med ed
A newsletter for faculty, staff, and students of the University of Minnesota Medical School

No. 368, May 2004

Editor: Gregory Vercellotti, M.D., verce001@umn.edu

Editorial Assistant: Allison Campbell, aac@umn.edu

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Diversity: Student leaders

Two students in the Medical School have been elected to national positions in the Student National Medical Association, a group dedicated to people of color and underserved communities. Shaquita Bell was elected National Multicultural Affairs Coordinator, under the aegis of the Membership Committee. "Through my position," she writes, "I hope to build bonds between other prominent student groups, their diversity or multicultural divisions, and SNMA.  I will try to ensure that the national programs, leadership and membership of the SNMA reflect the ethnic diversity of underrepresented populations. Finally, I would like to put together materials to help minority medical students find help and advice at their respective institutions." Ashwin Ravichandran, who is enrolled in the M.D./M.P.H. program, writes of his new position: "As liaison to the LCME and advisor to the Health Policy and Legislative Affairs committee during my third year of medical school, I hope to use my educational background and experience to affect the type of change necessary to promote and uphold the mission of SNMA."

Kudos to more student leaders

Medical student Caleb Schultz has been elected national treasurer of the American Medical Student Association, thus becoming part of AMSA's national leadership. Another leader is medical student Cuong Pham, who has been elected an AMSA Regional Trustee.

Graduation May 7: Shaver to speak, two awards to be given

Randy Shaver, sports anchor for KARE 11 News, speaks at the University of Minnesota Medical School Graduation, 2 p.m., Friday, May 7, in Northrop Auditorium. Shaver will speak about his personal battle with Hodgkin's disease and the work he has done to raise money for cancer research through the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund. Two awards will be presented at graduation. William McGuire, M.D., chairman and CEO of United HealthGroup, will receive the Dean's Community Service Award. The William W. McGuire and Nadine M. McGuire Family Foundation provided the critical $10 million in private funding necessary to build the Translational Research Facility (TRF) at the University of Minnesota. The TRF will translate discoveries in the lab into therapies that will make a difference in the lives of patients. Merle S. Olson, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center, will receive the President's Outstanding Achievement Award. For 18 years, he taught metabolism and its regulation to first-year medical students at the University of Minnesota. Olson has distinguished himself in research scholarship, teaching, and service and is an exceptional role model for students and faculty.

Summer break

During their summer break this year, three medical students are going to the Alaskan communities of Glennallen, Homer, and Cordova, reports Duluth's Ray Christensen, M.D. Seven students already have internship experiences set up with rural hospitals in central and northern Minnesota. Another is investigating the possibility of working in an emergency room---and potentially studying treatment of American Indians.

Addressing medical students' educational costs

The Association of American Medical Colleges has announced that Dean Deborah Powell, M.D., will chair the association's new Working Group on Student Educational Costs and Debt, which has been charged with exploring potential ways to reduce medical education costs and to enhance the ability of graduates to repay debt during residency and early practice. The committee also will include financial aid officers, student affairs officers, students, residents, and a medical economist. The committee's work will be based on a new report, "Medical School Tuition and Young Physician Indebtedness," which provides a historical perspective on rising tuition and student debt. The report examines the availability of loans, the value of medical education as an economic investment, and the ability of young physicians to service substantial debts. "Medical School Tuition and Young Physician Indebtedness" is available at no charge through the AAMC Publications Department. For information, go to http://www.aamc.org/publications.

Grads are outstanding residents

Distinguishing themselves during Mayo Clinic residencies are two class of 2001 graduates, Sundeep Bhatia, M.D., and Nicole Sandhu, M.D., Ph.D. Bhatia received the 2004 Outstanding Achievement Award for Internal Medicine Residency, based on his research, clinical, teaching, and interpersonal skills. He will pursue additional training through a cardiology fellowship at University of Southern California. Sandhu was honored with the LeeAnn McCaffrey, M.D., Women in Medicine Award, which recognizes excellence in clinical medicine, research, and scholarly accomplishments. She will join the staff of the Mayo Clinic in July 2004. Congratulations to them both!

Back to school

Alumni are invited back to Medical School for a day 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., May 21. A new feature of Alumni Weekend, Alumni Day includes presentations by faculty, administrators, and students, tours, and even a trip to the anatomy lab. Registrations, at $20 each, can be made online at www.mmf.umn.edu/events.

Seeking innovators

The Association of American Medical Colleges has issued a call for submissions to participate in the Innovations in Medical Education exhibits, to be held Nov. 7-8 in conjunction with the association's annual meeting in Boston. Participants are invited to exhibit work "in progress," recently introduced innovations, or established projects or components within the continuum of medical education. Submissions must be received by June 4. For more information, contact Caroline Ford Coleman, ccoleman@aamc.org or go to http://www.aamc.org/members/gea/ime.

Recognition for students and teachers

Awards and honors for scholarship, for research, and for international medical education were given to more than 60 students on April 20. Faculty members were also honored at the ceremony, hosted by the Minnesota Medical Foundation. Generous donors, from individuals to institutions, make possible this recognition of and support for students---thank you, donors to MMF.

Editor's note: Vercellotti says, "It's a great school."

Graduation often is seen as the culmination of education but in many ways, this week's graduation ceremony is just the beginning of our students' careers as physicians. I, too, am beginning a new phase. For the past seven years, I have had the honor of overseeing the education programs at the University of Minnesota Medical School and I want to thank the faculty, students, and staff for helping the school focus on the importance of the education of caring, compassionate, and competent physicians. My greatest joy is knowing our graduates will be lifelong learners, curious, scientifically grounded physicians, committed to their patients, colleagues, and communities. As I return to the faculty as a professor of medicine, I look forward to the continued growth of the educational programs and the continued-striving for excellence in our students and faculty. I would like to thank this great school, the University of Minnesota, for this opportunity to lead this impressive medical educational program.