| Joann
Schaefer Recognized as Local Legend from Nebraska
 Joann
Schaefer, M.D., has been recognized by the American Medical
Women’s Association (AMWA) as a Local Legend from Nebraska.
Congressman Lee Terry, Jr. nominated Dr. Schaefer for this
honor, which is bestowed upon women physicians who have demonstrated
commitment, originality, innovation or creativity in her field
of medicine.
In addition to her duties as associate professor at Creighton
University and as a family physician, Dr. Schaefer also serves
as deputy chief medical officer for the Nebraska Health and
Human Services System. She coordinates the state’s bioterrorism
preparedness planning and readiness assessment, and chairs
the Child Death Review Team. Schaefer was appointed by Governor
Johanns to devise a plan for Nebraska to adopt in dealing
with cases of domestic violence and the effects on children’s
lives.
“One of my fervent interests is educating medical students,
physicians and the public on the warning signs of domestic
violence,” said Schaefer.
In his nomination letter, Terry said, “As a well-rounded,
active, and prominent family physician, Dr. Schaefer has demonstrated
her many abilities. She has truly changed the face of medicine
in Nebraska and is the highest ranking female public health
officer in Nebraska’s history,” said Terry.
The Local Legends program is a partnership between the AMWA
and the National Library of Medicine (NLM), which asks U.S.
Senators and Members of Congress to nominate outstanding women
from their states. Local Legends is a companion project to
an exhibition created by NLM entitled “Changing the
Face of Medicine: Celebrating America’s Women Physicians.”
Dr. Schaefer will be featured in a DVD by MacNeil-Lehrer Productions
for the NLM and AMWA. She also is featured at the permanent
NLM exhibit in Washington, D.C., and on the Local Legends
website:
www.locallegends.org.
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Creighton
Medical Students Open Magis Medical Clinic with AAMC `Caring
for Community' Grant
Earlier this year, students
in Creighton’s School of Medicine received a grant from
the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to help
establish the Magis Medical Clinic to serve the area’s
homeless men, women and children.
The grant was provided by
the “Caring for Community” program, sponsored
by the AAMC and the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative.
Creighton’s School of Medicine is one of only eight
medical schools in the country to receive the award.
The Magis Medical Clinic is the only free medical clinic in
Omaha open on Saturdays. Creighton medical students proposed
the Magis Medical Clinic in response to the community’s
need for medical services for homeless families. Working with
the Omaha Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless (OACCH),
the students identified that there are few outpatient health
care options available to the homeless on Saturdays. Medical
students provide free drop-in health services Saturday afternoons
at the Siena-Francis House, located near the Creighton campus.
The clinic offers acute care services and referrals to existing
community services. The clinic is managed and run entirely
by students in Creighton’s School of Medicine.
Physicians from Creighton University Medical Center and Creighton
School of Medicine alumni in the community volunteer their
time, along with the medical students, to provide this free
service in the Omaha community. In turn, students receive
valuable hands-on learning experience under the tutelage of
these doctors.
“Not only does this clinic meet the need for medical
care for the homeless on weekends, it also provides a unique
opportunity for students to learn about both medicine and
service to community,” said Ann Allie, Magis Medical
Clinic coordinator and fourth year medical student at Creighton
University Medical Center School of Medicine.
According to Zulma Barrios, a fourth-year Creighton medical
student and one of the project organizers, the students saw
a need in the community and sought a way to fill that need.
“Creighton’s School of Medicine has a tradition
of service to community. We developed the Magis Medical Clinic
concept because we were actively looking for ways to contribute
our expertise and caring in a way that would truly help our
community,” said Barrios.
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Arnold
P. Gold, M.D, Founder of Humanism in Medicine, Visits Creighton
 Arnold
P. Gold, M.D., founder and president of the Arnold P. Gold
Foundation, and Sandra Gold, Ed.D., (pictured at right) presented
a lecture on the “Challenges to Maintaining the Care
in Healthcare” during their visit to Creighton Oct.
21.
Arnold and Sandra Gold, founders of the humanism in medicine
movement, also presided at an evening banquet as 14 Creighton
medical students were inducted into the Creighton Chapter
of the Gold Humanism Honor Society.
The honorees are all fourth-year medical students at Creighton
University Medical Center. They include: Ann Allie, Lowell
Amiotte, Zulma Barrios, Corey Booker, Dan Gaffney, Stephanie
Hanson, Jeff Macalena, Vinita Parikh, Rick Patch, Chris Pelt,
Bethwel Raore, Ebe Shakir, Heather Snyder and Matt West. This
is the Golds' first visit to Creighton for its inaugural honor
society induction and Gold Humanism Honor Society Visiting
Professor Lecture.
The Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) recognizes senior medical
students, residents, role-model physician teachers and others
for demonstrated excellence in clinical care, leadership,
compassion and dedication to service. The goal of the GHHS
is for its members to become guardians of and advocates for
humanism in medicine in teaching and practice. There are 34
national and international chapters of the GHHS.
The mission of the Gold Humanism Honor Society at Creighton
University School of Medicine is to promote humanism, humane
conduct and professionalism throughout the continuum of physician
training, from the first day in medical school until retirement
from medical practice. Humanism is a core principle of the
Ignatian philosophy at the foundation of the Creighton University
mission. Humanism embodies the individual’s sensitivity,
respect, and empathy for all, while recognizing the needs
and autonomy of each person.
Roger Brumback, M.D., professor and chair of pathology at
Creighton University Medical Center, was instrumental in bringing
the GHHS program to Creighton, as well as bringing in the
group’s founder to the inaugural awards presentation.
“Since Creighton’s mission is all about humanism,”
said Dr. Brumback, “it was natural for us to become
affiliated with the Gold Humanism Honor Society.” Dr.
Brumback was recently inducted into the GHHS at a ceremony
recognizing chapter advisors at a national meeting in Chicago.
Alfred
D. Fleming, M.D., professor and chair, Department of Obstetrics
and Gynecology, was inducted into membership to the Gold Humanism
Honor Society. Dr. Fleming was honored at the AAMC Annual
Meeting in Boston for exhibiting outstanding humanism in medicine
and integrity as a doctor and a program director. The Gold
Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) honors senior medical students,
residents, role-model physician teachers and others for demonstrated
excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication
to service. The goal of the GHHS is for its members to become
guardians of and advocates for humanism in medicine in teaching
and practice.
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Henry
T. Lynch, M.D., Receives Aultman Cancer Research Award
 Henry
T. Lynch, M.D., hereditary cancer expert, professor of medicine
and chairman of preventive medicine at Creighton University
Medical Center, was selected to receive the Fourth Aultman
Cancer Research Award. The award is given each year by the
Aultman Health Foundation to a scientist who has made outstanding
contributions in the field of cancer research. The Aultman
Health Foundation is a not-for-profit health system located
in Canton, Ohio.
As an honoree, Dr. Lynch was the keynote speaker at the Fourth
Annual Cancer Conference in Canton in September. The conference
showcases presentations from nationally recognized physicians
on new information regarding the prevention, diagnosis and
treatment of lung cancer, lymphoma and gastrointestinal malignancies.
Dr. Lynch manages a database of thousands of family pedigrees
tracing various hereditary cancers. His detailed histories
and tissue collections have provided substantial evidence
leading to the discovery of gene mutations such as BRCA1 and
BRCA2 mutations that contribute to hereditary breast cancers,
rare strains of colorectal cancers in Native Americans, and
the strain of hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer dubbed
the Lynch Syndrome in his honor.
In addition to the Aultman Award, Dr. Lynch has received the
Ellen Browning Scripps Medal Award, the Bristol-Myers Squibb
Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer Research, the
American Association of Cancer Research/American Cancer Society
award for research excellence in cancer epidemiology and prevention,
the Brinker International Award for Breast Cancer Research
from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and the
American Cancer Society Medal of Honor Award for research
in hereditary cancer and its clinical translation to patient
care. Last year, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Center in
Evanston, Ill., named a Henry T. Lynch M.D. distinguished
lectureship in his honor.
On Nov.
10, Dr. Lynch was installed as the first holder of the Charles
F. and Mary C. Heider Endowed Chair in Cancer Research.
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Frank
Peak Receives Red Cross `Heroes of the Heartland' Award
 Frank
T. Peak, MSA, was recognized by the Heartland Chapter of the
American Red Cross as a Hero of the Heartland. The award honors
persons who have performed an act of heroism during the past
year or who have been deemed heroes by the lives they lead
or the examples they set.
Peak was awarded in the Medical category for forming and sustaining
multiple community partnerships that have resulted in health
education, screening, care and prevention services to thousands.
He was honored at a September 15 breakfast and recognition
ceremony.
Last year, Peak was honored with two community service awards.
He received the Joyce Harrison Memorial Award from the Nebraska
Health and Human Services System Office of Minority Health
in recognition for his outstanding leadership in improving
racial and ethnic minority health services in Nebraska. He
was also honored at a PRIDE-Omaha ceremony to recognize individuals
who are instrumental in helping the agency become one of the
most effective drug prevention organizations in the country.
According to his nominator, Richard L. O’Brien, M.D.,
Creighton professor of Health Policy and Ethics, Frank has
coordinated community needs assessments and education efforts
for drug abuse prevention, blindness prevention, cancer screening,
cardiovascular disease prevention. “Frank is obviously
a go-to guy if you want something done to improve community
health,” said O’Brien. “But if you don’t
go to him, he will start it anyway. He is that kind of hero.”
Peak serves leadership roles in numerous community organizations
including North Omaha Family Preservation Team, Nebraska Minority
Public Health Association, Health Committee of the Omaha Branch
of the NAACP, United Way of the Midlands and Nebraska Ethnics
Together Working On Reaching Kids.
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School
Welcomes Two New Associate Deans
 Roberta
E. Sonnino, M.D., FACS, FAAP, has been appointed
Associate Dean for Academic Faculty Affairs and Professor
of Surgery and Pediatrics at Creighton University Medical
Center’s School of Medicine. In her new position, Dr.
Sonnino is responsible for leadership and coordination of
academic affairs, faculty affairs and faculty development.
Dr. Sonnino’s career has been centered on surgery and
pediatrics for more than 30 years. She previously served as
professor in the Departments of Surgery and Pediatrics, chief
of Pediatric Surgery, and associate dean for Special Programs
and assistant dean for Student Affairs at the University of
Kansas School of Medicine. She was chief in the Division of
Pediatric Surgery and surgeon-in-chief at the Children’s
Hospital, Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon. Dr.
Sonnino completed the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine
(ELAM) fellowship in 1998. She has 12 years’ experience
with the Medical College of Virginia/VCU Women in Medicine
Pathways to Leadership and the Society for Executive Leadership
in Academic Medicine (SELAM).
Dr. Sonnino received her M.D. at the University of Padova,
Italy (Laurea in Medicine and Surgery). She acquired her postdoctoral
training at six hospitals, including general surgery at Henry
Ford Hospital and pediatric surgery at the Montreal Children’s
Hospital. Dr. Sonnino has earned numerous awards, such as
the Research Forum Award for the Children’s Hospital
Research Foundation in Columbus, OH, the Andreas von Recum
Award for Service from the Academy of Surgical Research, and
the Italian Pediatric Surgical Association Award.
Dr. Sonnino has served as an officer and committee member
for more than 15 professional societies, including president
of the Academy of Surgical Research. She currently serves
as president-elect of SELAM. Her research career has been
focused on ischemic injuries to the intestine, bowel transplants
and graft preservation. For the past seven years, her research
has been funded by the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation.
Her accomplishments also include 74 peer-reviewed published
articles and 95 national or international presentations.
Cam E.
Enarson, M.D., M.B.A., School of Medicine dean and vice president
for Health Sciences at Creighton University Medical Center,
said, “Dr.
Sonnino's experience as a surgeon, in faculty and student
affairs, and her leadership roles in academic medicine will
greatly benefit Creighton's School of Medicine.”
 Barbara
J. McLaughlin, Ph.D., has been
appointed associate dean for research at Creighton University
Medical Center’s School of Medicine. In this position,
Dr. McLaughlin will be responsible for providing academic
and administrative leadership in research and enhancing the
quality of research and research training.
Dr. McLaughlin recently completed an American Association
for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)/National Institutes
of Health (NIH) Science Policy Fellowship in the Office of
Policy Analysis and Response, NIH Cancer Institute.
Prior to her NIH fellowship, she served as associate dean
for research at the University of Louisville School of Medicine,
where she also was professor of ophthalmology and visual science
and professor of anatomical sciences and neurobiology.
Dr. McLaughlin received her undergraduate degree from the
University of Florida and her Ph.D. from Stanford University.
She completed her postdoctoral training at the University
of Cambridge, U.K. and the City of Hope National Medical Center.
She is the author and co-author of nearly 200 abstracts and
more than 100 articles and book chapters.
“We are pleased to have Dr. McLaughlin join the Creighton
University School of Medicine,” said Cam E. Enarson,
M.D., M.B.A., School of Medicine dean and vice president for
Health Sciences at Creighton University Medical Center. “She
brings to Creighton her broad experience in all aspects of
research…as a scientist, a policymaker, a teacher and
a leader,” he said.
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Medical
Diagnoses in the Palm of the Hand
Creighton
Doctors Use Handheld Devices to Access Patient Information
 The
use of technology in medicine has taken another step forward
with a program being road-tested now at Creighton University
Medical Center.
Long gone are the days of reading a patient’s chart
hanging on a hospital bed. For years now, doctors have checked
results of patient tests on desktop computers located throughout
the hospital. Soon even this method will be obsolete as more
and more doctors access real-time patient information via
handheld devices on their way to see a patient, or during
the patient visit.
Several doctors at Creighton University Medical Center are
currently using the Lab and Radiology Access (LARA) system
on handheld devices and are providing feedback for its ultimate
design. LARA provides fast and secure access to patient vital
signs, laboratory results, radiology reports and medications.
“This system is great,” said Hema Korlakunta,
M.D., one of the Creighton residents using the LARA system.
“I can confer with the patient about test results and
can even show the results to the patient,” she said.
“I don’t have to leave the room to check the computer
or get a printout. It’s made patient care much more
efficient, and I can use it anywhere in the hospital any time
of the day or night.”
Samuel Caughron, M.D., a resident in the Department of Pathology,
is the physician behind development and implementation of
the LARA system at Creighton. According to Dr. Caughron, LARA’s
features and design are being guided by the physicians who
will ultimately use the system. Rather than purchase a generic
product from a vendor, Dr. Caughron opted to custom-fit the
technology to Creighton’s needs and then make the result
available to other hospitals. Dundee Logic is the programming
service provider.
“This is wireless technology by our doctors, for our
doctors… with utmost concern for security,” said
Dr. Caughron. LARA has multiple layers of security to protect
the privacy of patients.
“Once fully implemented, the software will be made available
under an open source license,” said Dr. Caughron. “By
making the source code of LARA freely available, I hope to
make it cheaper and easier for other institutions to implement
similar systems.”
The LARA system and similar systems being implemented around
the country are expected to increase physician efficiency,
decrease hospital stays and reduce medical errors by providing
physicians up-to-the-minute patient information, according
to Dr. Caughron.
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Briefly
Noted
Ray Gaines, M.D., was recently
inducted into the Central High School Hall of Fame. Dr. Gaines
graduated from Central in 1950. He received his bachelor’s
degree from Creighton University and his M.D. from Creighton’s
School of Medicine. He is associate professor of surgery,
director of trauma service and chief of surgical service at
Creighton University Medical Center. He received a Distinguished
Service Award from Creighton University’s School of
Medicine in 2003.
Jim Bothmer received a Distinguished Service
Award from the Nebraska Library Association’s College
and University Section. Bothmer received this award for his
service to academic librarianship, active participation in
the College and University Section and service to the library
profession. Bothmer is the director of Creighton’s Health
Sciences Library and Learning Resources Center.
Navy Lt. Charles F. Youngblood, M.D., a 2002
graduate of Creighton’s School of Medicine, is serving
as battalion surgeon for the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment,
assigned to the 1st Marine Division in Iraq. Dr. Youngblood
and his staff of corpsmen treated more than 50 patients during
a recent humanitarian aid mission.
Carrie L. Snyder, RN, BSN, OCN, nurse coordinator
and genetic research associate in the Department of Preventive
Medicine, has received a Clinical Research Nurse Award from
the U.S. Army Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research
Program. The $149,968 award will be used to research the “Effect
of Reminder Telephone Calls on Mammography Compliance in High-Risk
Women.”
Peter Daher, M.D., was selected as a finalist
for the 2004 Humanism in Medicine Award, an annual award sponsored
by the AAMC through the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiatives.
Dr. Daher was singled out by his students as a positive and
caring role model and as a physician whom students would like
to emulate.
The Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine
and Dentistry elected Eugene C. Rich, M.D.,
to chair the group. The committee is a congressionally mandated
body charged with providing recommendations to the Secretary
of Health and Human Services and Congress on issues concerning
training of primary care providers and on federal funding
for primary care educational programs.
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Faculty
News
Congratulations
to the following for their recent recognition by School of
Medicine faculty:
-
Robert J. Anderson, M.D. -- Distinguished Research Career
Award
-
Ray D. Gaines, M.D. -- Master Clinician Award
- Archana
Chatterjee, M.D., Ph.D. -- Distinguished Continuing Medical
Education Faculty Award
New Faculty
- Muhammed
Firoz, M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine
- Kathryn
D. Huggett, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
- Barbara
McLaughlin, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research and Professor,
Department of Biomedical Sciences
- John
J. O’Brien, Professor of Medicine
- Roberta
E. Sonnino, M.D., Associate Dean, Academic and Faculty Affairs
and Professor, Department of Surgery
- Fernando
Zapata, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Resignations
- BaoLong Nguyen,
M.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine
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