Urban Service Talks Podcast
by CT AHEC
Urban Service Talks explores issues and answers questions important to today's and tomorrow's healthcare workforce. The focus of the podcast includes key pillars of the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars program: interprofessional education and team-based care, addressing social determinants of health, and care for the underserved, while featuring the voices of students from a variety of healthcare profession training programs at UCONN and Quinnipiac University. The topics for the podcasts are varied and feature students, professionals, and community members. The target audience includes health professions trainees, health and public health professionals, as well as pre-health professions students.
Episodes
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47. Indigenous Healthcare
In this episode of Urban Service Talks recorded in the spring of 2025, Jackie and Flora talk with Kiara Tanta-Quidgeon, a proud member of the Mohegan tribe of Connecticut, about her personal and professional experiences about the challenges that Indigenous people currently face in receiving...
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46. Substance Use Stigma
Welcome to Urban Service Talks featuring Dr. Erin Fanning Madden, a sociologist, community-engaged researcher, and assistant professor at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Madden is a leading voice in substance use research, harm reduction, and healthcare access, with over $6…
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45. Grief & Loss Part 4: A Healthcare Provider’s Story
In this episode, UConn Social Work students Hannah Martin and Monique Asselin talk with Michal Klau-Stevens, LCSW, about her “year of grief and loss.” She explains how she worked through grief and loss within her personal and professional life over the past year. Michal Klau-Stevens is a private...
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44. Grief & Loss Part 3: Palliative Care
In the third episode of our Grief and Loss podcast series, UConn School of Social Work students Jasmine Morris and Melissa McCann explore the vital topic of palliative care education for healthcare students, joined by Dr. Germine Soliman, a leader in palliative care and geriatric oncology at…
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43. Grief & Loss Part 2: Cultural Practices
In this episode, UConn Social Work students Hannah Martin and Monique Asselin talk with grief therapist Ruth Pearlman, LCSW, LICSW, M.ED, about her experiences navigating grief and loss with patients from different cultural backgrounds. She explains how understanding a patient’s beliefs and…
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42. Grief & Loss Part 1: Roundtable Discussion
In this episode, UConn Social Work students Hannah Odom and Jasmine Morris are joined by UConn Nursing student Sara Whitehouse to have a personal conversation about our personal and professional experiences navigating grief and loss. Sarah shares her extensive exposure to grief since childhood,...
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41. Medicine with Meaning
In this episode of Urban Service Talks, we delve into the rich and often overlooked world of narrative medicine—an approach that emphasizes the power of storytelling in clinical practice. . By focusing on the stories of both patients and providers, narrative medicine offers a pathway to more...
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40. From Lived Experience to Leadership: A Journey of Resilience and Recovery
In this episode titled From Lived Experience to Leadership: A Journey of Resilience and Recovery, hosts Jay Kinuthia, a UConn School of Dental Medicine student, and Kate Adams, a Quinnipiac University PA student, explore the often-overlooked intersection of incarceration, mental health, and...
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39. Healthcare Disparities for the Recently Jailed or Incarcerated
In this episode, Quinnipiac University Physician Assistant student Jackie Callinan interviews Chester Fernández, assistant professor at the Quinnipiac University School of Law and a long-time public defender in New England. They discuss the unique health care conditions that specifically affect…
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38. Organizing Dental Service Trips
Welcome to Urban Service Talks featuring Dr. Ronald Albert, where UConn School of Dental Medicine students Briti Prajapati and Bryson Christian dive into the inspiring journey of Dr. Albert, a compassionate General Dentist and community leader whose commitment to service transcends borders.…
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37. Community Based Interventions in Cancer Care
Science and innovation have brought about many remarkable advancements in cancer care and prognosis, yet not everybody gets to reap the benefits. In this episode, UConn medical students Flora Dievenich Braes and Shaharia Ferdus interview former Hartford, CT Director of Health and Human Services…
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36. Improving Care For Veterans
Welcome to Urban Service Talks featuring Dr. John Agar, DDS, where UConn Dental Medicine students Max Marks and Briti Prajapati delve into the unique healthcare experiences of veterans and explore how providers can deliver compassionate, high-quality care to those who have served. Our guest, Dr....
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35. Reducing Recidivism Through Community Health
Join George Bloom and Max Marks, second year dental students at the University of Connecticut, as they discuss the topic of recidivism and community health with Sincilina Beckett, a transitional case manager at the ARCH (Addiction Recovery/Reentry Community Health) program, who helps individuals...
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34. Immigrant and Refugee Health
This Urban Service Talks podcast episode features UConn medical student Claire Surkis and Bhavana Gunda interviewing Dr. Susan Levine, an internist and associate professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, about her career and immigrant and refugee health. Dr.…
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33. Jevaia Foundation: Nepal Oral Health Project
In this episode, University of Connecticut dental student Briti Prajapati and social work student Monique Aslan interview Laura Spero, founder of the Jevaia Foundation, which provides oral healthcare to rural communities in Nepal. Spero describes the foundation's humble origins and the challenges...
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32. A Physician's Response to a Humanitarian Crisis
In this episode on global health, UConn medical students Bhavana Gunda and Eddy Ansari talk with Dr. Hareem Park about her experiences as a pediatric physician working with Doctors Without Borders in South Sudan. Doctors Without Borders is a non-governmental organization that provides…
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31.The Ingredients of Cultural Differences: A Physician Assistant in Ireland in a Post-Pandemic World
In this episode of Urban Service Talks, Quinnipiac University PA student Robyn Rosnitsky and University of Connecticut nursing student Khadijah Stanford interview Harriet Walsh, a physician assistant practicing in Dublin, Ireland. The discussion centers on the PA profession, its recent…
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30. Mental Health and Advocacy
Mental health is an invisible disability that is often inadequately recognized and treated in today’s society. In this episode, Quinnipiac University PA student Robyn Roznitsky and UConn School of Medicine student Shaharia Ferdus discuss stigma versus discrimination with Kathy Flaherty, a Staff...
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29. Una Flor Marchita: Sexual and Reproductive Disparities in Guatemala
In 2023, Kimberly Rosado, a UConn nursing student and UST/AHEC scholar, travelled 3000 miles to Guatemala as a BOLD Women’s Leadership Network Scholar to produce a documentary on underage pregnancy and reproductive rights. The title of the documentary is Una Flor Marchita, which means “a withered...
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28. Changing the Landscape of Primary Care
Join Nicey Brooks, a 2022 graduate of the School of Nursing at the University of Connecticut (UConn), and Sara Schulwolf, a third year medical student at the UConn, as they discuss the interconnectedness of primary care and the community with two of Hartford’s leading primary care providers. Dr....
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27. Community Based Primary Care
In this episode, UConn School of Medicine students Claire Surkis and Shaharia Ferdus interview UConn Professor Emeritus of Public Health Sciences Judy Lewis, a medical sociologist who developed one of the first school-based health clinic programs in the United States. Professor Lewis has…
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26. Pediatric Lead Levels
Protecting children from exposure to lead is a public health priority. There is no safe blood lead level for children. In this episode, Abhishek Gupta, a UConn medical student, interviews Dr. Jennifer Haile, a pediatrician and Medical Director of the Connecticut Children’s Regional Lead Treatment...
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25. Affirmative Action & Primary Care
In this podcast, Eddyson Altidor, a third-year dental student at UConn School of Dental Medicine, engages in a discussion with Dr. Jeffrey F. Hines, Chief Diversity Officer at UConn Health. Together, they explore affirmative action and its implications for primary care within the healthcare…
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24. Cultural Awareness in Healthcare
Join Max Marks and Aysha Hoang, current students at the University of Connecticut’s School of Dental Medicine, as they interview Dr. Sarita Arteaga about cultural awareness in healthcare. In her roles as professor and associate Dean of Students at UConn’s School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Arteaga…
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23. Mind, Body, and Soul
In this podcast episode, "Mind, Body, and Soul". The show explores the relationship between physical, mental, and emotional health, and how they are interconnected. UConn School of Dental Medicine Eddyson Altidor interviews Dr. Shay (Stacer) Vian. Dr. Shay shares insights from her experience as a...
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22. Patient Empowerment
In this episode titled "Patient Empowerment” we explore the ways in which primary care can empower patients to take control of their health and wellness through education and engagement. UConn School of Dental Medicine student Eddyson Altidor interviews Dr. Kenia Mansilla-Rivera, Associate...
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21. Unions and Labor Organization
Labor organizing in healthcare means so much more than the (in)famous nursing strikes. Healthcare workers and non clinical employees in hospital settings have been unionizing for nearly a century to decrease the exploitation of some of our country’s most essential employees. Unions provide…
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20. COVID-19 and the Effects on Health Professions Students
Join Amanda Idusuyi and Athena Gutierrez, pharmacy students at the University of Connecticut, as they interview Cameron Rouleau, a student in Quinnipiac University’s Physician Assistant Program, Somachukwu Ozuzu, a nursing student at the University of Connecticut, and Leelakrishna Channa, a…
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19. Hip Hop, Sociology and Incarcerated People’s Health
Mass incarceration in the United States is a public health crisis that disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities. Incarceration can impact both the physical and mental health of individuals and complicates the ways in which these patients are able to seek care once released. Our...
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18. Implicit Bias and Health Professions Students
Implicit biases are unconscious prejudices that we all hold as human beings. In this episode, we join UConn School of Nursing student Nicey Brooks and Quinnipiac University’s Physician Assistant Programs student Conor McCarthy as they interview Dr. Lisa Werkmeister-Rozas, a professor at the...
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17. Primary Care in Underserved Communities
Primary care is the first entry point that a patient has into the healthcare system to manage and promote health while also identifying chronic illnesses at their earliest stage. However, the specialty is also known for having a huge shortage of providers due to increased stress and burnout as…
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16. Transgender Care in Primary Care
Today you will hear about the versatile ways in which transgender patients access healthcare, whether it be through primary care, or specialty endocrinology care. Listen along as the multi-talented clinician Britta Shute, FNP-BC walks us through her experience treating transgender patients, and…
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15. The Overturn of Roe vs. Wade 4 of 4: How to Get Involved
In the fourth and final episode of the Roe v. Wade series, you will learn how to become a strong advocate for reproductive rights. UConn School of Dental Medicine student Aysha Hoang and UConn School of Medicine Student Claire Surkis interview Jessica Puk, founding member of the Reach Fund,...
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14. The Overturn of Roe vs. Wade 3 of 4: The Impact on Minority, Low Socioeconomic and Marginalized Communities
In episode three of the Roe v. Wade series, the impact of this landmark legal decision on underserved communities and how it will further marginalize and disadvantage women of color and low-income individuals is explored. UConn School of Nursing student Zara Mason, UConn School of Dental Medicine...
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13. The Overturn of Roe vs. Wade 2 of 4: Impact on the Transgender Community
The overturning of Roe v Wade affects a wide variety of people in America, including transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. In this hyper-polarized political landscape, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals are increasingly subjected to unfair scrutiny. In episode two of…
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12. The Overturn of Roe v. Wade 1 of 4: An Overview of Abortion Access in Connecticut
What impact does the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the Dobbs decision have on your health care practice? On the populations you serve? The Urban Service Talks team has created a special series of four podcasts to help answer these questions. We begin the Overturn of Roe v. Wade with an overview…
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10. Public Health in Action: Hartford CT’s Door-to-Door Vaccination Initiative
Following the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization for Covid-19 vaccinations in early 2021, vaccine hesitancy became one of the largest barriers to successful mass vaccination campaigns. This issue was especially prevalent in urban underserved communities, such as Hartford, CT. In response to this...
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9. North Hartford’s Urban Ecology and Wellness Center at Keney Park
The Urban Ecology and Wellness Center is launching in the North End of Hartford with the goal of combining both wellness and urban ecology services in order to reconnect people with the healing power of nature. Environment has been recognized as a huge social determinant of health, as people are...
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8. UST Interest Groups: Geriatrics
The UST/AHEC Scholars Program prides itself on constantly providing students with opportunities to cultivate leadership skills while learning and training in interprofessional groups. The Geriatrics Interest Group exemplified this mission and produced a truly noteworthy presentation at UST’s 2021...
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7. Home & Community Care Project
A patient may present in the office with recurrent/exacerbated issues, may be “non-compliant”, or may even be convinced that they are fine - but by visiting them at home, you get a fuller picture of the impact of the social determinants of health on their life. Social determinants of health…
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6. Interprofessional Education and Collaboration
The crux of the UST/AHEC Scholars Program’s mission is to provide health profession students with ways to practice interprofessional education — learning from, about, and with each other. This equips future clinicians with the tools to effectively collaborate in an interprofessional healthcare…
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5. Pain Management: Tackling Undertreatment
“Pain” means something different to us all. When speaking of pain in clinical practice, we tend to think about the management of it, the varying levels of analgesic strength, and the opioid crisis. A big indicator of one’s risk for pain medication underprescription is race. Ethnic minorities are...
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4. Engaging Youth & Family in Mental Health Resilience
The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the limited worldview of developing children and we must take special consideration of their mental and emotional health just as we would their physical health. It is the job of current practicing and studying clinicians to be cognizant of impending changes in...
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3. Gun Violence: A Public Health Issue
Gun violence is one of the major public issues faced today, in the United States and other places around the world. As healthcare providers, navigating this issue can be quite complex and multifaceted, especially as students learn to enter the field. Are future healthcare providers prepared…
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2. Skills for the 21st Century
At the dawn of the 21st century, incoming healthcare professionals are faced with a rapidly changing professional landscape. Newly trained health providers must advocate for their patients while staying current with evolving medical knowledge and technology. Establishing oneself while balancing...
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1. Caregiver Burnout: The Hidden Patient
As part of the care team for a chronically ill individual you may have more patients than you realize. The “hidden patient” is oftentimes an unpaid family member or friend who takes on the caretaker role due to a sense of obligation stemming from loyalty, financial strain, or even guilt about…
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Welcome To Urban Service Talks!
Urban Service Talks is a student centered, student run podcast series developed and produced by Urban Health/AHEC Scholars, and is sponsored by CT AHEC. Urban Service Talks explores issues and answers questions important to today's and tomorrow's healthcare workforce. The focus of the podcast...
About this show
Urban Service Talks explores issues and answers questions important to today's and tomorrow's healthcare workforce. The focus of the podcast includes key pillars of the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars program: interprofessional education and team-based care, addressing social determinants of health, and care for the underserved, while featuring the voices of students from a variety of healthcare profession training programs at UCONN and Quinnipiac University. The topics for the podcasts are varied and feature students, professionals, and community members. The target audience includes health professions trainees, health and public health professionals, as well as pre-health professions students.
Hosted by
CT AHEC