2008-2009 Highlights of Student Research

The Office of Student Research promotes research by medical students. Dr. Dan Lowenstein directs the program with Dr. Cathy Lomen-Hoerth and more recently Dr. Mary Beattie.

Student Research oversaw the work of 7 graduating students who completed the Science of Medicine and the Physician-Investigator Area of Concentration. They assisted 16 students with completion of the MD with Thesis Program and enrolled 20 students in the MD with Thesis Program for 2010. The office provided support to 18 students to successfully complete the Certificate Program in Biomedical Research (CPBR), which is designed to promote year-long, full-time research by students. The office also worked with the Pathway to Careers in Clinical and Translational Research (PACCTR) program to provide fellowships to 16 students pursuing clinical/translational research, and assisted 9 students who were successful in obtaining extramural, year-long fellowships sponsored by agencies such as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the National Institutes of Health, and the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation.

To maximize resources available to UCSF learners, the Pathways Funding Agency, under the guidance of its new associate director, Dr. Mary Beattie, integrated the application and review processes for student funding, including the Pathway to Careers in Clinical and Translational Research (PACCTR), the Office of Student Research (OSR), the Office of International Programs (OIP), Pathways Project Grants, and the Curriculum Ambassadors Program. Like the Pathways program, the Funding Agency will prepare learners to harness resources available to professionals in their fields. A one-stop information resource similar to the faculty resource RAP (Resource Allocation Program) will debut this fall where students can learn about internal and external funding sources, how to apply, application support, and best practices to maximize the mentoring relationship. The Agency meets regularly to design common review and administrative procedures, and to identify common ground in the philosophy underpinning funding criteria.

Wiki Classes for Beginning and Advanced Users

The UCSF Library is now offering wiki classes for Beginning and Advanced users. Please distribute this information to any of your users who may be interested in taking a class:

July
Introduction to Wiki@UCSF (July 7) - more info - sign up
Advanced Wiki@UCSF (July 8) - more info - sign up

August
Introduction to Wiki@UCSF (August 25) - more info - sign up
Advanced Wiki@UCSF (August 26) - more info - sign up

For a complete schedule of classes offered through the library, please visit Library Classes.

Bernie Miller Graduates from John F. Kennedy University

Bernie Miller received his B.A. in Philosophy and Religion from the School of Education and Liberal Arts from John F. Kennedy University.

Bernie received an award for academic excellence at an event last Friday evening as the most outstanding student in Philosophy & Religion.

Teaching Scholars Graduation Ceremony

Fourteen new graduates of the Teaching Scholars Program (TSP) were congratulated on June 7 by Dean Hawgood, Vice Dean Irby, Director Patricia O'Sullivan and various departmental leaders for completing the rigorous program. At an informal ceremony and reception, each scholar received a certificate for completing the year-long seminar series and becoming a part of a cadre of knowledgeable and skilled educational leaders for UCSF. Department chairs and vice chairs Linda Giudice, Michael Callaham, Joseph Guglielmo, Pat Cornett, Dan Lowenstein, Andy Murr, Ellen Weber, Susan Promes, and Manny Pardo, several of whom are former teaching scholars themselves,* joined the celebration to honor the graduates from their departments. For the first time, TSP had a School of Pharmacy scholar, and we were honored to have Dean Koda-Kimble in attendance at the ceremony.

* Can you guess which? Answer below.

TSP develops educational leaders and scholars through a weekly seminar series, mentored projects, a network of educational colleagues, and collaborative learning. Led by Dr. O'Sullivan and Dr. Irby, the program models the goals that it has for the learners, including providing a research base for the content and exemplifying various teaching strategies selected to match the content. The program provides the scholars with a knowledge base and a skills set in six strands: Learning, Teaching, Curriculum, Assessment, Research, and Leadership and Career Development. Mentors help scholars to complete, present and/or publish a scholarly product by the program's end. This year's scholars and their final projects are:

Trainees' Opinions on Morning Report: Internal Medicine, UCSF-Fresno
Belayneh A Abejie, M.D., M.P.H. and Muhammad R Bajwa, M.D.,
UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program

Developing an Interprofessional Curriculum in Integrative Medicine
Shelley R Adler, Ph.D.,
Dept. of Family and Community Medicine

A New Epilepsy Curriculum for Neurology Residents
Susannah C Brock, M.D.,
Dept. of Neurology

Peer-reviewed teaching award recipients: Who are they and where are they now?
Natural history of recipients of peer-reviewed awards for educational excellence
Marek Brzezinski, M.D., Ph.D.,
Dept. of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care

Education Days at Mount Zion for Anesthesia Residents
Lee-Lynn Chen, M.D.,
Dept. of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care

Developing a Clinic-Based Evaluation of Medical Residents
Miranda B Dunlop, M.D.,
Dept. of Medicine - DGIM

Teaching Medical Students the Emergency Medicine Oral Case Presentation
David Duong, M.D., M.S.,
Department of Emergency Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital

The UCSF/Kaiser Permanente East Bay Undergraduate Research Internships: The Influence on Medical School Applications from Enrolled UC Berkeley Under-Represented Minority Students
Juan Jose Guerra, M.D.,
Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Team-based care in the General Medicine Clinic: An evaluation of a Resident Continuity Nurse Practitioner Program
Claire K Horton, M.D.,
Dept. of Medicine - SFGH - GIM

Competence and Comfort with Informed Consent in Otolaryngology Trainees
Anna Katrine Meyer, M.D.,
Dept. of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

A Randomized Control Trial of Critical Reflection in 3rd Year Medical Students
Brian L Niehaus, M.D.,
Office of Medical Education

GeriWard: Designing and Implementing an Interprofessional Curriculum for Third-Year Medical, Pharmacy and Nursing Students on Inpatient Geriatric Issues and Systems of Care
Stephanie Rennke, M.D.,
Dept. of Medicine - Hospitalists

The Use of Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs) to Assess Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) Competencies: A Pilot Study
Sharon Youmans, Pharm.D., M.P.H.
Dept. of Clinical Pharmacy


TSP graduate Juan Jose Guerra, M.D. of Kaiser East Bay Ob/Gyn, with department chair Linda Giudice, M.D., Ph.D. and Patty Robertson, MD.


Dept of Clinical Pharmacy Chair Joseph Guglielmo, Pharm.D. congratulates graduate Sharon Youmans, Pharm.D., M.P.H.


Graduate David Duong, MD celebrates with Emergency Department Chair Michael Callaham, M.D. and colleagues Ellen Weber, M.D., and Susan Promes, MD.


Recent UCSF School of Medicine alum Brian Niehaus, MD receives his certificate from the Dean and TSP co-Directors Patricia O'Sullivan and David Irby.

*Answer: Pat Cornett, Andy Murr, Susan Promes, and Manny Pardo all graduated from the Teaching Scholars Program in prior years.

Monthy Payroll is Coming Back for Exempt Empoyees

Some of the Dean’s Office, School of Medicine, EXEMPT staff may recall a time when we received payroll once a month on the “first” day of each new month. In November 2010 the Office of Human Resources will be converting only all EXEMPT employee’s BACK to a monthly pay cycle to be in uniform with the rest of Campus.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT US?

Your last bi-weekly paycheck will be on November 10th (for pay cycle ending October 30th).

You will receive your first monthly check (for time worked starting November 1st through November 30th) on December 1st and every first of the month following.

BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR UPCOMING UPDATES ON THIS IMPORTANT PAYROLL TRANSITION!

Note: NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES (employees eligible for overtime pay, shift differentials etc.) will remain on the bi-weekly cycle.

July Medical Education Calendar

July 2010

• 5 Independence Day Holiday
• 7 AME: Executive Committee mtg, 2-3:30pm, LR-102
• 15 OME: Developing Skills in the Art of Effective Feedback, UCSF Fresno
• 19 GME: Implementing Health Care Reform: What Will it Mean for Physicians?, Noon-1pm, N-225

Green Tip: Put a Cactus in Front of Your Computer

It may offer some protection from electromagnetic fields.

The science is unproven, but why not play it safe and enjoy a little nature while you work?

2008-2009 Highlights of Student Affairs

The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) supports student programs, career advising and mentoring, professionalism, student events, and academic advancement. Maxine Papadakis, MD, serves as Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Sara Clemons, MEd, as Director.

The OSA supports our Advisory College system, which provides mentoring services for medical students. Their quality improvement efforts led to achievement of a >4 rating of college mentors by medical students (mean = 4.17) and an overall rating of the advisory college system of 3.55 on a 5 point scale. In consultation with Drs. Kevin Mack, Carol Miller, Susan Masters and Patricia O'Sullivan, the Advisory Colleges continued their work on a mentoring portfolio pilot with the Class of 2012. The portfolio tracks and manages student learning and professional development. Materials that were reviewed by the mentors with their mentees included some or all of the following: assessments, patient write-ups, reflections exercises, and community service or research projects. The Offices of Curricular and Student Affairs inform students about planning for the USMLEs. Associate Dean Papadakis provides oversight for career advising, working directly with career advisors, program directors and department chairs.

OSA improved a variety of student services this year through new tools and procedures, including creating an online travel application and the new online orientation course in the CLE. Both of these tools enhanced communication with students and provided more stream-lined and robust services for students in these two areas.

OSA planned the most successful graduation ceremony to date and transitioned this event to a new venue, Davies Symphony Hall.

Finally, Associate Dean Papadakis has continued to work on enhancing the educational climate at UCSF, including the respectful treatment of our students by faculty and housestaff.

Decommission of Library Galen Wireless Authentication

Effective July 1, 2010, ITS will complete the transition from the UCSF and UCSFnet wireless networks to the UCSFwpa and the new UCSFguest wireless networks.

Beginning on July 1, the UCSF and UCSFnet wireless networks will no longer be available.

Currently users are able to access the UCSF wireless network by registering their computer's MAC address with their GALEN account, or by using a web browser to log in to UCSFnet with their MyAccess ID. These methods of authentication will be discontinued on June 30, 2010.

Visitors to the UCSF campus who wish to access the internet will be able to use the new UCSFguest network.

Faculty, students and staff who have not been using the UCSFwpa, should read the information cited in order to access the wireless network starting July 1, 2010: http://wireless.ucsf.edu.
Further information can be found at http://pharmacy.ucsf.edu/go/wireless.

UCSF Mini Medical School for the Public

Osher Center for Integrative Medicine Presents UCSF Mini Medical School. Two new Summer 2010 courses.

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine:
The Science Behind Emerging Treatment Advances and Personalized Medicine
Tuesday evenings, June 22 – July 27, 2010,
7:00 to 8:45 p.m. | 513 Parnassus Avenue

This course addresses several hot topics that foreshadow the future of modern medicine. You will learn when and how genetic testing informs the delivery of Personalized Patient Care and learn from a NASA Science Astronaut what important basic lessons space travel can teach us about cell biology. Regeneration of damaged tissues is one of the holy grails in medicine and stem cells might be an answer. Recently, there has been a growing awareness that behaviors of stem cells emerge out of the highly complex interactions of dynamic networks of gene regulation and proliferative control involving both the control within the cell itself as well as the cross talk between the cell and its surroundings. In this course you will get a look behind the scenes to learn more about stem cells and get a realistic insight into their potential as therapeutics of the future.

Course Chair: Marieke Kruidering-Hall, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology; Co-director, Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship Program

Advances in Primary Care:
What You and Your Doctor Need to Know About Prevention and Treatment of Common Medical Conditions
Wednesday evenings, June 23 – July 28, 2010,
7:00 to 8:45 p.m. | 513 Parnassus Avenue

Everyone deserves great primary care: medical care that is comprehensive, continuous, accessible, and patient-centered. Great primary care focuses on wellness, utilizing the best medical evidence for prevention and treatment of common clinical conditions. And great primary care requires well-informed, motivated patients who can work with physicians and other health professionals to make the best personal medical decisions. This course, taught by UCSF’s faculty in Primary Care Internal Medicine, will present the latest information on a wide variety of common clinical dilemmas and on new strategies for patient empowerment.

Course Chair: Robert B. Baron, MD, MS
Director, Mini Medical School for the Public; Professor of Medicine; Associate Dean, Graduate and Continuing Medical Education

Find out more

O'Sullivan, Masters, Souza Head to Tanzania on Education Project

Continuing their work that began in 2005, Susan Masters, Kevin Souza and Pat O'Sullivan are working at Muhimbili university of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, June 17- July 12th. The work is part of the UCSF-MUHAS Academic Learning Project grant funded by Gates Foundation.

O'Sullivan and Masters will focus their work on training a group of MUHAS faculty to deliver a master's in education curriculum in order to train more educators and build capacity among their teaching faculty. The course will cover pedagogy, assessment and feedback, and curriculum development. It will include plenty of opportunities for MUHAS faculty to practice their skills and prepare to teach the course in future years.

Souza will focus on Information, Communication and Educational Technology (ICE-T) projects, as well as, development of new educational facilities on the MUHAS campus and in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. Some of the ICE-T projects include development of a distance education network between MUHAS and its affiliated teaching hospitals, clinical skills, surgical skills and simulation, implementation of a curriculum management system, and long term plans to support educational technology at MUHAS.

Pictured here, Kevin and Susan are on their way to Tanzania with a stop over in Dubai.

First Education Team Hard Hat Tour of Teaching and Learning Center

On Wednesday, June 16, Patti Mitchell, Project Manager for the new Teaching and Learning Center being constructed on the 2nd floor of the campus library, led a hard hat tour of the center for UCSF educators.


The team, members of a new TLC Classroom Teaching Workgroup, included Farah Lare-Masters, Student Academic Affairs; Kim Topp, Chair of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation; Sharon Youmans, Vice Chair for Educational Affairs, School of Pharmacy; Mary McCully, Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Nursing; Helen Loeser, Associate Dean for Curriculum, School of Medicine; Gail Persily, Director of Education and Public Services, Campus Library; Doug Carlson, Campus Registrar; Tracy Fulton, Professor of Biochemistry; and Kevin H. Souza, Assistant Dean for Medical Education.

Green Tip: Cut up plastic soda can holders

For your individual soda supply or after meetings and events where soda is served, be sure to cut up the plastic holders before throwing away so the birds and turtle don't get caught in them. Better yet, purchase soda in large bottles and provide reusable mugs and glasses for beverages.

Telemedicine Construction Update

This week’s construction activity will focus largely on wall framing and the in-wall electrical and plumbing. Round branch ducting will be installed in certain areas of the project as well.

Down on F Level in the parking garage the contractor will continue to run 3 inch conduit. Later in the
week plumbers will be back on the first floor working above the McCarthy office (Room 101).

2008-2009 Highlights of PRIME-US

PRIME-US, the Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved, provides a strong programmatic framework for students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively with urban underserved communities. The program enrolls 11 first year medical students in San Francisco and 4 students at the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program, offering an innovative curriculum focusing on experiential learning, clinical immersion and community engagement, while also providing strong mentorship and support. Dr. Beth Wilson directs the program, Dr. Alma Martinez serves as the Executive Director, and Dr. Kevin Grumbach chairs the PRIME-US Executive Committee.

The program received more than ten times the number of applications as available spots for fall 2009. The four PRIME-US classes combined currently have 52 students enrolled, including the incoming 2009 class and the Joint Medical Program. More than 60% of the students accepted into the program are underrepresented minorities and/or students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

PRIME-US students participate in a one- to two-week orientation before school begins to provide them with an opportunity to explore the Bay Area's underserved communities and to get to know each other. Once school begins, afternoon seminars give students a solid foundation in the principles, practices and populations of urban underserved care. These interactive teaching sessions with faculty and community members are complemented by site visits to community-based organizations and institutions. Facilitated reflection sessions also enable students to contextualize their experiences and consider the impact of the activities on their personal and professional goals. Students are also placed in community clinics for their preceptorship and participate in service learning and community engagement activities. Additional electives, evening seminars and weekend workshops are open to all interested students to ensure that everyone benefits from PRIME-US activities. PRIME-US connects students to career and project mentors, and is currently working on enhancing academic support. This year, PRIME-US will be piloting newly developed community engagement competencies and will be using an electronic portfolio to capture reflections exercises. The program will also be collaborating with the Health and Society Pathway on a fourth-year elective and launching a longitudinal leadership curriculum.

Laptop Theft Prevention Tips

A series of laptop thefts have occurred at the Health Science East and West buildings. Nine personal and UCSF owned laptops have been stolen since April 14th, 2010. The thefts appear to be crimes of opportunity, where unsecured laptops have been taken when left unattended in offices.

Laptop and Computer Theft Prevention Tips:
Suspects look for crimes of opportunity and certain measures can be followed to minimize your chances of becoming a victim of laptop and computer theft. These are:

• Never leave your laptop unattended and unsecured. Take it with you or make certain that it is kept in a secure location, or you run the risk that it won't be there when you return.
• Keep your laptop in your physical possession at all times and pay particular attention at the following locations: airports, hotels, car rental agencies, offices, restaurants, college campuses, restrooms, payphones, libraries, bars, hospitals, conferences centers, meeting rooms, coffee shops, train stations and bus terminals.
• Some UCSF facilities are open to the public. Know who works in your area and who doesn’t belong there. Don't let unaccompanied strangers wander around in your workplace. Offer assistance and deliver the visitors to their destinations.
• Disguise your carrying case. By carrying your laptop in a case designed specifically for computers, you alert thieves to the fact that you are carrying something valuable. Instead, consider carrying your laptop in an ordinary piece of luggage, satchel, briefcase or other inconspicuous bag.
• Record your laptop’s serial number, make and model information in your purse or wallet so if your computer is stolen, the information will be readily available when you file a police report. Also, keep an extra copy of this information at home.
• Etch, engrave or permanently mark your computer with your name and phone number. You might also consider placing several of your business cards inside carrying case pockets.
• Identify your carrying case in some unusual way. Brightly colored tape, yarn or tags will help you to locate your bag in the event it comes up missing. When traveling, you might also consider affixing something brightly colored to your actual laptop.
• If your laptop must be left in your car, store it in the trunk of the vehicle prior to arriving at the final destination.
• Regularly back up information. Make sure you store this information separately in case your computer is stolen.
• Encrypt the most important data. Install software that makes documents stored in a laptop computer unreadable to anyone without a correct password. The most valuable part of a stolen laptop is the data. Many groups have cash bounties out for particular information that can be resold for identity theft or competitive use. It is very important that you encrypt info on your laptop/computer device to not only protect UCSF property and data, but also to protect yourself against loss of personal property and data. Not encrypting your laptop/computer device exposes UCSF to liability issues. Proper encryption provides safe harbor against both state and federal penalties against the individual as well as the institution.
• In the event that your laptop is lost or stolen, make sure you report it missing to your employer and Police Department as soon as possible.
• Cable locks will deter, but not guaranteed to prevent the theft of laptops and computers because they can easily be cut. For higher security measures, the following are options to consider:

1. Two-way wireless security alarms for laptops consist of an alarm installed on the computer itself and a remote key-chain device. If the alarm detects movement, it first checks whether you're nearby. If not, your key-chain remote is alerted, emitting a "chirp." You can then choose to trigger the 110-decibel alarm on your laptop. The alarm can also be set to trigger solely on detecting motion.
2. Another type of alarm works by setting up a security perimeter for the laptop. Moving the laptop beyond the perimeter sets off an alarm, locks keys to encrypted files, and disables the computer, making it useless to unauthorized users.

MedEdPORTAL Featured Publication - "Workshop in a Box" by Tracy Fulton, Christian Burke, Katherine Hyland, Marieke Kruidering, & Susan Masters

Workshop in a Box:
Visual Demonstration of Small Group Facilitation Techniques for Faculty Development

This resource is designed for educators who conduct faculty development for small group facilitators. Included in this "workshop in a box" is a DVD with two scripted, character-based dramatizations of small group encounters; an instructors' guide; and structured written workshop materials. The written materials provide guidance and structure for running a small group facilitator training workshop using the DVD. Video clips on the DVD depict a group of learners engaged in a case discussion with one of two facilitators who have contrasting teaching styles.

Find our more through the MedEdPORTAL

Use or Lose Furlough Time by August 31

Furlough time is not like vacation time or comp time that can be banked for later use or is paid out upon separation from the University. Furlough time may not be carried over after the systemwide furlough program ends August 31, 2010, so be sure to use your time before it’s too late.

Diversity programs prepare students to succeed in medical school

An article in the Washington Post, “Medical Schools Use Outreach Programs to Make Student Bodies More Diverse,” highlighted initiatives by AAMC-member institutions to increase diversity among medical school classes.  The AAMC’s Chief Diversity Officer Marc Nivet, Ed.D., noted the need for tactics to improve the pipeline for incoming students.  The AAMC’s “Roadmap to Diversity” was also mentioned as a way to help schools make their student bodies more diverse.  Local programs at Georgetown University and George Washington University were included for their efforts to encourage college and high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented minorities to enter the medical field.

Doctor shortage most likely to affect all specialties and regions

A Los Angeles Times article, “Agencies Warn of Coming Doctor Shortages,” featured perspectives from various health care organizations and government agencies on the physician shortage. The AAMC’s Chief Advocacy Officer Atul Grover, M.D., Ph.D., pointed out in the article that the U.S. population over age 65 will double by 2030 and increase demand for not only preventive care but also for specialists who treat patients for health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. The AAMC supports lifting the cap on Medicare-funded residency training positions to help meet the health care needs of a growing, aging U.S. population.

Vice Dean David Irby, Dr. Molly Cooke and Dr. Bridget O'Brien present their Groundbreaking Study

Vice Dean David Irby, Dr. Molly Cooke and Dr. Bridget O'Brien presented their groundbreaking study Educating Physicians, A Call for Reform of Medical School and Residency, at Medicine Grand Rounds Wednesday, June 10, 2010.

The presentation includes a description of the recommendations from the Carnegie study for the reform of undergraduate and graduate medical education and identifying plans for implementing these recommendations at UCSF in UME and GME

VIEW THE VIDEO

Farewell to Lisa Raskulinec

We gathered to wish Lisa Raskulinec farewell last Tuesday, June 2nd. We honored Lisa with an apron from Medical Education as well as a generous gift certificate to Trimark, a restaurant supply store.

Dr. Irby gave a humorous and heart warming farewell speech that included the top 10 reasons we love and will miss Lisa. Here they are...

10. Lisa can talk faster than a NYC cab driver at full speed. Thus, you get lots of great information in a short period of time. Since she loves to talk, you get double your money’s worth.

9. Lisa is a joy to work with. She is fun loving, has a great sense of humor and is a beam of sunshine.

8. Lisa is the queen of arcane UC history and policies. No one understands UCOP, campus and the SOM better than she does. She is our keeper of institutional knowledge on rules and procedures.

7. Lisa focuses on excellence and is continuously working on quality improvement. She constantly strives to create something better. Like God, she is always creating order out of chaos.

6. Lisa pays attention to details and ensures that everyone understands those details and then documents them to ensure that there is an auditable paper trail for others, including auditors, to follow. I totally trust her to keep me informed and to ensure that I understand what I need to know about budgets, finances and planning.

5. Lisa has an uncanny ability to put together a budget for a new project or program even when we don’t know what we need or want.

4. Lisa has great patience in working with anyone who is willing to learn in order to ensure that they succeed. I have been one of the greatest beneficiaries of her tutoring and greatly appreciate it.

3. Lisa takes the initiative to get things done, thinks proactively and anticipates potential problems before they emerge and many times even before I know there is a looming problem.

2. Lisa is direct, open and honest. She is able to speak truth to power and is willing to take the risks to do so. I have always appreciated her forthrightness, which means that I never had to guess what is really on her mind.

And the number one reason we all love and will miss Lisa...

1. Lisa is passionate about education. She puts her heart and soul into the entire educational endeavor. Lisa is incredibly dedicated and loyal, and she inspires others with these same admirable qualities. She is a cheerleader for our noble cause.

Green Tip: Choose Hormone-Free Milk

Look for milk that has been certified organic or carries the words "no artificial hormones." Conventional dairies inject cows with synthetic recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), aka bovine somatotropin (rbST), to boost production. The practice has been implicated in udder infections, requiring more veterinary antibiotic use, and is banned in many countries. Some scientists worry the hormones may affect consumers.

2008-2009 Highlights of the Pathways to Discovery

The Pathways to Discovery program expands the School’s former Areas of Concentration Program to include learners from all UCSF schools and Graduate Medical Education. The Pathways Program is an elective opportunity that facilitates learners in developing the knowledge, skills, and experience to contribute to health beyond the care of individual patients. Dr. Joshua Adler serves as Faculty Director of the program, and Dr. Renee Courey is Administrative Director.

The five Pathways represent areas of specialization in clinical and translational research, global health, health professions education, health and society and molecular medicine. The Pathways share three programmatic elements: a mentored project which trains participants to identify tractable problems and develop solutions of value to an academic discipline and other communities; preparation through courses and real-world experiences, and a "legacy," an outcome of lasting benefit to UCSF and other communities.

The numbers of learners participating in the program expanded due to the entry of residents and advanced learners from the Graduate Division and the School of Nursing. Roughly half of the 204 Pathways participants are residents, 20 of whom joined undergraduates in presenting work at the 2009 Symposium. Of the 140 School of Medicine graduates in 2009, 63 were Pathways learners. To date, over 20% of learners in Areas of Concentration/Pathways have submitted or published the results of their individual projects in a forum appropriate to their mission.

The organizational structure continues to evolve to support shared and Pathway‐specific goals, administrative procedures, technological support for multi‐level and inter‐school learning, communication and branding strategies, and development and outreach campaigns. Dr. Courey works with Dr. Adler and the new program managers for the individual Pathways. Drs. Christy Boscardin and Arianne Teherani completed a program evaluation blueprint that now drives the creation of competencies within each Pathway, new Pathway‐wide evaluations of learners and mentors, and resources for faculty development.

Efforts to ease access to information by residents and their participation in individual Pathway communities and curricula are underway. These will be a major focus in 2010 as will overtures to faculty and learners in other UCSF schools. Each of the Pathway’s achievements is highlighted below.

CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH PATHWAY

The Clinical and Translational Research (C&T Research) Pathway is designed to stimulate passion for discovery and provide training and mentoring that will encourage and allow professional students, residents, fellows, and postdoctoral trainees to conduct innovative clinical and translational research that improves health and relieves suffering. Dr. George Sawaya serves as Director and Dr. Doug Bauer as Co-Director.

The pathway is considered a program of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and undergraduate learners who participate are also participants in the Pathway to Careers in Clinical and Translational Research (PACCTR) program. All PACCTR one-year fellows with projects focused on C&T research will enter the pathway, and two and three-month PACCTR fellows will have the opportunity to complete the requirements if they desire. The Clinical and Translational Research and Global Health Pathways have initiated shared curricula to allow learners undertaking C&T research abroad to receive appropriate methodological and cultural training. Participants of the C&T Pathway will also join PACCTR in mentoring UC Berkeley undergraduate students in the new Pre-Health Undergraduate Program.

The C&T Research Pathway offers residents the opportunity to participate in a full year of research through the Initiate Resident Research Scholar Program, which provides stipend and tuition for the Advanced Training in Clinical Research course for two to four residents per year. Planning is in process for a combined five-year MD/Master’s of Advance Studies in Clinical Research degree and work to adapt this plan to the new curriculum will continue.

GLOBAL HEALTH PATHWAY

The Global Health (GH) Pathway develops research and medical education skills tailored to improving the health of low- and middle-income populations worldwide. Dr. Chris Stewart serves as Director and Dr. Madhavi Dandu as Co-Director.

The introductory course is evolving to provide more exposure to core topics earlier to facilitate an earlier commitment to the Pathway. Learners from all UCSF schools and 12 different residency programs are participating in the Pathway's seminars for advanced learners. This year, the program will host 23 participants at the graduate level. The UCSF masters program in Global Health graduated its first class this summer and recruited over 20 students for the coming year.

With the support of the National Institutes of Health/Fogarty International Center, three teams of undergraduate professional learners from all schools worked in three countries this summer. Learners from all schools and levels also participate in a unique weekend-long international disaster simulation program with the collaboration of the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.

HEALTH AND SOCIETY PATHWAY

The Health and Society (H&S) Pathway prepares researchers and leaders to utilize the behavioral and social sciences to increase their understanding of illness in individuals and populations and to develop policies and programs that reduce health disparities. Dr. Daniel Dohan serves as Director; Co-Directors include Drs. Shelley Adler, Alicia Fernandez, Naomi Wortis, and Arpana Vidyarthi.

Health and Society integrates the curricula and faculty of three former Areas of Concentration and two Areas of Distinction for residents. A new introductory course offers learners a survey of issues and approaches to allow them to hone their interests. They develop the expertise to execute a project through a course offered jointly with the Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved (PRIME-US). Medicine residents participate in the Pathway through the Area of Distinction in "Health Equities" with Dr. Sharad Jain, or "Leadership and Health Systems" with Dr. Arpana Vidyarthi. A team of twelve residents headed by Chief Resident of Internal Medicine, Dr, Read Pierce, produced an award-winning project on anticoagulation safety.

HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION PATHWAY

The Health Professions Education (HPE) Pathway develops learners who can translate educational theory to the health professions learning environment and train investigators to add to that theory. Dr. H. Carrie Chen serves as Director along with Drs. Amin Azzam, Kathy Julian, Patricia O'Sullivan, and Maria Wamsley as Co-Directors.

The HPE Pathway is supported by the Office of Medical Education. The month-long "Teaching Strategies and Curriculum Development" is the core classroom-based course. Consultation with residency programs to facilitate the participation of residents informed "Learning Theory," "Assessment," and "Educational Leadership," three innovative courses that combine online curricula with discussions, independent learning, and occasional meetings.

MOLECULAR MEDICINE

The Molecular Medicine (MMP) Pathway combines clinical practice and disease-oriented laboratory research to extend understanding of human disease at the molecular level. Dr. Robert Nussbaum serves as Director and Dr. Harold Bernstein as Associate Director.
To maximize the benefit of career development and research training, the decision to enter the Molecular Medicine Pathway must be made early in the learner's career. In 2009-10, course requirements have been waived to allow more advanced learners to participate by consulting with directors and mentors to develop a career plan and engaging in laboratory research. In 2009, the Pathway and the Admissions Office created outreach procedures to alert applicants with an interest in biomedical research to this opportunity to explore careers as physician scientists. In 2010, a faculty member from the Molecular Medicine Pathway will serve on each of the School’s five admissions panels to ensure identification of interested applicants.

Book Release - Educating Physicians: A Call for Reform of Medical School and Residency

In the centennial year of the Carnegie Foundation's ground-breaking Flexner Report that radically changed medical education, Carnegie is releasing another call for reform. Educating Physicians: A Call for Reform of Medical School and Residency, by Molly Cooke, David M. Irby and Bridget C. O'Brien, was published by Jossey-Bass and was funded by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and The Atlantic Philanthropies.

"The huge increases in medical knowledge, technology and specialization in recent decades have interacted with a now near-chaotic system of health care delivery, magnifying the challenges facing medical education," the authors write. "There is a need to motivate continuous learning and improvement across the whole arc of medical training. Those who teach medical students and residents must choose whether to continue in the direction established over a hundred years ago or take a fundamentally different course, guided by contemporary innovation and new understanding about how people learn."

They write that a new vision is needed to drive medical education to the next level of excellence. "The future demands new approaches to shaping the minds, hands and hearts of physicians." And they call for a much-needed dialogue to strengthen medical education and ultimately, provide better patient care.

Fundamental change in medical education will require new curricula, new pedagogies and new forms of assessment. Among the authors' recommendations are:

• To standardize learning outcomes and assess competencies over time. A focus on learning outcomes and milestones could end the time-based structure of medical school and residency.
• To strengthen connections between formal and experiential knowledge across the continuum of medical education, specifically by incorporating more clinical experiences earlier in medical school and providing more opportunities for knowledge-building later in medical school and throughout residency.
• To promote learners' ability to work collaboratively with other health professionals, such as medical assistants, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists and social workers.
• To support learners' responsibility for quality of care, team performance and their own learning while providing skilled supervision.
• To make professional formation an explicit area of focus in medical education through strategies such as formal instruction in ethics and reflective practice, exploration of the role of the physician-citizen and establishment of more supportive learning environments.
• To cultivate a spirit of inquiry and improvement in learners and in health care teams; this spirit supports both innovations in daily practice that translate into better service to patients, system improvements and improved patient outcomes as well as the development of larger research agendas, new discoveries, and knowledge building.
• To be more intentional about our selection, development and support of teachers and medical educators.

The authors note that in order for medical schools to innovate, the funders, regulators and professional organizations that control and influence medical education must be actively engaged. New policies will be required.

The study's seven policy recommendations are that:

1. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and medical schools work together to revise pre-medical course requirements and admission processes, ensuring the diversity of those in medical schools.
2. Accrediting, certifying, and licensing bodies together develop a coherent framework for the continuum of medical education and establish effective mechanisms to coordinate standards and resolve jurisdictional conflicts.
3. CEOs of teaching hospitals and directors of residency programs align patient care and clinical education to improve both and develop educational programs that are consistent with practice requirements.
4. Deans of medical schools and CEOs of teaching hospitals support the teaching mission of the faculty by providing financial support, mentoring, faculty development, recognition and academic advancement.
5. Deans of medical schools and CEOs of teaching hospitals collaboratively make funding for medical education transparent, fair and aligned with the missions of both medical schools and teaching hospitals.
6. AAMC, American Medical Association (AMA), Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), medical specialty societies, and medical schools advocate for sustained private, federal and state funding commitments to support infrastructure, innovation and research in medical education. Medical education is a public good that should be supported by society.
7. AAMC, AMA, ACGME, medical specialty societies, and medical schools collaborate on the development of a medical workforce policy for the United States. A variety of interventions addressing the cost of medical education, length of training, and practice viability ensure that the country has the mix of specialty and subspecialty physicians to meet the needs of the population.

To learn more about the book visit the Carnegie Foundation.

Library Construction Update Week of June 8th

This week the contractor starts the soffit framing around the project perimeter. Remaining wall framing will shortly follow.

Work has also begun in the parking garage running conduit to AC50. This will be the path for the main fiber-optic cable connection.

The plumbers continue to work above the server room installing waste lines for the sinks to be installed above.

John Stanley’s photo this week shows the progress on the structural support system above the simulation rooms. This structure will support the Unistrut grid to which the medical equipment will attach.

New UC Absence From Work Policy

The University of California has implemented a new Absence From Work policy. The new policy consolidates existing Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM) leave policies within a single, comprehensive absence policy. The Absence From Work policy includes revised language for compliance with legal requirements and provides certain enhanced provisions.

The most significant change within the new policy is an expansion of an employee’s ability to use accrued sick leave for certain life events. These events include parental bonding leave, leave under the Family Medical Leave Act, and bereavement leave.

The updated policy supersedes seven PPSM policies and applies to Professional and Support Staff (PSS), Managers and Senior Professionals (MSP), and Senior Management Group (SMG) members. This policy is in effect June 1, 2010 and is available at New Absence From Work Policy.

The following is a summary of policy changes:
General Leave Provisions:

• New language advises employees on the potential consequences for misrepresenting a reason for a leave request or for not providing appropriate documentation to support the leave.
• New language references Paid Time Off (PTO) programs, which have been adopted by some Medical Centers as an alternative to vacation and sick leave.

Vacation:

• New language prohibits an employee from using vacation leave on an intermittent basis during an unpaid leave of absence in order to benefit from holiday pay and employer contributions toward benefits that would not otherwise be provided.
• New language describes the impact of an appointment reduction to less than 50% time on the accrual of vacation.
• New language clarifies that supervisor approval is required for requested vacation leave.
• New language references the President’s Delegation of Authority that authorizes the implementation of local Catastrophic Leave Donation Programs.

Sick Leave:

• New language prohibits an employee from using sick leave on an intermittent basis during an unpaid leave of absence in order to benefit from holiday pay and employer contributions toward benefits that otherwise would not be provided.
• Increases the period of time (from 15 days to 90 days) a reemployed staff member will have accrued sick leave from prior service reinstated upon returning to work.

Leaves Related to Life Events:

• The amount of accrued sick leave an employee may use during a Family and Medical Leave to address a serious health condition on behalf of the employee, a spouse or domestic partner, a child, or a parent has been increased from 30 days to a 12-week period.
• A new Parental Bonding Leave allows an employee to use up to 30 days of accrued sick leave to care for and bond with a newborn, adopted, or foster care child.
• New sections have been added describing Family and Medical Leave Military Caregiver Leave and Family and Medical Leave Qualifying Exigency Leave.
• The amount of accrued sick leave an employee may use in the event of the death of a family or household member has been increased from 5 to 10 days.

Military Leave, Civil Duty and Service Leaves:

• New language references the existing Policy on Supplement to Military Pay, and new provisions for Military Spouse/Domestic Partner Leave, and Civil Air Patrol Leave.
• New language allows an employee to request vacation leave or unpaid leave to serve as an election officer on Election Day.
• New language references unpaid leave available to an eligible employee aiding with emergency response efforts or engaging in fire or law enforcement training.
• New language advises employees of work expectations and potential overtime requirements when an employee is called to jury duty.

Administrative Leaves:

• An employee may use accrued sick leave in order to donate bone marrow (up to 5 days) or organs for transplant (up to 30 days).
• New language incorporates existing Guidance on Emergency Response to Disasters to address an employee’s request for a leave related to natural or other emergencies.

Other Leaves:

• A new section provides information on leave provisions addressed under California law, including: school suspensions; school activities; victims of domestic violence or sexual assault; victims of serious or violent felonies; and requests for literacy leave or rehabilitation leave.

http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies_employee_labor_relations/personnel_policies/index.html