July 29, 2013

Sara Bunyaratapan, a first year Physician Assistant student at Drexel University, received a highly competitive scholarship to attend the 12^th Annual Paul Ambrose Scholars Program Symposium, held June 20-23 in Washington, DC.  She joined 45 other medical, Physician Assistant, dental, pharmacy, physical therapy, and graduate nursing students dedicated to bringing health promotion and preventive approaches to health professions education and their communities. The students were selected from a pool of applicants from over 80 health professions schools across the country.

Boris Lushniak, MD, Deputy Surgeon General, provided an inspiring day one closing that set the stage for the rest of the Symposium.  Throughout the leadership development program, Bunyaratapan and the other participants attended presentations and lively discussions focused on perspectives in prevention, healthcare and the economy, health policy advocacy, project planning and community organizing, medicine and the underserved, public speaking and media relations, social determinants of health, and careers in public health and prevention.  Public health officials, industry experts, and public health veterans led sessions. Additionally, six enthusiastic Paul Ambrose Scholar Program alumni returned to participate in two panel discussions.

The program is named for Paul Ambrose, MD, MPH, a rising star in the field of prevention and public health who tragically lost his life on September 11, 2001.  Through his intelligence, commitment, and heart-felt energy, Dr. Ambrose forged meaningful relationships and touched many lives by demonstrating a zest for living and passion for prevention and public health.  His mother, Sharon Ambrose, attended this year’s symposium.

In addition to financial support awarded for travel, Ms. Bunyaratapan is eligible to receive a micro-grant to implement a public health or disease prevention project focused on one of the Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators either on campus or in her community within the next year.

The Paul Ambrose Scholars Program (PASP) is planned and implemented by the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research. The PASP is sponsored by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.