In this newsletter: SOM climate survey, funding opportunities, hospital rankings, and more.
Friends and Colleagues,                                                          August 2016
A Climate Survey was conducted by the School of Medicine this past April, measuring faculty response to multiple topics, including career development opportunities, leadership support, and workplace environment. You've likely already seen a communication from the SOM about this survey, but I'd like to highlight a few interesting department-specific items that emerged from the survey.

The survey indicated that DOM faculty are proud to belong to our Department, feel a positive sense of academic community and collaboration, and respect and take pride in the ethical and professional standards promoted by our Department. These domains represent our core values, and I’m pleased that our faculty appreciate and recognize the support and camaraderie of their peers and the Department.

The survey results were also helpful in identifying several areas for improvement. First, the Department and the Divisions need to create a more positive and inclusive climate for women, minorities, and faculty of color. Although we’ve made some progress (implemented a program to assure salary equity for rank and years in rank, increased under-represented minorities in housestaff training program (5%→ 14%), and developed a research training program for under-represented minority medical students), we need to do more. In this regard, I’ve recently made two key appointments: Sonia Flores as our Vice Chair for Diversity and Justice, and Maggie Wierman to focus on enhancing the opportunities for women in the department.  Through these appointments, I hope to have our faculty reflect the broadest possible community and address some of these perceived deficiencies.

Second, our faculty are appropriately concerned about career development. Since her appointment in April 2015 as Vice Chair for Faculty Advancement, Dr. Cara Wilaon has developed an exceptional leadership training program that will begin this summer, as well as an on-boarding program that will start this fall for all new faculty, and is working to improve the Department's mentoring program to engage and support faculty across all divisions. Our faculty need a consistent approach to career development, mentorship, and access to essential tools for promotion. We will work on these important needs over the next year.

Third, the Department and the Divisions need to improve our communication. Over a year ago, we launched an effort to enhance communication in the department by developing a regular departmental newsletter and Facebook page, increasing email communication to our faculty, and upgrading our website.  However, we need to provide greater access to critical information – where to go for help when stressed, burned out, or depressed; what to do when feeling intimidated or threatened; and when and how to report mistreatment or discrimination.

Lastly, the survey identified a few Division-specific issues, which I will review individually with Division heads (and I encourage each Division head to share Division-specific survey information with their faculty).

Overall, while some of the questions on the survey may not be as pertinent to a Department as large as ours, I think it’s important that we examine the results carefully and consider each of the concerns identified as addressing these concerns can only improve and strengthen our Divisions and Department. I welcome your thoughts and would be happy to meet to discuss suggestions or additional concerns you may have.

David A. Schwartz, MD
Robert W. Schrier Chair of Medicine
Spotlight: Patient Care
“The physicians on this campus are not only known across the nation, they are known internationally for developing the medical treatments of tomorrow. Being named an Honor Roll hospital is a tribute to CU School of Medicine faculty as well as the dedicated nurses and staff at University of Colorado Hospital.” 

Spotlight: Research
Kathleen Barnes is building CU’s expertise in health data and biocomputing into a world-class personalized medicine program.

Spotlight: Community
A one-day program hosted by the Center for Women’s Health Research aims to expose a diverse group of young women to careers in health care that they may not know about, and to connect them with mentors who can share insight into their own career paths.
Funding Opportunities
DOM Sabbatical Support Program - September 1, 2016 / March 1, 2017
Provides additional sabbatical support on a competitive basis to DOM faculty approved thru the SOM sabbatical program.

DOM Health Services Research Development Grant - October 1, 2016
Research and training support for fellows or instructor-level junior faculty members in the DOM who are pursuing a career in health services research.

DOM Team Science Program - October 1, 2016
Funding for projects promoting interdisciplinary work within the DOM, with the anticipated outcome a programmatic or multi-PI grant.

DOM Research Bridge Program - December 1, 2016 / July 1, 2017
DOM program providing support to PI's during re-application for federal funding.

DOM Outstanding Early Career Scholar Program - January 1, 2017
DOM early investment in creative and talented faculty to help accelerate their careers.

Other funding resources:
CU Office of Research Development & Education
GrantAdvisor.com Health-Related Grant Deadlines
DOM Resources: Team Science Program
Since 2014, the Department of Medicine has supported a grant program focused on the development of team science research. The Team Science Program is designed to facilitate the development or enhancement of collaborative research teams that will be competitive for multi-investigator grant proposals and innovative new approaches within the DOM.

Since 2014, six projects have been funded, including investigators from 9 of the 15 divisions in the DOM and collaborators from within and beyond the School of Medicine.

Team Science proposals are accepted annually by October 1 - see full RFP.
Faculty Highlights
Endocrinology - Lauren Fishbein and Arthur Gutierrez-Hartmann received grants from the Cancer League of Colorado: “Investigating the role of MAML3 in neuroendocrine tumorigenesis” and “Elucidating the Mechanism by which ESE-1 Controls Estrogen Mediated Tumorigenesis in HER2+ ER+ Luminal B Human Breast Cancer” respectively. Gutierrez-Hartmann will also receive DOM Research Bridge funding. Christine Swanson received a K23 award, “Sleep Disturbance: A Novel Risk Factor for Impaired Bone Remodeling.” Katja Kisseljak-Vassiliades will receive a Doris Duke Faculty Scholar award, “Approaches to Targeted Therapy in Adrenal Carcinogenesis.”

Geriatrics - Rachael Van Pelt will receive DOM Research Bridge funding. The division’s proposal to the NIH Common Fund Initiative, “Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity,” received the highest score, and when funded will bring in $7M over six years (led by Wendy Kohrt).

GIM - The Women’s Integrated Services in Health (WISH) clinic, directed by Mitra Razzaghi, obtained a Colorado State Innovation Model grant to integrate mental health into the clinic. Meghann Kirk will serve as the SOM Ambulatory Adult Care Clerkship Block Director. Scott De La Cruz, Maria Frank and Katie Suddarth were inducted into the Academy of Medical Educators.

HCPR - Cari Levy was invited to serve on a CMS Technical Expert Panel focused on revising the payment model for skilled nursing facilities.

Hematology - Clay Smith gave the keynote lecture at the International Workshop on the Enzymology and Molecular Biology of Carbonyl Metabolism.

ID - Kristine Erlandson will receive funding for her RO1, “Pitavastatin to REduce Physical Function Impairment and FRailty in HIV (PREPARE)” and also received the 2016 John Carey Young Investigator Award from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG). 
Featured Publications
Anthony Elias, MD et al. Adaptive Randomization of Neratinib in Early Breast Cancer (N Engl J Med. 2016 Jul 7;375(1):11-22.) AND Adaptive Randomization of Veliparib-Carboplatin Treatment in Breast Cancer. (N Engl J Med. 2016 Jul 7;375(1):23-34.)  



View all July 2016 publications submitted by DOM faculty.

Featured publications are selected by journal impact factor, from among the recent publications submitted by DOM faculty members. To submit your own recent publication, email Kelly Redard with the link or PMID. Selected publications are also featured outside the DOM administration suite (AO1, 8th floor). 
Featured Event:
Jayaraj Rajagopal, MD (DOM Grand Rounds)

Jayaraj Rajagopal is an instructor at Harvard Medical School, with clinical duties at Massachusetts General Hospital. His lab focuses on organ regeneration and the application of developmental biology to human disease; the lab uses the lung as a model system, in part due to the abundance of respiratory diseases of unknown causes and without cures.

Upcoming Events:
Coffee with the Chair: contact Jeanne Horvath for an invitation to this month's small-group discussion with DOM Chair David Schwartz.

Did You Know?

Seven DOM medical specialties were ranked among the top 50 nationwide for clinical excellence in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2016-17 Best Hospitals guide, with one additional DOM specialty ranked as high-performing. Overall, University of Colorado Hospital was ranked among the top 20 hospitals nationwide for the first time.

DOM specialties ranked:
Cardiology (42)
Rheumatology (high performing)

Other SOM specialties ranked:
Gynecology (32)
Orthopedics (42)
Neurology & Neurosurgery (43)
Urology (high-performing)




Contact Us

Chair:

David A. Schwartz, MD

Contact:

Kelly Redard, Executive Assistant
kelly.redard@ucdenver.edu
ph: 303-724-8996

Department of Medicine
CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Academic Office 1, 8th Floor
12361 E. 17th Ave.
Campus Box B178
Aurora, CO 80045


ph: (303) 724-1785
fax: (303) 724-1799

medschool.ucdenver.edu/dom