ISSUE NO. 10 • NOVEMBER 2012 • WWW.MEDICINE.FIU.EDU

H I G H L I G H T S

4 63 8COVER STORY:

HWCOM WELCOMES CLASS OF 2016

SO YOU WANT YOUR EYES TO LAST 100 YEARS?

FIU HEALTH LAUNCHES PANTHER CARE ADVANTAGE

MAMMOGRAPHY ART INITIATIVE A HUGE

SUCCESS

Dr. Herbert Wertheim, HWCOM Founding Chairman; FIU President, Dr. Mark B. Rosenberg; and Dr. John A. Rock, Founding Dean and Senior Vice President for Health Affairs pose with the Class of 2016

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine has begun the school year demonstrating great impetus and promise so we are eager to share highlights from the Fall semester.

A year in the making, the College of Medicine proudly unveiled a portrait of its four founding deans, Dr. John A. Rock, Dr. Sanford Markham, Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson and Dr. J. Patrick O’Leary. Commissioned by the Dean’s Advisory Council, the work was presented to President Mark Rosenberg as a gift to the university. The 8’x9’ portrait, by artist David Chang, Professor of Art Education at FIU, is on display at the Medical Library, GL 380.

HWCOM’s Radiology Interest Group (RIG) successfully raised funds to cover 80 mammograms for medically underserved women in our community by means of the Mammography aRt Initiative (MRI), an art exhibit and silent auction that took place during Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the Frost Art Museum. The theme for the exhibit was “Radiology

Meets Art” and featured works by artist Pedro Jermaine who used images from CT scans, x-rays, MRIs and ultrasounds. Dr. Gamaliel Herrera, a local radiologist, also contributed pieces as well as winners of an undergraduate student art contest entitled “Breast Cancer Can Hide in Anyone.”

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine also welcomed the following new faculty members to our ever-expanding family: Dr. Marc Csete, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine; Dr. Paula Ann Marcelle Francis, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry; Dr. Jose Manuel Gonzalez, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry; Dr. Jian Hu, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry; Dr. Patricia Junquera, Founding Residency Program Director and Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry; Dr. Upal Roy, Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology; and Dr. Anup Sabharwal, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine. Leading by example, they are training our students to be both community oriented and compassionate physicians.

This semester also saw landmark milestones. On August 10, HWCOM welcomed the Class of 2016 at the school’s fourth White Coat Ceremony. Selected from 3,524 applicants, the new class is comprised of 120 students and is the College’s largest class to date.

We would also like to share that the last visit from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) took place the week of October 22. This is an important voluntary peer-review process that accredits medical education programs operated by universities or medical schools in the United States and Canada by judging the compliance of the program with nationally accepted standards of educational quality. The Herbert Wertheim college of Medicine is optimistic that the College will attain full accreditation in the upcoming year.

Learn more about these great feats as well as others in the pages that follow. Thank you to everyone who continues to make this school innovative and on the cutting-edge of medical education!

Sincerely,

John A. Rock, M.D.Founding DeanSenior Vice President for Medical AffairsFIU Herbert Werthheim College of Medicine

2

Dean’s Corner

CONTRIBUTORS

DR. JOHN A. ROCKFOUNDING DEAN AND

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR MEDICAL AFFAIRS

MONIQUE ARMBRISTERMARKETING

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

HEALTHCARE NETWORK

JESSICA LEWISPANTHER COMMUNITIES

COORDINATOR

ALINA PEREZ-STABLEDIRECTOR OF ACADEMIC

SUPPORT SERVICES

ASHLEY ROUSSEAUMARKETING AND PR

COORDINATOR

ILEANA VARELAASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF

MARKETING AND PR

For more information, please call 305-348-0695 or

email hwcompr@fiu.edu

ISSUE NO. 10NOVEMBER 2012

WWW.MEDICINE.FIU.EDU

©2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

FOR MORE INFORMATION,

PLEASE CONTACT FIU AT:

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

11200 S.W. 8TH STREET

MIAMI, FLORIDA, 33199

(305) 348-0570

John A. Rock, M.D.

For some, wearing the white coat has been their lifelong dream. For others, it has been their family’s

dream. But for one student, the dream has

been to trade one white coat for another. “Although I was a pharmacy student, I was eager to watch medical procedures,” says Olamide Oshikoya, a pharmacist who decided to switch careers: to prescribe medications, not just dispense them.

Oshikoya is one of 120 students who make up FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine’s class of 2016.

The class was officially welcomed on August 10th at the Wertheim College of Medicine’s fourth White Coat Ceremony, held at the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center on the college’s Modesto Maidique Campus. In addition to accepting the white coat traditionally worn by physicians, students also took the medical student oath and received their first stethoscopes, a gift from Leon Medical Centers, one of the college’s

clinical partners.“Our young college continues to

attract outstanding students who are looking to make a difference in the community,” said College of Medicine Founding Dean Dr. John Rock. “This class is an outstanding reflection of our school’s commitment to developing physicians who are culturally competent and community based.”

The Class of 2016 is the largest since the College of Medicine opened its doors in 2009. Selected from among 3,524 applicants, this class is composed of 60 men and 60 women and has an average GPA of 3.6. They come from colleges nationwide - including Stanford, MIT, Northwestern, Notre Dame, John Hopkins and Duke, and from other countries such as China and Trinidad and Tobago.

Most students, however, are homegrown like Jenesis Negron, and are graduates of FIU or other Florida universities. Born and raised in Miami, Negron graduated from FIU with a

bachelor’s in biological sciences. She fondly recalls stumbling upon an old drawing recently that she made in the first grade entitled, “When I am an adult I will be….A doctor. With the love and support of my family, today I am on my way to achieving my dream,” she stated.

For Haitian-born Annie Danna Mercier Rouza, however, the journey to medical school has been long and difficult. Orphaned at age 14, she was sent to live with a new family, in a new country with a new language. Now 23, she lives in Miramar with the uncle who adopted her. Being fluent in English, French and Creole will no doubt be invaluable to Rouza in the years ahead as her desire is to become a physician practicing in medically underserved areas in the U.S. and around the world.

The quest to fulfill these dreams has now begun for Rouza, Negron, Oshikoya as well as the entire Class of 2016.

C O V E R S T O R Y

HWCOM Welcomes Class of 2016 at White Coat Ceremony

3

Class of 2016 students take part in the White Coat Ceremony

BY HERBERT WERTHEIM OD, DSC.Founding Chairman College of Medicine, Trustee Emeritus

Preventing Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Cataracts through

Diet, Nutrition and Light Absorption: There’s no substitute for the quality of life good vision offers. Adding certain nutrients to your diet every day – either through foods or supplements – can help save your vision. Researchers have linked eye-friendly nutrients

such as lutein/zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc to reducing the risk of certain eye diseases. For the last 20 or more years studies have shown that good eye health is linked to diet and nutrition resulting in a decreased risk of chronic eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin: Are important nutrients found in green leafy vegetables and yellow peppers as well as other foods, such as eggs, corn or almost all yellow or red vegetables and fruit. Zeaxanthin is one of the two primary xanthophyll carotenoids contained within the retina of the eye. Within the central macula, zeaxanthin is the dominant component, whereas in the peripheral retina, lutein predominates.

Vitamin C: Ascorbic acid is an antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables. Scientific evidence suggests vitamin C lowers the risk of developing cataracts, and when taken in combination with other essential nutrients, can slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration and visual acuity loss.

Vitamin E: In its most biologically active form it is a powerful antioxidant found in nuts, fortified cereals and sweet potatoes. It is thought to protect cells of the eyes from damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals

4

So you want your eyes to last a hundred years?

which break down healthy tissue.Essential fatty acids: Fats are a

necessary part of the human diet. They maintain the integrity of the nervous system, fuel cells and boost the immune system. Two omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to be important for proper visual development and retinal function.

Zinc: Is an essential trace mineral

or ‘helper molecule.’ It plays a vital role in bringing vitamin A from the liver to the retina in order to produce melanin, a protective pigment in the eyes. Zinc is highly concentrated in the eye, mostly in the retina and choroid, the vascular tissue layer lying under the retina.

Preventing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts through

Dr. Herbert Wertheim

The Photopic Sensitivity Curve

5

A C C L A I M

FIU Doc Honored as one of South Florida’s Most Influential Business Women

spectral absorption. Most authorities now believe that the near UV radiation absorbed throughout life by the lens is a contributing factor to aging and senile cataract. My own personal opinion is that both the retina and the lens should be protected throughout life from both blue light and near UV radiation as often as possible. This would delay the onset of senescence absorption in both lens and retina (senile cataract and senile macular degeneration). There is mounting medical evidence that prolonged exposure to blue light may permanently damage the eyes, contribute to the formation of cataracts and to the destruction of cells in the fovea center of the retina.

What is UV and Blue Light? UV light is defined as that part of the invisible spectrum which ranges from 200 nm to 380 nm. This part of the spectrum is divided into UV A (315 nm to 380 nm), UV B (280 nm to 324 nm,) and UV C (200 to 270 nm). Blue light is 380 nm to 440 nm. BPI UV 400 NM dye is a must for all clear and sun lenses. The visible light spectrum is defined from 380 to 780 nm (nm stands for nanometer, which is one billionth of a meter.)

Light Protective Lenses: As a feature of their molecular structure,

many plastics have the ability to filter out UV A and UV B light. UV-C is in general blocked by the air around us. Clear polycarbonate spectacles are now available which are labeled “100% UV.” Clear plastic, however, will not filter out dangerous blue light. In order to accomplish this, the filter lens should be tinted a yellowish tint such as BPI Total UV. This color allows the best contrast and visibility while protecting the retinas and ocular media and still offering UV and blue light protection.

Protective Environmental Lighting: If possible, limit the use of cool white fluorescent tubes, full-spectrum lights, daylight tubes or bulbs, or mercury lights in the environment. Substitute warm white tubes, incandescent lamps, or LED lamps if possible. In the case of black light UV viewing activities, yellow tint is the only color which gives adequate blue light and UV protection.

Wertheim Protective Factor: In order to rate colored filters in terms of their ability to block high energy light while still passing enough light to see clearly, we have developed a figure of merit that we call the Wertheim Protective Factor. In simplest terms, it measures the amount of light passed by a lens, adjusted

to match the sensitivity of the eye to the spectrum, and adjusted again for the energy contained in the different parts of the spectrum. More specifically, for any filter, the number TV is the fraction of the spectrum passed by the filter, normalized to the standard sensitivity curve of the eye. The Wertheim Protective Factor, WPF, is TV multiplied by the fraction of the total energy of the light (in the wavelength range being measured) that is blocked by the filter. Here are the rules of thumb: (1) a bright yellow lens has a high WPF because it blocks the high-energy blue light but passes the yellow-green colors that people see the best; (2) a brown lens has somewhat lower WPF because it blocks the same blue light, but it is dimmer overall; (3) a red lens has lower WPF than a yellow one because it blocks lots of blue light, but the colors it passes are harder to see; (4) a blue lens has very low WPF because it passes the high-energy blue light while blocking the yellows and greens that we see the best; (5) WPF is always less than or equal to TV.

BPI is a trademark of Brain Power Inc.

Dr. Yolangel “Yogi” Hernandez Suarez, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education

at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, has been honored by the South Florida Business Journal as one of South Florida’s Most Influential Business Women of 2012.

Chosen from among an elite group of women, including executives from FedEx, AutoNation, Holland & Knight LLP and FPL, the honorees were praised for ‘having gone above and beyond’ in what they achieved for the community and their respective companies.

Dr. Hernandez Suarez, who is also the Chief Medical Officer of the FIU

HealthCare Network, and Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has spent a career building bridges between academia and the community to create value for patients and students alike. Born and raised in New York City, she attended Swarthmore College and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. Later she earned an MBA at University of Miami School of Business.

When asked to identify her role model, she said it was her mother. Dr. Hernandez Suarez stated, “She was - and is - an unstoppable force for social justice

for women. She told me I could achieve anything with the right education and perseverance, and that it was my responsibility to ‘leave the planet better than I found it.’ That passionate drive has been the foundation of my professional career.”

There’s a new advantage to being a Panther alumni. It’s called the Panther Care Advantage

Program. The affinity program, designed specifically for FIU alumni and their families, affords expedited access to world-class health care in South Florida and convenient patient care at our on-campus FIU Health Faculty Group Practice location. Created in 2009, the Faculty Group Practice (FGP) was originally established to provide FIU’s faculty and staff with primary care, preventive care and specialty care services.

A special alumni reception held at the FIU Health facility located at PG-5 Market Station launched the Panther Care Advantage Program in early October. More than 100 alumni and medical faculty, including HWCOM

Dean, Dr. John A. Rock, were in attendance at the kick-off event.

Dr. Fernando Valverde, CEO of FIU Health, explained the major benefits of the “concierge” program. He stated: “Our FIU Health Faculty Group Practice

offers a medical home accessed through easily scheduled appointments with trusted, board-certified, primary-care physicians and specialists.”

Among the medical services offered are routine physicals, well-care visits, preventive health screenings, women’s health and gynecology. The practice’s state-of-the art, 6,100 square foot facility at PG-5 Market Station is equipped with 10 patient examination rooms, on-site laboratory, radiology and medical testing services (e.g. electrocardiogram, X-rays). Primary-care physicians and specialists are also available to manage most non-life threatening medical needs.

Additional benefits of the Panther Care Advantage Program include:

•Same day appointments for primary care and priority appointments with specialists at the Faculty Group Practice

•Expedited access to other physicians and specialists affiliated with the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and leading local hospitals and health-

care providers (subject to insurance plan benefits, limitations and provider networks)

•Access to FIU Premier Care program for assistance with health care and insurance coordination

•Invitations to events•Subscription to the FIU Health

eNewsletter and FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Pulse newsletter

•Complimentary patient parking•Discounts for medical services not

covered by insuranceEnrollment in the Panther Care

Advantage Program is complimentary to all valued members of the FIU Alumni Association from October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013.

For more information on becoming a member, visit www.fiualumni.com/join.

To redeem this benefit, make your appointment at the Faculty Group Practice by calling 305-FIU-DOCS and simply let them know you are a member of the FIU Alumni Association. Upon arrival at your appointment, present your member card as proof of your membership.

6

F I U - H E A L T H C A R E N E T W O R K N E W S

FIU Health Launches Panther Care Advantage

Learn more about HWCOM news at

www.medicine.fiu.edu.

7

The FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) proudly welcomes Dr. Eneida Roldan as its new Assistant Dean for Student Affairs.

“Dr. Roldan brings invaluable insight and instruction to the classroom,” said Dr. John A. Rock, Founding Dean and Denior Vice President for Health Affairs at HWCOM. “Her vast experience, which includes managing the Public Health Trust and Jackson Health System, as well as other hospitals, will serve our students well as they work to understand our complex health-care system.”

With more than 30 years of experience in the health-care industry, Dr. Roldan has performed multiple roles in both the private and public sectors. She is the Immediate Past President and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Health Trust and Jackson Health System.

As an Associate Professor and Director for Professional development for the Foundations of Healthcare course at HWCOM since 2009, Dr. Roldan will expand her responsibilities by overseeing the Management of Careers in Medicine Program and will focus on promoting the college and recruiting medical students.

“I am thrilled to be expanding my role at such an exciting time for the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine,” said Roldan. “We are getting ready to graduate our first class at a critical time in the healthcare industry and look forward to observing the impact they will have on their patients and the community.”

Why do you want to be a doctor? Daniel Lewis’ answer, “Because when I die, I’d like to be able to say that I gave more to the world than I took from it. I believe that

medicine gives me the best opportunity to fulfill this ultimate goal.”A recipient of an HWCOM scholarship, Daniel is now free

to pursue whichever medical specialty he prefers and sees the possibility of taking part in medical mission work after residency, such as Doctors Without Borders. A member of the Surgery Interest Group and Chair of the Transplant Surgery subgroup, Daniel is also the event coordinator for Pasteur, a Panther community. Outside of school, he is an active member of USA Triathlon and the Florida Trail Association.

When asked what role he feels HWCOM is playing in helping address our nation’s healthcare crisis Daniel responded, “I feel that as future physicians, we bear the burden of shaping our world into one that we will be proud of. Each graduate of the College of Medicine should have an understanding that the status quo is unacceptable. The role of our school is to charge with not only making our patients healthier, but our communities and nation healthier.” He added, “At every step, our school is making active strides toward helping us become community oriented and compassionate physicians.”

V I P P R O F I L E

Dr. Eneida Roldan

S T U D E N T P R O F I L E

Daniel Lewis

Learn more about HWCOM at

www.youtube.com/fiumedicine.

Thanks to the efforts of more than 20 FIU medical students and their friends, 80 medically

underserved South Florida women will be getting mammograms this fall.

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine’s Radiology Interest Group (RIG) successfully reached their goal of raising sufficient funds to cover 80 mammograms valued at $120 each by means of the Mammography aRt Initiative (MRI), an art exhibit and silent auction that recently took place

8

C A M P U S B E A T

Mammography aRt Initiative aHuge Success

Guests enjoy the MRI Art Exhibition

during Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the Frost Art Museum. MRI is a student Service Learning Project, an integral part of the Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP™ (NeighborhoodHELP) curriculum. Twenty-one students, lead by RIG president, Robb Guido, a second-year medical student and one of the event organizers, worked on the project with support from key sponsors such as Green Family Foundation President Kimberly Green, a breast cancer survivor; Dr.

Sheldon Cherry, Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Miriam Machado, Curator of Education, The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum; and Barry Greenberg, PhD, Research Professor Emeritus, Coordinator for the Scholarship Course, Division of Research and Information and Data Coordinating Center.

The theme for the exhibit, “Radiology Meets Art,” featured works by artist

Pedro Jermaine who used images from CT scans, x-rays, MRIs and ultrasounds. Dr. Gamaliel Herrera, a local radiologist, also contributed pieces for the exhibit, as well as winners of an undergraduate student art contest titled, “Breast Cancer Can Hide in Anyone.”

Access to mammograms is particularly important for low-income women in South Florida as the breast cancer mortality rate in underserved communities is higher than the state of Florida’s mortality rate, late detection being the main culprit. According to figures from the Florida Cancer Data System, nationwide 39.9 percent of invasive breast cancers among women are diagnosed at late stage, but in some of the NeighborhoodHELP communities such as Miami, Opa-Locka and Miami Gardens, the percentage of women diagnosed at late stage ranges from 43 to 54.7 percent.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women of all races, including Hispanic women. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. The American Cancer Society and other leading scientific organizations advocate for mammography as studies “have clearly shown that mammography reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer.”

“Medically underserved women have a higher percentage of late detection,” Guido said. “The proceeds from this art show will provide needed early diagnosis by mammographic screening and will hopefully help increase the breast cancer survival rates of some of the women in our community,” he added.

In honor of the late beloved physician, Robert Kemper, who died last year at the age of 46, the Herbert Wertheim

College of Medicine has created the Robert Kemper M.D. Award for Professionalism in Medicine.

The recipient of this award is selected for exemplifying the ideals Dr. Kemper demonstrated such as respect for patients, faculty, staff members, and peers; altruism, compassion and empathy toward patients, and commitment, duty and dedication to the ethical practice of being a medical physician.

“Dr. Kemper believed in treating patients the way they deserve to be treated,” said Dr. Eugenio Rothe, Director of the Professional Behavior Course at the College of Medicine, and a friend who worked with Dr. Kemper at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine proudly announced Michael Hann as the first honoree to receive this award. As a fourth-year medical student, it came as no surprise to many of Michael’s peers and professors. “Michael is somebody you would refer a family member to; absolutely, without a doubt,” Dr. Rothe added.

“I am deeply touched and appreciative to receive this award. Dr. Kemper was an amazing physician and embodied the ideals of professionalism and altruism that are vital in a good doctor,” said Hann, who served three years as the inaugural Medical Student Council President for the College of Medicine. Besides his MD-in-progress, Hann holds an MBA in Healthcare Management (FIU-2011) and an MS in Biotechnology (MTSU-2009).

But this award goes beyond knowledge and education.

A priority of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine’s Diversity Policy is to increase

the number of “racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession,” among HWCOM students, faculty, and staff.

Dr. Enedia Roldan, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, has spearheaded efforts for the college to join the National Association of Medical Minority Educators (NAMME) which develops programs that ensure racial and ethnic diversity in health professions. The organization also provides guidance and professional development opportunities for members and students. Its initiatives include student scholarships, student development and recruitment

conferences, and annual conferences.Dr. Roldan recently attended

NAMME’s 37th Annual National Conference, “Celebrating Our Legacy in the Health Professions: Increasing Diversity,” in Maryland. A highlight of this year’s event was a recruitment fair attended by over 300 minority students from different universities who were interested in careers in Health Science.

Proud of the interest and excitement generated by the College of Medicine’s booth at the event, Dr. Roldan stated, “There was an overwhelming amount of interest in our program because of our unique integrative curriculum and the Green Family Foundation Neighborhood HELP Program. Students recognize our program reflects

the latest in scientific trends and meets the needs of our changing society.”

C A M P U S B E A T

HWCOM Student Wins Award for Professionalism in Medicine

C A M P U S B E A T

HWCOM Joins National Association of Medical Minority Educators

9

Michael Hann

Dr. Roldan at NAMME

You can’t help but notice them the minute you walk into the room. The college’s four founding

deans, clad in their academic regalia, staring out from a large painting on the wall; their eyes seemingly watching your every move.

“I see them as visionaries; that’s why I painted them so the eyes follow the beholder. Because of this notion of watching over the quality and integrity of the medical school they built,” said artist David Chang, Professor of Art Education at FIU.

Chang spent a year working on the 8’x9’ canvas. The Dean’s Advisory

H I G H L I G H T S

HWCOM Unveils Portrait of Founding Deansand Announces Two Major Gifts

10

President Mark B. Rosenberg, Advisory Council Chair Al Dotson, Sr., and Artist David Chang unveil a portrait of the founding deans in the Medical Library

Council commissioned the work to be presented to President Mark Rosenberg as a gift to the university.

The four deans: Dr. John Rock, Dr. Sanford Markham, Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson, and Dr. J. Patrick O’Leary, each posed separately for the portrait, but came together for the unveiling at the Medical Library, GL, 3rd

Professor Chang has peppered the painting with symbolism. Crediting the deans with putting the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine on the map, Chang placed a globe of the Earth in the background, the light shining on South Florida. In a modern touch

to the baroque-inspired painting, the artist included a computer screen that reads, “43 Dreams”, a reference to the college’s first class. The bookcase in the background includes four columns, one for each dean. And there are more hidden meanings, but you’ll have to try to figure them out for yourself.

HWCOM is pleased that the Batchelor Foundation has pledged $1 million in support of the Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP™ program. This charitable investment demonstrates the foundation’s commitment to improving

the lives of people in medically underserved communities throughout South Florida and confidence in HWCOM’s ability to serve both its students and the community, yielding transformational benefits for decades to come.

The College is also delighted to announce that its OR simulation room has been named The Saul & Teresa Esman Foundation Operating Room. Designated in honor of the foundation’s $250,000 donation, the room was officially dedicated on Thursday, November 15 and will continue to provide cutting-edge educational opportunities.

A recent article in Consumer Reports is calling on the Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) to set standards for regulating how much arsenic can be allowed in rice after finding the potential toxin in almost every rice product it tested. At FIU, researchers are working on a new process that could reduce the amount of the contaminant in rice grains.

Arsenic, absorbed into the rice from the wet ground where rice is grown, is a potent human carcinogen that may also cause children to develop other health

problems later in life. Although FDA officials say they have found no evidence that suggests rice is unsafe to eat.

Barry P. Rosen, Associate Dean for Basic Research and Graduate Studies at FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, and his team of researchers are working to construct genetically engineered rice that will naturally vaporize arsenic. They have successfully cloned a number of related genes from bacteria and algae such as the one-celled alga called Cyanidioschyzon, which has learned to adapt and process arsenic

11

R E S E A R C H & T E C H N O L O G Y

Can Arsenic Be Removed from Rice?safely into gas. By introducing one of these genes into the rice plant, they have demonstrated that transgenic rice can successfully convert arsenic into gas. The team’s findings show great promise, reducing the amount of arsenic in the rice grain and increasing the safety of our food supply.

“What we learn from this alga can be used to develop new strategies for cleaning up the environment, growing hardier and safer food crops, and even new drugs,” said Rosen.

The Green Family Foundation N e i g h b o r h o o d H E L P ™ (NeighborhoodHELP) Mobile

Health Center (MHC) is integral to the educational mission of Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM). HWCOM trains future physicians to address and respond to real issues people face. It is a social responsibility they uphold and have embedded in their curriculum.

The MHC provides health care to community members enrolled in NeighborhoodHELP™, the signature educational program of Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. FIU medical, nursing, social work, and law students learn from and provide health and social services to medically underserved households. Christine McFarlin, MD, NeighborhoodHELP™ Medical Director, stated, “The MHC is an essential educational and service component of NeighborhoodHELP. When students see individuals in their homes who need care, we take action by referring them to the MHC. The mobile is essential to the curriculum and our

work with households. It also provides medical students with a community-oriented primary healthcare educational experience.”

In August 2012, they launched the MHC at Royal Country, a mobile home park in a NeighborhoodHELP community; in November, they expanded to the Pentecostal Church in the City of Miami Gardens. Physical examinations, labs, EKGs, and other primary health care services for adults and children are provided. In 2013, the MHC will operate four days a week, reaching four medically underserved Neighborhoods each week. Frederick Anderson, MD, the MHC Associate Medical Director, took a leadership role in the rollout of the MHC. He has seen patients on the mobile since day one and stated, “Providing primary healthcare services to those who lack access to healthcare is a privilege. Through the MHC, the college of medicine demonstrates its commitment to South Florida to improve the health of our neighborhoods.”

They not only care for household members, but through the leadership

of MEDSWISH (Students Working to Improve Society and Health) and other HWCOM student organizations collaborate with and support community agencies, places of worship, and other entities by participating in health fairs and other events, such as the Miami Heart Walk and the Arthritis Walk Miami-Dade.

HWCOM is training future physicians for South Florida and caring for their neighbors and communities. Education and social responsibility are interrelated and integrated. This is their mission.

G R E E N F A M I L Y F O U N D A T I O N N E I G H B O R H O O D H E L P

Mobile Health Center

Students support the Arthritis Walk

12

The FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine relies on the generosity of individuals, corporations, foundations, and FIU alumni to fulfill our mission to lead the next generation of medical education and improve the quality of health care available to our community. This investment reflects a belief in our initiatives to create a healthier community through educational outreach and a patient-centered curriculum.

To learn more about ways to support your FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, please contact:

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY11200 S.W. 8th Street, MARC 562 5th Floor

Miami, Florida 33199

Angelique Grant Hutchinson, Ph.D. Assistant Vice President of Medical Development (305) 348-1151 agranthu@fiu.edu

Karen WilkeningMajor Gifts Officer (305) 348-6265kwikeni@fiu.edu

FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Gala Saturday, April 13, 2013 6:00pmDoral Country Club & SpaA Trump Managed Resort More details to follow

SAVE THE DATE