Challenged to Serve

COMING SOONMEDICINE l PUBLIC HEALTH l PHARMACY

FALL 2010

Challenged to Serve l INSIDE lFresh faces in Wichita Recruiting rural Kansas doctorsAlumni provide disaster relief

News In Brief

Challenges and rewards for a rural doctor

“Strong relationships” attracted Bonnie Cramer, MD, to practice in Concordia, Kan.

Attracting physiciansto western KansasSheila Scheffe, MD, can attest to the benefi ts of practicing in a small town.

Welcome new students

The Wichita Campus gave a warm welcome to the new class of 51 3rd-year students during orientation week in June.

How You Can helpThere are many ways you can help support our efforts to educate doctors for Kansas:

Donations by Mail - KU Endowment, 1010 N. Kansas, Wichita, KS 67214Online Giving - kuendowment.org/givenow

We welcome the opportunity to visit with you about how you might help. And we assure you that 100 percent of your gift will benefi t the area of your choice. Please call Heather Clay at (316) 293-2601 or send her an e-mail at hclay@kuendowment.org.

H. David Wilson, MDDean

Janice ArbuckleAssociate Dean for Administration

Kristie EubanksUniversity Relations Director

KU WICHITA StaffWriters

Kristie Eubanks

Cari Merrill

Tom Schaefer

Laurie Dove

Designer

Chris Webber

Photographer

Mike Shepherd

Coordinator

Jennifer Eaton

KU WICHITA is published by the

KU School of Medicine–Wichita.

We welcome your comments,

suggestions, and questions at

(316) 293-2643 or

KUWICHITA@kumc.edu. © KU 2010

KU SCHOOL OFMEDICINE-WICHITA

FALL 2010, Vol. 3, No. 3wichita.kumc.edu

3wichita.kumc.edu

Cover

Full, four-year campus on the horizon

With Kansas in need of more doctors, the KU School of Medicine identifi ed Wichita as an ideal place for expansion both in terms of moving to a full, four-year curriculum as well as expanding our class size.

For the past year, we’ve been planning and preparing, working toward the meetings we had this summer with offi cials from the Liaison Committee for Medical Education, the governing body that will sanction our request to expand in Wichita. In October, we’ll learn whether or not we’ve been approved. If all goes as planned, we’ll grow during the next fi ve years from 110 3rd- and 4th-year medical students to 250 for all four years of medical education on the Wichita Campus.

Leadership team continues to develop

Associate Dean for Research – Starting Oct. 1, Michele Mariscalco, MD, will join us as Associate Dean for Research. Dr. Mariscalco is coming from the Baylor College of Medicine where she has been Associate Professor of Pediatrics

and Director of Fellowship Research. As we looked for someone to fi ll this role, we identifi ed several qualifi cations: MD with current research portfolio, visionary, team builder, leader, communicator, and collaborator. We found them all in Dr. Mariscalco.

Chair of Pathology – Tom Kluzak, MD, is a top-notch pathologist with a passion for teaching and a strong commitment to the Wichita Campus. I was very pleased when he accepted my offer to become chair of Pathology

in April when Joe Lin, MD, stepped down.

Chair of Pediatrics – Barry Bloom, MD, having served as interim chair of Pediatrics for almost two years, has accepted the position on a permanent basis. A star pediatric leader in the community, we’re fortunate to have him heading up the department.

Recognition and support is growing• The KU School of Medicine–

Wichita has an annual economic impact of $49.7 million in the metropolitan area.

• About half of Sedgwick County’s practicing physicians are graduates of the KU School of Medicine–Wichita and/or one of our residency programs – a surprising statistic given the size and level of sophistication of the Wichita medical community.

• Out of 105 Kansas counties, 102 are currently being served by a graduate of the medical school and/or a residency program in Wichita.Results like these have helped

us gain tangible support. Our fi rst Four-Year Founders Club member, pledging $100,000 over four years, was the Medical Society of Sedgwick County. In July, the Kansas Health Foundation* awarded us $800,000 in support of the expansion. Our thanks to both of them and others who have pledged to contribute as well. With a $5 million goal, we still have a long way to go, but I’m confi dent we’ll get there.

As I look back, I think you’ll agree: no grass has grown under our feet.

*The Kansas Health Foundation is a private philanthropy dedicated to improving the health of all Kansans. For more information about the Kansas Health Foundation, visit www.kansashealth.org.

H. David Wilson, MD

Dean’s Message

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Learning opportunities span the worldFour KU School of Medicine–Wichita students share what they learned abroad.

Graduates answercall for Haitian aid

Rick Moberly, MD; Jennifer Koontz, MD; and Aaron Davis, DO, provided aid to those affected by January’s earthquake.

“River Me Timbers”

Medical school embraced its inner pirate during the annual River Festival.

Receive KU Wichita UpdatesIn an effort to keep those interested in what’s happening on the Wichita Campus updated, I recently started blogging at

wichita.kumc.edu/deansblogYou can subscribe so new posts go directly to your “inbox.”

5 : 30-7 : 30 p . m .Oc t ober 2 0 , 2 0 10Bo t an ica W ich i t a

When I came to Wichita in July 2009, we had a full agenda and I told the faculty and staff to get their running shoes on. We’ve been running ever since.

One year later…Branden Comfort, left, and Tessa Rohrberg, work on a simulator during orientation week in June. Introphase Week provides 3rd-year students with a variety of experiences, including learning how to tie surgical knots, present patients, write prescriptions and read X-rays. Photo by Mike Shepherd.

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LEADERSHIP RECEPTION

5wichita.kumc.edu4 KU WICHITA FALL 2010

Her day begins at 5 a.m., breastfeeding her 2-month-old son, Nate, and exchanging a kiss goodbye with her husband, Brian. By 7:30 a.m., after getting dressed and feeding her 2-year-old daughter, Alli, she takes her children to daycare. Then it’s on to the clinic to review patient charts and get ready for the day.

Bonnie Cramer, MD, a Wichita resident alumna, is one of three family practice physicians in the town of Concordia, Kan., 140 miles north of Wichita. With a population of 5,714, it’s just the right size and has the type of lifestyle she’s always wanted.

Following her around for a day this past spring revealed a doctor committed to her patients and appreciative of the opportunity to serve in a small Kansas town. A soft-spoken physician, Dr. Cramer usually sees about 15 to 20 patients a day at the Cloud County Health Center. On this day, she’ll visit two nursing homes, examining eight patients in one and seven in the other. Medicare requires that nursing home patients be seen by a physician every two months. Normally, Dr. Cramer goes to both nursing homes once a month.

Growing up on a farm two hours east of Concordia, Dr. Cramer wanted to be a nurse but decided in high school to become a doctor. “I wanted to be the one making the decisions.”

After graduating from Kansas State University in 2002 (“during the good football years”), she went to medical school in Kansas City before coming to the KU School of Medicine–Wichita, graduating in 2006. To help supplement her salary for her residency, she applied for fi nancial aid through the Kansas Bridging Plan, a loan forgiveness program administered by the University of Kansas Medical Center and Rural Health and Education Services. With that help and other aid, Dr. Cramer was able to complete her three-year residency in family medicine in Salina. She calls the Bridging Plan, which requires a three-year commitment to practice in a rural setting, “invaluable.”

At 9:30 a.m., she drives a few blocks from the clinic to the Sunset Home. After reviewing the patients’ charts and visiting with several aides, she begins making rounds. A 60-year-old man sits in a chair, his head down. Her questions elicit clipped responses. “What doesn’t feel good?” she asks. “My legs.” “We did physical therapy, how’s that going?” “Pretty good.” At her request, he gets up and walks. “The nurses say you’re still not eating, why not?” “I don’t know.” “The nurses are kind of worried. What if we try Megace [an appetite stimulant]?” He nods. “Can I listen to you?” She leans forward with her stethoscope

Bonnie Cramer, MD

When Dr. Bonnie Cramer came to Concordia in August 2009, fresh out of residency in Salina, people were excited to have a new doctor. “Some of them told me jokingly: ‘Are you sure you’re old enough to be a doctor?’ ”

and touches his shirt pocket. “Still smoking?” He smiles. “Cigars.”

Back at the nurses’ station, Dr. Cramer recounts her observations on a hand-held recorder, a routine she’ll follow throughout the day. By noon, Dr. Cramer has completed her visits and returns briefl y to the clinic. Lunch, served with a friendly hello by the owner of Heavy’s, a downtown barbecue restaurant, is followed by a short drive to Mount Joseph Senior Community for more patient visits.

“You develop strong relationships in a small town,” she said. “People know you wherever you go.” If she stops at the local Wal-Mart, the manager, a member of the hospital’s board of directors, might spot her and holler: “Doctor Cramer!’’ But that friendliness is what she’s used to, though at times embarrassed by.

She enjoys the variety of her medical practice. What she’ll see a lot of during her visits to nursing homes, she said, is depression. “It’s pretty prevalent.’’

She steps inside the room of an elderly woman. “How’s your appetite?” she asks. “What appetite?’’ the woman replies. “Do you think your depression is getting worse?” “Could be.” “I increased your medication, have you

noticed any difference?” No response. “Do you think it might help to see a psychiatrist to make you feel better?” “Are you kidding?” she responds sharply. “OK. I won’t bring it up again. Are you breathing OK?” “Well, I guess I am, I’m still alive.” After listening to her heart and lungs, Dr. Cramer offers a cordial farewell but gets no response. “I don’t know that any more medications would help her,” she comments after she leaves the room.

Her husband, who’s a history teacher in Salina, asked her on their fi rst date: “How do you deal with everything as a physician that you have to?” Her answer: “What bothers me the most is that it doesn’t bother me as much as it should.”

At 3 p.m., she sees her last patient, an 89-year-old Catholic nun. “How are you doing?” she asks. “Oh, honey, I’ve had the worst month of my life.” A blood clot in an artery in her arm had to be removed. “Do you have any questions?” “A lot of them – when you’re not here. I need to make a list.” “Let me know if you need anything,” Dr. Cramer says after completing her examination. “I’m glad you came,” the nun quietly says.

At 4 p.m., Dr. Cramer heads back to the hospital to fi nish reviewing patients’ charts and lab work and to see if anything has come up while she was away. She and Brian pick up their children from daycare later that afternoon. In the evening, she and Alli plant fl owers in their garden. “She loves playing in the dirt,” Dr. Cramer said. By 10:30 p.m., with the children asleep, Dr. Cramer calls it a day.

The family-friendly environment of Concordia, the interaction with patients, and the opportunity to work as part of a medical team of physician assistants and other medical professionals are what Dr. Cramer said she’s always wanted.

Sadly, physicians sometimes don’t stay long in small towns, and Concordia has lost a number of them in the past 10 years. The result is that many residents go to other towns for their medical care. Dr. Cramer said she hopes to reverse that trend and to encourage them to stay with Concordia’s doctors. How will she and the other doctors do that? “By our staying,” she said.

“I get to do everything medically as a family practice doctor. That’s what I enjoy.”

Bonnie Cramer, MD

Learn more about the Kansas Bridging Plan and other Rural Health and Educational Services: http://ruralhealth.kumc.edu/

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6 KU WICHITA FALL 2010 wichita.kumc.edu 7

Caring for rural

Sheila Scheffe, MD, a Wichita student and resident alumna, wasn’t sure she wanted to

return to her rural Kansas roots after medical school. But during her fourth year, she completed a month of training in Tribune, Kan., and decided it was where she wanted to be.

“I liked how the community respected its doctors, and how doctors interacted with the community,” she said.

Dr. Scheffe also understands why it isn’t easy to attract physicians to out-of-the-way, slower-paced settings. “I was born and raised out here, so this wasn’t a huge surprise.”

Still, she was worried when she arrived in 2008 whether Tribune, a town in far west Kansas with 835 people, could support fi ve doctors. “They have proven they can.”

Working together, supporting one another

James Wahlmeier, CEO of Cloud County Health Services in Concordia, Kan., (population 5,714) knows how diffi cult it is to recruit doctors. “It was kind of a revolving door until about seven years ago,” he said of doctors coming to and leaving Concordia. That’s when two doctors came to town and helped recruit Bonnie Cramer, MD, (featured on page 4) in 2009. “It’s been really stable since then. We’re probably close to being fully staffed.”

Now the north-central Kansas community has a unique idea to replace its 60-year-old hospital, said Kirk Lowell, executive director of CloudCorp, an organization that promotes economic development in Cloud County.

“We want to build a new critical-access hospital at the airport,” he said. “We can’t fi nd another hospital in the nation, other than military, that has direct taxiway access to a runway.” With it, specialists could quickly be fl own in and critical care patients fl own out. Such a hospital would provide an added bonus: “We’re convinced that it will help us recruit doctors and grow our community.”

Enjoying rural life and community connections

Matthew Heyn, administrator for the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital in Larned, Kan., 130 miles west of Wichita, has a slightly different problem. The town of 4,200 has a new medical clinic, but it’s vacant. A new physician is what’s needed.

Heyn’s recruiting message includes promoting the advantages of living in a small town, “away from the hustle and bustle of city life,” and the fact that physicians are more than nameless faces in a larger community.

“At the end of the day, they’re heroes in the community,” he said of physicians who serve in small towns. “They can make a big impact in a short while.”

Dr. Scheffe said working in Tribune – and towns in two other nearby counties – allows her to perform a variety of medical procedures she couldn’t do in a city with specialists. Plus, she’s closer to her parents, who live 30 miles away.

She’s certain she made the right decision to come to Tribune. “You just can’t beat a relationship with the people out here. It’s just golden.”

Scholarship encourages medical practice in ‘acute need’ areas of Kansas

Rachel Krob (W11) of Wichita received the Olive Ann Beech Scholarship for her third and fourth

years at the KU School of Medicine–Wichita. The $10,000 scholarship is awarded for two years to a third-year student based in part on the recipient’s personal integrity and excellence in patient care as well as a desire to serve as a primary care physician and a willingness to consider committing, after residency, to two years of practice in areas of acute need in Kansas.

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Orientation week at the KU School of Medicine–Wichita gives students just a taste of what they can expect once their

clinical rotations begin.Early mornings, hectic schedules, heaps of

information. “It was annoying at fi rst, but on day one of

clinical rotations, I was glad I had been getting up early the previous week,” said 3rd-year student Chris Cassidy, adding that orientation week was valuable, too. “Some of the things you hear in Introphase aren’t said anywhere else, and they’re things you need to know.”

Wichita welcomed Cassidy and 50 other new 3rd-year students in June; students from places like Hays and Overland Park, Kenya and China.

During the fi rst week, students learned to tie surgical knots, present patients, write prescriptions, and read x-rays. It’s also a week for them to get to know each other better and become familiar with faculty and staff, as well as the Wichita Campus.

“This was a very good transition from the didactic years (1st and 2nd) to the clinical years (3rd and 4th),” said Geoffrey Konye. “The staff members were very helpful in showing us where we needed to be. The family fun time at Eberly Farm was very good, not to mention the personalized attention and presents we received at the events.”

Wichita welcomes new 3rd-year medical students

George Farha, MD, emeritus professor of surgery and a KU School of Medicine–Wichita founder, spoke on the importance of maintaining the profession of medicine at the White Coat Ceremony in June and offered the following: “Your patients do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

The annual welcome picnic at Eberly Farm proved to be the

favorite part of orientation week for many students. Garold Minns, MD, left, presented each student,

including Brian Guhl, with a personalized gift, courtesy of the Wichita Deans Club. The picnic provided time for students and

their families to get to know each other as well as faculty and staff.

During their fi rst week of orientation in Wichita, 3rd-year students learn the basics of patient exams. Heidi Johnson, left, practices using the otoscope on Alisa Jost.

Adam Keesling fi lls the roll of patient for fellow student Geoffrey Konye. Learning the basics of patient exams is part of orientation week for 3rd-year students new to Wichita.

Third-year student Chris Cassidy intently practices tying surgical knots during the suture lab as part of orientation week.

Out of the 105 counties in Kansas, 102 are currently being served by a graduate of the medical school and/or a residency program in Wichita.

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8 KU WICHITA FALL 2010

Creating learning opportunities around the world

Emily Allred, MDDublin, Ireland

Obstetrics and GynecologyMedical College of Wisconsin Affi liated Hospitals

Objectives: “I wanted to examine possible reasons for the lower Caesarean section rate in Ireland compared to the United States, including the different uses of external fetal monitoring and fetal scalp blood sampling.”

Challenge: “My biggest challenge was not being recognized as a senior medical student because fourth-year students in Ireland have a lot less clinical responsibilities.”

Clinical moment: “Watching a woman deliver her twins naturally and fi nding out that they were both boys — the mom didn’t know the sex of the babies ahead of time!”

Cultural moment: “Seeing a woman whose baby was diagnosed with a condition that was not compatible with life, and knowing that because of the laws in Ireland, her choices were to carry the pregnancy to term or to go to the United Kingdom for an elective termination.”

Giao Q. Pham, MDHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Pediatrics, KU School of Medicine–Wichita

Shane Everett Thoreson, MDQuito, Otavalo, Napo River Basin, Ecuador

Family Medicine, Smoky Hill Family Practice Center

Objective: “I wanted to go to an underserved area in a Spanish-speaking country. Ecuador was a place where my skills gained in medical school could be used to their fullest, and I could further develop my Spanish-speaking ability.”

Challenges: “There were many times a clash in the way the Ecuadorian people and I thought about disease and the causes of it happened. For example, in traditional Ecuadorian healing, sickness is brought on by a bad spirit, so to get rid of the disease you go to a healer for a cleansing to rid your body of the bad spirit. Because this way of thinking is still common in the culture, explaining diseases as a biological process was diffi cult, and the concept of chronic disease that is managed for the long-term rather than cured after one visit to the doctor was often not understood.”

Clinical moment: “Our group was working in a health brigade in the rainforest. My morning’s work was spent with a multi-generational family. I helped a newborn baby that was sick, as well as the baby’s grandparents and everyone in-between. As a future family physician, it was exciting to work with a single family that spanned the

gamut. It was a glimpse of what I’d be doing in the future.”

Cultural moment: “We visited the home of a traditional reed-mat weaver. He demonstrated his work and told us about the weaving process. The visit opened my eyes to the types of living and working conditions many of the indigenous people of Ecuador face every day. Many of their houses have dirt fl oors with little ventilation or light, and their work is grueling on the body. Many of the complaints faced in the hospital and health brigades were directly related to their work and living conditions.”

Objectives: “I was there to complete a sub-internship in anesthesiology. I was also there to observe how the operating staff uses their version of the peri-operative safety checklist and compare its use in Wichita. Communication and teamwork are commonly recognized as human factors that improve quality and safety in a broad range of health-care settings.”

Challenge: “The biggest challenge was learning how to effi ciently navigate the public transportation system in Amsterdam. Also the language barrier, while manageable, presented a problem navigating daily life.”

Clinical moment: “I saw my fi rst open-heart surgery. Although it was my fi rst time observing that particular

Terry Hansen, MDAmsterdam, The Netherlands

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

operation, it was notable that the basic techniques and materials were exactly the same as those used in comparable operations in Wichita. And, the general interaction and organization of the surgical staff was virtually identical. Only the language was different.”

Cultural moment: “I had a miraculous experience in fi nding that the dormitory to which I had been randomly assigned was less than a mile away from my father’s cousin and his family. So I spent each evening dining with them and learning about Dutch culture from their stories.”

Objectives: “From a medical standpoint, this was a great chance for me to learn about a variety of tropical illnesses that I would otherwise never encounter. I specifi cally chose dengue illness. Dengue is the most common and rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease worldwide, and it is the leading cause of hospitalization and death among Vietnamese children.”

Challenge: “While in the hospital, my greatest challenge was communicating with patients through medical terminology. I often asked the residents to translate for me specifi c medical terms for illnesses or body parts. Although I fl uently spoke the language, medical terms are not part of everyday conversation. Aside from this, I also faced diffi culty when ordering tests because of limited resources and technology. CT scans and MRI machines were not readily accessible. Although basic lab tests, such as the CBC and CMP, were available, the turn-around time was longer than I am used to.”

Clinical moment: “While working at the dengue/hematology unit, I witnessed several near-death cases and was involved in the care of some of the sickest children in hemorrhagic fever and shock. My most memorable clinical moment involved the care of a 6-year-old girl with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and multi-organ failure. I worked on her care with hematologists and intensivists from admission until the day she died, which fell on the Vietnamese New Year. I stood next to the attending as he delivered the bad news to the family on a day meant for national celebration.”

Cultural moment: “As the fi rst generation of Vietnamese Americans born and raised in the United States, I had the opportunity to visit Vietnam for the fi rst time and learn the native culture because of the international elective. One of the most enjoyable moments was handing gifts to every patient in the hematology unit during the Vietnamese New Year. I watched each child’s face gleam with joy upon receiving his or her gift. We wanted to give the children a reason to celebrate and feel special.”

At the KU School of Medicine–Wichita, medical students are given an opportunity to practice

medicine abroad. For four weeks during their senior years, students can live, work, and learn in

one of 25 sites set up worldwide by the Offi ce of International Programs in Kansas City, Kan.

This year, 57 senior medical students studied abroad, 13 from Wichita and the rest from the

Kansas City campus. Each student funds his or her own travel and the cost varies by site, said

Judith Reagan, International Programs director.

“Systems of medicine are very different all over the world. This is a good thing for students to

learn,” Reagan said. “It is always, always an eye-opening experience for students.”

Photos courtsey of the featured medical students.

9wichita.kumc.edu

11wichita.kumc.edu 1110 KU WICHITA FALL 2010

On Jan. 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, an already impoverished Caribbean island roughly halfway between the southernmost tip

of Florida and the northernmost edge of South America. The natural disaster claimed more than 200,000 lives, left thousands wounded, and prompted former KU School of Medicine –Wichita students and residents to take action.

News of the devastation led Rick Moberly, MD, to contact Heart to Heart International, which dispatches medical aid around the globe. Dr. Moberly arrived in Haiti one week after the earthquake and found a landscape marked by chaos. With the city of Port au Prince closed to incoming air traffi c, his fl ight was rerouted to Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, a country bordering Haiti. Upon landing, Dr. Moberly was driven over land toward the heart of Haiti’s catastrophe. As he neared Haiti’s perimeter, it was like a scene out of a movie, with people pressed against boundary fences, simply trying to escape.

Spirit of Haitians humblingLike Dr. Moberly, Jennifer Scott Koontz, MD, MPH, set

foot in Haiti seven days after the earthquake occurred. She dressed wounds, closed large lacerations, and set fractures. By week’s end, triage treatments transitioned into caring for cases of pneumonia, dehydration, and diarrheal illness.

But it was in a makeshift clinic set up in Port au Prince’s national stadium that Dr. Koontz met a woman who became a game-changer.

“One day, some men pushed an elderly lady in a wheelbarrow into our clinic. They brought her several kilometers from an outlying community. The lower half of her right leg was badly injured—I could see her tibia and fi bula. She was so thankful that she kept saying ‘merci

At the national stadium in Haiti, from left: a Haitian medical student; Jennifer Koontz, MD; Rick Moberly, MD; a Haitian medical student; Rachel Detamore, registered nurse; a Haitian medical student; and the team’s driver.

A Haitian child receives medical treatment from Jennifer Koontz, MD, at a makeshift clinic.

Wound care is a common sight in earthquake-torn Haiti, says Rick Moberly, MD.

Kansas doctors provide help for

Treating physical and psychological wounds offers sense of what it means to be a family physician.

beaucoup’ over and over,” Dr. Koontz said. “She needed an amputation and she handled the pain by singing hymns. It was just one of so many examples of the Haitian people being so full of praise and gratitude.”

Toll on caretakers highArmed with gauze and antibiotics, Dr. Moberly was

prepared to treat crushed limbs and infected wounds. It was the emotional devastation that took him by surprise; he hadn’t expected to encounter the deep and widespread anxiety washing over earthquake victims.

Aaron Davis, DO, agreed. A second-year family medicine resident, Dr. Davis also mobilized to Haiti within days of the tremors. He’d been mentally prepared for the physical trauma: septic infants and cases of pulmonary edema that represented the hundreds of thousands of injured Haitians. But they were all outnumbered by those who were silently hurting: the walking wounded.

Dr. Davis soon realized that even his translators, who were local medical students, needed a compassionate ear.

“Here were people whose lives had been severely affected, but they continued to function and to help us. One of our translators, Mark, was talking to his sister when the quake hit. They were in the middle of an argument, and he’d walked out of the building. He looked back mid-sentence to see that she’d been sliced cleanly in two by falling debris. Yet here he was, giving a 100-percent effort on a daily basis but suffering in his own way,” Dr. Davis said.

Need continuesAs Dr. Davis worked to assuage victims’ physical and

psychological wounds, the experience of “treating the

whole person” offered a sense of what it means to be a family physician.

“I had that refl exive urge to go and serve,” he said. “We’re well trained at the KU residencies, and we’re prepared for this type of work. You can make a difference early in your training.”

He echoes the concern of many who’ve come to Haiti’s aid: that we’ll forget what’s happened.

“Haiti has fallen out of the public eye, but building collapses are still happening, food is only slowly coming in, people are still sleeping on the streets because they’re scared to sleep in buildings,” Dr. Davis said. “The most important thing about our story isn’t that we went. The important thing is that Haiti has far to go. And everyone has something to share.”

Photos courtsey of the featured doctors.Traveling and international medicine are nothing

new to Rick Moberly, MD.As an international doctor, it’s in his nature to

move, to circle the globe, and to provide medical aid where it’s needed. “Moss doesn’t grow on me,” he says.He was “in international mode” after spending fi ve months in Zimbabwe when the 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti and he was compelled to help.

“Your world view really changes when you go to a developing nation. The color of your iPod or a scratch on your car aren’t important. To me, it’s a values reset.”

While “the fervor of Haiti has died down,” Dr. Moberly said he anticipates Haiti will need help for at least a generation to rebuild. He encourages others who can help to visit hearttoheart.org.

12 KU WICHITA FALL 2010

“Jayhawk Sick Bay” sailed along Wichita’s downtown streets May 7 as the city’s annual River Festival

parade got underway. Faculty, residents, students, and staff dressed up as pirates in

keeping with this year’s festival theme of “River Me Timbers” to let everyone know the KU School of Medicine–Wichita educates doctors for Kansas.

Avast, ye medical school matiesAvast, ye medical school matiesAvast, ye medical school maties

Arrgh!Arrgh!Arrgh!

Rachel Smith, left, and Daniel Miller, right, are among the KU swashbucklers. Others getting into the spirit of the parade are, left, Tara Shirley and Baby Jay. On the right is Erin Guex-Clark. Her 12-year-old son, Aiden, waves to the crowd.

Three-year-old Kyle Zarchan gets a

bird’s-eye view of the parade. “He was so proud of

himself to be able to sit next to Baby

Jay. He loved it,” said his mother,

Katie Zarchan. .

Todd Peters, MD, and his fi ancée Holly Fussell.

Rachel Smith, left, and Becky Bruner carry the fl oat’s banner.

Sarah Prochaska, MD

The Jolly Roger fl ies over the “Jayhawk Sick Bay” fl oat. The message to the crowd: “We educate doctors for Kansas.”

KU School of Medicine–Wichita Dean H. David Wilson, MD, recently launched his fi rst blog. He’s posting the latest news from the Wichita Campus to keep everyone who’s interested up-to-date. Readers and subscribers were the fi rst to read about the Liaison Committee for Medical Education’s visit; the hiring of Michele Mariscalco, MD, as the new Associate Dean for Research; and much more. Visit wichita.kumc.edu/deansblog to read the latest and subscribe.

Jon P. Schrage, MD, Internal Medicine chair and professor, was appointed Interim Associate Dean for Veterans Affairs of the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita.

A major new study of a widely used antidepressant could result in a greater understanding of clinical depression and its treatment. The study was co-authored by Sheldon H. Preskorn, MD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences professor at the KU School of Medicine–Wichita. The study, reported in the April issue of the “Journal of Clinical Psychiatry,” describes a genotype that substantially predicts responses to one of the most widely used antidepressants in the world, venlafaxine (Effexor).

Garold Minns, MD, associate dean for Academic and Student Affairs and Internal Medicine professor, received the KU School of Medicine 2010 Rainbow Award at the annual Grande Affair in Kansas City on May 1. The distinguished Rainbow Award honors a single faculty member who exemplifi es the attributes of professionalism in medicine and shares those qualities with the medical students he or she mentors on the Kansas City and Wichita campuses. Medical students from both campuses nominate fi ve fi nalists then vote for the ultimate award recipient. The specifi c characteristics of professionalism recognized by The Rainbow Award include those attitudes and behaviors that serve to maintain patient interest above physician self-interest, altruism, accountability, excellence, duty, service, honor, integrity, and respect for others.

P. J. Stiles, MD, who graduated from the KU School of Medicine–Wichita in May, was selected from a class of 170 from the Kansas City and Wichita campuses to receive the KU School of Medicine’s Deborah Powell Pride in Profession Award on May 13 at a dinner honoring the graduates in Kansas City. The annual award is given to a senior medical student who most appropriately characterizes the qualities of professionalism in medicine as envisioned by Dean Deborah Powell during her tenure at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. Those qualities include altruism, respect, honor, integrity, ethical and moral standards, accountability, excellence, and duty and advocacy. A graduate of Clafl in High School in Clafl in, Kan., Stiles

received his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and will start his surgery residency in Wichita this summer. Stiles received a plaque and $500 as well as had his name added to a master plaque displayed at the KU School of Medicine in Kansas City.

The KU School of Medicine–Wichita honored an associate dean and a professor with the distinguished 2009 Dean’s Excellence in Leadership Awards. Jan Arbuckle, associate dean for administration, and Donna Sweet, MD, Internal Medicine professor, received nominations from their staffs. In its second year, the award recognized one staff member and one faculty member for their leadership contributions. The other nominees included:Lisa Brommer, former Human Resources director; Marcia Hartman, Internal Medicine sr. coordinator; Tyann Orton, assistant dean for Finance; Judy Johnston, MS, RD, LD, Preventive Medicine and Public Health research instructor

Michele Mariscalco, MD, will join the KU School of Medicine–Wichita on Oct. 1 as the new Associate Dean for Research. She is coming from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she has most recently been Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Fellowship Research. Dr. Mariscalco will replace David Grainger, MD, who has led research efforts for almost fi ve years.

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KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little; KU School of Medicine–Wichita Dean H. David Wilson, MD; and KU School of Medicine–Wichita Founder and Emeritus Professor of Surgery George Farha, MD, welcomed Wichita’s 51 new 3rd-year students and presented them with their white coats on June 24. To see a video of the ceremony, visit the Dean’s Blog, wichita.kumc.edu/deansblog.

The KU School of Medicine–Wichita Live & Learn Lectures, designed to help educate the public on health matters, for the rest of 2010 have been scheduled:September 21: “Health Care

Reform: How It Affects You” by Marcia Nielsen, PhD

October 12: “Breast Cancer” with Dr. Terri Cusick. Bonus: Breast Cancer Survivorship Center with Judy Johnston, MS, RD, LD

November 9: “IBS” with Dr. Estephan Zayat

December 7: “Joint Replacement” with Dr. David McQueen. Bonus: CiBOR with Dr. Paul Wooley

The free lectures are held from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Roberts Amphitheater. Visit wichita.kumc.edu/livelearn to listen to recordings of past lectures and to get more information on upcoming lectures.

A team of Wichita-area health professions students representing the KU School of Medicine–Wichita and the College of Health Professions at Wichita State University received national recognition April 10 by winning third place in the national CLARION case competition at the University of Minnesota. The CLARION program’s aim is to encourage interprofessional education for students in various health professions. Students participated in special classes to prepare for the national competition under the guidance of faculty mentors Jennifer Koontz, MD; Lyn Goldberg, PhD; and Paul Uhlig, MD. Tanya Kajese, MD, who was a 4th-year medical student at the KU School of Medicine–Wichita at the time, was one of the participants.

Brenda M. Kopriva, MD, presented her research in March at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Surgical Congress in Tucson, Ariz., and won the Jack A. Barney Resident Award Competition. She is only the third resident in the history of the General Surgery program at the KU School of Medicine–Wichita to win the award. The study, co-authored by Stephen Smith and Stephen Helmer, PhD, is titled “ Blood Transfusion is Associated with Increased Complications in Moderately Injured Patients.”

Alpha Omega Alpha, the only national honor medical society, is often referred to as the Phi Beta Kappa for medical schools. Its mission, developed over the past 100 years, has been to recognize and enhance professionalism, academic excellence, service, and leadership within the profession. The following KU School of Medicine –Wichita students, alumni, faculty, and housestaff were inducted into AOA on May 12:

Class of 2011 AOA membersStephanie Murray Brooke Nesmith Bruce Tjaden Matthew WilsonElected as Alumni Jerry Old, MD, Family & Community Medicine, WichitaElected as Housestaff G. Aron Fast, MD, Family & Community Medicine, Wichita

Fifty-two 4th-year students from the KU School of Medicine–Wichita received their medical doctor degrees (MD) during ceremonies May 15 at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. Special awards went to the following graduates: Bruce A. Bowser of Derby, Kan., and Michael T. Hagan of Wichita received the P.G. Czarlinsky Family Award for their superior skills in patient care and management, as well as scholarly understanding and prudent application of the principles of clinical science. In addition, the award recognizes a signifi cant contribution to the overall environment of health care and patient education. Bridget L. Harrison of Wichita received the Willard J. Smith, MD, Award for Academic Achievement for her dedicated commitment to the scholarly acquisition and effective application of knowledge. Bruce Bowser also received the Prakash Raghavan, MD, Clinical Student Award for excellent performance during clinical rotations at the school of medicine.

Elizabeth Ablah, PhD, MPH, Preventive Medicine and Public Health assistant professor, led 25 children from a Wichita day camp in an effort to place “No Dumping” medallions on stormwater drains in July. The drains were identifi ed as heavy contributors of trash, chemicals, and harmful bacteria that pollute the Arkansas River. For more than a year, the KU School of Medicine–Wichita Preventive Medicine and Public Health department has led a grassroots effort to investigate public perceptions and concerns for environmental health issues involving more than 1,500 Wichitans thanks to a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In partnership with the City of Wichita and Kansas State University, the stormwater drain medallion project was the fi rst step in addressing the public’s concerns.

Eight students and two faculty members from the KU School of Medicine–Wichita were honored at the Gold Humanism Honor Society Induction Ceremony on April 16 at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. The eight students are Christopher Baalmann, Megan Brown, Matthew Kaiser, Mary Pham, Jeff Robinson, Kara Sloan, Matthew Wilson, and Laurel Witt. The two faculty members are Andrew Massey, MD, Internal Medicine associate professor, and Jerry Old, MD, Family and Community Medicine associate professor. The honor society, sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, recognizes 3rd-year medical students and faculty who have displayed outstanding

humanistic and professional behaviors and the highest standards of compassion and sensitivity in their interactions with patients, faculty, student peers, and institutional administration.

Russell Scheffer, MD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences chair and professor at the KU School of Medicine–Wichita, will receive the Early Career Achievement in Medicine Alumnus Award by the KU Medical Center Alumni Association in October. The prestigious award is presented during the KUMC Alumni Reunion Weekend to a deserving graduate of the KU School of Medicine who has made outstanding contributions to the health care professions. Also during the Alumni Reunion Weekend, Joseph C. Meek Jr., MD, Internal Medicine clinical professor and former dean of the KU School of Medicine–Wichita, will be awarded the Distinguished Service Medallion in recognition of his commitment and dedication to the KU Medical Center and for signifi cantly advancing its mission and helping to improve the health and well-being of all Kansans.

The Offi ce of the Associate Dean for Research at the KU School of Medicine–Wichita announced the winners of the 18th annual Research Forum Poster competition held April 19. Members of the Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education (WCGME) Research Council served as judges. Resident/Student Competition Winners:Behavioral/Community/Health

Services Category: Do parents want text message immunization reminders?

Tuan Nguyen, MD; Carolyn R.

Ahlers-Schmidt, PhD; Angelia Paschal, PhD; Amy Chesser, PhD; Traci Hart, PhD; and Robert Wittler, MD General Medical Category:

Mechanical properties and elution characteristics of polymethymethacrylate bone cement impregnated with antibiotics for various surface area and volume constructs

Richard E. Duey, MD; David A. McQueen, MD; Alexander CM Chong, MSAE, MSME; Zheng Song, MS; Tristan A. Steinberger, Paul H. Wooley, PhD Health of the Public (HOP) Student

Competition Winners of the Cramer Reed Award: Exercise decreases during pregnancy: What can the prenatal team do to help?

Pamela J. Rizza, MS4; Jeffrey T. Shepherd, MS4; Virginia A. Miller, MS; Linda M. Frazier, MD, MPH

The third quarter issue of the Kansas Journal of Medicine (KJM) is now available at wichita.kumc.edu. Detailed in this issue:“Utilization of Fosphenytoin for

Digoxin-Induced Ventricular Arrhythmia”

“Side Effects of Adalimumab Masquerading as Lymphoma”

“Need of a Revised Bleeding Risk Model in Patients on Warfarin Therapy: Considering Hypertension as an Important Risk Factor”

The KU School of Medicine–Wichita is looking to fi ll the position of Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education. This person is responsible for providing leadership that ensures the academic quality and integrity of the residency programs and ensures that all residency programs maintain accreditation. Required qualifi cations include a medical doctor degree, board certifi cation, and clinical experience. For more information and to apply, visit wichita.kumc.edu/hr and click on “Employment Opportunities.”

14 KU WICHITA FALL 2010 wichita.kumc.edu 15

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