August 13 , 2004

What's Happening

MGH/Timilty mentors needed
The MGH/Timilty Partnership Science Connection Program will be recruiting Science Fair mentors and Science in the Classroom presenters Aug. 16, from 11:30 am to 1 pm in the Main Corridor and Aug. 18, from 8:30 to 10 am at CNY, Building 149 lobby. The Science Connection Program is funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Pre-college Science Education Program and the MGH Community Benefits Program. For more information about
volunteer opportunities at the Timilty Middle School, call Susan Berglund at (617) 724-3210 or send e-mail to sberglund@partners.org

Symposium on cystic fibrosis
The MGH, MassGeneral Hospital for Children and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation are sponsoring the first annual Boston Cystic Fibrosis Symposium Sept. 13, from 7:20 am to 5 pm at Boston's Harvard Club. David Altshuler, MD, PhD, and Fred Ausubel, PhD, both from the MGH, will speak. Registration is required, and the symposium is limited to 125 participants. To register, visit http://www.mgh.harvard.edu/depts/medicine/cf_symposia/

Organizational course for school children
The MGH Department of Speech-Language Pathology will offer a course on how to become organized for school - four two-hour classes for students grades 5 through 12. Session I will run Aug. 23 to 26, and Session II will run Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. The course will teach how to plan for and maintain a clear study space and keep an organized backpack, how to design and maintain a useful notebook system, how to break down big projects into manageable sections and how to create a plan to get homework done. A course designed for parents will be presented concurrently so that parents are empowered to support their children's new organizational systems.

Students who will benefit from this group include those who misplace their homework or forget to turn it in, start a big project the night before it is due, forget to give parents important notices, have a difficult time estimating the time of a task or prioritizing events, are immobilized by the thought of a big project, and/or have difficulty organizing their room and school supplies. Students who have diagnoses of ADD/ADHD, executive function disorder, language-based learning disability or nonverbal learning disability also may benefit from this class. For more information, call April Hildebrand at (617) 724-0767.

Design and conduct of clinical trials course
The Education Unit of the Clinical Research Program in collaboration with the MGH Cancer Center will offer an intensive course "Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials" Mondays and Thursdays in September and October, from 5 to 6:15 pm in the Trustees Conference Room. The goal of the course is to guide investigators with a serious interest in clinical trials research through the theoretical and practical issues. Participants will be expected to present a trial design at the completion of the course. The course fee is $200 and includes the textbook Fundamentals of Clinical Trials. Registration is required, and enrollment is limited. To register, visit http://crnet.mgh.harvard.edu/education/education.asp . For more information, send e-mail to crpedu@partners.org or call (617) 726-1669.

Making a Difference grant deadline
The Making a Difference grant program, sponsored by the MGH and the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, now is accepting proposals for 2005. The grant program was established to recognize and support the creativity and dedication of MGH employees to improving care and services for patients, families and visitors. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 15. For more information or to obtain an application, call (617) 726-1319.