HUP resident wins $3000 in medical TV game show

Craig Tanio originally entered the University's Department of Medicine just to complete his residency. But his work there has now made him a contestant, and winner, on a nationally televised game show to be broadcast this weekend. Third-year resident Tanio defeated two other residents from the University of California at San Francisco and the University of Texas in a new cable program called Medquiz, which is scheduled to air this Sunday at 5 p.m. on the Lifetime Cable Network. Contestants were presented with typical medical cases and were asked to answer questions and make diagnoses based on the information given. Each contestant responded to each question within a set time frame and their answers were then judged by a panel of three doctors. The data provided for contestants included X-rays and photographs of patients' symptoms. Tanio was the winner of one of the two shows which were taped on the first day of the program. The winner of the other show is a Harvard University resident. "It was a very interesting experience and hopefully we can do more of it," said Terry Schomwald, Associate Producer of Medquiz. "At this point they're pilots for a series. There might be something more down the road. Right now I haven't a clue as to what is going to happen concerning the future of the show." The producers of the quiz show initially contacted several medical schools, including the University's, and asked each school to select a student for the program. For his efforts, Tanio won the grand prize of $3000, which Schomwald said he plans to donate to the Department of Medicine Scholarship Fund. The University will also receive an additional $2500 for its participation in the project. "It was a very close game," he said. "I enjoyed the experience, particularly because I was able to visit my parents who live in Southern California. It was an honor to represent Penn Medical Center in the competition." Lifetime Medical Television spokesperson Alisa Johnson said that any plans for the creation of new episodes of Medquiz would depend on the Ciba-Geigy Corporation, which sponsored the original two shows. The shows were produced by Medical Communications Resources, Inc. "Between 4 and 7 p.m. we allow sponsors to air programs which are produced by an outside producer," Johnson said.

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