Learn Tomorrow's Best Medicine Today

President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., invites the West Texas community to the fall 2011 semester of Community Medical School: “Academic Health Centers: Tomorrow’s Best Medicine, Today.”

The fifth semester of Community Medical School will begin Sept. 27. Registration is now open.

Community Medical School is a series of public lectures and demonstrations exploring transformative advances in medical knowledge and technology. Courses are open to all, regardless of background or experience.

Sessions run on consecutive Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 7 p.m. through Nov. 8 in Academic Classroom Building 100. This year's program is sponsored by University Medical Center Health System and TTUHSC.

Mitchell encourages anyone interested in health care to attend. In addition to learning about advances in technology and medical knowledge, students also will have the opportunity to speak with faculty one-on-one. Once the semester is over, participants will receive a certificate of completion.

This semester’s topics and presenters are:

• Sept. 27: “Academic Health Centers: Honoring the Past, Excelling in the Present, and Shaping the Future Practice of Innovative Medicine,” President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D. and R. Michael Ragain, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer, University Medical Center
• Oct. 4: “Beyond the Scalpel: The Impact of Advanced Technologies on the Future of Surgery,” John Griswold, M.D.; Dixon Santana, M.D. and Larry Whitcomb, M.D.; Department of Surgery
• Oct. 11: “Matters of the Heart: Advances in Cardiac Care,” Ashwani Kumar, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine
• Oct. 18: “Current Concepts in Total Joint Arthroplasty as a Treatment Alternative for Degenerative Arthritis in the Adult," George Brindley, M.D., Department of Orthopaedics
• Oct. 25: “All About You: Transitioning to Electronic Medical Records,” Craig Bradley, M.D., School of Medicine
• Nov. 1: “How Technology Aides in the Battle Against Breast Cancer,” Candy Arentz, M.D., Department of Surgery
• Nov. 8: “Dizziness and Falling: The Neurological Challenges of Maintaining an Upright Position Against Earth’s Force of Gravity," John De Toledo, M.D., Department of Neurology

Cost of Community Medical School is $20 for the entire semester. Check in for each class is from 5 to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (806) 743-2008 or email communitymedicalschool@ttuhsc.edu.