Illinois Medicine

dean's message College of Medicine and Medical Center have a number of good options available to us, and we are giving them careful consideration. In navigating this new terrain, we will be guided A by our new vice president of health affairs, whom we currently are in the process of recruiting. I look forward to announcing the selection of this new vice president and our plans for our own network in the near future. Major scientific changes in medicine also are taking place, driven by extraordinary advances in basic and clinical research. This research includes the breakthrough studies occurring in the College of Medicine's Pediatric Brain Research and Intervention (BRAIN) Center, the subject of the cover story of this issue of Illinois Medicine. In addition, you can read about a number of other important research endeavors in challenging areas such as heart failure and spinal cord injuries in our Campus News section. There, you'll also find stories about how we're improving patient care by building new facilities for our Mile Square Health Center, opening a new head and neck cancer clinic and better understanding patients' individual needs and circumstances. The way we teach students also is changing dramatically. We are moving from a curriculum that emphasizes classroom lecture to incorporating more small group, case-based learning. To accommodate this change, we plan to renovate the College of Medicine building to include more small group areas and student meeting spaces. This student focus extends to financial support. This year, we launched a campaign that seeks to raise sufficient funds for the college to provide scholarships for all of our students. Being able to provide such financial aid is critical to our ability to recruit the most promising medical students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to attend the college. In all of these endeavors, we depend on the generous support of our alumni and friends. I am very grateful for everyone who has contributed to the college during our current fundraising campaign. We will keep working with you all to make sure that the College of Medicine continues to keep pace with these changes and lead the way into the future. Sincerely, S YOU KNOW, BIG CHANGES ARE TAKING PLACE IN MEDICINE, and those changes are being felt in the hallways of the College of Medicine. The passage of federal health care reform legislation last year is prompting health care systems and medical schools to consolidate their networks of health care providers. The University of Illinois Joseph A. Flaherty '68, MD '71, Res '75 Dean, University of Illinois College of Medicine I L L INOI S MEDICINE | 1

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