Global Pulse Blog

Interested in being an editor for the Global Pulse Journal? Apply here.

Applications may be submitted by any medical student who is also an AMSA member. Also required are enthusiasm, a few free hours each month, and a good sense of humor.

Responsibilities of editors at the Global Pulse Journal are to:
* correspond with authors and edit 1-2 submissions for quarterly publication
* interview an individual whose work in global health you look up to
* attend the annual AMSA national convention to meet with Global Pulse staff
* participate in quarterly conference calls
* participate in the on-going conversation that occurs between Global Pulse staff, readers, and authors between issues

Benefits of working for the journal include opportunities:
* to interact with a diverse group of student from around the world interested in global health
* to keep up to date with global health topics
* to shape the conversation about global health among medical students
* to interview some very interesting people
* to work with a dynamic team of medical student editors to create our publication

Submissions must be received by Monday, June 13.

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact Paul Johnson, the Editor in Chief, at submission.gp@gmail.com.

This event is organized by the New York Medical Student Coalition Against Torture (NYMSCAT@gmail.com). Email to learn more, request materials, and get involved!

As I have written previously, medical professionals, students, and human rights groups in New York State are teaming up for action to pass the nation’s first law holding medical professionals accountable for assisting torture and abuse of prisoners.  AMSA is proud to join the list of organizations putting their support behind the proposed legislation:

• National Physicians Alliance
• Committee for Interns and Residents
• American College of Physicians-NY
• NY State Nurses Association
• NY Civil Liberties Union
• Center for Constitutional Rights
• Human Rights Watch
• Amnesty International
• Physicians for Human Rights
• I Have A Dream Foundation
• Metro NY Religious Campaign Against Torture
• (full list and statements at whenhealersharm.org/)

ANTI-TORTURE LOBBY DAY in Albany: Join AMSA and PHR with medical students from across the state in our first Anti-Torture Lobby Day in Albany on May 18th!  This is our chance to meet with our local lawmakers and tell them that ending torture is important to us as ethical medical professionals and Americans.  We will meet at 9AM for a white-coat press conference and advocacy training with experts from the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, and follow up with advocacy meetings.  If you are a NY State resident and a medical or pre-medical student, don’t miss this chance for real-time local action for human rights!

Don’t forget to sign the petition: Stop Torture NY.org

Read AMSA’s statement of support after the cut:

Read the rest of this entry →

Farheen Qurashi, AMSA’s Jack Rutledge Legislative Director 2009-2010, and Mary Carol Jennings, AIDS Advocacy Network Chair 2009-2010, contributed to this post.  To join this event in NYC on May 13th, please contact Farheen at jrld@amsa.org.

On the campaign trail, President Obama pledged “to provide at least $50 billion by 2013 for the global fight against HIV/AIDS, including our fair share of the Global Fund, in order to at least double the number of HIV-positive people on treatment and continue to provide treatments to one-third of all those who desperately need them.”  HIV/AIDS patients and their advocates, including AMSA members, were important in getting then-candidates Obama, Clinton, and Biden to commit to these figures.

However, since taking office, the Obama Administration’s budgets have flatlined funding for AIDS programs.  Our commitments to fighting AIDS have not even kept pace with inflation: PEPFAR funding increased by only 2%  in 2010, while annual  inflation in most African countries is 7%.  Now, clinics around the world are reporting turning away patients with clinical AIDS who would previously have been treated, due to funding cuts (ITPC, 2010).

On May 13th, AMSA will be gathering for a white-coat protest at a Democratic Party fundraiser at St. Regis Hotel in NYC, to remind President Obama of his promises.  We will be joining activists from ACT UP, Africa Action, African Services Committee, NYC AIDS Housing Network, VOCAL-NY Users Union, Housing Works, Health GAP, Philadelphia Global AIDS Watchdogs, and other allies.  Join us, and let the President know that extending AIDS funding to meet the global need is important to you!  Please contact Mary Carol Jennings (marycaroljennings@gmail.com) for more details.

UPDATED: [05.11.2010] More information and disclaimer after cut. Read the rest of this entry →

Global Pulse staff will be attending AMSA’s 60th National Convention in Anaheim, CA, starting tomorrow.  If you are at the convention, come meet us at the Global Mixer on Friday night!

Celebrating Passion, Professionalism, Pride

Convention Schedule (use links at top to navigate)

This is a guest post by Vanessa Coleman, coordinator of the International Women’s Health Leadership Institute and the International Women’s Health Working Group.

This New Year as you set down and make resolutions, we at AMSA urge you to make another one. Ghandi once said “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Imagine how much of a difference we could make in our practices, medical schools and in our communities if each of us 30,000 AMSA members made this resolution? Apply for AMSA’s inaugural International Women’s Leadership Institute and BE THE CHANGE.

Read on for details. Read the rest of this entry →

The new issue of GP is up and running just in time for World AIDS Day!

New in this issue: