Handley Notables: Dr. David W. Powers, Class of 1975 – The Winchester Star

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David Powers, valedictorian of the Class of 1975, was a Star Leadership Award winner and voted Most Likely to Succeed by his class. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa at Randolph-Macon College and Alpha Omega Alpha Medical School Honor Society at the Medical College of Virginia.

David completed his internship and residency in Emergency Medicine at the Hershey Medical Center in 1986. He returned to Winchester and became the first residency trained and board certified Emergency Medicine physician at the Winchester Memorial Hospital. When he became medical director of the Emergency Room, he set the hiring standard that all ER physicians would be board certified. He was dedicated to providing quality healthcare in a compassionate manner in Winchester for 35 years.

He was one of the first physician volunteers at the Free Medical Clinic and served on its endowment committee. He staffed the Winchester Medical Centers Mobile Care Unit for events such as the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival and the Battle of Cedar Creek Reenactment. He was the advisor for the Medical Explorers at Winchester Medical Center where high school students were introduced to possible medical careers.

David provided free physicals for scouts attending camps and high adventure activities. The Shenandoah Area Council Boy Scouts of America awarded him the Silver Beaver Award and the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award for his volunteerism. David was able to share his love of local history with everyone, especially young people. He served on the first Tourism Board for the Winchester and Frederick County area and on the board of the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society. He was a founding member of the Stone House Foundation at the Newtown History Center and of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation. He was the vice-president of the Kernstown Battlefield Association from its founding until 2019. David co-chaired the renovation of George Washingtons Office Museum in 1999. He helped organize exhibits for the Historical Society and Kurtz Cultural Center of Preservation of Historic Winchester.

Powers will be remembered not only for his life long commitment to the health of the people in the community but also for his support of youth and his love of local history.

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Handley Notables: Dr. David W. Powers, Class of 1975 - The Winchester Star

Mayor Bowser and Universal Health Services Cut Ribbon on Cedar Hill Urgent Care, GW Health in Ward 8 | mayormb – Executive Office of the Mayor

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(Washington, DC) Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Universal Health Services(UHS)cut the ribbon on the new Cedar Hill Urgent Care, GW Health. Owned and operated by UHS and inpartnership with the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the GW Medical Faculty Associates,the $1.8 million full-service urgent care will provide comprehensive services for a wide range of illnesses. Cedar Hill Urgent Care, GW Health is the first location to open as part ofa partnership between theDistrict and UHSto createa comprehensive system of healthcare serving communities east of the Anacostia River.

We were very proud, earlier this year, to break ground on the new Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center, but we also know that it is not just about building one hospital it is about the entire health care system. This new urgent care is a critical piece of that system,said Mayor Bowser.The new urgent care facility will help ensure more Washingtonians are getting the right care at the right place at the right time.

When complete, the system will include two urgent care facilities, an ambulatory center,and the new Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center, GW Health. Thenewfacility, located on the ground floor of the Mapleview Flats building at 2228 MartinLuther King Jr Avenue SE, will open its doors to patients on Monday, October 10. The urgent carecenterwill be opensevendays a week, 8 am to 8 pm,and serve all District residents.

Cedar Hill Urgent Care, GW Health will offer comprehensive services for a broad range of illnesses including:

In addition, x-rays and basic lab work will be offered.

We are thrilled to be embarking on the development of these vital health services East of the Anacostia River so that we can better serve all residents across the District of Columbia, said Kimberly Russo, MBA, MS, Group Vice President of the Washington, DC Region for UHS and Chief Executive Officer of GW Hospital. Opening Cedar Hill Urgent Care is the next step in creating a comprehensive, academic medical network which will enhance health access, equity and outcomes and elevate healthcare in our nations capital.

Cedar Hill Urgent Care, GW Health will be fully integrated with the new Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center opening in early 2025 as well as a second urgent care facility opening in 2024 in Ward 7.

Providing access to high-quality health care to all citizens of the District is a 200-year tradition for GW, said Barbara L. Bass, MD, Vice President for Health Affairs, Dean of the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and CEO of the GW Medical Faculty Associates. In this new urgent care facility, we will have the ability to provide convenient, on-the-spot care to our patients and partner with our neighbors to improve the health and wellness of our great city.

In February, Mayor Bowser, UHS, George Washington University and Childrens National Hospital broke ground on the new Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center, GW Health in Ward 8 at the St. Elizabeths East Campus. Last month, the Mayor and UHS announced a plan to expand the size of the new hospital to include a fourth floor. The expansion is made possible through a $17 million investment from UHS.

Social Media:Mayor Bowser Twitter:@MayorBowserMayor Bowser Instagram:@Mayor_BowserMayor Bowser Facebook:facebook.com/MayorMurielBowserMayor Bowser YouTube:https://www.bit.ly/eomvideos

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Mayor Bowser and Universal Health Services Cut Ribbon on Cedar Hill Urgent Care, GW Health in Ward 8 | mayormb - Executive Office of the Mayor

Talking cardiac awareness with U of M – UMN News

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Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to theSudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, there are more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually in the U.S. and nearly 90% of them are fatal.

For National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month in October,Demetri Yannopoulos, MD, with the University of Minnesota Medical School and M Health Fairview, talks about cardiac arrest symptoms and care innovation in Minnesota.

Q: What is sudden cardiac arrest?Dr. Yannopoulos:Sudden cardiac arrest is a mechanical malfunction of the heart that is immediate and unexpected. The result is that blood stops pumping throughout your body and the ability to bring oxygen to vital organs such as your brain is compromised. This results in someone becoming suddenly unresponsive and requires immediate action, such as calling 911 and providing CPR. According to the American Heart Association, survival from sudden cardiac arrest is approximately 10% nationwide. In areas such as Minnesota, where the Center for Resuscitation Medicine has focused efforts to improve outcomes through a systemwide approach, survival can be as high as 40% in cases where early recognition and bystander CPR are present.

Q: What are the symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest? Are they different from a heart attack?Dr. Yannopoulos: The primary symptom of a sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden loss of consciousness with an absence of breathing or pulse. Some patients have heart attacks before or during their sudden cardiac arrest. As such, heart attacks blocked arteries of the heart are a common cause for sudden death. A person suffering from a heart attack can have chest pain; weakness; discomfort in the jaw, neck or back; and shortness of breath. A heart attack can trigger an electrical malfunction that leads to cardiac arrest.

Q: Are the symptoms of cardiac arrest different for men and women?Dr. Yannopoulos: The symptoms of cardiac arrest are the same for both men and women, however, heart attack symptoms can vary. Most heart attack symptoms are the same and include chest pain and weakness or lightheadedness. Women may be more likely to have back pain, nausea and shortness of breath. With any symptoms, you should be examined, or if symptoms are obvious, call 911. In the event of a cardiac arrest, recent studies have shown that women are less likely to receive bystander CPR and have lower overall survival rates. Currently, there are several campaigns to improve CPR response for women.

Q: How is the University advancing care for cardiac arrest in Minnesota?Dr. Yannopoulos:The University of Minnesota has been at the forefront of major scientific developments in the constant battle against sudden cardiac death. We have invented new ways to improve blood flow during CPR, better ways to ventilate and new drugs to treat cardiac arrest. We have collaborated with all EMS agencies in the state and organized together a best-in-the-world advanced resuscitation program that treats all victims of sudden cardiac arrest with the most advanced and skilled team that is currently available. We use a machine called ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) that acts like the heart and lungs through the major blood vessels to allow time to find the underlying cause, treat it and then continue to support the patients in an intensive care unit.

With this novel strategy that is now the standard of care in our community, patients that have primary electrical storm related sudden death have a six to seven times higher survival rate compared to the national standard of care. We are in the process of spreading the knowledge and process to be applied nationwide, and we are working tirelessly to even further improve the outcomes for patients surviving neurologically intact.

Q: How have the collaborations with The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust forwarded our care to patients in rural areas?Dr. Yannopoulos:The Helmsley Charitable Trust has been a strong supporter of cardiac care improvement in Minnesota. They have supported the mobile ECMO project in the metropolitan area that continues to expand further into rural Minnesota. Recently, the Helmsley Charitable Trust supported an AED project through the Center for Resuscitation Medicine to place new AEDs in all law enforcement vehicles throughout Minnesota. Law enforcement officers are often the first responders on scene, especially in rural communities, and these devices will help them provide critical lifesaving care.

Demetri Yannopoulos, MD, is a professor in the Center for Resuscitation Medicine in the Medical School on the Twin Cities campus and a cardiologist at M Health Fairview. His clinical interests include emergent cardiac care, coronary-artery disease and congenital and peripheral intervention.

In collaboration with The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, Dr. Yannopoulos is the University lead in increasing access to cardiac care in Minnesota through the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation Consortium by launching the ECMO truck, three ECMO SUVs and outfitting law enforcement agencies and first responders statewide with state-of-the-art automated external defibrillators. Law enforcement agencies interested in participating in the AED program can enroll at [emailprotected]

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About Talking...with U of MTalking...with U of M is a resource whereby University of Minnesota faculty answer questions on current and other topics of general interest. Feel free to republish this content. If you would like to schedule an interview with the faculty member or have topics youd like the University of Minnesota to explore for future Talking...with U of M, please contact University Public Relations at [emailprotected].

About the University of Minnesota Medical SchoolThe University of Minnesota Medical School is at the forefront of learning and discovery, transforming medical care and educating the next generation of physicians. Our graduates and faculty produce high-impact biomedical research and advance the practice of medicine. We acknowledge that the U of M Medical School, both the Twin Cities campus and Duluth campus, is located on traditional, ancestral and contemporary lands of the Dakota and the Ojibwe, and scores of other Indigenous people, and we affirm our commitment to tribal communities and their sovereignty as we seek to improve and strengthen our relations with tribal nations. For more information about the U of M Medical School, please visitmed.umn.edu.

Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation ConsortiumUnder the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs, the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation Consortium (MMRC) is a non-profit community resource that is an extension of the Universitys ECMO resuscitation program that started in 2015. The U of M has more ECMO experience than any other organization in the U.S., having treated more than 300 cardiac arrest ECMO cases since its inception, with a 40% survival rate comparatively higher than the average survival rate of less than 10% at other locations that treat similar patient populations.

This is a collaborative initiative funded by an $18.6 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and in-kind donations from industry and private donors. Other recognized donors are Zoll Medical, Stryker Emergency Care, Getinge Incorporated and General Electric. Health care system partners include Fairview Health Services, Regions Hospital (HealthPartners) and North Memorial Health Care System, with contractual partnership for physician services with M Health Fairview, Health Partners, U of M Physicians, Hennepin Healthcare and Lifelink III for clinicians

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Talking cardiac awareness with U of M - UMN News

Jake Foster Likely Not Taking Fifth Year, Will Retire If He Gets Into Med School – SwimSwam

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University of Texas senior and U.S. National team member Jake Foster will likely not be using his fifth year of eligibility, which was awarded to all NCAA athletes that competed during the COVID-afflicted 2020-21 season.

At the moment, I will be finishing my degree in the spring, and with some degree of certainty, I can say that I will not be using my 5th year of eligibility, Foster told SwimSwam. I may still be swimming next year as a pro, but that situation is still in flux with whether I will be enrolling in med school next fall.

Foster also confirmed that he would be retiring from competitive swimming if he enrolled in medical school, because it wont be possible for [him] to balance the demand of med school and competitive swimming while doing them at the level that [he] wants to.

Additionally, Fosters retirement was hinted at in his younger brother Carson Fosters recent Instagram post, where he says his 16th and final season swimming on the same team as [Jake] starts today.

In February 2022, Fosters teammates from Texas posted on social media about how he got a score of 519 on his MCAT test, which is an exam required for admission to the majority of medical schools in the United States. The highest possible MCAT score is a 528, so a 519 would put Foster in the 96th percentile of all medical school applicants, according to Association of American Medical Colleges.

Fosters potential retirement comes despite the fact that he has a chance of making long course international teams in the future, including the 2023 U.S. World Championships team and the 2024 U.S. Olympic team. At the 2022 U.S. National Championships, he finished second in the 200 breast with a time of 2:09.00, which is ranked third in the United States and just 0.16 seconds off the 2:08.84 it took to make the 2022 World Championships team.

At the 2022 U.S. International Team Trials, Foster narrowly missed the World Championship team in the 200 breast by placing third to Nic Fink and Charlie Swanson in a time of 2:09.73. He was also fifth in the 400 IM in 4:13.76 and sixth in the 200 IM in 1:58.64.

Collegiately, Foster is a high-impact swimmer, having scored 30 individual points for Texas at the 2022 NCAA Championships. He set personal best times in all three of his primary events, finishing twelfth in the 200 breast (1:51.82), eighth in the 200 IM (1:40.63), and fifth in the 400 IM (3:38.24). His PBs of 1:51.40 and 3:37.33 in the 200 breast and 400 IM respectively both came in prelims.

Foster isnt the only Texas swimmer to retire from competitive swimming due to med school, as 2017 World Championship medalist Madisyn Cox also recently hung up her goggles after not making the 2020 Olympic team to enroll in med school.

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Jake Foster Likely Not Taking Fifth Year, Will Retire If He Gets Into Med School - SwimSwam

Becher promoted to Chief Medical Officer at Community Care of West Virginia – My Buckhannon

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Buckhannon, W.Va. Dr. Kimberly Becher has been promoted to Chief Medical Officer at Community Care of West Virginia (CCWV), joining the leadership team with more than a decade of experience in the medical industry.

Becher joined CCWV in 2014 as a family physician at Community Cares health center location in Clay.

Kimberly has an extensive background in the medical field and has shown immense passion for her community and issues that face our rural patients, announced Patricia Collett, chief operations officer of Community Care of West Virginia. I am confident that she will make an excellent and vital addition to our leadership team.

Becher has held several leadership positions at the university, state, and national level. As a medical student, she was a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Commission on Governmental Advocacy. She was selected as a resident spokesperson for the AAFPs 2012 visit to the White House. She served as a resident on the board of directors of the AAFP from 2013 to 2014 and as the New Physician Delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates in 2018.

I have dedicated my career to bettering the health and lives of West Virginians and I am excited to take my responsibility to the next level so that we can continue to grow and deliver services that best serve our patients and their whole health needs, said Becher.

Becher acquired her undergraduate degree in biology from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, in 2002. She received her medical degree from Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in 2011 where she also completed her family medicine residency and served as one of the departments chief residents. Between her undergraduate studies and medical school, Dr. Becher carried out breast and colon cancer research at the University of Cincinnati.

As we continue to grow and expand our services, Dr. Becher has the vision and expertise to lead us into this next phase as our new chief medical officer, stated Collett.

Becher grew up in West Virginia and is an active member of her community. She has served as a volunteer physician at the Marshall Medical Outreach homeless clinic and as a volunteer at the Health Sciences and Technology Academy of West Virginia University summer camp. She also served on the Mountaineer Food Banks board of directors from 2018 to 2021 and continues to be on the Clay Senior and Community Services board.

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Becher promoted to Chief Medical Officer at Community Care of West Virginia - My Buckhannon

Taubman to Conclude CEO and Dean Terms In December 2023 – URMC

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Mark B. Taubman, M.D., URMC CEO and Dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry, has decided not to seek reappointment upon completion of his terms as CEO and Dean. The 72-year-old URMC leader will hand over the reins on December 31, 2023 or later if a successor has not been identified, as announced by University of Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf at todays Board of Trustees meeting.

I have been honored to lead this great institution and am proud of the significant advances we have achieved, particularly over the past two years, Taubman said. With so many of the goals of our strategic plan either accomplished or well underway, the time feels right to begin succession planning to assure our Medical Center is structured for a strong and vibrant future.

Taubman racked up many firsts during his tenure. In 2015, he became the first to serve as both Dean of SMD and URMC CEO. He was the first to create and implement an integrated strategic plan for URMC that stretched across all three missions, re-invigorating the foundations for core patient care, research, and education activities, and significantly boosting commitments to diversity and inclusion efforts. He led a strong and successful faculty leadership recruitment focus, and assured a renewed emphasis on financial agility by establishing the Medical Centers first integrated financial model to recognize its interdependent missions and ensure support for the academic enterprise.

More recently, his steady and reassuring leadership was essential to the Universitys response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also worked with Monroe County public and health officials to structure a coordinated community plan, and dedicated Medical Center resources to build tools and infrastructure to support screening, testing and eventually equitable distribution of vaccine within the Rochester community and surrounding regions.

Mark has been a visionary leader and a thoughtful, supportive colleague to me and to so many others across the institution, Mangelsdorf said. The fact that he is providing us with ample notice of his future plans so that we can thoughtfully organize and conduct a search for his successor is just another indication of his commitment to the ongoing work of the University and the Medical Center. I am not only grateful for Marks past service; Im also glad that we can count on his continued service for the next 15 months.

Taubman said that he will actively work to conclude many important initiatives currently underway. These include developing local solutions to our nations health care worker shortage, improving the Medical Centers financial performance and growing the research mission. He will also stay focused on finalizing expansion and modernization plans for Strongs Emergency Department and inpatient areas, opening the first phases of UR Medicines Orthopaedics and Physical Performance Center, and lay plans for the future growth of the UR Medicine health system.

A board-certified cardiologist, Taubman came to the Medical Center as chief of the Cardiology Unit and Paul N. Yu Professor in Cardiology in February 2003. He became chair of the Department of Medicine and Charles E. Dewey Professor of Medicine in May 2007, and served in that role until being named as dean. He briefly served as acting CEO in 2010 while former CEO Bradford Berk, M.D. recovered from an injury.

Taubman graduated from the New York University School of Medicine and completed his residency and cardiology fellowship training at the Brigham & Womens Hospital. He held academic appointments at Harvard Medical school, Childrens Hospital Boston, and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. Prior to being recruited to the University of Rochester, he was director of cardiovascular research at Mt. Sinai.

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Researchers find tumor microbiome interactions may identify new approaches for pancreatic cancer treatment – EurekAlert

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Investigators from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the states leading cancer center and only National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, together with RWJBarnabas Health, examined the microbiome of pancreatic tumors and identified particular microorganisms at single cell resolution that are associated with inflammation and with poor survival. According to the researchers, these microorganisms may be new targets for earlier diagnosis or treatment of pancreatic cancer, which is the fourth leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States. The findings are published in the online version of Cancer Cell (10.1016/j.ccell.2022.09.009).

Microbes are living things that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. We have more microbes living in our body than the total number of human cells, and can be found in organs like the pancreas, which at one time was considered microbe-free. Subhajyoti De, PhD, principal investigator at Rutgers Cancer Institute and senior author of the study along with graduate student Bassel Ghaddar, a student in the MD/PhD program at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, began exploring if there are microbes residing in pancreatic tumors, and if they have consequences for cancer progression or treatment. However, studying microbes in tumors is difficult, in part since every patient is different, and because microbial footprints are too subtle to detect reliably.

To explore further, the researchers teamed up with Martin Blaser, MD, Henry Rutgers Chair of the Human Microbiome at Rutgers University and world-renowned microbiome expert. The investigators developed a genomic approach called SAHMI (Single-cell analysis of Host-Microbiome Interactions) to identify microorganisms associated with individual human cells. Sifting through millions of RNA sequences using sophisticated software, they identified which ones likely represent human genes, and which ones are microbial in origin. This new technique allowed us to identify tumor-associated microbes and measure the activity of the host cells at the same time, which is a significant technical advance, and the results were stunning, notes Dr. De, who is also an associate professor of cancer systems biology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Studying two independent groups of pancreatic tumors, the team found that some had bacteria that associated with specific cell-types within the tumor, which were essentially absent in normal pancreatic tissues. These bacteria were predominantly located within tumor cells, and their abundance correlated with cancer-related cell activities. The specific signatures of the microbes that were found predicted particularly aggressive cancer progression and poor prognosis.

The microbial footprints within the pancreatic tumors raised the question of whether the immune cells that were present were responding to the cancer or to the microbes. The study findings suggested that the immune responses were mostly responding to the microbes in the tumor and not to the cancer cells. Our observations provide a new view about why pancreatic cancers are so difficult to treat, notes Dr. Blaser, who is also a research member at Rutgers Cancer Institute and professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Rutgers School of Public Health. But better understanding these interactions may identify new approaches for therapies.

Along with Drs. De, Ghaddar, and Blaser, other investigators include: Antara Biswas, PhD, Center for Systems and Computational Biology, Rutgers Cancer Institute; Chris Harris, PhD, Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center; M. Bishr Omary, PhD, Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University and Darren R. Carpizo, MD, PhD, Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center.

About Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

As New Jerseys only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rutgers Cancer Institute, together with RWJBarnabas Health, offers the most advanced cancer treatment options including bone marrow transplantation, proton therapy, CAR T-cell therapy and complex surgical procedures. Along with clinical trials and novel therapeutics such as precision medicine and immunotherapy many of which are not widely available patients have access to these cutting-edge therapies at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey at University Hospital in Newark, as well as through RWJBarnabas Health facilities. To make a tax-deductible gift to support the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, call 848-932-8013 or visitwww.cinj.org/giving.

Observational study

Cells

Tumor microbiome links cellular programs and immunity in pancreatic cancer

10-Oct-2022

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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A Plea for Campus Unity in the New Year – The Commentator – The Commentator

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As members of YUs undergraduate faculty, we believe it is our duty to speak up when the well-being of our students is put in jeopardy. We are also deeply invested in ensuring that our university is regarded highly in the broader academic world and in promoting its public standing. It is clear that the actions of the YU administration against the Pride Alliance are causing great harm to our LGBTQ+ students and community members. It is also our sincere belief that these actions have the potential to harm the entire undergraduate student body, by damaging YUs status as a premier institution of higher education, having recently risen in The US News and World Reports rankings.

Some members of our community may be hesitant to wade into this issue because they believe it does not directly involve them. We especially worry that our undergraduate students are not fully aware of the damage being done to YUs reputation as a university. Students should know that this threat to YUs reputation is real. Faculty and administrators from many of YUs own graduate programs as well as its affiliated medical school and hospital have already spoken out against YUs measures. In addition to the letter signed by over eighty members of the undergraduate faculty, faculty from the Cardozo School of Law, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Wurzweiler School of Social Work as well as Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Hospital have written open letters of protest, as have Cardozos Board of Overseers. The Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies posted a statement on their website, and students at Cardozo and Ferkauf staged a walkout on September 21. As of this writing, more than 1700 alumni and community members have signed a heartfelt letter of protest. Even more recently, the Wilf family, whose name adorns our Washington Heights campus, stated that they strongly disagree with YUs decision. Moreover, there has been widespread coverage of this issue, especially the Universitys decision to cancel all clubs, in mainstream publications such as The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Reuters, NPR, Politico, the New York Post and more.

Through their public litigation, the University risks undermining our reputation in the wider world. We are concerned that this unfortunate development has the potential to limit students' career paths and graduate school admissions prospects, including law school, medical school and other professional schools. It also threatens harm to the universitys own fundraising efforts to support important programming. Faculty may struggle to keep, renew or obtain the federal grants that support their research and especially their labs, which, in turn, are essential to both students graduate admissions and internships in industry. Competitive academic programs throughout the country value equality and non-discrimination toward LGBTQ+ students, and may judge YU undergraduate programs that publicly challenge these core principles. Future employers may be similarly reluctant to hire students from a university that discriminates and does not recognize its LGBTQ+ students equality.

This damage to YUs reputation is in addition to the harm that is being done to our LGBTQ+ students right now. Our university of which we are all a part is implicitly telling these students that they are not of equal value to other students who are allowed to form and join clubs based on their identities. Our colleagues at Ferkauf, Wurzweiler, and Einstein have written in depth about the potential harm these legal actions can cause our LGBTQ+ students and their allies in terms of mental health and ability to thrive. In addition, the universitys actions adversely influence their ability to learn in our classes and take advantage of all YU has to offer. We invite you to read the YU Pride Alliances overview of the case to better understand what they are asking for.

We hope that our students will not only show compassion to their classmates but also stand up for their own interests and future prospects by speaking out against these legal actions. While the Pride Alliance has granted YU the legal stay requested so that other student clubs can resume, there is still time for the University to choose a path of unity. The University can withdraw its appeal or reach another resolution and prevent Yeshiva University vs Pride from becoming shorthand across the United States for legal discrimination against LGBTQ+ students. As we enter the new year, now is the time to put aside differences and come together in what we know to be our shared values. As the Revel faculty put it in their recent statement, it is our imperative as members of this university to recognize the dignity and respect with which we should all treat our fellow human beings.

With best wishes to all for a sweet new year,

Tamar Avnet, Professor of Marketing, Sy Syms School of Business

James Camara, Clinical Associate Professor of Chemistry, Yeshiva College

Anna Lisa Cohen, Professor of Psychology, Yeshiva College

Gabriel Cwilich, Professor of Physics, Yeshiva College

Lauren Fitzgerald, Professor of English, Yeshiva College

Jeffrey Freedman, Professor of History, Yeshiva College & Stern College

Sumanta Goswami, Associate Professor of Biology, Yeshiva College

Jenny Isaacs, Associate Professor of Psychology, Yeshiva College

David Lavinksy, Associate Professor of English, Yeshiva College

Rachel Mesch, Professor of English, Yeshiva College

Jess Olson, Associate Professor of Jewish History, Yeshiva College & Stern College

Raji Viswanathan, Professor of Chemistry, Yeshiva College

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Program Will Fund Genomics Research at Historically Black Medical Colleges – Healthcare Innovation

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The Accelerate Precision Health program will award $46 million total in funding, or $11.5 million per institution, over the next five years to four Historically Black Medical Colleges (HBMCs) to support the scientific research they are doing to address significant gaps in genomics research.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) program will seek to advance genomics research by investing in genomics programs at Charles Drew University College of Medicine in Los Angeles; Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C.; Meharry Medical College in Nashville; and Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Through the partnership, the HBMCs will expand research opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students; support the creation of a new Master of Science program in Genetic Counseling; support recruitment of anchor faculty in genomics; and fund state-of-the-art tools for data handling, storage, and analysis, among other elements.

Its important to underscore that for Black Americans, there is a large gap between representation and need in genomics research, and the time is now to support the intersection of genomics and health differences research that will advance science. Research shows that expanding representation leads to innovative discoveries, said CZIs Senior Science Advisor Hannah Valantine, in a statement. Actively engaging HBMCs and the communities they serve in genomics research is a necessary approach to harness new perspectives that will fuel creative interdisciplinary research, unleash innovations that have yet to be conceived, and accelerate precision health equity.

Morehouse School of Medicine is thrilled to partner with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative on the Accelerate Precision Health program, said Morehouse School of Medicine President and CEO Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., in a statement. CZI support will allow MSM to expand our educational programs and our world-class genomics research enterprise simultaneously. Through this partnership, MSM will train more graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, hire additional research scientists, and establish an endowed faculty position funded by CZI. These measures will enhance Morehouse School of Medicines continued commitment to academic excellence, service, and innovation as we lead the creation and advancement of health equity.

This grant is part of a multi-year, $500 million investment CZI announced in December 2020 to support organizations leading the way to advance racial equity, diversity and inclusion efforts.

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New International Partnership to Tackle Public Health Challenges – University of Arizona

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The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and the University of Limerick School of Medicines Master of Science Public Health program in Ireland have entered into an International Memorandum of Agreement to enhance cooperation in research and academics.

The partnership will focus on areas of mutual interest through research collaboration, faculty, scholar and student exchanges, direct enrollment and study abroad programs.

In August 2021, Gabriela Valdez, PhD, director of global education and assistant professor in the Zuckerman College of Public Health, and Niamh Cummins, PhD, lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Limerick, began crafting an agreement. The strategic goal of the partnership is to advance public health education, research and practice to address the health needs of diverse populations in both countries.

We are pleased to partner with the University of Limerick, especially as we both see the benefits of applied public health education, said Iman Hakim, MD, PhD, dean of the Zuckerman College of Public Health. I want to thank Dr. Valdez and Dr. Cummins for all the work they did to bring our institutions together for the greater good of public health.

The initial collaboration will focus on exchanges of faculty and scholars for short- and long-term visits. The programs plan to collaborate on research, including developing formal research funding proposals.

Megan Bounds, a second-year graduate student in the Zuckerman College of Public Health, was the first student to participate in a research program at the University of Limerick this summer as part of the partnership. Bounds said she is passionate about incorporating public health into medicine and hopes to attend medical school in the future.

My time in Ireland was life-changing, Bounds said. I appreciated the University of Limericks help involving me in many opportunities on campus and around Ireland. They truly took an interest in and enhanced my experience abroad, taking into account my long-term interests and goals.

Those experiences included working at the University of Limerick hospital, meeting with graduate entry medical students and touring the universitys medical facility.

Overall, the Irish people were some of the most kind and welcoming people I have ever met, she added.

In alignment with the partnership, the School of Medicine at the University of Limerick now offers an annualFulbright Scholarship opportunityto a U.S. student, including graduates from the Zuckerman College of Public Health.The Fulbright scholarship will allow one student to complete a fully funded masters in public health at the University of Limerick, which offers a student-centered learning model with an emphasis on community and collaborative learning. The program aims to move from a traditional public health teaching model to a more applied approach to public health education.

The Fulbright scholarship covers the costs of tuition and a student stipend for a 12-month period. The deadline to apply isOct. 11. For more information, visit the Fulbright website. To apply, visit the University of Limerick website or emailmph@ul.ie.

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New International Partnership to Tackle Public Health Challenges - University of Arizona

Parents are so wrong about teenage sleep and health – Harvard Gazette

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As a new school year begins, Harvard-affiliated sleep health researchers have a message for parents and caregivers on teenage sleep: youre wrong.

A study by investigators from Brigham and Womens Hospital enlisted experts in adolescent sleep to identify myths. Researchers then surveyed parents and caregivers, finding that more than two-thirds believed in the top three most salient myths about sleep. These involved school start times, the safety of melatonin, and the effects of altered sleep patterns on the weekends. In their new paper, published in Sleep Health, the authors explore the prevalence of each myth and present counterevidence to clarify whats best for health.

Adolescents face myriad barriers when it comes to sleep, some of which are physiological and others behavioral, said corresponding author Rebecca Robbins, a researcher in the Brighams Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders and a Harvard Medical School instructor. Given these challenges, it is critical to reduce any modifiable barriers that stand in the way for young people when it comes to sleep. Our goal was to identify common adolescent sleep myths and inspire future public outreach and education efforts to promote evidence-based beliefs about sleep health.

Caregivers and adolescents commonly turn to the Internet and social media for guidance on topics such as sleep. Although these platforms can be sources of evidence-based information, there is the chance that misinformation can proliferate on these platforms.

The researchers surveyed 200 parents and caregivers about 10 sleep myths identified by experts. Some of the prevalent myths that Robbins and colleagues identified and deconstructed include:

Approximately 74 percent of parents/caregivers agreed with this myth. But, the researchers explain, varying sleep schedules on the weekend also known as social jetlag can worsen sleep and does not restore sleep deficits. The authors cite studies showing that varying sleep schedules on the weekend can lead to lower academic performance, risky behaviors such as excessive alcohol consumption, and increased mental health symptoms.

About 69 percent of parents/caregivers agreed with this myth. Robbins and colleagues cite numerous studies showing that delayed middle and high school start times resulted in significantly more sleep, with extended sleep in the morning and minimal impact on bedtimes.

Two-thirds of parents/caregivers believed this myth. While melatonin has become a common supplement for adults and adolescents, longer-term studies on its use are lacking, particularly when it comes to melatonins effects on puberty and development. The content of melatonin in supplements varies widely. The authors also raise concerns about teens taking melatonin without medical evaluation or supervision, and without using behavioral interventions to help address insomnia.

The authors note that their study explored sleep myths among a small sample of parents/caregivers, and future studies of a larger population of parents/caregivers may help to further clarify sleep beliefs. Future studies could also include adolescents themselves as well as experts from other countries and cultures.

Future research should aim to counter myths and promote evidence-based beliefs about adolescent sleep, said senior author Judith Owens, a Boston Childrens Hospital physician and a professor of neurology as Harvard Medical School.

Disclosures: Robbins has served as a consultant to Denihan Hospitality Group, SleepCycle AB, Rituals Cosmetics BV, Deep Inc., and Wave Sleep Inc. Co-author Lauren Hale received an honorarium from the National Sleep Foundation for her role as editor in chief of Sleep Health (between 2015 and 2020). Co-author Michael Grandner has received grants from Kemin Foods, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, and CereZ Technologies, and has received consulting funds from Fitbit, Natrol, Casper, Athleta, and Merck.

Funding: Funding for this work was provided by the NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Defense.

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Parents are so wrong about teenage sleep and health - Harvard Gazette

From Motors to Medicine: An East Cleveland Auto Mechanic Becomes A Doctor At 47 – The Root

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Photo: Audio und werbung (Shutterstock)

If theres one thing we know here at The Root Bedside Baptist Church, its that a delay doesnt mean a denial. (Come on somebody.) And in the case of mechanic turned medical doctor, Carl Allamby, no statement could be more true. While pursuing a medical degree is a long road for anybody, for Dr. Allamby of East Cleveland, Ohio, realizing his lifelong goal of practicing medicine would take him more than 30 years.

Growing up in the 70s in a small suburb in East Cleveland as one of five siblings to a door to door salesman and stay at home mother, Allamby didnt have it easy. As he told Fox News, he recalls many times going without food, gas, and electricity in his home.

We faced economic hardships throughout my upbringing and were on welfare for what seemed to be my entire childhood, said Allamby.

And if not for government handouts, he said, we would have been without food on many occasions.

He added, I remember having a desire at a young age to become a doctor but my life circumstances led me to a much different place.

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And while it was difficult at times, Allamby credits his perseverance and ambition to his family.

My saving grace, added Allamby, was our strong family structure. My siblings and I always stuck together and weathered our hardships as a team, he told Fox.

It was this ambition that motivated Allamby to take on a part time job at a local auto repair shop during high school. He then began performing repairs and offering maintenance services as a side gig. But that wouldnt lend enough financial support to his family. And so at only 19, Allamby opened his first auto repair shop.

In a sense, I started Allambys Auto Service mostly out of desperation and necessity, he said.

Throughout the years, (25 to be exact), Allambys business grew, and so did his own family. During this time, the mechanic had gotten married and began raising his own children. Despite running a successful shop, Allamby found that he still struggled financially, and wanted a change. So in 2006, Allamby enrolled in Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio at the age of 34, taking classes in the evening while still maintaining his business.

While Allamby originally pursued a business degree, it would be an introductory biology class that would reignite the passion he once held for medicine.

Learning about some of the incredible basic functions of the body reminded me of my childhood ambitions to become a doctor, Allamby told Fox News Digital.

And so, in 2010, Allamby started to take pre-med classes at Cuyahoga Community College, in Cleveland, Ohio. He was later accepted into Cleveland State University to prepare him for medical school.

Over the course of five years or better, I attended weekend, evening or early morning classes in pre-medicine and other college studies while managing my business, lifestyle and household in order to transition my career, he said.

Going back to school can be tough for any adult student, but Allamby says that being older helped him remain focused and helped him recall the family who was counting on him to succeed. And succeed he did. In 2022, he began his first job in an emergency room as an attending physician. When asked if he had any advice to provide to those going for their goals later in life, he had this to say:

I feel we all have the opportunity to make our lives better. If you want it, go after it. Dont give up. Plan your work and work your plan. Your sacrifices today will produce advantages for tomorrow.

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OU medical students fear state legislation will further restrict access to comprehensive reproductive education – The Oklahoma Daily

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When longtime Oklahoma resident Christen Jarshaw joined the OU College of Medicines class of 2023, she knew the limitations she would encounter as a studying provider with interests in OB-GYN.

She stayed in state because she wanted to improve Oklahomas 1,630-to-1 patient-to-provider ratio and increase access to reproductive health care in a state burdened by uncomprehensive sex education and the fourth highest maternal mortality rate in the U.S., as of 2018.

Jarshaw, who is in her first year of clinical training, is among OU medical and pre-med students who are considering leaving Oklahoma to expand their education on reproductive health care. But the reasons behind their applications to out-of-state medical schools and residencies are more complicated than the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Laws like House Bill 4327 and Senate Bill 1503 which allow anyone to sue someone who provides abortions or aids and abets someone in accessing abortion limit OU medical students opportunities to counsel patients. But their ability to learn how to provide abortions has already been restricted by state funding to cases of rape, incest and threats to maternal life for many years.

The hands of faculty from the OU College of Medicine have long been tied by legislative framework inhibiting what they can teach about abortions. For many soon-to-be physicians in Oklahoma, the Dobbs v. Jackson decision was the final straw.

OU Medical Students for Choice on August 24.

The OU College of Medicines curriculum is split into preclinical for the first two years of medical school and clinical training for the remaining two. Jarshaw said medical students take their first course about reproduction in the second semester of their second year of preclinical curriculum.

The course is designed to teach undergraduate medical students about the normal and abnormal structure, function and development of male and female reproductive systems with an emphasis on treatment options for conditions and functions that are specific to women, according to the college of medicines curriculum.

Alexandra Regens, an OB-GYN resident physician at the OU Health Sciences Center who helps organize curriculum on reproductive topics, said she doesnt expect the overturning of Roe v. Wade to impact what she can include in the courses curriculum. She said its impossible to talk about reproductive health care without including conversations on abortion and abortion access.

But beyond this course, Jarshaw said state legislation already prevented medical students interested in abortion care from effectively furthering their education at OU, causing many to either lobby for an expansion of curriculum or look outside the traditional medical system.

For Jarshaw, this was not an issue. She joined OUHSC Medical Students for Choice during her first year and serves as the groups co-president. There, she participates in educational events and lobbies alongside her peers for more comprehensive education.

She also volunteered in less restrictive medical facilities outside OU to further her skills in obstetrics and gynecology. But the overturning of Roe v. Wade limits Jarshaws access to opportunities outside of medical school, meaning she has to rely on clinical training in a space whose services were already limited by state funding.

Regens, who is also the associate clerkship director for third-year medical students, said students entering clinical training will experience the greatest impacts on their learning, as the universitys clinic can only provide abortions in cases threatening maternal life.

Before the overturning of Roe v. Wade, providers in the college could also counsel patients and connect them to external resources. Now, because Oklahoma prohibits anyone from aiding or abetting someone in accessing abortion, they are limited in how they can guide patients.

The need for abortion care exists, Jarshaw said, as patients carrying unwanted pregnancies have made it to the doors of OU's clinic. If the political landscape looked different, Jarshaw could implement the counseling skills she learned from OU or outside involvements.

Christen Jarshaw attending a protest at the Oklahoma state Capitol after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. She is co-president of OUHSC Medical Students for Choice.

The frustration shared between patients and providers is apparent in moments of silence, Jarshaw said, as she and her patients take deep, deliberate breaths. She said it feels like a disservice to know clinical guidelines but be prohibited from following them in ways that would align with everyones experience and morals.

I think everyone across the board is incredibly dissatisfied and upset with the concept that the government is determining what we can and cant say to our patients, Jarshaw said. The patient-and-provider relationship is no longer private and sacred.

Now, Jarshaw is considering whether her studies will continue at OU as she applies for residencies. A close adviser encouraged her to try studying out of state, but she doesnt know where she could go.

Its a reality many current and future medical students face at OU.

OU Health Communications Director April Sandefer wrote in an email to the Daily that, as an academic health system, OU Health provides comprehensive care for women and children of all ages and at all stages of life. She wrote that their health care complies with state and federal laws along with health care regulations and compliance, and they will continue to monitor state and federal legislation and legal changes and ensure full alignment as new laws are enacted.

Some OU pre-med and medical students dont want to wait for legislation to change and are considering other options while they are earlier in their education.

Danielle Digoy, a second-year preclinical medical student, became passionate about reproductive care because of her grandma, who died from cervical cancer when she was in middle school.

Although she is not set on a specialty, Digoy enjoys shadowing OB-GYNs and participates in OUHSC Medical Students for Choice to further her education on reproductive health. She even volunteered at Oklahoma Citys Trust Women Clinic for a few weeks before it shut down.

Oklahoma is where Digoys family lives and where she has planned to stay in the long term, but she fears she will have to travel out of state to continue learning how to provide comprehensive care in abortion provision and counseling.

The state already faces a shortage of OB-GYNs, and Digoy fears the patient-to-provider ratio will continue to shrink if medical students feel they cant access comprehensive education.

We need people who feel this obligation, provide high-quality patient care and provide for their patients and advocate for them, Digoy said. We don't want them all to leave.

Megan Talbot, a biology pre-med senior, is a peer health educator at the OU Goddard Health Center and participates in OU Womens Health Advocacy, a group focused on increasing campus awareness of womens health, tackling stigma and easing access, according to its Instagram page. Both involvements have expanded her interest in OB-GYN by providing spaces for students to discuss and learn about reproductive health care.

Talbot also faces the reality that if she applies to medical school in Oklahoma, she will experience limitations in what she can study. She said she is applying to medical schools in California to receive a comprehensive education.

An OU Physicians white coat with a stethoscope in the shape of a uterus.

Physician shortages and patient needs are both things Talbot said she is keeping in mind, but she wonders how the state can expect her to stay when they are limiting how she could care for Oklahomans.

Luckily, I have more time, but even when I'm looking at medical schools it's very limited because, also as a person of color, I don't want to stay here, Talbot said. I want to go somewhere where I can learn the full scope of medicine and not be limited in my education as a provider because should there come a day where abortion is totally fine, I want to be able to provide that medical care, if necessary.

Regens said she doesnt blame medical students for wanting to leave Oklahoma when there are legal, financial and criminal repercussions for physicians, but that the states continued shortage of providers has the potential to be very dangerous.

Our best shot is the people who are from here, people who have trained here and people who have ties to the state. Its not a time that I would think a lot of physicians from our state are wanting to come here, Regens said.

Outside of Oklahoma, there are 21 states where there is expanded or protected access to abortion, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. The closest options for students in Oklahoma seeking more comprehensive abortion education are in Kansas and Colorado.

At the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, providers operate under statutory protections, meaning abortions at any stage of pregnancy are protected as a fundamental right. Michael Belmonte, the colleges senior fellow in complex family planning, chose to work and educate residents in Colorado for this reason.

Belmonte came to Colorado after he completed a residencyat Indiana University, where he could only perform abortions in cases threatening maternal life. Now, he can effectively perform abortions up to 24 weeks and, in certain cases, beyond that.

The universitys educational programs usually include upper-level medical students and residents in the operating room. Starting as early as their first year in residency, students build up basic surgical skills and enter their second year feeling comfortable providing first-trimester abortions.

Belmonte had to wait until the end of his residency in Indiana to provide first-term abortions. He said Colorado students ability to learn how to perform these procedures and counsel patients early helps decrease the stigma felt by the provider and patient.

It really normalizes abortion and makes it a health care decision that you come to with your medical provider and, because of the lack of barriers here, that can start the same day that you decide that this is what you want to do. Being able to support our patients in any choice that they make and doing my best to make that as comfortable and seamless as possible is a really nice change, Belmonte said.

In light of restrictions placed in other states, Belmonte said the universitys clinic has seen more demand. It began with the passage of Texas near-total abortion ban and has only increased with the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Belmontesaid he wassurprised to hear just how far people need to travel,as its difficult to track down clinics with available appointments, even if a patient lives near a state with fewer restrictions.

Belmonte said he cant fully quantify how many people they see each day, as that number fluctuates depending on circumstances, but there have been moments where their phones were ringing off the hook. A high patient load means students receive a lot of training opportunities, but he said its unfortunately at the expense of their patients difficult circumstances.

Looking ahead, Belmonte said there have been conversations at the University of Colorado about how to open opportunities to medical students, residents and fellows studying in programs restricted by state laws.

It would be logistically challenging, Belmonte said, as there would have to be contracts written between universities, and students would need malpractice insurance. Partnering universities would also have to decide who would pay for expenses like lodging and traveling.

As a former medical resident in Indiana, Belmonte recognizes the considerations and restrictions medical students in states like Oklahoma are experiencing. He said hes felt intimated by anti-abortion advocates, who have sent him anonymous letters and followed him home.

He said he knows hes privileged to practice in an accepting and supportive environment and feels nothing but empathy for students who are being forced to decide if they will stay close to their in-state support system or seek education out of state.

It's just a matter of what you prioritize, and it's OK to prioritize being in your home state or city with your family with the intention of building those skills in other ways, Belmonte said. I hope those opportunities will continue to grow as we settle from all the changes that have been happening very rapidly.

Medical Students for Choice pamphlet on August 24.

In the aftermath of Roe v. Wade being overturned, the intersection of policy and medicine is becoming increasingly clear to the general public. Abortion has become a top issue in the upcoming midterm elections and is pushing more people to vote in November.

But for medical students and providers in Oklahoma, the overturning of Roe v. Wade was more so a continuation of medicine clashing with policy.

Regens, who is also a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said she tries to use her experience in advocacy work to equip medical students and residents. She organizes an advocacy curriculum for OB-GYN residents and provides sessions in the colleges reproductive course reflecting on Oklahomas status in womens health.

She also invites students in OUs OB-GYN interest group to advocacy days at the Oklahoma state Capitol, where they have advocated against several bills restricting abortion that have come through the state over the years.

The main issue these students face is that many legislators have made up their minds on abortion, Regens said. ACOG is against any bill that limits access to abortion care, but Oklahoma providers must also move the needle on issues like maternal mortality and access to contraception.

Regens said they have to pick and choose their battles.

Its frustrating to medical students like Jarshaw. She has always seen the gaps in Oklahomas reproductive health care system and is dedicating her 20s to clinical training so she can help fill them.

When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Jarshaw woke up to five texts from friends confirming what she already knew was coming. Her education would continue to be dictated by government officials who hadnt completed the years of medical training she had.

All she could do was put her phone down, get up and clean something in her apartment. She took care of what was around because she knew as many medical students did that day she couldnt fix what was happening outside her closed doors.

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OU medical students fear state legislation will further restrict access to comprehensive reproductive education - The Oklahoma Daily

Coast Guard will begin new physician training to help staff clinics – MyCG

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The Coast Guard will begin training its own physicians to help fill vacancies in medical staff amidst a nationwide shortage of health care professionals.

The service is expanding two programs that would sponsor Coast Guard members through medical school at the Uniformed Services University of Health Services School of Medicine (USUHS SOM):

The Coast Guard currently has two commissioned officers attending USUHS as medical students. The plan is to have four Coast Guard members begin medical school training and one Coast Guard enlisted member begin premed training in the 2023 academic year.

Selection is a two-step process: 1. Applying to a Coast Guard selection panel (which will include an interview), 2. Applying to USUHS or EMPD2. You can find application packages and other required information on the USUHS admissions page. Email your completed application materials as one PDF package, to Capt. Shane Steiner no later than Oct. 12. More details and requirements are in the Solicitation for 2023 Physician Training Applications ALCOAST 354-22.

The physician training program is part of a wider effort by the Coast Guard to meet its need for health service officers particularly, doctors and dentists as supply tightens and seasoned practitioners separate from the service. In the Commandants Intent, Adm. Linda Fagan directed the enterprise to establish new ways of accessing, training, and developing active duty medical doctors and dentists. On Aug. 5, the Coast Guard began direct commissioning of health service officers.

Previously, the Coast Guard had relied solely on Public Health Service (PHS) Officers to fill medical, dental, and other healthcare positions. A nationwide doctor shortage, exacerbated by the pandemic, has made it necessary for the service to look for additional ways to meet its healthcare needs.

The goal is to have a sustainable model for filling positions, said Rear Adm. Dana Thomas, Director of Health, Safety and Work-Life at CG-11. The U.S. was in a bad situation regarding primary care access before the pandemic. We have experienced a graying of medicine nationally many older providers, not enough younger docs to replace them. Post COVID-19, the situation has worsened. Looking at our Coast Guard physicians, 75% can or will be retired in the next five years.

The Coast Guard is also looking into getting authority to create a Coast Guard Health Service Officer Corps (HSOC) through a Legislative Change Proposal (LCP). This would allow the Coast Guard to manage the careers of Coast Guard Health Services Officers similar to how they are managed in the other Armed Forces such as separate promotion lists that do not count against Coast Guard active or reserve controlled-grade promotion strength or opportunity.

This is a life or death situation, Thomas said. Having the doctors we need determines whether our people are safe to fly, safe to be on a cutter, safe to do any mission. It also determines whether they can do those missions knowing their families are taken care of. In the future the Coast Guard may also need to provide care to our family members in remote locations.

Resources:

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Coast Guard will begin new physician training to help staff clinics - MyCG

AMCAS Letter Service | Students & Residents

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AMCAS accepts applicants' letters of evaluation via the AMCAS Letter Service and distributes them to participating medical schools electronically. This service enables letter authors to send their letters to AMCAS rather than to each individual school. Letter writers may submit letters through the AMCAS Letter Writer ApplicationorInterfolio.

If a medical school participates in the AMCAS Letter Service, all letters must be sent through AMCAS. Medical schools that participate in AMCAS for admission to their MD program also participate in the AMCAS Letter Service unless noted on this page. Please note, participation is subject to change. Schools that do not participate in the AMCAS Letter Service may still require letters of evaluation from you. To review a medical school's requirements for letters of evaluation, visit their admissions website.

Under no circumstances will AMCAS provide applicants access to letters of evaluation. Read the completedata privacy policy.

Direct your letter authors to visit theAMCAS Letter Service page specifically for them, where they'll find instructions on how to write letters of evaluation and submit them to AMCAS.

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AMCAS Letter Service | Students & Residents

Hackensack University Medical Center Takes the Lead Educating Surgeons on Single Port Robotic Surgery Technology – Hackensack Meridian Health

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Drs. Michael Stifelman, Mutahar Ahmed and Mubashir Shabil Billah hosted invited faculty, residents and fellows for a weekend educational program that offered hands-on experience

Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Centers Department of Urology experts hosted a national Single Port Symposium for urology residents and fellows on September 17-18, 2022, at Hekemian Auditorium on the Hackensack University Medical Center campus in Hackensack, NJ.

The weekend-long symposium gave residents and fellows from across the U.S. - traveling from institutions including Stanford, Yale, University of California (UC)-Irvine, Cornell, UC-San Francisco, Baylor, NYU and more - an opportunity to learn from some of the worlds most experienced single port urologic surgeons. The symposium was made possible by a grant from the Endourology Society and the departments Urology Education Fund.

The symposium included expert didactic lectures and the opportunity to observe three live surgeries - a kidney, prostate and reconstruction procedure - performed using the da Vinci SP Single Port Robotic Surgical System. The da Vinci SP allows urologic surgeons to perform complex urological procedures through a single half-inch incision. All participants had access to the single port system and participated in hands-on training using hydrogel simulation models.

The symposium was hosted by Hackensack University Medical Center Department of Urology faculty members, including:

Invited faculty included:

Our goal for the symposium is to educate residents and fellows on how to use the technology and provide them with skills that enable them to teach this new technology to future urologists, said Dr. Stifelman.

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Hackensack University Medical Center Takes the Lead Educating Surgeons on Single Port Robotic Surgery Technology - Hackensack Meridian Health

Join OHEI and OMSE for community conversations Michigan Medicine Headlines – Michigan Medicine Headlines

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Recent Supreme Court decisions are weighing heavily on many caregivers, and our nations political polarization makes it more complicated to navigate different belief systems and our roles as patient advocates.

Join the Office for Health Equity & Inclusion and the Office for Medical School Education as we partner with various leaders and subject matter experts to host the second in a series of four Community Conversations where faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to share information, experiences and thoughtfully consider how we demonstrate and practice our institutional values.

This second session will provide tools and ideas for consideration when we are navigating a space with those we disagree with.Speakers will lead us in dialogue about navigating polarizing topics and finding the balance between tolerating difference and potentially providing implicit support to ideas that may be dangerous or leave community members feeling isolated or marginalized.

Thoughtfully and carefully navigating challenging topics like climate change, war, poverty, gun violence, an ongoing pandemic, intractable racism, provider shortages and healthcare disparities can make our lives and our work more difficult but also make our work more important, meaningful and impactful.

Navigating Polarity

When: Oct 17, 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

Where: Med Sci I M3330

Event will be livestreamed

RSVP here

Speakers include:

Julia Minson, PhD, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School

Kevin Hawkins, Commissioner, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

Moderator: Whitney Peoples, PhD, UM School of Public Health, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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Join OHEI and OMSE for community conversations Michigan Medicine Headlines - Michigan Medicine Headlines

Vial Announces the Addition of Dr. Michael W. Lawlor of the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Diverge Translational Science Laboratory to their…

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Vial Announces the Addition of Dr. Michael W. Lawlor of the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Diverge Translational Science Laboratory to their Central Nervous System Scientific Advisory Board  PR Newswire

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Vial Announces the Addition of Dr. Michael W. Lawlor of the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Diverge Translational Science Laboratory to their...

Where Iowa House District 30 candidates stand on the issues – Des Moines Register

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Des Moines Register staff| Des Moines Register

From 2022 races to caucus action, what to watch for in Iowa politics

It's an election year: Look for no shortage of news from Gov. Kim Reynolds' and Sen. Chuck Grassley's reelection races to early Iowa caucus action.

Megan Bridgeman, Wochit

Republican Jerry Cheevers is running against Democrat Megan Srinivas to represent Des Moines' south side in the Iowa Legislature.

The two are seeking to succeed Democratic state Rep. Bruce Hunter, who is retiring at the end of his term, for the seat in the redrawn Iowa House District 30. Cheevers has run unsuccessfully against Hunter in two previous campaigns. Srinivas won June's Democratic primary, defeating Democrat Eddie Mauro.

To help voters, the Des Moines Register sent questions to all federal, statewide and Des Moines area legislative candidates running for political office this year. Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Cheevers did not respond to the Register's request to fill out a questionnaire.

Early voting begins Oct. 19 for the Nov. 8 election.

More:A guide to voter rights in Iowa. What you need to know before you cast a ballot

Age:No response

Party: Republican

Where did you grow up? No response

Current town of residence: Des Moines

Education: No response

Occupation: No response

Political experience and civic activities: No response. Cheevers previously ran for the Iowa House in 2018 and 2020.

Age:35

Party:Democrat

Where did you grow up?Fort Dodge

Current town of residence:Des Moines

Education:

Occupation:Physician

Political experience and civic activities:

Cheevers: Did not respond.

Srinivas:I became a doctor to help my community, but so many of the challenges that my patients and neighbors face are systemic problems that I cannot solve with my prescription pad. The reason Im running is to address those issues, the social determinants of health that keep people from living the quality of life they deserve. This includes making sure people have access to the things that they need to succeed, such as food, housing, transportation, good jobs, and education. All of these factors are critical to ones health, and I will advocate for my community using this holistic approach.

More:Where Sonya Heitshusen & David Young stand on key issues in the House District 28 race

Cheevers: Did not respond.

Srinivas:We need to bolster our small businesses, especially after the economic hardship of the last few years. Ill also work for all Iowans to have access to a living wage protect pensions, including IPERS and 411, so workers enrolled in these plans remain secure in their retirement. Additionally, affordable childcare is a hurdle for many in the workforce. We must support childcare businesses in the face of rising operational costs that caused many to close over the pandemic. We can also adopt an income-based tax credit to create affordable childcare options. These upfront investments to create viable childcare options will spur economic growth for the state.

Cheevers: Did not respond.

Srinivas:As a physician, I strongly believe that an individuals healthcare decisions are their own and should only be discussed with their medical team. Ill advocate for an individuals right to abortion care. Ill also fight against efforts to remove insurance coverage for contraception and family planning. In 2017, our state stripped family planning health centers of public funding if they are affiliated with an abortion provider or even discuss abortion as a healthcare option. One of my goals is to reverse this policy and improve delivery of reproductive health services in every part of our state.

More:Where Iowa House District 27 candidates Kenan Judge & Kristen Stiffler stand on key issues

Cheevers: Did not respond.

Srinivas:We need to increase our supplemental state aid (SSA funding) to public schools to not just meet inflation, but to make up for the underfunding of the last decade. We need to change the narrative from our legislative leaders about our teachers and school staff, recognizing the critical and hard work they do rather than attacking them. We can improve teacher recruitment and retention by increasing teacher pay and creating programs to help with education loans for individuals teaching in high-need areas. We also must properly fund our public universities and community colleges. Additionally, I'll advocate to reinstate vocational curricula into schools.

More:Meet Todd Halbur & Rob Sand, running for Iowa state auditor in the 2022 election midterms

Cheevers: Did not respond.

Srinivas:

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Where Iowa House District 30 candidates stand on the issues - Des Moines Register