Leadership Nebraska returns to UNMC
Members of Leadership Nebraska made a stop on the UNMC campus Oct. 22, visiting the iEXCEL program at the Davis Global Center.
A program of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Nebraska builds a sense of statewide community by identifying and training individuals committed to becoming involved in issues, programs and activities aimed at better serving Nebraskans.
Thirty-two members of the program’s current class, who hail from communities from Gordon to Auburn, viewed and tried out some of iEXCEL’s cutting-edge simulation technology, including asking questions of an avatar of NU President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, in a Holobox and test driving a Da Vinci surgical robot trainer. The leadership program is in its 18th year.
Title IX office offers new professional development opportunity on Nov. 5
The UNMC Title IX Office will offer a new professional development opportunity for UNMC faculty, staff and students. “Stalking & Sexual Violence: What Healthcare Leaders Need to Know” is a two-part training designed for healthcare professionals to explore the behavioral definition of stalking and recognize common stalking behaviors and patterns.
During this training, participants will learn how to incorporate evidence-based screening questions into patient care and connect individuals experiencing stalking, domestic violence, or sexual violence with vital community resources. The training will also provide practical tools and increase confidence in recognizing and responding to stalking in healthcare settings.
The first training session is scheduled for Nov. 5 from noon-1 p.m. via Zoom, and registration through Bridge is required to receive the Zoom Link. Click here to register.
Campus engagement office to hold blood drive Nov. 5
The UNMC Office of Campus Engagement will team with the Nebraska Community Blood Bank to host a blood drive onNov. 5 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Clarkson Tower, 4350 Dewey Ave.
To register to donate, visit the Nebraska Community Blood Bank webpage. Use the sponsor code “UNCE” to get to the registration page.
For more information, call the Nebraska Community Blood Bank at 402-486-9414, or contact the Campus Engagement Office via email.
New book intended to promote better conversations
Jana Wardian, PhD, associate professor and director of research & scholarly activity for hospital medicine in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hospital Medicine, has published “Let’s Talk and Listen: How Better Conversations Improve Health and Trust.”
Unlike communication books that focus solely on speaking skills, Let’s Talk and Listen emphasizes the transformative power of listening. Dr. Wardian said the book combines practical strategies with relatable stories and reflective insights to help readers move beyond surface-level interactions toward deeper, more meaningful connections.
The book is available on Amazon.
James Linder, MD, calls for pathologists to be advocates
Pathologists can and should advocate for their profession, James Linder, MD, former CEO and board chair of Nebraska Medicine, said at a UNMC gathering Wednesday.
Speaking to more than 30 pathology professors and residents from the UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Dr. Linder said healthcare represents about $5 trillion, or up to 20% of the U.S. economy. That gets the attention of policymakers at the state and federal levels.
Dr. Linder said pathologists aren’t professional lobbyists, but they can be effective if they are armed with data and relate to policymakers and their concerns. One of Dr. Linder’s invited guests was UNMC Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, who said advocates need to be empathetic and tell human stories that bring the data to life.
Also speaking at the department’s Advocacy Journal Club event at the Field Club of Omaha were Christopher Kratochvil, MD, vice chancellor for external relations at UNMC and vice president for external relations at University of Nebraska System, and Tiffany Joekel, vice president of government affairs at Nebraska Medicine.
-Duane Retzlaff, UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Joseph Khoury, MD, chair of the UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, speaks at the event as UNMC Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, looks on.