Dean's Weekly Message
September 23, 2024
Dear Colleague:
Survey Results and Next Steps
One of our major commitments is ensuring your well-being at work, and I am pleased to report that we are taking the next steps to act on the findings of the survey we conducted earlier this year of our university-employed faculty, residents, and fellows. That survey, designed by Chief Well-being Officer Lotte Dyrbye, MD, MHPE, in collaboration with departmental well-being leaders and the Healthcare Professional Well-being Academic Consortium, is a key piece of our data-informed approach.
The results have been compiled into departmental reports for leaders to use in making changes that will have high impact. We have asked departmental leaders to share those reports with their faculty, residents, and fellows. Watch for an email from the Offices for the Faculty Experience for information about how to access your department's results.
Several departments have already finalized action plans that include strengthening mentorship programs and career development opportunities, deploying faculty recognition programs, implementing in-basket coverage, addressing salary inequity, improving transparency, offering coaching, and organizing required training.
The School of Medicine is pursuing important changes to the annual review and promotion process, building out peer support, deploying new faculty and leadership development programs, and actively exploring AI tools to ease the burden of outpatient note documentation. We are also working with our clinical partners to identify opportunities to address ongoing challenges with Secure Chat and In Basket.
The process of improvement is continuous. We will conduct these surveys biennially and look forward to monitoring our progress.
The results have been compiled into departmental reports for leaders to use in making changes that will have high impact. We have asked departmental leaders to share those reports with their faculty, residents, and fellows. Watch for an email from the Offices for the Faculty Experience for information about how to access your department's results.
Several departments have already finalized action plans that include strengthening mentorship programs and career development opportunities, deploying faculty recognition programs, implementing in-basket coverage, addressing salary inequity, improving transparency, offering coaching, and organizing required training.
The School of Medicine is pursuing important changes to the annual review and promotion process, building out peer support, deploying new faculty and leadership development programs, and actively exploring AI tools to ease the burden of outpatient note documentation. We are also working with our clinical partners to identify opportunities to address ongoing challenges with Secure Chat and In Basket.
The process of improvement is continuous. We will conduct these surveys biennially and look forward to monitoring our progress.
Honoring APPs
The School of Medicine Dean’s Office and CU Thrive are offering a free bagel and coffee to all advanced practice providers this week in honor of National APP Week. Beginning today, September 23, APPs may go to Woodgrain Bagels in Ed 2 North, TStreet Café, or Dazbog Coffee in the University of Colorado Hospital or Children’s Hospital Colorado on the Anschutz Medical Campus for a bagel and medium coffee or other store offerings up to a $7 value. APPs must show the e-mail invitation sent to them by email today. Limit of one per person, redeemable at the register.
Faculty Updates
Stephanie Petersburg, PA-C, senior instructor of pediatrics in the Digestive Health Institute, has received the Margi Morse CARE Award to recognize clinical excellence by an APP in our child health practice. Suzanne Paul, DNP, FNP-C, assistant professor of pediatrics in the section of nutrition, has received the Stacey Wall Advanced Practice Leadership Award for excellence in leadership, innovation, and research, in addition to exceptional clinical work. These awards are made by the Office of Advanced Practice at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
The CU Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative (FIPI) and the CU Center for COMBAT Research hosted a summit on Firearm Suicide Prevention in the U.S. Military on campus last week. Thanks to Vik Bebarta, MD, director of the COMBAT Center and professor of emergency medicine, Emmy Betz, MD, MPH, founding director of FIPI and professor of emergency medicine, and their colleagues for leading this important effort. This article in the Department of Emergency Medicine newsroom has additional details.
Kristine Erlandson, MD, professor of medicine, has been appointed chair of the Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally Comorbidities Transformative Science Group, which designs clinical trials of novel interventions that target end-organ diseases contributing to increased morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV. Her term begins Dec. 1, 2024. She is currently vice chair of the group.
Jordan M. Wyrwa, DO, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation, is corresponding author of a review article published in the September issue of Pediatrics that examines prognostic prediction models for delayed recovery among pediatric patients with concussion. Six colleagues from our campus are co-authors.
Mark L. Dell’Acqua, PhD, professor of pharmacology, and Matthew J. Kennedy, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology, are corresponding authors of a featured article published September 11 by The Journal of Neuroscience, reporting how amyloid-β, the primary neurotoxic agent in Alzheimer’s disease, impairs the function of synaptic receptors and promotes synapse loss. Olga Prikhodko, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in pharmacology, is the first author. Two other co-authors are from our campus.
Edwin F. deZoeten, MD, PhD, professor of pediatrics and investigator with the Mucosal Inflammation Program, is a corresponding author of an article published September 14 by Nature Communications that highlights a critical and previously undefined role for transcription factor HIF-2α in regulating the inflammatory environment within the intestine. Nine co-authors are from our campus.
Kyle C. Molina, PharmD, clinical instructor of emergency medicine, is corresponding author of an original investigation published September 13 by JAMA Health Forum that describes a machine learning method for allocating scarce resources. Twelve colleagues from our campus are co-authors.
Joel Stoddard, MD, associate professor of psychiatry, is corresponding author of an original investigation published September 16 by JAMA Network Open that studies the association between sleep disturbances assessed in children at age 10 and the risk for emergence of suicidal behaviors reported by age 12 years. An article in The Denver Post last week quotes Joel and first author Joshua L. Gowin, PhD, assistant professor of radiology, about the study. Two co-authors are from our campus.
Ludeman Family Center Community Event
The Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research hosted its annual community event last Tuesday at the Seawell Ballroom in downtown Denver, featuring a conversation with Maria Shriver and Sharon Malone, MD, author of New York Times bestseller Grown Woman Talk and a nationally known expert on women’s health. Thanks to Judy Regensteiner, PhD, director of the center and Distinguished Professor of Medicine, and her team for organizing the event.
Call for Applications
The Gates Grubstake Fund is soliciting applications for funding to support investigator-led projects focused on the research and development of cell/gene therapy and regenerative medicine-related technologies including therapeutics, diagnostics, devices, manufacturing solutions, and platforms. Details are available on the 2024 Gates Grubstakes Awards website. Gates Institute partners with CU Innovations on the selection process. Applications are due by November 15. Gates Institute will host an informational webinar at 1 p.m. on October 4. Register to attend.
The School of Medicine Dean’s Office and CU Thrive are offering a free bagel and coffee to all advanced practice providers this week in honor of National APP Week. Beginning today, September 23, APPs may go to Woodgrain Bagels in Ed 2 North, TStreet Café, or Dazbog Coffee in the University of Colorado Hospital or Children’s Hospital Colorado on the Anschutz Medical Campus for a bagel and medium coffee or other store offerings up to a $7 value. APPs must show the e-mail invitation sent to them by email today. Limit of one per person, redeemable at the register.
Faculty Updates
Stephanie Petersburg, PA-C, senior instructor of pediatrics in the Digestive Health Institute, has received the Margi Morse CARE Award to recognize clinical excellence by an APP in our child health practice. Suzanne Paul, DNP, FNP-C, assistant professor of pediatrics in the section of nutrition, has received the Stacey Wall Advanced Practice Leadership Award for excellence in leadership, innovation, and research, in addition to exceptional clinical work. These awards are made by the Office of Advanced Practice at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
The CU Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative (FIPI) and the CU Center for COMBAT Research hosted a summit on Firearm Suicide Prevention in the U.S. Military on campus last week. Thanks to Vik Bebarta, MD, director of the COMBAT Center and professor of emergency medicine, Emmy Betz, MD, MPH, founding director of FIPI and professor of emergency medicine, and their colleagues for leading this important effort. This article in the Department of Emergency Medicine newsroom has additional details.
Kristine Erlandson, MD, professor of medicine, has been appointed chair of the Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally Comorbidities Transformative Science Group, which designs clinical trials of novel interventions that target end-organ diseases contributing to increased morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV. Her term begins Dec. 1, 2024. She is currently vice chair of the group.
Jordan M. Wyrwa, DO, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation, is corresponding author of a review article published in the September issue of Pediatrics that examines prognostic prediction models for delayed recovery among pediatric patients with concussion. Six colleagues from our campus are co-authors.
Mark L. Dell’Acqua, PhD, professor of pharmacology, and Matthew J. Kennedy, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology, are corresponding authors of a featured article published September 11 by The Journal of Neuroscience, reporting how amyloid-β, the primary neurotoxic agent in Alzheimer’s disease, impairs the function of synaptic receptors and promotes synapse loss. Olga Prikhodko, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in pharmacology, is the first author. Two other co-authors are from our campus.
Edwin F. deZoeten, MD, PhD, professor of pediatrics and investigator with the Mucosal Inflammation Program, is a corresponding author of an article published September 14 by Nature Communications that highlights a critical and previously undefined role for transcription factor HIF-2α in regulating the inflammatory environment within the intestine. Nine co-authors are from our campus.
Kyle C. Molina, PharmD, clinical instructor of emergency medicine, is corresponding author of an original investigation published September 13 by JAMA Health Forum that describes a machine learning method for allocating scarce resources. Twelve colleagues from our campus are co-authors.
Joel Stoddard, MD, associate professor of psychiatry, is corresponding author of an original investigation published September 16 by JAMA Network Open that studies the association between sleep disturbances assessed in children at age 10 and the risk for emergence of suicidal behaviors reported by age 12 years. An article in The Denver Post last week quotes Joel and first author Joshua L. Gowin, PhD, assistant professor of radiology, about the study. Two co-authors are from our campus.
Ludeman Family Center Community Event
The Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research hosted its annual community event last Tuesday at the Seawell Ballroom in downtown Denver, featuring a conversation with Maria Shriver and Sharon Malone, MD, author of New York Times bestseller Grown Woman Talk and a nationally known expert on women’s health. Thanks to Judy Regensteiner, PhD, director of the center and Distinguished Professor of Medicine, and her team for organizing the event.
Call for Applications
The Gates Grubstake Fund is soliciting applications for funding to support investigator-led projects focused on the research and development of cell/gene therapy and regenerative medicine-related technologies including therapeutics, diagnostics, devices, manufacturing solutions, and platforms. Details are available on the 2024 Gates Grubstakes Awards website. Gates Institute partners with CU Innovations on the selection process. Applications are due by November 15. Gates Institute will host an informational webinar at 1 p.m. on October 4. Register to attend.
Have a good week,
John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA
Richard D. Krugman Endowed Chair
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and
Dean, University of Colorado School of Medicine
The Dean’s weekly message is an email news bulletin from John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA, Dean of the CU School of Medicine, that is distributed to inform
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