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BULLETINHMS Faculty CouncilAt the Nov. 29 Faculty Council meeting, William Silen, the Johnson and Johnson distinguished professor of surgery, reviewed the accomplishments and future goals of the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity. Joseph Martin, dean of the Faculty of Medicine, noting that Silen would be stepping down as of Jan. 1, lauded him for his extraordinary efforts over the past six years in his role as dean for faculty development and diversity. Minority PipelineSilen reported that during the past 10 years, 10 percent of underrepresented minority medical student participants in the visiting clerkship program have matriculated to residencies in HMS hospitals. Similar success has been seen at the high school level, where student participants in the Biomedical Science Careers Program have gone on to medical school.Silen emphasized the importance of developing formal mentoring programs both at HMS and the affiliated hospitals. His office has worked closely with the offices for faculty and career development at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the newest office at Children's Hospital. Following Silen's remarks, a vigorous discussion ensued about ways to recruit and retain underrepresented minority faculty at HMS and its affiliates. One means discussed was to increase the number of visiting clerkship slots available to underrepresented minority students, since the best recruiting tool is a positive hands-on experience. It was also suggested that collaborative residency programs could be set up between HMS and minority medical schools and teaching hospitals. This had been done successfully in the late '60s and early '70s in a program arranged by Francis Moore, the Moseley emeritus professor of surgery, between Brigham and Women's and Harlem Hospital. Martin said it was discouraging to be unable to sustain the pipeline. He noted that at UCSF, which was perceived to have a friendlier climate toward minorities, efforts were similarly frustrated. Martin indicated that he will report back to the Faculty Council after his meeting with the residency program directors and after the department heads' retreat in February. He noted that currently a Dana–Farber Cancer Institute search committee under the chairmanship of Fred Li, professor of medicine, is trying to recruit a senior level underrepresented minority faculty member and that James Mongan, president of MGH, has vowed to work to change the perception that MGH is an inhospitable environment for underrepresented minorities. Further, Martin said that the recruitment of a person of color to the MGH senior level faculty is a high priority. He indicated that he would contact the deans of major historically black medical schools to explore the possibility of exchange programs and other arrangements. DMS ReviewAn overview and update of the PhD programs in the Division of Medical Sciences was given by Thomas Fox, associate dean for graduate education and vice chair of the division, and Thomas Roberts, faculty dean for graduate education and chairman of the division.The division currently enrolls 507 students in its programs, of which approximately 10 percent are MD–PhD students. Students are split evenly by gender, and 10 to 12 percent are underrepresented minorities. There are four PhD programs in DMS. The largest of these, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, enrolls 60 to 65 percent of the division's students and involves half of its faculty. In addition, there are programs in immunology, neuroscience, and virology. The heads of these four programs are, respectively, Connie Cepko, Hidde Ploegh, Jonathan Cohen, and Elliott Kieff. Currently, 70 percent of DMS graduates go on to postdoctoral study. Within the past three years, the number of graduates immediately entering the private sector has risen to 20 percent. This includes graduates entering the biotech sector, consulting, patent law, and teaching. The remaining 10 percent go on to clinical work. Four hundred faculty members participate in DMS. Each program has a committee composed of faculty from basic and clinical departments that reviews applications. Appointments and periodic reappointment are based on the suitability of the laboratory and faculty member for training graduate students, rather than postdoctoral fellows. Faculty members must be at the assistant professor or higher rank, have an independent lab and independent funding, show a strong commitment and indication of ability as a thesis advisor, and good mentoring skills. A factor that may be considered is whether the faculty member is located where a student would be in a strong academic setting with other students. FACULTY COUNCIL 2000–2001Joseph Martin, Chairperson, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Carol Nadelson, Vice Chairperson of the Faculty Council and Chairperson of the Faculty Council Docket Committee* Raphael Dolin, Dean for Clinical Programs, ex officio R. Bruce Donoff, Dean of HSDM, ex officio Eleanor Shore, Dean for Faculty Affairs, ex officio Mary Anne Badaracco, BID*
*Docket Committee members are indicated by an asterisk. Members of the faculty are encouraged to contact any of them, or any Faculty Council member, to comment on future agenda items or to share issues or concerns that might benefit from Faculty Council consideration. Nominations Being Sought for Society MastersDaniel Lowenstein, HMS dean for medical education, is convening a search committee to select new masters for the Walter Bradford Cannon Society and the Oliver Wendell Holmes Society. Stephen Krane and Daniel Goodenough will step down from their respective positions in June. Lowenstein and the committee are accepting nominations from faculty throughout the HMS community. The ideal candidates should be at the professor level, with recognized achievement and leadership in academic scholarship and the teaching, mentoring, and advising of medical students. A 50 percent time commitment is required with substantial involvement in the oversight of medical education at HMS. A complete description of the responsibilities of the master for each society is listed on eCommons under News and Events. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 12. Curricula vitae may be sent to Lowenstein in care of Ann Seymour Tremelling, director of academic administration, 260 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. Honors and AdvancesPfizer Inc. has awarded a Pfizer Postdoctoral Fellowship to Anthony Reginato, an HMS research fellow in cell biology. Reginato, one of two recipients in the category of rheumatology/immunology, will receive $65,000 per year for three years. He will pursue his research in the lab of Bjorn Olsen, the Hersey professor of cell biology. The American Medical Association honored Ronald Arky, the Charles S. Davidson distinguished professor of medicine and master of the Peabody Society, with the AMA Foundation Award for Health Education. Arky was recognized for his "contributions and leadership in health education through his dedication to care of indigent patients with diabetes by developing comprehensive services and cost effective care for African-American and Hispanic diabetes patients in Boston." Lee Schwamm, HMS assistant professor of neurology at Massa-chusetts General Hospital, has been named chairman of the American Stroke Association's Operation Stroke program in Boston. Schwamm, who is associate director of acute stroke services at MGH, will oversee the community-based program that helps to educate the public about stroke warning signs and the critical need for immediate emergency treatment. The Cancer Research Fund of the Damon Runyon–Walter Winchell Foundation has selected three HMS postdocs out of 18 nationwide to receive Runyon–Winchell postdoctoral fellowships. The prestigious award recognizes outstanding young scientists in cancer research. The three-year fellowships have been awarded to Adrian Salic, a research fellow in the lab of Timothy Mitchison, the Hasib Sabbagh professor of cell biology; Hector Viadiu Ilarraza, research fellow in the lab of Thomas Walz, assistant professor of cell biology; and Orion Weiner, a research fellow in the lab of Marc Kirschner, the Carl W. Walter professor of cell biology. Benjamin Bierbaum, an HMS clinical professor of orthopedic surgery, was named chairman of the Department of Orthopedics at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He will continue to serve as head of the Department of Orthopedics at New England Baptist Hospital, a position he has held for more than 25 years. The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has recognized two HMS faculty members with its 2000 Distinguished Clinical Investigator Award. Paul Ridker, an associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Alan D'Andrea, an HMS professor of pediatrics at the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, were among seven recipients of the $1.5 million award recognizing outstanding physician–scientists. D'Andrea has also been named the Ted Williams senior investigator at Dana–Farber. In recognition of his work on Fanconi anemia, the appointment brings financial support to his lab through pledges to the Jimmy Fund for basic and clinical research in children's cancer. An HMS instructor in psychiatry at McLean Hospital, John Halpern has received a Career Development Award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In May, he will cochair a workshop at the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting, "Hallucinogens: Illicit Use, Religious Use, and Current Psychiatric Research." Larry Strasburger, an HMS assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at McLean Hospital, was elected president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, an organization for forensic psychiatry. News BriefsThe HMS Department of Continuing Education has forged a pilot project with the Association of American Medical Colleges to jointly sponsor programs that address faculty development and administrative issues. The HMS Committee on Continuing Education will approve about 15 offerings for AMA/PRA category 1 credit during the next year. Programs may address the concerns of medical school deans and issues facing residents and academic societies. The Moseley Traveling Fellowship funds postdoctoral study for HMS graduates. Fellowships are for periods of no less than one year for research in the basic or clinical sciences. The Warren–Whitman– Richardson Fellowship provides a stipend for further training to scientists with an MD. This award is not restricted to graduates of HMS. The deadline for both awards is Feb. 9. For an application and more information on these awards, contact Kemith LeBlanc at 432-2663 or e-mail kemith_leblanc@hms.harvard.edu. |
