Teddy Bear Hospital DGSOM

Mission Statement Teddy Bear Hospital DGSOM is a branch of the Teddy Bear Hospital USA (TBH) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization run by medical students and undergraduate students. Collectively, members aim to support the local community in promoting medical communication to help reduce clinical anxiety in children. Our various stations run as 'hospitals' for children's teddy bears and are designed as a hands-on experience that allows children to better understand healthcare, reduce medical associated fears, and inspire them to pursue higher education. Our organization offers allied-health students opportunities to practice working with children and experience teaching health care. Students learn important pediatric communication skills, such as building rapport and using child-friendly language. Volunteers diffuse complex medical information and explain important health questions to participating children. Vision In our Teddy Bear Hospital mock hospital sessions, children will bring a beloved teddy (or are loaned one) and treat their teddy bears with empathy, learn about patient care, and discover careers in medicine. Through our team, we strive for creating a fun and relaxed atmosphere to create a positive experience in medicine. With these interactions, TBH aims to ease any fears and anxieties concerning doctors' visits, hospital settings, and/or medical procedures. Objectives 1. Medical Literacy: Introducing children to healthcare concepts through interactive check-ups with their teddy bears. Through hands-on teaching, we empower kids with medical knowledge and encourage future careers in healthcare. 2. Community: Connecting children, undergraduates, medical students, nursing students, residents, physicians, and local healthcare professionals through engaging hospital sessions at elementary schools. Collecting support from various organizations to collaborate for a culture of health within the community 3. Well-Being: By creating a fun and relaxed environment, we help children overcome anxieties about medical visits. Our activities promote healthy habits and instill confidence, paving the way for lifelong positive attitudes toward healthcare. Unique Value Proposition Teddy Bear Hospital DGSOM is unique in that it utilizes a play based approach to encourage children to be involved in their healthcare. We hope to use this approach to foster interest in health and higher education specifically in low SES areas in LA county. We also want to use this to teach medical students how to interact with pediatric patients. Structure Each of the following positions are eligible for self-nomination. Leadership will be passed down year-to-year by application, interview, and leadership vote. Subcommittee lead positions will be created and dissolved as needed throughout the academic calendar, with a leadership vote of 50% or greater. President - Provide leadership and guidance for the organization for the entirety of the academic year - Organize biweekly meetings of membership - Act as the voice of the group in administration-facing discussions. - Advocate for the group, its mission, and the wellbeing of the wider LA community to DGSOM and other healthcare organizations serving LA - Create and review applications for leadership position replacements at the beginning of the consecutive academic year - Set policy, create timelines, and clarify goals for ongoing projects - Delegate action items to relevant subcommittee leads or individuals Vice-President - Cover for the president as needed - Organize the undergraduate cohort to help carry out our events - Assist with other needs on an as needed basis Treasurer - Keep records of any donations from outside organizations or funds allocated from UCLA SOLE - Meet regularly with subcommittees leads to determine funding needs - Delegate funding based on need, membership votes, and leadership decisions

https://teddybearhospitalusa.org
hello@teddybearhospitalusa.org

Signatories: Derrick Lin, Serhat Suzer, and Shivam Bansal

Advisor: Pamela R Cysner