We are all grateful spring has arrived and with it comes many special events. Residents and fellows will present research posters and clinical vignettes on May 24th. We will recognize our department research award winners at Grand Rounds on June 1st (award winner Dr. Jim Campbell was part of an Omaha World-Herald front page article recently). In June, we will celebrate our senior residents who will be finishing their training. It will be a bittersweet event as we will celebrate without Dr. Dye. Planning for ways in which we honor Jarrod’s life continue. One aspect will be the construction of a bench (by one of our residents) to be placed on campus. Stay tuned for details on this project.
Soon we will welcome undergraduate students as a part of our Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) and in late June, a new group of residents and fellows. We will also welcome new faculty, including Dr. Al Fisher (more on him in the next newsletter) who is assuming the role of Chief of the Geriatrics and Palliative Care division in July. Dr. Jane Potter is stepping down from that role but will remain on faculty. We celebrate the leadership Dr. Potter has given to the department as Chief of Geriatrics. She was recognized this year nationally for her leadership in geriatrics education by the American Geriatrics Society.
Two faculty will be retiring in July and have been appointed as Emeritus Professors – Dr. Anne Kessinger in Hematology and Oncology and Dr. Dan Schafer in Gastroenterology and Hepatology. They have each had an enormous impact on UNMC and we are grateful they will continue to interface with us in retirement.
I am ever grateful for all the members of the Internal Medicine department! Each of you helps us deliver on our promises for excellence in clinical care, education and research.
Debra J. Romberger, MD