Thomas Zand Refugee Health Initiatives
The UMass Chan Medical School - Family Medicine and Community Health Department annual Thomas Zand Initiatives include three distinct parts: a student scholarship program, a visiting professorship, and a community partner celebration event featuring a community-selected partner recognition award.
Thomas Zand Refugee Health Scholarships for Excellence in Research and Service
The UMass Chan Medical School - Family Medicine and Community Health Department annual Thomas Zand Refugee Health Scholarships support medical students passionate about refugee health and allow them to attend a national refugee health conference.
There are two annual competitive scholarships for UMass Chan medical students:
- Excellence in Service: for a 1st or 2nd year (2nd or 3rd year at the time of the conference) medical student who demonstrates passion for refugee health as well as commitment and service.
- 2024: Mariane St. Thomas
- 2023: Ezdean Alkurdi
- Excellence in Research: for a 2nd or 3rd year (3rd and 4th year at the time of the conference) medical student who demonstrates scholarship in refugee health and has submitted a presentation or a poster to a refugee health conference.
- 2024: Erik Bratland, “Enhancing UMass Chan medical student refugee health training through community-based partnerships"
- 2023: Priscilla Lee
2025 Applications are due February 15, 2025. Applicants for the Excellence in Research Award should note that the 2025 International Refugee & Migrant Health Conference abstract submissions are due February 1, 2025. Priority will be given to those whose abstracts are accepted at the conference.
Thomas Zand Visiting Professorship in Refugee Health
The planning committee develops and selects from a short list of candidates pursuing refugee health goals with expertise relevant to the issues at hand in our community each year. Recommendations can be sent to The Professor is invited to spend a day meeting with faculty, staff and learners; speaking at the FMCH Grand Rounds, and participating in the Community Celebration event.
5/21/2024: Marc Altshuler, MD, Residency Director, Dept of Family and Community Medicine, Jefferson Medical School
6/20/2023: Crista Johnson-Agbakwu, MD, Director, UMass Chan Collaborative for Health Equity
Thomas Zand Community Celebration of Refugee Health
Monday, May 20, 2024, Worcester Community Action Council, 18 Chestnut St.
Tuesday, June 20, 2023, UMass Chan Sherman Cube, 55 Lake Ave N
Thomas Zand Partner Recognition Award
2024 Office of New Americans at Friendly House: received by Jillian Phillips
2023 Worcester Area Refugee Ministry