For more informationabout the residencyprograms at UpstateMedical Universityplease visit: www.up-state.edu/gme
Office of Graduate Medical Education750 East Adams StreetSyracuse, NY 13210
A NEWSLETTER FOR SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS I SPRING 2012
Resident Report
iPads In Hand, Data at FingertipsDr. David Padalino, a medicalresident and assistant clinicalinstructor in neurosurgery,spearheaded the Resident iPad pilotprogram, which began in Februaryand will continue into summer.
Fifty-five residents are usingiPads to look at images, examinerecords and place orders formedication.
With an iPad in hand, residentsdon’t have to walk to an availabledesktop computer and sign on,Padalino said.
“I’ve shown patients images atthe bedside, and it makes them feellike they’re part of the process,”Padalino said. “It’s engaging thepatient and engaging learning in theclinical field. It’s an all-around pushinto the 21st century.”
(See center spread for moreEngaging Excellence initiatives.)
Beyond the Doctorate
Research Day
Upstate’s medical residents and fellowshave a place of their own to work out
… and then relax, right next door.A renovated exercise room and adja-
cent lounge on the seventh floor of UpstateUniversity Hospital are tangible results ofan Engaging Excellence initiative and theefforts of the Life and Wellness Commit-tee.
The workout room (UH-7611) isopen 24 hours and features four exercisebikes, an elliptical machine, treadmill, tel-evisions, free weights and bench. Next dooris a lounge (UH-7610) with a couch, re-frigerator and computer stations. Acrossthe hall are shower facilities. Linens arestored in the gym for use in the shower, butusers must bring their own toiletries.
Upstate paint shop employees Mr. Ted Spadotto and Mr. Frank Chiarillirenovated the lounge area and workout room. Mr. Spadotto and Mr. Chiarilliwent above and beyond in order to make the overall environment more pleas-urable for the medical residents and fellows.
They:1. Arranged for the floors in each
room to be cleaned and polishedafter they had completed painting.
2. Coordinated removal of boxes fromthe shower rooms, had the roomscleaned and the tub repaired.
3. Established communication be-tween Linen Service and the GMEOffice to provide washcloths andtowels for the two shower rooms.
4. Repaired a windowsill in the gym.5. Helped mark furniture so it would
not be moved to another locationin University Hospital.
The GME office applauds these twogentlemen for their exemplary efforts onbehalf of the medical residents and fellowsat Upstate.
Ted Spadotto and Frank Chiarilli
This symbol represents Engaging Excellence, an initiative to challengeand encourage our employees to create the best workplace possible.
The month of March kicked off at Upstatewith the second annual “Beyond the
Doctorate Research Day (Postdocs, Residentsand Fellows),” an event that put “the future ofmedicine on display.”
The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs andthe Office of Graduate Medical Education setaside March 1 to celebrate the research ac-complishments of our postdoctoral appoin -tees, residents and fellows.
“The day not only showcases for ourown faculty and researchers the cutting-edgeinvestigations being undertaken by our resi-dents and fellows, but also provides a previewof the research that will ultimately change theway that care is delivered,” said WilliamGrant, EdD, associate dean of GraduateMedical Education.
“Our first consideration is always ‘Howcan we provide medical care that reduces un-necessary testing, medications and invasiveprocedures while providing improved diag-nostic and treatment options?’’ Grant said.“The future of medicine is clearly on displayhere.”
The event featured oral platform presen-tations by nine of our postdocs, residents andfellows, followed by a poster session showcas-ing additional research.
Cash awards of $500 from the office ofthe Dean of the College of Medicine weregiven to Dr. Divey Manocha for best oral
presentation, and to Dr. Michael Fikhmanfor best poster presentation. Manocha is a res-ident in the Department of Medicine andFikhman is a PGY-1 in the Department ofOphthalmology.
The keynote speaker was Jinming Gao,PhD, Professor of Oncology and Pharma -cology, Simmons Comprehensive CancerCenter, University of Texas SouthwesternMedical Center.
Planning for the 2013 event has alreadybegun.
The Future of Medicine on Display Above: Dr. MichaelFikhman, Department ofOphthalmology, discusses hisresearch project with MD/PhDstudent Adeseye Adekeyeduring the posterpresentation. Fikhman’sresearch using 26 humandonor eyes has implicationsfor surgical intervention inglaucoma patients.
Left: Dr. MargaretRiordan, Department ofNeurosurgery, gives herplatform presentation on theeffects of stannous chlorideon vasospasm and injurymarkers after subarachnoidhemorrhage (SAH) in a ratmodel. Her study indicatedstannous chloride is effectivein reducing vasospasm andtissue injury, warrantingfurther study as there are noeffective treatments for SAHin humans.
12.0
73 0
412
1M U
BC
Renovated Gym and Lounge Open on 7th Floor of Hospital
see more photos on page 7
2
As of this writing we recently completed Match week. We are very
pleased that all of our open positions are filled with outstanding
candidates representing all parts of the country and a wide range of
medical schools. This varietal mix will clearly enhance our residency
programs.
This was the first year of transition in the residency matching process. This
year for the first time, there was no “scramble” for filling open positions.
The National Residency Match Program has instituted a SOAP program
— the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program.
Under SOAP, programs with open positions and
unmatched applicants work through the ERAS
system to match. Programs and applicants
review each other, submit a preference list and
then unfilled positions are offered to applicants
until all positions are filled or preferences have
been exhausted. The process continues each day
of Match week. This has been an interesting
process for all of us.
The next major change in the Match process will affect the 2013 entering class. The main
residency match for 2013 which opens September 1, 2012 will be based on an “all in” model,
which will require all participating programs with PGY-1 and PGY-2 positions in advanced
programs to only initially select applicants through the matching process. There will no longer be
exemptions, which allowed some programs to take some applicants outside of the matching
process. This will clearly have implications for the programs as they select interview candidates
and as they develop their final Match lists. For the 2013 Match, the SOAP program will continue
to operate in the event of unfilled positions.
To all of our program directors, faculty, staff and current residents and fellows: Congratulations on
a wonderful and successful Match. We could not have done it without your dedication and
support!
ACGME: New Accreditation System In other news the accreditation body (ACGME) for residency programs has announced a change
in the review process for residency programs. Under the new process, programs will be required
to implement ongoing evaluation and reporting systems, formally monitor resident progress in
their programs and undertake ongoing program reviews.
The GME office will be required to increase its program monitoring activities. One of the most
significant changes will be the change in site visit frequency. Programs which are in general
compliance will only undergo in-person site visits about once each 10 years rather than having
visit intervals which may range from 2 to 5 years. The GME office will be working with programs
over the next 16 months to prepare for the implementation of the first set of new monitoring
requirements, which will occur in July 2013.
William Grant, EdDAssociate Dean of Graduate Medical Education
Match Program Undergoes Transition
Spring 2012
William Grant, EdD
SUNY Upstate Medical University Resident ReportFormer Upstate
fellow Dr.Ismatun Swati washonored by theAmerican Society ofCytopathology for herresearch presenta tionat the society’s 59thannual scientificmeeting in Baltimore.
Swati received aWarren R. Lang, MD Resident Physician Awardfor the best scientific paper in cytology at aposter or platform session.
Swati, a cytopathology fellow at Upstate in2010-2011, delivered a platform presentation,“Accuracy of Cytology Specimen and NeedleCore Biopsies for Detection of KRAS Mutationin Non-Small Cell Carcinoma (NSCLC):Comparison with Resection Specimen.”
The Lang Award is presented annually torecognize a resident or fellow in an approvedtraining program who submits the best scientificpaper in cytology during the ASC AnnualScientific Meeting.
Dr. Scott Albert aformer general surgeryresident at Upstate,began a fellowship insurgical oncology lastsummer at the ArthurG. James CancerHospital at Ohio StateUniversity.
In June, he willpresent at Grand
Rounds there on the need for the Multi -disciplinary Tumor Board to conduct reviews ofcomplicated cases to ensure the best possibletreatment.
Dr. Mohsena Amin,a first-year fellow ininfectious disease, hashad a poster acceptedby the AmericanSociety for Microbiol -ogy for the ASM 2012general meeting in SanFrancisco in June.
Dr. Amin’s abstractis “Cardibacterium
hom inis endocarditis of bioprosthetic pulmonicvalve in a patient having undergone the Rossprocedure.”
Alumni Corner Engaging ExcellenceResident Breakfast
Abstract Accepted
Ismatun Swati
Scott Albert
Mohsena Amin
3
William Grant, EdD, associate dean ofGraduate Medical Education, gave a brief
overview of the Engaging Excellence for MedicalResidents initiative and its three components –Quality, Education and Life/Wellness.• Dr. Louise Prince, MD, has been named Quality
Director, and will meet with Dr. Grant on qualityinitiatives at Upstate. The involvement of residentsin quality issues is a national priority and Upstateis working to stay ahead of the curve.
• Upstate is working with the residents and securingtheir direct involvement in responding to upcom-ing changes in the review process by ACGME, theaccreditation body for residency programs.
• The 55 medical residents in the iPad pilot programare being surveyed about the usefulness of the de-vices and are being asked for suggestions on appli-cations that could be added.
• The designated workout room and lounge on theseventh floor of Upstate University Hospital areopen around the clock, offering a more convenientlocation for residents and fellows.
“The residents are very appreciative of the clearcommitment from the institution to address theseand other issues,” Dr. Grant said of the Engaging Ex-cellence initiatives. “They’re not usually effusive, butI know they are appreciative.”
Dr. Brian Tran and Dr. Lina Hajar, first-year residents in Pediatrics, chat with Dr. David Smith, MD, Upstate’s president, duringthe Engaging Excellence breakfast.
Zachary Williamson, who graduates from Upstate’sCollege of Medicine in May, will stay at Upstate for hisresidency in internal medicine.
“Residents and fellows are vital toour mission and to the quality ofthe patient care that we deliver.It is important that we payattention to their education,training and quality of life.”
“We have many aspirations forour residents and fellows. Wehave aspirations that they’ll stayand become part of the faculty.”
ON DR. DAVID PADALINO AND HIS IPAD INITIATIVE:
“His leadership really did make a difference. It’s important to get that kind of seniorleadership from within.”
Excerpts from PresidentDavid R. Smith, MD—
2
As of this writing we recently completed Match week. We are very
pleased that all of our open positions are filled with outstanding
candidates representing all parts of the country and a wide range of
medical schools. This varietal mix will clearly enhance our residency
programs.
This was the first year of transition in the residency matching process. This
year for the first time, there was no “scramble” for filling open positions.
The National Residency Match Program has instituted a SOAP program
— the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program.
Under SOAP, programs with open positions and
unmatched applicants work through the ERAS
system to match. Programs and applicants
review each other, submit a preference list and
then unfilled positions are offered to applicants
until all positions are filled or preferences have
been exhausted. The process continues each day
of Match week. This has been an interesting
process for all of us.
The next major change in the Match process will affect the 2013 entering class. The main
residency match for 2013 which opens September 1, 2012 will be based on an “all in” model,
which will require all participating programs with PGY-1 and PGY-2 positions in advanced
programs to only initially select applicants through the matching process. There will no longer be
exemptions, which allowed some programs to take some applicants outside of the matching
process. This will clearly have implications for the programs as they select interview candidates
and as they develop their final Match lists. For the 2013 Match, the SOAP program will continue
to operate in the event of unfilled positions.
To all of our program directors, faculty, staff and current residents and fellows: Congratulations on
a wonderful and successful Match. We could not have done it without your dedication and
support!
ACGME: New Accreditation System In other news the accreditation body (ACGME) for residency programs has announced a change
in the review process for residency programs. Under the new process, programs will be required
to implement ongoing evaluation and reporting systems, formally monitor resident progress in
their programs and undertake ongoing program reviews.
The GME office will be required to increase its program monitoring activities. One of the most
significant changes will be the change in site visit frequency. Programs which are in general
compliance will only undergo in-person site visits about once each 10 years rather than having
visit intervals which may range from 2 to 5 years. The GME office will be working with programs
over the next 16 months to prepare for the implementation of the first set of new monitoring
requirements, which will occur in July 2013.
William Grant, EdDAssociate Dean of Graduate Medical Education
Match Program Undergoes Transition
Spring 2012
William Grant, EdD
SUNY Upstate Medical University Resident ReportFormer Upstate
fellow Dr.Ismatun Swati washonored by theAmerican Society ofCytopathology for herresearch presenta tionat the society’s 59thannual scientificmeeting in Baltimore.
Swati received aWarren R. Lang, MD Resident Physician Awardfor the best scientific paper in cytology at aposter or platform session.
Swati, a cytopathology fellow at Upstate in2010-2011, delivered a platform presentation,“Accuracy of Cytology Specimen and NeedleCore Biopsies for Detection of KRAS Mutationin Non-Small Cell Carcinoma (NSCLC):Comparison with Resection Specimen.”
The Lang Award is presented annually torecognize a resident or fellow in an approvedtraining program who submits the best scientificpaper in cytology during the ASC AnnualScientific Meeting.
Dr. Scott Albert aformer general surgeryresident at Upstate,began a fellowship insurgical oncology lastsummer at the ArthurG. James CancerHospital at Ohio StateUniversity.
In June, he willpresent at Grand
Rounds there on the need for the Multi -disciplinary Tumor Board to conduct reviews ofcomplicated cases to ensure the best possibletreatment.
Dr. Mohsena Amin,a first-year fellow ininfectious disease, hashad a poster acceptedby the AmericanSociety for Microbiol -ogy for the ASM 2012general meeting in SanFrancisco in June.
Dr. Amin’s abstractis “Cardibacterium
hom inis endocarditis of bioprosthetic pulmonicvalve in a patient having undergone the Rossprocedure.”
Alumni Corner Engaging ExcellenceResident Breakfast
Abstract Accepted
Ismatun Swati
Scott Albert
Mohsena Amin
3
William Grant, EdD, associate dean ofGraduate Medical Education, gave a brief
overview of the Engaging Excellence for MedicalResidents initiative and its three components –Quality, Education and Life/Wellness.• Dr. Louise Prince, MD, has been named Quality
Director, and will meet with Dr. Grant on qualityinitiatives at Upstate. The involvement of residentsin quality issues is a national priority and Upstateis working to stay ahead of the curve.
• Upstate is working with the residents and securingtheir direct involvement in responding to upcom-ing changes in the review process by ACGME, theaccreditation body for residency programs.
• The 55 medical residents in the iPad pilot programare being surveyed about the usefulness of the de-vices and are being asked for suggestions on appli-cations that could be added.
• The designated workout room and lounge on theseventh floor of Upstate University Hospital areopen around the clock, offering a more convenientlocation for residents and fellows.
“The residents are very appreciative of the clearcommitment from the institution to address theseand other issues,” Dr. Grant said of the Engaging Ex-cellence initiatives. “They’re not usually effusive, butI know they are appreciative.”
Dr. Brian Tran and Dr. Lina Hajar, first-year residents in Pediatrics, chat with Dr. David Smith, MD, Upstate’s president, duringthe Engaging Excellence breakfast.
Zachary Williamson, who graduates from Upstate’sCollege of Medicine in May, will stay at Upstate for hisresidency in internal medicine.
“Residents and fellows are vital toour mission and to the quality ofthe patient care that we deliver.It is important that we payattention to their education,training and quality of life.”
“We have many aspirations forour residents and fellows. Wehave aspirations that they’ll stayand become part of the faculty.”
ON DR. DAVID PADALINO AND HIS IPAD INITIATIVE:
“His leadership really did make a difference. It’s important to get that kind of seniorleadership from within.”
Excerpts from PresidentDavid R. Smith, MD—
4 5
State University of New York
State University of New York
David Padalino, PGY-7and an assistant clinical
instructor in neuro -surgery, spearheaded
Upstate’s iPad pilotprogram for residents.Fifty-five residents areusing iPads to look at
images, examinerecords and place
orders for medication.
“We’ve taken the informationthat used to be in folders
and cabinets, and we haveaccess to all of it at the touch ofa finger,” said Padalino, showing
colleagues an image on an iPad at right. “It’s all mobile,
all the time.”
Medical residents areintegral to the
teamwork that ensuresthe high quality of
healthcare at Upstate’shospitals. Residents
often cite the sense ofsupport and unity they
find at Upstate.
Internal Medicine residentsArundeep Kahlon, PGY-1, andAmit Nat, PGY-1, consult with
Crystal Marshall, RN, on the 6Kobservation unit in Upstate
University Hospital.
Upstate’s medicalresidents and fellowshave a place of their ownto work out — arenovated exercise roomon the seventh floor ofUpstate UniversityHospital. It’s open 24hours and features fourexercise bikes, anelliptical machine,treadmill, televisions,free weights and bench.
At left are Landon Jones, anEmergency Department fellow andKatie Nacca, PGY-2 EmergencyDepartment. The workout roomresulted from an EngagingExcellence initiative and the efforts of the Life and WellnessCommittee.
The Residents andFellows Lounge inUpstate UniversityHospital is a welcomingspace for a little “downtime.” The designatedspace on the seventhfloor has computerterminals along with acouch, television,microwave, refrigeratorand a clothes washer.
At left are MaheshwaranSivarajah, PGY-2 Surgery, andLindsay Sobin, PGY-2Otolaryngology. The renovatedlounge resulted from an EngagingExcellence initiative and theefforts of the Life and WellnessCommittee.
Quality Teamwork
Working Lounge iPad Pilot
Workout Room
4 5
State University of New York
State University of New York
David Padalino, PGY-7and an assistant clinical
instructor in neuro -surgery, spearheaded
Upstate’s iPad pilotprogram for residents.Fifty-five residents areusing iPads to look at
images, examinerecords and place
orders for medication.
“We’ve taken the informationthat used to be in folders
and cabinets, and we haveaccess to all of it at the touch ofa finger,” said Padalino, showing
colleagues an image on an iPad at right. “It’s all mobile,
all the time.”
Medical residents areintegral to the
teamwork that ensuresthe high quality of
healthcare at Upstate’shospitals. Residents
often cite the sense ofsupport and unity they
find at Upstate.
Internal Medicine residentsArundeep Kahlon, PGY-1, andAmit Nat, PGY-1, consult with
Crystal Marshall, RN, on the 6Kobservation unit in Upstate
University Hospital.
Upstate’s medicalresidents and fellowshave a place of their ownto work out — arenovated exercise roomon the seventh floor ofUpstate UniversityHospital. It’s open 24hours and features fourexercise bikes, anelliptical machine,treadmill, televisions,free weights and bench.
At left are Landon Jones, anEmergency Department fellow andKatie Nacca, PGY-2 EmergencyDepartment. The workout roomresulted from an EngagingExcellence initiative and the efforts of the Life and WellnessCommittee.
The Residents andFellows Lounge inUpstate UniversityHospital is a welcomingspace for a little “downtime.” The designatedspace on the seventhfloor has computerterminals along with acouch, television,microwave, refrigeratorand a clothes washer.
At left are MaheshwaranSivarajah, PGY-2 Surgery, andLindsay Sobin, PGY-2Otolaryngology. The renovatedlounge resulted from an EngagingExcellence initiative and theefforts of the Life and WellnessCommittee.
Quality Teamwork
Working Lounge iPad Pilot
Workout Room
Beyond the DoctorateResearch Day
Left: Dr. ManikaSuryadevara, Departmentof Pediatrics, during herplatform presentation on astudy of respiratory virusesin 42 children admitted toUpstate Golisano Children’sHospital. Her researchconcluded that respiratoryviruses are frequentlydetected from thenasopharynx of febrileneutropenic patients withnegative bacterial cultures.
Right: Dr. NicholasNacca, Department of
Emergency Medicine, giveshis platform presentation
on the use of an onlinecomputer-based Advanced
Cardiac Life Supportsimulator as an adjunctive
teaching tool. In hisrandomized trial, third-yearmedical students who usedthe simulator in addition tomannequin-based training
outperformed students whodidn’t use the online tool.
Above: Dr. Sonja Gill discusses her research poster with Jay Reeder, PhD,assistant professor of pharmacology and assistant professor of urology. Dr. Gill’s poster described a case of “cotton fever” in a drug user who injectedheroin after straining it through a used cotton ball. “Cotton fever” is atransient illness, but individuals often go through extensive workups to ruleout more serious causes of the fever and tachycardia. Recognition of theillness can avoid costly procedures and lengthy hospital stays.
67
Spring 2012 Resident ReportGeneva Tower Residence Opens This Summer
Looking for housing in Syracuse for 2012-13? Upstate’s Geneva Tower opens Aug. 1 to
students and medical residents. Anyone whosigns a lease for 2012-13 will be eligible for freesummer housing in Clark Tower or a local hotel,depending on availability.
Geneva Tower units are fully furnished, andinclude dishwashers and flat-screen televisions.Cable, internet and intranet are included. CallResidence Life at 464-5106. We first met Dr. Singh in May 2011 when I was admitted with
catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. We were over-whelmed and scared. Every day we were visited by at least four dif-ferent specialists and their residents, and received many opinionson my condition and the associated treatment.
Dr. Seth was my attending physician and did an excellent jobwith my care, but Dr. Singh was able to help us understand all ofthe options and led us through this very scary journey. He visitedus every day and made me feel very safe and helped us with the de-cisions that saved my life. Dr. Singh not only took care of me, “thepatient,” he took care of my family. He made time to explain to mywife what was going on with my care. He took time out of his veryhectic life to walk my daughter to the exit and explain what wasgoing on with her dad.
I am now being seen on a monthly basis at the ROC and praythat I remain stable. Dr. Singh again takes time at the end of hislong day to call me with my lab results. I have worked in the healthcare field for over 30 years and have dealt with many physicians,and I can truly say that Dr. Singh has a special gift. I hope and praythat Dr. Singh never leaves the ROC and is my physician for as longas I need his care, because he truly is special and provides exceptionalcare all of the time.
Dr. Ajeet Gajra, Hematology/Oncology fellowship programdirector at Upstate, received a letter from a patient praisingDr. Anurag Singh, a second-year fellow who completed hisresidency at Upstate in 2010. Here’s an excerpt from the letterfrom Vin and Marilyn Maneen of Frankfort, NY.
Geneva Tower
Radium Society Features Two Upstate Residents
Two Radiation Oncology residents gave oral presentations on their research atthe 94th annual meeting of the American Radium Society this spring in Las
Vegas, Nev.
Dr. Paul Aridgides, PGY-4 — “Treatment of Large (>10cm3), IntracranialMeningiomas with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery is Effective, but Associated withIncreased Risk of Morbidity.”
Dr. Varun Chowdhry, PGY-3 — “Gliomatosis Cerebri: Treatment Outcomes andPatterns of Failure.”
Dr. Chowdhry also presented a poster, “Treatment Patterns in Long TermSurvivors of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Presenting with Brain Metastasis.”
Resident Highlights Dr. Fatoumata Kromah, PGY-4, has been elected secretary-treasurer of the NewYork State Society of Anesthesiologists. Past NYSSA officers from Upstate includepresidents Drs. Michelle Gibbons, Donna Ann Thomas, William Duggan, andBinit Shah.
Dr. Aamer Imdad, PL-1 in pediatrics, presented his research on the variations invaccination exemptions at the New York Academy of Medicine’s Pediatric TraineeNight in New York City.
Dr. Taimur Saleem, PGY-1 in general surgery, gave an oral presentation at theNew York State Committee on Trauma’s Annual Resident Paper Competition inRochester. Saleem’s paper compared patterns of significant trauma from skiing andsnowboarding crashes and examined the use of data to help develop injuryprevention interventions.
Three residents won “tech-friendly” prizes at Resident Appreciation Day,sponsored by the Office of Graduate Medical Education:
Dr. Amit Singla, Neurosurgery — laptop carrierDr. Astha Khanna, Pediatrics — USB charger Dr. Shaifali Sandal, Medicine — external hard drive
“
A Grateful Patient Praises ‘Special’ Fellow
SUNY Upstate Medical University
”
Appointment
Dr. Anurag Singh and patient Vin Maneen.
Dr. Kunal Parikh, a resident inPhysical Medicine and Rehabil -itation, has been elected to theExecutive Council of the OnondagaCounty Medical Society, and servesas the resident representative.
The Medical Society promotesquality health care by working forpatients, physicians and the com -munity, and advocates on behalf ofphysicians and their patients onhealth care policy matters. Its exec -utive council meets six times a year.
The Onondaga County Medical Society presents a “Lunch and Learn”financial planning session May 23, featuring speakers from the AXAFinancial Advisory Group.
The session runs noon to 1 p.m. May 23 in Weiskotten Hall, Room2231. Topics to be covered include:
Financial Planning for Residents
• Financial planning – things tothink about; getting your financesin order; defining priorities.
• Investing – retirement planningand general investment strategies.
• Insurance – life insurance anddisability insurance.
Beyond the DoctorateResearch Day
Left: Dr. ManikaSuryadevara, Departmentof Pediatrics, during herplatform presentation on astudy of respiratory virusesin 42 children admitted toUpstate Golisano Children’sHospital. Her researchconcluded that respiratoryviruses are frequentlydetected from thenasopharynx of febrileneutropenic patients withnegative bacterial cultures.
Right: Dr. NicholasNacca, Department of
Emergency Medicine, giveshis platform presentation
on the use of an onlinecomputer-based Advanced
Cardiac Life Supportsimulator as an adjunctive
teaching tool. In hisrandomized trial, third-yearmedical students who usedthe simulator in addition tomannequin-based training
outperformed students whodidn’t use the online tool.
Above: Dr. Sonja Gill discusses her research poster with Jay Reeder, PhD,assistant professor of pharmacology and assistant professor of urology. Dr. Gill’s poster described a case of “cotton fever” in a drug user who injectedheroin after straining it through a used cotton ball. “Cotton fever” is atransient illness, but individuals often go through extensive workups to ruleout more serious causes of the fever and tachycardia. Recognition of theillness can avoid costly procedures and lengthy hospital stays.
67
Spring 2012 Resident ReportGeneva Tower Residence Opens This Summer
Looking for housing in Syracuse for 2012-13? Upstate’s Geneva Tower opens Aug. 1 to
students and medical residents. Anyone whosigns a lease for 2012-13 will be eligible for freesummer housing in Clark Tower or a local hotel,depending on availability.
Geneva Tower units are fully furnished, andinclude dishwashers and flat-screen televisions.Cable, internet and intranet are included. CallResidence Life at 464-5106. We first met Dr. Singh in May 2011 when I was admitted with
catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. We were over-whelmed and scared. Every day we were visited by at least four dif-ferent specialists and their residents, and received many opinionson my condition and the associated treatment.
Dr. Seth was my attending physician and did an excellent jobwith my care, but Dr. Singh was able to help us understand all ofthe options and led us through this very scary journey. He visitedus every day and made me feel very safe and helped us with the de-cisions that saved my life. Dr. Singh not only took care of me, “thepatient,” he took care of my family. He made time to explain to mywife what was going on with my care. He took time out of his veryhectic life to walk my daughter to the exit and explain what wasgoing on with her dad.
I am now being seen on a monthly basis at the ROC and praythat I remain stable. Dr. Singh again takes time at the end of hislong day to call me with my lab results. I have worked in the healthcare field for over 30 years and have dealt with many physicians,and I can truly say that Dr. Singh has a special gift. I hope and praythat Dr. Singh never leaves the ROC and is my physician for as longas I need his care, because he truly is special and provides exceptionalcare all of the time.
Dr. Ajeet Gajra, Hematology/Oncology fellowship programdirector at Upstate, received a letter from a patient praisingDr. Anurag Singh, a second-year fellow who completed hisresidency at Upstate in 2010. Here’s an excerpt from the letterfrom Vin and Marilyn Maneen of Frankfort, NY.
Geneva Tower
Radium Society Features Two Upstate Residents
Two Radiation Oncology residents gave oral presentations on their research atthe 94th annual meeting of the American Radium Society this spring in Las
Vegas, Nev.
Dr. Paul Aridgides, PGY-4 — “Treatment of Large (>10cm3), IntracranialMeningiomas with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery is Effective, but Associated withIncreased Risk of Morbidity.”
Dr. Varun Chowdhry, PGY-3 — “Gliomatosis Cerebri: Treatment Outcomes andPatterns of Failure.”
Dr. Chowdhry also presented a poster, “Treatment Patterns in Long TermSurvivors of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Presenting with Brain Metastasis.”
Resident Highlights Dr. Fatoumata Kromah, PGY-4, has been elected secretary-treasurer of the NewYork State Society of Anesthesiologists. Past NYSSA officers from Upstate includepresidents Drs. Michelle Gibbons, Donna Ann Thomas, William Duggan, andBinit Shah.
Dr. Aamer Imdad, PL-1 in pediatrics, presented his research on the variations invaccination exemptions at the New York Academy of Medicine’s Pediatric TraineeNight in New York City.
Dr. Taimur Saleem, PGY-1 in general surgery, gave an oral presentation at theNew York State Committee on Trauma’s Annual Resident Paper Competition inRochester. Saleem’s paper compared patterns of significant trauma from skiing andsnowboarding crashes and examined the use of data to help develop injuryprevention interventions.
Three residents won “tech-friendly” prizes at Resident Appreciation Day,sponsored by the Office of Graduate Medical Education:
Dr. Amit Singla, Neurosurgery — laptop carrierDr. Astha Khanna, Pediatrics — USB charger Dr. Shaifali Sandal, Medicine — external hard drive
“
A Grateful Patient Praises ‘Special’ Fellow
SUNY Upstate Medical University
”
Appointment
Dr. Anurag Singh and patient Vin Maneen.
Dr. Kunal Parikh, a resident inPhysical Medicine and Rehabil -itation, has been elected to theExecutive Council of the OnondagaCounty Medical Society, and servesas the resident representative.
The Medical Society promotesquality health care by working forpatients, physicians and the com -munity, and advocates on behalf ofphysicians and their patients onhealth care policy matters. Its exec -utive council meets six times a year.
The Onondaga County Medical Society presents a “Lunch and Learn”financial planning session May 23, featuring speakers from the AXAFinancial Advisory Group.
The session runs noon to 1 p.m. May 23 in Weiskotten Hall, Room2231. Topics to be covered include:
Financial Planning for Residents
• Financial planning – things tothink about; getting your financesin order; defining priorities.
• Investing – retirement planningand general investment strategies.
• Insurance – life insurance anddisability insurance.
For more informationabout the residencyprograms at UpstateMedical Universityplease visit: www.up-state.edu/gme
Office of Graduate Medical Education750 East Adams StreetSyracuse, NY 13210
A NEWSLETTER FOR SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS I SPRING 2012
Resident Report
iPads In Hand, Data at FingertipsDr. David Padalino, a medicalresident and assistant clinicalinstructor in neurosurgery,spearheaded the Resident iPad pilotprogram, which began in Februaryand will continue into summer.
Fifty-five residents are usingiPads to look at images, examinerecords and place orders formedication.
With an iPad in hand, residentsdon’t have to walk to an availabledesktop computer and sign on,Padalino said.
“I’ve shown patients images atthe bedside, and it makes them feellike they’re part of the process,”Padalino said. “It’s engaging thepatient and engaging learning in theclinical field. It’s an all-around pushinto the 21st century.”
(See center spread for moreEngaging Excellence initiatives.)
Beyond the Doctorate
Research Day
Upstate’s medical residents and fellowshave a place of their own to work out
… and then relax, right next door.A renovated exercise room and adja-
cent lounge on the seventh floor of UpstateUniversity Hospital are tangible results ofan Engaging Excellence initiative and theefforts of the Life and Wellness Commit-tee.
The workout room (UH-7611) isopen 24 hours and features four exercisebikes, an elliptical machine, treadmill, tel-evisions, free weights and bench. Next dooris a lounge (UH-7610) with a couch, re-frigerator and computer stations. Acrossthe hall are shower facilities. Linens arestored in the gym for use in the shower, butusers must bring their own toiletries.
Upstate paint shop employees Mr. Ted Spadotto and Mr. Frank Chiarillirenovated the lounge area and workout room. Mr. Spadotto and Mr. Chiarilliwent above and beyond in order to make the overall environment more pleas-urable for the medical residents and fellows.
They:1. Arranged for the floors in each
room to be cleaned and polishedafter they had completed painting.
2. Coordinated removal of boxes fromthe shower rooms, had the roomscleaned and the tub repaired.
3. Established communication be-tween Linen Service and the GMEOffice to provide washcloths andtowels for the two shower rooms.
4. Repaired a windowsill in the gym.5. Helped mark furniture so it would
not be moved to another locationin University Hospital.
The GME office applauds these twogentlemen for their exemplary efforts onbehalf of the medical residents and fellowsat Upstate.
Ted Spadotto and Frank Chiarilli
This symbol represents Engaging Excellence, an initiative to challengeand encourage our employees to create the best workplace possible.
The month of March kicked off at Upstatewith the second annual “Beyond the
Doctorate Research Day (Postdocs, Residentsand Fellows),” an event that put “the future ofmedicine on display.”
The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs andthe Office of Graduate Medical Education setaside March 1 to celebrate the research ac-complishments of our postdoctoral appoin -tees, residents and fellows.
“The day not only showcases for ourown faculty and researchers the cutting-edgeinvestigations being undertaken by our resi-dents and fellows, but also provides a previewof the research that will ultimately change theway that care is delivered,” said WilliamGrant, EdD, associate dean of GraduateMedical Education.
“Our first consideration is always ‘Howcan we provide medical care that reduces un-necessary testing, medications and invasiveprocedures while providing improved diag-nostic and treatment options?’’ Grant said.“The future of medicine is clearly on displayhere.”
The event featured oral platform presen-tations by nine of our postdocs, residents andfellows, followed by a poster session showcas-ing additional research.
Cash awards of $500 from the office ofthe Dean of the College of Medicine weregiven to Dr. Divey Manocha for best oral
presentation, and to Dr. Michael Fikhmanfor best poster presentation. Manocha is a res-ident in the Department of Medicine andFikhman is a PGY-1 in the Department ofOphthalmology.
The keynote speaker was Jinming Gao,PhD, Professor of Oncology and Pharma -cology, Simmons Comprehensive CancerCenter, University of Texas SouthwesternMedical Center.
Planning for the 2013 event has alreadybegun.
The Future of Medicine on Display Above: Dr. MichaelFikhman, Department ofOphthalmology, discusses hisresearch project with MD/PhDstudent Adeseye Adekeyeduring the posterpresentation. Fikhman’sresearch using 26 humandonor eyes has implicationsfor surgical intervention inglaucoma patients.
Left: Dr. MargaretRiordan, Department ofNeurosurgery, gives herplatform presentation on theeffects of stannous chlorideon vasospasm and injurymarkers after subarachnoidhemorrhage (SAH) in a ratmodel. Her study indicatedstannous chloride is effectivein reducing vasospasm andtissue injury, warrantingfurther study as there are noeffective treatments for SAHin humans.
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Renovated Gym and Lounge Open on 7th Floor of Hospital
see more photos on page 7
