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!
Leadership Fellow
Congratulations to Dr. Jessica Snowden, Associate Professor and Director of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Pediatrics, on being accepted for the 2021-2022 class of Fellows in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program at Drexel University. Dr. Snowden was selected for the prestigious yearlong program from a highly competitive field of nominees from institutions across the country. Of course, we’ve seen Dr. Snowden’s exceptional leadership first hand at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s, and she has gained national acclaim for her co-leadership, with Dr. Jeannette Lee, of the UAMS-based Data Coordinating and Operations Center for the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network.
Executive Council
Jonathan Laryea, M.D., Professor of Surgery andChief of the Division of Colorectal Surgery, will lend his expertise to the Executive Council of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. The ASCRS Nominating Committee selected Dr. Laryea from more than 3,000 active society members to serve a three-year term as a member-at-large. He has served the society in multiple committee roles throughout his career. Dr. Laryea is an expert in the minimally invasive treatment of colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. He sees patients in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, where he serves as Medical Director of the Cancer Service Line.
National Recognition
Congratulations to Dr. Aravindhan Veerapandiyan, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Neurology, on receiving the 2021 A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award from the American Academy of Neurology. The award recognizes Dr. Veerapandiyan’s contributions and dedication to neurology education throughout his career, including his work with UAMS Child Neurology and Pediatrics residents.
Scholarship Committee
Dr. Carla Brown, Assistant Professor in the Division of Neonatology, has been selected by the American Academy of Pediatrics to serve on the Section on Early Career Physicians Subcommittee on Hardship Scholarships. The scholarships help allay financial difficulties for residents and fellowship trainees, and committee members are responsible for scoring applications and selecting award recipients. Kudos to Dr. Brown for her national service.
Headed for the NIH
Congratulations to second-year medical student Mason Belue, who has been selected for the prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP). Mason, who plans a career as a physician-scientist, will spend a year at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition to conducting research with NIH mentors, MRSP scholars attend lectures, seminars, clinical teaching rounds and other courses, and present their research to the NIH community and at professional conferences. With an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering, Mason’s research interests include medical devices, translational research, health disparities and social determinants of health. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.
Trusted Care
A patient recently said in a survey comment that they wouldn’t entrust their ENT care to anyone other than the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery’s Dr. David Walker. “Dr. Walker has been phenomenal in every aspect,” the patient wrote. “I won’t go anywhere else anymore for my ENT work, even if it is a three-hour drive. Thanks UAMS for the exceptional care and understanding each and every time I come.” Bravo Dr. Walker!
Above & Beyond out for review
Many of you know now-retired Dr. Jan Shorey, former UAMS Associate Provost for Faculty and College of Medicine Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, as a champion of professionalism, kindness and patient-centered care. So it speaks volumes that Dr. Shorey wrote to UAMS leaders to praise more than a dozen UAMS team members for their superb care during the recent surgery and hospital stay of a loved one. Dr. Shorey expressed gratitude for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery’s Dr. David Bumpass and Dana Lawrence, APRN, for their competency, kindness and more. Many others they encountered during the multi-day stay also received kudos. We’re proud and honored to have all of these outstanding team members at UAMS!
Celebrating Creativity
And finally this week, congratulations to the recipients of the first annual Drs. Paulette and Jay Mehta Awards in Creative Writing – and special thanks to the Mehtas for their generosity and understanding of the value of creative endeavors. The inaugural winners are the UAMS Student Success Center’s Timothy Muren (first place); the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute’s Susan Van Dusen (second place); and Dermatology Chair Dr. Sara Shalin (third place). They will be honored in a livestreamed ceremony at 2:30 p.m. this Thursday. Click here to read more about the awards and get the Zoom link.