How A College Class Can Change Your Life - Paul Farmer

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/09/21/Reflections_on_Leadership_for_Social_Change

Dr. Paul Farmer, Professor of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, describes the "unbroken chain of events" that led him to his work in Haiti. He explains that he wanted to be a physician until he took an undergraduate class in medical anthropology, advising current students to "be open to letting a class change your life."

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Part of the inauguration of Jim Yong Kim as 17th president of Dartmouth, the panel discussion features General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt, Brown University president Ruth Simmons, Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter, Freddie Mac head Ed Haldeman, and global health pioneer Dr. Paul Farmer talking with professor Sydney Finkelstein about the future of education, business, and social justice. - Dartmouth College

Medical anthropologist and physician Paul Farmer is Maude and Lillian Presley Professor of Social Medicine in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, where he is also Chair, and a founding director of Partners In Health, an international non-profit organization that provides direct health care services and undertakes research and advocacy activities on behalf of those who are sick and living in poverty.

Dr. Farmers work draws primarily on active clinical practice and focuses on community-based treatment strategies for infectious diseases in resource-poor settings, health and human rights, and the role of social inequalities in determining disease distribution and outcomes. He is Chief of the Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Womens Hospital (BWH) in Boston, and served for ten years as medical director of a charity hospital, LHôpital Bon Sauveur, in rural Haiti. Along with his colleagues at BWH, in the Program in Infectious Disease and Social Change at HMS, and in Haiti, Peru, Russia, Rwanda, Lesotho, and Malawi, Dr. Farmer has pioneered novel, community-based treatment strategies for AIDS and tuberculosis (including multidrug-resistant tuberculosis).

Dr. Farmer and his colleagues have successfully challenged the policymakers and critics who claim that quality health care is impossible to deliver in resource-poor settings.

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[09pika09]

Thank you for this clip. About the class which changed his life he said, " That was something I wanted to understand" and it made me think how we like to engage in activities that we find interesting. College is a great place to explore what we might find interesting. A friend of mine (science major) took drama classes in College and as it turned out she was really good. I remember her say, " Try different things or you'll never know what you find interesting or have a talent for".

[lsharpe69]

Paul, you are my hero. You signed your book for me at the Brooksville library. Hope you recall our conversation of Weeki Wachee and my Mom the former mermaid who still swims at 71 . You spent a few extra minutes with me and I am so grateful. If not for the consequences of my cancer surgery (pancreas related and starts with a "W"), I promise you I would be there with you. You are a gift to humanity. "I'm there with you in the FIGHT". . Please don't ever forget it. If I can help?

[lemonanlime9]

paul you are my shining light

[happinesson]

I certainly agree with him! sometimes, college will leads us to life we least expected.

[sk8n0mad]

Umm ben?! How'd you get off the island?!

[Road41Runner]

In my opinion a class can change your life in many ways. One of my classes for example has me already researching things that I thought I would never research. I have been doing this research not because it was assigned to me but because I find the material very interesting. I could even use this new information in everyday conversations and maybe later in life it can lead me to new opportunities. I see a class as new information and that leads to new knowledge to better myself.

[bbass328]

i clicked this video to watch paul farmer, not to watch a crowd listen to paul farmer

[lsharpe69]

Paul Farmer grew from obscurity to become one of the champions of our time. He is truly selfless. His entire life has been devoted to providing health care to the less fortunate on our planet. Truly worthy of sainthood. Saint Paul Farmer? I think so.

[username14657]

He's the man!