Prof Peter Crampton, Dean of Faculty and Pro-Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences

Greetings to all staff and students. Welcome to the final edition of Medinews for 2011. First, I would like to acknowledge the Faculty’s very considerable research and teaching successes during the year. It is a year to be proud of. I offer my special congratulations to staff and students at UOC for their teaching and research successes this year which have been achieved despite the profound disruption caused by the 7000-plus earthquakes. I am hugely grateful for everyone’s work and commitment this year which is manifest in the Faculty’s accomplishments. I would like to acknowledge the fantastic work of our teaching and research staff, our general staff and of course — the most important people — our students. Thank you to everyone. I wish everyone a wonderful and restful Christmas and summer holiday. Have lots of fun, and commit many acts of gratuitous kindness to those around you! I look forward to seeing everyone bright eyed and bushy tailed in 2012.

Peter Crampton
Dean, Faculty of Medicine
University of Otago

Graduation 2011

The Class of 2011 celebrated their success at the graduation ceremony held on 10 December. The ceremony was held in the Regent Theatre this year, while the Dunedin Town Hall undergoes refurbishment.

The Te Huka Matauraka / Maori Centre held the Maori Pre-Graduation celebration on the Friday 9 December  in Castle Lecture Theatre (right) due to growing numbers for Health Science Graduates.  The Maori Centre had to move the venue from te Tumu to the Castle lecture theatre to fit every one in.

We wish all of our new graduates well for their future careers in the medical profession.

DSM Graduands 2011

UOC Graduands 2011

UOW Graduands 2011

Faculty administration office renovations nearing completion

The ground floor of the Sayers building has been undergoing an update and the final stage is to be completed in time for the start of 2012. The offices for OSMS administration, Faculty Education Unit, ELM and the Faculty of Medicine administration offices have all been updated. This is the first major renovation since the building opened in the late 1960s and some of the interior spaces, particularly the old common room have been re-purposed for more office space. The Faculty IT team are now based in the building, which will bring together staff working in IT, e-learning and administration for the first time. The overall impression is that the building interior is now much lighter and greatly improved. A formal celebration of the re-furbished building will take place early in 2012.

ANZAHPE Conference 2012

Otago’s health professional educators are invited to consider presenting research at or attending  the 2012 conference of Australian &  New Zealand Association of Health Professional Educators, to be held in Rotorua in June with the theme Professionalism under Pressure. The keynote speakers at the conference include Professor Richard Cruess and Dr Sylvia Cruess of McGill University, leading researchers on medical professionalism who will be at Otago as William Evans Visiting Fellows immediately before the conference. This is the first time in seven years the ANZAPHE conference has been held in New Zealand, and offers an excellent opportunity for clinicians with an interest in the specific challenges of educating in the health professions to network and share research with each other.  Closing date for abstracts is 27 February 2012:  see http://www.anzahpe2012.co.nz/ for details. If you would like to discuss attending this conference and possibly presenting a paper, you are welcome to contact: Peter Gallagher (UOW), Tim Wilkinson (UOC) or Joy Rudland (Dunedin)

2012 Combined Heads of Departments Meeting

The annual HODs meeting date for 2012 has now been set as follows: Thursday 19 April and Friday 20 April 2012.  Please enter this into your diaries.
The location is Dunedin.

The draft agenda can be downloaded HERE

Pre-meetings are a opportunity to discuss relevant issues within your departments/areas. If there are Faculty wide issues/strategies that you feel should be discussed at the meeting please email me with the topic for Peter’s consideration.

Further details, a registration form and a formal agenda will be sent to you in the new year.

Jacqui Bradshaw
Administrator & PA to Faculty Manager
Faculty of Medicine
Te Kaupeka Whaiora

NZ Doctors’ Orchestra

We are setting up a NZ Doctors orchestra along the same lines as the Australian Doctors Orchestra and the European Doctors Orchestra.   Since 1998 the annual Australian Doctors Orchestra made up entirely of doctors and medical students, has consistently received good reviews. It has raised thousands of dollars for charity. As an example of this success, the 2011 orchestra had 160 members and performed for an audience of approximately 1000! Believing that New Zealand can do anything that Australia can, and building on our experience organising the annual Christchurch Artist Doctors Orchestra (which has been running for over 20 years), we have decided the time is ripe to start the inaugural New Zealand Doctors Orchestra. This will run over three days (Friday to Sunday) and consist of intensive rehearsals, sectionals, and organised social events, culminating in a Sunday afternoon concert.   We feel that this represents an excellent opportunity for social networking between doctors and medical students throughout the country, and would help to support members in enhancing their life outside of medicine while fostering the vast musical talents present in many doctors and students. Judging by the large amount of support we’ve received it would seem many others agree with us – we’ve had over 120 people sign up as tentatively interested, and a lot of positive comments. However, we definitely want to hear from more people – particularly from trombones, French horns, tubas, percussion, oboes, and of course when it comes to string players, the more the merrier!

With this in mind, even if you are only vaguely interested in taking part, we want to hear from you! As long as you are a doctor or medical student and as long as you have some experience (no matter how limited) playing an orchestral instrument, we consider you eligible at this stage to join   If you are interested, email us at enquiries@nzdo.org.nz or visit the web site: http://www.nzdo.org.nz/

Class of ’79 Scholarship Awards

Prof Rob Walker and Mr Mike Hunter with Anh Nguyen

Prof Rob Walker presenting the award to Kate Walker

Congratulations to the ELM students who were awarded the Class of ’79 Scholarships for 2011. Kate Johnstone (2nd year) and Anh Nguyen (3rd year) received the awards earlier in the year.   The Class of 1979 Undergraduate Medical Scholarship was established in 2005 by members of the MBChB Class of 1979.  The inaugural award was made in 2009. Congratulations to both Kate and Anh.

For other news and events from November and December 2011 see the latest edition of the Division of Health Sciences Newsletter: Pulse

Merry Christmas from the Faculty of Medicine – Te Kaupeka Whaiora

Welcome to the first mediNEWSotago for 2011. I took up the role of Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in February and have very much enjoyed establishing myself in the Faculty office. Our academic programmes are now well underway for the year and 2011 promises to be a productive and enjoyable year for the Faculty. I look forward to meeting those staff members I haven’t yet met, and spending time with the medical classes and research students. The past month-and-a-half has been dominated by the Christchurch earthquake and again I would like to express to our students and colleagues in Christchurch the heartfelt sympathy and support of all those in the Faculty and the Division of Health Sciences.

We have now shifted from crisis management mode into recovery mode and I provide a brief summary below of current activities at the University of Otago Christchurch.

Christchurch update

Our overriding priority is that all students will have the opportunity to successfully complete their academic programmes this year. The Advanced Learning in Medicine programme recommenced for Years 4, 5 and 6 students on 14 March following a nearly three-week hiatus caused by earthquake disruption. The speed with which programmes have been recommenced is a wonderful testament to the commitment of our staff and students and to the passion and leadership provided by Dean Professor Peter Joyce, Heads of Department and Associate Deans. I would also like to thank and acknowledge the general staff at UOC for the critically important role they play and their unflagging hard work in helping to restore operations in Christchurch.

The Library - 22 February

The main campus building is currently unavailable and is undergoing remedial work, under the guidance of our engineers. The aim is to have the building opened for business as soon as possible. The buildings on Oxford Terrace and elsewhere have similarly been assessed and are having tidy-up and remedial work carried out as required. In the meantime alternative accommodation has been secured for tutorials and lectures.

Research teams and research students at UOC have had their work seriously disrupted. Again, the leadership team in Christchurch is doing everything possible to get things back to some semblance of normality.

I wish everyone in the Faculty all best wishes for a happy and productive year, even with the unexpected challenges and obstacles presented to us by mother nature.

Nāhaku noa, nā

Peter Crampton
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine

UOC students praised for their efforts

Medical students from the University of Otago who pitched in to help Christchurch Hospital staff during last month’s earthquake have been praised for their work. The Otago Daily Times reported that many fourth, fifth and sixth-year Canterbury-based medical students worked behind the scenes to free up emergency department nurses and doctors, particularly in the 48 hours after the earthquake.

Emergency specialist Dr Mike Ardagh said many sixth-year students, called trainee interns, provided fantastic assistance to emergency department nurses and doctors. For the full report go to: http://www.odt.co.nz/campus/university-otago/152688/medical-students-praised-pitching

Other News

Welcome to the new Dean, UOW

Professor Sunny Collings has officially taken up the position of Dean and Head of Campus at the University of Otago, Wellington. After graduating in Medicine from Otago in 1984, Associate Professor Collings trained in Psychiatry at the Royal Free Hospital and the Maudsley Hospital in London. In addition to her specialist qualifications in Psychiatry, she has completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health (with Distinction) and a PhD at Otago.

Associate Professor Collings is Director of the Social Psychiatry and Population Mental Health Research Unit in the Department of Public Health at the Wellington campus. The Unit employs 28 staff and she currently supervises nine research students.

Her research interests include suicide, primary-care level interventions for mental health problems, carers for people with mental disorders, and the social experience of people with such disorders. Since 2007, her studies have attracted around $8.8 million in external research funding.

Associate Professor Collings became an Associate Dean at the Wellington campus in 2002, with responsibilities for Postgraduate Studies, and since 2008, for Research also.

Awards and Scholarships

BMed Sci (HONS) Awards 2011

This year’s recipients celebrated their success with colleagues and family recently at the annual awards ceremony for those undertaking the bachelor of medical science honours programme. The research projects range from health governance to investigating the anatomy of the hamstring muscles and a range of medical ethics issues such as end of life decision making. Professor Peter Crampton presented the following awards:

MAURICE AND PHYLLIS PAYKEL TRUST RESEARCH AWARD IN MEDICAL SCIENCES Value $8,000

• Oliver HANSBY Project Title:  Health Governance and New Zealand’s District Health Boards
• Richard STOREY Project Title:  The Anatomy of Hamstring Muscles
• Jane VERMUNT Project Title:  The Prevalence of Chronic Hepatitis C in the Asymptomatic Population of Dunedin

MARCUS FITCHETT AND REGINALD MEDLICOTT SCHOLARSHIP Value $5,000

• Hamish ANDERSON Project Title:  Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis: Clinical and Ethical Considerations

L F HALL SCHOLARSHIP Value $5,000

• James Van ROOYEN Project Title: Role of the Metabolic Hormones in the Neuroendocrine Control of Fertility

RANZCOG COLLABORATIVE BMedSc(Hons) SCHOLARSHIP Value $10,000

• Tristan BURNETT Project Title: Prolactin’s Site of Action and its Role for the Regulation of Glucose Homeostasis During Pregnancy

DR EDWARD KERKIN SCHOLARSHIP Value $5,000

• Sophie BRIDGE Project Title:  The Science and Ethics of Induced Pluripotent Stem (IPS) Cells

A F J MICKLE SCHOLARSHIP Value $600

• Richard STOREY Project Title:  The Anatomy of Hamstring Muscles

FACULTY OF MEDICINE SCHOLARSHIP Value $5,000

• Joshua CHAMBERLAIN Project Title:  Moral Psychology, Autonomy, and End of Life Decisions

• Christopher BLOOMER Project Title:  Analyzing the Relationship between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Spondyloarthropathies(SpA)

• Ashton ELLISON Project Title: Peripheral Vision Impairment with Respect to Falls Prevention in Elderly People; Multifocal Glasses Versus Single Lens Glasses

• Jeong Hoon (Jon) HA Project Title:  Therapies for Acute Heart Attack and Prognosis Effect of Depression

• Kyle PATON Project Title:  The Anatomy of the Human Pancreaticobiliary Junction

University of Otago, Christchurch McGEE FELLOWSHIP Value $10,000

• Eng Ann TOH Project Title:  Saccadic Function and Relationship to Cognition in Huntington’s Disease.

RMIP scholarship awarded

A new scholarship has been established in memory of the late Queenstown GP and founder of the Rural Immersion Programme,  Dr Pat Farry.  The fifth-year students who are the first recipients are working currently in the Wakatipu Medical Centre and Lakes District Hospital, in Frankton, as part of their rural medical immersion programme.

Dunedin School of Medicine rural medical immersion students Thomas Kuperus (22), of Timaru, University of Otago Christchurch campus student Matt Restieaux (23), of Clinton, and University of Otago Wellington campus James Heaton (24), of Waihi Beach, will be formally awarded by letter the scholarship from the Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust, funded by $5000 from the Queenstown Medical Centre (QMC).

Congratulations to Courtney Macdonald Winner of the Prince of Wales Prize 2010

Applications sought:

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, ENGLAND

Applications close May 31, 2011

Applications are invited for an award under the Scheme for Oxford Nuffield Medical Fellowships in either a Clinical Medicine or Medical Science department of the University.  This prestigious fellowship carries an allowance of £41152 (plus any cost of living increases). Download Oxford Nuffield Information 2011

Please see the scholarships page for a full list of scholarships available to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Sayers Building, Dunedin Renovations Nearing Completion

The Faculty Education Unit and the Otago School of Medical Sciences have recently returned to their refurbished offices in the Sayers Building on Great King Street. On Tuesday 22 March, a small gathering of staff celebrated the opening of the new OSMS office and Professor David Jones did the honours by cutting the ribbon and officially opened the new offices.

Joy Rudland, Karin Warnaar and Tony Barrett and colleagues from the Faculty education Unit (FEU) are now in their new offices and have relocated close to the reception area of the Sayers Building.

Remodeling of the space known as the Sayers Common Room is nearing completion and this will house the ELM teaching staff including Programme Module Convenors, Faculty Teaching fellows and some ELM administrative support staff. The area will also have a new staff tea room. Completion is expected to be at the end of April.

The final stage of refurbishment will be the office’s associated with the Dean and Faculty management which is expected to take place later in 2011. Faculty IT support staff will also move to the Sayers building when this phase is complete.

Welcome to this edition of mediNEWSotago

This last issue of mediNEWSotago for the year provides information on the recent graduation and award ceremonies for the Faculty of Medicine, and the University.

The end of each academic year is a highlight for all of our students, but particularly for those undergraduate and postgraduate students who are completing their studies. This issue of mediNEWSotago provides details of some of the successes achieved by this year’s graduating MB ChB class.

Congratulations also to Tim Wilkinson on his award of the MD degree at the graduation ceremony on Saturday 11 December.

My thanks to all in the Faculty of Medicine for your outstanding contributions during the year. I wish you all a safe and happy Xmas and New Year, and enjoyable and happy holidays with your families and friends.

And as this will be my last mediNEWSotago, my very best wishes to all for 2011 and beyond. It has been a huge privilege to be Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and to work with you all.  It has been a time of growth, and many wonderful successes. Thank you again.

Don Roberton

Graduation & Awards Ceremony 2010

The Class of 2010

The Faculty of Medicine celebrated the outstanding efforts of those medical students graduating with Distinction as well as those awarded Academic prizes for 2010 at the annual pre-graduation award ceremony held on Saturday 11 December, prior to the University Graduation ceremony at the Town Hall.

At the award ceremony, the class was addressed by retiring Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean of Faculty, Professor Don Roberton, and the Award Ceremony address was delivered by Professor Harlene Hayne, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research.

The title of her address was “And the journey continues: The ongoing importance of research”. During the address Professor Hayne  reminded the class of how fortunate they were to graduate with one of the best medical educations available internationally.

Dr John Adams, Professors Bill Gillespie, Peter Joyce, Harlene Hayne, Peter Crampton, Don Roberton and Tim Wilkinson

Emeritus Professor Bill Gillespie (above second from the left) also invited the prospective alumni to keep in touch with their classmates over the years via the Otago Medical School Alumnus Association. Web link: http://medicalalumni.otago.ac.nz/index.html

Academic Awards 2010

MB ChB Degree with Distinction:
Courtney Macdonald
Olivia Bupha-Intr
Lydia Chan
Olivia Collyns
Hannah Crowley
Philip Drennan
Abby Sanders
Hayley Smith
Rachel Taylor

Prizes and Scholarships:

• Stanley Batchelor Memorial Prize (Surgery and Clinical Surgery):
  Sam Gane

• Batchelor Memorial Medal and Prize (Gynaecology and Obstetrics):
  Lu Li

• Colquhoun Memorial Medal & TWJ Johnson Memorial Prize (Clinical Medicine):
  Abby Sanders

• Psychological Medicine Prize:
  Hayley Smith

• The JM Watt Prize (Paediatrics & Child Health):
  Courtney Macdonald

• The Emily Hancock Siedeberg Memorial Prize:
  Courtney Macdonald

• Dean of Faculty Prize – Awarded to acknowledge outstanding service to the Faculty of Medicine:
  Elizabeth Carr

• The Rita Gardner Travelling Scholarship – Awarded to the student graduating top of the class by the Dean,  Faculty of Medicine:
  Courtney Macdonald

• Silver Salver presented by Emeritus Professor William Gillespie on behalf of the Otago Medical School Alumnus Association:
  Courtney Macdonald

Courtney Macdonald and proud family members

Graduation ceremony, University of Otago, Saturday 11 December

The University of Otago graduation ceremony on the afternoon of Saturday 11 December was a highlight of the academic year for many staff and students in the Faculty of Medicine.

And the first to cross the stage to receive an MD degree was Professor Tim Wilkinson (left), Chair of the Faculty Curriculum Committee. Tim has a strong interest in medical education research, and he has added an MD to his PhD and his medical qualifications. Congratulations to Tim from all in the Faculty of Medicine.

Professor Roberton gave the graduation address at the University of Otago Graduation Ceremony at the Dunedin Town Hall on Saturday 11 December. The graduation was one of the largest held at the University of Otago. A summary of the graduation address, as reported in the Otago Daily Times, is available here.

Emeritus Professor Linda Holloway – unveiling of her portrait as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine

The Faculty celebrated the achievements of one of our previous Deans, now Emeritus Professor Linda Holloway, by the unveiling of her portrait. Professor Holloway  was a previous Pro Vice Chancellor of Health Sciences of the University of Otago and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.

During her term as Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean she was actively involved in the development of many academic clinical programmes within the University. Family joined Professor Holloway, friends and colleagues at a ceremony held in the Hunter Centre recently where her portrait was unveiled. The portrait will hang alongside the  portraits of previous Deans in the Barnett lecture theatre. The portrait was commissioned by the Faculty of Medicine and the Medical School Alumni, and was completed by well-known artist, Dr John Gillies. A previous graduate of the University of Otago Medical School himself, John was present at the unveiling.

Redevelopment of the Hercus Building – opening of new Pathology Laboratories

The Hercus Building has undergone a major transformation with parts of the interior now updated to provide state of the art laboratory facilities, including the housing of a world class Zebra fish facility devoted to cancer research. The local MP Michael Woodhouse who praised the University for investing in the city’s main institution officially opened the new laboratories on 11 November. Head of Pathology in the Dunedin School of Medicine, Professor Ian Morison, recalled the days when the building functioned as the city morgue and he is pleased that now the Department would be able focus on their core research activities in a purpose designed facility. For more information see the link to ODT, 13 Nov 2010: http://www.odt.co.nz/campus/university-otago/136085/old-morgue-now-helps-save-lives

Module Conveners’ meeting – 9 December

The Faculty of Medicine Education Unit organised a very successful Module Conveners’ meeting on 9 December, which brought together staff from all four schools involved in teaching in the various modules across the three campuses. Conveners and administrators were also given an update on various projects and research including the roll out of the Faculty Records Electronic Delivery, database (FRED), reflections on the way the medical sciences are being integrated across the curriculum (VIFS), results from a survey on year 4 experiences in 2010 and a summary by Oliver Hansby, on the Clinical student Quality of Clinical Learning Environments (QOCLE) study. The day also devoted time to a range of topics that had been determined by the participants themselves including assessment issues, developing common resources across ELM and ALM, how do we get students to think, and how to support module conveners as teachers.

Above: Module Convenors attending the e-learning workshop

A summary document of the day will be produced and circulated to interested parties in the New Year. The Faculty thanks Joy Rudland and Karin Warnaar for their hard work organising the day.

Merry Christmas from the Faculty of Medicine

If there is any information that you would like to be disseminated to the Faculty in mediNEWSotago, please contact Jacqui Bradshaw, Administrator & PA to the Faculty Manager, Faculty of Medicine at jacqui.bradshaw@otago.ac.nz

Welcome to this edition of mediNEWSotago.

This edition contains news of the appointment of the next PVC and Dean of Faculty, Professor Peter Crampton. Peter will commence in February of 2011, following my retirement. Congratulations on behalf of all in the Faculty to Peter on his appointment.

A number of new Heads of Department have been appointed within the Faculty. Welcome to them, and thank you to the Heads who have completed their roles and who worked so hard towards the success of their Departments, their Schools, the Faculty and the University.

Congratulations to Professor David Fergusson, who has been awarded the University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal. This is the University’s highest honour for research.

The recent earthquake in Canterbury had major effects on our staff and students there. The University building withstood the earthquake well. Our thanks go to all staff and students for all the support that they provided during the aftermath of the earthquake. Particular thanks are due to Murray Clarke, the building manager for the University of Otago Christchurch, who did a superb job in getting our facilities up and running again so rapidly.

New laboratories and facilities have been built and commissioned in the Hercus building on the Dunedin campus, and new laboratories are very near completion in the Scott building.

This edition of mediNEWSotago also contains information on the progress of our Early Learning in Medicine programme, and activities in the Advanced Learning in Medicine pogramme.

Appointment of the next Pro Vice Chancellor, Division of Health Sciences, and Dean, Faculty of Medicine:

The Vice Chancellor recently announced the appointment of Professor Peter Crampton to the position of Pro Vice Chancellor for the Division of Health Sciences, and also as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. Warmest congratulations to Peter, who has had a long association with the Faculty of Medicine, and who is currently Dean of the University of Otago Wellington campus. Peter will commence in the position on 1 February 2011. The link to the University press release announcing the appointment is: http://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago014153.html

News of other appointments in the Faculty of Medicine

Associate Professor Rhonda Rosengren has been appointed as Head of the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, from 1st August 2010.

Dr Sue Pullon has commenced as Head of the Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, University of Otago Wellington, from 18 October, following her return from Research and Study Leave.

Associate Professor Lutz Beckert has commenced as Head of the Department of Medicine, University of Otago Christchurch, from 4 October 2010 until October 2012.

Award of the University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal:

Professor David Fergusson, of the Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago Christchurch, has been awarded the University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal for 2010. David has been Director for many years of the Christchurch Health and Development Study, and he and his team have an international reputation for their contributions to the health and wellbeing of children, young people, and their families.

Our congratulations to David, and to all who work with him, on this award and for the further recognition that it brings to their research.

Further information is available at:

http://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago014408.html

A  public lecture will be announced for early next year in association with this award.

Medical Book Award

Congratulations to Professor Robin Gauld from the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine who was recently announced as the winner of the health and social care category in the BMA medical books awards with his book entitled “The New Health Policy”. There were 784 entries. The book highlights the way Britain, New Zealand and The US have approached matters including patient safety, funding, public health and the changing involvement of the public in healthcare planning. (reported ODT 21 Sept)

Film nominated for Documentary awards

“Donated to Science” – which was produced and directed by Paul Trotman and Helen Nicholson and screened on national television this year, was nominated as one of three finalists in the best popular documentary category of the Qantas Film and Television Awards. Congratulations to the team behind this outstanding documentary.

Earthquake in Canterbury

It is just over one month since the earthquake in Canterbury. The University of Otago Christchurch main buildings withstood the earthquake with only very minor damage. The teaching programmes had to be suspended for one week, but rapidly returned to normal. The building that the Department of Public Health and General Practice, and the Maori Indigenous Health Institute (MIHI), were housed in (St Elmos) has not been able to be reopened, and alternative accommodation is being arranged for these staff and students.

The latest news is that unfortunately the St Elmos building has had to be condemned. For further information see the article in the ODT 2nd November. (photo coutesy of the ODT)

Laboratories Refurbished – Dunedin.

The Otago School of Medical Sciences has had some laboratories extensively upgraded during 2010. The Department of Pathology in the Dunedin School of Medicine also has new laboratories. The next edition of mediNEWSotago will feature photos of the new laboratory opening ceremonies and views of the changes to the teaching and lab spaces in the Hercus and Scott Buildings.

ELM Early Learning in Medicine

ELM Review Day

The 2010 ELM review day takes place on November 23. The review this year will focus on a range of issues including evaluation, assessment, innovations that have been introduced in 2010 and will highlight some of the changes that have taken place since the introduction of the new curriculum in 2008. Further details will be circulated to ELM staff and student representatives soon. For more information contact Jude Hodge via email: jude.hodge@otago.ac.nz

End of year function held for Integrated Cases Programme

A function was held at the conclusion of teaching for ELM tutors in the Integrated Cases Programme Module on Friday 15 October, to thank the tutors for their contribution to teaching this year. The lunch also served as an opportunity to thank Gayle Roberton who will be stepping down as the Convenor of the programme in January 2011. Since 2007 Gayle has led the Cases programme and has been responsible for developing all 27 cases in consultation with the various academic representatives from the block and vertical modules. In addition Gayle has been heavily involved in assessment and timetable issues relating to ELM and the overall success of the programme. Our best wishes and thanks to Gayle.

Welcome to new Hauora Maori Staff member – ELM

On Monday the 11th October the Faculty of Medicine held a mihiwhakatau for a new staff member, Ms Francis Kewene and her whanau whanui (Michael Masina, Masin and Ionatana Kewene-Masina). Fran comes to the university after working in Public Health for over 10 years. Fran has held a number of positions within this field first as a Maori Health Promoter and then retraining as a Health Protection Officer. She then took on the role as Maori Health Advisor to Dunedin’s Public Health unit in 2008. Fran has a varied back ground first beginning her professional life in the arts and graduating from Te Kura Toi Whakari – The New Zealand Drama School in 1991. She then went on to gain her first degree from Victoria University in Criminology and Maori followed by a Bachelor of Health Science in Environmental Health from Massey University. Fran’s new position with the Faculty will be as Lecturer in Hauora Maori for 2nd and 3rd year medical students. This position takes over from Dr Jo Baxter who will now be able to commit more time to the other roles she holds within the Faculty, School of Medicine and the Division. We would like to welcome Fran to the Faculty and to the wider medical academic community. Fran is based in the Centre of Hauora Maori in the Adams Building.
Nau mai haere mai a Fran.

ALM – Advanced learning in Medicine

Did you Know Flyers (DYK series)

Recent changes to the ELM curriculum have been summarised for Faculty and teaching staff associated with the University by way of flyers which have been distributed to the three campuses and are also available via the MEG website. These provide a brief overview of aspects of the ELM course that potentially affect the approach and skills of ALM students from 2010. The DYK No.5 focuses on the relevance of biomedical science to clinical practice and will be published soon. Copies of the flyers can be downloaded from the MEG website.

Teaching Awards

A range of teaching awards have been presented to our staff from OUSA and also OUMSA. Congratulations to those who received recognition from our students for their outstanding efforts this year. Tony Zaharic (Biochemistry) has now won this award three years in the last four and Associate Professor Peter Dearden (Biochemistry) received one of this year’s inaugural awards for best use of humour.  David Schmierer (Pharmacy) was one of the eleven finalists. For more information on the OUSA awards (see Pulse). The ELM Year 2/3 awards for teaching were presented to staff recently and a full list of recipients will be published in the last edition of ELM NEWS for 2010.

DSM Annual Teaching Awards 2010

Congratulations to the staff whose contribution to teaching in the medical programme was recognised at the awards ceremony. Dr Wendy Busby received the major award of the Senior Staff Award for Quality in Teaching, and Dr Michael Furlong and Professor John Campbell received commendations for Quality in Teaching.

• Dean’s Commendation to Invercargill Teaching Staff – Dr Norman MacLean

• Award to Registrar who has shown commitment and Quality in Teaching – Dr Yih Harng Chong

• Award to House Surgeon who has shown commitment and Quality in Teaching – Dr Simon Richards

• Award for the Trainee Intern who has shown commitment and aptitude for teaching – Mr Shuichi Suetani and Miss Anna Choi

• Certificate to the Nursing Team who has provided the Best learning environment for medical students – Ward 1A  and Ward 6B

Interlinked Plenary Sessions (IPS)

Planning is now underway for 2011, with 8 sessions to be delivered to the year 4/5 classes. 2010 has seen the successful delivery of 8 video linked sessions with a wide range of topics and involving experts from each campus and also from associated health providers such as local DHBs. The technology has been tested in a variety of ways including real time voting during the sessions via cell phones. The sessions are now being streamed live to students and staff, so that our rural students are able to view the sessions live and respond with questions via their cell phones.

Other news:

Module Convenors Meeting – 9 December 2010

The meeting will provide an opportunity for module convenors from all four schools to meet and discuss issues relevant to the curriculum. Further details will be available soon.

IT projects

IT Resource Web site

The Faculty IT staff now have an on-line resource for staff, go to:  http://facmed.otago.ac.nz/it
The site contains information and updates on current projects and also facilities and resources available to staff. Although not replacing the central ITS resource pages, it provides our staff with a wide range of Faculty specific information.

Faculty Records Electronic Delivery  (FRED) – database update

The new on-line database for student progress reports (SPD), which forms the first phase of the electronic record for all medical students from Year 2-6, is to be rolled out to all 3 schools and ELM for 2011, starting with the TI year who commence in November 2010. UOW admin staff  have been trialing the system this year and also entering some data this year for 4/5/6 year students. For the latest on FRED and other Faculty IT projects, help and support, go to: http://facmed.otago.ac.nz/it

Medical Schools Outcomes Database (MSOD)

The 2010 ELM Year 2 students have now completed the 2010 Medical Schools Outcomes Database commencing survey. The data will become part of the larger project, which will begin to provide a basis for research into the career aspirations and development of graduates from Australian and New Zealand medical schools. The first cohort to be surveyed at Otago will graduate in 2011 and will be surveyed on exit from their undergraduate training and then again after PGY1 and 2. The latest MSOD newsletter can be donloaded here:  MSOD Sept 2010 Newsletter.

The Laurenson Awards

The Foundation invites applications for grants to support medical research carried out in the Otago area or projects based in Otago.  These are to be financed by income from bequests to the Foundation by the late Alexia and James Laurenson, known as The Laurenson Awards.

In accordance with the wishes of the Laurensons, applications are invited for research in areas relating to the investigation and dissemination of knowledge concerning the effects of proper diet and/or drugs on human health.

Awards will be for a sum of between $10,000 – $35,000 for one year.  Applications for an extension of a current Laurenson Award may be considered.

This year the total amount available is $100,000.

The closing date for applications in 2010 is 2.00 p.m. on Friday, 12 November. Please note that the University of Otago’s Research and Enterprise Office will require applications that are from University staff by Friday, 5 November 2010.

Applications, or enquiries of a scientific nature, should be directed to the current Chairperson of the Scientific Committee, Associate Professor Patricia A. Cragg (Department of Physiology, University of Otago).

The format to be adopted is described in the Information for Applicants which is available on the Otago Medical Research Foundation website: http://omrf.otago.ac.nz/

Best wishes

Don Roberton

If there is any information that you would like to be disseminated to the Faculty in mediNEWSotago, please contact Jacqui Bradshaw, Administrator & PA to the Faculty Manager, Faculty of Medicine at jacqui.bradshaw@otago.ac.nz

Welcome to this edition of mediNEWSotago.

It is a great pleasure to provide details of two recent Professorial appointments, and to welcome Professors John McCall and Bridget Robinson to important new roles within the Faculty of Medicine.

Congratulations also to those graduates of the Faculty who received awards in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for 2010.

Members of the Faculty had a very high level of success in the recent HRC funding round. Congratulations to all recipients of funding, and in particular to those who achieved Programme grants and extensions to Programme grants.

This edition of mediNEWSotago also has a report on the very successful NZMSA conference held at the end of May in Queenstown, and there are details of the development of new simulation facilities for clinical skills teaching at our Dunedin and Christchurch campuses.

I hope you enjoy reading about activities within the Faculty in this edition.

Best wishes

Don Roberton

HRC grant successes

Overall there was very good success in the HRC grant awards for the Faculty of Medicine and for the University – congratulations to all those who received funding.

A new programme grant has been awarded to Professor Tony Blakely, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, for research into the best way to spend our limited health resources, entitled – Burden of Disease Epidemiology, Equity and Cost-Effectiveness Programme. Professor Warren Tate (Biochemistry) will be working with Professor Cliff Abraham (Psychology) at the University of Otago, Dunedin, investigating Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, also as part of a new programme grant.

Dr Dorothy Begg, Preventive and Social Medicine from (IPRU), University of Otago, Dunedin, has received an extension to a current Programme grant for further support for her research team’s extensive work, which includes three projects that focus on preventing injury and reducing the subsequent disability outcomes.  Professor Andrew Mercer (Microbiology and Immunology) has received funding as an extension to his existing Programme grant,  to continue his research which investigates the way in which pathogenic viruses pose major threats to human life.

Queen’s Birthday Honours 2010

Congratulations to the following graduates who received honours recently in the Queens’ Birthday Honours 2010.  This years honours included:

CNZM (Companion of the Order)
Dr Hylton Legrice OBE, Auckland, for services to ophthalmology, music and the community.

ONZM (Officer of the Order)
Dr Leona Fay Wilson, Wellington, for services to medicine, in particular anaesthesia.

MNZM (Member of the Order)
Mr John Cameron Cullen, Auckland, for services to medicine.

QSO (The Queen’s Service Order – Companion of the Order)
Dr John Richard Delahunt Matthews, Auckland, for services to medicine and the community.

Staff news

Welcome to:
Professor John McCall, who has been appointed the first McKenzie Professor of Clinical Science at the University of Otago. A medical graduate from Otago, John joins the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences at the Dunedin School of Medicine after a career focused on liver transplant surgery including posts at King’s College Hospital, London and more recently the Liver Transplant Unit in Auckland as Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Auckland.  More information: News and Events – Otago:

Mackenzie Chair in Cancer Medicine, University of Otago Christchurch

The Mackenzie Charitable Foundation has generously provided funding to support a Chair in Cancer Medicine at the University of Otago. After an international search, the Chair is to be taken up by Associate Professor Bridget Robinson, who graduated MBChB with Distinction from the University of Otago in 1977, Bridget received the Travelling Scholarship from the Faculty at the time of her graduation having graduated first in her class. Bridget has an outstanding research and clinical reputation in cancer care.  She has held academic positions at the University of Otago, Christchurch since 1998, and currently also is Clinical Director for Medical Oncology for the Canterbury District Health Board. Bridget will take up the Chair in early August.

AMC Accreditation update – 2010 report

The Medical School Accreditation Committee of the Australian Medical Council met in May to consider reports on Accreditation status for individual medical schools.

The Periodic Report from Otago, submitted in March was reviewed. The Report was well received, and the Faculty has been informed that it continues to make very good progress with its curriculum activities. Further Progress reports will be required by AMC in the third and fifth years of the current accreditation cycle.

University of Otago – Faculty of Medicine, Heads of Departments meeting, 8 – 9 April 2010, Hunter Centre Dunedin

Branko Sijnja, Stewart Mann, Stephen McKernan and Don Roberton at the 2010 HODS meeting in Dunedin

The 2010 Heads of Department meeting was held in the Hunter Centre in Dunedin near the end of April. The two day meeting provided an opportunity for reflection on the modifications to the undergraduate curriculum that had taken place during the past two years and to hear any feedback from ALM staff following the arrival of the first cohort of ELM students to the three campuses for their ALM programmes. Faculty initiatives and reports from Deans, a presentation from Stephen McKernan, currently Director General of Health, an update from the Vice Chancellor, Prof David Skegg, and also a session on research activities and the upcoming PBRF round were included in the programme.

Graduation and Award ceremonies

BMedSci (Hons) awards ceremony.
Those students who successfully gained study awards were presented with their grants at a function in the Hunter Centre recently. The Faculty of Medicine manages the distribution of the funds for the projects, scholarships and awards, which have been provided by generous donations for this purpose.

2010 recipients of awards for their BMedSci (Hons) research

Nineteen students undertaking BMedSci (Hons) studies during 2010 received awards to assist with research across a range of exciting topics at all four schools. This is the largest number of BMedSci students for any one year in the history of the programme. Professor Don Roberton presented the awards to the students who were joined by friends and family as well as their supervisors.

From unemployed truckie to doctor

Dr Eli Leckey completed his MBChB recently and graduated on Saturday 22 May, after a long journey of study which began after he was made redundant as a truck driver. Without the required NCEA papers for entry to University, Eli began his studies at Polytechnic, before completing health science first year papers and then a BSc prior to gaining a place in the professional medical programme here at Otago. TV1 followed this journey and broadcast the item on national television, the link can be viewed at TVNZ’s on demand site
Congratulations to Eli and the other medical graduates who have completed their studies recently.

Medical students feature in the NZ Pavilion, 2010 World Expo, Shanghai

A group of ELM students took part in a video production, which is currently screening in the New Zealand Pavilion as part of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. Under the theme ‘Better City, Better Life’ Dunedin, a sister city to Shanghai, was chosen because of the educational focus, natural surroundings and its historic buildings. The short clip shows a group of medical students studying an anatomy model in the historic Lindo-Ferguson building’s anatomy museum and forms part of the video. Thanks to Associate Professor Dorothy Oorschot (Head of Department Anatomy & Structural Biology, for permission to film in the anatomy museum.

Medical Students for Global Awareness (MSGA)

Medical Students for Global Awareness (MSGA) had their official launch this month, with two fund-raising events back to back. On Thursday 6 May they held an “Oxfam Coffee Break” evening at the Hunter Centre as part of Fair Trade Fortnight. Fair trade coffee and hot chocolate were served, baking was available to buy, and a humanitarian film was screened. The evening was a huge success, raising $902.60 for Oxfam.

On Friday 7 May, it was off to the Cook for a med stein with a twist; everyone needed to bring a can of food to gain entry. Sophie Bridge, coordinator of MSGA Otago, delivered four boxes of food to the Dunedin Salvation Army Food Bank the following week.

Sophie Bridge (MSGA Otago Coordinator, left) with Robyn Day from the Salvation Army

NZMSA Conference 2010: Outside the Box

Written by Michael Chen-Xu, Adapted for Medinews by Caitlin Glue

The New Zealand Medical Students’ Association Conference this year was held from the 21st-23rd of May in Queenstown. This was the first year Conference had been held outside a city with a medical school, and was also the largest Conference to date with 158 delegates in attendance.

The theme for this years’ Conference was “Outside the Box”, encouraging the delegates to explore opportunities available to them as future health professionals. The conference had four key themes,: “Working Outside the Box”, innovative ways of working  after graduating from medical school; “Living Outside the Box”, looking at incredible achievements performed in life outside of medicine; “Learning Outside the Box”, hands on sessions teaching delegates practical skills; and finally “Thinking Outside the Box”, exploring exciting new medical research and technology.

The Conference began with an Amazing Race where delegates not only had the opportunity to bungy jump, jetboat and participate in various eating competitions, but were also given the chance to meet fellow medical students from around the country. This was a fantastic start to the conference and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The speakers during the weekend included Dr. Catherine Mohr, engineer and world leader in clinical robotics; Professor Donald Evans, world-renowned bioethicist and President of the International Bioethics Committee for UNESCO; and Dr. Erik Monasterio, a doctor and mountaineer who shared breathtaking photos of his many adventures. Delegates also had the chance to participate in a number of workshops including a Wilderness Medicine Scenario, a suturing workshop, and a leadership session hosted by Dr. Ben Johnson.

Given the challenges we face as medical students, and the challenges the profession faces as a whole, the importance of both thinking and living “outside the box” cannot be underestimated. Furthermore, it is not until we challenge ourselves to get outside our self-imposed boxes – be they in life, in work, or in play that we are able to fully reach our potentials. Before we can do this, we have to become aware of our limits, and the boxes both society and we as individuals place around ourselves. Through the various inspirational speakers, the breakout sessions, and the opportunity to spend time with other highly motivated students, Conference 2010 challenged and empowered medical students to think outside the box. This was summed up nicely by Dr. Catherine Mohr in her keynote address “… If you’ve got the courage to reinvent yourself over and over and over again, and the courage to push through onto the other side, to go and do what it is you really want to do, you will be able to take up the mantle; you will be able to go out and love what you do and save the world in the process.”

NZMSA Conference aims to provide an opportunity for medical students from across the country to be inspired by acclaimed local and international speakers, and the chance to network and build relationships with each other.

Buildings and Redevelopment

The Campus Master Plan
The consulting architects, DEGW, recently unveiled the Campus Master Plan, which sets out strategies for the future development over a 25-year period for the University of Otago, and its campuses in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington. The plan includes a detailed analysis of the various precincts and their role in the campus. In the report attention is given to South Precinct, which encompasses the Health Sciences Division and the historic buildings, which are symbolic of the University of Otago’s role in medical education. Projects noted in the plan are the redevelopment of the Adams, Sayers and Wellcome buildings, which form the heart of the Precinct, and extensive redevelopment and expansion of the University’s campuses in Wellington and Christchurch. For further details the Master plan is available from the University web pages.

Plans also are underway to upgrade office facilities in the Sayers building, which now houses not only the administration offices for the Faculty of Medicine and the Otago School of Medical Sciences, but also the Faculty Education Unit and the ELM Convenors and tutors.

New Skills Laboratories – Dunedin School of Medicine

The new Otago Clinical Skills Laboratory, located in the Fraser Building, Dunedin Hospital, was officially opened recently and offers a greatly improved training facility for clinicians and students associated with the University and Southern District Health Board. Initial planning for the upgrade began in 2007 and work started on the project earlier this year. The centre comprises twelve consulting rooms and a waiting room, with a new simulated hospital room and tutorial spaces. The $600,000 upgrade and supply of new equipment for the centre was made possible with funding by the University, the former Otago DHB and also generous donations by a number of local groups including; the Knowledge Centre, the Otago Community Trust, the Healthcare Otago Charitable Trust and the General Medical Staff Trust.

New Skills / Simulation centre – University of Otago, Christchurch

An excellent new Skills laboratory has also been completed at the University of Otago Christchurch campus, and the official opening was held on Monday, 28 June. Plans are underway for construction for a new Clinical Skills facility at our Wellington campus in the near future. See the link on TVNZ for a recent news item on this.

Dr Branko Sijna and Michele Wilkie, operating the video unit for communicating with the rural medical students

New accommodation for General Practice and Rural Health – Dunedin

The Department of General Practice and Rural Health have moved into new premises on Hanover Street in Dunedin, opposite the Hercus Building. The new office spaces, seminar rooms and teaching facilities include the equipment used for communicating with the rural students via telepresence technology. The building is shared with the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine’s Injury Prevention Unit.

Did you know (DYK) flyers

Some of the recent changes to the ELM curriculum have been summarised for Faculty and teaching staff associated with the University by way of flyers which have been distributed to the three campuses and are also available via the MEG website. These provide a brief overview of aspects of the ELM course that potentially affect the approach and skills of ALM students from 2010. Flyers are being produced and distributed on a range of topics over the coming year.

Four flyers have been produced this year, including – Did you Know…
•    what consultation skills the ELM students have learnt?
•    what are the challenges for the 2010 students entering 4th year?
•    about the clinical examination skills being taught in ELM?
•    incorporating clinical reasoning into ELM encounters

To view these flyers and download copies, see:
http://tinyurl.com/Did-You-Know-flyers

ELM Healthcare day – 13 May

Healthcare Day - The Glenroy Centre

The ELM Year 3 students took part in a successful Community Healthcare day at the Glenroy Centre in the Dunedin Town Hall on 13 May. Organised as part of the Healthcare in the Community programme module, students provided free consultations and health checkups for members of the general public under the supervision of the ELM teaching staff. The Mornington PHO and Well Dunedin PHO provided a CVD risk assessment clinic, to which the patients could be referred if necessary. Some Interprofessional Practice was provided with the inclusion of Dietetics students to provide nutrition advice, and Physical Education and Physiotherapy students who discussed exercise options with the “patients”. The day was also supported by community groups who provided information and demonstrations on exercise options within the community. Sport Otago provided information about the Green Prescription to facilitate exercise opportunities for the members of the general public.

The organisers of the day, Dr Monika Clark-Grill (HIC Lead Tutor – Year 3), Dr Hamish Wilson (HIC Programme Module Convenor), and Margaret Sykes (HIC Administrator for ELM Year 3) agreed the day was very successful and offered the students a real ‘doctor-patient’ experience as well as an opportunity for a free health check to locals. The event received financial sponsorship from the Integrative Health Trust Otago and the Taieri & Strath Taieri PHO.

Best wishes

Don Roberton

If there is any information that you would like to be disseminated to the Faculty in mediNEWSotago, please contact Jacqui Bradshaw, Administrator & PA to the Faculty Manager, Faculty of Medicine at jacqui.bradshaw@otago.ac.nz

Welcome to this edition of mediNEWSotago.

Amy Jamieson leading the declaration at the 2009 Final Year Awards ceremony

Our Faculty of Medicine Awards Ceremony was held on Saturday 19 December last year, followed by the main University graduation ceremony. Congratulations to those students who graduated with Distinction, and in particular, congratulations to Amy Jamieson who graduated at the top of the class of 2009, and who led the class in the class declaration.

Graduating Class 2009

Maori Graduands at the 2009 Ceremony

The new academic year is now well underway. There are record enrolments in the Health Sciences First Year programme, and five of the seven individual HSFY papers have over 2000 enrolments at this stage.

Information on the new Year 2 class in medicine is provided below. There has been a further increase in domestic medical student entrants this year. As in previous years recently, over one quarter of the entering class are graduates from other degree programmes.

The Faculty was saddened to hear of the recent death of Emeritus Professor Jeff Weston, previously Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Otago, Wellington.

And congratulations to Dr John Adams, Dean of the Dunedin School of Medicine, who has been elected Chair of the Medical Council of New Zealand. John takes over this role from Professor John Campbell, also from the Dunedin School of Medicine and who was previously Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. Professor Campbell had been Chair of the MCNZ for 7 years.

Professor Emeritus HJ Weston  – Vale

Professor Emeritus HJ Weston was appointed to the new Paediatric Chair at the Wellington Clinical School, subsequently the Wellington School of Medicine University of Otago, in 1975 having started as a resident in Wellington Hospital in 1950. He had post graduate training at Hammersmith Hospital, the Brompton Hospital London UK and The Hospital for Sick Children Gt. Ormond St. London where he was a Resident Assistant Physician. He was much admired as a general paediatrician with an infectious sense of humour, great wisdom and modesty. He was an excellent teacher. Jeff was a popular and effective Head of Department and had much political nous which he used to great effect in his fierce defence of children’s rights. Jeff was ahead of his time in his support for services to prevent and manage child abuse. He was in much demand for Government committees where a broad understanding of the needs of children was required. Jeff was active in getting the present Children’s Hospital built at Wellington Hospital in 1988 and in expanding services for children in the Greater Wellington region. He retired in 1991 but continued attending clinical meetings for a further decade; he also found time in his retirement to complete a BSc in geology through Victoria University and to take up bridge. Jeff was a talented sportsman, including tennis and squash in his younger days and golf later.

Jeff was a strong, loyal and active supporter of the School up until the time of his death. He regularly attended School events and always made a point of seeking out the Dean to discuss School matters and without fail would make positive and supportive comments about the School’s progress.

On behalf of all of us at UOW we extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to his wife Anne and family. He will be sorely missed.

Supplied by: Dr Thorsten Stanley
Acting head, Dept of Paediatrics UOW

Staff news

Professor Mark Stringer, Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, gave his inaugural professorial address recently entitled; “Putting the rigor into mortis: new horizons in anatomy”

Link to ODT article

Marie Johannesson from Uppsala University, Sweden, has accepted appointment as Professor of  Paediatrics and Child Health, and as Head of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, at the University of Otago, Wellington.. She will take up her position on the 15th of March 2010.
Marie obtained  her medical degree from  the Karolinska Instute, Stockholm, Sweden. She undertook  her paediatric residency at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas and at UCLA Medical School, Los Angeles, California. Marie is a Board Certified Paediatrician both in the USA and in Sweden.
In addition she has been very involved in the care of CF patients both in Sweden and in the rest of Europe. She has served as President of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS), and as Vice President for UNICEF Sweden.
Her main research has been in the field of cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia. She also has a special interest in gender difference and public health after having served as head of research in the primary care setting Uppsala County. She has been extensively  involved in the teaching of medical students at Uppsala University.
She and her husband and youngest daughter arrived in Wellington in early March  She is very much looking forward to work joining us at the  University of Otago.

Dr Branko Sijnja has recently been appointed to the position of Director of the Faculty wide Rural Medical Immersion Programme, replacing the late Dr Pat Farry.

Branko writes “I have enjoyed being a general practitioner in Balclutha for thirty years and have been pleased to be able to contribute to my community through my involvement in setting up the community owned and operated hospital and health centre in Balclutha. I have worked in hospital practice for short periods in Palmerston North, Dannevirke, Perth and Bridge of Earn in Scotland. I have always had a hospital job in Balclutha, initially full time and then part time since I entered general practice.

Medical politics is my interest and I am proud to have been a member of the New Zealand Medical Association’s General Practitioner Council till recently and the New Zealand General Practitioner’s Association before that. I have been involved in implementation panels to aspects of the health policies of both the National and Labour Coalition Governments and was pleased when I was elected almost six years ago to the Otago District Health Board.  I am committed to progressing the integration of primary and secondary health care in our rural community.

I have been a teacher of medical students in rural general practice and rural hospital settings for ten years now and am privileged to have been able to take up the post of Director of the Rural Medical Immersion Programme.  I share a lot of the vision of the late Dr Pat Farry and am pleased to be able to continue to work with his dream.

I am the son of a school teacher who was a graduate of the University of Wageningen in Holland. I was born in Holland and emigrated to New Zealand with my parents as a child.  My schooling was in various centres in the North Island and I had my secondary education in Palmerston North Boys High  School. I graduated from Otago University in 1973 with my Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and have Post Graduate Diplomas in Obstetrics and Rural and Provincial Hospital Practice from Otago University as well. I am a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and a Fellow of the New Zealand Medical Association.”

Welcome to Dr Tony Barrett, who is the new Medical Education Adviser for Early Learning in Medicine. He graduated from San Diego State University majoring in Cultural Anthropology.  He went on to earn his Master’s in Cross-Cultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he also taught in inner city schools for four years. He completed is PhD in Education in the Department of Adult and Organizational Learning at University of Idaho in 2004.

Other News:

Admissions

234 new domestic students have been admitted to ELM Year 2 for 2010, comprising 21% from a rural background and 26% graduate entry (competitive and ‘other’ category). The ELM Year 2 class numbers 250 this year, including 16 international students. The Faculty of Medicine is very pleased to note that 21 Maori students accepted places in second year 2010 reflecting the growth in the number of Maori graduates over the past decade.

Dunedin Campus

A working group is currently involved in developing the building on the corner of Frederick street and Cumberland street, previously occupied by the ‘Bowling Green Hotel’, purchased in 2009 to provide small teaching spaces and a clinical skills unit. The rooms will be for health sciences and expected to be available in 2011.

Dunedin Clinical Teaching Centre and Skills Laboratory

Work is currently underway redeveloping the existing Otago Clinical Skills Laboratory into a new Clinical Teaching Centre and Skills Laboratory to accommodate the needs of the new undergraduate medical curriculum. The centre is located directly opposite the hospital on the 2nd floor of the Fraser building and is a shared facility between Otago University and the Otago DHB. As such, it provides numerous opportunities for multi professional learning for staff and students alike, in a simulated clinical environment.
The facility will be comprised of two main areas including a skills laboratory including a simulated hospital room for general use and a simulated outpatient teaching facility and tutorial room, which will primarily be used by the Ambulatory Medicine Programme and the General Practice department simulated patient clinics.
Skills that will be learned in this facility include consultation skills e.g. history-taking and physical examination, communication skills, procedural skills and the management of clinical scenarios involving inter professional collaboration and team work. While bookings will have to be made for pre-planned teaching sessions, it will also be available as a drop-in centre for staff and students to practice procedural skills such as venepuncture and cannulation etc.
This facility will provide a valuable teaching and learning resource for the development and consolidation of clinical skills in a safe and learner-friendly environment.
The Clinical Teaching Centre and Skills Laboratory is due to be completed by the end of March 2010.

Heads of Departments Meeting 8-9 April 2010

This year the meeting will take place on 8-9 April at the Hunter Centre on the Dunedin campus. The programme will be circulated in the near future – topics include curriculum developments, research support and PBRF preparation, and campus developments. There will be an opportunity for committees and discipline groups to meet prior to the main programme on the Thursday morning. (A registration form has been circulated,  Shirley Skinner can be contacted on 03 479 7420 or email: shirley.skinner@otago.ac.nz for further information)

UPDATE: The presentations from the HODs meeting held 8-9 April can be viewed here (University staff username and password requied)

ALM News

2010 Interlinked Plenary Sessions ALM Years 4/5

A programme of 8 sessions is in place for 2010, which forms part of the vertical integration of foundation sciences initiative. The first Interlinked Plenary sessions (IPS) will be “New Zealand’s two favourite recreational drugs”, presented by Professor Doug Sellman Psychological Medicine UOC and Gavin Cape, Psychological Medicine, DSM, on March 18 for ALM Year 4. The Second IPS will be “Congenital Malformations” presented by Professor Stephen Robertson (Clinical Genetics Group, DSM) and Dr Esko Wiltshire (Paediatrics, UOW).

The IPS proposed timetable for 2010 is:

18th March ALM 4 Topic: “New Zealand’s two favourite recreational drugs” presented by Professor Doug  Sellman, (Dept Psychiatric Medicine, UOC) and Dr Gavin Cape (DSM)
25th March ALM 5 Topic: “Congenital Malformations” presented by Professor Stephen Robertson (Clinical Genetics Group, DSM), Dr Kate Neas (Clinical Geneticist, UOW) and Dr Esko Wiltshire (Paediatrics, UOW)

13th May ALM 4 Chronic Inflammatory Disorders – Dr Richard Gearry (UOC)
20th May ALM 5 Antimicrobials – Dr Heather Brooks (OSMS

15th July ALM 4 Aortic Aneurysms – Dr Andrew Miller (UOC)
22nd July ALM 5  Screening-Diagnostic tests – Professor Evan Begg (UOC)

9th Sept ALM 4  Acid-Base -  Associate Professor Brian Hyland (OSMS)
16th Sept ALM 5  Pharmacogenomics – Dr Chris Brown (OSMS)

The venues and times will be posted on Blackboard. 2pm Barnett (DSM), Nordmeyer (UOW) and Rolleston (UOC) lecture theatres

Two eLearning Packages are also being planned

ALM 4 Cancer Biology – immunosuppression Associate Professor David Perez (DSM)
ALM 5 Persistent Pain – TBA

ELM News

Colloquial English Language Test for ELM Year 2

The ELM programme involves contact with patients so it is important that students have a good understanding of colloquial or everyday English as spoken by New Zealanders.  It has always been apparent that a small group of students entering the medical programme do not have a sufficient understanding of colloquial English which makes their learning during their first years more challenging and can also impact on their exam performance.  To assist these students we are providing a simple test so that students can receive feedback on their comprehension of New Zealand English.  The test is hosted on a web site (Moodle for ELM Year 2) and should only take 10-15 minutes for the students to complete either at home or in a computer lab.

At the introductory session in the first week of medical school, it was made clear that this was not a formal assessment and the results would not be recorded on their academic record.  Those identified as having difficulty would however, be offered a second more in depth assessment and the opportunity to take part in group sessions lead by an expert tutor.

Moodle Trial continued for ELM Year 2

Moodle was trialled in 2009 for the first time and this year the trial will continue for the ELM Year 2 students. All content will be delivered on Moodle instead of Blackboard and following evaluation of the trial, a decision will then be made as to whether Moodle will continue into Year 3 in 2011 and then ALM for 2012. So far the site is working well, with administrative staff being trained and academic staff having access to the site initially as non-editing lecturers. Dr Phil Blyth, senior lecturer and eLearning specialist with the Faculty and Brendon Rich, eLearning and Cases administrator, with assistance from the Faculty IT team, have created an excellent content management system for both staff and students, which should prove far more user friendly for students and staff.
The med-moodle site can be found at http://medschool.otago.ac.nz Staff interested in gaining access should contact Philip Tilson, Assistant Faculty Manager, for details. philip.tilson@otago.ac.nz

Other eLearning and ICT projects:

Outcomes Database

The Faculty undergraduate outcomes database continues to be refined, with objectives being updated and analysed by the moderating group. For further details contact Karin Warnaar (Project Officer) Faculty of Medicine. karin.warnaar@otago.ac.nz
www. https://outcomes.facmed.otago.ac.nz/

Student Progress Database (SPD)

This project is being rolled-out in a staged fashion this year.
John Kaiser (Manager, ICT Strategy and Services, Health Sciences Division) and the Faculty IT team, with input from Grant Taylor (DSM ICT Manager) as well as the attachment administrators at all campuses are working hard to create a database that will function effectively across the three sites and provide accurate information for all staff and students on progress data from years 2 to 6 of the undergraduate degree. UOW has been involved in the first stage of the database delivery with data from the TI year now being entered. The Year 4/5 Years, ELM and then TI & 4/5 Years at DSM and UOC will then be included.

Collaborative Tools

The University has been investigating options for providing software that will enable easy connections with colleagues in real-time and from their own desk tops. Adobe Connect appears to be the most likely contender and it is hoped a decision will be made soon as to when collaborative tools such as this will be available. For a demonstration of Adobe Connect in action, go to: http://connect.massey.ac.nz/p40854840/

Faculty Education Unit Cicero Meeting – 10 February

Around  60 staff from across the Division of Health Sciences attended a colloquium in February for clinical education researchers. The event,  the first step in establishing a network for Collaboration in Inter-Professional Clinical Education Research at Otago (to be known as CICERO), provided a forum for lively discussions that revealed the breadth and depth of interest in all aspects of the subject and  stimulated new ideas for encouraging and developing collaboration and collegiality across the clinical professions.

The colloquium’s management group is now working on implementing some of the suggestions, including special interest groups and an interactive web community. Staff interested in clinical education research are invited to sign up for these initiatives. For more information about CICERO and joining this network, please see http://tiny.cc/CICERO

Scholarships 2010

Scholarship offered in Medical Education

The Faculty of Medicine is offering a PhD scholarship for clinically-qualified graduates who are interested in researching a topic in medical education. The scholarship will be awarded for a three year period at $20,000 per year plus fees. Applicants may be based in any one of the School locations (Dunedin, Christchurch, or Wellington) or associated sites (e.g. Invercargill, Palmerston North), provided suitable supervisory arrangements can be made, and part time study will be considered.

For further information, please see the medical education website or contact Joy Rudland, Director, Faculty Education Unit, tel: 03 479 5082. or email: joy.rudland@otago.ac.nz

Graham Aitken Nuffield Medical Postgraduate Travelling Scholarship

The attention of New Zealand medical graduates is drawn to the availability of the above Scholarship.The purpose of the Scholarship is to enable well-qualified New Zealanders to visit the United Kingdom to foster their clinical medical training and research interests.  The Nuffield Foundation hopes that scholars will return to New Zealand and take up senior clinical teaching and research appointments.The value of the Scholarship has a current maximum of $20,000.  It will provide a travel contribution of up to the equivalent of three return excursion airfares and an allowance of not less than $5,000, based on the applicant’s circumstances, to support the applicant over and above the travel contributions. It is expected that the Scholar will have a salaried appointment within the field of the proposal to go to in the United Kingdom.

Application information and Scholarship regulations may be obtained from:Professor Arthur Campbell
c/- Chemistry Department, University of Otago – adcamp@otago.net.nz

Best wishes

Don Roberton

If there is any information that you would like to be disseminated to the Faculty in mediNEWSotago, please contact Jacqui Bradshaw, Administrator & PA to the Faculty Manager, Faculty of Medicine at jacqui.bradshaw@otago.ac.nz

Welcome to the last edition of mediNEWSotago for 2009.

Again there has been sad news for members of the Faculty as we learned of the deaths of Dr Pat Farry from the Department of General Practice and Rural Health in the Dunedin School of Medicine, and Emeritus Professor Sir Don Beaven, who was the foundation Professor of Medicine at the University of Otago Christchurch. Both made major contributions to the Faculty and to the University over many years, and will be greatly missed. Our sympathies and thoughts are with their families, friends and colleagues.

Graduations are upon us for those completing our courses and programmes, and admissions processes for new students in 2010 are well advanced. Promotions successes have been announced, one of our graduating students (Thomas Hills) has been awarded a Rhodes scholarship, and Professor Alan Herbison has been awarded the Health Research Council’s Liley medal for 2009: congratulations to Alan for this outstanding recognition of his and his team’s research contributions.

And finally, my thanks for all your contributions throughout the year, and my best wishes to all in the Faculty for a relaxing, safe, and happy festive season for you, your families and friends.

Professor Don Roberton

Dean, Faculty of Medicine, dean.medicine@otago.ac.nz

Dr Pat Farry – Obituary

The Faculty is deeply saddened by the sudden death on October 9 of Dr Pat Farry, and wishes to acknowledge Pat’s very significant contribution to the Division and especially to the Dunedin School of Medicine.

Pat became a lecturer in the Department of General Practice in 1980 and a senior lecturer in 1990. From 1999 he headed the Te Waipounamu Rural Health Unit, and in 2007 he developed the Rural Medical Immersion Programme.

It was Pat’s passion and tireless determination to improve the quality of rural medicine that will be one of his lasting professional legacies, and in 2009 this was recognised when Pat was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to rural medicine.

Pat’s belief in what he thought was important and his determination to make a difference will provide inspiration for others. His enthusiasm for the Rural Medical Immersion Programme, and his mentoring of the students in that programme will always be remembered as examples to us all.

Our sympathy is with his wife Sue and their three sons and their families.

Emeritus Professor Sir Don Beaven

Professor Sir Don Beaven died tragically in a house fire on November 4 while at his holiday home in Little Akaloa.

He was the foundation Professor of Medicine at the University of Otago Christchurch. He had also been Chair of the Canterbury District Health Board, a leader internationally in diabetes care and research, and an outstanding teacher of both undergraduate students and vocational trainees in medicine. The Beaven lecture theatre at the University of Otago Christchurch is named in recognition of his many contributions, and is graced with a portrait of Don done by Dr John Gillies, an Otago medical alumnus and clinician in Christchurch.

A public memorial service is to be held for Sir Don in Christchurch on Friday 18 December. The Canterbury District Health Board, the Christchurch City Council, Diabetes Christchurch Inc and the University of Otago will host the celebration at the Christchurch Town Hall on December 18 from 1.30pm.

A full obituary for Professor Sir Don Beaven can be viewed courtesy of the Dominion Post. Web link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/national/obituaries/3040887/The-modest-humanitarian-stirrer A statement by the Hon Tariana Turia can be viewed at:  http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/death+sir+don+beaven+039tragic+loss039

Staff News:

Dr Faafetai Sopoaga is the first Associate Dean, Pacific, appointed for the University of Otago’s Division of Health Sciences. As a senior lecturer in Pacific health, based in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Tai will be involved in encouraging and supporting Pacific students considering a career in health and enrolled in health professional programmes in the Division, as well as continuing with her own research.

Professor Barry Taylor, Head of  Paediatrics and Child Health, and the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, gave the Montgomery Spencer Memorial Oration at the New Zealand annual scientific meeting of the Royal Australasian College of  Physicians, in recognition of his contribution to child health as one of the countries leading paediatricians.

Professor Donald Evans of the Bioethics Centre has been elected  President of the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee at its recent Mexico City meeting.
As part of this appointment Professor Evans will also be an ex-officio member of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology. Congratulations to Don: he is the first Bioethicist to occupy the position, and the first President from the Southern Hemisphere.

Professor Allan Herbison, Department of    Physiology, Otago School of Medical Sciences was presented with the Health Research Council’s Liley medal for his outstanding contributions to scientific and health research.

Congratulations on Professorial promotions:

Six Professorial promotions within the Faculty of Medicine were announced recently. Congratulations from all in the Faculty to Iain Lamont, Annette Beautrais, Murray Barclay, Martin Kennedy, Rob McGee and Peter Herbison on their promotions.
Further information on each of their areas of interest, and on other promotions, is available at:  http://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago006216.html

New Skills Centres planned for Christchurch

Medical undergraduates in Christchurch will soon have access to a new purpose- designed clinical skills centre to cover the expanded clinical skills programme of the medical curriculum. The new centre will be in the same building as the Centre for Postgraduate Nursing Studies on Oxford Terrace, and should be up and running next year.
Clinical Skills Director Dr MaryLeigh Moore says the new teaching facility will be a significant learning resource;
“It is essentially an educational facility but will mimic as much as possible real health care settings. The intention is to provide opportunities for acquisition and repetitive practice of clinical skills in a safe simulated environment. The types of skills which can be learnt in a simulation setting include communication and consultation skills, procedural skills and management of complex scenarios requiring professional communication and team work.”

The decision to develop the new centre follows discussions with the Canterbury DHB and recognition that the existing unit is already operating to capacity and cannot meet growing demands and changing requirements under the new curriculum. As a result the University has decided to establish an additional facility focused primarily on University teaching requirements. The CDHB is early in its own planning process for major building work and this will provide opportunity to work together with the University in the longer term to develop shared facilities.

A new Clinical Skills Centre also for Dunedin School of Medicine

Planning is being finalised for a new clinical skills and ambulatory teaching centre for the Dunedin School of Medicine. This will be in the Fraser building of the Dunedin Hospital, at the site of the current shared facility with the Otago DHB.  It will incorporate facilities for structured ambulatory patient clinical teaching, SECO clinics, and simulated clinical skills learning.

The final approvals should be completed in the next two weeks, and it is hoped the refurbishment and construction can commence early in the New Year.

Funding for these Clinical Skills developments has come from the increased TEC funding for medical students commencing in 2007.

IT – eLearning project updates.  Moodle vs. Blackboard.

During the second semester of 2009, The ELM Year 2/3 Programme has been trialing Moodle in addition to the facilities available via Blackboard which has been the Campus wide on-line student learning management system for the past 10 years. The results of a student survey overwhelmingly approved of the trial and with the support of the FCC a decision has been made to use Moodle for the 2010 ELM Year 2 class. This trial will receive further evaluation and testing before any decision is made to use Moodle in Year 3 and possibly ALM.

ELM Review Day – 9 November.

This year the ELM Year 2/3 Programme devoted a day to reviewing the programmes of the past year, with a focus on Year 3 programme modules. The day was well attended by staff and students and covered a wide range of topics from timetables, assessment, balancing science with clinical application, defining the ideal tutor, clinical reasoning and how to improve the integration across the programme. The day was kindly facilitated by Prof Gil Barbezat. A full report will be circulated in the near future.

Medical Students Outcomes Database (MSOD).

The 2009 ELM Year 2 students recently completed the commencing questionnaire component of this Australasian Medical Dean’s research project. This year we had another excellent response rate with 99.6% of the class completing the on line survey of demographic, educational and career intentions at the start of their professional training. Otago has now collected 3 years of data from commencing students, contributing to the longitudinal tracking project that is now in its 5th Year. The latest edition of the MSOD newsletter highlights some of the first results being published from the data. The newsletter can be downloaded here or for further information on the Project, visit:
http://www.medicaldeans.org.au/MSOD_Webpages/msod.html

Student Awards and Graduation 2009

Assessments and examinations have been occurring across all parts of the Faculty in recent weeks, with almost all staff involved in marking, OSCEs, OSPEs, and Examination Committee meetings. Thank you to all involved.

There have been very successful prize and award giving functions in each of the Schools in the Faculty, and as always the Trainee Intern dinners have been great occasions.

The graduation ceremony for those in programmes in the Faculty of Medicine is in Dunedin on Saturday 12 December. The speaker at the Graduation Ceremony will be Dr Terrie Inder, a paediatrician who is an Otago alumna, and who is now Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Washington University in St Louis in the United States. Dr Terrie Inder is the co-director of the Washington University Neonatal Development Research (WUNDER) team, whose research aims to improve the outcomes for infants born at risk for adverse long-term neurodevelopment.

The Faculty of Medicine award ceremony is on the morning of Saturday 12 December, and the speaker will be Professor John Campbell, who was Dean of the Faculty of Medicine from 1995 – 2005, and who is currently the Chair of the Medical Council of New Zealand.

Rhodes Scholarship for Otago Graduate. Dr Tom Hills, who has just completed his Trainee Intern year at UOW, has been awarded a Rhodes scholarship and intends taking up the scholarship in September 2010. At Oxford he is planning to study for an MSc in Integrated Immunology leading to his eventual goal, a DPhil programme. Tom was a student in the Rural Medical Immersion Programme in 2008.

Donated to Science.

This outstanding documentary, which was screened on TV3, recently (18 November), has been the subject of much media attention. Dr Paul Trotman (Anatomy) and Prof Helen Nicholson (Dean of the Otago School of Medical Sciences) and the rest of the Dunedin production team focused not so much on the process of dissection, but also on the impact that the learning experience has on those involved.
An interview with Paul Trotman by Kim Hill on Radio NZ, can be heard at: http://www.radionz.co.nz/search?mode=results&queries_all_query=donated+to+science

Alumni website – net community  – making it easier for your class to keep in touch. Further information see:

http://www.alumni.otago.ac.nz/Page.aspx?pid=191

Research in Clinical Education

There has been an encouraging Division of Health Sciences response to a proposal for a Network and research meeting in clinical education. We are therefore pleased to announce that we will be launching the Network with a one-day colloquium in Dunedin on Wednesday 10 February 2010. The Network is designed to maximise opportunities for educators across the Division to share relevant clinical education research ideas in undergraduate and postgraduate settings, and to connect with potential collaborative partners.

The day will have three main components:

1. Show and tell – where there is sharing of research interests so others can learn what is happening
2. Problem solving session – where people can bring seek input from the group on ideas for potential research projects
3. Wrap up session – making sense of it all and looking at the way forward.

The colloquium will take place:
Wednesday 10 February 2010
10am – 4.00 pm
Hunter Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin
For more information and to register your interest please go to:
http://hedc.otago.ac.nz/magnolia/meg/Education-Research/CICERO.html

If there is any information that you would like to be disseminated to the Faculty in mediNEWSotago, please contact Jacqui Bradshaw, Administrative Officer, Faculty of Medicine at jacqui.bradshaw@otago.ac.nz

Professor Don Roberton

Photos from Graduation 2009 • 12 December 2009

The following were take at the 2009 Medicine Award Ceremony prior to the Graduation Ceremony

Photography by Philip Tilson

The Graduands 2009

Taking the Oath

2009 Prize Winners

Oliver Davidson, who was previously Head of the Department of Psychological Medicine in the Dunedin School of Medicine, died of a progressive illness in late July while in the United Kingdom on Research and Study Leave. His health problems began last year, and sadly progressed in spite of treatment.
Many in the Faculty were at the memorial service for Oliver which was held in the Hunter Centre on Saturday 22 August. His energy, enthusiasm, and cheerful support are missed greatly by all of us. He was enthusiastic about teaching development, assisting learning for all students, and caring for those he came in contact with. The sympathies of all in the Faculty and the University are with his family and friends.

Don Roberton
Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Friends of the Medical School Function.

Approximately 200 Volunteers attended a function in the Hunter Centre to thank them for their contributions to the new Early Learning in Medicine (ELM) curriculum, Healthcare in the Community Programme Module, and other components of our teaching programmes. The Friends of the Medical School number over 400 local residents who are willing to give up their time, by way of meeting with our ELM students in their own homes or residential care facilities. This has proven a very valuable addition to the early learning of medical students.

The function was organised by the HIC programme staff and provided an opportunity for the volunteers to view student posters and the teaching facilities in the Hunter Centre as well as meet staff and students associated with the programme. The event was televised on Dunedin’s local TV station, Channel nine. The link to view this item is: http://www.ch9.co.nz/node/12580

Faculty ICT/ eLearning projects

Undergraduate Outcomes Database

The Undergraduate Curriculum Outcomes Database is proving to be a popular tool to describe the learning expected of Otago medical students as they progress through the degree. The Faculty Education Unit and Faculty IT developers have created the database.  Each outcome includes cognitive and/or psychomotor (practical) levels of learning for the stages of the course: Health Sciences First Year (HSFY), Early Learning in Medicine (ELM, years 2/3), Advanced Learning in Medicine (ALM years 4/5) and Trainee Intern (ALM year 6). To access the database using your University username and password go to: https://outcomes.facmed.otago.ac.nz/
For further information on accessing the database contact Karin Warnaar, Project Officer, Faculty Education Unit. karin.warnaar@otago.ac.nz

Electronic PASAF.

A Professional Attitudes and Skills Assessment Form (PASAF) has been the basis for providing a record of each individual student’s progress though medical school for many years.  Factors such as attendance, presentation skills, language skills, attitudes and behaviour are noted and reported to both the Progress committees and the students themselves. The PASAF also records any outstanding contributions by students who may then be potential distinction candidates. In 2007 the Faculty of Medicine determined that it should develop an electronic PASAF, which would replace the many individual databases and paper-based records in existence, thus unifying and simplifying the process. Faculty IT developers have undertaken this project and the first phase is nearing completion prior to going live for the start of the TI training in November. This will be followed by ELM 2/3 and ALM 4/5 in February 2010.

ISLP – The next live video link between campuses is scheduled for 17 September.

The University of Otago Wellington will host the session titled: “Management of febrile neutropenia”, to be presented by haematologist, Associate Professor John Carter from the Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Wellington and microbiologist, Dr Michael Humble (Acting Head of Department), Pathology, University of Otago, Wellington. The presentation will be to the UOW 4th year students with ALM 4/5 students at DSM and UOC viewing the presentation remotely. Planning is now underway for 8 sessions in 2010 for both year 4/5 students and will include the Invercargill campus. Investigations are also being made into linking up with our rural RMIP students for these sessions in 2010 and possibly other training centres such as Palmerston North.
Ultimately it will be possible to link remotely to individuals on their own personal computers, which will impact greatly on undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

Medical Schools Outcomes Database (MSOD) and Longitudinal Tracking Project.

The 2009 commencing students are about to be surveyed which will be the third cohort from Otago to participate in this longitudinal project on training experiences and career intentions. Further information about the project can be found at: http://www.medicaldeans.org.au/msod.html
The latest newsletter can be downloaded here:  MSOD NEWSLETTER June 2009

BSA – Basic Sciences Alive.

Basic Science Alive (http://bsa.otago.ac.nz) is an online revision tool for 4th and 5th year medical students. The site challenges students to link their Science Knowledge with their Clinical Practice through short scenarios. After sharing a presentation the students receive staff and peer feedback. The site has been developed by the Faculty Education Unit and the Higher Education Development Centre, both in Dunedin.
All staff who would like to become involved in developing a scenario and / or providing feedback to students (less than 10mins work) please contact: Joy Rudland mailto:joy.rudland@otago.ac.nz , Phil Blyth mailto:phil.blyth@otago.ac.nz , or Judith Swan mailto:judith.swan@otago.ac.nz .

Other Staff news

Welcome to Professor Harold (Hank) Weiss, the new Head of IPRU, the University of Otago’s Injury Prevention Research Unit. Dr Hank Weiss comes to Otago from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, where he was Director of the University’s Centre for Injury Research and Control from 2002 to 2008. With more than 26 years of experience in injury prevention, his research has focused on domestic violence, poisonings, farm injuries, elderly falls, transport and recreational injuries – to name a few. He has just been awarded the 2009 Alex Kelter Visionary Award from the State and Territorial Injury Prevention Directors Association (STIPDA).

Dr Phil Blyth and eLearning.

The Faculty welcomes Dr Phil Blyth, who has taken up the new position as Senior Lecturer in e-Learning within the Faculty of Medicine. Phil graduated from Auckland Medical School in 1995. Having worked at both Hawkes Bay and Auckland Hospitals as an orthopaedic registrar, he spent a year as the Trauma Fellow at Auckland Hospital. Following this he began lecturing Anatomy at the University of Auckland, while continuing clinical work in orthopaedics. He has recently completed his PhD, entitled “Virtual Reality Simulation of Orthopaedic Surgery”, during which he created the Bonedoc simulator and proved that advanced trainees are better than ‘playstation junkie’ med students at virtual pinning of hip fractures.  He joins the staff as senior lecturer in “eLearning in Medicine”, and will be further developing the Faculty’s delivery of the curriculum via electronic means. Phil has already made an impact on undergraduate teaching by introducing an eLearning case to the third year curriculum as well as setting up a trial using MOODLE, which is an alternative to Blackboard used internationally for online content delivery. The ELM second year gastrointestinal module content is being delivered using MOODLE in parallel with Blackboard.

Annual Award Ceremony 2009

A highlight of the academic year is always the annual Award Ceremony on the day of graduation, and the guest speaker this year will be Professor John Campbell, Chair of the Medical Council of New Zealand, Professor in the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Dec 1995 – Jan 2005.

ELM OSCEs 2009. Year 2 October 22/23, and Year 3 October 27/28 and 30th.

At the end of the semester, the second and third year classes will both sit OSCE examinations which will run along similar lines to the 5th Year OSCE. There will be 7 minute stations which will examine different clinical skills which have been learned during the year, and students must pass the examination to progress.
The second year examination will consist of four stations, while the third year examination will have eight stations.

A decision will be made after students have completed four stations about whether further information is needed about their performance. Where it is not clear that students have reached the required standard to pass, those students will be required to sit the additional four stations. Students who are eligible for potential distinctions will be invited to sit an additional four stations. Planning for this exercise is well underway with examiners being invited to assist from all of our campuses.

Announcement: The 2009 Nordmeyer Lecture: Tuesday 15 September 2009

The Hon Tony Ryall, Minister of Health “Facing the Future – Health’s Challenges and Changes”. A live audio and video presentation of this lecture will be able to be viewed at the Barnett Lecture Theatre (Dunedin Hospital, Great King St) 5.30pm
The Lecture is given annually in honour of Sir Arnold Nordmeyer.

Ministerial Reviews of Health and Training

There have been several review reports released recently by the Minister of Health. Included among these are the reports of the Medical Training Board, RMO and SMO Commissions, review of Postgraduate Training and Education, the report of the Committee on Strategic Oversight of Nursing Education, and a Ministerial Review Group.

These report are listed below and can be accessed on the links provided:

1. Medical Training Board: Foundations of Excellence: Building Infrastructure for Medical Education and Training
2. Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Commission: Treating People Well: Report of the Director-General of Health’s Commission on the Resident Medical Officer Workforce
3. Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Commission: Senior Doctors in New Zealand: Securing the future. Report of the Director-General of Health’s Commission on Competitive and Sustainable Terms and Conditions of Employment for Senior Medical and Dental Officers Employed by District Health Boards*
4. Ministerial Task Group on Postgraduate Training and Education: A review of how the training of the New Zealand health workforce is planned and funded: a proposal for a reconfiguration of the Clinical Training Agency
5. Committee on Strategic Oversight for Nursing Education: A Nursing Education and Training Board for New Zealand

These five reports are available at:

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/health-and-disability-workforce-reports-aug09

The report for the Ministerial Review Group (‘Horn Report’) is available on:

http://beehive.govt.nz/release/ministerial+review+group+report+released

If there is any information that you would like to be disseminated to the Faculty in mediNEWSotago, please contact Jacqui Bradshaw, Administrative Officer, Faculty of Medicine at jacqui.bradshaw@otago.ac.nz

Professor Don Roberton

Welcome to this issue of mediNEWSotago.

In this edition it is a pleasure to welcome Professor Richard Edwards as the incoming Professor of Public Health, and Head of Department, at the University of Otago, Wellington.
A further welcome is extended to Geoff Cutfield on his return to New Zealand to appointments in the Faculty of Medicine and the Dunedin School of Medicine.
There is very important news of the appointments of Associate Deans of Hauora Mãori at each of the Faculty’s campuses. This is an important further step for the Faculty in recognition of and support for the needs of Mãori health and learning.
And congratulations to Dr Pat Farry of the Department of General Practice (and Rural Immersion Programme coordinator), who received a New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rural medicine in the Queens Birthday awards. There is also an update on the increase in domestic student places for entry to medicine in 2010.

If there is any information that you would like to be disseminated to the Faculty in mediNEWSotago, please contact Jacqui Bradshaw, Administrative Officer, Faculty of Medicine at jacqui.bradshaw@otago.ac.nz

Professor Don Roberton

Staff news

Professor Richard Edwards has accepted the Chair in Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington, and commences his role as Chair and Head of Department in August.

Richard moves to the Chair which was held previously by Peter Crampton, who is now Dean of the University of Otago, Wellington. Richard has been a member of the Department of Public Health, UOW since 2005, and is a graduate in medicine from Cambridge University. He has held previous academic appointments in public health at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and the University of Manchester. He has extensive research interests in tobacco control, environmental epidemiology, and prevalence and characteristics of non communicable diseases in sub Saharan Africa.

The Faculty is delighted that, after an extensive international search process, Richard has been offered and has accepted the Chair, and appointment as Head of Department.

Thanks also to Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman, who undertook the role of acting Head of the very large and active Department of Public Health at UOW following Peter Crampton’s move to the position of Dean.

Associate Professor Geoff Cutfield has recently taken up two part-time positions with the Faculty of Medicine and the Dunedin School of Medicine, in association with the Medical Education Group. He is Director of Clinical Skills for the Faculty of Medicine (a position held previously by Associate Professor David Gerrard), and is also the Clinical Education Advisor for the Faculty of Medicine and for the Dunedin School of Medicine. His roles will be largely in the area of clinical skills teaching and in support of its further development throughout the M.B., Ch.B. degree programme.

Geoff returns to Dunedin after a 20 year absence, during which he has worked extensively in medical education, and in academic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine in Australia. From 1989 until 1993 he was an Associate Professor in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the University of New South Wales, whilst a Senior Staff Specialist in Cardiothoracic Critical Care at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.  Since that time, he has been Professor of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, and very actively involved in the educational support of the B.Med. programme there.

Geoff can be contacted by email at geoff.cutfield@otago.ac.nz

Associate Deans – Hauora Mãori

The Faculty is very pleased to announce the creation of the titles of Associate Dean, Hauora Mãori, at each of our major campuses, and appointments to these roles. The establishment of the Associate Dean positions is in further recognition of the key importance of the activities of the Centre for Hauora Mãori, and support for learning and Mãori health in and from our Schools and the Faculty.

Those appointed are already well known for their leadership and contributions within the Faculty:

(right) Suzanne Pitama (Director) Mãori Indigenous Health Institute (MIHI), University of Otago, Christchurch. Contact: email: suzanne.pitama@otago.ac.nz

(left) Bridget Robson (Senior Research Fellow/Manager) Te Ropu Rangahau Hauora A Eru Pomare (Eru Pomare Mãori Health Research Centre), University of Otago, Wellington. Contact email: bridget.robson@otago.ac.nz

(right) Dr Jo Baxter,  Faculty of Medicine and Department of Preventive & Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine. Contact email: joanne.baxter@otago.ac.nz

Welcome also to Ms Tui Kent (Kai Tahu) who has recently joined the Centre for Hauora Mãori, Faculty of Medicine and Dunedin School of Medicine based in the department of Preventive and Social Medicine.  This new role will support Mãori health teaching for the MB ChB programme, Mãori student support, workforce capacity building and development, networking with stakeholders, research and community service.  Tui is of Kai Tahu descent and affiliates to Otakou and Huirapa Marae in Otepoti. She has worked previously at the University as an administrator for the Mãori Centre. She can be contacted at tui.kent@otago.ac.nz

We are very pleased to have Ms Donna Robson join the Early Learning in Medicine programme as an administrator while Jude Hodge is on parental leave until the end of July 2010. Donna has worked for the past ten years in administration at the University of Brighton (UK). Donna can be contacted on (03) 479 5857, email donna.robson@otago.ac.nz

Congratulations to Dr Pat Farry, Medical Director, Te Waipounamu Rural Health, who was recently honoured in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list in recognition for his services to rural medicine. Pat has spent many years involved in the education and training of rural doctors including time as a regional director of the RNZCGP registrar training programme. In 2007 he was able to gain funding to commence the first one-year rural medical immersion programme for medical students.

Other News

Further increase in places for domestic students for entry to medicine, 2010:

During the last two years, workforce planning activities by the Medical Training Board resulted in a recommendation to Government for an increase in places for domestic students in New Zealand’s two medical schools. In the May budget from Government, funding was provided for 60 further places for the 2010 medical student entry cohort. It had been recommended by the two medical schools that the 60 places should be apportioned in a 40:60 ratio ie 24 to Otago and 36 to Auckland. This has now been confirmed by the TEC. Otago will therefore have an increase from its current intake of 210 domestic students to 234 domestic students in 2010.
During the last two years the Faculty has been planning carefully for an increased intake, and the current curriculum planning allows for this increase and some potential future increases.

Interlinking lecture theatres

John Kaiser, Manager, ICT Strategy and Services reports that the three campuses were able to be linked for a Plenary session, presented by Prof Rob Walker in Dunedin and attended by 4th year students in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington. Thanks to the expertise of the technical support staff in all three campuses, the video link proved to be very successful and allowed interaction between the presenter and the other remote audiences. Two more sessions are planned for live links between campuses. On 6 August, UOC will present a Plenary for 5th year students with Prof Tim Buckenham presenting on Radiology intervention in aortic aneurysms/dissections and on 17 September, UOW will present a plenary for 4th year students.

ANZAME09 – Conference

A number of staff attended the recent ANZAME (Association for Health Professional Education) conference in Launceston, Tasmania. The conference theme was “Bridging Professional Islands.”

Dr Hamish Wilson of the Department of General Practice reports:  “There were over 340 delegates from a wide variety of health professional backgrounds, largely from Australia and New Zealand.
There were 28 short presentations or workshops on interprofessional learning (IPL) and interprofessional education (IPE). Other main themes were reflective practice/portfolios (8) and patient safety (4), while there were also presentations were on curriculum design, assessment, professionalism, and workplace learning/assessment.

The undoubted highlight of the conference was keynote presentation by Dr Merilyn Walton from the University of Sydney, who gave a short history of the emerging concept of patient safety.

The focus on IPL at this conference has firstly confirmed the necessity for interprofessional learning for medical undergraduates. While there are quite a few situations already at Otago where students interact with or meet with other health professionals, these student activities are not necessarily well theorised, nor do students have an overarching understanding of interprofessional practice and how such practice contributes to patient care and patient safety.”

Maree Steel, Medical Education Adviser, Early Learning in Medicine, noted, “Of interest was the following Plenary Keynote by Associate Professor John Clark who has the following roles in the UK and Australia:
Director Leadership and International Relations, NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, UK Director of Institute for Healthy Leadership, Dept of Health, Western Australia Honarary Assoc Prof Institute of Clinical Leadership, University of Warwick Medical School, UK.

He leads a major project aimed at developing medical leadership capacity within the NHS.  The project is underpinned by a “Medical Leadership Competency Framework” for all doctors at all levels of their training and careers to attain an agreed set of management and leadership competencies.   The Framework incorporates 5 domains pertinent to leadership in clinical settings: Demonstrating personal qualities; Working with others; Managing services; Improving services; Setting direction.   A central premise of this project is engagement of the medical profession with the Leadership Framework will positively influence organisational performance.”

William Evans Visiting Fellow

Prof John Cookson will be in New Zealand as a University of Otago William Evans Visiting Fellow during July and August. He is Undergraduate Dean at the Hull-York Medical School, and was previously Director of Clinical Studies and Honorary Professor of Clinical Education at the Leicester Warwick Medical School. Prof Cookson’s recent work has focused on making medical education more professional, ensuring high-quality student clinical placements, supporting junior medical staff training, and forging partnerships with NHS colleagues.

His visit will highlight the contemporary approach to consultation skill teaching and learning.   He will be visiting all three campuses. For further details on Prof Cookson’s visit contact Karin Warnaar, Faculty of Medicine Administration, Faculty Education Unit. Tel 479 7700. karin.warnaar@otago.ac.nz

The report from Prof Cookson can be read here: Prof Cookson report 2009

History of the Medical School

Dorothy Page, the author of ‘Anatomy of a Medical School, A history of medicine at the University of Otago, 1875–2000’ was recently interviewed with Professor Don Roberton, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, on Radio New Zealand’s National Programme.

This interview can be heard by visiting Radio NZ’s website

Donated to Science

Over the last 2-3 years Paul Trotman and members of the Anatomy Department have been making a film about what happens when people donate their bodies to medical science. The film follows 2 donors during their journey through the dissection room, the families of the donors and a group of now 4th year medical students. A 45 minute version of the film will be shown on TV3 later this year and the full length version has been accepted by the NZ Film Festival for showing after the television programme has been aired.

Professor Helen Nicholson invites staff and students in Dunedin to a preview of the film ‘Donated to Science’ on Wednesday 12 August at 6pm in the Colquhoun lecture theatre.  The film will also be shown at the Christchurch and Wellington campuses in due course.

Health Research Council Grant successes:

Many members of the Faculty recently received funding for 2010 and beyond from the Health Research Council. Congratulations to all those who received funding, and in particular congratulations to Professor Richie Poulton, Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman, and Professor Christine Winterbourne for receipt of Programme grants. Details of grants awarded are available in the Division of Health Science newsletter,  Pulse http://hsframework18.otago.ac.nz/
and also on the HRC website http://www.hrc.govt.nz/assets/pdfs/news/FR09%20-%20General%20release.pdf

Short course: Providing Quality Postgraduate Supervision:

The Higher Education Development Centre and Graduate Research is providing two day workshops on postgraduate supervision in  October. The programmes will be facilitated by Dr Margaret Kiley, from the Centre of Educational Development and Academic Methods at ANU in Canberra.
Further information is available at http://hedc.otago.ac.nz/workshops/listWorkshops.do

Applications for the course are due by Friday 11 September.

Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME)

LIMECONNECTION III • 2-4 December 2009 / Melbourne, Australia • www.limenetwork.net.au

The LIME Network project and its sponsors are committed to supporting greater participation of Indigenous people in the medical sector. Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) aims to strengthen the promotion and dissemination of good practice in Indigenous health and medical education by encouraging the participation of Indigenous and Māori medical students and community members in the LIME Connection III.

This year, bursary places will be offered to selected Indigenous Australian and Māori students and community members. Successful recipients of the bursary will have their LIME Connection registration fees, travel expenses, accommodation and meals covered.

The LIME Connection Student Bursary is open to:
•    People of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and/or Māori descent
•    Who are a currently enrolled in Medical Studies at an Australian or New Zealand University

OR

The LIME Connection Community Bursary is open to:
•    People of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and/or of Māori descent
•    Who have an interest in contributing to Indigenous or Māori health
•    Who are actively involved in working with Medical Schools in Australia or New Zealand

The Indigenous Australian and Māori Student and Community Bursary closing date has been extended until 21 August 2009. For bursary application forms, guidelines and selection criteria information please visit the website at http://www.limenetwork.net.au/content/student-and-community-bursaries

Welcome to this issue of mediNEWSotago.

This edition has information about staff changes in the Faculty of Medicine office (and in particular the retirement of Glenda Stent), links to information from the Faculty of Medicine Heads of Department meeting held in Christchurch on 29/ 30 April, new processes for HRC funding, information about the Early Learning in Medicine programme, and calls for applications and nominations within the University for a range of awards.

If there is any information that you would like to be disseminated to the Faculty in mediNEWSotago, please contact Jacqui Bradshaw,Administrative Officer, Faculty of Medicine at jacqui.bradshaw@otago.ac.nz

Professor Don Roberton

Dean, Faculty of Medicine, dean.medicine@otago.ac.nz

Changes in staffing, Faculty of Medicine Office

Retirement of Glenda Stent:

Glenda Stent has been the Administrative Officer in the Faculty of Medicine office since 1992.  During this time she has been the backbone of many Faculty administrative activities for many years, and has been a friendly, helpful and welcoming face of the Faculty for students, staff and visitors during all of time she has been working with the Faculty.

In particular, Glenda’s expertise in administrative processes for course approvals, Faculty Board academic matters, timetabling, and administration for student course completions and graduations has been second to none.

On top of which, she has fantastic typing, shorthand and transcribing skills.

Glenda and husband Alan are moving to Christchurch to be closer to their family and grandchildren and to allow Alan to take up his new position with the University of Canterbury.

A Faculty farewell function was held for Glenda on Tuesday 5 May, attended by large numbers of staff. There were messages of thanks and good wishes for the future from many more staff from all four Schools in the Faculty – it really is the closing of an era with her departure.

Our best wishes and thoughts are with Glenda for her move and her retirement. Thank you for all your contributions over so many years.

Arrival of Jacqui Bradshaw:

Jacqui has commenced in Glenda’s role, and she and Glenda had a week of overlap to introduce Jacqui to the position. Jacqui has had a long history of involvement with the University: she has worked previously in a number of University Departments as well as the University Registry.

It is a great pleasure to welcome Jacqui to the Faculty Office.

She can be contacted in the Faculty Office in Dunedin on (03) 479 7454, and by email on jacqui.bradshaw@otago.ac.nz

New position of Assistant Faculty Manager:

With the expansion in activities in the Faculty, including increasing student enrolments in medicine, further medical curriculum development, increased Faculty staffing numbers, increasing budgetary responsibilities, and increasing postgraduate student enrolments, the Faculty has made an appointment to the position of Assistant Faculty Manager to support the role of Bruce Smith, Faculty Manager.

Following advertisement of the position, Philip Tilson has been appointed. Philip will be known to many in the Faculty from his previous administrative support role for the Early Learning in Medicine years 2 and 3 Integrated Cases Learning programme.

Philip has a wide range of skills, including electronic newsletters, Blackboard facilities, and medical illustration (one of his past roles was as Acting Head of Medical Illustration at the University of Cambridge in the UK).

It is a pleasure to welcome Philip to this position in the Faculty. He can be contacted on philip.tilson@otago.ac.nz

Faculty of Medicine Heads of Department meeting, Wednesday 29/Thursday 30 April:

The annual Faculty of Medicine Heads of Department meeting was held in Christchurch on Wednesday 29 April and Thursday 30 April at the Hotel Grand Chancellor.

On Wednesday morning, prior to the commencement of the meeting overall, a number of discipline groups and curriculum groups held informal information sharing meetings. Some of the groups meeting were the Associate Deans for Medical Education from each of the Schools, the Vertical Integration of Foundation Sciences Working Party, the Medical Education Committee years 4 and 5, the Heads of Departments of Medicine, and the Heads of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

These informal meetings are an important opportunity for our Schools and Campuses to share ideas and initiatives, and will become a regular part of the annual Faculty Heads of Department meetings.

Prof. Lou Landau (right)

Invited speakers at the Heads of Department meeting were Professor Lou Landau, Chair of the Australian Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Education Councils (speaking on developments in Australia for educational support structures for the immediate postgraduate years PGY1 and PGY2, and the Australian Junior Doctors Curriculum Framework (http://www.cpmec.org.au/Page/acfjd-project),

Ron Patterson

Mr Ron Paterson, Health and Disability Commissioner (speaking on Issues in medical practice and training of medical students), and the Vice Chancellor, Professor David Skegg.

Notes from the Heads of Department meeting and copies of Powerpoint presentations are available, using University passwords, on the Faculty of Medicine website: Hod’s Notes and Powerpoints April 2009

New processes for Health Research Council funding:

During the last 6 months, the Health Research Council has been considering changes to its processes for the annual cycles of HRC competitive grant funding. Robin Olds, Chief Executive of the HRC, has held consultation meetings at each of our campuses and throughout the country. It is planned to have two stage application processes in the future, with initial short proposals, followed by assessment and invitations for submission of full proposals. There will limits on the maximum funding for Project grants ($400,000 annually to a maximum of three years ($1.2 million in total for a project grant)), and for Programme grants ($1 million annually to a maximum of five years ($5 million in total for a Programme grant). There will no longer be the necessity to have Project grants as part of Programme grants – Programme applications will be stand-alone applications)).
It is planned to introduce the new processes over the next two years: the two stage application process (initial proposal followed by full proposal on invitation) will be in place for applications for grant funding to be awarded in 2010.

Further information is available from the HRC website:

• Revision of annual funding round investment model
• Copy of the presentation by Robin Olds on the new funding and assessment model

Early Learning in Medicine Roadshow:

The Early Learning in Medicine (ELM) team were in Christchurch last week to provide seminars on the content and format of the programme to assist those who are further developing the Advanced Learning in Medicine curriculum at the University of Otago, Christchurch.

A compendium with details of the ELM programme is available to staff in the Faculty, hard copies of the guide can be obtained from the Faculty office, or downloaded from the MEG Website. Planning is in process for similar presentations at the University of Otago, Wellington, and also for the Dunedin campus.
Regular newsletters are available on the Faculty website for the Early Learning in Medicine programme.

SPARC – Community Healthcare Day

A new initiative this year was a very successful daylong Healthcare in the Community student assessment clinic at the Dunedin Town Hall in conjunction with SPARC. See the next ELM Newsletter for more details.

Calls for applications:

University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal award for 2009.

Applications have been called for nominations for the University of Otago Distiguished Research Medal award for 2009. This is open for any academic staff member of the University who holds an appointment at the level of Research Fellow, Lecturer, Senior Research Fellow, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, Professorial Research Fellow, Research Professor or Professor.
Applications and supporting statements should reach the office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) no later than 1 July 2009.

Further information is available by clicking on University of Otago Forms and Guidelines web site, Distinguished Research Medal.doc

University of Otago Early Career Awards for Distinction in Research.

Five awards of $5,000 each are available in 2009. These are available to full time academic staff who have been at Otago for at least two years to July 1 2009, and have held an academic appointment at this and other Universities for less than 6 years in total. Nominations are to be submitted to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) through the nominee’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor by 1 July 2009. Further information is available by selecting University of Otago Early Career Awards for Distinction in Research at the University of Otago Forms and Guidelines website.

RCPA Scholarships in Pathology for Medical Schools.

One scholarship for AUD$2,000 is available annually to the parent medical school of every university in Australia and New Zealand (where there is more than one main campus at a university there will be an award for each campus), two scholarships of AUD$1,000 each to the University of Papua New Guinea and one each for Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong to the value of AUD $1,000 each. The scholarship is offered for a project associated with pathology and designed for the duration of one elective term or the duration of the Bachelor of Medicine (or equivalent) degree course.
Application forms with guidelines are available on the RCPA website (public and members)
• Log on to the website or go to public website
• Select “About the College” tab
• Select “Awards and Scholarships” then “Other Awards” and click on
‘RCPA Scholarships in Pathology for Medical Schools’ for information/application
• Alternatively contact Tracey Barrett on (02) 8356 5818 Email: traceyb@rcpa.edu.au
The closing date for these scholarships for 2009 is 31 May 2009.

Applications for Rhodes and Woolf Fisher scholarships.

These scholarships are two of the most prestigious scholarships available for students as they move to early postgraduate study.
Information is available at:
•    Rhodes:  http://www.nzvcc.ac.nz/scholarships/rhodes
•    Woolf Fisher: http://www.nzvcc.ac.nz/scholarships/woolffisher
The closing date for applications for the three Rhodes scholarships available is 1 August 2009, and the closing date for the three Woolf Fisher scholarships also is 1 August 2009.
Further information from intending applicants is available from the Office of Graduate Research Services Executive Assistant, Susan Craig (susan.craig@otago.ac.nz).