Gary Marano, M.D., has been appointed interim President and CEO of University Health Associates (UHA) effective October 31, 2008. Dr. Marano will replace Jeffrey Neely, M.D., as President and CEO of UHA. For more information on this appointment click here.

Last month the School of Medicine launched the West Virginia Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline. Health information specialists – taking calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week – can give referrals to treatment centers, provide information about Narcotics Anonymous meetings and mail self-help materials. For more information on this service click here.

Last month WVUH’s newest Eight Northeast unit opened completing the top-floor build-out of the Northeast Tower and offering new features such as mechanical “patient lifts” in every room to assist nurses in moving patients. The unit also includes beds in four bariatric rooms outfitted for larger patients. For more information on this click here.

The Not On Tobacco (N-O-T) Program conducted a study of WV teen smokers. The study found that teens believe quitting is a good idea, but are not fully confident they will be able to kick the tobacco habit. To find out more of the study’s results click here.

On Friday, October 10, WVU will be honoring the career long commitment of Robert E. Stitzel to Graduate Education at WVU. This first Bob Stitzel Memorial Lecture will begin at 1:00 PM. For more information on this lecture series or to RSVP, contact Dave Smith.

WVUH is sponsoring an innovative patient safety program on October 31 and November 1. We encourage residents to attend and participate. The basic premise is a "Haunted Hospital" that will demonstrate potential hazards for patients and ways to improve safety. This program will be reviewed again at the upcoming coordinator meeting and the GMEC. To see the flyer from the event click here.

WVU received a $2.6 Million, four year, grant to establish a national rural health research center. This grant will be awarded to WVU’s Institute for Health Policy Research. For more information on this grant click here.

Dr. Phoebe Leboy, President of the Association for Women in Science, will be visiting WVU and the Health Sciences Center on October 20. For more information on Dr. Leboy’s visit contact Linda Vona-Davis, Ph.D.

Medical Students are collecting the recycling bins in the HSC on Fridays. Contact Jeff Richmond jrichmo4@mix.wvu.edu for more information.

Project MUSHROOM is looking for volunteers to help with street rounds every other Tuesday evening beginning at 6:45 pm. October’s street rounds will take place on the 14th and 28th. To sign up, click on the link. If you cannot attend after signing up, please contact Holly Turner.

COMING

Patrick Bacaj, M.D., has joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, as an Assistant Professor.

William Tippets, D.O., has joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, as an Assistant Professor, Dr. Tippets specializes in pediatric anesthesia.

Elise Wallo, M.D., has joined the Eastern Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Wallo will be working at Jefferson Hospital.

Masood Zafar, M.D., has joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, as an Assistant Professor.

GOING

Linn Mangano, M.D., is leaving the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology.

Siham Muntasser, M.D., is leaving the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry.

Andrew Roorda, M.D., Digestive Diseases Fellow, has been named Associate Editor of the Journal of Practical Gastroenterology.

M.D. degree class of 2012 recently selected class officers. Click on the link to see who the officers are.

It was United States Senator Robert C. Byrd who helped the WVU Health Sciences Center by getting federal money to help fund the Center for Rural Emergency Medicine, Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center, Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Prevention Research Center, Center for Advanced Imaging, Eastern Division Educational and Administration Center, WVU Eye Institute, Centers for Health Communities, and the Learning Center.

The current Health Sciences Center building housed the University Hospital (the south tower) as well as the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and Nursing.

Can you guess who these two faculty members are?

(Click Images to enlarge)

The answers will appear in next
month’s issue.

Last month’s faculty members were
Anthony DiBartolomeo, M.D., and Robert Stitzel, Ph.D.

WVU Urgent Care celebrates its one year anniversary

In Memoriam:

Sydney S. Schochet, M.D. 1937 - 2008

Sydney S. Schochet, M.D., Professor of Neuropathology, died September 18, 2008. Dr. Schochet, a member of Departments of Pathology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery at WVU for 22 years (1981 – 2003), was a superb clinician and teacher whose scientific publications numbered in the hundreds. Dr. John Brick said of him, “He was a fantastic doctor and wonderful teacher.” Outsiders frequently marveled at his presence on the faculty of WVU.

As a neuropathologist, Dr. Schochet was revered by his colleagues, residents, and medical students. The first and second year medical school classes presented him with the McLachlan Award for his outstanding basic science teaching on four occasions (1982, 1988, 1998 and 2000). Dr. Schochet received the WVU School of Medicine Outstanding Teacher Award in 1988.

Dr. Schochet had an enviable national and international reputation for his diagnostic, research, and teaching skills. He was a regular faculty member of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and American Academy of Neurology courses in Neuropathology and served for many years on the AAN Residency In-service Training Examination committee.

Dr. Schochet received his medical degree from Tulane University in 1961 and subsequently trained in Neuropathology there and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Prior to coming to WVU, he had been on the faculty of the University of Iowa, the University of Texas Medical Branch, and the University of Oklahoma.

Sydney S. Schochet, however, was much more than an outstanding physician and educator; he was an exceptional human being who was always kind and caring and took immense pride in the accomplishments of his co-workers. Medicine has lost a giant.

Medicine may have provided well for you during a lifetime of practice. Perhaps your retirement funds can provide for medicine while continuing your future legacy to the profession.

Your IRA, 403(b), 401(k), or other tax-favored retirement plan may be vital to your retirement, but it may not provide the same benefit to your loved ones. Such funds usually face both estate and income taxes at your passing. But they can make a wonderful charitable gift because of that. Neither tax applies when you name the WVU Foundation as the account beneficiary, and you can specify that these resources will provide a lasting gift to the School of Medicine for a purpose of importance to you.

The Development Office at the School can help you learn more. Please call us at 304-293-3980 to explore one more powerful retirement option you possess.

Jame Abraham, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program at WVU’s Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, said as the word “chemobrain” entered the national lexicon, many patients have expressed frustration about doctors not taking their complaints seriously. Go to the website, to read all of Dr. Abraham’s comments.

Lori Brownlee, Transitional Year Residency Coordinator, has been appointed by TAGME President Linda Gacioch, as Chair of the national taskforce recently established to develop a certification process for Transitional Year Coordinator across the United States.

Alan Ducatman, M.D., Chair, Department of Community Medicine, is quoted in a Daily Athenaeum article titled: “Brain expert connects cancer to cell phone use.” Click here to read the article.

John Hollander, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology, has been selected to receive the NIH Directors New Innovator Award. This five year grant was created to support a small number of new investigators "of exceptional creativity who propose bold and highly innovative new research approaches that have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems".

George A. Kelley, D.A., and Kristi S. Kelley, M.Ed., researchers in the Department of Community Medicine, examined the effects of aerobic exercise – such as running, cycling, and swimming – on non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) in children and adolescents. Non-HDL-C is calculated by subtracting the good cholesterol, known as high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, from total cholesterol. For more information on this study click here.

Penprapa Klinkhachorn, Ph.D., Teaching Associate Professor, Morgantown Campus, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, was recently selected to receive the “Outstanding Reviewer Award” from the AAMC. Dr. Klinkhachorn is being honored for her exemplary contribution and service as a peer reviewer to MedEdPORTAL and will receive this award on November 2, 2008 at the AAMC annual meeting.

Brittain McJunkin M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, Charleston Campus, has his art on exhibit in Charleston, WV. For more information on where to see Dr. McJunkin’s art click here.

James M. Shumway, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Medical Education, has been appointed an institutional review-team secretary for the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), a joint committee of the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges. The responsibility of the LCME institutional review team secretary is to set up the accreditation site visit by working with the school and to write the institutional accreditation review report.

James Stevenson, M.D., Chair, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, is quoted in an article on wvpubcast.org titled “Important clinical drug trials begin”. Click here to read the article.