(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) -- Although conscientiousness is the personality factor that predicts better performance in medical school and physician practice, a new UC Davis study has found that extroversion is the only personality type associated with better performance in the Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) process, an increasingly popular method for interviewing and selecting medical students.

Based on the results, published online in the September issue of the journal Academic Medicine, the authors warn that reliance on MMI -- adopted by medical schools nationwide, including the UC Davis School of Medicine -- could potentially lead to medical school classes dominated by a single personality attribute.

"A range of thoughts and styles is important in any institutional setting," said lead author Anthony Jerant, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Family and Community Medicine. "Having a dominant personality type in medicine is a particular concern, since the field has many specialties and, within each, unique and important roles to fill."

In place of the traditional 45-minute applicant interview, MMI is a fast-paced, timed circuit of approximately 10 stations, each featuring a unique 10-minute exercise designed to assess teamwork, problem-solving and communication abilities. Different evaluators, usually physicians or other health-care professionals, at each station rate the applicants using predetermined criteria. The ratings are forwarded to the Admissions Committee, which considers them along with the rest of each applicant's portfolio.

Jerant said that the "speed dating" format of the MMI process favors extroverts, who can be perceived on brief contact to be better communicators.

"That doesn't necessarily mean they actually are better at communicating with patients or colleagues over the long haul," he said. "Extroversion hasn't been shown to confer advantages in other aspects of medical student performance, and we don't know how it affects clinical performance after medical school."

Pioneered by McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, MMI is considered to have several advantages over the traditional medical school interview. It's believed to favor candidates who have the social and communication skills to navigate the complexities of health care and who can think on their feet and work in teams.

"We adopted the MMI approach to explore a potentially more reliable, multisource assessment of our applicants than the traditional, one-on-one interview format," said Mark Henderson, associate dean for admissions at UC Davis School of Medicine and a co-author of the study. "The results raise important questions that can only be answered with longitudinal follow up of students chosen using this method and further studies. We will continue to refine the MMI as part of our selection process with the goal of selecting a diverse group of qualified students capable of handling the challenges of a medical career while remaining dedicated advocates for their patients."

In this UC Davis-funded evaluation, Jerant and his team examined the relationship between the personalities of UC Davis School of Medicine applicants and their MMI scores.

They studied 444 applicants for the 2010-11 school year who participated in the MMI process and voluntarily completed a Big Five Inventory questionnaire, a validated measure assessing agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion, neuroticism and openness.

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Does Interview Process Favors Extroverts?

When the mayors of Harlingen and Edinburg received invites to a University of Texas event outlining a blueprint for the Rio Grande Valleys long sought medical school, both mayors had already scheduled a prior engagement on that topic later that same day.

Edinburg Mayor Richard Garcia and Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell were front and center at the University of Texas-Pan American on Friday when system Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa announced a blueprint that will graduate the first class of South Texas medical students by 2018.

Garcia and Boswell left UTs morning announcement to join other Valley mayors in weighing their options for a medical school behind closed doors, a meeting set up days before the hastily-scheduled UT news conference to unveil its own vision for a Valley medical school.

Garcia organized the meeting of mayors to determine common ground issues and affirm a shared commitment to a South Texas medical school that will likely take the combined support of Hidalgo and Cameron counties, he said.

But the meeting also exposed some Valley officials frustration with UTs slow pace to establish a full-fledged medical school here and a willingness to explore whats perceived as genuine interest from the Texas A&M system to establish its own Valley medical school.

Garcia said nothing came out of the mayors meeting attended by city, county and Doctors Hospital at Renaissance and Valley Baptist officials other than a goal to host similar discussions soon.

Theres already been an investment made here (with UT) and we want to move that forward, said Garcia, whose city would retain the medical schools research facilities under UTs proposal. But if something else comes up thats worth talking about, lets talk about it.

PLANTING A FLAG

The fight for a Valley medical school is part of an overall push between the UT and Texas A&M systems to increase their presence in one of the fastest growing regions of the state. Internal conflicts between Hidalgo and Cameron county officials remain about how the school should be funded and where its components would be located.

On Friday, Cigarroa announced a blueprint to graduate the first cohort of Valley medical students in 2018 by relying on medical school infrastructure already in place in the Valley and San Antonio. As UT pursues accreditation and funding for the Valleys medical school, students could enroll in an independent South Texas track, begin classes at UTs Health Science Center in San Antonio and complete their final two years and clerkships in the Valley.

Continued here:

Valley weighs A&M option on long sought medical school

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - It may not be the first quality that most programs evaluate in their applicants, but a new study suggests athletic achievement could be the best indicator of how well a doctor-in-training will do as a resident. When residency programs evaluate medical school applicants for a few coveted spots, they typically consider grades, standardized test scores, recommendations ...

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Do athletes make better doctors?

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama White coats, symbolic of their future in the medical profession, were donned today in a special ceremony by first year medical students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical School.

The White Coat Ceremony is an annual event where students receive the coats as they begin their medical school training.

Traditionally, the white coat is a symbol of both professional competence in medicine and human compassion.

The 176 participants in todays ceremony are members of the Class of 2016. The students also took an oath of dedication written by the students themselves.

The ceremony and the oath remind incoming students of the dedication necessary to complete a medical education and underscore the responsibilities inherent in the practice of medicine, according to a UAB news release about the ceremony.

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UAB Medical School holds White Coat Ceremony (slideshow)

UT medical school

Re: Aug. 11 article "Plan for medical school unfolds."

Let's transform health care delivery by developing a University of Texas medical school and related initiatives sponsored by UT Southwestern Medical School, Central Health, the Seton Family of Healthcare and others. Working together to implement the "10 in 10" plan, we can move into national prominence by improving access to primary care, addressing the growing doctor shortage, propelling biomedical research, providing sorely needed mental health services and creating many new good- paying jobs.

If you have good health insurance, you know how important having a doctor is to good health, holding a job, being productive and leading a meaningful life. What a shame that Medicare beneficiaries have trouble finding a doctor to take care of them!

Let's get our emergency rooms out of the primary care business! Let's develop a sustainable health-care delivery system while creating thousands of new technical and professional jobs.

Charles E. Durant Jr.

Austin

World-class medicine

Re: Aug. 15 editorial, "A nickel for your health care."

I will be delighted to give my nickel to the Central Health Board to help establish a medical school in Austin! I have a brother-in-law who has multiple myeloma, a terrible blood/bone cancer, and he has lived beyond the average life span for people who have this cancer because of the exceptional care and treatment he has received at the University of Arkansas Medical School. World-class physicians move to Little Rock to teach or train at this facility, and people from all over the world spend months in Little Rock to receive mostly outpatient treatment that brings dollars to the city and provides the medical care these folks need.

Originally posted here:

UT medical school; Geo Care concerns; World-class medicine

BROWNSVILLE - Graduation ceremonies are just six years away for the first class of students from the Rio Grande Valley's long-awaited medical school, University of Texas Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa pledged Friday.

"The year 2018 will be a very special year for all of us," Cigarroa said at a news conference at the UT-Pan American in Edinburg, site of the medical research component of what's currently the three-campus Regional Academic Health Center.

As has been the case for hundreds of students since the gala opening of the center in Harlingen in 2002, future doctors will spend their first two academic years at the UT-Health Science Center at San Antonio and third and fourth years completing clinical training in the Valley.

The key difference is that students will, from the outset, have applied to a dedicated South Texas admission track. Hopes are high their diplomas will carry the University of Texas Health Science Center-South Texas name.

Independent school

While key questions remain - such as accreditation and funding for the estimated $40 million to $50 million in annual expenses - Cigarroa said that by then the center will have become a more independent entity.

"We are beginning the transition of the UT Health Science Center-San Antonio Regional Academic Health Center - known as the RAHC - into an independent, free-standing, comprehensive and research-intensive regional medical school, with its own president and structure, for South Texas," he said.

Plans for a full-fledged medical school for the Rio Grande Valley have been in the works since the early 1990s, when state Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, began documenting how the Valley's fast-growing and historically underserved region needed to better recruit physicians likely to commit to the area.

In addition to previous infrastructure investments by the Texas Legislature and UT System, the Legislature contributes about $11 million annually to support the RAHC's medical and research divisions. In 2011, UT Regents invested another $30 million for faculty recruitment, a clinical simulation facility, programs in obesity and diabetes and education in the sciences. In May, the regents endorsed new medical schools for Austin and South Texas.

"By committing to graduating students by 2018, UT has given everyone in South Texas reason to celebrate," Lucio said Friday. "I do see a lot of light at the end of the tunnel," he said. "For the first time, I feel confident we can accomplish our goals in the next five years."

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UT chancellor touts progress on Valley medical school

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

In collaboration with UC Irvine Extension, the UC Irvine School of Medicine will offer a new fully online, first-year medical school course titled, Introduction to Medical Physiology from September 11, 2012 through March 11, 2013. The course is open to all participants interested in attending medical school, earning transferable UC graduate credits, or those seeking to enhance their resume with medical education experience. This is the first UC Irvine online medical course to be offered to the general public through open enrollment participants do not need to be admitted to UC Irvine to enroll.

Students have the rare opportunity to learn identical material and take the same exams presented to first year medical students at the prestigious UC Irvine School of Medicine, said Dr. Harry Haigler, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Basic Science Medical Education at UC Irvine School of Medicine. Course participants will also receive support and guidance from medical school faculty, compare their performance with other medical school students, and obtain an advantage by experiencing the rigorous medical school curriculum before admittance to medical school. We are very excited to be able to offer this medical training to the general public.

The online Introduction to Medical Physiology course will expose participants to the classical concepts of medical physiology with an emphasis on topics that are fundamental to the practice of clinical medicine. The first half of the course will address hemostasis, blood, neurophysiology and cardiovascular physiology. The second half of the course will address topics including gastrointestinal, renal, respiratory, acid/base, endocrine, exercise, temperature regulation and sexual physiology.

For more information or to register for the course, call 949-824-0697 or visit http://www.extension.uci.edu/premed.

About UC Irvine Extension: University of California, Irvine Extension is the continuing education arm of UC Irvine. Through thousands of courses and programs offered on campus, online and on site, UC Irvine Extension helps adult learners reach their career advancement and personal enrichment goals and is celebrating 50 years of providing universally accessible, university-level learning to local, regional, and global communities. Learn more at extension.uci.edu, or join us on Facebook at facebook.com/uciextension.

About UC Irvine School of Medicine: Ranked as one of the top 50 U.S. medical schools for research by U.S. News & World Report, University of California, Irvine's School of Medicine is dedicated to advancing medical knowledge and clinical practice through scholarly research, physician education and high-quality care. The medical school nurtures the development of medical students, resident physicians and scholars in the clinical and basic sciences and supports the dissemination of research advances for the benefit of society. For more information, visit http://www.som.uci.edu/index.asp.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UC Irvine is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange Countys largest employer, UC Irvine contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UC Irvine news, visit http://www.today.uci.edu.

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University of California, Irvine Offers Online Medical School Course for Open Enrollment

Young Blood By: Chelsea Angeli R. del Castillo Philippine Daily Inquirer

Medical school is not the place for smart people.

If I am really smart, then Ill get out of the university and start living my life. Like what most of my college friends are doing, Ill probably start making a career and providing for myself. If I am really smart, I wont spend another four years in a university, be in so intimate a relationship with my books, and endure sleepless nights. Stress involving reports, group discussions, and case studies should be out of my vocabulary. My definition of fun and happy should be being with my family, pampering myself, or traveling the world, NOT being dismissed from classes early, acing the examinations, or completing reports with flying colors.

My first weeks in medical school straightened my crooked conviction that intelligence and perseverance combined with enough funds would be sufficient for me to realize my dream of wearing a white coat. Like a hammer blow on the head, getting a chance to experience what medical school is like awakened me to the more grueling realities that take place between admission and board examination. My determination was challenged more than ever, and my lifestyle was changed dramatically right before my eyes: waking up early to beat the clock, catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror and thinking that stress has made me look 10 years older, skipping meals either because I wanted to or I had to, waiting for the redemption bell, going home while thinking of the piles of things that I had to study, wishing that tomorrow would be a holiday, setting my alarm clock, dream, dream, dream, being jolted awake by the much-dreaded alarm, and letting it snooze until I get the courage to face reality

Sometimes, a voice within asks if this is really the life that I intend to live for another four years. Lots of times, thoughts of quitting lure me. My family will certainly understand if I will no longer pursue my studies, I often tell myself. But whenever ideas like these pop up in my boggled mind, what feeds my desire to try harder is the litany of interrogations coming from within. Questions of whether I can understand and forgive myself for giving up just like that awaken my slumbering determination. The things that I have seen, the people that I have been with, and the experiences that I have lived through during my premed years as a nursing student have inspired me to be this tenacious.

Those times, I witnessed how a patient stared at the door while silently waiting for someone whod visit him during the most painful hours of his life. How a sweet smile, how a simple act of concern, and how a genuine caring touch could lighten the face of an old woman on her deathbed. Those times, I listened to the hopes of people living in far-flung communities to see a doctor even just once in their lives. I shared their smiles and tears. I felt their struggles and pains. I heard their silent prayers. People like them have inspired me to study harder, so that someday, while Im on my mission to relieve often and to comfort always, I can also be capable of healing sometimes. It is for them that I dream of being a doctor and they are what make it so difficult to let go.

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For a million lifetimes

EDINBURG University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa today is expected to announce plans to expand medical education as a path to establishing a free-standing medical school in the Rio Grande Valley, a press release said.

The announcement is expected to affect all Regional Academic Health Centers in the Valley, which includes Harlingen, said Louie Sanchez, a spokesman for state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville.

Officials on Thursday declined to disclose details of plans set to be announced at 10:30 a.m. at the Regional Academic Health Centers Medical Research Division in Edinburg.

However, Randy Whittington, a former Harlingen mayor who serves as president of the South Texas Medical Foundation, said the announcement will include plans to turn the RAHC which includes branches in Harlingen, Edinburg and Brownsville into a four-year medical school.

Hes going to announce plans to convert the RAHC into a four-year medical school in the Valley, Whittington said. Hes going to lay out steps to get there and a timetable. I think everybody will be surprised about how quick it can be done.

The plans will impact the entire RAHC system, which includes the Harlingen branch, the Edinburg research division and a public health school in Brownsville, Sanchez said. Its about the entire program, Lucio said.

Officials continue to work to develop a four-year medical school in Harlingen, Lucio said. The goal we have always had is to go from a two-year operation to a four-year institution, Lucio said.

About 1,000 third- and fourth-year medical students have trained at the RAHC since it opened in 2002, said Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell, who has called the RAHC one of the citys hallmarks.

It has built up, Boswell said. A huge investment has been made.

The Regional Academic Health Center lays the foundation to a proposed South Texas health science center, Sanchez said.

The rest is here:

RAHC Impact: ‘Path’ to Valley medical school announcement expected

ALEXANDRIA Donning the white coats of a doctor, three Bishop Brossart High School alumni have entered the same medical school class at the University of Louisville.

Jessica Baumann of Highland Heights, James Schack of California, and McKenzie Vater of Alexandria, joined the medical class of 2016 in a White Coat Ceremony at the University of Louisville School of Medicine Sunday, Aug. 5.

The three Bishop Brossart alumni are part of a class of 160 medical students seeking to complete four years of medical school. The three were among the members of the medical class selected from a pool of 3,200 applicants, according to a news release from Bishop Brossart. Of the 160 medical students selected, 120 were Kentucky residents.

This is an extremely proud moment in the lives of these three aspiring medical professionals and their families, as well as, an incredible tribute to our wonderful Bishop Brossart faculty and staff, said Ron Heiert, director of development for Bishop Brossart.

Bauman, the daughter of Larry and Jill Baumann of Highland Heights, is a 2006 Bishop Brossart graduate. Schack and Vater are 2008 Bishop Brossart graduates. Schack is the son of Jim and Milissa Schack of California, and Vater is the daughter of Jim and Carole Vater of Alexandria.

Link:

Bishop Brossart trio enter medical school

Newswise NEWARKScientists at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ-NJMS) have developed new DNA sequencing tests that hold significant promise for decreasing costs associated with diagnosing cancer and hereditary diseases, including cysticfibrosis.

Officials at the New Jersey Department of Health approved the use of the new Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Carrier and Diagnosis Test, which was created at the Institute for Genomic Medicine at UMDNJ-NJMS. Using a semiconductor mechanism that was developed by San Francisco-based Ion Torrent, the microchip tests the entire gene for mutations. IGM now offers this certified Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory service for hospitals as well as obstetrics and gynecology practices throughout the Garden State.

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation web site, More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective CF gene. This chronic disease impacts the lungs and the digestive system. It occurs when a child inherits one defective CF genefrom each parent. Statistics show New Jersey averages 125,000 births of children who are diagnosed with cystic fibrosis annually.

We believe the adaptation of this new sequencing technology will drastically improve our ability to analyze genetic disorders, said Marvin N. Schwalb, PhD, director of the Institute for Genomic Medicine. Traditional CF sequencing testing costs thousands of dollars making the test unavailable for carrier screening. This new test costs less than $200. Most importantly, the genetic carrier test we developed improves the diagnosis rate to 98 percent. While the test provides significant improvement for all populations, the improved rate is particularly valuable for minorities because current carrier screening methods only detects approximately 65% of mutations in these populations.

The new technology provides many advances including the ability to test as many as 96 samples on a single platform and the fact that the equipment cost 1/10 as much as the previous technology.

IGM has developed another test, which was also approved by the NJHSS, for mitochondrial DNA. Mutations in mitochondria cause a wide variety of diseases, such eye and neuromuscular system disorders and possible cancer.

Schwalb, a professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at NJMS, said, We are proud of the fact that the IGM is a world leader in the advancement of genetic diagnosis. DNA sequencing will keep us very busy for a while. In the state of New Jersey, there is nothing thatcompares to this advancement and this is just the beginning.

To arrange an interview with Dr. Marvin Schwalb, contact Kaylyn Kendall Dines at 973-972-1216.

About New Jersey Medical School:

Founded in 1954 as the Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry, UMDNJNew Jersey Medical School was the state's first medical school. Today, it is part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. NJMS has four mission areas: education, research, clinical care, and community outreach. It has 22 academic departments and more than 60 centers and institutes. In addition to offering the MD degree to its students, NJMS also offers, MD/PhD, MD/MPH, and MD/MBA degrees through collaborations with other institutions of higher education.

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New Jersey Medical School Researchers Develop DNA Sequencing Tests for Hereditary Diseases

Posted on | August 16, 2012 | Comments

UC Riverside School of Medicine Research Building

Legislation that would give the UC Riverside Medical School $15 million finally made it to committee Thursday, quickly stalled, and is likely dead for the year.

The bill by Assemblyman Jeff Miller, R-Corona, emerged earlier this summer and had co-authors from across Inland Southern California. It proposed to allocate $15 million to help open the medical school from the states expected settlement of an overbilling case with the Senior Care Action Network (SCAN.)

The bill idled in the Senate Rules Committee for several weeks. Thursday, it was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee, where majority Democrats voted to place it on the suspense file. Later, it was among dozens of bills left on suspense.

There are significant costs, the panels chairwoman, state Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, said during the hearing.

Miller is the Republican candidate for Riverside Countys 31st Senate District, a top fall target of Senate Democrats. In a statement a short while ago, Miller blamed partisan politics for the bills demise.

It is extremely disappointing to see Sacramento Democrats put partisan politics first and block the vital funding needed to get the UC Riverside Medical School off the ground, said Miller. Its clear that the political bosses are more interested in playing political games than improving health care.

Earlier, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, denied that the SD-31 race had anything to do with the bill.

My thoughts are it is premature and there ought to be a public-policy discussion about how to spend those proceeds, he said of the SCAN settlement. Without mentioning Miller, Steinberg alluded to legislative Republicans blanket opposition to new tax revenue.

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UCR Medical School: Funding bill stalls in committee

Harvard Medical School says it will start making changes at the primate research center that has come under national scrutiny following the death and injury of several monkeys in the past year and a half.

The school said it is following the recommendations of an independent panel of scientists who conducted a five-month review of the schools primate research center and this week released a two-page summary of their report.

The document recommends adding several new leadership positions and advises better oversight and more open communication between the school and the research center, which has played a key role in cancer, AIDS and other medical research.

Southboroughs New England Primate Research Center has come under scrutiny from the U. S. Department of Agriculture after several incidents that resulted in research monkey injuries and deaths.

The USDA investigation of the facility is ongoing, spokesman David Sacks said Wednesday, for the incidents of neglect over the last 18 months. The lab faces up to $10,000 in fines for each violation of the Animal Welfare Act, he said.

But an animal rights advocate who has been following the saga of the labs missteps said Wednesday the center isn't doing enough to rectify the situation and should be more transparent.

"It does not sound as though theyre taking the steps necessary to prevent additional deaths from happening in the future," said Michael Budkie, executive director of Stop Animal Exploitation Now!

The summary said the seven-member panel set out to find major themes and processes that could be improved, not to identify every risk identified in previous reports.

"I think they should give a tour of this facility to myself and news media to give us the opportunity to see whats going on inside this facility," Budkie said.

Harvard Medical School Wednesday did not release the full report "out of sensitivity to the privacy of our operations."

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Southborough primate lab to make changes

To acquaint Cooper Medical School of Rowan Universitys first 50 students with their new neighborhood, the charter class was loosed upon Camden on Wednesday with a series of clues in search of specific landmarks the good, the bad and the ugly.

For new students Susan Talamini and Rebecca Lee, the first and most crucial item they needed to locate was their car in the parking garage across the street from the new school.

But, like the proverbs will tell you, its about the journey, not the destination.

The women realized that sooner than later.

Talamini, 28, and Lee, 26, are both from out of town.

Complete strangers to each other before orientation at the school this week, Talamini and Lee had to learn to work together quickly as a team.

Talamini was born in Essex County in New Jersey, and Lee is from Cleveland, Ohio.

Both women spent a good amount of their lives in New York and now live in Princeton and Haddonfield.

Something else the pair has in common?

They were two of 50 students chosen out of 2,900 applicants to be the first to attend Cooper Medical School.

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Cooper Medical School of Rowan University sends new students exploring through Camden

Travis Co. Taxpayers Ask To Pay For UT Med School

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Protecting Austin Trees From Drought

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Undocumented Austin Students Begin Deferred Action Process

Originally posted here:

Travis Co. Taxpayers Ask To Pay For UT Med School

BOSTONHarvard Medical School says it plans to follow the recommendations of an independent panel of scientists and veterinarians that reviewed the university's troubled primate research facility in Southborough.

The two-page executive summary of the report, released to The Boston Globe ( http://b.globe.com/NBhlZe) by Deborah Kochevar, dean of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and chairwoman of the committee, calls for establishing a new veterinarian position and appointing a biosafety officer.

The committee did not investigate the specific lapses in animal care and procedures that resulted in death and harm to monkeys.

Many of the recommended changes involve adding layers of oversight and direct reporting to Harvard.

Medical School Dean Dr. Jeffrey Flier said in a statement that the school has started "a timely implementation" of the recommendations.

Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/globe

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Harvard pledges changes at primate research center

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri has been investigating claims that two researchers from its medical school plagiarized a journal article that has since been retracted.

Read more from the original source:

Missouri medical researchers accused of plagiarism

By Steve DeVane Staff writer

BUIES CREEK - Campbell University's medical school has more than 700 applications for its inaugural class of 150 students, school officials say.

Another 800 students have expressed interest in attending the School of Osteopathic Medicine, which will be the first of its kind in North Carolina when it opens in August 2013.

Campbell officials announced Wednesday that the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and the Golden LEAF Foundation each gave the school $2 million gifts.

Leaders of the groups said the private university's medical school will provide badly needed primary care doctors for rural communities in North Carolina. The school will eventually have 600 students who will train at the school in Harnett County for the first two years and learn in community hospitals during the third and fourth years.

Campbell's will be the first medical school to open in the state in 35 years. Osteopathic doctors use traditional medical techniques, such as prescription drugs and surgery, but also focus on wellness and disease prevention.

An economist estimated that the medical school will create more than 1,150 jobs and have an estimated economic impact of nearly $300 million in its first 10 years.

The medical school will be in a $60 million, 96,500-square-foot facility that also will be home to Campbell's physician assistant program. The two buildings on U.S. 421 between Lillington and Erwin are about a quarter mile from Campbell's main campus in Buies Creek.

The buildings, which will be connected by a hallway, are taking shape, with workers spraying insulation and laying bricks on the outer walls Wednesday. Inside, metal studs separate where classrooms, offices, the library, study rooms, labs and a cafe will be located.

Dr. John Kauffman, the school's founding dean, said the gifts from the trust and the foundation will allow the school to equip its simulation lab with state-of-the-art high-fidelity robotics.

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Campbell University's new medical school gets $4 million in gifts, already has 700 applicants

By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff

An independent panel of scientists and veterinarians enlisted by Harvard Medical School to review its troubled primate research facility in Southborough is recommending that new leadership positions be created and a committee be formed to assure animal safety and foster closer ties with the main medical school.

The two-page executive summary of the report, released to the Globe by Deborah Kochevar, dean of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and the chairwoman of the committee, calls for establishing a new veterinarian position and appointing a biosafety officer specifically dedicated to the New England Primate Research Center. The committee did not set out to investigate the specific lapses in animal care and procedures that resulted in death and harm to animals.

Our charge and our intent was the evaluation of process improvements and these long-term strategies that would impact the delivery of humane, effective animal care and also ensure productive research, Kochevar said in an interview. The information about recent primate deaths was part of our context, but we werent there to investigate those incidents.

Many of the recommended changes involve adding layers of oversight and direct reporting to Harvard, including the designation of a senior leader at the medical school who would act as an advocate for the primate center.

The new attending veterinarian specifically assigned to the primate center would report directly to Harvard Medical Schools executive dean for administration. The independent committee recommended a review of training and policies to ensure they encourage open communication and reporting of problems.

Similarly, authors of the review recommended that a subcommittee be formed with the express task of focusing on the care and use of primates at the Southborough center. Now, there is a single committee overseeing animal research and care at all of the medical schools research facilities.

In a statement, Dr. Jeffrey S. Flier, dean of the medical school, said Harvard accepted the recommendations.

We have begun a timely implementation of these recommendations, Flier said in the statement.

Of course, this has been a challenging period, for the primate center, Flier wrote, but it has also been a time of reflection and analysis that has led to more stringent oversight and to a rigorous process of quality improvement.

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Independent committee recommends changes at Harvard’s New England Primate Research Center

By Mike Morgan

CREATED Aug. 13, 2012

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - A University of Missouri program that places doctors in rural areas is receiving national recognition.

The program of the medical school's Area Health Education Center was honored with a top award recently by the National Area Health Education Center Organization.

The medical school's Rural Track Pipeline Program guides undergraduates to rural settings for training during medical school and, ultimately, seeks to place them in rural practices.

The university says more than 450 medical students have participated in the program since its creation in 1995. Sixty-five percent of those who took part practice medicine in Missouri, nearly half of them in rural areas of the state.

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Mizzou Medical Program Honored