University of connecticut Health center

HPPI

This year has been a tremendous year for theDepartment of Health Career Opportunity Programs.

The impact of these programs on helping students real-ize their dreams of becoming health professionals is seenin many different ways. This year all graduating seniorsparticipating in the high school Aetna Health ProfessionsPartnership Initiative (Aetna HPPI) Saturday Academywere accepted into a four-year college.

We had over 200 middle school, high school and col-lege students participating in our 2011 Aetna HPPISummer Programs sponsored by the Department ofHealth Career Opportunity Programs (HCOP). Duringthe academic year 2011-2012, we anticipate over1,000 students participating in our after-school, partnerhigh schools, Aetna HPPI Saturday Academy and collegeprograms. Early exposure to the various fields in the bio-medical sciences will ultimately increase the diverse poolof students who pursue careers in medicine.

HCOP is an integral part of the Schools of Medicine,Dental Medicine and Graduate educational communityat the UConn Health Center. The Schools of Medicine,Dental Medicine and the Biomedical Graduate Programare actively committed to the recruitment, retention andgraduation of diverse medical, dental, and graduate stu-

dents who are capable of providing culturally competenthealth care.

The Aetna HPPI Programs and activities are designed,coordinated and implemented through this department.They have proven to be top-notch because the under-represented students who have successfully completedtheir undergraduate degrees have actualized their goalsof entering medical, dental and graduate school. It is forthis reason that the programs and activities sponsoredthrough the HCOP Department are recognized as anational model. To date, we have accomplished ourgoals and continue to develop new programs and fine-tune existing ones.

I would like to thank our entire faculty, staff and studentsat the Health Center and partner institutions for theirdedication and support of these programs. I would alsolike to thank all of our funders for their continued finan-cial support of our programs. A special recognition goesto the legislators of the State of Connecticut who haveprovided Aetna HPPI with state funds to support some ofour existing programmatic initiatives. We are also verygrateful to Dr. Peter Lopez for his generous gift thatestablished an endowed scholarship in support of ourprograms.

Vol. 12, No. 2 • october, 2011

pipeline

Welcome from…

Marja M. Hurley, M.D.Professor of MedicineAssociate Dean & DirectorHealth Career Opportunity Programs University of Connecticut Health Center

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Read about the Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative and Pipeline programs at:

www.hcop.uchc.edu

Aetna HPPI

the year has been very exciting with the many pro-grams and activities that the HCOP Department

sponsors. Interest among students, parents and edu-cators alike has been increasing. We have visitedmany middle and high schools as well as collegesand universities throughout the State of Connecticut.We have also visited a few colleges in Rhode Island,Massachusetts and Georgia.

We held discussions with some additional middleschools that are interested in our Great Explorationsafter-school middle school program and we hope toadd a few more during the next academic year. Wealso held discussions with several organizations thatare interested in collaborating with the department inthe activities.

During our annual Upward Bound Conference inDecember, students and counselors from theGranville Academy participated for the first time. Thisyear also saw an increase in the number of studentsparticipating in our annual Bridge to the FutureScience Mentoring Conference.

We had over 500 students participating in our summerand academic year programs. We interacted withnumerous additional students during recruitment andinformational sessions. It pleases me to see such alarge number of students excited about the health sci-ences and careers in the health professions. I am grate-ful to the many individuals who have contributed to thesuccess of the programs.

During the past year, the HCOP Department has addedtwo new staff members - Michelle Thomas and MarlynDavila. I would like to welcome them to the department.

As we prepare for another year, I must acknowledge theparents, guardians and students of the programs fortheir firm commitment. A special thank you also to Dr.Hurley and the HCOP staff, faculty and other profes-sionals here at the Health Center and the larger com-munity who have volunteered their time to mentor andinteract with the participants in our programs, Dr. DavidWilliams and Dr. Menard of the Greater Hartford cam-pus, Dr. Lee Aggison Jr., and Dr. Ruth Washington at theStorrs campus for their invaluable help.

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A note from…

Granville Wrensford, Ph.D., c.r.A.Assistant Dean & Associate DirectorHealth Career Opportunity Programs University of Connecticut Health Center

Summer 2011Aetna HPPI Academy Staff

(Greater Hartford campus)

University of connecticut Health center

Dr. Wrensford and his staff would like to thank Dr. Menardand his staff at the University of Connecticut,

Greater Hartford Campus.

Mr. Keith Carter, M.H.R.Community Based EducationalSpecialist and Aetna HPPIAcademy ProgramCoordinator.

Ms. Cecilia Ortega & Mr. Adrian HowellPeer Counselors.

Ms. Judy Abogunde & Mr. Mark MontalvoPeer Counselors.

Ms. Shaneca NapierLead Peer Counselor.

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University of connecticut Health center

Dr. Kevon Rennie was born inTrinidad and Tobago where hegraduated from PresentationCollege, San Fernando, Trinidad.He arrived in the United States inJanuary 2005 to attend college atFlorida A&M University, where in2007 he earned his bachelor’sdegree in Biochemistry. He is cur-rently completing his GeneralPractice Residency Program atDanbury Hospital, where he serves

mainly minority populations. His goal is to continue workingwith underserved populations in the future.

Dr. Rennie’s first contact with HCOP came in the summer of2007 when he was selected as a candidate for the SummerResearch Fellowship Program. Because of his strong pledge togive back to the programs, Dr. Rennie worked intimately forseveral years during dental school as a mentor with the studentsof the Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative Academy.His contributions to the programs are above and beyondexpectation.

Dr. Rennie recalls that his best HCOP experience was mentor-ing and teaching the Junior Doctors Academy students. Hestates, “I discovered a joy for reaching out to the younger stu-dents and inspiring them to do great things, regardless of theirbackground or situations in life.” He leaves the following wordsof advice and encouragement to all up-and-coming studentsinterested in the health professions. “Don't give up. Never giveup. The road ahead may be difficult at times but keep the faith,believe in yourself, surround yourself with others that believe inyou and keep your eye on the prize.”

Dr. Rennie wishes to recognize the following people as the mostinfluential people who contributed to making his dream a real-ity: Dr. Marja Hurley for believing in him and giving him theopportunities to challenge himself and allowing him to grow intothe person he knew he could become; Dr. Sarita Arteaga for hercontinued support and driving him to be the best he could be;and Dr. Cynthia Hodge for helping him carve out a career pathand setting his dreams of becoming a dentist in motion.

He would like to express gratitude to all of his professors,

including Dr. Yvonne Grimm-Jorgensen for taking the time tohelp him through the tough classes; Dr. Ellen Eisenberg forteaching him the power of questions and to never stop askingquestions until a complete answer is given; and Dr. Melissa Ingfor being patient, kind, and supportive through his tough clini-cal years. Above all, he would like to thank his family andfriends for the unswerving support throughout the years.

Born in Jamaica and emigratingto the United States at the age ofthree, Shaneca Napier remem-bers being moved from place toplace without knowing how longit would be before her familywould find a place they couldsomeday call home. This was notsomething she enjoyed, but at ayoung age she discovered shecould create positive experiences

out of her harsh environment.

Napier participated in the Aetna HPPI Academy, where shemet a very inspiring person, Petra Clark-Dufner, who pos-sessed the educational influence she longed for. “If it was notfor the love and support Mrs. Clark-Dufner had shown me Idon’t know how I would have found the strength to continuemy fight,” says Napier. She has never forgotten the positivereinforcements she gained during the years she participatedas a student in the Aetna HPPI Academy. Napier’s involve-ment with the Aetna HPPI Academy extends over seven years.Whether it was participating in the various programs offeredby the pipeline, or lending a helping hand she always foundherself giving back to the same programs that helped her.

She is currently the lead peer counselor with the Aetna HPPIAcademy and holds her position with the highest esteem. OnMay 8, 2011 Napier received her Bachelor of Science inAllied Health Sciences from the University of Connecticut. Herfuture plans are to pursue a master’s degree in Public Healthand Nursing. Napier says “Being a first generation college

Congratulations to...

Kevon Rennie, D.M.D.Dentist, Dental Student, Mentor

Shanica Napier, B.S.Formerly a Jumpstart Student, Now UConn Alumna

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graduate is an accomplishment, but my conscience will notallow me to settle for a bachelor’s degree, and I definitely willnot be fulfilling my destiny with the completion of a master’sdegree. Education is very important in today’s fast pacedeconomy and I seek to acquire as much knowledge as possi-ble. I must also continue to set the pace for the rest of myfamily who shall follow in my footsteps; meaning I must takelarge steps and leave deep impressions so that they willunderstand the adversity I had to overcome.”

Ms. Lekesha Williams began hereducational journey in Anderson,South Carolina, where she grad-uated from T. L. Hanna HighSchool in 2001. She receivednumerous academic awards,including being named GatesMillennium Scholar, Clemson/Coca-Cola Scholar, top minoritystudent graduate, and Who’sWho Among America’s HighSchool Students. She earned her

Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from ClemsonUniversity in 2006. While pursuing her high school and col-lege education, she found ways to combine her love for thesciences with her drive to help underrepresented and disad-vantaged youth succeed at life. Williams began her journeywith the Aetna HPPI Academy via Kaplan where she contin-ues to work as a program coordinator and liaison for theAetna HPPI Academy. Prior to her work with the HCOPDepartment, Williams provided similar academic enrichmentto K-5th grade students in South Carolina, and K-12th gradestudents in Tennessee.

In 2011, Williams received her Master of Science inNeuroscience from the University of Hartford. She plans tocontinue to be a positive influence in the lives of youths,including the bright students in the Aetna HPPI Academy.Ultimately her plans are to pursue a Medical DoctorateDegree, specializing in pediatric neurology. She looks for-ward to continuing her service towards helping young under-representative individuals navigate through diversity andaccomplish their educational dreams.

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Lekesha Williams, M.S.Friend, Supporter, and former Aetna HPPI AcademyPeer Counselor, Now a 2011 Graduate ofNeuroscience

congratulations Senior

Doctors Academy Graduates

2010-2011 Academic Year

� Addison, Dajee � Almonte, Megan

� Brady, Kyle � Brennan, Daniel

� Burge, Alison � Edwards, Robert

� Garcia, Lilliana � Garcia, John

� Gomes, Rosemarie � Griffiths, Nnyeko

� Haynes, Nicola � Headley, Jarrett

� James, Dante � Lor, Joshua

� Mendoza, Diana � Miller, Marissa

� Mitchell, Meadeshia � Montero, Katerina

� Pawshuk, William � Valentine, Anthony

� Walker, Serika

Congratulations toOur Mentors

University of connecticut Health center

Medical and Dental School

2011 Graduates

� Kevon Rennie, D.M.D.

� Yuriy May, D.M.D.

� Anya Rappoport-Rost, D.M.D.

� Robert Claycomb, M.D./Ph.D.

� Tariq Lescouflair, M.D.

Sharon and Peter lopez

endowed Scholarship established

Dr. Peter Lopez, an orthopedic surgeon in Tampa, Florida anda UConn School of Medicine Alumnus, has donated a gift of$25,000 in support of the Health Career OpportunityPrograms activities.

The gift established the Sharon and Peter Lopez EndowedScholarship. This is a merit and need based scholarship forstudents, with priority given to students from underrepresent-ed populations. Dr. Lopez was also the keynote speaker at thesummer closing ceremonies on July 22, 2011 (see story onpage 14).

A Returning Face…Former Aetna HPPI

Academy Student

Now a Uconn

Student

The Aetna HPPI Academy wel-comed one of their own backduring the academy’s closingceremony. Faith Crittenden, anAetna HPPI Academy graduatewho is now enrolled at the

University of Connecticut, took a break from college life todeliver a message of hope and encouragement to the stu-dents. Crittenden is a Connecticut native who graduatedfrom Metropolitan Learning Center in Bloomfield. While inhigh school, she earned several awards and certificationsincluding, Red Cross certified life guard and three varsity let-ters in swimming. She was the president of the MetropolitanLearning Center National Honor Society, served as an in-school ambassador for exchange students, and served on thestudent leadership committee. She also managed to findenough time in her busy schedule to volunteer, assisting theschool medical official to broaden her own understanding ofthe medical field. Crittenden received honors of distinctionwhile at Metropolitan Learning Center. She was a NationalAP Scholar, a Capitol Scholars Award recipient, and herbiggest honor, a 2010 Gates Millennium Scholarship awardrecipient. She enjoys playing jazz and classical flute, is anavid reader, and loves to knit and crochet.

Crittenden received acceptance letters from QuinnipiacUniversity and the University of Hartford to name a few butshe followed her heart and decided to attend the University ofConnecticut where she is majoring in Chemistry with a minorin Molecular and Cell Biology.

2011Award RecipientsJohn and Valerie rowe Scholarship

Each year, the Department of Health Career OpportunityPrograms provides scholarships in the form of book awardsto students from the Aetna HPPI Academy who will enroll asfreshmen at the University of Connecticut. The 2011 Johnand Valerie Rowe book awards recipients were announced atthe May 5 closing ceremony of the Aetna HPPI Academy.They are John Garcia and Jarrett Headley. Both recipientsparticipated in numerous high school programs sponsored bythe Health Careers Opportunity Programs.

Friends of the Department of Health

career opportunity Programs

Scholarship Fund

In honor of Dr. Boake Plessy’s con-tributions, the UConn Health Centerhas established a scholarship fundthat will be used to support educa-tional enhancement for studentswho participated in Aetna HPPIAcademy and are planning to con-tinue their education at the post-secondary level. The Friends of theDepartment of Health CareerOpportunity Programs Scholarshipwas awarded to William Pawshuk onMay 4, 2011 at the Academic YearRecognition Closing Ceremony.

Community Award RecipientsThe HCOP department is also proud of two of our own,Dajee Addison and Mubera Becirovic, who are recipients ofThe Jacob L. and Lewis Fox Foundation Scholarship.Congratulations to both of them for this well-deserved award.

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To contribute to these funds, or for more infor-mation about philanthropy to support theHealth Center, please call Dina Plapler, VicePresident for Development,at 860-679-1122.

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In the Spotlight...

Every student has at leastone teacher in their

daily life who influencesthem and the students ofthe Sport and MedicalSciences Academy (SMSA)are no exception. Biologyteacher Caryn Baseler con-tinues to build brighter

futures for her students.

Baseler, who serves as the Science AcademicTeam Leader and Freshman Team Leader, joinedthe SMSA team in 2008, the same year theHCOP Programs transferred to SMSA. She hasbeen involved with the HCOP Departmentthrough the 9th and 10th grade College SciencePartnership Program. She credits the HCOPDepartment for a number of her students’achievements, such as improvement in their laband research skills. According to Baseler, theschool’s science CAPT scores have steadily beenimproving as a result of student participation inthe HCOP program. A number of her studentshave received awards to assist them with collegeas well. Baseler feels proud when the students areparticipating. She said that she can see the sparkigniting, creating excitement and interest amongthe students.

For her outstanding service to the Aetna HPPIPrograms as well as at her school, Baselerreceived the Department of Health CareerOpportunity Programs Recognition Award duringthe program’s 2011 Aetna HPPI ClosingCeremony. Baseler shares this honor with Dr.Joshua Beebe who also received recognition forhis outstanding contribution to the Aetna HPPIand the students of SMSA.

Great explorations

The GreatE x p l o r a t i o n sProgram is anafter-school pro-gram designed toprovide extracur-ricular activities inmath, science,and languagearts to 7th and8th grade middleschool students.

Students participating in the Great Explorations Program arecurrently enrolled in one of six Hartford public middle schools,Bellizzi, Greater Hartford Academy of Mathematics andScience, Jumoke Academy, Kennelly, Naylor, and Sport andMedical Sciences Academy. Great Explorations offers a four-week summer academic enrichment program for approximate-ly 35 rising 7th and 8th grade participants. The program isheld at the Greater Hartford Academy of Mathematics andScience. Students receive instruction in math, science, and lan-guage arts. The Great Explorations Program targets any racial-ly ethnic group.

Aetna HPPI Academy

The AetnaH e a l t hPr o f e s s i o n sPa r t n e r s h i pI n i t i a t i v eA c a d e m y(Aetna HPPIAcademy) isdesigned toprovide edu-c a t i o n a lopportunities

which may not be available to a number of Connecticut highschool students. The purpose of the Aetna HPPI Academy is toprovide access and preparation to students interested in healthprofessions who come from backgrounds where they are thefirst in their family to earn a four-year degree, come from mod-est family means, and/or are from backgrounds traditionallyunderrepresented in healthcare. Students participating in theAetna HPPI Academy are generally recruited from the Hartfordarea schools and have chosen to pursue careers in the healthprofessions. The Aetna HPPI Academy students aspire tobecome doctors, dentists, bio-medical research scientists, phar-macists, and/or nurses.

Ms. Caryn BaselerSport and Medical Sciences AcademyBiology Teacher

Enrichment Programs...

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The Aetna HPPI Academy has two major components: the sum-mer program and the academic-year program. Both compo-nents are offered at the University of Connecticut GreaterHartford campus. The summer and academic year programsare designed to advance students' academic skill levels in math,science and language arts. The programs promote personalgrowth through extracurricular experiences designed to helpstudents develop the skills necessary to succeed in the Pre-Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), the Scholastic Aptitude Test(SAT), and the American College Test (ACT) testing.

High School Mini Medical/Dental School

Seminar Series

The HighSchool MiniM e d i c a l /D e n t a lS c h o o lS e m i n a rSeries offerseight to tenweekly lec-tures anddemonstra-tions pre-sented by

faculty members of the University of Connecticut Schools ofMedicine and Dental Medicine. Topics include molecular biol-ogy, pharmacology, cardiology, oncology, and dental medicine.Participants of the High School Mini Medical/Dental SchoolSeminar Series are eleventh and twelfth grade students who arein state residents and selected by their school guidance coun-selors or science teachers. All students have shown a stronginterest in pursuing careers in medicine, dental medicine and thebiological sciences. Sessions are also broadcast live to highschools throughout the State of Connecticut. For more informa-tion contact Anna Curtin at 860-679-3484.

college Science Partnership

More than 100 students from Sport and Medical SciencesAcademy participated in the 2010-2011 College SciencePartnership Series sponsored by the Health CareerOpportunity Programs. Under the leadership of Dr. KathyMartin-Troy (Molecular Biological Sciences Department atCentral Connecticut State University) students participated infive biology and chemistry labs at Central Connecticut StateUniversity.

epidemiology

The Epidem -iology Program, aseries of five pro-grams, was heldfor seniors fromSport andMedical SciencesAcademy (SMSA)to introduce basicconcepts and ter-minology used in

the study of epidemiology. Under the direction of Dr. ScottWetstone and Dr. Richard Stevens, the program provided anintroduction to general epidemiology as well as descriptive,applied, and analytical epidemiology and screening. Twelve11th and 12th graders attended sessions at the UniversityConnecticut Health Center on two occasions and Dr.Wetstone and Dr. Stevens visited SMSA on three occasions.

teens as teachers

The Universityof ConnecticutSchool ofM e d i c i n e ,Principles ofC l i n i c a lM e d i c i n ecourse (PCM)is the clinicaltraining com-ponent for

medical students. The course helps students prepare for the clin-ical aspects of medicine by training them in history taking, phys-ical examination, utilization of community resources and com-munity collaboration for improved patient care.

Part of the course involves training on adolescent health.Medical students learn about the importance and specializedaspects of the adolescent history, and practice their skills withreal teens recruited from the Sport and Medical SciencesAcademy who act as patient instructors. The medical studentsthen receive feedback on their performance from the adoles-cent patient instructors. The participating adolescents are givenhealth education workshops and training, and are invited to theHealth Center for lunch and a tour.

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High School Student research

Apprenticeship Program (HSSrAP)

S e v e n t e e nstudents hadthe opportu-nity to be apart of ar e s e a r c hteam andlearn labora-tory tech-niques in the2011 HSS-

RAP Summer Program. As part of the 2011 program, eightstudents commuted daily to Central Connecticut StateUniversity and nine students commuted daily to UConnHealth Center for their research project. At the end of thesummer each student gave an oral presentation of theirresearch results during a special research symposium.

Pre-college enrichment Program

The Pre-C o l l e g eEnr ichmentProgram is asix-week resi-d e n t i a lenr ichmentprogram fori n c o m i n gstudents atthe Universityof Connec -

ticut Storrs campus. Designed to provide solid developmentof scientific, mathematical, communications, problem-solv-ing, and test-taking skills, it is intended to enhance the col-lege preparedness of freshmen students. It allowed the stu-dents to experience life on a college campus prior to theirmatriculation in the fall. This past summer, 13 students par-ticipated in either an academic track or a research track.Students in the academic track concentrated on academiccourses, while those on the research track completed aresearch project. All participants also engaged in numerousenrichment activities at the Health Center.

college enrichment Program

The College Enrichment Program is designed for collegesophomores. The program’s curriculum focus on critical mathand science skills needed for success. A total of six studentsare selected annually to participate in this program. The pro-

gram is held at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Inaddition to academic preparation, students participate inweekly enrichment lectures at the UConn Health Center.

Medical/Dental Preparatory Program

Medical/ DentalP r e p a r a t o r yProgram stu-dents are select-ed from variousu n i v e r s i t i e sthroughout thecountry to workon academicskills and foun-dation as well

as on preparation for the MCAT or DAT examination. A totalof forty participants are bussed daily to the University ofConnecticut Health Center for classes, guest lectures andenrichment programs. The Medical/Dental PreparatoryProgram is housed at Central Connecticut State University.

Summer research Fellowship Program

The SummerR e s e a r c hF e l l o w s h i pProgram is an i n e - w e e kresearch enrich-ment experiencedesigned forcollege sopho-mores, juniors,seniors, and

recent graduates who are interested in a career in medicine,dental medicine or biomedical research and for applicantswho have completed some college coursework in biologyand chemistry (preferably through organic chemistry). In thesummer of 2011 a total of ten students participated in theprogram. A faculty sponsor is identified for each student.Faculty develops and makes available suitable projectdescriptions. The student contacts his/her faculty sponsor inApril or May and develops a research protocol. MinorityAccess to Research Careers (MARC) students are encouragedto apply. Students devote approximately 30 hours per week ofwork on a research project and 10 hours per week of clinicalexperience.

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clinical Summer research

Fellowship Program

The ClinicalS u m m e rR e s e a r c hF e l l o w s h i pProgram is a six-week clinicalenrichment expe-rience designedfor rising colleges o p h o m o r e s ,juniors, seniors

or recent graduates. In the summer of 2011 a total of six stu-dents participated in the program. The program is designed toprovide the following: clinical research and enrichment experi-ences, an introduction to health disparities across cultures, prin-ciples of clinical medicine, public health research and interven-tions, an overview of cultural definitions, public health issues,and discussions of specific techniques for working with diversepopulations in community settings.

Parental Seminar Series

The fall Parental Seminar Series is designed for parents orguardians of scholars enrolled in the Aetna HPPI Academy.Guest speakers are from the UConn Health Center and theUniversity of Connecticut. The University of ConnecticutGreater Hartford campus hosts the event. Topics are chosenbased on the interest of the parents or guardians. Each fall,participants complete a survey indicating topics and areas ofinterest. The topics are divided into two general areas: healthrelated topics and college admissions topics. This past yearthe health related topics and speakers included: Dr. Beatriz E.Tendler, Assistant Professor at the UConn Health Center whospoke on diabetes, hypertension, and sodium and Dr. WilmerSamson, Assistant Professor at the UConn Health Center whospoke on blood pressure, hypertension, and stroke indicators.

An overwhelming sentiment among the participants was theneed for additional information on the college admissionsprocess and financing college education. Dennis Seymour,from the UConn Undergraduate Admissions, GreaterHartford campus, and Jillian Baird-Burnett, from the Office ofAdmission at Wesleyan University, provided valuable informa-tion on college admissions financial aid and completing theFree Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Foradditional information please contact the Office of FinancialAid at www.financial aid.uconn.edu.

college lecture Series

The Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative offers aseries of lectures from different health care providers at theUniversity of Connecticut Greater Hartford campus and Storrscampus. The lecture series is geared towards students with aninterest in health professions.

This past academic year, speakers included Dr. EdwardThibodeau, Associate Dean for Dental Admissions at UConnHealth Center, who spoke about admissions to dental school;Dr. Barbara Kream, Professor of Medicine and Director of thecombined M.D./Ph.D. Program, who spoke about admissionsto the program; Dr. Jeffrey Gross, Chairman, Departmentof Anesthesiology, Professor of Anesthesiology andPharmacology at the University of Connecticut School ofMedicine who spoke about anesthesiology; Dr. GranvilleWrensford, Assistant Dean and Associate Director, HCOP,who spoke about preparing for graduate and professionalschool.

For additional information, please contact Keith Carter at860-679-8031.

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2011 bridge conference

The 2011 annual Bridgeto the Future ScienceMentoring Conferencewas held on Saturday,April 9, with approximately170 high school and col-lege students participating.The students were fromdiverse backgrounds. Theywere brought together withUConn Health Center fac-

ulty, staff, medical, dental and graduate students to interact in aseries of activities to raise awareness about health and biomedicalscience careers and the admissions process for medical, dental,and graduate schools. The HCOP Department, the University ofConnecticut Chapter of the Student National Medical Association,Student National Dental Association and the Hispanic StudentDental Association Chapters sponsored the conference. The Jackand Valerie Rowe Health Professions Scholars Program Fund alsosupported the conference.

Enrichment activities for high school students included presenta-tions on preparing for a career in the health professions and sur-gery by Dr. Linda Barry and cardiology by Dr. Peter Schulman.There was also a college admissions panel from UConn Storrs,UConn School of Pharmacy, Spelman College in Atlanta,Georgia and Central Connecticut State University who providedthe students with valuable information. Led by a group of med-ical students, the high school students also participated in some hands-on activities such as recording blood pressure and surgi-

cal suturing. College students who participated in enrichment seminars learned about the admissions process for graduate,medical and dental programs offered at the University ofConnecticut Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine.

The college students participated in a mock admissions processwhere they served as potential Admissions Committee evaluators.Student participants ranked prospective applicants based on theiracademic profiles, letters of recommendation and DAT/MCATscores. Led by facilitators, the participants engaged in discussionsand activities similar to the admissions committees at the HealthCenter. This process helped the students better understand whatadmissions committees are looking for in qualified candidates.

For a second year in a row the Dental Impressions Program forcollege students interested in dental medicine was held. This pro-gram consisted of a series of information sessions specificallyrelated to dentistry, in addition to several hands on activities suchas taking dental impressions and touring the dental labs at theHealth Center. Approximately 60 college students participated inthis component of the conference.

Both the high school and college students had an opportunity tolisten to personal anecdotes from students currently enrolled atthe University of Connecticut Schools of Medicine, DentalMedicine and the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences.The medical, dental and graduate students shared their progres-sion through their respective health professions school andallowed the high school and college students to ask questions.This was a very informative dialog for all participants.

2010 Upward bound conference

The Department of Health Career Opportunity Programs held itsannual Upward Bound Conference on Saturday, December 11,2010 at the University of Connecticut Health Center. The confer-ence is held annually for students in the Upward Bound Programfrom the UConn Storrs campus. Joining the Upward Bound stu-dents this year were 32 high school students and nine adult vol-unteers of the Granville Academy of Waterbury.

A total of 70 high school students participated in various healthrelated activities. Ninth and tenth grade students listened to pre-sentations from Sherry-Ann Brown, an MD/PhD student, whospoke about medical lessons learned. Keisha Ashe spoke aboutdiscovery in research and her path to graduate research. Ashe is

a graduate student conducting research in the laboratories ofDr. Cato Laurencin.

While the ninth and tenth graders were interacting with Brown andAshe, the eleventh and twelfth grade participants were busy con-ducting dental forensics on a “crash scene” led by Dr. MichaelGoupil. A team of dental students guided the participants in aseries of activities that enabled them to identify “crash victims”through dental forensics.

The conference concluded with a panel of Health Center medical,dental, and graduate students answering participants’ questions.

Dr. Courtney Hayes answeringquestions posed by the participants.

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Bridge to the FutureScience Mentoring Conference

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Alumna Dr.Tamara Gravely-GriffinOn April 9, the annual Bridge ToThe Future Science MentoringPrograms Confer ence was heldfor approximately 170 highschool and college students at theUniversity of Health Center. Thekeynote speaker was TamaraGravely-Griffin, D.M.D., M.S.During the summer of 1993; Dr.Gravely-Griffin was a participantin the Medical/Dental Prepar atoryProgram. She received herD.M.D. from the University of

Connecticut School of Dental Medicine in 2000. During den-tal school, Dr. Gravely-Griffin was very active in communityservice projects and conducted research in the laboratory ofDr. Marja Hurley, at which time she developed an interest inacademic dentistry. In 2003, she completed a residency inEndodontics at Baylor College of Dentistry – the Texas A&MUniversity System Health Science Center in Dallas, Texas,where she received a Certificate in Endodontics and M.S. inHealth Professions Education. In 2001, she was a recipient ofthe American Association of Endodontics Educator Fellowship.Her most recent academic appointment was at MeharryMedical School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee, where sheserved as Chair of Endodontics. Formerly, Dr. Gravely-Griffinwas a full time faculty member at the University of TennesseeHealth Science Center College of Dentistry in Memphis,Tennessee. Currently, she is in private practice at Charter OakEndodontics in Dickson, Tennessee. Dr. Gravely-Griffin heldseveral University appointments including Assistant Professorand Chair, Department of Endodontics, Meharry MedicalCollege School of Dentistry; Assistant Professor, Division ofEndodontics, Department of Biologic and Diagnostic Sciences,University of Tennessee College of Dentistry. Dr. Gravely-Griffincurrently works at Charter Oak Endodontics in Tennessee.

Alumnus Dr. Ronald BirminghamOn May 4, the closing cere-monies were held for the 100participants of the JumpstartProgram, Junior DoctorsAcademy, and Senior DoctorsAcademy. The keynote speakerwas Ronald Birmingham, D.M.D.Dr. Birmingham became involvedwith programs sponsored by theDepartment of Health CareerOpportunity Programs during thesummer of 2000. He participatedin numerous enrichment pro-

grams over his high school and college career. The summer of2000, he worked in the lab of Peter Setlow, Ph.D. as a partici-pant in the High School Student Research Apprentice Program(HSSRAP). On August 4, 2000, he presented on “The Effectsof a Transcription Factor on Bacillus Subtilus Spore Resistanceto Stress” at the HSSRAP Symposium and Fifth AnnualCommencement. After graduation from high school and priorto matriculating at college, Dr. Birmingham participated in the2001 Pre-College Enrichment Program on the University ofConnecticut Storrs campus. During college, he participated inthe 2002 College Enrichment Program, 2004 and 2006Medical/Dental Preparatory Program BMS Track, and the 2005Medical/Dental Preparatory Program DAT Prep Track.Dr. Birmingham graduated from the University of Connecticutin 2005 with a degree in Physiology and Neurobiology.During the summer of 2007, between his first and second yearof dental school, he served as a tutor for the participants in theMedical/Dental Preparatory Program DAT Prep Track. Of theseven students he tutored, six are attending dental school. In2010 Dr. Birmingham received his D.M.D. from the Universityof Connecticut Health Center School of Dental Medicine.Dr. Birmingham received his Doctorate of Dental MedicineMay of 2010, receiving the Health Careers Mentorship Award.He is currently completing a General Practice ResidencyProgram at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in Bronx, New Yorkand looks forward to returning to Connecticut.

Alumni Speakers for the Aetna Health Professions

Partnership Initiative bridge to the Future

Science Mentoring conference and Summer closing ceremonies

Alumnus Dr. Peter LopezOn July 22, Peter Lopez, M.D., wasthe keynote speaker at the closingceremonies for various collegesummer enrichment programs.Dr. Lopez attended the Universityof Connecticut School ofMedicine receiving his degree in1991. Dr. Lopez completed hisGeneral Surgery Internship atColumbia University in 1992 andhis Orthopedic SurgicalResidency Program at AlbertEinstein College of Medicine andMontefiore Medical Center in

New York in 1997. He completed a Hand and Upper ExtremitySurgical Fellowship at Loma Linda University Medical Center inCalifornia in 1998. Dr. Lopez joined Brandon OrthopedicAssociates in 1999 and specializes in hand surgery, as well asgeneral orthopedics. He is an expert in the treatment of complextraumatic and degenerative upper extremity conditions, and hasa particular interest in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and endo-scopic carpal tunnel release. Dr. Lopez is one of a few surgeonsaround the country performing arthroscopic thumb arthroplasty.He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery(Board Certified), a Fellow of the American Academy ofOrthopedic Surgeons, a Fellow of the American College ofSurgeons (FACS), and was re-certified in 2009. Dr. Lopez andhis wife Sharon are childhood sweethearts having met at FrancisLewis High School in New York City. They married in 1998 andhave two children, Daniel, age 6, and Breanna, age 2. Dr.Lopez and his family reside in Tampa, Florida where he enjoysweight lifting, windsurfing, and is training for his first triathlon.

State Senator Toni Nathaniel HarpOn July 29, the closing cere-monies were held for the partici-pants of the Great Explorations,Jumpstart Programs, JuniorDoctors Academy, SeniorDoctors Academy, High SchoolResearch Apprentice Program,Pre-College EnrichmentProgram, and the SummerResearch Fellowship Program.State Senator Toni NathanielHarp was the keynote speaker.Senator Harp is the DeputyPresident Pro Tempore of theSenate, Chair of the Budget-

Writing Appropriations Committee, Vice Chair of the Committeeon Aging and Member of the Executive and LegislativeNominations Committee and the Legislative Management

Committee. Senator Harp is serving her tenth consecutive termrepresenting the 10th Senatorial District and the residents ofwestern New Haven and northern New Haven, Connecticut.Throughout her tenure, Senator Harp has prioritized many ini-tiatives including managed care reform, providing insurancefor uninsured children, raising the minimum wage, advocatingeconomic development for cities, encouraging an early detec-tion system for child abuse, prohibiting drive-through deliveries,supporting truancy court, and ensuring the safety of children inchild care. Her standing has been recognized by the AmericanLung Association of Connecticut, End Hunger Connecticut!, theConnecticut Psychological Association, Connecticut SexualAssault Crisis Services, Inc., the Connecticut PsychiatristsSociety, the Connecticut Local Administrators of Social Services(CLASS), Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy ofPediatrics, African-American Affairs Commission, ConnecticutCouncil of Family Service Agencies, Connecticut AIDSResidents Coalition, and the Connecticut Women’sConsortium, Children in Placement – CT/CASA (CIP). SenatorHarp received the 2007 Dr. Nathan Davis Award forOutstanding Government Service. She has been active inefforts to reform Connecticut’s corrections system, led the fightagainst Big Tobacco as an outspoken proponent of the statelaw to mitigate second-hand smoke through a ban on indoorsmoking in places of public accommodation. In 1999, theConnecticut Chapter of the NAACP selected Senator Harp toreceive its Clarence Mitchell Political Action Award. She wascited for her outstanding leadership in a number of issues,including managed care reform, the increase in the minimumwage, economic development for cities and making insurancecoverage available to uninsured children, among others.

Also in 1999, Senator Harp received the Phoebe Bennett Awardfrom the Connecticut Association of Mental Health Clinics forChildren. In 1998, she was selected by the Council of StateGovernments for its prestigious Toll Fellowship Program. She wasalso honored by the U.S. Congress as the 1996 Woman of theYear from Connecticut's Third Congressional District for "herachievements and contributions in public service and theadvancement of women's issues." Senator Harp has twice beenhonored by the Connecticut State Medical Society, first for her"advocacy on behalf of patients," and most recently with theirLegislative Service Award for her record of preserving andenhancing quality medical care. In 1995, she was awarded cita-tions by the National Association of Social Workers, theConnecticut Association for Human Services, the New HavenChapter of the National Association for the Advancement ofColored People, and the New Haven Club of the NationalAssociation of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs,Incorporated. Senator Harp has also been honored as one ofNew Haven Business' 20 Noteworthy Women. She is a memberof Links, Inc., the New Haven Alumnae Chapter of Delta SigmaTheta, Incorporated, a public service sorority, and The Coalitionof 100 Black Women. Senator Harp has lived in New Haven formore than 25 years and is currently employed as the HomelessService Director at the Hill Health Center. She is married toWendell Harp, an architect, and is the proud mother of threechildren—Djana, Jamil, and Matthew.

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Acknowledgement: Funding Sources

AETNA FOUNDATION

CONNECTICUT STATE LEGISLATIVE FUND

DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION CONNCAP GRANT

FISHER FOUNDATION

JOHN AND VALERIE ROWE HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARS PROGRAM

WILLIAM AND ALICE MORTENSEN FOUNDATION

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH CENTER FRIENDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH CAREERS OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH CENTER

We Welcome Your comments

Please feel free to provide Keith Carter or Marlyn Davila with your suggestions, ideas and comments for thenext issue of the Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative Pipeline. You can contact Keith Carter at

(860) 679-8031 and Marlyn Davila at (860) 679-4522.

Dates to remember

April 14, 2012Bridge to the Future Science Mentoring Program

May 9, 2012Aetna HPPI Academy Closing Ceremony

June 18, 2012Start of the Aetna HPPI Summer Academy

Application Deadlines

February 2012• Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program• High School Mini Medical/Dental School Seminar Series• High School Student Research Apprentice Program• Medical/Dental Preparatory Program• Summer Research Fellowship Program

April 2012• Aetna HPPI Academy• Aetna HPPI Great Explorations• College Enrichment Program• Pre-College Academic Enrichment Program• Pre-College Research Program

Department of Health Career Opportunity Programs263 Farmington AvenueFarmington, Connecticut 06030-3920

If you would like more information about the

University of connecticut Health center’s

Pipeline Programs… � Great Explorations Middle School Program, 6th- 8th grades� Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative Academy 6-week Summer and 20-week Academic Programs,

9th-12th grades� Bulkeley High School, 9th-12th grades� Sport and Medical Sciences Academy, 9th-12th grades� Health Careers Discovery Program, 11th and 12th grades� High School Summer Research Apprenticeship Program, 12th grade� Mini Medical/Dental Series, 11th-12th grades� Pre-College Enrichment Program, 13th grade� College Enrichment Program, 13th-14th grades� Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program, 13th-14th grades� Medical/Dental Preparatory Program, 13th-15th grades� Summer Research Fellowship Program, 15th-16th grades� Post Baccalaureate Program, post-16th grades� BS/DMD Joint Degree Program, 13th-16th grades

See the Department of Health career opportunity Programs website at:

www.hcop.uchc.edu