This morning I woke up and met Cheryl Wilkinson for lunch and some souvenir shopping. We went downtown to the Paradise Cafe and then walked around in the various shops. Over the past two months I have tried really hard to not look like too much of a tourist, but I think I dropped my guard a bit today as I was wandering in and out of various Alaskan gift shops. As I was walking I did meet a Vanderbilt alumni. He graduated from the divinity school and was in Alaska doing some mission work. One of my professors from this past semester has a husband who is a professor in the Divinity School. He remembered having this particular professor and we shared stories about the Segovias for a few minutes in downtown Juneau, AK. Just another example of how small the world really is.
After lunch I met up with the Bornstein family and went for my final hike. We went "out the road" to a place called Cowie Meadows. For some reason, I am absolutely terrified of bears. Ever since my first hike to the John Muir Cabin, I have never been out in the woods and not thought of seeing a giant bear lurking around the corner. Every time a bird chirps or a twig snaps under my feet my heart skips a beat (or six) and I stop in my tracks. Lucky for me, I have been out hiking and running and yet to see a bear - until today.
The first part of the hike was actually quite enjoyable. We went to Cowie Meadows Cabin and then further along the coastline to the Blue Mussel Cabin. Along the way we saw lots of Fireweed and other flowers and berries. These forest service cabins are pretty neat. For a nominal fee you can rent them for the night and camp out. Each is equipped with a gas heater and a sink. Enough to make you feel comfortable, but not enough to ruin the mystique of camping.
The Blue Mussel Cabin is right on the water and it is not uncommon to see humpback whales wander into the cove. We went a little past Blue Mussel Cabin and came across a tree that was smoking. Someone had started a campfire and had not laid a proper base so the fire went underground. There was smoke coming from some holes in the ground right around the base of the tree. It was really interesting to think that there was a fire underground that I could not see. We took some pictures and then started our walk back to the trailhead.
Before every hike I ask Dr. Bornstein, "What are the chances that we see a bear today?" He usually just laughs and tells me that a bear sighting would be very unlikely. We made it maybe three quarters of the way back to the start of the trail when we my worst fear came to fruition. Standing no more than 60 or 70 yards away was a giant male grizzly bear. The bear saw us as soon as we saw him and began to look our way. His ears popped up and he stood to get a better view of us. We stayed together and retreated back off of the trail. We walked away, slowly, until Dr. Bornstein eventually went to check on the bear. The bear was still checking us out very curiously and eventually began to cross the meadow and come over towards our side.
The scariest thing about the bear sighting is that once the bear sees you, you are no longer in control. You could be 400, 500 yards away and the bear could very easily catch you if he/she so desired. That's what makes me so uncomfortable is the sense that even if I do everything I am supposed to do in a situation like this I am still completely at the whim of a 2,000 pound, 8 foot tall wild animal.
Eventually we ran into some thick brush and were forced back out onto the main trail. We could no longer see the bear so we assumed that we were in the clear. We all breathed a sigh of relief and began walking briskly towards the trailhead. About two minutes later we were stopped in our tracks again as we heard rustling and crashing from the brush no more than 50 or 60 feet away. We never actually saw the bear this time due to the thick brush, but it was there and we were very close.
At this point I had just about had enough of hiking so I did my best to try and get to the car as soon as possible. Unfortunately my hiking mates had other ideas. All of a sudden Dr. Bornstein needed to use the restroom and Sam decided he wanted berries (you know, the same berries the bears like to eat). I was so scared and ready to go. I think a lot of my fear came off as humor, but it was definitely no laughing matter.
The Bornsteins bought me pizza and soda to settle my nerves after our hiking adventure. What a scary day. Tomorrow is my last full day in Alaska...
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Day 60 - Retirement
Today, after nearly 9 weeks on the job, I announced my retirement from SEARHC Dental. In January I blindly googled "Alaskan dentistry", and sent off emails to various organizations, private practice dentists, and public health clinics. Lucky for me, Dr. Tom Bornstein was the first to respond and give me an opportunity to develop a project with SEARHC. Over the past 9 weeks I have seen and accomplished so much.
I traveled to Hoonah, Haines, Sitka, and Skagway. I traveled by car, bus, plane, ferry, boat, and bike. I saw small Alaskan villages and large tourist destinations. I met people from all over the United States - each with a unique story and perspective. I saw and did many things. I walked on a glacier, rode on a dog sled, flew above mountains ridges in a helicopter, and hiked for hours.
From the clinic side of things, I also feel like I accomplished a lot. I developed two surveys that will hopefully improve the patient experience at SEARHC in the future. One survey, administered via telephone, was to address the high missed appointment rate in the clinic. The other, administered in waiting rooms all over Southeast Alaska, was meant to survey patients on new patient education material. I also found time to work with Dr. Hort to stock a vending machine with Xylitol products and do many other exciting things at the clinic. Beyond all of this, I found time to meet new people and see things from a different perspective.
What an amazing experience - one that will certainly take some time to soak in. Throughout the course of the weekend I will work on one final summary post but, for now, there are too many emotions and too many thoughts running through my head for me to capture the meaning of my summer project experience in a clear and concise way.
I still have a few more days in Alaska to get in some final sightseeing and souvenir shopping. Almost home...
I traveled to Hoonah, Haines, Sitka, and Skagway. I traveled by car, bus, plane, ferry, boat, and bike. I saw small Alaskan villages and large tourist destinations. I met people from all over the United States - each with a unique story and perspective. I saw and did many things. I walked on a glacier, rode on a dog sled, flew above mountains ridges in a helicopter, and hiked for hours.
From the clinic side of things, I also feel like I accomplished a lot. I developed two surveys that will hopefully improve the patient experience at SEARHC in the future. One survey, administered via telephone, was to address the high missed appointment rate in the clinic. The other, administered in waiting rooms all over Southeast Alaska, was meant to survey patients on new patient education material. I also found time to work with Dr. Hort to stock a vending machine with Xylitol products and do many other exciting things at the clinic. Beyond all of this, I found time to meet new people and see things from a different perspective.
What an amazing experience - one that will certainly take some time to soak in. Throughout the course of the weekend I will work on one final summary post but, for now, there are too many emotions and too many thoughts running through my head for me to capture the meaning of my summer project experience in a clear and concise way.
I still have a few more days in Alaska to get in some final sightseeing and souvenir shopping. Almost home...
Days 58 and 59 - Silverbow, Monday Funday, and Xylitol
The last two nights have been busy and hectic so I haven't had a chance to write at all. Tuesday, I went with some members of the dental staff to dinner at the Silverbow. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the Silverbow shows a movie for free so a few members of the staff are regulars. This week, "Invictus" was the free movie. I had yet to see it, so I figured it was a good week to go. We all met up after work - ate, played cards, and watched the movie. On Wednesday, I went over to Rachel's house for a BBQ. Every Monday, Rachel and a few other dental assistants go over to her house for a huge BBQ and night out together. It is usually on Monday (hence, Monday Funday) but this week we had it on Wednesday. We grilled and just hung out. I like the nights where I can just hang out on a couch and play video games or watch TV. The little things you take for granted when I am at home are the things I miss the most.
One of the coolest things about my summer experience has been interacting with all of the different members of the dental team. Very few are actually from Alaska, so if you walk around the office most parts of the United States (and some of South America and Europe) are represented. At no other place would people with such varied and diverse backgrounds make such a strong effort to get along and spend time together. Everyone is intrigued by each others backgrounds and stories. Very neat.
On the clinic side of things, I have really started to wrap things up. The big project for this week was to get the vending machine up and running. I stocked all of the products, made price labels, and set the prices electronically. I also took change and loaded it into the appropriate slots. I know more about vending machines then I ever wanted to know. Also, there is a Xylitol brochure and poster that will sit next to the vending machine to provide patients more information. I am hoping that the vending machine is a success because there are 6 vending machines currently sitting in storage waiting to be shipped to other clinics.
Hard to believe I proposed an idea 6 months ago and now that idea has become a reality. It hasn't been easy - I've worked hard, traveled a lot, and had to adjust the outcome of the project slightly - but, in the end, it has been such an incredible experience. Tomorrow is my last day at the clinic. We are having a BBQ luncheon for my last day and I will have to say goodbye to a few members of the staff. Can't wait...
One of the coolest things about my summer experience has been interacting with all of the different members of the dental team. Very few are actually from Alaska, so if you walk around the office most parts of the United States (and some of South America and Europe) are represented. At no other place would people with such varied and diverse backgrounds make such a strong effort to get along and spend time together. Everyone is intrigued by each others backgrounds and stories. Very neat.
On the clinic side of things, I have really started to wrap things up. The big project for this week was to get the vending machine up and running. I stocked all of the products, made price labels, and set the prices electronically. I also took change and loaded it into the appropriate slots. I know more about vending machines then I ever wanted to know. Also, there is a Xylitol brochure and poster that will sit next to the vending machine to provide patients more information. I am hoping that the vending machine is a success because there are 6 vending machines currently sitting in storage waiting to be shipped to other clinics.
Hard to believe I proposed an idea 6 months ago and now that idea has become a reality. It hasn't been easy - I've worked hard, traveled a lot, and had to adjust the outcome of the project slightly - but, in the end, it has been such an incredible experience. Tomorrow is my last day at the clinic. We are having a BBQ luncheon for my last day and I will have to say goodbye to a few members of the staff. Can't wait...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Day 57 - My last week
Today was my final Monday in Alaska. It's amazing how different it felt walking into the clinic today then it did 9 weeks ago when I arrived for the first time. Instead of nervously waiting in the lobby to meet Dr. Hort like I did in mid-May, I walked confidently into the back of the clinic ready to showcase what I have been working hard on all summer.
I spent the morning finalizing my waiting room survey data and preparing my patient education material proposal for Dr. Bornstein. We met in the afternoon and he appeared to be very intrigued by what Dr. Hort and I have come up with. It was also rewarding to be able to present to him the statistics from the telephone survey - most of which reflect positively on the clinic. I know that this is an issue he has wanted to address for a long time and it will be nice to have some analysis and data to bring to the board of directors.
One of the my main points of emphasis over the past week has been to ensure that everything I have done over the past 9 weeks remains easily accessible for anyone on the SEARHC staff. Because of time constraints and needing to be realistic with my own expectations, I have realized that I could not have possibly developed a survey, conducted hundreds of interviews, analyzed all of the data, and then created a series of educational materials for OB patients during the time frame of my summer project. I will leave with certain pieces of patient education material developed, but another focus point is ensuring that I have laid the groundwork for the SEARHC dental staff to be able to finish what I have started in the coming months. This includes brainstorming, outlining, and researching.
I have created an outline for a 6 month plan to disseminate various pieces of educational materials utilizing many different types of media. This ranges from social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to local gatherings with community leaders in small Alaskan villages. In addition, I have provided the dental team with months worth of research to help them ease into becoming responsible for the new patient education material we have worked so hard to develop. As many of the staff members I have worked with have told me, it seems that SEARHC attempts to develop something new and innovative every year, only to fall short on sustainability and creativity. Let's hope this time it's different!
This evening I went to the mall to get a haircut and to purchase new headphones. For those who rely on public transportation, you know that having a charged iPod and a working set of headphones are vital to an enjoyable bus experience. The trip to the mall also made me look forward to coming back home and having my car back.
The public transportation system has been very useful and cost efficient, but it is often so time consuming. Take today's example: I had a 6:30 haircut appointment at the Nugget Mall which is about a 5 minute car ride from the dorm. I had to leave my apartment at 5:55 to catch the 6:00 bus that arrived at the mall around 6:15. After looking through the stores and getting a haircut I caught the 7:15 bus back to the school and walked into my dorm room at 7:45. What should have been a 40 minute experience turned into a nearly 2 hour experience. At least the people who ride the bus make it interesting.
Tomorrow is a big day as it is the grand opening of the vending machine. I am also presenting my findings at the staff meeting and will have an opportunity to thank everyone for being so kind and helpful over the past two months. Almost done...
I spent the morning finalizing my waiting room survey data and preparing my patient education material proposal for Dr. Bornstein. We met in the afternoon and he appeared to be very intrigued by what Dr. Hort and I have come up with. It was also rewarding to be able to present to him the statistics from the telephone survey - most of which reflect positively on the clinic. I know that this is an issue he has wanted to address for a long time and it will be nice to have some analysis and data to bring to the board of directors.
One of the my main points of emphasis over the past week has been to ensure that everything I have done over the past 9 weeks remains easily accessible for anyone on the SEARHC staff. Because of time constraints and needing to be realistic with my own expectations, I have realized that I could not have possibly developed a survey, conducted hundreds of interviews, analyzed all of the data, and then created a series of educational materials for OB patients during the time frame of my summer project. I will leave with certain pieces of patient education material developed, but another focus point is ensuring that I have laid the groundwork for the SEARHC dental staff to be able to finish what I have started in the coming months. This includes brainstorming, outlining, and researching.
I have created an outline for a 6 month plan to disseminate various pieces of educational materials utilizing many different types of media. This ranges from social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to local gatherings with community leaders in small Alaskan villages. In addition, I have provided the dental team with months worth of research to help them ease into becoming responsible for the new patient education material we have worked so hard to develop. As many of the staff members I have worked with have told me, it seems that SEARHC attempts to develop something new and innovative every year, only to fall short on sustainability and creativity. Let's hope this time it's different!
This evening I went to the mall to get a haircut and to purchase new headphones. For those who rely on public transportation, you know that having a charged iPod and a working set of headphones are vital to an enjoyable bus experience. The trip to the mall also made me look forward to coming back home and having my car back.
The public transportation system has been very useful and cost efficient, but it is often so time consuming. Take today's example: I had a 6:30 haircut appointment at the Nugget Mall which is about a 5 minute car ride from the dorm. I had to leave my apartment at 5:55 to catch the 6:00 bus that arrived at the mall around 6:15. After looking through the stores and getting a haircut I caught the 7:15 bus back to the school and walked into my dorm room at 7:45. What should have been a 40 minute experience turned into a nearly 2 hour experience. At least the people who ride the bus make it interesting.
Tomorrow is a big day as it is the grand opening of the vending machine. I am also presenting my findings at the staff meeting and will have an opportunity to thank everyone for being so kind and helpful over the past two months. Almost done...
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Day 55 - Dinner party with the dental staff
The weather was not great again today so I spent most of the day getting organized and lounging around. Now that I have settled back into Juneau I have started to utilize the Rec Center at UAS more than I did in the past. I talked with the student worker at the front and bargained my way into a 20 visit pass for $20. I won't use all 20 visits, but I will make one of my roommates happy when I leave next week. I went to the Rec Center today and ran on the indoor track (my alternative to running outside in the rain).
Tonight, Dr. Sohonage had all of the dentists over for dinner to welcome the new residents. The food was great. We had salmon, halibut, and crab cakes. They were all made from fish and crabs caught by a SEARHC employee. The food I have eaten here brings new meaning to the word "fresh".
That's about it from here. Tomorrow is Dr. Bornstein's birthday so I am heading over to his house for dinner and cake. Other than that, not much planned.
Tonight, Dr. Sohonage had all of the dentists over for dinner to welcome the new residents. The food was great. We had salmon, halibut, and crab cakes. They were all made from fish and crabs caught by a SEARHC employee. The food I have eaten here brings new meaning to the word "fresh".
That's about it from here. Tomorrow is Dr. Bornstein's birthday so I am heading over to his house for dinner and cake. Other than that, not much planned.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Day 54 - Dog sledding, Perseverance Trail, Mt. Roberts, Salmon Bake
For the record, I actually did spend a few hours in the clinic today. I continued to work on developing my patient education material and work on my presentation to the staff on Tuesday. However, what I did outside of the office today was much more exciting so i will focus on that instead.
I woke up early this morning to catch the bus to TEMSCO, the helicopter company that flew me to the Juneau Ice Field for my dog sledding experience. It was awesome. I had never been in a helicopter before and, as you could imagine, the views of Juneau and the surrounding islands from 5,000 feet in the sky are pretty amazing. We passed over ridges and mountaintops and eventually flew over the Mendenhall Glacier. I have seen the glacier from the west side and the east side, but it takes on a whole new personality when you see it from the air. The helicopter dropped me off deep in the Ice Field where there is still snow covering the thousands of feet of ice. We met the mushers (many of whom have raced in Iditarod) and then we got to meet the dogs.
We spent almost half an hour learning the names of the dogs on our sled, what their stories were, and why there were in the particular spot on the sled. After the introductions we did a 30 minute dog sled trail. I was with a couple from a cruise ship so we took turns driving the sled and sitting in the passenger seat taking in the views. At each stop we got off, spent time with the dogs and watched as they cooled down by eating or rolling in the snow. It was funny to see the difference in personality between the dogs. The dogs in the front of the pack are generally considered smart and responsible so when we would stop they would quietly sit down and await orders to continue. The dogs in the back, however, would jump around and bark - begging for attention.
After the ride, we thanked the dogs and then walked around the dog camp a bit more. There are over 200 dogs and 15 people who live up on the glacier during the summer months. We finished the tour a little early so the musher took us over to meet the future of dog sled racing - the husky puppies. The helicopter picked us up and returned us to the TEMSCO base. It was an awesome 90 minute tour and one of the coolest things I have done so far.
After work, Dr. Bornstein picked me up and we went for a run on the Perseverance Trail. The snow has melted so what was a 6 mile run a few weeks ago has turned into an 8 or 9 mile run. We decided we hadn't had enough exercise so we hiked from the base of Perseverance Trail to the tram station on top of Mt. Roberts. When you've run 8 miles, what's another 50 minutes of hiking and 1,800 feet of elevation? The hike was nice though as there were many ripe salmonberries and blueberries that we picked and ate along the way. Our reward for hiking to the tram station was a chance to see a rehabilitated bald eagle and a free ride to the bottom. The Mt. Roberts Tramway is a pretty big tourist attraction so I'm glad that I can say I crossed it off my list of things to do before I leave.
For dinner, I drove out to Thane with a bunch of friends from the clinic and ate at the Thane Salmon Bake. They had unlimited salad, salmon, halibut, cornbread, and drinks. The food was pretty bad. It started to rain as we left the restaurant, which was the first time it had rained in almost 50 hours. I am not certain, but that could be a Juneau record for the month of July (at least during my time here!).
It's been a long exhausting day so I'm headed to bed. Tomorrow is Saturday so I get to sleep in and just hang out...
I woke up early this morning to catch the bus to TEMSCO, the helicopter company that flew me to the Juneau Ice Field for my dog sledding experience. It was awesome. I had never been in a helicopter before and, as you could imagine, the views of Juneau and the surrounding islands from 5,000 feet in the sky are pretty amazing. We passed over ridges and mountaintops and eventually flew over the Mendenhall Glacier. I have seen the glacier from the west side and the east side, but it takes on a whole new personality when you see it from the air. The helicopter dropped me off deep in the Ice Field where there is still snow covering the thousands of feet of ice. We met the mushers (many of whom have raced in Iditarod) and then we got to meet the dogs.
We spent almost half an hour learning the names of the dogs on our sled, what their stories were, and why there were in the particular spot on the sled. After the introductions we did a 30 minute dog sled trail. I was with a couple from a cruise ship so we took turns driving the sled and sitting in the passenger seat taking in the views. At each stop we got off, spent time with the dogs and watched as they cooled down by eating or rolling in the snow. It was funny to see the difference in personality between the dogs. The dogs in the front of the pack are generally considered smart and responsible so when we would stop they would quietly sit down and await orders to continue. The dogs in the back, however, would jump around and bark - begging for attention.
After the ride, we thanked the dogs and then walked around the dog camp a bit more. There are over 200 dogs and 15 people who live up on the glacier during the summer months. We finished the tour a little early so the musher took us over to meet the future of dog sled racing - the husky puppies. The helicopter picked us up and returned us to the TEMSCO base. It was an awesome 90 minute tour and one of the coolest things I have done so far.
After work, Dr. Bornstein picked me up and we went for a run on the Perseverance Trail. The snow has melted so what was a 6 mile run a few weeks ago has turned into an 8 or 9 mile run. We decided we hadn't had enough exercise so we hiked from the base of Perseverance Trail to the tram station on top of Mt. Roberts. When you've run 8 miles, what's another 50 minutes of hiking and 1,800 feet of elevation? The hike was nice though as there were many ripe salmonberries and blueberries that we picked and ate along the way. Our reward for hiking to the tram station was a chance to see a rehabilitated bald eagle and a free ride to the bottom. The Mt. Roberts Tramway is a pretty big tourist attraction so I'm glad that I can say I crossed it off my list of things to do before I leave.
For dinner, I drove out to Thane with a bunch of friends from the clinic and ate at the Thane Salmon Bake. They had unlimited salad, salmon, halibut, cornbread, and drinks. The food was pretty bad. It started to rain as we left the restaurant, which was the first time it had rained in almost 50 hours. I am not certain, but that could be a Juneau record for the month of July (at least during my time here!).
It's been a long exhausting day so I'm headed to bed. Tomorrow is Saturday so I get to sleep in and just hang out...
Friday, July 9, 2010
Pictures added
I had such a long and exciting day today. I am completely exhausted and can't even begin to start writing and describing everything I did. For now, keep busy with the pictures I uploaded to the Picasa album. Check back tomorrow for descriptions and details.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Day 53 - The sun
Funny story today. The weather today was beautiful. The clouds finally cleared up and the sky was a clear blue all day. The temperature was also perfect, right around 70 degrees all day long. And no, the funny story is not that I actually had a chance to see the sun in the middle of July. I was on the bus ride home and the bus passed by the bank where an electronic clock flashed the time and the temperature. When the temperature flashed it read, "96 degrees". The women next to me shouted, "96? Man, I knew it was hot today!" Only in Juneau, AK could a 70 degree day suddenly turn into a 96 degree day.
I worked very hard today to finish my telephone survey report. I am very proud of my efforts and excited to share my findings at the staff meeting on Tuesday. After I present to the staff, I will post my report on the blog so that everyone can get an idea of what kinds of issues I have been dealing with. It was fun to see my work culminate in a meaningful report that will serve this organization well into the future. Essentially, I am combining the voices of 100+ patients into one giant statement that will give dentists at staff at SEARHC a unique look into the mindset of their patient base.
At one point today Dr. Hort looked over and saw how hard I was working to make sure that no patient voice went unheard and that no suggestion or recommendation went unexplained. She reminded me that I wasn't getting a grade on the project and that it did not have to be perfect. Apparently, she has never seen me critique myself. Even without the motivation of a grade, I want to give my best effort and give back to the dentists and staff who have given so much to me over the past two months. I also spent a lot of time continuing to compile information for my patient education material. Tomorrow I will be outlining the patient education material and creating a rough layout of everything to present to Dr. Bornstein on Monday.
Because of the poor weather, I have been a bit lazy the last few weeks so it was nice to wear shorts and go running again today. I'm going to enjoy running in the 70 degree weather for the next week and a half because I will soon be confined to a treadmill by the heat and humidity in St. Louis.
Tomorrow I am also taking the morning off to go dog sledding. Unlike my failed expedition in Skagway, the weather is supposed to be nice so I should definitely get off the ground on onto the glacier. Check back for what I'm sure will be some pretty cool pictures.
I worked very hard today to finish my telephone survey report. I am very proud of my efforts and excited to share my findings at the staff meeting on Tuesday. After I present to the staff, I will post my report on the blog so that everyone can get an idea of what kinds of issues I have been dealing with. It was fun to see my work culminate in a meaningful report that will serve this organization well into the future. Essentially, I am combining the voices of 100+ patients into one giant statement that will give dentists at staff at SEARHC a unique look into the mindset of their patient base.
At one point today Dr. Hort looked over and saw how hard I was working to make sure that no patient voice went unheard and that no suggestion or recommendation went unexplained. She reminded me that I wasn't getting a grade on the project and that it did not have to be perfect. Apparently, she has never seen me critique myself. Even without the motivation of a grade, I want to give my best effort and give back to the dentists and staff who have given so much to me over the past two months. I also spent a lot of time continuing to compile information for my patient education material. Tomorrow I will be outlining the patient education material and creating a rough layout of everything to present to Dr. Bornstein on Monday.
Because of the poor weather, I have been a bit lazy the last few weeks so it was nice to wear shorts and go running again today. I'm going to enjoy running in the 70 degree weather for the next week and a half because I will soon be confined to a treadmill by the heat and humidity in St. Louis.
Tomorrow I am also taking the morning off to go dog sledding. Unlike my failed expedition in Skagway, the weather is supposed to be nice so I should definitely get off the ground on onto the glacier. Check back for what I'm sure will be some pretty cool pictures.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Day 52 - Sustainability
My main focus today was on sustainability. I am really proud of the work I have done over the past eight weeks, so I want to ensure that all of my efforts continue even as I head back to school and the SEARHC staff goes back to their day-to-day routine. It is easy for a project to gain momentum when an unpaid, hard-working (sometimes) intern is dedicating nearly forty hours per week to a specific task, but it becomes a completely different dynamic when I pass off my project to somebody who may have other job responsibilities.
For this reason, I spent today focusing on how to make sure my project is sustainable. One of the main ways that I am going to do this is to develop a strong foundation of researched materials to leave in a database before I leave. I have focused on four main research topics: nutrition, vertical transmission, newborn child's dental timeline, and the correlation between a mother's oral health and her child's oral health. This material should get the SEARHC staff through the first few months after I leave as they adjust to finding the correct staff members to be in charge of the patient education material, how they will fit these new responsibilities into their schedule, and how efficiently and effectively the distribution of patient education material goes.
Also, today brought some excitement as the Xyltiol products for the vending machine finally arrived. Almost seven weeks ago I spent an entire afternoon finding gums and mints with a high concentration of Xyltiol and making sure that we had products that fit in the large slots and products that fit in the small slots in the vending machine. If you are at work or school tomorrow and stop by the vending machine at lunch, know that a lot more thought goes into the placement of the Reese's Cups than you would have ever imagined! Tomorrow we are going to the bank to pick up quarters, dimes, and nickels so that we can stock the machine the appropriate amount of change. Dr. Hort and I are also going to start pricing the items and loading them into the vending machine. The vending machine will be fully functional by the time that I leave, which is another exciting accomplishment.
For dinner tonight I went over to Dr. Nascimento's with Dr. Dee, the Wilkinsons, and Dr. Marcotte. Dr. Nascimento is one of those people that excels at everything she does. Over the past few months I have seen her teach herself to sew, paint, carve, and crochet without so much as batting an eyelid. Tonight, she cooked dinner without the aid of a recipe book and the food was so good we had to cut our card game short because we were all too stuffed full and tired. As we sat and ate I started to get a little sentimental knowing that I will be leaving this group soon. The project has not only exceeded my expectations through my community service, but socially as well. I never could have imagined that I would meet so many people who would make my summer in Alaska so enjoyable.
Another full day tomorrow. Time is winding down...
For this reason, I spent today focusing on how to make sure my project is sustainable. One of the main ways that I am going to do this is to develop a strong foundation of researched materials to leave in a database before I leave. I have focused on four main research topics: nutrition, vertical transmission, newborn child's dental timeline, and the correlation between a mother's oral health and her child's oral health. This material should get the SEARHC staff through the first few months after I leave as they adjust to finding the correct staff members to be in charge of the patient education material, how they will fit these new responsibilities into their schedule, and how efficiently and effectively the distribution of patient education material goes.
Also, today brought some excitement as the Xyltiol products for the vending machine finally arrived. Almost seven weeks ago I spent an entire afternoon finding gums and mints with a high concentration of Xyltiol and making sure that we had products that fit in the large slots and products that fit in the small slots in the vending machine. If you are at work or school tomorrow and stop by the vending machine at lunch, know that a lot more thought goes into the placement of the Reese's Cups than you would have ever imagined! Tomorrow we are going to the bank to pick up quarters, dimes, and nickels so that we can stock the machine the appropriate amount of change. Dr. Hort and I are also going to start pricing the items and loading them into the vending machine. The vending machine will be fully functional by the time that I leave, which is another exciting accomplishment.
For dinner tonight I went over to Dr. Nascimento's with Dr. Dee, the Wilkinsons, and Dr. Marcotte. Dr. Nascimento is one of those people that excels at everything she does. Over the past few months I have seen her teach herself to sew, paint, carve, and crochet without so much as batting an eyelid. Tonight, she cooked dinner without the aid of a recipe book and the food was so good we had to cut our card game short because we were all too stuffed full and tired. As we sat and ate I started to get a little sentimental knowing that I will be leaving this group soon. The project has not only exceeded my expectations through my community service, but socially as well. I never could have imagined that I would meet so many people who would make my summer in Alaska so enjoyable.
Another full day tomorrow. Time is winding down...
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Day 51 - Patient education material
Today, for the first time, the finality of what these last two weeks will bring began to sink in. I realized that I can't put off research for another day, or decide to go hiking instead of making a few extra phone calls - it's time to bear down and finish what I have started. While this may take a bit of the "fun" aspect out of my summer project, I have also started to realize how much I have taken on and how happy I will be with my finished product. And, like most, I do better when the end is in sight and the pressure of meeting a deadline grows stronger and stronger.
I began to outline the six month cycle for my patient education material today. Once I compiled all of the research data I began to summarize and recount all that had gone into compiling the data, why I felt it was important, etc. This report will eventually go to Dr. Bornstein for approval (hopefully by Wednesday afternoon) and editing to make sure the things we want to do will not be considered too radical or unacceptable by SEARHC standards.
On Sunday night at the Hort's somebody mused that Alaska had not been hit too hard by the economic recession and that the housing market had actually thrived in the past few years. I joked that the reason Alaska had remained unscathed is because everything in this state is 10 years behind the continental United States. So at some point in 2020 we will all be thriving again while Alaska will be hit with this sudden economic downturn...
On a serious note, a lot of what SEARHC has given to their patients in the past is very old fashioned and uniformed. A tri-fold brochure, an 8" x 10" poster - things that do not take into account the ever growing influence technology has on our society. My proposal contains a lot of technological integration - recognizing that the patient base is constantly connected on their cell phones or their computers. I'm hoping that our ideas will be accepted as the evolution of patient education and not as a knock against the conservative Tlingit culture.
After lunch, I spent the afternoon continuing to make my patient phone calls. I can continue the telephone survey through the end of the week and compile that data over the weekend. As I look back at where I started 7 weeks ago it is hard to believe that I have dialed over 300 numbers in the past few weeks.
I have definitely had better nights than I had tonight. Between the Cardinals 9th inning implosion (and the stampede of nasty text messages from my friends that quickly followed) and my mysterious Alaskan rash, I am just about ready for bed. The rash is nothing too serious. I spoke with Dr. Bornstein and he said the only rash I would have gotten from Alaska is if I was running through the brush without a shirt on and happened to stumble upon some nettles. Since I tip toe through the brush, fully-clothed because of my fear of bears that could not be the cause of the rash. I took some Benedryl and am hoping a good night of sleep will do the trick.
Off to bed and ready for a busy day tomorrow...
I began to outline the six month cycle for my patient education material today. Once I compiled all of the research data I began to summarize and recount all that had gone into compiling the data, why I felt it was important, etc. This report will eventually go to Dr. Bornstein for approval (hopefully by Wednesday afternoon) and editing to make sure the things we want to do will not be considered too radical or unacceptable by SEARHC standards.
On Sunday night at the Hort's somebody mused that Alaska had not been hit too hard by the economic recession and that the housing market had actually thrived in the past few years. I joked that the reason Alaska had remained unscathed is because everything in this state is 10 years behind the continental United States. So at some point in 2020 we will all be thriving again while Alaska will be hit with this sudden economic downturn...
On a serious note, a lot of what SEARHC has given to their patients in the past is very old fashioned and uniformed. A tri-fold brochure, an 8" x 10" poster - things that do not take into account the ever growing influence technology has on our society. My proposal contains a lot of technological integration - recognizing that the patient base is constantly connected on their cell phones or their computers. I'm hoping that our ideas will be accepted as the evolution of patient education and not as a knock against the conservative Tlingit culture.
After lunch, I spent the afternoon continuing to make my patient phone calls. I can continue the telephone survey through the end of the week and compile that data over the weekend. As I look back at where I started 7 weeks ago it is hard to believe that I have dialed over 300 numbers in the past few weeks.
I have definitely had better nights than I had tonight. Between the Cardinals 9th inning implosion (and the stampede of nasty text messages from my friends that quickly followed) and my mysterious Alaskan rash, I am just about ready for bed. The rash is nothing too serious. I spoke with Dr. Bornstein and he said the only rash I would have gotten from Alaska is if I was running through the brush without a shirt on and happened to stumble upon some nettles. Since I tip toe through the brush, fully-clothed because of my fear of bears that could not be the cause of the rash. I took some Benedryl and am hoping a good night of sleep will do the trick.
Off to bed and ready for a busy day tomorrow...
Monday, July 5, 2010
Day 50 - **New pictures**
Not a whole lot going on today - the clinic was closed so I had the day off. Spent the day relaxing and doing a whole lot of nothing. Tomorrow I start developing the patient education material and putting a final product together.
I am definitely entering the backstretch and can see the finish in sight.
I am definitely entering the backstretch and can see the finish in sight.
Day 49 - 4th of July
Today was a fun day, but definitely not the 4th of July I have become accustomed too. I woke up early and drove downtown with some people from the SEARHC office to get a good spot for the Juneau parade. The weather was awful - 40 degrees, freezing cold rain, and a strong wind - but we all stood huddled together as the parade started.
The parade was pretty cool. It was a collection of flat bed trucks decorated by local politicians and organizations. Every float throws candy to the kids lining the parade route, and kids collect this candy in large pillowcases. It is like Halloween in July. It was interesting to see the mix of Tlingit culture and American culture during the parade. The parade then continued over to Douglas Island and ended at Sandy Beach where there was lots of food and fair type activities. We drove over to Sandy Beach and ate hot dogs (trying to make it seem like the 4th of July even though the weather was better suited for Thanksgiving) before eventually succumbing to the numbing rain.
I never pictured myself huddled under a blanket in my bed, drinking hot tea on the 4th of July. I think I can say with absolute certainty that I will be spending every future 4th in a location with a minimum temperature of 80 degrees.
After warming up and getting some rest, the group went out to dinner at a restaurant called The Hanger. It's right on the harbor and one side of the restaurant is a giant window where you can look out over Douglas Island and see the cruise ships passing by. After dinner, we all congregated at Dr. Hort's house to wait for the midnight fireworks show. We were all skeptical that the city was going to shoot off the fireworks since the weather did not appear to be any nicer than it was yesterday when everything was canceled.
However, come 12:01 AM on July 5th, we finally got our 4th of July fireworks show. Because Juneau is surrounded by mountains on all sides the "boom" from the fireworks echoed for minutes at a time, trapped in between the mountains. That's about it for the 4th. I have tomorrow off so I'll have to find a way to keep myself busy before going back to work on Tuesday.
The parade was pretty cool. It was a collection of flat bed trucks decorated by local politicians and organizations. Every float throws candy to the kids lining the parade route, and kids collect this candy in large pillowcases. It is like Halloween in July. It was interesting to see the mix of Tlingit culture and American culture during the parade. The parade then continued over to Douglas Island and ended at Sandy Beach where there was lots of food and fair type activities. We drove over to Sandy Beach and ate hot dogs (trying to make it seem like the 4th of July even though the weather was better suited for Thanksgiving) before eventually succumbing to the numbing rain.
I never pictured myself huddled under a blanket in my bed, drinking hot tea on the 4th of July. I think I can say with absolute certainty that I will be spending every future 4th in a location with a minimum temperature of 80 degrees.
After warming up and getting some rest, the group went out to dinner at a restaurant called The Hanger. It's right on the harbor and one side of the restaurant is a giant window where you can look out over Douglas Island and see the cruise ships passing by. After dinner, we all congregated at Dr. Hort's house to wait for the midnight fireworks show. We were all skeptical that the city was going to shoot off the fireworks since the weather did not appear to be any nicer than it was yesterday when everything was canceled.
However, come 12:01 AM on July 5th, we finally got our 4th of July fireworks show. Because Juneau is surrounded by mountains on all sides the "boom" from the fireworks echoed for minutes at a time, trapped in between the mountains. That's about it for the 4th. I have tomorrow off so I'll have to find a way to keep myself busy before going back to work on Tuesday.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Day 48 - 24 hours worth of rain
When I woke up today it was raining, and as I prepare to go to bed it is still raining outside. To top it off, at no time in between was it ever not raining. Welcome to Southeast Alaska! Dr. Dee is out of town this weekend, but he left me the key to his apartment so I could go over there and do laundry. He also has a TV, a nice leather couch, and wireless internet so I decided to spend the day there. Between all of the traveling and my busy schedule I have not gotten a chance to do laundry many times - there are some articles of clothing that have been in the bottom of my laundry basket so long I forgot I brought them to Alaska with me.
In the afternoon I met up with the Wilkinson's and went to the movies. We saw two movies - Toy Story 3 and Grown Ups. It was a good way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon. We all had dinner at The Valley Restaurant and then headed back home.
Usually, Juneau has a fireworks show at midnight on July 3rd since it is too bright until about 11 on the 4th. However, due to the poor weather, the fireworks were delayed until tomorrow (the 4th) at midnight. So I went from potentially being one of the first people to celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks to probably being the last. Tomorrow there is a big parade and carnival downtown so I hope that the weather clears up. I have gotten used to the rain, but I hope it warms up a bit to make it feel a bit more like the 4th of July I am used to.
In the afternoon I met up with the Wilkinson's and went to the movies. We saw two movies - Toy Story 3 and Grown Ups. It was a good way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon. We all had dinner at The Valley Restaurant and then headed back home.
Usually, Juneau has a fireworks show at midnight on July 3rd since it is too bright until about 11 on the 4th. However, due to the poor weather, the fireworks were delayed until tomorrow (the 4th) at midnight. So I went from potentially being one of the first people to celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks to probably being the last. Tomorrow there is a big parade and carnival downtown so I hope that the weather clears up. I have gotten used to the rain, but I hope it warms up a bit to make it feel a bit more like the 4th of July I am used to.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Day 47 - Another week down
Things are still going very well 7 weeks into my summer project. I just wrapped up my surveying and interviewing yesterday. The month of June was very exciting as I got to travel all throughout Southeast Alaska. I got interesting perspective from tiny villages such as Hoonah and from large, regional hospitals like in Sitka. In between, I managed to visit SEARHC's only clinic that serves non natives (Haines), and took a day trip to Skagway right on the U.S./Canada border. It's been a whirlwind month, but it's been a month that has shown me lots of different perspectives, mindsets, and beliefs. My project would not have had the same meaning had I not been able to travel (by land, boat, and air!), so I am thankful to SEARHC for giving me that opportunity and an unbelievable amount of freedom. Just last night I compiled all of the data and met with Dr. Hort to discuss where to go from here. We have come up with a pretty unique plan - one that should ensure that the work I have done here will carry on long after I am gone.
Since we decided to focus on the OB subgroup, our education material will focus on oral health related to the pregnancy cycle. One of the main things that we found out in our interviewing was that patients really only are interested in receiving education material at appointments, basically they only want to learn if they are not being inconvenienced. This is perfect when dealing with OB patients because they are frequently visiting the OBGYN and coming in and out of the medical comlpex on SEARHC's campus. The dental clinic has a presence in the medical complex so there is an easy connection between two. We will now work to design a monthly program that will give these pregnant women access to prenatal oral health information in a variety of ways. The program will be structured so that women are receiving something monthly, culminating in a dental gift basket following the birth of their child. The education material will be part of a six month cycle, starting in the third month of pregnancy. Women will receive something new from the dental clinic each month in a different manner.
We think this will be an effective way of distributing patient education material for multiple reasons. First, surveying allowed us to conclude that there is not one clear cut method in which people prefer to receive educational materials. Some love the concept of utilizing technologies such as email and text message, whereas other are completely satisfied receiving brochures or pamphlets. By setting up a monthly program that can correlate to a woman's pregnancy schedule, we can utilize many different methods of distribution. Possibly a brochure at month three, a conversation with a dental team member at month five, an informational video at month seven, and a gift at month nine. This is just an example, but the concept of diversifying the way in which we are reaching out to patients should ensure that people will find at least one effective piece of information as they go through the process.
Also, we found that there are three or four main pieces of information that these women are interested in learning about. So by creating a system in which they are receiving something new each month we are ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to learn many different things. This goes hand-in-hand with the concept of offering a variety of ways to distribute the education materials. Again, we think this will prove to be effective because it will ensure that people won't be bored by information fed to them over and over, time and time again. The patients will have access to lots of different information so they can always be on the lookout for something new.
I am really looking forward to working hard over the next two weeks to make this goal a reality. In addition to the patient education material, I will be submitting a report to Dr. Bornstein and Dr. Sohonage (the two directors of the dental clinic) detailing the results of my telephone survey on why people are continually missing their appointments. This data should prove useful in creating a more peaceful union between the dental staff and the administrative staff in the clinics. By interviwing so many patients in so many diverse locations I have really had an opportunity to gain a perspective that most in the SEARHC organization have not. I have, in a sense, started to think like a SEARHC patient and will give them a voice in my report and education materials that they wouldn't have otherwise had the opportunity to express or receive.
Besides the excitement of finally compiling data and finishing up a few telephone surveys, I had an opportunity to go hiking with Dr. Bornstein and Sam after work today. Among the cooler things about living in Alaska is that there is an endless amount of time to each day. Even if you work until 5 or 6 you still have a good 5 hours of daylight to go out hiking or exploring. This can also turn into a bit of curse because sometimes you are laying in bed at 10 PM and see it's still bright outside and kick yourself for not taking advantage of the extra hours of light. Today, Dr. Bornstein, Sam, and I went off to the East Glacier Trail. I have hiked this trail before, but not like I hiked it today. We veered off of the main path onto a small auxiliary path towards some old mining camps. Juneau has a storied history of mining, and many of the trails still have remains of old mining equipment. We hiked on old pipelines and sat and rested in camps filled with rusted stoves, pots, and pans. We even got to hike in a small cave that lead to the generator that powered a lot of the mining equipment. And, to top it off, it did not rain today!
After the hike, I went over to the Bornstein residence for dinner. We had fresh halibut caught from Fred Meyer Superstore. We concluded the night with an intense game of Bananagrams before I came back to the dorm. Today was an exciting day and a great kickoff to the final two week push of my project. Looking forward to an exciting 4th of July weekend...
Since we decided to focus on the OB subgroup, our education material will focus on oral health related to the pregnancy cycle. One of the main things that we found out in our interviewing was that patients really only are interested in receiving education material at appointments, basically they only want to learn if they are not being inconvenienced. This is perfect when dealing with OB patients because they are frequently visiting the OBGYN and coming in and out of the medical comlpex on SEARHC's campus. The dental clinic has a presence in the medical complex so there is an easy connection between two. We will now work to design a monthly program that will give these pregnant women access to prenatal oral health information in a variety of ways. The program will be structured so that women are receiving something monthly, culminating in a dental gift basket following the birth of their child. The education material will be part of a six month cycle, starting in the third month of pregnancy. Women will receive something new from the dental clinic each month in a different manner.
We think this will be an effective way of distributing patient education material for multiple reasons. First, surveying allowed us to conclude that there is not one clear cut method in which people prefer to receive educational materials. Some love the concept of utilizing technologies such as email and text message, whereas other are completely satisfied receiving brochures or pamphlets. By setting up a monthly program that can correlate to a woman's pregnancy schedule, we can utilize many different methods of distribution. Possibly a brochure at month three, a conversation with a dental team member at month five, an informational video at month seven, and a gift at month nine. This is just an example, but the concept of diversifying the way in which we are reaching out to patients should ensure that people will find at least one effective piece of information as they go through the process.
Also, we found that there are three or four main pieces of information that these women are interested in learning about. So by creating a system in which they are receiving something new each month we are ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to learn many different things. This goes hand-in-hand with the concept of offering a variety of ways to distribute the education materials. Again, we think this will prove to be effective because it will ensure that people won't be bored by information fed to them over and over, time and time again. The patients will have access to lots of different information so they can always be on the lookout for something new.
I am really looking forward to working hard over the next two weeks to make this goal a reality. In addition to the patient education material, I will be submitting a report to Dr. Bornstein and Dr. Sohonage (the two directors of the dental clinic) detailing the results of my telephone survey on why people are continually missing their appointments. This data should prove useful in creating a more peaceful union between the dental staff and the administrative staff in the clinics. By interviwing so many patients in so many diverse locations I have really had an opportunity to gain a perspective that most in the SEARHC organization have not. I have, in a sense, started to think like a SEARHC patient and will give them a voice in my report and education materials that they wouldn't have otherwise had the opportunity to express or receive.
Besides the excitement of finally compiling data and finishing up a few telephone surveys, I had an opportunity to go hiking with Dr. Bornstein and Sam after work today. Among the cooler things about living in Alaska is that there is an endless amount of time to each day. Even if you work until 5 or 6 you still have a good 5 hours of daylight to go out hiking or exploring. This can also turn into a bit of curse because sometimes you are laying in bed at 10 PM and see it's still bright outside and kick yourself for not taking advantage of the extra hours of light. Today, Dr. Bornstein, Sam, and I went off to the East Glacier Trail. I have hiked this trail before, but not like I hiked it today. We veered off of the main path onto a small auxiliary path towards some old mining camps. Juneau has a storied history of mining, and many of the trails still have remains of old mining equipment. We hiked on old pipelines and sat and rested in camps filled with rusted stoves, pots, and pans. We even got to hike in a small cave that lead to the generator that powered a lot of the mining equipment. And, to top it off, it did not rain today!
After the hike, I went over to the Bornstein residence for dinner. We had fresh halibut caught from Fred Meyer Superstore. We concluded the night with an intense game of Bananagrams before I came back to the dorm. Today was an exciting day and a great kickoff to the final two week push of my project. Looking forward to an exciting 4th of July weekend...
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