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Volume 5 - Number 4
- Fall 2006
We hope
that you'll enjoy these quick highlights from the MCV Campus.
Please forward
this newsletter to friends who might like to learn more
about the
School of Medicine!
Back to School
The medical school's 184 incoming students marked
the beginning of their education with the 11th annual
White Coat Ceremony. Read
about the Ceremony, see
pictures, or hear from a few members of the Class of
2010. You can listen
to or download
an audio recording.
The third-year students
transitioned from the preclinical to the clinical at the
School of Medicine's first Arnold P. Gold Foundation
Student Clinician Ceremony. Speakers shared personal
stories encouraging students to emulate compassionate
care even in the face of the rigors of third-year
clerkships. Read more about the Student
Clinician Ceremony.
Students in Action
If you have a bad car
accident out here, it may be 25 minutes before an
ambulance can get you to the hospital! Overhearing
an off-hand remark motivated third-year student Jon
Schmitz to develop a solution for improving pre-hospital
emergency care for the citizens of Charles City County.
Read more about this
student's effort.
Genetic Variant Associated with Premature
Delivery
A
genetic variant may account for the higher rates of
premature delivery experienced by African-American
women, according to findings published in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The
findings may help physicians identify patients who could
benefit from lifestyle changes or medical therapy to
reduce their risk. Read more about the research
led by Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., Ph.D., Dean of
the School of Medicine.
Almost like Mars
The rocky, polar, desert
setting of Mars can be simulated a little closer to home
on Canada’s Devon Island. This summer, the island served
as a living laboratory for surgeon Azhar Rafiq, M.D.,
who is chief scientific officer for the NASA Research
Partnership Center at VCU. Read more about the international
research project that he participated in and find a
link to the team's weblog.
New Method for Measuring Blood
Pressure in the Heart
A new non-invasive method can give reliable
information about the volume of blood circulation and
how well the heart is pumping. Researchers have patented
an approach that uses a blood pressure cuff and special
electrodes connected to a computer to determine central
venous pressure. Read more about the
method that could replace the time consuming
procedure of threading a catheter through the neck or
chest to a point near the right atrium to accurately
determine CVP.
Guidelines for Recalled pacemakers, ICDs
Developed
A team
of medical experts has established a set of clinical
guidelines to help physicians determine how to best care
for patients with pacemakers or implantable
cardioverter- defibrillators that are the subject of an
advisory or recall. Read more about the
guidelines that appeared in the Journal of the
American Medical Association.
New Surgical
Procedure Treats Irregular Heart Rhythms
Called a modified
Mini-Maze, the new procedure may eliminate atrial
fibrillation, a common rhythm abnormality in the heart's
upper chambers and a major cause of stroke. Read more
about the
technique that offers hope to patients who
previously have had limited treatment options.
$1 Million Gift Establishes Neuro-Oncology
Chair
To expand
options for patients with cancers of the brain and
spinal cord, the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation has made
a commitment to endow a chair in memory of businessman
and philanthropist William G. Reynolds Jr. Read more
about the $1
million pledge to endow a chair in neuro-oncology in
the School of Medicine.
Two Medical School Faculty
Honored at Faculty Convocation
At the university's 24th Opening
Faculty Address and Convocation, Alpha A. Fowler, M.D.,
was honored with the University Distinguished Teaching
Award, and Michelle Whitehurst-Cook, M'79, H'82,
received the University Distinguished Service Award.
Read more about the accomplishments of Drs.
Fowler and Whitehurst-Cook.
From the Mediterranean to the
MCV Campus
The
medical school continues to expand its relationships
with several international "partner" universities in
Italy and Spain. This summer, the MCV Campus and Italy's
University of Messina served as the dual bases for a
graduate-level seminar on neuroanatomy and clinical
neurosciences. Read more about the
international program.
 Reunion Weekend
2007
Alumni from class years ending in '7s and '2s
should mark their calendars for Reunion Weekend April 27
- 29! If you graduated with these classes but did not
receive information on making hotel reservations and
updating addresses with the Alumni Association, please
call (800) 628-7799 or (804) 828-3900.
Upcoming CME
Opportunities
The Latino Health Conference, to be held November
16-17, seeks to equip health care providers with
information, knowledge and resources to better serve the
Latino population - this nation's fastest growing
minority population.
The 12th Annual Sports Medicine for the Primary Care
Provider, to be held December 1-3, provides an intensive
update of sports medicine topics of specific interest to
the primary care provider with faculty panels each day
and optional skills workshops.
The medical school's popular Alumni Update Course is
back for a fourth year. The daylong course will be held
on Friday, April 27, offering up to 6.75 credit hours,
and kicking off Reunion Weekend.
Check
out these and other CME
offerings from the medical school.
Charitable IRA
Rollovers
A limited-time provision for charitable
contributions from Individual Retirement Accounts could
give you an unprecedented opportunity to help the
medical school. Between now and December 31, 2007,
individuals aged 70 ½ and older may transfer up to
$100,000 per year. The charitable distribution counts
toward Minimum Required Distribution requirements and
may be made in addition to any other charitable giving
you may have planned. The provision does include some
limitations, and we recommend you seek the advice of
your tax and/or legal counsel before deciding on a
course of action. If you would like more information
about your options under this unique provision, please
contact Tom Holland, Associate Dean for Development at
(800) 332-8813, (804) 828-3800 or tehollan@vcu.edu.
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School of Medicine eNews
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Your Contact Info and provide the Alumni and
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Fund dollars support scholarships and student
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For More Information:
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