Student Action
Mar 10th, 2008 by Frank Donaghue
At the first session of the forum, in a room with well over 1000 attendees, I discovered that sitting next to me was a 4th year medical student who is from Case-Western and a member of our PHR Chapter there. He saw my PHR button and leaned over and said, “I’m a member of PHR.” David Beversluis has been in Uganda since January working to review two clinical outcome projects regarding women and HIV. Additionally, he had extensive rotation in adult and pediatric wards. His desire is to finish his studies in the field of emergency medicine and return to Africa to work and perhaps become involved public health policy. He gave me example after example of the failure of health systems, health worker training and what is often a clear failure in the most basic care.
PHR CEO Frank Donaghue and PHR Student Member David Beversluis
David is here in Africa because he is committed to change. As he told me, “Here I can make a large difference. This is an amazing education. The chance to work in a place like this provides a clinical situation you will never get at home.” PHR helped peak David’s passion for this work. As David explained: “human rights is the common ground for dialogue with students across a variety of interests. It begins the dialogue where interest and action can follow.”
At Case, when David was in his first year, he joined 15 other students with PHR and other organizations focused on human rights. David commented that although sometimes in an environment like this, “the difference you can make is deferred,” there is still a powerful impact.
Since coming to PHR, I have heard over and over again how important it is that we maximize the involvement of students; David is a great example of the power that comes with student action.
