April 2, 2004

What's Happening

Day of remembrance
In memory of MGH cardiologist Brian McGovern, MD, the MGH Chapel will be open April 8, from 9 am to 4 pm for MGHers to acknowledge the one-year anniversary of his death. A harpist will provide music throughout the day.

Women's health symposium
The Women's Health Coordinating Council and the MGH Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology Service will host a women's health symposium "Understanding Infertility: Choices and Concerns During a Challenging Time" April 7, from 5 to 7:30 pm in the O'Keeffe Auditorium. For more information or to register, send e-mail to mmarcella@partners.org.

Identity theft seminar
MGH Police and Security will host "Safeguarding Your Identity from Theft" April 8, from 1 to 2 pm in the Wellman Conference Room. Bonnie Michelman, director of MGH Police, Security and Outside Services, and members of the Special Investigative Unit will talk about one of the fastest growing crimes in the country, how to spot the signs of identity theft and how to protect your identity.

Compassionate caregiver award
The deadline for the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center's sixth annual Compassionate Caregiver Award is April 16. The award recognizes a Massachusetts caregiver who displays extraordinary compassion in caring for patients. Any paid professional caregiver who works directly with patients in any setting in the state of Massachusetts is eligible for the award. The winner will receive a $5,000 prize. A statewide committee of physicians, nurses, social workers, community health center workers, patient advocates and consumers will review nominations. To receive a nomination form, call Sarah Levenson at (617) 726-0512 or visit the Schwartz Center website for online nomination forms.

Nursing Career Ladder Initiative
The Nursing Career Ladder Initiative at the MGH will host a "Getting Started in a Nursing Career" workshop April 15, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm in the Ether Dome. The session will provide insight into the nursing profession, career paths in nursing, entry points for nursing, and licensing and educational requirements. The session is open to all MGH employees. For more information, call Julie Goldman, RN, MSN, at (617) 724-2295 or MGH Training and Workforce Development at (617) 726-2230.

Call for abstracts for Clinical Research Day
The MGH Clinical Research Program invites the MGH community to Clinical Research Day June 24. This day will be a celebration of the range and vigor of clinical research at the MGH. Elias Zerhouni, MD, director of the National Institutes of Health, will give the keynote address at 8 am in the O'Keeffe Auditorium. There will be seven hospital and seven departmental awards for the best clinical research abstracts. The abstract submission deadline is April 15. Abstracts unpublished at the time of submission may be submitted online For more information, send e-mail to crpedu@partners.org or call (617) 726-1669.

Weight management class
MGH Nutrition Services will offer a 10-week weight management class called "Winning at the Losing Game" every Tuesday, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, beginning April 20. The class will include education about nutrition by a registered dietitian, an exercise program supervised by a physical therapist, behavior modification strategies to assist with lifestyle change, and instruction in yoga and martial arts. The class is $240 for MGH employees and $265 for non-employees, and is limited to 15 people. For more information, call (617) 726-2779.

MGPO quarterly meeting
The Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO) will hold its quarterly meeting April 15, at 5 pm in the O'Keeffe Auditorium. David Torchiana, MD, MGPO chairman and chief executive officer, will provide the welcome. Guest speakers include James O'Connell, MD, president of the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, Rob Sheridan, MD, of the MGH Burn and Trauma Services, and Kristian Olson, MD, the first recipient of the Thomas S. Durant Fellowship in Refugee Medicine. For more information, call the MGPO at (617) 724-9080.

Children and HealthCare Week Art Fair
The MGH will celebrate Children and HealthCare Week April 26 to 30. Pediatric patients, children of employees and students at local schools are invited to submit artwork for the fair. This year's theme is "Who/What Keeps Me Healthy and Safe." Art should be sent to the attention of Child Life, Ellison 17, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114. Artwork must be done on standard letter-sized paper and include the entrant's name, school, age and phone number on the back. The deadline for submissions is April 16. For more information, call Mary Lou Kelleher, RN, MS, at (617) 724-5720.