May 2006
Table of Contents

	OSU Medicine to Graduate 92 New D.O.s		Health Policy Event Builds Osteopathic Connections		Student Senate's Recognition Day
	OSU Pride Works		Will FA/ST Win at Last?		Round of Applause!
	SAC Awards Scholarships		Eugene Field Health Fair		New Employees

Dr. Joe W.  Alexander

A total of 92 graduates receive Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degrees from the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, May 13
Tulsa Community College Southeast Campus

In addition, the OSU Center for Health Sciences will confer nine graduate degrees in biomedical sciences and forensics.

Dr. Joe W.  Alexander, Oklahoma’s secretary for science and technology, will give the commencement address and receive the college’s 2006 Distinguished Public Service award.  He is a longtime educator and is president of the OSU Center for Innovation and Economic Development and director of external relations.

Providing physicians to rural Oklahoma is one of the college's missions.  The Class of 2006 graduates brings the alumni total to 2,158.  Currently, 51 percent of OSU Medicine graduates remain in active practice Oklahoma; 24 percent in communities of fewer than 10,000 residents and 18 percent in communities of fewer than 7,500 residents.

OSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine is named one of the best medical schools in the nation for the sixth consecutive year by U.S.News & World Report 2007 Best Graduate Schools Guide. The exclusive rankings place OSU 20th in rural medicine and 45th in primary care.

Amanda Sumner (center) receives an OSU Pride Works! recognition plaque presented by the OSU Pride Posse (Marsha Kennedy, Sandy Cooper and Tina Tappana).  She also received a balloon bouquet, an OSU wind spinner and cookies.

Be advised: Don’t mess with Amanda

David Barron, coordinator of financial aid
and scholarships, nominated Amanda Sumner, coordinator for graduate
admissions, for an OSU Pride Works!
award. His nomination explains:

Amanda is always wearing OSU colors and promoting OSU pride. She even took on a restaurant on behalf of OSU.  She went to
a restaurant where the OSU flag was
hanging upside down. Apparently the owner was a diehard OU fan.  Amanda confronted
the management and expressed her dismay
at the blatant display of disrespect for OSU.  After addressing the issue with management, she convinced them to fix the flag.  Now, it flies high at this restaurant. 
Amanda not only exhibits pride at work, but
in her private life as well.  This kind of
loyalty and dedication should be recognized and rewarded.  

Read more about Amanda Sumner:

Do you, or someone you know, show OSU pride at work?
Do you have an OSU Pride Works story to share?
Contact Marla Schaefer, Rounds editor.

SAC Awards Scholarships Debbie Martin, Staff Advisory Council awards and recognition chairman, reports that 14 applications for scholarships were received and six were awarded. Scholarship recipients are: Melissa Myers – Houston Parke OB/GYN Betty Pittman – Clinical Financial Services Amanda Gutierrez – Student Services Amanda Sumner – Student Services Lana Rusch – President’s Office Ebony Brown – Receptionist “Thank you to all those who applied, and congratulations to the recipients.” says Martin. “We commend your effort to continue your education and wish you the best in your future academic endeavors.” The scholarships are funded through: $150 from Staff Advisory Council and $150 in the form of payroll supplement provided from the university through human resources. Eugene Field Health Fair Annie Wood, MS II, checks Dr. Richard Wansley’s blood pressure at the Eugene Field community health fair.  The event, sponsored by Student National Medical Association and Student Senate at our adopted school, provided health checks, lunch and take home items for participants.

Health Policy Event Builds Osteopathic Connections The Health Policy Fellowship Rural Health seminar was held at OSU-CHS in April, hosted by William Pettit, D.O., dean for rural health, and Val Schott, M.P.H., director of the Center for Rural Health. The group was welcomed by Richard Wansley, Ph.D., vice president for research and sponsored programs and Gary Slick, D.O., senior associate dean for academic affairs. The Health Policy Fellowship program is designed for practicing or teaching osteopathic physicians who are preparing for leadership roles in the profession and positions of influence in health policy and for individuals with a professional connection to the osteopathic profession.  Will FA/ST Win at Last? Coach Bill “The Meekster” Meek leads the FA/ST team in its quest to win the annual  softball game Rumble by the river, Duel in the dirt. The FA/ST team’s getting’ nervous, If they lose, it’s going to hurt. MS I battles Fa/St at 4:30 p.m.  The winner will take on the defending champs, MS II, at 6:00 p.m. Friday, May 5, at Lesion Field. FA/ST softball players in the annual “Rumble by the River” are looking to regain their title after losing to lasty years's MS I class.

A big round of applause to the Class of 2006!

Dr. Leigh Goodson is named a member of “Achievers Under 40 Class of 2006” by The Journal Record, an Oklahoma-based business and legal daily newspaper, in its tribute to the state’s best and brightest rising stars.  Dr. Goodson and other members of the class are featured in the newspaper, and honored at an awards luncheon May 18.  

OSU-CHS decorated a table at the Reaching Hands High Tea for a High Purpose on April 8. Committee members were Debbie Martin, Janet Hughes, Lisa Riggs-Jenkins, Renee' Motte-Williams, Sandra Hale, Jan Barber, Karen Senger and Ginny Murphy Swanson.  Janet Hughes provided and created an OSU-themed centerpiece. Alice Gottschalk also provided items for the table.  Each person sitting at the OSU-CHS table came away with an OSU Medicine doctor's bag full of goodies.

Papers Published
“Systemic and spinal administration of the mu opioid, remifentanil, produces antinociception in amphibians”, European Journal of Pharmacology, 534: 89-94, 2006. Dr. Craig Stevens and Shekher Mohan.
“Prenatal cocaine alters dopamine and sigma receptor binding in nucleus accumbens and striatum in dams and adolescent offspring”, Neurotoxicology and Teratology 28(2):173-180. Dr. David Wallace.

Presentation
“Isoflavone genistein inhibits bacterial invasion in human hepatoma Huh-7 cells,” presented at the AACR  97th Annual  meeting, April 1-5, 2006 in the Washington, D.C. Drs. Rashmi Kaul and Senait Assefa.

Reviewers
Served as reviewer in the Viral and Eukaryotic Pathogens Special Emphasis Panel, NIH Study Section IDM-B (12), March 23-24, Washington, D.C. Dr. Earl Blewett.
Reviewed four grant proposals for the Alzheimer’s Association. Dr. Randall Davis.
Reviewed papers for Journal of the AALAS, Neuroscience Letters, and European Journal of Pharmacology. Dr. Craig Stevens.

Textbook Published
Pharmacology, 2/e. Pharmacology textbook for medical and health professional students, Elsevier, London, March 2006. Drs. George Brenner and Craig Stevens.

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