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Key state officials, legislative aides participate in Project Medical Education

SYRACUSE, N.Y.— Assemblyman Al Stirpe and key aides for state and national lawmakers, including an aide for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, will don white coats and learn firsthand what it’s like to be a medical student, a resident, biomedical scientist and a financial administrator during Project Medical Education—a two-day intensive educational program on academic medicine—Aug. 25 and 26 at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

The program opens at 1 p.m. in Weiskotten Hall Aug. 25 and ends following a question and answer session at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 26.

Among those scheduled to be on campus are Dan Doktori , newly-named director of higher education for the Governor’s Office, and Tom Andriola and Sean O’Keefe, senior budget analyst with the State Assembly.

“The individuals participating in this program are all important players when it comes to making laws and advising elected officials on matters relating to higher education and healthcare,” said Dan Hurley, SUNY Upstate associate vice president for government and community relations. “This program helps broaden their understanding of academic higher education while providing them with real-time experience.”

Activities planned include an interactive physical exam, a visit to the gross anatomy lab, working side-by-side with a researcher on scientific discovery, and making patient rounds, supplemented with robust financial presentations.

Participating in Project Medical Education are:

? New York Assemblyman Al Stirpe

? Dan Doktori, Director of Higher Education, Governor’s Office

? Adam Damin, Budget Examiner, Division of the Budget

? Jay Biba, Central New York Regional Director for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton

? Sean O’Keefe, Senior Legislative Budget Analyst for the Assembly Ways and Means Committee

? Tom Andriola, Deputy Budget Director, Assembly Ways and Means Committee

? Angela Wright, Director, Senate Committee on Higher Education

? Lee Willbanks, Legislative Director, New York Sen. Darrel Aubertine

? Ed Thater, Legislative Aide, New York Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli

? John Kraigenow, Counsel, Senate Committee on Higher Education