Notes from the Field: A Healthy Start in Harlem
Headshot of Chandra Singh

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Chandra Singh

Notes from the Field: A Healthy Start in Harlem

February 26, 2016

Notes from the Field: A Healthy Start in Harlem

Dr. Chandra Singh is a third-year resident in the Harlem Residency in Family Medicine. As part of her residency training, Dr. Singh assists a local nonprofit, Harlem Children’s Zone, with health-related initiatives.


The Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) works to help the children of Harlem acquire high quality education through individualized supportive programs that lead to completing college. One of the stepping stones to becoming thriving adults is to attain healthy practices – both personal and family health. As family medicine doctors, we have been given a great opportunity to work with HCZ and provide some information, tips, and strategies about important topics to both children and their families.

We were recently asked to provide a talk on asthma to parents of the Baby College program of HCZ and it was a rewarding experience to speak to parents dedicated to starting off healthy practices at such a young age. We were able to give some basics of asthma, including what is asthma, risk factors, triggers, and ways to manage asthma. Parents were very engaged which was shown through their energy and questions. The Baby College HCZ staff lent their support and interest in planning these helpful workshops and it was a fruitful experience for us to take part in this workshop. We look forward to continuing to be part of this great community and collaborating with HCZ – they have been nothing but welcoming and we are truly grateful to be part of their great mission.

*Photo courtesy of The Harlem Children’s Zone