Alec Terrana, LMT, RYT, MD candidate
I’m a first year medical student at UCSD with a passion for global mental health. My background is in both massage therapy and social work, giving me a strong interest in the intersection between the mind, body, and how they are understood within different cultural contexts. I am interested in carrying this interest through medical school to pursue a dual residency in family medicine and psychiatry so I can help equip my future patients with the tools to heal their own minds and bodies. This summer I will be working with Dr. Wael Al-Delaimy and Somali Family Services to explore the concept of psychological resiliency among the Somali refugee community in San Diego. Our hope is to develop an understanding of resiliency that captures its unique dimensions within the Somali community and to discern its individual, familial, and communal contributing components. Our ultimate hope is to use these insights to develop a screening tool that assesses the relative presence or absence of resilience so interventions can be targeted to individuals most in need and are designed to be of maximum benefit specifically to the Somali community.
Tina Ho, PharmD candidate
I am a 4th year pharmacy student at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences located at University of California, San Diego. With the awarded funds, I will have the ability to conduct research in low-income communities of Vietnam with Professor of Clinical Pharmacy Jennifer Le, PharmD, MAS, BCPS-ID, FIDSA, FCCP, FCHSP. The research helps expand knowledge on combating antibiotic resistant infections on a global scale. The primary focus will be on the implementation of vancomycin therapeutic monitoring based on the most current guidelines in the United States. Vancomycin is a bactericidal glycopeptide antibiotic and is considered the drug of choice in the treatment of invasive infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in both adult and pediatric populations. MRSA is a highly resistant pathogen that contributes to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. My role will be data analysis where I will conduct comprehensive medication profile reviews of patients, and monitor pharmacist-regulated therapies. Additionally, my clinical responsibilities include supervising patients on vancomycin to ensure safe and effective use of the medication. I will provide direct patient care, which will allow me to support the advancement of managing infectious diseases (particularly resistant infections) in low resource countries. I am elated for the opportunity to spend a portion of my 4th academic year immersed in my Vietnamese heritage and culture, while contributing to my passion.