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!
Lifetime Achievement Award
Congratulations to Dr. Michele Moss, a Professor in the Cardiology and Critical Care Medicine sections of the Department of Pediatrics, on receiving a well-earned Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Transport Medicine (SOTM). She will be honored during the AAP national conference in Washington, D.C., in October. Dr. Moss’ AAP colleagues lauded her for exemplifying SOTM’s vision of achieving global excellence in neonatal and pediatric transport medicine. She was described as a role model for demonstrating professionalism and compassion with patients, families and clinical colleagues in what are often extremely stressful and complex situations.
Colleagues in Arkansas know those qualities firsthand. Dr. Moss has served on our faculty since 1985 and as Medical Director of Angel One Transport since 1988. She has held many other leadership roles at Arkansas Children’s, including Medical Director of ECMO in 2016-2022, Vice-Chief of the Pediatric Service in 2003-2017, and Medical Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in 1997-2000. Dr. Moss is also currently serving as President of the Arkansas Chapter of the AAP.
Soirée Top Docs
Congratulations to the more than 120 UAMS physicians who were voted by their peers as Little Rock’s Top Docs 2023 for Soirée magazine. As always, our faculty physicians were a strong presence on the annual list, representing 36 specialty areas. These physicians are also highlighted here on the UAMS Health website. Congratulations to all, and kudos for your dedication to outstanding patient care, along with your work across all mission areas.
Peritoneal Dialysis Fellowship Designation
UAMS has been designated by the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) as one of three centers in the nation for fellowships sponsored by the ISPD. The society provides scholarships for nephrology fellows to travel to designated peritoneal dialysis (PD) centers for highly specialized training with PD experts for three months. Kudos to Dr. Aparna Sharma, Associate Program Director for the fellowship and Director of the Living Kidney Transplant Program at UAMS, for her work on the ISPD application, and to Dr. Manisha Singh, Director of the Home Dialysis Programs at UAMS and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, who will serve as the ISPD Fellowship Director.
Symposium Highlights Undergraduate Research
A shout-out to Professor Dr. Grover P. Miller and colleagues in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for their work on the 10th Annual Arkansas Undergraduate Research Symposium. The event drew 131 students from 41 colleges and universities across the country to UAMS. Dr. Miller’s leadership of the annual symposium is a big reason for its success. This year’s event ended with a presentation thanking him for his dedication to teaching, mentoring and inspiring the next generation of biomedical scientists. Diane McKinstry, summer program manager for Arkansas INBRE, also was recognized for her work on the symposium. Biochemistry faculty members Dr. Samantha Kendrick and Dr. Alicia Byrd organized the oral sessions, and Dr. Eric Enemark coordinated poster judging. The UAMS Graduate School also provided support for the event. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.
Obesity Expertise Featured in National Media
Dr. Dinesh Edem, Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and Director of the UAMS Medical Weight Management Program, was among the national experts consulted for recent articles by KFF Health News and featured in the Washington Post and CNN. Both articles centered on obesity in older patients. The Washington Post article, which explored the use of weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, included the experience of one of Dr. Edem’s patients and his insights about the impact of losing weight for reducing the risk of death. The CNN online article included a snippet from Dr. Edam’s 30-minute interview, with recommendations for older patients who are trying to lose weight. These include appropriate meal plans and supplements to help ensure a high-quality diet.
On a Run, for a Good Cause
Finally this week, it goes without saying that our students and faculty put in a lot of hours for their work and learning here at UAMS. Quite often, they still find time to serve the community and good causes while having fun in their free time. For example, many students, faculty and staff participated in the recent Run with the Flock 5K, which raised awareness and funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Osteosarcoma Institute. Several of these runners were among the top finishers in their respective age groups and categories, including students Cole Bolen, Grant Dawson, Tucker Andrews and Amie Brint. Faculty placers included Dr. Murat Gokden (Pathology), Dr. Joseph Chacko (Ophthalmology) and Dr. David Douglass (Pediatric Hematology/Oncology).