No. 343,
April 2002
Editor: Gregory Vercellotti,
M.D., verce001@umn.edu
Editorial Assistant: Allison
Campbell, aac@umn.edu
Match
Day
Highlights
of Match Day 2002 include the news that more than half of our 202 fourth-year
medical students---121---will be medical residents in Minnesota. Others were placed
in residencies around the country, from Yale-New Haven Hospital to Tulane
University to University of California - Los Angeles.
Of the
202, 49 percent are in primary care. By head count, 39 of them will be
residents in family practice, 33 in internal medicine, 19 in pediatrics, and 8
in medicine/pediatrics. In addition, 14 are going to be surgical residents, 13
each are going into emergency medicine and anesthesiology, and 10 will be
residents in obstetrics/gynecology. Others were placed in radiology,
psychiatry, orthopaedic surgery and other specialties. Congratulations to all!
We're looking forward to graduation. For details, go to www.meded.umn.edu and click on
Match List for the Class of 2002.
Graduation
day
Mark
your calendars: The graduation ceremony starts at 2:30 p.m., May 10, in
Northrop Auditorium and 206 students will graduate. Grads and their guests will
hear a keynote address by Reed Tuckson, M.D. Past president of Drew University,
he is now senior vice president of Consumer Health and Medical Care Advancement
at UnitedHealth Group. Dr. Tuckson also formerly served the AMA as senior vice
president, professional standards. In this capacity, he oversaw the areas of
medical education, ethics, science, technology and public health, and
quality/managed care. Other distinguished guests include Louis Ignarro, Ph.D.,
winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine, and Winston Wallin, Medtronic's
chair emeritus. A reception follows honoring Dr. Alfred Michael, dean of the
Medical School.
Making
the grade---to make graduation
Filing
grades and evaluations is not just paperwork; the task is an essential step in
education. While many faculty and most departments have done exemplary work
posting grades and making sure evaluations are filed, others have not. Students
might receive feedback in other useful ways, but they rely on these grades and
evaluations for graduation, for membership in AOA, and for their dean's
letters, which affect residencies. If all goes according to plan, we will have
a Web site at which to post grades by October. But electronically or not,
faculty and staff must consider the students' needs and file the grades they've
earned.
International
residents
International
students in graduate medical education programs may be facing new visa
restrictions. It has been proposed that international students in non-ACGME
approved fellowships (11 programs at the University of Minnesota) will not be
eligible for J-1 visas. The number of students involved may be small, but if
any residents encounter problems, please contact Deanette Schmidt, 626-0918, or
by e mail, schmi083@umn.edu . For
details, see www.ecfmg.org/evsp/evspnews.html#nonstand
Prior
to gene therapy...
The
Gene Hunters film about the human
genome diversity project will be shown as part of the On Doctoring series,
"Genes 'R' Us: Medical Issues in Genomics." Moderator will be Karen-Sue
Taussig, Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology. April 12, 1-4 p.m., 2-650 Moos Tower.
Helping
the Yelkins
Since
Bruce Yelkin underwent surgery for an aneurysm in December, he and his wife
Ingrid, fourth-year medical student, face the challenges of recovery. They also
face a financial burden because he was temporarily between health plans. To
help, the Yelkins' friends are hosting a benefit April 27, 3 to 7 p.m., at
Babe's Sports Bar & Grill, 20685 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville,
(952) 469-5200. In addition, donations can be sent to: Yelkin Medical Fund, c/o
US Bank, Attn: Hope Lerner, 16 Ninth Ave. N., Hopkins, MN 55343.
AOA
Lecturer
Arthur
Rubenstein, executive vice president for the University of Pennsylvania Health
System and Medical School dean, gives the AOA Visiting Lecture at noon, April
24, in Moos 2-650. On April 25, at 8 a.m., he'll present Grand Rounds at Todd
Amphitheater.
Educational
leadership
Kudos to
Minnesota for national leadership in education. For the AAMC, Ilene Harris is
chair-elect for the Central Group on Educational Affairs; Bart Galle is the
CGEA's Continuing Medical Education section leader. Helene Horwitz is its
Central Regional Representative to the Committee on Student Affairs. Robert
Howe, currently on sabbatical, is chair-elect of the AAMC's Graduate Medical
Education Section Steering Committee. Mary Tate serves as chair for the AAMC
Group on Student Affairs, Minority Affairs Section, for the Midwest Region.
Brad Choate serves as the AAMC's vice chair for alumni development. Sara Axtel
also is an AAMC leader in cultural competence. Their participation in key regional
and national dialogues about education is much appreciated; I encourage other
faculty to consider joining.
Editor's
note: Making the transition
Match
Day is a milestone marking the transition to residency. To smooth the
transition, experienced G1s and M-4 students will gather this month to discuss
commitment, independent decision-making, accountability, learning new skills,
balance, finances, and maintaining physical fitness. If you have ideas, please
e-mail me. We'll tackle transition issues of residency to practice next.
Remember, competence is a habit. Our learning environments must provide
opportunities for novices to become experts and experts to become masters.