NEWS

Research Week Awards

Award for Excellence in Clinical Education Research

This award, new in 2009, recognizes original educational scholarship that is both significant to Baystate’s educational programs and to the wider field of clinical education.

Quantitative Education Research Award

A “Back to Basic” Approach to Reduce ED Medication Errors

• Fidelia Blank, RN, MN, MBA, Research Coordinator, Department of Emergency Medicine

• Myra Dinoia, RN, MSN

• Marcia Jaouen, RN

• Sandra Macomber, RN, BSN, CEN, Department of Emergency Medicine

• Judith Tobin, RN, BSN

• Paul Visintainer, PhD, Director of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Division of Academic Affairs

Qualtitative Education Research Award

Ethical Dilemmas in the Reflective Writing of Clerkship Students

• Elisabeth Bennett, PhD, Director of Education, Division of Academic Affairs

• Thomas Campfield, MD, Department of Pediatrics

• John O'Reilly, MD, Department of Pediatrics

Award for Significance in Research

The Significance of Common Bile Duct Dilatation in Older Adults

• Abdullah Shaikh, MD, Internal Medicine resident
  

Award for Innovation in Research

Dexamethasone Increases Bupivacaine Analgesia Duration in Ultrasound Guided Iinterscalene Blocks

• George C. Tsao, DO, MPH, Anesthesiology resident
  

Award for Outstanding Achievements in Clinical Research

• Maripat Toye, RN, MS, Department of Pediatrics

Description of Research Week Awards)

Kevin Hinchey MD, Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Awarded the 2009 Zucker Clinical Teaching Prize for Outstanding Innovation in Clinical Teaching

Tufts University School of Medicine's Milton O. M’30 and Natalie V. Zucker Clinical Teaching Prize for Outstanding Innovation in Clinical Teaching recognizes faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to clinical teaching.

Dr. Hinchey was selected for the exemplary dedication and creativity he has brought to teaching internal medicine. According to Michael Rosenblatt, Dean, Tufts University School of Medicine, "Students clearly recognize his gift for teaching. He has set the standard for teaching and his standard is high indeed." The Zucker prize gives him formal recognition from his peers as well— Zucker prize recipients are nominated by their peers, then selected by the Tufts University School of Medicine Curriculum Committee.

This award and $2,500 prize will be presented to Dr. Hinchey at the Tufts University School of Medicine General Faculty Meeting on June 1, 2009.

Mihaela Stefan MD, Division of General Medicine & Geriatrics, Awarded Natalie V. Zucker Research Center for Women Scholars Grant

Dr. Mihaela Stefan, who is the Director of Simulation Training for the Internal Medicine residency program, is 1 of 8 applicants to receive the funding in 2009. In evaluating the 17 applications, the selection committee took into account:

• the potential of the applicant to develop a successful research career

• the impact of the award on the applicant's future career

• the scientific importance of her proposed research project.

The award is in the form of tuition money for a course in the Sackler program for clinical research.

The Zucker Center is devoted to furthering the research careers of women who are junior faculty at TUSM/Sackler or the major affiliated hospitals.

Baystate Researchers Capitalize on 1-Time Funding Opportunity Provided by Economic Stimulus Recovery & Other Funds

Sponsored Programs Administration Facilitates the Submission of 21 Proposals Totaling $8.5 Million

During the 3-month period from March to May, Baystate's research community vigorously responded to the availability of additional federal research and public/community service grants with a deluge of proposals covering a wide range of research, academic, and community concerns. Due to the stiff competition for funding dollars, it is anticipated that awards may be significantly lower than submitted proposals. 

Stimulus Funds Research Proposals

The Center for Quality of Care Research, headed by Dr. Peter Lindenauer, was a key proposal participant in 5 different grants totaling $2.1M and involving collaborations with University of California at San Francisco, and the University of Chicago.

The Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute (PVLSI), headed by Dr. Paul Friedmann, submitted 6 projects totaling $1.8M.  These research projects are in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Other Stimulus Funds research proposals were submitted by:

• Dr. Mark Tidswell, Division of Critical Care Medicine

• Dr. Holly Allen, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology

• Drs. Sarah Perez-McAdoo and Heather Sankey, Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology

• Drs. Glenn Markenson, Michael Plevyak, and Roman Starikov, Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology

Stimulus Funds Public Service Proposals

Two significant projects were submitted totaling $1.2M. 

• Dr. Matt Sadoff, Department of Pediatrics, Chronic Disease Disparity Project written in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health

• Frank Robinson PhD, Director of Community Health Planning, project was a proposed Health Careers program.

Other Federal & Public/Community Funded Proposals

There were 4 non-Stimulus Funds submissions totaling $2.3 M.

• The Center for Quality of  Care Research submitted a $900K proposal for a project entitled "Contextual Factors Associated with Mortality Reductions within a I Collaborative."

• Dr. Stephen Boos submitted a $1 M federal proposal for a project related to the Family Advocacy Center.

• Drs. Saby Sen and Teru Jellerette each submitted proposals to the Mass Life Sciences Center, a state funded biotechnology program.

Summer Student Scholar Program Has Accepted 9 Undergraduates & 1 Medical Student for Its 2009 Program

The 10‑week summer program offers the students the opportunity to participate a research project from start to finish and present project outcomes to the scientific community. Students also receive formal classroom training and personalized application in research design, implementation, and publication.

Summer Student Scholar Research Projects

Final Presentations will be held on August 7, 2009 at 9:00 am at the Baystate Health Education Center, 361 Whitney Ave. If you wish to attend, please RSVP to Kristi McLeod at kristi.mcleod@baystatehealth.org.

Baystate Residents Shine at the National American Geriatric Society (AGS) Meeting in Chicago

Sandra Bellantonio MD Was Recognized for Outstanding Service to the Education Committee

Baystate's Internal Medicine residency was well-represented at the April 2009 AGS meeting—13 residents and 3 fellows attended. Their distinctions include:

• First place in the case reports category for the entire conference was won by resident Jackcy Jacob (Zulfiqar Chaudhry, co-author).

• Third place in the case reports category of the Residents' Session was won by residents Jaime Hernandez-Montfort & Ashish Arora.

• More than a quarter of all posters in the Residents' Session were authored by Baystate residents and 13 of their abstracts were published in the Society's journal.

• The current Residents' Section 2 co-presidents, Tara DuVal and Gina Luciano, are Baystate residents. Gina Luciano will continue on leading the group next year during her chief residency.

In addition, many Baystate residents and fellows assisted in a community outreach program at an area hospital and the Navy Pier that educated seniors about reducing falls and assessed their risk for falls.

Resident Posters

Honors Presidential Session

Gina Luciano, Jackcy Jacob, Jaime Hernandez-Montfort and Ashita Talsania

Residents' Session

Tara DuVal, Ashish Arora, Fei Gu, Theodore Hartenstein, Senthil Sivalingam, Emily Baiyee, Amit Bhargava, Ranjit Dhelaria, Manmeet Singh, Gina Luciano, Jackcy Jacob, Jaime Hernandez-Montfort and Ashita Talsania

General Session

Tara DuVal, Fei Gu, Theodore Hartenstein, Amit Bhargava, Mayu Sekiguchi, Senthil Sivalingam and Ranjit Dhelaria

Faculty Involvement

Drs. Maura Brennan and Sandra Bellantonio served as faculty or chairs for a number of workshops and committees, judged the research section of the residents' poster session, and were involved in the Association of Directors of Geriatrics Academic Programs annual meeting, and a planning meeting for chapter authors of an upcoming case-based geriatrics textbook. In addition, Dr. Maura Brennan was instrumental in organizing the residents' poster session and clinical skills programming workshops.

New Academic Year Starts July 6 for Third & Fourth Year Medical Students

TUSM has 32 third year students spending the entire year at Baystate while they complete their five core clerkships.

Baystate's Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship
Re-accredited for 5 Years

The Residency Review Committee for Pediatrics gave the Pediatric Fellowship program its 5-year accreditation—the maximum accreditation cycle length—at its March 29, 2009 meeting. Holley Allen, MD is the Program Director.

James A. Stewart MD, Chief, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Promoted to Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine

Niels Kumar Rathlev MD, Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Appointed Professor of Emergency Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine