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Finding the Care in Caring: Medicine in a Technological Era
An Evening with Dr. Abraham Verghese

Monday, April 16th, 2012 • 6:00-8:30 p.m.
Koret-Taube Conference Center, Room 130
Gunn-SIEPR Building, 366 Galvez Street, Stanford University

Modern medicine can be high-tech, research-oriented, data-driven and time-crunched in ways that are alienating to both patient and physician. Examining a patient can come as an afterthought, neglected in the onslaught of laboratory test results, medical scans, and numbers on the computer screen.

During this event, Dr. Abraham Verghese will present his perspective on the need for human touch and empathy in patient care and how to achieve this in our current environment which often seems more focused on technology, cost reduction and efficiency rather than the patient.

Please join us for an engaging evening with Dr. Verghese. In addition to hearing him share his experiences, you will also be able to purchase his books during this event.

About Dr. Abraham Verghese

Abraham Verghese, MD, MACP, is Professor for the Theory and Practice of Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Senior Associate Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. Because of his many successes during his career as physician, professor, and author, Dr. Verghese has become a much sought after speaker in the Stanford community and beyond.

Dr. Verghese's life and medical career spans the globe. His medical training first began in Ethiopia, where he was born, and he later graduated from Madras Medical College in India in 1979. Subsequently, he traveled to the US to complete his residency in Johnson City, Tennesse as well as a two-year fellowship specializing in infectious diseases at the Boston University School of Medicine in 1983, where he first saw the early signs of the HIV epidemic. In 1985, he returned to Johnson City as an assistant professor of medicine before taking a brief hiatus to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1991 at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Next, he was in El Paso, Texas for 11 years as professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center before becoming founding director of Center for Medical Humanities & Ethics at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio in 2002. Since 2007, Dr. Verghese has been at the Stanford University School of Medicine. In addition to his writing, which he devotes 40% of his time to, Verghese continues to teach at Stanford and is renowned for his efforts in establishing good bedside medicine practices and continues to be a leading voice for the importance of empathetic care in the doctor-patient relationship.

Dr. Verghese is the author of three books that have all been on the New York Times bestseller list: two memoirs - My Own Country: A Doctor's Story and The Tennis Partner: A Story of Friendship and Loss - and his most recent novel, Cutting for Stone. His first book, My Own Country: A Doctor's Story, inspired by his experiences treating rural AIDS patients in Johnson City. The book was named one of Time magazine's five "Best Books of the Year" and in 2000 was adapted into a TV movie directed by Mira Nair and starring Naveen Andrews as Verghese. The Tennis Partner (1998), about Verghese's friend David Smith's struggle with addiction, was named a Notable Book by the New York Times. The family saga Cutting for Stone combines Verghese's passions for storytelling and medicine, and appeared on several "Best of 2009" book lists.

Program:
6:00 pm Check-in and reception
7:00 pm Talk by Dr. Abraham Verghese
8:30 pm Event ends

Event Cost:
$30 SPW members and current Stanford students/alumni classes of 2002-2012
$45 Guests
$50 Event ticket + SPW Membership for 2011-2012 (new or renewal)

All ticket options include hors d'oeuvres (light snacks), beverages, dessert, and the Program.

Registration:
Advance registration is required (no walk-ins accepted). Please note that SPW issues no refunds. Credit card payment and registrations will be accepted for this event online only.

Parking options:
Street parking and parking lots are available surrounding the Gunn-SIPR Building on Memorial Way and on Galvez Street.

Questions? Email Event Organizer Aleathia Hoster, '98 at aleathia.hoster@gmail.com

See this event on Stanford Professional Women's website: http://www.stanfordwomen.org/Events.html

You can renew your membership or join SPW online at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1981610049