November 7, 2002
In Brief
Healthy-U at REI
“The Knee — Train It or Sprain It” is the topic for the Healthy-U presentation at the downtown REI store on Monday, Nov. 18. Dr. John O’Kane, assistant professor of orthopaedics and sports medicine, will talk about the causes of knee ligament injuries, why women are more susceptible, and how to keep your knees in shape. Lori Sabado, physical therapist supervisor, will participate and describe a new training program to help reduce knee injury. The free program is from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Activity and aging
The importance of regular physical activity as people get older is the topic for a day-long program offered Saturday, Nov. 16, in Hogness Auditorium of the Health Sciences Center by the Strong and Steady Program, based at UW Medical Center – Roosevelt. “Rx for Healthy Aging: The Role of Physical Activity” is designed for all health care professionals and carries continuing education credits for physicians, nurses, social workers and psychologists. Gayle Bouvet, program coordinator for Strong and Steady, is the organizer; Dr. Anne Shumway-Cook, associate professor of rehabilitation medicine is the course chair. There is a special rate of $25 for students, residents and fellows; others pay $175 for the full day or $95 for a half day. For a full schedule, call Bouvet at 206-598-4484.
Eye research award
Dr. Dennis Dacey, professor of biological structure, was awarded the Paul Kayser International Award of Merit for achievements in research on the retina at the International Congress of Eye Research meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. At the conference Dacey presented “Fireworks in the Primate Retina: NeuralComplexity and the Origins of Parallel Visual Pathways.” Dacey received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago’s Department of Anatomy and completed postdoctoral training at the University of New South Wales, Australia, and the University of Chicago. He came to the UW in January of 1986 as a senior fellow in ophthalmology and biological structure—joining the faculty in 1989.
Soros fellowship
Dr. Robert Crittenden has been selected a 2002 Soros fellow to focus his efforts for two years on a study to improve health-care access and coverage for low-income residents of Washington state. Crittenden, associate professor and chief of Harborview’s family medicine service, has worked on many access issues over the past 30 years, and is a member of the UW Academic Medical Center Charity Task Force. Crittenden will collaborate with Families USA in Washington D.C. and the Washington Citizen Action Education and Research Fund, a local advocacy group with links to people in need of greater access to quality health care. He will continue with his UW duties. The Soros Fellowship, sponsored by the Open Society Institute’s Medicine as a Profession Program, selected four physicians this year to develop and strengthen advocacy skills through collaboration with U.S.-based organizations for one or two years.
Surgery chief returns
Dr. Gordon Cohen returned to the UW and Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center as chief of pediatric cardiovascular surgery this fall. Cohen was chief resident in cardiothoracic surgery at Children’s from 1996 to 1998. He received his M.D. degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in pharmacology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Most recently, he was a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London and senior lecturer in cardiorespiratory sciences at University College, London. Cohen has also been named co-director of the Children’s Heart Center. He plans to bring additional physicians and personnel to join the existing Heart Center staff.
