The University of Colorado School of Medicine had another exciting year filled with noteworthy achievements! Our communications team shared nearly 100 stories that showcased the exceptional contributions of our faculty, researchers, staff, trainees, and students.
In 2024, the School of Medicine took a look at the link between alcohol and cancer, celebrated being recognized as a top-tier research institution by U.S. News, welcomed new Dean John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA to campus, shed light on Kennedy disease, celebrated our graduating students at Match Day, highlighted a new book written by a faculty member about the school's new curriculum, honored former Dean John J. Reilly, Jr., MD, and shared our faculty's research on the connection between homelessness and health inequities.
Here are the top stories from 2024:
A Sharper Focus on Increased Cancer Risks from Drinking Alcohol
When we hear about health impacts from drinking alcohol, often the conversation focuses on things like deaths or injuries from crashes, risk to a fetus during pregnancy, and liver and heart disease. But alcohol use also increases the risk of several types of cancer – a reality that isn’t as well known by the public.
An estimated 20,000 U.S. cancer deaths a year can be attributed to alcohol use, mostly among men, a 2024 study says. The World Health Organization classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen – the highest risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation, and tobacco.
CU School of Medicine Boosted to Top-Tier Research Institution by U.S. News
The University of Colorado School of Medicine is a top-tier research institution in the United States, according to rankings released in July by U.S. News & World Report. Only 16 medical schools are included in the top tier.
The tier system is a change from rankings provided in the past by U.S. News. In previous years, U.S. News assigned specific numerical ranks to each medical school. This year, U.S. News is listing schools alphabetically within tiers and has discontinued numerical rankings.
An Interview with Dean John Sampson
John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA, became the Richard D. Krugman Endowed Chair, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, and the Dean of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, on July 1, 2024.
Previously, he was the Robert H. and Gloria Wilkins Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery and Senior Vice President of Duke University Health System and the Duke Health Integrated Practice, leading thousands of School of Medicine faculty, community physicians, psychologists, and advanced practice providers who are the clinical talent force for Duke University.
‘Top Chef’ Contestant Sheds Light on Kennedy Disease
Amid intense competition in the current season of “Top Chef,” one contestant is sharing more than just his culinary skills. Chef Dan Jacobs is also sharing his experience with Kennedy disease — a rare disorder that can progressively limit a person’s mobility.
Jacobs, who was diagnosed about seven years ago, said he is losing his ability to walk and use his hands, and he may eventually lose his ability to speak and swallow.
CU Medical Students Discover Their Residency Locations at Match Day Ceremony
The lives of more than 150 fourth-year students at the University of Colorado School of Medicine changed in an instant on a snowy Friday morning. They joined thousands of medical students across the U.S. in opening envelopes to find out where they will go for the next step in their medical training.
In the tradition known as Match Day, medical students nationwide find out at the same time, on the same day, where they will go for their residency after graduation.
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New Book Explains How CU Doctors Are Improving the Future of Medicine
When Abraham Nussbaum, MD, sat down in Denver Health’s basement café to meet with Jennifer Adams, MD, to discuss a unique, patient-centered approach to training future doctors, he had no idea the conversation would eventually lead to a years-long journey of writing his latest book: “Progress Notes: One Year in the Future of Medicine.”
Nussbaum, a professor of psychiatry and assistant dean of graduate medical education at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, is the chief education officer at Denver Health. He was reviewing all the Denver Health education programs when Adams told him about the program she was leading, called a longitudinal integrated clerkship.
World Health Organization Declares an Mpox Public Health Emergency: Here’s What to Know
An increase in cases of the mpox virus (formerly known as monkeypox) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and surrounding countries— in particular, a more severe clade (or strain) known as clade I — has caused the World Health Organization to declare the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Unlike the 2022 global mpox outbreak, which primarily affected men who have sex with men and other members of the LGBTQ community, the current outbreak in Central Africa is spreading among many different populations, including children, says Daniel Pastula, MD, MHS, chief of neuroinfectious diseases and global neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Colorado School of Public Health.
‘You Have Earned Being Here’: CU School of Medicine Welcomes Class of 2028 at Matriculation Ceremony
With proud family and friends seated behind them, with those who will teach and guide them over the next four years in front of them, and with their dean inviting them to “celebrate your accomplishments,” 183 new students at the University of Colorado School of Medicine gathered on July 26 for their Class of 2028 Matriculation Ceremony.
The road to receiving their medical degrees will be long and arduous. But speaker after speaker urged the students to appreciate the effort and dedication that brought them to the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, and to take time out from their hard work to reflect, seek out help if they need it, feel gratitude, and enjoy themselves.
John J. Reilly, Jr., MD, Led an Era of Remarkable Growth at CU School of Medicine
When John J. Reilly, Jr., MD, stepped down as dean of the University of Colorado School of Medicine on July 1, he concluded a tenure that has elevated the school’s stature and strengthened its programs in every aspect of its academic mission: education, research, and clinical care.
Reilly arrived in April 2015 to a school that had a strong foundation on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. During the past nine years, his leadership has helped the school rise to the top tier in the nation. The CU School of Medicine expanded its programs to serve more people across the state and recruited a new generation of leaders to extend the school’s legacy for years to come.
Homelessness Widespread Among Hospital Patients, Says Study by CU School of Medicine Faculty Members
Three out of 10 hospitalized patients surveyed at two major Colorado hospitals said they were experiencing homelessness or some other form of housing insecurity. The rate of homelessness among hospital patients was found to be more than 20 times higher than that of the general metro Denver population, according to a new study by a University of Colorado School of Medicine faculty member and her colleagues.
The survey also found “high rates of comorbid conditions” – other diseases or medical problems besides the one that sent a patient to the hospital – among people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, such as physical disability, mental health concerns, and substance use, as well as frequent past hospitalizations. And these patients often live on the street or in cars, making it harder for them to stay healthy once they leave the hospital.
