North Dakota Medicine

Spring–Summer 2010VOLUME 35, NUMBER 2–3www.ndmedicine.org

Congratulations!

Dr. Wynne, Our New Dean

2 NORTH DAKOTA MEDICINE Spring–Summer 2010

“AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OFcure.” Benjamin Franklin’s advice was about fire fighting inhis hometown of Philadelphia, advice that led to his helpingto found a fire insurance company in 1752 that does businessto this day. Franklin realized that major projects for thecommon good required everyone to sacrifice a little and pooltheir resources. His investment philosophy helped toestablish not only a fire insurance company but also a library,learning society, and a hospital—all of which are in existencetoday.

Two Trends Affecting North DakotaFranklin’s “ounce of prevention” is wise counsel for thefuture of health care. A looming health care workforceshortage is getting closer each day. Two significant trends areworth noting in 2010: first, the inexorable increase in boththe population of the United States and the number ofAmericans aged 65 and over; and second, the much flatterline in the number of physicians projected to be available tocare for Americans.

This year marks an inflection point in the rate of increasein the number of Baby Boomers who will turn 65. Hereafter,the rate of increase accelerates until the year 2030, when therate of increase slows, but does not decline. Common sensetells us that the older we get the more likely we are to needmedical attention. Facts bear this out. People aged 65 andolder do have more physician visits than younger age groups.

The wide divergence between the demand for and theconcomitant supply of physicians is a national problem;however, unlike the recent recession, North Dakota is notimmune from these demographic trends. In North Dakota,the problem will not be exacerbated by population growthbut by a greater aging effect, which will be amplified by ashift in the gender makeup of the workforce and agenerational change in the time devoted to the practice ofmedicine. Based on projections, North Dakota will need anadditional 160 physicians by the year 2025. Coupled withthe current 50 or so openings for physicians across the state,the projected shortfall in 2025 will be about 210 physicians.Demand will also increase for essential members onphysicians’ health care teams.

By taking Franklin’s advice, the School of Medicine andHealth Sciences is working to meet the need for health careprofessionals. We are more than just a school of medicine.Along with future doctors, we educate and prepare athletictrainers, clinical laboratory technicians, occupationaltherapists, physical therapists, and physician assistants whoprovide indispensable care to North Dakotans. However, theSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences realizes it needs todo more to meet the demand for health care professionals inNorth Dakota.

We have proposed to the State Board of Higher Educationa plan to expand the School and boost enrollment. By the

2015–2017 biennium, we hope to expand our class size tobe able to train an additional 16 medical students, 30 healthsciences students, and 17 post-graduate residents each year.An additional 47 faculty members (most of whom would belocated out in the community) would be hired to educatethese students. To help meet enrollment goals, our proposalincludes a new health sciences building that would providemore classroom space as well as laboratory and office space.

Other components of the School’s plan are to institute ageriatrics-training program to complement the Eva GilbertsonMD Endowed Chair in Geriatrics and to provide a newMaster of Public Health degree in collaboration with NorthDakota State University.

“What about the cost?” In order to expand the School andboost enrollment, we need to make a substantially increasedinvestment in the School. This investment, however, willhave a positive return.

Investing in the School of Medicine and Health SciencesThe School of Medicine and Health Sciences provides asignificant number of physicians who practice in NorthDakota. Physicians who receive their training at the Schoolare more likely to stay in North Dakota, thus reducing theneed to fill openings by recruiting out-of-state physicians—physicians who are in high demand elsewhere, expensive,and less likely to stay in the state, providing only a temporarysolution to the shortage problem. By educating our owndoctors, we act here and now to address the physicianshortage we face.

Financial analysis has shown that, through the multipliereffect, for every additional $1 invested in the School ofMedicine and Health Sciences, $2 more are generated tostimulate North Dakota’s economy, a rate of return thatwould be the envy of any investor. Investing in the Schoolalso boosts the value of the higher education enterprise inNorth Dakota.

The physician and health care professional shortage isimminent. The time to educate a doctor takes more than 10years from college entry until he or she is ready to practice.The twin levers of any sound investment plan are disciplineand time. The question is do we have the discipline toallocate funds today for a much greater return in the future?We need to invest today to meet an all but certain futureneed; otherwise, we will squander Franklin’s sound advice.The ounce of investment we fail to make today may exact apound of flesh from all of us tomorrow.

Joshua Wynne, MD, MBA, MPHVice President for Health Affairs and Dean

DEAN’S LETTER

NORTH DAKOTA MEDICINE Spring–Summer 2010 3

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POSTMASTER: Send address corrections toND Medicine Address Correction UND School of Medicine and Health SciencesOffice of Alumni and Community Relations, Attn: Shelley Pohlman501 North Columbia Rd. Stop 9037, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037 e-mail: [email protected] phone: 701-777-4305

NORTH DAKOTA MEDICINE is available online at www.ndmedicine.org

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES

ROBERT O. KELLEY, President, University of North Dakota

JOSHUA WYNNE, Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean, School of Medicine and Health Sciences

EDITOR Denis MacLeodWRITERS Alexander Cavanaugh, Brenda Haugen,

Denis MacLeod, Tara Mertz,Juan Pedraza, Laura Scholz

CONTRIBUTORS Shelley PohlmanGRAPHIC DESIGN Laura Cory, John Lee, Victoria Swift PHOTOGRAPHY Chuck Kimmerle, Shelley Pohlman,

Wanda Weber COVER ART Victoria Swift, Wanda WeberWEBMASTER Eric Walter

www.ndmedicine.org

NORTH DAKOTA MEDICINE (ISSN 0888-1456; USPS 077-680) is published February, April, June,September, and November by the University of NorthDakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Room1106, 501 N. Columbia Road Stop 9037, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037. Periodical postage paid at Grand Forks, ND.

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All articles published in NORTH DAKOTA MEDICINE,excluding photographs and copy concerning patients, canbe reproduced without prior permission from the editor.

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FEATURESAdvise and Consent 4

The School of Medicine and Health Sciences Advisory Council: Advocates and partners in health

Match Day - Residency Sites 7Where our MD graduates are going to next

Living Life to the Fullest 10Occupational therapists enable clients to do what adds meaning and value to their lives at work, home, or play

Increasing the Flow through the North Dakota Health Care Workforce Pipeline 12The Center for Rural Health is preparing the ground to expand thehealth care workforce

Presence of Mind 14Two UND bioscientists bring the brain to mind for students

DEPARTMENTSStudent Profile - Grant McFadden 17Alumni Profile - Mark Super 18Commencement 20Guest Columnist - Pat Carr 22News Briefs 24Alumni Notes 28In Memoriam 30Opportunities 32Planning Ahead 34Parting Shots 35

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Advise Consent

Thomas Arnold John Baird

Bruce Levi

Stacey Dahl Terry Dwelle Robert Erbele

Grant Shaft

John Kutch Tim Mathern

Ralph Metcalf Marlene Miller Carol Olson

Shari Orser Karen Robinson Andrew Wilson JoshuaWynne

Dave Molmen

The School of Medicineand Health Sciences

Advisory Council: Advocates and Partners

in Health

and

s the state’s only medical school, the Universityof North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine andHealth Sciences plays a crucial role not only intraining and supplying the state’s much-neededhealth care workers but in providing critical

health services to the state’s predominantly rural andincreasing senior population. Given the School’s missionto educate physicians and other health care professionals aswell as ensure the health and well being of all the state’scitizens, the North Dakota Legislature created a specialSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) AdvisoryCouncil to serve as both advocate and advisor for thestate’s health care and health care workforce needs.

Instituted in 1945, the Advisory Council is the only one ofits kind in North Dakota and is composed of seventeenmembers representing a diverse cross section of thepopulation and the health care community. Legislatorsfrom both parties as well as representatives from theDepartment of Human Services, the State Board of HigherEducation, the State Department of Health, the NorthDakota Medical Association, the North Dakota HealthcareAssociation, the Veterans Administration Hospital in Fargo,the University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health,and all four UND SMHS campuses work directly with theSchool’s dean to secure funding, services, and facilities thatserve the health care needs of the state.

Why is the Advisory Council so essential, especially in arural state like North Dakota?

According to Vice President for Health Affairs andDean Dr. Joshua Wynne, the Council not only ensures“representation from all parts of the state, but provides theessential function of coordinating, channeling, and focusingthe activities of the School and the provider community.”

In addition, “the Council gives the remote rural regionsof our state a voice at the table regarding their medicalneeds,” said Senator and Council member Robert Erbele.

To that end, “the Council serves as a vehicle forregular and institutionalized communications between theLegislature and the SMHS. The legislators on the Council

are able to transmit the needs of the School to thelegislative body and the concerns of the legislators to theSchool. This leads to a partnership working in the bestinterest of ALL North Dakotans,” said Senator TimMathern, a Council member from Fargo.

And what exactly are the School’s needs? Primarily,training and fostering the state’s next generation ofphysicians; ensuring that these physicians stay in state topractice to meet the growing demand for family medicalpractitioners; and expanding and upgrading facilities andservices to meet the state’s growing health care needs.

The Council, of which Dr. Wynne is a member, ischaired by David Molmen, CEO of Altru Health Systemand a longtime health care and community advocate.Molmen prepares meeting agendas, conducts Councilmeetings, testifies before the State Board of Education andthe Legislature on behalf of the Council and represents theCouncil to various state constituencies, all to securefunding to operate, augment, and expand health servicesfor the state.

“My job is to serve North Dakota citizens the best wayI can,” said Molmen.

According to Dr. Wynne, the Council has played anincreasingly important role in recent years by bringingforward budgetary recommendations to the State Board ofHigher Education during each biennial budget cycle. TheSchool prepares each budget request, which gets vettedand approved by the Council and then forwarded to theState Board of Higher Education for approval.

“Because the state legislature only meets every twoyears, the School has to be really forward-thinking about itsneeds and those of the population, and having the

Council’s validation of its programs and strategies is vitallyimportant in gaining buy-in from legislators andconstituents alike,” said Dr. Wynne.

And the results of this collaborative partnership havebeen extraordinary.

During the last legislative session, which ended lastspring, the Council worked to increase the School’s baseappropriated budget by 20 percent, which included additional financial support for the Centers for FamilyMedicine in Bismarck and Minot; the development of aRuralMed Program, which will assume all tuition costs foreight medical students pursuing careers in family medicinewho wish to practice in rural areas of the state, and half amillion dollars to develop the state’s health care workforcepipeline, particularly in rural areas. In addition, the Council


A

...having the Council’svalidation... is vitally importantin gaining buy-in from legislatorsand constituents alike.

Instituted in 1945, the AdvisoryCouncil is the only one of its kindin North Dakota and is composedof seventeen members representinga diverse cross section of thepopulation and the health carecommunity.


secured $5.4 million for the construction of a newfamily medicine clinic in Bismarck.

“None of this would have been achievedwithout the input and endorsement of the AdvisoryCouncil,” said Dr. Wynne.

“The family medicine clinic in Bismarck wascompletely inadequate, and it serves a very largesenior population. With this funding from theLegislature, we can build a new facility in aconvenient downtown location between two majorhospitals and provide the most up-to-date amenitiesand services for our staff, faculty, and patients.”

What’s next on the Council’s agenda?The Council will pursue an increase in state fundingover the next three biennia. Why?

The issue is twofold. One, there’s a loominghealth care workforce shortage due to the increasingnumber of Baby Boomers requiring advancedmedical care and the number of younger healthcare workers leaving the state. Two, UND, thestate’s only medical school, simply doesn’t have thecapacity to accommodate all those wanting topursue degrees in medicine.

While all states will be struggling to keep pacewith the medical needs of aging Baby Boomers,North Dakota is predicted to be the state with thelargest population of people over 85 by the year2030. Coupled with the state’s shortage of healthcare workers is the fact that it takes over a decade toturn a high school graduate into a physician. Ifchanges aren’t made to the current system, “NorthDakota will be short 210 doctors by the year 2025,”said Dr. Wynne.

The funding increase proposed by the Councilwill allow the school to expand the number ofstudents it trains from 869 today to 1,074 in 2015, a23.6 percent increase. UND’s SMHS faculty andstaff would grow from 500 to 657 in 2015, a 31.4percent increase.

Since the entire country will be facing a healthcare worker crisis, “competition for those workerswill intensify,” said Molmen. “It’s always harder tocompete for outside talent, who often don’t staylong in North Dakota, than to nurture our owntalent, who have a bigger connection to the stateand a much better understanding of our ruralneeds.”

To that end, Dr. Wynne and the rest of theCouncil are working toward the following goalsover the next few years:• expansion of class sizes;• expansion of residency training slots;• development of a master’s degree in

public health;• additional funds for geriatrics training

and clinical services; and• keeping tuition relatively flat.

To accommodate the growth in services andtraining for the state’s future health care workers,Dr. Wynne and the Council have also proposed$25 million to fund a new building that will houseALL of the SMHS programs. It will be theculmination of their vision to continue to providethe citizens of North Dakota with the best possiblemedical care.

“The Council is a tremendous asset to theSchool and an important partner in our goal toprovide the best possible medical care to all ofNorth Dakota’s citizens,” said Dr. Wynne.

And it’s this type of collaboration that makesUND’s SMHS a leader in both family medicine andrural health care and will continue to meet andexceed residents’ needs both today and beyond.

— Laura Scholz

The Council will pursue an increasein state funding over the next threebiennia.

The Council is a tremendousasset ... and an importantpartner...


MaTcH DaY - ResiDeNcY SiTeSWHAT’S NEXT FOR OUR MDs

FIFTY-FIVE SENIOR MEDICAL STUDENTS, MEMBERS OFthe Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) Class of 2010 at theUniversity of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine andHealth Sciences, learned where they would spend the nextchapter of their lives as resident physicians. On Match Day,medical school seniors across the United States find outwhere they will complete their residencies, a period ofadvanced intensive training in their chosen medicalspecialty before independent practice as a physician.

Depending on the specialty, medical school graduatescomplete anywhere from three to seven years of training.Each residency program is accredited by the AccreditationCouncil for Graduate Medical Education, which isresponsible for the accreditation of post-M.D. medicaltraining programs within the United States. Accreditation isaccomplished through a peer review process and is basedupon established standards and guidelines.

Match Day is the culmination of The NationalResidency Matching Program (NRMP), a private, not-for-profit corporation established in 1952 to provide a uniformdate of appointment to positions of graduate medicaleducation or residency in the United States.

Each year approximately 16,000 U.S. medical schoolseniors participate in the residency match. Students as wellas residency program directors register their preferences foreach other with the NRMP. The NRMP then takes the rankordered choices of the students and directors and providesan impartial match between the two groups. In the thirdweek of March, the results of the match are announced.

The most popular specialty choices for UND medicalstudents were family medicine with nine matches, obstetrics-gynecology and general surgery, each with eight, andpediatrics, selected by five students. In total, seventeenstudents or 31 percent of the class chose a primary carespecialty, that is, family medicine, internal medicine, orpediatrics. Following graduation, the new physicians will belocated in twenty-three different states from Washington toFlorida and California to Connecticut. Minnesota will behome to the greatest number, 12, followed by North Dakotawith eight, Michigan with seven, and Missouri with three.

Lacey Armstrong PsychiatryUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, North Dakota

Miran Blanchard TransitionalUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, North DakotaMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, Minnesota Radiation - OncologyNathan Bro TransitionalUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, North DakotaUniversity of Utah Affiliated Hospitals, Salt Lake City, Utah AnesthesiologyJared Darveaux Internal MedicineUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, North Dakota

Daniel Dixon Orthopaedic SurgeryGrand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Mark Eaton Family MedicineAllina Family Residency Program, St. Paul, Minnesota

Joshua Eken Med. –PrelimUniversity of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IowaUniversity of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa NeurologyJonathan Eklof TransitionalUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, North Dakota

Tiffany Foster Weber Obstetrics/GynecologyUniversity of Utah Affiliated Hospitals, Salt Lake City, Utah

Todd Gaddie Orthopaedic SurgeryCreighton–Nebraska Health Foundation, Omaha, Nebraska

Katrina Gardner Family Medicine/Rural TrackSacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, Washington


MaTcH DaY - REsiDeNcY SiTesAshley Gorby PediatricsIndiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana

Justin Gross Surgery PreliminaryMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, Minnesota

Donald Gullicks Obstetrics/GynecologyUniversity of Missouri–Columbia Program, Columbia, Missouri

Ashley Hagel General SurgeryHennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Chad Hanson Radiology-DiagnosticUniversity of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Jason Haus AnesthesiologyUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Matthew Hefty General SurgeryGrand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center/Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Nathan Herman PsychiatryCreighton–Nebraska Health Foundation, Omaha, Nebraska

April Hess Internal MedicineUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, North Dakota

Kyle Hoffert Family MedicineMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, Minnesota

Kelsey Hoffman Internal MedicineBarnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri

Stephanie Jallen PsychiatryUniversity of Florida College of Medicine-Shands Hospital, Gainesville, Florida

Amanda Johnson Obstetrics/GynecologyTulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana

Jennifer Johnson Obstetrics/GynecologyAkron General Medical Center/NEOUCOM, Akron, Ohio

Aaron Jones TransitionalUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, North DakotaUniversity of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa Radiology-DiagnosticKendra Kamlitz General SurgeryUniversity of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita, Wichita, Kansas

Kathryn Kingsley Family MedicineAlaska Family Medicine/Providence Hospital, Anchorage, Alaska

Emily Koeck General SurgeryBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts

Lacey Krebsbach Obstetrics/GynecologyGrand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ian Lalich OtolaryngologyMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, Minnesota

Gillian Lavik General SurgeryMary Imogene Bassett, Cooperstown, New York

Justin LeBlanc TransitionalIntermountain Medical Center, Murray, UtahCleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio Radiology-Diagnostic


MaTcH DaY - REsiDeNcY SiTes Dustin Leigh General SurgeryUniversity of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada

Jessica Lichter PediatricsUniversity of Washington Affiliated Hospitals, Seattle, Washington

Erica Martin TransitionalGundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation, La Crosse, WisconsinMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, Minnesota Radiology-DiagnosticJocelyn Mattson AnesthesiologyUniversity of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa

Sara Mayer NeurologyUniversity of Minnesota, Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Matthew McLeod Family MedicineUniversity of Minnesota/Health East St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota

Megan Miller Obstetrics/GynecologyGrand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center/Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Daniel Morgan Family MedicineUniversity of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita Wesley Program, Wichita, Kansas

Jennifer Mullally PediatricsMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, Minnesota

Jeffrey Nelson Family MedicineUniversity of Minnesota/St. John’s Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota

Rachel Ott General SurgeryHennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Mahate Parker Obstetrics/GynecologyUniversity of Oklahoma College of Medicine–Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Rachel Redig Emergency MedicineGrand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center/Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Rodrigo Rios PediatricsChildren’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri

Kris Sabb Family MedicineNorthridge Hospital Medical Center Program, Northridge, California

Priyanka Singh PsychiatryUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, North Dakota

Tracy Sollin PathologyUniversity of Arizona, Affiliated Hospitals, Tucson, Arizona

Patrick Stevens OtolaryngologyUniversity of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut

Ana Tobiasz Obstetrics/GynecologyGrand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center/Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Luke Van Alstine AnesthesiologyMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, Minnesota

Aaron Van Ningen PediatricsUniversity of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, Wisconsin

Stacie Wellman Family MedicineIdaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho

THAT FORKFUL OF SPAGHETTIand meat sauce makes quite a tripfrom plate to mouth. It’s acarefully—if unconsciously—choreographed series of moves that,hopefully, end up with the satisfaction of a good meal welleaten. Indeed, most of us never give that mealtimeperformance a second thought, until we lose some functionor other through accident or illness. Then something thatlooks as easy as one-two-three becomes a painstaking tasktaking a lot more time than it used to. Whatever thediagnosis behind the problem, it clearly takes a team ofhelpers to put us back on track.

For occupational therapists, helping a patient getthrough a meal with all the right utensils is one ofthousands of tasks they’re trained to guide people back into.These days, the profession is about a whole lot more thanknitting, says Janet Jedlicka, an occupational therapist andPhD-prepared associate professor and chair of theDepartment of Occupational Therapy. Tucked away on thesecond floor north of the Hyslop Sports Center, theDepartment—and its Casper, Wyo., division—is part of theUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine and HealthSciences.

“The profession has changed over the last 20 years,”said Jedlicka, herself a graduate of the UND occupationaltherapy program. “When I went through school in the early1980s, we used crafts and similar activities to help peoplebecome more independent.”

That recalls images of nurses in the World War I era—when occupational therapy first developed as a separateprofession—helping wounded and traumatized servicemenrecuperate with knitting needles.

“The profession’s focus is still on helping clients remain as independent as possible,” Jedlicka said. “But over the last

25 years, we’ve become more occupation-based rather thanusing crafts.”

Occupation—the word calls to mind “work” or things wedo at work. But in terms of occupational therapy, the word means anyactivity that “occupies” one’s time—whether it’s typing on akeyboard at work, cooking at home, or manipulating thetelevision remote control unit.

“Occupations can be anything from employment—andthat’s what a lot people think of when they hear the termoccupational therapy (OT)—to all the things we do at homeor for leisure,” Jedlicka said. “Helping people to get or holda job is not our primary focus. We want to help people dothings that they find valuable and meaningful. It could befishing, organizing themselves to be able to write, orpreparing meals for family.”

Occupational therapy as a profession also has shifted toevidence-based practice. “We’re looking to increase thesupport for research and documenting that our interventionsactually do make a difference,” Jedlicka said. “We’rereturning to the roots of our profession, helping servicepeople returning from wars with injuries.”

“We’re helping veterans get engaged in productivekinds of activities,” she said.

“When we started back in the early 1900s, the mainwork kind of thing was in terms of crafts, such as carpentry,because many people were involved with craft-type work,”Jedlicka said. “Now we have a lot of assistive technologyneeds in the profession, and we have to be a lot moretechnically competent.”

For example, one of the department’s faculty membersin the Casper, Wyo., facility presented a workshop in“agribility” targeted at helping ranchers and farmers stay intheir careers.

“We’re using technology to help maintain farmers andranchers in their traditional roles, instead of having to giveup what amounts to a lifestyle they’ve lived all their lives,”Jedlicka said.

Part of the technology aspect of the new OT is how it’schanged teaching at UND.

“We’ve always been learning-based, but there’sdefinitely been a big change in having our satellite inWyoming,” Jedlicka said. “We have e-mail communicationsthat facilitate faculty discussions between our campus andour campus in Wyoming, where we now have two full-timefaculty members. We also use video links to teach courses.”

UND Occupational Therapy has openings for 36students annually at the UND campus and 12 openings atthe Casper campus.

“They’re all UND students,” Jedlicka noted. “It’s not an‘us-and-them’; we’re one program with two sites, and ourfaculty together are very collaborative.”


”“

Living Life to the Fullest

The profession’s focus is still on helpingclients remain as independent as possible

Through evidence-based best practices, occupational therapistsenable clients to do what adds meaning and value to their

lives at work, home, or play


A major challenge over the last fewyears has been building the programenrollment back after the 1990s budgetscare that made lots of prospectivestudents think that there wouldn’t beenough jobs in occupational therapyand many other professions.

“But that’s changing, especiallysince we need people in the health careprofessions and we need health carefaculty members,” Jedlicka said. “Whatmakes OT unique—and what helps usattract new students—is that we’refocused on the individual’s wants andneeds. It’s about mind, body, and spirit,not just a client’s physical needs.”

OT today is part of a growing arrayof medical and health care servicesavailable to clients.

“It’s definitely an interprofessionalservice in terms of providing goodhealth care,” Jedlicka said. “Within the

profession there’s been a strong drive tomove away from the medical model—all hospital- and clinic-based practice—and to support people in thecommunity who’re looking atwellness.”

Today’s occupational therapyclasses still are predominantly female.The current academic year’s startingclass has six males in a group of 32students. Most of the students comefrom North Dakota, with some fromMinnesota and South Dakota; most ofthe Casper students are from Wyoming,with a few from Colorado.

“Health care reform has impactedwhat we’re doing and where we’regoing,” Jedlicka said. “We’re continuingto market the profession as one thatincreases people’s quality of life.”

— Juan Pedraza

Jennalee O’Keefe and Brittany Larsonpractice texture identification forpurposes of sensory re-education after aperipheral nerve injury.


THE CENTER FOR RURAL HEALTH USES A THREEFOLD APPROACH TOexpand health care workforce initiatives. It’s no secret that North Dakota, along withthe rest of the nation, is in the midst of a health care workforce shortage. Increasingthe number of health care professionals is crucial to ensuring access to quality healthcare in years to come.

The North Dakota health care workforce pipeline is long and segmented. Toincrease the flow of health care professionals out of the pipeline, it must increase indiameter and the valves must ensure seamless connections. Though the time it takesto educate interested and qualified students is lengthy, it is only one part of thepipeline.

To facilitate effective flow throughout all parts of the pipeline, the Center for RuralHealth at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and

Health Sciences is using a threefold approach. Funds appropriatedby the North Dakota Legislature in the 2009 session are being

used to expand workforce initiatives in the areas of healthcareer awareness programs, rural recruitment and

retention efforts, and health professions workforceassessment.

“The appropriated funds are beingleveraged with federal grant funds to maximizethe impact of our programs so moreopportunities can be made available andultimately increase the health careworkforce,” said Lynette Dickson, MS, LRD,workforce development director at theCenter for Rural Health.

Health Career AwarenessExposing young children to health care

professions and encouraging older youth toexplore health careers are fundamental parts

of the pipeline. The Center for Rural Health ledhealth career awareness efforts for students in

grades K–12 previously through the FosteringOpportunities in Rural Health Occupations and other

programs, but the new initiatives allow for even morestudents to be reached.

This spring, 14 communities hosted Rural CollaborativeOpportunities for Occupational Learning in Health (R-COOL-Health)

Scrubs Camps for students in grades 5–12. In an effort to help communities“grow their own” health care professionals, partnerships between schools, health carefacilities, and economic or job development authorities created innovative programsthat increased awareness, interest, and understanding of health careers available inrural North Dakota.

“A critical piece of the camps was exposure to a variety of health careers throughfun, creative, and interactive activities,” said Dickson. “Student participants evenreceived a scrubs top so they could feel like a real health care professional.”

Another new statewide initiative, Health in Partnership with Education (HIPE)Week, underscored the numerous opportunities that exist in the field of health care.After garnering support from more than a dozen state organizations and agencies andreceiving a proclamation from Governor John Hoeven, schools and health carefacilities sponsored health care-related events and activities during the week in March.Plans are already being made for next year’s HIPE Week.

Expanded online resources are also available for students, teachers, and career

Increasingthe

FlowThrough the North Dakota

Health Care WorkforcePipeline

) ) ) ) )


counselors to learn more about NorthDakota-specific health career informationand programs.

Rural Recruitment and RetentionThe recruitment and retention sections ofthe pipeline are the closest to patients.North Dakota has about 50 physicianopenings currently and is expected to havea shortfall of 210 physicians by 2025.Increased demand due to an agingpopulation, an evolving change in the timedevoted to the practice of medicine, and ashift in the gender makeup of the workforceare only magnifying the problem.

Rural facilities often don’t have theneeded resources to recruit providers whowill be good matches for their communities.To help rural facilities combat thechallenges of recruitment and retention, theCenter for Rural Health now has a full-timestaff member devoted to these efforts.

Aaron Ortiz, workforce specialist at theCenter for Rural Health, helps coordinateresources and connect candidates withfacilities. Since recruitment and retention ofproviders requires community-wide efforts,Ortiz works directly with facilities andcommunities to revise and enhancerecruitment plans.

“Coaching facilities on the best ways topromote North Dakota, their communities,and their practice opportunities effectively isimperative to turning an interested providerinto a future employee,” said Ortiz. “But theprocess doesn’t end when the contract issigned.”

Ortiz stays in contact with facilities aftersuccessful matches are made in order tohelp provide an adequate transition for theprovider and facility. Helping set upinfrastructures of support and connectingfacilities and providers to appropriateresources are necessary for successfulretention.

Health Professions Workforce AssessmentIt is hard to tailor pipeline developmenteffectively without concrete data about thehealth care workforce needs that exist.Unlike some states that have a health care

workforce data center, North Dakota has limited data about the health careworkforce.

“To ensure efforts are being made at theright places in the pipeline, current data isneeded,” said Sheila Johnson, researchcoordinator at the Center for Rural Health.

“The assessment will help answer the

looming questions surrounding the state’shealth workforce supply and demand.”

Once the results of the survey arereviewed by the multidisciplinary researchteam, a comprehensive report will bepublished. This information will be used toguide future health care workforce effortsthroughout the state in order to help theNorth Dakota health workforce pipelineflow at an adequate rate.

—Tara Mertz

Web exclusive: For more information on theCenter for Rural Health workforce initiatives, visit www.ruralhealth.und.edu/topics/workforce/

Lynette Dickson Aaron Ortiz Sheila Johnson

Coaching facilities on the best ways to promoteNorth Dakota, their communities, and their practiceopportunities effectively is imperative to turning aninterested provider into a future employee. . .

This penguin is the mascot for the

Rural Collaborative Opportunities for

Occupational Learning in Health

(R-COOL-Health) Scrubs Camps.

www.ruralhealth.und.edu/scrubscamp


CAR COMING. IN A BLINK OF ANeye—about 1/10th of a second—a signalzips from your eye to the brain’s image-processing center and from there to yourfeet. You see the car; you jump out ofthe way.

It’s all about the brain, about threepounds of often miraculous functionsthat scientists are working around theclock to fathom.

That image of the oncoming car, forexample, travels through the humanoptic nerve, a bundle of about 1.2million fibers that, for most of us,provides the main sensory inputs for living. And all that input and output isprocessed by the brain’s 100 billionneurons, which are hooked up like a

vast computer network in trillions ofconnections—0.15 quadrillion synapses,to be exact. In comparison, Intel’s next-generation microprocessor will contain 2billion transistors.

“The brain is truly the mostfascinating organ that we have,” saidSally Pyle, PhD, professor of biology andan anatomist, who now heads theUniversity of North Dakota (UND)Honors Program. “It’s simply amazing!”

Pyle and colleague Karen Cisek, abiologist who works in programdevelopment for North Dakota INBRE atthe UND School of Medicine andHealth Sciences, run the regional BrainAwareness Week and the annual Brain

Bee. Both are part of a loosely affiliatedgroup of similarly named nationwideorganizations and contests.

“We started Brain Awareness Weekwhen my daughter was just startinggrade school,” said Cisek, whocoordinates Brain Bee activities in theregion. “I was looking for ways to enrichher experience and make science moreinteresting.”

For Pyle, the impetus—afterattending a Brain Awareness Week kick-off meeting at a national convention—was to make learning about sciencemore interesting in her biology classes.

“I’d met Karen when I taughtexperimental pathology and toxicologyof the nervous system in the biologydepartment. I was looking to develop avery different kind of learningexperience,” Pyle said. “So Karen and Iblended our ideas, and we becamepartners in the Brain Awareness Week.”

The ultimate fascination with thebrain is that it’s what makes us human.

“And while we study it all the timeand understand more and more about it,that just leads to more questions,” Pylesaid. But, she noted, there’s a lot moreto Brain Awareness week than teachingkids about the human central nervoussystem.

Brain Awareness Week is a globalcampaign that unites those who share aninterest in elevating public awarenessabout the progress and benefits of brainand nervous system research, accordingto the Society for Neuroscience, whichkicked off this international movement.

“Its primary concern is to inspire thenext generation of scientists,” Cisek said.

Not just neuroscientists—thoughthat’s always a nice perk to the group ofneuroscientists that cooked this up—butall science, technology, engineering, andmathematics careers, the so-called STEMprofessions.

“We also aim to raise public

Presence of MindTwo UND bioscientists bring the brain to mind for students

People know about Alzheimer’s and other

neural disorders, but we want to help peopleunderstand what’s going on right now in

neuroscience. That’s important, too, as the

government shapes science policy...


awareness about what’s going on in brain science,” Pyle said.“People know about Alzheimer’s and other neural disorders,but we want to help people understand what’s going on rightnow in neuroscience. That’s important, too, as thegovernment shapes science policy and considers our nationalscience priorities and budget.”

Brain Awareness Week activities are all locally funded—the national BAW organization doesn’t supply cash to localBAWs, Pyle noted. But the activities are loosely tied to theDana Alliance, which asks professionals in the field ofneurosciences to do community outreach.

“We’re seeing more partnerships, too, more than justoutreach,” Cisek said. “That’s great for us because it helpssustain the activities from year to year. Many of the teacherswho work with us invite us back into their classrooms yearafter year.” At UND, this effort has turned into a semester-long class because the national Brain Awareness Weekusually coincides with spring break, which would eliminatemany UND students from participating.

According to the organization’s website, the DanaAlliance for Brain Initiatives was born out of a three-daymeeting at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in 1992, in theearly days of “The Decade of the Brain.” There, 30 eminentneuroscientists convened to debate the progress and promiseof brain research. The meeting was organized by JamesWatson, director of the lab and a Nobel laureate for his co-discovery of the structure of DNA, and the late DavidMahoney, chair of the Dana Foundation. Their vision was toestablish a group of vanguard neuroscientists who wouldcommit themselves to translating the advances in brainresearch to the public, the ultimate beneficiary of theseadvances.

“People want to know what you can do for them,”Mahoney told the neuroscientists. “They want results thatcan benefit them.” Only by convincing the public of thedirect benefits of their work, Mahoney cautioned thescientists, could they hope to receive the funding, public andprivate, that would speed vital work. From those foundingmembers, the Dana Alliance has grown to include more than280 neuroscientists, including 10 Nobel laureates. “We aredriven by two key goals: increase the number of students inthe STEM pipeline, then generally increase the public’sscientific literacy,” Cisek said. “When we started BrainAwareness Week here, there was nothing like this that weknew of in Grand Forks.”

“People in the community sometimes look at theUniversity as its own isolated entity,” Pyle said. “What wewanted was to make some connections, and we’ve done thatby going out to the schools. We’ve been very well received.We’ve even been asked by civic organizations to makepresentations.”

The core cadre of Brain Awareness Week comprisesUND students, most—but not all—of whom come from theranks of science and education majors.

“We don’t tell them what to teach to the kids in the

classroom, and we don’t give them content,” Pyle said.“Instead, each student is expected to create a 40-minutepresentation, in essence to become an ‘expert’ in the field they’re going to talk about. The kids in the classroom love itbecause they’re hearing from someone who’s a lot closer inage to them than we are—they can relate to the collegestudents, take inspiration from them.”

Cisek and Pyle help their student presenters deal withlogistics, while the students themselves organize the content,

do the research, and connect the dots. “Basically, we help them in every way besides telling

them what to say,” Pyle said. “What we have is college-levelstudents preparing presentations for elementary, middle, andhigh school students. For the presenters, it’s a very different

Stephane Blanchard, senior biology major, pre-med, usesvanilla wafers, twizzlers, and other candy to make a model of abrain neuron. Students in the Building Brain Awareness classconstructed these before taking the activity to various venuesin the community, including ArtWise, Super Science Saturday,and individual classrooms. Always a hit with K–12 students,the edible neuron allows a simplified explanation of the basiccomponents and function of a neuron.


way of learning. They have to do all theresearch themselves, fill in the gaps intheir own knowledge, and develop age-appropriate ways to deliver their contentto the age group they’ve chosen to teach

that year. Several of ourstudents have comeback multiple years todo this—they love it,they love connectingwith kids who getenthusiastic. It’s apainless and fun way tolearn.”

From here, theSociety forNeuroscience, whichstarted Brain AwarenessWeek, is encouraginglocal organizers todevelop more scientist-educator partnershipsand move away from“outreach,” Pyle said.

Those partnershipsnow include regionalactivities such asArtWise, Super ScienceSaturday, Science Nightat Lewis and ClarkElementary School inGrand Forks, andactivities with the localchapter of the GirlScouts of America.

“This is veryexciting for us because

we can reach more children in oneplace at venues such as ArtWise,” Ciseksaid.

The Regional Brain Bee grew out ofthe local Brain Awareness Week. It’s aseparate activity, loosely affiliated withthe International Brain Bee, which wasoriginally organized as a competition byNorbert Myslinski of the University ofMaryland. The Brain Bee aims “to

motivate students to learn about thebrain, to capture their imaginations, andto inspire them to pursue careers inbiomedical brain research,” the groupsays on its home page.

There are about 70 Local Brain Beecoordinators worldwide—includingCisek here in Grand Forks—whoconduct competitions annually. Thewinner of each local Bee is invited toattend a National Brain Bee competitionin his or her own country, and thewinner of each National Bee is invited tocompete in the International Brain BeeChampionship. Several competitors fromthe Grand Forks region competitionhave won national awards. One is nowmajoring in neuroscience at Harvard,and another is a science major atStanford University. Most recently, PhilBrockman, a 15-year-old Grand Forkshomeschooled student, representedNorth Dakota at the 2010 National BrainBee. “We have eight to 10 students ayear competing in our Brain Bee, andwe have a few dedicated teachers whoare definitely behind this program,”Cisek said. “

Ultimately, it’s all aboutunderstanding how and why thingswork, the core questions that drive folkswho go into science, engineering, math,and technology.

“Science can be lots of fun, andthat’s why we do these activities,” Ciseksaid. “By encouraging our students hereat UND to participate, to share theirstories, to tell kids why they areinterested in science and what they wantto do, they personalize the experience.We want to give students in the K–12schools these role models; they can seefor themselves and say ‘there’s noreason that I can’t do it too.’”

—Juan Pedraza

Presence of Mind continued

Maren Kludt, a junior pre-physical therapy major,completes her “edible neuron.”


STUDENT PROFILE

Following a Passion

It’s a life commitment to helping people,but it’s worth the work...

Grant McFaddenMajor: Physician AssistantClass of 2010CLS Degree: 2003 Hometown: Buffalo, Minn.

“I ALWAYS KNEW I WANTED TO HELPothers in a meaningful way,” said GrantMcFadden, a student in the Universityof North Dakota (UND) School ofMedicine and Health SciencesPhysician Assistant (PA) program, aboutwhat influenced his decision to pursuea career in the allied health sciencefield. “I loved science, and I lovedhelping people.”

McFadden works and studies in hishometown of Buffalo, Minn. After high

school, he interned at a local hospital,where he discovered his passion for thehealth science field. The purpose of theinternship program was to givegraduating high school students hands-on experience in a clinical settingunder the guidance of a health careprofessional.

After the internship, McFadden wasinterested in physical therapy, but hisscientific interests led him to studyclinical laboratory science (CLS) at UND.After graduating from the CLS program,he worked as a clinical scientist inMinneapolis for five years. Although heenjoyed his work, he decided he wantedto be more involved with patient care,and as a result, he returned to UND andentered the Physician Assistant program. McFadden credits his success to thededicated mentoring he has receivedfrom his preceptor, Dr. AndrewBurgdorf. His PA training has been atBuffalo Hospital (Allina Hospitals &Clinics), which is the same hospital heinterned at as a teenager. McFadden’sdedication to community is also presentin his advice to interested youth. “First,you have to have your heart in the rightplace,” McFadden said. “You can’t do itfor the money; you have to do it for your

love for fellow man and for helpingpeople.”

The Physician Assistant program atUND is twenty-four months in length,with the objective of preparingindividuals who will provide primaryhealth care services as clinicallycompetent physician assistants.Moreover, the PA program preparesstudents to serve rural or underservedpopulations. The program also strives todevelop physician

assistants who will serve as positive role models for future physicianassistant students.

Students in the program takecourses online for two semesters, thenwork with a preceptor in a clinicalsetting, and finish the program byperforming a series of specialtyclerkship clinical rotations, completing a scholarly project, and taking finalexaminations. Physician assistants, likedoctors, experience high workloads and limited resources, which is why theheavy course load and high expectationsare important in preparing students toprovide the best quality of care forpatients. “It is a lot of work,” McFaddencomments. “It’s a life commitment tohelping people, but it’s worth thework and commitment.”

— Alex Cavanaugh


A Long and Winding Road

WHEN MARK SUPER CAME TO UND,he believed his career path would leadhim to the courtroom. It turned out hewas right. But instead of being a lawyer,Super sometimes finds himself on thewitness stand detailing his findings as aforensic pathologist. Several of his caseshave ended up on national television,but perhaps nothing is as exciting ashelping law enforcement solve cases thathave left them stymied.

“I am the forensic pathology facultyparticipant in the annual CaliforniaDepartment of Justice Cold CaseInvestigation course in which we spend aweek in a hotel with detectives frompolice agencies from all over the worldgoing over old homicide cases,brainstorming what new things can bedone in order to revive the cases,” Supersaid. “Many cases have been solved overthe years.”

A Career in CaliforniaSuper was appointed chief forensicpathologist for the Sacramento County(California) Coroner’s Office in 2002. Heperforms autopsies on people who havedied by nonnatural means, such ashomicides and accidents, and on peoplewho have died by natural means but donot have a physician willing or able tosign their death certificates.

“As chief, I supervise two staffforensic pathologists who do the samething, and I act as medical director of theoffice,” Super explained. “Essentially, Iam responsible for medical decisionsregarding causes of death.”

In Sacramento County, this is nosmall task. The county’s forensicpathologists help law enforcement byresponding to homicide scenes wherebodies are found. Because homicidescan occur at any time, Super and his staff

ALUMNI PROFILE

UND grad’s path

leads to exciting

career in forensics


are always on call. Super also helps the community

through his academic appointment tothe University of California–Davismedical school. Each of the school’spathology residents rotate throughSuper’s office to gain experience inforensic pathology.

In addition, Super serves as vicechair of the Sacramento County ChildDeath Review Team, which meetsmonthly to review the deaths of allchildren in the community.

All of this is a long way from whereSuper started.

Struggling to Find His PathOriginally from Bismarck, Super cameto UND in 1969 intent on becoming alawyer and ultimately a judge. Unfulfilled by the classes he was taking,Super struggled for a couple of yearstrying to find a career that would fithim. He knew he enjoyed biology andsteered toward a major in life sciences.But most of these majors requiredcalculus, a class in which he didpoorly.

“So—and this really happened—Icame onto campus as a junior with nomajor, so I picked up the UNDcatalogue to look for a major that wasin the life sciences but didn’t requirecalculus,” he said. “I opened thecatalogue right to (physical therapy).That field sounded interesting, so I wentand met with Bud Wessman, the UNDPT Department chair. That meetingturned my academic life around.”

As a physical therapist, Super foundhe enjoyed working with the elderly. “I had spent a lot of time as an altar boyat a neighborhood Catholic nursinghome in Bismarck and didn’t know thatit had planted a seed, which blossomedlater when I began working with (theelderly) as patients,” Super said. “Sowhen I entered UND med school in1976, my plan was to be a geriatrist.”That changed during Super’s third year.

“I realized that what I liked mostabout medicine, and had an aptitudefor, was diagnostics,” he said.

Super’s first rotation his fourth year

at UND was in pathology at St. AlexiusHospital in Bismarck.

“I took it first to see if pathologywas a fit for me early, yet in time toseek other residencies,” Super said. “Iloved it. I knew that a pathologist wasthe type of physician I was meant to be.But even better, while on that rotation,they allowed me to do an autopsy.Immediately, I knew that autopsieswere the part of pathology mostinteresting to me. And that interest inthe autopsy never went away.”

Finding ForensicsAfter earning his MD in 1980, apathology residency with the U.S. Navyled him to San Diego.

“It wasn’t until my second year inresidency that I was exposed toforensics,” Super said. “I didn’t evenreally know what forensic pathologywas about until then. The Navy sent aforensic pathologist to be on staff atNaval Hospital in San Diego. He let mehelp him with forensic cases. When Irealized that there was a specialty thatprimarily performed autopsies, which Ialready liked doing, but also usesautopsies to assist law enforcement infiguring out how someone wasmurdered—I was hooked.”

In 1984–85, Super completed aforensic pathology fellowship inWashington, D.C. He came back toCalifornia after the fellowship tobecome command forensic pathologistfor the U.S. Navy on the West Coast.

In 1988, he joined the staff of thenewly created San Diego CountyMedical Examiner’s Office. Seven yearslater, he went into private forensicpathology.

Now Super is one of fewer than600 practicing forensic pathologists inthe United States. And his zeal for hisjob has never waned.

“Every autopsy is a puzzle thatneeds to be figured out—and a differentpuzzle from every other autopsy,” hesaid. “Every day is something new.”

— Brenda Haugen

Every autopsy is. . .a different puzzlefrom every otherautopsy


COMMENCEMENT

OB-GYN: Steffen Christensen, MD; Dean Joshua Wynne,MD, MBA, MPH; Tiffany Weber, Don Gullicks, JenniferJohnson, Amanda Johnson, Lacy Kresbach, Megan Miller,Mahate Parker, Ana Tobiasz and Dennis Lutz, MD. The UNDSchool of Medicine & Health Sciences continually producesthe highest percentage of graduates of all medical schoolswho choose Ob/Gyn for their specialty; half of our Ob/Gynresidents come back to practice in North Dakota.

Above: Dean Joshua Wynne, MD, MBA, MPH,and Mary Ann Sens, MD, PhD, present theCharles E. Kupchella Award to Thomas Seaworth,MD, clinical assistant professor of Family andCommunity Medicine. The Kupchella Awardrecognizes individuals in North Dakota and thesurrounding region who have contributedsignificantly to disease prevention and healthfulliving. Below: Dean Wynne and Dr. Sens present thePathology Book Award to Tracy Lundberg.

MD graduates who participated in afour-week, fourth-year elective in

Chimbote, Peru, with their preceptor Dr.Stephen Tinguely. They gained experience

in the unique challenges of deliveringhealth care to impoverished people in a

developing country. (back row, from left):Priyanka Singh, Kelsey Hoffman, Amanda

Johnson, Stephen Tinguely, MD, and EmilyKoeck (front row) Jessica Lichter, Sara

Mayer, and Ashley Gorby.

Congratulations DPTs!(left to right): Emily Maurer, TiffanyCzarnomski, and Paula Barry are partof a class of 49 newly graduated DPTs.

NORTH DAKOTA MEDICINE Spring/Summer 2010 21

Congratulations new PAs!

Edward Carlson, PhD, Professorand Chair, Department ofAnatomy and Cell Biology, andChester Fritz DistinguishedProfessor

Congratulations MD Class of 2010!

Future Class of 2036?MD graduate Nathan Browith his son

Sons Chase and Jaden Wilcox assist with thehooding of their parents, Christine and DaveWilcox of Yukon, Oklahoma, during thePhysician Assistant Program’s HoodingCeremony for the 37th Graduating Class. Sixty

Physician Assistants from 17 different statesreceived their hoods during the ceremony.

Congratulations to ALL theSchool of Medicine &

Health Sciences Graduates!

For more commencement photos, please see und.med.edu/commencement


Magnificent TeachersGUEST AUTHOR


Patrick A. Carr, PhD, AssociateProfessor, Department of Anatomyand Cell Biology

EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE IS Ahallmark of the University of NorthDakota School of Medicine and HealthSciences and represents thecommitment of a diverse group ofpeople who have come together to helpteach, train, and mentor the studentsfrom our region and beyond. In oneway or another, we all have significantroles in providing an outstandingeducational experience for our variousconstituents that include not onlyundergraduate, graduate, andprofessional-program students but alsothe general public. Our in-house facultyteach as part of their occupation. Ourgraduate students teach as part of theirtraining. Our volunteer clinical facultyteach as part of their profession, andour indispensable staff provide us withthe resources and vital support thatmake it all possible. All are dedicatedpeople that are essential to thesuccessful fulfillment of our mission.

However, another set of teachers atthe School of Medicine and HealthSciences should be recognized

and appreciated as well. These peopleperform a remarkable teaching service,although their backgrounds are likelyquite varied and many may not havehad any formal training in theclassroom. Their commonality isbequeathal to our Deeded BodyProgram, a gift that allows them toperform one last physical act asmagnificent teachers. The value ofthose who have chosen to join ourprogram cannot be overstated. Becauseof the generosity of our cadavericdonors, our students can study andexperience the ultimate accomplishment

that is the human body in a way thatbooks, computer programs, plasticmodels, or discussion cannot achieve.

The breadth of this experience isnot obvious. Students not only learnhuman anatomy and have theopportunity to observe the impact ofpathological states but also areconfronted with important issues inhumanism, such as death and dying,medical compassion, respect, agingwith dignity, and foundations regardingthe practitioner-patient relationship.This rare opportunity to glimpse ourinner self never ceases to beenlightening. From those exposed tocadaveric material for the first time tothe veteran faculty member, it isimpossible not to learn something fromeach of these remarkable teachers.

The spirit with which a personmust donate his or her body is difficultto fully grasp. This ultimatecommitment to teaching is a decisionthat many of us have not consideredand most would not make. It is acompletely selfless act of generosity

and a desire to be involved in teachingthose who will end up caring for us all.In light of this, and on behalf of all whohave benefited from such a gift, I wouldlike to extend a profound “Thank you”to past, present, and future donors foryour teaching excellence andinvaluable contribution to ourinstitution.

— Pat Carr

For more information about the Deeded Body Program, please visit http://www.med.und.edu/depts/anatomy/deeded_body.html

The spirit with which a person must donate his or her bodyis difficult to fully grasp. This ultimate commitment to

teaching is a decision that many of us have not considered.


NEWS BRIEFS

The Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota(UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences has beenselected as the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH)Outreach Partner for the state of North Dakota. The Centerjoins a nationwide network of organizations that educates thepublic about mental and substance use disorders, andscientific progress in these areas to promote the prevention,early detection, and treatment of these disorders, and reducethe stigma and discrimination associated with them.

Through the Outreach Partnership Program, NIMH strivesto increase public awareness about the importance of basic,translational, and clinical research to the understanding,prevention, and treatment of mental illnesses and addictiondisorders, paving the way for recovery and cures. NIMH alsoseeks the input of its partners from national and stateorganizations to strengthen the public health impact of theresearch it conducts and funds through better understandingof community needs. In addition to 55 partners from everystate, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, over 80

national organizations participate in the program,representing the patient, professional, advocacy, and service-related communities primarily concerned with mental health,alcoholism, and drug use disorders.

The NIMH provides the Partners with research updates,opportunities to network with state and national organizationsthrough an annual meeting and other regional meetings,access to NIMH publications for statewide distribution, andan annual stipend.

Outreach Partners are chosen through a competitiveprocess in which applications are reviewed by a panel ofexperts and NIMH staff. The Program is an initiative of theNIMH with support from the National Institute of Drug Abuseand in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and MentalHealth Services Administration. The National Institute ofMental Health is one of 27 components of the NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH), the federal government’s principalbiomedical and behavioral research agency. NIH is part ofthe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Debra G. Bell, MD, and Neena E. Thomas-Eapen, MD,FAACP, are the interim codirectors of integrative medicinein the Department of Family and Community Medicine forthe UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Bellgave the inaugural John R. Fischer, MD, IntegrativeMedicine Lecture on January 20 at the School of Medicineand Health Sciences. Bell is a family physician fromCrookston, Minn. Bell introduced the grant for integrativemedicine, provided a brief overview of integrative medicine

and its importance in medical education, and reviewed newplans for its addition to the School of Medicine and HealthSciences. Thomas-Eapen delivered the second lecture onFebruary 18. Thomas-Eapen is associate director of theUND Center for Family Medicine in Minot.

The Fischer Lectures cover topics in integrativemedicine and include a wide range of clinical issues. Thegoal of the series is to introduce a variety of practitioners

and experts in the field who will help create an awarenessof the importance, depth, and breadth of this discipline. Thelecture series is the first step in incorporating integrativemedicine into medical education at the School of Medicineand Health Sciences. The series is made possible by a grantfrom John R. Fischer, MD, BS Med. ’65.

David Rakel, MD, gave the third integrative medicinelecture, titled “The Salutogenic Oriented Session: A HealingFocused Patient Encounter, Combining the Science and theArt,” on March 26. Rakel is editor of one of the main textsin the field, titled Integrative Medicine.

The Rev. Daniel Wolpert, MDiv, MA, presented“Science, Medicine, Human Bias, and the Future ofHealing,” the fourth lecture in the series on April 19.Wolpert is cofounder and codirector of the MinnesotaInstitute of Contemplation and Healing, a multifacetedfacility for the practice and study of contemplation, healing,and the arts. He is the pastor of the First PresbyterianChurch in Crookston, Minn.

Integrative Medicine Delivers John R. Fischer, MD, Lecture Series

Center for Rural Health Partners with the National Institute of Mental Health

Daniel Wolpert, Debra Bell, Neena Thomas-Eapen

David Rakel


NEWS BRIEFS

Plans take shape for Bismarck Center for Family MedicineThe North Dakota Legislature appropriated $5.4 million to the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and

Health Sciences (SMHS) to construct a new facility for its Bismarck Center for Family Medicine and Southwest Campusoffices. The SMHS has selected Ritterbush-Ellig-Hulsing, P.C., of Bismarck as the architects and planners for theconstruction project.

The SMHS solicited advice on a potential building site fromthe community, the City of Bismarck, Medcenter One, and St.Alexius Medical Center. The SMHS appreciates the helpful andpositive community contributions that will lead to a favorablelocation for the facility. The center will benefit the medicalstudent and residency training programs of the SMHS andultimately the citizens of Bismarck and the surrounding area.The SMHS hopes to complete the building by July 2011.

REH Architects, Bismarck, ND

A record number of over 400 participants and 56 exhibitorsmet for the 25th Annual Dakota Conference on Rural andPublic Health at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N. Dak.,on April 13–15, 2010. The theme “Health Care inTransition: Creative Strategies” set the tone for the pre- andpost-conference workshops, breakout sessions, posterpresentations, and annual awards banquet. The keynotespeakers included • Jim Hart, MD, director, Executive Program in PublicHealth Practice and the North Central Public HealthLeadership Institute, University of Minnesota School ofPublic Health;• Robert O. Kelley, PhD, president, the University of NorthDakota (shown above); • Wanda Agnew, PhD, director, Nutrition Service,Bismarck Burleigh Public Health; Sandra Poitra, RD, LD,community dietitian, Quentin N. Burdick Memorial HealthCare Facility; and Karen Ehrens, LRD, health and nutritionconsultant, Ehrens Consulting; and• Tom Morris, director, Office of Rural Health Policy,Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Next year’s Conference on Rural and Public Health willbe held March 23–25, 2011 in Mandan, North Dakota.

25th Annual Dakota ConferenceDraws Record Attendance

Grant Achievement Award ReceptionEdward Sauter, MD, PhD, MHA, associate deanfor research, accepts a Grant Achievementaward from Dean Joshua Wynne, MD, MBA,MPH, and Phyllis Johnson, PhD, UND vicepresident for research and economicdevelopment, at the inaugural Research AwardReception sponsored by the Office of the Deanand the Office of Research Affairs at the Schoolof Medicine and Health Sciences on February17 in the Vennes Atrium. The grants wereawarded for new national funding receivedduring fiscal year 2009. Eighteen otherresearchers in the medical school were alsorecognized with this award.


NEWS BRIEFS

Rudd Named to ND Athletic Trainers Hall of FameJim Rudd, MS ‘81, ATC, assistant

professor in the Division of SportsMedicine at the University of NorthDakota School of Medicine andHealth Sciences, was honored by theNorth Dakota Athletic TrainersAssociation by being named to theNDATA Hall of Fame. The awardwas presented to him at the 2010NDATA symposium and meeting in

Minot on April 10. Rudd has worked in the Division ofSports Medicine since 1989.

Rudd was instrumental in developing the Bachelor ofScience in Athletic Training degree within the School ofMedicine and Health Sciences in the early 1990s. Hecurrently teaches classes within the BSAT degree program.

Key Health Alliance Selected as Regional ExtensionCenter for Health Information Technology forMinnesota and North Dakota

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebeliusannounced that Key Health Alliance (KHA), a Minnesotabased partnership of Stratis Health, the Rural HealthResource Center, and The College of St. Scholastica, hasbeen awarded a $19 million grant to serve as the newfederally designated Regional Extension Assistance Centersfor Health Information Technology (REACH) for Minnesotaand North Dakota. North Dakota Health Care Review, Inc.,and the University of North Dakota Center for Rural Healthare working with KHA to meet the unique needs of theNorth Dakota provider community and build a cohesiveand effective program across both states.

Ronald Tello, MD ’76 (Internal Medicine Residency ’79),and Michael Ray Brown, MD ’92, were selected as dualrecipients of the Alumni of the Year Award for 2010 by theBismarck State College (BSC) National Alumni Association.

BSC honored them at a dinner forfriends, family, and associates onMay 13, and during BSC’scommencement on May 14. Thetrustees selected Tello, ’70, andBrown, ’82, for their extraordinaryprofessional achievements,dedication to the medical field, andleadership in the Bismarckcommunity.

Tello, an internal medicinephysician at Medcenter One HealthSystems since 1979, was cited by thetrustees for dedicating time andservice to the Bismarck-Mandancommunity far beyond expectationsfor doctors in private or grouppractice. For the past 25 years, hehas been medical director for areabusinesses, nursing homes, and theyouth correctional center.

Tello is Kidder County health officer and just ended 12years as Burleigh County health officer, Burleigh Countycoroner, and medical coordinator for the USDA AgricultureResearch Service’s health surveillance program in Mandan.Tello originated the Occupational Health Servicesdepartment at Q&R Clinic/Medcenter One and served as itsmedical director from 1992 to 2008. In 2008, he becamechief of staff at Triumph Hospital in Mandan, where he hasbeen a physician since 1999.

Brown joined the St. Alexius Heart & Lung Clinic in2000 as a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon with aspecial interest in research. Chief and co-investigator ofnumerous published and abstracted articles, he hascompleted studies on diabetes, heart and lung disease,surgical interventions, and cancer. Brown is now involvedin two international clinical trials using stents for carotidartery stenosis and medication for people with high risk forcoronary bypass grafting.

His research on cardiovascular diseases was recognizednationally by the American Heart Association as a finalistfor the Melvin L. Marcus Investigator Award inCardiovascular Science. Brown delivered an invitedscientific paper at the 19th International Congress onEndovascular Interventions in 2006. He holds a doctorate inbiochemistry and molecular biology and is an ArmyNational Guard Medical Corps combat veteran.

Tello

Brown

Bismarck College National Alumni Association Honors Alumni of the Year

AAFP Achievement AwardThe School of Medicine and Health Sciences is the top medical school in the country for producing family

medicine physicians, according to rankings released by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).Ranking first among the country’s 132 accredited medical schools, UND earned the Achievement Award

from the AAFP, which recognizes outstanding schools that, during a three-year period, graduate the greatestpercentage of graduates who choose family medicine.

For the complete story, please visit http://www.med.und.edu/news/release.cfm?releaseid=515


NEWS BRIEFS

University President Robert O. Kelley, PhD, presents theDepartmental Excellence in Research Award to the Department ofPharmacology, Physiology, and Therapeutics, at the 127th AnnualFounders Day ceremony in February at UND. Standing, left to right:Xuesong Chen, PhD; Othman Ghribi, PhD; Colin K. Combs, PhD;Saobo Lei, PhD; Holly M. Brown-Borg, PhD; President Kelley;Jonathan D. Geiger, PhD and chair; Thad A. Rosenberger, PhD;Van A. Doze, PhD; Julie Horn, administrative officer; Debra Kroese,administrative officer; kneeling, left to right: Mikhail Y. Golovko, PhD,and Eric J. Murphy, PhD.

President Kelley, presents the Excellence inTeaching, Research or Creative Activity, andService Award to Mary Ann Sens, MD, PhD,and chair of the Department of Pathology.

127TH ANNUAL FOUNDERS DAY

Richard Riegelman, founding deanof The George WashingtonUniversity School of Public Healthand Health Services presented“Public Health and the Future ofUndergraduate Education” tostudents, faculty, and staff at theSchool on March 25.


John Lyng, MD ‘05, of Apple Valley, Minn., is aiding effortsto secure an ambulance for a hospital on the Caribbeanisland community of Vieux Fort, St. Lucia, which wasdamaged in a fire. Lyng, who is an emergency medicinedoctor and registered paramedic, had volunteered in St.Lucia in 2008 and 2009, during which he discovered thatambulance runs were a major necessity. Now, Lyng andothers are raising funds for supplies and equipment for thehospital, including a new ambulance. The project is incoalition with Hewannora Health Volunteers, a U.S.-basednonprofit organization.

Tami Parker, DPT ’05, MPT ’01, hasjoined MeritCare Mayville UnionHospital’s Department of PhysicalTherapy as a physical therapist. Shepreviously worked for MeritCare inThief River Falls, Minn. Her interestsinclude manual therapy ofextremities and the spine, sportsmedicine, general orthopedics, andbiomechanical assessment. She is also

trained in treating incontinence and pelvic pain.

Justin Reisenauer, MD ’08, who iscompleting an emergency medicineresidency at Michigan StateUniversity/Kalamazoo Center forMedical Studies, won a residentteaching award from the M-4s at theMSU/KCMS Match Day luncheon forhis teaching in the pediatric intensivecare unit.

Thomas Gray, MD ‘02, has joined the St. Alexius MedicalCenter in Minot, N. Dak. Gray has worked in hospitals inMinot, Port Angeles, Wash., and New Town, N. Dak. He isboard certified in family medicine.

James Neumann, MD ‘95, IM Res‘98 has joined the hospitalist team ofInnovis Health in Fargo, N. Dak. Heis currently in the process of re-certifying through the AmericanBoard of Internal Medicine.

Jay LaBine, MD `91, has beennamed medical director at PriorityHealth in Grand Rapids, Mich.LaBine most recently served as chiefof staff at St. Mary’s Health Care inGrand Rapids. In his new position,LaBine will work in the MedicalAffairs department where he will beresponsible for utilizationmanagement, reducing per capita

costs, and building provider relationships. Prior to joiningPriority Health, LaBine also served as chief of surgery andtrauma director at St. Mary’s Health Care. His experience asa surgeon will complement the expertise of the PriorityHealth medical staff, which includes pediatrics, familypractice, internal medicine, geriatrics, hospice and palliativecare, and psychiatrics. LaBine completed a fellowship intrauma and critical care at the University of California atSan Diego Medical Center.

Lee Glasoe, BSOT ‘87, has beenhonored with the South DakotaPhysical Therapy Association Hall ofFame Contributor Award. Glasoe isCEO of Prairie RehabilitationServices. Under his direction, PrairieRehabilitation has become one of thelargest private employers of physicaltherapists in South Dakota.

Craig Lambrecht, MD ’87, has beennamed to the board of directors ofthe Missouri Valley Family YMCA inBismarck, N. Dak. The Wishek, N.Dak., native is the president andCEO of Medcenter One. He hasthree business and managementmaster’s degrees and has served inleadership positions with the NorthDakota National Guard for 26 years.

Vani Nagala, IM Res ‘84, celebratedher twenty-fifth year as a part of theSoutheast Medical Center staff inOakes, N. Dak. She has been inNorth Dakota with her husband Dr.Rup Nagala since November of1979.

ALUMNI NOTES

’90s

’80s

’00s


David E. Grosz, MD ’80, Transitional Residency ‘81; andHarold T. Rodenbiker, BS Med ‘78, Transitional Residency

‘81; ofFerchoCataract andEye Clinic inFargo, N.Dak., havebeen namedtwo of theBest Doctorsin Americafor 2009–10.

This is the seventh time they have received the Best Doctorsaward. Boston-based Best Doctors Inc. recognizes only thetop three to five percent of doctors in their specialties in theUnited States.

Jo Van Winter, MD ‘80, has joined the St. Alexius MinotMedical Center in Minot, N. Dak. A Minot native, shepreviously worked for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.She is board certified in family medicine as well aspediatrics.

Scott Harris, MD ‘79, has joinedSoutheast Medical Center in Lisbon,N. Dak. Before working withSoutheast Medical Center, hepracticed at MeritCare in Fargo,where he started the transplantprogram in 1989.

Russel J. Kuzel, MD ‘79, FamilyPractice Residency ‘82, has beenhired as senior vice president andchief medical officer of UCare, anonprofit health plan based inMarshfield, Wisconsin. UCareprovides health care andadministrative services to 200,000members through partnerships withhealth care providers, counties, and

community organizations. Kuzel was with DakotaClinic–Innovis Health in Fargo, N. Dak., from 1984 to 2003.He held leadership positions with Dakota Community HealthNetwork and the Innovis Health Hospital board of directors.In 2008, he earned a Master of Medical Management fromthe University of California Marshall School of Business inLos Angeles.

Ernest Godfread, MD ’77, has been named to St. AlexiusMedical Center’s board of directors. He is a retiredorthopaedic surgeon and a native of Stanley, North Dakota.

Alan B. Lindemann, MD ‘77, has opened the Harvey Clinicin Harvey, N. Dak., specializing in obstetrics, gynecology,and family medicine. He has been practicing medicine since1981.

Rodney Zimmerman, MD ‘77, hasbegun practice at the HazenSakakawea Clinic and at the BeulahSakakawea Clinic, both in NorthDakota. He spent the majority of thelast 31 years in Cameroon, Africa,where he performed medical missionwork, practicing family medicine.

ALUMNI NOTES

’70s

’80s

Grosz Rodenbiker

Amy Oxentenko, MD ’98, assistant professor of medicinein the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology atMayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., visited with Judy DeMers,associate dean, Student Affairs and Admissions, on April 7at the School. Amy’s husband Shawn Oxentenko, MD ’98,is an instructor in the Department of Physical Medicine andRehabilitation at Mayo Clinic.


IN MEMORIAM

Don Vernon Smith, BS Med ‘42, passed away at the age of90 on January 14, 2010, after a series of strokes. For the pastyear, he lived at the Catalina Foothills Adult Care Homewith his wife, Rebecca.

He was born Sept. 16, 1919 in Stanton, N. Dak., the sonof Dr. Cecil and Mrs. Winnifred Smith. He grew up inMandan, N. Dak., and attended the University of NorthDakota in Grand Forks, where he met his future wife,Rebecca Onstad. After two years of medical school in GrandForks, he moved to Chicago where he completed his degreeat Northwestern University. After interning at Cook CountyHospital, he joined the Army as a captain in the U.S. ArmyMedical Corps. Initially, he assisted in surgery for woundedsoldiers in Ithaca, N.Y., before being assigned for a year tothe Army of Occupation in Japan. In 1947 he returned tojoin his family and begin a surgical residency at EitelHospital in Minneapolis.

He moved to Blue Earth, Minn., in 1950 to join the BlueEarth Medical Center doing general surgery and familypractice. In 1972 he moved to Arizona where he served onthe Ganado Indian Reservation with Project Hope. After twoyears, he moved to Phoenix to work with the Arizona HealthPlan.

He is preceded in death by his sister, Margaret; hisbrother, Dale; and a son, Dean. Don is survived by his wifeof 66 years, Rebecca; a son, Dr. Stephen Smith and his wife,Carla Granat, of Seattle, Wash.; daughters, Christine Austin,Deborah Haynes, Dr. Linda Turner, and her husband, Justin,all of Tucson, Ariz., in addition to 11 grandchildren and 13great-grandchildren.

Raymond R. Schale, BS Med ’59, of Tampa, Fla., formerly ofKankakee, passed away at the age of 73 on March 7, 2010,at Tampa General Hospital. Funeral services were heldMarch 12 in Tampa and March 13 in St. Augustine, Fla.

Gordon Michael Fillipi, BSMT ‘62, MS Micro ‘70, PhDMicro ‘73Dr. Fillipi, 69, Grand Forks, N. Dak., passed away onDecember 23, 2009.

He was born in Warren, Minn., on October 17, 1940, toHenry and Grace (Osvak) Fillipi, and he was the older oftwo boys. He was raised on a farm near Tabor, Minn., andthen moved to Grand Forks to attend college at theUniversity of North Dakota. He served as laboratorysupervisor of the sanatorium at Nopeming, Minn., nearDuluth and later continued his education and graduatedwith a PhD from the University of North Dakota. He workedas a microbiologist in the hospital laboratories of St.Michael’s Hospital, United Hospital, and Altru Hospital,where he retired in 1997 as director of the pathology lab.

Survivors include his sons, Greg (Bita) of Moses Lake,Wash., Steve (Shelly) of Aurora, Colo., Tom (Patty) ofFarmington, Minn., Jim (Lori) of Bemidji, Minn.; daughter,Suzanne (Brad) Berry, Grand Forks; grandchildren, Nicole,Austin, Sydney, Ashley, Preston, Brianna, Brooke, Bauer,Chase, and Aiden; great-granddaughter, Christine; brother,Scott (Lorna) of Warren, Minn. and many in-laws, nieces,nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley, an infantson, his parents, and in-laws, Johannes and Amy Hedlund.

Siegfried Detke, PhD, associateprofessor and director of graduateeducation in the Department ofBiochemistry and Molecular Biologyat the University of North Dakota(UND) School of Medicine andHealth Sciences, passed away inGrand Forks Wednesday, January 13,2010, at the age of 59.

Born in Bobingen Germany, hespent his childhood in Cleveland, Ohio. Detke earned a B.S.in Biology from Case Western Reserve University and hisPhD in Biochemistry from Colorado State University in FortCollins. He completed postdoctoral fellowships at theUniversity of Florida and the University of Chicago MedicalSchool before coming to UND in December of 1987. Detkewas a well-known scientist interested in understanding themechanism of infectious disease at the genetic level. Hiswork centered on the infectious process of a protozoanparasite, Leishmania, responsible for a disease that affectsabout 350 million people worldwide. Detke’s research wasfunded by grants from the National Institutes of Health andthe World Health Organization. He was a member of theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science and

the American Society of Microbiology. He served as thesecretary-treasurer for the North Dakota Academy ofScience.

Detke was an exceptional teacher. He taught basicbiochemistry and molecular biology to medical, graduate,and undergraduate students and mentored one doctoral andthree master’s degree students. His passion and commitmentto his work was an inspiration to students and faculty alike.While he was happiest experimenting in his lab, he was alsoa bibliophile with a special interest in science fiction and amovie buff.

Dr. Detke is survived by his wife of 36 years, Jan Detkeof Grand Forks; two sons, Karl of San Diego Calif., and Kyleof Lincoln Nebr.; his parents, Emil and Anna; sisters, Sigrid(Rick) Straka and Heidi Detke, all of Daytona Beach Fla.;and sister, Eleanor Detke of Cleveland.

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologymarked the deaths of two faculty colleagues with aRemembrance Celebration on May 3, 2010, at 3:30 in theReed Keller Auditorium, at the School of Medicine andHealth Sciences. Gene Homandberg passed away onDecember 21, 2009. Family, colleagues, students, andfriends attended the celebration.


IN MEMORIAM

Dr. Keith Foster died peacefully onApril 4, 2010, at Missouri SlopeLutheran Care Center. Mass ofChristian Burial was held on Friday,April 9, 2010, at Cathedral of theHoly Spirit, Bismarck, with Rev. JohnGuthrie, Rev. Thomas Kramer, andRev. Russell Kovash officiating.Burial was held in St. Mary’sCemetery, Bismarck.

Keith was born August 21, 1924, in Mandan, N. Dak.,to Fay and Alfreda (Farr) Foster andwas raised in Dickinson. He attendedthe College of St. Thomas in St. Paul,Minn., and Marquette University ofMedicine in Milwaukee, Wis., wherehe met his wife, Dorothy Geach.They were married in Hurley, Wis.,in 1947. Their marriage was blessedwith five children.

Keith completed residencies ininternal medicine in Detroit, Mich.,and Seattle, Wash. From 1943 to1946, he served in the U.S. Army.He served in the U.S.A.F. as AssistantChief of Medicine at WrightPatterson Air Force Base Hospital inDayton, Ohio from 1951 to 1953. In1953, Keith moved his young familyback to Dickinson, where he was inprivate practice at the Rodgers-Gumper Clinic. In 1970, he moved to Bismarck andpracticed at the Q & R Clinic. In 1974, Keith was appointedprofessor and assistant dean at the University of North

Dakota School of Medicine where he was instrumental intaking the medical school from a 2-year to a 4-yearprogram. Keith was a compassionate teacher and mentor tomany future physicians.

He was medical director of the Heartview Foundationfrom 1979 to 1989 and from 1991to 1993. Keith was apioneer in treating alcoholism as a disease. He furthered hisunderstanding of alcoholism as a Bush Clinical Fellow atthe National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Md., and theRoyal Free Hospital in London, England from 1985 to 1986.In 1986, he became the first North Dakota physician to be

American board certified in addictionmedicine.

Keith is survived by his lovingwife, Dorothy, of 62 years; sons,Mike (Marilee), Bob (Linda); Dan(Myra); and daughter, Sue Glasser(Ray); 16 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one brother, Bill Foster(Kay); and sister, Sally May (Tom).

He was preceded in death by hisparents; sister, Mary JeanHendrickson; and his daughter,Kathleen Jane.

Keith’s greatest legacy is hisfamily. He will be remembered forhis wisdom, sense of humor, kindsupportive personality, and his

devotion to his family, students, andpatients.

Memorials may be given to eitherthe God’s Child Project or the Epilepsy Foundation, inmemory of his daughter Jane.

Dr. Foster and Dean Edwin James, MD, at Dr.Foster’s retirement reception on January 31, 1988.

Ralph Warren Pierson, BS Med ‘52, of Minot, died Sunday,April 18, 2010, in a Minot hospital. He was 83.

Longtime Minot physician and farmer Ralph WarrenPierson was born and raised in York. He attended school onthe home farm until his graduation from the Benson CountyAgricultural Training School in Maddock. In 1950, hegraduated from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., witha pre-med major. He attended medical school at theUniversity of North Dakota and at the University of Illinoisin Chicago, where he met his future wife.

He married Wilma J. Kvenild in 1954. Together theyhad five children, raising four of them to adulthood with astrong sense of family loyalty and a love of learning.

He and Wilma shared many adventures. After theirwedding, the couple moved to Los Angeles to beginWarren's internship. They also lived in Bismarck, wherethey made lifelong friends. They returned to California forWarren's stint in the Navy aboard the USS Toledo as anaval officer.

He traveled extensively overseas before returning tothe Quain Ramstad Clinic in Bismarck. He continued hisservice to his country in the Naval Reserve.

Warren felt a calling to become a missionary, andthus began the couples' biggest adventure. With round-the-world plane tickets, they began their journey to Ethiopia,Africa, to serve four years as medical missionaries for theAmerican Lutheran Church with their three daughters.

Warren treated hundreds of patients, includingdelivering his youngest son, Steve, while in Selek Leka,Ethiopia.

Upon returning from Africa, Warren decided toexpand his medical expertise to surgery. They moved toSeattle so he could begin his surgical residency. After fouryears, Warren moved his family to North Dakota in a returnto his roots. They settled in Minot, where Warren enjoyedyears of working with his beloved patients at Medical ArtsClinic and in his private practice.


AshleyAshley Medical CenterKathy Hoeft, CEO701-288-3433 [email protected]

Family medicine

BismarckSt. Alexius Medical CenterCarol Lindsey, Physician RecruiterOffice: 701-530-7172 Cell: [email protected]

Neurology, cardiology, electro-cardiology

Medcenter OneConnie Long, Manager, Physician Recruitment and [email protected]

Obstetrics

BottineauSt. Andrew’s Health CenterJodi Atkinson, [email protected]

Nurse practitioner or physician assistant, registered nurse, clinical lab science

CandoTowner County Medical CenterJac [email protected]

Family medicine

CarringtonCarrington Health CenterMariann Doeling, [email protected]

Physician assistant with family practice

Cavalier Pembina County Memorial HospitalKathy Duff701-265-6228 Fax: [email protected]

General surgery

Devils LakeAltru Clinic-Lake RegionKerri Hjelmstad, Physician [email protected] Semling, Physician [email protected] Elonda Nord, Branch [email protected]

Family medicine, family medicine with obstetrics, internal medicine

Towner County Medical Center ClinicJac [email protected]

Family medicine

DickinsonGreat Plains Clinic, PCMark Grove, [email protected]

Family medicine with obstetrics, internal medicine, general surgery, nurse practitioner

Med Center One – DickinsonConnie Long, Manager, Physician Recruitment and [email protected]

Family medicine

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Health CenterDenise Lutz, Executive Director of [email protected]

Emergency medicine, registered nurse,clinical lab science

FargoFamily Healthcare [email protected]

Family medicine with obstetrics, nurse practitioner, physician assistant

MeritCare Health SystemJill Gilleshammer, Physician [email protected]

Family medicine with obstetrics, internal medicine, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, obstetrics, physical therapy, occupational therapy, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse

Grand ForksAltru Health SystemKerri Hjelmstad, Physician [email protected] Semling, Physician [email protected] or 1-800-437-5373

Family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, medical oncology, neurology, interventional cardiology, psychiatry, dermatology, gastroenterology, urology, pediatrics

HarveySt. Aloisius Medical CenterRocky Zastoupil, [email protected]

Internal medicine, family practice, registered nurse

HazenSakakawea Medical CenterPam Fitzgerald, [email protected] or or Darrold Bertsch, [email protected]

Nurse practitioner, physician assistant, occupational therapy, registered nurse

St. Alexius Medical CenterCarol Lindsey, Physician [email protected]: 701-530-7172 Cell: 701-226-9910

Family medicine, internal medicine

HettingerWest River Regional Medical CenterJim Long, Administrator & [email protected] Michelle McCorrnack, [email protected].

Family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery

JamestownMeritCare Health SystemJill Gilleshammer, Physician [email protected]

Family medicine with obstetrics, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse

The following is a listing of communities in North Dakota with current openings for all specialities. For more information about theseopportunities, please contact the site directly or Mary Amundson, MA, at the Department of Family and Community Medicine,University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 701-777-4018 or at [email protected]

ND OPPORTUNITIES


ND OPPORTUNITIES

Jamestown, continuedMed Center OneConnie Long, Manager, Physician Recruitment and [email protected]

701-323-5417Family medicine, family medicine with obstetrics

North Dakota State HospitalLyle Grove, HR [email protected]

Psychiatry

South Central Human Service CenterCandace Fuglelsten701-253-6313 or [email protected]

Psychiatry

KenmareKenmare Community HospitalShawn Smothers, Administrator Office:701-385-4296 or [email protected] Grigsby, Physician Recruiter800-598-1205 or [email protected]

Family medicine, internal medicine, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, registered nurse

LangdonCavalier County Memorial HospitalLawrence Blue, [email protected]


LintonLinton HospitalRoger Unger701-254-451; Fax: [email protected]

Family medicine, nurse practitioner, registered nurse, clinical lab science

MayvilleMeritCareJill Gilleshammer, Physician [email protected]

Family Medicine

MinotSt. Alexius Medical Center – Minot ClinicCarol Lindsey, Physician [email protected] Cell: 701-226-9910


Minot, continuedTrinity HealthShar Grigsby, Physician Recruiter800-598-1205 or [email protected]

Internal medicine, dermatology, emergency medicine, ear nose throat, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hospital medicine, neurology, obstetrics-gynecology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, child and adolescent psychiatry, pulmonary/ critical care, urology, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, clinical lab science

OakesOakes Community HospitalLee Boyles, [email protected]

Family medicine

Southeast Medical CenterTheresa Kelly, [email protected]

Family medicine, internal medicine, physical therapy, x-ray technology

Park RiverFirst Care Health CenterLouise Dryburgh, Administrator701-284-7500 or 701-284-4538(Recruitment)[email protected]

Family medicine

Rolla Northland Community Health CenterFaye Hagen, [email protected]

Family medicine

RugbyJohnson ClinicBonnie Mattern, Administrator701-776-5235 ext. [email protected]


Turtle LakeCommunity Memorial HospitalDean Mattern, CEO701-448-2331 ext. [email protected]

Clinical lab science

Valley CityMeritCare Health SystemJill Gilleshammer, Physician [email protected] Lane, [email protected]

Family medicine

WillistonTrinity Community Clinic-Western DakotaMarci Arnold 800-735-4940 or 701-572-7718,[email protected] Grigsby, Physician Recruiter800-598-1205 or [email protected]

Family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery

Mercy Medical CenterJolene Lordemann, Director of PracticeManagementOffice: 701-572-7651; Cell: [email protected]

Family medicine, family medicine with obstetrics, internal medicine, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, urology, psychiatry, emergency medicine, pediatrician

WishekWishek Hospital Clinic AssociationTrina Schilling, RN/Chief Executive [email protected]

Family medicine, radiology technician


PLANNING AHEAD

Sanford Health-MeritCare and the University of NorthDakota (UND) Foundation recently announced a $1.5million gift to establish the Dr. Roger Gilbertson EndowedChair of Neurology at the University of North DakotaSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dr. Gilbertson ispresident emeritus of MeritCare Health System.

Endowed chairs provide an invaluable means to ensureacademic excellence in teaching and research. The Dr.Roger Gilbertson Endowed Chair in Neurology “willprovide support for the development of an academicprogram in neurological diseases, which will complementthe School’s highly regarded basic science research effortsin neurodegenerative disorders,” said Dr. Joshua Wynne,Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the UNDSchool of Medicine and Health Sciences.

“This gift through the UND Foundation is a truedemonstration of Sanford Health-MeritCare’s dedication tothe UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences andtheir interest in creating unique opportunities for students,”

said Tim O’Keefe, executive vice president and CEO of theUND Foundation. “The foresight and generosity of friendslike Sanford Health-MeritCare is providing this universityits margin of excellence. By honoring Dr. Gilbertson in thisfashion, there will also be permanent recognition of hiscommitment to quality medical education in NorthDakota.”

Lauris Molbert, vice chair of the Sanford Health-MeritCare Board of Trustees commented, “The Boardwanted to do something to honor and recognize RogerGilbertson’s service to MeritCare that would be as lastingand significant as his contribution to health carethroughout the region. This gift recognizes his leadershiprole as a physician, teacher, and scientist.”

“Combining excellence in medicine, teaching andresearch is a hallmark of our organization. Supporting

leadership in the further development of the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences is an important way forus to see that is accomplished. This has been an integralpart of the growth of MeritCare,” said Kelby Krabbenhoft,president and CEO.

“Sanford Health-MeritCare has even greater potential tohelp set the bar involving innovation in clinical medicine,research, and academics. Working together with the UNDand Sanford University of South Dakota medical schools,we can be a national model for the future training ofphysicians and health professionals,” said Krabbenhoft.

Dr. Gilbertson served as president and chief executiveofficer of MeritCare Health System for 17 years, from itsbeginning in 1993 until his retirement in 2009. Hisleadership fostered tremendous growth in size andcapabilities, and brought MeritCare to national prominenceas an integrated health care system and as a national voicein health care reform and public policy.

One of Dr. Gilbertson’s greatest accomplishments wasfirmly establishing the vision for coordinated health care inthe region, starting with his key role in the merger of St.Luke’s Hospitals and Fargo Clinic, and the expansion ofMeritCare’s regional network from a Fargo-based operationto a regional health care system.

Dr. Gilbertson served on the Medical Center AdvisoryCouncil (now the SMHS Advisroy Council) from 2001to 2009.

Sanford Health-MeritCare Establishes Endowed Chair

Visit us online at www.med.und.edu/alumni today to see how YOU can help!

This gift ... is a true demonstration ofSanford Health-MeritCare’s dedication tothe UND School of Medicine & Health

Sciences and their interest in creatingunique opportunities for students.

Marcia Kelley, Roger Gilberston and UND President RobertO. Kelley at the announcement of Dr. Gilbertson’s gift.


PARTING SHOTS

“This young woman has taken in the two boys (one inmy arms and one looking up at me) whose parentswere both killed in the earthquake. She stands besideme with her own daughter. The two boys arrivedunharmed, but both with typhoid fever. We treatedthem and have put the family on the feeding programfor the malnourished, because the one in my arms isbelow expected weight for his age. The picture wastaken at the Center of Hope in Jérémie, Haiti duringthe second week of March. I do love what I am doing,and if you are interested, you can learn more on myblog: maryanninhaiti.blogspot.com.”

On January 28, the Christian Medical and Dental Associationsponsored a Medical Missions dinner. Participants who spokeabout their mission experiences were (from left to right) Dr.Lawrence Lee, a physician at Aurora Clinic in Grand Forks,Jennifer Risan, MS II; and Dr. Terry Dwelle, North Dakotastate health officer.

Mary Ann Laxen writes from Haiti

Altru Health System hosted the first Spin for Kidsindoor stationary bike race in April at the BettyEngelstad Sioux Center in conjunction with Altru'sHere for Life Expo. The 16 teams participating in therace raised over $20,000, which will provide forprograms, services, and equipment to children withspecial needs within the region. Participating in the racefrom the School were Tara Mertz (above), MD Class of2014, a communications specialist with the Center forRural Health, who rode for the Spin Dips team; andstudents from the Physical Therapy Department team(below) back, left to right: Miranda Johnson, Pam Peter,Jon Beck, Tom Ebertowski, and Jamie Hiltner andfront, left to right: Jennifer Hohl, Alishia Daily, andKelsey Hest.

University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health SciencesA National Leader in Rural Health - Serving North Dakota since 1905501 North Columbia Road Stop 9037 ● Grand Forks ND ● 58202-9037 701-777-4305 www.med.und.edu

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Periodical POSTAGE PAID

The vocal duo Kayla Odegard and Benjamin Ehrichs, medical students

from the MD class of 2013, performed in the School of Medicine and

Health Sciences Student Talent Show. The show was held on February 1,

with student musical acts, dance groups, and a spelling bee entertaining a

full house at the Ramada Inn. The event consisted of dinner, social hour,

and nine performances. The talent show has been held for several years,

previously in the Memorial Union.

Science Day In April, Shannon Hagan,(MD Class of 2013),demonstrates rotationalinertia by spinning aparticipant in a chair.

North Dakota Medicine

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