Combatting Structural Racism in Health Data - Dr. Taparra
We had the pleasure of having Dr. Taparra speak about the existing structural racism that looms over health data across the nation, and what we can do to get one step closer towards health equity among Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.
Beyond his research in NHPI health disparities and NHPI data disaggregation, Dr. Kekoa Taparra uses his platform as a physician-scientist to advocate for better care access and improving care equity for NHPI communities.
No Arena In Chinatown x Jefferson APAMSA
Philadelphia’s Chinatown is a growing community of Asian-owned small businesses, schools, and places of worship. With over 2,000 residents, it contains a senior housing complex, low-income housing, and many more apartments and houses. As the historical heart of Asian culture in the city–from its multitude of authentic restaurants and shops to its vibrant festivals–it is where Asian Americans across the Greater Philadelphia area can feel at home. However, as of July 2022, the owners of the professional NBA Basketball team, the 76ers, have proposed the construction of a sports arena at the border of Philadelphia’s Chinatown.
This proposal was made without consulting the residents, small business owners, or organizations within Chinatown that would be directly impacted. The building of this sports arena could lead to gentrification, displacement, and quality of life issues not only for the residents of Chinatown but also for the Center City community as a whole.
Under the coordination of Jefferson APAMSA President, Kameron Inguito Medical Student ’26, the Jefferson APAMSA chapter hosted a postcard writing tabling event standing in solidarity with the No Arena in Chinatown movement. This event allowed members of the community to write postcards showing support against the arena’s construction, which were promptly sent to the city council. Although this was a step in the right direction, we knew that we could do more.
With the help of our Jefferson APAMSA Cultural Director, Sandra Yang Medical Student ’26, the Jefferson APAMSA chapter led an event to teach about the proposed arena and its detrimental effects, and to create rally signs for the No Arena In Chinatown Protest, which took place on June 10th. One of the main goals of our APAMSA chapter is to advocate for and serve the Asian population in our community within Philadelphia. We recognize that there is still more work to be done, and we will continue this fight for as long as we can.
Kevin Riutzel, MS, DO
Network Director
Born in South Korea and raised in the greater LA area, Kevin Riutzel is a family physician currently working in Los Angeles, CA. The clinic he works at is a federally-qualified health center in LA’s Koreatown primarily serving local AAPI communities, many of whom are the 1st generation in their families to immigrate to the U.S.
He has served in several roles for APAMSA including National President for three terms as well as National Pre-med Director, Region XII Director, and local chapter president. He finished his undergraduate studies at UC San Diego and graduate studies at Columbia University. After graduating from Touro University Nevada, he completed his training in family medicine at UC Irvine with a focus on integrative medicine. He served as one of the chief residents while at UC Irvine.
Kevin takes a particular interest in mental health in AAPI communities along with providing an integrative and holistic approach to the care he offers to the communities he serves.
Save The Date For Our 17th Annual National APAMSA Hepatitis Conference!
🚨 SAVE THE DATE! 🚨 We are pleased to announce and invite you to the 17th Annual National APAMSA Hepatitis Conference taking place on November 11th, 2023 in Boston, MA! Stay tuned for additional announcements on speakers, poster presentations, funding, collaborations with the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and other logistics.
Response to the SCOTUS Ruling Against Race-Conscious Admissions
The morning of Thursday, June 29th, 2023 was marked by a groundbreaking turn of legal events as the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled on two historic cases: Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina. With their ruling, SCOTUS banned the consideration of race in college admissions, thereby overturning decades of precedent supporting affirmative action policies. Indeed, the 1978 case Regents of University of California v. Bakke, the 2003 case Grutter v. Bollinger, and most recently, the 2016 case Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin all concluded that the consideration of race in college admissions is constitutional under the Equal Protection Clause, especially in light of the need to create a diverse educational environment. Regardless, SCOTUS has now ruled to the contrary: Race-conscious admissions in fact violate the Equal Protection Clause and must be prohibited. While students will still be able to identify themselves in their applications to speak about experiences of discrimination and hardship, the spirit of the ruling is nevertheless deeply problematic.
APAMSA has long promoted diversity in higher education. Our policy compendium includes Resolution 40.002 (Improving Campus Diversity Initiatives) and Resolution 40.003 (Defending Race-Conscious Admissions in Undergraduate Medical Education). More directly to the point, we joined the amicus brief written by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to support the protection of affirmative action policies in these very trials on which SCOTUS has now ruled.
We unambiguously and unequivocally oppose this SCOTUS ruling. It is a misguided attempt at promoting meritocracy in the midst of immense and complex historical and social inequities, such that to pursue meritocracy while ignoring those inequities is to aim horribly astray. Furthermore, we believe that our patients are best served by a diverse community of talented medical professionals, such that to limit that diversity from entering higher education is to endanger our patients.
The AANHPI community specifically should also strongly oppose this ruling. As Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayer eloquently articulates in her dissent, the AANHPI community needs race-conscious admissions to be fully respected. Asian Americans are victims of historical and current discrimination and stereotyping that require a diverse society, as promoted by affirmative action policies, to be overcome. Moreover, the AANHPI community is not a monolith, and it needs to be seen in its disaggregated and distinct diversity if its members are to be fully seen.
Ultimately, we call for SCOTUS to reconsider its decision and restore affirmative action to this nation’s higher education system. We also urge all other educational, pre-professional, and professional organizations to join us in fighting against this attack on racial equity and diversity.
For questions or concerns about this statement, please reach out to Eric Kim at rapidresponse@apamsa.org
Daniel Pham, MD
Network Director
Dr. Daniel Pham will soon begin his residency as a Resident Physician in the first-ever Combined Internal Medicine and Psychiatry Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals. During his time as a medical student at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City, he played an integral role in the formation of APAMSA’s inaugural chapter in Oklahoma, where he served as Senior Adviser and the chapter’s representative to the House of Delegates. Daniel also served on APAMSA’s national board, first as the Rapid Response Director and later as the Vice-President of Advocacy. Notably, he authored significant policy positions on race-conscious admission practices and racism in medicine, contributing to APAMSA’s history in national advocacy. In recognition of his outstanding service, Dr. Pham was honored with the National President’s Award for Distinguished Service in 2023. Beyond his medical pursuits, he is deeply passionate about local civic involvement, media, storytelling, and fostering solidarity. In his leisure time, he indulges in his guilty pleasure of following the latest anime season.
Nicole Ng, MD
Network Director
Nicole Ng is currently an Internal Medicine resident at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell. As a third culture kid, she spent her formative years between Beijing, Hong Kong, and Vancouver. Nicole graduated from UCLA with a BS in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. During undergrad, she spearheaded efforts to offer free health screenings for local Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Nicole completed her MD degree at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine, where she reestablished and led her local APAMSA chapter as Co-President. She went on to become a Regional Director and then the Academic Education and Research Director for National APAMSA. Outside of medicine, Nicole likes to write Yelp reviews, introduce her friends to hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and explore art/history museums.
Brandon Yan, MD, MPH
Network Director
Brandon Yan is a UCSF internal medicine resident physician dedicated to providing high-quality clinical care and bringing evidence to health policy reform. He previously served on the APAMSA National Board as Region VIII Director (2021) and Health Policy Director (2022-23). Brandon trained in policy analysis at Duke and public health at Harvard. As a researcher, Brandon primarily studies how public policy can help improve healthcare access, value, and equity. His published studies include those on Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), cost-effectiveness of heart failure treatment guidelines, COVID-19’s impact on Asian Americans, U.S. elections and mental health, and the Affordable Care Act with citation in major media including the SF Chronicle, LA Times, US News & World Report, Newsweek, and KRON4 News. His research was the first to uncover why reduction in deaths from Medicaid expansion did not translate into reduction in population mortality. He led some of the first work on COVID-19’s impact on Asian Americans that went on to impact public policy at local, state, and national levels. He also serves as a consultant on public health policy.
Typhoon Mawar - Guam Disaster Relief
We are a group of medical students from Guam raising money for Typhoon Relief for our island community.
Guam, a gem nestled in the western Pacific Ocean, holds immense significance both historically and culturally. Known as “Where America’s Day Begins,” this stunning island community is a melting pot of Chamorro traditions and Western influences. With a rich history spanning centuries, Guam has captivated visitors with its breathtaking landscapes, pristine beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and lush tropical rainforests. However, the recent devastation caused by Typhoon Mawar calls for our urgent attention and support to help Guam recover and rebuild from this natural disaster.
As you may be aware, Typhoon Mawar heavily impacted the U.S. territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) with intense winds, flooding rain, and a life-threatening storm surge Wednesday evening (May 24, 2023). Most of Guam is without power after sustained winds of 140 mph whipped across the islands. Electricity, water, gas, and communications (including internet services) may continue to be unavailable for weeks and perhaps months. Moreover, the only public hospital on the island (Guam Memorial Hospital) also sustained major damage with severe leaks, flooding, walls collapsing, and loss of the kitchen due to an electrical fire. President Biden declared that a major disaster exists on the island of Guam ordering Federal aid to supplement local recovery efforts. The White House Response
In light of the devastating effects of the typhoon, we are seeking your support to help aid the recovery and rebuilding efforts of our island home.
All funds raised will directly support local and national charities to obtain vital supplies for those most vulnerable in the community.
Funds will be distributed to support the following efforts:
-American Red Cross: Typhoon Mawar – Red Cross Donation Link
-Micronesian Climate Change Alliance – https://mccalliance.org/
-Salvation Army Disaster Relief Fund – https://guam.salvationarmy.org/guam/
-Purchase and deliver supplies for Guamanians displaced. Supplies needed include:
- Toiletries
- Candles
- Flashlights
- Batteries
- Water
- Coolers
- Dry/nonperishable foods
- Tarps
- Cleaning Kits
- Rakes and Shovels
si Yu’us ma’åse’
Kai Akimoto, MS2 University of Minnesota School of Medicine
Ariana Barreau, MS4 Carle Illinois College of Medicine UIUC
CJ Hattori, MS1 University of California San Diego
Tiffie Keung, MS4 Michigan State University College of Medicine
Eric Pineda, MS4 Tulane University School of Medicine
Paul Tominez, MS3 University of California San Francisco
Jia Jia Zhang, MS3 Harvard Medical School
Congratulations on graduating! Stay connected to APAMSA with your free alumni membership!
To celebrate your graduation as an APAMSA member, we would like to extend an invitation for a free APAMSA alumni membership. We hope that APAMSA can continue to grow as a supportive community where people at all points in their medical training can build relationships, strengthen connections across state borders, and foster diversity in the medical field. To redeem your membership, please visit: https://app.joinit.com/o/nationalapamsa. If you already have a membership, you can renew your membership as an alumni at no cost.