2006 Pisacano Scholars

The Pisacano Leadership Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), recently selected its 2006 Pisacano Scholars. These 5 medical students follow in the footsteps of 58 scholar alumni who are practicing physicians and 13 current scholars who are enrolled in family medicine residency programs across the country. The Pisacano Leadership Foundation was created in 1990 by the ABFM in tribute to its founder and first Executive Director, Nicholas J. Pisacano, MD (1924–1990). Each Pisacano Scholar has demonstrated the highest level of leadership, academic achievement, communication skills, com-munity service, and character and integrity.

Alana Benjamin, a 2006 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (UNM). She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology from Princeton University. Alana was a National Merit Scholar and the recipient of the J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Scholarship, awarded for demonstrating exceptional promise of future contributions to society. On graduation, Alana was inducted into the Sigma Xi Honor Society for scientific research. At Princeton, Alana was also a leader in Outdoor Action—leading orientation backpacking trips for incoming freshmen, developing a curriculum and teaching wilderness first aid courses, and leading outdoor training trips for upcoming leaders. For her commitment to the organization, she was named a Princeton Outdoor Action Leader of the Year in 2002. After graduating from Princeton, Alana and her brother bicycled from Seattle to Boston while raising funds for the Kids Fund at Boston Medical Center. She and her brother together raised over $14,000 for this charity fund.

Alana has continued her academic excellence and community service throughout medical school as well. She served as the 2005 to 2006 Regional Associate Trustee for the western region of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA). In this role, she led a regional project involving resident education on evidence-based medicine and the interactions between the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession. She has also led several projects with her local AMSA chapter, often collaborating with community groups to advocate for increasing health care access for all New Mexicans. In addition, she is the president of the UNM Family Medicine Interest Group and serves as the liaison to the New Mexico chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Alana also led the core group of officers for Students Reaching Out to the Community’s Homeless (SRCH). In this role, she arranged student-run clinics at the Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless clinic, coordinated vaccination outreach clinics, and started a new student homeless outreach van program in conjunction with a local non-profit homeless advocacy organization. For her academic achievement and community involvement in medical school, Alana was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha and awarded a Khatali Alumni Association scholarship.

On completion of residency, Alana plans to pursue a Masters in Public Health and hopes to continue serving as a public health advocate. She looks forward to a career caring for diverse, underserved patient populations.

Elizabeth Brightstar Enschede, a 2006 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Sarah Lawrence College. As the recipient of the Henry C. Lord Scholarship, Elizabeth was awarded a 4-year college scholarship for academically accomplished students from Peterborough, NH. During her junior year, she spent a year in Costa Rica learning Spanish and teaching English to high school and elementary school students.

After graduating from Sarah Lawrence, Elizabeth served as a leadership educator for Global Kids, Inc. for almost 3 years. Global Kids is a nonprofit organization that provides underprivileged teens with leadership skills to confront issues faced in their neighborhoods. As part of this program, she helped bring a group from Global Kids to the town of Varazdin, Croatia to work with Serbian refugee teens from the camp in the area. Along with some local teens, this group led workshops based on training from their model used in New York City. Before entering medical school, Elizabeth attended City College of New York while also working. In addition, she volunteered in the emergency department of a local hospital.

Elizabeth has continued her community service and leadership throughout medical school. She established a chapter of Physicians for a National Health Care Program (PNHP) on her campus to promote dialogue and provide information regarding the merits of a single payer universal health care program. She also volunteers with Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) student group and serves as an educator with the AIDS Teaching Program, conducting workshops to teach high school students about AIDS/HIV and common STDs. Last year Elizabeth presented research on HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention in the Cuban Health Care System, which she had completed during a summer in Cuba 2 years ago with the MEDICC program.

Elizabeth plans to stay in Brooklyn following medical school and residency, where she can serve the many large communities with inadequate health resources. She also intends to continue her involvement with PNHP. Elizabeth envisions participating in research and teaching that will promote a better understanding of inequities in care and will promote health as a human right.

Terri Nordin, a 2006 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at the University of Iowa, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. She graduated with honors and distinction with a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Science Studies from Iowa State University. A member of the Dean’s List every semester, Terri was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society and the Kappa Omicron Nu Family and Consumer Sciences Honor Society and was in the top 2% of her graduating class. As an undergraduate, Terri worked with a number of organizations, including many years of involvement with 4-H. She also volunteered with St. Jude Hospital and as a counselor to high school students with the Get-a-Grip Conference, a program to help teens develop strategies for avoiding drugs and alcohol.

As a medical student, Terri has continued her community involvement and academic excellence. She has received numerous awards and scholarships, including the Distinguished Medical Student Leadership Award last year. This is an award given to medical students based on their continued involvement and leadership within their own learning community and the Carver College of Medicine. Last year she was also awarded the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship. The competitive, yearlong research fellowship is awarded by only 10 medical schools. As a part of this fellowship, Terri was able to present numerous posters, winning first place for two of them. Most recently, she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Terri was also recently elected as the Student Representative on the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Board of Directors. In addition, she serves as co-president of Iowa’s Family Medicine Interest Group after recently serving as co-chair of community service. She has also been involved with the Boulware Learning Community, serving as the mayor as well as the representative to the Medical Student Council during her sophomore year. Terri also serves on the Counseling Center Student Advisory Board.

Terri sees her future career in family medicine as an academician, providing personal, comprehensive, and cooperative care to all her patients. She also hopes to pass on her passion for family medi-cine and her mission to improve the quality of life for individuals and families to medical students and residents through direct teaching and mentorship.

Suzanne Powell, a 2006 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine. Suzanne also completed her undergraduate studies at UW graduating with a double major in Biology and Women Studies. As an undergraduate at UW, Suzanne was consistently a member of the Dean’s List and was inducted into the Golden Key Honor Society. She was also awarded a Harry S. Truman scholarship based on her leadership potential and commitment to a career in public service. During her junior year, she was named The Bacchus/Gamma UW Peer Educator of the Year for her many years of volunteer work as a peer health educator. She also volunteered with the UW Committee Organizing Rape Education and the Multifaith AIDS Project of Seattle. During her senior year, Suzanne was one of two students to receive the UW Hall of Fame Student Activities Award based on her campus and community activities.

Before beginning medical school, Suzanne worked for 2 years as a Truman Fellow in the Office of Rural Health Policy in the Department of Health and Human Services. In this position, she assisted with the Secretary’s Task Force on Rural Health and Human Services, in addition to the rural health research program and coordinating women’s health projects for the office.

Suzanne has continued her academic excellence and community service throughout medical school. She has received a number of scholarships and awards, including the Seattle Pride Foundation Robert Browning Scholarship, awarded for demonstrated commitment to human and civil rights for all people. She has also been an active member and co-leader of UW’s Family Medicine Interest Group and volunteered with the Verbena Transgender and Rainbow Women’s Health Fair. This organization provides health care and education to sexual minority women in Washington State. Suzanne is also involved with Medical Students for Choice and served on the Board of Directors last year.

Suzanne hopes to practice full-scope family medicine in a small community and to be involved in shaping health policy and working to ensure health care for all.

Thayer White, a 2006 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine at Chapel Hill. Thayer also completed his undergraduate studies at UNC, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and the Golden Key Honor Society based on his academic merit in undergraduate studies. In addition, Thayer received a Morehead Medical Scholarship and a William T. Turlington MD Scholarship, both 4-year scholarships awarded to incoming medical students based on the strength of the student’s overall application. While in college, Thayer volunteered as an EMT, where he was able to provide medical care to severely ill or injured patients, and also learned the frustration of problems with poverty, drug abuse, and violence.

Thayer has continued his academic excellence and community service throughout medical school. He was an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and Health for Habitat during his undergraduate years as well as during medical school. He also recently served as the Vice President of Community Outreach for UNC’s Family Medicine Interest Group and has been actively involved with the Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC) Community Clinic for the last 4 years. SHAC is the oldest student-run clinic in the country, providing care for underserved populations. Thayer was recently named a Distinguished Medical Scholar, an award given to up to four UNC medical students each year during their third year. As part of this program, he has spent the past year participating in a research project in the Department of Family Medicine which focuses on improving health behaviors in primary care. In addition, he has been a part of several other projects allowing him to interact with family physicians and family medicine organizations on a state and national level.

Thayer sees his future career as involving both direct patient care and work to improve the way primary care is delivered in this country. He also hopes to teach and to continue his research.