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Message from the Dean: Change can make us stronger
Dr. Weeks named Pathology Dept Chair
Dr. Cedfeldt named Assistant Dean, GME
RFA for Dean's Fund for Research Collaboration
Basic Science Building renamed for Dr. Jones
Congratulations to our Top Docs
Save-the-date: Feb 14 all-faculty meeting
Med students reach out to homeless community
Down syndrome art exhibit at CHH
WAM seeks input
Rare Disorders Research Consortium established
SMA Valentine's Day sale
Dermatology Department wins prize
Med student wins research prize
Cancer Institute in NCI bulletin
Center for Gender-Based Medicine makes awards
Welcome New Faculty
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January 2008
Message from Dean Richardson: Change can make us stronger
 Greetings and welcome to the January newsletter.
Over the last few weeks, you have heard about programmatic and other changes at OHSU and within the School of Medicine in response to the Oregon Supreme Court's decision to remove the tort cap for Oregon's public entities.
I would like to briefly review some of those changes and begin the discussion of how they will be implemented over the coming months. I also want to share my strong sense of confidence about the future of the School of Medicine and my
intent for a smooth and transparent transition process.
As you know, this Supreme Court decision resulted in a need for OHSU to carve out $30 million from its budget to meet new liability coverage costs. The decisions about where these funds would come from were made by the Executive Leadership
Team, of which I am a member. We worked nearly non-stop from the day the court's ruling was issued in late December to the subsequent announcements in mid-January. We relied on the programmatic review and analyses associated with prior
Vision 2020 and five-year financial planning. The resulting recommendations have now been approved by the OHSU Board of Directors and will be considered by the Faculty Senate soon.
Several important changes were made within the School of Medicine. But in total, of the $30 million needed for new liability coverage, the School will absorb about $3 million. This outcome reflects the leadership's consensus that
maintaining OHSU's excellence depends on ensuring continued excellence within the School of Medicine. As testament to that premise, my plan announced in October to encourage research collaboration with new dedicated funding is unchanged.
This week the RFA for the Dean's Fund for Research Collaboration was issued - four competitive awards of $100,000 each for interdepartmental collaborative projects for basic or translational research (the full announcement is below).
However, the evolution of the university as a whole in response to the tort cap decision will impact us, as other programs are moved under the School of Medicine's administrative umbrella. Such moves include, for instance, the
transformation of the OGI School of Science and Engineering into a School of Medicine unit.
As we move to implement these recommendations, we will also accelerate the organizational changes that were already underway related to our own financial planning and Vision 2020 goals. In this way, we will compress the overall timeframe
for transitions.
I am determined that the manner in which we execute these changes within the School of Medicine will reflect the values and the mission of the Office of the Dean. As such, we are in the process of developing a transition plan that has at
its core my commitment to service, transparency, accountability and effective communication.
Our planning and implementation will be guided by a Dean's Council charged with change management and supported by project-specific workgroups. We will rely on uniform fiscal evaluations, clearly stated decision-making principles and
explicit strategic goals as we consult with individual units about how to reorganize and/or integrate. As a reminder, we will also be reorganizing the Office of the Dean. My intent is for this office to be a model of efficiency and
service.
Complex institutions are constantly in a state of change. The goal of our evolution is always the same - to preserve OHSU as the top-tier institution we have become and to lay the foundation to become even stronger. In this case, I believe
that over time the addition of new faculty and programs into the School of Medicine along with our reorganization to create a more efficient institution will support exciting new faculty opportunities to improve health and health care.
Best regards,
Mark Richardson
Dean
Douglas Weeks, MD, named Chair of the Department of Pathology
 Douglas A. Weeks, MD, has accepted the position of Chair of the OHSU School of Medicine Department of Pathology. Dr. Weeks has served as Interim Chair since 2004 in which capacity he provided exceptional leadership and continuity to the
department. He also serves as medical director of the Electron Microscopy Laboratory at OHSU.
"I am very pleased to announce Doug's new position and am heartened by the clear support for his leadership articulated by faculty in his department," said Dean Mark Richardson. "I have the utmost confidence in Doug and look forward to
great achievements from the Department of Pathology under his guidance."
Dr. Weeks joined OHSU School of Medicine as a Professor in the Department of Pathology in 1990. Prior to this, Dr. Weeks served on the faculty at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in Loma Linda, Calif. He joined that department in
1981 as an Assistant Professor of Pathology before being promoted to Associate Professor in 1989 and to Professor in 1991. Dr. Weeks also held several administrative positions there, including appointments as Head of the Division of
Anatomic Pathology and Chair of the Department of Pathology and Human Anatomy. He served on the Board of Trustees of Loma Linda University Medical Center, and as co-director of the National Wilms Tumor Study Pathology Center. In 1985, Dr.
Weeks spent a year as a research fellow in pediatric pathology and electron microscopy at The Children's Hospital in Denver, Colo., under the mentorship of J. Bruce Beckwith, MD, before returning to his faculty position at Loma Linda
University School of Medicine. Dr. Weeks received his MD from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 1974 and completed his residency program at Loma Linda University Medical Center.
His research interests include pediatric pathology, electron microscopy and general tumor immunocytochemistry. He also serves as contributing reviewer for Journal of the American Medical Association, Pediatric Pathology and Laboratory
Medicine, Cancer, Western Journal of Medicine and The European Journal of Cancer.
Under the leadership of Dr. Weeks, the Department of Pathology will focus efforts on supporting the realization of OHSU's Vision 2020 through continued growth and collaboration with OHSU and community partners. "We will be a flourishing
academic pathology department that thrives in teaching, clinical service, research and community outreach, with each mission complementing the others," Dr. Weeks said.
Dr. Weeks specified goals for the Department of Pathology in each of OHSU's four mission areas. These include continuing to offer excellence in clinical and anatomic pathology services, enhancing and developing educational programs at all
levels and providing both diagnostic and educational services to Oregonians, including the underserved. In addition, Dr. Weeks intends for the Department of Pathology to "augment and build new loci of excellence in clinical, translational
and basic research. We will also assume the traditional ‘bridging' role of our discipline in providing the best possible pathology support for all of OHSU's investigators."
Andrea Cedfeldt, MD, named Assistant Dean of Graduate Medical Education
 Andrea Cedfeldt, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, has accepted the position of Assistant Dean of Graduate Medical Education (GME). A hospitalist at the Portland Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Dr. Cedfeldt is currently one of the
Associate Program Directors in the Department of Medicine where she has made significant contributions to GME.
Dr. Cedfeldt graduated from Dartmouth Medical School and served her residency and chief residency in internal medicine at OHSU. She joined the faculty in the Division of General Internal Medicine & Geriatrics in 2004. She has had
additional training in faculty development from Stanford. Dr. Cedfeldt has special interests in faculty development, resident wellness and professionalism.
"I am pleased to announce the appointment of Andrea to this position," said Donald Girard, MD, Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education. "We look forward to her expertise and insight in helping to lead the Graduate Medical Education
program. My sincere thanks also to the thorough work of the Search Committee."
In her role of Assistant Dean, Dr. Cedfeldt will assist Dr. Girard in his supervisory responsibilities for GME, including heading task forces, providing resident and faculty feedback, developing special curricula and helping faculty
develop their teaching skills.
RFA for Dean's Fund for Research Collaboration issued
The Request for Applications (RFA) for the Dean's Fund for Research Collaboration has been issued. The purpose of the Dean's Fund for Research Collaboration is to catalyze outstanding multidisciplinary collaborations, to further the
development of strong foci of biomedical research and to increase the core resources available to School of Medicine investigators. Non-SoM researchers are welcome as co-investigators. The specific intent of this support mechanism is to
provide funding for planning and/or preliminary data generation to enable successful applications for external funding. Basic and translational research projects are eligible. Four awards of $100,000 each will be made. The application
process and award administration will be handled through OCTRI. Please
click here for more information and application.
Basic Science Building renamed for Richard T. Jones, MD, PhD
The Basic Science Building has been renamed the Richard T. Jones Hall for Basic Medical Sciences in honor of a distinguished graduate, longtime faculty member, biochemistry department chairman and dedicated OHSU advocate who served as
acting president of the university in the late 1970s. The name change was authorized by a unanimous vote of the OHSU Board of Directors. The activities and functions housed in the building, the board resolution declared, "reflect the types
of institutional endeavors promoted and advanced by Dr. Jones." Please
click here for the full announcement.
OHSU tops the annual "Top Docs" list from Portland Monthly
Portland Monthly's 2008 "Top Docs" feature led off with a familiar OHSU figure: Scott Fields, MD, Professor, Department of Family Medicine, appeared on the introductory page to the feature, which included articles on the burgeoning
field of integrative medicine and the annual list of Portland-area specialists as recommended by their peers.
Dr. Fields (pictured right) was singled out as a specialist on the "Top Docs" list who has successfully incorporated aspects of integrative medicine with his practice. Anne Nedrow, MD, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in
the Department of Medicine, was also featured in an article in the "Top Docs" section. Dr. Nedrow's professional and family experiences were examined in the cover story "Hippocrates, meet Lao-Tzu."
For a listing of the 119 OHSU faculty physicians, please
click here.
Save-the-date: Feb 14 all-faculty meeting
The annual all-faculty meeting will be on February 14. The Office of the Dean is updating the format of this meeting to provide an open forum for faculty input on issues of high interest. Dean Richardson will start the meeting with a
brief "state-of-the-school" presentation. This will be followed by a presentation about the new faculty appointment policy by Associate Dean Patti Hurn and Dr. Sharon Anderson. Recently approved by the Provost's office and Faculty Senate,
the goal of the new policy is to create uniformity of faculty appointments across all higher education institutions in Oregon. The School of Medicine must now decide how to reconcile its existing policy with the new one. At issue:
1) Re-nomenclature of the affiliate faculty series and faculty rank modifiers such as the use of "Adjunct"
2) The need to initiate a clinical faculty series, from ranks of instructor to full professor. This clinical series would accompany the existing professor series, research professor series and affiliate professor series (previously
volunteer faculty).
The pro and con of Topic #2 will be debated on stage by two faculty leaders followed by open floor discussion and votes on preferences. The meeting will conclude with a Q&A with Dean Richardson. More information will follow soon.
When: February 14
Where: OHSU Auditorium (Old Library)
Time: 4:30 - 5:30 pm
Med students reach out to homeless community
 Over 30 School of Medicine MD program students and other volunteers recently spent one of the coldest afternoons of the winter providing a free health clinic to members of Portland's homeless community. The clinic was a community
service component of the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association's Medical Student Section - Region 1, held in Portland between January 18 - 20. The conference theme was "Health Care for the Underserved: How Will We
Achieve Our Goals?"
"We decided that offering a free screening clinic would serve a community that is consistently challenged by access to adequate care," said Gina Miller, a first-year medical student who headed up the project. "In addition, it would provide
the delegates a first-hand opportunity to experience some of the issues we had been discussing."
The students partnered with the nonprofit organization Potluck in the Park (which serves hot meals to the homeless in downtown Portland each week) to conduct a health fair in a parking garage at O'Bryant Square in downtown Portland. Under
the direction of School of Medicine faculty advisors Scott Sallay, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, and Sarah Bass, MD, Chief Resident and Instructor, Department of Medicine, students performed blood pressure and eye
screening, body mass index calculations, foot exams and provided simple first-aid.
"This event - and indeed the entire conference organized by our students - represents the very best of professionalism, organization, collaboration, community outreach and caring," said James Reuler, MD, MACP, Professor, Department of
Medicine. "Collectively, we should all be very proud of their work."
Pictured: Jinnell Lewis, first-year medical student, conducting a vision exam.
Down syndrome art exhibit debuts at Center for Health & Healing
Over 200 people gathered in the Center for Health & Healing Lobby for the grand opening of the Northwest Down Syndrome Association's traveling art exhibit titled "All Born In." The exhibit features portraits of area families affected by
Down syndrome.
In an invitation to the exhibit debut, the Northwest Down Syndrome Association said, "It is our hope that in visiting this photo gallery you will come away with an understanding of our vision, and will join us in our dream of a community
that is open and welcoming to all its citizens." The Exhibit is installed at Doernbecher Children's Hospital through February 8 and then moves to Portland City Hall for the remainder of the month.
Pictured: Eleanor Bailey who spoke at the debut event.
Women in Academic Medicine Committee seeks nominations, input
The Women in Academic Medicine Committee (WAM) is seeking to invigorate the committee membership and more broadly impact areas affecting women faculty as well as other faculty at OHSU. Co-Chairs Sima Desai, MD, and Rebecca Harrison, MD,
invite you to express issues where you believe the WAM Committee could or should have influence or other ideas to be explored. Examples of current areas of emphasis are: OHSU childcare initiative, faculty annual reviews and Parenting
Resources for faculty. In the future, if you have an interest in participating on this committee, please let the Committee on Committees know when it sends out the annual request regarding participation on SoM committees. Please email your
ideas to Kathy Wells (wellsk@ohsu.edu).
Rare Disorders Research Consortium established at OHSU
The OHSU Rare Disorders Research Consortium (RDRC), supported by the OHSU Human Genetics Initiative and OCTRI, creates a local hub for rare disorders research by promoting interaction and sharing of expertise among the diverse
investigators on our campus. The RDRC will provide clinical investigators, basic scientists and families with information about rare disorders studied on campus and the specific expertise of OHSU's investigator community, including gene
hunting, psychosocial research, epidemiology and stem cell therapy. For more information, contact Allison Gregory, MS (gregorya@ohsu.edu) or Kelly Hamman, MS (hammank@ohsu.edu).
School of Medicine Alliance Valentine's Day fundraiser - February 13, 14
The OHSU School of Medicine Alliance (SMA) is holding a Valentine's Day fund-raising sale. Proceeds will support medical and graduate student awards, an emergency loan fund, student lounge renovations, the white coat and hooding
ceremonies, and other needs in the OHSU community. The SMA also recruits community volunteers to help provide layettes for needy families, a program known as Blankets and Books for Babies.
Delicious Bernard C. Chocolate in many forms for Valentine's Day will be available for sale at OHSU Wednesday and Thursday, February 13 and 14. You will find sale tables in two locations: from 8 am to 4 pm at the main campus 9th floor
Hospital South hallway leading to the VA bridge; and from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm in the main floor atrium of the Center for Health & Healing.
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