UCSD Health Sciences has achieved national stature in just four decades. As we look ahead, we are committed to building on that foundation. To this end, several months ago we began the process of developing a Clinical Enterprise Strategic Plan, to provide us with a five-year framework to guide our future planning efforts for the clinical enterprise.

UCSD has a stellar reputation as an outstanding center for biomedical research and education. Our objective through the Clinical Enterprise Strategic Plan is to fully realize our potential as a premier academic medical center, recognized for excellence in patient care and translational research.

To keep everyone focused on this objective, the UCSD Medical Center has adopted a new vision: Clinical Excellence…Through Service, Innovation and Education. Among our goals are to build premier programs in cancer, cardiovascular care and surgery; maintain eminence in women’s and infant’s services; expand clinical capacity; recruit at least one clinical star in each area of emphasis; position UCSD Medical Center as a quality leader; and augment capacity in clinical support areas such as laboratories, clinics and operating rooms.

As we concentrate on investing in the people, programs, and systems that contribute to an outstanding health system, we will also strengthen the synergy among all of our missions and further enhance our research and educational distinction.

We appreciate your interest and support as we move forward.

UCSD Medical Education Building

Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center

Thornton Hospital

The plans for the new Medical Education Building are progressing. The building will contain a patient simulation center, classrooms, a new 330 seat auditorium, and many other exciting features. The building will also house state of the art technology that will train students in Telemedicine and allow physicians to provide consultations to remote areas. In addition, the School of Medicine recently received a $1 million grant from the California Telemedicine Education Consortium to support the development of a Southern California Telemedicine Learning Center to educate providers about the benefits of telemedicine and train them in its delivery.

The UC San Diego Medical Center broke ground in late September for the Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center, a new 128,000-square-foot facility that includes an expansion of patient care areas of Thornton Hospital. The project will unify UCSD’s ambulatory, clinical, and inpatient heart and stroke care in one convenient location with construction completion expected in 2010.

In September, the UC Regents approved a plan to build an additional 125 to 150 inpatient bed tower at Thornton Hospital in La Jolla. Plans for this much needed expansion are moving forward, and will enable UCSD to utilize all of their 505 licensed beds on both the East Campus and UCSD Hillcrest Medical Center.

On August 31, 2007, with more than 350 people in attendance, the medical students of the class of 2011 gathered in the presence of their families, friends, and faculty members for the UCSD School of Medicine Annual White Coat Ceremony. This ceremony marks a milestone in the education of a medical student, entry into clinical medicine. David Brenner, M.D., Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine, helped the students don the symbol that universally represents serving mankind, The White Coat.

White Coat Ceremony–Class of 2011

The UCSD School of Medicine Alumni Association is honored to be a part of this truly memorable event. The white coats presented at the ceremony were supported by generous gifts from our dedicated alumni. Jim Rice, M.D. (’81) represented the Medical Alumni Association by speaking at the ceremony.

The Class of 2011 is the fortieth class of medical students since the School of Medicine opened in the fall of 1968. The 134 students were selected from an applicant pool of 5,500 with an overall grade point average of 3.75. “UCSD continues to attract outstanding students to the School of Medicine,” said Carolyn Kelly, M.D., Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs. “Slightly over half of the matriculating class received their undergraduate degrees from UCSD, UCLA, or Berkeley. The remaining students obtained undergraduate degrees from 38 different colleges and universities. Eight members of the incoming class have previously obtained Ph.D. degrees in fields ranging from the History of Medicine to Physics. Twelve members of the class have received Master’s degrees. Eight students were accepted into the Medical Scientist Training Program (M.D.-PhD). The class is diverse in many ways. Approximately one third of the class was born outside of the U.S. As with every incoming class, we look forward to our 4-8 year journey with this exceptional group of aspiring physicians.”

Gold Humanism Honor Society

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation has developed the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) to provide a means of formally recognizing medical students, residents, faculty, and alumni who demonstrate exemplary behavior that promotes humanism in medicine. The following twenty three new GHHS members from the class of 2008 were nominated by their peers, endorsed by faculty, and inducted on August 31, 2007 at the White Coat Ceremony.

The inductees include: Jennifer Aguayo, Steve Aguilar, Ninad Athale, James Cooper, Katharine Eng, Farshid Farrahi, Jeffrey Gold, Joseph Hyder, Janice Kim, Lydia Leung, Maureen Loa, Leo Lombardo, Koalinh Luong, Heidi Meyer, Nader Najafi, Jesse Rokicki, Shira Schlesinger, Courtney Summers, Christian Takayama, Benjamin Talei, Regina Wang, Nathan Wilkes, Alan Zhang, and Gilmer Youn. All members retain a lifetime membership and serve to emphasize the importance of humanism and professionalism throughout their physician training at our institution.

For more information about the Gold Humanism Honor Society, please visit the School of Medicine Web Portal at http://meded-portal.ucsd.edu, and click on the Gold Humanism Honor Society link.

The UCSD School of Medicine Preceptorship Program matches first and second year students with alumni whom they shadow for an afternoon on an “observation only” basis. The program is offered over a three week period in April. Many of you have participated in the past and can attest to the rewarding experience had by both physician and student. We hope you choose to participate again this year. These programs would not be possible without the efforts of our dedicated alumni. Please contact Medical Alumni Relations at (858) 822-1210 for more information or email medalumni@ucsd.edu.

The recent Reunion Weekend 2007 was a fantastic success with over 115 alumni and family members attending the San Diego Mission Bay activities. The weekend included a welcome reception at the home of Dr. Maria Savoia, Vice Dean for Medical Education; a CME seminar, a lunch cruise on Mission Bay, an evening luau on the beach, and breakfast with classmates to conclude the weekend.

The School of Medicine 2008 Reunion Weekend will be held September 19-21. We need your input to make this reunion a great experience. Please contact Brooke Bain at the Medical Alumni Relations office with updated contact information for you and your classmates at medalumni@ucsd.edu or (858) 822-1210.

Topics & Advances in Internal Medicine • March 6-12, 2008
Reg. Price $395 (one session) / Alumni Price $200 ($225 after 2/7/08)
Reg. Price $695 (both sessions) / Alumni Price $250 ($375 after 2/7/08) 

18th Annual Nelson Butters’ West Coast Neuropsychology Conference • April 3-6, 2008
Reg. Price $365 (one session) / Alumni Price $275 ($300 after 3/2/08)

Advances in Psychopharmacology Throughout the Life Spans • April 24, 2008
Reg. Price $325 (one session) / Alumni Price $100 ($125 after 3/18/08)

Essential Topics in Pediatrics 2008: Exploring the Developmental Spectrum • May 15-17, 2008
Main Conference–Reg. Price $250 / Alumni Price $100 ($150 after 4/18/08)
Mini Course–Reg. Price $250 / Alumni Price $75

To view a complete list of all upcoming UCSD CME activities, please visit their website at http://cme.ucsd.edu or call (858) 534-3940.

Madeline Thornton

Zachary Michael Mosen

Caroline Thornton, M.D. (’92) and Mark Sornson, M.D. (’98) celebrated the birth of their daughter, Madeline Thornton on April 26, 2007.

Kim Vesco, M.D. (Class of ’97) and her husband David Mosen celebrated the birth of their son, Zachary Michael Mosen on August 7, 2007.

To submit your “Celebrations” and “In Memoriam” news announcements, e-mail the Medical Alumni Relations office at medalumni@ucsd.edu.

Brian Richard Webster

Emmett Murphy

Brian Richard Webster (1981-2007)
Brian’s life ended unexpectedly, just as he was starting his last year of medical school. Before medical school, he was a competitive figure skater at the national level. As a medical student, he spent a year in Washington, D.C., doing functional brain MRI research at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as an NIH Research Scholar. His life was an inspiration to many, and he is deeply missed and loved by those who knew him.

Emmett Murphy, M.D. (1949-2007)
Emmett Murphy, M.D. of Riverton, Wyoming passed away on September 17, 2007. He was killed when the single-engine aircraft he was flying crashed near Erie Airpark, Colorado. Dr. Murphy, 58, was a graduate of UCSD School of Medicine, class of 1983. He is dearly missed by his friends, family, and colleagues.

To submit your “Celebrations” and “In Memoriam” news announcements, e-mail the Medical Alumni Relations office at medalumni@ucsd.edu.

Update your information to maintain contact with old classmates and receive the latest Alumni news, as well as CME discount information. You can even add a photo!

Go to http://meded.ucsd.edu/cme/alumni and click the “Find Friends and Colleagues” link. You may also email medalumni@ucsd.edu to help us keep our records up to date.

Your suggestions and updates are the most important news we can receive. Please take a minute to send an e-mail to medalumni@ucsd.edu and share your ideas for Alumni events, news and improvements. We want to hear from you!