About SLIM

Student Leaders in International Medicine (SLIM) is a student-run organization at the University of Pittsburgh. SLIM's primary focus is the education of its members, the wider university population, and the public in international health and development issues through bimonthly meetings at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as through practical experience with Project Malawi. Project Malawi is SLIM's initiative to capacity-build the five community-based organizations (CBOs) of the MPALUTI CBO network of Lilongwe, Malawi, in their community health outreach, education, and orphan care goals. Students of all majors are welcome at SLIM meetings and have the opportunity to learn about foreign aid and development work, perform research, make great friends, and possibly travel through Project Malawi.

Mission Statement

SLIM seeks to educate undergraduate students about the many important factors that created and continue to maintain health inequalities on the global level. These factors include poverty; access to medicines, healthcare, clean water, housing and proper nutrition; and inequalities in education and employment opportunities. We also examine and discuss the roles of international agencies, NGOs, governments and attitudes of the developing world in rectifying or perpetuating these issues. Beyond education, SLIM recognizes the need for pragmatic action to complement the solidarity of its members with the victims of global health inequalities. Through firsthand experience in Malawi and collaboration with afflicted communities, SLIM aims to reverse the effects of the aforementioned factors and to abate the growth of inegalitarian trends internationally.

Principles

All of our activities correspond in some way with our slogan: GABE

GROWTH = ACTION + BONDING + EDUCATION

We realize that there are many ethical issues regarding service outside of our home city and especially outside of the country, thus we hold our projects to high standards. The following criteria are used to carefully select and design our projects and choose the regions in which we work.

1. Travel outside the country for aid-delivery and educational purposes requires a stay of no less than one month in that country to gain a more complete understanding of the region and its people.
2. All projects must be approached with the best interest of the host country and people in mind.
3. Every proposal must have the intention to continue work or support beyond the given time parameters for the initial visit.
4. Each project/visit must be accompanied by research done beforehand regarding the historical and social context of the region/people; discussion and possible academic, supplemental work done throughout the course of the project; and discussion and conclusions-making sessions after completion.
5. Every proposal should result in a contribution to the persons or community with whom SLIM members are working that can be sustained in SLIM's absence.
6. SLIM members must remember that they are only students, and they should not lead host communities or individuals to believe that we possess the talents of doctors, public health workers, or otherwise experts of our fields. We must remember that our western status may prompt this assumption.
7. You cannot "save" underserved communities; however, you can assist them in their attempts to help themselves.
8. All assistance rendered to communities abroad must be derived from the ideas and suggestions of those communities. They are intelligent and deserving of our respect, they know what is best for them, and they will be happy to tell you if you simply ask and trust their opinion.

SLIM Leadership (Spring/Fall 2009)

Co-Presidents: Liz Van loon - lizvanloon@gmail.com and Sesi Aliu - sesi.aliu@gmail.com

Vice-President: Christina Rak - cbr3@pitt.edu

Secretary: Clif McKee - see.klyph.go@gmail.com

Business Director: Miranda Velikoff - mmv14@pitt.edu

Events/Fundraising: Mujidat Saaka - mas317@pitt.edu

2008-2009 Roster

Alicia Rosenbloom

Angela Higgins

Bethany Ground

Carly Sedlock

Chelsea D'Angelo

Christina Rak

Clif McKee

Cori Shollenberger

Cory Malagise

Dana Townsend

Danielle Sorrells

Fatima Muhammed-Ighlie

Jenna Merrill

Jessa Koch

Laura Amweg

Liz Van Loon

Miranda Velikoff

Monica Casuccio

Mujidat Saaka

Nick Brink

Ross Morgan

Sesi Aliu

Suzanne Cake

2007-08 Roster

Aliu, Sesi
Arment, Jenna
Gorelick, Noah
Ground, Bethany
Kannan, Neeta
Kelley, Kate
McKee, Clif
Riley, Nathan
Rosenbloom, Alicia
Shollenberger, Cori
Singh, Punit
Seiler, Anne
Stiff, Andy
Straesser, Sara
Townsend, Dana
Van Loon, Elizabeth
Velikoff, Miranda

2006-07 Roster

Atmeyer, Christine

Arment, Jenna

Bahnsen, Kyle

Beres, Lauren

Bozentka, Jaime

Clemens, Jared

Dobos, Julie

Donnell, Adam

Dunbar, Mike

Foster, Sarah

Galioto, Rachel

Haneman, Joanna

Kannan, Neeta

Keenan, Tanya

Kelley, Kate

Kiernan, Emily

Lambert, Patrick

Liu, Yiyi

McKee, Joanna

Moran, Ben

Prabakaran, Nivi

Rak, Christina

Reighard, Derek

Riley, Nathan

Rosenbloom, Alicia

Santos, Mike

Shively, Charise

Sholl, Cori

Sieler, Anne

Sinclair, Tiffany

Sorber, Lindsey

Stiff, Andy

Straesser, Sara

Tantoco, Anthony

Townsend, Dana

Wagner, Carolyn

Watson, Caressa

Student Leaders in International Medicine

University of Pittsburgh