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Rounds WSU reaffirms trust between
scientists, public Wayne State University's School of Medicine joined 300 institutions in reaffirming its commitment to preserving the rights and welfare of all individuals who volunteer to participate in human subjects research. The pledge, sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges, comes as a bi-partisan group of congressmen introduced legislation to significantly enhance the protections provided to patients involved in clinical research. “Research participants’ welfare has always been the top priority at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine,” said Dean John Crissman. “Our volunteers give us the greatest gift possible by entrusting us with their lives to let us find ways to help other people live better and longer. We would not risk one of our most important assets by treating them without respect for their safety.” The School of Medicine signed the pledge to make clear its continuing commitment to the protection of patients’ rights and safety as well as its duty to uphold ethical standards in the pursuit of knowledge. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), John Mica (R-Fla.) and Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) introduced The Human Research Subject Protection Act of 2000 in June. The bill, if enacted, would require all institutional review boards (IRBs) to be accredited by a nonprofit private entity. It also calls for further education for research investigators and IRB members about human subject protection. BAT ultrasound technology offered for prostate
cancer The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is the first cancer center in Michigan to offer B-mode acquisition and targeting (BAT) ultrasound technology for prostate cancer patients. Previously, radiation oncologists mapped out the location of the prostate with computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, which were performed only during the initial stages of treatment planning. Because the prostate naturally shifts position from day to day, the radiation beam from the linear accelerator may not always hit its planned target during successive treatments. BAT ultrasound works in tandem with the linear accelerator to map the precise tumor location prior to each treatment. In conventional treatments, doctors add a margin of five to 10 millimeters around the prostate to compensate for prostate movement. With BAT, the treatment margin is significantly reduced to around two millimeters, said Dr. Jeffrey Forman, chairman of the Gershenson Radiation Oncology Center at the Karmanos Cancer Institute. “BAT takes prostate cancer treatment to a new level of precision and efficiency,” he said. Studies
test cholesterol drugs in preventing stroke Seemant Chaturvedi, MD, associate professor of neurology, will participate in a global study to determine whether atorvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, is effective in preventing strokes. Wayne State University School of Medicine will be the only study site in Michigan. Atorvastatin, also known commercially as Lipitor, is commonly used to treat heart disease and prevent second heart attacks. This will be the first study conducted to see whether the drug is useful in preventing strokes or mini-strokes after a first occurrence. “Stroke prevention is more complex than it was 15 to 20 years ago,” Dr. Chaturvedi said. “If it proves useful, we will have another weapon in stroke prevention.” The study will recruit 4,200 patients who have LDL cholesterol between 100 and 190 and have had either a stroke or a mini-stroke within the past six months. Participants, who will be given either 80 mg of atorvastatin or a placebo, will receive all health monitoring, doctor visits and study medication free of charge. Clinical faculty members listed as “examples of best physicians” The August 2000 issue of Town & Country published a guide to primary-care physicians. More than half of the doctors listed in Michigan are clinical faculty members at Wayne State University. According to the magazine, the list provides “examples of the best physicians in the country.” It is not meant to be comprehensive, but lists outstanding primary-care physicians in the United States. The following WSU faculty members were included: William Briston, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine William Carion, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine Allan Dobzyniak, MD, internal medicine instructor Luke Elliott, MD, assistant professor of family medicine Mary Beth Hardwicke, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine Paula Jean Kim, MD, associate professor of family medicine Frederick Michael, DO, associate professor of internal medicine Rehab Institute ranked in U.S. News The Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) has been ranked among the best hospitals in the country for rheumatology in the 11th annual edition of U.S. News’ “America’s Best Hospitals.” This is the first time RIM has been included in the poll, which ranked RIM #39. According to editors, all institutions listed among the top 50 hospitals in any specialty are considered leading centers. DMC practices telemedicine with Brazilian
hospital The Detroit Medical Center (DMC) has entered an international telemedicine relationship with Santa Cruz Hospital of Curitiba, Brazil. The new partnership will further Santa Cruz’s strengths in urology, pathology and radiology and will allow international physicians to bring their more complicated cases to DMC hospitals. “This relationship is designed to use telemedicine as a second opinion tool and to use physician relationships to bring patients to the United States for actual treatment at the DMC,” said Dr. J. Edson Pontes, vice president of the DMC’s International Center and professor and chair of urology. Santa Cruz, a 250-bed full-service hospital, is recognized as one of the top hospitals in Brazil. Curitaba, located in southern Brazil, is home to approximately two million people. Dr. Zafonte to serve as chairman at University of Pittsburgh Ross Zafonte, DO, who has served as interim chairs of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Wayne State University School of Medicine for about a year, is stepping down from his position to take a job as professor and chairman of the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Steven Hinderer, MD, will replace Dr. Zafonte as interim chair of the department. Dr. Zafonte also is stepping down as interim president of the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, but will stay involved by helping to complete several Traumatic Brain Injury model system projects.
Changes in student services Medical students experienced a few changes upon their return to classes this fall. Kate Connors has joined the Office of Student Affairs as counselor for the Class of 2004. Georgia Wilder, who had served as counselor for eight years, is now director of co-curricular programs in the Office of Academic and Student Programs. New counselor Kate Connors joins the school with a wealth of experience dealing with both students and the patients they are being trained to help. In her most recent position, Connors worked extensively with graduate students in psychology and social work as part of Detroit Receiving Hospital’s Crime Victims Intervention Project. A certified social worker, Connors also counseled the center’s patients: crime victims with spinal cord, orthopaedic and traumatic brain injuries. While viewing her experience in crisis counseling as a plus, Connors feels that an important part of her new role working with first-year medical students is to help avoid crises. “It will be important for me to insure that first-year students have a solid understanding of the office and of the services we can provide,” she said. “The students need to know that they don’t have to wait for a crisis situation to come to us.” Former counselor Georgia Wilder has been named the school’s director of co-curricular activities. This newly created position will allow the school to better coordinate the countless outreach and volunteer programs conducted each year by its students. “Co-curricular
programming provides our students with the chance to work hands-on with
the client population they will be in contact with later in medical
school and throughout their careers. It also allows them to begin to
better understand health care and its delivery,” Wilder said. Office of Student Affairs Counselors 2000-2001 Class of 2004
Class of 2002 Class of 2001
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