St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton’s Post

✨💫 Breaking Barriers in Medical Education! 💫✨ I am ecstatic to share news from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine! 🎉 Thanks to an awe-inspiring $1 billion donation by Ruth Gottesman, the dream of tuition-free medical education has become a reality for its students. 🏥💰 This monumental generosity means immediate tuition waiver for four-year students, with all others reaping the benefits this fall. Imagine the doors this will open for aspiring doctors, enabling them to pursue their passions without the weight of financial burden. 🚪❤️ First-year student Samuel Woo's story touched my heart. Previously, he had considered a career in cardiology to manage debt, but now he dreams of providing medical services to those living on the streets. 🌆💔 His emotional reaction mirrors the relief and joy many of his peers felt. The impact of this donation extends beyond individual stories. It's a beacon of hope for countless students from low-income, immigrant backgrounds who dream of a medical career but are hindered by financial constraints. 🌍🔗 This initiative is a game-changer in a world where the cost of medical education can deter many bright minds. It's a bold step towards creating a more diverse, inclusive, and compassionate healthcare landscape. 🌈👩⚕️👨⚕️ Let’s applaud Ruth Gottesman for her visionary philanthropy and celebrate a future where anyone can dream bigger, regardless of their financial background. 👏🎓🌟 This is more than just a donation; it’s a transformational shift in how we approach medical education and access to healthcare professions. Here’s to dreaming big and making those dreams accessible to all! 🌟📘💡 #MedicalEducation #Philanthropy #DiversityInHealthcare #AlbertEinsteinCollegeOfMedicine #DreamBig

"Philanthropy can be used to improve the clinical research, the basic science and also the advanced clinical treatments." During an in-depth interview with the US news publication e-Jewish Philanthropy, Professor Yoram Weiss, Director of the Hadassah Medical Organization, extensively discussed the vital role of donations for the hospital. Read more about his key points in our recent newsletter article: https://lnkd.in/g2u--Vhh

This is transformational!!

The recent $175 million donation from Bloomberg Philanthropies to Meharry Medical College is truly momentous! As a former student, I have complex feelings about this news. While this investment in the future of Black healthcare professionals is significant, it also brings to mind my challenging experiences at Meharry. These experiences have inspired me to write a book that explores critical issues at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) medical school. My upcoming work delves into the uncomfortable truths surrounding health equity, institutional power dynamics, and the often-silenced voices of those who challenge the status quo. It examines the personal and professional costs of advocating for change within established systems, with a particular focus on Black mental health, entrepreneurship, and the broader struggle for Black liberation. I firmly believe that true progress demands more than financial investment; it requires a steadfast commitment to confronting and addressing deep-rooted systemic issues. My forthcoming book aims to contribute to this critical dialogue, aspiring to catalyze substantial reforms in medical education by advocating for enhanced transparency, strengthened accountability measures, and the establishment of a robust mental health infrastructure.

Some more thoughts: Ruth Gottesman’s $1 billion gift to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine was exemplary in many respects and was celebrated as highly as any gift in recent memory (and rightly so). That attention raises a host of questions. One related to whether it might spark a shift in norms around naming rights (hope so...). Another relates to how we assess a gift’s contributions to equity. Gottesman’s gift promoted equity in a number of ways. It should allow a broader range of students to attend Einstein. It directed money to parts of the city that were often ignored by mega donors. The Times contrasted her to “a number of billionaires [who] have given hundreds of millions of dollars to better-known medical schools and hospitals in Manhattan, the city’s wealthiest borough.” But in another respect, Gottesman's gift also represented another institution joining the elite ranks of the “haves.” That is, billion dollar gifts to a single institution also pose a challenge to equity because they do not *fully* promote a more egalitarian institutional landscape. I appreciate how much catalytic power a single huge donation can hold to an institution—I really do. And I unequivocally applaud Gottesman for her gift and the way she gave it. But I also wonder if there should be an equally powerful pull for gifts that are distributed among a host of institutions, to more fully transform the landscape. I’d love to hear folks thoughts on this—I’m currently thinking these themes through for a piece I’m working on, and value the wisdom of the sector…

Next time you select those fire frames, keep this in mind: #Anemia can affect vision by reducing oxygen to the eyes, leading to blurry vision and, in severe cases, retinal hemorrhages that cause spots or shadows. While style matters, don’t overlook the importance of checking for anemia—it can help protect your vision too. We invite #optical professional providers to join us in raising #community awareness. We are not seeking donations—instead, we believe funds are better spent on creating impactful educational materials, fostering life-saving innovations, and supporting essential supplements that can change lives. Together, we can develop resources that empower communities, prevent suffering, and promote healthier futures. Our Anemia logo symbolizes more than just awareness—it represents your commitment to tackling a global health issue that disproportionately affects women and children. By aligning with this symbol, you demonstrate your dedication to improving lives and building a healthier world for future generations. American Optometric Association International Opticians Association ECOO (European Council of Optometry and Optics) Association of British Dispensing Opticians World Council Of Optometry The Vision Council National Optometric Association College of Optometrists Essilor Group Safilo Group Marchon Eyewear Marcolin Warby Parker MYKITA Cutler and Gross Oliver Peoples Silhouette Group

Embracing the hump day grind🕝 ...Did you Know? 💡 Donating your body for medical education and research is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give. Your body can be used to train new physicians and help specialists develop new techniques, in addition to contributing to medical research. To register as a whole-body donor, you must sign up for a willed body program or approved donation program in your state. Nearly everyone will qualify for donation, and there is no upper age limit. Keep in mind that registering to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor is not the same as registering to donate your body. By registering as a whole-body donor, you can make a lasting contribution to the advancement of medical science and education.

Using the collective power of our Optometry community to raise funds supporting states seeking scope expansion, ODs on faceboook members have raised over $100,000, helping at least 5 states. Crucial scope expansion legislation is coming up in 2024 for our Vermont colleagues. The VOA headed by Dr Dean Barcelow experienced a devastating setback in 2020 when the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) recommended against legislation that would add in-office procedures; injections, lesion removal and certain lasers. However, during a follow up meeting they were successful, reversing the original judgement who now favor scope expansion. There's still a long road; Each state that passes procedural legislation is precedent that helps with your argument when your state is seeking scope expansion. I'm launching the effort with a pledge of $1000. I challenge you to pledge half that or whatever you can. When it's your states turn you can count on ODs on facebook to help as well. https://gofund.me/3228dbbb If you are company in our industry who depends on Optometrists for your business and donate $1000 or more we will include your name on a post where we list corporate donors who show their support for Optometry in this manner. Thank you in advance for your support of our profession https://gofund.me/3228dbbb

Big news -- The Bronx's Albert Einstein College of Medicine is going tuition-free after a $1 billion donation.   Dr. Ruth Gottesman, announced her gift yesterday -- most likely the largest-ever donation to a US medical school.   Students who've paid tuition this semester will be reimbursed and following cohorts will study fee-free in perpetuity.   Dr Gottesman's gift is set to revolutionize the med school landscape, where students often graduate with over $250,000 in debt. No fees mean greater accessibility for many who otherwise could not afford it, and brings vitality to NYC's poorest borough -- where premature deaths rank high and health levels are the worst in the state.   Billionaires donating to universities is not exactly breaking news; however, gifts of this size are often seen at better-known schools and hospitals.   The donation is the fourth ever single gift to go over the three-comma mark, and joins other notable gifts:   1) $1.8bn to Johns Hopkins University for UG tuition from Michael Bloomberg in 2018. 2) $1.1bn to Stanford University which created the School of Sustainability, from John & Anna Doerr in 2022. 3) $1bn to McPherson College in Kansas from an anonymous donor in 2023.   With the US having the second-highest year for philanthropic support in 2023, it looks like 2024 is set to also be a record charting year. (Source: Albert Einstein College of Medicine)

Have you volunteered in Guatemala on medical missions serving children born with cleft lip and palate? If so, you’ve seen the important work done by TESS Unlimited to organize every detail of the surgical mission weeks and evaluate, feed, support, and provide comprehensive care to children born with cleft. So many volunteers have asked for years: how can we financially support this organization’s efforts? Good news! You can do so through a US-based, tax-exempt 501c3 organization founded by several American volunteers active with TESS Unlimited. Cleft Care International was founded with one purpose: to serve as a fundraising conduit in the United States for American donors who wish to financially support international cleft organizations like TESS Unlimited. Because we do not carry out cleft care directly, our operations are very lean with zero employees and very low back-office costs, 100% of which are covered by the Cleft Care International board. What’s that mean? 100% of your donation dollars go directly to TESS Unlimited. Check it out and donate directly here: https://lnkd.in/grgFuD_7.