From Human Resources...

Timeline/due dates for employee performance reviews (PAT) for 2023

• JANUARY 31, 2024:  Employee completes self-evaluation of 2023 and updates goals for 2024

• FEBRUARY: Supervisor completes evaluations of the employee’s performance in 2023 and reviews goals for 2024

• FEBRUARY 29, 2024: Supervisor/employee completes face to face (via zoom or in person) meeting to discuss the performance appraisal and goals

New Minnesota earned sick and safe time program goes into effect Jan. 1

Starting Jan. 1, the University will provide all employees working in Minnesota, including student workers, paid time through the earned sick and safe time (ESST) program. Separate from current sick time programs, ESST is additional time employees can use when they are sick, to care for a sick family member, to seek assistance if they or their family member has experienced domestic abuse, or if there is a work, school, or childcare closure that prevents them from being able to work.

Medica to replace Fit Choices program

The Medica Fit Choices gym reimbursement program is ending on Dec. 31. Current Fit Choices program users will be able to receive a $20 reimbursement through December 2023. Medica is replacing Fit Choices with a Life Time Digital Fitness Program membership at no extra cost starting Jan. 1. Learn more about the change and other fitness options available to you.

In Our Programs....

Undergraduate Medical Education

Assessment and Evaluation

Jackie Gauer and Dr. Claudio Violato from our Assessment and Evaluation team, along with Dr. Taj Mustapha, gained national attention from the Alliance for Clinical Education for an article they published that was summarized in Med Ed Briefs.  Well done and congratulations!

RPAP/MetroPAP 

RPAP and MetroPAP wrapped up another program year with our Community Health Poster Session on Friday, June 23. Students presented the projects they completed over the course of the nine months they spent in their communities. Topics included rural nutrition, mental health, and digital storytelling for diabetes education.

Congratulations to the 2022-2023 class of RPAP and MetroPAP graduates!

Student Affairs

Each year the Academic Advising program survey students about their experiences with their Academic Advisors. This year, we had 540 respondents to the survey. A few stats to share with you:

• 97% of respondents had met with or contacted their Academic Advisor

• Greater than 99% of those students felt their advisor was responsive to their request

• 98% of respondents felt that their voice was heard by their Academic Advisor in making a plan.

Comments from students highlight the expertise and knowledge their Advisor has, their availability, responsiveness, and resourcefulness, and their Advisor's supportive and caring approach. 

Some areas where we can continue to build on the program also emerged in the comments, including increasing transparency of policies, graduation requirements, elective selection, and resources. Based on this, the Advising program will focus on the following improvements:

1. Decreasing the advisors' caseload 

2. Developing an Academic Advising webpage to make resources and policies more accessible and transparent 

3. Offering a required in-person session for elective selection starting with the Serve curriculum

4. Providing open office hours to MS2 students in a one-on-one consultation approach in addition to group advising sessions

Take a look at this Executive Summary for more information!

Graduate Medical Education

It is with mixed emotions that I share with you that Kaz Nelson, MD, the University of Minnesota Office of Graduate Medical Education Associate DIO, has recently accepted a position as Chief Psychiatrist at the Nebraska - Western Iowa Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Omaha. In this new leadership role, Dr. Nelson will be paving the way of the future by reimagining staffing models and healthcare delivery methods to deliver the best possible psychiatric care for our veterans. While we share her excitement as she advances her career, we will sincerely miss her leadership on our team. Her last day as OGME’s Associate DIO was November 1, 2023.

Kaz has been our Associate DIO since 2018 and served in many key roles where she has led, inspired, created & given hope.

• Program Director & Vice Chair of Education, Psychiatry  

  • Psychiatry Program Director, 2012-2020

  • Child & Adolescent Program Director, 2016-2017

• Associate DIO since 2018

• Resident Leadership Academy Director

• Resident/Fellow Forum Leader

• Chief Brief Leader 

• Chief Resident/Fellow Orientation Leader 

• Previous GMEC Chair

A few key areas of her focus have been in the areas of: 

• Health & Wellness 

• Guidance & Support

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

• Mentorship

• Confidante 

• Effective Communication

Who to contact going forward?  Please email gme@umn.edu with any questions you would have normally reached out to Dr. Nelson about and we will triage them.  If there is an urgent trainee concern, please reach out to Dr. Culican via her cell phone (314-749-4078) or email at culican@umn.edu. We encourage you to access the support services that are available at this link.  

NRMP

In the most recent NRMP match for select fellowship subspecialties, 87% of open positions matched, securing 40 out of 46 available slots. The majority of unfilled spots were in subspecialties with more fellowship positions than applicants applying in the subspecialty.   

Mortuary Science

Greetings from Mortuary Science!  We have so much in our Program to be thankful for over the past year.  Some highlights of recent happenings include the following:

Admissions and Enrollment:  This past fall, we welcomed 30 new students into the Program.  Earlier this year, we welcomed 10 new students in our January cohort, and total enrollment now exceeds 80 students. We are currently reviewing applications for Spring Semester 2024 enrollment, and expect at least as many new students to begin their studies this upcoming January as did earlier this year.  

Faculty and Staffing Updates: Earlier this year, after nearly 50 years of dedicated service to our Program, Professor Mathews began a phased retirement.  Although he is no longer teaching classes, he continues to support the Program in other activities.  A celebration will be planned on the occasion of his retirement in 2025.  

Speaking of celebrations, Education Program Associate and Academic Advisor Ashley Mishek recently celebrated her five-year anniversary in mortuary science.  

We are excited to announce Mesfin Negia has joined us and is teaching anatomy and chemistry.  Mr. Negia completed graduate studies here at the University and has taught a number of science courses at several colleges over the years.  Mr. Negia is working closely with our embalming and restorative art instructors to ensure our anatomy course provides an excellent foundation for activities relating to decedent care.  

Partnership with University of Minnesota - Crookston Campus  (UMC):  We have completed our partnership agreement with UMN and now have an established pathway for students to complete their first two years of studies at UMC either in-person or online, and transfer directly into our Program at the start of their junior year.  UMC liaison Sue Erickson attended all the MFDA District Meetings with me, and shared with attendees information about ways funeral homes can work with prospective mortuary science students who may have an interest in studies at UMC.  Additionally, we have current mortuary science students taking online elective courses through UMC.  We are very pleased for this opportunity to work together across campuses for the goal of advancing opportunities to pursue a degree in mortuary science.

Field Trip Opportunities:  This Fall students visited the alkaline hydrolysis facility at Bradshaw Celebration of Life Center, followed by a tour of nearby Roselawn Cemetery.  Jason Bradshaw provided an informative presentation about alkaline hydrolysis and how it is becoming more popular with families served at his funeral home.  Roselawn Cemetery manager Amanda Thoreson discussed with students different ways families are choosing to memorialize their loved ones, and offered ideas about ways funeral directors can work with cemeteries for the goal of helping survivors at their time of need.  Our thanks to Jason and Amanda for their hospitality and all the helpful information they shared with us!

Networking and Recruiting Activities:  We had 73 students attend our Fall Networking Event this past September, which was held on campus in the new Health Sciences Education Building.  Funeral directors and allied professionals from across Minnesota spent the afternoon getting to know our students, and discussing opportunities for employment following graduation.  Our next networking event is set for the afternoon of Friday, January 19th – save the date!  More information to follow as details are finalized.  

The Program participated in several regional career exploration events for Middle- and High School students this past year.  The largest event was the STEAM Summit event (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) held in Rochester this November.  With over 3,000 students in attendance, it was a great way to help us share with students future opportunities for a career in funeral service.  My thanks to Peter Macken, Joe Mahn, and Mark Mettler for all their help staffing our booth and talking with the students who visited with us to learn more about funeral service.

Thank you!  During this season of gratitude, I thank you all for your continued support of our Program and students.  We could not achieve our success without your dedication to mortuary science at the University of Minnesota.  We have just launched our Fall Annual Appeal, and would encourage you to assist us in our work through a gift of financial support, at any level that is comfortable for you.  More information about giving opportunities, including how to make a gift online, can be found here:  https://med.umn.edu/mortuaryscience/give.

With all best wishes for a beautiful holiday season!

Michael LuBrant

Colleagues!

Do you know how to swim? 

    Can you stay upright on a two-wheel bicycle? 

        Have you ever walked on a treadmill? 

            Do you enjoy doing activities with fun colleagues?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then YOU have an opportunity to join the triathlon fun by joining the OME indoor triathlon team. We will be participating in the Tri-U-Mah indoor triathlon on Feb 3 or Feb 4 at the Twin Cities campus Rec Center. Currently, Hannah Holzschuh is registered for Heat 3 on Saturday morning at 8:10am. Mark Rosenberg, Betsy Murray, Caroline Hilk, and Austin Calhoun (remember her?) registered for Heat 14 at 8:45am on Feb 4. All are welcome, but don't delay: the spots are filling up surprisingly fast!

If you have ever wondered about this multi-event sport this is a wonderfully-supportive way to try it. Relay teams are also an option--reach out to Caroline if you would like to organize one and/or if you have any questions. Spectors are welcome too!

With excitement,

Caroline

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW OME MOMS!

A&E is overjoyed to have two new additions!

• "Thank you to Megan Bauer-Erickson for all the additional career and professional development leadership she took on . You are an amazing asset with a great vision for our career related programming. Our office is fortunate to have your insight and devotion to students." (Scott Davenport)

• "Jess [Blum], Elizabeth [Bockman-Eckberg], Megan [Usset], Aakanksha [Angra] & Christiana - Thank you for all of your dedicated work with the build teams and team work with the course management team for the Serve curriculum! I deeply appreciate your willingness to pivot and talk through questions/processes as we continue to balance the ID/CM workflow space. I appreciate you all so much!" (Elle Fasteland)

•  "I would like to give kudos to Joann [Scozzari] for her devotion to the success and excellence of the clerkships in Duluth. She truly cares about everyone she works with there, from faculty to staff to students. She has made so many improvements to our processes and built many trusting relationships. She is also covering for the VALUE coordinator while we look for a new one which I appreciate so much! Joann is also quoted in this article about the new St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth!" (Janell)

• "Monica [Rogers], Jared [Brask], Pia [Richardson] & Sara [Roberts] - Thank you to the course management team as you continue to work within and balance the needs of a legacy curriculum and the Serve curriculum. It is not always easy working in an ambiguous space that is constantly changing and you all continue to show up. I appreciate all of you for all the work you are doing! Thanks for being a fabulous team!" (Elle Fasteland)

•  "I would like to give kudos to Ed [Adams] for doing a great job covering for me while I was on maternity leave. He was responsible for a lot of moving pieces, and it was such a blessing to not have to worry while I was having that time with my baby. He has also taken on coverage for the FLIIC LIC while we look for a new FLIIC and VALUE coordinator; I really appreciate his willingness to help our team move forward!"  (Janell Lopez)

• "Kudos to the Academic Advisors for the amazing work that they are doing every day working with our students. I appreciate you, and the students appreciate you too!"  (Addy Irvine)

• "Kudos to Ashley Spain for picking up so quickly all of the many details/tasks required in the Student Affairs Administrative Coordinator role.  You have done an excellent job and are wonderful to work with!  We are all thrilled to have you onboard the OME train!" (Marianne Watters)

• "Monica [Rogers] has been so creative with the transition from POCC to ECE; she has put so much work into creating a system that works well for the students, health systems, and preceptors. I very much appreciate her thoughtfulness and attention to detail." (Janell)

• "With the continuing launch of Serve courses, I'd like to give a shout out to the Instructional Design, Academic Technology, and Course Management teams (both DU and TC). These wonderful people are what truly keep the wheels turning on the delivery of our brand new curriculum and we could legitimately not do this without them. Thank you all for your tireless efforts!!" (Jess B)

• "I'm so thankful for Holly [Proffitt's] positive outlook, the way she cares for our team, and how hard she works to make everything she is involved in better." (Janell Lopez)

• [Kudos to] "Addy Irvine:  What a wonderful source of encouragement and stepping up in assisting the team with Scott D's tasks!" (Ashley Spain)

• [Kudos to] "OLD [Office of Learner Development]:  Continue to do great work for the students with testing, providing a holistic balance of encouragement and increasing confidence on their continued journeys to become amazing clinicians!" (Ashley Spain)

• "Thank you Cynthia Johnson for all you do for Assessment & Evaluation and for the many proctor trainings you've facilitated for coordinators and for OME interns to ensure medical students have an uneventful and seamless exam experience!  You are invaluable to the A&E team!"  (Marianne Watters)