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Caduceus Newsletter:  Fall 2009.09, Week of October 19. 

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Dr. Stan Eisen, Director
Preprofessional Health Programs
Christian Brothers University

650 East Parkway South
Memphis, TN  38104

Home page:
http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/

Caduceus Newsletter Archives:
http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/Caduceus.html

Don’t forget!  Halloween Day Lunchtime Benefit Concert for LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center and Faculty/Staff Costume Contest in the Alfonso Dining Hall, Friday, October 30, starting at 12 noon!

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Table of Contents:   

1.  Events coming up. 
2.  CBU, along with the University of Memphis and Rhodes College, will be hosting Information Sessions about Osteopathic Medical Education, October 27-29. 
3.  AAMC STAT, News from the Association of American Medical Colleges, October 9, 2009 edition. 
4.  Premed of Color Monthly E-Newsletter, October 2009 edition.  
5.  Interested in cancer-related research training?  The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine offers a VMD-Ph.D. program.    
6.  Halloween Day Lunchtime Benefit Concert for LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center and Faculty/Staff Costume Contest in the Alfonso Dining Hall, Friday, October 30, starting at 12 noon! 

7.  Marginalia:  Your Honor, all I did was key in the phrase “Male Brain” into the Search box of images.google.com , and this is one of the “hits” that popped up…so to speak.  HONEST! 

 

1.  Events coming up. 

 

·         Thursday, October 22, 2009  University of Memphis Department of Biology, 4:00 p.m. Ellington Hall Auditorium, Dr. John Hogenesch (host, Dr. Liu), Penn Genome Frontiers Institute, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, “A genomic journey through the circadian network".

·         Tuesday, October 27:  Information Session on Osteopathic Medicine and Osteopathic Colleges of Medicine, J-10, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

·         Wednesday, October 28:  Memphis community-wide presentation and panel discussion on Osteopathic Medicine, AH 153, 5 to 8 p.m.  Smoothies will be served 5 to 6 p.m. in the Auditorium lobby. 

·         Thursday, October 29:  Annual Health Career Opportunities Fair, Sabbatini Lounge, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  So far, the following institutions will be attending:

American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine & Member Colleges:

·         A.T. Still University–Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU/KCOM)

·         A.T. Still University–School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU/SOMA)

·      Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMU-COM)

·      Georgia Campus–Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (GA-PCOM)

·      Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)

·      Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCUMB-COM)

·      Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Erie

·      Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Bradenton Campus (LECOM-Bradenton)

·      Lincoln Memorial University–DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM)

·      West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM)

Bethel University (McKenzie, TN) PA Program (Ms. Sandy Atwill)

Scholl School of Podiatric Medicine (Ms. Mandy Meinhardt)

Southern College of Optometry (Ms. Sunni Ewing)

University of Tennessee Health Science Center

·         College of Allied Health

·         College of Dentistry (Dr. Wisdom Coleman)

·         College of Graduate Health Sciences

·         College of Medicine (Nelson Strother)

·         College of Nursing

·         College of Pharmacy (Dr. James Eoff)

University of Memphis School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (Dr. Maurice Mendel)

U.S. Navy Medical Scholarship Program (Officer Victor Gooden)

·         Thursday, October 29:  The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Graduate School (Little Rock) will be hosting its 9th annual Career Day for Biomedical Sciences.  (See article #10 below)  

 

 

 

2.  CBU, along with the University of Memphis and Rhodes College, will be hosting Information Sessions about Osteopathic Medical Education, October 27-29. 

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3.  AAMC STAT, News from the Association of American Medical Colleges, October 9, 2009 edition. 

AAMC STAT

 

 (This issue of STAT comes to you early due to the Columbus Day holiday.)

  • AAMC Annual Meeting registration deadlines approaching
  • House members create academic medicine caucus
  • AAMC authors Chronicle of Higher Education opinion article
  • Report sheds light on recruiting academic medicine leaders
  • CBO “scores” reform proposals, vote scheduled for Tuesday
  • New grants could bring CER to CME
  • Kirschstein, first woman to head an NIH institute, dies
  • On the move

AAMC Annual Meeting registration deadlines approaching

Two key registration dates are approaching for the AAMC Annual Meeting, to be held Nov. 6-11 in Boston.  Hotel registration will close at midnight today, while meeting registration will close Oct. 30.  The 2009 AAMC Annual Meeting, the nation’s largest conference for academic medicine professionals, will include speeches from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (D) and health care reform insider and ex-Sen. Tom Daschle (D), along with hundreds of informational sessions, presenters, and exhibits.

Information:  Go to www.aamc.org/annualmeeting

House members create academic medicine caucus

Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) and Rep. Patrick Tiberi (R-Ohio) have established a new Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus in the House of Representatives. The bipartisan caucus, which Schwartz and Tiberi will co-chair, will be dedicated to maintaining and strengthening the nation’s medical schools and teaching hospitals.  Schwartz and Tiberi said in creating the caucus that it "will also strive to educate other members on the unique health care, research, and training missions of teaching hospitals and medical schools."  AAMC President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., thanked Schwartz and Tiberi, and said the caucus would be “a strong voice in Congress” for academic medicine.

Information:  Go to www.aamc.org/newsroom/pressrel/2009/091006.htm (AAMC statement)

AAMC authors Chronicle of Higher Education opinion article

AAMC Chief Scientific Officer Ann C. Bonham, Ph.D., co-authored an opinion article published Oct. 5 in The Chronicle of Higher Education.  The article, “Key for Future Investment: Researchers' Response to America's Recovery Act,” discussed the infusion of Recovery Act funds to the National Institutes of Health, and called on researchers to use the funds to help build  long-term support of academic research as a tool for economic growth and improved national health.   AAMC Senior Director of Scientific Affairs Tony Mazzaschi and AAMC Lead Science Policy Analyst Stephen Heinig also co-authored the article.

Information:  Go to http://chronicle.com/article/Researchers-Response-to/48664/ (subscription required)

Report sheds light on recruiting academic medicine leaders

An AAMC report offers new insights into the recruitment process for leaders in academic medicine. Among the findings in "Leadership Recruitment Practices in Academic Medicine: How Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals Search for New Department Chairs and Center Directors":  the typical leadership search process takes a full year, most medical schools do not use executive search firms, and teaching hospital CEOs have become more involved in the recruitment of clinical department chairs over the past decade.

Information:  Go to www.aamc.org/opi/leadership

CBO “scores” reform proposals, vote scheduled for Tuesday

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected this week that the Senate Finance Committee’s health care reform proposals would cost approximately $829 billion.  A committee vote on the bill is scheduled for Tuesday. Reform issues relevant to medical schools and teaching hospitals include the establishment of a value-based purchasing program for Medicare physician and hospital services. In addition, House and Senate reform packages do not contain increases in Medicare support for GME positions, but instead redistribute a handful of currently unused slots.

Information: Go to www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/106xx/doc10642/10-7-Baucus_letter.pdf (CBO report)

New grants could bring CER to CME

A new set of federal grants now accepting applications could mean real advances for continuing medical education (CME) initiatives.  A total of $29.5 million will be awarded through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to 20-25 research programs to study ways by which to disseminate comparative effectiveness research (CER) findings effectively.  One primary way of extending CER’s reach could be through innovative CME activities that provide the CER data to practicing physicians in a way that allows them to apply the new knowledge.

Information:  Go to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS-10-004.html (grant description) or www.aamc.org/members/gea/cmesection (for general information)

Kirschstein, first woman to head an NIH institute, dies

Ruth L. Kirschstein, M.D., a former acting director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), died Oct. 6.  The first woman to lead an NIH institute, Kirschstein headed the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at NIH from 1974-1993 and served as NIH acting director and principal deputy director.  Her research included work that led to the selection of the so-called Sabin polio vaccine for public use.  AAMC President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., said Kirschstein “leaves a legacy that will continue to enrich the scientific enterprise and the health of the American people for generations to come.”

For information:  Go to  www.aamc.org/newsroom/pressrel/2009/091007.htm (full AAMC statement) or www.nih.gov/about/almanac/historical/deputy_directors.htm#kirschstein (NIH bio)

On the move

Eve J. Higginbotham, M.D., will join Howard University as senior vice president and executive dean for health sciences, effective Jan. 1. Higginbotham will oversee the university’s hospital and colleges of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and allied health, among other functions. Higginbotham, currently dean and senior vice president for academic affairs at Morehouse School of Medicine, succeeds Donald E. Wilson, M.D., in the position.

Academic Medicine online

Caring for patients. Mentoring trainees. Conducting research. Reviewing articles. Those in academic medicine know that these and myriad other necessary duties take much time and effort and often challenge the work–life balance. Recent articles in Academic Medicine, including one in this issue, discuss this topic in the context of a part-time career path. A Commentary in this issue also addresses the topic of part-time careers, but warns that simply reducing the hours one is expected to work does not address unrealistic professional expectations heaped on those in academic medicine. www.academicmedicine.org

 

4.  Premed of Color Monthly E-Newsletter, October 2009 edition.  

PREMED OF COLOR MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER- October 2009

6 NEW Posts!  Find these and more at the POC's "The 411" at
http://premedofcolor.wordpress.com

Also, Check out the 11 opportunities with Deadlines in October.
http://premedofcolor.wordpress.com/category/deadline-oct/

To post to this blog, email post@premedofcolor.org

1) Bay Area high school student writing scholarship- Deadline March 12
http://premedofcolor.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/bay-area-high-school-student-writing-scholarship-deadline-march-12/

2) Hispanic College Fund and PepsiCo Scholarship and Prizes -Oct 18
2009 and March 2010
http://premedofcolor.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/hispanic-college-fund-and-pepsico-scholarship-and-prizes-oct-18-2009-and-march-2010/

3) UCI 9th Annual Pre-Health Conference-October 30-31
http://premedofcolor.wordpress.com/2009/09/25/uci-9th-annual-pre-health-conference-october-30-31/

4) Intramural NIAID Research Opportunities (INRO) Program-Deadline
October 5
http://premedofcolor.wordpress.com/2009/09/19/intramural-niaid-research-opportunities-inro-program-deadline-october-5/

5) Medical Conference in East Bay(Free)- October 31st
http://premedofcolor.wordpress.com/2009/09/19/medical-conference-in-east-bayfree-october-31st/

6) Part Time/Temporary Research Position in Palo Alto Area-October
http://premedofcolor.wordpress.com/2009/09/19/part-timetemporary-research-position-in-palo-alto-area-october/

 

5.  Interested in cancer-related research training?  The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine offers a VMD-Ph.D. program.    

Osteosarcoma - Prostate Cancer - Breast Cancer - Lymphomas - Melanoma

Did you know that these spontaneous cancers in dogs and cats share many features with human cancers? Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hypothermia and immunotherapy  are all used to fight cancer in the pet animal, and many naturally occurring cancers in pets closely resemble human cancer and provide meaningful systems for cancer research. Veterinarian scientists are uniquely qualified to be comparative oncologists - researchers who study naturally-occurring cancers in animals as models for human disease.  The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine provides an outstanding environment for the training of future veterinary scientists through our combined VMD-PhD (DVM-PhD) program. It's an excellent way for you to continue your education while impacting the future of medicine for humans and all species.  Find out more at www.pennvetphd.org .

VMD-PhD Program

University of Pennsylvania,

School of Veterinary Medicine

3800 Spruce Street

Philadelphia, PA  19104

vmstp@vet.upenn.edu

 

 

6.  Halloween Day Lunchtime Benefit Concert for LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center and Faculty/Staff Costume Contest in the Alfonso Dining Hall, Friday, October 30, starting at 12 noon! 

After a 6-year hiatus, Death Warmed Over returns for a Lunchtime Benefit Concert for LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center and Faculty/Staff Costume Contest.  The winner will receive a gift certificate from Dinstuhl’s Chocolates at the Laurelwood Shopping Center. 

Photos from 2003

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7.  Marginalia:  Your Honor, all I did was key in the phrase “Male Brain” into the Search box of images.google.com , and this is one of the “hits” that popped up…so to speak.  HONEST! 

BTW:  “Gehirn” = brain; “Kleinhirn” = cerebellum; “Grosshirn” = cerebrum; “Stammhirn” = brain stem; “Hypophyse” = pituitary gland.

male_brain_178235.jpg

Dr. Stan Eisen, Director
Preprofessional Health Programs
Biology Department
Christian Brothers University

650 East Parkway South
Memphis, TN 38104

E-mail: seisen@cbu.edu
http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/
Caduceus Newsletter Archives: http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/Caduceus.html