For Your Health
For Your Health

News from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences

From the Dean

This has been an exciting week for the School—and next week will be just as exciting with all the UND Homecoming 2019 events on tap! This past Monday, UND recognized the academic achievements of faculty members who were promoted and/or granted tenure. Our School was well-represented (making up 43 percent of the group), and the following faculty members were recognized at a reception and dinner held at the Gorecki Alumni Center. So congratulations to:

  • Sara Bjerke, ATC, Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Medicine
  • Alicia Champagne, ATC, Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Medicine
  • Xuesong Chen, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences (Tenured)
  • Archana Dhasarathy, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences (Tenured)
  • Julie Grabanski, OTR/L, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
  • Nicole Harris, OTR/L, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
  • Anne Haskins, OTR/L, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
  • David Relling, PT, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
  • Gary Schindler, DPT, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
  • Shawnda Schroeder, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor, Center for Rural Health
  • McKynsay Vanderpan, Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Medicine
  • Yun (Lucy) Zheng, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Pathology

Our tenth (!) annual Joggin’ with Josh was on Tuesday, and we had a good turnout for our 5K/10K walk, jog, or run, although at least one participant did the course twice for a 10K. I know that he ran the 5K course twice because he lapped me! Two of our School’s departments organized teams and appointed two captains (Dave Relling, chair of our Department of Physical Therapy, and Samantha Peterson, faculty in our Department of Medical Laboratory Science) to manage their teams. Much thanks to both for helping bring out runners and walkers, despite the less-than-sunny weather.

Then, the first of this year’s Faculty Lecture series was on Wednesday, with our own Dr. Donald Warne presenting. There was a great turnout of faculty and students from across campus. Don’s topic was trauma, resilience, and recovery in the American Indian community, and he was introduced by none other than Governor Doug Burgum and First Lady Kathryn Helgaas Burgum. After the wonderful presentation, Susan and I hosted a dinner for Dr. and Mrs. Warne, Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor Bill Sheridan and his guest, and our State’s First Family. We had a lively and enjoyable discussion over a delicious dinner prepared by our fantastic UND culinary team.

Looking ahead, tomorrow the School is involved with an all-day conference on medical ethics being held in Fargo entitled “Creating a Culture of Ethics in Medicine.” There is a great lineup of speakers for the event, and I’ve been asked to provide the introduction. If you’re interested, further information is available here. Also on Saturday, Susan and I will attend the Altru Gala at Alerus Center in Grand Forks. We both always look forward to this opportunity to rub elbows with local providers and health care leaders of all backgrounds in a more relaxed environment.

Finally, next week is Homecoming 2019, and we have a variety of activities planned at the SMHS:

Continuing Education Symposium
From 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the “Oh, My Aching Back!” symposium will give participants of all health backgrounds an opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills in the treatment and rehabilitation of back injury. The complimentary symposium will be held in Room W202 of the School of Medicine & Health Sciences. Speakers from departments across the School, and some from outside UND, will be on hand to discuss the latest developments in lumbar injury. The event will provide participants with 2.5 educational credit hours.

Building Tours
Then, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Office of Alumni & Community Relations will host tours of the School of Medicine & Health Sciences building. Tours will begin every 20 minutes in the School’s main Lobby and take approximately 30 minutes.

Banquet
Finally, the School will host a banquet for all SMHS alumni from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Grand Forks Hilton Garden Inn’s Buchli/Dahl Banquet Room. RSVP is required for the banquet as seating is limited.

To RSVP or for more information, visit med.UND.edu/events/homecoming, or contact Kristen Peterson at kristen.peterson@UND.edu or 701.777.4305.

I hope to see you at one or more of these great events.

Joshua Wynne, MD, MBA, MPH
Interim President and Vice President for Health Affairs, UND
Dean, UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences