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AlumniDukeMed News ALL 2001 F A Laying On of Hands A medical mission from Duke helps in Honduras MAA 2001 Awards able as he leads the School of Medicine through a present an unsolved problem in current medicine, and time of unprecedented challenge and promise. He the students will be asked to think creatively about majored in public and international affairs as an how to solve it. Students and faculty will discuss the undergraduate at Princeton University. When he sud- advantages and disadvantages of the proposed solu- denly discovered he loved science during his junior tions. “Our curriculum is so demanding today, some- year of biology, he opted not to switch majors. For his times the adventure of medicine can get lost if you SCHOOL OF MEDICINE thesis, he wrote a novel about a boy coming of age don’t keep challenging students,” says Williams. in the turbulent 1960s. Even now, his favorite part of SCHOOL OF MEDICINE a research project is “when all the science is done, the results are in, and it’s time to communicate the discovery in writing.” Opportunities will be seized by people who can How is that relevant in an era of high tech sci- “connect and communicate across disciplines. ence and genomic research? “Opportunities will be seized by people who can connect and communi- Chemistry, biology, engineering, psychology, cate across disciplines,” says Williams. “Chemistry, biology, engineering, psychology, mathematics, mathematics, computer science—we need all the computer science—we need all the components to components to make it work. make it work.” Williams believes the necessary components are ” present for Duke to lead what he anticipates will be a dizzying pace of progress in biological science over While he clearly enjoys talking about opportunities the next 10 to 15 years. “Duke is well positioned to more than problems, Williams is well aware of the lead at every step,” says Williams. “We have the economic threat to the educational mission of aca- opportunity to conduct transforming scientific work demic medicine. Ironically, at a time of such excite- through internal collaboration-—that is a rare and ment and new knowledge, economic considerations very exciting opportunity.” are discouraging many physicians from pursuing seri- According to Williams, practicing physicians will ous careers in science. The cost of medical education, have new opportunities to lead discoveries in the era difficulty of getting started in research, and declining of genomic science. Clinical knowledge is essential for physician salaries cause many to think twice before posing research questions in a way that will yield the pursuing a career in academic medicine. “There is a most useful information about gene-environment real shortage of people dedicated to research who DukeMed AlumniNews is published quarterly by the Duke interactions. With technological advances in gene also have the clinical knowledge to ask the right Medical Alumni Association. analysis and the information provided through the questions,” says Williams. Because of Duke’s empha- The current and archived issues are available online at School of Medicine Graduate Takes the Helm Human Genome Project, the emphasis has switched sis on research in medical school, there are still plenty http://medalum.mc.duke.edu. from identifying rare genes that cause catastrophic of promising physician-scientists in the alumni Your comments, ideas, and letters to the editor are welcome. R. Sanders “Sandy” Williams, MD’74, HS’74, ‘77-’80 cardiology fellowship at Duke, spent a total of 10 diseases to studying how genes contribute to com- pipeline, but the medical school will be challenged to Please contact us at: years on the Duke faculty from 1980 to 1990—inter- mon diseases. “Real clinical expertise and discerning help them manage their debt and launch their DukeMed AlumniNews is the sixth dean of the School of Medicine, but he spersed with visiting professorships at Oxford observation by physicians will make the critical differ- research careers. 512 S. Mangum St., Suite 400 Durham, N.C. 27701-3973 is the first dean to hold a Duke medical degree. University and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory—before ence” in translating genetic understanding into new “I have a romantic notion about Duke—about e-mail: [email protected] settling at the University of Texas Southwestern interventions to benefit patients, says Williams. For what Duke should be,” says Williams. “Students still Ellen Luken Medical Center in Dallas in 1990. At UT Southwestern example, in one novel experiment now underway at come here to learn how to live lives that will be satis- Executive Director, He says his Duke degree and the experience of earn- he was a professor of internal medicine, biochemistry, Duke, the operating room serves as a laboratory for fying to themselves and also to prepare for careers as Medical Alumni Affairs and External Relations ing it profoundly shaped his career and led him to and molecular biology; chief of cardiology; and direc- comparing the genetic make-up of patients who leaders in service to medicine and society. I’m aspire to become a “triple threat”—an outstanding tor of the Ryburn Center for Molecular Biology. In respond well to the anesthesia and surgery with pleased at how many of our students rally to this Editor Marty Fisher physician, researcher, and educator. addition to being a world leader in molecular cardiol- those who develop complications. noble mission.” Contributing writers “I would not have become a physician-scientist if I ogy research, Williams has won praise for teaching Solving medical problems has always demanded a Laura Ertel Kathy Roberts Forde had not had the experience of Duke’s unique third and for leading the growth of clinical programs. certain level of creativity and imagination. More than Art Director Lacey Chylack year of research,” says Williams. “I think I’m one of While his medical education prepared him to excel ever, those qualities will determine the success of Graphic Designer many alumni who would say that.” as a basic scientist, clinical researcher, and medical tomorrow’s physician leaders, says Williams. One of Jeff Crawford Photography After graduation and a residency at Massachusetts educator, Williams believes his background in the his first innovations at Duke will be the Dean’s Duke University Photography General Hospital, Williams returned to complete a humanities gave him insights that will prove invalu- Seminar for medical students. Guest speakers will Produced by the Office of Creative Services and Publications. Copyright Duke University Medical Center, 2001 MCOC-2850 2 DukeMedAlumniNews DukeMedAlumniNews 3 Favorite Mentor Retires MAA Offers Discounted If you asked recent Duke medical grad- Disability Protection NEWS uates to name the mentor who had Recent changes in the disability insurance marketplace provide benefits if a physican can no longer perform in NEWS the greatest impact on their lives, you have left many physicians without adequate protection a particular specialty, regardless of whether he or she may be surprised to learn that “MD” against disability. Many insurance policies define disabil- works in another occupation. doesn’t follow the name given most ity as being unable to perform any occupation—being Last year, a major insurance company terminated often. Likely they would name unable to practice in a particular specialty, or even as an coverage for physicians at Duke, Harvard, and about Andrew Puckett, G’73, PhD, who MD, would not qualify many physicians for disability 40 other practice plans. Luken says statistics indicate holds a master’s in theology in pastoral benefits. Additionally, plans can be cancelled, amended, disability insurance is a wise investment. Nearly one- psychology from Duke Divinity School or have premiums increased at any time. third of all individuals become disabled between the and received his doctorate in adult and In response to this problem, the Medical Alumni ages of 35 and 65, according to figures from the higher education from UNC-Chapel Association has teamed up with the Benefits Planning American Society of Actuaries. The average disability Hill. He has worked as a volunteer Group to offer individual disability policies that are own- lasts for five years but more than 30 percent of individuals prison chaplain, pastor of a small rural occupation-specific, non-cancellable, and available to remain disabled for life. Forty-eight percent of all home Baptist church, high school science Duke medical alumni, in states where the plan is avail- foreclosures are directly related to disability. teacher, mental hospital chaplain, and able, at a discounted rate. “This is the finest individual The new Duke plan is being offered to Duke School as chaplain and counselor for pediatric disability policy available on the market,” says Ellen of Medicine and house staff alumni. According to the cancer patients and their families at the Medical College Luken, executive director of alumni affairs and external terms of this plan, once qualified and enrolled, partici- of Virginia. In 1987, at the urging of then-dean Doyle relations. “We are pleased to be able to offer it.” pants can never be cancelled as long as premiums are Graham, MD’66, PhD’71, Puckett came to Duke as an The most restrictive disability insurance policies define paid, and policy definitions and premiums can never be associate dean for medical education. He and Graham disability as being unable to earn a living in any occu- changed. Alumni interested in receiving quotes created a unique advisory dean program for medical pation. Others define it as being unable to perform a or more information should call Price French, vice students, which was modeled after the small-group particular occupation for a short period of time (two to president, Benefits Planning Group, Durham, N.C., learning format experienced in clinical pastoral educa- five years) and thereafter any occupation.