International Health Fellowship SAMPLE Application 2010

Transcription

1 Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine International Health Fellowship SAMPLE Application 2010 PART 1: BACKGROUND 1. Applicant s Name Name: Andrew Ming-Wei Su First Middle Surname 2. Medical School Class: M1 M4 3. Contact Information a-su@northwestern.edu PART 2: RESEARCH DESCRIPTION (Max. 5 pages double spaced, not including bibliography). For Part 2 you may fill in the form fields or attach a separate word document. I. Title of Project Investigation of a Synergistic Relationship between Eastern Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Evidence-Based Medicine II. Location (City/Country) of the Project: Kent Ridge, Singapore III. Approximate overseas travel times for this project: List your anticipated travel dates and project length. June 1, July 25, 2010 IV. Summary: Provide a summary of the issue on which you are choosing to focus, i.e. Malaria in South America. In a paragraph or two, give a few details on the background of this issue (include any relevant statistics), explain how the community has been affected, and describe current health care methods used to treat this issue. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has its origins some 2,000 years ago. It combines ancient theories, perfected over time, revolving around herbal remedies, acupuncture, qigong, massage, and moxibustion. Today, it continues to be practiced and is one of the most widely used complementary-alternative medicines (CAM) in the world. 1

2 One of the leading centers in the world for TCM is Singapore, a country that is recognized as having one of the most successful healthcare systems around. In 2000, the World Health Organization ranked Singapore as the sixth best healthcare system in the world. While Western medicine remains the dominant form of healthcare practiced, there is a harmonious co-existence with CAM in this system. It truly is a location that has tried to master the integration of alternative medicine with Western medicine. A recent survey, published from the National University of Singapore in 2005, showed that 76% of Singaporeans reported the use of some form of CAM, with TCM being the most widely used CAM at 88%(2). Since the early 1990s, the Singaporean government has recognized the important role that TCM plays in its society and has incrementally legitimized it by passing legislation regarding the training, licensing, and code of practice for TCM practitioners. It is not only in Singapore that TCM is actively sought for treatment. A survey done between 1990 and 1997 showed that the probability of a patient in the U.S. seeking alternative treatment increased from 36.3% to 46.3%(1). Around the same time, the U.S. federal government created the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) as 1 of 27 centers of the National Institute of Health (NIH) in 1999 (3). Interest in TCM and CAM continues to grow worldwide and the want for research is widespread. Singapore has emerged as one of these leading centers for TCM research supported by the fact that they recently received a grant from NCCAM in 2003 for the establishment of Singapore as a global hub for the discovery and development of botanical medicines (5). With increasing emphases on preventative medicine and holistic approaches within healthcare, TCM and other CAM s will remain a crucial player in the health dynamics of our society. V. Objective(s): Discuss what you wish to investigate and what you plan to accomplish in your research. By traveling to Singapore, I hope to immerse myself in a culture that actively embraces both Western and Eastern medicine. There is no doubt that alternative therapies will continue to be used around the world and there is no better place to learn than where they are practiced the most. Thus, I hope to complement my Western medical education with this unique experience over the summer. In this way I hope to gain a stronger understanding of alternative treatments that my future patients may use outside of my practice. I plan to work in an herbal research laboratory under the guidance of a Singaporean physician who is trained in both Western and Eastern medicine. By doing so, I hope to see first hand how, much needed, cutting-edge research is being done in the field of TCM. Opportunities to shadow the 2

3 physicians and observe them in an Eastern and Western setting will further complement this experience. The research itself is dealing with a popular herbal remedy known as Epimedium and its antiproliferative effects on breast and prostate cancer. This is a rewarding topic in and of itself due to the ongoing war against cancer and also because of the fact that the National Cancer Institute has been co-sponsoring various clinical trials with NCCAAM to study potential complementary and alternative treatments for cancer (6). However, it is the holistic experience in traveling to a country where TCM and Western medicine is more fluidly integrating, working with doctors and researchers with backgrounds in both, and seeing how an integrated system affects research and the health system that will be my most valuable education this summer. VI. Project Description: Please include the name of your proposed program if you are working with an organization and include literature on the program. Address the relevance of the project to your career interests and the health needs of the country or area, discuss methodology, and include any surveys or other research tools. Make sure to include a timeline. Project duration is expected to take between 6-8 weeks. National University of Singapore (NUS) is the top university in Singapore and top ten in all of Asia. They are a globally recognized name and share many ties and collaborations with faculty here at Northwestern. Thus, it is no surprise that Northwestern University has official relations and an official undergraduate exchange program with NUS (4). Recently, the director of Northwestern s International Program Development office, Devora Grynspan, has been in contact with Andrew Gall in the international office at NUS and they have come to an agreement on the benefits of this new medical research program. NUS will open its doors to Northwestern medical students for the summer and help them secure research with faculty members at their school. As a future physician in our society, I have a strong interest in the health and well-being my patients. The culture in Asia creates a situation where patients will go to see Western-trained physicians yet continue to use Eastern medicines outside of those visits. A study in 2005 showed that 74-84% of patients in Singapore did not report the usage of CAM to their solely Westerntrained doctors (7). Similarly, another study done in the U.S. showed similar results where around 70% of patients did not report their usage of CAM (7). The cultures and factors that drive patients to seek alternative treatments will always be there. Thus, it is even more important to understand the efficacy of these alternative herbal treatments that a patient may be using. By engaging myself now in trying to gain a better understanding of TCM, I hope to gain a better understanding of my patients in the future. 3

4 This is a wonderful opportunity to travel to one of the main sources of TCM and central hubs for TCM research. For 6-8 weeks, I will be working under the tutelage of Dr. Yong Eu Leong, the Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at National University Hospital and faculty member at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (8). The research will involve a popular TCM herbal treatment, Epimedium. Using rigorous evidence-based techniques, active substances have been identified in Epimedium to show dose-dependent suppression of estrogen and androgen receptor proteins and subsequently the inhibition of the proliferation of estrogen-responsive breast cancer cells. My work will specifically aid in elucidating specific molecular mechanisms in this process. The global interest in the potentials of CAM in cancer treatment and a call for more evidence-based CAM research are evident. While this research will be in the lab, I believe that I have much to learn from working with an integrated physician such as Dr. Yong and that I am truly immersing myself in something that will become increasingly culturally important. VII. Sponsorship/Mentorship: Please describe your faculty support here at Feinberg as well as contacts and commitments from institutions or organizations abroad. Please attach any s or other written correspondence. Dr. Gary Martin, Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs in Medicine, will be my main advisor here at the Feinberg School of Medicine. He will be able to offer me support and guidance from the Chicago end when necessary. Dr. Yong Eu Leong, Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology at National University Hospital will be my mentor for the duration of my stay in Singapore. He was certified in Reproductive Medicine/Endocrinology by the UK Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists in He is also a clinical professor and faculty member of NUS. VII. Personal/Previous Experience: Please describe how your academic and/or professional background equips you to complete this project. I grew up in a first generation Chinese family that had its own, unchangeable, beliefs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. These roots have instilled a curiosity and respect for a form of treatment that I still do not know very much about. Thus, in college I traveled to China one summer to participate in an introductory Traditional Chinese Medicine program. While this definitely provided me exposure to a completely foreign field, it did not have the same level of integration with Western medicine that Singapore will offer. 4

5 Furthermore, during college, I actively participated in lab-based research for two and a half years. Upon graduation, I became a clinical study coordinator at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. I believe my experiences in research through those years will aid me in successfully making the most out of this research opportunity in Singapore. IX. Language requirements: Please describe any language requirements for your project. Explain your relevant language skills and background. If you do not meet the project s language requirements, please describe how you will complete the project (using interpretation services, etc.). English is the primary language used in Singapore and the majority of citizens under the age of 50 are completely fluent. However, the diversity of the nation is reflected in the plethora of languages used. Along with English, the majority of citizens are at least bilingual in Mandarin Chinese, Malay, and/or Tamil. My conversational skill level of Mandarin Chinese will further aid my language integration in Singapore. X. Costs: Provide a breakdown of the estimated expenses for the trip and research experience. The amount awarded to successful applicants will be determined based on a review of the following budget estimation. Program Participation Fee: (application/program dues)$650 Airline Cost: (Round trip flight/taxes for an economy class seat)$2,000 International Health Insurance: (health care/medical evacuation)$75 Living Arrangements: (room/board)$1,500 Vaccinations: (required by country)$0 Emergency Money $100 Passport Visa Fee $0 Other$0 XI. Non-NU sources of funding: List any secured or potential funding sources and amounts. None. XII. Bibliography: Please include any research or scholarly work to support your project. 1. Eisenberg, David M., Roger B. Davis, Susan L. Ettner, Scott Appel, Sonja Wilkey, Maria Van Rompay, and Ronald C. Kessler. "Trends in Alternative Medicine Use in the United States, " The Journal of the American Medical Association 280 (1998): Lim, M. K., P. Sadarangi, H. L. Chan, and J. Y. Heng. "Complementary and alternative medicine use in multiracial Singapore." Complementary Therapies in Medicine 13 (2005): "NIH - The NIH Almanac - NCCAM." National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Home Page. 21 Feb < 4. "Northwestern IPD." Northwestern University - International Program Development. 21 Feb < 5. NUH Newsroom. 27 Oct National University Hospital. 21 Feb < 6. "Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Cancer Treatment - National Cancer Institute." National Cancer Institute - Comprehensive Cancer Information. 16 Nov Feb < 5

6 7. Lee, Tat-Leang. "Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and Traditional Chinese Medicine: Time for Critical Engagement." Annals Academy of Medicine 35 (2006): "Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine - NUS Bulletin AY 2009/10 - Registrar's Office - National University of Singapore." National University of Singapore (NUS) - A global university centred in Asia. 15 July Feb < PART 3: IRB CERTIFICATTION If your research project includes the use of human subjects, including interviews, this project must receive certification from the University's Institutional Review Board so that no human subject will be put "at risk." It is the student s responsibility to obtain IRB certification. You do not need IRB certification before you apply, and it is expected that you will begin the fellowship application and IRB processes simultaneously. If your project does not have IRB certification your fellowship funding will be delayed. For more information, please speak with your FSM faculty advisor and consult the following websites: Northwestern Institutional Review Board: ( Human Subjects Decision Charts: ( 6