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News briefs

Arwa Nasir, M.D.

Dr. Nasir leads group to Gaza Strip to provide medical education

Arwa Nasir, M.D., associate professor and chief of the UNMC Division of General Pediatrics, led a group of UNMC and Creighton physicians who traveled to the Gaza Strip in October and delivered a two-day continuing medical education course to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) physicians in Gaza.

The four physicians from three primary care disciplines provided 14 credit hours to the primary care physicians who care for the nearly two million refugees living in Gaza.

The material was developed by the course faculty to address the specific educational needs of the UNRWA physicians, using the latest evidence-based practices and educational delivery methods.

Due to the difficult political and humanitarian situation in Gaza, this was the first such conference to be held there in more than 10 years. This multidisciplinary and inter-institutional global primary care activity highlights the primary care educational excellence and global mission of UNMC and Creighton University and their principle of Cura Personalis (care for the entire person) and care of underserved populations.

The activity was underwritten by an unrestricted educational grant provided by Pfizer.

Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Resident Research Forum

Eighteen orthopaedic surgery residents recently presented at the annual Resident Research Forum in the Lauritzen Outpatient Center Auditorium.

The forum helps residents plan and improve their research project throughout residency. During the Sept. 29 forum, second- through fifth-year residents presented their research and received feedback from faculty members and guest speaker, Paul Anderson, M.D., professor of orthopaedic surgery and adjunct professor in neurological surgery and biomedical engineering at the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Anderson is an internationally recognized expert in the field of orthopaedic spinal surgery with special interests in spine trauma, tumors, cervical spine and geriatric spinal diseases. He presented on the topic: "Linkage of Osteoporosis and Periprosthetic Fractures: Research Methodology."

Dr. Van Hook receives grant from BrightFocus Foundation

Matthew Van Hook, Ph.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the Truhlsen Eye Institute at UNMC, has been award a $150,000 grant award from the BrightFocus Foundation for his research on glaucoma. Maryland-based BrightFocus is a leading source of funding and support for scientific research to defeat Alzheimer's, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.

House officers, medical students gather for 'Grapes, Greetings & Grub'

More than 150 house officers, medical students and their significant others recently gathered to discover their inner Van Gogh. The wellness and social networking opportunity, titled "Grapes, Greetings & Grub," was sponsored by the Graduate Medical Education Office and the College of Medicine. Attendees learned painting techniques and created watercolor greeting cards, while socializing with their peers.

The next wellness event for house officers and medical students is "Sustaining Your Call to Medicine" on Nov. 30 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the Storz Pavilion. Faculty, house officers and students will discuss strategies to maintain their joy for medicine while also achieving a balance between work and personal life.