|
Message from the Dean
Update: regionalization
Dean Traystman accepts Vice-Chancellor role
Assistant Dean Rosenthal moves to Cancer Institute
OCTRI launches "Front Door" services
"Post-Bac" pipeline matriculates five
SOM at BodyWorlds
RWJ Funding - deadline Aug 31
Bridge funding - deadline Aug 17
Community Spotlight: Dangerous Decibels
Upcoming conferences
Dean awards staff scholarships
$2 million to study cardiac arrhythmia
Pediatric Pain Management Center honored
Emergency Medicine announces appointments
Dr. Mays awarded diplomate status
APOM announces achievements
Dr. Allen awarded AMA Distinguished Service Award
OHSU recognized in national ranking
SOM New Faculty
|
July News
Message from Dean Richardson
 Dear colleagues:
I am humbled and honored by the recent announcement of my appointment
as Dean of the OHSU School of Medicine. This is an exciting time for
the School – we are moving steadily toward the goals described in OHSU
Vision 2020. We are also
taking the first steps to build a state-of-the-art medical school on
the waterfront Schnitzer Campus. I am proud to be part of this
exceptional institution at this pivotal time.
Three areas that I will focus particular attention on in the coming
months and years are promoting faculty satisfaction, ensuring
sustainable excellence and enhancing and supporting a diverse
community. These themes, identified in the
School's strategic planning process, will involve numerous initiatives
– big and small – and I am pleased to be able to report we are making
progress.
An essential first step in the faculty satisfaction goal is to improve
our ability to measure how we are doing on that score as an
institution. For this reason, I authorized the development and
initiation of "exit interviews" for all
departing faculty members. This valuable information will help us
identify ways we can improve our environment. We will also be
conducting an expanded faculty-wide satisfaction survey in the fall –
the second time for what will now become
an annual survey. The results will inform our planning.
I am a strong believer in the power of transparency, process uniformity
and creativity in promoting faculty satisfaction. I want to ensure that
crystal-clear information and robust opportunities are available to
help faculty members
sustain a meaningful and satisfying career trajectory. As part of this,
we are developing standardized approaches to annual performance
appraisals. We commissioned a survey from an independent entity to
evaluate the uniformity of faculty
compensation. We are considering alternate ways of recognizing faculty
productivity in faculty rank and appointment status.
My second theme – sustainable excellence – is broad-based and
integrates financial vitality with programmatic excellence. I am
looking to everyone in the School of Medicine to identify ways to
integrate and bridge our mission areas and to
help us move away from the traditional model of "silos." The recent
reorganization of the OHSU Cancer Institute and the structure of the
Human Genetics Initiative are programmatic examples of this approach.
But partnership and integration
can, and should, occur at every level, from interdisciplinary
curriculum development to space allocation solutions to individual
administrative efficiency. I am eager to hear all your ideas on this
subject.
The third theme – diversity – is both a goal unto itself and important
to achieving faculty satisfaction and promoting sustainable excellence.
I believe that a diverse community of faculty, students and staff
immeasurably enriches our
learning environment and helps us move closer to the day when our
community of healthcare professionals mirrors the demographics of our
patients. We will pursue diversity of all types, including
socio-economic, cultural and geographic.
We have great years ahead of us. I look forward to the future of
the OHSU School of Medicine with optimism and enthusiasm. I hope you do
too.
Best regards,
Mark Richardson
Dean
Update: medical education regionalization initiative
The Oregon Legislature adjourned on June 28, finishing one of the
shortest sessions in over a decade. Legislators voted to fully fund
OHSU's overall base budget with a modest inflationary increase. This
was the first time in several
sessions that OHSU's base budget was not cut.
However, the legislature declined to invest in the School's
regionalization initiative, also known as Oregon Medicine Education
Collaborative (ORMED). The School had requested about $7 million
dollars to help support the costs of
increasing the medical student class size from 120 to 160. The plan was
a partnership with the University of Oregon and PeaceHealth in Eugene,
Oregon State University and Samaritan Health Service in Corvallis, and
three other regional
health systems.
Because the proposed regionalization of medical education was not
funded, the School will not move forward with either the further
increase in class size or establishing regional campuses for first-year
students in Eugene or Corvallis. At
this time, there is no intention to resubmit the funding request to the
Legislature in the future.
Despite the Legislature's decision, the School remains committed to a
regionalized model of medical education as a means of meeting Oregon's
healthcare workforce needs. Specifically, we plan to continue and
expand the third- and
fourth-year clinical clerkship opportunities in the Eugene, Bend and
Medford areas. We have also become aware of graduate medical education
opportunities for potential joint collaboration, which we will now
explore.
While the Legislature's decision not to fund the regionalization
proposal was disappointing, the energy and activity associated with
preparing for our funding request resulted in other positive outcomes
for the School and the state. For
instance, we have established an enormously effective and collegial
collaborative framework (ORMED) with Oregon's institutions of higher
learning and regional health systems, and believe this may lead to
future educational opportunities
for Oregonians.
Richard J. Traystman, PhD, accepts Vice-Chancellor role in Colorado
Richard J. Traystman, PhD, Associate Dean for Basic Research in the
School of Medicine, has accepted the position as Vice-Chancellor for
Research at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences
Center, effective October 1.
"Dr. Traystman will be greatly missed but we understand what an
enormous opportunity this is for him. We look forward to finding new
ways to collaborate with him in the future. Please join me in offering
our sincere congratulations," said
Dean Richardson.
"I had no plans to leave OHSU, I love it here, but Colorado made me an
offer I could not refuse," said Dr. Traystman. "The circumstances offer
what I believe is the chance of a lifetime to guide a broad-based
multidisciplinary research
program."
The University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center has
recently moved, consolidated and constructed a new medical campus on
the 160-acre site of the former Fitzsimons army medical base.
In his new position, Dr. Traystman will be responsible for all research
at that campus which includes the Schools of Medicine, Nursing,
Pharmacy, Dental, Allied Health, the new School of Public Health, the
University Hospital and the
Children's Hospital. His oversight will also extend to the University
of Colorado at Denver (undergraduate and graduate school) which has
Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Art, Languages, among other
expected programs.
His goal is to build strong bridges between silos. "It is okay to have
silos, as long as you have strong two-way bridges between them," he
said.
Dr. Traystman is also Associate Vice-President for Research Planning
and Development and Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and
Peri-Operative Medicine at OHSU.
"I am grateful to Mark Richardson, Dan Dorsa, Joe Robertson and Pete
Kohler for allowing me to be a part of their leadership team. My
experiences here at OHSU will be helpful as I move into my new
position," said Dr. Traystman.
Assistant Dean Scott Rosenthal loaned out to Cancer Institute
 Scott Rosenthal, Assistant Dean of Finance, will be expanding his
focus from the day-to-day financial management of the School to include
a new position within the OHSU Cancer Institute.
Earlier this year, the Dean and President announced the leadership
transition at the Institute and the vision of Dr. Brian Druker to
transform cancer care in Oregon. The vision complements the broader
strategic goal of the university to
reorganize in ways that take full advantage of the opportunities and
strengths inherent in the overlap between education, research and
clinical care.
The plan for the Institute hinges on the creation of a new
administrative authority and financial structure, and a long-term
sustainable business plan. Assistant Dean Rosenthal will work closely
with Dr. Druker, Institute Director, to
develop a new operating and financial model, and related strategic
components. The resulting plan will also provide guidance for future
integrative initiatives.
"Scott's expertise and deep knowledge of the financial structure of
various units and departments in the School of Medicine will lend just
the right kind of expertise to the healthcare goals of the Institute,"
said Dean Richardson.
"I am pleased to take on this new responsibility, and genuinely excited
to help create the foundation to support Dr. Druker's transformational
vision for the Institute and for reducing cancer mortality in Oregon,"
said Scott.
OCTRI launches "Front Door" services
The Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI)
provides direct research support, resources, and expertise for
researchers at OHSU. But how can OCTRI help an individual investigator?
Now there's someone who can answer this question: OCTRI's "Front Door,"
Shawn Radcliffe. Shawn's primary role is to help knowledge and
information flow to the right people at the right time in the right
context. As the first line of
information for investigators seeking support from OCTRI, he can answer
your questions, help determine if OCTRI resources are the right ones
for your research, and connect you with the right people whether those
people are core directors,
mentors, or the ideal co-investigator for your next grant.
OCTRI is designed to bring multiple resources together into one central
location. But the research environment at OHSU is rich and complex, so
having staff dedicated to figuring out how to steer investigators to
the right resources is an
essential function of the institute. And, in fact, this navigational
role was designed precisely to reduce a major barrier that OHSU
investigators face: knowing that many resources exist but having little
idea of their scope,
availability, or even whom to contact to find out more information.
Shawn Radcliffe is uniquely prepared for his role as OCTRI's Front
Door. He comes to OHSU after six years at Drexel University in
Philadelphia where his last role was as a departmental Research
Administrator, overseeing $3.1 million in
sponsored project funding. Having worked closely with many aspects of
research, Shawn understands the need for investigators to have access
to resources in a timely and effective fashion. He also has the
administrative experience to
facilitate access to OCTRI services.
Starting August 1st, OCTRI will also be sending twice-monthly e-mails
to faculty and post-doctoral fellows to alert you to news, seminars,
funding information, and other relevant information.
OCTRI's "front door" can be accessed via Shawn Radcliffe by e-mail at radclifs@ohsu.edu or by calling (503) 418-9790.
Be sure to bookmark the OCTRI website; it has detailed information on the Front Door and other programs:
click here or go to www.octri.org.
School's "Post-Bac" pipeline program matriculates five students
 The School of Medicine MD Class of 2011 will include the first four
students to matriculate through the Diversity Achievement
Post-Baccalaureate Conditional Acceptance Program. A fifth student will
enter the Physician Assistant
Program.
The pilot of the Post-Bac pipeline program, designed by former
Assistant Dean for Diversity, Stephanie Anderson, MD, got underway last
academic year. The goal is to increase the opportunities for
disadvantaged and under-represented
minority students to attend medical school.
The School of Medicine's Diversity Achievement programs are designed to
identify promising students who have been hindered by family hardships,
racism, cultural barriers to higher education, or growing up in an
impoverished education
system that lacks the resources to offer enriched math and science
experiences. The Post-Baccalaureate Program integrates academic
advising and support, a clinical preceptorship and mentoring by a
current medical student.
The incoming medical students are: J. (Dodie) Salvador de la Cruz,
Thomas Gibson, Aaliyah Hodge and Kate Luenprakansit (pictured above
starting top right and then clockwise). Cheryl Kuehnel (not pictured)
will enter the Physician Assistant
program. Eight students were accepted into last year's programs. The
other three plan to pursue healthcare education in other venues.
Last year's program was federally-funded by the Health Careers
Opportunity Programs but federal support was abruptly eliminated. In
response, Dean Richardson committed funds to offer the School's
Post-Bac program to a smaller group of
students this year. Four new promising students have been accepted to
the program which is now under the direction of Ella Booth, PhD,
Associate Dean for Diversity.
SOM hosts theme week at BodyWorlds3/OMSI
 The Office of Diversity Affairs in the Office of the Dean hosted a
theme week at BodyWorlds3 at OMSI, July 26 August 1. The goal was to
encourage young people to pursue healthcare careers, particularly
people from diverse communities -
cultural, geographic and socio-economic.
The community outreach exhibit highlighted many aspects of the School,
demonstrating the excitement, social value and accessibility of
healthcare careers.
The Office of the Dean partnered with the Department of Emergency
Medicine and the Physician Assistant Program during this week. The
exhibit was visited by hundreds of people interested in healthcare
careers.
"This outreach effort was very successful. We connected with so many
young people, many of whom were from diverse backgrounds," said Ella
Booth, PhD, Associate Dean for Diversity. "Equally important, we
connected with parents to provide
advice on how to guide children and teenagers interested in healthcare
careers." (Pictured: Associate Dean Ella Booth staffs the OMSI exhibit.
Funding opportunity: RWJ Physician Faculty Scholars - deadline August 31
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Physician Faculty Scholars
program is designed to strengthen the leadership and academic
productivity of junior medical school faculty. Under the program,
scholars: will devote at least 50 percent of
time for three years to research; receive funds to support a research
project; receive national and local mentorship; and work with other
scholars. Up to 15 awards of up to $300,000 each over three years are
available. For program
information and application procedures:
click here.
RWJ requires that a submission be endorsed by the Office of the Dean.
Faculty members with an interest in applying should contact Vera Lewis,
Academic Coordinator, Office of the Dean at lewisve@ohsu.edu or (503)
494-7642.
Funding opportunity: OHSU Presidential Bridge Funding - deadline August 17
The Office of the Vice-President of Research announced the
availability of Presidential Bridge Funding for FY08. A total of 10
awards of $50,000 each will be given to qualified investigators for one
year. This is the only opportunity to
apply for funds during FY08. The deadline is Friday, August 17th, 2007
at 12:00 noon.
Presidential Bridge Funding supports established investigators
threatened by an imminent lapse in research support. It is expected
that, in most cases, attempts to secure re-funding have not been
successful and that additional attempts are
planned and are likely to succeed. Awards will be made only to OHSU
investigators. For criteria and application:
click here. Questions? funding@ohsu.edu, 4-2848.
Community Spotlight: Dangerous Decibels® - translational medicine in action
 Billy Martin, PhD, frequently finds himself quoted in newspapers
around the world on topics ranging from cicadas to iPods. It's part of
the Oregon Hearing Research Center's award-winning public health
outreach campaign to reduce
noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus (or ringing in the ears),
called Dangerous Decibels®.
"The importance of community outreach as one of the key endpoints of
translational medicine cannot be overstated. Taking our research and
packaging it in a digestible format that can be consumed by young
people in ways that will change
their health behaviors for the rest of their lives is phenomenally
rewarding," said Dr. Martin, Professor in the Department of
Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery with a joint appointment in the
Department of Public Health & Preventive
Medicine.
Noise-induced hearing is considered a national epidemic, with about 5.2
million 6-to 19-year olds suffering hearing loss directly related to
noise exposure. With the increase usage of personal stereo systems
focused on continuous headphone
use, the incidence is likely to rise without interventions. The most
commonly reported precipitating factor for tinnitus is also noise
exposure.
Enter Dangerous Decibels.
The program had its genesis in a charge from Senator Mark Hatfield in
the late 1990s – "Think big!" he said, encouraging School of Medicine
hearing researchers to join forces with community clinicians and other
groups. Several grants
later, Dangerous Decibels was a reality. The mission of the outreach
campaign then and now is to significantly reduce the prevalence of
noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus through exhibits, educational
outreach and research. The
strategy is to change the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of
school-aged children.
Dangerous Decibels includes a permanent museum exhibition at the Oregon
Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI) where visitors are welcomed by
a giant, walk-through ear. Educator workshops train a wide range of
interested groups to deliver the
Dangerous Decibels curriculum across the nation. Soon it will be
delivered in Canada and New Zealand.
One objective of the program is to create "gut level" sense of sounds
that are dangerous – nightclubs, concerts, iPods, firearms, lawnmowers.
Equally important, the program provides simple protection strategies:
turn it down, move away,
protect your ears.
Recently, Dangerous Decibels began working with the Northwest Portland
Area Indian Health Board, addressing hearing health issues in tribes
across the region. "Hearing is an essential part of tribal life.
Traditions are passed on from
generation to generation by word of mouth. If you lose your hearing,
you're out of the loop," said Dr. Martin. The tribal communities report
high levels of occupational and recreational noise exposures and
Dangerous Decibels has begun
working with their children.
Dr. Martin concludes, "To me, the essence of translational research is
taking magnificent images captured during NIH funded, basic science
research by my colleagues in the Oregon Hearing Research Center,
incorporating them into an
innovative and exciting hearing health program, and then seeing the
lives of children changed by the experience. None of this could happen
without the contributions of the fantastic Dangerous Decibels team."
Upcoming conferences, classes
OHSU Nutrition in the Womb: a 3-day class, September 19-21
The Heart Research Center at OHSU is running a three day course,
September 19-21, on the importance of nutrition in the womb in
initiating chronic adult disease. New evidence shows that
under-nutrition before birth and during infancy
permanently changes the body's structure and function in ways that lead
to later disease. OHSU has been a pioneer in this research. The course
is intended for basic scientists and public health nutritionists. It
will bring together current
knowledge in this exciting new field, discuss biological mechanisms;
and analyze the barriers to good food choices among girls and young
women. For further details visit:
click here.
OHSU Anesthesia Conference for Practice Enrichment, September 29
CRNAs and SRNAs from Oregon and Washington are invited to attend the
first annual OHSU Anesthesia Conference for Practice Enrichment on
Saturday, September 29, presented by the Department of Anesthesiology
and Peri-Operative Medicine. The
one-day conference offers six CE credits and will be held at the OHSU
Center for Health & Healing. A pre-conference evening social will
provide attendees the opportunity for networking. For details, contact
Kaylen Miller
(millekay@ohsu.edu) at (503) 494-7641.
2007 Workshop Series for Program Directors
The first of four workshops in the 2007 series of workshops for Program
Directors (Associate PD's and other faculty in education leadership
positions) is August 9. The School of Medicine, Division of CME,
designates each of these workshops
a maximum of 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits TM. Physicians should claim
credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the
activity. All the workshops have content related to the ACGME
accreditation, expectations, and skills
to perform PD duties.
All classes meet 5:00 - 7:00 pm, Mac Hall 4170.
August 9, 2007: Lani Roberts, PhD, "Working with Diversity as a Goal"
October 11, 2007: Donna Silverberg JD, "Facilitating Meetings: Time Management, Action and Communication"
December 6, 2007: Susan Barksdale and Teri Lund, "Strategic Planning for Programs"
February 7, 2008: Mariann Hyland JD, Director of Affirmative Action OHSU, "ADA and Residency Programs"
For more information, and to sign up for any/all of the workshops, contact Macy Todd at toddmac@ohsu.edu
|
