MSU hosts 'Narratives of Pain' storytelling event
Narratives of Pain creates safe space on MSU campus
A community storytelling event is coming to MSU next Friday. It’s part of the Muslim Mental Health Conference. Organizer Dr. Zain Shamoon, professor of Couple and Family Therapy at Antioch University Seattle, says the event came out of seeking a creative space during the conference besides posters and lectures.
He says he hopes Narratives of Pain is a place that breaks the stigma around mental health and wellbeing while providing mental health professionals and rules to create a safe space in a community gathering.
Shamoon says he hopes this space will be another opportunity for people to come together after the mass shooting on campus last month, which shook the MSU community.
The first iteration of this show began in 2015. People who are interested in performing can email Dr. Zain Shamoon at zain.shamoon87@gmail.com.
The show takes place at MSU’s Brody Hall at 7 p.m.
A day in the life of a healthcare administrator Shamole Ahmed
Tell me about yourself in a few sentences:
My name is Shamole Ahmed. I’m a healthcare administrator and live in Michigan. I have a Master of Public Health and have been working in healthcare for over 10 years now.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I wanted to be lots of things growing up! A pharmacist, a teacher, and a chef.
What is your current profession?
I work in healthcare administration/management at Henry Ford Health System, specifically developing and running programs and initiatives in digital health and hospital operations.
What led you to this profession?
I always wanted to work in healthcare. When I was in my master’s program, I really loved healthcare management and working with providers, and being able to make a difference. It’s amazing to be able to come up with an initiative to help improve the lives of patients and carry it through from beginning to end.
What skills did you have to gain to get into your field? Class/courses or experiences?
You have to have really good time management skills, know how to prioritize, work well with a team of physicians, and be able to lead teams. Having skills such as project management, understanding finances, budgeting, strategic planning, decision-making, and data analysis are important. You have to see the big picture and work backward to figure out how to complete the job.
What skills, abilities, and personal attributes are essential to success in your job/this field?
Great leadership and time-management skills are important. You need to develop and maintain effective relationships with different leaders, clinical and administrative staff. You should know how to communicate effectively and be organized. A lot of times you can be leading several different projects and working with different teams. It’s important to keep all of it going at the same time. You have to be flexible in this job. Sometimes there are things that come up (hello COVID-19) where you have to pivot and figure out how to operate a hospital/clinic/department with all the sudden changes.
What kinds of accomplishments tend to be valued and rewarded in this field?
Being able to complete projects/initiatives that started from just an idea and then implemented made an impact. Being able to make the hospital run more efficiently and help improve patient outcomes and reduce stress for providers is also very valued in this field.
How do most people get into this field? What are common entry-level jobs?
Common entry-level jobs can be working in hospitals as project managers, doing a healthcare fellowship or internship, or working in a clinic. Most people have a Master in Business Administration, Master in Healthcare Administration, or Master of Public Health. I’ve also worked with lots of nurses, MDs, and engineers that end up on the management side.
What kinds of challenges do you face in your profession? How do you overcome them?
A lot of times you are leading a group of physicians or directors/executives and you really have to gain their respect and trust to be able to get the job done. You have to have good leadership skills and really know what you’re doing to lead the meetings and initiatives you are trying to implement. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t know something, making sure you stay organized and on top of things also helps. Learning each leader’s personality and how they work best is also a great way to learn how to work with them, best.
How does your job affect your general lifestyle and/or work/life balance?
I really love what I do and it allows me to have a good work/life balance. I’m able to shut off for the day once I’m done with work and enjoy time with my family. When I’m at work I’m able to focus just on that, and yes sometimes the work can be stressful, especially when there are deadlines or sudden things that happen, but you learn to navigate through that.
Describe a day in the life of your profession:
Every day is different. Some days I have anywhere from 6-8 meetings. I lead many of them so it can be exhausting. On other days I may only have 1-2 meetings and am able to get a lot of my work done. I spend a lot of time creating action plans and working through them and following up with others to continue moving an initiative forward. There are always leadership meetings to touch base with everyone and daily huddle calls.
What advice would you give to those who wish to pursue your profession?
Make connections and network. That’s really key to being able to find a job in this field. Work hard and be open to continue learning and gaining more skills throughout this profession.
If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? If not, what would you change?
Yes, I would. I really love what I do and it fits my personality best.
Anything else you’d like to share:
Be cool, stay in school:)
Award-winning Bangladeshi-American author releases “Secrets in the Wind”
Rumki Chowdhury is an award-winning author who writes about a teenage girl and her travels to Bangladesh in her latest book “Secrets in the Wind.” The book showcases cultural landscapes and the nuances of life in Bangladesh - along with the struggles of women who face gender-based violence.
Chowdhury previously wrote, “So Complicated: A “he” vs. she”, a romantic comedy, “Her Feet Chime,” the Bangladeshi Cinderella story, and “Unveiled.”
Check out her book Secrets in the Wind here.