The Department of Family Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC hosted the first annual Primary Care Program Symposium April 28 on the Health Sciences Campus. Attendees included primary care preceptors and faculty wanting to improve their skills and knowledge based on common clinical problems. Speakers addressed current updates and practices, including management of gastroesophageal reflux disease, challenges in managing insomnia, clinical approaches to depression, diagnosis of common rheumatologic diseases and alternative treatment modalities in aging and cognitive decline.

Family Medicine Clerkship Director Katherine Gibson, MD, clinical assistant professor of family medicine (clinician educator) and Primary Care Director Jo Marie Reilly, MD, MPH, professor of clinical family medicine (educational scholar), welcomed 40 attendees in the morning. Isabel Lagomasino, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences and vice chair for education, led the first talk. She spoke to the attendees about efficacy and tolerability of various drugs used in treatment of depression and anxiety. Joseph E. Scherger, MD, MPH, a family medicine physician, followed with his discussion on healthy aging and preventing cognitive decline. The morning session wrapped up with Gregory Albers, MD, from the University of California, Irvine, who shared an update on gastroesophageal reflux disease management and treatment.

Stavros Savvas speaks to attendees about improving the quality care for rheumatic patients and answered related questions. (Photo/Claire Norman)

“The morning offered stimulating and valued teaching and learning for all,” Reilly said. “We were excited to have such an engaging group of speakers.”

The second half of the symposium covered clinical problems related to the diagnosis of common rheumatologic diseases. Stavros Savvas, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School and a board-certified rheumatologist, spoke to attendees about improving the quality care for rheumatic patients and answered related questions. At the end, Vincent Grbach, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine (clinician educator), spoke about his dedicated practice to sleep medicine and insomnia.

— Claire Norman