Approved Tracks

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What will you gain?

Upon completion of the Aging and Integrated Medicine Scholars Track, the student will be able to:

• Independently manage complex illnesses;
• Communicate effectively with older patients;
• Work effectively in multiple venues of care; and
• Confidently care for hospitalized and community-dwelling older people throughout their spectrum of health.

What is the AIM curriculum?

• Participation in Aging Interest Group, Senior Companion Program, Geriatrics Journal club;
• Mentorship by geriatric faculty throughout all medical school years;
• Preceptorships with geriatric faculty during Integrated Clinical Experience (ICE);
• Capstone project (paper or poster); and
• Geriatric clerkship rotations

Autoimmune diseases can strike any part of the body.

Because the symptoms vary widely, they are allocated to different medical specialties based on the organ system immediately affected. Yet, the basic principles governing one autoimmune disease are applicable to others and treatments applied to one autoimmune disease may be useful in others.

The primary goal of the Autoimmune Diseases Track is to expose the student to basic and/or clinical immunological aspects of autoimmunity.

The Autoimmune Diseases track offers a curriculum that will enable the student to:

• Develop an appreciation of research in autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases such as alcoholic liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis;
• Acquire clinical and research skills;
• Develop the ability to critically evaluate research (including the medical literature) and its application to medicine;
• Gain insight into the process by which research is performed (including the ethical conduct of research, protocol design, study implementation, data collection and analysis, report generation, and administrative issues); and
• Develop a more in depth understanding of immunology; specifically, autoimmune disease.

Contact Information

Dr. Marley Doyle

Behavioral Health is a critical issue across all aspects the human workforce, but is paramount in Health Care, and more specifically physicians.

This track supports the underrecognized yet vitally important problem of physician workforce shortages. Physicians are uniquely positions to address these issues from a systems level by leading interdisciplinary teams but are not often involved in solving these workforce issues because of perceived lack of education in workforce development and public policy. This track will bolster these skills so students can use their education to participate in systemic change.

1. Appreciate the behavioral health needs and status of the behavioral health workforce in the status of Nebraska.
2. Participate in programmatic and curriculum development to address unmet education and training needs.
3. Develop research models that study impact of workforce development programs.
4. Understand the role of public policy and obtain advocacy and government relations' skills.

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Dr. Angela Hewlett

Experience with outbreaks of Ebola Virus Disease as well as the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the necessity of enhancing and maintaining biopreparedness activities. UNMC/Nebraska Medicine has very unique assets in both biopreparedness (Global Center for Health Security) and biocontainment (Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, National Quarantine Unit), as well as a dedicated group of internationally recognized experts in the field.  The goal of the Biopreparedness and Biocontainment EMET is to engage interested students in these concepts to prepare for future outbreaks and pandemics. 

Students participating in the Biopreparedness and Biocontainment EMET will have the opportunity to:

-Learn the concepts of biocontainment and biopreparedness, as well as clinical and operational considerations when caring for patients with highly hazardous communicable diseases through specialized didactic teaching.

-Take part in individualized tours of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit (NBU) and the National Quarantine Unit (NQU)

-Participate in hands-on biocontainment training sessions, including specialized personal protective equipment (PPE) training, drills and exercises with the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit team

-Engage in biopreparedness and biocontainment research

-Participate in educational activities and meetings involving other biocontainment units in the United States and around the world.

-Receive one-on-one mentoring and career advising from some of the world's experts in biopreparedness and biocontainment

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Dr. Dahn Clemens and Dr. Douglas Stoller

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western World. The burden of cardiovascular disease is predicted to increase in the future. Therefore, most physicians will encounter patients with cardiovascular problems in their practice.

The main objective of the Cardiovascular Medicine EMET program is to expose students to scientific and clinical aspects of cardiovascular medicine and enhance their awareness and understanding of the cardiovascular disease.

Students participating in the Cardiovascular Medicine EMET will:

• Develop a deeper understanding of the practice of cardiovascular medicine
• Develop the skills needed to critically evaluate the scientific and medical literature
• Develop an understanding of how to initiate and execute a research project
• Develop an understanding of the skills required to conduct scientific and/or clinical research
• Gain insight into the ethical issues surrounding scientific and clinical research

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Dr. Jesse Bell and Dr. Ellen Kerns

As the planet warms due to greenhouse gas emissions, numerous cascading effects on human health and healthcare services are emerging. The ecological contexts in which diseases arise and in which patients receive care are rapidly evolving. Medical schools and professional societies across the country are increasingly recognizing the need to educate developing health professionals about the wide-ranging and heightening impacts of a changing climate on the health of communities and individuals. Physicians play a crucial role in addressing diseases that are directly influenced by environmental exposures which are shaped by climate trends. Knowledge of how a changing climate impacts disease burden and healthcare delivery is critical for offering context-specific care and for counseling patients about exposure risks.

The Climate Change and Health Enhance Medical Education track will expose students to different types of research related to climate change and health with the anticipation that students will choose an area of focus for further studies during the M2, M3, and M4 years. The majority of the research and laboratory work conducted will be done during the summer break between M1 & M2. After which, the student will synthesize their research project into a poster board that will be presented at a National Meeting. Students will also join the Healthy Earth Alliance, participate in presentations, attend speaking engagements, participate in clinical shadowing, and attend events put on by the Water, Climate, and Health program. All throughout the experience students will be guided by their faculty mentor who will provide the support and expertise necessary to provide a rich learning experience on the topic of Climate Change and Health.

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Joe Runge, JD MS

Innovations in medicine, treatments, technologies and government regulations mean the healthcare industry is constantly changing. New technology continues to emerge to remake best practices in healthcare with new products. UNeTech supports entrepreneurs and inventors by harnessing the resources of the University of Nebraska ecosystem and the Omaha and greater Nebraska community by using the world-class research of UNMC and UNO to add value to startups. 

EMET students will join interdisciplinary teams of business students to evaluate medical inventions and build business strategy reports

• Gain real-world applications in business finance, and economics by serving as medical subject matter experts and ensure business strategies start with a core understanding of the medical problem the invention addresses
• Liaise with clinical inventors to learn the motivation behind and features of their inventions
• Bring a full understanding of healthcare innovation and entrepreneurial knowledge in your desired specialty. 

Medical Technology Prototyping Rotation:

• Gain skills in 3d modeling from UNeTech’s community partners (Metro Community College CAET and UNO Biomechanics) 
• Partner with University inventors to advance their inventions, produce physical prototypes, and assist in preliminary testing
• Bring designs to life through processes focused on market application. Work to optimize inventions for efficient production, FDA clearance, and actual utilization in a healthcare environment. 

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Dr. Brian Boerner and Dr. Abbey Fingeret

The Clinical Educator Enhanced Medical Track will provide students interested in careers in academic medicine and clinical education with foundational knowledge, practical skills, and scholarship opportunities in health profession education. Through a four-year curriculum, the tracks students will:

• Demonstrate understanding of andragogy and instructional design as it relates to educating clinicians
• Construct and execute teaching exercises with meaningful techniques for evaluation of future learners
• Identify the role of simulation and technology in medical education
• Demonstrate understanding of the administrative elements of education in a university system
• Apply statistics and experimental design as they pertain to educational research
• Create a capstone research project or curriculum element and convert it into scholarship
• Develop longitudinal mentor relationships with faculty educators
• Develop fundamental skills in peer mentorship

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Dr. Faruq Pradhan

Organ transplantation is an established and evolving field that is truly transdisciplinary. The pretransplant evaluation with inpatient and outpatient care calls for a solid knowledge base in physiology, pharmacology, and pathology. Inpatient care at UNMC is a joint venture with surgery, medicine, and ancillary services. The long-term outpatient care calls for close interaction with the community provider. The Combined Medical and Surgical Integrated Track in Liver Transplantation will provide students interested in pursuing a career in either medicine or surgery with robust clinical experience rotating both with Transplant Surgery and Transplant Hepatology.

Through a four-year curriculum, students in this track will:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the complexities of the evaluation process for liver transplantation in adults.
2. Learn about the organ acquisition and transplantation process thus giving the student the knowledge to educate future patients in need of transplantation.
3. Observe the transplant operation in an adult recipient thus providing the student with the foundation to understand intra-operative care in this patient population.
4. Learn about the day-to-day management of post operative patients in the ICU and post ICU care.
5. Rotate with ancillary services including dieticians and pharmacists and learn about their role in pre- and post-transplant care.
6. Create a capstone research project and submit it for presentation at a national conference.

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Dr. Sara Bares, Dr. Jennifer M. Davis, and Deanna Hansen

HIV medicine is not the study of a single disease, but rather a compendium of knowledge that includes basic sciences, clinical sciences, behavioral sciences and social issues.

HIV medicine encompasses the full spectrum of experiences that a physician may confront in clinical practice from the subtleties of obtaining a proper sexual history to the difficulties of diagnosing and treating an opportunistic infection or a neoplasia in immunosuppressed patients.

The HIV medicine track offers:

• A practical and didactic 4 year curriculum in HIV medicine;
• An introduction to the principles of diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection and its complications; and
• An integral vision of HIV medicine including its scientific, clinical and psychosocial components.

PreContact information

Dr. Bethany Lowndes 

Technologies are advancing rapidly to support the delivery of patient care. As a clinician, there are opportunities to contribute to the design, assessment, and implementation of these technologies to advance patient care.

The primary goal of the Engineering and Technology in Medicine Track is to expose the students to the design and implementation of engineering and technology in medicine.

The Engineering and Technology in Medicine track provides experiences that will allow students to:

• Develop the ability to critically evaluate the design, usability, and efficacy of biomedical devices/technologies and their application in medicine through patient safety and human factors lenses (including: user needs, usability, safety, implementation, and risk);
• Acquire the skills for systems-based approach to healthcare delivery and user-centered design in medicine;
• Build foundational skills in the assessment of technology and designs for clinical, research, and quality improvement applications throughout their medical career
• Actively collaborate on and conduct clinical or translational research with the goal of disseminating research results through a peer-reviewed manuscript.
• Build skills to foster innovation and implementation of user-centered design approaches

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Dr. Jim Medder and Kitty Dybdall, MS, MA

The health disparities experienced by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) individuals derive from social stigmatization, including discrimination by health care providers and associated health systems. The stress associated with sexual and gender minority discrimination leads to secondary harmful biological health effects, chronic health conditions, and maladaptive health behaviors, including avoidance of medical care and routine preventive services.

This EMET provides opportunities for students to achieve the following goals:

• Obtain additional knowledge and skills beyond that provided by the current LGBTQ+ curriculum;
• Become clinically and culturally competent health care providers when seeing LGBTQ+ patients; and
• Become successful leaders and advocates for LGBTQ+ health promotion in their future careers and community settings.

Learning activities include:

• Monthly meetings and clinical/community activities in Phase 1;
• A two-week immersion experience during summer break between years 1 and 2;
• Blog reflections involving LGBTQ+ patients seen during Phase 2 clerkships; and
• A Capstone Project completed in Phase 3, which can be an individual or group activity in the academic, clinical, or community setting that identifies needs and implements a practical intervention to address those needs and improve LGBTQ+ overall resilience and well-being.

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• Dr. Byers Shaw
• Dr. Mary Gallagher Jansen
• Dr. Stephanie Hartman
  
• Dr. Jayme Dowdall
• Dr. Gary Lerner

Physical symptoms, medical history, and diagnosis are only a part of the patient's file. Their coping ability, support from caregivers, and emotional and mental health are just as important.

As a complement to basic science concepts, students can build critical thinking skills through the study of clinically relevant humanities and arts. This track, in part, aims to strengthen and nurture students' interest in the humanities and arts through faculty mentoring and collaborative discourse with colleagues.

Track activities include:

• A strong mentoring component through tract activities, electives, and a capstone project;
• Support in clarifying professional values; and
• Small-group discussions in the form of book clubs, writing, or creative arts groups.

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Dr. Melanie Menning

Omaha is a city with growing diversity. As of 2018 9.2% of the residents living in Omaha were born in a different country. Since 2002, 11,949 refugees from 36 countries have resettled in Nebraska with 6,485 (54%) from 27 different countries settling in the Omaha metro. In addition, Omaha is home to a growing Latino population with the majority coming from Mexico followed by Guatemala.

In the New American EMET students will gain advanced training and experience in providing quality health-care to New American (refugees, asylees, immigrants) patients in a culturally respectful manner.

Track activities include:

• 3 year curriculum involving lectures, journal articles, and community activities to develop a knowledge of the unique medical conditions, challenges and social determinants of health faced by New American patients in our community and identify community resources to support New American patients
• Monthly hands on clinical experience through the New American Continuity program in the SHARING clinics and rotations at OneWorld
• The New American Project includes a literature review and quality improvement project involving a New American population of your choosing.

Contact:

Justin Mott, MD, PhD.

Dr. Allison Cushman-Vokoun
Dr. Alfred Fisher

Through the scientific method, we seek to train physician-scientists who can change medicine.

This EMET will provide activities and training to foster critical thinking and adult learning combined with a rigorous collection of evidence to allow trainees to advance what is known and potentially challenge current paradigms in medicine. The physician-scientist track is designed for both MD-PhD students and medical students with a sincere interest in pursuing a career as a physician-scientist. MD-PhD students are not required to select this track and the track will not exclude non-MD-PhD students.

Students in this track will:

• Develop an integrated professional identity as a physician-scientist through reflection and networking with peers and physician-scientists.
• Advance biomedical knowledge through active participation in a research project including communicating the findings through abstracts and publications.
• Track your progress and academic development with a faculty advisor.
• Identify transferable and leadership skills through principles and practice.

• Workshops on leadership principles and communication, as well as grant crafting and scientific writing.
• Seminar series including research presentations and professional development topics.
• Mentored summer research experience and research electives, paired with opportunities to communicate findings.

Contact Information

Dr. Nathan Gollehon

Dr. Jason Burrows

The Pediatric Medicine EMET will provide students interested in pediatrics as a career with opportunities to engage and learn from pediatric faculty. The goal of this EMET is to provide students with opportunities to engage longitudinally with pediatric patients and faculty from the Department of Pediatrics in addition to providing students with a foundation in pediatric research.

The objectives of this EMET include:

1. Provide students the opportunity to work longitudinally with pediatric patients and their families.
2. Develop skills, knowledge, and abilities, including clinical and physical exam skills, that will prepare students for a career in Pediatrics.
3. Participate in a mentored research project that has a primary focus in some area of pediatrics, with presentation of this research in either a publication or at a local, regional, or national conference.
4. Engage students in longitudinal mentorship from identified faculty members from the Department of Pediatrics.
5. Develop foundational research skills under the mentorship and guidance of faculty mentorship.
6. To gain a more in-depth understanding of pediatric illness and the critical differences between pediatric healthcare and adult healthcare.

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Dr. Bhavina Sharma

Overview

The oncology EMET will provide students with opportunities to interact closely with their mentor and other faculty members in oncology, and to learn about the different aspects of medical oncology (clinical and research).

1. To provide an opportunity for medical students to broaden their educational experiences to the unique medical needs and problems of oncology patients
2. To expose students to the expanding molecular and genetic markers associated with different cancer and their implications in cancer treatment
3. To learn more about the different and emerging cancer treatment modalities: chemotherapy, targeted therapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, cellular therapies
4. Acquire the clinical and research skills that will help the student throughout their future medical career
5. The student should develop the ability to critically evaluate research (including the medical literature) and its application to medicine
6. By completing a research project, the student should gain insight into the process by which research is performed (including the ethical conduct of research, protocol design, study implementation, data collection and analysis, report generation, and administrative issues)

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Dr. Joe Lippert

What are the educational objectives for this track?

The goal of this track is to train graduating physicians to have the clinical skills required to successfully provide care in a pre-hospital clinic with very limited diagnostic and procedural resources. The track will also expose students to rural emergency medicine and prepare for residency in this field.

The track will be run through the UNMC Department of Emergency Medicine. It will be interdisciplinary by facilitating training with EMS departments and off-site rural healthcare locations. We hope to form long-term partnerships with facilities outside of the UNMC network for student clerkships to ensure the longevity of this program. Education from other departments may play a smaller role to meet the goals of the program. For example, OB/GYN faculty may train students in child-birth and obstetrics emergencies, and radiologists may provide X-ray education.

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Dr. Susan Evans and Dr. Jenenne Geske

Health care reform ushered in an intense focus on preventive care. UNMC is a national leader in this area and for many years has offered students specialized study in this area.

In the Preventive Medicine track, students will expand their knowledge, attitudes and skills in providing preventive are to individuals and population groups.

Some core concepts include:

• Performing appropriate prevention-focused history, physical exam, and screening tests;
• Motivational and behavioral change counseling and communication skills incorporating social and cultural environmental factors to improve the overall health of patients;
• Identification of risk factors and evidence-based interventions for clinical preventive services; and
• Identification and utilization of resources (formal and informal; private and public) that relate directly or indirectly to prevention and public health.

Learning activities include:

• Monthly preventive medicine clinics and seminars;
• A summer course in clinical preventive medicine;
• Electives in preventive medicine and public health; and
• The Preventive Medicine Project. It includes a literature review on a specific preventive medicine topic, assessment of its current implementation in a health care setting, an intervention to improve its implementation and an evaluation of the success of the intervention.

Contact Information

Dr. Jennifer Liu

Most students choose to become doctors to help people. The people who need it most are those who do not have a regular primary care provider or access to quality health care.

The Underserved Health Care track can enhance your competency in providing care to underserved populations. In this track you will:

• Develop reflective skills by exploring personal attitudes and motivation while caring for this population;
• Acquire knowledge and skills to effectively and comfortably provide for their special health care needs;
• Effectively utilize available community resources required to provide comprehensive care and to address the challenges specific to the care of this population; and
• Develop competencies to become an effective social and political advocate for their special needs.

In addition to monthly seminars, learning/service activities include:

• Caring for patients in homeless clinics or shelters;
• Limited clinical experience visits and primary care block experiences in underserved clinics/sites including the SHARING Clinics;
• Underserved and/or international elective experiences; and
• The Underserved Project. It includes a literature review on a related topic, assessment and prioritization of current needs, development and implementation of an intervention and an evaluation of the success of the intervention.