http://www.cbu.edu/
Caduceus Newsletter: Summer 2009.01 – June, 2009 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

Table of Contents:
1. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) proudly announces the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS).
2. Are foot and ankle problems worse for women? From: http://www.aaos.org/news/aaosnow/mar08/clinical2.asp
3. Received this month.
4. Global Vision International offers students valuable fieldwork experience as an active member of a conservation and community research expedition.
5. Women ‘fight off disease better’ by virtue of a stronger immune system. From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8047321.stm
6. The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at the University of Alabama – Birmingham (UAB) is funded by the National Institutes of Health.
7. The Commonwealth Medical College (Scranton, PA) is offering a Masters of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) Program.
8. The Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, SC) offers a Ph.D. in Health and Rehabilitation Science.
9. AAMC STAT: News from the Association of American Medical Colleges, May 25, 2009 edition.

10. Marginalia: This cat is just too cool to be called “Porky”, but that IS its name.

1. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) proudly announces the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS).

2. Are foot and ankle problems worse for women? From: http://www.aaos.org/news/aaosnow/mar08/clinical2.asp

Are foot and ankle problems worse for women?

By Judith F. Baumhauer, MD, and Kathryn O’Connor, PT

For many years, research on foot and ankle pain and deformity has focused on shoes. In fact, shoe style is the most studied extrinsic factor for foot and ankle injuries in women. Athletic shoes for women, for instance, have traditionally been designed as scaled-down versions of men’s shoes. Research shows, however, that women’s feet are not just smaller versions of men’s feet.

“Aesthetic prosthetic” by Susan Kingsley

Understudied differences in foot structure, muscle strength, ligament laxity, and proprioception are all intrinsic factors that can initiate a predisposition for pain and injury in females. Little attention, however, has been given to intrinsic physical differences in male and female foot structure.

A research study by Wunderlich and Cavanagh examining lower limb and foot measurements of approximately 300 men and 500 women in the U.S. Army concluded that biologic differences existed between male and female feet and legs. They noted significant differences in arch shape, size of the lateral side of the foot, great toe, and ball of the foot. Women, for example, had a wider forefoot, shorter arch length, and shorter metatarsals compared to men. This study was among the first to promote incorporating the structural differences between the female and male foot into the design and manufacturing of women’s shoes.

Differences extend beyond the foot
According to a report by Fessler and associates, males have higher foot length-to-body height ratios than females. Therefore, the differences in foot length between men and women is generally proportional to stature. Studies have shown that differences in the structure and size of the foot bones (specifically by measurements of metatarsal, phalangeal, calcaneal, and talar bones) have allowed for forensic identification of sex.

In addition to differences in skeletal structure, studies by Eckstein and associates used magnetic resonance imaging to observe differences in cartilage between men and women, including volume, surface area of the joint, and cartilage thickness. Although the initial purpose of the study was not to identify sex differences, statistically significant disparities were noted. For instance, the study showed that women had a 20 percent to 25 percent lower volume and surface area in the subtalar, talonavicular, and ankle joints and up to 16 percent thinner cartilage.

Women and men also have significant differences in gait. Studies by both Kerrigan and associates and Sepic and associates have shown that plantar flexion and range of motion of the ankle are greater in women, possibly due to greater laxity in female ligaments. Numerous studies have observed greater ankle and knee laxity values in women.

Glass slippers are for fairy tales
An appropriate fitting, comfortable shoe rarely equates to stylish, fashionable footwear in a woman’s world. Unfortunately, the typical, more fashionable high-heeled shoe with a narrow toe box causes increased plantar pressure and toe crowding, which can cause bunions (hallux valgus), bunionettes, hammer toe, and even neuromas in severe cases.

Studies show that 88 percent of women wear shoes too small for their feet and 70 percent were noted to have associated hallux valgus deformity. National studies show approximately 1 percent of all adults have hallux valgus, with an increasing prevalence with age; although only 9 percent of 30-to- 60-year-olds have bunions, approximately 16 percent of people older than age 60 have them. Women are two to four times more likely to have hallux valgus than men, likely due to a combination of intrinsic structural features and extrinsic footwear options.

Additionally, the incidence of hammer toe is four to five times more common in women. In 1991, approximately 209,000 bunionectomies, 210 hammer toe corrections, 66,500 neuroma resections, and 119,000 bunionette repairs were performed.

Poorly fitting shoes affect more than just feet. Shoes with a heel of 1.5¢¢ or higher increase knee torque with walking, which may be associated with the increase of knee osteoarthritis among women who prefer higher-heeled shoes. Additionally, pain caused by an ill-fitting shoe can increase the risk of falling and otherwise hamper mobility, which may lead to injury. This is particularly significant in the elderly population.

Numerous studies have examined footwear in elderly patients at the time of a fall and have shown that a high percentage of those who fell were wearing slippers. The excessive flexibility of slippers and their lack of stability are associated with a higher incidence of tripping and falls.

Next steps?
We have a long way to go in examining intrinsic differences between the female and male foot. Limited research has been published on sexual dimorphism of the foot and ankle; many of the studies only retrospectively observed anatomic differences to explain injuries unique to women. Several investigators have suggested that proprioceptive differences are to some extent responsible for ankle ligament injuries.

As knowledge of sexual dimorphism and the unique healthcare needs of women advance, interventions that are related to intrinsic differences, as well as the extrinsic factors of the foot and ankle, will be imperative to provide appropriate preventive and therapeutic care for women.

Judith F. Baumhauer, MD, is professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. She can be reached at judy_baumhauer@urmc.rochester.edu

Kathryn O’Connor, PT, is a physical therapist.

Putting a little sex in your orthopaedic practice
This quarterly column from the AAOS Women’s Health Issues Advisory Board and the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society provides important information for your practice about issues related to sex (determined by our chromosomes) and gender (how we present ourselves as male or female, which can be influenced by environment, families and peers, social institutions, etc.). It is our mission to promote the philosophy that male and female patients experience and react to musculoskeletal conditions differently; surgeons should not have a one-size-fits-all mentality when it comes to patient care.

AAOS Now
March 2008 Issue
http://www.aaos.org/news/aaosnow/mar08/clinical2.asp

3. Received this month.

University of Medicine and Health Sciences (St. Kitts)

· DVD (3 copies, in PHP Lounge)

Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry

· Optometry: A Career Guide (The Eyes Have It!) [1 copy, In PHP Lounge]

Exam Krackers

· Exam Krackers Information booklets & application forms (posted on PHP bulletin board)

· MCAT Audio: Osmosis with Jordan and Jon CD Sampler (2 copies, in PHP Lounge)

Princeton Review

· Information booklets & application forms (posted on PHP bulletin board)

Association of American Medical Colleges

· Roadmap to Diversity: Key Legal and Educational Policy Foundations for Medical Schools (in PHP Lounge)

Philadelpha College of Osteopathic Medicine (Philadelphia, PA)

· CD-ROM (2 copies) [In PHP Lounge]

4. Global Vision International offers students valuable fieldwork experience as an active member of a conservation and community research expedition.

Students can gain valuable fieldwork experience as an active member of a conservation and community research expedition with Global Vision International during their summer vacation or after their studies. Volunteers are required to join the GVI research team throughout the year to participate in conservation research projects in the Amazon region of Ecuador.

The research projects undertaken are dynamic and include studies on and conservation of, amongst other species, amphibians, tropical birds and butterflies. We also offer GVI scholarships and internships, which allow participants the opportunity to work alongside our scientists and play an integral part in the long-term conservation of the Yachana Reserve, where the GVI biological station is based. Please share this information with your students (and fellow lecturers).

Expedition Activities

During the first week volunteers receive the majority of their survey training, including data collection techniques and rainforest ecology, in the form of presentations, tests, and practice in the field. Volunteers are trained in the identification of all study species, including birds, amphibians, butterflies and mammal signs. This training is built upon throughout the duration of the expedition as volunteers participate in regular surveys in the different available rainforest habitats. This increases participants' knowledge and understanding of the flora and fauna in the neotropical region.

First Aid & CPR training is provided along with all health and safety protocols relevant to the expedition. There is also the opportunity to develop Spanish language skills through interaction with the local communities and local students who often spend time on the GVI base by way of a cultural exchange. In the past, volunteers have obtained university/college credit for their participation in the expedition so there may be opportunities to pursue this for those individuals interested.

Highlights of the programme:

• Gain hands on experience in environmental conservation and education.
• Receive comprehensive training at GVI's biological station in the Yachana Reserve.
• Learn a range of surveying techniques for biodiversity research and actualise those skills in the field, assisting in biological surveys in varying rainforest environments.
• Teach English as a second language and help with development projects in and around the local community.
• Experience other areas in the region through side trips to different habitats and locations.
• Live and work in a beautiful part of the Ecuadorian Amazon surrounded by lush, tropical rainforest, inhabited by extraordinary wildlife such as tree frogs, caiman, macaws, monkeys, snakes and many more species!

Further details including, a detailed brief are outlined on the relevant webpage at http://www.gviusa.com/expeditions/South%20America/Ecuador/amazon-rainforest-expedition-ecuador/home or can be requested by contacting GVI directly on 1 888 653 6028

Global Vision International

Critical conservation and humanitarian projects in over 30 countries worldwide rely on GVI for volunteers, promotion and direct funding. GVI works locally with its partners to promote sustainable development through environment research, conservation and education. GVI volunteers benefit from exceptional support, training and internship/GVI scholarship opportunities. For more information about GVI visit www.gviusa.com. Please feel free to link to this site from your website.

Career Opportunities in the field

GVI offers a large range of jobs, internships and other exciting field work placements in areas such as education, research, environmental management and wildlife research alongside its partner organizations in countries across the world. Candidates undertaking internships, scholarships or placements will be in a stronger position to apply for paid field positions. Many current GVI staff obtained their positions in this way. More details can be seen on http://www.careersabroad.co.uk

Please feel free to add this link to your university careers webpage.

I do hope that your students could benefit from the professional development opportunities GVI has to offer and we thank you in advance for assisting us in our search for high quality volunteers. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

James

James The GVI Academic Desk james@gviworld.com

Europe W: http://www.gvi.co.uk E: info@gviworld.com T: +44 (0) 1727 250 250 3 High Street | St Albans | Herts United Kingdom | AL3 4ED

North America W: http://www.gviusa.com E: info@gviworld.com T: +1 888 653 6028 252 Newbury Street | Number 4 Boston | MA | 02116 | USA

Australasia W: http://www.gviaustralia.com E: info@gviworld.com T: +61 1300 795 013 Suite 1412, 530 Little Collins Street Melbourne | VIC | 3000 | Australia

The information in this internet email is confidential and is intended solely for the addressee(s). There is no guarantee that this message is either private or confidential and it may have been altered without your or our knowledge. Nothing in this message is capable of or intended to create any legally binding obligations on either party or be used in any legal proceedings whatsoever. Access, copying, dissemination or re-use of information in it by anyone else is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient please delete this message from your system and contact us.

5. Women ‘fight off disease better’ by virtue of a stronger immune system. From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8047321.stm

Women 'fight off disease better'

Men really do have an excuse for supposedly being wimpy about coughs and colds - their immune systems are not as strong as women's, research suggests.

A Canadian study indicates that the female sex hormone oestrogen gives women's immune systems added bite at fighting off infection.

Oestrogen seems to counter an enzyme which blocks the inflammatory process.

The McGill University study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“ These results demonstrate that women have a more powerful inflammatory response than men ”
Dr Maya Saleh McGill University

The researchers focused on an enzyme called Caspase-12, which is known to put a brake on the inflammatory process, the body's first line of defence against harmful invaders such as bacteria and viruses.

They worked on mice that lacked the Caspase-12 gene, and were thus extremely resistant to infection.

The human Caspase-12 gene was implanted into a group of male and female mice, but only the males became more prone to infection.

The researchers concluded that oestrogen produced by the female mice blocked the expression of the human Caspase-12 gene.

They were also able to locate the precise place where oestrogen binds to the gene in order to block its activity.

Since the experiments were conducted using a human gene, the researchers are confident their work is applicable to humans.

Lead researcher Dr Maya Saleh said: "These results demonstrate that women have a more powerful inflammatory response than men."

The researchers believe women may have evolved a more robust immune system because of their key role in producing and nurturing young.

Their work raises the possibility of new ways to reinforce the immune system using genetic manipulation.

But writing in the journal, the researchers said: "A question remains: will men be amenable to the idea of being treated with an exclusively female hormone?"

Dr Leslie Knapp, of the University of Cambridge, said there was a substantial body of evidence to show that women were better at fighting infections than men.

She said: "Women are well known to be able to respond more robustly to infections, and to recover more quickly than men.

"In evolutionary terms it only takes one male to reproduce with lots of females, but females are much more important in terms of producing offspring."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/8047321.stm

Published: 2009/05/13 08:32:59 GMT

© BBC MMIX

6. The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at the University of Alabama – Birmingham (UAB) is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Greetings from the MSTP at UAB:

To those of you with whom we have already corresponded, we would like to take this opportunity say hello from the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.  For those of you who have not been in contact with us, we would like to introduce you to our program.  As an advisor for undergraduate students considering a career in medicine and/or research, we are certain that you will find the opportunities for training at UAB to be exemplary.  We are very interested in working with you to facilitate your ability to educate your students about the opportunities to become a physician scientist and the long-term career benefits of earning a combined MD/PhD. We also hope to convince you that recommending the MSTP at UAB to your students is the right choice for their training to become a physician scientist and for their future career success.    

The MSTP at UAB is funded by the National Institutes of Health and as such is recognized as one of the top programs across the country.  The opportunities at UAB for biomedical research are outstanding; over 200 extramurally funded investigators in the Schools of Medicine, Engineering and Public Health participate in training MD/PhD students during the research phase of the program.  The research enterprise at UAB is nationally recognized for excellence in numerous disciplines, including biodefense, immunology, cancer biology, neuroscience, infectious diseases and many others. Moreover, UAB is consistently ranked in the top 20 medical schools nationally based on extramural research funding from the National Institutes of Health.  UAB hospital is equally well respected for the quality of healthcare that it provides to the population of Alabama and surrounding states throughout the Southeast.  The Dean of Medicine, Dr. Robert Rich, has a long track record of training physician scientists and he has specifically stated his strong support for the MSTP and its mission of training the physician scientists of the future.  Thus, we are confident that we can offer the best training in research and medicine that you will find in any MSTP and that UAB is committed to supporting our program.      

The MSTP at UAB covers tuition and fees throughout the entire period of training to become an MD/PhD.  Moreover, the program provides competitive stipends and funding for books, computers and travel associated with an individual’s training. Another important fact is that the cost of living in Birmingham is lower than in many other cities with similar research intensive Biomedical Institutions. Indeed, many of the students in our program purchase their own home during their tenure at UAB.  The students in our program enjoy a strong sense of collegiality, which exists among themselves and with the faculty at UAB. This is fostered by the annual MSTP retreat, monthly seminars on translational research, holiday parties and other activities throughout the year. One of the greatest strengths of UAB is the collegial and collaborative nature of the medical school and the MSTP in particular.

Once again, we strongly encourage you to take the opportunity to see what the MSTP at UAB has to offer your students. Visit our website (http://www.mstp.uab.edu) to find out more about our program.  Our most recent program newsletter, written and produced by our students, can be viewed at http://www.mstp.uab.edu/newsletters.html.   We have attached flyers that provide basic information on combined MD/PhD programs and to highlight some of the important aspects of our program in particular that can be shared with your students and also accessed on our website.    Additionally, please take a moment to view the short film that is located on our website that highlights many of the outstanding qualities of our program.  We would be more than happy to provide you with a copy of this film on DVD should you be interested.  Please do not hesitate to contact any of us either by E-mail or by telephone with any questions. We would be pleased to provide you with additional information regarding the program.

Sincerely, 

Robin Lorenz, MD, PhD Director, MSTP Office Phone:  205-934-0676 Email: rlorenz@uab.edu	Louis Justement, PhD Associate Director, MSTP Office Phone:  205-934-1429 Email:  lbjust@uab.edu

7. The Commonwealth Medical College (Scranton, PA) is offering a Masters of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) Program.

8. The Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, SC) offers a Ph.D. in Health and Rehabilitation Science.

Hello from the College of Health Professions at the Medical University of South Carolina!

I wanted to give you the exciting news of the College’s addition of a Ph.D. in Health and Rehabilitation Science program that will have its first class starting this fall 2009. Please see the below paragraph as well as the attached Word Document that goes into more detail about the program and its curriculum. Please pass this great news onto any students that you think would be interested in the PhD program, we would be happy to answer any questions you or they might have.

Dr. Bonnie Martin-Harris is the program director for this interdisciplinary post baccalaureate degree program with concentrations in Pathology and Impairment, Functional Limitations, and Health Services. This research doctorate will train scientists to approach complex disorders and conditions from a cross- discipline and cross system perspective, and is in keeping with the strategic initiatives set forth by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). The interdisciplinary nature of the program differentiates it in theory and research from research in other health care disciplines due to its emphasis on function, factors, and interventions that disable or enable people. Qualified students may enter the program with a Bachelor or Graduate Degree in several health related areas such as, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, health administration, biology, and engineering. We are moving forward aggressively with the implementation processes to facilitate student admissions in the 2009 Fall semester.  Please contact Dr. Martin-Harris if you would like more information. (843-792-7162) www.musc.edu/chp/hrs

Sincerely,
Lauren Smith


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lauren A. Smith, M.A.
Recruitment & Student Life Coordinator
College of Health Professions
Medical University of South Carolina

843.792.8476 or 866.690.2284
Fax: 843.792.0253
smilau@musc.edu
www.musc.edu/chp

PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Science

The College of Health Professions announces their PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Science Program to start in the Fall of 2009. The PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Science is an interdisciplinary post baccalaureate degree program with concentrations in Pathology and Impairment, Functional Limitations, and Health Services. This research doctorate will train team scientists to approach complex disorders and conditions from a cross-discipline and cross-system perspective, and is in keeping with the strategic initiatives set forth by the Institute of Medicine and National Institutes of Health (NIH). Graduates of the proposed Ph.D. in Health and Rehabilitation Science will become the scholars, researchers, program directors and educators who advance the body of knowledge about health and rehabilitation sciences.

The interdisciplinary nature of the proposed Doctor of Philosophy in Health and Rehabilitation Science program differentiates it in theory and research from research in other health care disciplines due to its emphasis on function, factors, and interventions that disable or enable people. Qualified students may enter the program with a Bachelor or graduate degree in several health related areas such as, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, medicine, occupational therapy, health administration, biology, and engineering.

Within MUSC, the College of Health Professions (CHP) will collaborate with the College of Graduate Studies in that students will have the opportunity to take courses with other students from research- based master’s and doctoral programs and the Ph.D. will be offered to students in that college. The relationship with Graduate Studies greatly increases the number of potential faculty mentors and advisors for students and enhances the program’s ability to partner and collaborate with other disciplines critical to the study of rehabilitation science.

ENROLLMENT

Admission Criteria:

(Currently accepting applications for the Fall 2009 start date)

Students will have completed a bachelor’s or graduate degree that offers background and preparation in areas such as functional limitations, pathology and impairment, and health services. The program seeks to enroll students who can meet the following criteria:

· Demonstrate through previous academic work and relevant professional experience the likelihood of success in the Ph.D. program.

· Be accepted by a faculty mentor conducting research in the student’s area of interest

· Be funded by the external grant(s) of the faculty mentor

To determine the likelihood of success, the admissions committee will interview the candidates and review:

· Scores on the Graduate Record Exam

· Grade-point average in prior academic work

· Personal Statement

· Baccalaureate or graduate degree in a relevant discipline or first professional degree such as DPT

· Professional experiences in the discipline

· Letters of professional reference

CURRICULUM

The Ph.D. in Health and Rehabilitation Science requires a minimum of 90 semester hours organized as follows:

• A Professional Develop Core (15 semester hours)
• A Research Core (minimum 18 semester hours)
• A Concentration Core (30 semester hours) in Pathology & Impairment, Functional Limitations, or Health Services
• Electives (15 semester hours)
• Dissertation (9 – 12 semester hours)

The Professional Development Core and the Research Core are required of all students, ensuring that all students receive a thorough grounding in Health and Rehabilitation Science, a teaching practicum, and a critical overview of key issues in the profession. The plan also ensures that all students acquire the research skills and training necessary to position them to become leading research scholars in the field. Students are allowed to transfer up to 30 SH of graduate-level coursework.

The student’s concentration core curriculum will be designed and overseen by careful matching of the student with a primary mentor and mentorship team, based upon the student’s previous preparation and experience, area of specialization, and research interests. The concentration areas encourage interdisciplinary collaboration with faculty and peers in basic, translational, and clinical science.

CONTACT

If you have any questions or would like to know more about the program, please contact Dr. Bonnie Martin-Harris, Program Director, at (843) 792-7162 or harrisbm@musc.edu

9. AAMC STAT: News from the Association of American Medical Colleges, May 25, 2009 edition.

News from the Association of American Medical Colleges

May 25, 2009

• AAMC comments on Senate Finance Committee’s health reform options
• Association comments on HHS proposal on breach notification of unsecured PHI
• Nominations sought for resident community service recognition award
• Groups discuss public health workforce
• CDC, ASPH seek volunteers to develop public health preparedness competencies
• RWJ report: Health care cost trends devastating for middle-class
• Putting the “HEAT” on Medicare fraud
• On the move

AAMC comments on Senate Finance Committee’s health reform options

The AAMC has submitted comments on the first and second of three health reform “policy options papers” issued by the Senate Finance Committee. The three papers, as well as public comments on the documents, will guide the panel as it works to draft comprehensive health care reform legislation. The initial set of policy options focused on improving the delivery and reducing the cost of patient care. In its May 16 comment letter, the AAMC applauded the committee’s recognition that the physician workforce must be expanded. However, the AAMC advised that the committee’s proposal to redistribute unused Medicare-supported graduate medical education training slots will “fall short of what is needed” to resolve a growing physician shortage in multiple specialties. The association strongly urged the committee to include the “Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2009” in any health reform legislation.

In its May 20 comment letter responding to the Senate Finance Committee’s second policy paper on expanding affordable health coverage, the AAMC noted that the committee’s coverage objectives “align closely with those of the AAMC.” However, the association’s letter stated that “current programs should be supported until we are sure that the replacements...are better and more rational than the systems they would be replacing.” The AAMC plans to submit comments on the committee’s third and final set of policy options, which focuses on ways to finance comprehensive health system reform.

Information: Go to http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/library/washhigh/2009/052209/start.htm#1

Association comments on HHS proposal on breach notification of unsecured PHI

On May 21, the AAMC issued a comment letter in response to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) proposal specifying ways to render protected health information (PHI) unreadable, unusable, or indecipherable. PHI is considered to be secure and therefore is not subject to breach notification requirements if it is protected through the methods and technologies outlined in the HHS guidance, which was required by the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.” In the correspondence, the AAMC calls for consistency between the principles that guide requirements for breach notification of unsecured PHI and those in the HIPAA security regulation. The AAMC also agrees with the HHS proposal that following the guidance should be the equivalent of a “safe harbor,” and strongly supports the concept that PHI in limited data set form should be treated as unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable.

Information: Go to http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/library/teachhosp/corres/2009/052109.pdf

Nominations sought for resident community service recognition award

The AAMC’s Organization of Resident Representatives (ORR) is seeking nominations for its 2009 Resident Physician Community Service Recognition Award. This annual award is given to a resident physician who has demonstrated a commitment to community service above and beyond the rigors of residency, in order to serve the needs of the community in which he or she trains. Residents enrolled at any AAMC-member institution are eligible for nomination. The award will be presented on Nov. 7 during the AAMC Annual Meeting. The award includes a $1,000 contribution to the recipient’s non-profit charity of choice, and travel support to attend the 2009 AAMC Annual Meeting. Nominations are due June 30.

Information: Alexis Ruffin, AAMC Medical Education, alruffin@aamc.org, 202.828.0439 or go to http://www.aamc.org/members/orr

Groups discuss public health workforce

Last week, AAMC Chief Academic Officer John Prescott, M.D., participated in a panel discussion before Congressional staff and other attendees on the preparedness of the public health workforce to deal with H1N1 influenza. At the event, organized by the Association of Schools of Public Health, Dr. Prescott stressed the role that physicians play in public health and highlighted ongoing activities at the AAMC and its member institutions to promote public health awareness among aspiring and practicing physicians. Dr. Prescott also noted that federal support for public health workforce development, such as the Title VII health professions training programs, has been unreliable.

Information: Tannaz Rasouli, AAMC Government Relations, trasouli@aamc.org, 202.828.0525

CDC, ASPH seek volunteers to develop public health preparedness competencies

At the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) will be engaging the appropriate experts to develop a proposed model of core competencies for the public health preparedness and response workforce. The effort is supported by a cooperative agreement from the CDC’s Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response. The competency model will build on existing work in the emergency preparedness and response field, and will provide a proposed national standard of skills that are needed for the public health workforce in all-hazards preparedness and response situations. The project meets one of the mandates of the “2006 Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act.” ASPH is seeking participants and volunteers to draft core preparedness and response competencies. The time commitment will include participating in conference calls wi th workgroups and providing both written and verbal feedback between Sept. 2009 and Jan. 2010.

Information: John McElligott, M.P.H., ASPH, 202.296.1099 ext 157, jmcelligott@asph.org

RWJ report: Health care cost trends devastating for middle-class

According to a report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJ) last week, the middle-class American family will be the hardest hit by rising health costs if reforms are not enacted soon. The Urban Institute prepared the analysis for “Health Reform: The Cost of Failure” by using the institute’s Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model, and looking at coverage and cost trends over the next 10 years. The study examined three different scenarios—best, intermediate, and worst—each with varying levels of growth in income and health care costs. The report indicated that, even in the best case scenario, 53.1 million Americans will be uninsured by 2019. Businesses would also see their costs increase by 72 percent, resulting in a 6.9 percent drop in employer-sponsored coverage. This would cause an additional 5.7 million middle income families to lose their health insurance. And while the report predicts tremendo us increases in uncompensated care and spending on programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program to help close the gap, “middle-income families would truly be stuck—too well off to be eligible for public programs, but too poor to afford their own health insurance.”

Information: Go to http://www.rwjf.org/coverage/product.jsp?id=42968

Putting the “HEAT” on Medicare fraud

Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the creation of a new fraud-fighting, interagency team that will operate under the acronym “HEAT.” The Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team will include senior officials from the Department of Justice and HHS and concentrate on expanding and strengthening programs that combat Medicare fraud. The Strike Force team operations, which currently target fraud on a local level in South Florida and California, will now also be expanded to Detroit and Houston.  In addition to building up teams on Strike Force, HEAT will also invest in new resources and technology, develop demonstration projects that focus on fraudulent medical equipment suppliers, increase training for Medicare providers, and improve data sharing between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and law enforcement .

Information: Go to http://www.hhs.gov/stopmedicarefraud

On the move

H. David Wilson, M.D., dean of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, will step down to become dean of the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, effective July 1.

President Obama has appointed New York City Health Department Commissioner Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Frieden served at the CDC between 1990 and 2002. This position does not require Senate confirmation.

The Senate confirmed President Obama’s nomination of Margaret “Peggy” Hamburg, M.D., to be commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Hamburg served as the Nuclear Threat Initiative’s founding vice president for the biological program, as assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services, as New York City Health Commissioner, and as assistant director of the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Academic Medicine Online

As the U.S. population ages, physicians of all specialties—not just primary care physicians—must be well prepared to care for geriatric patients. What can be done to ensure that today’s trainees can meet this challenge? The May issue of Academic Medicine takes on the issue of geriatrics education in a collection of articles, a related commentary, and an AM Last Page feature on the geriatrics physician workforce.
http://www.academicmedicine.org

10. Marginalia: This cat is just too cool to be called “Porky”, but that IS its name.

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