Preparing for A Career In Biomedical Sciences
Speaker: Warren K. Ashe, Ph.D.
Institution: Retired; Howard University College of Medicine
Synopsis: This workshop will begin with a review of academic strategies for preparing for careers in biomedical sciences. This will be followed by a discussion of Biblical references as well as scientific presentations to answer certain questions of human genome sequencing.

Retention of African Americans in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Speaker: Ernest L. Brothers, Ph.D.
Institution: Peach State LSAMP - UGA
Synopsis: The challenge facing many African-American students is not choosing a science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) major, but what factors put them at risk to remain in that STEM major until they graduate.

Free Web related Information Resources available through the National Library of Medicine
Speaker(s): Rose Womble and Wilma Templin-Branner
Institution: National Library of Medicine
Synopsis: This session will provide participants with information about the medical, toxicological, and environmental health resources and online databases available from the National Library of Medicine.

Top Seven Compelling Reasons Why You Should Pursue a Rewarding Career As a Pharmacist.
Speaker: William Huang, PharmD
Institution: Target Pharmacy
Synopsis: The high demand for pharmacists creates an environment which guarantees job stability, job specialization, and personal fulfillment. Students, if you have an outgoing personality, are self-motivating, and have a compassionate yearning to learn and help people, come and discover in this workshop why you should pursue a rewarding career as a pharmacist.

My Professional Journey – Careers in Veterinary Medicine
Speaker: Stephanie Miles – Richardson, DVM, PhD
Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities
Synopsis: Veterinarians are uniquely qualified to make significant contri-butions to public health as we possess a sensitivity and appreciation of ecology and organismal interdependence – the relationship between humans, animals, and their environments. This presentation will provide an overview of many opportunities for veterinarians.

Preparing An Engaging Research Abstract
Speaker: Regina Dixon-Reeves, Ph.D.
Institution: RDR Consulting
Synopsis: A research abstract is often the only permanent and public record of your research and therefore must be written as a stand-alone document. At the end of this workshop, students will have a formula for writing an informative, well-structured and engaging research abstract.

Preparing for Careers in the Biomedical Sciences: The Essential Behaviors of Successful Undergraduate Students
Speaker: Regina Dixon-Reeves, Ph.D.
Institution: RDR Consulting
Synopsis: This workshop walks students through the process of finding a mentor; positioning themselves within a community of scholars; and doing the work of an academic. It also goes in-depth about the attitudes that are necessary for undergraduates to adapt to successfully transition through their undergraduate institution into either graduate school or into an entry-level position within the biomedical health professions.

Roadmap to Success: How To Build A Successful Career In Science and the Health Professions
Speaker: Emil T. Chuck, Ph.D.
Institution: George Mason University
Synopsis: While academic success is certainly a necessity, students must keep in mind that their interpersonal skills, cultural competency, professionalism, and personal management skills are also being examined. This workshop will help students to recognize the importance of developing self-assessment tools and “soft skills” in finding fulfilling careers in science or health professions.

Tell Me About Yourself: Exercising Your Networking Skills
Speaker: Emil T. Chuck, Ph.D.
Institution: George Mason University
Synopsis: One of the impediments many student applicants have is the inability to present herself or himself to an interviewer, a potential classmate, or a professor. A critical skill for professional success, students do not get an opportunity to practice their "elevator" introductions. This interactive workshop will help each student identify ways to introduce themselves to fellow students and become more sensitive to listening to others as they connect with others.

Jackson Heart Study Undergrad Training Program
Speaker: Wendy White, MPH, Ph.D., ABD
Institution: Jackson Heart Study
Synopsis: This presentation will provide attendees with an overview of the Jackson Heart Study, the largest epidemiological study of its kind that focuses on cardiovascular disease in the African American population. Attendees will also learn the importance, the history, and the research opportunities in the Jackson Heart Study.

The College Bound Medicine Bag
Speaker: Laureen G. Jones, Ed.S.
Institution: Franklin County Schools
Synopsis: This interactive presentation will provide students with effective resources and proven strategies that will lead them to the college of their choice. The presenter will conduct a career assessment survey, college and universities information, handouts on websites, and other resources available to the medical college bound student.

Financial Literacy Matters – Literally
Speaker: Jennifer Staley or Claire Loup
Institution: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta: New Orleans Branch
Synopsis: This workshop is a practical approach to saving and spending, managing money, bank banking, and aids in the understanding of just how basic financial tools – checks, debit cards, credit cards – actually work. Prepare for your future by learning how to make saving attractive and easy by making better choices when selecting financial institutions and financial tools.

An Introduction to Public Health & Epidemiology
Speaker: Joseph Benitez, MPH
Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Community Health and Program Services Branch
Synopsis: Public health is not a new field however; there has been increased national and global attention to Health related issues such as spread of infectious and chronic disease, etc. Public health is a broad and far-reaching field in which many efforts have been made to recruit and develop highly trained professionals to work in the many roles of the field. This workshop will provide students with exposure to Public Health and Population based approaches to health protection and disease control.

Minority Health Disparities – Statistically Speaking
Speaker: Shawna Howell, MPH
Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Community Health and Program Services Branch
Synopsis: This workshop will provide awareness about minority health disparities in the United States, outline how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is enabling communities to reduce disparities and offer ways individuals can make a difference.

Financial Literacy Matters – Literally
Speaker: Jennifer Staley or Claire Loup
Institution: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta: New Orleans Branch
Synopsis: This workshop is a practical approach to saving and spending, managing money, bank banking, and aids in the understanding of just how basic financial tools – checks, debit cards, credit cards – actually work. Prepare for your future by learning how to make saving attractive and easy by making better choices when selecting financial institutions and financial tools.

An Introduction to Public Health & Epidemiology
Speaker: Joseph Benitez, MPH
Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Community Health and Program Services Branch
Synopsis: Public health is not a new field however; there has been increased national and global attention to Health related issues such as spread of infectious and chronic disease, etc. Public health is a broad and far-reaching field in which many efforts have been made to recruit and develop highly trained professionals to work in the many roles of the field. This workshop will provide students with exposure to Public Health and Population based approaches to health protection and disease control.

Minority Health Disparities – Statistically Speaking
Speaker: Shawna Howell, MPH
Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Community Health and Program Services Branch
Synopsis: This workshop will provide awareness about minority health disparities in the United States, outline how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is enabling communities to reduce disparities and offer ways individuals can make a difference.

Stigmatization of People Living With HIV/AIDS in South Africa
Speaker: Darigg C. Brown, MPH
Institution: The Pennsylvania State University – Department of Bio Behavioral Health
Synopsis: It is estimated that of the five million persons living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa that there is significant related stigma, discrimination and negative impacts facing persons impacted with this disease, particularly in two South African communities. Factors which have been identified as contributing to HIV/AIDS-related stigma include: HIV/AIDS is a life-threatening disease; people are scared of contracting HIV; and religious or moral reasons among other areas. This workshop will provide details as it relates to a capacity building project on HIV/AIDS stigmas in order to enhance research capabilities in South Africa. Students will be able to recognize the role of race and identity in providing treatment and care for people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

Networking for Careers in Math and Science
Speaker: Marcus L. Collins, MS
Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases; ORISE Fellow
Synopsis: This presentation will take a look at different careers in science and math that many students may not be knowledgeable of. This presentation is all about options and making yourself available for them. We will take a look at different fellowships, internships and degree programs. Finally, we will explore how to make the right connections to advance your career.


Got Research? Exploring a Career Path to Maternal & Health
Speaker: Shelly Francis, PhD
Institution: Case Western University School of Medicine
Synopsis: Healthy People 2010 is a Department of Health & Human Services initiative that provides benchmarks for the nation’s health (DHHS, Office of Disease Prevention & Health Promotion, 2000). The presenter will take you on a journey exploring alternative careers in health. This interactive session incorporates life skills, decision-making, and how to pick the right career path for yourself based on what is important to you. The presenter will also present findings from her current research which focuses on health disparities, cervical cancer and HPV risk among young adults. During the session the participants will research a current health policy and debate the pros/cons of the issue.
 

What Your Mother Didn’t Tell You about Applying to Biological and Biomedical Research Programs
Speaker: Thomas Landefeld, PhD
Institution: CSU Dominguez Hills
Synopsis: Choosing a career in the biomedical and health sciences, as well as, preparing for such a career represent tow of the most critical steps that students have to take, especially under represented minority students. These decisions must be based on as much information as possible, the bulk of which is not often provided in their classrooms nor by their advisors. The discussion will include advice on writing strong personal statements, obtaining good letters of recommendation, choosing research and/or clinical experiences, and identifying schools/programs for applications.

Public Health, Health Disparities, and Genetics: Understanding the Fabric Which We Are Made
Speaker: Stacy M. Lloyd, MPH
Institution: University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
Synopsis: Health is often regarded as the absence of disease; negating an individual’s environment, lifestyle and genetic composition. This presentation will educate participants on the importance of he alth, public health and the integral role that genetics play on the burden of health in America. This will be an interactive session, where students will inform the speaker on how they perceive health, public health, health disparities, and why these are important on a global scale. Students will learn the basics of genetics, how genetics impacts health, public health, and how concurrently, all these affect health disparities.

Alternative Careers With a Terminal “D” Degree
Speaker: Deanine Grace Holliman, PhD
Institution: Valeant Pharmaceuticals
Synopsis: If your ultimate goal is to pursue a doctorate, then be open to the possibilities that your degree offers! You might be surprised to learn that many doctors are leaving their “work” roles and moving into the pharmaceutical, insurance and private industries. Your doctoral degree can translate into a rewarding career outside of the traditional expectations. Private industries are looking for highly skilled doctors to run their Medical and Clinical Affairs department, insurance companies need trained clinicians to make decisions on patient care and consulting firms need business minded health professionals to forecast trends in medical discoveries to their clients. At the end of this session, you will learn that opportunities abound for you when you are at the doctoral level and that it is much easier to obtain a nontraditional career with your terminal “D” degree.

Ways to Manage Sleep to be Successful in school and practical life.
Speaker: Muhammad A. Mian, PhD
Institution: Rust College – Division of Science and Mathematics
Synopsis: It is a common observation tat many students are attending classes with severe fatigue. Their academic performances are down despite the fact that most of them have financial supports (ie: not working multiple jobs to pay for education). Attend this workshop and learn how much sleep you need and what activities you can drop to have necessary hours of sleep and to be successful with managing your time and life.

The Road to a Biostatistics Career
Speaker: Daniel F. Sarpong, PhD
Institution: Jackson Heart Study Coordinating Center – Jackson State University
Synopsis: Workshop attendees will understand the journey of becoming a biostatistician and the professional life of a biostatistician. Attendees will be exposed to the career opportunities with special application to clinical, pharmaceutical, and epidemiological research. Attendees will learn how to develop portfolios for potential graduate or professional schools to achieve admission and financial assistance; and how to use summer internship as an art of position for admission to graduate school or professional school with possible financial aid.

How To Establish A Pharmacy Based Flu Clinic In A Community Setting.
Speaker: Kristin Ball, PharmD
Institution: Hampton University – School of Pharmacy
Synopsis: There is no doubt that the practice of pharmacy is ever-changing. Traditionally, pharmacists have been regarded as the medication experts. Therefore, community pharmacists are in ideal settings to refine and utilize this unique skill that patients and providers have grown to depend upon. Medication As pharmacy practice, especially in the community setting, shifts from a product-centered to a patient-centered focus, pharmacists ability to provide these services will be vital as the profession evolves. The overall purpose of this workshop will be to introduce the participants to a unique career in community pharmacy and to provide them with information on how to prepare for such a career.

Pharmacy and Infectious Diseases
Speaker: Renee Greaves, PharmD
Institution: Rutgers University
Synopsis: Can an infection on the skin spread so far down that you can see the bone? Can you acquire an infection just by sitting on a toilet seat? The causes and routes of transmission of various infectious diseases are not always so clear. Learn of the types of infections that are: 1) avoidable and unavoidable 2) treated with medication vs. incurable 3) cause short-term vs. long-term effects 4) fatal. By attending this workshop, students will be able to understand the role of a pharmacist in an infectious disease setting and how their involvement can change a patient’s life. After all, some patients only gt one chance.

NIH Extramural Associates Program: Infrastructure Building Program for HBCU’s
Speaker: Carl V. Hill, PhD, MPH
Institution: National Institute of Health
Synopsis: The goal of this workshop is to provide information for students and institutions on how to increase research capacity. Goals of the Extramural Associates Program, an NICHD initiative, will serve as a basis for discussing strategies in developing or strengthening offices of research development and/or offices of sponsored programs to facilitate the research development of undergraduate students. A talk will also be presented on the health disparities within a culture of African-American and Caribbean men.

CDC Training Opportunities – How will you spend your summer?
Speaker: Yvonne H. Lewis, MPH
Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities
Synopsis: This workshop will provide an overview of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities (OMHD), as well as highlight some of the minority training programs and other paths of career enhancement that are available at the CDC to expand their professional development. Programs like Project IMHOTEP, Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Fellowship, the Hispanic Serving Health Professions Schools student programs, and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society program have trained, encouraged, and provided minority students with broad public health experiences designed to help reveal career paths and raise awareness about health disparities.

Students Identify Their Unique Learning Styles for a Career in Dentistry.
Speaker: Kimberly Haynes – DMD Candidate ‘09
Institution: Boston University School of Dental Medicine
Synopsis: This presentation will seek to identify the unique learning style(s) of the student attendees to maximize and make efficient their efforts during vital study time. I will introduce the fundamental methods of learning which include audio, visual, and tactile/kinesthetic, as well as, several contemporary concepts which encompass a combination of the three traditional styles. This workshop will also outline and explain methods of studying for standardized exams (ie: SAT, ACT, GRE, DAT, MCAT, etc.), the importance of time management, and detail the strategy for developing a “timeline of success.”

How To Fulfill Your Childhood Dreams of Becoming a Medical Doctor
Speaker: Mrs. Stormee Williams, MD
Institution: Martin L. King Jr. Family Clinic – Dallax, TX
Synopsis: A lot of times, the dream to become a doctor starts in childhood. Thos of us who are holding on to that dream usually have no idea of the actual steps it takes to become one. There is a specific timeline and order in which certain tests, applications, interviews, etc. occur on the road to becoming a doctor. During this session, students will explore these steps.

Lead Smelting: An International Review
Speaker: Nicole Fobi, MD Candidate
Institution: Morehouse School of Medicine
Synopsis: Lead is the most abundant of the heavy metals in the Earth’s crust. It has been used since prehistoric times, and ahs become widely distributed and mobilized in the environment. Both occupational and environmental exposures to lead remain a serious problem in many developing and industrializing countries, however, introduction of lead into the human environment has decreased in recent years, largely due to public health campaigns and a decline it its commercial usage, particularly in petrol. This workshop will review the nature and importance of environmental exposure to lead in developing and developed countries, as well as, policies and guidelines from stakeholders.

Streamlining Botulism Laboratory Tests
Speaker: Latisha Davis, MPH
Institution: Florida A& M University – Ferguson Fellows Alumni, 2007
Synopsis: Although Botulism cases are rare in the United States, approximately 10% of cases result in death (Lui et al.,2003).The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Botulism Surveillance and Reference Laboratory (NBSRL) has been collecting and testing botulism samples during suspected outbreaks In this workshop, students will receive an overview of the Clostridium botulinum test data from 1990-2006 analysis to identify any potentially unnecessary tests in the current botulism testing protocol.

Tobacco Prevention Resources
Speaker: Latisha Davis, MPH
Institution: Florida Department of Health
Synopsis: Florida has a long-standing history in tobacco prevention efforts. The Department has used federal funds to implement tobacco-related activities since 1989. The Department began a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded program in 1992. In 1998, tobacco prevention activities were increased following Florida's successful lawsuit against the tobacco industry when a "Settlement Agreement" was reached. The Settlement Agreement created the Tobacco Pilot Program which gave birth to SWAT, Students Working Against Tobacco. Many other states emulated the Pilot Program's youth empowerment model for prevention and the American Legacy Foundation adopted its marketing campaign for national use.

Genotyping Tools for Chagas Disease
Speaker: Shonte Foster, PharmD Candidate
Institution: Xavier University of Louisiana, College of Pharmacy – Ferguson Fellows Alumni, 2007
Synopsis: The current diagnostic methods of Chagas Disease, which are xenodiagnosis, microscopic observation, and serological test, lack sensitivity. The disease is caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite. PCR methods using specific primers have shown to be sensitive for detecting Trypanosoma cruzi. The objective of this study and workshop is to further characterize specimens positive for T. cruzi using PCR-based methods based on the HSP701 and 1F8 genes, to ultimately obtain information about the diversity of the parasites, mechanism, and dynamics of transmission of Chagas Disease.

Bacterial Endosymbionts of Human Lice and Their Potential Use In Control of Louse-Borne Disease Transmission & Pediculosis
Speaker: Gemechu Gerbi, DVM, PhD Candidate
Institution: Tuskegee University – Ferguson Fellows Alumni, 2007
Synopsis: Despite the impact that epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever have had on humans, little is understood about the molecular interactions between the bacterial agents of these diseases and their body louse hosts. However, it is first important to understand the molecular interactions between the bacterial endosymbionts of lice called Riesia pediculicola and their louse hosts. The objective of this study and workshop is to determine whether the Riesia chromosome and plasmid are highly conserved or variable in different populations of head and body lice so that identical control strategies may be directed against both anthropods.

Investigation of the Epidemiology & Ecology of Flea-borne rickettsioses in California
Speaker: Erica Hayes, MSPH Candidate
Institution: Meharry Medical College – Ferguson Fellows Alumni, 2007
Synopsis: Murine typhus has a cosmopolitan distribution. However, most cases in the United States are from California, Texas and Hawaii. The purpose of this presentation will be to establish the ecology and etiology of rickettsial illness diagnosed serologically as murine typhus in California.

The Evaluation of New HIV Rapid Test for Inclusion in the USAID Waiver List
Speaker: Lisa Jonson, PharmD Candidate
Institution: Hampton University, School of Pharmacy – Ferguson Fellows Alumni, 2007
Synopsis: The Global AIDS Program International Laboratory Brach in the CDC provides technical assistance of HIV rapid test kits so that they may be incorporated in the USAID waiver list. This program means to assess the sensitivity, specificity, and overall character of the rapid tests that seek USAID approval. Ideally, a rapid test will perform with 99.0% sensitivity and 98.0% specificity. Workshop attendees will review the processes of integrating US 141 HIV positive and negative specimen into a Rapid Testing Validation (RTV) Panel of over 1500 of international specimen by performing a series of reference testing and, simultaneously, evaluating Rapid Test “X” (RTX) that has not achieved FDA or USAID approval.

The Development of a Rapid point-of-care assay for the diagnosis of endocarditis due to Coxiella burnetti
Speaker: Alexis Omari, PharmD Candidate
Institution: Xavier University of Louisiana, College of Pharmacy – Ferguson Fellows Alumni, 2007
Synopsis: The objective of this project and workshop is to develop and evaluate a rapid point-of-care device for the detection of endocarditis due to Coxiella burnetti with an aim to find serum concentrations at which the phase I antigen and conjugate reagents will allow positive results to be read and interpreted with the naked eye. This workshop will provide the conclusions of the assay which should have the characteristics of being read visually, being easy to conduct, and having satisfactory performance.

Comparison of CDC and Commercial Antisera for the Determination of Salmonella H Antigens
Speaker: Martha Prieto, MPH, PharmD Candidate
Institution: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science – Ferguson Fellows Alumni, 2007
Synopsis: The objective of this study and workshop is to compare H. antigen identifications obtained using three lines of commercial Salmonella H. antisera and CDC Salmonella H. antisera. Workshop attendees will be able to understand that State Health Laboratories perform most of Salmonella serotyping utilizing a basic panel of polyclonal antisera provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) following the recommended tube agglutination serology for the identification of Salmonella isolates.

Pathological Changes Associated With Acute Plasmodium Falciparum Vietnam Oak Knoll Infection in the Owl Monkey
Speaker: Allison Roberson, DVM Candidate
Institution: Tuskegee University, College of Veterinary Medicine – Ferguson Fellows Alumni, 2007
Synopsis: In this study and workshop, students will understand the aim to demonstrate the clinical pathology, gross necropsy, and histopathology findings of four (4) owl monkeys challenged with Plasmodium falciparum (Vietname Oak Knoll variant) post vaccinated with MSP-1. Furthermore, Aotus nancymaae will continue to be an important animal model for the study of falciparum malaria as well as the development of an effective anti-malaria vaccine.