Workforce of the Future Spotlighted at MS Conference
Foundation of CMSC Presents Record Number of Scholars and Awardees
(Hackensack, NJ, May 2014)–Seventy medical students, graduate rehabilitation students, neurology residents and Clinician-Scientist Fellows will participate in events and scientific sessions at the leading MS Conference for healthcare professionals. Their participation has been funded through the Foundation of Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Center (FCMSC) scholarship programs and training programs. The 2014 Cooperative Meeting of CMSC (Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers) & ACTRIMS® (Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis), takes place May 28-31 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, TX.
One highlight of the CMSC & ACTRIMS Meeting is the presentations and projects of the individuals and teams who have received scholarships and fellowships through the FCMSC. Their work and research programs may lead to answers for important questions about MS in the future,
 said Judy Katterhenrich, Executive Director, FCMSC. The FCMSC is very grateful for corporate and individual support without which these programs would not be possible.
The FCMSC programs spotlighted at the CMSC & ACTRIMS Meeting include:
- MS Rehabilitation Fellowship Program, which offers 35 hours of training covering all aspects of MS comprehensive care at CMSC member centers. In addition, 12 MS Fellows per year as well as 15 graduate students receive scholarships to participate in the scientific courses at the CMSC & ACTRIMS Meeting.
- Scholarships for Residents provides educational opportunities that give neurology residents exposure to a broader range of MS patients as well as the opportunity for them to network with other residents, fellows and MS experts from all over the country and world.
- Medical Students Research Scholarships provide top medical students with two-month research experiences and mentorships by CMSC members who are researchers and clinicians. Sixteen of these students will present their projects at the Young Scholars Luncheon taking place, May 29th at the CMSC & ACTRIMS Meeting.
For the first time, two students who collaborated on a research project funded through the FCMSC were recognized at the 2013Â Best MS Research
 Award Presentation in Copenhagen, Denmark during the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) meeting. Peter Sguigna and Ethan Meltzer, fourth-year medical students mentored by Dr Elliott Frohman at the University of Texas Southwestern, were one of five to receive this distinction out of 2,500 candidates for their work on Investigating the Structure and Function of the Retinohypothalamic Tract in Multiple Sclerosis by OCT and Pupillometry.
In addition, FCMSC also remains in contact with its scholarship recipients and awardees as they progress in their training. Throughout the years, several students return as candidates for the resident scholarships and other FCMSC fellowship opportunities.
At the CMSC & ACTRIMS Meeting, FCMSC also hosts morning exercise programs called Get Fit with the Foundation
 that includes yoga, Zumba and fun walks and are open to all attendees.
For more information on additional scholarships and fellowships made possible by the FCMSC and supporters, please visit www.cmscfoundation.org/initiatives or stop by their booth during the CMSC & ACTRIMS Meeting.
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About the Foundation of CMSC
The FCMSC was founded in 1999 with the mission to stimulate the growth, development and provision of patient care services, education and research in the field of MS and to enhance the quality of life of those affected by MS through supporting the activities of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers’ (CMSC). For more information go to www.cmscfoundation.org
About CMSC
The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) is the leading educational, training, and networking organization for MS health-care professionals and researchers. The CMSC’s mission is to promote quality multiple sclerosis care through educational programming and accreditation including live and online events, research grants, technical journals and papers, and targeted advocacy efforts. The CMSC member network includes more than 7,000 international health-care clinicians and scientists committed to multiple sclerosis care as well as more than 60 Veterans Administration MS Programs and 225 MS Centers in the US, Canada, and Europe.
CMSC’s and IOMSN’s official, peer-reviewed journal, the International Journal of MS Care (IJMSC), publishes high-quality research, reviews, and consensus papers on a broad range of clinical topics of interest to MS health-care professionals, and is mailed to its membership at no charge. All IJMSC content is available at http://ijmsc.org. For more information on the CMSC, visit www.mscare.org.
Contact: Annie Scully, 908-824-7938, annie.scully@mscare.org
