2004. MUNMED, vol. 16, no. 01 (Winter)

              FACULTY OF MEDICINE
Ian E.L.H. Rusted PT/Med
Dean Emeritus
Faculty of Medicine, HSC
Vol. 16 No. 1
Winter 2004
New dean of medicine appointed
Dr. James Rourke will take
over as dean of medicine at
Memorial effective April 5,
2004. He is currently the
assistant dean of Rural
Regional Medicine at the
University of Western
Ontario, and is commuting to
Newfoundland several days
a month to familiarize
himself with the faculty. Dr.
Sharon Peters is acting dean
until April.
"Consultations With the       Or. James Rourke
community around the choice of a new dean of
medicine showed substantial support for each of
the three final candidates," said Dr. Evan Simpson,
vice-president (academic) and chair of the search
committee. "But the search committee has been
able to reach agreement that the next dean of the
faculty should be Dr. James Rourke. I would like to
take this opportunity to thank Dr. Ian Bowmer for
his effective stewardship of the faculty over the
INSIDE
Volunteer activity praised 2
CIHR success 2
Humanities are the hormones  3
Reflections on eight years as dean 4
New faculty 5-6
Acute hospital care delivery study 7
Alumni news 8
Long service awards   8
Changes at the OPD 9
Annual Awards Presentation    10-11
Of note    12-13
New assistant dean for UGME 14
Rural Family Medicine meeting  14
New leadership for MGS 15
A back wards view    16
Medecins Sans Frontieres  17
Stories from family medicine  18
The obstructed view 19
Monte Carlo Night   20
last eight years. He has set a high
standard and been a fine co-worker."
Dr. Rourke is a professor in the
Department of Family Medicine at the
University of Western Ontario, and has
been an active rural family physician
(including obstetrics and emergency
work) in Goderich, Ontario for 25
years. He is the founding director of
the Southwestern Ontario Rural
Regional Medical Education, Research,
and Development Unit (SWORRM),
founded in 1997 and funded by the
Ontario Ministry of Health to develop,
integrate and co-ordinate rural medicine at the
University of Western Ontario. Dr. Rourke has
worked with the university and 33 communities,
family physicians, and specialists to build a strong,
integrated undergraduate and postgraduate rural
and regional medical education network that set
the stage for a 40 per cent expansion in the UWO
medical school. (See www.sworm.on.ca for
more details.)
Dr. Rourke has a long-standing interest in rural
medicine, and is a recognized leader at provincial,
national and international levels. He has received
many honours and awards and has had more than
60 journal articles published.
The new dean of medicine will bring to the job
a management style that he describes as
"collaborative leadership and partnership
building," and he is comfortable working with a
wide variety of people and issues. "I am looking
forward to joining with the Faculty of Medicine
and all partners to build the medical education
and research strengths of Memorial University as
it continues to play a major role in health care and
research in Newfoundland and Labrador, and in
Canada as a whole."
Dr. Leslie Rourke will join her husband at
Memorial University, practising and teaching
family medicine as an associate professor. Dr.
Leslie Rourke received the UWO 2002 Martin Bass
Award for her contribution to the Discipline of
Family Medicine. The Rourkes have three children
- Patrick, Ryan and Shannon - who will all be
attending universities next year. ♦
Health        is
visit medical
school
On Nov. 17 the seven health boards in the province
set up displays at the medical school to inform
students about employment opportunities in their
areas. Among those on hand to provide information
were medical director Dr. Michael Jong and Sam
Mansfield of the Health Labrador Corporation.
Memorial
University of Newfoundland