UW Medicine

Music is creating meaningful moments for patients at UW Medical Center through the Virtual Bedside Concerts program, a University of Washington - School of Medicine service-learning organization that is focused on bringing music to the bedside. MS4 Jorie Wittig created a video for her Humanities & Arts Pathway capstone project that showcases this inspiring initiative, which brings more than 20 volunteer musicians—including UW School of Medicine students, University of Washington undergraduates, high school students and community members from the greater Seattle area—to patient bedsides across four hospital floors each week. "This group has meant so much to me and seeing us expand from our first holiday concert on 6SA to weekly concerts on 4 different hospital floors has truly been an incredible experience! I’m so happy to be staying at UW for my internal medicine training and look forward to signing up patients for concerts as a resident and continuing to witness this group’s incredible impact," says MS4 Jorie Wittig, who created this video. To date, more than 100 patients have benefited. We hope to reach even more as the program grows.

The UW Medicine Division of Pain Medicine provides full-spectrum care, develops innovative therapies, and trains the next generation of healthcare leaders specializing in pain. “Philanthropy is particularly important for pain medicine because it receives so little research funding, even though pain impacts almost every area of health,” says Brett Stacey, MD, medical director at the Center for Pain Relief at UW Medical Center – Roosevelt. Thanks to the generosity of donors such as Lisa Koch and her husband, Jim, the division is working to gather more data on complex pain syndromes, creating support programs for patients and families, and expanding telehealth options to reach rural areas. Lisa’s inspiration comes from her late mother, Bev, who struggled with chronic pain and whose journey highlighted the need for coordinated care and access to pain care for rural communities. “I’m hoping that with our assistance, the UW Pain Clinic can help ensure patients know they have someone who understands and is ready to help them find ways to live the best life they can,” says Lisa. Read their story and discover how philanthropy drives innovation and hope in pain medicine and how their gift is expanding access to better pain care for rural communities. #ResearchImprovesLives

UW Medicine has received national recognition for our workplace environment in Becker's Healthcare Hospital Review 2025 list of “150 top places to work in healthcare.” This list identifies organizations that are committed to supporting their teams through comprehensive benefits, opportunities for both personal and professional growth, inclusive and empowering work environments, and resources that promote a healthy work-life balance. UW Medicine’s inclusion in the list is based on our mission and the many benefits provided by the University of Washington, including comprehensive health and retirement plans, parental leave, on-site childcare centers, an employee assistance program, a fully subsidized transit pass, and more than 300 employee discounts!

Meet Dr. Peter Greenberg, a professor of microbiology at the University of Washington - School of Medicine. His research on quorum sensing uncovered how bacteria communicate, paving the way for innovative infection therapies. Here, he describes how his career research efforts helped launch an entire field of study. "I published a little review. I got two of my friends who work on a plant pathogen to write it with me. And in that review, we introduced the term 'quorum sensing and response.' That's the first time that came up. And now, you know, every year there's 1,000 or 2,000 papers on quorum sensing," Greenberg says. #ResearchImprovesLives

May is Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (ANHPI) Heritage Month, and throughout the month, we've been celebrating the contributions and diverse cultures of our Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander colleagues and what their heritage means to them in a multi-part series. We asked participants why they chose a career in healthcare and about their favorite traditions. Here’s what they had to say. Angela Nguyen, MD, Pediatric Resident, Seattle Children’s, UW Pediatric Residency Program "I always tell people that I wanted to be a pediatrician before I knew what a pediatrician really was. I loved going to the doctor’s office growing up. But besides the super cool stickers and shiny stethoscopes, I truly enjoyed seeing the wonderful relationship my doctor had with my parents, her patients and most importantly, with me. As cheesy as it is, medicine is beautiful in that it combines the wonderful world of science and humanism. You get to take what you learn about the body and see what you can do to help patients in need every day. Growing up in a predominantly Vietnamese community, I was truly blessed to be surrounded by people who were so proud of our heritage and valued teaching the future generations the importance of it. My parents were immigrants who lacked access to healthcare in their home country and seeing that encouraged me to pursue medicine to improve healthcare literacy among my Vietnamese community." Jeniffer Huong, Cultural Mediator, Community House Calls Program, Harborview Medical Center "My heritage played a significant role in influencing my decision to enter the healthcare field. Growing up in a family where compassion and community service were highly valued, I was inspired by the stories of my ancestors who dedicated their lives to helping others. My cultural background instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility to contribute to the welfare of my community. This deep-rooted value of caring for others guided me toward a career where I could make a meaningful difference."

In December 2023, Pat had a stroke while at her home on the Olympic Peninsula. Luckily, her husband was arriving home and she was able to call out for help. Thanks to his quick action, along with the expertise of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Harborview Medical Center (part of the UW Medicine Neurosciences Institute) and Pat’s own determination to get her life back, she now feels stronger than she did before. “I turned a page. I went, ‘Holy cow, there I am,'” she says. “I’m a success story. I’m working again, gardening, taking the dog for a walk, hiking and mowing the yard. And I hope anyone with a stroke would have such a great experience.” To read more about Pat's story, visit: https://lnkd.in/gKrEsbuT

To celebrate the second official Water Safety Day, Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center (HIPRC) is taking part in a community event at the Kent YMCA on May 17.

April 24, 2025, Global Neurosurgery leaders encompassing neurosurgeons, neuroscience nurses, industry, biomedical engineers, government officials around the world gathered at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, Boston, MA—the exact replica of the United States Senate—and signed the historical initiative, Boston Declaration. More than 500 global leaders gathered to make over individual 90 pledges to build a sustainable system of care ranging from education, research, funding, and infrastructure. Boston Declaration— an unparalleled grassroots initiative — galvanizes decisive undertaking, engagement, and commitments from all major stakeholders, and calls for a creation of a robust, systematic framework to drive enterprise-wide coordination to lead and accelerate transformative Neurosurgical care to address unmet needs around the globe, focusing on under-resourced environment that is timely, accessible, affordable care to all who need it. The Landmark event organized and supported by Mass General Brigham Global Neurosurgery, Gazi Yasargil Microsurgery Academy, and American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Bernice G. Gulek, PhD, APRN, HMC Department of Neurological Surgery, was honored and privileged to be part of this milestone and bring the Neuroscience Nurses' expertise. Dr. Gulek, Chair of the Global Neuroscience Nurses Council within the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS), represented University of Washington and Global Neuroscience Nurses council during the event.

May is Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (ANHPI) Heritage Month, and we are celebrating the diverse cultures of our ANHPI employees. Here, two team members share what inspired them to pursue a career in healthcare, along with their favorite traditions. Connie Au, Behavioral Health Care Manager, LICSW, MSW, UW Medicine Primary Care at Factoria "Growing up In Hong Kong, I always wanted to be a social worker. For the last 25 years I have been working as a social worker at UW Medicine, where I can embrace diversity and practice inclusivity daily. I enjoy patient care, which gives me the opportunity to facilitate healing, enhance quality of life and promote wellness for our patients. I am humbled and honored to be part of UW Medicine, where we serve patients from all walks of life in such a diverse community." Mikael Nguyen, Continuing Medical Education Coordinator, Administrative Specialist and Executive Assistant, UW Medical Center – Northwest "One of the biggest values in Vietnamese culture is the concept of a strong community (“dong bao”). A career in healthcare is an exemplary contribution and practice of community and serving others. From the time I was able to speak, my parents emphasized the importance of how service to others affects people’s lives positively and how in turn, it will do the same for my self-fulfillment."

If you choose the more eco-friendly option of riding an electric bike or scooter to work, please use extra caution. There were 163 serious injuries involving an electric scooter or bike last year, a 37% increase compared to the year prior. “It gives me a lot of pause because these are brain injuries, facial fractures, organ injuries from being hit by a car, these are very serious injuries,” Dr. Beth Ebel, a pediatrician at Harborview Medical Center said. She's also a member of the Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center (HIPRC).