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From the day I started at UNMC, one of my duties has been to co-host a weekly radio show with William Gust, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine.

The show was called "Community Health Line." It aired on Wednesday mornings on KIOS-FM (91.5), the National Public Radio affiliate in Omaha.

Little did I know -- I had just won the public relations lottery.

For a new person with absolutely no connections on the UNMC campus, I have to admit it was a little daunting to be responsible for lining up guests for a weekly radio show.

For my first show on Nov. 18, 1987, I selected the late Robert Waldman, M.D., dean of the UNMC College of Medicine. We talked about the transmission of infectious diseases.

For those on campus who remember Dr. Waldman, I couldn't have picked a better guest. He was as smooth as they come with a microphone in front of his face.

Each year, Dr. Gust and I would do about 50 programs, usually taking the final two weeks of the year off.

Fifty programs a year for 20 years adds up to about 1,000 programs for me ... a thousand opportunities to pick the brains of some of the brightest people you can possibly imagine.

I soon realized that Community Health Line was much more than just an easy way to get the UNMC message out to a niche audience.

In actuality, it was the greatest PR tool I could possibly have. It gave me an outlet for interacting with all of the stars on the UNMC campus as well as occasional programs with community leaders.

Each week was a learning experience for me and our audience. I can't thank KIOS-FM enough for giving UNMC this wonderful vehicle.

It's been a great ride.