From the Dean’s Desk | Community Service Enhances Medical Education

At the Lerner College of Medicine, our students consistently demonstrate a strong commitment to serving the community, despite challenging coursework and research projects as well as busy clinic schedules. Their commitment to the community neatly aligns with the reasons why our medical students chose to become physicians in the first place: to serve others and alleviate suffering; to combine scientific discoveries and service; and to be an advocate for others, ensuring that healthcare is equitable.

Here are just two examples of this commitment in action:

• Locally, a group of Case Western Reserve School of Medicine students, including CCLCM students, established the Minority Maternal Health Initiative to help reduce maternal mortality in local women of color. Statistics show that women of color throughout the US are two to three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related problem than white women. According to research, this disparity is driven largely by racism and discrimination, persisting regardless of socioeconomic factors such as education and income. I invite you to learn more about how this student-driven program is advocating for pregnant patients and aiming to reduce maternal mortality in “Tackling Pregnancy-related Disparities in Women of Color.”
• Nearly 8,000 miles away from Cleveland, a group of CCLCM students spent five days in Kenya, educating fifth to eighth grade students on healthcare topics such as mental health and hygiene, and preparing the students to return to their communities so that they can help educate others. The trip was coordinated by two CCLCM students who co-founded the Vito Moja Health Scouts Program, whose mission is to bring health and wellness education to rural Kenyans. Read more about their recent mission trip in “Student-founded Group Brings Healthcare to Rural Kenya.”

I hope these examples of our students’ commitment to community service inspire you. To me, they demonstrate that our students understand that the real work of serving humanity isn’t confined to inside a hospital’s four walls.

Lastly, we are delighted to showcase the work and expertise of CCLCM faculty and students through recent podcasts on the new Cleveland Clinic medical education podcast channel, MedEd Thread. Explore all the episodes available on MedEd Thread including The Impact of the Humanities on Medical School Education, Confronting Student Mistreatment and Neglect and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Medical Education. If you find one of particular interest, I encourage you to share it with colleagues and across your social media channels.

Bud Isaacson, MD
Executive Dean