Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Internship

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Hello Everyone,

 Some of the interns asked if I could blog about my experiences at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine while I'm interning with them this week in D.C.  Thus far it has proved to be quite exciting!! For those of you who don't know PCRM - they are a non-profit advocacy group promoting healthy lifestyles through a vegetarian and vegan diet, and provide/conduct a ton of clinical research backing up their claims. 
The number of employees is around 75, 50 of which work on site (15 are around the country).  

 I'll keep it short and sweet but this is what has happened in the first day:
  •  I am interning with Susan Levin MS,RD  who graduated from Bastyr in Seattle, and she is the Nutrition Director of PCRM, overseeing 7 other nutrition positions ranging from clinical research to community outreach.  
  • I got to be on the set of Dr. Neal Barnard's latest PSA to Native American tribes about the benefits of eating a more vegetarian lifestyle.  As you probably know, NA have an outrageously high likelihood of developing diabetes type 2, mostly due to the commodity foods the government provides them (cheese, canned meats, stew, spam, fruit "drinks").  
    • Susan Levin was also filmed on this short documentary, talking about nutritional intervention. 
    • Below is a shot I took of the set we used.  
    https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=c6dbca777a&view=att&th=13b664d669a9d88d&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P8FiGfuy_8yOfGkGlpaiS3E&sadet=1354631247041&sads=gT5uwKqzLNEcPLm62b7rYd0qWpI
  • I got to hang out with the guy who runs the teleprompter during the filming which was a GREAT experience.  I asked him who he has previously worked with in such a niche business, and he started rattling off so many names including the past two presidents and first ladies over 100 times each! (very neat)
    • He also is developing a self containing gardening system in Kenya for communities to grow their own gardens for less than 20$ a system! Really cool - check out his website here http://canyalove.org/
  • The employee in the office next to me just got finished filming a GMO awareness documentary that is going to be released soon! (exciting right??) ((this was my thesis topic for those of you who weren't aware)).  
  • I have been typing up an abstract for Susan's presentation to the American Association of Diabetes Educators: Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2013, in which they asked her to come speak on the benefits of a plant-based diet in relation to helping curb diabetes. 
The number of employees is around 75, 50 of which work on site (15 are around the country).  
Overall really excellent group with good intentions and excellent outcomes.  Will keep you all (or those who care to read) posted! 

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