Department: Family Medicine
Chair: Michael A. Sitorius, M.D.
Vice Chair: Jeffrey Harrison, M.D.
Medical Student Education Director: Mindy Lacey, M.D.
Residency Director: Kimberly Jarzynka, M.D.
Rural Residency Director: Jeffrey Harrison, M.D.
Administrator: Kerin Misiunas, MBA
No. of people in department (faculty/staff):
37 faculty
15 military faculty
430 volunteer faculty
66 residents
15 staff
New faculty:
Megan Willet, M.D. – family medicine – Eagle Run
Andrea Jones, M.D. – family medicine – Fontenelle Clinic
Programs:
U.S.-Sino Family Medicine Training Program
The Department of Family Medicine partnered with universities in Shanghai and Xi’an, China to establish training programs in family medicine. As part of this partnership, the department will welcome their fourth class in April from China to UNMC for the U.S.-Sino Family Medicine Leadership Development Course.
Drs. Jeff Harrison, Kim Jarzynka, Paul Paulman, Audrey Paulman and Mike Sitorius are coordinators of the course.
The group has also visited Shanghai and Tongji University to present a total of six Family Medicine symposiums.
In collaboration with the College of Public Health, Family Medicine has developed a Ph.D. program with a focus on family medicine to educate students about advanced administrative needs within Family Medicine
Significant research grants/publications:
Grants
Sitorius, Michael (PI); Bronner, Liliana (OT); Geske, Jenenne (OT); Hough, Makenzie (OT), 09/01/2015-08/31/2016. Funded Amount: $1,015,592, Instructional. Development of the Nebraska AHEC Network, DHHS/HRSA/OFAM/DGMO/RTB.
Khandalavala, Birgit. Funded Amount: $11,500, EndoPAT with software and accessories: device to non-invasively quantify changes in endothelial (blood vessel) fuction as an indicator of heart disease risk in clinical studies, Nebraska Bankers Association
Publications (family medicine authors in bold):
Sitorius MA; Wadman M; Britigan BE; Harrison JD. History and Trends in US Medical Education: A Focus on Family Medicine. 2015; Vol. 1 (1): p. 60-68.
Khandalavala, B.N., Rojanalaj, A., Geske, J.A., Koran-Scholl, J.B., Guck, T.P. (2014). Obesity Bias in Primary Care Providers. Family Medicine, 46(7), 532-535.
Felix, D.S., Robinson, W.D., Geske, J.A., Toller, P.W., Backer, E. (2014). The 15-minute visit: How can primary care better identify and treat depression?, Consultant 360, 54(7).
Barry Hultquist, T.L., Goomis Brown, S., Geske, J.A., Kaiser, K.L., Waibel-Rycek, D. (2015). Partnering With Community-Dwelling Individuals With Diabetes for Health Behavior Change Using Action Plans: An Innovation in Health Professionals Education and Practice. Health Promotion Practice, July 28, 2015 (Epub ahead of print).
Khandalavala, B.N., Geske, J.A., Nirmalraj, M., Koran-Scholl, J.B., Neumann-Potash, L., McBride, C.L. (2015). Predictors of Health-related Quality of Life After Bariatric Surgery. Obesity Surgery, April 2015 (Epub ahead of print).
Khandalavala, B., Nirmalraj, M. (2015). Resolution of Severe Ulcerative Colitis with Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Accepted for publication July 20, 2015. Case Reports in Gastroenterology.
Smith, C.J., Wadman, M.C., Harrison, J., Beck, G.L. (2015). Assessment of a brief handoff skills workshop for incoming interns: Do past handoff experiences impact training outcomes? Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 2, 45-48.
Other highlights:
Clinical Care:
90,332 annual patient visits (FY15)
5 outpatient clinic locations: Durham Outpatient Center, Bellevue Medical Center, Oakview Medical Building, Eagle Run, and Fontenelle Clinic
2 hospital inpatient locations: Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medicine – Bellevue
12 medical directorships across the long-term care spectrum
Education:
The Department of Family Medicine is best described as a leader in education. Department faculty are extensively involved in teaching in the following areas:
Undergraduate Education:
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M1 & M2 curriculum – ICE, PBL, H&P instruction, J Term instruction, simulation
- Precepting – each semester students must have 5 visits, 3-4 hours per visit with a metro area Family Medicine, Internal Medicine or Pediatrics provider.
- M3 curriculum – FM preceptorship courses includes an 8-week rural Family Medicine rotation. (Third-year students have more clinical encounters on this rotation than any other rotation)
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M4 curriculum – Electives
- Family Medicine electives have sent students to Haiti, Vietnam, NASA, and more.
The Student Run Free Clinic Faculty Association was formed from a group of faculty who have met informally over the last five years. Two faculty members from the Department of Family Medicine hold founding positions with the national organization. William Hay, M.D., serves as treasurer while Audrey Paulman, M.D., MMM, was elected as a director of the organization.
Graduate Education:
The Department of Family Medicine’s graduate division currently has 71 residents participating in a variety of educational tracks designed to meet the needs of rural and urban Nebraska.
Program highlights include:
- Advanced Rural Training Program: designed for UNMC students, graduated 71 residents since inception in 1993, 80 percent of graduates practicing in rural Nebraska and adjoining states.
- Primary Care Program: collaborative residency training program with Internal Medicine established in 1991.
- Rural Training Tracks: one of the oldest and largest rural training tracks in the nation; five sites across Nebraska, 65 percent of graduates practicing in rural communities.