Dean's Weekly Message

We officially said farewell to Jane Schumaker, senior associate dean for administration and finance and executive director of CU Medicine, on Monday, July 22, with a reception on the first floor of the Fitzsimons Building. In her eight years here, Jane has been a remarkable contributor to the success of the School of Medicine and to our faculty practice, offering wise counsel, steady guidance, and unwavering friendship. Usually, it’s customary to say it’s bittersweet to see a valued colleague retire. I can say no such thing. I’m sad Jane’s retiring, even if it is well-deserved. She has been a reliable and highly regarded leader who has pursued the best interests of the School with unwavering determination and unparalleled graciousness. Thank you to all, including former Senior Associate Deans Bob Anderson, MD, and Doug Jones, MD, top administrators at Children’s Hospital Colorado and UCHealth and School of Medicine, department chairs and other campus leaders, who came to say thank you to Jane as we send her off on her next chapter: world traveler. Jane’s final day is Friday, August 2, so please be sure to send her best regards before then.

Congratulations to Arthur Gutierrez-Hartmann, MD, director of the School of Medicine’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and the Physician Scientist Training Program and professor of medicine and biochemistry and molecular genetics, on being notified that he will be one of this year’s recipients of the Dr. Bert Shapiro Award from the National Association of MD-PhD Programs. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to physician-scientist training on the national level for a sustained period. Arthur was one of the primary leaders in establishing the association and he also helped shepherd it into becoming a section of the Association of American Medical College’s Group on Graduate Research, Education, and Training. The Shapiro award and another honor that Arthur is receiving for 25 years of service as an MD-PhD program director are signs of the importance of the MSTP to our School and its prominence among national programs for training physician-scientists.

Jason Stoneback, MD, vice chair for clinical affairs and associate professor for the Department of Orthopedics and director of the Limb Restoration Program at UCHealth, has started one of the first multi-disciplinary osseointegration clinics in the country. Dedicated to people who have had an amputation and are experiencing difficulty with their traditional prosthesis, osseointegration is a surgical option used for permanent placement of a bone-anchored prosthesis directly to the amputee’s skeleton. Among many benefits, it allows amputees to develop osseoperception, such as the ability to feel the ground beneath the amputee’s artificial limb. To bring this procedure to our campus, Jason trained in the Netherlands, Germany, and Walter Reed National Medical Center. He says the procedure can make a significant difference in the quality of life of patients by improving function and mobility. Such clinical advancements, based on research and continuing education, are a key benefit our academic medical center brings to our community. Jason says four patients have already scheduled this surgery at our partner, UCHealth.

Each year, the Dean’s Distinguished Seminar Series brings renowned scientists, physicians, and academic leaders to the Anschutz Medical Campus for public lectures and meetings with members of the School of Medicine community. These prominent leaders enrich the academic life of our campus. We are seeking nominees for the 2020-2021 series of speakers. Contact Judy Sherman, judy.sherman@cuanschutz.edu, in the Dean’s Office for information on the nomination process. Nominations are due Thursday, August 8.

Have a good week,

John J. Reilly, Jr., MD
Richard D. Krugman Endowed Chair
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and
Dean, School of Medicine