Fourth Year Fun

Anna Brown, MS4

Hi, I'm Anna, an MS4 who is busy with the interview season but always up for a fun time with volunteering. This past Saturday I had a blast with Duke in Durham Day helping with HubFarm, a great organization that promotes sustainable farming and health education for adolescent children. I particularly enjoyed the role of DJ and getting to choose songs we could jam out to while planting strawberries, helping build a tiered wall for gardening space, or painting fun signs.

It was raining but we still had a great time and just wore colorful ponchos. The medical school's dedication to service and volunteering as well as community involvement is one of the main reasons I chose Duke for medical school. It truly is a fantastic, fun community and I've enjoyed being a part of it.

You can check out the HubFarm here: http://www.thehubfarm.org/

Davison Ball

Mimi Xu, MS3

Hi! I’m Mimi, an MS3 and the Social Committee Chair on the Davison Council, the student council for the School of Medicine at Duke.

This past Saturday, we hosted Davison Ball, an annual formal event that brings together all class years of current Duke medical students. On this evening, everyone dresses in their finest to have a great time with familiar faces and to meet soon-to-be familiar ones. This year, the Davison Ball took place at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham; the exhibits were open to us, which, as you might imagine, was the perfect venue for a bunch of doctors in training.

               

 The photobooth is a constant favorite! We had tons of treats including (but not limited to) towers of cream puffs; mini red velvet cupcakes; madeleines; chocolate chip mini muffins; chips and hummus; meat, cheese, and cracker trays; and, so that we can get our fiber, veggie trays. We had a fantastic time catching up with old and new friends and dancing the night away! Can’t wait to see you at next year’s Davison Balll!

Duke in Durham Day

Aladine Elsamadicy, MS3
Photo Credit: Mimi Xu

I am the Davison Council Chair of the Service Committee. One of my tasks is to organize Duke in Durham Day (DIDD). DIDD is a bi-annual event where Duke Medical Students from all classes volunteer with local organizations. We had over 90 students volunteer, at over 10 volunteers sites. The sites included: Duke Remedy, Durham Rescue Mission, ReStore Habitat for Humanity, Urban Ministries, Diaper Bank, Sandy Creek Renovations, The Hub Farm, Scrap Exchange, Reach Out and Read Carolinas, El Centro Hispano/Durham County Health Department, and Veterans Health Fair. This is an opportunity for students to understand the needs in our community and to give their time to help better it, even if it is just for 3 hours. These organizations are very appreciative of our time volunteering and try to maximize the volunteering efforts with the group of students.
 

Durham Rescue Mission

I receive emails from the volunteer sites expressing their appreciation, which would make anyone happy. Sandy Creek stated, “What a group!  They got three important jobs completed, in spite of the rain.  Thanks to them and to your program for reaching out to Sandy Creek Park.” Another site, Hub Farm, emailed me, “Thank you all so much for coming out to the Hub for a very fun, wet, and productive workday! It was wonderful to work with you and we are so grateful for all your help and enthusiasm!”.

Reach Out and Read Carolinas

What are you waiting for? Most organizations in Durham would love to have you volunteer and spend time with them. DIDD fosters this collaborative connection with the community, and I cannot wait to see how we can make it even better in the Spring!

 

For more info, check out:
Duke Davison Council Service Page: http://www.dukedavisoncouncil.org/?page_id=50

Organizations:
Duke Remedy: http://sites.duke.edu/remedy/

Durham Rescue Mission: https://www.durhamrescuemission.org/

ReStore Habitat for Humanity: http://www.restoredurhamorange.org/

Urban Ministries: http://umdurham.org/

Diaper Bank: https://www.facebook.com/DiaperBankOfNorthCarolina/

Sandy Creek Renovations: http://www.sandycreekparkdurhamnc.com/

The Hub Farm: http://www.thehubfarm.org/

Scrap Exchange: http://scrapexchange.org/

Reach Out and Read Carolinas: http://www.reachoutandreadsc.org/

El Centro Hispano/Durham County Health Department: http://www.elcentronc.org/

Veterans Health Fair: http://caareinc.org/?page_id=72