This has been a memorable year for Paul Kolkman, M.D., and it promises to become even more memorable.
Last month, he married Marcy Deaver, a nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit at The Nebraska Medical Center.
This month, the Kolkmans will head to India to spend up to six months in a country they’ve never been to before.
A fourth-year resident physician in general surgery, Dr. Kolkman is leaving for India to undertake an international surgical rotation that will comprise of clinical work and research.
A 1998 graduate of North Platte High School, Dr. Kolkman is the son of Rick and DiAnn Kolkman of North Platte. Rick Kolkman is president of First National Bank of North Platte and chairman of the UNMC Board of Counselors. Dr. Kolkman’s wife is the daughter of Gary and Bev Deaver of Ansley, Neb.
Dr. Kolkman will perform health disparities research under the guidance of Chandra Are, M.D., associate program director of the general surgery program and the lead architect in establishing the partnership between UNMC and India.
Dr. Are said the rotation will be part of the broader memorandum of understanding signed between UNMC and India to allow for the exchange of medical students, residents and faculty.
Dr. Kolkman’s research mission will be to investigate the health disparities that exist between resource-rich and resource-poor countries across the world.
Some of his research will include studies to determine the different treatment approaches and outcomes for patients with surgical conditions such as cancer, trauma and various benign diseases.
Dr. Kolkman also will perform research to analyze the increasing global burden related to surgical disease as detailed by the World Health Organization.
Traditionally, the research track for surgical residents has focused on basic science, said Jon Thompson, M.D., resident program director for general surgery. The international research year offers a unique combination of clinical experience and clinical research, he said.
Dr. Kolkman’s enthusiasm for global health coupled with Dr. Are’s efforts and expertise in this area have created this exciting opportunity, Dr. Thompson said.
“Marcy and I will be gathering data on surgical patients,” Dr. Kolkman said. “We will be addressing the disparities in surgical care between developing nations and the first world. I’m excited to be a part of the process. I’m hopeful that we can eventually level the playing field on an international scale.”
Ultimately, the goal is to address how to give effective and affordable surgical care, he said.
“There are differences in disease presentation and type, investigations performed, surgical techniques and post-operative care between the United States and India,” he said. “By exchanging students, residents and faculty, it will be a tremendous learning experience for both institutions.”
When he returns from India, Dr. Kolkman hopes to publish the findings of his research.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through their commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology and ophthalmology. UNMC’s research funding from external sources now exceeds $100 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 3,200 highly skilled jobs in the state. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 513 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.
TR VnpTvfKG F E gSyWatphRd