From The Dean

• Friday, November 03, 2017
• From The Dean

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