May 2008, Issue 416
Editor: Kathleen Watson, M.D., drwatson@umn.edu
Editorial Assistant: Allison Campbell Jensen, aac@umn.edu
News | Students | Faculty | Events/Notices | Poem/Reading
NEWS
Henson on MED 2010
In describing the MED 2010 initiative at a recent meeting, Vice Dean for Education Lindsey Henson, M.D., Ph.D., said that our evolving competency-based medical education program benefits from the tremendous vision of Dean Deborah Powell, M.D. Henson noted that, while many pieces such as student assessment, curriculum committee organization, and student affairs services are being developed or changed, the key will be to build a centrally designed educational program. By August 2010, she said, it will be “a cohesive whole.”
Thanks to all advocates for Biomedical Research Program
Thank you to everyone who contacted a legislator or Gov. Tim Pawlenty; visited the Capitol for a hearing; talked with friends, family, or colleagues; or, otherwise supported the Biomedical Research Program. Three years after the proposal’s introduction, state lawmakers gave the University approval to bond for nearly $300 million to finance four new research buildings in the East Gateway district of the Twin Cities campus. The first project is an expansion of the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research that includes the world's largest magnet: 16 Tesla. Facilities for cancer, cardiovascular, and neuroscience and infectious disease research will follow. The Medical School and the U will benefit from this investment, which opens an exciting new era for our institution.
Leading the way with TeamSTEPPS
The University of Minnesota Medical School and its partner Fairview are using Team Strategies & Tools to Enhance Performance & Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) to improve patient care and to educate students and practitioners. TeamSTEPPS, an evidence-based teamwork system, was developed by the federal Department of Defense and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which both want to promote its adoption more widely. Ours is one of four sites in the country training practitioners in TeamSTEPPS, due to the efforts of Karyn Baum, M.D., M.S.Ed., Jo Ann Wood, M.D., M.S.Ed., William Riley, Ph.D. (School of Public Health), and our Fairview partners. About a year ago, TeamSTEPPS was launched in four areas at University of Minnesota Medial Center, Fairview and University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Fairview to improve quality, safety and efficiency of health care by improving communication and other teamwork skills among health care professionals. It already has been adapted into the curriculum for an interdisciplinary teamwork course taught by Baum and others Academic Health Center faculty and it will be incorporated into a Medical School course under development, Essentials of Modern Medicine. Go, team!
Honors & awards given to students and faculty
Our outstanding faculty and students were honored last month in ceremonies on each campus. The full listing will be posted soon on the Minnesota Medical Foundation Web site. But, just to mention a few of those honored: 2008 graduate Christy M. Boraas Alsleben received the Richard C. Horns Memorial Award for excellence in clinical skills; Twin Cities campus medical student Justin G. Laube received the Roth-Steer Award for Research in Alzheimer’s Disease;and, Duluth campus students Maggie Neudecker and Mary Bassing were chosen by their classmates for Dr. John W. Dwyer Scholarships because of their potential as rural family practitioners.
Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians recognizes U of M people
Last month, the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians outgoing president Lynne Lillie, M.D., named James Boulger, Ph.D., the recipient of the President’s Award, saying he had been an inspiration to her. In addition, MAFP named Rural Physician Associate Program student Joanna Burns Student of the Year, RPAP faculty Therese Zink Researcher of the Year, and RPAP faculty Gwen Halaas Teacher of the Year. Also of note: MAFP’s 2008 Family Physician of the Year is Erik Kanten, M.D., an alumnus of the University of Minnesota Medical School. Kanten practices at the RiverView Clinic in Crookston and has been a family physician in the community for 20 years. He also sees patients on the University of Minnesota campus in Crookston, in Fertile, and in Red Lake Falls. Congratulations to all.
Mary Tate recieves 2007 Tony Diggs Excellence Award for Outstanding Graduate/Professional Student Organization Advisor
Mary Tate, director of the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity, on April 15 received University-wide recognition for her work advising the local chapter of the Student National Medical Association (see related SNMA item below, under Students) and the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students. Please join me in congratulating Tate.
Good news from Admissions
Nearly 60 students came to campus April 10-11 for the Admissions Revisit Day, which was a wonderful experience, according to Paul White, assistant dean for Admissions. In addition, on both the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses, admissions committees have completed their interviews. This year’s process on the Twin Cities campus, White reports, was completed about a month ahead of last year’s.
Transition Day report
On April 11, almost all the students entering clinical clerkships (some 30 from Duluth were stymied by a spring blizzard) participated in Transition Day, an introduction on what to expect in their next phase of medical education. Along with hearing from leaders of major required clerkships, they heard from students on what they wish they had known before they started their clinical education, and they shared tips on how to deal with awkward situations. Among the day’s highlights were working in small teams on cases in SimPORTAL (www.simportal.umn.edu; see item below), a Medical School simulation center. "Students indicated in their evaluations that it was a very positive experience," says Theodore Thompson, M.D., director of clinical education.
Students, physicians, colleagues gather for SNMA health fair
More than 220 people were screened last month at the Student National Medical Association annual Mall of America health fair. One person had a non-fasting glucose level of 475mg/dl and received a referral. The health fair included 58 Medical School student volunteers, 14 from the School of Dentistry, one nursing student, an American Cancer Society representative, and a pulmonary function testing team headed by Craig Weinert, M.D., and Jordan Dunitz, M.D. In addition, faculty members Sharon Allen, M.D., Jo Ann Wood, M.D., and Catherine Niewoehner, M.D., along with alum Jim Garber, M.D., consulted at no charge with patients expressing concerns ranging from high glucose levels to depression. The Student Sight Savers group, with the help of four ophthalmologists, offered free eye screenings. The health fair also provided information on dental care, women’s health, men’s health, cancer information, healthy eating, violence prevention, and substance abuse. Thanks to all who took part. --Eddie Mairura
STUDENTS
U of M CLARION team second in nation
Jessica Oetting (year one, medicine), Alanna White (year one, pharmacy) and Travis Sherman (year one, public health/healthcare administration) collaborated on the CLARION Interprofessional Case curriculum and won second place in the national competition. They performed a root-cause analysis on a sentinel event and provided recommendations to a panel of patient safety experts. Through working as an interprofessional team, they say they were deeply engaged with the concepts of patient safety and patient-centered care. Congratulations to our team.
Branch honors supporters
Second-year Native American medical student Charles “Chuck” Branch says: “In my culture, when we reach milestones or receive an honor, we have a give-away to honor those who have been influential in helping us reach that goal. In doing so, we focus attention on the community in order to recognize the importance of community in our personal lives.” So at the April 15 reception in Duluth where he received his Minority Scholar Award from American Medical Association Foundation dignitaries, Branch hosted a traditional Native American feast and “give-away” to recognize those who have helped him. For details, go to: http://www.med.umn.edu/duluth/NewsReleases/Branch_giveback.html
Judd Fellowship winner Ann Vogt
With the help of a $2,500 Judd Fellowship and a Northwest World Travel Scholarship, Ann Vogt plans to spend a few months of her third year of medical school in Uganda. She will assess and address a resistance to lumbar punctures that has been noted by health professionals in Kampala, Uganda. She writes: “Working on this project is an important part of my education and a step in my journey to a career in global health.” Best wishes and smooth journey to Vogt.
Lo named a NIH/Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholar
Melanie Wei-Man Lo, third-year student, is one of 33 U.S. students to receive a fellowship from the NIH/Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars Program. The U.S. scholars will be paired with international scholars. “Our group is studying the affect of nutrition status and supplementation on HIV and TB in mothers and children,” Lo writes. “My career interests include working in international public health, specifically infectious disease control.” She will be studying at Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in partnership with Harvard University School of Public Health.
Student Council’s new officers
Student Council held their elections for executive council at the April meeting. Please welcome our incoming Executive President Rich Beddingfield, Vice President Brent Nelson, Secretary Wade Schulz, and Treasurer Daniel Skora. Many thanks to everyone on council this year for their commitment and dedication to council and to the pursuit of excellence at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Local SNMA stars again at national conference
Our Medical School’s Student National Medical Association (SNMA) Chapter maintained its legacy of excellence at the 2008 national conference. Due to fund raising and administrative support, we were able to send 20 medical students and 4 undergraduates, the largest SNMA delegation from the greater Midwest. Our U of M Minority Association of Pre-medical Students (MAPS) chapter was awarded Region II MAPS Chapter of the Year at the national conference. Additionally, our U of M SNMA chapter was named a PRIDE chapter, which stands for excellence in Perseverance, Recruitment and Retention, Intensity, Dedication, and Enthusiasm. PRIDE Chapters are highlighted on the National SNMA Web site for innovative programming and excellence in academic achievement and service. Last year, our local chapter was named Region II SNMA Chapter of the Year. As we transition a new SNMA board, our SNMA and MAPS chapters look forward to another productive year. We intend to continue to showcase the University of Minnesota as a producer of diverse and proactive leaders in health care. --Liz Medina Alm
AMSA received Outstanding Graduate/Professional Student Organization of the Year award
Our chapter of the American Medical Student Association received the U’s Outstanding Graduate/Professional Student Organization of the Year award. The chapter planned and executed more than 50 events, including a 2007 Region 8 conference, co-hosted with the Mayo Medical School. AMSA also spearheaded programming around World AIDS Day, November 26-30, involving 10 other undergraduate and graduate student groups. The final benefit concert raised $1,700 for Clare Housing. Monthly "Health Policy and a Pint" discussions established a foundation for future advocacy. AMSA also scheduled lectures and workshops throughout the year on women's health, global health, GLBT health, and Pharm Free activities. Congratulations!
Mentoring with community physicians begins in Duluth
Sponsored by the Lake Superior Medical Society, the first annual “Mentors and Medical Students Morning Coffee” was held on the Duluth Campus on April 10. Under the presidency of Ana Fernandez, M.D., LSMS has made it part of its mission to connect with medical students and to fill a mentoring role. Said medical student Maria Carrow: “It was a stimulating event that, hopefully, will continue to be a successful way to nurture the physician-medical student relationship in the future.”
FACULTY
Kudos to Bland
Carole J. Bland, Ph.D., professor of family medicine and community health, and assistant dean for faculty development in the Medical School dean’s office, was presented a Career Achievement Award on March 25 by the American Educational Research Association. With its 25,000 members, AERA is the most prominent international professional organization focused on educational research. This award recognizes individuals who, over a significant number of years, have been exceptionally productive scholars in professional education. Please join me in congratulating her.
Wittmers named head of Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Duluth campus
Lorentz Wittmers, Jr., Ph.D., M.D., has been named the head of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology on the Duluth campus. Previously, he had been the interim head. Wittmers is known internationally for his research on hypothermia. An associate professor, he holds the Edwin Eddy Endowed Professorship, is director of graduate studies in physiology, and is a graduate school advisor.
Best Practices Institute, May 20-21, 2008
Sessions are filling up fast for the Third Annual Best Practices Institute: Advancing Critical Thinking in Health Professions Education. Those who have not yet registered for the free interprofessional two-day program, may visit www.bpinstitute.umn.edu, where they also will find detailed information about each session and presenter. Among the highlights are: a plenary by David Walsh, Ph.D., 3:15-4:30 p.m., May 20, on the current “Media Generation” of “more, easy, fast and fun,” and the impact this has on their attitudes and abilities, including their work ethic; and a session by Stephen Brookfield, Ph.D., 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., May 21, on the critical thinking process. A new session has been added on Wednesday, May 21: “From Camp to Colleagues: Developing Professional Skills in a Year-Long Experiential Learning Program.”
Medical Educator Development and Scholarship (MEDS)
Workshops are planned both in the “Help! There is a Medical Student in My Office” series geared to faculty who teach in the clinic, and the “Best Practices in Medical Teaching” series geared to educators who teach in either the basic or clinical sciences. In addition, suggestions for other workshop topics and dynamic presenters are welcome for next year's MEDS workshop line-up. Please e-mail meds@umn.edu. Check out the scholarship page on the MEDS Web site www.meded.umn.edu/meds for information about standards for educational scholarship, guidelines for conducting research, and publishing resources. Watch for news about a monthly Journal Club to begin in fall 2008.
EVENTS & NOTICES
Simulation access: IERC and SimPORTAL
Medical School faculty, staff, and students have access to both the Interprofessional Education and Resource Center and the Simulation PeriOperative Resource for Training and Learning, SimPORTAL is the point of entry for simulation services within the Medical School. Once curricula are developed and approved, SimPORTAL staff arranges for, or directly provides technical skills and team training facilities and trainers at no cost for Medical School personnel. (Those outside the Medical School are charged.) For simulation services with standardized patients or other educational activities, Medical School faculty, staff, and students may want or need to use the IERC or the AHC Simulation Center. Starting July 1, 2008, the IERC will charge fees for services and space usage and Medical School educational leaders will need to approve activities.
POEM
It's the Dream
It's the dream we carry
That something wondrous will happen,
That it must happen--
Time will open
Hearts will open
Doors will open
Mountains will open
Spring will gush forth from the ground--
That the dream itself will open
That one morning we'll quietly drift
Into a harbor we didn't know was there
-by Olav H. Hauge (translated from the Norwegian by Robert Hadin)
