Sharon Stoolman, MD, Appointed DEI Vice Chair |
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Sharon Stoolman, MD, associate professor, Division of Hospital Medicine, was recently appointed to the position of Vice Chair of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI). She sat down with us to discuss her appointment and the importance of DEI in the Pediatrics Department.
Why is it important to have a person in charge of DEI at the Vice Chair leadership level?
I think one of the things I have learned in medicine is that we very often have the best of intentions with respect to diversity, equality and inclusion, but we also have a lot on our plates. There are so many priorities to manage. So, this role is designed to make sure that we are intentional about not letting these priorities slide off the plate. By having a Vice Chair in charge of DEI, we are saying that we value diversity within our patients, our faculty and our staff.
I grew up in an era where the idea of “color blindness” was often put forward. I think now we are starting to realize, whether regarding race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, etc., the uniqueness of each individual is to be valued and appreciated for adding richness to our lives and workplace. We are moving from a mindset of tolerance of our differences to one of acceptance and celebration.
Another important aspect of the role that I have been asked to fill is the recognition that we are lifelong learners. It’s not always easy to stay up-to-date on the latest DEI philosophies and methodologies. This position can be a resource for leadership to address issues as they arise and to proactively communicate to department teams on these topics. At the same time, my door will always be open to thoughts and ideas from others in our department to make sure we are always welcoming to all our team members and patients.
How will you partner with the department’s Anti-racism Committee to achieve goals?
I am a member of the Anti-racism Committee, and I will work with them to address the areas where DEI and anti-racism overlap. Specific interest groups within our department and UNMC will be crucial to helping spread the DEI message in the department. There are so many areas in which people can feel unwelcome-- race being just one of those. I look forward to partnering with all of our interest groups and individuals to make sure that we are creating a positive, safe space for everyone.
What will be your initial areas of focus?
I have two --curriculum and environment-- and I think they are connected. I recently watched a film called Cured about the long period of time during which being gay was considered a mental defect. As a result, people could not come out because their employers could claim that they were mentally ill and fire them. However, a group of psychiatrists eventually worked to have homosexuality removed from the DSM. I think this underlines the importance of ensuring that our curriculum and teaching environment are free of any kind of bias and, in fact, reinforce the values of DEI. I believe that training future medical professionals in this kind of setting is so important to creating welcoming health environments in the future. For the present, it is imperative that we create an atmosphere for patients and employees that recognizes the complexities of the world in which we live, where something as simple as getting your medication in a timely manner is affected by your access to regular, reliable transportation, to the safety of your neighborhood and to the other needs and values in your life. If we can do this, we will go a long way to creating a DEI-empowered department.
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Kari Simonsen, MD, chair, UNMC Department of Pediatrics |
Department of Pediatrics Chair Update:
Kari Simonsen, MD, MBA
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It’s almost back-to-school time, and our work as pediatric advocates has never seemed so urgent. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to significantly impact our healthcare systems in the US, and we continue working diligently to safely care for patients, not just with COVID-19 but also with summer surges of winter viruses like RSV!
We know that keeping children safe is a team sport, and the Department of Pediatrics has been leading and contributing in multiple domains including;
- Direct patient care, through policy and guideline creation
- Planning and conducting research related to COVID-19 and its impacts
- Sharing our expertise with community partners
We continue to lead and guide responses from state and local agencies on safely returning to school, through letters to school districts, participation in community forums and engagement with the media. Though some recommendations have evolved as we learn more about COVID-19, the pandemic cannot change our core mission—to improve the lives of children.
Two of the key partnerships we’ve developed this summer are with Omaha Public Schools (OPS) and Douglas County Health Department (DCHD). We are providing pediatric expertise at OPS back-to-school events. The DCHD will also be at those events to provide COVID-19 vaccines to adolescents and their family members. We are asking for volunteers from the pediatric faculty and staff to be there as a resource for families to help address any questions or concerns about the vaccine. You don’t need to specifically be a vaccine expert (though many of you are!). There’s a set of FAQs that has been developed to help you feel prepared to navigate family questions.
I want to recognize and thank Dr. Sharon Stoolman, our Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for leading this effort to be active within our community and helping to address the unique challenges families face in getting kids safely back to school this fall.
Each of us has a role to play in this response, and I am incredibly proud of the work done by everyone on our team to help guide our patients and our communities safely through this pandemic .
Kari
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Pediatrics Department Receives
Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation Award
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The Department of Pediatrics received a $5,000 grant from the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation. The funds will support children facing serious adversity during a hospital stay in the pediatric ward and ICU at Nebraska Medicine by providing a variety of in-room entertainment (books, movies, art supplies). The award will also be used to pay for in-hospital celebrations (birthdays, holidays, last day of treatment course) for children. The goal of these efforts and expenditures is to create little comforts of home that can make a difference to a stressed/traumatized child undergoing treatment. |
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Our Successes:
Department Celebrations
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The Department of Pediatrics shares accomplishments, publications and appointments. |
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This month we feature Whitney Bossert, MD, assistant professor, Division of Hospital Medicine, and Tina R. Scott-Mordhorst, MD, clinical professor, Division of General Pediatrics.
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Dr. Bossert and her family |
Whitney Bossert
What brought you to your given specialty/role?
I chose pediatrics because I love the physiology and pathology and wanted to be “upstream” trying to create healthy adults. I chose inpatient because it offers a lot of teaching and time with learners. Plus, I felt I never had enough time with families in clinic (I can talk a lot!).
What’s your favorite place in the world?
At home, I love the few minutes I have with my kids when they crawl into bed with me before we have to start our day. Outside of my house, it is easily Paris. I am in love with the architecture, the art, the language, the food, everything!
What are you a fan of or very interested in?
I love photography. It is a great creative outlet, and I hope to one day be good at it!
Is there any medicine-based book, music or TV series or movie that you admire and would recommend to others? Or anything outside of the medical world that you recommend?
I really try to disconnect from medicine at home and enjoy reading for pleasure (including my hospital medicine book club). This year I have been focusing on reads related to anti-racism, which I believe is helping me grow both personally and professionally.
What was the most important lesson taught to you during your career training?
Admit what you don’t know. I tell families a lot that I don’t know something, but luckily, I am surrounded by intelligent and helpful colleagues that are willing to help me find the answers!
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Dr. Scott-Mordhorst, her sister and her sister's wife |
Tina R. Scott-Mordhorst
What brought you to your given specialty/role?
I was not raised in a family of doctors and wouldn't have considered a career in medicine if not for my high school biology teacher. Mrs. Barrett was the first person to suggest I would do well in medicine. I am grateful for her support and encouragement. As far as pediatrics, it was a natural for me. I knew going through college and medical school that I wanted to work with kids. With each of my medical school rotations, this was reinforced. I am very fortunate to be able to do what I love.
What’s your favorite place in the world?
My husband and I love to travel. It's one of the things we missed most during the pandemic. That said, I think my very favorite place in the world is my backyard (at least in the summer). We have a wonderful patio and pool. It is the place where we spend time with our family and friends.
What are you a fan of or very interested in?
I love cooking, wine and dogs. I truly enjoy trying new recipes and figuring out a varietal to pair with it. Dogs are just cute!!!
Is there any medicine-based book, music or TV series or movie that you admire and would recommend to others? Or anything outside of the medical world that you recommend?
When Breath Becomes Air is a must-read. It is a non-fiction autobiographical book written by Dr. Paul Kalanithi about his life and journey through cancer.
What was the most important lesson taught to you during your medical training?
I learned that persistence pays off. I may not always know the answer right away, but I will figure it out.
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A Message from the UNMC Pediatrics Liaison Librarian
Submitting to Digital Commons, Library Orientation & Course Texts
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Digital Commons
It’s conference season. You have presented your slide deck and posters, but what now? Extend the reach of your slide deck or poster by submitting it to DigitalCommons@UNMC, a repository containing the scholarly work of UNMC faculty, staff, and students. Monthly download reports and extended metrics are available! For more information, email digitalcommons@unmc.edu.
Library Orientation
As you plan to welcome new students, residents, fellows and employees, you will want to include a library orientation session in your plans. I can meet with your new students to start them on the path to meet their information literacy learning requirements. I can also meet with your new clinical and research team members to support them with best methods to use the vital information tools that directly support their research and patient care.
Course Texts
What books do students need for courses? The library wants to make course texts available to students to help reduce overall costs of attendance. Please tell us what you need and for how many students, and we will do our best to add items to the library collection. Please send your title lists to Alison Bobal, Head, Collection Development and Metadata.
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Staff Milestones:
Recent Service Anniversaries
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Congratulations to those celebrating recent work anniversaries. We wish you all the best for continued success! |
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Fit Testing for N-95 Respirators |
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CHRI Seminar Series
Eric Peeples, MD
Defining and Managing Hypotension in Preterm Infants – the Role of Steroids and Adrenal Insufficiency
Tieshi Li, PhD
IL36R Signaling in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (SJIA)
August 20, 2021 | Virtual | Noon | Click here for information
CHRI Pediatric Academic Workshop: Grant Writing
Click here for more information.
The CHRI Pediatric Academic Workshop series offers valuable education and training related to pediatric research. The emphasis of this workshop is on grant writing, and attendees will receive instruction from experts on a wide variety of grant writing topics, including budgets, consent and biostatistics.
August 27, 2021 | 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Optional grant competition on August 28. See link above for more information.
CHRI 2021 Pediatric Cancer Research Symposium
Click here for more information.
Join us for an exciting day highlighting the power of collaboration between academia, healthcare institutions,cohn-compressed.jpg government and the community in preventing, treating and curing pediatric cancers, at the 2021 Pediatric Cancer Research Symposium, sponsored by the CHRI Pediatric Cancer Research Group (PCRG).
September 1, 2021 | Zoom | 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
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University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics
982155 Nebraska Medicine
Omaha, NE 68198-2155
402-559-6400
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