Several CMS administrators and students attended the 2016 Chicago Champions of Health Awards, held at the Union League Club of Chicago. The ceremony, hosted by National Medical Fellowships (NMF) is an annual event that brings together physicians, healthcare leaders, medical school deans, and minority medical students from the Chicago area to honor leading professionals in the fields of medicine and health care. NMF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number of minority physicians and other healthcare professionals.
During the awards dinner and ceremony, Mitra Kohan, CMS ’18, was named a Service Scholar in the 2016 Dr. David Monash/Harry Lloyd and Elizabeth Pawlette Medical Student Scholarship Program, a service-learning program designed to increase the number of qualified medical providers committed to improving access to quality healthcare in medically underserved communities in Chicago. Service Scholars are selected in recognition of outstanding community service, leadership, and commitment to the healthcare needs of Chicago citizens. During the course of their participation in the program, scholars conduct a community health project at a site of their choice. This service-learning program was developed in partnership with the Chicago Community Trust, whose mission is to improve the lives of the people in metropolitan Chicago through a commitment to diversity.
Students, alumni, and physicians participating in the Doctors of Color (DOCS) Mentorship Program met in Chicago at the residence of Dr. Gregory Primus to launch the third year of the program. The DOCS program, a joint effort by CMS and the Cook County Physician’s Association, was created to promote and support medical students from under-represented minority groups. The students, alumni, and physicians who participate in the program build and maintain professional networks and mentorship opportunities.