MNSU to host healthcare summit next Tuesday

Michael McShane
Staff Writer

Minnesota’s science community is set to commence the second Health and Biomedical Sciences Summit here at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

The event, scheduled to begin Tuesday, will take place within MNSU’s Centennial Student Union building.

The summit will include many in the science and medical field who will speak about a wide arrange of topics that are affecting the country. Subject such as discoveries in disease treatment, rural healthcare and 3D printing.

The event will cover two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, with each going from 7:30 a.m. all the way to 12 p.m.

Many of the speakers include MNSU faculty such as Thad Shunkwiler, an assistant professor in the Health Science Department. Prof. Shunkwiler is excited to speak at the event as he did the year before. 

“I think it’s a great opportunity to bridge the university with the biomedical world outside the university and start developing partnerships and really strengthening those as well as an opportunity for students to get involved with a professional level conference,” Prof. Shunkwiler said about the summit.

Prof. Shunkwiler added that the summit will overall be a benefit for all who attend the event next week. He will be speaking at the event on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in CSU 245.

Another professor, Dr. David Sharlin, will be speaking with other members of the Biological Sciences Department about their newly created RISEbio Program. The session will talk about the launch of the program, what the program will do and early results that have already come out.

Much like Prof. Shunkwiler, Dr. Sharlin is also eager to be a part of the science conference.

“I think it wants to highlight some of the excellent opportunities and initiatives that are currently underway at MSU as well as highlight the expertise of faculty at MSU,” Dr. Sharlin said.

There will be other non-faculty speaking at the event as well including Toby Freier, president of the New Ulm Medical Center. Freier is set to be the opening speaker for the event in the Ostrander Auditorium.

Along with a new and advanced attitude about current trends in healthcare, students will also be given professional development credits as well as CEUs.

The price of admission is $175 for both days and $100 for just one day.

Header photo courtesy of mnsu.edu.