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Bush Foundation Announces 13 Medical Fellows for 2009

May 27, 2009—

The Bush Foundation awarded Bush Medical Fellowships for 2009 to 13 physicians who seek to have a greater impact on the health of the communities they serve. Since the Bush Medical Fellows Program began in 1979, it has chosen more than 300 fellows from Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota to sharpen their skills, change their career directions and improve the health of their communities.

The 2009 medical fellowships will support study in a wide range of fields including chronic pain, health care management, integrative medicine, neuro-development disorders, psychiatry, community engagement, acupuncture, epidemiology, diabetes management, critical-care medicine for rural communities and early childhood literacy.

The six female and seven male fellows include a psychologist, pediatricians, family and internal medicine physicians, emergency medical practitioners and specialists in rehabilitation, nephrology, critical care and geriatrics. Six of the 2009 fellows practice in the Twin Cities metro, four serve communities in Greater Minnesota, two work in North Dakota and one serves patients in South Dakota.

Specific information about each fellow follows; individual photos of the fellows can be viewed at www.bushfoundation.org.

In South Dakota

Ed Zawada, M.D. (Sioux Falls)—South Dakota has fewer certified critical care specialists than most of the rest of the country. To address this shortage, Zawada will study at the University of Iowa’s surgical intensive care unit to strengthen his critical care skills. He is both a medical instructor and practitioner specializing in nephrology, and supervises a program at Avera Health and McKennan Hospital that provides care to patients in four states using technology to communicate.

In North Dakota

Shao Chyi Lee, M.D. (Fargo)—Lee uses acupuncture in her practice of family medicine at the MeritCare Medical Group. She will use her fellowship to deepen her knowledge of the practice of acupuncture and to improve her research skills to allow her to develop evidence-based protocols and guidelines. She will also work to strengthen her leadership, writing and presentation skills so she can lead her community toward greater use of integrative health practices.

Mary Jo Lewis, M.D. (Fargo)—Lewis will pursue a doctoral degree in leadership studies at Gonzaga University and become trained as a facilitator at the Center for Courage and Renewal. She believes these skills will enable her to support other medical practitioners in renewing their commitment to health care. Lewis practices internal medicine and geriatrics at MeritCare Health Systems.

In Greater Minnesota

Laurie Drill-Mellum, M.D. (Waconia)—Even though she is an emergency room physician at Ridgeview Medical Center, Drill-Mellum believes she has a unique opportunity to be involved in the primary care of her patients as well. She will study a range of integrative medicine techniques through a fellowship at the University of Arizona and various self-study opportunities.

Susan Jenkins, M.D. (Rochester)—As a practicing child/adolescent psychiatrist, Jenkins sees patients referred by school districts or judicial systems. She notes that the disparities among these many players make consistent treatment a challenge. She will use her fellowship to pursue leadership training so she can educate these systems and lead them toward a common method of treatment. Jenkins is the medical director and CEO of Bluestem Center for Children and Family Development.

Aaron Larson, M.D. (Wadena)—Treatment for mental health problems is often unavailable at the Wadena Medical Center where Larson practices family medicine. So that he may be a greater resource in his community, he will receive training in psychiatry at the University of Minnesota with a concentration on adult and geriatric issues.

Jonathan Larson, M.D. (Victoria)—Larson lives in Carver County, which has a vision of being the healthiest county in the United States. As medical advisor to Carver County Public Health, he sees the opportunity to create a nonprofit health partnership with the County in support of that vision. He will improve his skills to achieve this goal by attending the Physician Leadership College at St. Thomas University, pursuing mentor relationships and studying independently. Larson is a physician/owner of Lakeview Clinic in Waconia.

In the Twin Cities Metro

Ken Britton, M.D. (Eagan)—For the reported 10 percent of people who experience chronic, non-malignant pain, Britton hopes to champion comprehensive treatment strategies that give patients an improved quality of life. In order to pursue this goal, he will improve his leadership skills by pursuing a master’s degree in medical management. Britton is president and medical director of the Britton Center, a private practice of physical medicine and rehabilitation in Eagan.

Won Chung, M.D. (Shoreview)—In his role as assistant department head and clinical director of the emergency department at Regions Hospital in Saint Paul, Chung was instrumental in creating a program to triage emergency room patients in the waiting room. The program resulted in more patients receiving care. He will pursue an MBA from the Carlson School of Management, studying innovation.

Deb Mielke, M.D. (Maple Grove)—As medical director and provider at Open Cities Health Clinic, Mielke treats primarily immigrant populations. This diverse group has complex medical problems associated with poverty, stress, aging, ethnicity, race and gender. She will pursue a master’s degree in public health epidemiology at the University of Minnesota so she may improve care through better data management and use of technology.

Dave Thompson, M.D. (Minneapolis)—Thompson practices pediatrics at North Point Health and Wellness, which serves the diverse and low-income communities of North Minneapolis. He sees an opportunity for community-based primary health care to help the children of this neighborhood overcome chronic health problems such as asthma and obesity so they have improved school performance and quality of life.

Dan Trajano, M.D. (Savage)—In his practice and his family, Trajano has witnessed the ravages of diabetes. He hopes to improve the quality of care and education patients with chronic diseases receive by developing his leadership abilities and becoming certified as a physician executive. Trajano practices family and geriatric medicine at the Park Nicollet Clinic in Prior Lake, where he is also the clinical practice director.

Laurel Wills, M.D. (Minneapolis)—Every child Wills sees as a pediatrician at Hennepin County Medical Center leaves with a book in his or her hand. While the connection may not seem clear at first, there is a proven link between early literacy and health outcomes in children. With her fellowship, Wills strives to improve her managerial and organizational skills so she can promote and expand early childhood literary programs in health clinics across Minnesota.

The Bush Foundation was established in 1953 by 3M executive Archibald Bush and his wife Edyth. The Foundation strives to be a catalyst to shape vibrant communities in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota by investing in courageous and effective leadership that significantly strengthens and improves the well-being of people in these three states. In 2009, it launched Goals for a Decade. Learn more about the Foundation and Goals for a Decade at www.bushfoundation.org.