Summer Internship for Career in Health Disparities

The Latino Internship in Health Dispari-

ties Research engages high school and college

students from communities in the Greater Kan-

sas City area.

The internship consists of a 6-week

training program that includes lectures, panels,

field trips, community outreach, and networking

opportunities. Our curriculum incorporates five tracks: Understanding medical

careers, Understanding health disparities, Health disparities among racial and

ethnic minority groups, Cultural competency, and Professional and leadership

skills.

The program embraces the educational philosophy development by Pau-

lo Freire, which supports the development of critical awareness, critical thinking,

and reflection. The internship program shifts away from traditional approaches

focused solely on knowledge remediation. Program participants became con-

scious of their realities while they grew to envision themselves as agents of

change capable of transforming the health of their communities. Students are

encouraged to address critical stages in health disparities research as they devel-

op their research project. They examine the underlying causes of health dispari-

ties and gain a sense of purpose and empowerment related to their potential

role in addressing these health disparities.

A paper describing the

program has been accepted for

publication on the “Journal of

Community Medicine and Health

Education”

Ana Paula Cupertino, PhD

Program Director

Program Director:

Paula Cupertino, PhD

acupertino@kumc.edu

Program Co-Director:

Maria Alonso,

malonsoluaces

@kumc.edu

Program

Coordinator:

Johana Bravo de los

Rios, BS

jbravodelosrios @kumc.edu

Summer Assisstant

Coordinator:

Diosselyn Tot

dtot-velasquez

@kumc.edu

Mailing Address:

4125 Rainbow Blvd. MS

1056

Kansas City, KS 66160

http://juntosks.org/

2013 Latino Internship in Health Disparities Research

KUMC Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

Visiting the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. (From left to right:

Yazmin Reyna, Cristal Hernandez, Ivon Nieto, Natalie Villanueva, Gabriela Garcia, Ana Romero,

Dr. Paula Cupertino, Jehieli Arteta, Diosselyn Tot, Abril Negrete).

Gabriela Garcia

“Informed Decision Making for Breast Cancer Screenings Among Latinas

(Assessing Knowledge & Intention)”

Research Mentor: Mariana Ramirez

Gabriela graduated at the top of her class at J. C. Harmon High School. While in high school, she

participated in many of the SEPA programs and completed advanced placement dual-credit courses

at Kansas City Kansas Community College. Gabriela will be attending Avila University to major in

Biology.

Jehieli Arteta, JUNTOS Intern

“Alternative Folk Medicine as a Culturally Appropriate

Health Care Option for Latinos”

Research Mentors: Yazmin Reyna

Jehieli will be a junior in Shawnee Mission North. She has been part of Latinos of Tomorrow for

the past two years. Her goal is to enroll in Johnson County Community College and transfer to the

University of Kansas Medical Center to become a Jayhawk Doctor.

Malissa Bray

“Knowledge and Opinions on Cancer Clinical Trials Among Latinos in Wyandotte County”

Research Mentors: Johana Bravo de los Rios & Diosselyn Tot

Malissa graduated from J.C Harmon High School and will be attending Kansas City Kansas

Community College in the fall. She plans to later transfer to UMKC to major in Forensic Science

and minor in Biology. She hopes to become a Medical Examiner when she completes her schooling.

Natalie Villanueva

“Informing of Diabetes Type 2 to the Latino Population of Wyandotte

County in order to Increase Awareness and Prevention”

Research Mentor: Dulce Alejandrez & Alejandro Gutierrez

Natalie graduated from Sumner Academy of Arts & Science. She has received the Presidential

Scholarship from Kansas City Kansas Community College. She plans on receiving her Associate’s

degree and moving on to the University of Kansas Nursing School to become a registered nurse.

2013 GCRC/ Juntos High School Student Interns

Benjamin Cossio Rios

“Waterway Brings Wyandotte County One Step Closer to Healthier Living”

Research Mentors: Johana Bravo de los Rios & Diosselyn Tot

Benjamin graduated from Wyandotte High School and received a certificate of Automotive Service

Excellence after taking courses at the Kansas City Kansas Community College Tech Program.

Benjamin will be attending Kansas State University and is in the path to become an engineer.

2013 Undergrad Student Interns

Ana Romero

“ Health Literacy and Breast Cancer Screening among Latina Women in Wyandotte County”

Research Mentor: Mariana Ramirez

Ana Romero is originally from El Salvador. She is currently finishing her Associate’s degree at

Kansas City Kansas Community College. She plans to transfer to the University of Missouri-

Kansas City in the spring of 2014 to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. Ana hopes to

attend medical school and pursue a career as a family primary care physician with the dream of

opening her own clinic.

Ivon Nieto

“Review of Literature for Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire”

Research Mentor: Dulce Alejandrez

Ivon Nieto was born in Michoacán, Mexico and moved to Kansas when she was nine years old.

She graduated with honors from Kansas City Kansas Community College and received her

Associate’s in General Studies. To further pursue her career goals, Ivon will attend Donnelly

College to get her Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership. She is fluent in Spanish and English and

hopes to learn sign language.

Cristal Hernandez

“Assessing Diabetes Risk Among Latinos in Wyandotte County”

Research Mentor: Alejandro Gutierrez

Cristal Hernandez is a first generation college graduate. Having earned a BA in Psychology and

Chemistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In the fall of 2013, she will start graduate

school as a Master’s student in Counseling and Guidance with an emphasis in mental health. She

plans to obtain a degree in Clinical Child Psychology and pursue academic courses on

adolescents with eating disorders.

2013 Saturday Academy Student Interns

Melanie Leyva will

graduate from

Summer Academy in

2015, as a candidate in

the Full IB program.

She participated in

Saturday Academy, the Alexandra

Girls Grant Project, and the in

Sumner Science Academy 2013 at the

University of Kansas-Lawrence

campus. Melanie plans on attending

the University of Kansas to study pre-

med and plans on helping the

community through medicine.

Luis Rodriguez will be a senior at

Sumner Academy. He would like to

pursue a career in science and

technology at either University of

Missouri-Kansas City or University of

Kansas. In the past years, Luis has

developed leadership

and communication

skills by participating

in Saturday Academy,

Wednesday Media,

and Summer Science

Academy.

Nadia Rodriguez is

originally from Juarez,

Mexico. She is an

upcoming sophomore

at Wyandotte High

School. Nadia is a Kauffman scholar,

University of Kansas Talent Search

student, and a SEPA student, allowing

her to become a leader among her

peers and expand her opportunities

for the future. She hopes to become

either a nurse or a pediatrician.

2013 Highlights

Nelson-Atkins Museum: Frida Kahlo Exhibition

On June 13, 2013, the interns from our summer program went to the Nelson Atkins museum for the Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera exhibition. The interns were able to see a vast collection of famous Mexican artists, including Kahlo and Rivera, and observe other collections, such as contemporary art and the Chinese mural. Over-all, this was a great opportunity for the students to be exposed to some Mexican culture and the trip was incorporated into our cultural competency track.

Wyandotte County Tour

On July 2, 2013, our interns did a tour of Wyandotte County. They

visited Swope Health Clinic, Black Chamber of Commerce, El

Centro, Lewis & Clark Park, and the Cancer Trial Support Unit. In

addition, they learned about a community project labeled Creative

Alley Renovation, where youth from the community paint murals

in alleys. In all of these

locations, they received

introductions to what each

organization does and how

they work with the

local community.

Multicultural Night

On July 3, 2013, our interns were part of the Multicultural Night

event. Throughout the program, they came together every Friday to

work on their performances. On the day of the event, the interns

demonstrated in acts, skits, dances, fashion shows, poetry, movie

clips, singing, and with instrumental performances their different

cultures. All the interns shine through that night with their talents

and their own unique cultures which bring them all together.

Closing Ceremony

July 9, 2013 was the last day of the program for GCRC interns. On

this day, they completed their six-week training and were ready to

present their research poster project on their individual topics.

The day began with a breakfast ceremony. Following that, the

interns got ready to present their posters at Wahl East. Family

members, other representatives of the community, and staff were

invited to both ceremonies. At the end, they were recognized and

given a talk of gratitude and encouragement for their success.

More than anything ,we wished them luck.

Girl Scouts

During the month of July, three

of our undergrad interns,

Andros Garcia, Diosselyn Tot,

and Abril Negrete gave

presentations for the Girl Scouts

Health & Nutrition Workshops.

They developed a PowerPoint

presentation, a tri-fold presentation, and showed a video made by

SEPA students that targeted obesity prevention. During the talks,

they were very interactive with the girls and felt like they were well

aware of how to keep themselves healthy.

Health Fairs

Our interns participated in

several health fairs events.

All interns received training

on how to measure blood

pressure, blood sugar, fill

out intake forms, provide

information, and obtain

BMIs. They worked with kids, youth, and adults, and were

exposed to working on small and big events. All interns were

highly dedicated; their help was a key part of our community

outreach events.

Diosselyn Tot

was born in

Guatemala and

m o v e d t o

Kansas at the

age of six. She graduated from

Sumner Academy of Arts &

Science in May 2012 and obtained

her Full IB Bilingual Diploma as a

Kauffman Scholar. She is attending

the University of Kansas, majoring

in Community Health with a minor

in Latin American Studies. She

hopes to enter the University of

Kansas Medical Center and

become a doctor in primary care.

Sophy Paulino was born

in Providence, Rhode

Island, with a rich

background from the

Dominican Republican.

She attended Roger Williams University

and graduated with a B.S. in Biology/Foreign

Language. In 2014, she will enter the

University of Kansas Medical Center as a

MD student. She hopes to go on to work in

medically underserved areas.

This year-long program for Underrepresented Minority students was

designed to support the progression of Post-Baccalaureate Latino

students into the University of Kansas Medical Center by engaging

students in research in the Latino community and providing

academic enrichment and motivational experiences. Upon successful

completion of the program, students are admitted to the School of

Medicine. In addition to this program, JUNTOS welcomes Latino

students by offering them research and leadership opportunities,

clinical experience, and preparation for the admission interview

process. In 2013, three of our students got accepted into the Post-

Baccalaureate program at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Up to 2008, the University of Kansas Medical Center School of Medicine

had a partnership with over 40 Medical Schools around the globe - but

none were in Mexico. In 2010, the Department of Preventive Medicine and

Public Health signed an agreement with the Universidad Autónoma del

Estado de Morelos (UAEM) to promote cooperation in all fields of

academic endeavor, including joint research, educational activities, and

exchange of faculty, research personnel, and graduate students. In the past

two years, we have had three exchange students from Cuernavaca, Mexico

join the program. The agreement was renewed in 2013, and Victor Mar-

tinez is our new addition to the JUNTOS team.

Victor Martinez Zavala

is from Cuernavaca, More-

los. He is currently in his

6th year of medical school,

at UAEM. He started the

community service program on July 2013.

Upon completion, he would like to com-

plete a residency in the U.S. and pursue a

career in either surgery, hematology, or

rheumatology.

Post-Baccalaureate Students

U.S.-Mexico Rotation

2009 2010 2011 2012 TOTAL 2013

Post-Bac Latino Students 1 2 2 4 13 3

Senior Interns

Abril Negrete first

worked with JUNTOS

three years ago. She was

born in Mexico City and

moved to Kansas at the age

of six. Although she loves

the state of Kansas, she earned her GED

and moved to Los Angeles, CA to ex-

plore new horizons. She recently moved

back to Kansas and enrolled at Johnson

County Community College to challenge

herself academically. She hopes to

continue working with JUNTOS in the

future as she gets ready to pursue a

career in the medical field.

Andros Garcia Sal-

divar came from

Monterrey, Mexico at

the age of nine. He

graduated f rom

Sumner Academy of Arts & Science in

Kansas City, KS as a Full IB student and

Kauffman Scholar. Andros is currently

attending Boston University, where he

plans to major in Health Science and

minor in Business. While he is unsure

of where life will take him, he dreams

of becoming a family physician.

Whether he stays in the U.S. or returns

to Mexico, only time will tell.

IF INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING AND BEING PART OF THE INTERNSHIP, YOU CAN FIND MORE

INFORMATION AT WWW.JUNTOSKS.ORG OR FOLLOW THE STEPS BELOW.

To apply for the 2014 Latino Research Internship in Health Disparities, please submit: Signed application form

Essay

List of extracurricular activities and/or resume/CV

Unofficial copy of report card/transcript

Letter of recommendation

Return completed application via email to jbravodelosrios@kumc.edu.

Emails should indicate “2014 Internship Application” in subject line.

** We highly encourage applicants to send their documentation via email **

You can also mail materials to the following address:

Johanna Bravo de los Rios

University of Kansas Medical Center

Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health

Mail Stop 1056

4125 Rainbow Blvd.

Kansas City, KS 66160

For any additional questions, contact Johana Bravo de los Rios at jbravodelosrios@kumc.edu or at (913) 945-7874

PARTNERS & FUNDERS

We would like to thank the Office of Cultural Enhancement and Diversity (OCED), Science Edu-

cation Partnership Awards (SEPA), and Mr. Ramon Murguia for their support.