Friday, November 03, 2017

As Susan and I head out today for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) annual meeting, we are all smiles as we reflect back on school activities this week. Both Susan (who is a cardiologist like me) and I teach in Block 6 of the second-year medical student curriculum with a focus on cardiovascular pathophysiology. I teach in a bunch of sessions dealing with various aspects of heart disease, and Susan and I jointly teach in a cardiology laboratory experience. We both get a kick out of working with the students, and Susan remarked how engaged and enthusiastic this year’s class in particular was. I’ve had a similar impression.

I also had a gratifying after-hours exchange with the students. They invited me to chat about various health policy issues in a relaxed off-campus setting. I responded to questions that they posed, and it was more of a give-and-take conversation than a lecture. Great fun, and enjoyable for me, and, I suspect, for the students as well.

This week is Primary Care Week, meaning a variety of activities dedicated to primary care have been held in Grand Forks throughout the week. Perhaps the highlight was yesterday, when our Center for Rural Health sponsored a Community Meet and Greet, where health care facilities from across North Dakota sent representatives to the School so that students could learn about various health care job opportunities in both rural and urban settings. Future health care providers were able to make connections with future potential employers.

And tomorrow, SMHS students, in conjunction with the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), are sponsoring a Health Screenings Fair that will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the South WalMart in Grand Forks. The Fair provides an opportunity for members of the community to undergo free screening services such as blood pressure checks, followed-up with nutritional information. In the past, I’ve enjoyed stopping by the Fair and chatting with students and participants, although I won’t be able to this year because we will be at the AAMC meeting in Boston. I’m sure you’ll join me, though, in congratulating the students for demonstrating their altruism and community engagement by giving up part of their Saturday for the good of their neighbors. Plan on stopping by for a quick screening check, or just to say “well done” to the students. They always do a terrific job, and are amazingly professional in their interactions with the public. Impressive indeed!

Joshua Wynne, MD, MBA, MPH
UND Vice President for Health Affairs
Dean, UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Retirement Reception for Bev Johnson Nov. 14

You are invited to a retirement reception for Bev Johnson, PT, DSc, GCS, to be held in the SMHS West Atrium from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Currently an associate professor and assistant director of clinical education, Bev has been with the SMHS Department of Physical Therapy for 30 years. She will retire on December 31, 2017.

Everyone is welcome, so please join us for refreshments and to wish Bev well as she moves into the next phase of her life.

For more information, contact Alyson White, administrative officer and coordinator of admissions for the SMHS Department of Physical Therapy, at 701.777.3873 or alyson.white@med.und.edu.

John Watt, PhD, to present at SMHS Seminar Series on Nov. 15

Want to find out how the Histology Core can help your research? Dr. John Watt will show you how at the next SMHS Seminar Series event on Wednesday, Nov. 15. The lecture will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Charles H. Fee, MD, Auditorium (Room E101) of the new SMHS building, 1301 N Columbia Rd., Grand Forks, N.D.

The Histology Core allows investigators to access the equipment and technical expertise to prepare samples for a wide variety of high-resolution imaging techniques. The Core technical staff provide training and assistance in tissue preparation, microtomy and sample preparations for specific types of morphological analyses, and selection of the appropriate levels of imaging resolution.

Instruments:

• Leica CM3050 S Research Cryostat
• Leica VT1000S Vibrating blade microtome
• Leica RM2125RTS Paraffin microtome with accessory water baths and flattening tables
• Leica TP1020 automated tissue processor for paraffin preparations
• Leica autostainer for routine histological stains

The event is free and open to everyone, so please join us!

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Chapter Summit 2017

There is still time to register for this year’s eHealth/ND Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Chapter Summit!

At the Summit, you'll connect with health care leaders and innovators to discuss topics in electronic health. You’ll get to hear first-hand on topics including:

• The Opioid Epidemic and how PDMP can play a role
• Behavioral Health
• ACO Analytics: what works, the benefits, the challenges
• Privacy & Security
• eVisits and Telemedicine

Click here to view the complete agenda and list of presenters or go here for more information.

Join us the evening before at our FREE HIMSS Social! There will be appetizers and a cash bar. You do not need to be a member to attend.

The event will be held at the following time, date and location:

Wednesday, 15 November 2017
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CST)
Radisson Hotel Bismarck
605 East Broadway Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58501

We hope to see you there!

Next Java with Josh to be held on Nov. 15

You are invited to join Dean Joshua Wynne for complimentary coffee or tea at Java with Josh from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 15, in the Tello-Skjerseth Atrium in the east wing (across the hall from the Family and Community Medicine and Population Health suites) at the SMHS building in Grand Forks.

Dr. Wynne will discuss what’s new at the School and take any questions you may have.

To ensure adequate seating, we ask that you RSVP to Kristen Peterson by Monday, Nov. 13.

We hope to see you there.

Hongbo R. Luo, PhD, to present at SMHS Seminar Series on Nov. 29

Hongbo R. Luo, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine at Harvard Medical School and researcher with Boston Children’s Hospital, will speak at the SMHS Seminar Series on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017.

Luo will give a presentation titled “Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in innate immunity.”

The presentation, which runs from noon to 1 p.m., will be held in the Charles H. Fee, MD, Auditorium (Room E101) of the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 1301 North Columbia Road in Grand Forks, N.D. The event is free and open to everyone.

Zen in 10 returns

Zen in 10 focuses on stretching, breathing, and having fun with coworkers. Go back to work with less stress, more energy, and better body functioning.

Sessions are from 10:40 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Oct. 24 to Dec. 21 in the Charles H. Fee, MD, Auditorium at the SMHS in Grand Forks. On Dec. 5, 7, 19, and 21, Zen in 10 will be held in Classroom W201. Sessions will not be held on Nov. 14, 16, and 23.

Services provided by Kay Williams, Certified Yoga and Relax and Renew Instructor®.

Opioid Issues: Online Continuing Medical Education Opportunities

As part of its mission to promote lifelong learning that will enhance professional competence and performance and improve patient outcomes, the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences has brought together various health care experts from across the state to produce a seven-part Continuing Medical Education (CME) series on opioid issues to be housed online. Each of the series parts will credit you with between 0.5 and 1.0 educational credits.

“As health care providers, we have an obligation to continue to educate ourselves on best practices,” noted Andrew J. McLean, MD, MPH, chair of the SMHS Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. “This is particularly important given the fact that opioids are contributing to the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history. The issue is complex and multifaceted, but our efforts can contribute to the solution. Thank you to all the contributors to this series and providers across the state for your interest in this series.”

To register for or access the series online, go here. A full series summary is provided below:

1. An Introduction to Series on Opioid Issues
Andrew J. McLean, MD, MPH
(0.5 credits)

2. Opioid Pharmacology
James L. Roerig, PharmD, BCPP
(1.0 credit)

3. Preventing Abuse and Misuse of Controlled Substances
Mark J. Hardy, PharmD
(0.75 credit)

4. Non-Medication Treatment of Chronic Pain
Julie Lewis Rickert, PsyD
(1.0 credit)

5. Issues of Addiction
Kurt A. Snyder, MMGT, LSW, LAC
(1.0 credit)

6. Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
Melissa J. Henke, MD
(1.0 credit)

7. Opiate Prescribing in the USA
Manuel Dejesus-Colon, MD
(1.0 credit)