Tom Tape, M.D., professor, internal medicine, chief of the division of general internal medicine, and vice chair of clinical affairs for internal medicine, has been elected to the Board of Regents of the American College of Physicians (ACP), the national organization of internists. The Board of Regents manages the business and affairs of ACP and is the main policy-making body of the college. Dr. Tape is currently serving as chair of the board of governors for ACP and is chair of the ACP’s Health & Public Policy Committee. ACP is the largest medical specialty organization and the second largest physician group in the United States. ACP members include 133,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students.
Paula Turpen, Ph.D., has been elected to the Executive Board of the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF). The ABRF is an international society dedicated to advancing core and research biotechnology laboratories through research, communication and education. Dr. Turpen, the director of research resources at the UNMC Office of Research, will serve a four-year term.
The Journal of Physician Assistant Education, the official journal of the Physician Assistant Education Association, recently appointed Tami Ritsema, assistant professor of physician assistant education in the School of Allied Health Professions, to its editorial board. Michael Huckabee, Ph.D., director of physician assistant education, has been selected as editor for the Abstracts and Brief Reports feature of the journal. JPAE advances PA education by publishing scholarly manuscripts germane to PA educators and by providing a forum for the sharing of ideas and innovations that will enhance the education of PA students. The peer-reviewed journal is indexed in the National Library of Medicine’s MEDLINE database and published on a quarterly basis.
John Sparks, M.D., professor and Stokes-Shackleford Chair of pediatrics, was elected to the board of directors of the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs. The purpose of the AMSPDC is to foster education and research in the field of child health and human development. Membership of AMSPDC consists of the chair or acting chair or academic administrative head of the department of pediatrics of each accredited medical school in the United States and Canada.
Harris Frankel, M.D., neurological sciences, has been named to the board of directors of CoOportunity Health, a new nonprofit health insurance cooperative that can now sell coverage in Iowa and will soon have the same authority in Nebraska. Based in Des Moines, CoOportunity Health will be acting like an insurance exchange to sell policies to people seeking coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act.
Phyllis Nsiah-Kumi, M.D., division of general internal medicine, has joined the faculty at Case-Western Reserve University as director of women’s veterans health services at the Lewis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland.
Joel Bessmer, M.D., associate professor, internal medicine-general medicine, has been recognized as one of the top 15 concierge physicians in the country by Concierge Medicine Today. Dr. Bessmer is the only concierge physician within a four-state area to receive this designation.