Inside Nevada Medicine | An Update from Dean Ole J. Thienhaus, MD, University of Nevada School of Medicine

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December 2008
Dean's Comments During World War II, Winston Churchill introduced the notion of “Blood, Sweat and Tears.” A bit earlier, President Roosevelt famously said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” There are times during my deanship, all of four months old as it is, that I feel like making similar appeals. It has been quite a ride so far and likely will continue to be a rather turbulent tenure. Faculty and staff are being asked to make sacrifices, and I want to give particular recognition to the employees in our northern practice plan who have volunteered to forgo planned cost-of-living adjustments in order to help soften the fiscal situation. Throughout the organization, we see an effort to focus on our core mission – the education and training of physicians in basic and clinical sciences, and the research and practice that support this mission. I can identify a few key players who help us greatly as we go through the current tribulations. Among our educational leadership, Drs. Jennifer Kimmel, Peggy Dupey and Mimi Bar-on deserve a great deal of credit. When it comes to the basic sciences, Drs. Tom Kozel and David Lupan have been guiding stars on the journey. We are gearing up for a survey by our licensing body, the LCME, in October 2009. Dr. Jennifer Kimmel, in particular, is a most remarkable power in keeping administration’s eyes on the prize: When all is said and done, it’s all about our students. Without being pollyannaish, I daresay the financial crisis we are dealing with brings out the best in a tough, committed and dedicated workforce – both faculty and staff. And it may actually result, at the end, in a medical school even better than the one we had when we were first going into this drama. In the mean time, though, we had better fasten our seatbelts. Ole J.Thienhaus, M.D., MBA Dean, University of Nevada School of Medicine Medical Education Students coordinate community service project Jillian Peterson, a first-year student and president of the Christian Medical Association, worked with her classmates to sponsor free flu shots for children attending the Boys & Girls Club of the Truckee Meadows Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 26 at the club facility on East Ninth Street in Reno. “We were generously supplied with 500 vaccines from Eric Pennington at the Nevada State Immunization Program. We have also received donations of supplies from the Health District and Student Health Clinic,” said Peterson. “There is no cost to the people receiving the vaccines.” Bierkamper Research Convocation set for Jan. 20 Mark your calendars for the 26th Annual George G. Bierkamper Student Research Convocation on Jan. 20, 2009 where medical and graduate students will showcase their talents in original scientific research. The convocation will be held at the Pennington Medical Education Building in Reno. Abstracts will be accepted until Dec. 5. Verby coordinating spirituality conference this winter Jillian Verby, a fourth-year student, is serving as a conference coordinator for the Spirituality in Medicine Conference through the American Medical Student Association and HuMed which will be held in New York next February. The conference will feature inspiring speakers and experienced physicians from around the country whom have successfully incorporated spirituality into their practice. Nuristani earns grant for Infectious Disease Society Abdul Nuristani, a fourth year medical student working with his faculty advistor Echezona Ezeanolue, M.D., received a $2,500 grant from the Infectious Disease Society of America for his project entitled “Investigating De-escalation of Antibiotics and the role of the Infectious Disease Specialist in patient care and outcome.” He plans to present the work at a future conference and submit it for publication. OB/GYN residents selected for fellowships Paul Stumpf, M.D., chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology announces that Ming Zhou, M.D. and Aimee Fleury, M.D., both residents with the department, have successfully matched for highly competitive fellowship programs to begin July 1, 2009. Zhou was accepted for the maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Wright State University in Ohio, while Fleury was accepted for a gynecologic oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Faculty Duan receives innovation award Dayue Duan, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology, received an innovation award from the American Diabetes Association for his research project on the diabetic heart entitled, “Characterization of CI.ATP channel interactome as a novel and key protective target against diabetic heart disease.” Sanders promotes water fitness program at press conference Mary Sanders, Ph.D., associate professor with the Division of Medical Nutrition and the Center for Nutrition and Metabolism, participated in a press conference in Castellon, Spain on her pioneering program of therapeutic water fitness activities for the physically handicapped. Nguyen published in journal Quang Nguyen, D.O., associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine in Reno, was published in the peer reviewed journal American Health & Drug Benefits this fall for his article entitled “Evaluation and Management of Diabetes Mellitus." Hunter named chair of Department of Microbiology and Immunology Kenneth Hunter, Sc.D., has been named chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Nevada School of Medicine for a two-year period. Read more Jakoby manuscripts, reports accepted for publication Michael Jakoby, M.D., chair of the Department of Internal Medicine in Las Vegas, has several manuscripts and case reports accepted for publication or currently in press including "Use of the thyrocyte sodium iodide symporter as the basis of a perchlorate cell-based assay" which was accepted for publication by the Royal Society of Chemistry and is in press in The Analyst. Other papers include "Glycemic control and clinical outcomes for patients admitted to noncritical care hospitals units" and "Malignant hypertension due to paraganglioma syndrome type 4: case report and review of the literature" both in press at Carle Selected Papers; “Levofloxacin-associated hypoglycaemia complicated by pontine myelinolysis and quadriplegia" published in Diabetic Medicine and "Genome wide association studies to identify candidate obesity susceptibility genes in a carefully phenotyped, metabolically clean population of morbidly obese patients" funded by the Nevada Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence. This last paper was produced in collaboration with fellow faculty members Doina Kulick, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine in Reno; Cynthia Mastick, Ph.D., Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and James Lau, M.D., Department of Surgery, chief of the Division of Bariatric Surgery. Palmer addresses medical groups this fall In her capacity as president of the National Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, Elissa J. Palmer, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine in Las Vegas, addressed the American Academy of Family Physicians’ annual Congress of Delegates at its fall meeting in San Diego. At the same conference, she also presented a peer-reviewed poster on “Preceptorship in Diabetes: Innovation in Residency Training and Medical Education.” As a member of the academic council of the National Institute of Program Director Development Fellowship, she recently taught in the fall session of that program held in Dallas. Rogers, Prum present at national society meeting Assistant professors in the Department of Family and Community Medicine in Las Vegas, Aron Rogers, D.O. and Andra Prum, D.O., recently presented a program entitled “Implementing a Transitional Course to Prepare Medical Students for Clerkship Experiences” at the National Society of Teachers of Family Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Prum, Martin receive grant Andra Prum, D.O. and Kate Martin, M.D., with the Department of Family and Community Medicine in Las Vegas, received a $5,000 grant from the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation to pursue their IRB-approved research project, “Perceptions and Evaluation of Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease of Women Living in Las Vegas.” Prum is also the principal investigator on a study for implementing a basic EKG reading and interpretation course for third year medical students in a clerkship setting and recently completed a year-long teaching and learning faculty development fellowship at the USC Keck School of Medicine. New Hires, Promotions, Departures and Staff Recognitions Abramow, Zhou join Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Stanley M. Abramow, M.D., fellow, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, joins the University of Nevada School of Medicine as an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Las Vegas. Read more Ming Diane Zhou, M.D., also joins the department and will see patients and teach medical students and residents as part of University Health System, the clinical practice of the School of Medicine. Read more Brown retires from family medicine department in Reno Cynthia Brown, M.D., retired from the family medicine department in Reno last month. She had served at the School of Medicine for more than 20 years and served as medical director. Curtis leaves for University of North Carolina Jim Curtis, the School of Medicine’s chief librarian left us at the end of November to return to North Carolina to take a position with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Terry Henner will take over as interim chief librarian, while Jon Goetz will head up information technology responsibilities on an interim basis. School Notes December Student Outreach Clinic dates announced The University of Nevada School of Medicine’s Student Outreach Clinics for December 2008 have been announced for the following dates: a combined General Health Clinic/Children’s Health Clinic will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 8 a.m. to noon and a Women’s Clinic is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. Read more Bariatric division launches Project HOPE The School of Medicine’s Division of Bariatric Surgery launched Project HOPE (Healthy Options for Prevention and Education), a three-year study to help students develop a healthier lifestyle at Roy Martin Middle School in Las Vegas on Nov. 13. Approximately 1,300 students, parents, teachers and volunteers participated in the one-mile walk, including some medical students and faculty. After the walk concluded, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman greeted the participants and signed autographs and Nevada State Assemblyman Ruben Kihuen spoke to the students in Spanish and provided an overview of Project HOPE's goals, since Hispanic children are at-risk for being overweight and/or obese, and 75 percent of the students at Martin Middle School are Latino. A family instruction manual, providing education about the national guidelines for good nutrition and physical fitness and developed by the staff at the Children's Heart Center, has been delivered to pupils at the middle school. In addition, 1465 pedometers have been donated by Zappos.com for a walking-activity program, and Fresh and Easy Markets are providing organic fruits and vegetables for a lunchtime project to increase consumption to five per day. Each of these projects are 12 weeks in duration. According to Pat Lau, program administrator, the division is also planning to measure the height and weight annually of all students at Roy Martin Middle School during the three-year study, in an effort to track changes in body mass index over time. Read more Free elder care training offered in Gardnerville The Sanford Center for Aging, Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Nevada Geriatric Education Center (a joint program between the Sanford Center for Aging and the University of Nevada School of Medicine) will hold a free workshop on caring for older adults in Gardnerville on Thursday, Dec. 4 from 1:15 to 4:15 p.m. in the Douglas County Senior Center, 2300 Meadow Lane, Gardnerville. Read more Medicine and humanities continuing education opportunity Dec. 9 A special continuing education opportunity will be offered Dec. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Reno’s Renown Health Center, Classroom 107 just behind Remedees Restaurant. Join authors Felicia Nimue Ackerman, "Applicants," Theodore Deppe, "Admission, Children's Unit," and Henri Barbusse, "The Eleventh" for discussion facilitated by Susan Palwick, Ph.D., associate professor of English at the University of Nevad, Reno and adjunct clinical professor at the School of Medicine. Light dinner will be provided. Literature and Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Healthcare® is a program developed by Maine Humanities Council. It encourages participants to connect the worlds of science and lived experience, giving them the opportunity to reflect on their professional roles and relationships through plays, short stories, poetry, fiction and personal narratives in a setting where they can share their reflections with colleagues. This program is brought to Nevada by Humanities and Ethics at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, Renown Health, and Nevada Humanities. RSVP by email to Karissa Loper or call 775-682-8393. Grantwriting workshop in Reno planned for Dec. 10 A grantwriting workshop featuring internationally known technical writing consultant Elizabeth Tornquist will be held Wednesday, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m. to noon in the William Raggio Building, Room 2003 on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. RSVP via email as soon as possible to Sharon Muldoon or call 775-682-7166. Status of LCME accrediation visit Visit the School of Medicine Web site for an update on the progress of the LCME accreditation visit in 2009. State job openings at the School of Medicine Visit the University of Nevada, Reno Web site for a current list of state jobs at the University of Nevada School of Medicine.	In This Edition Dean's Comments Medical Education Students coordinate community service project Bierkamper Research Convocation set for Jan. 20 Verby coordinating spirituality conference this winter Nuristani earns grant from Infectious Disease Society OB/GYN residents selected for fellowships Faculty Duan receives innovation award Sanders promotes water fitness program at press conference Nguyen published in journal Hunter named chair of Department of Microbiology and Immunology Jakoby manuscripts, reports accepted for publication Palmer addresses medical groups this fall Rogers, Prum present at national society meeting Prum, Martin receive grant New Hires, Promotions, Departures and Staff Recognitions Abramow, Zhou join Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Brown retires from family medicine department in Reno Curtis leaves for University of North Carolina School Notes December Student Outreach Clinic dates announced Bariatric division launches Project HOPE Free elder care training offered in Gardnerville Medicine and humanities CE opportunity Dec. 9 Grantwriting wrokshop in Reno planned for Dec. 10 Status of LCME accrediation visit State job openings at the School of Medicine Past Editions 2008 March, April, May/June, July, August, September, October, November
Inside Nevada Medicine is a service of the Office of Health Science Communications, University of Nevada School of Medicine and is published monthly. Faculty, staff, residents and students are encouraged to submit items of school-wide interest to Editor Anne McMillin for publication. Deadline is the 20th of the month prior to publication. Copyright 2008 University of Nevada School of Medicine.