Here are this week’s Accolades, a roundup of some of the honors and accomplishments of College of Medicine and UAMS faculty, staff, residents, fellows and students I’ve heard about recently!
Congratulations, Golden Apple Winners
Every year, students in each of the four medical classes vote for the faculty member they consider to be their best teacher of the year. I am delighted to announce and congratulate this year’s winners, who will be recognized by students at Honors Convocation on May 19. Our college is grateful to all four of these colleagues for their exceptional teaching.
M1 Class – Dr. Alan Diekman, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Urology. This is Dr. Diekman’s 11th Golden Apple from freshmen, who rave about his teaching and support as Course Director for the Molecules to Cells module. He also is Course Director for the M2 Endocrine/Reproduction course.
M2 Class – Dr. Hanna Jensen, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology. Dr. Jensen directed the M2 Cardiovascular course for the first time this year – making her debut as a Golden Apple winner all the more impressive. She is also the first faculty member based at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus to receive the Golden Apple.
M3 Class – Dr. Nick Gowen, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine. Dr. Gowen is a hospitalist at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and teaches students on that service. He also conducts a highly rated weekly teaching session with all students on the Internal Medicine Clerkship.
M4 Class – Dr. Lindsey Sward, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Assistant Dean for Clinical Education. Dr. Sward, who teaches in the OB/GYN clerkship, has received the Golden Apple from the senior or junior class for the past six years. Seniors have chosen her to deliver the Faculty Address at Honors Convocation in three of the last four years, including this year’s ceremony.
National Pediatric Otolaryngology Recognition
Dr. Graham Strub, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, has been selected to receive the 2023 Richard J.H. Smith Young Faculty Award in Pediatric Otolaryngology from the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO). Dr. Strub will be honored May 6 at the ASPO Annual Meeting in Boson, where he also will present his award-winning manuscript, “Multi-omic analysis of miRNA-mRNA-protein network dysregulation in lymphatic malformation endothelial cells uncovers novel molecular targets.”
Advancing Health Care in the Criminal Justice System
Dr. Melissa Zielinski, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Health and the Legal System (HEALS) Lab in the Psychiatric Research Institute, has been appointed to a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health. The organization is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of health care for individuals and populations within the criminal justice system.
National Pediatric Allergy & Immunology Leadership
Dr. Amy Scurlock, Professor of Pediatrics in the Section of Allergy and Immunology, has been elected to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Section of Allergy and Immunology (SOAI) Executive Council. The 10-member council leads SOAI’s efforts to ensure children receive the highest quality of allergy, asthma and immunology care through education, training and research programs as well as advocacy. Dr. Scurlock’s three-year term starts in November.
Leadership Development in Surgery
Dr. Mary Katherine Kimbrough, Associate Professor of Surgery, has been selected for the Southern Surgical Association’s Leadership Development Program. She is one of six members in the program’s 2023 cohort, joining peers from leading universities such as Duke, Harvard and Vanderbilt. The program pairs participants with Southern Surgical Association members for mentorship, sponsorship and networking. At UAMS, Dr. Kimbrough is doing an outstanding job in leadership roles including Program Director of the General Surgery Residency.
Genomic Surveillance Yields EHR Insights
Assistant Professor Dr. Se-Ran Jun and colleagues in the Department of Biomedical Informatics have a new article in Microbiology Spectrum that takes an innovative “top down” analytical approach – utilizing population genomics to molecular biology – to comprehensively analyze hospital-associated Enterococcus faecium and associated antibiotic resistance in cancer patients. The study provides new insights into genomic surveillance of E. faecium to help monitor and further limit the spread of multidrug-resistant E. faecium. Contributors included Instructor Dr. Zulema Udaondo (first author) along with Ph.D. student Kaleb Abram and Dr. Atul Kothari.
Gynecology Conference Presenters
Associate Professor Dr. Laura Hollenbach, Assistant Professor Dr. Kathryn Stambough and Courtney Lambert, CNP, of the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, along with medical students Liza Hill, Emma Johnson and Sally Barnes, attended the recent North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Annual Clinical and Research Meeting in Nashville. Liza presented a poster on a case report of menstrual suppression in Ogilvie’s Syndrome. Emma presented a poster on a case report and literature review on the treatment of Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS) using PIK3CA inhibitor. Both were co-authored with Dr. Hollenbach and Dr. Stambough. Dr. Stambough also presented in the “Fellows Boot Camp” on pediatric vulvovaginal care.
Tops in Brain & Behavior
Second-year medical student Madeline Richards was honored by educational leaders on April 5 for earning the top score in the M1 Brain and Behavior Module as a freshman last year. In recognition of her excellent work in the foundational course, she received a plaque, letter of commendation from the Dean in her file, and a monetary award. Her name also will be added to the Neuroscience Award plaque located on the south wall of the ground floor of the Education II building. I join with Brain and Behavior Co-Module Directors Dr. Shona Ray-Griffith, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and Dr. Laura Stanley, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, in congratulating Madeline. Well done!