“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” ~ Douglas MacArthur
February 1, 2013
Congratulations … Southeast Georgia Partner Receives Outstanding Community Service Award …
Please join me as we congratulate Mr. Paul Hinchey, President and CEO, St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System on receiving the 2012 Foster McGaw Prize for Outstanding Community Service from the American Hospital Association. This recognition of over 5000 peers across the country is most rewarding and is yet another wonderful achievement for our partner in Savannah
(http://savannahnow.com/latest-news/2013-01-23/st-joseph-scandler-earns-national-nod-100000-prize).
Congratulations … National Grant Awarded … Extending Our Cancer Research…
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer recently awarded to Dr. Anand Jillella, Chief of Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant and his team $1.68 Million to Improve Outcomes for Patients with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. Dr. Jillella’s proposal, “A Simple Patient Care Strategy to Decrease Early Deaths in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL)” will be funded over the next five years http://cancerkick.com/2013/01/25/the-leukemia-lymphoma-society-awards-1-68-million-to-improve-outcomes-for-patients-with-acute-promyelocytic-leukemia/) to reduce the mortality rate in the induction therapy period by educating community oncologists and hematologists with a simple and straightforward treatment algorithm for the care of newly diagnosed patients with APL. (http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/health/2013-01-27/protocol-saves-patients-rare-deadly-leukemia?v=1359377709). Congratulations to Dr. Jillella and his team.
Congratulations … Strategic Grant Awards in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology to Study Cancer
Several congratulations are in orders … Please join me as we congratulate Dr. Shuang Huang on receiving a $250,000 Pilot grant from the Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program. Also, let’s congratulate Dr. Kebin Liu on receiving an award from the Georgia Research Alliance to develop a small molecule as an anticancer drug. We also want to congratulate Dr. Vadivel Ganapathy on receiving a 3-year idea grant from the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.
Congratulations … Grant Awarded to Assist Locally … Our Community Commitment
Please join me as we also congratulate Dr. Kim Halbur on recently receiving a grant award from the Brannen Foundation to assist the Harrisburg Neighborhood with expanded food truck capabilities and healthy cooking classes. These activities dovetail with the longitudinal health disparities curriculum created for SEEP, prematric and HEAL courses.
Congratulations… Nationally Renowned Leader at the Helm of our VBC …
Please join us as we congratulate Dr. David Fulton on being appointed as the new Director of the Vascular Biology Center for the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University. Dr. Fulton, Professor in the MCG Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and a vascular biologist in the VBC for more than a decade, has served as the center’s Interim Director since 2011. We are excited and proud to have Dr. Fulton leading our VBC.
Congratulations … Recent Appointment to ACGME Subcommittee …
Please join me as we congratulate Dr. Martha Terris on her recent appointment to chair a subcommittee to revise program requirements for Urology for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Record Number of American Heart Association Grant Submissions … Our Commitment to Cardiovascular Research
What testament to our dedicated colleagues! Our faculty have submitted a record number (46) this past week of AHA grant submissions! Way to go!
Welcome to the Medical College of Georgia … Our New Faculty at the Medical Partnership …
Please join us as we say hello and welcome to two new faculty at the Medical Partnership Campus – Dr. Sam Kini who will be site clerkship director for the 4th year Emergency Medicine rotations and Dr. Kent Nilsson who will teach Cardiology and continue development of clinical research.
Clinical Nomenclature …
Our clinical enterprise should now be referred to as Georgia Regents Health System; our adult hospital as Georgia Regents Medical Center and our Children’s Medical Center as Children’s Hospital of Georgia. Our physicians practice group is now named Georgia Regents Medical Associates.
The Voice of Our Students … Listening to Their Feedback
Dr. Wallach and I have set dates to have lunch with 15-20 students on a monthly basis. The intent is to share information and ideas regarding our medical school and to provide an opportunity for the students to get to know us better. Our class presidents have been given the dates and times and will be soliciting students to attend the lunches. Dr. Wallach and I are looking forward to the monthly “Lunch with the Deans” series.
Quality Improvement… A Team Effort …
Our Medical Center Board was impressed with the metrics and information that was shared with them at the last meeting. Please join us as we congratulate our Quality Improvement Committee. It is a team effort from our clinicians as well as our ‘behind the scenes colleagues”. We thank Dr. Bill Kanto for his leadership. Thanks to all for such excellent progress on our Quality Improvement Initiatives.
OTHER “Top Ten” … Top Ten Quality Issues …
Continuing with our top ten lists, Health Leaders Media recently released the top ten quality issues for 2013 facing healthcare providers
(http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/page-1/QUA-288037/Top-10-Quality-Issues-for-2013). This year is being called “among the most interesting, nerve-racking” as we move closer toward official policy under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Number ten is blood management with number nine being squeezing waste and number five coming in as patient experience survey expanding. It’s an interesting list… check it out. Think about what you would list …
Inaugural University Assembly meeting… Excitement in the Air
The first University Assembly meeting was held yesterday at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre on the Summerville Campus. This historic first meeting for our new university was well attended and there was much enthusiasm and excitement about our new university. Many thanks GRU Faculty Senate Co-Chairs Dr. Robert Sorrentino and Dr. Wendy Turner for their leadership. Congratulations and our thanks to all who were elected to serve… a real opportunity.
Give a Day … Give of Yourself and Your Time … Please Join Us…
Please mark your calendars for Saturday, February 9th as the first volunteer ‘Day of Service’ for Georgia Regents University. This is a great opportunity for students, faculty and staff of our newly consolidated university to work together to provide solutions and to give back to our community. Employees and their families may volunteer for a day with our service day partners, which include many non-profit organizations located throughout the CSRA. Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and will be enrolled in a raffle. For additional details and a list of service opportunities, please visit http://gru.edu/about/dayofservice.php. Sign-up today! The registration deadline is Thursday, February 7th. Please join us.
Upcoming Events …
Month of February – Celebrate the American Heart Association’s Go Red Movement – Look for exciting events throughout the month.
Month of February – Celebrate Black History Month and check out (http://www.gru.edu/diversity/aahm) for events all month
February 1st – Jaguar Basketball Opening Day at 2:00 p.m. at Lake Olmstead Stadium
February 2nd – Women’s Basketball “Blackout” vs. USC Aiken at Christenberry Fieldhouse, 5:30 p.m.
February 2nd – Men’s Basketball “Blackout” vs. USC Aiken at 7:30 p.m., Christenberry Fieldhouse
February 5th – Medical Student Advocacy Day in Atlanta
February 5th – MCG Alumni Regional Reception and Continuing Education Course, 6 pm, Maggiano’s (Atlanta)
February 7th – MCG’s Department of Medicine presentation by Dr. Virginia Huxley, Director of the National Center for Gender Physiology, University of Missouri, Noon, Lee Auditorium
February 7th – MCG Alumni Regional Reception, 6 pm, Gainesville
February 8th – MCG Faculty Meeting, 12 noon, Lee Auditorium
February 9th – First annual Georgia Regents University Day of Service
February 18th – NW Campus (Rome) LCME Site Survey
February 18th – Education Grand Rounds, a monthly series to inform teaching faculty of current methods, findings, and trends in health sciences education and education‐related research, 7:00 am, BC 1810, Anesthesiology, The Student as a Consumer: Addressing the Expectations of Today’s Students, Rick Callan, DDS, Professor, General Dentistry
February 23rd – Igniting the Dream of Medicine – Office of Diversity Affairs Conference for high school and college students around the state to examine health care fields
February 24th – GRU Augusta Half Marathon and 10 K, Enterprise Mill, www.augustahalf.org.
“Physiology Sweet Hearts” have 13 members and are raising money for the endowment that supports the Lois T. Ellison Lectureship. Please contact Dr. Anne-Cecile Huby if you are interested in donating or participating (ahuby@gru.edu)
February 28th – MCG Alumni Regional Reception, Macon
March 7th – MCG Students’ Lunch with Deans (Dr. Buckley and Dr. Wallach) 12 noon, Student Center
March 9th – American Heart Association’s Heart Walk, Saturday, March 9 at the North Augusta Greenway – To participate in the Heart Walk, contact Nancy Hannan (nhannan@gru.edu) or 706-721-1118.
March 15th – MCG Students’ Match Day
Best Wishes,