International Medical Society Dinner

 

LECOM students enjoyed an evening of international cuisine and helped raised money for a good cause at the end of April.   The International Medical Society (IMS) hosted the groups annual International Dinner at the Zem Zem Shrine Club and donated nearly $900 in proceeds to the LECOM Cares Tsunami relief funds.  LECOM Cares has raised nearly $4000 since the late December disaster struck South East Asia.

More than 100 people attended the dinner to sample traditional foods from the homelands of LECOM students’ families.  The appetizers, entrees and desserts represented countries from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and North and South America.

Twenty-two students and LECOM staff members submitted food for judging.  Student Jesse Montagnese won for appetizers, staff member Dina Nassiri took the prize for entrees and student Tim Adamowicz won the dessert category.

In addition to raising funds for Tsunami victims this year, some of the IMS members were also busy learning medical Spanish from Clinical Assistant Professor Yvonne Hoogland, M.D.  Students attended early morning sessions with Dr. Hoogland who taught them how to conduct medical exams with patients who could speak only Spanish. 

Dr. Hoogland invited several Spanish speaking Erie residents who spent many hours helping the students by acting as patients.  Dr. Hoogland presented certificates to Manuel Lopez, his wife Ana and Maria Morales.  She also thanked Patty Puline from the Erie County Health Department and Melissa Montero from the Northwest Intermediate Unit education services.  Puline and Montero helped find and transport the “patients” to the clinic where students practiced examining the “patients” and learning Spanish.

The International Dinner guests also heard a report on Agape Flights from Sarasota Florida.  The Reverend Charlie Gardner explained his organizations medical missions to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  Rev. Gardner is working with the Erie and LECOM Bradenton International programs to arrange overseas clinical training for LECOM medical students.  Third-year student Abby Miknaitis plans to travel with Agape Flights for one of her clinical electives. Her husband Rimas is a commercial pilot and will be flying for Agape.

Incoming IMS president Chad Marion recognized the outgoing officers and thanked them for the hard work that helped the Society grow in the past year.  Those officers are Sidney Coupet; President; Kavita Gande; Vice President; Cynthia Da Costa; Secretary; and Rebecca Miknaitis; Treasure.

IMS Advisor, Reza Nassiri, Ds.C., welcomed the new Society officers.  In addition to President Marion, they are Naeka Nzqwa, Vice President; Joel Crane, Secretary; and Carly Drahus, Treasurer.

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