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Department of Health Career Opportunity ProgramsRead about the Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative and Pipeline Programs at:

www.hcop.uchc.edu

December 2015

Aetna HPPI Pipeline

Aetna HPPI ~ Department of Health Career Opportunity Programs

This year has been another eventful and highly success-ful year for the Department of Health Career Oppor-

tunity Programs and its Aetna Health ProfessionsPartnership Initiative Programs (Aetna HPPI). The depart-ment is an integral part of the Schools of Medicine, DentalMedicine and Graduate educational community at UConnHealth. The Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine areactively committed to the recruitment, retention and grad-uation of diverse medical and dental students who arecapable of providing culturally competent health care. Additionally, the Biomedical Science Graduate Programis also committed to supporting graduate students fromdiverse backgrounds who will discover the medical curesof tomorrow.

The department continues to support currently enrolledmedical, dental and graduate students of diverse back-grounds and has expanded its programs for middle school,high school and college students to realize their dreams ofbecoming health professionals. The Aetna HPPI programsand activities are designed, coordinated and implementedthrough this department. They have proven to be top-notchbecause the participants in the programs have successfullycompleted their undergraduate degrees and have actual-ized their goals of entering medical, dental and graduateschool. It is for this reason that the programs and activitiessponsored through the Department of Health Career Op-portunity Programs are recognized as a national model. Todate, we have accomplished our goals and continue to de-velop new programs and fine-tune existing ones. We had249 middle school, high school and college students par-ticipating in our 2015 summer programs sponsored by thedepartment through the Aetna HPPI. During the 2015-2016 academic year, we anticipate approximately 840 stu-dents participating in our after-school, partner high school,Aetna HPPI Saturday Academy and college programs. Iam gratified that the community recognizes the importanceof these programs in promoting diversity in the health pro-

fessions and am delighted that State Representative andDeputy Majority Leader, Douglas McCrory of Hartfordserved as our keynote speaker at the 2014-2015 academicyear closing and recognition ceremony. Dr. Jamil Harp,assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at More-house School of Medicine in Georgia and UConn Schoolof Medicine Class of 2004 alum, served as our keynotespeaker at the closing ceremonies of our 2015 summerprograms.

This year, all graduating seniors participating in the highschool Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy were accepted intocollege. Congratulations to all the students for their hardwork. I also offer special congratulations to the HealthCareer Opportunity Programs scholars in the School ofMedicine (SOM) and School of Dental Medicine (SODM)graduating class of 2015. In the SOM, 14% of the gradu-ating class are Health Career Opportunity Programs schol-ars, while 20% of the graduating class in the SODM areHealth Career Opportunity Programs scholars. We are alsoproud that 60% of the underrepresented students currentlyenrolled in the SOM are Aetna HPPI pipeline students, and50% of the underrepresented students currently enrolledin the SODM are Aetna HPPI pipeline students.

I thank our faculty, staff, and students at UConn Healthand partner institutions for their dedication and support.Also special thanks to our funders including the State ofConnecticut Office of Higher Education, who providedAetna HPPI with ConnCAP funds, and the John andValerie Rowe Health Professions Scholars ProgramEndowment Fund that support some of our existing pro-grammatic initiatives. Additionally, I would like to thankthe Aetna Foundation for the Aetna Health ProfessionsPartnership Initiative Health Equity award which fundssupported the expansion of the 2015 Health DisparitiesClinical Summer Research Fellowship Program.

Welcome from…

Marja Hurley, M.D.Professor of Medicine and Orthopaedic SurgeryAssociate Dean for Health Career Opportunity ProgramsFounding Director of Aetna Health Professions Partnership InitiativeUConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine


This year has been another exciting year with thevast array of programs and activities that the

Department of Health Career Opportunity Programssponsors. Interest among students, parents and edu-cators alike continue to increase. We have visitedmany middle and high schools as well as colleges anduniversities throughout the state of Connecticut. Wehave also visited colleges in Rhode Island, Alabama,and Georgia.

This past year, we continued our collaboration withthe West Middle School’s participation in the GreatExplorations Program. This was facilitated by a grantfrom The Hartford. We also participated in their an-nual back-to-school event sponsored by the localBoys and Girls Club. Later in the year, a group offorty of the school’s students visited UConn Healthwhere they received information on careers in dentalmedicine and participated in hands on activities.

I was very pleased and enthused to see the excitementand interest generated by the presentations ofDr. Ronald Mallett to our academy students. Dr. Mal-lett, a renowned physicist and author of the book,Time Traveler, discussed his book and quantumphysics with the students and engaged in cosmosactivities designed to help them understand the con-cept of time travel.

We continue to provide access and exposure to healthcareers and health professionals by hosting visits toUConn Health facilities and encouraging greater par-ticipation from the schools in Connecticut. This yearwe had a number of students from Torrington High

School who participated in the High School MiniMedical/Dental School Program through video con-ferencing. We also sponsored a professionaldevelopment workshop for high school teachers inthe Hartford School District. This workshop focusedon current careers and topics in biomedical science.

Additionally, we hosted a group of students fromSpelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. The studentslearned more about our pipeline programs, toured theresearch and clinical skills simulation labs, and inter-acted with current students. This activity helped tohighlight our long standing collaboration with histor-ically black colleges and universities especially thosein the Atlanta, Georgia area.

We interacted with numerous students during recruit-ment and informational sessions. It pleases me to seesuch a large number of students excited about thehealth sciences and careers in the health professions.I am grateful to the many individuals who have con-tributed to the success of the programs.

As we prepare for another year, I must acknowledgethe parents, guardians and students of the programsfor their firm commitment. A special thank you to thedepartment’s staff, faculty and other professionalshere at UConn Health and the larger community whohave volunteered their time to mentor and interactwith the participants in our programs. I would alsolike to acknowledge the strong support of Dr.Michael Menard and his staff at the UConn GreaterHartford campus and Kevin McLaughlin at theUConn Storrs campus.

A note from…

Granville Wrensford, Ph.D.Assistant Dean & Associate DirectorHealth Career Opportunity ProgramsUConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine


It has been a pleasure serving as Assistant Directorfor the Department of Health Career Opportunity

Programs for the past year. I know firsthand how thedepartment has supported students over the last 29years in achieving their goals of becoming physi-cians, dentists, or biomedical science researchers.The community that the Department of Health CareerOpportunity Programs has built over the years is onethat will continue to help students from diverse back-grounds pave the way towards a bright future. As apast participant of the High School Student ResearchApprentice Program and the Summer Research Fel-lowship Program, these opportunities inspired me topursue graduate studies in Biomedical Science. It isquite evident that the magnitude of the research pre-sented by the participants of the High School StudentResearch Apprentice Program, and the college par-ticipants of the Summer Research Fellowship Pro-gram and the Health Disparities Clinical SummerResearch Program have been phenomenal.

It has been gratifying to witness the growth anddevelopment of participants of the middle school,high school, and college programs as they transitionto the next level in their academic careers. We arehappy to have the opportunity to expose the partici-pants of the Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy to newareas of science including quantum physics presentedby Dr. Ronald Mallet, UConn Physics Professor. Theparticipants of the college programs were also intro-duced to new research taking place at UConn Healthand the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine.It has been extremely rewarding to see all of the grad-uates of the Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy matricu-late into four year colleges, including UConn. I am

also proud of the college Aetna HPPI pipeline partic-ipants who have been accepted to the Schools ofMedicine and Dental Medicine here at UConn.

This academic year, we have continued to strengthenthe pipeline by continuing to mentor undergraduatestudents at the UConn Storrs and Greater Hartfordcampuses. We have also continued to work closelywith the UConn Chapter of the Minority Associationof Pre-Medical Students and the John & ValerieRowe Health Professions Scholars at the Storrs cam-pus and the UConn Greater Hartford Campus Med-ical Society. The department’s continued presence atlocal universities, as well as regional and nationalconferences has been instrumental in recruiting thebest and brightest talents to the Schools of Medicineand Dental Medicine.

This year has been very fulfilling and I am excitedabout what next year holds. I thank the UConn Healthcommunity for welcoming me to the department. Iwould also like to thank the faculty and staff atUConn Health for their continued support of theAetna HPPI pipeline participants. A special thanksgoes to Dr. Stacey Brown, Dr. Yvonne Grimm-Jor-gensen, and Kevin McLaughlin for their continuedsupport of the Health Disparities Clinical SummerResearch Fellowship Program, the Medical/DentalPreparatory Program Track 2, and the Pre-CollegeEnrichment Program, respectively. We are also verygrateful to the medical, dental, and graduate studentswho have graciously given of their time to mentormiddle school, high school, and college students inareas of professional development and preparationfor college and health profession schools.

Greetings from…

Kerry-Ann Stewart, Ph.D.Assistant Director of Health Career Opportunity ProgramsAssistant Professor of Community Medicine and Health CareUConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine


Aetna Health ProfessionsPartnership Initiative Pipeline


Dr. Kafi Charles graduated from theUConn School of Dental Medi-

cine in May 2015.

Originally from Sangre Grande inTrinidad and Tobago, Dr. Charlesmoved to New York at the age of 9where she graduated from ArchbishopMolloy High School in Briarwood,NY. She enrolled at Stony Brook Uni-versity in Long Island, NY where she

received a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science inMay 2010. She enrolled at the UConn School of Dental Med-icine during the fall of 2010.

Dr. Charles explained that she did not consider a career in den-tal medicine until her third year in college. “My friend was in-terested in dentistry and she invited me to a meeting to havepizza.” It was a meeting of the pre-dental society and she even-tually stayed for the entire meeting. That meeting sparked herinterest and she decided to shadow her dentist. She loved theexperience. She later participated in a Gateway to DentistryProgram during a two week period over the winter break atRutgers.

Dr. Charles became involved with the Department of HealthCareer Opportunity Programs through the Medical/DentalPreparation Program Track 1 Dental. At the end of her junioryear in college, she participated in this DAT preparation pro-gram which also gave her the opportunity to meet many of thefaculty here. She described this as one of her best experiences.“I made great friends that summer that I am still close withtoday.” She said they studied all summer together and whenthe program ended, they would call each other. Although theyall went to different dental schools, they have remained in con-tact with each other.

During her time at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, Dr.Charles was actively involved in the Student National DentalAssociation and many of the activities sponsored by the De-partment of Health Career Opportunity Programs such as theBridge to the Future Science Mentoring Conference, UpwardBound Conference, ConnCAP Health Professions Conference,

and student panels. She also served as mentor to the AetnaHealth Professions Partnership Initiative Doctors Academyparticipants.

Dr. Charles is currently completing a general practice resi-dency at Stony Brook University. She would like to specializein pediatric dentistry in the future. She plans to open a practicein the US and also in her hometown in Trinidad and Tobagowhere she hopes to serve a diverse population.

When asked to recognize the most influential people who con-tributed to making her dream a reality, Dr. Charles responded,“My two most influential people would be my mother andDr. Arteaga.” Her mom is her rock. She is always encouragingher to think outside the box and constantly reminds her, “Whenthings don’t go as planned it’s not the end of the world it justmeans better things are coming.” She described Dr. Arteagaas a mentor, student advocate and someone who always goesabove and beyond her job requirements all in service to thestudents.

She would like to thank and express her gratitude to the fol-lowing people: Dr. Arteaga, Dr. Hodge, Dr. Hurley, Dr. Dhin-gra, Dr. Albert, Dr. Grimm, Dr. Harrison, and Dr. Hand for alltheir encouragement and help throughout all her years at theUConn School of Dental Medicine.

She leaves the following words of advice and encouragementto the younger generation of students interested in the healthprofessions: “I would like to tell them to surround themselveswith like-minded people; because when the hard times hitthose will be the people that will help you make it through.My second piece of advice is to pay it forward, always remem-ber that you did not get where you are today without help.”

Congratulations to…

Kafi Charles, D.M.D.Dentist, Dental Student, Mentor


Dr. Sadiya Thermidor graduatedfrom the UConn School of Medi-

cine in May 2015.

In 2006, Dr. Thermidor graduated fromBaldwin High School in Long Island,New York. After graduation, she en-rolled at Penn State where she receiveda Bachelor of Science degree in Im-munology and Infectious Disease witha minor in Health Policy and Adminis-

tration in May 2010. She enrolled at the UConn School ofMedicine during the fall of 2010.

Dr. Thermidor became involved with the Department of HealthCareer Opportunity through the UConn School of MedicineStudent National Medical Association (SNMA) Chapter. Dur-ing her first year of medical school, she became the vice pres-ident of SNMA. As vice president, she volunteered for severalactivities sponsored by the department, such as the Bridge tothe Future Science Mentoring Conference, Upward BoundConference, ConnCAP Health Professions Conference, andthe SNMA-Doctors Academy Mentoring Program. While at-tending medical school, Dr. Thermidor also mentored theAetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative Doctors Acad-emy participants for three years. She describes her best expe-rience as working with the participants of the Bridge to theFuture Science Mentoring Program and the ConnCAP HealthProfessions Conference. During both conferences, she en-joyed teaching students how to suture because it was a hands-on activity and all the participants seemed to be having funsuturing the pigs’ feet. She explained that the activity allowedher to utilize her skill set and to highlight different aspects ofbeing a physician that many people may not think about.Dr. Thermidor further explained, “I also like having the abilityto answer questions that the students had, be it about school,life, or anything they could really think of.”

Dr. Thermidor is currently completing her Internal MedicineResidency at the Stamford Hospital-Colombia University. Herfuture plan includes specializing in intervention cardiologyand working with an underserved adult population, especiallyin places that have a large immigrant population. She wouldalso like to return to Haiti and help set up a catheterization laband help expand the technology there.

When asked to recognize the most influential people who con-tributed to making her dream a reality, Dr. Thermidorresponded, “My mom, my dad, and my older sister. My mombecause even when I was experiencing difficulty or notexcelling as much as I could, she was always supporting me.She always reminded me even when you do have failures thereare ways to overcome them. She passed away in May of 2008and that served as a motivator for me. I had to keep going. Mydad having gone through medical school in Haiti kept remind-ing me that it was going to be very difficult, but I would alwaysbe able to get through it and graduate from medical school. Hekept things very realistic for me. My sister because I’ve alwayslooked up to her because she is so intelligent, but beyond thatwhen things get hard she reminds me to laugh and enjoy theexperience.”

She would like to thank and express gratitude to “everyone inthe HCOP office, Dr. Hurley, Dr. Wrensford, Marlyn Davila,and jan figueroa, because even when it wasn’t an HCOP orSNMA related event they have always been there to offer as-sistance and/or direct me to the specific individual that Ineeded to contact. Someone at the HCOP office is always thereto help when I need guidance.”

Sadiya Thermidor, M.D.Physician, Medical Student, Mentor

Congratulations to…


The Department of Health Career Opportunity Programs recognized two dental students and two medical students for theircontinued participation and involvement with the Aetna HPPI Programs with the Bridge Mentoring Award. The 2015

recipients were: Melissa Blake, D.M.D., Pediatric Dental Residency, SUNY Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY; Kafi Charles,D.M.D., General Practice Residency, SUNY Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY; Staceyann Smith, M.D., Pediatric Residency,St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA; and Sadiya Thermidor, M.D., Internal Medicine Residency, StamfordHospital/Colombia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Stamford, CT.

Health Career Opportunity ProgramsMedical/Dental Student 2015 Bridge Mentoring Award

Melissa Blake, D.M.D. Kafi Charles, D.M.D. Staceyann Smith, M.D., M.P.H. Sadiya Thermidor, M.D.

Congratulations to Our Mentors and Past ProgramParticipants - UConn Medical, Dental and

Graduate School 2015 Graduates

Ankeet Bhatt, M.D.Melissa Blake, D.M.D Jevin Carruth, D.M.D.Kafi Charles, D.M.D.

Michael Garcia, M.D.Kristan Ingraham Thomas, D.M.D.Willythssa Pierre-Louis, M.D.Jackeline Rodriguez-Smith, M.D.

Staceyann Smith, M.D., M.P.H.Sadiya Thermidor, M.D. Ashley Wiltshire, M.D.


John & Valerie Rowe Scholarship Recipients

Scholarship Recipient and RoweHonors Scholar: Anika Bennett

Scholarship Recipient:Eli Peters

Scholarship Recipient:McKenzie Rosemond

Scholarship Recipient:Inti-Hiyari Scanlon

Scholarship Recipient and RoweHonors Scholar: I’Jazz Muhammad

The Department ofHealth Career Op-

portunity Programs pro-vides John & ValerieRowe Scholarships inthe form of book awardsto Senior Doctors Acad-emy students from theAetna HPPI DoctorsAcademy who will en-

roll as freshmen at the University of Connecticut. JohnD. Rowe, MD and Valerie A. Rowe, PhD are longtimedonors to UConn, supporting students and institutionaladvancement. The Rowe Health Professions ScholarsProgram Endowment has helped hundreds of studentsfrom underrepresented populations succeed in UConn’sundergraduate, medical, and graduate programs throughscholarships, academic, and experiential opportunities.Dr. John Rowe is a professor of health policy and man-agement at Columbia University and former chairmanand CEO of Aetna, Inc. He previously served on theUConn Board of Trustees and the UConn Health Boardof Directors. Dr. John Rowe was awarded the Carole andRay Neag Medal of Honor for his remarkable contribu-

tions to medicine and UConn Health in 2012. Dr. Va-lerie Rowe is a retired clinical associate professor at theGraduate School of Education at Fordham University.“Jack and Valerie Rowe understand that the gift of ed-ucation transforms lives. We are immensely grateful fortheir investment in the prestigious Rowe Scholar pro-gram, which has assisted dozens of talented studentsfrom underrepresented backgrounds succeed atUConn,” said Joshua R. Newton, president and CEO ofthe UConn Foundation.

The 2015 John and Valerie Rowe Scholarships wereawarded to Anika Bennett, I’Jazz Muhammad,Eli Peters, McKenzie Rosemond, and Inti-Hiyari Scan-lon. The scholarships were awarded to each recipientby Dr. Marja Hurley, professor of medicine andOrthopaedic Surgery, associate dean for Health CareerOpportunity Programs, and founding director of AetnaHealth Professions Partnership Initiative, andDr. Andrew Agwunobi, chief executive officer, UConnHealth and executive vice president for Health Affairs.Anika Bennett and I’Jazz Muhammad have both beenaccepted into the UConn Honors Program as RoweHealth Professions Scholars.

Drs. John and Valerie Rowe.


Congratulations to the Senior Doctors AcademyGraduating Class of 2015!

Anika BennettUniversity of Connecticut

Joanna Jones ColemanUniversity of Connecticut

I’Jaaz MuhammadUniversity of Connecticut

Joseph JohnsonUniversity of Connecticut

Noel MartinUniversity of Massachusetts

Aisha MorganUniversity of Saint Joseph

Jordan DavisUniversity of Connecticut

Steven GomezUniversity of Connecticut

Jeromi CuadrosUniversity of Connecticut

Eli PetersUniversity of Connecticut

McKenzie RosemondUniversity of Connecticut

Kitsha AlvaradoUniversity of New Haven

Aysha KhanWesleyan University

Tiajaie MitchellUniversity of Saint Joseph

Muhammed NiangUniversity of Connecticut

Inti-Hiyari ScanlonUniversity of Connecticut

Briana SailorNorfolk State University

Stacey-Ann WallenUniversity of Connecticut

Jasmin WilliamsonUniversity of Saint Joseph

Amaal SugullehCentral ConnecticutState University


The Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative (Aetna HPPI) Doctors Academy students (The Jumpstart9 and 10, Junior and Senior Doctors Academies) took enrichment trips to the New Britain Museum of

American Art, the Hartford Stage, and the UConn Storrs campus. The Great Exploration students also visitedthe UConn Health campus and the Connecticut Science Center.

Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy andGreat Explorations Students’

Academic Enrichment Experiences


Great Explorations

The Great Explorations Program is an enrichmentprogram designed to provide extracurricular activ-

ities in math, science, and language arts to 7th and 8thgrade middle school students. A total of 195 studentswho participated in the Great Explorations Program in2014-2015 were enrolled in one of seven middleschools: Jumoke at Hartford Conservatory, JumokeSMART Academy, Kennelly, CREC-Medical Profes-sions and Teacher Preparation Academy, Sport andMedical Sciences Academy, West Middle School, andTwo Rivers Magnet Middle School. Great Explo-

rations also offers a six-week summer academic en-richment program for rising 8th grade participants anda 30-week Saturday Academy for 8th graders. Thesummer activities are conducted at the Greater Hart-ford Academy of Mathematics and Science and theSaturday Academy is held at the UConn Greater Hart-ford Campus. During the summer of 2014 there werea total of 27 students participating in the summer com-ponent. A total of 22 students participated in the 30week academic year component of the program. Thisincluded 18 of those who participated in the summer.

Rocket Launch


Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy

The Aetna Health Professions Partnership InitiativeDoctors Academy (Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy)

is designed to provide educational opportunities whichmay not be available to a number of Connecticut highschool students. The Aetna HPPI Doctors Academyconsists of the Jumpstart 9 and 10 programs and theJunior and Senior Doctors Academies. The purpose ofthe Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy is to provide accessand preparation to students interested in health profes-sions who come from backgrounds where they are thefirst in their family to earn a four-year degree, comefrom modest family means, and/or are from back-grounds traditionally underrepresented in health care.Students participating in the Aetna HPPI Doctors Acad-emy are generally recruited from the Hartford areaschools and strive to become physicians, dentists, bio-

medical research scientists, pharmacists, nurses andother health professionals.

The Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy has two major com-ponents, the summer program and the academic yearprogram. Both components are offered at the UConnGreater Hartford campus. The summer and academicyear programs are designed to advance students’ aca-demic skill levels in math, science and English. Theprograms promote personal growth through extracur-ricular experiences designed to help students developthe skills necessary to succeed in the Pre-ScholasticAptitude Test (PSAT), the Scholastic Aptitude Test(SAT), and the American College Test (ACT). A totalof 106 students participated in the Aetna HPPI DoctorsAcademy during the 2014-2015 academic year.


High School Mini Medical/Dental School Seminar Series

The High School Mini Medical/Dental School Sem-inar Series offers eight weekly lectures and demon-

strations presented by faculty members of the UConnSchools of Medicine and Dental Medicine. Topics in-clude molecular biology, pharmacology, cardiology, on-cology, and dental medicine. Eighty-one Connecticuthigh school juniors and seniors participated in the2015 program.

Participants are eleventh and twelfth grade students whoare in-state residents and selected by their school guid-ance counselors or science teachers. All students haveshown a strong interest in pursuing careers in medicine,dental medicine and the biological sciences. Sessionsare also broadcast live to high schools throughout thestate of Connecticut. For more information contactAnastasia Rollins at 860-679-3484 or [email protected].

Epidemiology

The Epidemiology Program, a series of five classes,is held for students from Sport and Medical Sci-

ences Academy (SMSA) to introduce basic conceptsand terminology used in the study of epidemiology.Under the direction of Dr. Scott Wetstone, associateprofessor, Department of Community Medicine andHealth Care, UConn Health and Dr. Richard Stevens,

professor, Department of Community Medicine andHealth Care, UConn Health, the program provides anintroduction to general epidemiology as well as de-scriptive, applied, and analytical epidemiology andscreening. Eleven 11th and 12th graders attended ses-sions at UConn Health on four occasions and Drs.Wetstone and Stevens visited SMSA on one occasion.

High School Student Research Apprentice Program

Twelve students had the opportunity to be a part ofa research team and learn laboratory techniques in

the 2015 High School Student Research ApprenticeProgram. As part of the 2015 program, five studentscommuted daily to Central Connecticut State Univer-

sity and seven students commuted daily to the UConnHealth campus for their research project. At the end ofthe summer, each student gave oral and poster presen-tations of their research results during a specialresearch symposium.


Teens as Teachers

The UConn School of Medicine, Principles of Clini-cal Medicine (PCM) course is the clinical training

component for medical students. The course helps stu-dents prepare for the clinical aspects of medicine bytraining them in history taking, physical examination,utilization of community resources and community col-laboration for improved patient care. Part of the courseinvolves training on adolescent health. Medical studentslearn about the importance and specialized aspects ofthe adolescent history, and practice their skills with realteens recruited from the Sport and Medical Sciences

Academy (SMSA) and CREC - Medical Professionsand Teacher Preparation Academy (MPTPA), who actas patient instructors. The medical students then receivefeedback on their performance from the adolescentpatient instructors. Eight students from SMSA andseven students from MPTPA participated in the programlast year. Under the leadership of Dr. Stacey Brown, di-rector of community based education in the UConnSchool of Medicine, the participating adolescents aregiven health education workshops and training prior totheir participation in the PCM course.

Sport and Medical Sciences Academy, UConn Health, andCentral Connecticut State University College Science Partnership

One hundred 9th and 10th grade students from Sportand Medical Sciences Academy participated in the

2014-2015 College Science Partnership Series sponsoredby the Department of Health Career Opportunity Pro-grams. Under the leadership of Dr. Kathy Martin, chairof the Department of Biomolecular Sciences at CentralConnecticut State University, students participated in

five biology and chemistry labs at Central ConnecticutState University. The lab enrichment provided by theprogram helped the students in scientific techniques.The students who participated in the College SciencePartnership Series exhibited higher level scientific skillsthan those who did not.

The Pre-College Enrichment Program is a five-week res-idential enrichment program primarily for incoming

students at UConn. Designed to provide solid developmentof scientific, mathematical, communications, problem-solving, and test-taking skills, it is intended to enhance the college preparedness of freshmenstudents. It allows the students to experience life on a college campus prior to their matricu-lation in the fall. Students can participate in either the academic (academic courses) or a re-search track (completion of a research project). This past summer, 14 students participated inan academic track in collaboration with the UConn School of Engineering Bridge Program

at Storrs. All Pre-College Enrichment Program participants along with 14 Bridge Program participants also en-gaged in numerous enrichment activities at UConn Health including the Clinical Skills Lab and a tour of theCenter for Regenerative Engineering.

Aysha KhanStudent Speaker for thePre-College EnrichmentProgram

Pre-College Enrichment Program/BiomedicalEngineering Bridge Program


College Enrichment Program

The College Enrichment Pro-gram is designed for rising

college sophomores. The pro-gram’s curriculum focuses oncritical math and science skillsneeded for success in pre-medical/pre-dental courses. Two

students participated in this program this past summer.The program is held at the UConn Storrs campus. Inaddition to academic preparation, students participatedin weekly enrichment lectures at UConn Health. Allstudents are currently progressing in their academiccourses and plan to participate in next summer’senrichment programs.

The Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program

The Health Disparities Clinical Summer ResearchFellowship Program is a seven-week clinical

enrichment experience designed for rising collegesophomores, juniors, seniors or recent graduates. In thesummer of 2015, 19 students participated in the pro-gram. The program is designed to provide the follow-ing: clinical research and enrichment experiences, anintroduction to health disparities across cultures, prin-ciples of clinical medicine, public health research andinterventions, an overview of cultural definitions, pub-lic health issues, and discussions of specific techniquesfor working with diverse populations in communitysettings. All of the participants completed a clinicalresearch project and presented a poster with theirresults at the end of the program.

The community partners who participated in the2015 program were:• Connecticut Institute for Primary Care Innovation• The Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity(Saint Francis)

• North Central Regional Mental Health Board, Inc.• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)Connecticut

• Family Life Education• Hartford Dispensary• Connecticut Asian Pacific American AffairsCommission

• Hartford Department of Health & Human Services• Hispanic Health Council• YWCA New Britain-STRIVE Program• UConn Health’s Center on Aging and Departmentof Community Medicine and Health Care

Julise MarshStudent Speaker for theCollege EnrichmentProgram

Expansion of the Health Disparities ClinicalSummer Research Fellowship Program for the 2015summer was made possible by the Aetna Health Pro-fessions Partnership Initiative Health Equity award.


Summer Research Fellowship Program

The Summer Research Fel-lowship Program is a 10-

week research enrichmentexperience designed for col-lege sophomores, juniors, sen-iors, and recent graduates whoare interested in a career inmedicine, dental medicine orbiomedical research and for applicants who have com-pleted some college coursework in biology and chem-istry (preferably through organic chemistry). In thesummer of 2015, a total of 14 students participated inthe program. A faculty sponsor is identified for each

student. Faculty develops andmakes available suitable projectdescriptions. The student con-tacts his/her faculty sponsor inApril or May and develops a re-search protocol. Minority Ac-cess to Research Careers(MARC) students are encour-

aged to apply. Students devote approximately 30 hoursper week on a research project and 10 hours per weekto clinical experiences. At the end of the summer, eachstudent gives a poster presentation of their researchresults during a special research symposium.

Medical/Dental Preparatory Program

Medical/Dental PreparatoryProgram students are se-

lected from various universitiesthroughout the United States towork on academic skills to pre-pare for medical school ordental school admission. Parti-cipants of the Medical/DentalPreparatory Program Track 1 prepare for either theMedical College Admissions Test (MCAT) or the Den-tal Admissions Test (DAT) while the participants of the

Medical / Dental Preparatory Pro-gram Track 2 take courses in thebasic medical sciences to pre-pare them for the first year cur-riculum of medical and dentalschool. A total of 48 college stu-dents and recent college gradu-ates participated in academic

classes, guest lectures, test taking strategies, and otherenrichment activities at the UConn Health campus dur-ing the six-week summer 2015 program.


The Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initia-tive’s Parental Seminar Series is an opportunity

for students and parents to learn more about importanthealth issues affecting their community. Parents areasked to submit a survey on the topics they are mostinterested in learning about and the series of lecturesare then tailored to their needs. The 2014-2015Parental Seminar Series included a college admissionspanel which included Caroline McCall, admissions of-ficer for UConn, Greater Hartford Campus; CarlosSoler, assistant director for theOffice of Recruitment & Ad-missions at Central Connecti-cut State University, and

Kimberly Bornstein, assistant director-First Year Ad-missions, University of Saint Joseph. They discussedcollege financial aid and the admissions process. JaneBerkowitz, executive director of Educational Partner-ships, Kaplan K-12 & College Prep, provided infor-mation on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT academic exams.The Parental Seminar Series also included presenta-tions on kidney diseases by Dr. Wilner Samson, chiefmedical officer, Community Health Services, Hartford,and on stress management by Dr. Thelissa Harris,

board certified communityphysician in geriatric psychia-try and psychosomatic medi-cine in Hartford.

Parental Seminar Series

Dr. Wilner Samson presenting on kidney diseases.

Dr. Thelissa Harris presenting on stress management.


Bridge to the Future Science Mentoring Conference

The 2015 annual Bridge to the Future Science Men-toring Conference was held on Saturday, April 11,

with approximately 220 high school and college studentsparticipating. The students were brought together withUConn Health faculty, staff, medical, dental and graduatestudents to interact in a series of activities to raise aware-ness about health and biomedical science careers and theadmissions process for medical, dental, and graduateschools. The Department of Health Career OpportunityPrograms, the UConn Chapters of the Student NationalMedical Association, the Student National Dental Asso-ciation/Hispanic Student Dental Association, and the Johnand Valerie Rowe Health Professions Scholars ProgramFund sponsored this year’s conference.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Andrew Scatola, a UConnSchool of Medicine Class of 2012 graduate, and internalmedicine resident at UConn Health, spoke to the studentsabout his personal journey through medical school. En-richment activities for high school students included pre-sentations on research careers by Keshia Ashe andMatthew Harmon, graduate students in the Center for Re-generative Engineering at UConn Health; Dentistry byDr. Flavio Uribe, Post Graduate Program Director andOrthodontic Clinic Director at UConn Health; and Car-diology by Dr. Peter Schulman, professor of Medicineand director of Cardiology Fellowship, Calhoun Cardi-ology Center at UConn Health.

Led by a group of UConn medical students, the highschool students participated in hands-on activities suchas recording blood pressure and surgical suturing. Stu-dents also had the opportunity to participate in ananatomy workshop led by Dr. Dale Matheson, assistantprofessor in the Department of Cell Biology at UConnHealth. Dr. Michael Goupil, associate professor, Divisionof Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery, associate dean for Stu-dents, UConn School of Dental Medicine, along withUConn dental students, presented a dental forensic hands-on workshop for high school students. Additionally, high

school students had the opportunity to participate in anEmbryology Lab led by Dr. Caroline Dealy, associateprofessor, Center for Regenerative Medicine and SkeletalDevelopment, Department of Reconstructive Sciences,UConn Health, along with graduate students.

College students who participated in enrichment seminarslearned about the admissions process for graduate, med-ical and dental programs offered at UConn Health. Thecollege students also participated in a mock admissionsprocess where they served as potential Admissions Com-mittee evaluators. Student participants ranked prospectiveapplicants based on their academic profiles, letters of rec-ommendation and DAT/MCAT scores. Led by Dr.Richard Zeff, assistant dean of Admissions, UConnSchool of Medicine and professor of Immunology, theparticipants engaged in discussions and activities similarto the admissions committees at UConn Health. Thisprocess helped the students better understand what ad-missions committees are looking for in qualified candi-dates. Also included in the day’s activities was a collegesession on the new MCAT exam led by Caitlyn Ahlberg,a Kaplan MCAT expert.

For college students specifically interested in dental med-icine, the Dental Impressions Program led by Dr. SaritaArteaga, associate clinical professor, Reconstructive Sci-ences, UConn Health, held a series of informationsessions which included hands-on activities such astaking dental impressions and touring the dental labs atUConn Health.

Both the high school and college students had opportu-nities to listen to personal anecdotes from studentscurrently enrolled at the UConn Schools of Medicine andDental Medicine, and the Graduate Program in Biomed-ical Sciences. The medical, dental and graduate studentsshared their progression through their respective healthprofessions school and allowed the high school andcollege students to ask questions.


Andrew Scatola, M.D. wasborn and raised in York-

town Heights, New York not toofar outside of New York City.Except for a brief hiatus, he haslived in Connecticut since 2003.Dr. Scatola has been involvedwith the Department of HealthCareer Opportunity Programssince he first started college atWesleyan University in 2003. It

was through his participation in numerous activitieseach summer through this department that Dr. Scatoladeveloped a life long interest in medicine. He was aparticipant in the Pre College Enrichment Program in2003, the Clinical College Enrichment Program in2004, the Summer Research Fellowship Program in2005, and the Medical/Dental Preparatory ProgramTrack 1 MCAT Prep in 2006.

Dr. Scatola also served as an admissions facilitatorand Road to Success Panelist for the college portionof numerous Bridge to the Future Science Mentoring

Program Conferences. Initially thinking that he woulddo basic science research while studying neuro-science in undergrad, Dr. Scatola was exposed to clin-ical medicine through the UConn School of MedicineMigrant Farm Workers Clinic, which helped himrealize that his true calling was being a physician, andgot him on the path that he is currently on today.After graduating Wesleyan in 2007, Dr. Scatolaworked in a community health center through theAmeriCorps, Community HealthCorps Program,where he led sessions on diabetes care, lifestyle, anddietary change and management, as well as prenatalcare classes. After completing the AmeriCorps Pro-gram, he attended the UConn School of Medicine,during which time Dr. Scatola continued to stayinvolved in the Migrant Farm Workers Clinic and wasinvolved in policy and advocacy initiatives throughthe American Medical Student Association. Uponreceiving his medical degree in 2012, Dr. Scatolastayed at UConn Health for his residency in internalmedicine and will be staying on for an extra year asone of the chief medical residents prior to applyingfor a fellowship in cardiology.


– Keynote Speaker –

Dr. Andrew Scatola receives recognitionfrom Dr. Marja Hurley.

Andrew Scatola, M.D.



Dr. Peter Schulman present-ing on cardiology.

College Admissions Panel presentingon the college admissions process andfinancial aid.

Members of the Student NationalDental Association/Hispanic Stu-dent Dental Association present-ing on dentistry.

Graduate student MatthewHarmon presenting on re-search careers in STEM.

Dr. Caroline Dealy (right) with graduate stu-dents Sandra Lopez, Melissa Carr-Reynolds,and Patience Meo Burt (left to right) and NilesDos Santos (far right) presenting on embryology.

Dr. Dale Matheson presentingon anatomy.

Dr. Richard Zeff pre-senting on medicalschool admissions.

– Conference Speakers –

– Conference Participants –


Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative2014-2015 Academic Year Doctors Academy

– Closing Ceremony –

The Department of Health Career Opportunity Pro-grams hosted its annual Academic Year Closing

and Recognition Ceremony for the Aetna Health Pro-fessions Partnership Initiative (Aetna HPPI) DoctorsAcademy on May 20, 2015 in Keller Auditorium atUConn Health. The Aetna HPPI is an education con-sortium offering a comprehensive program of educa-tional enrichment and support activities to increase thecompetitive applicant pool of diverse students who areinterested in careers in the health professions. This Ac-ademic Year Closing and Recognition Ceremonymarked the culmination of a very positive academicyear enrichment experience for middle and highschool students from the Greater Hartford area whoparticipated in the Great Explorations Doctors, Jump-start Doctors, Junior Doctors, and Senior DoctorsAcademies. Remarks were given by Dr. AndrewAgwunobi, chief executive officer, UConn Health andexecutive vice president for Health Affairs, UConnHealth. The keynote speaker was Douglas McCrory,State Representative and Deputy Majority Leader, 7thAssembly District - Hartford, who congratulated the

students and encouraged them to continue on theirpaths towards becoming health professionals and toacknowledge the individuals in their lives who havehelped them pave the way toward success.

Student reflections were given by Giovanni Jones, aJumpstart Doctors Academy participant, Jordan Davis,a Senior Doctors Academy participant and Class of2015 graduate, Joshua Crittenden, a freshman atUConn and a past participant of the Aetna HPPI Doc-tors Academy, Shanicka Reynolds, a junior at UConnand a past participant of the Aetna HPPI DoctorsAcademy. Mr. Wayne Williamson, a parent, also gavean inspiring speech on the positive effects the pro-grams have had on his daughters and son who haveparticipated in the Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy. Allof the Senior Doctors Academy graduates are currentlyattending a four-year college with twelve of them en-rolled at UConn. Anika Bennett, I’Jazz Muhammad,Eli Peters, McKenzie Rosemond, and Inti-HiyariScanlon were each awarded the John and ValerieRowe Scholarship.

Sate Rep. Douglas McCrory receivesrecognition from Dr. Marja Hurley.

Doctors Academy graduating class of 2015 with Dr. Granville Wrensford (left),Dr. Marja Hurley (right), and Dr. Andrew Agwunobi (far right).


Nearly 250 students graduated fromsummer enrichment programs offered

by the Aetna Health Professions PartnershipInitiative (HPPI) at UConn Health on[July 31, 2015].

The students, ranging in age from adoles-cent to young adult, took part in offeringsdesigned to introduce them to, engage themin, and prepare them for the scholastic trackneeded to pursue careers in medicine, den-tistry, research, nursing, pharmacy, andother health fields. The program seeks tocreate an educational pipeline for studentsfrom populations that historically are under-represented in these disciplines.

“I learned that knowledge of both medicine and cultureare intertwined in providing the best care, and that thereis no substitute for empathy,” says Hamza Zakir, a UConnundergraduate who took part in the Health DisparitiesClinical Summer Research Fellowship Program. “Butmost importantly, the program helped motivate me fromwithin. It helped me really believe that I can make the dif-ference. For that I can’t be more thankful.”

Zakir worked with Akorfa Adobor, a junior at QuinnipiacUniversity, this summer, producing the poster presenta-tion “Engaging Patients in the On-Site Training and As-sessment of MyCare Patient Portal: Internal Medicine.”

Adobor says her experience “exposed me to the reali-ties of modern health care, as well as the complexityof medicine. The scientific part, although largely em-phasized, is only part of the picture. A good physicianmust be a humanitarian and an excellent communica-tor. Medicine is an art form that I hope to somedaypractice.”

The Aetna Foundation, a longtime supporter of theHealth Career Opportunity Programs (HCOP) at UConnHealth, recently awarded an additional $80,000 to ex-pand the Health Disparities Clinical Summer ResearchFellowship Program.

Another health disparities fellow, RebeccaZapf-Pedraza, says shadowing physiciansshowed her income is no barrier to beingable to deliver top-quality care to all patients.

“I learned ways in which physicians impactthe lives of their patients outside of the of-fice, such as prescribing vegetables andfood coupons as well as making sure DCFis properly caring for the children it pro-tects, and [I] am now even more driven topursue an M.D./Ph.D.,” says Zapf-Pedraza,who plans to graduate from Central Con-necticut State University in December witha biology degree.

The Summer Research Fellowship Program is what en-abled Oluwatoyin Akinnusotu, a UConn undergraduategoing into his senior year, to spend this summer workingin the neuropeptide laboratory of professors Elizabeth Eip-per and Richard Mains.

“I was able to create a hypothesis, test it out with data, andsee what my conclusion was,” Akinnusotu says. “I reallyliked the problem-solving aspect of the entire process inmy research. And it’s helped me build my resume and myapplication. Research is a very important aspect of themedical school application. [This fellowship] also helpedme form connections here at UConn Health.”

The first-generation American, son of Nigerian parents,aspires to be a neurosurgeon, and is considering UConnfor medical school.

“This type of research exposure is so crucial to our mis-sion,” says Dr. Marja Hurley, associate dean for HealthCareer Opportunity Programs and Aetna HPPI foundingdirector. “We are grateful to the Aetna Foundation and allour funding sources for their continued support.”

Hurley says the Health Career Opportunity Programs havesent more than 400 participants to medical school, dentalschool, graduate school, or other health professionalschools.

250 Graduate

from

UConn Health

Summer

Enrichment

Programs

Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative Summer 2015 Program Closing Ceremony

(Excerpt of article written by Chris DeFrancesco, UConn Health)


Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative Summer 2015 Program Closing Ceremony

Frank Monney, a senior at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, shares his findings from the SummerResearch Fellowship Program with Dr. Marja Hurley.“I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, but I didn’t believe inmyself enough to do that. But as soon as I came here I thendecided I was going to do what I really, really want to do,which is be a physician. This program gave me some amaz-ing clinical exposure, and some amazing time in research,”Monney says.

(Photo by Janine Gelineau/UConn Health)

Oluwatoyin Akinnusoto describes the research he did aspart of the Summer Research Fellowship Program.

(Photo by Janine Gelineau/UConn Health)

Alexxus Hall, a University of Saint Joseph junior, says theHealth Disparities Clinical Summer Research FellowshipProgram “has allowed me to meet so many great peopleand make so many different connections. I am very happyand pleased that I spent the summer participating insuch a wonderful program that I know will benefit me inthe future.”

(Photo provided by Alexxus Hall)

The Aetna Foundation, which provided an additional grantto expand the Health Disparities Clinical Summer ResearchFellowship Program at UConn Health, makes it possible forundergraduates like Hamza Zakir (left) and Akorfa Adoborto get a head start on their pursuit of careers in health care.

(Photo provided by Mukhtar Suleiman)

(Excerpt of article written by Chris DeFrancesco, UConn Health)


Aetna Health Professions Partnership InitiativeSummer 2015 Program Closing Ceremony

– Keynote Speaker –

Dr. Jamil Harp (center) receives recognition from Mr. Chris Montross,head of Corporate Community Investments/Employee Programs,Aetna Community Relations (far left), Dr. Bruce Liang, dean of UConnSchool of Medicine (left), and Dr. Marja Hurley (right).

Jamil Harp, M.D., is a native ofNew Haven, Connecticut. After

graduating with honors fromSpelman College with a Bachelorof Science degree in mathematics,she earned her medical degreefrom the University of Connecti-cut School of Medicine, Class of2004. Dr. Harp completed her res-idency in Obstetrics and Gynecol-

ogy at Morehouse School of Medicine, where duringresidency she received the Morehouse School of Med-icine Obstetrics and Gynecology 2008 ResidentResearch Award based on her research on ResidentEducation in NewbornMale Circumcision. Herresearch on medical andresident education hasbeen presented at na-tional conferences. Mostrecently her research hasbeen presented in 2014 atthe APGO/CREOG Con-ference.

In May 2015 her re-search on “Gender Dif-ferences in Obstetricsand Gynecology Clerk-

ship Evaluations” was presented at the American Col-lege of Obstetrics and Gynecology Conference. Con-tinuing her medical education and training, Dr. Harpcompleted a fellowship in advanced gynecology witha focus in urinary incontinence, pelvic floor dysfunc-tion and robotic surgery, with Southeastern Gyneco-logic Oncology. She currently is an assistant professorof obstetrics and gynecology in the Morehouse Schoolof Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecol-ogy and works within the Division of Pelvic FloorSurgery. She is the course director of the pelvicanatomy course. Dr. Harp is also the clerkship directorfor medical student education in the Obstetrics andGynecology Department.

Dr. Harp is active inMorehouse School ofMedicine activities suchas a secondary inter-viewer for the medicalschool admissions com-mittee, medical studentadvisor program, and res-ident advisor program.She also serves as a lec-turer for the Masters ofScience and Medical Sci-ence (MSMS) Program.

Dr. Jamil Harp

Aetna HPPI ~ Department of Health Career Opportunity ProgramsPage

Each year the Student National Dental Associa-tion/Hispanic Student National Dental Associa-

tion (SNDA/HSNDA) in collaboration with theDepartment of Health Career Opportunity Programscelebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. The purpose ofthe event is to celebrate the Hispanic culture of theUConn Health community through food, song, dance,and other artistic presentations. Last year’s event tookplace on October 23, 2014, at the UConn Health cam-

pus. The event included authentic Hispanic cuisine,raffle prizes, and entertainment. Local Hispanicrestaurants provided delicious dishes such as ArrozChaufa, Plátano Maduros, and Pollo Guisado. Thenight’s events also showcased local Latin singerMarissa who performed two songs from her album“Ayer y Hoy.” The night ended with Brianna Munoz,third-year dental student and a certified Zumba in-structor, who led the audience in a Zumba dance.

The Department of Health CareerOpportunity Programs recog-

nized Peter Schulman, M.D.,F.A.C.C., professor of medicine anddirector of the Cardiology Fellow-ship Program at UConn Health dur-ing the Aetna Health ProfessionsPartnership Initiative 2015 SummerProgram Closing Ceremony. The

Faculty Recognition Award honorsfaculty members for their excellentservice in academic inspiration andservice. The 2015 award was pre-sented to Dr. Schulman for his ex-emplary service and dedication tostudents in the Health ProfessionsPartnership Initiative.

Faculty Recognition Award Recipient

Student National Dental Association/Hispanic Student NationalDental Association – UConn Health Chapter

Hispanic Heritage Month Event

Dr. Peter Schulman receives recognitionfrom Dr. Marja Hurley.


Each year the Student National Medical Associa-tion (SNMA) hosts Culture Shock, an event

sponsored by the Department of Health Career Op-portunity Programs. The purpose of the event is tocelebrate the diversity of the UConn Health commu-nity through food, poetry, fashion, song, dance, andother artistic presentations. Participants enjoy a widearray of local and international cuisine, which is ob-tained through donations from many restaurants andindividuals from UConn Health.

Last year, Culture Shock was held on November 7,

2014, in UConn Health’s Keller Auditorium. All pro-ceeds from the raffle were donated to Interval House,Hartford, CT. Interval House serves women and chil-dren who experience physical and/or psychologicalabuse from a domestic or intimate partner. Some of theservices they offer include: 24-hour crisis hotline, emer-gency shelter, support groups, court and legal advocacy,community education and awareness, and programs forchildren. Women and children leave the program em-powered and supported to achieve higher education andcareers. Interval House has multiple locations and sup-port women and children around the state.

Student National Medical Association – UConn Health Chapter Culture Shock Event


Spelman College Pre-Health Students Visit UConn Health

The Department of Health Career Opportunity Pro-grams has played an integral role in recruiting di-

verse students from around the country including thosefrom historically black colleges and universities to theUConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine.Through a partnership with Spelman College, Atlanta,Ga, the department hosted undergraduate pre-healthstudents from Spelman interested in applying to theUConn School of Medicine or Dental Medicine, thePh.D. in Biomedical Science Program, or the com-

bined M.D./Ph.D. program. During their visit onMarch 12, 2015, the students learned more about theAetna HPPI pipeline programs, heard presentationsfrom deans and program directors in the UConnSchools of Medicine and Dental Medicine and Grad-uate School. The Spelman students also took a tour ofthe UConn Health campus, including the research labsand the Clinical Skills Lab, and met with current med-ical and dental students.


The Department of Health Career OpportunityPrograms has developed a series of professional

development workshops for high school scienceteachers in the Hartford public school system. Thepurpose of the workshops is to pro-vide teachers with additional re-sources to enhance their sciencecurricula to help prepare their stu-dents for future college-level coursesand careers in science and medicine.This year’s workshop, held on Feb-

ruary 17, 2015, focused on current careers and currenttopics in biomedical science. Presentations were pro-vided by UConn Health faculty and graduate studentson topics ranging from the skeletal system in human

health to induced pluripotent stem cell(iPSC) models for human disease tolifespan and caloric restriction. Theday’s activities also included exhibitsand hands-on demonstrations, clinicalskills, and tours of UConn Health.

Professional Development Workshop forHartford High School Science Teachers

The Minority Association of Pre-medical Students(MAPS) is the pre-medical undergraduate and

post-baccalaureate section of the Student NationalMedical Association (SNMA). The UConn MAPSchapter at Storrs aims to increase diversity within thehealth professions and ultimately eliminate health dis-parities. The Department of Health Career Opportu-nity Programs aids the MAPS chapter in the goals ofproviding knowledge, resources, programs, and skillsto pre-medical students so that they are competitiveapplicants for medical school.

The UConn SNMA Chapter hosted the undergraduatemembers of the UConn MAPS chapter for an enrich-ment visit at UConn Health on March 27, 2015.MAPS participants heard presentations from UConnHealth faculty and staff about UConn School of Med-icine, the medical school application process, and fi-nancing a medical school education. MAPS membersalso interacted with current medical students whospoke about their personal journeys to medical school.The day’s activities ended with a tour of UConnHealth, including the Clinical Skills Lab.

Student National Medical Association – UConn Health Chapter Hosts MAPS Day


West Middle School Enrichment with the Student NationalDental Association/Hispanic Student National

Dental Association – UConn Health

On February 20, 2015, the Department of HealthCareer Opportunity Programs hosted 40 7th and

8th grade students from Hartford’s West MiddleSchool for a day of enrichment focused on dental med-icine at UConn Health. The enrichment workshopswere facilitated by Dr. Sarita Arteaga in the School ofDental Medicine and members of the UConn Chapterof the Student National Dental Association/HispanicStudent Dental Association. The day commenced with

greetings from Ms. Morgan Ferrarotti, director of Cor-porate Social Responsibility at The Hartford.Throughout the day, the middle school students heardfrom a panel of current dental students, participated ina jeopardy game on dental hygiene and oral health, andvisited the Grasso Dental Simulation Lab for hands-on activities to learn more about dentistry. This eventwas funded by The Hartford.

Aetna Foundation

Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation Program, Office of Higher Education

Connecticut State Legislative Fund

John and Valerie RoweHealth Professions Scholars Program

The Hartford

University of Connecticut FoundationFriends of the Department of Health Career Opportunity Programs

UConn Health

William and Alice Mortensen Foundation

We thank you for your support and continued encouragement and commitment to the students.

Acknowledgement of Funding Sources

Important Dates Application Deadlines

Acknowledgement of Our Parents, Teachers,Peer Counselors and Mentors

April 23, 2016Bridge to the Future Science MentoringConference

May 18, 2016Aetna HPPI Doctors Academy ClosingCeremony

March 1, 2016Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship ProgramMedical/Dental Preparatory ProgramSummer Research Fellowship Program

April 1, 2016High School Student Research Apprentice Program

May 20, 2016Aetna HPPI Great ExplorationsAetna HPPI Doctors AcademyPre-College Academic Enrichment Program

For more information about the Pipeline Programs listed below, visit us at:

hcop.uchc.edu

• Great Explorations Middle School Program, 6th-8th grades

• Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative Doctors Academy 6-week Summer and30-week Academic Year Programs, 8th-12th grades

• High School Summer Research Apprenticeship Program, 11th-12th grades

• High School Mini Medical/Dental School Seminar Series, 11th-12th grades

• Bridge to the Future Science Mentoring Program, 9th-16th grades

• Pre-College Enrichment Program, 13th grade

• Health Disparities Clinical Summer Research Fellowship Program, 13th-16th grades

• College Enrichment Program, 13th-14th grades

• Medical/Dental Preparatory Program, 13th-15th grades

• Summer Research Fellowship Program, 15th-16th grades

• Post Baccalaureate Program, post-16th grades

• BS/DMD Joint Degree Program, 13th-16th grades

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CAREER OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS263 FARMINGTON AVENUE • FARMINGTON, CT 06030-3920

– This publication was funded by the Aetna Foundation Fund. –

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