University of New England

UNECOM student named to national leadership position in the American Medical Student Association
                       
BIDDEFORD - University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine student Shehzaad Zaman, MSII, was recently named national disabilities coordinator for the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) at a conference in Washington, D.C.

In the new role, Zaman will work with the national AMSA leadership over the next year on a variety of tasks. These include the organization of many events at the national conference aimed at raising awareness regarding key issues faced by patients in the clinical setting with new or chronic disabilities. These events will also give medical students the skills needed to help improve the quality and the delivery of care to the disabled population.

Zaman will also collaborate with other sections of AMSA on a variety of projects, and will serve as a resource for medical and pre-med students.

Zaman has some project ideas already in mind that include holding a workshop to teach medical students communication strategies for working with deaf or hard of hearing patients; increasing the availability of clear surgical masks for patients who rely on lip-reading, which may reduce patient anxiety; continuing the AMSA's annual Medfest screening where medical students meet a patient with a disability, do a history and physical examination on them and clear them to participate in the Special Olympics; and establish an AMSA disabilities awareness week where local AMSA chapters organize events for clients with different disabilities to share their experiences and where students can participate in events that simulate life with a disability.

AMSA
The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Today, AMSA is a student-governed, national organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. With a membership of more than 68,000 medical students, premedical students, interns, residents and practicing physicians from across the country, AMSA is committed to improving medical training and the nation's health. AMSA works to improve the lives of medical students and give them power to take action and create change about healthcare issues they care about.

(Press release posted March 8, 2007)