After years of struggle, the vision of building Educational Institutions under the auspices of APPNA, came to fruition with a small but significant step forward. APPNA Committee on Institutions of Higher Learning and Medical Education (APPNA CIHLME) formed last year by Dr Mubasher Rana and strengthened by Dr Nasar Qureshi made a Debut on December 10 2016 with creation and Inauguration of APPNA Institute of Clinical Research Training (APPNA AIRCT). First batch of 22 students are graduating on 27th Dec. with completion of 26 hour course on basics of how to conduct, write and publish research articles with practical hands on training on how to use online software like SPSS etc.
Two courses are being offered under the institute at present:
Research 101: Learning basics in Ethics, Biostats , Biblometrics, Scientometrics etc
Research 102: Practical Training and Publishing under Mentorship
We believe this will prove to be the beginning of changing APPNA's direction. While staying in sync with APPNA's mission yet changing its Perception, generating revenues and increasing membership. We need to continue with strong support for developing APPNA School of Allied Health, APPNA School of Nursing, APPNA Graduate level training program, APPNA Hospital with Residency Training in all medical and surgical disciplines and our own APPNA Medical School. All this is doable only if we all work together and plan long term.
M Sohail Khan MD
Chair APPNA CIHLME and APPNA AIRCT
APPNA Treasurer 2017
This year, we have been committed to play our role in our communities here is USA. One of the most important new initiatives this year is the APPNA - USA college scholarship fund.
This fund is for Pakistani children going to high school in USA and applying to college but facing hardship in paying for tuition. Strict income criteria were used to identify deserving candidates. Fund raising was performed by personal philanthropic donations and fund raising during APPNA summer meeting which resulted in a collection of $67,500. The scholarship was advertised in Pakistani TV channels. A total of 15 candidates were considered and met all of the pre-established criteria.
Last year after the earthquake in Nepal, a team of APPNA physicians went there to volunteer and set up medical camps.
While there, the team met with local Rotary Club and also collaborated with Rotary International from Madera, California under leadership of Dr. Afzal Arain. Around $30,000 was raised and handed over to Rotary Nepal. It was decided that a community center which is earthquake proof, will be built in the village of Lele. A few years ago, a PIA plane had crashed in this area and the community there wanted to honor the victims of the crash.
We are pleased to announce that APPNA recently held two Eye Camps under LRBT with collaboration with USAID.
The first camp was held on December 4 in Gharo in inner Sind and around 200 patients were seen and screened and 30 required surgery which was done at Korsngi LRBT Eye Hospital. The second camp was done on December 10 at Ghotki in inner Sind also and more patients were seen here and again around 30 required Eye surgeries.
Call her a catalyst, a spark, an inspiration. Morgan Hartman doesn't realize it, but her ability to smile through physical and cognitive challenges spurred her parents - Gordon and Maggie Hartman - to do things never before accomplished for individuals with special needs and their families. Morgan not only inspired the creation of a one-of-a-kind theme park but also a unique school and other initiatives benefiting the special-needs community.
Morgan's Wonderland has welcomed more than 1 million guests from all 50 states and 65 countries through park participation and special events. Gordon's realization that families with special-needs members have great demands on both their financial and emotional resources led to his commitment to admit anyone with a special need free of charge. Always looking to the future, Gordon is now constructing the world's first all-inclusive splash park - Morgan's Inspiration Island - scheduled to open in the spring of 2017.
Inauguration Ceremony of AICRT
