Kent Smith, Ph.D., (left) and Scott Glover, MS-II prepare for an upcoming dig. Glover will help classify specimens. |
Several first-year OSU Medicine students will pack up tents, picks and shovels in late May for a two-week paleontology dig that may add to knowledge of ancient mammals.
Led by Kent Smith, Ph.D., assistant professor of anatomy, the group will spend two weeks in the Great Basin in Nevada and the Wasatch Range in Utah, collecting dirt and bringing it home. The dirt will be screen-washed and microscopically examined for tiny specimens. A tooth, a jaw, a limb bone; whatever turns up is a find. “We are looking for identifiable fossils,” says Smith. Improving on the number and quality of specimens is the focus of the trip.
“I haven’t been there for about 10 years, and I’m eager to return,” Smith says about his dissertation study site. It’s a place where he has found fossil remains from birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. He has found 16 million-year-old fossils from horses and rhinos, an ancient bat’s tooth and a tooth, smaller than the head of a pin, from the world’s smallest flying squirrel. He even unearthed a newly discovered, complete, prehistoric beaver jaw.
Students will use their knowledge of anatomy as they identify bones and landmarks like scars where tendons and ligaments used to be, and holes where blood vessels and nerves entered and exited the bones. Smith says they will look at fossil remains of extinct groups and determine changes, a lesson in evolution.
Knowing pathology helps in looking for arthritis or evidence of other bone diseases in fossils. Students can see if an animal had a broken limb and perhaps if it healed prior to death. Smith says systematics also is a big part of his research. “I look at relationships between groups of rats and mice to determine their relatedness, using mathematical models,” he explains.
He says this is the first work-study dig for OSU medical students, but Smith hopes it will become an annual event. “It helps students. They are paid through work-study and they can learn about science.” He says the dig also may become part of an elective in wilderness medicine.
In the fall, students will give presentations about their summer research, and will continue to follow Smith’s research efforts. Participants include Patrick Ballard, Nathan Claver, Linden Cowley, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Jessica Fisher, Erin Kratz, Kayci Lewis and Ryan Sullivan. Scott Glover will help classify specimens after the dig.
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Internal medicine residents at the OSU Center for Health Sciences earned the top score in the nation on their annual residency examination conducted by the American College of Osteopathic Internists. According to Program Director Damon Baker, D.O., the examination evaluates the academic progress of the nation’s more than 500 osteopathic medical residents in areas such as internal medicine, cardiology, gastroenterology and infectious disease.
“It’s a great honor for OSU to be recognized as the nation’s number one osteopathic training program for internal medicine,” says Baker, whose residents have scored top marks five out of the last six years. “Success on the in-service exam has proven to be an indicator for mastering board exams once the physician sets up practice in the community.”
Baker says individual OSU physicians were also recognized for excellence in several areas. Kevin Gordon, D.O., received the highest sore among third-year residents and plans to practice in Durant. Debbie Gladd, D.O., scored best in the nation in the category of infectious disease. Shannon Boughner, D.O., received the highest mark among interns taking the test.
OSU internal medicine residents are trained at Tulsa Regional Medical Center, the nation’s largest osteopathic training facility.
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A total of 83 medical students are slated to receive Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degrees from the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine Saturday, May 14. In addition, OSU will confer six masters degrees in forensic sciences and three doctorates in biomedical sciences. Ceremonies are at 10 a.m. at Tulsa Community College’s Van Trease Performing Arts Center for Education, Southeast Campus, 10300 East 81 st St. South.
Speaker is Scott Meacham, Director of Oklahoma’s Office of State Finance. He receives the College’s 2005 Distinguished Service Award. It is awarded for achievement in the following areas: development of medical education so as to embody the highest standards of excellence and dedicated teaching; improvements in health care for the community, state and nation; and for advancement of ideals that contribute to building a better society.
The new osteopathic medicine physicians brings the total number of graduates to 2,065. Providing physicians to rural Oklahoma is one of the College's missions; 64% of graduates are in primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics). Half of all graduates remain in Oklahoma, with nearly 25% in communities of fewer than 10,000 residents.
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Rashmi Kaul, Ph.D., associate professor of immunology, has been invited to attend a Technical Assistance Workshop in June on "How to Write a Grant in Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (National Institutes of Health)". The National Cancer Institute sponsors this workshop. Dr. Kaul submitted descriptive research concepts as a part of her application for the invitation. Richard Wansley, Ph.D., vice president for institutional advancement, research and sponsored programs, says the workshop is highly selective and typically leads to funded NIH grants within the next year.
Jan Barber, Teri Bycroft, Jamey Lamb, Megan Mattingly, Lisa McCutcheon and Elizabeth Nokes received $200 scholarships for education from the CHS Staff Advisory Council.
Michelle Bartlett has been elected president of the Irish American Club of Tulsa for 2005-2006. The club promotes awareness of Ireland and Irish culture and traditions through activities including presentations and social events.
Kristin Martin, MS-II and Student Senate president, reports that medical students now are allowed to hold positions on Oklahoma Osteopathic Association committees after efforts by students and OOA leadership. Students will have representation on 12 OOA committees.
OSU Physicians at Country Club Gardens and the OSU-CHS development office will participate in a grand opening event May 16, being held by Tulsa Housing Authority.
“Medium Calcium Concentration Determines Keratin Intermediate Filament Density and Distribution in Immortalized Cultured Thymic Epithelial Cells (TECs)”, published on-line in the Journal Microscopy & Microanalysis. See website: http://journals.cambridge.org. Robert Ketchum, Ph.D. and William Meek, Ph.D.
Reviewed four grant proposals for the Alzheimer’s Association, Randall Davis, Ph.D.
Abstract Published: “Evaluation of NBD C12-HPC for Venom PLA2 Studies, Experimental Biology 2005 - Joseph Price, Ph.D.
Presented a paper, “Opioid Receptors in Vertebrates: Evolution of Ligand Type-Selectivity,” Experimental Biology Meeting, San Diego, CA. Reviewed manuscripts for Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Brain Research. Served as judge for best graduate student and postdoctoral paper presented at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Annual Meeting, Division of Neuropharmacology, April 2, San Diego, CA – Craig Stevens, Ph.D.
Poster presentations at Experimental Biology Meeting, San Diego, CA: “Effect of Dietary Protein on Mouse Glomeruli,” Felix Anyomi, graduate student, Al Rouch, Ph.D., advisor; “Low Protein Diet Stimulates Urea Transport in Mouse Initial and Terminal Inner Medullary Collecting Duct,” Dr. Rouch; “Evaluation of NBD C12-HPC for Venom PLA2 Studies,” Joseph Price, Ph.D.
Reviewed grant proposal from National Science Foundation, Dr. Rouch.
Reviewed manuscripts for Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Brain Research. Dr. Stevens.
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Faculty-Staff (FA/ST) team old pros William Meek (below left), and Kirby Jarolim (below right) look over the competition before first year medical students (MS-I) take on second year students (MS-II) in preliminary competition for the annual FA/ST game. After defeating the MS-IIs 19-17, the MS-I team went on to defeat the FA/ST team. Final score: 22-8.
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Runners, walkers and bikers enjoyed the 26th annual Osteopathic Run event on April 30.
Travis Brown, MS II |
Leigh Goodson, Bill Meek and Dana Livingston |
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Student Osteopathic Medicine Association and Student Senate welcomed American Osteopathic Association President George Thomas, D.O., to campus recently. He saw a telemedicine demonstration, toured campus, and met with student leaders.
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Members of the OSU Emeriti Association were campus guests in April. They learned about the medical school and telemedicine from speakers including Karen Wicker, director of external affairs, Michael Young, director of telemedicine, and Stephanie Carner, MS II. The group also visited OSU-Tulsa. Here, Young demonstrates how telemedicine works. The association is comprised of retired OSU professors and staff.
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Officials with Universidad Popular Autonoma del Estado de Peubla (UPAEP) in Puebla, Mexico visited OSU recently. UPAEP is a university that includes a medical, dental and nursing school. They received an overview of CHS including the OSU Medicine curriculum, telemedicine, research and a tour. Front row: Lupita Fabregas, coordinator of the UPAEP Foundation at OSU, Vicente Pacheco, secretario academico and incoming president of UPAEP. Back row: Michael Young, Richard Wansley, Ph.D., David Wallace, Ph.D., Alfredo Miranda, UPAEP secretario general, Mac McCrory, Spence professor and director of the Seretean Wellness Center, and Larry Cherry, D.O.
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Elizabeth Nokes, coordinator for Project in Education with Eugene Field, says CHS purchased 30 tee shirts with recent donations. Fifth graders wore them to the all-city track meet. Cindi Hemm, principal of Eugene Field, sent thanks and submitted a photo of the tired students after the meet, where, she says, they won lots of ribbons.
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