Temple Health NEWS DIGEST for All Faculty, Physicians, Students and Staff of Temple’S Healthcare Enterprise
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JULY 2019 Temple Health NEWS DIGEST For all faculty, physicians, students and staff of Temple’s healthcare enterprise. Making Progress: Let Me Count the Ways Numbers aren’t everything. First SPEECH Conference Held at Temple But many in this It’s only been seven months since issue of the News Temple University, Fox Chase Digest illustrate the Cancer Center and Hunter College outstanding work that in New York were awarded a $13.5 you do. million National Cancer Institute For example: TUH ranked grant for SPEECH (Synergistic No. 33 in Pennsylvania in Partnership for Enhancing Equity Forbes magazine’s “America’s in Cancer Health) yet much Best Employers by State” list. progress has been made toward the goal of reducing cancer health Another: More than 1,300 guests attended the disparities in minorities and 66th Annual Acres of Diamonds Gala – which encouraging diversity in the field raised a record-breaking $1.5 million for TUH. of cancer research. This became One more: TUH’s Palliative Care Team clear during the partnership’s first U54 trainee and Center for Asian Health Research Project received the inaugural Award for Team conference, held in late May at Associate Tyrell Mann-Barnes (TU biology ‘19) presenting Excellence from the Pennsylvania Hospice the Lewis Katz School of Medicine his research on cancer health-related outcomes among and Palliative Care Network – recognizing (LKSOM). HIV-positive populations to U54 trainee Elizabeth Yi (TU their 10 years of interprofessional leadership sociology ‘21). “We are excited. The conference and clinical excellence. gave everyone who has been Many number-related topics in this issue involved in the grant the opportunity to gather together and share their work and research,” said are impressive—including the story of Grace Ma, PhD, Principal Investigator of the grant and Associate Dean for Health Disparities— Steve Vinciguerra, a patient whose coronary who also serves as Director of the Center for Asian Health, Laura H. Carnell Professor, and blockages were detected and corrected, Professor of Clinical Sciences at LKSOM. thanks to a Carpenters Union preventive “Over the two-day conference, which included an external advisory board meeting, team leaders care partnership with Temple. Mr. Vinciguerra reported on their progress and accomplishments since launch,” Dr. Ma said. “This progress has now volunteers with the American Heart been significant.” Association’s “Home Run for Hearts” program. Do I think one patient’s life is worth highlighting? You bet I do. Larry R. Kaiser, MD, FACS The Lewis Katz Dean, Lewis Katz School of Medicine Senior Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Temple University The first-ever SPEECH Regional Cancer Health Disparity Conference was well attended over its two days. President and CEO, Temple University Health System Professor, Thoracic Medicine and Surgery (Continued on page 2) 1 JULY 2019 NEWS DIGEST (Continued from page 1) Making Progress: First SPEECH Conference Held at Temple Consider some of the accomplishments in Year One: ■ 52 new trainees have been recruited from all academic levels from Hunter College and Temple/Fox Chase Cancer Center— bringing the total number to 76 trainees (mentored by 47 faculty). The trainees have delivered 32 scientific presentations (three received awards) and have submitted 19 grant applications for cancer disparity research in underserved minority communities. ■ Three research studies have been launched looking at lung cancer in African Eight poster award recipients pictured with National Cancer Institute Program Directors, SPEECH Partnership Principal Investigators, and Research Education Core Co-Leaders. Americans, liver cancer in the Asian- Pacific population, and colon cancer in eliminate cancer disparities in our underserved communities and to build diversity in the next African Americans. generation of cancer researchers.” ■ Community core leaders have engaged The SPEECH conference attracted 170 attendees, including the Deputy Director and Program community leaders, trainees and Directors of the National Cancer Institute’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities. Larry clinicians to work together to launch a R. Kaiser, MD, FACS, The Lewis Katz Dean at the School of Medicine and President and CEO of regional liver cancer prevention campaign Temple University Health System, and Michele Masucci, PhD, Vice President for Research at using social media, bus-route posters in Temple University, welcomed attendees to the conference and commented on the importance of Philadelphia, and community health fairs their work. in New York City. The keynote speaker, Amelie Ramirez, DrPH—Professor and Interim Chair of Epidemiology and “These accomplishments are harbingers of Biostatistics and Director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at University of Texas what is to come in the next four years,” Dr. Health, San Antonio—inspired attendees with personal stories of her own journey to becoming a Ma said. “I firmly believe that together we successful cancer health disparity professor and researcher. will build roads to better cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment to reduce and In addition to numerous speakers, workshops and networking opportunities, the SPEECH conference also featured 48 posters presented by trainees. Temple Hosts 11th Annual Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium The 11th Annual Philadelphia Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium, held at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine in early June, was hosted by the school’s Office for Continuing Medical Education. Attracting 150 participants, this regional conference focused on the latest approaches to treating severely injured patients with open fractures, periprosthetic fractures, complex upper extremity injuries, and more common injuries such as ankle, hip and wrist fractures. “Last year, we took a leap away from the standard lecture format and went to a structured, case-based didactic format,” said event Co-Chair Saqib Rehman, MD, MBA, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at LKSOM and Director of Orthopaedic Trauma at Temple University Hospital. “This year, we tried to improve on that, in addition to offering small group discussions, hands-on fracture fixation skills labs, and resident/student research posters and presentations.” “I’m particularly proud to see how the orthopaedic community from across the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys comes together every year, right here on North Broad Street, in addition to the incredible visiting faculty we continue to attract,” he continued. “Events like this affirm Temple’s commitment to educating and training surgeons and their teams in the latest cutting-edge treatments to improve the care of their patients.” Hands-on workshops were some of the most popular activities at the 11th Annual Philadelphia Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium. 2 JULY 2019 NEWS DIGEST Congratulations,Class of 2019! America’s newest physicians recite the Oath of Geneva. If there was a single, overriding message at the 117th commencement He cautioned the graduates that their patients would enter their souls for the Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM), it was this: Cultivate and that they will be confronted by their powerlessness over death. your personal connections. But it’s essential that they allow themselves to feel it, all of it, Dr. O’Gurek said, because coping with emotional anguish is a natural “Your fund of academic knowledge won’t make a bit of difference if part of the process of becoming a doctor. you can’t establish personal connections with your patients and your colleagues. It all begins with that,” said Larry R. Kaiser, MD, FACS, The Class president Brenton Halsey, MD, encouraged his classmates to Lewis Katz Dean at the School of Medicine and President and CEO of consider, before they dispersed into the world and embarked on a the Temple University Health System, at the May 10 ceremony at the spectrum of new experiences, why LKSOM was a special place to train. Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “Never lose sight of the human “Temple has always understood the importance of accessible health drive that brought you to medicine in the first place. Half the cure is care. This, in turn, has taught us to advocate for others.” the care. Absent human connection, medicine is transactional.” “You learned that the expansion of social conscience is central Nurture your internal connections, too, Dr. Kaiser told the Class of to medicine. That medicine is not medicine if it does not address 2019—the first to spend all four years under the Lewis Katz School the social determinants of health,” Dr. Kaiser said earlier in the of Medicine banner. commencement, touching on the same sentiment. “You also learned that we all have hidden biases and assumptions that govern how we “You must build within yourself a shelter to weather every storm,” operate. Consciousness-raising is the only antidote. Let every day be he said. “Make a sacred pact with yourself to find solace in your Martin Luther King Day, a day in which we prize diversity, inclusion, own thoughts and to trust your inner resources.” An inner sanctuary equity, and service in the name of better health. This is a professional enables physicians to build a “sanctuary” for patients, Dr. Kaiser said, imperative. And a moral one.” protected from market forces and regulatory pressures. Gerald Sterling, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for Education, served as In the increasingly technologized field of medicine, you must remain the Master of Ceremonies. He and Scott Shore, PhD, Associate Dean relevant, said keynote speaker Arthur “Tim” Garson, MD, MPH, MACC, for Graduate Programs, read the names of all the graduates as they Professor of Management, Policy, and Community Health at The were hooded by the faculty and received their diploma from University of Texas School of Public Health. Dr. Kaiser. “Algorithms will beat us in diagnosing patients soon. It will only be a matter of time before procedures follow suit,” Dr. Garson said. “We need to begin cataloging the things that humans do well and that can’t be replicated by technology, like warmth and empathy. “This is not about keeping up.