Open For Business
New medical school launches its first class with compassionate goals.
Hannah Posen
Jewish News Intern
T
he 50 students in the inaugural
class of the Oakland University
William Beaumont School of
Medicine were welcomed Aug. 8 by fac-
ulty and administration as they began
their first class, "Professionalism in
Medicine at the first new medical school
in Michigan in 47 years.
These 50 students were admitted from
a pool of 3,237 applicants. Of the 50, 35
students are from Michigan and 20 from
Oakland County.
Adam Weiner, a University of Michigan
graduate, was drawn to the school during
his interview.
"It's a very intimate community:'
Weiner said. "The atmosphere really
made me feel that this is a welcoming
place, conducive to getting through this
rigorous curriculum!'
Now 24, Weiner moved to West
Bloomfield as a teen after leaving Israel
at age 7 with his family and after trav-
eling around the United States for his
father to redo his medical training.
Weiner's connection to Israel encour-
aged him to spend a year there as an
EMT (emergency medical technician)
for Magen David Adom, which was the
eye-opening experience that made him
pursue medicine.
participated in a service project before
applying to medical school and that is
what made them stand out during the
review process. These types of projects
help students become the compassionate
physicians the school aims to generate.
"I want to produce the type of physi-
cian I would want for myself, my family,
my neighbors, for the community:' said
Dr. Robert Folberg, founding dean of
the OUWB School of Medicine. "If our
graduates turn out to be researchers,
and some of them will, we want them
to remember that there is a patient
at the other end of the experiment. It
isn't about the science itself, it's about
answering a particular need!'
The school is not focused on disease,
he said, rather, it is working to promote
good health throughout the community.
And this filters through to the students
who will become physicians who are role
models and educators for their patients.
As a part of this mission, each student
will be required to have a capstone proj-
Adam Weiner, 24, chose OU's medical school for its intimate community. He wants
ect, many of which will be with commu-
to practice in Michigan.
nity organizations such as United Way.
"We want to enable our students to
reach
well beyond competency:' Foldberg
with the area and I have a lot of friends
After two daunting years applying
said.
"I
want a physician who is more
here so it made sense for me to stay in
to medical school and taking exams,
than
competent.
And what capstone
Michigan. It's a cool thing to be a part of,
Weiner chose the OUWB School of
does
is
set
them
on the road so they can
rehabilitating the city. My plan is to stay
Medicine.
grab
a
piece
of
medicine
and say they're
in Michigan and practice in the area!'
"I've been here since eighth grade
beginning
to
have
mastery
over it!'
Each student in the inaugural class
he said. "It feels like home. I'm familiar
Cou r tesy Oa klan d Un ive rs ity
Business on page 22
Caring Connection
Dr Kchele D. •atipie
;.
1 414 •
1:. 1010
Rabbi Shere eases end of life for medical school's
late associate dean.
Hannah Posen
Jewish News Intern
T
Rabbi Rachel Shere speaks at the memorial
convocation for Dr. Michele Raible.
he compassion that is a cornerstone of the
Oakland University William Beaumont School
of Medicine connected Dr. Michele Raible,
associate dean for undergraduate medical education,
with Rabbi Rachel Shere of Adat Shalom Synagogue
in Farmington Hills. They met during Raible's battle
with leukemia, which she sadly lost on June 21, 2010,
after being diagnosed that February.
Shere's support helped Raible and her husband, Dr.
William Miles, stay strong throughout treatment.
Raible was brought up Catholic and Miles grew
up Methodist. They distanced themselves from the
Christian church and found their spiritual connec-
tion as Unitarian Universalists, believing that there is
more than one path to enlightenment.
When Raible was hospitalized, the hospital chap-
lains would approach her with prayer, which wasn't
the help she needed, Miles recalled. They were new to
the community, having recently left Chicago for Raible
to assume her role at OUWB. Dean Robert Folberg
asked if it would be OK to connect her with his rabbi.
"I tried to visit Michele nearly every day:' Folberg
recalled. "Through our conversations, it became clear
that she was trying to make sense of her illness, to
grasp some meaning behind the suffering of chemo-
therapy and uncertainty.
"We spoke about the pastoral care available at the
hospital. She related to me that pastoral visits often
consisted of 'Would you like a Psalm and a prayer?'
Michele wanted more — she wanted some meaning
from the experience.
Connection on page 22
20 September 1 . 2011