December 7, 2001

Spanish classes for health care workers
MGH Human Resources and Partners Training will sponsor Spanish classes for health care workers beginning Jan. 7, 2002. Three levels of classes – including a beginning class for those who have no prior experience with the language – will be offered. The fee is $40 for a 10-week course. For more information, call Yolanda Butler at (617) 726-3672.

MGH ethics forum
The MGH Ethics Task Force will sponsor an MGH ethics forum, "Stem Cell Research and Clinical Applications: What's all the Fuss About?" Dec. 19, from 4:30 to 6 pm in the Clinics building Lower Amphitheater. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact Matt Girotto at (781) 433-3744 or send e-mail to mgirotto@partners.org

Harvard University Employees Credit Union holiday loans
Harvard University Employees Credit Union is offering holiday loans through Dec. 31. The $1,500 loans are available at 8.99 percent APR, with payments of $131.17 per month for 12 months. For more information, call (617) 495-4460 or visit www.huecu.org

MDS Proteomics-Partners collaborative research projects
Partners HealthCare and MDS Proteomics (MDSP) have established a research alliance. Partners investigators are invited to submit collaborative research proposals for projects that will benefit from funding and access to MDSP's expertise. Applications will be accepted for individual projects with budgets of up to $200,000 per year. The duration of the sponsored research will be one year, with the possibility of second-year renewal. All applications are due by Jan. 4, 2002. For more information, call Trung Do at (617) 278-1091 or visit http://researchventures.partners.org

MGH, Partners, Institute childcare center opening
The Children's Quarters of the MGH Institute of Health Professions, a licensed childcare center providing developmentally appropriate care to children 2 to 6 years of age, will open Feb. 5, 2002. Located in the Catherine Filene Shouse Building – formerly Building 36 at CNY – the center is open to children of members of the Charlestown community and of MGH, Partners and Institute employees. Tuition is $915 per month. For more information or to receive an application, contact the MGH Children's Center at (617) 726-5437.

EAP work/life seminar
The MGH Employee Assistance Program (EAP) will sponsor a series of work/life seminars throughout the coming year. An estate planning presentation will be held Jan. 10, 2002, from noon to 1 pm in the Wellman Conference Room. Jeffrey Bloom, an attorney at Margolis & Cohen, will discuss the basic terms of estate planning. He also will address how eldercare planning can coincide with estate planning. For more information, contact the EAP at (617) 726-6976.

Acupuncture services for MGH employees
The Greater Boston Acupuncture Group, Inc.– which is working with the Stop Hypertension with Acupuncture Research Program at the MGH – is offering a special rate for MGH employees. MGHers may receive acupuncture services at a rate of $58 per treatment. Massage therapy also is available at $65 per treatment. For more information or to make an appointment, call (617) 720-2221.