Monday, November 5, 2012

5000 Role Models of Excellence

Recently, I was inducted into the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project as a Mentor.


Founded by then Miami-Dade County School Board Member, Dr. Frederica S. Wilson, now member of the Florida Senate District-33, the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project was initiated by the Miami-Dade County School Board in March 1993, due to the realization that there is an ongoing crisis in the lives of many young males. The project’s mission is to intervene in the lives of at-risk boys, in order to provide them with alternatives that will lead them away from a life of crime and violence. 

In these times, many men are banished from the American economy and faced with choosing the drug market for survival (Essence, 1994), which increases violence in schools and society in general. A large part of this escalation is because parents are not taking responsibility for their children’s actions and because positive male role models are absent. We agree, society should insist that parents be held accountable for their children’s actions and education. But who will assume responsibility for the “at-risk” youngsters, who have no parents or positive role models in their lives? 

The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project is dedicated to providing the support necessary to reclaim our youth. Adult male Role Models are trained to salvage the “at-risk” boys, who maybe be considered as candidates for society’s endangered species list.


According to statistics, the minority male child is an endangered species. Therefore, it is imperative that we counter this threatened extinction with programs of prevention, development, and acceleration. We must be pro-active and vigilant b/c we are running out of time. 

As a mentor, my goal is to instill, in the youth of Miami-Dade County, the values of mainstream America, while respecting the existing values of the individual. The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project focuses on three general assumptions:
  1. There are positive and successful men in our community to emulate; 
  2. There are positive alternatives to self-destructive behaviors and societal pitfalls; and, 
  3. Everyone must assume responsibility for preparing our children to effectively deal with the challenges and struggles that now confront today’s youth.
To paraphrase an African proverb, “It takes an entire village to ‘educate’ one child,” this is our motto and creed. We believe, the entire community must be involved in the process of changing the direction of our youth. 

Monday, August 13, 2012

The Power of Music: A Workplace Perspective

RING! RING! RING! Sounds of a telephone are posing an issue as you try to jot down ideas while a client describes his/her needs to you. Perhaps voices of fellow co-workers having personal conversations while you're trying to focus on meeting deadlines is a better alternative. 



Sounds familiar? Every work environment has its own soundtrack. Whether it be the sounds of telephones ringing, people talking, doors opening/closing, keyboard typing, mouse clicking, etc. With all these sounds present, many distractions can be created. Question is: How do you maintain focus and get things done among all these distractions? Any suggestions?

Some workers listen to music when they find themselves losing focus. In addition, they may put on headphones to help distract them from a noisy environment. Sounds like you? 


According to research by Dr. Teresa Lesiuk, an Assistant Professor in the Music Therapy program at the University of Miami, "those who listened to music completed their tasks more quickly and came up with better ideas than those who didn’t, because the music improved their mood." Hence, the better your mood, the more effective you'll be.


Important factors that need to be analyzed are personal choice in music as well as the duration of listening time. Dr. Amit Sood, a physician of  integrative medicine with the Mayo Clinic, says "music without lyrics usually works best and it takes just 15 minutes to a half-hour listening time to regain concentration." 

Closing remarks: Few companies have policies about music listening therefore why not explore how workplace music works for you. According to Dr. Sood, "those who are moderately skilled at their jobs benefited the most, while experts saw little or no effect. And some novices regarded the music as distracting." With that being said, I challenge you, my fellow reader, to listen to music (of all types) at work for a week. At the end of the week, I want you contact me at themedsetter@gmail.com and let me know what type of music worked best for you & how it improved your work performance. I look forward to hearing from you. Have a wonderful day & Happy Listening! Peace, Love & God Bless. 1.



P.S.

For additional info on music in the workplace, click here.




Monday, May 14, 2012

CHS Documentary: Serving the Underserved


CHS is featured on Miamigration, a website dedicated to showing the New Miami as defined through the immigrant experience.


The Center for Haitian Studies in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami aims to serve the city’s underserved Haitian immigrants population. The clinic not only provides health services free of charge, but also provides patients with a culturally sensitive atmosphere. The clinic will accept, respect, and take care of anyone who needs medical attention.

By  Carmen Rodriguez and Natalie Edgar



Special thanks to Carmen Rodriguez & Natalie Edgar. Thank you for your hard work & dedication to building bridges & improving lives. You are appreciated! :-D



Company Profile: Center for Haitian Studies

"Building Bridges, Improving Lives."

The Center for Haitian Studies (CHS) is a duly registered non-profit, tax exempt health & social service organization founded in 1988 for the purpose of serving the disenfranchised populations of Little Hait/Little River in Miami, FL. The clinic not only provides health services free of charge but also provides patients with a culturally sensitive atmosphere.The clinic accepts, respects, and takes care of anyone who needs medical attention.



Meet the Team:



Dr. Laurinus 'Larry' Pierre, MD, MPH
Executive Director, Center for Haitian Studies

Dr. Jean-Baptiste L. Charlot, MD, OB/GYN
Medical Director, Center for Haitian Studies

Mr. Romuald Blanchard, MHCA
Administrator, Center for Haitian Studies

From left to right: Gina, Valerie, Sonide, Madame Sant-Victor,
Rom, me (Stephane), Remond, Tancine, Safira (my colleague & P.I.C.),
and Dina. Missing: Karim, Herby, Augustin, Bastien, and Mono

CHS's staff is experienced in providing services to the target population of Haitian 
Americans:
 All CHS staff who are involved in program planning or who have direct contact 
with clients are sensitive to Haitian culture and values, particularly to the history of the Haitian 
community with respect to HIV.  CHS board and staff members are experienced in the 
provision of counseling, case management, health, research and educational services.  They 
have a full understanding of issues related to Haitian beliefs and risk practices impacting on HIV 
transmission.  Staff members having direct contact with clients and the public are fluent in both 
English and Creole. 

Health Services: Family Medicine

Ms. Tracey Altidor, ARNP

Dr. Michel J. Dodard, MD

Consultation is free but you have to pay for lab exams. Call 305.757.9555 to schedule an appointment.
Hours vary.

Health Services: OB/GYN


In response to the urgent need for gynecological care follow up care beyond basic screening & diagnosis in Miami's Little Haiti/Little River area, CHS, in collaboration with the University of Miami Miller School of 
Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, opened a new GYN clinic at The Center 
for Haitian Studies, Health & Human Services. In addition to providing care and treatment for 
women from the local community, this new GYN specialty clinic serves as a key community 
site for area physicians to refer patients with abnormal pap results and/or advanced 
gynecological malignancies for treatment and follow up care. In addition, it also offers UM medical students, residents and fellows a unique opportunity to train under one of the leading practitioners in the field of 
OBGYN.

Health Services: UM Pediatric Mobile Clinic

Pediatric Mobile Van @ CHS
Every Tuesday: 9:00am - 3:00pm

Medical Education: Family Medicine


In 2007, in partnership with The Miami Jewish Health Systems (affiiated with The Jackson Health System’s Residency Program in Family Medicine), CHS began to coordinate a 6-week clinical clerkship rotation in Family Medicine for 3rd Year medical students from Ross University School of Medicine. This clinical training program between MJHS (as a Teaching Hospital) and CHS (as a community-based provider of health care and research services) testifies to the special collaborative relationship that MJHS and CHS have enjoyed since the 1990's.

Medical Education: OB/GYN


CHS offers a culturally competent clerkship in the fields of Obstetrics and Gynecology for 3rd Year medical students from  the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (UM). Students are assigned by the Director of Clerkship Rotation at Department of OBGYN. Students are trained and supervised by Jean-Baptiste Charlot, MD, FACOG. Dr. Charlot is an appointed Clinical Instructor for the University of Miami’s Jackson Health System/OBGYN residency program.

For more info on the Center for Haitian Studies, click here. Also, be sure to like the clinic on Facebook & follow it on Twitter.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Have a great night! This is 'thedoc' and I'm signing out. Peace, Love & God Bless.

From left to right: Karim, Me (Stephane), Safira, and Rom











Sunday, January 22, 2012

The Time To Innovate Is Now! #inspire

Good afternoon Ladies and Gentleman,

I'm back! Did you miss me? lol. Well, I missed ya'll! I'm feeling real inspired right now; who better to share my inspiration w/ than my devoted readers.

This morning, I was reading this WSJ report describing the efforts to improve care and reduce costs through healthcare innovation and it got me thinking...what can I do to help others? As I was brainstorming ideas, I came to the realization that people are curious. Our curiosity leads us to seek information which in turn satisfies our needs to "know". With that being said, I propose a new model of how healthcare is delivered. Some healthcare focuses on costs and finding out the best ways to reduce them while providing the best care possible. My model will focus on knowledge and giving the client the information and data to help them be healthier in the first place.

Through a combination of research methods and data analysis, I would optimize the client's lifestyle by providing them with the knowledge essential to improve their overall health. The process would begin with client demand: Obtaining subjective data from the client and focusing on their needs. Then, based on needs, we would gather the information and data desired to properly educate the client. The value of information is key; it would be client specific and a portfolio would be generated catering to every aspect of the client's life from diet to nutrition to exercise tips to lifestyle to stress. Also, we would assign each client a personal lifestyle coach to monitor their performance to ensure that the data they received is effectively serving its purpose. The whole idea behind this model would be to maximize the client's quality of life and prevent any serious health related issues from occurring.

Being compassionate, being concerned for your fellow man, doing everything I can to help people —that is my passion. My passion is the reason for my existence and my success shall be the product of my persistence. It's the 'MedSetters Movement' #Leggo


Sunday, September 11, 2011

CNN Hero: Patrice Millet



"To see the joy in the face of a kid ... and you know what he's living (through) ... that makes me happy."It's so wonderful to see the progress they make in soccer, in their own life, in everything."
-Patrice Millet-

Inspired. Please support this gentleman and the wonderful work he's doing for the children of Haiti. Click here to check out his website.

We are the world, we are the children, we are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Overcoming Stress: The Essentials



Stress is simply a fact of nature -- forces from the inside or outside world that affect us. When we think of stress, we usually associate it with an overwhelming feeling (i.e. when you have to handle more than you are used to). When we feel that everything seems to have become too much - we are overloaded and wonder whether we really can cope with the pressures placed upon us. When you are stressed, your body responds as though you are in danger. It makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster, and give you a burst of energy.

If stress happens too often or lasts too long, it can have bad effects. It can be linked to headaches, an upset stomach, back pain, and trouble sleeping. It can weaken your immune system, making it harder to fight off disease. If you already have a health problem, stress may make it worse. It can make you moody, tense, or depressed. Your relationships may suffer, and you may not do well at work or school. Crazy, right?

I have a good news for you though. There are ways to overcome stress. In the remainder of this post, I will share with you the 'essentials' to overcoming stress. So, get your pen & pad ready. Class is in session, lol.

Step 1: Change the world-or at least the parts of the world you expose yourself to.

You can do this by monitoring what you watch on television (i.e. refraining from violent or demeaning programs, too much news), staying away from the negative forces in your life (i.e. negative people, negative surroundings), etc.

Step 2: Change your mind.

Change how you think & your response when placed in stressful situations. You can be exposed to something negative, but you can shift your attention in a manner that is more positive or neutral. For example, Say you’re stuck in room with people you can't stand. You can develop the capacity to shift or modify your emotional focus, and that can be immensely powerful.

Step 3: Change your body.

Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, yoga, etc.The more you practice, the better it works as an inoculation against toxic environments. Once you find a relaxation method that works for you, practice it daily.

Step 4: Be happy.

The flipside of stress is joy, happiness, and bliss. If you act happy then you'll attract other people that are happy as well :-)

With that being said, stress is a part of life but you don't have to let it overwhelm you. Remember: You're in control. Therefore, next time you feel stressed...change your world, change your mind, change your body, and be happy.

Final thought: Life is a blessing. Cherish the day. Live. Love. Laugh. Care. Embrace the people & things that matter to you the most. Count your blessings. Be thankful. Stay focused on your goals & take the necessary measures to achieve it. Life is what you make it. Make a masterpiece.

This is 'thedoc' and I'm signing out. Peace, Love, and God Bless.


P.S.
For additional info w/ regards to this topic, check out this article.