One of OUWB’s newer student organizations recently partnered with other groups and medical students from across Michigan to put on a health fair at a local church.
The Chaldean American Medical Student Association (CAMSA) worked with the Chaldean American Association of Health Professionals to host the health fair at Holy Cross Chaldean Catholic Church in Farmington Hills.
Among those who volunteered at the event were seven current OUWB students, two alumni, and several OUWB clinical faculty. The group provided free health care screening and counseling for community members.
Nataly Salman, M2, president, CAMSA, said it falls in line with a big part of CAMSA's mission to support the advancement of education success in the Chaldean community, while serving the various needs of the communities in metro Detroit.
“Events like our annual health fair not only benefit our local communities and aim to keep them healthy, but also foster a sense of collaboration and allow students to form connections with a greater network of health care professionals,” said Salman. “Community is a huge value within our Chaldean culture.”
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| A group photo that includes medical students from OUWB, Michigan State, and Wayne State, OUWB alumni, current residents, physicians, board members from CAAHP, and church officials. |
Meghan Mansour, M3, serves as an advisor to CAMSA. Previously, she served as founding president and was one of a group of students who came up with the idea to start CAMSA during the earlier days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We wanted a place for us to be able to get together, get advice from older students, and mentor incoming students, as well,” she said.
Mansour said another big goal for CAMSA is education.
Chaldeans are a Catholic, ethnic minority, indigenous to northern Iraq. Michigan has one of the greatest populations of Chaldeans in the diaspora, and a great majority recently immigrated to the United States, according to Salman.
“It is important for Chaldeans in the area to have proper representation in medicine, being that we are an ethnic minority and many individuals within the community commonly face barriers to health care,” she said. I believe that representation starts with us medical students educating our families, friends, and neighbors through every opportunity we may get."
Salman said that when students step up to participate in events like the recent health fair, it shows “that service and community are important to students.”
“Major community events…allow students to experience on a first-hand basis the health deficits our nearby communities have, and allow us the opportunity to use our skills and growing knowledge to educate the guests,” she said. “Student involvement is beneficial to both the community receiving the services and the volunteers giving their time and efforts in hopes of bettering the health of the attendees.”
For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, marketing writer, OUWB, at [email protected].
To request an interview, visit the OUWB Communications & Marketing webpage.
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