MUSC Catalyst 2-26-2016

Share your opinions by March 1 Survey on Page 11

February 26, 2016

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA

Vol. 34, No. 24

Inside Black History MontH

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Human rights activist has a long history in Charleston.

$3.8 Million gift

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Money will fund new surgical initiative.

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Meet Cindy

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Response

photos provided

Three MUSC physicians, Drs. Vivian Bea, Crystal Johnson-Mann and Ebony Hilton, along with James Simons Principal Quenetta White, lead a program to emplower middle school girls in downtown Charleston.

Girl power: GLOSS shines

By Mikie Hayes hayesmi@musc.edu

T

10 Wellness t H e c ata ly s t online http://www. musc.edu/ catalyst

A student shares her “me bag” with her GLOSS friends.

LIKE US

asha watched as her grandfather collapsed right in front of her eyes and lay unconscious on the floor. The Charleston seventh grader screamed at the top of her lungs for the man who is like a father to her to wake up. “Granddaddy, granddaddy, please don’t die. Please don’t leave me,” she pleaded. She was scared in a way she had never been before.

Somehow in the middle of her

Medical University of South Carolina — FOLLOW US

panic, she remembered she should dial 911.

Her call saved his life. But the next day at school, Tasha (not her real name) never mentioned her harrowing experience to any of her friends or classmates. She just kept it to herself. In the seventh grade, it’s hard to know what’s cool or what will get you ridiculed.

“She was so brave. So big. And she thought to call and get the ambulance there,” said MUSC fifth–year surgical resident Vivian Bea, M.D., sharing

See Gloss on page 6 @ Catalyst_MUSC

2 THe CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016

PeoPle

Around Campus

Brian Conner

Food & Wine Festival

Brian Conner, Ph.D., R.N., an assistant professor in the College of Nursing, has been elected to serve as the Lowcountry representative on the S.C. Nurses Foundation board of trustees. The SCNF helps to faciltate the advancement of nursing through rewards, grants and scholarship. The SCNF is an affiliate of the South Carolina Nurses Association.

Michaela Lewis

Michaela Lewis, DNP, is an instructor in the College of Nursing’s undergraduate program. Lewis brings nine years of combined experience in pediatric emergency, pediatric medical–surgical and pediatric intensive care nursing to MUSC. She has earned numerous certifications, including emergency nursing and pediatric emergency nurse.

Originally from Fayetteville, North Carolina, Lewis received her BSN from Gardner-Webb University and earned her DNP degree from MUSC in 2015.

Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425.

843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723 Editor: Cindy Abole catalyst@musc.edu

evenTs The 11th annual Charleston Wine and Food Festival will be held March 2 to March 6. The event celebrates Charleston’s culinary excellence and features local food experiences, tastings and related events at the Culinary village loacted in Marion Square.

For tickets and more information, call 727-9998 or visit www. charlestonrwineandfood.com/.

Walk for Water photo by Tony Ciuffo, ciuffo@musc.edu

S.C. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ champion Hunter Taylor, 7, front row center, is joined by his sister, parents and other supporters at the Charleston International Airport on Feb. 23. Hunter is attending the Momentum Conference in Orlando, joining 63 other champions from the U.S. and Canada.

Meredith Strehle

Meredith S. Strehle, children’s outreach operations manager for the MUSC Children’s Hospital, was presented with the S.C. Hospital Association and American College of Healthcare Executives Early Careerist Regent Award on Jan. 27.

The Catalyst is published once a week.

Paid adver tisements, which do not represent an endorsement by MUSC or the State of South Carolina, are handled by Island Publications Inc., Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 843-958-7480 or 843-937-4803. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.

Martha Sylvia

Martha Sylvia, Ph.D., R.N., was named an associate professor in the College of Nursing and is director of population health analytics at MUSC Health. Sylvia is the author of the first clinical data management textbook for the DNP program and supports nursing education. She has more than 10 years of clinical nursing experience.

Come out and support the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society team at the 2016 Water Missions Walk for Water event on March 12. The 3.5 mile walk begins at Joe Riley Stadium.

Contact Jamie Keigans at kirbyjl@ musc.edu or call 822-5402. For information visit http://tinyurl. com/gktxtmy.

Tea Room St. Philips Episcopal Church, 142 Church Street in downtown Charleston, will host its 2016 Tea Room from April 18 to April 22. The church will serve Lowcountry lunch favorites including okra soup, shrimp salad and classic chicken salad. The Tea Room, located at the corner of Church and Cumberland Streets, will operate from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. For information, visit www. stphilipschurchsc.org or call 722-7734.

Applications for Developing Scholars Award accepted This award recognizes and rewards junior faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to the research mission of MUSC, either with their individual research program or as part of an interdisciplinary research team, and to promote the continued development of these creative scholars. It is aimed at individuals who have successfully competed for extramural funding but who are still in the formative stages of their career.

Candidates are restricted to faculty members holding the rank of assistant professor who have been on the MUSC faculty at least two, but not more than six academic years.

Deadline for nominations is Thursday, April 30. Nominating packages should include the nominee’s C.V. , letters from scholars and mentors and a statement from the nominator. Nominations (PDF file) should be sent to Robin Hanckel at hanckelr@musc.edu.

THe CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016 3

Rights activist talks black history with CHP students

By J. Ryne Danielson daniejer@musc.edu Bill Saunders, a Charleston human rights activist, gave a talk Feb. 23 that was sponsored by the Student Health Professionals Recognizing Diversity (SHPURD) organization and the College of Health Professions. Saunders, who campaigned with Mary Moultrie and Coretta Scott King for better pay and working conditions for black nurses in 1969, presented a video on the nurses’ strike and answered questions from the audience.

Saunders spoke of joining a newly integrated United States Army at the age of 15.

After being wounded in Korea, he was denied a purple heart until 2002, when he received that award at a special ceremony held at The Citadel. After being discharged from the army, Saunders went on to be an organizer of the 1969 nurses’ strike as well as the lead negotiator for striking hospital workers. Today he serves on the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion at MUSC. “I’ve never had a five-year plan,” Saunders said. “My life has continued to evolve.”

He advised students in the health professions to do the same. “Get involved in your communities. Have the faith to live your lives moment by moment. Stand up for what is right, and don’t let anybody steal your joy. I hope some of you young people will really take on a life of adventure, get involved and help people.”

photo by J. Ryne Danielson, daniejer@musc.edu

Veteran and civil rights activist Bill Saunders speaks to CHP students Feb. 23. Saunders was an organizer and lead negotiator of the 1969 hospital workers strike and today serves on the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion.

MUSC VP and Provost to step away from role Staff Report On Feb. 19, MUSC Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Mark S. Sothmann, Ph.D., announced that he will step away from his university role on June 30.

Last July, Sothmann notified President Cole of his intention to step away from his position as provost; Sothmann however, he delayed the announcement in order to finalize certain key university hires reporting to

the provost.

“I have enjoyed the privilege of working for 35 years at universities, with the last 20 of those years in service as a dean, vice president for academic affairs, provost and interim president at two academic health centers — Indiana University and MUSC,” Sothmann said. “I look forward to a sabbatical in July to refocus my efforts as a faculty member in the MUSC College of Health Professions.

“These past six years as provost have been both challenging and rewarding as we, like all academic health centers, have navigated profound complexities, sober realities, and exciting opportunities. I am confident that MUSC will advance with President Cole's vision and your collective talents, and I wish good fortune for each of you and for our university.”

4 THe CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016

BC/BS Foundation presents $3.8 million to collaborative

By J. Ryne Danielson daniejer@musc.edu The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation recently presented $3.8 million to fund the South Carolina Surgical Quality Collaborative, a first–in–the–nation initiative to improve surgical safety and provide the highest quality surgical care to South Carolinians.

“We’re funding this unprecedented initiative to help ensure patients undergoing surgery have the highest quality outcomes possible,” said Harvey Galloway, executive director of the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation. “The project also creates a level playing field for the one–third of South Carolinians who are underinsured or uninsured.

“Economically disadvantaged patients in South Carolina suffer post–surgical complications at a higher rate due to a higher prevalence of chronic disease and lack of health care access, among other factors,” Galloway continued. “We view the South Carolina Surgical Quality Collaborative as a critical opportunity to reduce health disparities in our state by reducing surgical morbidity and mortality rates in a culturally sensitive manner. The success of this initiative will save lives and improve the quality of life for South Carolinians.”

The Surgical Quality Collaborative is a partnership between Health Sciences South Carolina, a research organization comprised of MUSC and other leading health systems throughout the state, and the South Carolina Hospital Association.

“The SQC is a most unique partnership between multiple entities — surgeons and hospital leaders in

quality — sharing a common vision, with data–driven metrics and education provided by HSSC and SCHA, and funded by the BCBS Foundation. This surgical collaborative represents a tremendous opportunity for patients in improving surgical quality outcomes across the state. It is a victory at several levels,” said Prabhakar Baliga, M.D., MUSC Department of Surgery chairman.

MUSC President David Cole, M.D., FACS, agreed.

“As a surgeon, this is an area of health care that is particularly near and dear to my heart,” he said. “By creating the opportunity for surgeons and hospitals to come together and have frank, open and productive conversations about how to improve surgical outcomes for South Carolinians, this collaborative will move the needle on improving surgical safety and quality.

“An important first step,” Cole continued, “is engaging physicians and providing them a safe zone to give feedback. An equally important second step is working with real–time validated outcomes data to improve our performance and patient care. Right now, first generation quality initiatives use retrospective data that can be at least six months old and do not garner the strength of collective impact. This creates inherent problems in effectively dealing with acute procedural and quality issues or identifying what best practices might look like. I’m excited to see this collaborative grow and am grateful to have the dedication of the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation, HSSC, and SCHA as our partners in the work ahead.”

The grant, which was originally announced in April 2015, will be used to bring together highly– engaged health systems, surgical leaders and other statewide organizations to establish measurement and reporting infrastructure that will serve as the

foundation for a surgery–focused learning health care collaborative. By targeting high–volume and high–risk surgical procedures, those involved hope to reduce post–operative complications and mortality while simultaneously reducing costs.

The check presentation ceremony, held in Columbia Jan. 20, also celebrated the successful recruitment of eight health systems and their surgical leaders to the effort. These health systems are Baptist Easley Hospital, KershawHealth, McLeod Regional Medical Center, Regional Medical Center, Self Regional Healthcare, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, Tidelands Health and MUSC. In addition to working to improve the outcomes of the 15 most common surgical procedures, as well as identifying and reducing the impact of health care disparities, the collaborative has two unique elements.

First, it establishes a patient engagement group to address issues outside of the surgical procedures that may influence patient outcomes. Second, it focuses on training the next generation of surgical leaders in quality improvement techniques and data evaluation by incorporating the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s training into the resident curricula at teaching institutions like MUSC. At the conclusion of the three–year project, the collaborative hopes to have realized a 3 percent reduction in surgical complications, 5,500 fewer days in the hospital, 70 fewer deaths, 33 fewer readmissions and $25 million in savings. The implementation of this model learning health care system is expected to have an impact on more than 76,000 patients across the state.

2015 Reindeer Run proceeds presented to Children’s Fund Committee members, volunteers and sponsors all gathered at the Medical University of South Carolina to present the proceeds from the 25th Annual Reindeer Run, sponsored by Half–Moon Outfitters that took place on Dec. 12, to the MUSC Children’s Fund.

The event raised $62,000 to help fund the campaign to build the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital.

The mission of the Reindeer Run, put on by the Charitable Society of Charleston and race director Amanda Mahaffey, is to promote a healthy lifestyle for the entire family. They aim to increase the community’s awareness

of the campaign for the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital campaign as well as raise funds for this project.

MUSC has learned a lot about caring for kids over the past 28 years. Kids heal faster when they have the most well– trained doctors and caregivers working in the most technologically–advanced environment possible. But kids also heal faster when they receive care in a place that feels secure and encouraging with plenty of room for family and loved ones.

Every wall, every corner, every square foot of the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital is being built with those ideas in mind.

Check presenters were Dane Schemel and Vernie South (both of the Charitable Society of Charleston), Julian Smith (Cooper River Bridge Run Race director), Frances Timmons (Charitable Society of Charleston), Amanda Mahaffey (MUSC Children’s Fund representative), Cristen Jones (president of Charitable Society of Charleston), Katherine Smith (HalfMoon Outfitters), Karen Davison (Charitable Society of Charleston) and Beezer Molten (Half-Moon Outfitters).

THe CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016 5

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Gloss

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her pride in one of the girls in her new esteem–building program.

About a year ago, a conversation with the principal at her son’s school reminded Bea what is was like to be Tasha’s age. The women discussed just how tough life is for girls in middle school.

“As I reflected back as an adult,” Principal Quenetta White of James Simons School said, “I realized the reason I made it through that time is because I had people who guided me, believed in, and checked in on me. I did not have the option to fail, and I didn’t want to fail because they believed in me more than I believed in myself. That gave me the will to do well. I wanted our girls to have that. That’s why I talked to Dr. Bea.” It’s a well–known fact just how grueling middle school can be for young teenage girls. With bodies and hormones in a state of constant flux and their minds filled with worry about social issues like having friends, fitting in and not being left out, it’s no wonder these girls labeled “tweens” feel insecure and confused. “These are the years,” Bea said, “when strong role models are vitally important. Girls at this age need someone to believe in them, someone to listen to them, someone to encourage them. And many young teens don’t have that; not every home is supportive or involved.”

White shared with Bea how wonderful it would be if the girls had role models who “looked like them” — women who had realized their dreams. “They need someone to share with them and guide them,” she told Bea. “Not a teacher or a parent, someone neutral. When the girls look at you — I want them to say, ‘I see myself. This is possible for me.’”

After their conversation, the thought of girls needing help weighed heavily on Bea’s heart and mind for nearly a year. She had grown up in Washington, D.C. and felt lucky to have had the opportunity to see so many successful people who looked like her — her pediatrician, in fact, was also AfricanAmerican. That connection made an impact on her.

“I said to myself, ‘I can do that.’ It’s always important — in particular in an African–American community — to have leaders and people who are successful to

show others that they can do this.

“In fact, when you talk about medicine and health disparities,” she continued, “it’s often better for a patient when they see somebody who looks like them — it creates a connection — you can’t explain it. For instance, when I first started out, my attending would talk to a patient, and then I would go in afterward and ask, ‘Do you understand what the doctor told you?’ They would say, ‘No, baby, I don’t,’ and I would explain it in very simple terms, and they would get it. That’s very important.”

After thinking about that, she decided to see if what worked in medicine could work with these young girls. “If they see people Johnson-Mann who they can relate to, people who are also successful, then they will know they can do it, too.”

She talked to friend and fellow resident Crystal JohnsonMann, M.D., and MUSC anesthesiologist Ebony Hilton, M.D., about the program, and they were thrilled to get on board.

The program would bring Hilton together middle school girls to talk about what’s on their minds and help them see things, see themselves, a little differently. The principal and Bea then came up with a name that would speak to girls of that age, and when they decided upon GLOSS, they knew they had it. GLOSS stands for Girls Loving OurSelves Successfully.

The girls who were selected to be a part of GLOSS had to write letters about why they wanted to be involved and have letters of recommendation submitted on their behalves. In the end, all who applied were accepted, as was the original plan, but they wanted the girls to understand they had earned

photo by Sarah Pack, packsa@musc.edu

Surgery resident Dr. Vivian Jolley Bea checks on one of her patients, Leon Smith, at MUSC Ashley River Tower. their spots, and this was an important endeavor.

They met with the girls for the first time this month and could never have predicted what an impact 12 girls and 90 minutes would have on their lives.

The first thing they did was to give the girls matching pink T–shirts that Bea’s cousin had designed. That one small act told the girls they belonged and that already someone cared about them. Bea said they went crazy over the gift. circle of trust The meeting went better than the doctors could ever have anticipated. “We talked to the girls, and my heart was so filled with joy. I can’t even explain it,” Bea said. “We shared our secrets and stories with them, and they told us about things that had happened to them. They really shared some of their deep, dark secrets. They knew there was a circle of trust.”

Bea had the chance to share with them that at their age, she had been an oddball, but that that was OK. She explained to them that since she was in middle school, she had had a dream, a destiny, and that nothing was going to get in the way of achieving it, not hanging out at the mall or going to parties with friends.

“I made sacrifices,” she told them.

“From the age of 12, my family and friends called me Dr. Viv. And that planted a seed. From then on, everything

I did had to revolve around that or contribute to it. I had no time for things outside of that.”

She wanted them to understand that her family didn’t have a lot of money, but they did have dreams, and they also loved music. Playing her flute, she explained, was the way to get her to her dreams.

“I envisioned myself playing first chair with the orchestra. And, at the same time, I was also a surgeon, like Dr. Ben Carson. So I would be playing classical music with the orchestra and jump off the stage to run do this very important surgery. I found out it didn’t work that way,” she said, laughing.

Hilton, an attending physician in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, had a different experience growing up, and shared that perspective with the girls. She feels that GLOSS is a very important project. “I didn’t come from a place where there were doctors in my neighborhood or in my family,” she told the girls. “I knew I wanted to be an M.D., but I didn’t know how to get there. I want you to know you can be anything you want to be. The sky is the limit.”

Hilton believes that as physicians, it is incumbent on them to give back and positively influence younger generations. “Right now,” she said, “as far as minorities in medicine, African–

See Gloss on page 8

The CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016 7

Trustees hear from community members on grievance policies Staff Report As part of the regular board agenda, the trustees heard a presentation from two community representatives who are also members of the MUSC President’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion: Leonard Riley Jr. and Pastor Thomas Dixon. Anton J. Gunn, MUSC Health chief diversity officer, also participated, having been selected by the council to address the board.

The two community members presented suggestions concerning MUSC employee grievance policies.

Both community presenters commented on MUSC’s ongoing commitment to treat employees in a fair and equitable manner. Legislators in attendance applauded the open dialogue and noted MUSC’s tremendous commitment to patient care throughout the state.

President David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, said, “The advisory council is voluntary, and so there are a lot of people who are very busy committing their time and efforts to move the ball forward and help us all be better. I want to acknowledge that and say thank you.

“This discussion will continue to be a standing agenda item for every board of trustees meeting. It’s an opportunity for community leadership, through the D&I council, to bring concerns, report and discuss, as we move forward, anything that we need to do to improve ourselves.

This is a very directed, specific effort and change that the board has made.”

Reflecting on the grievance policy discussion and suggestions, Cole noted, “One thing that’s been alluded to, we have, at the university level, statutes from the state of South Carolina that provide a framework for the grievance process.

We have to work within that [legislative] framework.” He also explained that the hospital authority’s grievance process was created “to be substantially similar to the state regulations.”

He said, “Our purpose would be to come back with specific recommended action items to report to the board at their next meeting.”

Cole also observed that the day’s discussions highlighted two of the five strategic pillars of the university: embrace diversity and inclusion and build healthy communities.

“We’re committed to this [diversity and inclusion], and I cannot say that strongly enough.” He then referred to a diversity and inclusion fact sheet that MUSC had shared with everyone attending the Friday morning board meeting. “It’s a snapshot to help people understand where we are and some of the progress we are making, because we are committed to making real change.

That’s an ongoing process.”

Cole said the commitment to build healthy communities is not merely about providing the best health care possible.

“Moving into the future, we have to have partnerships in the community that are meaningful…with dialogue that helps us move not only MUSC but the

“I don’t know whether people realize how blessed they are to have MUSC right here in the state of South Carolina, where people come from literally all over the world to have some of the best health care that MUSC can deliver.”

State Rep. David J. Mack III

“You guys are to be commended for the things that you’re doing.

I think your heart is in the right place, and we go back a long way. But focusing back on the president, I believe he is committed. He wants change for the better, and his interest is for the university and the hospital.”

State Rep. Wendell Gilliard community forward, because our mission is intertwined with the community by definition.”

MUSC Board of Trustees Chairman Don Johnson, M.D., echoed Cole’s sentiments, saying, “There’s a mechanism in place for people to communicate with the board, and it’s been in place for quite a long time now.

This board is hearing you, is listening to you. We appreciate you coming and want

to see you back some time soon.”

The board also learned that 59 percent of all contracted dollars to date have been awarded to minority vendors and spent on the demolition of the former McClennan-Banks medical facility to make way for the new children’s hospital.

These dollars went to women and small, minority-owned business enterprises, representing $1.04 million out of $2 million in awarded contracts.

MUSC continues to focus on our five strategic pillars: Patients First, Innovative Learning, Diversity & Inclusion, Scientific Discoveries, and Healthy Communities. Here’s a link to the newly developed D&I Fact Sheet summarizing the progress made and our commitment to the ongoing process of making real change http://academicdepartments.musc. edu/pr/Diversity-Inclusion-Fact-Sheet-021116.pdf.

8 THe CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016

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Continued from Page Six

Americans only make up 4 percent of the doctor population, yet we are 13 percent of the national population. That gap is the main reason patients don’t see doctors who look like them. And for young girls, that’s a deterrent. They don’t know if they can do it. They need mentors, and that puts the weight on our shoulders. We told the girls, ‘We will be the face for you. We will let you know you can do it and help you get there.’”

Johnson-Mann, too, had a lot to share with the girls who could not get enough time with the three doctors. She has been involved with mentoring programs for African–American youth throughout medical school and residency, but felt GLOSS was a particularly special endeavor. “I really needed to be a part of it given the numerous negative images of African-American females that exist in the media. Our young African–American females need examples of those in the community who are the positive role models. They need to see that goals of being lawyers, doctors, engineers are all well within their reach and that it isn't some far–fetched dream to only be deferred. I want them to know they can do whatever they set their minds to accomplish.”

She couldn’t get over how the girls were “all so incredibly sincere in expressing their hopes and dreams for their futures” or the stories of things the girls had experienced already at their young age. “I was incredibly touched by the way they opened up to us and immediately felt a connection with them,” she said.

The MUSC doctors quickly became a support system for the girls.

As they were in the middle of their meeting, the principal came to the door with two young ladies, who the day before, had been fighting each other.

They weren’t suspended, but they were in trouble. So she brought them into the room with the GLOSS girls who were proudly wearing their pink T-shirts, laughing and telling stories. The two who had been causing trouble wanted none of it and made sure the others knew.

Bea shared what happened next. “Oh they had attitudes. They were rolling their eyes at everything. The last thing they were going to do was interact with us. But that just told us that these were the exact girls who needed to hear our message.”

photo provided

GLOSS mentors encourage the girls to talk about their aspirations and shoot for the moon. a sisterHood is Born Tasha still had not told anyone about the frightening experience she’d had the day before with her grandfather. As she began to open up and share her story with the group, she burst into tears. “So what did that do?” Bea asked. “All the other girls began rallying around her and hugging her, and before you knew it, it led to them all opening up and sharing their stories. The girls were crying.

Our hearts just broke. We were all so touched.”

Another girl had a brown bag, Bea said. “She decorated it real cute and inside she had things that would tell us about her. She had a purple feather because that’s her favorite color. She had poems she wrote and shared. She shared a picture of her baby sister, and then mentioned to us quietly that she had another baby sister who died.”

The young lady shared that her sister had been in the MUSC neonatal intensive care unit, but she died. She was distraught that she had never held her baby sister during that time. “That’s why she wants to be a neonatologist,” Bea said. “She saw how well MUSC took care of her baby sister and the difference that made to the family. We told her, ‘You are important. And if that is something important to you, you can do it.’ Now it’s important we get her over to MUSC to shadow someone so she can begin to believe it herself.”

Johnson–Mann added, “Her heartfelt

emotion when sharing her personal story, and the impact it has had on her, spurring her drive to become a neonatologist, was special to witness.

There were several other similar stories, and at 12 years of age, these ladies had a better grasp on the fragility of life than many adults.”

The GLOSS mentors are scheduled to meet with the girls monthly but are hoping to increase it to twice a month.

In between, Principal White will meet with the girls weekly.

“We really want to meet with them more frequently. It is making such a big difference in their lives,” Bea said.

They didn’t want us to leave, they kept hugging us and telling us how beautiful we are. More importantly, we told them how beautiful they are.”

When Principal White described what happened in the room that first day, she got emotional. “When the girls first saw the doctors, they gasped. They could not believe there were three AfricanAmerican female doctors working right down the street at MUSC. This was truly a profound moment – one of the best moments of my life. To see the girls laugh, hug, cry, trust — this is why this program is so near and dear to my heart.”

They have a full curriculum developed for the program. Next month, they will make vision boards with the girls to help them unlock their dreams and goals and shoot for the moon. The girls are so

excited and eagerly collecting magazines for the project.

Now that they understand the need, the doctors plan to replicate the program in other schools and places around the Lowcountry to influence other middle school girls. One of the plans is to invite other black MUSC doctors, nurses and professionals to meet with the girls, as well as to bring lawyers and other businesswomen of color onto the GLOSS mentoring team.

Bea just found out she’ll be spending a year at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and plans to bring the program to schools there. She doesn’t want to lose momentum.

My heart was so uplifted,” Bea said, “but at the same time, it was so heavy.

I just wish we had started this group sooner.” Hilton agreed. “These little girls are so special — the confidence they exuded after we left was palpable. It was crazy to see the difference in them. This program is so necessary.”

Johnson–Mann echoed her colleagues’ passion. “I hope that by my involvement in this very special group that I can continue to help provide wisdom and guidance for these young ladies and to be a shoulder for them to lean on in times of doubt and fear. I want them to realize if they set a goal, they can achieve it. There are endless possibilities for their futures. We as professionals need to continue to invest in the next generation's success.”

So what happened to the two girls who came to the meeting mad at each other and everyone else? According to Bea, the open, honest emotion in the room broke through layers of hurt and fear. She said, “One looked at the other one and said, ‘I am so sorry. Sometimes I feel like I’m trying to prove myself to everybody. I know that I’m smart. I know I can do better. I will do better.’”

During the meeting, the two girls called a truce. Now they – along with their new friends – proudly wear the bright pink GLOSS T–shirt — a symbol of a trusting sisterhood. Their principal is amazed. “One of the toughest girls to get through to hugs me every day now.”

While Principal White can’t thank the three MUSC doctors enough for their commitment to the girls, in actuality, Bea, Hilton and Johnson–Mann feel they are the ones who are blessed to be involved.

THe CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016 9

WebEx serves as new online meeting tool finkm@musc.edu MUSC employees now have access to Cisco’s online meeting system, WebEx. WebEx is cloud–and–browser based and can accommodate large meetings of up to 1,000 participants, such as town halls.

WebEx also offers small meeting centers for up to eight participants.

With fully integrated audio and toll-free set up, WebEx will enhance the current state of online meetings. Other benefits include the capability to record meetings (including video content), integration with Learning Managements Systems (MyQuest and Moodle) and access from mobile devices (Android, iPhone, Blackberry and Windows Phone 8). If using a mobile device to host or attend a meeting through WebEx, you can even share your screen and content.

“It took a group effort,” said Vince Dibble, telecommunications and network services manager for the Office

of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). “A selection committee was formed and evaluated products from five vendors. The group chose Cisco’s WebEx solution because of its ease of use and great support platform. It was the best overall product.” MUSC also has a positive and long history with Cisco, a company whichcurrently provides the hardware for our network.

WebEx will replace the Avaya Aura Conferencing (AAC) tool that was previously used for the medical center town halls. AAC will be now be used as a voice conferencing bridge to take the place of our Meet-Me conferencing system, which is going away later this year.

WeBex support University users can work with their department/college IT representative for meeting, training and event assistance.

The OCIO is still working out the details around the support model for medical

center employees. There is a toll-free number available for all meeting hosts or any employee with an MUSC email address to call for live WebEx support.

Training videos and an extensive knowledge base library are accessible on WebEx’s support website.

Note: If available, it is best to use computer speakers and microphones when attending meetings. This option is called VoIP, which is short for Voice over Internet Protocol. A camera will also be needed to fully participate in online meetings. The playback of UCF (Universal Communications Format) rich media files requires appropriate players. To view this type of rich media files in the meeting, please check whether you have the players installed on your computer by going to https:// musc.webex.com/musc/onstage/ systemdiagnosis.php. If your computer does not have speakers, WebEx can call you, or you can call into the teleconference to access the audio. This

SCTR Institute announces collaborations grant program awards The South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute and the MUSC Office of Interprofessional Initatives is hosting a team science and interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaborations small grant program.

The purpose of this grant is to promote team science and evaluate the impact of teamwork on scientific productivity, patient safety outcomes, translational research, education and clinical care.

Team science initiatives are designed to promote collaborative and often crossdisciplinary approaches to answer research questions that focus on understanding and enhancing the antecedent conditions, collaborative processes and outcomes associated with team science initiatives, including their scientific discoveries; educational training and clinical outcomes; and translations of research findings into new practices, patents, products, technical advances and policies.

Award amounts may be up to $15,000 (12 months). To obtain an application or to access the online application submission link, visit http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/sctr/.

Deadline to receive applications is by noon,

t

method does use enterprise telephone system resources.

This WebEx service includes a feature that allows audio and any documents and other materials exchanged or viewed during the session to be recorded. By joining the session, you automatically consent to such recordings. If you do not consent to the recording, discuss your concerns with the meeting host prior to the start of the recording or do not join the session. Please note that any such recordings may be subject to discovery in the event of litigation.

One only needs an account if you plan on hosting meetings. If interested in creating a WebEx account, go online to https://muscstudents.webex.com.

THE HUNNICUTT REAL ESTATE TEAM...

Tuesday, March 15.

For information, contact Dayan Ranwala, Ph.D., SCTR at ranwala@musc.edu or Jeff Borckardt, Ph.D., director, MUSC Office of Interprofessional Initiatives at borckard@musc. edu.

Discovery Grant Pilot due Feb. 26 Purpose: To facilitate high-impact translational research with emphasis on diseases of significant prevalence in South Carolina. The primary objectives are to support new and innovative, scientifically meritorious projects to collect critical preliminary data for submission of extramural grant applications and to publish research findings. It is required to have an interdisciplinary collaboration with at least one Co-Investigator/Collaborator from a different discipline to apply.

Request for Applications (RFA) and online application submission link can be found at http:// academicdepartments.musc.edu/sctr/programs/ pilot_projects.

Deadline to receive applications is noon Friday, Feb.26. For information, contact Dayan Ranwala, Ph.D., at ranwala@musc.edu.

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10 THe CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016

Celebrate March as National Nutrition Month March is right around the corner, which means it’s time to celebrate National Nutrition Month.

The NNM campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating habits. This year’s theme is “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right.� To celebrate, MUSC and Sodexo will explore the rich cultural influences on the Lowcountry cuisine in a “mindful� manner. Mindful recipes are prepared with less fat and sugar and more traditional flavors to deliver more food, fewer calories and great taste!

Each week in March, the cafeteria will prepare a new dish inspired by the flavors of Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, culminating in a final dish that will be served at the end of the month, that summarizes the flavor of the Lowcountry. Featured dishes will be available in the main hospital on Wednesdays and at ART on Thursdays during lunch. To encourage customers to recreate the dish at home, a demo on how to prepare the entrĂŠe will be playing

Wellness Events and food samples and recipe q February Mindful copies will be distributed.

Challenge — “Know The recorded cooking demos your numbers, show can be viewed anytime on the your heart some love.�

MUSC Food and Nutrition Take the initial survey YouTube channel and will at www.musc.edu/ohp/ be shared through broadcast monthlymindfulchallenge. messages and social media. html and complete the final One customer per sampling survey at the end of the event will win a bag of fresh month for a chance to share produce from the MUSC your story in our “Spotlight Urban Farm. All month long, on Wellness� series. the purchase of a mindful Susan Johnson q Be one in a million hearts. option generates an entry into Participate in the BHAC a prize drawing from the local National Challenge: Learn the ABC’s CSA Compost in My Shoe. of cardiovascular disease. Prizes will be At 12:15 p.m. on March 17, the awarded to the top three institutions celebration goes outside for a Lunch with the most participants. The Office and Learn event at the Urban Farm of Health Promotion will give away a where flavorful culinary influences from Fitbit in a random drawing of all MUSC the local food scene and tastings of the students and staff who complete the French and Creole inspired dish of the Million Hearts Module. To enter for week. a chance to win, email certificate of Take time this March to savor the completion to johnsusa@musc.edu. For flavor of the Lowcountry and enjoy more information, visit millionhearts. traditional foods that are delicious and osu.edu or email johnsusa@musc.edu. nutritious.

Health at work

Bell Motor Company Announces Personalized Vehicle Sourcing for the Busy Professional A Totally Hassle Free Transaction It can’t be easier than this: • Tell us what type of vehicle(s) you’re interested in. • We source it. • When we find the vehicle; you say yes or no to price quoted. • If yes..We buy it ..Not You. • We deliver the vehicle to you. • Upon delivery and 100% satisfaction you pay for the vehicle. • We handle all the paperwork. • No fees of any kind.

1. Visit http://go.osu.edu/millionhearts 2. Select “BHAC Million Hearts Challenge� from the course list 3. Log in if previous user or select “create new account�

4. Select MUSC from the Affiliated Organization drop down list 5. New users will receive a confirmation email containing an activation link.

Once the link is clicked, the enrollment process is complete. q Chair massages — Free massages are offered to employees midday Wednesdays. Check broadcast messages for new locations and times. q Farmers Markets — Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Horseshoe.

MUSC Urban Farm

q Midday Work and Learn — 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., Tuesday q Early Bird Maintenance — 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Wednesday q Saturday Work and Learns – 9 to 11 a.m., March 5 and March 19

For further information call Mel @ (843) 751-4833 or visit our web page www.mycarfindersc.com Our Version of: TIME MANAGEMENT “Let Someone Else Do It�

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THe CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016 11

MUSC – Let Us Hear From You!

M

USC is conducting a communications audit to hear what employees have to say about our efforts. This brief, anonymous survey is designed so that employees and students can feel free to comment on any aspect of our communications work. How effectively we, as an enterprise, communicate will have a tangible impact on our ability to achieve MUSC’s strategic goals.

Please take five minutes to complete this survey and return it to us by March 1. You may already have received this survey online. Please only complete the survey once. Your responses are confidential. Thank You. PosT–suRvey insTRuCTions Once you’ve completed the form, please do one of the following: q Drop it off at any of the nine designated drop boxes located at the first floor security or information desks of the following buildings: – University Hospital – Clinical Science Building – Children’s Hospital – ART – Rutledge Tower – MUSC Wellness Center – Harborview Office Tower – MUSC Health East Cooper – MUSC Parkshore Office Center q Scan and email to pubrelat@musc.edu q Mail your form using an interoffice envelope to: MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street Suite 403, MSC 189 Attn: Survey q Fax it to 843-792-6723 q Take a photo using your cellphone and email it to pubrelat@ musc.edu.

Survey deadline is March 1.

12 THe CaTalysT, Feb. 26, 2016

dental Medicine staff recognized

photos provided

Dr. John Sanders, center, dean of the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, congratulates Irina Petchenya, left, and Debra White who were the recipients of the CDM’s Staff Recognition Award. Sanders delivered a speech at the event and lunch was served to employees.

Dean Sanders also praised 2015 CDM Staff Award winners Ann Jeffries, left, (clinical) and Jane Heeg (nonclinical).

The Acorn School of Charleston Charleston’s Waldorf School Opening AugustFirst of 2016 in West Ashley

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