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National Programs for Compassionate Healthcare Receive Grant to Expand Training and Recognition of Physician Role Models for Excellence in Patient Care

The Student Clinician's Ceremony (SCC) is designed to reinforce the values of compassionate and professional care as medical students complete their second year of school and transition into their clinical years. The ceremony includes a keynote speech by a prominent and humanistic physician role model. It underscores the necessity, and challenges, to providing humanistic care to patients at the same time as students must demonstrate high standards of clinical skills. Students take an oath or pledge which provides for both a private moment of reflection as well as a public acceptance of these values. The SCC is held annually at 50 medical schools across the United States and this number is expected to increase with the new grant.

The SCC is also a forum to recognize outstanding doctors-in-training with the Gold Foundation's coveted Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Awards (HETA). The awards are granted to doctors who demonstrate commitment to teaching and compassionate treatment of patients and families, students and colleagues. Each award winner is presented with a certificate, a specially designed lapel pin and a check for $250 from the Gold Foundation, and receives recognition from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). In 2010, 275 HETA awards were granted.

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation is a public organization that works with medical schools, teaching hospitals, and physicians in practice to improve healthcare by encouraging patient-centered care. Its goal is for every patient to be treated with respect, compassion and clinical excellence.

"We at United Health Foundation are privileged to support the Gold Foundation in helping prepare the physicians of tomorrow to practice the highest possible quality of care, reinforced by the essential values of humanism and excellence," said Reed Tuckson, M.D., board member, United Health Foundation, and executive vice president and chief of medical affairs, UnitedHealth Group. "The Gold Foundation's Student Clinician's Ceremony is an invaluable tool for preparing students to make the transition from the classroom to the bedside, as well as recognizing and celebrating the role models upon which they'll base their future practice."

Jordan Cohen, M.D., Gold Foundation Board Chairman, said, "This new grant is strong validation of an important program. With the grant of United Health Foundation, our goal is to expand Student Clinician's Ceremonies and HETA awards to be as ubiquitous as the Foundation's White Coat Ceremonies and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. We couldn't be more grateful to United Health Foundation and Dr. Tuckson for their confidence and investment."

Guided by a passion to help people live healthier lives, United Health Foundation provides helpful information to support decisions that lead to better health outcomes and healthier communities. The Foundation also supports activities that expand access to quality health care services for those in challenging circumstances and partners with others to improve the well-being of communities. Since established by UnitedHealth Group [NYSE: UNH] in 1999 as a not-for-profit, private foundation, the Foundation has committed more than $176 million to improve health and health care. For more information, visit www.unitedhealthfoundation.org.

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare. Its programs enhance the doctor-patient relationship by combining the high tech skills of cutting edge medical science with the high touch skills of communication, empathy and compassion. The Foundation's signature program, the White Coat Ceremony, takes place in 94 percent of U.S. medical schools with more than 18,000 students each year. Other programs include the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine awards which recognize graduating medical students and outstanding role model faculty members; an annual humanism in medicine essay contest; the Gold Humanism Honor Society with 92 chapters across the country; grants for service projects; and support for curricular change in medical education.

For more information about the Student Clinician's Ceremony and recent HETA winners visit http://bit.ly/GoldFdtnSCCandHETA.

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation
Karen Secular, 973-727-4656
ksecular@gold-foundation.org
www.humanism-in-medicine.org