Focus on Urban Health - Keck School of Medicine of USC ...
Focus on Urban Health - Keck School of Medicine of USC ...
Focus on Urban Health - Keck School of Medicine of USC ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Dean establishes Community Leadership Council<strong>Keck</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong> Dean Carmen A.Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., speaks with members <strong>of</strong>the new Dean’s Community Leadership Council,from left, Carlos Vaquerano, Roland Fargo andRichard Zaldivar.A new Dean’s Community Leadership Council is partnering with the<strong>Keck</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>USC</strong> to explore ways to improve healthservices that meet the needs <strong>of</strong> the surrounding community.“It’s important that we communicate with the community about whatwe’re doing and hear what the c<strong>on</strong>cerns <strong>of</strong> the community are <strong>on</strong> an<strong>on</strong>going basis. So we would like to think <strong>of</strong> this as a forum to talk abouthealth care issues,” <strong>Keck</strong> <strong>School</strong> Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A.,said May 27 at the first meeting <strong>of</strong> the Community Leadership Council<strong>on</strong> the <strong>USC</strong> <strong>Health</strong> Sciences Campus.Glenn Ault, M.D., associate dean for clinical administrati<strong>on</strong> (LAC+<strong>USC</strong>Medical Center), briefed the council members about the medical schooland its historic relati<strong>on</strong>ship with the county hospital, which is the largestprovider <strong>of</strong> health care in Los Angeles County.“We want to hear from you, what your c<strong>on</strong>cerns are and how <strong>USC</strong>and the <strong>Keck</strong> <strong>School</strong> can help you,” Ault said.Photo by Brook Photography (top); Photo by Tania Chatila (center); Photo by J<strong>on</strong> Nalick (right)From left, Tarek Salaway, Vaughn Starnes, M.D., Ray Matthews, M.D., Leslie Sax<strong>on</strong>,M.D., May Kim, M.D., Emma Wright and Fred Weaver, M.D., display a speciallyoutfitted ambulance used in the <strong>USC</strong> University Hospital rapid transport program.F O R S P E C I A LT Y C A R ENew service provides rapid transportBy Tania ChatilaA r a p i d t r a n s p o r tat i o n p r o g r a m at U S C U n i v e r s i t y H o s p i ta l i sg a i n i n g m o m e n t u m .The program is designed to transfer critically ill patients to <strong>USC</strong>University Hospital for procedures or treatments that cannot be provided at theirhospital <strong>of</strong> origin.Ray Matthews, M.D., pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> clinical medicine at the <strong>Keck</strong> <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong><strong>Medicine</strong>, was integral in launching the program based <strong>on</strong> experience he had withsimilar initiatives at other hospitals. And now the program is seeing increased use,says Matthews.“We are very satisfied with the utilizati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> this program, and we are c<strong>on</strong>fidentit will <strong>on</strong>ly c<strong>on</strong>tinue to grow over time,” says Matthews, adding that <strong>USC</strong>’s cardiovascularmedicine, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and neurosurgeryprograms use the transportati<strong>on</strong> service now.As part <strong>of</strong> the program, <strong>USC</strong> University Hospital has c<strong>on</strong>tracted witha local ambulance company to provide transportati<strong>on</strong> from Los Angelesareahospitals, using a specially outfitted ambulance emblaz<strong>on</strong>ed withthe hospital logo. A rapid admissi<strong>on</strong> process has also been created toensure there are no delays in patient care.USMLE scores c<strong>on</strong>tinue to climbat <strong>Keck</strong> <strong>School</strong> By Ryan Ball<strong>Keck</strong> students’ mean scores <strong>on</strong> theU.S. Medical Licensing Examinati<strong>on</strong>(USMLE) Part 1 c<strong>on</strong>tinue <strong>on</strong> an upwardtrajectory, rising well above the nati<strong>on</strong>alaverage. When the final scores from2009 came in, the average score for<strong>Keck</strong>’s class <strong>of</strong> 2011 reached 235, whilethe nati<strong>on</strong>al mean hovered at 221.<strong>Keck</strong> students first began to breakaway from the pack in 2001 afterthe school implemented a new, fullyintegrated curriculum. Since then, theirUSMLE scores have improved from yearto year, finally hitting a plateau in 2007and 2008. Just when they seemed tobe leveling <strong>of</strong>f, they shot up again.According to Allan Abbott, M.D.,associate dean for curriculum andc<strong>on</strong>tinuing educati<strong>on</strong> at the <strong>Keck</strong><strong>School</strong>, the students are simply betterprepared for the test now.The Year I-II medical school curriculumwas completely revised to enhancethe understanding and clinicalrelevance <strong>of</strong> the basic medical sciencesthat are taught, Abbott says. This andother factors, including more time fordirected self-study, small group learningand integrati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> clinical casescenarios that feature applicati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong>basic sciences have helped studentsbetter prepare for the USMLE.keck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 7