April 24, 2015
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA
Vol. 33, No. 34
How to travel 161 miles in only six minutes By Mikie Hayes Public Relations
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or a man seemingly suffering a stroke, a community hospital situated in a town of only 6,701 residents would hardly seem like the epicenter of good stroke care. So when he is rushed to a small community hospital, with no neurologist on staff, 161 miles from the state’s premier stroke center at MUSC, it’s conceivable that his family might worry. But what they don’t know is that a specialized stroke care doctor will indeed be in the room with their loved one — in the room, that is, via an over–sized computer screen. Thanks to MUSC’s Tele Stroke network, his care will be overseen by a brain attack specialist. The ambulance arrives at the hospital. The 47–year–old patient is registered in the system. Three minutes later, at 1:29 p.m., MUSC is paged, doctors alerted. At 1:32 John Krainin, M.D., an MUSC Tele Stroke physician, logs into the network. He’s now on the case. “Six minutes,” said Christine Holmstedt, D.O., medical director of MUSC’s Clinical Stroke Services, who also received the stroke alert page and is watching the entire scene play out via her computer in the Clinical Science Building. “Try getting a specialist into the ED in six minutes. No way. That is one of the things that makes this program so remarkable.” A stroke, or “brain attack,” is caused either by a blood clot that cuts off the brain’s supply of blood and oxygen, which is referred to as an ischemic stroke, or by bleeding in the brain, which is called a hemorrhagic stroke.
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Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA), an intravenous clot-busting medicine, is the only FDA–approved acute stroke medication and considered standard of care for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, but it has to be administered within a three-hour window of time from onset of stroke and only under very specific criteria. Holmstedt explained that tPA can dissolve a blood clot in the brain, “But,” she said, “it must be given very quickly – the quicker the medication is given, the better the outcome for patients. One uncommon complication is bleeding which is why some physicians are anxious to administer it without a neurologist, and why there is a very precise set of guidelines to ensure we are using it appropriately and as safely as possible.” With the camera focused on the patient, Krainin is able to perform a stroke scale and neurologic evaluation, review the CT scan and discuss treatment recommendations with the patient, patient’s family and ED physician in the community hospital. Holmstedt, too, is looking at the scan in her office. She says to colleague Ellen Debenham, R.N., program manager of the MUSC Tele Stroke and Tele Neurology programs, “He’s having a stroke. The left side of his face is drooping; see how the mustache is lower on the left side. He’s not moving his left arm or leg, but he’s pulling up his socks with his right hand.” After completing his neurologic evaluation and reviewing the CT scan, Krainin discusses his
Student Leadership MUSC students honored for extraordinary service.
photo and graphics provided
Dr. Christine Holmstedt sits in the parking lot of Orangeburg Regional Medical Center where she’s about to enter the hospital to conduct a telestroke training when she responds to a consult for a stroke patient coming into Toumey Medical Center in Sumter. MUSC’s Tele Stroke Network includes 18 sites across the Palmetto State which provides access to stroke experts at MUSC. The program, created in 2008, has conducted just over 5,700 stroke consults since that time.
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See Tele sTroke on page 3
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Gun Violence
4
Town Hall Meetings
Students discuss gun violence as a global health issue in competition.
5
Meet Cienna
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Student Professionalism
2 THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015
PeoPle
Around Campus
William T. Creasman William T. Creasman, M.D., Distinguished University Professor, was recently awarded the 2015 Foundation for Gynecologic Oncology Humanitarianism and Volunteer Award on March 28. The award, presented by the Society for Gynecologic Oncology, honors him for his volunteer and outreach efforts in women’s cancer care, research and training in Honduras, Africa and Costa Rica.
Lisa Saladan
Lisa Saladin, Ph.D., PT, professor and dean of the College of Health Professions, and a faculty member in the Division of Physical Therapy, will be inducted as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association at its June meeting in Washington D.C. Saladin recently completed a term with the APTA Board of Directors and
Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425. 843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723
Editor: Cindy Abole catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Mikie Hayes, hayesmi@musc.edu Dawn Brazell, brazell@musc.edu J. Ryne Danielson, daniejer@musc.edu Helen Adams, adamshel@musc.edu Sarah Pack, packsa@musc.edu Jeff Watkins, watkinsj@musc.edu
evenTs 2nd Sickle Cell Run/Walk
photo by Cindy Abole, Public Relations
Chris Fuchs, facility manager at MUSC’s Flow Cytometry Facility and Cell Sorting Shared Resource of Hollings Cancer Center, talks to Sarah Oakes of the Research Integrity Office about the wide range of flow cytometry services available to campus investigators. Fuchs’ facility was among 19 other campus services and resources that were showcased at MUSC’s First Research Resource Fair for Campus Cores and Facilities held April 20. For information, contact Liz Favre at favre@musc.edu. will be inducted as the group’s next vicepresident in June.
Benjamin A. Toll
Benjamin A. Toll, Ph.D., has joined MUSC as an associate professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and will hold joint clinical
The Catalyst is published once a week. Paid adver tisements, which do not represent an endorsement by MUSC or the State of South Carolina, are handled by Island Publications Inc., Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 843-849-1778 or 843-958-7490. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.
appointment in Public Health and the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences as chief of Tobacco Cessation and Health Behaviors. Toll is one of the country’s leading experts in the treatment of nicotine addiction. Prior to joining MUSC, Toll previously worked as an associate professor of Psychiatry at Yale University and was director of the tobacco cessation program for Yale Cancer Center’s Smilow Cancer Hospital.
Come join in the 2nd Annual Community Festival and Sickle Cell SAC Run/Walk on Saturday, May 2 in Moncks Corner. Event start will be at Berkeley High School (29 E. Main Street in Moncks Corner) to the Moncks Corner Regional Recreation Sports Complex. Registration and pep rally begin at 9 a.m. with the run starting at 9:45 a.m. Registration fee is $10 for participants ages 16 and older and $5 for ages 16 and under. A shuttle will be provided from the run/walk locations. The event will feature vendors, food, games, health screenings, music and prizes. Visit https://bigworks.eventbrite.com.
Safe Sitter Classes MUSC Volunteer Services will offer Safe Sitter classes for girls and boys, ages 11 to 14, to train them as qualified babysitters. The two-day training is scheduled for either 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 15 to June 16 and June 22 to June 23 at the Colbert Education Center/ Library. Cost is $75. The medically accurate program teaches adolescents how to handle emergencies when caring for younger children. Participants will learn helpful tips, infant and child CPR and other training. Call Kelly Hedges, 876-4246 or hedgesk@musc.edu.
2015 Outstanding Clinician Award nominations accepted until April 24 Nominations for the MUSC Foundation’s 2015 Outstanding Clinician Award are being accepted. The award honors full-time faculty who have made outstanding contributions to patient care at MUSC. Currently active clinicians who commit a significant portion of their time caring for patients in ambulatory or inpatient settings are eligible for this award. Nominees should be role models for residents, students and their faculty colleagues. The deadline for nominations is April 24. Nominations may be submitted to Mark Sothmann, Ph.D., 179 Ashley Ave., Colcock Hall, MSC 002, MUSC.
THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015 3
Tele sTroke
Continued from Page One
recommendations with the remote ED team and recommends tPA. He remotely enters an order for it to be administered by the community treatment team. Holmstedt mentions that if the patient needed a thrombectomy — a procedure to remove the clot —they would get him here ASAP, via a helicopter. In this case, Krainin determines the stroke is being caused by a blood clot blocking an artery to the brain and tPA is indicated. The damage from a stroke is often permanent because brain cells that die during a stroke do not regenerate. Restoring blood flow to the brain is critical in terms of stopping any further damage to the brain. Everything needs to happen fast. FAST FAST is an acronym used to help detect and enhance responsiveness to stroke victim needs. The acronym stands for: Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time. With stroke being the third leading cause of death in South Carolina and the number one cause of disability in the United States, Holmstedt cannot stress enough the importance of time and the signs of a stroke. “Three hours. We are working against the clock. Every second matters. People must learn the signs and symptoms of a stroke and they cannot wait to get help. If they have the signs of a stroke, they need to call 911 right away. There are things we can do to help, but only if they get here in time.” In fact, according to the American Stroke Association (ASA), only two– thirds of stroke patients arrive by emergency medical services, and those who do receive faster evaluation and treatment than those arriving by private transportation. “Don’t drive,” she continued, “things can go bad, quick. A patient will be seen much more quickly if they arrive via EMS by activating 911.” Day in and day out, Debenham deals with the statistics of stroke and the impact the MUSC Tele Stroke program is making throughout the state. “The Tele Stroke partnership has brought a group of medical providers together to identify stroke patients, move fast and provide expert stroke care to citizens all over the state,” she said. “It has been an amazing experience of sharing knowledge, positive outcomes
and good feelings, knowing that we are all working toward the same goals. We have a spectacular group of dedicated stroke coordinators at our partner sites — I truly love what I do. We are working together and improving the lives of stroke patients every day.” Four corners oF the state Because, like Krainin’s patient, many strokes occur in smaller communities that lack expert stroke care in their hospitals, MUSC’s stroke team provides urgent consultations such as his at select hospitals throughout the state through MUSC’s Tele Stroke program. This life–saving network connects partnering hospitals with immediate, round-theclock access to MUSC Health's stroke care experts, who can remotely provide urgent consultations after remotely examining patients and their brain imaging studies. The big news is that with MUSC’s Tele Stroke program, more than 96 percent of the South Carolina population is now within a 60–minute drive to reach expert stroke care. Pioneers in telestroke While telehealth as a whole is fairly new at MUSC, the Tele Stroke program has been operational since 2008. Debenham shared that since May 2008, the program has done 5,701 stroke consults. Of those, 2,852 were ischemic strokes, 1,056 received tPA and 122 underwent thrombectomies. Its success is being built on throughout the institution. “Telemedicine has created a paradigm shift in acute stroke care. Timely
access to expert stroke specialists and thrombolytic therapy is now a new standard of care in South Carolina. Our Tele Stroke network has paved the way for how other telehealth programs can transform the delivery system and significantly improve care at a statewide level,” said Shawn Valenta, RRT, MUSC’s program director for the Center for Telehealth. Having started in 2008, MUSC was one of the earliest providers of telestroke in the nation. Why is that important? Because MUSC’s Stroke Program is a performance award–winning Joint Commission–certified Primary Stroke Center (PSC) with comprehensive stroke capabilities. The center has 15 stroke specialists and four neuroendovascular surgeons, with an additional specialist and another surgeon coming on board shortly. The center also has a dedicated neurocritical care unit with neurocritical care-trained physicians. Holmstedt adds, “We have the fastest door to treatment time in the nation as well as one of the busiest and highest volume thrombectomy programs. We are in the process of applying for our Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center accreditation. We are the only hospital in South Carolina with comprehensive stroke capabilities.” In addition to the robust clinical stroke services, the MUSC Stroke Program is an international leader in stroke research, including stroke epidemiology, prevention, acute treatment, and rehabilitation, with some of the most highly–recognized stroke researchers in the world. Debenham added, “We receive the
highest possible grades we can receive. From the Joint Commission, our score is perfect. From the American Heart Association, we are considered a Gold Plus Elite program.” “In fact, during our most recent Joint Commission visit, they told us we are the stroke center everyone should be looking to emulate,” Holmstedt said. Holmstedt’s passion for helping stroke patients is palpable. She laughs when she describes how she and her kids will be in the car in a parking lot, waiting to go in a restaurant, when she’ll get a page for a consult. “I’ve been at the barber shop, in Wal–Mart, at Menchie’s yogurt. They’ll say, ‘Mom, not another call.’” She has already done more than 1,400 telestroke consults. Recently, she realized just how big an impact the program is making. She had just arrived at Orangeburg Regional Medical Center to do a telestroke training when she got a page from another site — Toumey Medical Center in Sumter. A patient was having a stroke; everything else would have to wait. She sat in her car and managed the case from there: headphones on, computer perched on the steering wheel. “Imagine an MUSC stroke specialist treating a stroke patient at Toumey Medical Center in Sumter while sitting in the parking lot of Orangeburg Regional. That scenario truly reflects the collaborative network MUSC Tele Stroke and our partner hospitals around the state have developed to help South Carolinians.” It’s no wonder that as of July 1, she will follow in her mentor’s footsteps and assume the role of director of the MUSC Tele Stroke program, stepping in for Robert, Adams, M.D., the current director. She has plans to continue to grow the network while reducing the burden of stroke in South Carolina. “On past Centers for Disease Control Stroke Prevalence and Mortality maps,” she said, “South Carolina looked dismal as the belt buckle for the North American Stroke Belt. My goal is to build a new reputation for South Carolina by improving access to stroke prevention and treatment and change the map.” Holmstedt adds, “It is estimated that 80 percent of strokes are preventable, so it is vital that people work with their primary providers to identify their stroke risk factors and modify them. Prevention is key.”
4 THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015
MUSC Medical Center Communications Corner Town Hall Meeting Series The MUSC Medical Center Town Halls will kick off Wednesday, May 6. Town Hall meetings are an important part of the Medical Center’s efforts to make sure that employees are well informed and involved. The meetings are not only an opportunity to hear directly from senior leaders but also to ask questions and share ideas. The schedule below reflects the dates, times and locations for the general sessions to be led by Dr. Pat Cawley (MUSC Medical Center chief executive officer) and
Matt Wain (MUSC Medical Center chief operations officer). Service line and department specific meetings will be added to this schedule and led by their respective Service Line administrators. You can access the town hall schedule by visiting the medical center intranet or the MUSC Excellence website. Questions and comments can be directed to Ashley Bode at 792-0820 or bode@musc.edu.
Town Hall Schedule Date
Day
Time
Location
Presenter
May 6
Wednesday
12:00 p.m.
Webinar
Matt Wain
May 6
Wednesday
10:00 p.m.
ART Auditorium
Matt Wain
May 7
Thursday
7:30 a.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Matt Wain
May 7
Thursday
9:00 a.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 7
Thursday
2:00 p.m.
Webinar
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 7
Thursday
10:00 p.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 8
Friday
3:00 p.m.
ART Auditorium
Matt Wain
May 9
Saturday
7:50 a.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 10
Sunday
7:50 a.m.
ART Auditorium
Matt Wain
May 11
Monday
7:30 a.m.
ART Auditorium
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 11
Monday
11:00 a.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Matt Wain
May 11
Monday
2:00 p.m.
Webinar
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 12
Tuesday
10:00 a.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Matt Wain
May 12
Tuesday
12:30 p.m.
Webinar
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 12
Tuesday
4:00 p.m.
ART Auditorium
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 12
Tuesday
10:00 p.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 13
Wednesday
7:45 a.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 13
Wednesday
12:00 p.m.
Webinar
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 13
Wednesday
2:30 p.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Matt Wain
May 14
Thursday
2:00 p.m.
ART Auditorium
Matt Wain
May 14
Thursday
4:30 p.m.
2 West Ampitheater
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 14
Thursday
10:00 p.m.
ART Auditorium
Matt Wain
May 15
Friday
3:30 p.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Matt Wain
May 16
Saturday
7:50 a.m.
2 West Amphitheater
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 17
Sunday
7:50 a.m.
ART Auditorium
Matt Wain
May 17
Sunday
2:00 p.m.
Webinar
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 18
Monday
7:45 a.m.
ART Auditorium
Dr. Pat Cawley
May 18
Monday
2:00 p.m.
ART Auditorium
Matt Wain
Your Attendance Required! Town Hall participation is expected of all MUHA employees.
THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015 5
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6 THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015
Students honored for excellence in service, community work By J. ryne Danielson Public Relations
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USC’s Office of Student Programs hosted the Student Leadership and Service Awards April 15 to honor outstanding student leaders and community volunteers. “Recognizing these students for their extraordinary leadership and service achievements serves as a reminder of their great compassion and determination to reach beyond their comfort zones to address unmet needs,” said Liz Sheridan, MUSC Gives Back director, who organized the event. “It is fortunate for MUSC to have such a bountiful pool of servant-leaders to train as the next generation of health care providers.” Deborah C. Williamson, DHA, R.N., associate dean for practice in the College of Nursing, spoke to the audience on the importance of giving back. “All of us in this room have received so much help in our journeys toward having careers we truly love,” she said. “There is a baseball analogy that Maya Angelou used to describe the importance of giving back. She said, ‘I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.’”
2015 Banov Award winner Georgina Dukes with her award.
photos by J. Ryne Danielson, Public Relations
2015 Student Leadership Society Inductees Ronetta Sartor, from left, Dorea Pleasant, Layne Madden, Kayla Hill, Lance Braye, Constants Adams, Mohammed Dany, Anthony DeClue, and Georgina Dukes. Being involved in community service, Williamson said, is not only an opportunity to help others, but to learn from them. “In choosing a health career, you made a decision to spend your lives dedicated to service to others,” she told the students gathered. “Historically, health care has focused on the individual patient–provider relationship. But health care is changing. Although the personal relationship is still important, we need to look at how we involve communities, how we address population health, how we use interprofessional teams to make our delivery systems more effective, more efficient and more patient-centered.” Williamson believes it is necessary to examine the social and environmental contexts of health and include patients and communities in the decision — making process. This, she said, is the key to lifting the U.S. out of the bottom ranks of developed countries with respect to global health statistics. “Whether you choose a career in primary care or in a hospital-based specialty, continued involvement in community service will ensure your ability to be effective and relevant as a practitioner,” Williamson concluded. “You need to know whether or not your patient can get their medicines. You need to know they understand their disease
process. You need to know how to empower patients to be involved in their own self-management.” The first award of the evening was the Banov Humanitarian Award, established by the family of Charles Banov, M.D., in 2008, to honor their father’s retirement from medical practice and his legacy of community service. The winner was Georgina Dukes, who will graduate in May with a master’s in health administration. Dukes, a full-time student and single mother, was chosen by the Banov family for outstanding leadership and community service. They cited her work as a sexual health educator, providing HIV prevention education to underserved youth in Dorchester County. Duke also served as an ambassador in partnership with South Carolina’s Coalition for Healthy Families, pushing for women-centered reproductive health policy at the state
level. “I want to inspire people,” Dukes said. “I want someone to look at me and say, ‘Because of you, I didn’t give up.’ I grew up poor in a small, rural town that was infested with illegal activity and teen pregnancy. I had to overcome many obstacles like poverty and single motherhood, but I never let it hinder me. I quickly learned never to surrender to my environment but to discover a way to improve it. I don’t measure my success by my grades, degrees or money. I measure my success by the number of lives I’ve impacted, the people I’ve motivated to keep going and not give up and the communities that I have transformed.” Dukes also won the MUSC Gives Back Most Outstanding Volunteer award, representing the College of Health Professions, and was inducted into the Student Leadership Society. The winners of the MUSC Gives Back Most Outstanding Group awards were: Phi Delta Chi fraternity, representing the South Carolina College of Pharmacy; The Student National Medical Association, representing the College of Medicine; The American Association of Women Dentists, representing the College of Dental Medicine; The Doctor of Physical Therapy Class of 2017, representing the College of Health Professions; and The Graduate Student Association, representing the College of Graduate Studies. The CARES Clinic, a student–run non–profit that provides free medical care to underserved, uninsured populations in the Charleston area, won in the campus-wide category. The following students were inducted into the Student Leadership Society: Constants Adams, Lance Braye, Mohammed Dany, Anthony Declue, Georgina Dukes, Kayla Hill, Michael Johnson, Layne Madden, Dorea Pleasant, and Ronetta Sartor.
MUSC Gives Back Most Outstanding Volunteers 2015 winners include: Ashley Albrecht (CDM) with 231 volunteer hours; Craig Kutz (COM) with 184 hours; Georgina Dukes (CHP) with 124 hours; Ardis Copenhaver
(SCCP) with 123 hours; Katelyn Hnat (SCCP) with 123 hours; Lynn Shakira (CON) with 95 hours; and Steven Holshouser (CGS) with 64 hours.
THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2014 7
MUSC Global Health team tackles gun violence By J. ryne Danielson Public Relations “Health,” according to the World Health Organization, “is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Consider, then, health care – the scope of the profession and the roles of those who practice it. For MUSC students participating in Emory University’s Global Health Case Competition this past March, it must have seemed overwhelming, especially when given such an unexpected issue to tackle as gun violence in Honduras. “Many of us were surprised because it’s such an unfamiliar area of public health for us, even though it’s a critically important issue in many countries worldwide,” said Rahoul Ahuja, a second-year medical student who led MUSC and Clemson University’s joint team. “Given the recent Ebola outbreak, many of us thought the case would focus on infectious disease outbreaks or other hot topics like universal health coverage or non-communicable diseases. As we delved further into the topic, we realized how important it was, given that it relates to nearly every sector of Honduran society – health care, the economy, the education system, transnational relations.” Honduras, a central-American nation of eight million people, has been wracked by decades of social and political upheaval and natural disasters. Gang violence is rampant. It has the highest rate of per capita gun violence in the world. According to WHO, violence is the third leading cause of death in the country, accounting for more deaths annually than most cancers combined. Patients suffering from gunshot wounds flood the country’s hospitals on a daily basis, overwhelming the health care system. What can be done? The MUSC-Clemson team – which consisted of three medical students, Ahuja, Will Dennis, and Chandler Church; an occupational therapy student, Matthew Husband; a bioengineering student, Leanne Loper; and a health administration student, Dominique Cox – set out to answer just this question. Solutions ranged from education to urban planning to criminal justice reform – hardly issues doctors usually preoccupy themselves with. “We focused on addressing youths early in their lives in the education system,” Ahuja said. “This is particularly important to prevent them from being recruited by gangs in Honduras, perpetuating a cycle of violence. We looked at engaging youths through after-school programs, such as through participation in soccer leagues, as well as mentorship programs. I think what’s key is to address social determinants of health, such as education, living conditions and employment opportunities. “We also examined the role that reforming the judicial system could have. In Honduras, for instance,
photo provided
The MUSC-Clemson team was sponsored by MUSC’s Center for Global Health, which finananced and advised the students. Team members included Rahoul Ahuja, from left, Dominique Cox, Leanne Lope (Clemson University), Chandler Church and Matthew Husband .
“Public health professionals must engage in a multi-sectoral approach to address the most important health problems globally.” Rahoul Ahuja
photo by Emory Global Health Competition
Twenty-four teams from universities around the world competed in the 5th annual Emory Global Health Case Competition in Atlanta. only three percent of murders are investigated by police, and only one percent result in a prosecution. Without an ability to hold people accountable and investigate corruption, a country’s capacity to reduce gun violence is undermined.” Ahuja believes the experience of designing practical solutions to real-world health issues was invaluable, likening it to being immersed in a foreign language after only learning that language in a classroom. “The best way to learn something,” he said, “is to be thrown into the fire and actually do it.”
Another benefit of the competition was breaking down silos. “Public Health professionals must engage in a multi-sectoral approach to address the most important health problems globally,” Ahuja said. “The experience of working with people from different backgrounds demonstrated to us that global health can’t follow the traditional paradigm of just working inside the health sector. Solutions must also come from outside the health sector. Health professionals, engineers, scientists, economists, and policy makers all have to come together to advance human health worldwide.” Proposals were judged by professionals from many fields, including officials from the Honduran government, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and WHO. While the MUSC-Clemson team didn’t win, Ahuja came away convinced of the importance of communication. “The ability to present and persuade depends on what you say, but also how you say it,” he explained. “That’s one of the most important things I got from the competition.”
8 THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015
Professionalism symposium volunteers mentor students MUSC students, volunteers work together to break down barriers, mentoring high school students By Jane Ma Public Relations
M
USC volunteers stepped forward to answer a universitywide call for professionals to conduct mock interviews with students at Burke High School in downtown Charleston. These mock interviews were part of a larger event, a professionalism symposium, sponsored by a partnership between MUSC’s edLINK and Communities in Schools (CIS) in Charleston. CIS is a national organization active in 26 states and the District of Columbia. It works with public schools to provide a support system for students to empower them to stay in school and achieve in life. It places coordinators at schools whocan align CIS resources with existing school structures to provide targeted,
supplementary programs. At Burke High School, Robert Ellington and Mindy Curtis are the resident student support specialists who work every day with the students. edLINK is a student–run group founded by Layne Madden, a fourthyear student in the College of Medicine. Before medical school, he was a middle school teacher in Denver, Colorado. “I taught math and science at a relatively poor school; many of the students I worked with had never seen a family member attend college — it was there that I really saw the impact of volunteers and role models from the local community in the classroom.” Madden explained that his background as a public school teacher gave him perspective on the need for greater community involvement in
photo by Jane Ma, Public Relations MUSC professionals conduct mock interviews with Burke High School students on April 10. schools. During his first semester at MUSC, he saw there were many students and professionals who want to mentor or work with students but don’t know how to set it up with schools, and likewise, there was a barrier between schools and their surrounding communities. He wants to break that barrier, engage the students with the community and
provide a pipeline for volunteers to get into the classroom and work with students. Andrew Rabley, a third–year medical student and current president of edLINK, talked about how much the group has grown since its founding.
See Schools on page 12
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THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015 9
Match service brings together researchers, trial volunteers By J. ryne Danielson Public Relations Catherine Gregor, project manager for ResearchMatch.org, gave a Lunch–N–Learn presentation at MUSC on the free service April 10. “ResearchMatch is like Match.com for nerdy people,” Gregor said, referring to the popular online dating service. However, rather than bringing together singles for dates, ResearchMatch brings together medical researchers with clinical trial volunteers. “Everything is IRB approved,” she said. The IRB, or Institutional Review board, is an independent ethics committee that oversees biomedical and behavioral research involving humans subjects. “Researchers can search the database for individuals based on deidentified study inclusion criteria and geographic location. Once a match is made, all the research happens just as it normally would. ResearchMatch just dramatically cuts down on the time needed to find participants and proceed to clinical trials.” When signing up, participants fill out a questionnaire indicating their willingness to be contacted for research studies. Researchers are only allowed to contact participants if their search criteria match
photo by J. Ryne Danielson Public Relations
Vanderbuilt University’s Catherine Gregor spoke about the value of ResearchMatch. with the patients’ answers. Helpfully, the site indexes the scientific names of various conditions to their vernacular names — for example, it knows “sugar diabetes” is the same as “diabetes mellitus type 2,” which is the same as “adult-onset diabetes.” It doesn’t matter how a patient reports his or her condition or
how a researcher searches for it—the two will still be matched. More than 5,000 unique conditions have been reported by volunteers to date, including more than 800 rare conditions, providing a diverse pool of candidates from which researchers can select trial participants. Ninety-six percent of volunteers have been contacted, whether for full-fledged clinical trials or simple surveys. “ResearchMatch also integrates with REDCap,” Gregor said. REDCap, an acronym for Research Electronic Data Capture, is a secure web-based application for building and managing online surveys and databases. Anyone in the United States can volunteer to participate in clinical trials through ResearchMatch, but to utilize the site, researchers must register with an email address from a participating institution. Currently, 104 institutions across the country are participating in the program, including MUSC. Liaisons are available at each institution to coordinate with researchers and answer any questions they have. “ResearchMatch is free and secure,” Gregor concluded. “It makes community engaged research easier and, since there is a limited amount of federal and private funding earmarked for research, it helps to make every dollar count.” For more information, visit www.researchmatch.org.
Purses For Preemies sales BeneFit BaBies, Families Once again, MUSC employees answered the call and showed their generosity, donating more than 1,000 purses to benefit the March of Dimes’ project, Purses for Preemies. The Division of Neonatology sponsored the event held Friday, April 17, in the Portico. Three team captains, Elaine Messier, Kathy Sorenson and Kim Fairchild, administrative assistants in the division, organized the affair. Women came in the pouring rain to find all types and price ranges of gently used bags and make them their own: from signature Coach satchels, which had been officially verified to ensure authenticity, to lively-patterned Vera Bradley crossbodies and zebra print shoulder bags. In all, the event brought in $1,946 to benefit the babies. Messier shared that 100 percent of the proceeds goes directly to the March of Dimes, and the three bins of bags that did not sell will be donated to another charity. The yearly event has become an institutional favorite. Organizers want to remind ladies not to throw out last year’s styles. Even if a purse brings in $2, it’s $2 that can make a difference for somebody’s little one. photo by Mikie Hayes, Public Relations
10 THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015
Adventure Out to city parks for green exercise Adventure Out is an outdoor fitness campaign to encourage MUSC employees and community members to visit Charleston city parks for exercise. Exercising outdoors or “green exercise” has many benefits, including stress management, improved self–esteem and mood, increased frequency of exercise and improved sense of well–being. Join the best fitness instructors from the MUSC Wellness Center in the prettiest landscapes in Charleston city parks and get fit in the great outdoors. The Adventure Out program features 12 classes in May (green exercise month) and 4 classes per month throughout the year, including Zumba, urban dance, yoga, circuit, historic selfie scavenger hunt and more to help you turn over a new leaf and discover the benefits of green exercise. q Free fitness classes with the purchase of an Adventure Out T-shirt or tank ($10/$15) for the entire year. T–shirts purchased from previous years are valid. Classes are designed for all ages and fitness levels q Offered in Charleston city parks (Hampton Park, Maritime Center, Brittlebank, Marion Square and Cannon Park) q Kids under 12 are welcome to participate in all classes at their own risk, with an adult who has purchased an Adventure Out shirt. Kids, 12 and older, should purchase a shirt to attend.
q Adventure Out Family Fitness Day – Saturday May 2nd in Marion Square from 9am – 12:30pm. Urban Dance, family fun fitness games and more. For more information on program, where to purchase T-shirts or to volunteer, please contact Dr. Susan Johnson at 792-1245, johnsusa@ musc.edu or visit www.musc.edu/ adventureout or www.facebook/ muscadventureout. Sponsored by City of Charleston Recreation Susan Johnson Department, Coca Cola, MUSC Wellness Center and MUSC Office of Health Promotion
Health at work
Employee Wellness
q April Monthly Mindful Challenge — Eat Sustainably. Healthy bodies. Healthy planet. To begin, take the challenge’s first survey at http://tinyurl.com/kk186ud. A link to the final survey will be sent at month’s end to those who take the first one q Chair massages — Free massages are offered to employees midday on Wednesdays. Check broadcast messages for locations and times. q
Farmers Markets — Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers on Fridays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Horseshoe.
MUSC Wellness Center
q Congratulations to all participants who recently completed the Healthy Charleston Challenge. They lost a combined total of 1,479.6 lbs. since January, which makes the grand total of pounds lost through HCC 33,145.9 lbs. We are so proud of their hard work and commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. There will be a special five–week Healthy Charleston Challenge Mini Camp this summer from May 21 to June 25. For information about either opportunity, stop by the Membership Desk or visit www.musc.edu/hsc or call 792-5757 for fee information for all programs.
MUSC Urban Farm
q Midday Work and Learn — 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., Tuesdays q Early Bird Maintenance — 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Wednesdays q Sunset Work and Learn — 4 to 5 p.m., Thursday q Third Saturday Family-friendly Work and Learn — 9 to 11 a.m., May 2 information about health and wellness events,
THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015 11
emPloyees suPPort Donate liFe month
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photos provided
Above photo: MUSC employees sport their colors for National Donate Life Month and Blue and Green Day on April 19. Above right photo: Other related activities included the planting of an apple tree as the MUSC Transplant Tree of Life by kidney transplant patient Everett German, from left, and Dr. Prabhakar Baliga, Division of Transplant Surgery director, near the Colbert Education Center/Library on April 10.
12 THe CaTalysT, April 24, 2015 Continued from Page Eight
There are approximately 85 members who volunteer on a semi-regular basis, from weekly to twice a month, as they are able to spare the time. They are placed with Teach for America teachers and assist directly in the classroom. Rabley adds, “I think volunteering like this is especially important for health care professionals, because we need to know
MUSC Diversity director Anton Gunn shares his experiences with a group of students.
about our community to best serve it.” The event itself was organized by Danielle Wright, vice president of edLINK and a 3rd year medical student. There were four groups of 20 (totaling 80) Burke students that rotated through four different sessions. The first was an individual mock job interview with the volunteers. Next, they attended a presentation by Lawanda Holliman, owner of Everything Etiquette and You, LLC, on elements of soft professionalism: hand-shakes, eye contact, dressing for interviews. Following this, there was a presentation by the Continental Societies of Charleston on elements of hard professionalism: curriculum vitaes, resumes, cover letters and meeting employers. The last presenter, Anton Gunn, chief diversity officer, spoke with the students about his life experiences in a speech designed to motivate and inspire them. He reminded them that 20 or so years ago, he was in their shoes. Gunn described life as a roller coaster, and he took them on his own personal ride — from struggling as a student in high school who wanted to be a hiphop artist, to working under President
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photos by Jane Ma, Public Relations MUSC volunteers partner with Communities in Schools workers at the Burke High School event. Obama as the regional director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He told the students that life is about taking opportunities and maximizing the highs and not quitting during the lows. “There is nothing you can’t do,” was Gunn’s message to the students. Page Hatley, volunteer coordinator for CIS, said she particularly likes the
emphasis placed on mentorship and building lasting relationships. “One of the things we constantly repeat at CIS is ‘Programs don’t change people — relationships do.’” Ellington agreed: “I really hope that if there’s one thing the kids take away from this symposium, it’s how important it is to be well-rounded and build life-long connections to be prepared for life after high school.”
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