The 2017 AAEM Annual Scientific Assembly

American Academy of Emergency Medicine pic

American Academy of Emergency Medicine
Image: aaem.org

Dr. Michael Parsa serves emergency medical practitioners at the El Paso-based Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in his role as clerkship director and assistant professor. An active member of his field, Dr. Michael Parsa of El Paso belongs to the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM).

Over the years, AAEM has worked to improve the field of emergency medicine by facilitating a number of advocacy programs and educational opportunities that support the professional growth of physicians. The organization works toward this goal by hosting such events as its Annual Scientific Assembly, which regularly brings together around 1,200 emergency medicine professionals for a weekend of scholarship and entertainment.

AAEM will hold its 2017 Scientific Assembly March 16-20, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency Orlando in Florida. The event will begin with a day of preconference courses on a variety of topics, ranging from reading EKGs to hands-on ultrasound instruction. Registration for the rest of the assembly is free to all AAEM members, who can enjoy diverse clinician-led programming and keynote speeches from industry leaders. Outside of regular event sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the Wellness Fun Run and other activities in the exhibit hall.

The Evolution of Emergency Medicine

 

Michael Parsa, El Paso pic

Michael Parsa, El Paso

Since 2010, Dr. Michael Parsa has served as an emergency medicine physician and professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) in El Paso, Texas. A Creighton University School of Medicine graduate, Dr. Michael Parsa has been involved in the field of emergency medicine since spending his residency with the emergency medicine department at the TTUHSC Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in El Paso.

Emergency medicine evolved as a field due to the rapidly growing number of patients seeking immediate and unplanned medical care. By 1960, the number of visits to emergency rooms was growing across the country and general physicians, who typically didn’t have the skills to provide proper emergency care, began expressing the need for formal training.

Subsequently, in 1967, a committee on emergency medicine was established by the American Medical Association, followed by the founding of the American College of Emergency Physicians in 1968. The very first residency in emergency medicine took place in 1970 at the University of Cincinnati.

The Health Benefits of Mountain Biking

 

Mountain Biking pic

Mountain Biking
Image: mountainbike.about.com

With almost 15 years of experience in emergency medical care, Dr. Michael Parsa serves as an associate professor specializing in emergency medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, Texas. As a long-time El Paso resident, Dr. Michael Parsa takes advantage of the abundant outdoor opportunities the region has to offer, including mountain biking, which he’s been doing since his time in medical school.

Every year, approximately 40 million Americans will mountain bike at least once. As a challenging and fun way to exercise, the sport offers the typical cardiovascular benefits in addition to:

1. Reduced Stress and a better mood. The physical demands and the required focus of mountain biking cause the release of endorphins and serotonin, resulting in more energy and decreased stress.

2. Lower impact on joints. When compared to many other sports, mountain biking (a mostly non-load bearing activity) is less stressful to joints because the body is usually in a sitting position, reducing the chance of injury.

3. Improved muscle memory. A dynamic activity that requires constant adjustment by the rider, mountain biking strengthens neural pathways resulting in improved balance and coordination.

4. Improved Memory. A study by Illinois University reported that people who improved their cardiorespiratory fitness by just 5 percent by cycling performed 15 percent better on mental tests.

A Look at Mexico’s Healthcare System

healthcare

healthcare

 

In his role with the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Dr. Michael Parsa serves as an assistant professor and as the clerkship director of emergency medicine at Texas Tech University Health Science Center. Leveraging years of experience working in a foreign country, Dr. Michael Parsa is an integral part of El Paso’s medical community, which provides millions of dollars in healthcare services to area residents at no cost each year.

El Paso’s unique border location provides a stark comparison of the availability and accessibility of medical services in the United States and Mexico. A 2016 review of Mexico’s healthcare system conducted by The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that the percentage of the country’s population unable to afford health care services had declined to 0.8 percent from 3.3 percent 10 years earlier.

The review found improvement in key indicators, including deaths from heart attacks, infant mortality rates, and patient satisfaction due to the availability of affordable medical services. Additionally, efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle to the Mexican population, such as higher taxes on sugar and better food labeling, also have contributed to the country’s overall improvement in its healthcare system.

Survey Looks at Sexual Practices and HIV Risks Among Latinas

Michael Parsa, El Paso pic

Michael Parsa, El Paso

Since 2010, Dr. Michael Parsa has held responsibilities as Paul L. Foster School of Medicine emergency medicine assistant professor with the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso. With a strong interest in health issues facing members of underserved communities, Dr. Michael Parsa has volunteered in locales such as Port Au Prince, Haiti, with with Samaritan’s Purse. In El Paso, he co-authored the paper Rethinking HIV Risks among Women on the US/Mexico Border: Alcohol and Latina Sex Behavior.

With unprotected sex with HIV positive males the leading cause of HIV transmission among Latinas, the paper focuses on the extent to which Latina emergency department (ED) patients engage in sexual behavior that puts them at risk. This under-examined topic was explored via a survey handed out to adult female ED patients who were sexually active. The survey included an alcohol dependency screen.

Through multivariable linear regression analysis, Dr. Parsa and his colleagues explored links between drinking and HIV sex risk behaviors. The majority of patients surveyed reported being unconcerned about HIV infection risks, with those who scored positive for alcohol dependency more likely to engage in behavior that entailed risks.

Unfortunately, there was no significant difference between those who were alcohol dependent and those who were not in the level of concern over the health consequences of risky behavior. The paper thus recommended that coordinated preventive interventions be undertaken to increases levels of awareness among young Latina women.

Medical Student Run Free Clinic at Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

Texas Tech University Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (PLFSOM) Image: elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/som

Texas Tech University Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (PLFSOM)
Image: elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/som

 

Michael Parsa El Paso

Professor Dr. Michael Parsa teaches classes at Texas Tech University, where he serves as full time clinical faculty member. His commitment to medicine and his university extends beyond his professional obligations, and Dr. Michael Parsa accordingly volunteers his time with the school’s student-run free clinic near El Paso.

Texas Tech University’s Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (PLFSOM) prides itself on its leadership in medical education. In addition to being the only medical school in the United States to require competency in medical Spanish, PLFSOM operates the innovative Medical Student Run Free Clinic. This no-cost medical facility provides care to patients who cannot otherwise afford it in the greater Sparks, Texas, community.

While both students and faculty members volunteer their time in the clinic, it is entirely run by medical students. They handle every aspect of clinic operations, from administrative duties to critical triage decisions. What began in 2013 as a once-monthly clinic has grown to a bi-weekly operation in just three years, thanks to the dedicated all-volunteer staff.

Rumginae Hospital in Kiunga, Papua New Guinea

Michael Parsa El Paso

Michael Parsa El Paso

 

Prior to assuming his post as a full-time clinical faculty member at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Dr. Michael Parsa of El Paso, Texas, spent more than three years on a medical mission in Papua New Guinea, where he drew on his skills to care for patients at Rumginae Hospital. More recently, in 2016, Dr. Michael Parsa left El Paso for two months to return to Rumginae Hospital as a volunteer.

Located in Kiunga, Rumginae Hospital is a 60-bed facility that oversees five regional health centers, 10 local aid posts, and a training school for community health workers (CHW). Each January, the training school accepts 45 students.

Ruminage Hospital also invites medical students who are in their final year of study and are interested in medical missionary work to spend a minimum of six weeks training and assisting at the hospital. Through the support of these medical missionaries, the hospital can continue to provide its vital services. Along with in-person support, the hospital accepts financial contributions and donations of medicine and equipment.

The Mission of the El Paso Baptist Clinic

El Paso Baptist Clinic pic

El Paso Baptist Clinic
Image: facebook.com

Dr. Michael Parsa divides his time between responsibilities as assistant professor with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso and his role as an expert panel member with the Texas Medical Board. Also an active member of his community, Dr. Michael Parsa serves as a monthly medical volunteer with the El Paso Baptist Clinic.

More than four decades ago, the El Paso Baptist Clinic arose from a weekly children’s ministry that served a community of 60 individuals. After founding director Eleanor Poe discovered that one of the children could not access the medication needed to treat an ear infection, she opened the clinic with only three staff members. Since helping its first patient, the clinic has gone on to serve over 22,000 individuals in need.

The clinic has been able to achieve this level of service thanks to its ongoing mission of facilitating good health for all those living in El Paso. The primary focus of the organization is to provide medical treatment to community members who do not possess insurance or otherwise cannot pay for care. Echoing the values of compassion and honesty, the El Paso Baptist Clinic takes a holistic approach to care by emphasizing health of both the body and the spirit.

Texas Medical Board Licensing Requirements

Texas Medical Board

Texas Medical Board

 

Since 2010, Dr. Michael Parsa has served as an associate professor and clerkship director at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso. Drawing on nearly 15 years of experience practicing emergency medicine in El Paso, California, and Papua New Guinea, Dr. Michael Parsa also maintains responsibilities as an expert panel member of the Texas Medical Board.

Responsible for the rules and laws surrounding medical practice in the state of Texas, the Texas Medical Board manages the issuance and renewal of medical licenses in the state. The eligibility requirements for licensure with the board include:

– graduation from a medical school in the United States or Canada, or graduation from a medical school outside of these countries that is indicated on the substantial equivalence list. If the applicant graduated from a school not on this list, he or she must hold certification from an accepted national board;

-one year of medical training in an accredited program or fellowship, or possession of a Texas Faculty Temporary License and two years of experience as an educator;

-successful completion of the board examination (within a maximum of three attempts), or at least five years in possession of a license in good standing from another state.

For a full listing of requirements, please visit www.tmb.state.tx.us.

The AAEM – Student Membership Benefits

American Academy of Emergency Medicine pic

American Academy of Emergency Medicine
Image: aaem.org

Dr. Michael Parsa is an emergency medicine physician and professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso. A graduate of Creighton University School of Medicine, Dr. Michael Parsa possesses more than 16 years of medical experience both in the United States, through his work in California as well as El Paso, and abroad. Dr. Parsa is a member of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM).

In addition to hosting annual conferences and a variety of educational programs, the AAEM manages the AAEM Resident and Student Association, for individuals just beginning their medical careers. Students receive their first year of membership for free.

Much like their more established peers, student members of AAEM have access to various benefits designed to help them map out their academic experiences and future careers. Once students begin their paid membership to the AAEM Resident and Student Association, they receive a pair of useful print resources: the Emergency Medicine Survival Guide and Rules of the Road for Medical Students. Members also are subscribed to the organization’s peer-reviewed blog and Common Sense magazine.

A number of electronic resources are available to student members, including an educational podcast, subscription to the Journal of Emergency Medicine and discounts on a test preparation website. Members also receive entrance to the AAEM annual scientific assembly.