turning Point Documentary
On Thursday afternoon the Mervyn M. Dymally School of Nursing ' s Alumni Homecoming Event was capped by a screening of the award-winning documentary Tur ning Point. The documentary highlighted the quest for the first medication that that could treat the underlying process of Alzheimer ' s disease. Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson was a featured commentator who reminded the audience that challenging scientific inquiry is always worth the pursuit.
CME Training: The Impact of Violence and Trauma on Health and Healing
Friday ' s Continuing Medical Education training, The Impact of Trauma and Violence on Health and Healing was co-facilitated by CDU COM Dean Deborah Prothrow- Stith, MD and Denese Shervington, MD, MPH, Psychiatry Department Chair and GME Assistant Dean. Both women are nationally recognized trauma and violence subject matter experts.
A key takeaway of the day ' s proceedings affirmed the link between trauma and violence, and geographic a r e a s w h e r e u n e m p l o y m e n t, h e a l t h c a r e underservice, family tragedy, mental health crises, homelessness, and other exigent conditions are perpetually prevalent. Most often, the presenters noted, the staging grounds are in urban communities of color.
The solution? Trauma eradication at the community level through a concerted effort Dr. Shervington termed“ Healing Justice,” a collaboration to promote physical infrastructure improvement, economic opportunity, and repair of trauma-impacted social networks.
In his presentation on The Public Implications Of Violence-View from the Medical Examiner ' s Office, Roger Mitchell, MD, Washington, DC ' s Chief Medical Examiner, effectively delineated the work of the medical examiner who investigates a variety of causes of death. The task is as broad and complex as the causes of death under investigation.
Dr. Mitchell pointedly commented on the pervasive presence of firearms in a city such as DC with strong gun laws. Neighboring states such as Virginia having lax gun laws were a factor, as were so-called loophole purchases at gun shows.
Suicide was also a point of discussion and Dr. Mitchell cited cultural norms that may contribute to incidence of suicide among black men. His recommendations included offering wraparound treatment services; reducing the amount of excessive force police may exert, and working across all sectors of the legal and law enforcement community.
Dr. Richard Allen Williams, Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, presented A Cardiac Response to Emotional Stress and Violence. He cited studies that connected trauma and violence to cardiac trauma. Regarding sudden cardiac death syndrome, he noted the connection between the death of a close friend or relative with emotional and psychological stress, acute grief, personal danger or threat of injury, and loss of self-esteem.
Dr. Williams discussed Takutsubo myopathy, a phenomenon first studied by Japanese researchers. Now known worldwide, the condition was first noted when it was discovered that 90 % of the victims studied were women, believed caused by estrogen release during stress. He noted that the condition occurs in 2 % of all coronary syndrome cases, so it is not rare.
Dr. Williams noted that study of the relationship between trauma and violence and effects on the heart merit a deeper look. No treatment paradigm related to cardiovascular disease exists at present. He recommended that the CDU Urban Health Institute convene a consortium in conjunction with the Association of Black Cardiologists as soon as possible.
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