Archived News and Events - 2009
COM Students Give UTK Undergrads Advice from the Medical School Trenches
University of Tennessee, Knoxville undergraduates enrolled in Introduction to Health Care Delivery often rely on advisors' recommendations for medical school acceptance, but during a panel discussion at the UT Graduate School of Medicine, students received advice from current UT Health Science Center College of Medicine students for medical school survival.
Sitting on the panel moderated by course instructor Richard Obenour, MD, UTGSM Professor of Medicine, were Alex Cravanas, M3, Ian Reinemeyer, M4, Sam Huddleston, M3, Shane Kelley, M4, Rob Jones, M4, Brian Wheeler, M4, and Jason Williams, M4, who are completing rotations at the Graduate School of Medicine.
Several recurring suggestions emerged from the discussion.
Choose an undergraduate major you enjoy. The panel agreed that medical students learn most, if not everything, they need to know in medical school. However, while medical school may cover a breadth of topics, time spent on each topic may be brief. Also, medical schools will place more weight on grades earned in science classes.
Gain work experience. The medical students suggested working in hospitals and research labs as undergraduates. Jones and Reinemeyer stressed the importance of being named on publications when working in research. Williams noted that you have to be proactive to get work experience. Get to know your professors and ask if they need assistance.
Take foreign language classes seriously. The medical students agreed that knowing even a couple of Spanish phrases can be a great asset in the clinic.
Enjoy life experiences as an undergraduate. The panel stressed the importance of enjoying life and drawing on unique experiences during medical school interviews. They agreed that students who have a passion for medicine will do well in school regardless of their circumstances.
Undergraduate students found the panel's advice informative and relevant. Comments included that this class discussion gave a new perspective because panel members are currently in medical school and that it was the "best class so far."
The Graduate School of Medicine offers programs to high school and college students who wish to pursue careers in medicine. Learn more about the Medical Explorations Program and the Collman Medical Student Educational Endowment. Application information to these programs will be available in late fall.
Posted: October 29, 2009
Medicine Residents Represent UTGSM Excellence at Regional College of Physicians Meeting
University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine Internal Medicine residents attended the American College of Physicians 2009 Tennessee Chapter Scientific Meeting in Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 11-12, where they gained insight into recent medical advances and discussed local and national issues affecting the practice and teaching of internal medicine.
As part of the program, the UT Graduate School of Medicine resident team, including second-year residents Brad Bauer, DO, Jeremiah Bivins, MD, Christie Carringer, MD, and Susan Paul, MD, and third-year resident Mike Carringer, MD, participated in the Tennessee Chapter Town Meeting Associates' Medical Jeopardy. Scoring third against nine resident teams, GSM residents received double jeopardy and final jeopardy points with identification of skin rashes and answers to questions in epidemiology, hematology-oncology, gastroenterology, pulmonary diseases and infectious diseases.
Dr. Christie Carringer was awarded second place out of 31 participants in the poster presentation competition for her poster, "An Unusual Cause of a Common Complaint: Extensive Dural Venous Thrombosis Presenting as a Headache." She was also selected as one of only four oral presentations given at the meeting. Her faculty mentor was Daphne Norwood, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor and Residency Associate Program Director.
Each residency program was limited to four poster presentations. Graduate School of Medicine posters also included the following:
Jeremiah Bivins, MD
"A 'Small' Rare Discovery within Barrett's Esophagus"
Co-authored by Sarah Hamler, DO, and faculty mentor Mark Anderson, MD
R. Brad Bauer, DO
"Rhodococcus equi Brain Abscess Presenting as Seizure"
Co-authored by Jeremy Bigge, DO, and faculty mentors Paul Branca, MD, and Mark Rasnake, MD
Susan Paul, MD
"Norwegian Scabies: A Case Report"
Co-authored by faculty mentor Kimberly Morris, MD
Posted: October 28, 2009
Discover How GSM Is Impacting the World in The Scope, Online Now
University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine faculty, staff, residents and fellows make significant contributions to the Graduate School of Medicine as well as their professions. Their accomplishments demonstrate how together the GSM makes an impact in the community and throughout the world. See how they have touched your community in The Scope October 2009 issue.
Posted: October 27, 2009
Rural Surgery Rotation During Surgical Residency Has Impact
General Surgery physicians at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine found that initiating a three-month general surgery rotation during the senior resident year prompted more residents to choose to practice in a rural setting as compared with residents prior to the rural rotation, helping to fill a growing need.
The American Surgeon recently published an article, "Rural Surgery Rotation During Surgical Residency," by UT Graduate School of Medicine General Surgery resident John Milligan, MD, and faculty Henry S. Nelson, MD, Division Chief; Matthew Mancini, MD; and Mitchell Goldman, MD, Chair and Residency Program Director.
Learn more about the General Surgery rural rotation at the UT Graduate School of Medicine, featured on Page 21 of the Summer 2009 issue of Frontiers magazine. Frontiers is a quarterly publication produced by the University of Tennessee Medical Center and UT Graduate School of Medicine.
Posted: October 21, 2009
Preston Medical Library Open House to Celebrate 'Fishing for Information' Oct. 23
"Fishing for Information" is the theme for National Medical Librarians Month and University of Tennessee Preston Medical Library staff want the community to know that when you are fishing for health information, the services at Preston Medical Library are available to help you. Join Preston Library staff at an annual Open House Friday, Oct. 23, from 2-4 p.m., to learn more about the health information resources available to the community. For more information, contact Preston Library at 865-305-9525.
Posted: October 19, 2009
'Prescription for Success' Participants Ask for Second Dose
Knoxville-area residents learned that reliable health information is available on the Web in a "Prescription for Success" class taught at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine Preston Medical Library.
Martha Earl, Assistant Director, guided participants through the basics of MedlinePlus.gov to cover a range of topics including how to find disease-related information, how to determine a physician’s qualifications, how to compare hospitals, where to find drug and herbal information, and how to identify a medication by physical properties.
Participants with varying medical backgrounds found the class informative and were excited to apply what they learned.
Barbara Smith, who has previously used Preston Medical Library’s Consumer and Patient Health Information Service, said she will use the training to learn more about her brother’s illness.
"I got a great deal of knowledge of where to look for information. I didn’t know I could find out about the doctors, which was very informative," Smith said.
Carolyn H. Pittman, a semi-retired registered nurse with a master’s degree in nursing, also found the class informative. Pittman said she was familiar with Medline because of her nursing training, but she was not aware that MedlinePlus is available to consumers. She hopes to use the consumer training in her future volunteer efforts.
Preston Medical Library offers a Consumer and Patient Health Information Service at no cost to assist patients and their family members in finding information on health-related topics. For more information on this service, contact Preston Library at 865-305-9525.
Posted: October 8, 2009
CEM Seminar Takes Journey with Dr. Jon Wall: The Road to the Bedside
Breakthroughs in medicine often provide new methods of diagnosing or treating diseases, with the potential to affect patient care worldwide. Each time a patient benefits from a new treatment or even a new medication, years of research are culminating in an improved quality of life. Jonathan Wall, PhD, Director of the Preclinical and Diagnostic Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Professor of Medicine, Human Immunology and Cancer Program, will present, "The Road to the Bedside," at the University of Tennessee Comparative and Experimental Medicine Seminar Series, Oct. 12, 12-1p.m., Sequoyah Room, Veterinary Medicine Building, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His presentation will bring to life how an idea becomes a reality in the laboratory.
Posted: October 7, 2009
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