Focus on Urban Health - Keck School of Medicine of USC ...

Dean establishes Community Leadership CouncilKeck School of Medicine Dean Carmen A.Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A., speaks with members ofthe new Dean’s Community Leadership Council,from left, Carlos Vaquerano, Roland Fargo andRichard Zaldivar.A new Dean’s Community Leadership Council is partnering with theKeck School of Medicine of USC to explore ways to improve healthservices that meet the needs of the surrounding community.“It’s important that we communicate with the community about whatwe’re doing and hear what the concerns of the community are on anongoing basis. So we would like to think of this as a forum to talk abouthealth care issues,” Keck School Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., M.B.A.,said May 27 at the first meeting of the Community Leadership Councilon the USC Health Sciences Campus.Glenn Ault, M.D., associate dean for clinical administration (LAC+USCMedical Center), briefed the council members about the medical schooland its historic relationship with the county hospital, which is the largestprovider of health care in Los Angeles County.“We want to hear from you, what your concerns are and how USCand the Keck School can help you,” Ault said.Photo by Brook Photography (top); Photo by Tania Chatila (center); Photo by Jon Nalick (right)From left, Tarek Salaway, Vaughn Starnes, M.D., Ray Matthews, M.D., Leslie Saxon,M.D., May Kim, M.D., Emma Wright and Fred Weaver, M.D., display a speciallyoutfitted ambulance used in the USC 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 USCUniversity Hospital for procedures or treatments that cannot be provided at theirhospital of origin.Ray Matthews, M.D., professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School ofMedicine, was integral in launching the program based on experience he had withsimilar initiatives at other hospitals. And now the program is seeing increased use,says Matthews.“We are very satisfied with the utilization of this program, and we are confidentit will only continue to grow over time,” says Matthews, adding that USC’s cardiovascularmedicine, vascular surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and neurosurgeryprograms use the transportation service now.As part of the program, USC University Hospital has contracted witha local ambulance company to provide transportation from Los Angelesareahospitals, using a specially outfitted ambulance emblazoned withthe hospital logo. A rapid admission process has also been created toensure there are no delays in patient care.USMLE scores continue to climbat Keck School By Ryan BallKeck students’ mean scores on theU.S. Medical Licensing Examination(USMLE) Part 1 continue on an upwardtrajectory, rising well above the nationalaverage. When the final scores from2009 came in, the average score forKeck’s class of 2011 reached 235, whilethe national mean hovered at 221.Keck 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 off, they shot up again.According to Allan Abbott, M.D.,associate dean for curriculum andcontinuing education at the KeckSchool, the students are simply betterprepared for the test now.The Year I-II medical school curriculumwas completely revised to enhancethe understanding and clinicalrelevance of the basic medical sciencesthat are taught, Abbott says. This andother factors, including more time fordirected self-study, small group learningand integration of clinical casescenarios that feature applications ofbasic sciences have helped studentsbetter prepare for the USMLE.keck.usc.edu KECK MEDICINE 7