On October 18, 2008, the department hosted an alumni reception held in conjunction with the recent 2008 annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, in Orlando, Florida. An opportunity was taken during this well-attended reception to thank and honor Dr. Gilbert E. Kinyon, former Iowa medical student and anesthesia resident. Dr. Kinyon recently established a charitable gift to create our department’s second endowed professorship. Photos taken during this celebration can be viewed here.

The department’s second photograph competition has concluded. This opportunity grew from positive feedback received about a photograph appearing in the Fall 2007 Department Newsletter, and competitors are enjoying the fun. Every photograph submitted was considered in the contest. This round, we received a total of 11 photographs, and each one is incredibly awesome! The top 2 “winners” are displayed here and are featured in the Fall 2008 Newsletter. Congratulations to Dr. David Papworth and Ms. Abbey Gilpin. Click on this link to view each of the submissions.

The department’s fall picnic took place on Sunday, September 28, 2008 at a recreation and shelter site named East Overlook, part of the Coralville Lake area. This annual event is planned for every member of the Department of Anesthesia and their families, and this year we also invited all of our alumni. If laughing, eating good food, enjoying an ice cream sundae bar, benefiting from opportunities for exercise and casual conversation are indicators of a successful picnic, we ranked on top again this year! The weather was pleasant, and those who attended commented on how much they enjoyed themselves. Several alumni requested that we consider planning the picnic for the Sunday of UI’s homecoming weekend every year. Consider it done! Mark your calendars now to reserve Sunday, October 10, 2009 as the next annual fall picnic. View some of the photographs taken during the 2008 picnic click here.

Our department hosted a reception on Wednesday evening, October 1, 2008, for medical students from the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa who have expressed an interest in the specialty of anesthesia. This event provided an opportunity for these students to engage in conversations with our department’s faculty, fellows, and residents about the specialty, and in particular, as that relates to educational opportunities within our department. View some of the photographs taken during this 2008 reception here.

Professionals in the Center for Pain Management & Regional Anesthesia are presenting a community lecture as part of the Health for Your Lifetime series offered through University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. This presentation is arranged to enhance awareness during September, designated as Pain Awareness Month.

The speakers will provide an overview of pain, its causes, and how an individual can take an active role in her/his own pain management. Discussion will include:

• Pain and chronic pain
• The role of exercise in pain management
• Biofeedback and cognitive/behavioral strategies
• The role of medications
• Talking to your health care provider

Advance registration for this free community seminar is encouraged. To register, call 319-335-8886, or toll-free at 877-MEDIOWA. E-mail questions to: medicine-RSVP@uiowa.edu.

Dr. Stead

The Department is pleased to welcome Stan Stead, MD, MBA, as a Visiting Professor, September 14-16, 2008. Dr. Stead is Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Stead will be giving the following lectures: Department of Anesthesia Lecture Monday, September 15, 2008, 6:30 AM Cullen Conference Room, 6426 JCP “Your Name on Claim: Transitioning to Practice” Anesthesia Faculty Seminar Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 7:00 AM 7th Floor Atrium Rooms A & B “Future Economic Trends in Anesthesiology”

Dr. Schubert

The Department is pleased to welcome Armin Schubert, MD, MBA as a Visiting Professor, August 3-5, 2008.  Dr. Schubert is Professor and Chair, Department of General Anesthesiology, and Vice-Chair, Anesthesiology Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.  He holds a joint appointment in Neurology at The Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University.  Dr. Schubert will be giving the following lectures:   Department of Anesthesia Lecture Monday, August 4, 2008, 6:30 AM, Cullen Conference Room, 6426 JCP “Anesthetic Challenges in Minimally Invasive Surgery”   Anesthesia Faculty Seminar Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 7:00 AM 7th Floor Atrium Rooms A & B “Operating Room Throughput: A Case Study from the Cleveland Clinic”

The Department of Anesthesia, University of Iowa, welcomed high school students from Prairie High School, Gowrie, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 11, 2008. The Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine made arrangements to provide a group of top-notch students interested in pursuing the medical field the special opportunity to experience a visit onto the UI health sciences campus. The students’ day was planned around an interactive experience that included a case-based learning scenario and patient simulation. Our Patient Simulator Center team enjoyed sharing their knowledge and expertise, providing a unique experience for these students, who were accompanied by a teacher and nurse from their school. The students all commented about how they know they really want to go into the medical field now and hope they can do so at IOWA!

Dr. Spofford

Christina M. Spofford, M.D., Ph.D., Fellow Associate, has been awarded a Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) Mentored Research Training Grant. This 2-year award will provide $175,000 funding for her grant entitled, "Neurotrophic Factor Expression in Post-Operative Pain." Dr. Spofford will work to better delineate the mechanism of incisional pain in the rat hindpaw incision model using an array of molecular biologic and histochemical techniques. The mechanism and treatment of pain, both acute and chronic, remains one of the centerpieces of intellectual and clinical activity in the specialty of anesthesiology. Read more…

Dr. Mashour	The Department is pleased to welcome George Mashour, MD, PhD as a Visiting Professor, May 10-13. Dr. Mashour is the Director of the Division of Neuroanesthesiology and an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Neurosurgery at The University of Michigan. Dr. Mashour will be giving the following lectures:
	Department of Anesthesia Lecture Monday, May 12, 2008, 6:30 AM Cullen Conference Room, 6426 JCP Awareness During General Anesthesia: Past, Present, and Future Anesthesia Faculty Seminar Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 7:00 AM Atrium Conference Room A/B To Sleep, Perchance to Dream: Are There Neural Correlates of REM During General Anesthesia?

The externship program at the University of Iowa Department of Anesthesia has been successful for decades.  This year, we have been fortunate to have 12 dedicated M4 students help in the operating rooms at night and on weekends.  We recognized these students during a ceremony on Wednesday, April 30th, by distributing certificates certifying their participation in our extern program and thanking them for their service. 

In addition, special honors were awarded to the following recipients of the Stuart Cullen Award and the Margaret V. Lunsford Award.

Cullen Award: Jessica Kelley
Lunsford Award: Jessica Kelley, Raina Lourens, and Thomas Rinehart

To Read more about these awards and the recipients...

Four individuals from the Department of Anesthesia recently returned from an 11-day trip to Quetzeltenango, Guatemala with the Miles of Smiles Team (MOST). Robert Forbes, M.D., Professor, who is a regular participant in this annual trip, was accompanied by two of our own residents, Chandra Beals, M.D, and Thomas Cannon, M.D., and James Schuh, M.D., locum tenens. Rotary Clubs from Iowa City and Quetzeltenango, with additional support from local individuals, businesses, and hospitals, sponsored the trip. During the mission to Guatemala, the team, composed of surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists, pediatricians, nurses and numerous support staff, was able to treat many cleft lip and palate patients who otherwise may not have received treatment. MOST was able to treat 33 patients during four days of surgery. The patients ranged in age from 5 months to 44 years old. It was an exciting opportunity for our two senior residents to share part of what they have learned while here at the University of Iowa. This trip required many months of preparation and the support of numerous local groups, as well as individuals and organizations in Guatemala. During the mission, the local government honored MOST for the care and compassion these individuals provided to the community. However, the most rewarding aspect of the mission was experiencing the gratitude from patients and their parents.

(L-R) Patricia Wehrle, R.N., Jennifer Oliver, R.N. (both UI Surgical Nurses), Thomas Cannon, M.D., James Schuh, M.D. [photo taken by Drew Dillman, M.D., Mercy Hospital/Iowa City surgeon]

(L-R) James Schuh, M.D., Chandra Beals, M.D., Robert Forbes, M.D. Thomas Cannon, M.D. [photo taken by Joann (Jody) Meyer, R.N., UI Surgical Nurse]

Jonathan Simmons, DO, MSc, FCCP has received board certification in Disaster Medicine through the American Board of Disaster Medicine. He is the first physician at University of Iowa to receive this certification and, according to the ABDM, the first physician in Iowa. This board certification was a culmination of additional study in Disaster Medicine, completion of a Masters of Science in Biosecurity and Disaster Preparedness degree through Saint Louis University’s Institute for Biosecurity in August 2007, and involvement as a Deputy Commander for the Federal IA-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team and the Commander of one of 5 Iowa State DMAT’s. Recertification will be required every 8 years.

 In April 2008, a team of health care professionals from Iowa City and the surrounding area will travel to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, to provide medical care to Guatemalan children who require cleft lip and cleft palate surgery. The team is supported by Rotary Clubs from Iowa City and Guatemala, as well as generous local businesses and individuals, Mercy Hospital in Iowa City and the University of Iowa Department of Anesthesia. The Miles of Smiles Team (MOST) includes otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, dentists, pediatricians, and operating room, recovery room, and postoperative ward nurses. Also traveling with the team will be a biomedical engineer, nursing assistants, medical supplies and medical records coordinators, translators, and medical students from the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. Four members of our Department will participate in the mission, Robert Forbes, M.D., and James Schuh, M.D., staff anesthesiologists, and two CA-3 residents in their final months of training, Chandra Beals, M.D., and Tom Cannon, M.D.

Preparation for the trip has taken many months and required the participation of numerous local volunteers. Medical supplies and equipment were collected, sorted, packed, and shipped from Iowa City to Guatemala. During the mission, MOST will provide care to many patients during 5 days of surgery. The procedures performed will include repair of cleft lips and cleft palates, myringotomy and tube placement, and dental rehabilitation.

Participating as a medical volunteer anesthesiologist in a developing country can be demanding. Providing the highest possible standard of anesthesia care requires diligence, constant vigilance, and an ability and willingness to adapt to a very challenging environment. This type of project is professionally exciting, personally rewarding, and a very worthwhile endeavor for any academic department to become involved in.

Robert B. Forbes, M.D.
Professor

Read about last year's trip on page 18 of the Fall 2007 Newsletter

Dr. Todd initiated a photograph competition within the department, triggered by positive feedback received about a photograph appearing in the Fall 2007 Department Newsletter. That photo displays a doe with her 3 young deer triplets living in the prairie area of Dr. Todd’s residence.

At the suggestion of a faculty member, Robert From, D.O., Associate Professor, a message was sent out to all current members of the department. The message contained a challenge, an invitation to submit photographs for a competition, with the winning photo to be used within our next department newsletter. The criteria were simple: the photograph must have been taken recently and it must portray something that is “unquestionably” Iowa.

We received a total of 21 photographs, and each and every one is incredibly awesome! The top 2 “winners” are displayed here and will also be featured in the Spring 2008 Newsletter.

Click on this link to view each of the submissions.