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Students Receive 1st Doctor's White Coats at Poignant Ceremony
The seventh annual White Coat Ceremony formally marked the entry into the profession of medicine for 64 members of the incoming class of 2017. "The power of the symbolic white coat resides in how you conduct yourself while wearing it as a medical student and later as a physician," said Dean Philip Boiselle, M.D., as he delivered his remarks to the entering class. "It is a constant reminder of your professional and ethical obligations as a physician. Always remember that providing health care is a sacred trust and your white coat symbolizes your commitment to upholding that trust."
The 64 members of the incoming class were selected among 3,667 applicants who desired to attend FAU's College of Medicine and represents the most diverse in the school's history.
Each white coat was sponsored by members of the community and local businesses during White Coats-4-Care, a special fundraising event co-chaired by Bonnie and Jon Kaye, Kaye Communications, Inc.
Following the White Coat Ceremony, students and guests enjoyed a reception generously underwritten by Michael T.B. Dennis, M.D., member of FAU's Board of Trustees and Chair of the
advisory board for the College of Medicine.
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FAU Shines in AAMC Survey of Graduating Medical Students
Each year, the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) contacts graduating medial students across the country to complete a survey that identifies and address issues considered critical to the future of medical education and well-being of medical students. The data from the 2016-2017 graduates of the 140 U.S. medical schools accredited by the LCME provided excellent results. 90% of our graduating class were very satisfied with the quality of their medical education. 92.5% were confident that they had acquired the clinical skills necessary to begin a residency program. 94.6% felt that the basic science content had sufficient illustrations of clinical relevance, and 100% felt that they were adequately prepared to care for patients from different backgrounds.
View the power point slides here...
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Psychotic Disorders and Obesity: Blame Big Waistlines
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Martin T. Strassnig, M.D.
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An estimated 35 percent of Americans are obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. For the 2.2 million Americans with schizophrenia and the 5.7 million Americans with bipolar disorder, the increased prevalence of obesity and its related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease is particularly disconcerting.
Because of a number of factors, including obesity, the lifespan for those with schizophrenia is 20 years shorter than the general population and 10 years shorter for those with bipolar disorder. In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers from the College of Medicine show that expanding waistlines and the way body fat is distributed are largely to blame.
Published in the International Journal of Bipolar Disorders, the study compares the long-term course of weight across different psychotic disorders and provides the most comprehensive weight-gain trajectory for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder available to date.
"Most clinical trials for psychotic disorders are limited to cross-sectional or short-term studies that typically last one year or less," said Martin T. Strassnig, M.D., lead author of the study and associate professor of Integrated Medical Science in the college. "These trials are not long enough to determine the best timing for intervention. Moreover, if there are weight differences in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients, we need to tailor prevention and intervention efforts specific to their needs."
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Recipients of the Resident Humanism in Medicine Awards
On July 28, the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Collaborative Care Council hosted a reception to welcome the college's incoming residents in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine and Surgery. During the celebration, the outstanding contributions of two residents during the past year were recognized.
David Torres, M.D. (Internal Medicine PGY-2), received The Milton & Joan Bagley Award for The Practice of Humanistic and Compassionate Medicine at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, presented by Cristina Mata, M.D., M.B.A., Chief Medical Officer of Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Tamas Kovacs, M.D. (Surgery PGY-2), received The Alexander & Lynn Warm Award for The Practice of Humanistic and Compassionate Surgical Interventions at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, presented by Mark Larkin, C.F.R.E., President of the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation. Drs. Torres & Kovacs were recognized for consistently demonstrating exceptional daily performance of their medical activities, maintaining collaborative interactions with members of the health care team, for possessing resolute behavior reflecting and embracing compassion, caring, empathy, and for the proactive advocacy in patient care and patient-family relationships.
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Research Highlight: Marc Kantorow, Ph.D.
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Marc Kantorow, Ph.D. |
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his month, FAU's College of Medicine interviewed Marc Kantorow, Ph.D., professor and assistant dean of graduate programs in biomedical science. The National Eye Institute
of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded a $1.2 million grant to Dr. Kantorow as part of a four-year project to define the mechanisms that govern the formation and function of ocular tissues.
Dr. Kantorow and his team, including Lisa Brennan, Ph.D., an associate professor of biomedical science in the college, and Joshua Disatham, a doctoral student in the Kantorow Laboratory, have identified a new signaling requirement for cells to form their mature structures during the transition from newly formed cells into adult cells. Specifically, they have discovered that oxygen levels control the formation of mature cells of the eye lens. As the lens grows, an oxygen-gradient is formed, which activates the functions of specific proteins called transcription factors that regulate the expression of genes required for the formation and transparent function eye lens cells.
"It's well-accepted that hormones and growth factors can initiate the cellular events that drive immature cells to achieve their mature structures and functions, but we have discovered novel oxygen-regulated pathways that trigger this transformation," said Dr. Kantorow.
Oxygen is a requirement for cellular respiration and for regulating the production of abnormal vasculature in a range of diseases, but Dr. Kantorow's work is the first to demonstrate that oxygen-regulated gene control pathways are critical for the formation and structure of the eye lens.
Because the eye lens grows throughout life through the continuous conversion of a stem cell population into mature cells, the eye lens is an ideal model system to discover the mechanisms that regulate the conversion of stem cells into mature cells and organ structures.
Blocking the conversion from immature lens cells to mature lens cells causes cataracts, a leading cause of worldwide vision loss despite advances in cataract surgery. Discovery of this new requirement for oxygen-regulated pathways in lens formation establishes a new paradigm for understanding the mechanisms that contribute to cataract formation and provides insight into how new therapeutics can be developed to prevent or treat cataracts.
Discovery of new mechanisms for cellular differentiation also advances our ability to develop cutting edge regenerative medicine therapies for the treatment of other degenerative diseases, and provides novel ways of understanding the formation of more complicated tissues. "It is our hope that the work in our laboratory will contribute to this important goal," said, Dr. Kantorow. "Our future goals are to implement what we have learned from the basic mechanisms we have discovered to understand more complex tissues and disease states and to develop efficient methods to engineer tissues for the treatment of degenerative diseases." Dr. Kantorow has been invited to present his work at the International Conference on Lens Research in December.
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Students Partner with Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
Third year medical students partnered with the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital by volunteering at the annual Back-to-School Health Fair on Saturday, August 12. The students assisted with obtaining histories, performing physicals under the supervision of the FAU College of Medicine affiliate faculty from Joe DiMaggio Hospital, completing documentation, providing interpretation services, and a myriad of other services to ensure that patients were efficiently and safely cared for. The event was a success! Many of students in the Pediatric Interest Group are planning to pursue a residency in Pediatrics upon completing medical school.
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Physician Heal Thyself: Simple Coping Strategies
The proverb, "physician heal thyself," is especially relevant today with the fast pace of life, the impact of multitasking, and the bombardment of information. Emotional exhaustion has become almost certain, especially for obstetricians and gynecologists who experience professional burnout rates of between 40 to 75 percent.
"Professional burnout is not new, but what is new is the wider recognition of the alarming rates of burnout. Physicians in general have burnout rates that are twice the rate of working adults, said Roger P. Smith, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist, an assistant dean for graduate medical education and a professor in the Department of Integrated Medical Science in the college.
So what to do? When it comes to fatigue, Smith says the solution is easy: sleep. Physicians tend to sleep fewer hours that those in the general population and what is achieved is often not restful and restorative. Just reducing the number of hours worked is not sufficient. Rest must result in relaxation and renewal. Other helpful tips include taking short breaks, singing, or mindfulness. Vacations, laughing, skilled counseling, exercising, and engaging in enjoyable hobbies, all can help to promote resiliency.
Read the full article here
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