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.
Match Day Heralds Next Chapter for Senior Class
The Class of 2024 learned where they will complete their residency training at the Match Day ceremony last Friday – and what a celebration it was! As a newcomer, it was wonderful to see the excitement and joy of our graduating seniors and the sea of family, friends and faculty who cheered them on as they opened their envelopes and announced their match locations. Nearly half of our students will be joining residency programs in Arkansas, while others matched to programs in 25 other states. About 48 percent will be training in primary care specialties. Here is a list of where are seniors are going. View a video of the ceremony here, and watch for a story on the UAMS website soon.
Meanwhile, congratulations to all. As I said on Friday, we are confident that the hard work you put in here over the past four years will make you an asset to the institution you are joining. We know you will do great things.
Pediatric Eye Research Prominence
Department of Ophthalmology faculty and their clinical colleagues at Arkansas Children’s are gaining national prominence for their work with the National Eye Institute-funded Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG). The team is the No. 1 investigator group in the country for an exotropia study under the leadership of Dr. Paula Grigorian, and among the top investigators for a retinopathy of prematurity study thanks to the efforts of Dr. Florin Grigorian. Both faculty members received awards for their work at the recent PEDIG meeting in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Paul Phillips, Ophthalmology Chair and Director of the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, is an elected member of the PEDIG executive committee.
Surgery Research Showcase
The IDW Education Building buzzed with intellectual energy during the third annual Surgery Research Symposium hosted by the Department of Surgery on March 12. Along with a keynote address from renowned trauma specialist Dr. Martin Schreiber, the event showcased cutting-edge research through 26 scientific posters. Awards were presented to Ph.D. student Khandoker Usran Ferdous for Best Overall Poster and surgical residents Dr. Hailey Hardgrave and Dr. Nicholas Callais for the Speaker’s Pick and Chair’s Pick, respectively. The symposium underscores the department’s commitment to enhancing patient care through research. Kudos to Surgery Chair Dr. Ron Robertson and the faculty, residents and organizers who made it a great success.
Alcohol Research Award Finalist
Dr. Mustafa Mithaiwala, a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Ashley Acheson’s Neurodevelopmental Risk and Resilience program in the Psychiatric Research Institute, has been selected as a finalist for an Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award from the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA). The international research group presents the awards annually to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows working in the areas of biological, psychosocial and translational research. As a finalist in the prestigious competition, Dr. Mithaiwala will present his research in June at the RSA’s annual scientific meeting in Minneapolis, where the awards also will be presented. We’ll be rooting for you, Dr. Mithaiwala!
Paper Examines CCG Molecules
Dr. Pankaj Patyal, a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Geriatrics and Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, was first author on an article in Cells that sheds new light on the mechanisms of certain small molecules, CCG-203973 and CCG-232601, for potentially treating cancer. The article, “Inhibitors of Rho/MRTF/SRF Transcription Pathway Regulate Mitochondrial Function” was coauthored by faculty members Drs. Xiaomin Zhang, Gohar Azhar and Jeanne Wei (senior author) and post-doctoral fellow Dr. Ambika Verma.
Lectureship Brings Renowned Neurosurgeon to UAMS
The Department of Neurosurgery and Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute recently hosted a renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Jaques Morcos, for the M. Gazi and Dianne C.H. Yasargil Lectureship on Advances in Neuroscience. Dr. Morcos, President-Elect of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, discussed two types of cerebrovascular surgeries as “the inseparable twins.” He also praised Dr. Yasargil, a UAMS Emeritus Professor who has been hailed as the “Neurosurgeon of the Century” for his work between 1950 and 1999. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.
Thank You, Dr. Worley
Dr. Linda L.M. Worley, a Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, has devoted her expertise to help patients, physicians and other colleagues, students and residents achieve better mental health and wellbeing. She retires at the end of this month after serving in many clinical and academic leadership roles and a career that has been driven, in Dr. Worley’s own words, by a determination to prevent and relieve suffering. Dr. Worley currently serves as Chief Wellness Officer for the College of Medicine, following five years as Associate Dean for Northwest Arkansas. Earlier roles included founding the now campus-wide student and faculty wellness programs, the Women’s Mental Health Consultation Service in the statewide Antenatal and Neonatal Guidelines for Education and Learning System – and much more.
On behalf of our college, thank you, Dr. Worley, and best wishes for your well-earned retirement.