Dr. Sam Datta new physician in Heppner
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Dr. Sam Datta
VQL. 119_______ NO. 23______ 10 Pages
Wednesday, June 7,2000
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
lone holds 38th annual IUCC auction
There’s a new health provider
in Heppner-one who has
traveled half way around the
world to be here.
Dr Saumyajit "Sam" Datta. 34,
originally from Calcutta, India, is
now' on the job at Pioneer
Memorial Hospital and Clinic.
Dr. Datta attended medical
school in Calcutta, where he met
his wife, Deepa. After graduation
from medical school in 1989. he
and Deepa both completed an
internship in New Delhi. India.
Dr. Datta’s clinical internship
was at the V.S.S. Medical
College. Sanibalpur University
from 1989-90. During the
internship he did a "little bit of
emergency medicine, a little bit
of surgery and psychiatric care."
He completed his residency on
the house staff at All India
Institute of Medical Sciences
from January-November 1991,
working in " the areas of
emergency
medicine
and
neurosciences. He completed
another residency on the house
staff at Safdarjung Hospital at
New Delhi from April-December
1992, working in the areas of
bums and plastic surgery and
out-patient psychiatry.
From July 1993-November
1994, Dr. Datta was senior
medical officer at Jeewan
Hospital at New Delhi, providing
acute care and ambulatory care
as a tamily physician. From
Julyl995-June 1996, he served as
an intern in internal medicine at
Wyckoff Heights Medical Center
at Brooklyn, New York, working
in telemetry and the coronary
care unit, on the infectious
disease/pulmonary floor, in
emergency
medicine
and
ambulatory care clinics.
Dr. Datta also completed a
residency in family practice at
the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital,
Institute of Urban Family Health/'
Albert Einstein College of
Medicine. During this residency
he worked in ambulatory and
preventive care in a community
clinic, in-patient management on
the family practice floor, in the
emergency room, in prenatal
care, labor and delivery, newborn
follow-up, pediatrics, geriatrics,
intensive care unit, gynecology,
completed surgical roations and
was the supervising resident of
procedures and management and
precepted physician assistants
and medical students.
Dr. Datta spent the last 10
months in a fellowship which
provided training in geriatrics.
He cut the 12-month program
short because of the "call of
duty" from Heppner, but says he
may complete the fellowship in
later years. He is board certified
with a specialty in family
practice..
As a youth in Calcutta. Dr.
Datta
attended
missionary
schools in both elementary and
high school where he learned to
speak very fluent English.
While some of the stereotypes
Americans have about India are
may be true, including the big
divide between the rich and the
poor. Dr. Datta points out that the
education system in India is very
good and is subsidized to a great
degree. For example, four years
of med school cost him only
around SI00. India is also one of
the leading countries in the world
in computer programming.
He says that training in the
modem way of medicine
available in the U.S. was the
biggest impetus in his coming to
America. "I wanted to acquire
more
skills
and
more
knowledge," he said.
While moving from New York
to Heppner w ill be a big change.
Dr. Datta says he feels the
experience will be a good one
"Physicians are so plentiful there
(in New York), and oversupplied,
I thought it would be more
worthwhile to provide care in a
small town," he said. "It’s easier
to make a difference. It’s a small
town, but there's a lot of activity.
Everyone I’ve come into contact
with has been wonderful."
Deepa Datta, a pathologist, is
currently completing fellowship
training
in
blood
bank
transfusion
medicine
in
California. After she completes
her training, she plans to join her
husband in Heppner in July with
their two children. Argho, 3-1/2,
and Shibam, one. Her mother,
Pratima Debnath. who lives in
San Jose, will join the Dattas in
Heppner for a time to help get
things settled. She also stayed
with the family during their
residency training.
"Our biggest source of help and
support has been my mother-in-
law," says Dr. Datta."She has
been such a support. I wish
everyone had a mother-in-law
like her."
Dr Datta's parents still live in
India, but he has a sister who
lives in Ottawa, Canada.
Although Dr. Datta hasn't had
much time for hobbies, he enjoys
reading the newspaper and
"spends hours on the computer."
He adds that his wife is more of
the "handy person" around the
house.
The community is invited to
meet Dr. Datta and other health
providers at Pioneer Memorial
Clinic on Tuesday, June 20.
People are invited to stop by and
get acquainted, enjoy cake and
punch and take advantage of the
clinic's "free appointment with
the provider day."
Call 676-5504 for a free
appointment. Appointments are
limited to the first 75 callers.
Willow Creek Water Park to open Saturday
Two-vear-old Ann Rietmann, daughter of Jerry and Lisa Rietmann of lone, seems to be enjoying herself at
the 38th Annual lone United Church of Christ Auction. Little Ann is carrying on a family tradition started
when her father attended the first auction when he was only a year old. He also got his photo in the
newspaper.
Kid’s fishing derby to be held
In celebration of National Oregon Dept, of Fish and.
Fishing Week, June 3-11, the Wildlife. For more information
USDA Forest Service's Pacific call Greg Lynch at (511) 676-
Northwest Region, along with 9187.
the Oregon Department of Fish
North Fork John Day Ranger
and Wildlife and Washington District, Ukiah: The North Fork
Department of Fish and Wildlife, John Day District is sponsoring a
have adopted the concept of free "Kid's Fishing Derby" Saturday.
fishing for specified days during June 10, at Twin Ponds, located
that week. Free fishing days six miles south of Ukiah on
offered this year will be Saturday Forest Road 52 (follow signs
and Sunday, June 10 and 11 in from Ukiah).
Oregon and Washington and all
The Fishing Derby will take
four Ranger Districts on the place from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Umatilla National Forest are Hot dogs, hamburgers and sodas
planning
free
events
in are provided for everyone who
conjunction
with
National registers and participates in the
Fishing
Week.
Children Derby. A special fly casting
participating in these events need competition and "biggest fish"
to bring their oven fishing gear contest will also be held.
and must be accompanied by an
This event is sponsored by the
adult.
Forest Service, Blue Mountain
Fishing week will be Chapter of Trout Unlimited,
commemorated in the following Oregon Department of Fish and
districts;
Heppner
Ranger Wildlife, Battle Mountain Am
District: The Kid's Fishing Derby Vets and Ladies Auxiliary, as
will be at the Willow Creek well as numerous businesses and
Reservoir on June 11, 2000 individuals in Pendleton. Pilot
between 1 and 5 p.m.
Rock, Ukiah, and LaGrande. For
The derby is open to all kids 12 more information, call (541) 427-
years and under. Registration is 3231.
required, so to beat the lines and
have more fishing time, fill out McElligott named
the registration form and bring it all conference
with you and your parents to the
Melissa McElligott of lone has
registration booth. Prizes will be
awarded in several categories. received University of Nevada-
The prizes will also be awarded Reno student-athlete Academic
by age groups; 0-5, 6-8, 9-10 and All-Big West Conference honors
11-12 years old. A casting in women's track and field. To be
contest, held during derby hours, eligible for this award, student-ath
is a "great time to get pointers for letes must maintain a 3.2 cumula
the youngsters." There will also
tive grade point average, have at
be prizes for the Casting Contest
tained a sophomore standing aca
Parents are invited to come out
demically and competed in at least
and watch their kids catch bass,
50 percent of their team's con
sunfish. trout and some great
tests.
prizes. Sponsors include Mid
McElligott is a senior majoring
Columbia Bass Club. NW
in elementary education Her par
Steelheaders. Heppner Lions
ents are Joe and Jen McElligott
Club, Ducks Unlimited and of lone
Cemetery to
be cleaned
The Heppner Cemetery staff
requests that people, if they w ish.
remove flowers, flower arrange
ments, etc. from the cemetery as
the cemetery will be cleaned on
Monday, June 12.
Christian
Women’s salad
luncheon slated
A potluck salad luncheon
sponsored by Eastern Oregon
Area
Board
of
Aglow
International will be held at the
Nazarene Church in Heppner at
noon, Wednesday, June 14.
Babysitting will be provided.
The guest speaker. Dorothy
Biamont, is an anointed teacher;
"a woman of passion, love, and
fun." "She leads people into a
more intimate relationship with
the Father," according to a news
release.. Dorothy has traveled
extensively,
ministering
in
Australia. Mexico, Indonesia.
Israel, Finland, the former Soviet
Union, Canada and the USA. She
has been active in Aglow
International for 30 years.
She speaks and ministers at
retreats,
local
churches,
conferences, on television, radio,
in prisons and even on the
streets. "Come expecting to
receive from Jesus," added the
release. "We are fortunate to
have a woman of this calibre
willing to come and minister in
our community. Please come."
For more information call Peggy
Connor at 676-9408. Kari Keown
at 676-5884 or Connne Miles at
676-5016
The Willow Creek Water Park
in Heppner will open for the
season this Saturday, June 10.
Hours will be 1-5 p.m. Saturday.
The pool will be open for open
swim seven days a week:
Monday through Friday, 1-5 p.m.
and 7-9 p.m.; Saturday and
Sunday, 1-5 p.m.
Adult swim will be week days
from 8-9 a.m. Aquatic exercise is
tentatively scheduled for 8-9 a.m.
and 6:30-7 p.m. with fees to be
announced.
A family swim pass will be
$125; an individual pass, $60.
Daily admission is $1.50 for
children five and under; $2 for
students six to 18 years; and
$2.50 for adults.
Swim lessons will be held
weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon
and 6-7 p.m. with the first
session planned June 19-30. The
second session will be held July
10-21 and the third, July 31-
August 11. Cost is $25 per
session. Space is limited, so
those wishing to take lessions
should call to reserve a spot.
Private lessons are also available.
The therapy pool will be open
during all outdoor pool hours and
by appointment.
Water park manager Bobette
Lovgren has also planned some
special programs for kids and
teens during the summer if grant
monies become available. She is
hoping to be able to schedule
teen nights on Tuesdays, where
all teens swim for free, and youth
game days.
New to the water park this year
are pool covers which should
help retain heat in the pool and
cut down on the electricity bill.
Lovgren says that the pool's
heater has been fixed and the
pools temperature should be
maintained
between
76-80
degrees.
For more information or to
reserve a swim lesson date, call
676-5752 and leave a message.
Committee examine rural health issues
The Joint Committee on Health
and Human Services traveledto
Eastern Oregon Monday, June 5
on a four-day fact-finding tour to
examine rural health issues.
While touring safety net health
clinics, rural hospitals, and
emergency services departments,
members of the Committee will
have an opportunity to discuss
the most pressing issues these
community providers face in
bringing essential health care
services to rural Oregonians.
Cities the committee will visit
include: Heppner, Hood River.
Condon. Pendleton, Enterprise,
Elgin. Union. La Grande. Baker
City. Sumpter, John Day. Bums
and Bend. A copy of the itinerary
is attached.
Committee members look
forward to hearing from hospital
administrators, board members,
and practitioners about Oregon's
rural health care delivery system,
how
legislatively
passed
initiatives such as the rural
practitioner tax credit have
allowed providers to remain in
our rural communities, and what
barriers still exist that impact
their ability to deliver quality
health care services to rural
Oregonians. The legislators will
also see how rural emergency
services will be impacted by the
new
Emergency
Medical
Serv ices grants made available as
a result of SB 911 (1999).
The tour will be led by
committee co-chairs Senator Bill
Fisher
(R-Roseburg)
and
Representative Jeff Kruse (R-
Roseburg). Other committee
members who will participate in
the trip include: Senator Verne
Duncan (R-Milwaukie), Senator
Cliff
Trow
(D-Corvallis),
Representative Jerry Krummel
(R-Wilsonville), Representative
Bill Morrisette (DSpnngfield),
and Representative Vic Backlund
(R-Keizer).
Senator
David
N elson
(R -P endleton),
Representative Mark Simmons
(R-Elgin). Representative Bob
Jenson
(I-Pendleton).
and
Senator Ted Femoli (R-John
Day) will host the committee in
their districts.
Business retention training
The Willow Creek Valley
Business Retention Steering
Committee will host an evening
training
for
community
volunteers on Thursday, June 8,
between 5:30-8 p.m at the Bank
of Eastern Oregon Conference
Center in Heppner
Twenty community volunteers
will leam how to visit businesses
to better understand the business
climate
The volunteers will visit
businesses in lone, Heppner, and
Lexington in the coming w eeks
The goal of the effort is to
identify ways to improve
profitability for local businesses.
For more information, contact
Lisa Breckenndge at 276-6745.
Hi Qual W ater Troughs
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