The art mural commemorating African American progress in the medical field in Detroit includes a portrait of Dr. Alexa Canady, far left, who was the first black woman neurosurgeon in the United States..

February is Black History Month in the United States. The Wayne State University School of Medicine has a storied history of African Americans students, faculty and graduates that dates back to a mere year after the medical school was founded.

Joseph Ferguson, M.D., graduated from what was then Detroit Medical College, in 1869. He became the first Black man in Detroit and most likely in Michigan to earn a medical degree.

Fast forward more than 150 years, and the school hit another milestone in 2019 the 50thanniversary of the Post-Baccalaureate Program, founded in 1969. It was the first of its kind in the nation. Initially launched to address the dearth of Black students entering medical schools, the free program immerses students into a year-long education in biochemistry, embryology, gross anatomy, histology and physiology. Many who graduated from the program were accepted into the WSU School of Medicine, but the program also served for several years as a major pipeline for Black students into medical schools across the nation. Today, the program accepts economically or educationally disadvantagedfirst-generation college students.

In between, the school continued to play a major role in addressing the physician workforce in America and bridging the gap in health disparities and health outcomes.

The WSU School of Medicine was founded in 1868 by four Civil War veteran physicians. At the same time, the first medical school in the county that was open to all people, Howard University Medical Department, opened in Washington, D.C., under the direction of Civil War veteran and Commissioner of the Freedmens Bureau, Gen. Oliver Howard. One year later, in 1869, the Detroit College of Medicine and Howard University graduated their first Black physicians.

Albert Henry Johnson, M.D., became the third Black graduate of the Detroit College of Medicine, in 1893. Dr. Johnson was one of the founders of Dunbar Hospital, the first Black non-profit hospital in Detroit.

In 1926, Chester Cole Ames, M.D., graduated from the Detroit College of Medicine and Surgery. He was the first Black physician to obtain an internship in Urology at a white hospital in Detroit, but he was never allowed to join the staff. Dr. Ames was Detroits first Black intern, resident and member of the Wayne University medical faculty. He cofounded three Black hospitals in Detroit, but was never granted privileges to practice his specialty in white hospitals.

Some 17 years later, Marjorie Peebles-Meyers, M.D., graduated from the Wayne University College of Medicine, the schools first Black female graduate. She was also the first Black female resident at Detroit Receiving Hospital, the first Black chief resident at Detroit Receiving Hospital, the first Black female appointed to the WSU medical faculty and the first Black female to join a private white medical practice in Detroit. After retiring, she began a second career as the first Black female medical officer at Ford Motor Co. World Headquarters. Dr. Peebles-Meyers received many awards and honors, including induction into the Michigan Womens Hall of Fame.

The same amount of time elapsed before physicians Thomas Flake Sr., M.D., Class of 1951; Addison Prince, M.D.; William Gibson, M.D.; and James Collins, M.D., were appointed to the staff at Harper Hospital, thereby integrating the Detroit Medical Center hospital staff.

Five years later, Charles Whitten, M.D.,became the first Black physician to head a department in a Detroit hospital when he was named clinical director of Pediatrics at Detroit Receiving Hospital. He was also a co-founder of the aforementioned Post-Baccalaureate Program.

In 1981, Alexa Canady, M.D., became the first Black woman neurosurgeon in the United States. Dr. Canady went on to serve as professor in the WSU Department of Neurosurgery. She was named one of the countrys most outstanding doctors by Child magazine in 2001.

Around 1988, two School of Medicine students Don Tynes, M.D. 95, and Carolyn King, M.D. 93, -- established Reach Out to Youth to introduce children 7 to 11 in underrepresented populations to the possibility of careers in science and medicine. Since then, the hands-on, workshop- and activity-focused program has been presented annually by the School of Medicines Black Medical Association, a chapter of the Student National Medical Association.

In 1995, Professor of Pediatrics and Sickle Cell Detection and Information Center Founder Charles Vincent, M.D., was appointed to the Membership Committee of the American Medical Association, making him the first Black doctor appointed to the committee after the AMAs founding 148 years earlier.

In 2017, Cheryl Gibson Fountain, M.D., FACOG, a 1987 graduate, was named president of the Michigan State Medical Society. The obstetrician/gynecologist served a one-year term as the societys first Black woman president.

In September 2022, members of the community and area churches came together with Wayne State University officials and students at the Wayne State University School of Medicine to celebrate a new outdoor mural commemorating African American progress in the medical field in Detroit. The mural, the product of a public humanities initiative to connect a multidisciplinary team of physicians, artists, students and activists with the broader community to celebrate the history of diversity in medicine and public health at WSU and in the city, was installed that June on the 375-foot-long public-facing concrete wall along the sidewalk north of Scott Hall, on the south side of Canfield Street.

In 2023, the School of Medicines End Race-Based Medicine Taskforce was launched to dispel and extinguish the misguided belief that individual races are biologically distinct groups determined by genes, and terminate medical practices and research that adhere to that concept. Co-created by Ijeoma Nnodim Opara, M.D., assistant professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and Latonya Riddle-Jones, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, the taskforce includes representation from institutional leadership, students, residents, faculty, and community members and leaders, including those from the School of Medicine, Wayne Health, the Detroit Medical Center, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Detroit Health Department and the Michigan State Medical Society.

Today, the push for further diversity, more inclusion and the elimination of health disparities continue to shape the future of the School of Medicine, from student-led efforts to longitudinal research projects dedicated to the health of Black Americans.

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Black History Month: Remarkable moments at the School of Medicine - Wayne State University

Unveiling the Battles Within

The human body is an intricate network of cells, each playing a vital role in our overall health. However, these cells are also the battleground for a silent war that rages on every day: the battle between host and pathogen. A recent study by researchers at Harvard Medical School provides a detailed look into this molecular warfare, specifically in the context of the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) infection.

The research unveils the precise strategies utilized by both the host and the pathogen as they vie for cellular dominance. The findings offer significant insights into the mechanisms at play in preventing outbreaks of symptoms. Moreover, they could potentially lead to the development of treatments for HSV and other herpesviruses and nuclear DNA viruses.

A key player in the hosts defense strategy is a group of signaling proteins known as interferons. These proteins are essentially the bodys alarm system, alerting other protective molecules and blocking the virus from establishing an infection. Interferons, therefore, play a pivotal role in countering viral invasions, particularly within the cell nucleus.

The study also identified a host protein called IFI16, which is summoned by the interferon to help block the virus from reproducing. IFI16 employs several strategies to fend off the virus, one of which involves building and maintaining a protective shell of molecules around the viral DNA genome. In doing so, it prevents the activation of the viral DNA, thus inhibiting its reproduction.

Another defense mechanism employed by IFI16 is neutralizing the virus-produced molecules VP16 and ICP0. The research shows that interferon signals are crucial in recruiting higher levels of IFI16, tipping the balance in favor of the immune system in this ongoing arms race.

The insights gained from this study have far-reaching implications, potentially paving the way for targeted treatments for HSV and other DNA viruses. This includes well-known troublemakers like the Epstein Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis, human papillomavirus, hepatitis B, and smallpox.

Understanding how the immune system fights to keep viruses at bay is crucial in our pursuit of developing effective treatments. The battle between the host immune system and herpes simplex virus at the cellular level has long intrigued scientists. With this recent research from Harvard Medical School, we are beginning to unravel the mysteries of this molecular warfare, bringing us one step closer to winning the battle against HSV and other similar viruses.

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Unveiling the Battles Within: Insights from Harvard Medical School Study - Medriva

Published 2:53 pm Friday, December 15, 2023

NEWS RELEASE

Recognizing the achievements and passion of six inspiring student doctors, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine announced the recipients of the 2023 Sherry R. Arnstein Underrepresented Minority Scholarship this week. Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine third-year medical student Cheyennae Barbee was among the honorees.

The scholarship was endowed by the Arnstein family to honor former AACOM Executive Director Sherry R. Arnsteins legacy and to help current and new osteopathic students from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds fund their education. In addition to Barbee, other recipients included Carley Andrew of Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Jordan Howard of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine South Georgia, Adrian Mercado of Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, Alejandro Serru-Rivera of Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine and Neriah Sosa of University of Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine.

We are very proud that these students represent the next generation of osteopathic physicians and will be the future doctors advancing our nations health care system, said AACOM President and CEO Robert A. Cain, DO. Our country is facing a crisis and is in desperate need of highly trained and skilled physicians, particularly doctors of color and those dedicated to practicing in underserved and rural areas. These student doctors are committed to osteopathic principles serving all communities, particularly those most in need. There is no better way to honor the legacy of Sherry Arnstein.

Barbee, a member of the LMU-DCOM Class of 2025, is currently in clinical rotations. She was born in rural Arkansas and lived there with her grandparents on and off. She has lived in 13 states, including 16 years in Culpeper, Virginia, another rural town. Barbee earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Virginia Commonwealth University with minors in chemistry and Spanish. She went on to earn a Master of Science in biomedical sciences and research from Kansas City University in 2021.

Inspired by examples of family members working in health care, Barbee decided to pursue medicine. Im naturally curious and love learning so becoming a doctor satisfies my lifelong thirst for knowledge. I also want to inspire other Black people to take the road less traveled instead of the well-beaten path, she said.

When it came time to choose a medical school, Barbee only considered osteopathic schools because she liked the non-competitive atmosphere she experienced while attending Kansas City University for her graduate studies. She was drawn to LMU-DCOM in Harrogate due to its rural focus and location. I grew up in rural Virginia near the mountains and understand how dire the need for quality and accessible health care is for this specific population, Barbee said. LMU-DCOMs mission really resonated with me.

Recognizing not only the need for diverse physicians but also scientists and researchers representing underrepresented populations, Barbee has pursued opportunities to conduct research throughout her academic career. Last summer, she participated in Duke Universitys Office of Physician-Scientist Development Preparing Research scholars in bioMEdical sciences program where she worked on a research project entitled ITP antibodies mediate complement activation and platelet desialylation. Barbee worked under the direction of Duke University Medical Centers Dr. Gowthami Arepally, a hematologist and physician-scientist, who has become a mentor for Barbee.

Dr. Arepally has inspired me, and I aim to become a physician-scientist with a focus in classical hematology, Barbee said. I plan to work in academic medicine and spend 40% of my time in clinic (hopefully rural), 40% in the lab and 20% teaching.

Barbee will return to Duke next summer to continue research under Arepally.

The Sherry R. Arnstein Underrepresented Minority Student Scholarship was established in honor of Arnsteins lifelong dedication to public service, social equity and justice. After the initial endowment, AACOM continued funding the program, which has grown steadily since its inaugural grants were awarded. Since 2012, AACOM has awarded more than $250,000 to 66 recipients.

I would like to thank AACOM for awarding me the 2023 Arnstein Scholarship. This will help alleviate a lot of financial stress going into my last year of medical school, Barbee said. I also want to dedicate this award to poor Black kids with dreams bigger than the town they live in. You can, you must, and you will succeed because our community needs us!

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LMU'S Barbee receives minority scholarship - Claiborne Progress - Claiborne Progress

As an intern, Sherry C. Huang,M.D., discovered a pathway to become one of the worlds leading genetic experts on inherited colon cancer syndromes. Her determination to help others was driven by painful and personal experience.

I diagnosed my father with colon cancer when he was in his mid-50s, said Dr.Huang, who joined UTSouthwestern as Vice Provost and Senior Associate Dean for Education on Feb.1. It cannot get any more personal than having to diagnose your own parent. Its why I went into early-risk colon cancer research.

After concentrating on cancer research and patient care for more than two decades, Dr.Huang will now shift her emphasis to education leadership, an area she had expanded into during her tenure at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), then Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS), now known as Rutgers Health.

At Rutgers, she served as Vice Chancellor for Graduate Medical Education and Enterprise Wide Designated Institutional Official (DIO) and also as Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Gastroenterology at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. As Vice Chancellor and DIO, Dr.Huang provided executive leadership and management of an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Sponsoring Institution that spanned two medical schools, 13 hospitals, and 125 ACGME residency and fellowship programs with oversight of 1,700 trainees encompassing 70% of GME learners in the state of New Jersey.

Dr.Huangs proven strategic planning and leadership record, her deep understanding of the continuum of instruction, and her demonstrated skills enabling collaborations across distinct institutional entities will help chart the next era of education at UTSouthwestern, said W. P. Andrew Lee,M.D., Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, and Dean of UTSouthwestern Medical School.

Among her accomplishments, Dr.Huang successfully consolidated all GME programs at RBHS under one Sponsoring Institution while honoring the distinct traits of the diverse campuses and hospital systems. She guided the implementation of innovative curricula and training paradigms in the clinical learning environment to ensure alignment with institutional missions and priorities. Dr.Huang also designed health education programs and interprofessional training models to foster collaborative teaching, which increased opportunities to train health care learners in a team modeled approach to mitigate health care workforce shortages while improving health access and equity.

In her new role at UTSouthwestern, Dr.Huang succeeds Charles Ginsburg,M.D., who is retiring after 50 years of dedicated service to UTSW including, since 2016, as Vice Provost and Senior Associate Dean for Education. Dr.Huang said her primary responsibility will be to further enhance the academic excellence that has positioned UTSouthwestern nationally as a leading institution for medical education.

I was incredibly impressed by the potent and available opportunities here for real change, said Dr.Huang, who will also be Professor of Pediatrics at UTSW. UTSouthwestern represented the be-all of learning institutions for promoting new and better ways to teach medicine and redefine health equity and access.

The granddaughter of physicians, Dr.Huang has for more than two decades led research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Gastroenterological Association focused on tumorigenesis in early-onset colon cancer. Her laboratory career at UCSD and most recently at RBHS has included working to identify families at risk and creating a regional registry for polyposis syndromes. Dr.Huangs latest research employed computational models to predict genetically predisposed colon cancer patients who can benefit from targeted prevention.

Ive had the privilege of helping families specifically young children with rare diseases related to early-risk colon cancer syndromes. Because of the hereditary nature of these syndromes, over time, my young patients have become parents themselves, and I have been humbled to also manage their children medically, Dr.Huang said.

A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr.Huang earned her medical degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1994. She completed residency training in pediatrics at UCSD, followed by a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition, and postdoctoral research training with a focus on cancer genetics. Dr.Huang then joined the faculty of UCSD, pursuing a career as a physician-scientist while promoting medical education in progressive leadership roles at UCSD and then Rutgers.

I always wanted to follow in my grandparents footsteps, Dr.Huang said. I recall visiting them as a little girl and being so fascinated. There was no way for me to escape but to become a physician myself.

As for her latest career move, she said the decision to join UTSW was easy and related to her finding a genuine collaborative and innovative spirit from the people she met in the academic community.

What is most exciting for me about UTSouthwestern is how well positioned it is to lead the state and our nation in defining new educational paradigms to train tomorrows leaders, Dr.Huang said.

Dr. Ginsburg holds the Marilyn R. Corrigan Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Research.

Dr. Lee holds the Atticus James Gill, M.D. Chair in Medical Science.

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Cancer researcher Huang aims to chart new era of education as Senior Associate Dean, Center Times Plus, UT ... - UT Southwestern

Two faculty in the Yale Department of Psychiatry have been chosen to receive the Nancy C.A. Roeske, MD, Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Medical Student Education from the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Carmen Black, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, and Cynthia D. Conrad, MD, PhD, clinical instructor in psychiatry, are the 2023-2024 recipients of the award at Yale.

The award was established in honor of Nancy C.A. Roeske, MD, and serves as a tribute to her unique and creative contributions to psychiatric education. It is awarded to APA members who have made outstanding and sustaining contributions to medical student education.

Black is director of Social Justice and Health Equity Education in the Yale Department of Psychiatry and a Yale School of Medicine Clinical Skills Lead, where she teaches pre-clerkship medical students about patient interviewing and the physical exam. She is leading the medical school in a medical education grant about removing carceral practice within medical education and clinical practice. In this capacity she teaches a core clerkship lecture about historically informed, evidence-based principles supporting the de-policing of hospital medicine.

Conrad has served as a psychiatric residency training director and conducted case conferences on complex patients with the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. She tutors medical students during their psychiatric clerkship, stressing the value of biopsychosocial approach to patient care. She assists her students in oral and written case presentations, differential diagnostics, treatment, and disposition planning.

Submitted by Christopher Gardner on February 02, 2024

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Black, Conrad Chosen to Receive Roeske Award < Yale School of Medicine - Yale School of Medicine

In this study of 744 IMGs applying for the 2022 residency match, we found that younger age, higher USMLE scores, higher-income country of origin (including the United States), fewer match attempts, applying to fewer specialties, having parents with college degree or higher, and coming from higher-than-average or lower-than-average family income were associated with increased odds of matching. Gender, personal income, and visa status did not demonstrate significant associations with residency match.

According to the NRMP in the 2022 residency match 5,048 US IMGs and 7,864 non-US IMGs submitted rank lists [2]. Thus, surveys for this study were sent to 38% of all IMGs who applied to the 2022 match with 5% of all IMGs participating in 2022 residency match responding. To our knowledge, only a limited number of studies focusing on IMGs residency match exist. Most of the data comes from the annual NRMP report.. This information is limited to data such as USMLE scores, research publications, work and volunteer experiences, and number of specialties applied. There are, however, papers focusing on specific economic and cultural challenges of IMGs demonstrating that IMGs from more developed countries match to more competitive specialties and residency programs [13, 14].

Our study cohort had a higher proportion of successfully matched applicants (87.3% of US IMGs, 70.5% of non-US IMGs) compared to the total population of applicants per the NRMP which reported a match rate of 61.4% for US IMGs and 58.1% for non-US IMGs in the 2022 residency match. Similarly, our rate of match to the preferred specialty was higher with 68.9% of US IMGs and 63.8% of non-US IMGs matching to their preferred specialty compared to the 2022 match rate to preferred specialty which was 54.8% for US IMGs, 53.5% for non-US IMGs [2]. Despite these differences, we still had a substantial proportion of unmatched non-US IMGs which allowed us to perform a multivariable analysis of factors associated with matching. Other than a higher match rate in our cohort, the rest of the reported variables, including Step scores and percent of female applicants, were similar to national average based on the NRMP data. This suggests that the data likely can be generalized to the other residency programs in the US. Our analysis of US IMGs was limited due to the small number of unmatched applicants in our cohort. Findings demonstrated that graduates from countries with high or upper middle income were more likely to secure residency position, and applicants with at least one parent with a college degree or higher were more likely to match to a program listed in one of the top-3 spots on their rank list.. IMGs from higher income families were also more successful in residency match. This supports our theory that IMG applicants from higher socio-economic backgrounds were more likely to secure residency positions even when accounting for other variables. Higher socio-economic status is also associated with medical school matriculation among American medical students. A 2018 AAMC study of 126,856 1st year US medical students from 1988 through 2017, the top two household income quintiles contributed between 73 and 79% of all US medical school matriculants each year. Interestingly, matriculants in higher-income quintiles were also more likely to be children of parents with at least a bachelors degree [5]. Regarding parental education, there are similar findings among US medical students. In 2022 only 21.5% of US medical school matriculants had parents with less than a college degree [15].

Our study did also demonstrate an association between being from a lower-than-average income family with higher chances of matching. While this result seems to contradict another finding of our study, it is possible that both are true. Admittedly it is very difficult to compare between residents of different countries since family income is self-reported and potentially subjective. However, with an increasing focus on diversity, resilience and grit in the residency selection process, applicants from lower-income families may have an advantage in demonstrating these qualities. The true association between family income and residency match success requires further study.

Per our data, age was significantly associated with chances to match, match to preferred specialty, and top-3 programs. Younger applicants do better in all three outcomes. The average age of a first-year medical resident in the US is 29.8years [16], the average age of matched IMG in our dataset was similar (28.9years).

In addition to the finding of applicants from higher income countries being 66% more likely to secure residency position, there is another observation. Approximately 10% of the worlds population comes from low-income countries [17]. Among our non-US IMG respondents only 5.7% reported being from a country classified as low-income by the World Bank. This underrepresentation could be due to financial barriers faced by these applicants.

There are programs in the US medical education, such as VSLO (Visiting Student Learning Opportunities) which charge different annual fees depending on a countrys income level [18]. The ECFMGs fees, however, are the same for every IMG. The fees are lower for IMGs residing in the US because they do not pay an international surcharge for the USMLE exam administration. In addition, USMLE examinations are less likely to be available in low-income countries, requiring applicants from these countries to travel internationally to sit for each exam which further increases the relative cost of the match for them [17]. The COVID-19 pandemic likely widened the gap between IMG applicants from different countries even more, starting with economic damages disproportionally affecting low-income countries and ending with new regulations complicating international travel especially for nationals of countries where Western vaccines are not readily available and those requiring US visas [19, 20].

We found that the increased number of specialties applied to was associated with a decreased odd of matching. This finding is consistent with NRMP reports demonstrating that applicants applying to a higher number of specialties have lower chances of matching. This finding may be due to residency programs perceiving applicants with multi-specialty CVs as having lower commitment to any given specialty. Alternatively, applicants applying to more competitive specialties are more likely to use less competitive specialties as a secondary option. Further specialty-specific studies are needed to analyze these findings.

Visa status was not associated with odds of matching. This is likely because our institution sponsors all types of visas for IMGs, however, this finding may not be generalizable to other institutions where only particular types of visas are sponsored.

To improve access to US graduate medical education for international applicants from lower socio-economic backgrounds, consideration of a sliding scale payment system for the variety of fees associated with the entire process could be introduced. Additional studies are needed to survey larger number of international applicants regarding the financial barriers they experience to entering the US graduate medical education system prior to developing this type of system.

Based on our data, any IMG applying to the NRMP would be advised to put their absolute best application forward the first time rather than taking a shot and seeing how they fair. Age was also a significant predictor of match success so waiting many years to apply could offset some of the gains in other areas. For those applicants who are further out from their primary medical training, they may need to find additional ways to connect with or highlight their value to programs to demonstrate how their prior experience is an asset and not a liability, since our data suggests a preference for younger applicants. We acknowledge that this finding could be the result of older applicants having more attempts due to weaker applications within our data set. It is also possible that applicants from lower socio-economic backgrounds are not able to apply shortly after medical school graduation as they might need to work for several years to be able to afford the USMLE and NRMP cost.

This was a retrospective study in order to comply with ERAS policies. Our response rate was relatively low at 15.13% but does represent 5% of all IMGs applying for 2022 residency match. This is still a relatively small sample compared to the number of IMGs applying for residency match each year. An unmeasured confounding is a potential limitation of this study. Due to difficulties with comparing socio-economic characteristics of people from different countries, we had to use subjective variables such as personal perception of the participants of their level of income growing up in comparison to other families in the same city. The match rate of our respondents was higher compared to the total population of applicants per the NRMP which could represent self-selection bias. There is a small chance all associations identified were due to statistical error.

We used contact information provided by the applicants as a part of NRMP. Based on our sample, more than 1/3 of all IMGs applying that year applied to our institution, they also likely applied to hundreds of other programs, and therefore, we do not believe that competitiveness of our institution was a significant limiting factor of this study, although it is a possibility.

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Relationship between individual and country-level socio-economic background, USMLE step scores, and ... - BMC Medical Education

Michael S. Brown, MD, director of the Jonsson Center for Molecular Genetics and the Regental Professor at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical School, will address graduates and their guests at Feinbergs 165th commencement ceremony on Monday, May 13.

Brown, along with his long-time colleague, Joseph Goldstein, MD, Chairman of the Department of Molecular Genetics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, discovered the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor, which controls cholesterol in blood and in cells, and showed that mutations in this receptor cause Familial Hypercholesterolemia, a disorder that leads to premature heart attack.

Their work laid the groundwork for the development of statins that block cholesterol synthesis, increase LDL receptors, lower blood cholesterol and prevent heart attacks. Their discoveries earned them the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology in 1985 and the U.S. National Medal of Science in 1988, among many other awards.

Brown earned his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1966 and completed an internship and internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1968. He then became a Clinical Associate at the National Institutes of Health and in 1969, he joined the laboratory of Earl Stadtman at the National Institutes of Health as a postdoctoral fellow. In 1976, Brown was named the Paul J Thomas Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Genetic Diseases at UT Southwestern Medical School.

Brown and Goldstein have shared a laboratory for more than 50 years. The two scientists worked with scientists at Merck to develop the first statin drugs, which cause the liver to produce more LDL receptors, thereby removing more LDL from blood and lowering LDL levels. In 1987, Merck received FDA approval for the first statin drug, which was shown to effectively treat high blood cholesterol, reduce heart attacks and extended survival in adults with coronary heart disease. Today, statins are taken by more than 20 million Americans.

Brown is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and he is a Foreign Member of the Royal Society in London. Brown served for 16 years on the Board of Directors of Pfizer and is currently director of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, where he chairs the Technology Committee.

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Nobel Laureate and World-Renowned Geneticist to Speak at 2024 Commencement - News Center - Feinberg News Center

Two members of the OUWB Class of 2024 successfully matched Thursday in the highly competitive specialty of urology joining 25 alumni from the school to have done so since 2015.

Prasun Sharma matched at University of Pennsylvania and Moe Hijazi at University of Illinois.

They were among the 500 medical trainees competing for 394 positions in 148 urology residency training programs nationwide, according to the Society of Academic Urologists (SAU) and the American Urological Association (AUA). When the matching algorithm was processed, 77% of trainees were matched to a position in a program.

Early matches apply to specialties not affiliated with the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), which annually holds its Match Day the third Friday in March (on March 15 this year). Military and ophthalmology programs also have early matches.

The two future urologists from the Class of 2024 join 25 OUWB alumni who have matched in the specialty since 2015 and helped establish OUWB as a top feeder school in the field.

OUWBs success in urology is what attracted me to it, said Sharma.

I looked at how the school consistently has students matching in urology. The students have to do their part, of course, but without department support for research, mentorship, and connectionsits difficult to mirror that type of success year after year.

Sharma said successfully matching and joining the OUWB alumni to have matched before him feels really good.

Its been incredibly competitive in the last three or four years in urologybut we have a fantastic staff here and I definitely put in the work, and it ended up working out pretty well, he said.

Peters

Kenneth Peters, M.D., chair, Department of Urology, called it an incredibly competitive year for the urology match.

I am very proud of the OUWB students that matched in urology, he said. This is a great accomplishment.

The Department of Urology continues to mentor many OUWB students interested in urology, and we provide them excellent research opportunities that gives them a competitive advantage as urology candidates, he added.

Chris Jaeger, M.D., OUWB 15, instructor, Department of Urology, and Sharmas faculty advisor, called OUWBs continued success in matching future urologists truly amazing.

I believe the success stems from the perfect fusion of passionate students, a strong medical school curriculum, and an extraordinary department of Urology at the Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak led (by Peters), said Jaeger.

Dr. Peters has helped build the department into a national leader in clinical medicine and research that is revered by other leading institutions across the country, he added.

For Sharma, another big factor in his success was knowing early on that he wanted to specialize in urology.

Originally from Nepal, Sharma earned a bachelors degree in web design and development from Brigham Young University. Before starting at OUWB in 2020, Sharma served four years in the U.S. Army, where he was a medic. It was during his experiences with the military that he realized he could combine his background in information technology with his interest in medicine to specialize in a field like urology.

The very first (urology) case I saw was a laser breaking up a stone and my mind was blown, he said. Coming from a tech background, I absolutely fell in love with the field.

He hit the ground running and between M1 and M2 years was awarded a prestigious fellowship funded through the American Urological Association. He spent the summer as part of a research team at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak.

Post-fellowship, Sharma continued doing research, working alongside mentors like Michael B. Chancellor, M.D., professor, Department of Urology, at the Beaumont Research Institute.

Sharma, a 2023 Gold Humanism Honor Society inductee, said he also became involved in clinical learning early on, working closely with mentors like Brian Odom, M.D., OUWB 17, and Jaeger.

Mentorship is fundamental to medicine but also represents an important component in advancing specialty care like urology, said Jaeger. Dedicated mentorship is how I was able to match into urology and I feel an obligation to uphold this tradition at OUWB and Corewell Health for all medical students interested in urology.

Sharma, who is set to get married in May, said one of the first things he did in learning he matched was email and text those so critical to his success.

I told them that I could not thank them enough, he said. I also encouraged them to continue helping future students like me because we have a great pipeline for urology, and I hope that continues.

Thats exactly what Jaeger said OUWBs Department of Urology plans to do.

The faculty are so proud of the urology legacy at OUWB, and we hope to continue inspiring future OUWB medical students to pursue this field, he said.

For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, marketing writer, OUWB, at adietderich@oakland.edu.

To request an interview, visit the OUWB Communications & Marketingwebpage.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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Two OUWB Class of 2024 members early match in 'incredibly competitive' specialty - News at OU

(Photos by Matt Reynolds)

Speaking to a room full of student-doctors at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) on Wednesday during the medical schools weekly Convocation, Liberty President Dondi Costin emphatically shared the importance of not delaying Gods purpose for their lives.

Costins message marked the conclusion of LUCOMs Convocation series titled Waiting on God, and he stated that his message to the student-doctors is simply that God is also waiting on them.

The Lord is waiting on you to become the man or woman of God He wants you to be, and God loves you, he said. God loves you not because youre talented or ambitious or have a special calling you wouldnt be here if you werent but because He made you in His image. He loves you with an everlasting love that is based not on your performance but based on His performance.

Costin is a retired Major General with 36 years of service in a military career that culminated as a senior leader in the Pentagon, where he served as the 18th Air Force Chief of Chaplains. He said during his time in service, he would wake up every morning, don his uniform, and take note of the words on his right shoulder.

When Id put that thing on, button up those buttons, and look at myself in the mirror before I left for the day to conquer the world or whatever else I was supposed to do, I would see the name U.S. Air Force on my shoulder, and that told me that my job that day was not to live for myself, but to give everything I could for the U.S. Air Force. My oath said nothing about having a nice life it was all about how much I would be giving to those who would never know my name or care (about me), but they would care that they could go to sleep each night in a free country and wake up in a free country.

He asked those in the room why they wanted to become a doctor and theorized that some may have been pushed into it by loved ones and others might have heard that the profession makes a lot of money. However, just as he was called to serve in the military, Costin said that the student-doctors likely also heeded a call to their profession and knew there are people out there who are in a state of pain and difficulty that they want to serve.

On the opposite shoulder of his uniform, Costin said, was his last name. While he did nothing to earn his last name, Costin said he would make a point each day to represent his name well.

When LUCOM students put on their own uniform of a white coat, Costin said, they are a representative of their names, too, sewn onto the chest with the title of Dr.

When people come to you, theyre not going to ask to see your transcripts and (references); you are going to walk in with an authority based on your Dr., he said. The most important thing about your title is not what it means to other people its the meaning you put into the name. If you learn to wait on God, you will do exactly what He says and help the people who cried out to Him for help.

But doing so can only come with the choice to submit to God and not make excuses before answering His call. Costin referred to the story in Exodus of Moses resisting Gods call through the burning bush for him to free His people, along with Costins own experience of initially rejecting a calling to ministry, as he charged LUCOMs student-doctors to not waste time God can use.

Waiting on you is one of His specialties, and let me tell you from personal experience: the sooner you take Him up on His offer to go wherever He wants to send you, the better your life will be, and the better the lives will be of the people He has called you to serve, Costin said. The thing Ive learned about God is that He will let you run, and when you falter, He will be there waiting for you. Although others will say this, God will never say, I told you so. He will say, Its about time, and there are people out there who need you.

At the closing of Convocation, LUCOM Dean Dr. Joseph Johnson, DO, asked faculty and students in leadership or with military backgrounds to lay hands on and pray over President Costin in his leadership of Liberty University.

The next series for LUCOM Convocation, The Great Physician, will begin next Wednesday, Feb. 7. Speakers for these Convocations are often faculty and staff from LUCOM or other departments of Liberty, but they also feature outside speakers on occasion.

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President Costin speaks at LUCOM Convocation, urges medical students to represent Christ in their careers | Liberty ... - Liberty University

SEOUL, Feb. 4 (Yonhap) -- The government is likely to announce an increase in the medical school enrollment quota this week to address the shortage of doctors in remote areas and essential medicine despite strong opposition from the medical circle, officials said Sunday.

If decided, it will be the first hike of the medical school enrollment quota in 19 years. The current limit stood at 3,058.

The government has reportedly been looking to raise the annual enrollment quota at medical schools by as much as 2,000 from the current 3,058, starting in 2025. The move comes amid a shortage of doctors in non-metropolitan and remote areas, as well as in the essential medicine field, including pediatrics and emergency care.

Doctors have opposed the government's plan, claiming that the quota hike will compromise the quality of medical education and services and that the government should find other ways to better allocate physicians and boost compensation.

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong speaks during a press briefing on medical reform issues at the government complex in Seoul on Feb. 1, 2024. (Yonhap)

During a government-public debate on medical reform Thursday, health officials said the government will raise the number of medical school students starting in 2025, considering the shortage of 15,000 doctors in 2035.

At the session, President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to push ahead with the expansion of medical personnel, saying it is essential to reviving local and essential medical services.

Along with the potential quota increase, the government plans to announce a set of measures that aims to encourage doctors to major in essential medical fields and serve in non-metropolitan and other remote regions that have particularly seen a decrease in the number of medical staff.

According to the health ministry, the number of doctors per 1,000 people in South Korea came to 5.6, far below the average of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member nations.

julesyi@yna.co.kr (END)

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Gov't expected to announce medical school quota hikes this week - Yonhap News Agency

Educator Development Programs

Held at Noon on Zoom

Bimonthly workshops on Fridays

These sessions are designed for Yale School of Medicine educators, from novice to expert, with up-to-date, practical ways to engage and inspire learners in lab, workshop, clinical, and classroom settings.

Monthly groups on Thursdays

This series is for anyone involved in, or interested in getting involved in, medical education. They are designed to address a timely topic of interest, which leads to an engaging discussion among participants.

We would like to highlight a special guest speaker presenting at the February 22 MEDG:

William B. Cutrer, MD, MEd, FAAP, senior associate dean for undergraduate medical education, associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

The Master Adaptive Learner Model: An Innovative Approach to Lifelong Learning

The master adaptive learner (MAL) uses self-regulated learning skills to develop adaptive, efficient, and accurate skills in medical practice. Given the increasingly rapid changes in health care, it is essential that medical students develop into MALs and for faculty educators to acquire the skills to teach them. Dr. Cutrer co-authored the book, The Master Adaptive Learner.

The 12th annual conference will be held in person. The events will include a keynote by Alison J. Whelan, MD, AAMC Chief Academic Officer; workshops; oral presentations; and a poster session.

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Center for Medical Education: Upcoming Events < Yale School of Medicine - Yale School of Medicine

Trying to resolve continuing financial problems, Gov. Ned Lamont is turning to an independent consultant to chart the future for the UConn Health center at a time when many hospitals are struggling.

The future of the UConn Health center has challenged state officials for the past 25 years as they have tried to balance the books with state funding and patient fees at the John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington, along with tuition, fees, and research grants at the universitys medical and dental schools.

During that time, Connecticut has had multiple governors, House Speakers, UConn presidents, trustee leaders, and medical school deans who have all studied the situation. Now, its Lamonts turn.

Im thinking about partnerships, where you maximize the value of UConn Health, Lamont said when asked by The Courant. They do extraordinary work. Maybe with some partnerships we can reduce the cost to the taxpayers and make sure UConn Health is all it can be.

Some legislators have questioned whether the health center is run as efficiently as possible, but Lamont said the issue is broader than that.

I dont think thats the question, Lamont said of efficiencies. Look, its obviously a few hundred million dollars a year to the taxpayers. Theyve got an amazing medical school. Weve got to do nothing to compromise that. Great clinical care. Whats the best relationship there so we can maximize the care at the least cost to the taxpayers?

When asked during his first five years as governor about his plans for the future of the health center, Lamont had said that he was thinking about it without offering concrete plans.

Ive been looking at this for a while, Lamont said. Ive been talking to UConn about this for some time, talking to the other hospitals about this, trying to figure out how we can maximize the value there.

Since a request for proposals has not been released yet, a consulting firm has yet to be hired and the exact costs for the consultant have not been announced.

We ought to have some preliminary response in the next 90, 120 days, Lamont said, adding that he wants details before the 2024 legislative session ends in May.

A longtime business executive who likes to cut through the bureaucracy and move quickly as in the private sector, Lamont said, I can be a little impatient sometimes.

During the 2022 fiscal year, the states block grant was $208 million and the allocation for state fringe benefits was $200 million for total state support of $408 million out of overall revenues of $1.6 billion, according to numbers provided to the state legislature by UConn. The tuition revenues of $472 million were higher than the states contribution.

Lamont has received strong pushback from the top leaders of the UConn administration, who say that a consultant is not necessary.

Behind the scenes, UConn President Radenka Maric and other top officials have been trying to block the request for proposals sought by Lamont, which was first reported by Hartford Courant columnist Kevin F. Rennie. Rennie obtained a two-page letter that was written by Maric and three of the universitys highest-ranking officials: board of trustees chairman Daniel Toscano, health center board chairman Sanford Cloud, and medical school dean Bruce T. Liang, who also serves as interim CEO at the health center.

We question the need to issue a broad RFP or RFI, particularly because, as you know, we fear this will cause significant damage to UConn Health, including its schools, its reputation, and most importantly, retention and recruitment of the best and brightest faculty, staff and students, many of whom build their lives and careers in Connecticut, the letter said.

The four leaders also said they are concerned about the future of the UConn medical and dental schools that are based in Farmington.

We are extremely concerned that if any responses include selling the clinical enterprise, the two schools accreditation and therefore their ability to continue to operate could be in serious jeopardy, according to the letter.

During years of previous debates about the future of the health center, Connecticut lawmakers have repeatedly noted that Harvard Medical School does not own its own hospital and students instead learn at hospitals around Boston.

House Republican leader Vincent Candelora, who has served in the legislature since 2007, expressed frustration at the continuing issue of the health centers finances. But he agreed a consultant is not necessary.

Weve known about this problem for decades, Candelora said in an interview. Whats a consultant going to do?

He said it is time to make decisions, rather than relying on a consultant that will push the issue into 2024 and beyond.

Lamont is punting like the rest of the governors who have dealt with this issue and the legislature, Candelora said. This issue has been punted for years. We just keep plugging the dikes temporarily and throwing money at it, and theres never been a systemic fix.

The financial problems at the health center have been a long-running issue with the legislature, dating back at least to 2000 and have continued for the terms of the past four governors. The health center sought millions in additional funding as lawmakers said for years that the fringe benefits for state employees at the state-subsidized hospital in Farmington have traditionally been far beyond those at similar hospitals. At Lamonts direction, the state will be funding the legacy costs of pensions and retiree health care.

In a recent message sent to colleagues, Liang said the consultants report will provide recommendations on the coming years.

The healthcare industry is obviously ever-changing, Liang said. Knowing that, its important to periodically undertake a holistic assessment of how our public health system is operating in this rapidly evolving environment and work to identify potential opportunities to safeguard and promote our continued vitality and plan for the future.

High salaries and pensions with COLAs

The health center has a large number of highly paid employees, according to the state comptrollers office.

The health center has 421 employees being paid at least $200,000 per year, including 118 at $350,000 or more, 32 at $500,000 or more, eight at $800,000 or more and four employees at $1 million or more, according to the comptrollers statistics. The total payroll for 2023 is $525 million for nearly 7,000 employees in a large, sprawling operation that includes a hospital running 24 hours per day.

Statewide, the UConn health center employs 10 of the top 15 highest-paid state employees and 30 of the top 45 highest-paid.

While pensions are paid separately out of the state pension fund, the health center has some of the top-paid retirees in the state. That includes Dr. Jack N. Blechner, a former professor at the health center and former department chairman of obstetrics and gynecology. His pension in 2023 is $342,000, which increases every year under the cost-of-living increase for longtime retirees. The total represents a sharp increase of more than $100,000 from Blechners pension in 2005 that was $216,000.

The consultant, Candelora said, should look at the salaries and benefits that are driving costs higher.

Public sector salaries we tend to overinflate the worth of our public sector, Candelora said. Its no longer the world of getting great benefits for lesser pay. Generally, across the board, on average, state workers are paid far more than the private sector on top of having great benefits.

But university spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said earlier this year that the highest-paid doctors generated millions in revenue.

The five UConn Health faculty members who recently were listed among the top 10 earners for the past fiscal year collectively generated more than $20 million in 2022 in clinical care revenue for UConn Health nearly quadruple their total combined salaries, Reitz said. From 2016 to 2022, these same five physicians collectively generated $60.7 million in clinical revenue, and overall, UConn Healths 10 highest-paid faculty have brought in more than $140 million in clinical revenue in the same period. This revenue is critical to UConn Health, since about 50% of its revenues come from its clinical operation and state support accounts about 25%.

Oversight at health center

Legislators have questioned the level of financial oversight at the health center, citing a case in which UConn continued to pay an 84-year-old medical school professor, Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, after he was dead.

Bigazzi was paid for at least five months with 11 biweekly paychecks until his body was discovered by police on Feb. 5, 2018. He was believed to have been killed in his Burlington home at some point around August 2017 and wrapped in black plastic garbage bags with duct tape in the basement. His 70-year-old wife, Linda, was charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence. The criminal case is still pending.

You would hope people would recognize that somebody is not showing up at the office, Senate Republican leader Kevin Kelly has said of the case.

Later, UConn recovered about $50,000 in wages that had gone electronically to Bigazzis joint bank account that he shared with his wife. The total was reduced by the amount of vacation time that had not been taken by Bigazzi, who was earning about $200,000 per year at the time of his death. He had been working from home on rewriting part of the medical schools curriculum, and he did not answer more than a dozen emails as UConn officials tried to contact him.

Medical malpractice

One financial problems for UConn in recent years is a 2021 Superior Court ruling that a Bristol couple should receive $37.6 million from a medical malpractice lawsuit after an insemination procedure went wrong at UConn Health. One child died in utero in January 2015, while her twin brother will need lifelong medical care after sustaining a brain injury, according to the lawsuit.

Superior Court Judge Mark H. Taylor, a well-known former attorney for the state Senate Democrats before ascending to the bench, wrote in the 107-page ruling that the court agrees with the vast majority of superior courts, concluding that a physician providing obstetric care owes a direct duty to a mother to prevent harm to her child during gestation and delivery.

UConn officials said the size of the ruling, which included both economic and non-economic damages, had been unexpected.

The ruling has been appealed and is awaiting a decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court.

Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant

Long history

Various ideas and recommendations have been debated by governors and legislators through the years.

In March 2007, five major hospitals teamed up and went public to protest UConns plan to build a $500 million hospital in Farmington as behind-the-scenes feuding over the proposed new hospital spilled into public view.

UConn said at the time that its then-30-year-old hospital in Farmington was too small and seriously outdated, making it increasingly difficult to attract top faculty for its adjacent medical and dental schools. Competing hospitals countered that a larger hospital in Farmington would siphon off suburban patients with good insurance plans, leaving them with a disproportionate number of poor patients and more severe financial problems.

Those particular plans were dropped, and some officials said that Hartford Hospital, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Bristol Hospital, Middlesex Hospital, and The Hospital of Central Connecticut should work with UConn to determine the number of new beds that were needed in the region.

In 2009, officials talked about a merger between Hartford Hospital and the health center that would create a two-campus university hospital in Farmington and Hartford.

That idea fell apart, and the next governor, Dannel P. Malloy, called in 2011 for a bold new plan that was more than double the size of a plan discussed under Gov. M. Jodi Rell. The legislature approved an $864 million multifaceted project to expand the medical and dental schools and generate an estimated 3,000 new construction jobs at the Farmington campus. The proposal called for adding 100 students to the medical school, 48 students to the dental school and about 50 medical researchers overall, as well as a new hospital tower and parking garages.

The proposal said the health center, which had been bailed out four times since 2000 under two governors, would break even by 2018.

The tower was eventually built in Farmington under Malloys direction. But UConns financial problems have continued.

Despite the long-running issues, Candelora said he is trying to remain optimistic.

Ill never give up. Otherwise, I wouldnt run for re-election, Candelora said. Reform is always incremental in government. Its always difficult to get reform, but this is an area that needs it. Im hopeful that it will bear fruit. Ive seen a lot of consultants being hired and a lot of press releases, but I have not seen results.

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com

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UConn Health has long history of bailouts - Hartford Courant

Neel Patel has learned a lot during his first year as a medical student at OUWB, but one moment will stick with him for the rest of his life.

It was the first time he held a human heart in his hands.

Part of a lesson on cardiology in the schools anatomy lab, Patel said it wasnt lost on him that a woman had donated her body to science so that he and others could learn and one day treat countless others.

He reflected similarly on Monday, during the 2024 OUWB Anatomy Memorial, when he read a poem he wrote called Heartfelt Legacies.

This heart was better than any textbook. This heart was the fuel I needed, said Patel. It powered my heart. My heart for medicinefor cardiology. I thank the woman whose heart I held. She is a heartfelt legacy.

Patel read the poem to about 130 others who attended the ceremony held at Oakland Universitys Oakland Center. The annual event is hosted jointly by OUWB and the Oakland University School of Health Sciences Physical Therapy program.

Both programs rely on such donors as part of their curricula. Students begin working with the donors at the beginning of the school year. They are considered vital to providing students with hands-on learning experiences and the ability to see the diverse variations of the human body.

The donors also are considered the students first patients.

And their donations carry tremendous meaning to students like Patel, whose father has recently been facing his own heart issues.

Neel Patel, M1, read a poem called "Heartfelt Legacies."

Its really personal to me, said Patel after the memorial. With everything that my father has been going through recently, I had the chance to see exactly what was happening in the lab and almost in real time.

The experience we get in the lab is like nothing you can get anywhere else, he added.

Other speakers at the event included Stefanie Attardi, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies; Brandon Metcalf, M.D., OUWB 22; and Christopher Carpenter, M.D., Stephan Sharf interim dean, OUWB.

Carpenter acknowledged the selfless act of the donors. He reflected on his own first experiences in an anatomy lab, and how he still vividly remembers it.

I was understandably anxious, but also humbled and filled with respect for the person in front of me who donated their body for our education, he said. As a student, its hard to imagine how your body donors help shape your lives after medical school, but they do.

You will never know all of the reasons why they wanted to be in the lab with you, but I am pretty sure that they wanted to help you be the best at your profession, he continued. They wanted you to succeed.

Students like Patel from both programs chose to pay tribute via art.

M1 Sophie Dixon was among the speakers who all set a flower on a table prior to their turn at the podium.

Kristen Cumming, a PT student, presented Interpretation of Human Movement, a video from her time as an undergrad featuring the Grand Valley State University Laker Dance Team.

OUWB M1 Bennett Hendricks performed Augustin Barrioss Julia Florida on guitar.

M1 Sophie Dixon presented a painting called The Gift of a Heart, and M1 Myra Esmail read a collection of quotes from OUWB students and staff all expressing gratitude to the donors.

Malli Barremkala, M.D., associate professor who teaches anatomical sciences to first- and second-year medical students, said the memorial was beautiful and that it helps him better understand how students process working with the donors.

Further, he said he hopes the memorial helps people understand that the lab experience is not just for learning anatomy.

We sometimes hear the term hidden curriculum and the anatomy lab is the perfect place for hidden curriculum, said Barremkala. Students are learning how to deal with a patient, how to communicate with their peers about a patient, and how to communicate with faculty.

And its all happening in what I feel is a sacred place, he added.

Other memorial attendees also talked about what the donors meant to them after the event.

I really appreciate the gifts that the donors gave us so that we could learn anatomy in person, said Chloe Connelly, M1. The learning experience we receive is unmatched by anything else.

M1 Michael Nazmifar said he was really grateful to the donors, too.

I remember our first day in the anatomy lab, he said. We were excited and nervous, but we wanted to learn, and I cant imagine a better way to study and learn anatomy than from the donors.

Esmail, who also served as one of the planning committee members for the memorial, said she wanted to honor the donors and their selfless donations.

The memorial was better than I ever could have imagined, she said. I hope people remember this dayand how much the donors helped us learn.

For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, marketing writer, OUWB, at adietderich@oakland.edu.

To request an interview, visit the OUWB Communications & Marketingwebpage.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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Anatomy Memorial at OUWB honors those who donated their bodies to med ed - News at OU

Dr. Corey Dwyer isnt sure he believes in fate, but that might take some convincing.

Two things he was passionate about while growing up were UConn basketball and becoming a physician.

On his way to graduating from UConn with a bachelors in molecular and cell biology, he got to experience the mens basketball team capturing the national championship in his junior year.

When it came time to choose from among his many options for medical school, he stayed with UConn. It didnt take long to realize orthopedics would be his calling.

One of the reasons I got involved so early was Craig Rodner, he became a mentor quickly, Dwyer says. Gus Mazzocca [then the chair of UConns Department of Orthopaedic Surgery] and Robert Arciero, those two are sports legends, they got me working on projects with them early on. I was doing research in their lab, but they were also letting me work with them in their clinic or hop into their OR. Those three were influential for me in med school to go into orthopedics here.

By his third year he decided to pause medical school and enroll in the UConn School of Business. He continued to do orthopedic research while starting the MBA program, then returned for his fourth year of medical school while finishing his business school studies.

By summer of 2017, holding a BS, MD, and MBA all from UConn, he started the next phase of his training, as a UConn orthopedic surgery resident.

During Coreys time as a trainee at UConn, we recognized his exceptional talent and passion for sports medicine, says Dr. Katherine Coyner, who became another of Dwyers mentors. His thirst for knowledge and willingness to work hard were evident even then.

One of the many qualities he demonstrated as a resident was his attention to detail, always trying to do the right thing, and a phenomenal ability to get along with patients, colleagues and staff, Arciero says. He is a thoughtful, caring, thorough surgeon with outstanding training in sports injuries and complex shoulder problems, and with extensive experience in team coverage at elite collegiate and professional level.

After being either a UConn undergrad, medical student, MBA candidate, or resident from 2008 to 2022, Dwyer went to California for Stanford Universitys sports medicine surgical fellowship. As part of that one-year program, he was on the medical staff for the NFLs San Francisco 49ers.

He had planned to return to Connecticut to be near his family and start off in private practice. But his path would take a familiar turn. Upon his return to Connecticut to meet with a private group, he got a call from Coyner.

UConn Health had a vacancy for a shoulder surgeon.

It had all lined up, and it was kind of a whirlwind, Dwyer says. That was definitely a moment where I was thought, This is surreal. This is my dream job.

Today, hes four months into his tenure as a UConn Health sports medicine physician and orthopedic surgeon, working alongside many of his mentors.

Now, as one of our brightest young partners, Coreys expertise perfectly complements our teams efforts to offer comprehensive care to athletes and individuals with sports-related injuries, Coyner says. He adds a new dynamic to the treatment of shoulder and elbow conditions, including complex rotator cuff tears as well as shoulder arthroplasty. His return is a homecoming that enriches our practice and strengthens our commitment to excellence in sports medicine.

Dwyer describes himself as a sports surgeon with a focus in complex shoulder cases. He sees all levels of athlete, and those who want function back for their shoulder.

Ill do anything in the shoulder, but Im also sports surgeon, he says. I am happy to take care of knees, whether it is an ACL or a meniscus tear. I am even well-trained in hip arthroscopy.

He complements our sports service with great training in complex shoulder reconstruction and total joint replacement, Arciero says. He has the right stuff to complement our faculty and excel here.

Dwyers many ties to UConn were too strong to keep him away.

UConn Health represents academic medicine, where I think the educators put the patient and the trainee first, Dwyer says. All the staff, the nurses, the therapists, and everyone in the OR have always been great toward me, and I was very appreciative toward them, so I knew it would be a good environment to return. And on top of that, Im a diehard UConn sports fan, so now I have the opportunity to take care of the athletes. Its been a great experience so far and quite nostalgic to return home.

Learn more about orthopedics and sports medicine at UConn Health, or call 860-679-6600 for an appointment.

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Husky Finds His Way Home to UConn Sports Medicine - UConn Today - University of Connecticut

STAT now publishes selected Letters to the Editor received in response to First Opinion essays to encourage robust, good-faith discussion about difficult issues. Submit a Letter to the Editor here, or find the submission form at the end of any First Opinion essay.

U.S. medical schools arent teaching future doctors about 7.4 million of their patients, by Romila Santra

This article is excellent and highlights the extra challenges people with intellectual and developmental (IDD) disabilities face in getting care. Im so glad Ms. Santra wrote about her familys experiences. Identifying the problem is the first step in solving it. Im hoping more medical schools make teaching how to care for people with IDD a requirement. Im always grateful when we find a good doctor for my son with IDD.

Maureen Piotrowski

***

I heartily endorse this call for necessary curriculum changes at U.S. medical schools. What surprised me in this article: so many U.S. medical schools do require any level of training. Some doctors dont look me in the eye. Some maintain their distance. Some refuse to answer my simple questions. And some approach me like just like another human being who has an uncommon point of view. Im 66, have had a number of serious health problems since childhood, and have dealt with hundreds of doctors. I count those who belong in the last group on the fingers of one hand.

Michael Doran

***

We write to clarify some details described in this commentary. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and our member schools are deeply committed to training the next generation of physicians to assess and treat all patients, including those with disabilities. We are actively working to improve medical education in serving those persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). For example, we are a founding member of the national action collaborative, ABC3: Action to Build Clinical Confidence and Culture, which is a multistakeholder national effort to scale strategies to engage and better prepare general clinicians for serving persons with IDD. The data referenced in the commentary is from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) Medical School Annual Questionnaire Part II. This annual survey is sent to U.S. M.D.-granting medical schools. Although not managed by the AAMC, we present these data on our website to support understanding of medical school curriculum. This article references a data chart regarding topics in medical school curriculum phases. The statement Thirty of the 155 medical schools across the United States provide no curricular content about developmental disabilities is inaccurate. The most recent data (2021-2022), in which 155 medical schools responded to the survey, shows that 140 medical schools reported developmental disabilities in one or both phases of the curriculum as defined by the survey. Of the 140 medical schools responding to this topic, 125 medical schools reported developmental disability in the pre-clerkship phase, and 117 medical schools reported developmental disability in the clerkship phase. And, critically, pre-clerkship and clerkship as defined by the survey were not mutually exclusive medical schools could select either or both phases when indicating where a topic is covered. The survey does not include a method for medical schools to indicate a specific topic was not covered. All questions on the survey were voluntary medical schools may not have responded to individual questions for various reasons. Thank you for the opportunity to clarify these points.

Lisa Howley, Association of American Medical Colleges

Editors note: This article has been updated in light of Howleys response.

Its time to rethink the Medicare annual wellness visit, by Jeffrey Millstein

One of the reasons I retired was because I was expected to perform these annual exams that made no sense to me. I had a busy practice and felt like I was wasting my time meeting with the worried well who wanted to exploit a free service. You are so right, rarely can you have a wellness visit and not find a diagnosis that needed to be addressed. And as you said, billing for these just upsets the patient. It is about time to do away with this nonsensical mandate.

James Gallant

***

I believe Dr. Millsteins interpretation of the Medicare Annual Wellness visit is a common myth among physicians who have been trained on how to get paid with the minimum of effort. Certainly, that is one view of medicine. However, the Medicare Annual Wellness visit also offers the opportunity to provide much better care. I dont see any need for Medicare to change the description. I do see the need for clinicians to improve their practice by properly including these optional functions when beneficial.

Daniel Russler, M.D.

Sobering centers offer a safe place to recover from intoxication. Every community should have one, by Shannon Smith-Bernardin

Funding is fascinating. The tobacco companies now pay, opioids now pay, but the scared alcohol empire doesnt. Alcohol is a social cost that should be borne by the industry. Plenty of studies show use of alcohol results in double-digit addictions. The role of government is to level the playing field. The burden of addiction should be borne by the addicting product. Good job moving the patient to a possible choice to change in the sobering centers. Now have those profiting pay their fair share.

Scott Swift, retired physician

Europes lessons for the U.S. on how to cover weight loss drugs, by George Hampton

This is a self-serving pharma article that discusses a complex issue from a pharmacological perspective alone (and his interest in his companys profits). How about tackling obesity at a broader level at its source? Farmer subsidies for fat/sugar food ingredients, and a clamp down or tax on fat fast-food merchants like McDonalds etc. etc. American tastes for this trash food wont change overnight, but some financial extraction for their societal costs may help the health industry attempt to fix this obesity epidemic.

Gene Smythe, M.D.

Health care AI requires a new Hippocratic oath, by Peter Shen

The question is: Do any AI applications currently used in medicine come anywhere close to meeting these minimal ethical standards?

Michael Doran

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STAT letters to the editor on med school and intellectual disabilities - STAT

The Florida Senate wants to spend $70 million to increase the number of physicians training to practice medicine in the state, which lags behind other states in retaining its trainees.

Senators in the Health Policy Committee on Tuesday approved legislation SBP 7016 a part of the Live Healthy initiative seeking to bolster the healthcare workforce in Florida.

This is my 22nd session in the Florida Legislature, and I have never seen a bill that has the dramatic changes and advancements and the ability to really incentivize people come to Florida, Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell said during the committee meeting on Tuesday.

Among the provisions of the bill is the $70 million recurring allocation for the Slots for Doctors Program.

Those funds would be divided into $100,000 per slot to create 700 additional slots for medical school graduates to complete their training in Florida. Medical school graduates must go through a residency program to become fully licensed physicians. This year, Florida provided funding for 6,176 residents, according to a report from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

The multimillion-dollar investment comes with some requirements. Institutions sponsoring residencies must provide annual reports detailing how they spend state funds and information about whether the positions are filled or unfilled. At the end of the physicians residency, the institutions would have to request they fill out an exit survey developed by AHCA asking the following questions:

The answers to the survey also have to be turned into AHCA annually. Institutions have to submit those reports to maintain eligibility for the funds, according to the bill.

The bill also establishes a Graduate Medical Education Committee composed of medical school deans and representatives of medical boards and associations appointed by the governor, the secretary of Health Care Administration, the state surgeon general, the senate president and the house speaker. The goal of the GME committee is to produce an annual report about the status of the resident workforce.

The nonprofit Community Health of South Florida, Inc. has trained 42 residents over nine years, said Peter Wood, CHIs vice president for planning and government affairs. A little more than half remained in Florida after their residency and CHI hired six of them.

Were hopeful that the state may be able to provide these additional fundings that would enable us to increase the number of residency slots that were able to manage, he said in a phone interview with Florida Phoenix.

He continued: The total [number of residents CHI has] is 35, we can increase that. So, in essence, increasing the number of primary care providers in the pipeline that have been trained to provide health care to underserved communities and be prepared to provide that quality of care to communities in rural areas here in Florida.

CHI funds its residencies primarily through federal dollars from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Aside from the 700 residency slots, Live Healthy has $40 million set aside for non-profits like CHI. The bill would establish the Training, Education, and Clinicals in Health (TEACH) Funding Program to fund residencies and clinical rotations at nonprofit health centers in medically underserved areas like. Facilities that qualify can apply for reimbursement for the administrative cost and loss of revenue associated with training residents and people studying medicine, dentistry, nursing and behavioral health.

The program would reimburse up to $75,000 per fiscal year for facilities training students and $100,000 for facilities training medical school graduates. AHCA will have greater oversight of this program to evaluate its effectiveness, according to the bill.

TEACH gives preference to students and graduates of Florida schools and people whose permanent residency is within the state.

We want Florida physicians going into residencies to stay in Florida, Republican Sen. Colleen Burton said. She is the chair of the Health Policy Committee.

People who graduate from medical schools in Florida and also complete their residencies in the state are more likely to stay.The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability recommended strengthening the pipeline of physicians who receive graduate medical education in the state and stay to practice medicine by prioritizing Florida medical school graduates.

Between 2008 and 2015, Florida retained 75 percent of its residents who also graduated from medical school in the state, according to an OPPAGA report. However, over the past decade, 35 percent of physicians left Florida after their residency ended, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Across the country, California has kept 76 percent of its physicians after completing training, making it the state with the highest retention rate. But Florida isnt falling too far behind. In fact, its rate is only lower than California, Alaska, Idaho and Texas, according to AAMC.

The scope of power the Legislature would have over this is limited as the National Resident Matching Program places medical school graduates into residency programs based on their preferences and the types of candidates specific programs are looking for.

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Florida is trying to catch up to the retention rate of medical residents in other states - Florida Phoenix

But what often goes overlooked is the true toll physicians experience during training. While navigating major life changes like moving across the country and establishing community within a new home and work environment, residents and fellow physicians are learning to maneuver health systems and also often bear the weight of their patients worst days.

Brooke Wagen, a hospice and palliative medicine fellow, describes this transition as a loss of self, an issue she aims to bring attention to and alleviate through her Distinction in Care Transformation project, the Lazarus Phenomenon, which provides her peer residents and fellows space to gather and share their stories.

As a member of Dell Meds inaugural class of students, I had a goal to provide excellent medical care to Austins oldest and most medically underserved residents. Prior to medical school, I was a mom, neighbor, church member, Meals on Wheels driver and volunteer medical interpreter. Connections to my neighborhood and community were, and are, vital.

The journey through medical school, residency and fellowship is long and tumultuous. I am grateful to have stayed in my home and hometown for all my training, but I have seen firsthand the need for more rootedness and connection for trainees due to multiple moves between schools and cities.

The Lazarus Phenomenon is a storytelling evening specifically for residents and fellow physicians. Trainees often lack space and time to process, connect and reflect on what theyve seen and felt. The goal is to allow them to share parts of their life and experiences in medical training with their peers across all departments.

I hope we can build connection and community through our shared vulnerability. Storytelling can be intimidating, perhaps, but my hope is that imperfection and authenticity lead. As people tell stories or give storytellers a place to be heard, they build connections one evening at a time.

I was talking with my neighbor across the street many years ago, and he told me his hearing kept getting worse, but his doctors werent doing anything about it. After some consideration, we decided I would go with him to his next appointment as an advocate and interpreter. I discovered that he never had the opportunity to voice his fears or needs at a typical visit due to a lack of a patient-doctor relationship and language barriers. He told the doctor that his hearing had been getting worse, but nothing was getting done about it. We learned that his audiology referral just to get his hearing tested had been sitting on an empty desk, and there was no longer an audiologist for his clinic.

Getting health care often requires a champion, which is why, as I take care of people now, I think of my neighbor. I try to see and attend to each persons concerns with the same level of personal attention he needed before hearing aids and a cochlear implant.

Ian Maclaren

This quote has resonated with me since first hearing it. The idea that everyone we meet in life, on the street, at work, in the hospital is fighting their own battle is central to my ethic in medicine. My faith compels me to be still, to listen and to see the intrinsic value in each human soul I meet. My vocation calls me to sit with them in their suffering and ask what I can do to serve or help or at least to be present as each is within my power.

I want my co-workers to see me this way, as a friend and colleague who noticed that they too were in the midst of a battle, and was kind.

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Brooke Wagen: Making Space for Connection in Practice | Dell Medical School - Dell Medical School

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Biology, anatomy, finance? More med students want business degrees too - Grand Haven Tribune

A Harvard medical school student realized in his third year that he had lost his desire to become a doctor. Nevertheless, the student decided to complete his fourth year and obtain his MD degree. The student is now planning for a career in pharma or even comedy. Some individuals who read his onlineessay found the students decision-making comical in itself. Overall, their comments were evenly divided about the students virtues and next moves.

Before exploring readers reactions, we ought to know something about this students reasons for opting out of the medical profession. The student wrote: Reflecting on the elements that brought me down, I felt sadness for my patients health, particularly when it seemed their condition could not be cured or treated effectively; disappointment over the influence of insurance coverage in determining which treatments patients received; frustration at the amount of documentation, which seemed to take precedence over time spent with patients; and discouraged by the overall environment where it seemed hospital personnel did not feel valued or happy to be there.

Lets not dwell on the merits of the students reasons but dive right into readers reactions to it, whether they shamed or commended him on his decision. I divided the comments into selfish and noble. Here is a sample:

Selfish

Noble

The comments do not provide a consensus on whether it is selfish or noble to never practice medicine after medical school. One commentator not the only one was able to see the argument philosophically from both sides, saying, Lets not shame people into staying where they deeply do not wish to be or condemn them based on good faith decisions made when they didnt fully understand what they were getting into.

I think this reader made many good points, so I decided to quote him entirely: The practical realities of clinical practice as a physician must be experienced to fully appreciate [them]. Pursuing and, if ultimately admitted, getting through medical school is something of a leap of faith for many. Sometimes it turns out to be a bad fit, a realization that may dawn after committing to a lot of debt. Of course, it rankles some given that accepting admission indirectly crowds someone else out (of this scarce resource) and doesnt provide the expected societal return on investment of a practicing clinician. On the other hand, do any of us want a physician who chronically doesnt want to be in that role? He may yet apply his education and degree profitably outside of clinical practice.

Many years ago, I conducted a smallstudy showing that over 90 percent of students who matriculated in two U.S. medical schools (Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania) graduated in four years. This percentage is in line with the Association of American Medical Colleges, which found that 4-year graduation rates ranged from 81.7 percent to 84.1 percent. Still, after six years, the average graduation rate was 96.0 percent.

However, asurvey released by the health science and journal publisher Elsevier in October 2023 found that a quarter of medical students in the U.S. were considering quitting their studies due to the pressure facing todays clinicians issues not unlike those cited by the Harvard grad.

Reasons for dropping out of medical school can be diverse, but common ones include academic struggles, financial pressures, personal health or family issues, lack of interest, or, in this instance, a desire to pursue a different career path. It is important to note that the majority of dropout causes are non-academic.

After leaving medical school, former students may pursue a range of alternate career paths. Some may choose to continue their education in a related field, such as public health, biomedical sciences, or health care administration. Others may decide to enter the workforce directly, taking jobs in health care, education, or research. Some will pursue careers distant from medicine or unrelated to it.

Perhaps this student will follow in the footsteps of the Monty Python actor Graham Chapman (1941 to 1989), who turned down a career as a doctor to be a writer and comedian. I wish this student well, and I do not begrudge him for (almost) forcing me to go to Mexico for medical school. Well, I never would have had a shot at Harvard anyway.

Arthur Lazarusis a formerDoximity Fellow, a member of the editorial board of the American Association for Physician Leadership, and an adjunct professor of psychiatry at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He is the author ofEvery Story Counts: Exploring Contemporary Practice Through Narrative Medicine.

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Is it noble or selfish to never practice medicine after getting a medical degree? - Kevin MD

Update: J. Larry Jameson has been named Penns interim president. Heres what to know about him.

J. Larry Jameson, who has served as executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvanias health system and its medical school dean for more than 12 years, is emerging as a leading candidate to take the role of interim president of the university, according to multiple sources.

Jameson, 69, was referred to as an ideal candidate during a board of trustees meeting last week addressing Liz Magills resignation, a source had told The Inquirer. But at that time, the source said, no one had reached out to him yet.

Its not clear where the board is in the process to appoint an interim president.

The Universitys Board of Trustees is actively working to appoint an interim president, and that process is well underway, with a formal announcement anticipated in the coming days, the university said in a statement.

Well over half of Penn employees are connected to the health system and medical school collectively an $11.1 billion enterprise making it the largest single unit within the university. The Perelman School of Medicine employs more than 2,600 full-time faculty members and more than 3,700 students, trainees, residents, and fellows, according to Penns website.

READ MORE: Penn leadership upheaval could have a chilling effect on college presidencies and university operations nationally

Its unclear how long Jameson who earned a base salary of nearly $4.5 million in 2021 and additional compensation of $1.1 million, according to the most recent tax filing available would serve, or whether or when the university would launch a search for a new permanent president.

Other than to announce that Scott L. Boks replacement as board chair would be Julie Platt, the board has been mum since Magills departure Saturday night in the wake of congressional committee testimony on antisemitism that drew intense scrutiny.

READ MORE: Penn president Liz Magill has resigned following backlash over her testimony about antisemitism

Jameson will be taking over the presidency at perhaps the most tumultuous time for leadership in the universitys history. Magills less-than-18-month tenure was the shortest of any Penn president and followed presidents who served for 10 years and 18 years respectively.

He is already involved in fundraising and managing faculty and has developed a reputation as a strong and thoughtful leader, said several sources close to the administration.

Jameson, a molecular endocrinologist and native of Georgia, came to Penn from Northwestern University, where he had most recently served as dean of the medical school and vice president of medical affairs. He received his medical school degree at the University of North Carolina in 1981 and had worked at Harvard Medical School earlier in his career.

Jameson is the only dean to sit in on whats known as the discussion group at Penn, which is basically the presidents cabinet.

Earlier this year, Penn joined Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia in dropping out of U.S News & World Reports annual medical school rankings. In a memo to faculty, staff, and students, Jameson said the rankings relied too heavily on test scores and grades, while undervaluing qualities that Penn seeks.

We strive to identify and attract students with a wide array of characteristics that predict promise, Jameson wrote. The careers of transformative physicians, scientists, and leaders reveal the importance of other personal qualities, including creativity, passion, resilience, and empathy.

Under Jamesons leadership in 2022, Penns medical school formed a partnership with historically Black colleges and universities to attract more students from racial groups underrepresented in medicine.

He oversaw the medical school through the COVID-19 pandemic. After the success of the COVID vaccines made using mRNA technology pioneered at Penn, the medical school in late 2021 opened the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation, to expand the use of the genetic molecules for treating other conditions.

Penns health system is directly owned by the university, with clinical, educational, and research operations integrated under a management entity called Penn Medicine.

As executive vice president for the health system and dean of the Perelman School of Medicine, Jameson is in charge of the medical schools education and research components, but there is some distance between Jameson and the management of the health system and its six acute-care hospitals.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System has its own CEO, Kevin Mahoney, who reports to Jameson, along with the health systems chief financial officer Keith Kasper. The combination of Penns medical school and the health system, marketed as Penn Medicine, had $11.1 billion in revenue in the year ended June 30, 2022, mostly from the health system. That amounted to more than three-quarters of the universitys total revenue of $14.4 billion that year.

On Thursday, two days after Magills testimony in which she said it was a context-dependent decision when asked if calls for genocide of Jewish people would violate the schools code of conduct, Jameson and Mahoney put out a statement on genocide.

Calls for genocide, echoing horrors of the past, violate our behavioral standards and remind us that we must forcefully condemn, prevent, and respond to hate in all forms, said the Penn Med letter, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian, the student newspaper.

Staff writers Tom Avril and Harold Brubaker contributed to this article.

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Penn's medical school dean is being eyed as interim president of the university - The Philadelphia Inquirer