FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:

Anne Manning

UTHSC Communications and Marketing

(901) 448-4072

 

UTHSC STUDENTS COMPETE TO DEVELOP DISASTER PLAN

Memphis, Tennessee (January 23, 2006) – In the wake of a natural disaster with the scope of Hurricane Katrina, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) students are taking a unique approach to preparing for disasters that may hit the Memphis region in the future. Three interdisciplinary teams from the Colleges of Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Science Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work will compete in the fourth annual Rice Intercollegiate Bowl to solve a complex healthcare case.

 To be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, January 26, in the Humphreys General Education Building on the UTHSC campus, this year’s event promises to be particularly interesting and timely. The teams have been asked to develop a plan to address critical healthcare issues resulting from a major natural disaster in the Memphis area.

After presenting their initial proposals, the teams will be given additional information about the case and asked to respond to a set of questions. A panel of community leaders will also ask questions to the teams about their presentations. Teams will be judged by a group of faculty and guests based on their use of interdisciplinary approaches to solving the case, as well as on the completeness and clarity of their responses.

The goal of the bowl is to demonstrate the importance of interdisciplinary thinking among health professionals.  The competition is named in honor of Bill Rice, former UTHSC Chancellor, and is based on a similar program at the University of Texas – Houston.