Undoubtedly, Ohio State offers an immense variety of opportunities and resources to students; so immense that those students can spend their four years of undergraduate studies without seeing it all. This brings along positive and not-so-positive sides. It is positive because it makes the Ohio State experience unique, interesting and often surprising; and not-so-positive because great resources might be overlooked and underutilized.
Over the years, ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? has served as the vehicle to learn more about people and stories that deserve acknowledgment and recognition. Several months ago, we learned about Dr. Clara Epstein; a neurosurgeon, Clinical Instructor and House Staff Physician in the Department of Neurological Surgery at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Epstein is internationally recognized in her professional field and also has a leadership role in promoting cultural awareness and increasing access to Latin@s in their medical career. Epstein’s experience includes two clinical post-graduate fellowships in Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disorders, and in Clinical Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Neurosurgery. She has authored numerous scientific papers and professional publications and has held various leadership positions in national and international organizations aimed at the betterment and development of neurosurgery and, more specifically, of Latin@ women in the field.
Most recently, Epstein was a guest speaker and lecturer at the XIX CONGRESO MEXICANO DE CIRUGÍA NEUROLÓGICA (XIX Congress of the Mexican Society of Neurological Surgery) held in Mexico City. During this event, she had the opportunity to participate in and co-found Neurocirujanas — the first Mexican Women Neurosurgeons organization — and to contribute to http://www.neurocirujanas.org, its new website. With 35 women neurosurgeons currently in Mexico, Epstein will function as an ongoing liaison to their organization from the United States.
Epstein also stepped into a leadership role in the Hispanic Physician Outreach Initiative (HPOI), launched by the American Medical Association (AMA) in 2006 in response to the under-representation of Hispanics/Latin@s in medical professions contrasting with the continuous growth of the Latin@ population. The HPOI is a needs assessment and leadership development project designed to identify and engage Hispanic physician leaders in the AMA. As one of seven members identified nationally to serve on the HPOI, Epstein said, “This initiative is necessary due to two main issues: raising awareness and a focus on education — educating other physicians, colleagues, and legislators. The Latino population has unique needs, based on language and culture, as well as a focus on preventive care.”
In the health care field, this rapidly growing segment of the population is affected by an expanding need for culturally and linguistically appropriate medical care — yet the representation of Hispanics/Latinos in the medical field remains extremely low. In 2003, as reported by AMA, Latinos made up 13.7 percent of the population, and are projected to increase their representation in the United States to 24 percent by the year 2050. In 2004, only 2.8 percent of physicians in the United States were reported as Hispanic.
As a result, the American Medical Association through the work of the HPOI, hopes to increase the presence of Latino physicians in leadership roles in the medical field, promote the medical field as a career option to younger Latin@s, address interpreter standards, and identify physicians who might be willing to participate in a formal mentorship program. When asked about the goals of the program, Epstein said, “We want to emphasize not just community awareness and fulfilling the needs of the current population, but addressing the younger population from grade school on throughout their education. There are many groups that have created initiatives to work with health issues in the Hispanic population, but we are trying to unify these groups and bring more community interventions to places. We are hoping to influence children to participate in the sciences, and then be recruited and retained in the medical field.” Epstein stated that HPOI is currently focused on identifying the most important issues in the community, and within the next five years, will have a plan of action to address these issues.
For more information on the HPOI, please visit
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/16800.html
and to learn more about Dr. Clara Epstein’s work and accomplishments, please visit
http://www.braindoctor.net/epstein
