Студент из племени Ламби стал лауреатом программы стажировки по общественному здоровью

CHAPEL HILL — Kaiden Tew, a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe and a student at the University of North Carolina studying biology, made a significant impact during the eight-week Tribal Health Experiential Internship Seminar (THESIS) program. THESIS is a virtual internship focused on promoting Tribal public health and is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Science through its Lewis Scholars Program. As one of seven organizations in the Lewis Scholars Program, THESIS operates under the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board in Oklahoma City. Interns delve into Native American culture, resilience and various aspects of public health, including epidemiology and research. Their intensive eight-week journey culminates in the creation of research posters, which they presented at the THESIS Showcase in Oklahoma City. Tew’s research topic was The Truth Behind “3x” Higher Diagnosis Rates Among Indigenous Populations: Land Displacement, Metabolic Disruption, and Indigenous-Led Preventative Medicine. Reflecting on their THESIS experience, they shared, “THESIS has been an absolutely phenomenal experience. Becoming a physician has been a dream of mine since childhood. Over time, navigating life’s hardships transformed that early dream into an internal, burning passion — it is no longer just something I want to do, it is exactly who I am meant to be. “As a first-generation pre-med student at a public ivy institution, THESIS opened doors I never deemed possible. I am forever grateful to the entire THESIS team and my incredible mentor, Robert Chavis, PA-C, for their guidance and belief in my potential. I look forward to carrying this research experience forward into my future practice as an Emergency Medicine physician, and I know the profound connections made with my brilliant cohort will last a lifetime.” For more information about THESIS and the Lewis Scholars Program, visit https://thesis.spthb.org.