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Allegro e Appassionato
begins his formal presentation, the microphone makes a funny sound. "Doesn't sound good at all," Spielberg jokes. "I think it's an F-sharp."
Once the microphone is fixed, Spielberg dazzles the audience with anecdotes about the Medical School, the terrific work of its researchers and clinicians, DMS's role as national leader, and its plans for the future. He describes medical science in terms that this lay audience can understand. "I went to a Life Sciences Symposium on angiogenesis," he says, explaining that angiogenesis concerns "how blood vessels move into organs and provide nutrition. Critical for fetuses," he adds, and for combating cancer, too. "I had a ball," he continues. "I learned a lot of developmental biology."
After his presentation—about the ethics of pediatric clinical trials—one of the undergraduates stays after class to talk with him. Spielberg is clearly delighted. As everyone strolls out, the student and Spielberg are still deep in conversation.
There were lots of questions after he was done. One person wanted Spielberg's take on a National Public Radio story about a new breed of doctors who are choosing specialties, like dermatology, that are less likely to disrupt their lives.
"I heard the same report," says Spielberg. "I'm struck by our students and their dedication. A number are going into surgery," because they are interested in the field and are influenced by their teachers. "I'm confident that the students we've [got], with ongoing dialogue, will make right choices."
"Where's the money coming from? What are your challenges?" someone else asks.
"Tuition is less than 10 percent of the Medical School budget," responds Spielberg. "The Medical School budget is $200 million this year. A great portion comes from faculty in terms of grants. DMS has stayed ahead of the curve." There has been a gradual shift in recent years from individual to collaborative research—and that's what the NIH is most likely to fund these days, he adds. "Right now everybody is a born-again collaborator." But at DMS, he says, there's true collaboration. He cites Dartmouth's Advanced Imaging Center as an example. The Departments and Sections of Radiology, Psychiatry, Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Cardiology, plus the Cancer Center, are all active partners in the center's funding, he says.
And, he reminds this group of longtime supporters, with a capital campaign about to launch, philanthropy will also be key. "Absolutely—spread the word about what you know," chimes in Brian Lally, vice president for development.
Thursday, October 21, 12:00 noon
Fuller Board Room at DHMC
The Dean's Advisory Board—which includes the associate and assistant deans as well as all the department chairs, plus Spielberg's counterparts at the Hospital and Clinic—meets once a month. Today, Bill Hickey informs the group about the decision to add a fourth-year medical student as a voting member of the student disciplinary committee. We felt that "having that representation would be a wise move at this point," adds Spielberg.
Spielberg has good news for the Dean's Advisory Board: DMS has received "a wonderful donation from Dean LeBaron"—$5 million to construct a commons space that will join the Borwell Research Building with planned new research facilities.
After votes on a couple of personnel issues, Spielberg thanks Barry Smith, M.D., who is about to retire as chair of obstetrics and gynecology.
He also reports on the recent Board of Overseers facilities tour. "We saw wonderful renovations in genetics," he says. "We also saw places in Vail and Remsen where rodents dare not tread." And, he quips, Strasenburgh is "not for the claustrophobic."
Then he turns to some good budget news. "We closed the year in balance," he reports about the 2003-04 fiscal year. And regarding National Institutes of Health grants in the current fiscal year, he adds, "we're ahead on NIH funding."
And there's still more good news. Spielberg says that DMS has received "a wonderful donation from Dean LeBaron"—$5 million to construct a commons space that will join the Borwell Research Building on the DHMC campus with new research facilities that are on the drawing board (see page 16 for more on this gift).