PathWays
A monthly newsletter for UW Medicine Pathology faculty, trainees and staff
Summer 2008Volume 4, Issue 7&8
Meeting and Event Calendar, News and Seminar Announcements
Annual UW Medicine Pathology RetreatAll UW Medicine Pathology faculty, residents and trainees are invited to attend the annual departmental retreat, September 12-13 at the Sleeping Lady in Leavenworth. The deadline to RSVP is Wednesday, August 20th. The theme of the retreat is Aging and Age-Related Diseases. Our own Dr. George Martin is the keynote speaker. Contact Steve Berard at 685.0564 if you have any questions.
UW Medicine School of Medicine 2008-09 Science in Medicine Lecture Series
Please Save the Date for our first 2008-09 Science in Medicine Lecture and mark your calendars accordingly.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
T-625, T-Wing
Health Science Building
University of Washington
12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.
The featured New Investigator Science in Medicine Lecturer:
Dr. Jay Shendure
Assistant Professor
Department of Genome Sciences
The 2008-09 Science in Medicine Lecturer series will be featured on Thursdays during the school year.
Please visit the UW Medicine Pathology homepage or the MyPath intranet site for information on public and internal Pathology news and events.
The UW Medicine Events Calendar is updated every Friday.
Check out the News & Events section of MyPath regularly for information on department news and events.
Save the Date Announcements
2008 Holiday PartyThursday, December 18, 2008 at the South Campus Center
2009 UW Medicine Pathology Retreat
September 11-12, 2009
Sleeping Lady Mountain Retreat
Leavenworth, WA
2010 Haggitt Lecture
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Laura Lamps, M.D.
Professor
Department of Pathology
University of Arkansas College of Medicine
In The News
We’re Number 10The University of Washington Medical Center was ranked number 10 in the US News & World Report’s annual survey of the 5,453 hospitals located in the United States. Please read the story in the July 10th issue of US News & World Report.
For a complete list of the rankings, please visit the US News & World Report website.
Linden Rhoads, New UW Tech Transfer Director
The Puget Sound Business Journal sat down with Linden Rhoads, the new director of UW Tech Transfer, and discussed plans to overhaul IT structure of the department.
WSU Pursues Research Funding
Washington State University, currently 83rd nationally in research and development funding, is seeking to build up its research programs. UW ranks 6th with over $700 million in spending in 2006.
UW Fundraising Prowess
The Seattle Times recently chronicled the fundraising prowess of the UW Foundation which raised $2.68 billion during an eight-year fundraising campaign, nearly $900,000 a day.
UW Medicine News
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UW Med School Online News
The UW Med School Online News is a weekly publication of the University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine News and Community Relations department. New issues are posted each Friday. Previous issues dating back to 1998 can be found in the archive and are also included in the search index.
For the latest news from UW Medicine, visit the UW Medicine website.
UWMC News
Meet Steve Rath, Pathologists Assistant
Steve Rath M.H.S., PA (ASCP) joined UWMC Anatomic Pathology last February. Steve has been practicing as a Pathologists Assistant since graduating from an accreditted program in 1995. Steve joins us from Medford Pathology Associates in Medford, Oregon. He spent the last 7 years in private practice setting. Steve was responsible for resident training in gross suyrgical pathology while in Minnesota and is eager to be back teaching his trade.
Frozen Section Room Update
The frozen section room reopened in July after being closed during a six-month renovation project. The renovation, funded by $640,000 in capital improvement money, increased the Frozen Section Room by 100 square feet. Special thanks to Drs. Swanson and Schmidt, Eric Broeren, PCS, and the Gross Room team for making it happen.
Before
After
Big Shoes to Fill
Dr. Corrine Fligner, Director of Autopsy and Decendent Affairs, recently announced that Jessica Norberg has accepted the position of Autopsy and Decedent Affairs Program Operations Specialist, replacing Janet Miller who retired last May.
Upcoming UWMC Events
UWMC Softball TournamentSave the Date: Saturday, August 16, 2008
UWMC Employees are once again invited to create a team, but this time it's for a great day of softball. This event brings a numbers of folks from around the hospital, and family members can join in the fun. The requirement is to have a minimum of 5 team members from UWMC; the rest of the team can be family and friends.
Pumpkin Carving Contest
Save the Date: October 2008
Each department or unit can pick up a pumpkin to carve for the contest. This is a contest that allows employees to show off their creative skills. This event allows everybody to joining in the fun.
Check out the UWMC Recognition TEAM website for more details.
Harborview News
Daniel Scott Willis HT (ASCP)December 28, 1952 - June 24, 2008
Dan Willis, beloved friend and colleague of those in the HMC Pathology Department, died on June 24th of complications from liver failure at St. Francis Hospital in Auburn. Dan's wife, Claudia, and children: Desiree, Garrett and Sean were at his bedside.
Dan graduated, with honors, from the Shoreline Community College Histology program in 1980. Dr. Ming Lee, Sumiko Sumida and Joanie Coey, who supervised his histology training, found Dan to be so memorable that Joanie contacted Dan at his job at St. Joseph Hospital in Longview and asked him to consider applying for the Histology Supervisor position when Sumiko transferred to UWMC Pathology in 1987. Dan was the HMC Histology lab supervisor for 21 years.
Dan was devoted to his family. He enjoyed sharing his love for his country and its history and his passions: motorcycles, hiking, panning for gold, actually, all things outdoors, paintball and working on his car with his children.
Dan's passing has been a great loss to his friends at HMC. His humor and gregarious nature made him a key figure in the laboratory wing.
Wedding Bells
Mona Gilkerson and her longtime boyfriend Harvey were married on July 22nd. Mona and Harvey met at college (Eastern Washington University) when she was only 17 years old, and he was an old man of 23. Thirty-three years later (and after living together for the past 21 years), Mona and Harvey finally decided to get married, meeting Mona's personal goal of getting married before she turned 50. They cut it pretty close as Mona turned 50 only three short weeks later. The wedding was a small, private ceremony in the Gardens at Roche Harbor on San Juan Island. After spending the week honeymooning in the San Juans, they returned home to host a wedding reception/summer barbecue for about 250 family and friends.
SLU News
New Building Services Staff Member
Please welcome Carol Maki who joins the UW Medicine at 815 Mercer team from Harborview MC as a Building Services Coordinator. Carol will support reception and conferencing throughout the SLU complex (taking over for temporary employee, Jessica Rees). At HMC Carol provided stellar phone center support, creating a great customer service experience!
New Neighbors
With expansion of the new UW Medicine at South Lake Union campus complete, nearly one thousand UW faculty, trainees and staff are now located at the research and administrative facility. Below is a list of the various offices, departments, research centers and institutes located at UW Medicine at South Lake Union:
• UW Medicine Development
• Health Sciences/UW Medicine News ,Community Relations & Marketing
• School of Medicine Administration and Finance
• Research and Graduate Education (RGE)
• Clinical Research Budget & Billing Support (CRBB)
• UW Medicine Compliance
• School of Medicine Information Technology
• School of Medicine Office of Facilities
• Laboratory Medicine
• Lung Biology
• Cardiovascular Biology & Regenerative Medicine
• Translational Medicine in Women's Health
• Allergy and Inflammation
• Institute for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine
• Anesthesiology
• Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence
• Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center
Block Party
The annual South Lake Union Block Party is Friday, August 8th starting at noon. Various representatives of UW Medicine at 815 Mercer will be there. Check out the block party website for details.
Please visit the UW Medicine at 815 Mercer website for more information on South Lake Union news and events.
SLU photo by Clare McClean
UW Operations
Credit Now Accepted
The trial period for credit cards at the Rotunda Café was a success and it's time to implement the expansion to all of the South Campus locations. Starting next Monday, July 7th, credit cards (VISA/MC) will now be accepted as a form of payment at Vista Café, Court Café and the 815 Mercer Café at South Lake Union. The Overpass Expresso stand will also accept credit cards when it reopens in September.
Banquet Permit Form Is Now Online
The UW Authorization to Apply for a Banquet Permit form is now available online! Please feel free to start using it immediately as paper forms are no longer accepted.
Banquet Permit Form
Like the online Request for Use of University Facilities form, this form is filled out online and processed through email. After the applicant pushes "Submit Request," the form is emailed to the Venue Operator (the person in charge of the space you are having your event in) and then to the UUFC for final approval. After UUFC approval, you get an email notifying you that serving alcohol at your event is authorized. You also get a copy of all the terms and conditions you agreed to when you filled out the form, just as a reminder and for your files. Like the UUF system, you are updated by email as your form moves through the process.
Community News
University of Montana Upward Bound Visit
UW Medicine Pathology along with the School of Medicine’s Office of Multicultural Affairs hosted nearly fifty Native American and low income high school students from the University of Montana Upward Bound Program on July 30th. The students were exposed to a wide range of healthcare related career and education opportunities during their visit. In addition to providing hands-on, interactive activities for the students, representatives of the Medical Technology Program, Pathology, Multicultural Affairs, Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, MEDEX Program and other student support services also mentored the students on the admissions process, scholarship opportunities, and other university resources. Almost of all of the students had never been to Seattle and most would be the first in their families to attend college.
The students were clearly engaged and attentive. According to UM Upward Bound Director Jon Stannard the visit “was simply exceptional” and was the best campus experience they have ever had. One student even suggested that UW staffers must “eat a bowl of sunshine every morning” to be so excited and enthusiastic about their work.
Path People
Maureen Holstad, Employee of the Quarter
In the closet vote in the history of the Recognition Program, MSTP Program Manager Maureen Holstad was selected as the Winter 2008 UW Medicine Pathology Employee of the Quarter. Maureen was recognized for her exceptional performance during the most recent MSTP training grant renewal process, a grant that totaled well-over 800 pages in length, and for her selfless efforts on behalf of all the MSTP faculty, trainees, staff, and recruits throughout the year. Without Maureen’s feisty yet pleasant approach, the MSTP Program clearly would not be as successful as it is, nor would it enjoy such an impressive reputation.
Maureen has been a member of the department for almost thirty years. Her cheerful and engaging demeanor and countless positive contributions are greatly appreciated by her colleagues and are vital to the success of the Department’s clinical, research and teaching mission.
Pictured above with Maureen are Dr. Larry Loeb and Maureen with some of her favorite MSTP students that she mentors.
Listed below are UW Medicine Pathology employees that were nominated for the award and strongly considered:
Diane Willis, HMC Administration
Phil Nguyen, PCS Clinical Database Specialist
Kelly Hudkins-Loya, Research Scientist
Arleen Fabunan, Research Grants Manager
Spring 2008 UW Medicine Pathology Employee of the Quarter Nominations
Nominations are now being accepted for the Spring 2008 UW Medicine Employee of the Quarter. Take a few minutes to nominate one of your colleagues. Visit the Employee of Quarter website today.
Academic Programs Team Update
Michelle Rickard, Academic Programs Team (APT) Manager, reports that her team has been developing projects to improve how work is done or decrease the time it takes to do it. Over the summer several of the projects will be implemented and Michelle wants to get the word out to everyone.
First, the evaluation process used by residents, clinical fellows and faculty members is being converted from Catalyst to Verinform, a system supported by the GME Office. The team expects the new system will decrease administrative support time, improve responses from evaluators and provide more flexibility in designing custom evaluation forms. Key features of the new system are an automated email reminder system and the ability to save work in the middle of a form and return to complete it later. Evaluations are being phased in over the summer with resident and rotation evaluations first. Instruction packets went out to residents, fellows and faculty members the last week of July.
Second, the team implemented APT, an INQ project management application. If you have used the computer support request form, you are familiar with how APT will work. APT is ready now. If you have a work request or project for the team, go to the INQ request form [https://www.pathology.washington.edu/inQ/enduser/] to click on APT.
Over the past five years the clinical fellowship programs have really grown and along with that the number of applicants and the application paperwork. Michelle met recently with Kevin and Dan in PCS to discuss how the fellowship application system could be improved. Kevin and Dan will be taking a deeper look at all of the application systems used by the graduate program, MSTP and fellowships. In the meantime, fellowship applicants will be instructed to submit electronic documents to a designated email address. The fellowship website has been updated with the new application information and email link. This will significantly decrease the time spent by the APT team in scanning paper documents, as well as reduce the overall expense of processing and storing paper.
Another project is the development of intrawebs for the graduate program and clerkship students. Everyone should be familiar with the Residents’ IWeb. Kathy is leading the development of the GWeb, a resource for the students of the Experimental and Molecular Pathology graduate program. Tabitha is working on the CWeb, a resource for our pathology clerkship students. Like the IWeb, these sites will provide documents and resources that are of particular interest to their academic groups. Development of the GWeb and CWeb are in the beginning stages and more information will be available as the projects progress towards completion. All of the academic programs intrawebs - IWeb, GWeb and CWeb - require user permission and are accessed on MyPath within the Academic link on the navigation menu.
Finally, Michelle is working with Greg Lawrence to bring the residents and fellows on board with the Leave and Time Reporting (LTR) system to request and track leave requests for vacation, sick, education and other kinds of leave. This conversion is only for leave reporting. Residents and fellows will continue to use Verinform to report hours of duty compliance. And APT will continue to use GMETabs for work time reporting. Final conversion from a paper-based process to LTR will occur in August.
The Academic Programs Team provides administrative and clerical support for the graduate, medical student, residency and clinical fellowships programs of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. The team members include Kathy Hobson for the graduate program, Tabitha Fletcher for medical student programs and resident/fellows leave and time reporting, and Heather Panian for general help as student helper. Michelle Rickard is the administrative manager and oversees residency and fellowship programs.
Meet the Residents and Clinical Fellows
Check out the 2008-2009 School of Medicine Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Residents and Clinical Fellows:
Residents and Fellows Team Photo
New Residents and Fellow Introductions
HR News: Work/Life Events
Ethics Tip of the Month – Door Prize BanDid you know that you, as a state officer or employee, cannot keep a door prize received at a conference paid for by your agency or enter into other drawings by placing your state business card into containers. These actions would violate RCW 42.52.020, Activities incompatible with public duties and RCW 42.52.160, Use of persons, money or property for private gain.
Door prize: You may not keep a door prize if the UW paid for the conference and you are attending the conference, seminar, trade show, or similar event on state time. Should you win a door prize at the event, you must give it to the UW which would either keep the prize or dispose of it in accordance with state rules and regulations. The UW may not allow you to keep the prize. However, if you pay for the conference or seminar and attend it on your own time (including using vacation time to attend), then you may retain any door prize won at the conference or seminar.
Drawings: You may not use your UW business card to enter drawings, especially when you attend the event or place of business in your personal capacity. This includes placing your UW business card in a fishbowl at your local coffee house or restaurant to win a free drink or lunch. If you want to participate in these types of drawings, use personal calling cards, not your state business card.
Benefits
Check out the UW HR links below for updated information on your employee benefits.
Worklife Benefits
UWellness
PCS News
Please submit a tech request if you need assistance or have a question for the Pathology Computer Support team.
Budget/Finance News
Visa Fee IncreasesFees that are charged by the Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS) are increasing. The ISS processes H-1B specialty worker and J-1 exchange visitor visa applications. For this service, the ISS currently charges $95, an amount that was set in 2006 (from a previous level of $50). The fee for processing visas will increase to $130, effective July 1, 2008. The $130 fee will apply to UW1025 visa request forms electronically submitted on or after July 1.
The Office of International Students and Scholars is committed to providing the most effective and efficient services to UW academic departments that sponsor overseas visitors. During the 2007-2008 academic year, nearly 2000 international faculty and scholars engaged in teaching and research activities at the University of Washington. Please visit the ISS website for more information.
Transportation News
Expanded Shuttle ServiceYou might want to check this out if you travel between SLU, HMC, and Health Sciences. The SLU shuttle has expanded and includes an HMC route, and the Health Sciences Shuttle includes a stop at the UW Tower on the Health Sciences Shuttle:
South Lake Union Shuttle Schedule
Health Sciences Express Schedule