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!
Distinguished Alumnus Award
Congratulations to Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Associate Professor, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Neurosurgery, on receiving the 2023 Distinguished Alumnus Award in the M.D./Ph.D. category at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine this month. The award honors alumni whose work has made a significant mark in the medical sciences and has brought distinction to Case Western. Dr. Rodriguez earned her doctorate in pathology in 2008 and medical degree in 2009 in the NIH-sponsored Medical Scientist Training program at CWRU. Since joining the UAMS faculty in 2017, Dr. Rodriguez has achieved growing national recognition for her expertise in glioblastoma and neurosurgical oncology, and for her contributions to national initiatives to increase diversity and reduce health disparities in cancer research.
Otolaryngology Expertise Shared Nationally
Dr. Susan Emmett, an Associate Professor in the COM Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the College of Public Health Department of Epidemiology, was an invited lecturer for the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Dissemination and Implementation (D&I) Science in Communication Disorders. The Oct. 24-25 NIH virtual workshop was held to identify needs and opportunities within D&I research in communication disorders. Dr. Emmett was also a speaker and faculty member for the Oct. 20-22 Otology Fellows Congress and Advanced Course in Ear and Skull Base Surgery hosted by UAMS for the sixth year. Dr. John Dornhoffer, Professor and Chair of Otolaryngology, co-chaired and spoke at the event, which drew 23 fellows and 10 expert instructors from 10 countries.
Chancellor’s Circle Grants Support Ingenuity
Congratulations to the College of Medicine teams and faculty and staff across UAMS who received Chancellor’s Circle Grants this year. Thirteen grants totaling $213,000 will support a wide range of initiatives that reflect ingenuity and excellence across our mission areas. For example, the Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program, a BioVentures project, will teach medical students to critically evaluate needs in the practice of medicine and help instill an innovator mindset. The Office of Graduate Medical Education will use a grant to help identify and provide professional development for newly emerging leaders. A grant to the Culinary Medicine program will be used to provide cooking demonstrations and information on healthy, low-cost meal prep for community members at the 12th Street Community Café. And much more. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.
Radiology Challenging Case Competition
A shout-out to everyone who made the second annual Department of Radiology Challenging Case competition this fall a successful and fun educational event. The project matches senior medical students who are applying for radiology residency training with faculty mentors to format and then present a challenging Diagnostic Radiology or Interventional Radiology case. Faculty members Dr. Sateesh Jayappa and Dr. Charles James co-directed this year’s competition as well as the inaugural project. Congratulations to M4 student Haley Feezell on winning the Best Presentation Award (mentor Dr. Janice Murphy); and Brandon Allen on earning the Runner-Up Presentation Award (mentor Dr. Robert Dixon). Radiology Interest Group President and M3 student Humam Shahare and Past-President and Radiology intern Dr. Dhruba Dasgupta encouraged medical student participation. Thanks also to moderators Dr. Murphy, Dr. Kelli Schmitz and Donna Ashlock and judges Dr. Scott Harter, Dr. Mahesh Matapathi and Dr. Kala Buddha.
ENT Surgeon Named FACS Fellow
Dr. Graham Strub, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, has been named a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS). Dr. Strub has provided outstanding pediatric care for patients since his recruitment to UAMS and Arkansas Children’s in 2018. Dr. Strub also was recently named to the Editorial Board for Nature: Scientific Reports, which will benefit from his research expertise in the molecular biology of vascular anomalies.
12th Street Health and Wellness Celebrates 10 Years
Community has always been at the heart of the UAMS 12th Street Health and Wellness Center, so a Fall Festival was the perfect way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the student-led clinic. The center, which provides free health screenings and health management services, has provided care for more than 7,000 patients since opening in January 2013. Hundreds of College of Medicine students, along with their peers from other UAMS colleges, have volunteered at the center while gaining valuable interprofessional learning experiences with UAMS faculty. Kudos to M4 student Nadia Safar, Executive Director of the Student Board of Directors, Deputy Executive Director and M3 student Brittany Tian, and fellow student volunteers for helping to organize the festival. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.
First Anniversary for Mental Health Services at 12th Street
As the 12th Street Health and Wellness Center celebrated its 10th anniversary, the Department of Psychiatry’s mental health clinic marked its one-year anniversary of providing care at the center this month. The clinic was spearheaded by third-year Psychiatry resident Dr. Wesley White, who had volunteered at 12th Street while he was a student and recognized the need for providing mental health care in addition to the other services provided for members of the 12th Street community. Dr. White enlisted the assistance of several faculty members to launch and conduct the monthly mental health clinics. The team has treated patients for anxiety, depression and trauma. Dr. Samuel Olson serves as the Faculty Director, with Drs. Jessica Coker, Greer Sullivan, Shona Ray-Griffith, Laura Dunn, Abigail Richison and Payton Lea serving as attending physicians.