( February 5, 2010 ) From the Interim Dean The medical students held two enjoyable events in the last week or so that Susan and I were fortunate to attend. The first event was the SMHS Formal, sponsored by the Year 1 and Year 2 classes. The more recent get-together was the SMHS Talent Show. Wow, our students are very talented! For those faculty members, students, and staff who missed these events—you missed a great time! Plan on attending next year! By the way, I didn’t do so well in the Spelling Bee at the talent show. So I now know that the correct spelling is: P-T-E-R-Y-G-O-I-D. Another upcoming event that you should consider attending is the Founder’s Day reception and dinner on Thursday, February 25. The deadline for getting tickets is noon on Tuesday, February 16. Here’s the link: http://sos.und.edu/foundersday/founderflyer3.pdf. There will be a variety of awards and recognitions, and while I can’t divulge the secrets, let’s just say that the SMHS did quite well in this year’s balloting! As you may know, Mary Ann Laxen, associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, is retiring after more than a decade of leadership at the SMHS, where she worked as director of the Physician Assistant Program. After her retirement, she will be traveling to Jérémie, Haiti, to work with the Haitian Health Foundation. If you haven’t already done so, please wish her the best in her future endeavors. Stay warm!   Fischer Integrative Medicine Lecture series continues February 18 Center for Rural Health Partners with the National Institute of Mental Health Moulton Serves on Health Workforce Expert Panel and is Elected to the Rural Health Congress Jack Chatt Wins Award Staff Employee Years of Service Recognition Presidents Day holiday hours University Letter North Dakota Medicine is Going Green Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics Seminar Fischer Integrative Medicine Lecture series continues February 18 Event Date(s): February 18 Event Time: Noon Event Location: Reed Keller Lecture Hall, room 1350 Neena E. Thomas-Eapen, MD, FAAFP, will give the second Integrative Medicine Lecture at noon, Thursday, February 18 in Reed Keller Lecture Hall, room 1350 at The University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences.   Thomas-Eapen, interim codirector of integrative medicine for The School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is associate director of The UND Center for Family Medicine in Minot. She is a senior graduate fellow of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Her presentation will explore the philosophy of integrative medicine, its relevance, patient practices, resources and more in relation to current medical practices.   The series is made possible by a grant from John R. Fischer, MD, a 1965 B.S. Medicine graduate of The UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The goal of the series is to bring awareness and education of integrative medicine to students, faculty, and others at The UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences as well as the medical community. The public is invited to attend; lunch will be provided.    Submitted by Denis MacLeod [ top ] Center for Rural Health Partners with the National Institute of Mental Health The Center for Rural Health at The University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences has been selected as the National Institute of Mental Health's (NIMH) Outreach Partner for the state of North Dakota. The Center joins a nationwide network of organizations that educates the public about mental and substance use disorders, and scientific progress in these areas to promote the prevention, early detection and treatment of these disorders and reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with them. Through the Outreach Partnership Program, NIMH strives to increase public awareness about the importance of basic, translational and clinical research to the understanding, prevention and treatment of mental illnesses and addiction disorders, paving the way for recovery and cures. NIMH also seeks the input of its partners from national and state organizations to strengthen the public health impact of the research it conducts and funds through better understanding of community needs. In addition to 55 partners from every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, over 80 national organizations participate in the program, representing the patient, professional, advocacy and service-related communities primarily concerned with mental health, alcoholism and drug use disorders. The NIMH provides the Partners with research updates, opportunities to network with state and national organizations through an annual meeting and other regional meetings, access to NIMH publications for statewide distribution and an annual stipend. The Center for Rural Health was founded in 1980 by The UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The Center is one of the nation’s most experienced organizations committed to providing leadership in rural health. The Center serves as a resource to researchers, educators, policymakers, and health care providers across the state of North Dakota and the nation. Activities are targeted toward identifying and researching rural health issues, analyzing health policy, strengthening local capabilities, developing community-based alternatives, and advocating for rural concerns. The Center’s mission is to connect resources and knowledge to strengthen the health of people in rural communities. Outreach Partners are chosen through a competitive process in which applications are reviewed by a panel of experts and NIMH staff. The Program is an initiative of the NIMH with support from the National Institute of Drug Abuse and in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The National Institute of Mental Health is one of 27 components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Federal government's principal biomedical and behavioral research agency. NIH is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Submitted by Denis MacLeod [ top ] Moulton Serves on Health Workforce Expert Panel and is Elected to the Rural Health Congress Patricia Moulton, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Family and Community Medicine served as an expert panel member for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary  for Planning and Evaluation meeting on Data Sources to Inform Health Workforce Policy in Washington DC on February 3, 2010.  The expert panel was asked to provide input on data sources and tools currently available to monitor key features of the healthcare workforce and to provide recommendations for improving national data infrastructure. Dr. Moulton has directed the North Dakota Nursing Needs Study for the last eight years and is Associate Director for the North Dakota Area Health Education Center (AHEC).  She was recently appointed to the Health Workforce Interest Group Advisory Committee for the Academy Health.     Dr. Moulton was also elected as a representative of the Research and Education Constituency group to serve on the National Rural Health Association Rural Health Congress. The Congress is the policy-making body of the association and is responsible for passing the official policy positions of the association. Submitted by Family and Community Medicine [ top ] Jack Chatt Wins Award Jack Chatt, maintenance supervisor for the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, was given the LeRoy Award on January 25 at Facilities' Annual Awards Day. The award was named for longtime Facilities Director LeRoy Sondrol. The award is given to a person based on personal traits such as imagination, inventiveness, and originality, which are demonstrated by the recipient's attitude, campus or community involvement, creativity or innovativeness, and loyalty or dedication. Jack just became a member of the 40-Gallon club for donating blood to the blood bank. Instead of taking money for woodworking art that he creates for people, he has them donate to the Denim Day fund in his name. Submitted by Public Affairs [ top ] Staff Employee Years of Service Recognition The following individuals from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences will be recognized for years of service at this year's Staff Recognition Luncheon to be held on Tuesday, May 18: Dept Name Employee YOS Microbiology & Immunology Brown, Lisa 5 Cyclotron & Positron Operations Goossens, James 5 Clinical Neuroscience Walker, Debra 5 CFM-Bismarck Bickford, Jacquelyn 5 CFM-Bismarck Myrvik, Jodi 5 CFM-Bismarck Paczkowski, Monica 5 CFM-Minot Abrahamson, Patricia 5 CFM-Minot Brey, Tonya 5 CFM-Minot Glasoe, Sarah 5 CFM-Minot Kraus, Sabrina 5 Center for Rural Health Gabriel. Holly 5 Dean's Office French-Brisbois, Hope 5 Library of the Health Sciences Heap, Donald 5       Pharm, Phys, & Therapeutics Haselton, Carole 10 Anatomy & Cell Biology Kees, Denelle 10 Anatomy & Cell Biology Laturnus, Donna 10 CFM-Minot Boettcher, Claudia 10 CFM-Minot Lakoduk, Kimberly 10 Library of the Health Sciences Gunderson, Jan 10       CFM-Bismarck Brandt, Patricia 15 Research Affrs Hillebrand, Diane 15 Office of Medical Education Drake, Dawn 15       Physical Therapy Sveinson, Betty 20 CFM-Minot Berg, Brian 20 Research Affrs Johnson, JoAnn 20 Continuing Medical Education Johnson, Mary 20 Center for Rural Health Spencer, Kathleen 20 Internal Medicine Swann, Barbara 20 INMED Clauthier, Colleen 20 SE Campus-Fargo Hofer, Kristi 20 Information Resources Pederson, Barry 20       Family Medicine Shilling, Mona 25 Center for Rural Health Reinertson-Sand, Mary 25       Center for Rural Health Lang, Terri 30       Student Affairs & Admissions Elshaug, Sandra 35 Library of the Health Sciences Pedersen, Lila 35 Years of service certificates are presented in five year intervals and are based on continuous, benefited employment at UND only. The cut off date for determining this year's recognition is June 30, 2010. Please let me know immediately if you think employees other than those listed should be eligible for recognition, and mark your calendars now for this event!   [ top ] Presidents Day holiday hours The Library of the Health Sciences hours for the Presidents Day holiday.  Friday, Februay 12, 7:30 am - 5:00 pm; Saturday, February 13, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm; Sunday, February 14, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm; Monday, February 15, 10:00 am - midnight. Submitted by April Byars [ top ] University Letter University Letter, published on Tuesdays, is distributed electronically to the University community and is always available online. For more information, contact Jan Orvik, editor, janorvik@mail.und.edu, (701) 777-3621. [ top ] North Dakota Medicine is Going Green If you would like to receive the North Dakota Medicine by email please visit www.ndmedicine.org/subscribe.cfm. Once registered you will start receiving each new issue electronically. Submitted by Shelley Pohlman [ top ] Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics Seminar Dr. Joyce Ellen Ohm, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, will present a seminar titled "Normal and Malignant Stem Cell Epigenetics" today (Friday, February 5) at 2:00pm in Rm. 3933 in the School of Medicine. This seminar is sponsored by the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence Pathophysiological Signaling in Neurodegenerative Disorders and the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Therapeutics.  All are welcome to attend. Submitted by Deb Kroese [ top ]