Welcome to ROUNDS!
This weekly e-newsletter goes out to all OU-COM and CORE personnel and students.
The ROUNDS archive is here.
NEWS
World AIDS Day
Today, Monday, Dec. 1, marks the 20th annual World AIDS Day, with individuals and organizations around the world raising awareness about the global AIDS epidemic.
Read about distinctive AIDS research at OU-COM, and check out the college-sponsored AIDS awareness event later this month:
According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2005, 24 percent of those living with AIDS were 50 or older, compared to 17 percent in 2000. At this rate, by 2015, half of all new cases of HIV in the U.S. will be in people over the age of 50.
Given the data, and the increasing life spans of people with HIV and AIDS, Tim Heckman, Ph.D., professor of geriatric medicine and gerontology, noticed a research oversight: among major studies, research samples all reflected people in their 20s and 30s. “We need to assess the psychological needs of older adults, too,” said Heckman.
To do so, Heckman, secured a four-year National Institutes of Health research grant in 2006. In its first two years, the research expanded nationwide and yielded a breakthrough study on the benefits of telephone support groups for older adults with HIV or AIDS who suffer depression.
For more: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/News/stories/heckman/index.htm
On Saturday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m., the OU-COM Geriatrics Club and college chapters of both the American Medical Student Association and the Student Osteopathic Medical Association will host a wine and cheese reception at Donkey Café in observance of World AIDS Day. The event will also feature screenings of international two films that address the theme of AIDS, “A Closer Walk” and “In Women’s Hands.”
OU-COM grant to expand end-of-life care training
The college will expand its end-of-life care education for third- and fourth-year students through a $30,000 education grant from the Palliative Care Education Project at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
To implement the grant-sponsored training, principal investigator Tracy Marx, D.O. (’92), assistant professor of family medicine, and Judith Edinger, M.Ed., director of predoctoral education, will work closely with CORE sites to create new and enhance existing CORE clinical programs in palliative care—non-curative medicine focused on symptom relief and pain management for patients with chronic or terminal illnesses.
For more: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/News/stories/Marx/index.htm
CORE receives high praise
Michael Opipari, D.O., considered the “father” of the concept of Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institutions (OPTI), praised OU-COM’s Centers for Osteopathic Research and Education at the organization’s board meeting on Nov. 21, in Columbus.
Opipari, who attended the meeting to receive his Phillips Medal of Public Service—the highest honor given by OU-COM—said the CORE was “the perfect example” of what he envisioned when developing the OPTI concept.
For more: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/News/stories/Opipari/index.htm
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Student D.O. of the Year nominations sought
Nominations are being accepted for the 17th annual Student D.O. of the Year award from OU-COM students, faculty and staff.
Nominees must submit a CV and essay answering the questions: “What do you see as the most important issue facing the osteopathic profession? How would you lead change in this area and how have you prepared yourself to do so?”
Student D.O. of the Year will be considered for COSGP National Students D.O. of the Year Award and a $1,000 scholarship and plaque.
· Submit nomination forms to the OU-COM Student Government Association at affairsga@oucom.ohiou.edu by Friday, Dec. 5.
Make a wish come true
All OU-COM students, faculty and staff members are invited to help needy children and connect with the Athens community for Christmas.
Choose an ornament from the Athens County Children Services “Giving Tree” in the OU-COM Office of Student Affairs. Each ornament lists the name, age and wish list of a needy child. The Giving Tree is sponsored by Student Affairs and Sigma Sigma Phi.
RSAC accepting grant applications
The Research and Scholarly Affairs Committee (RSAC) is now accepting applications for its 2008-2009 grants:
All OUCOM Group I and Group II faculty are eligible for these awards, provided that they meet the requirements outlined in the 2008-09 RSAC guidelines (see http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/R&G/2008-09%20RSAC%20Grant%20General%20Info.pdf).
CALENDAR
Winterblast
OU-COM will celebrate the holidays on the bricks of Irvine Hall with a luncheon serving turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, rolls and beverages and potluck desserts.
Entertainment includes a dessert contest, poker and euchre tournaments, snowball toss, door prizes and a split the pot.
· Wednesday, Dec. 10, noon
· Cost: $5 in advance and $7 at the door.
· RSVP to Mike Yeager, GW004, 593-2523 by Monday, Dec. 8.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Financial Wellness
Meghan McHale Bilardo, from the EAP/Work Life Program, and guest financial advisor Cory Corrigan will define steps for financial wellness and review common financial concerns. Topics include reducing debt, holiday budgeting and preparing for the future.
· Register online at http://seminars.admsrv.ohio.edu/seminars/menu.cfm.
· Wednesday, Dec. 3, noon to 2 p.m.
Managing Stress
This workshop discusses how stress impacts health, relationships and job performance, in addition to stress management techniques.
· Register online at http://seminars.admsrv.ohio.edu/seminars/menu.cfm.
· Thursday, Dec. 4, noon to 2 p.m.
NIH grant workshop
The Office of Research and Grants will hold a workshop on Thursday, Dec. 11, from noon to 1 p.m., to provide information about the new review process for National Institutes of Health grant applications.
NIH plans to announce new page limits, change its electronic application process and lower the number of resubmissions permitted, among other rule changes.
The workshop will be held in Grosvenor West 111. Lunch will be provided. Contact the Office of Research and Grants to register. CORE sites should contact Dan Smith at 740.593.2460.
Faculty Development Tidbit – “Presentation Zen” by Garr Reynolds:
The following is taken from the book Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds, a leading authority on presentation design and delivery whose tips can be easily applied to course instruction.
Presenting in today’s world:
· Students report the best professors don’t just go through the material in the book, but instead put their own personality, character and experience into the material in the form of narrative.
· The best presenters illuminate relationships in new ways.
· Allow aids such as Power Point presentations to complement your lecture; don’t read from them word-for-word.
· Playfulness and humor go a long way toward making a presentation palatable.
Presentation Zen Web site: www.prsentationzen.com
Find more “Teaching Tips” at your OUCOM & CORE faculty development Web resources: www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/programs.htm or http://www.ohiocore.org/cf/index.htm.
If you have a great strategy that seems to always work, please send it to me, and I’ll include it in a future Faculty Development Tidbit.
(Faculty Development Tidbits courtesy of Steve Davis, Ph.D., director of faculty development, and assistant directors Robbin Kirkland, Ph.D., and Olivia Sheehan, Ph.D.)
OU-COM IN THE NEWS
The D.O. (Nov. 2008 issue)
“Research in Ecuador rejuvenates tired student”
https://www.do-online.org/pdf/pub_do1108spotlight.pdf
(Story written by Nora K. Burns, OMS II, about her experience with the Tropical Disease Institute.)
Perspectives (Autumn/Winter 2008 issue)
“The evolution of discovery”
http://news.research.ohiou.edu/perspectives/index.php?page=119&item=527
(A round-up of Ohio University research related to evolution mentions the work of Susan Williams, Ph.D., Pat O’Connor, Ph.D., Larry Witmer, Ph.D., Audrone Biknevicius, Ph.D., and Nancy Stevens, Ph.D.)
Perspectives (Autumn/Winter 2008 issue)
“New biomarkers may show when athletes use illegal growth hormone”
(See page six of the print magazine. The article references the work of John Kopchick, Ph.D., and biological sciences masters’ student Juan Ding.)
The Athens News (12/01/08)
“The aging of AIDS”
The Athens News (12/01/08)
“OU medical school joins efforts to combat prematurity in babies”
The Athens Messenger (11/27/08)
“AIDS is no respecter of age”
http://www.athensmessenger.com/articles/2008/11/27/news/doc492daa549d586960449556.txt
Please send your news/announcements to rounds@oucom.ohiou.edu each week by Wednesday, 3 p.m. for consideration in the following week’s ROUNDS. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact Anita Martin, assistant director of communication, at 593.2199 or martina@oucom.ohiou.edu.