Showing posts with label family medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family medicine. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
University of Minnesota Family Medicine Match Results 2016
On Friday, March 18, graduating University of Minnesota
medical students gathered with family and friends at McNamara Alumni Center to
find out where they will begin the next phase of their careers.
Match Day is an important date shared by medical students
across the country. Students receive an official letter from the National Residency Match Program (NRMP), letting them know which residency, and in what
city, they will start their medical training.
We are proud to say that this year was a success for all U
of M family medicine residency programs.
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| 2016 Match Day ceremony at McNamara Alumni Center |
Match Day Highlights
- All eight U of M family medicine residency programs filled.
- The 2016 Match saw the most medical students and graduates matched to family medicine in the history of the specialty.
- A record 3,105 graduating medical students across the country chose family medicine.
University of Minnesota Family Medicine, Class of 2019
- Becky Davies - Creighton University
- Elizabeth Feist - University of Minnesota
- Caryn Gerber - Stellenbosch University
- Eric Hanhan - University of Minnesota
- Joshua Kropko - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Jessica Olen - University of Minnesota
- Steven Schumacher - University of Wisconsin
- Jessica Stay - University of Minnesota
- Jesse Susa - University of Minnesota
MANKATO
- Emily Bastyr - Des Moines University
- Beth Brinkman - Loyola University Chicago
- Ryan Brower - University of Wisconsin
- Zachary Maass - Michigan State University
- Jacob Reynolds - University of Vermont
METHODIST
- Christopher Leonard - University of Minnesota
- Elizabeth McNiven - University of California, San Francisco
- Oluwaseun Oladokun - Poznan University of Medical Sciences
- Chelsey Sand - Des Moines University
- Allyson Stevenson - University of North Texas
- Isaac Zoller - University of Minnesota
NORTH MEMORIAL
- Christopher Childs - University of Southern Florida
- Nathaniel Fondell - University of Minnesota
- Alexandra Gits - Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Kari Halvorson - University of South Dakota
- Theang Ho - University of Iowa
- Priya Nagarajan - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Mark Nelson - University of Minnesota
- Samantha Ngaw - Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Lonzale Ramsey, JR - Howard University
- Jessica Wilson - State University of New York
ST. CLOUD
ST. JOSEPH'S
- John Hokanson - University of Minnesota
- Brittany Kirkeby - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Leesa Larson - Ross University
- John Tronnes - University of North Dakota
- Sujitha Yadlapati - Kasturba Medical College Mangalore
ST. JOHN'S
- Kyrstin Ball - Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Donald Fahey-Ahrndt - University of Minnesota
- Lorelli Lewis - Loma Linda University
- Tony Huy Nguyen - University of Minnesota
- Heidi Nichol - University of Minnesota
- Molly Nustad - University of Minnesota
ST. JOSEPH'S
- Leah Duvor - Des Moines University
- Abigail Elliott - University of Minnesota
- Robyn Hegland - University of Minnesota
- Katie Hinderaker - University of Minnesota
- Brandon Ng - University of Minnesota
- Lindsay Schroeder - A.T. Still University of Health Sciences
- Jaimi Weber - Des Moines University
- Lindsay Williams - Creighton University
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA MEDICAL CENTER
- Baheer Ashna - Windsor University School of Medicine
- Marshall Clyde - American University of Antigua
- Nicole Kilby - Rowan University School of Osteopathic
Medicine
- Sharondeep Toor - St. George's University
- Yana Torres - Universidad de Ciencias Medicas Sancti
Spiritus
- David Peter - St. George's University
Congratulations to all--we cannot wait to see what the
future holds for our incoming family medicine residents.
Welcome, Class of 2019!
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Organic Health Response: Supporting an Ecosystem of Diverse Community Health Initiatives on Mfangano Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya
When you hear the word “organic”, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe a fruit? A vegetable? Or, maybe crops grown without pesticides?
For second-year University of Minnesota North Memorial family medicine resident Charles (Chas) Salmen, MD, MPhil, the word “organic” means much more. In 2008, Salmen helped develop Organic Health Response, a non-profit organization that cultivates a resilient, healthy future for the people of Lake Victoria, Kenya.
What is Organic Health Response?
OHR is committed to addressing the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS among the remote island communities of Lake Victoria in Western Kenya. Through local and global partnerships, OHR is pioneering a series of initiatives to help these villages “respond organically--as unified communities--to the overwhelming socioeconomic, epidemiological, and ecological challenges they face.”
The following post is a Q&A with OHR founder Chas Salmen, MD, MPhil.
How do you describe Organic Health Response (OHR) in your own words and what inspired you to help develop this organization?
OHR represents a team of local farmers, teachers, and health workers in Kenya supported by a network of graduate students, physicians, researchers and activists from around the world. I helped start OHR with a group of friends back in 2008. I had been living on Mfangano Island conducting ethnographic research to try to understand how these remote island communities on Lake Victoria had become some of the most HIV-infected populations on the planet. While working in a small village called Kitawi, I was approached by two farmers, Joel Oguta and Richard Magerenge, to see if I would help them build a community center on some land that they wanted to donate to their community. I had no idea what I was getting into, but we dove right in.
Eight years later our community center, the Ekialo Kiona Center, is a 100% solar powered, free community center that provides unlimited access to high speed Internet to any resident who agrees to learn his/her own HIV status. We also use this center as our headquarters to support a "community health ecosystem" of diverse education, agriculture, and health programs. We have about 35 full-time Kenyan staff who run the center on Mfangano Island, and dozens of volunteers that support our work in the US.
Why did you decide to pursue family medicine? OHR seeks to minimize the impact of HIV/AIDS, so why family medicine vs. something like infectious disease?
I grew up in a small town in the mountains of Colorado, where my dad is a family doctor. I had a chance there to see the impact that family medicine can have not only within the confines of a clinic, but "out in the world". On Mfangano, it was clear that people lacked access to basic primary care. While the HIV virus is certainly a predominant pathogen in this part of the world, addressing AIDS, among other crucial health issues requires a broad approach, tackling sanitation, nutrition, education, livelihoods and gender equity. These are broad community health issues that family doctors are well equipped to tackle, alongside the innumerable infections, broken bones, unexpected deliveries, and health screenings that family docs are trained to treat. Once I realized I was hooked on Mfangano and wanted to be a doctor, family medicine was the only choice!
What has been your greatest takeaway from your involvement with OHR?
Humility. Working on a remote island in Western Kenya has been unbelievably challenging and rewarding. If I've become an expert in anything, it’s learning from mistakes because we've made so many over the years! Going slow, taking small steps, iterating and iterating, and revising and adapting to unexpected changes in your plan are a critical part of the slow, but steady march towards community health in rural sub-Saharan Africa. This process is not something that can be accomplished in a summer or within 1 grant cycle. Embracing patience and finding satisfaction in good teamwork and growing capacity are keys to happiness in this game. I'm grateful for my Kenyan colleagues and American partners who have helped me see this.
What are your plans after completing residency at North Memorial?
I hope to continue working on Mfangano for the rest of my life. My wife and I have small thatch home there and plan to return often, visiting friends and family, and also assisting the EK center. I hope to stay connected with the University of Minnesota professionally to allow students, residents, other physicians, and learners to get involved as well.
Are there any other interesting facts about yourself or OHR that you would like to share?
Check us out at organichealthresponse.org or shoot me an email at csalmen@organichealthresponse.org. I'm always happy to talk about this special place and our latest crazy ideas for community health.
To learn more about Organic Health Response, visit organichealthresponse.org.
For second-year University of Minnesota North Memorial family medicine resident Charles (Chas) Salmen, MD, MPhil, the word “organic” means much more. In 2008, Salmen helped develop Organic Health Response, a non-profit organization that cultivates a resilient, healthy future for the people of Lake Victoria, Kenya.
 |
| Charles (Chas) Salmen, MD, MPhil |
What is Organic Health Response?
OHR is committed to addressing the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS among the remote island communities of Lake Victoria in Western Kenya. Through local and global partnerships, OHR is pioneering a series of initiatives to help these villages “respond organically--as unified communities--to the overwhelming socioeconomic, epidemiological, and ecological challenges they face.”
The following post is a Q&A with OHR founder Chas Salmen, MD, MPhil.
How do you describe Organic Health Response (OHR) in your own words and what inspired you to help develop this organization?
OHR represents a team of local farmers, teachers, and health workers in Kenya supported by a network of graduate students, physicians, researchers and activists from around the world. I helped start OHR with a group of friends back in 2008. I had been living on Mfangano Island conducting ethnographic research to try to understand how these remote island communities on Lake Victoria had become some of the most HIV-infected populations on the planet. While working in a small village called Kitawi, I was approached by two farmers, Joel Oguta and Richard Magerenge, to see if I would help them build a community center on some land that they wanted to donate to their community. I had no idea what I was getting into, but we dove right in.
Eight years later our community center, the Ekialo Kiona Center, is a 100% solar powered, free community center that provides unlimited access to high speed Internet to any resident who agrees to learn his/her own HIV status. We also use this center as our headquarters to support a "community health ecosystem" of diverse education, agriculture, and health programs. We have about 35 full-time Kenyan staff who run the center on Mfangano Island, and dozens of volunteers that support our work in the US.
 |
| Salmen onsite with the original members of the Ekialo Kiona design guild |
Why did you decide to pursue family medicine? OHR seeks to minimize the impact of HIV/AIDS, so why family medicine vs. something like infectious disease?
I grew up in a small town in the mountains of Colorado, where my dad is a family doctor. I had a chance there to see the impact that family medicine can have not only within the confines of a clinic, but "out in the world". On Mfangano, it was clear that people lacked access to basic primary care. While the HIV virus is certainly a predominant pathogen in this part of the world, addressing AIDS, among other crucial health issues requires a broad approach, tackling sanitation, nutrition, education, livelihoods and gender equity. These are broad community health issues that family doctors are well equipped to tackle, alongside the innumerable infections, broken bones, unexpected deliveries, and health screenings that family docs are trained to treat. Once I realized I was hooked on Mfangano and wanted to be a doctor, family medicine was the only choice!
What has been your greatest takeaway from your involvement with OHR?
Humility. Working on a remote island in Western Kenya has been unbelievably challenging and rewarding. If I've become an expert in anything, it’s learning from mistakes because we've made so many over the years! Going slow, taking small steps, iterating and iterating, and revising and adapting to unexpected changes in your plan are a critical part of the slow, but steady march towards community health in rural sub-Saharan Africa. This process is not something that can be accomplished in a summer or within 1 grant cycle. Embracing patience and finding satisfaction in good teamwork and growing capacity are keys to happiness in this game. I'm grateful for my Kenyan colleagues and American partners who have helped me see this.
 |
| Microclinic seminar at Ekialo Kiona Center |
What are your plans after completing residency at North Memorial?
I hope to continue working on Mfangano for the rest of my life. My wife and I have small thatch home there and plan to return often, visiting friends and family, and also assisting the EK center. I hope to stay connected with the University of Minnesota professionally to allow students, residents, other physicians, and learners to get involved as well.
Are there any other interesting facts about yourself or OHR that you would like to share?
Check us out at organichealthresponse.org or shoot me an email at csalmen@organichealthresponse.org. I'm always happy to talk about this special place and our latest crazy ideas for community health.
 |
| Ekialo Kiona (EK) farm team loads indigenous tree seedlings onto the EK emergency boat for transport to Kitawi Beach |
To learn more about Organic Health Response, visit organichealthresponse.org.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Faculty Dwenda Gjerdingen, MD, MS, Retires From the U of M Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
After more than 34 years of service, department faculty Dwenda Gjerdingen, MD, MS, retired on January 8, 2016. She was faculty in the University of Minnesota St. Joseph's Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. Her primary interest was women’s health, and she had been active in postpartum research for more than 25 years.
The following post is a Q&A with Gjerdingen, reflecting on her time as a family medicine physician, researcher, and faculty member at the University of Minnesota.
What roles have you held during your time here in family medicine?
- Associate and interim director of St. Joseph’s residency, 1982-1999
- Director of the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO®) course
- Research fellow (completed MS in clinical research in 2011)
- Researcher of women’s postpartum health
- Member and former chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee
- Educator of family medicine residents and medical students
I had the privilege of working with a great team of investigators from the UMN School of Public Health, Department of Psychiatry, and other academic and clinical institutions. We conducted a series of studies, looking at:
- The nature and duration of postpartum recovery
- The correlation of postpartum mental health with other variables (health, social, employment). Our research was the first to show a direct relationship between women’s postpartum mental health and their length of maternity leave.
It is exciting to see others furthering this line of research for the benefit of mothers and their families.
What do you enjoy most about teaching residents?
Our residents are fantastic to work with—they are sharp, kind, hard-working, care about their patients, and are just nice people. What more could you want?
What are your favorite memories from your time here in family medicine?
Years (no, decades) ago, our residents used to go Christmas caroling in the hospital. Sometimes, the hospital staff would join us, and it was a very uplifting, delightful experience, enjoyed by all. I suppose there are all kinds of rules against this today, but the shared music really seemed to build good will, and the harmonies were beautiful!
My more recent favorite memories are the conversations that we have in our precepting room at the clinic. Everyone chimes in—medical students, residents, faculty, PharmDs, psychotherapists—and, it is not uncommon for the entire room to end up laughing together over some silly story.
What are your plans for retirement?
I hope to spend more time with my husband and family, perhaps travel, enjoy walking, reading, cooking, playing piano, volunteering at church. I have a special interest in wellness (nutrition and exercise), so I am hoping that I might contribute to some community wellness initiative.
Do you have anything else you would like to share?
I will greatly miss the people I’ve had a chance to work with, those at our residency program, in other affiliated programs, and within our central department. Wow, I have so many good memories. Thanks everyone!
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| Gjerdingen, (front row, far right) with a group of family medicine residents from the 1970s |
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