Day 3 - Finding my way

Dr. Hort was seeing patients all day today so I truly had a research/brainstorming day all to myself. I spent the morning reading online articles and studies pertaining to prenatal health and oral health as well as brainstorming methods to distribute the curriculum and information we eventually develop. I also had the opportunity to read some documents that Sara Fujioka sent over that were very helpful in formulating survey questions that will maximize the effect of the survey.

I got to spend some time with Dr. Tom Bornstein today as well. Dr. Bornstein is the Director of Dental Services for all 18 of SEARHC's clinics. We discussed the structure of the organization and how it is run. I find it really interesting that the majority of the dentists in the office are NOT from Alaska. Dr. Bornstein told me that generally a dentist must get re-certified to practice in each state if they wish to set up a private practice in that state, however, since SEARHC is federally funded by the Indian Health Services, dentists can come to work for the organization without getting certified to practice dentistry in the state of Alaska. We also discussed the role of DHAT (Dental Therapists) that work alongside the dentists in smaller villages such as Hoonah and Haines. The DHAT program spawned off of the CHAP program. The CHAP program is similar to the Dental Therapist program, except it is more related to medicine. Some of the trained CHAPs get to do some very interesting things. Dr. Bornstein mentioned a digital pharmacy in which a CHAP in Pelican, AK can video conference with a trained pharmacist in Sitka, AK in order to prescribe medicine to a patient. In Pelican, there is a digitally controlled box of medicine that will only dispense medicine if the pharmacist in Sitka authorizes it. There are also similar techniques in which CHAPs can examine patients in real-time while being supervised via video camera from SEARHC's main hospital in Sitka. Dr. Bornstein was excited to learn I am from St. Louis as his son will be attending Washington University in St. Louis in the fall. I think I have been hired as his official liaison to the city.

Yesterday I learned that some of the men in the office like to run during their lunch breaks, so I brought a gym bag with shoes, shirt, shorts, etc. I was disappointed to find out that Dr. Pinney had "forgotten" his shoes and wasn't going to be running today. I think he felt guilty enough that I am guaranteed a running partner from now until July 18th! I continued to get to know the people who work in my office - Dr. Dee, Dr. Pinney, Dr. Nascimento, and Dr. Newton. Pinney and Dee are young residents, Reeve (Dr. Newton) is an older man (expert trail guide!), and Dr. Nascimento is interesting because she is a native Alaskan. I enjoy working with them and have been invited to countless softball games, hiking outings, and dinners.

Today during lunch I took a hike to the Salmon Dam Reservoir. I saw the dam as well as a salmon hatchery right across the street. The salmon hatchery is a neat place this time of year as the King Salmon are coming to spawn during this season.

I left work early since it was a perfect 65 without a cloud in the sky today. I decided to go for a run (since Dr. Pinney left me hanging this morning!). Dr. Hort and other members of the office have been talking up a place called Bullwinkle's Pizza Parlor so I decided I would run there and take the bus back to UAS. I went over 7 miles - through Auke Bay, Auke Lake, across the Mendenhall River, and down Mendenhall Loop Road until I finally reached Bullwinkle's. It was well worth the run!

I mistimed the bus route (apparently after a certain time of day they only run once every hour, who knew?), but did end up meeting two really neat Americorps volunteers. Nate and Mel are both in Alaska for a year clearing nature trails on the Mendenhall Glacier. They both plan to get their degrees at University of Alaska - Southeast and will begin taking classes there in January.

Tomorrow will be a busy day as Dr. Hort wants to have a rough draft of the telephone and in-person surveys completed by the time I leave the office tomorrow - As much fun as I had exploring today I'm not sure what time that will be!