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Sesquicentennial Finale Reflects on 150 Years of Progress, Looks Forward to Future of Medicine

The Feinberg School of Medicine ended its yearlong sesquicentennial celebration with a finale event, “Ties to the Past, Eyes to the Future,” which included a series of expert presentations that provided the Feinberg community with an opportunity to reflect on the transformation of both the City of Chicago and of medicine over the past 150 years. The medical school also looked ahead to the next 150 years of advancements by exploring the cutting edge research happening at Northwestern.

J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine, took a glimpse back at the rich history of the medical school before looking to the future, highlighting the recent assessment of the Feinberg curriculum and modifications that will allow for more flexibility in the training of medical students.

“Northwestern has always prided itself on having an innovative curriculum,” Jameson said. “It was really the founders of the medical school that set the stage.”

Jameson was followed by three speakers, each of whom provided a retrospective on events that have had an impact on Feinberg. Henry Binford, PhD, associate professor in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences Department of History, explored the vast changes the City of Chicago has experienced over the past 150 years, whereas Stephen Greenberg, MSLS, PhD, from the History of Medicine Division of the National Library of Medicine, discussed the advances in medicine. Jeremiah Stamler, MD, professor emeritus and the first chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine, shared his experiences at Northwestern and his work throughout the years conducting clinical trials related to arterial disease.

“I came to Chicago to pursue atherosclerosis research,” Stamler said. “When I showed up for my first day of work in 1948, I thought I knew all about everything; but there was a lot I needed to learn.”

In his retrospective, Stamler also emphasized the importance of living mentors — naming several teachers that were particularly influential in shaping his career —and recognized the strides that have been made in coronary artery disease prevention.

The series of faculty presentations that followed explored the medical innovations in progress at Northwestern and around the world. John A. Kessler, MD, Ken and Ruth Davee Professor of Stem Cell Biology in the Department of Biology, discussed breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, while Nathaniel J. Soper, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Surgery, focused on the improvements being made in minimally invasive surgery and the movement toward noninvasive surgical treatments. Todd A. Kuiken, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, demonstrated the advancements in rehabilitation by reviewing the medical history of one patient and the use of targeted reinnervation to permit sensory movement with prosthetic arms.

Once a student at Feinberg, C. Shad Thaxton, MD, PhD, is now an assistant professor in the Department of Urology and an expert in bio-nanotechnology.

“Northwestern has a rich history in nanotechnology,” Thaxton said. “By collaborating across disciplines, researchers from both our Chicago and Evanston campuses are pacing the advancements in this field.”

Another faculty member, Reed Omary, MD, professor in the Department of Radiology, emphasized the benefits of nanotechnology in image-guided interventions before sharing several of his predictions for the future of imaging.

“Instead of treating all patients the same, there will be an emergence of customized therapies,” Omary said. “At Northwestern, we already have combined MRI and radiology suites, so we can monitor procedures as they’re happening and provide physicians with immediate feedback.”

Dean Jameson closed the event by applauding the amazing work being done at Northwestern and reminding the audience of the unpredictability that the next 150 years of scientific innovations hold.

“At the Feinberg School of Medicine, we want to perform research that has an impact … research that stimulates ideas in other people,” Jameson said.

Jameson continued to explain that Northwestern Medicine, a joint vision with Northwestern Memorial Hospital, has an explicit strategy of connecting people from multiple disciplines to achieve an environment that fosters collaboration in research.

“At Northwestern, there are so many resources for investigators to tap into, like the Kellogg School of Management and the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science,” Jameson said. “By moving forward with the Northwestern Medicine initiative, we plan to attract the most talented students and faculty and create ‘The Great Academic Medical Center.’”

Katie Costello

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J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine.

Jeremiah Stamler, MD, professor emeritus and the first chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine.

C. Shad Thaxton, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Urology.

Reed Omary, MD, professor in the Department of Radiology.
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State of the School Address Outlines Strategic Goals, Presents Northwestern Medicine Vision

The Feinberg School of Medicine community assembled on October 19 to listen to the 2009–10 State of the School Address. The forward–looking event was led by J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine.

In his address, Jameson discussed the realities faced by the medical school due to the difficult economic times. While the financial challenges have had a major impact on educational institutions across the country, his outlook was optimistic concerning Feinberg’s ability to garner continued financial support from organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“This is a time of rapid scientific advancements,” Jameson said. “All of us should be speaking to our representatives about what we do and the importance of funding it. We need to advocate effectively for research.”

The tone remained encouraging, as Jameson discussed new opportunities to engage Northwestern University president, Morton Shapiro, PhD, and outlined the medical school’s strategic goals for the coming year.

These goals — to provide an outstanding, contemporary educational experience that attracts the very best students and residents; develop a distinct, collaborative, high–impact research enterprise; and support and encourage students, staff and faculty to assume leadership roles — were met with an appeal to all members of the Feinberg community, who each have an important role to play in helping the medical school to achieve excellence in patient care, research, education and service.

“I want the faculty to focus on the excitement happening in science and medicine, innovate, and think across disciplines,” Jameson said. “We want students to seek opportunities to be broadly engaged in the school. And, staff, share your enthusiasm with others, and bring more talented people to Feinberg.”

He continued by highlighting accomplishments in areas like research and education, acknowledging individuals who represent the creative energy and talent that is present throughout the enterprise.

Dean M. Harrison, president and chief executive officer of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, discusses the Northwestern Medicine initiative.

These people included Blayne Sayed, a student in the Medical Scientist Training Program who was recently awarded a Herbert W. Nickens scholarship; Laty Cahoon, a PhD student in the Integrated Graduate Program in Life Sciences whose research was published in Science; Russell Robertson, MD, the new chair of the Department of Family Medicine who is leading the launch of the Physician Assistant Program; C. Shad Thaxton, MD, PhD, whose research in nanotechnology is helping to detect prostate cancer earlier; Melina Kibbe, MD, a vascular surgeon honored with a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and selected by NUCATS to be awarded one of the first Drew Senyei, MD, Translational Research Awards; David Cella, PhD, named chair of the newly developed Department of Medical Social Sciences; and Matthew Durno, a staff member from the Office of Development who was named 2009 Employee of the Year.

Dean M. Harrison, president and chief executive officer of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, joined Jameson to present a topic of great anticipation: the implementation phase of Northwestern Medicine, a joint vision with Northwestern Memorial Hospital to become one of the nation’s elite academic medical centers.

“The plan to accelerate Northwestern’s recognition as "The Great Academic Medical Center" has a destination to be Top 10 by 2020,” Harrison said. “Northwestern Medicine will be an endorsement for what we do and where we practice … a brand promise for patients, students and employees.”

With integrated goals of delivering exceptional care, advancing medical science and knowledge, and developing people, culture and resources, this collaboration among clinical partners mirrors Jameson’s strategic vision for Feinberg.

“To be successful, we need to be able to align our planning, and use our resources judiciously, so that they foster the innovation that ultimately has an impact,” Jameson said.

Katie Costello

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J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine.
Northwestern Doctor First Orthopedic Surgeon in Space

Dr. Satcher appears to be enjoying his duties on the flight deck of the Space Shuttle Atlantis during the mission’s second spacewalk.

Robert “Bobby” L. Satcher, MD, PhD, became the first orthopedic surgeon to orbit the earth when he blasted off on the Space Shuttle Atlantis for his 5–million mile journey to the International Space Station Nov. 16.

Satcher, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, took three space walks with the STS–129 crew. He relied on his surgical training in intricate joint replacements to help repair two robotic arms on the exterior of the space station.

In addition to space walks, Satcher conducted experiments from the shuttle, investigating the effects of outer space on the immune system, changes in sitting height, and bone formation in mice.

A surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and a member of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Satcher left the earth’s atmosphere just after another astronaut with Northwestern ties returned from space. Michael Barratt, who earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Feinberg and who has taught about physiological changes that occur in space, recently returned to Houston from his mission on the Space Station.

Satcher is the third Northwestern–connected astronaut. Joseph Kerwin, who got his Doctor of Medicine degree from Northwestern, became the first American physician to make a spaceflight in Skylab 2, where he studied the health of his crewmates in 1973.

“I’m proud to continue the tradition,” Satcher said. He has been on leave from Northwestern since he was accepted into the NASA program in 2004.

Satcher’s wife D’Juanna, their two children, and a contingent of Northwestern colleagues cheered him on at the shuttle’s liftoff.

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Pre–flight interview with Dr. Bobby Satcher

Bobby Satcher floats freely aboard a KC–135 aircraft as part of his early astronaut training.

Dr. Satcher took a break from final mission preparations to talk about his NASA experience with Marla Paul (MP), University Relations.

MP: When did you first want to be an astronaut?

RS: “It was something in the back of my mind when I was a kid. But when you looked at a picture of who was in the astronaut corps, you didn’t see anyone who looked like you. In the 80s, they began to allow African Americans and women to become astronauts. That had a profound effect on me, especially after I had the good fortune to meet astronauts who were medical doctors. That helped me decide to apply for the astronaut program, and I was lucky enough to get selected.”

MP: What are you most excited about on the mission?

RS: “I’m going to be doing an EVA (extravehicular activity) in which we’ll be performing maneuvers outside the spacecraft. That will be the most fun. You get to go outside the spacecraft in a space suit, and the views are spectacular. It gives you the most vivid experience of being in outer space. You are literally out there.”

MP: When you’re not admiring the view, what kind of work will you be doing?

RS: “We are bringing up a lot of replacement parts for the International Space Station. On my first space walk, I’ll be installing an antenna and doing maintenance work on two of the robotic arms. On the second, I’ll be installing a gas tank.”

MP: Has your training as an orthopedic surgeon helped you as an astronaut?

RS: “The space walks are six to seven hours each, and you are in this space suit, which reminds me of some of the surgeries I used to do. In the operating room, we had things we called space suits that we wore when we did joint replacements. Obviously, the work we are doing on the spacecraft is not as fine as in surgery, but a lot of it is intricate stuff. And it’s important to pace yourself and keep your focus the same way you do in an operating room. The surgical training carries over to some extent.”

MP: Will you do research in space?

RS: “I’ll be a proxy scientist for three experiments. One will look at how being in outer space affects the immune system, another will look at changes in sitting height, and another will look at how bones form in mice when they go into space.”

MP: What was the hardest part of your astronaut training?

RS: “The EVA training is the most rigorous; we do it in a neutral buoyancy lab. It’s a large tank or pool that is mocked up to be like the space shuttle and the NASA space station. We go into specially modified space suits that have been altered so they can go under water. They are weighted in such a way that you float under water. The environment is similar to what you’ll experience in orbit because you are floating. You have to move the way you do in the space station or space shuttle.

Astronaut Robert L. Satcher (far left) and his five STS–129 crew members stop to pose for a photograph before heading to the launch pad for the November 16 liftoff. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

“Each of the runs is six or seven hours. The suit is pressurized, so you’re working against its resistance. Most of the work you are doing is very involved and detailed. You have to move inside the suit, and you use muscles you usually don’t use to get around. You’re walking hand over hand everywhere. The first few times you do it, it really exhausts you, but in time you adapt. Now I know how to pace myself.”

MP: What’s it like in a weightless environment?

RS: “A lot of adaptation has to occur. When you first get up there, you don’t have the cues you take for granted on earth, such as which way is up and which way is down. What you see with your eyes is uncoupled with what you sense, and that can make you a little nauseous. But even though you may not feel like your normal self, you have a busy schedule and still have to do all the work you are assigned.”

MP: What will your medical tweets be about?

RS: “I’ll be soliciting questions and comments from people about how we implement medical care in orbit and about human experimentation.”

MP: What do you do when you’re not wearing a spacesuit?

RS: “My biggest hobby is scuba diving. Something I used to do, but haven’t had time for recently, is outreach medical missions. I did a lot of traveling to different countries before I joined NASA. I went to West Africa and to Central and South America, delivering orthopedic surgical care to people who didn’t have access to medical care. Sometimes we were the first physicians to see people with bone infections that had gone untreated or broken bones that healed in a an awkward position that needed to be corrected.”

MP: Are you nervous about your mission?

RS: “This is admittedly something I’ve never done before. When I talk to the other astronauts about what they felt on their first launch, they say when you get into the last 15 seconds or so of the countdown, you realize this is for real. We’re really going up. Up until then, the launch can be aborted. Once I get within that time frame, I’ll know how I really feel. We’ve had all these dress rehearsals in which we’ve put on our launch suits, strapped in and gone through the count down. What’s missing is that we’re not sitting on a real rocket. When we get within those last few seconds, I’m sure the butterflies will follow. I know for sure that it’s going to be a thrilling ride.”

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Medical School Embarks on Major Curriculum Renewal

The backbone of any great school is its faculty and curriculum. While changes have been made over the years to continually develop and expand the MD curriculum at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the last major redesign occurred in the early 1990s. With myriad changes in medicine, health care, and education in the interim, educational leaders in the medical school departments and in the dean’s office believed it was time to rethink undergraduate education at the medical school.

This is no small task as it requires thorough examination and redefinition of every aspect, including the organizing principles of content, learning expectations, and the mechanisms through which material is delivered, applied, and assessed.

To kick off this effort, a group of 125 students, faculty, and administrators gathered to discuss curriculum renewal in September. The 1 ½ day retreat, which was developed by Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education John X. Thomas, Jr., and facilitated by Dr. LuAnn Wilkerson, his counterpart at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, included several presentations to help frame discussions in small group sessions. The goal of the retreat was to identify critical topics to address throughout 2010. By December, three task forces will create a template for the new curriculum, which will be rolled out in segments in the 2011/2012 school year.
Current Medical School Curriculum

Before the retreat could happen, the Curriculum Renewal Steering Committee analyzed and compared the current medical school curriculum to other schools nationally. Their evaluation revealed strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and possible threats. The committee identified six principles that should guide the renewal:

1. Enhancing strengths Build upon existing foundations of excellence
2. Core competencies Create a learner–centered, evidence– based curriculum and assessment plan that is guided by the existing FSM core competencies
3. Integrated approach Teach the science basic to medicine in an integrated fashion, with a focus on the application to human wellness and disease
4. Team–based Foster a team–based, multi–disciplinary approach to education and offer opportunities for engagement in local and international communities
5. Education as a cultural priority Create a culture that places a high priority on education, where faculty are well prepared and recognized for their contributions
6. Flexibility Design a program that provides opportunities for research and other scholarly pursuits

“A great deal has changed since I graduated from medical school in 1981,” said Dean J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean, to retreat participants. “In recent years, we’ve seen the advent of the electronic health record and an explosion of new knowledge in fields such as genetics, imaging, informatics, and immunology. How do we build a curriculum to incorporate these advances as well as one that provides an adaptable platform for continuous learning? These features will emerge through our new curriculum.”

Critical needs of the new curriculum include moving from a traditional model based on meeting certain goals and objectives to one that tracks competencies that assess the strengths and weaknesses of each student, while supporting new advances in medicine. Enabling students to learn at their own pace, measure their own progress along a continuum, and be self–directed for lifelong learning are essential. Other important elements of learning will include earlier hands–on opportunities to apply knowledge acquired in lectures and readings.

Another group, led by Dr. Marianne Green, assistant dean for medical education and competency achievement, developed eight core competencies that will be the foundation of the new curriculum and student expectations. These competencies, which will be the basis for all learning, include: Patient–Centered Medical Care, Effective Communication and Interpersonal Skills, Medical Knowledge and Scholarship, System Awareness and Team–Based Care, Professional Behavior and Moral Reasoning, Continuous Learning and Quality Improvement, Community Engagement and Service, and Personal Awareness and Self–Care.

Many good ideas surfaced during the retreat. “The challenge is to take these different options and bring them together in a way that provides an exciting approach to education that allows for differences in learning styles and speeds,” explains Dean Thomas. Three short–term task forces were formed as part of Phase I of the renewal process to focus on specific areas. These groups (listed below) met over a two–month period to lay the foundation, providing reports with recommendations to the Curriculum Renewal Steering Committee for their input, which will then be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee for approval.

1. Organizing Principles Develop a model that puts into context integration of important learning principles across the curriculum.
2. Immersive Patient–Care Experiences Develop clinical core experiences to include longitudinal experiences, as well as integrating basic science with patient care experiences.
3. Areas of Concentration Develop personal threads, tracks, and themes for the curriculum. What components will allow differentiation as students progress through the curriculum?

During Phase II, to be completed from February through October of this year, additional task force groups will zero in on components of the new curriculum (creating learning modules, looking at sequencing, etc.). Phase III, which includes implementation and ongoing evaluation, will be completed during the 2011–2012 academic year.

Michele M. Weber

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Click Here for more info on the Competency Compass
FSM Student Awarded National Scholarship

Blayne Amir Sayed, an MD–PhD student, was awarded one of five Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Herbert W. Nickens Scholarships in October. The scholarships are presented annually to “outstanding students who have shown leadership in efforts to eliminate inequities in medical education and healthcare and demonstrated leadership efforts in addressing educational, societal, and healthcare needs of minorities in the United States.”

“Blayne is deeply committed to eliminating healthcare disparities and social, racial, ethnic, and religious intolerance,” wrote Raymond Curry, dean for education, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in nominating Sayed. “He has gently, but firmly challenged the administration, faculty, and students alike to live up to the high ethical and intellectual expectations he holds for himself.”

Sayed is enrolled in the school’s medical scientist training program (MSTP). He successfully defended his post doctorate thesis in microbiology–immunology this past summer and is now completing the clinical clerkships in the Doctor of Medicine curriculum. However, his contributions to the medical community extend well beyond the classroom or research lab. Beginning with his experience as a teenager working with Native American children at the Cheyenne River Youth Project in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, Sayed has committed himself to a life of service addressing the challenges faced by medically underserved communities.

At Feinberg, Sayed has taught two first–year medical student courses about healthcare disparities and has served as a member of the Executive Diversity Committee, the Curriculum Review Committee, the Committees of Admission for the Doctor of Medicine and MSTP programs, and is one of the leaders of the University’s MLK–DREAM Committee. His lab research focuses on the role of central nervous system–associated mast cells in facilitating inflammatory cell entry into the brain in a model of multiple sclerosis.

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Affiliation with French Medical School Facilitates Feinberg Globalization

The Castle of Valrose is the seat of the presidency of Nice–Sophia Antipolis Université, which has 26,000 students.

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine recently celebrated a formal affiliation with the medical school at the Nice–Sophia Antipolis Université in France. The newly formed relationship offers Feinberg numerous benefits, including the exchange of students for clinical rotations and fellows for research collaborations.

J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean at Feinberg, says the association with one of France’s largest medical schools also offers several intangible benefits, such as the exchange of best practices for academic center management and the comparison of health care systems. The affiliation also supports his strategic vision for the medical school and its globalization initiative.

“As we aspire to innovate, we can learn from the education and training offered at Nice–Sophia Université,” Jameson says. “Additionally, the French health care system has a strong focus on prevention and patient referral to appropriate sites of care for particular clinical problems. We hope to learn from their experiences.”

A researcher in the Department of Chemistry at Nice–Sophia Antipolis Université.

In an effort to make an international impact, Jameson adds, Feinberg strives to share its research and clinical expertise with a broader community — a mission that can be accomplished by connecting with other medical schools.

Lewis Landsberg, MD, Irving S. Cutter Professor of Medicine and dean emeritus at Feinberg, says that Nice–Sophia Université has an outstanding medical school — with an emphasis on preventive medicine and public health — and a forward–thinking dean, Daniel Benchimol, PhD, who holds important political roles as deputy mayor of Nice and member of the Conseil Général of the Alpes–Maritimes area in France.

“We recognize the importance of our students having a broader perspective — observing other healthcare systems and interacting with students from another culture,” Landsberg says. “Nice is a place where we can send our students and fellows to have an enriching experience; and this exchange exposes us to their students.”

Landsberg says this connection is also expected to expand Northwestern’s area of influence, as the reputation of Feinberg is spread abroad.

“This affiliation aids in Feinberg’s aspirations to have a global footprint,” Landsberg says.

Katie Costello

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The ST. Jean d’ Angély campus of Nice–Sophia Antipolis Université is very modern. The medical school has 2,963 students.
the great academic medical center
The Future of Medical Schools

As you know, the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2009. And while we can’t forecast what medical schools will look like in another 150 years, we can continue to build on the solid foundation we inherited to position the school, its graduates, and our clinical affiliates to prosper long into the future.

President Obama continues to make health care reform his number one domestic priority, despite recent setbacks. In a speech to a joint session of Congress, he articulated three goals: for people with insurance, make it work better; for people without insurance, make it affordable; and bend the cost curve.

The focus on access and cost are easy to understand. The United States spends more on health care per person and as a percent of our gross domestic product, than any country in the world. Despite these unmatched levels of spending, 45 million of our fellow citizens are without insurance, and millions more are underinsured. Our outcomes on standard public health measures (life expectancy, infant mortality) are mediocre or worse. Disparities abound. For African American women, for example, the American health care system detects breast cancer later and provides inferior outcomes than their Caucasian counterparts experience.

A key challenge in reforming health care will be to change to a system that pays for outcomes, including keeping people healthy. Providing access to health care is a moral imperative and it can’t be accomplished without reducing the rate of growth in health care costs. But bending the cost curve for society means less revenue for health care providers. Medical schools rely on the clinical revenue streams generated by their faculty and affiliated hospitals to defray the uncovered costs of education and research. All our revenue sources are under stress. Medicare, the major public health insurance program, will run out of money this decade under current eligibility and payment practices. Employers, facing double–digit increases in the annual premiums they pay for their employees, are cutting back on coverage or number of employees or both. Philanthropy continues to be a major source of support, but the meltdown of the financial markets has understandably interjected caution into the donor community. And already high tuition leaves students with an average medical school debt of more than $150,000.

Successful medical schools will undergo painful transitions as they address their flaws over the next several years. For example, at Northwestern we have too many organizational units to keep them all efficient and effective. If you look at our organization chart, Dean Jameson has more than 50 direct reports chairs, center and institute directors, vice deans and functional area deans, and on and on. We tolerate aberrant behavior more often than we can afford. We are not crisp in assigning responsibility and accountability. Our physicians are not as well integrated as the future health care system will demand, either among themselves or with our hospital affiliates. And we are not as adept at translating new knowledge into medical practice as we need to be.

That said, none of these shortcomings is insurmountable, so before you decide to have a bake sale to help the medical school make ends meet, let’s reflect on the upside potential we have.

First, the science of medicine has never been more robust the mapping of the human genome, incredibly powerful diagnostic tools, genomics, bioinformatics, nanotechnology the list is endless. What medicine can do, and will be able to do in the coming years, is extraordinary and society will want it all. To those of us who aren’t scientists or physicians, medicine’s accomplishments appear to be nothing less than magic.

Second, by tapping into the skills and talents in our environment committed providers, brilliant scientists and students, colleagues in engineering, chemistry, law, business, and myriad other fields we can respond to the external threats without sacrificing our core academic values.

Charles Darwin tells us that it is not the strongest or the swiftest that survive; it is the most adaptable. This wisdom, which he applied to species applies equally to complex organizations. By working together and maximizing our efforts such as Northwestern Medicine and One Northwestern, we will adapt and prosper, helping the American health care system deliver on its promise.

Jeffrey C. Miller
Vice Dean and Chief Operating Officer

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New Center Focuses on Medical Educators

If education is the mission of a school, the faculty members are its missionaries. As part of their important work, it is imperative that educators receive support and continuing development so they can make full use of the latest innovations to engage today’s student. The Center for Education in Medicine was created to support, encourage, and provide an intellectual community for faculty who devote their time and energy to teaching.

Overall, the center will enhance institutional visibility and impact in education, and will also address important needs for faculty development and recognition through the new Feinberg Academy of Medical Educators (FAME). The activities of the academy and center are available to faculty in all educational programs connected with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“The center is not only the ‘parent organization’ for the Feinberg Academy of Medical Educators, but it will also be an intellectual community to foster innovative approaches to education, develop external support for educational research and scholarship, and showcase Feinberg’s innovations in medical education throughout the world,” explains Raymond Curry, MD, dean for education. “Think of the center as directed toward enhancing our institutional visibility and impact in education, and the academy as a major component within the center, focusing on our pressing intramural needs for faculty support, development, and recognition.”

A new program that will support and recognize both full–time and contributed services faculty is the Core Teaching Faculty, a select group of individuals who spend a significant amount of their professional time educating medical students. The nomination and selection process will be handled through the Academy of Medical Educators.

The academy will be led by Jon Lomasney, MD, associate professor of pathology and pharmacology. He will be responsible for a number of initiatives, including creating the guidelines for academy membership, developing criteria, and working collaboratively with the Augusta Webster, MD, Office of Medical Education to select and manage the Core Teaching Faculty, finding and communicating existing internal and external faculty development opportunities, and developing new programs, workshops, and web–based resources to address additional training needs. Dr. Lomasney will report to Dr. Curry, who will serve as interim director of the Center for Education in Medicine until a director is identified through a national search. For more information about the Center for Education in Medicine, visit http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/center-for-education/index.html.

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Comprehensive Transplant Center Celebrates Launch

From left: J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, Dixon Kaufman, MD, PhD, Michael Abecassis, MD, MBA, and Dean M. Harrison at the reception following the launch of the Comprehensive Transplant Center.

Approximately 240 physicians, faculty, staff, patients, and friends celebrated the official launch of the Northwestern University Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC) on October 28. The CTC includes a wide range of collaborative and multidisciplinary activities at Northwestern University and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Its formation is the latest example of a strategic investment to drive the transformation of an important area of patient care and public health.

The day’s first seminar, presented by David Cella, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Medical Social Sciences, offered a deeper understanding of all of the issues and outcomes surrounding transplant surgeries. Cella detailed a few of the many partnerships that comprise the CTC, in particular, the Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), which helps lead research and quality of life care after transplant.

Dixon Kaufman, MD, PhD, led the second seminar on replacement, regeneration, and bioartificial options for patients suffering from organ and tissue failure. Dr. Kaufman, Fowler McCormick Professor, vice chair of research in the Department of Surgery, and director of Pancreas and Islet Transplantation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, is also deputy director of the CTC. Emphasizing the importance of finding new options for the one million Americans with insulin–dependent diabetes, he described how transformations in beta cell replacement therapies are revolutionizing care.

Following the afternoon seminars, J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, began the official program. In his remarks, he described the evolution of the CTC — from the vision of Michael Abecassis, MD, MBA, to the instrumental partnership of Dean M. Harrison, president and chief executive officer of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare — in fortifying this clinical, academic, and research center.

Joanna Riester

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Collaboration is Key to Organ and Cell Transplant Research at the Comprehensive Transplant Center

The field of solid organ and cell transplantation is changing. In an effort to advance the field in a major way, Northwestern launched the Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), a partnership between Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Kovler Organ Transplantation Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH).

“We are victims of our own success,” says Michael Abecassis, MD, CTC director. “The demand for transplants is increasing, but the number of available organs remains constant.” Abecassis and his colleague Dixon Kaufman, MD, PhD, vice chair of research in the Feinberg Department of Surgery and deputy director of the transplant center, have both been at Northwestern for more than 15 years and have worked together to build the transplant program to its current standing as one of the strongest in the Midwest.

While the program evolves, Abecassis and Kaufman recognize that to make the high–impact discoveries required for future progress, a team of experts from multiple disciplines must work together to solve complex scientific problems. “We’re taking on large projects that call for elevated levels of interactive, team science,” Kaufman says. “These projects involve numerous investigators who must work together in order to make large breakthroughs.”

To help facilitate collaborations among researchers from departments across Northwestern and around the globe, the CTC has developed core competencies —specialized groups lead by one investigator that may also benefit other researchers. These cores, including microsurgery, biostatistical support, clinical research support, bio-imaging, education and curriculum development, and immune
monitoring, can be expanded or changed, and new ones can be added based on need. The center hopes these cores will help achieve economies of scale for researchers working toward similar goals.

“We will measure the achievements of the transplant center based on how broad and successful the cores are,” says Luke Preczewski, division administrator for the Feinberg Division of Organ Transplantation Surgery and administrative director of the transplant center. “After all, these collaborations will help us to help the maximum number of people possible.”

Abecassis says that it’s these broadbased collaborations that make Northwestern’s transplant center unique. He emphasizes that you do not have to be a transplant expert to use one of the cores. “The cores foster interdependent, multidisciplinary study and encourage the initial alignment of these researchers,” Abecassis says. “The innovations and impact on patient care will, no doubt, be accomplished as a result of these partnerships.”

In addition to the cores, three major research collaboration grants — NU CTOT, A2ALL and CIT — study various aspects of transplantation and are at the foundation of the center. Northwestern is the principal investigator for each of these NIH-funded consortia that include transplant programs across the nation. Another important, NIH-funded grant, the T32 training grant, brings scientists to Northwestern to assist in transplant research. Here’s a closer look at each of those grants:
NU CTOT

In collaboration with the Scripps Research Institute and pharmaceutical industry, and sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), with co-funding from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the Northwestern University Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation (NU CTOT) consortium focuses on genomic and proteomic markers of acute rejection and chronic renal injury for kidney, liver, and heart transplant patients. Researchers from five clinical sites and three mechanistic sites will investigate what is common and unique in the biomarker signatures and mechanisms of immunity, drug toxicity, and the related medical risk factors that drive renal failure posttransplant.
A2ALL

The overarching goals of the Adult to Adult Living Liver (A2ALL) consortium are to improve understanding of the long-term health and wellbeing of living donors and the efficacy of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). These are important objectives, as the long–term outcomes of living donation remain undefined, especially the impact of donation on the living donors. By advancing the knowledge of safety, informed consent and quality of life, researchers, like Abecassis, hope to expand the pool of living liver donors and prove that life after a transplant is an improvement from a life on dialysis.

For that reason, the CTC has decided to make patient reported outcomes a key focus, as the concentration has previously been on one-year patient and graft survival. Working with David Cella, PhD, chair of the Feinberg Department of Medical Social Sciences, and Jane Holl, MD, MPH, interim director of the Institute for Healthcare Studies, the A2All study will gather all of the measures needed to develop comprehensive risk predictor models specific to the outcomes of both the donor and the LDLT recipient. “We are working with psychometricians — experts who measure psychological wellbeing — to identify the subtleties of what makes our patients happy as opposed to miserable posttransplant,” Abecassis says. “This is true comparative effectiveness research that takes into account quality, not just quantity, of life for both recipients and, importantly, donors.” A2ALL also seeks to measure and assess the impact of health care mediators and moderators of outcome, including patient safety, healthcare literacy and informed consent.
CIT

The Clinical Islet Transplant (CIT) consortium, supported by the NIH, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIAID, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, is fostering the development of islet transplantation as a cure for type 1 diabetes. Kaufman leads the CIT study at Northwestern, one of five principal investigator sites in the U.S. This research in cellular transplantation focuses on improving methods of isolating islets — clusters of cells in the pancreas that make insulin — and techniques for the administering of those transplanted islets. Another focus of the CIT study is to develop approaches to minimize the toxic effects of immunosuppressive drugs required for transplantation.

In other related pre-clinical studies, the laboratory is investigating how biomaterials can improve islet transplant outcomes and the development of magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents to tag and label the islets so that their fate may be traced after being placed in the body. This research is being accomplished with the collaboration of investigators from various disciplines, including chemistry, nanotechnology, and bioengineering.
T32 Training Grant

The Transplant Scientist Training Program (TSTP) grant welcomes graduate students, residents, and fellows who want to gain additional training. The scientists study both basic science and clinical outcomes research and assist in forming collaborations among transplant surgery and colleagues in other disciplines. The program strives to be a desirable training site for people interested in the study of transplantation and offers two trainee positions, one in transplant related immunology and another in outcomes and health services.

“This grant is truly a mark of quality in research and training,” Kaufman says. The leaders of the transplant center anticipate that the ideas being studied through these large grants and core competencies will drive the advancement of transplant research. In order to do so, researchers from all disciplines must take advantage of all of the assets provided by the CTC.

Katie Costello

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Alpha Omega Alpha Inducts New Members

New AOA Inductees: (from left, front row) Nikolas Kazmers, Matthew Lipton, Jessica Newman, Beau Brinckerhoff, Whitney Zirkle, Andrew Kott, Jason Oppenheimer; (middle row) John Flaherty, MD, Melissa Keene, Melissa Chen, Stanford Shulman, MD, Robert Listernick, MD, Karen Sheehan, MD, Laleh Melstrom, MD, Amanda Redig, Dean J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD; (back row) David DiBardino, Rachel Phelan, Paul Speicher, Thomas Klumpner, Praveen Anchala, Sarah Novis, David Vermylen. Not pictured: Benjamin Currie, Leo Han, Christine Lin, Jeremy Markowitz, Senad Osmanovic, Matthew Patton, Martin Pham, Tamika Smith, Diego Villacis, Katherine Connor, MD, and William Bulsiewicz, MD.

Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) recently welcomed its newest members at a ceremony hosted by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The medical honor society inductees included undergraduate students, resident physicians, faculty members, and an alumna—each selected based on academic achievements and significant contributions to medicine.

John P. Flaherty, MD, councilor of the AOA Illinois Gamma Chapter, professor of medicine at Feinberg, and associate chief of the Department of Medicine Division of Infectious Disease, says election into AOA signifies a lasting commitment to scholarship, leadership, professionalism, and service.

“Membership in the society is a lifelong honor that confers recognition for a physician’s dedication to the profession and the art of healing,” Flaherty said. “For medical students, this award can also positively impact their residency training applications.”

Jessica Newman, a fourth–year medical student, is currently applying for urology residency programs, and says she is excited about the opportunity to serve others as a physician.

Karen Sheehan, MD ’89, associate professor of pediatrics and preventive medicine at Feinberg, accepts her AOA certificate from John P. Flaherty, MD, councilor of the AOA Illinois Gamma Chapter.

“My association with Alpha Omega Alpha strengthens my conviction to become a doctor,” Newman said. “It was truly an honor to be inducted into this prestigious club.”

Along with Newman, the following 25 undergraduate students were inducted into AOA: Praveen Anchala, Beau Brinckerhoff, Melissa Chen, Benjamin Currie, David DiBardino, Leo Han, Nikolas Kazmers, Melissa Keene, Thomas Klumpner, Andrew Kott, Christine Lin, Matthew Lipton, Jeremy Markowitz, Sarah Novis, Jason Oppenheimer, Senad Osmanovic, Matthew Patton, Martin Pham, Rachel Phelan, Amanda Redig, Tamika Smith, Paul Speicher, David Vermylen, Diego Villacis, and Whitney Zirkle.

Three residents — Katherine Connor, MD, William Bulsiewicz, MD, and Laleh Melstrom, MD — were also inducted, along with two faculty members, Stanford Shulman, MD, Virginia H. Rogers Professor of Pediatric Infectious Disease at Feinberg and chief in the Division of Infectious Disease at Children’s Memorial Hospital, and Robert Listernick, MD, professor of pediatrics and attending physician in the Division of General Academic Pediatrics at Children’s.

Listernick says his reward as a faculty member includes his daily interactions with bright, inquisitive medical students and pediatric residents.

“I was an average student during my first two years of medical school, and it wasn’t until my pediatrics rotation that I developed a true passion for children and the art and science of pediatrics,” Listernick said. “My induction into AOA was a testament to this love of pediatrics and a tribute to the mentors and teachers who guided my career over the years.”

The final inductee, Karen Sheehan, MD ’89, associate professor of pediatrics and preventive medicine at Feinberg, is an alumna of the medical school.

Sheehan is proud of her Northwestern education and says the medical school prepared her for a career in medicine by exposing her to outstanding clinicians, researchers, and educators.

“I have been fortunate to do a little bit of everything — care for patients, teach, perform research, and advocate for children’s health and well being — with my Doctor of Medicine degree,” Sheehan said. “It was very much an honor to be inducted into AOA, and I am so appreciative of my chair who wrote the letter of support for my work.”

Katie Costello

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To see more photos from the AOA induction event, click here.
New President of Northwestern Faculty Practice

Jeffrey Glassroth, MD, has been named president and chief executive officer of the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation (NMFF), the 700–member physician practice of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Glassroth has been vice dean and chief academic officer at Feinberg and the interim president of NMFF.

The new position is a homecoming for Glassroth, who rejoined Northwestern in 2007 from Tufts University School of Medicine. In his previous role, he had been executive vice president and chief operating officer of NMFF.

“I’m really excited to be returning to a leadership position at the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation,” Glassroth says. “The Faculty Foundation has been remarkably successful in its dual roles as a premier provider of health care and as one of the engines for the Feinberg School of Medicine pursuing its academic mission. With the evolution of medical science in general and of our academic medical center in particular, the potential for NMFF to expand its impact on the health of Chicago, the region, and medicine more broadly has never been greater.”

“Jeff Glassroth brings a clear vision for the future of our academic practice plan, coupled with extensive leadership experience and a steadfast commitment to the values and goals of Northwestern Medicine,” says J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and the Lewis Landsberg Dean of Feinberg.

Northwestern Medicine represents the clinical and research collaborations between Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

“Opportunities at Northwestern have never been greater,” Jameson adds. “We have outstanding physicians across all specialties of medicine, unparalleled clinical facilities, and a vision to provide evidence–based, patient–centered care that is informed continuously by new knowledge and innovation. I look forward to Dr. Glassroth’s thoughtful leadership as we aspire to improve the health of our community and disseminate new knowledge and best clinical practices.”

Glassroth first joined what was then called Northwestern University Medical School in 1981 as an assistant professor of medicine. He was later promoted to professor of medicine and the Gilbert H. Marquardt Professor of Internal Medicine. He went on to become vice chair in the Department of Medicine and associate dean for clinical academic affairs. At Feinberg, his new role will be vice dean for clinical academic affairs.

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Preventive Med Chair

Donald Lloyd–Jones, MD, associate professor of Preventive Medicine and Medicine, has been named the new chair of Preventive Medicine. With this appointment, Lloyd–Jones takes the helm of one of the top preventive medicine departments in the country. As chair, he will draw on his experiences as a clinician, researcher, teacher, and mentor. Lloyd–Jones joined Northwestern in 2004, and is also the director of the Program for Cardiovascular Risk Estimation, Communication, and Prevention at Feinberg and the interim director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute Clinical Trials Unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. His research interests are cardiovascular disease epidemiology, risk estimation, and prevention. A major focus of his work has been the investigation of lifetime risks for various cardiovascular diseases and factors that modify those risks. He also studies cardiovascular disease risk estimation using novel biomarkers, imaging of subclinical atherosclerosis, and the epidemiology of hypertension.

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Meet Donald Lloyd-Jones MD, ScM, Associate Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Medicine, Interim Medical Director, Clinical Trials Unit, Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute
From the FSM Researcher newsletter

Since joining the Feinberg School of Medicine faculty in 2004, Donald Lloyd-Jones, MD, ScM, associate professor of preventive medicine and medicine and interim medical director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute Clinical Trials Unit, has made quite an impact. Among his honors, Lloyd-Jones received the American Society of Hypertension Young Scholar Award in 2004, the Cardiology Teaching Award, Division of Cardiology, in 2006, two Excellence in Teaching Awards from the Feinberg Department of Medicine in 2006 and 2007, and in 2009 was named the Roy Patterson Teacher of the Year, for the Department of Medicine.

But honors only tell part of Lloyd- Jones’ story. A prolific researcher, he has published more than 85 papers in peer-reviewed publications during his career and currently serves a major role in 10 ongoing research grants. He is a fellow of the American Heart Association (AHA) and chair of AHA’s Statistics Committee and the Working Group for 2020 Strategic Goals. He is a member of the National Lipid Association, the American Society of Hypertension, and the Cardiovascular Health Study, where he serves on the steering committee. Lloyd-Jones is also is a member of the NHLBI’s Risk Assessment Work Group, ATP-IV, and Integrated Guidelines Panels. And, despite his many appointments and honors, he continues to serve as a mentor to many young researchers at Feinberg. FSM Researcher caught up with this avid Yankees fan to learn more about his research interests and upcomingprojects.

What are your research interests?

Using data from large epidemiologic databases, I work on estimating short– and long-term risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The point is to identify and more effectively communicate with those individuals who would benefit from more intensive preventive efforts. We are now exploring ways to implement more effective risk screening in clinical and population settings. At the same time, we have identified a subgroup of the population that appears to be at very low risk for developing clinical cardiovascular disease events. They still develop atherosclerosis, but they do not appear to convert it into clinical events. This very interesting group is the subject of some of our new mechanistic investigations. It is really exciting to be able to study basic disease mechanisms from the population perspective, with modalities we didn’t have available even a decade ago.

What projects are currently underway?

Right now, a large amount of my work is focused on a project called the Cardiovascular Lifetime Risk Pooling Project. We have pulled together data from 17 large, U.S.-based cohort studies in order to estimate lifetime risks for selected cardiovascular endpoints, to compare lifetime risks between different sex and race groups, and to understand factors that influence long–term and lifetime risks for CVD. We are also pursuing projects that examine biomarkers and imaging modalities to define mechanisms of protection against the development of clinical CVD events, and also to identify those who may be at very high risk for imminent acute coronary events.

What is the ultimate goal of your research?

Ultimately, we would like to be able to target preventive efforts to high-risk individuals, intervening on those pathways and risk factors that will have the most impact in individuals. At the same time, we must find ways to implement more effective public health interventions to improve the health of the whole population, since almost all of us are at some risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

What are some of the challenges you face?

One of my most rewarding activities is mentoring. I wish I could give all of the bright young people I work with more time! I think we all struggle with finding the right balance.

Why did you join Northwestern?

I came to Feinberg almost six years ago for several reasons. First, when Drs. Philip Greenland and Robert Bonow call with a good job offer, you take that call! I was excited by the research and mentoring possibilities here. I was also impressed by the very positive momentum that FSM had going for it, with great new infrastructure and key personnel in place and being recruited. My high expectations have been greatly exceeded, and I think it is a really exciting place to come to work every day.

To learn more about Lloyd–Jones’ research, visit: http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/ctu/

Katie Costello

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Public Health Commissioner

Bechara Choucair, MD, adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, was recently appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley to commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

“I am honored that Mayor Daley asked me to serve the city of Chicago at this turning point for health care in our country,” Choucair said. As commissioner, Choucair leads the charge in fulfilling the department’s mission to make Chicago a safer and healthier city by working with community partners to promote health, prevent disease, reduce environmental hazards, and ensure access to health care. For more than three years, Choucair has served as assistant professor and chair for community medicine at Feinberg, and as executive director and medical director of Heartland International Health Center — a community health care program for the underserved that is achieved in partnership with the Department of Family and Community Medicine.

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Faculty in the Spotlight

Jacob I. Sznajder, MD, Ernest S. Bazley Professor of Medicine, was appointed editor of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, effective October 1.

Juan Carlos Caicedo, MD, assistant professor of surgery, was named to Crain’s Chicago Business “40 under 40” list in November.

Linda J. Van Eldik, PhD, professor of cell and molecular biology, was awarded a prestigious Zenith Award from the Alzheimer’s Association. This $450,000, 2–year grant was one of four made in 2009.

Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. and its Alumni Association honored Edward S. Traisman, MD, professor of pediatrics, with a Distiguished Alumni Award in December.

Iowa State University honored Ann Bryant Borders, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, with the Outstanding Young Alumni Award during its annual homecoming celebration. Borders has been an advocate for maternal–health issues and is studying the effects of maternal stress on preterm birth.

The Science Committee of the Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Coalition selected Mary M. McDermott, MD, professor of general internal medicine, and her article, “Asymptomatic Peripheral Arterial Disease Is Associated with More Adverse Lower Extremity Characteristics Than Intermittent Claudication,” to receive the Coalition’s 2009 Best Research Award in the vascular medicine category.

The Chicago Area American Association of Diabetes Educators selected Elaine Massaro, MS, RN, CDE, clinical nurse specialist and research coordinator, as Outstanding Diabetes Educator of the Year for 2009. She was selected by a panel of peer judges.

Eitan D. Schwarz, MD, DAACAP, DLFAPA, clinical assistant, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, has written a guide for parents, “Kids, Parents, and Technology: An Instruction Manual for Young Families,” providing practical guidelines to structure kids’ media experiences. His message to parents is as follows: “For over a decade, you have needed a comprehensive method to lead your media–saturated youngsters toward beneficial and positive uses of the Internet, video games, cell phones… Applying sound child–rearing and family support principles, you can now create balanced media diets to get your youngsters to the values and orientation they will need to succeed in an increasingly media–rich world.” In addition, Dr. Schwarz presented a paper at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in San Francisco about the use of digital media in the practice of child psychiatry, parent counseling, and play therapy.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) selected Paul Greenberger, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Allergy/Immunology, as its new president. Over the years, Dr. Greenberger has chaired multiple committees of the AAAAI and is a past recipient of their Special Recognition and Distinguished Service awards.

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Chief Wins Herrick Award

Robert O. Bonow, MD, chief of the Division of Cardiology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, received the 2009 James B. Herrick Award from the American Heart Association’s Council on Clinical Cardiology. The award honors a physician whose scientific achievements have contributed profoundly to the advancement and practice of clinical cardiology.
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1. Armando Davila, M2, one of the show’s producers, raps “Here come the Short White Coats...” 2. Ruoqi Gao, M1, shows off his break dancing abilities during one of the dance routines. 3. Spock (played by Terrance Lee, M2), and Uhura (played by Monica Boen, M2) backstage before the show. 4. David Weinberg and Laura Sestokas, both M1 students, help spoof the Mac vs. PC commercials. 5. Sandy Sanguino, MD, MPH, associate dean of student programs and career development, enjoys the audience participation part of the show. 6. Drs. John and Marilyn Kessler attended the show in support of their daughter, Allison, a second–year medical student. 7. Timi Wusu, M1, and Anaar Eastoak–Siletz, M3, sit in the audience while waiting to perform their dance number. 8. Samuel Yu, an M2 who is a member of the student social group, the “Jugulars,” juggles while standing on stilts.
In Vivo 2010 Took Cast Where No Feinberg Student Has Gone Before

Looking to let loose in medical school? There’s an “app” for that.

If you attended Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine’s 31st annual sketch comedy show, you were told that if you’re looking to review an X-ray or even cheat on the boards, well, there’s an “app” for that, too.

In Vivo 2010 spoofed the well-known Mac vs. PC commercials, as well as other pop culture phenomenon, like Miley Cyrus’ hit song “Party in the USA,” where a videotaped skit showed medical students jumping on the tops of lab tables “spittin’ them facts like yeah” and crooning, “It’s a party inside Tarry.”

The show also featured “Short White Coats,” a parody of “Men in Black,” originally performed by Will Smith. In place of the original lyrics, Armando Davila, one of the show’s producers, rapped, “Here come the short white coats, busy writing progress notes, unsure of the SOAPS they wrote.”

While numerous song, dance and talent sequences, including a group of student jugglers called the Jugulars, were intermingled throughout this year’s show, the main theme, “NUFSOM Trek: Med School Begins,” was based on the 2009 version of the blockbuster film Star Trek. The story followed crew members — played by second year medical students — Jamie Xavierius Kirk (Lora Alkhawam) and Spock (Terrance Lee) aboard the USS Enterprise, struggling to combat Nero (Robin Skory), the evil MD/PhD student who is determined to use genetically modified lab rats to infect the Chicago campus population with a lethal strain of the H1N1 flu virus.

The crew also featured Uhura (Monica Boen), Leonard “Bones” McCrimmon (Sebastian Lara), Sulu (Anita Goyal), Chief Pike (Eric Tuday), Chekov (Jason Chin) and Scotty (Ravi Patel), a team of young, eager physicians who had to work together on Kirk’s mission to stop Nero and save the future of healthcare.

The writers, directors and producers of In Vivo 2010 included second year students Gathi Abraham, Kyle Basques, Armando Davila and Steven Quinn. They were supported by first year students and protégés Tony Joseph, David Pavkovich and Laura Sestokas, who served as assistant producers.

“In Vivo is always a long-awaited event for fellow classmates,” said Quinn. “Everyone enjoyed last year’s show so much that we felt compelled to make it even better this year. We worked day and night to make sure we lived up to the expectations set in 2009.”

The producers added a few comical surprises, such as scenes featuring Feinberg faculty members, to ensure their peers were laughing until the end. Larry Cochard, PhD, assistant professor of medical education and director of the anatomy and histology laboratories, played Kirk’s mentor from the future, and Warren Wallace, MD, associate dean for admissions, was featured in a video skit called “Timi Wusu: Med School Linebacker.” The writers even teased Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean of the medical school, claiming that a 1970s suede, disco jacket was borrowed from his closet.

Proceeds from this year’s In Vivo show went to Tyler’s Touch, a foundation that assists the parents of children with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Joseph Evans, a third year Feinberg student who is on the board of directors for Tyler’s Touch, was present to thank attendees for their donations, saying that for families battling AML, the burden is not only emotional but financial.

Katie Costello

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To see more photos from In Vivo 2010, click here.


© 2010 Northwestern University

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