Kudos to Graduating Internal Medicine Residents for 100% Board Exam Pass Rate

One of the most important outcomes in which residency programs are judged, is the percentage of graduates who pass their board certification exams. According to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's (ACGME), at least 80% of Internal Medicine graduates need to take the American Board Of Internal Medicine (ABIM) examination, and at least 80% of those who take the exam need to pass. In 2018, 24 out of 25 graduates of the Internal Medicine program's second graduating class took the ABIM exam and all of them passed.

The 100% pass rate is quite an achievement for a new program and for any large program. Over the past three years, the national passing rate for first-time test takers was 89-90% and the median passing rate for Internal Medicine residency programs in Florida was 96% (range 55-100%).

This impressive result comes from a team effort involving  Sachin S. Sule, M.D., associate professor of Medicine and director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, the Internal Medicine program leadership, chief residents, and several dedicated mentors who helped the residents prepare for the exam. Additionally, recognition goes to Jennifer Foster, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine and Bernardo Reyes Fernandez, M.D., assistant professor of Geriatric Medicine and associate program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, who for the second year, implemented a board review series for the Internal Medicine program as well as individual learning plans for focused study in particular areas based on in-service training exams. Kudos and thanks to Vikram Patel, M.D., who as a PGY-3 chief resident last year, organized an outstanding academic half-day program for the Internal Medicine residents including didactic sessions on important but infrequently seen clinical problems. 
HCOP Mock Interview Workshop

FAU's Healthcare Careers Outreach Program (HCOP) hosted their Bridge to Medicine mock interview workshop for high school students of the college's affiliated schools in Palm Beach County on Saturday, October 20. Faculty, staff, medical students, and residents administered mock college admissions interviews and provided feedback to the students. 

Bridge to Medicine is a new HCOP program focused on holistically improving college and medical school candidacy. High school Juniors and Seniors interested in pursuing health professions from Palm Beach County are eligible to apply. Selected students will receive career exposure within the field of medicine and complete college preparatory workshops covering college essays, interview skills, and research presentation skills. Bridge to Medicine is run by medical students but lectures are often given by medical school faculty and FAU Medicine residents/fellows. This year, our class is comprised of 44 students from five high schools in Palm Beach County.

Thank you to all who volunteered their time in support of this important program, and special thanks to M2 student Vishnu Muppala, MPH. Vishnu, an HCOP student leader, pioneered the Bridge to Medicine program at the college. His dedication to HCOP and other outreach programs has contributed to his becoming one  of five finalists for the 2018 FAU Student Talon Award, which recognizes leadership and service to FAU and the community. Congratulations, Vishnu!


Study Led By Randy Blakely, Ph.D., Pinpoints Pathway Impacting Autism Features 

A team of scientists, led by senior author Randy Blakely, Ph.D., executive director of the FAU Brain Institute and professor of Biomedical Science, has uncovered a brain-signaling pathway that can be pharmacologically manipulated in genetically engineered mice to reverse an autism-related pathway. Using an investigational drug targeting this pathway, the researchers normalized the disrupted physiology and behavior of mice. Moreover, effects were seen in adult mice, suggesting a possible route to drug development for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Findings from this study were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).



College of Medicine Receives "Proud to be GIM" Grant from SGIM and ACP

The Schmidt College of Medicine, led by Lisa Martinez, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine and director of Foundations of Medicine, Jennifer Foster, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine, Dawn Sherling, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine, and Allison Ferris, M.D., associate professor of Medicine and associate program director of the Internal Medicine residency program, received a "Proud to be GIM" grant from the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) and American College of Physicians (ACP). This grant provides funds for activities designed to educate and encourage medical students and residents to pursue careers in general internal medicine. The IMS department will collaborate with the student interest group and residents to deliver special content in the coming months. 

Inaugural FAU Research Showcase  

On September 20 and 21, top research leaders, faculty, and staff from across the Florida Atlantic University campuses convened for an inaugural Research Showcase hosted by the Division of Research at the FAU Tech Runway facility. The event, attended by over 200 people, included a full day symposium and evening reception, which highlighted innovation, acknowledged achievements, and outlined future directions. 

The agenda included presentations by university and research leaders on major initiatives and a poster session. Janet Robishaw, Ph.D., senior associate dean for Research and chair and professor of Biomedical Science, discussed her on-going addiction research. The poster competition highlighted research from all colleges within the university, including six presenters from the Schmidt College of Medicine.

Integrative Biology Ph.D. student,  Joshua Disatham, 
was one of the three top poster winners. Joshua received the Outstanding Poster Award for his poster entitled: "Hypoxia Controls Lens Fiber Cell Remodeling by Regulating the Elimination of Mitochondria, Endoplasmic Reticulum, and Golgi Apparatus through HIF-1 directed Transcriptional Regulation of BNIP3L Expression." Joshua currently works with his primary mentor, Marc Kantorow, Ph.D., assistant dean for graduate programs and professor of Biomedical Science. Click here for a complete list of College of Medicine poster presenters.
Resident Highlight 

Oladipo Cole, M.D., an Internal Medicine resident at FAU, won Best Poster for his research entitled: "Characteristics of Affiliated vs Non-affiliated Sickle Cell patients at a Major Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center in Chicago" at the 46th Annual Sickle Cell Disease Association of America National Convention held in October in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Dr. Cole's poster evaluated the major characteristics of sickle cell patients who regularly follow up with a hematologist and patients who do not. The purpose of the study was to find modifiable factors/barriers that may affect sickle cell patients' ability to have a hematologist as well as evaluating the health utilization between the two groups. This study was supported by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) post-doctoral grant and sponsored by the University of Illinois at Chicago Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, under the tutelage of Lewis Hsu, M.D., Ph.D., and Victor Gordeuk, M.D. The poster was subsequently completed during Dr. Cole's tenure here at Florida Atlantic University, with publication pending. 

"Many patients with chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease may have barriers in following up with specialists. I believe it is important to highlight these barriers, and as a medical community, work together to bridge these gaps in order to effectively deliver appropriate care," Dr. Cole said.
College of Medicine Hosts Visiting Scholar Patrice Weiss, M.D. 

The Schmidt College of Medicine hosted visiting scholar, Patrice Weiss, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer at the Carilion Clinic and professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine from August 28-30. Dr. Weiss provided a well-received lecture to students, faculty, and staff entitled: "A Just Culture." Dr. Weiss visited with residents and quality and safety leaders at the five hospitals in our Graduate Medical Education (GME) Consortium to offer insight and knowledge regarding their clinical learning environments. The Schmidt College of Medicine is grateful to Dr. Weiss for expanding on the understanding of these important aspects of medical education.
 

Charles Hennekens, M.D., Dr.P.H., and Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Senior Collaborated on Homicide Study 

Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.P.H., Sir Richard Doll professor and senior academic advisor at the Schmidt College of Medicine, Rebecca P. Schneid, a senior at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School, and professors from Baylor College of Medicine collaborated on a study of secular trends in homicide rates by comparing two "peer" cities: Baltimore and New York City. The study, published in The American Journal of Medicine, indicated that since the 1990's, homicide rates in Baltimore City remained high while those in New York City declined dramatically. 



Roger P. Smith, M.D., Highly Commended in BMA Medical Book Awards 2018 

Congratulations to Roger P. Smith, M.D., assistant dean of Graduate Medical Education, Faculty, and Academic Affairs and professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, who was Highly Commended in the British Medical Association (BMA) Medical Book Awards 2018 in the category of Obstetrics and Gynecology for "Netter's Obstetrics and Gynecology, 3rd Edition." The BMA Medical Book Awards promote excellence in medical publishing and seek to demonstrate its importance to medical education and training.
M.D./Ph.D. Student Passed Candidacy Ahead of Schedule

Congratulations to Cody Jackson , who passed his candidacy a year ahead of schedule. In order to advance to doctoral candidacy, Ph.D. students must submit a written component, explaining their project's significance and goals in addition to passing an oral exam in front of their thesis committee. The oral exam consists of a presentation and a Q&A period, which generally takes a few hours. Ph.D. students typically complete this step during their second, or third year. Passing candidacy means that the student has demonstrated their capability, completed the necessary coursework, and can begin to focus on their dissertation. Cody expects to receive his Ph.D.  at the Scripps Research Institute within the next two years. Cody also plans to return to the Schmidt College of Medicine as a third-year medical student to complete his M.D. degree.
College of Medicine Hosts Blood Drive

The Schmidt College of Medicine's Pediatric Interest Group, the FAU American Medical Student Association (AMSA), and One Blood hosted a blood drive on Tuesday, October 9. The successful blood drive resulted in a total of 55 units of blood donated, which equates to saving 165 lives. Donors received free cancer awareness t-shirts, a wellness checkup, tickets to the Improv Comedy Club, and more.
Mario Jacomino, M.D. , associate professor of Pediatrics and director of first and second year medical education, spearheaded the event. Second year medical students, Laura Binkowski and Caroline Knoop , led the donor recruiting efforts, and AMSA President, Andrea Parra , enlisted the aid of volunteers to hand out passes and donate blood. Click here for the Blood Drive Honor Roll.  

Faculty Publications

Applegate, W.B., Ouslander, J.G., Kuchel, G.A. (2018). Implementing "patient-centered care": A revolutionary change in health care delivery [Editorial]. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 66 (10), 1863-1865. 

Buyukozturk. B., Drowos, J., Hennekens, C.H., Mejia de Grubb, M.C., Salemi, J.L., Levine, R.S. (2018). Homicide in the south: Higher rates among whites and fewer racial disparities. Southern Medical Journal, 111 (10), 607-611. 

Robishaw, J., Caceres, J., Hennekens, C.H. (2018). Genomics and precision medicine to combat opioid use disorder. American Journal of Medicine. Ahead of print.
Florida Israel Institute Lecture Series

Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
  info@health.fau.edu | (561) 297-4828 | h ttp://fau.edu/medicine/
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