James P. Clements, Ph.D., was chosen WVU’s 23rd President, effective June 30, 2009. For more information on the new WVU President, click on this link. To see a video welcoming him from Interim President, Peter. C. Magrath, Ph.D., click on the link.

WVU Urgent Care recently became even more convenient for patients who can now buy some medications before they leave the clinic. Urgent Care has 10 commonly prescribed medications available to patients. For more information on this addition to Urgent Care, click on the link.

The Department of Neurosurgery was recently featured on the ABC news program “Nightline” about WVU physicians who have performed brain surgery to treat obesity. For more information, click the link.

Last month, WVU provided several health reports to the West Virginia community. To see the health reports for blood clots, Osteoporosis, and smoking ban, click on the links.

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

COMING

Geoffrey Cousins, M.D., has joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Surgery and the Heart Institute, as an assistant professor. Dr. Cousins specializes in cardiothoracic surgery.

Jerome Johnson, M.D., has joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, as an assistant professor.

Usha Phillips, M.D., has joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, as an assistant professor. Dr. Phillips specializes in pediatric infectious disease.

Anika Svensson, M.D. Ph.D., has joined the Morgantown Campus of the School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, as an assistant professor.

GOING

Priya Anantharaman, M.D., is leaving the Morgantown Campus, Department of Medicine.

Syed Hashmi, M.D., is leaving the Morgantown Campus, Department of Medicine.

The newest fellowship at WVU is Family Medicine-Sports Medicine which received zero citations from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) making it the eighth program at WVU with this distinction. The other programs with zero citations are Dermatology, Hematopathology, Neonatology, Neuroradiology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, and Transitional Year.

Last month the newest inductees of the AOA (Alpha Omega Alpha) medical honorary society were inducted. To see photos from the event click on the link.

Last month WVU found out where its new residents are coming from. To read an article on the new residents, click here. To see where the new residents are coming from click here. 

Robin Altobello is looking for action photos of residents for GME week posters. Please send your photos to Robin. To find out what events will be part of this year’s GME week, click on the link.

Pediatric residents from the state of West Virginia recently competed in the Martin E. Weisse Resident Research Competition. WVU residents had 4 abstracts selected for presentation at the WV Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Spring 2009 Meeting. The four residents and their abstract titles are: Mary Rose Valina, M.D.: “Case Report: A boy with two balloon kidneys”; Collin John, M.D.: “Self-reported Periodontal Health and Prematurity”; Collin John, M.D.: “A Case of Congenital Syphilis Serendipitously Diagnosed with the Aid of Radiographs”; and Robyn Schultz, M.D.: “Newborn With a Leg Mass”.

That without the support of Senators Robert C. Byrd and John D. Rockefeller, IV and the private support of Hazel Ruby McQuain Foundation, the WVU School of Medicine and the Heath Sciences Center would not be what they are today.

That it was not until 2001 that the Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center achieved national American College of Surgeons level 1 status. The trauma center is the only level 1 adult trauma center in the state.

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
James Arbogast, M.D., and Joseph Selby, M.D.

700 visitors saw Bonnie's Bus in Charleston

For most medical personnel, life is full of interesting challenges. The education that they received opened the career doors that led to such rewarding lives.

Assuring that future opportunities are available for those who want to pursue medical careers is something that anyone can help the WVU School of Medicine accomplish. One way to do that is to include a gift provision in a will or revocable trust to support the school or a department.

The legal language needed to make such a gift a part of your estate plan is “to the West Virginia University Foundation for the benefit of the School of Medicine [‘s Department of ________].

You may choose to specify that your gift will be an endowed fund (one that will last forever and yield annual income for the purpose you choose) or a discretionary gift that can be used for the greatest needs.

Many support options are available, and the Development Office (304-293-3980) can assist you to make it work.

John Battaglino, M.D., Class of 1953, has been an obstetrician and gynecologist at Wheeling Hospital and is getting ready to retire after 47 years as a doctor. For more information click on the link.

Michael Covelli, M.D., Class of 1993, was recently named the medical director for HospiceCare in Charleston, West Virginia. For more information on this click on the link.

Theo Oyelayo, M.D., is a 2008 graduate of the Occupational Medicine residency program. Dr. Oyelayo’s work is on the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s website. Click this link for more information.

Scott Davis, P.T., Ed.D., Division of Physical Therapy, and Berran Yucesoy, Ph.D., in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are seeking participants in a research study that examines the genetic predisposition to lower back pain. Participants will undergo a 1.5-hour examination, which includes the completion of several questionnaires, a physical examination of your back by a physical therapist, and a blood draw performed by an experienced phlebotomist. For more information on this study, contact Dr. Davis.

Gordon F. Murray, M.D., professor emeritus, Department of Surgery, was elected president of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons at its 45th annual meeting earlier this year. Dr. Murray has held the title of chair of the Department of Surgery, chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, director of the Thoracic Residency Program and chief of Surgical Services at WVU.

Dina L. Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor, Departments of Orthopaedics and Physical Therapy, is one of the WVU researchers who are looking at the effects of exercise on those who have been diagnosed with arthritis. This study is being done across the state at senior centers. Click on the link for more information.

Giovanni Piedimonte, M.D., chair, Department of Pediatrics, had results of a study published in the March issue of “Pediatrics” which shows that seven days after a group of school-aged children left the city for a rural area, airway inflammation went down and lung function increased. For more information on this study, click the link.

The Van Liere Memorial Convocation and Research Day will be April 28 and 29 at the Health Sciences Center and at the new Alumni Center. For more information on the Van Liere Memorial Convocation and research day click on the link.

The Office of Research and Graduate Education announces the availability of funds to support Research Funding Development Grants and Bridge Funding Grants. The deadline is April 13, 2009, 5:00 pm. The instructions and application forms can be accessed from the link below. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Jim O'Donnell at 293-5116/293-2433. For more information click on the link.

The WVU School of Medicine, American Medical Association, and American Medical Women’s Association sponsored a 5K run/walk that benefits the Bartlett House last month. For more information on the event click on this link and to see photos from the event click on this link.

Last month the newest inductees of the AOA (Alpha Omega Alpha) medical honorary society were inducted. To see photos from the event click on the link.

Last month at the John W. Traubert White Coat Ceremony, the M.D. Degree class of 2011 received their white coats which symbolize the transition into the third and fourth clinical years of the medical school experience. To see photos from the event, click on this link. For more information on the event, click this link.

Project MUSHROOM has new faculty sponsors and mentors, but is still working hard to help the homeless of the Morgantown area with their bi-monthly rounds. For more information, click on the link.

Last month, the fourth year medical students learned where they would be completing their residency training programs. For more information on Match Day, click here. For information on where the M.D. Degree class of 2009 will be doing their residency programs click here. To see images of the events from all three campuses click here.