The Thoracic Surgery Directors Association has scheduled the second annual Thoracic Surgery Resident Bood Camp for July 31 through August 2 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. Under the leadership of Dr. Richard Feins, the Boot Camp is a unique educational experience in which 32 cardiothoracic residents from across the country undergo 2½ days of intensive simulator-based training. The forty-plus faculty members are comprised of senior-level cardiothoracic educators and will oversee four half-day modules in:

In its July 2009 issue, American Journal of Physiology – Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology published a paper, “Novel critical role of toll-like receptor 4 in lung ischemia-reperfusion injury and edema,” from the lab of Thomas M. Egan, M.D., M.Sc., of the UNC Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery.

On UNC-TV’s “North Carolina People,” host Bill Friday recently interviewed Brett Sheridan, M.D., about heart surgery and heart health. Dr. Sheridan replaced Mr. Friday’s aortic valve last winter, and Mr. Friday asked him questions about this surgery. Dr. Sheridan is associate professor of surgery at UNC and is director of adult cardiac surgery at UNC Hospitals. Mr. Friday was president of the University of North Carolina for 30 years and hosts “North Carolina People” weekly on UNC-TV.

July 14, 2009 — Lynne Farber, MSN, RN, CPNP, has been recognized as one of the Great 100 Nurses in North Carolina. Recipients are recognized for their outstanding professional ability and for their contributions to improving the healthcare services in their community. The Great 100, Inc. is a grassroots peer recognition organization honoring the nursing profession in North Carolina.

The Office of Medical Alumni Affairs has identified Dr. Tim Farrell as the recipient of a four-year Medical Alumni Distinguished Professorship. The selection recognizes a demonstrated excellence in teaching and is intended to facilitate service to the School of Medicine and its teaching and learning mission.

The 7/13/09 issue of the The Carolina Curator, published by UNC’s Health Sciences Library, features “Dr. Benson Wilcox: Surgeon, Scholar, and Benefactor.”

July 10, 2009 — George F. Sheldon, MD, FACS, Director of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Health Policy Research Institute and Zack D. Owens Distinguished Professor of Surgery and professor of social medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, testified on behalf of the ACS at a July 8 House Committee on Small Business hearing.

July 6, 2009 — Matthew G. Ewend, M.D., director of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center program in neuro-oncology, received the Alumni Achievement Award from the ewendcyber2Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Department of Neurosurgery.