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!
Making an Impact
The UAMS Office of Community Health and Research, based at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus and led by Dr. Pearl McElfish, continues to excel in impactful research and outreach. The team is leading a new $10 million grant to UAMS from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to expand community-based outreach and increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence in medically underserved communities across the state.
Meanwhile, a 2021 study by the team on the links between race/ethnicity and trust or fear in COVID vaccines has earned the 2022 Clinical and Translational Science Award from the journal Clinical and Translational Science. The article was the journal’s most downloaded original article of 2021 and was judged by the editorial team as most reflective of the goals for diversity, equity and inclusion of the sponsoring organization, the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (ASCPT). The team will be recognized at the ASCPT annual meeting in March. Congratulations to co-authors Drs. Don Willis, Jennifer Andersen, Keneshia Bryant-Moore, James Selig, Christopher Long, Holly Felix, Geoffrey Curran and Pearl McElfish.
Most recently, researchers in the office published four articles relating to a study they conducted that found that many Arkansans who received the vaccine did so despite having some doubts about the shot.
Diversity Leadership
Congratulations to Sharanda Williams, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Diversity, on being selected for the 2022 Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Healthcare Executive Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program. The intensive program is designed to bolster skills for driving diversity, equity and inclusion as a core component of excellence in health care. As part of the program, Ms. Williams will plan and lead an institutional initiative to foster and support diversity among UAMS staff members through her new role as Co-Chair of the Staff Recruitment, Engagement and Retention Committee in the Division for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
COVID & Breastfeeding
Dr. Aline Andres, Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Director of the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC) and Dr. Laxmi Yeruva, USDA ARS – Research Leader at the ACNC, were part of a research team that found that breastmilk produced by women diagnosed with COVID-19 does not contain SARS-CoV-2 RNA but had persistent levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and is likely a source of passive immunity. The team’s conclusions, published in Frontiers in Immunology, support recommendations for lactating women to continue breastfeeding during and after COVID-19 illness.
International Research Award
Congratulations to Dr. J.L. Mehta, Distinguished Professor of Internal Medicine and Physiology and Cell Biology, on being selected to receive the Oxford International Best Researcher Award from Oxford Research News and ISSN Awards. Dr. Mehta was selected along with his international coauthors of “Epigenetic Modification in Coronary Atherosclerosis: JACC Review Topic of the Week,” published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Many thanks to Dr. Mehta for his internationally recognized scholarly work and many contributions to the field of cardiology.
Center of Excellence
Kudos to Dr. Tuhin Virmani, Associate Professor of Neurology, and the entire Movement Disorders team for their continued diligence in the care of Arkansans with Huntington’s disease and maintaining the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) Center of Excellence at UAMS. The HDSA designation requires evaluation every year for compliance with rigorous standards and is accompanied by a nearly $20,000 grant to support the team’s outstanding efforts on behalf of their patients.
Menopause Expertise
Congratulations to Dr. Alexis White, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, on becoming a North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP). Dr. White is the only clinically active physician at UAMS with this certification, which recognizes special expertise in the field of menopause. NAMS is North America’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health and quality of life during menopause. Thank you, Dr. White, for your dedication to providing the very best care for Arkansas women.
Obstetric Anesthesia Guidance
Faculty in the departments of Anesthesiology and Obstetrics and Gynecology contributed to a number of chapters in a newly published book from Springer, “Quick Hits in Obstetric Anesthesia.” Dr. Nadir El Sharawi (Anesthesiology) was a co-author for chapters relating to placenta praevia, placenta accrete spectrum and, along with Dr. Everett “Pat” Magann (OB/GYN), on intrauterine growth restriction. Dr. Muhammad Athar (Anesthesiology) coauthored a chapter on cardiotocography (CTG). Dr. Julie Whittington, who completed her Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship at UAMS in 2020, coauthored several chapters.
Student Presenters
A shout-out to fourth-year medical students Curran Henson and Brandon Leding on their excellent poster presentation at the Innovations in Medical Education Online Conference last week, and to their project mentor, Dr. Jasna Vuk in the UAMS Student Success Center. The students presented on “Board-Style Question Review as an Inter-Module Approach to Improving Medical Student Test Scores.” Well done!
COM Conversations
Finally this week, I want to thank all of you who have been joining us for COM Conversations, our informal journal club-style discussion group. Yesterday afternoon, our conversation over Zoom centered on “Creating a User Manual for Yourself.” Many of you shared insights on this creative idea for helping team members understand us better, so that we can work well together and have more meaningful, positive relationships. I am pleased to share these slides from the meeting, which include the survey responses from the instant poll. I will also share slides and materials in my At-a-Glance weekly updates. COM Conversations is held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, 4:00-4:30 p.m. Watch for an announcement about our March session soon!