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!
National Leader in Medicine
Congratulations to Dr. Omar Atiq, Professor of Internal Medicine and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, on his nomination as President-Elect of the American College of Physicians (ACP). The nomination by the ACP Governance Committee and endorsement by the ACP Board of Regents will be confirmed in an election in early 2022. The first Arkansan nominated for the position, Dr. Atiq will assume leadership of the organization of internists – the world’s largest medical specialty society with 161,000 members around the globe – in 2023.
The role will be the culmination of many years of service to the ACP, and it is just the latest example of Dr. Atiq’s extraordinary leadership in internal medicine. He chaired the Board of Governors in 2019-2020, and he continues to serve on the Board of Regents. As Chair the ACP Health and Public Policy Committee in 2020, Dr. Atiq coauthored a key policy statement on racism and health.
Cancer Summit Speaker
Dr. Ronda Henry-Tillman, Professor and Chief of Breast Oncology in the Department of Surgery, served on an expert panel with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director, the President of the American Medical Association, physicians and scientists from leading cancer institutes and national initiatives, and congressional leaders. “Changing the Odds: The Hill’s Cancer Summit” focused on where the nation stands in the fight against cancer fifty years after the National Cancer Act established the NCI.
The virtual event last Wednesday focused extensively on inequities in cancer care and outcomes. Dr. Henry-Tillman discussed UAMS’ emphasis on early detection and overcoming barriers to access for screening and referral through initiatives such as the highly successful MammoVan, a mobile mammography unit. Thank you for your leadership and for representing UAMS so well in this important national conversation, Dr. Henry-Tillman.
NIH Director’s Award
A well-earned shout-out to Dr. Brian Koss, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, on becoming the first researcher in Arkansas to receive the prestigious Director’s Early Independence Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Koss will use the nearly $1.9 million award to build a team of investigators for highly specialized cancer research in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Dr. Koss is also only the second recipient from an NIH-designated Institutional Development Award (IDeA) state, which is a group of 23 states plus Puerto Rico that historically have received lower research funding. As a mentor to the only other recipient nearly a decade ago, I can attest that this award demonstrates how exceptionally promising the NIH views Dr. Koss. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.
High-Impact Statistics
The UAMS Department of Biostatistics served as the statistical center and Dr. Jeannette Lee, Professor, served as the lead statistician for a groundbreaking multi-center clinical trial focusing on anal cancer prevention in persons with HIV that was halted early due to the high success rate of the therapy under study. The phase 3 study led by Dr. Joel Palefsky and researchers at the University of California San Francisco found that treating precursor anal cancer lesions can significantly lower the risk of progression to full-blown anal cancer in persons with HIV. The Anal Cancer/HSIL Outcomes Research (ANCHOR) study’s results suggest that anal cancer prevention might also be possible in other groups at risk for anal cancer. Read more about the ANCHOR study here.
All-Stars of ACGME Survey
The most recent national survey of medical residents and fellows by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is further evidence that our residency and fellowship programs truly are second to none. In fact, three of our GME programs scored at or above the national average across the board on all of the questions in the survey for the 2020-2021 academic year. Special congratulations to the leaders and faculty in Emergency Medicine (Dr. Sarah Greenberger, Program Director), Neurosurgery (Dr. Erika Petersen, Program Director), and Surgery (Dr. Katie Kimbrough, Program Director).
Orthopaedic Expertise
Dr. Jeffrey Stambough, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, shared his expertise as an invited faculty member for a special educational course on “Avoiding Problems and Addressing Early Failures in Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty” at the Mid-America Orthopaedic Association’s recent annual meeting. Dr. Stambough spoke on the importance of properly optimizing patients before surgery, appropriate antibiotic stewardship, and specific diagnostic and revision techniques to manage failed total knee arthroplasty. Kudos to Dr. Stambough for his outstanding clinical care and teaching at UAMS and at the national level.
Consultant of the Month
Second-year Urology resident Dr. Thomas Soehner has been named Consultant of the Month by Emergency Medicine residents. The monthly award recognizes collegiality across departments and a willingness to teach during consults in the Emergency Department, as well as exceptional dedication to patients. “He goes above and beyond just giving recommendations, and takes the time to talk and teach about the reasons behind them,” said one resident. Congratulations Dr. Soehner, and thank you for exemplifying collegiality and compassionate care.
Medicine & Meaning
The fourth issue of Medicine and Meaning, UAMS’ online literary journal, is now available, and it is chock-full of creative works by UAMS staff, faculty and learners, along with other contributors from outside of UAMS. The editorial team, led by Dr. Paulette Mehta, has done a great job curating the offerings of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, images and more. I hope you have an opportunity to explore this wonderful new issue. Dr. Mehta’s welcome message is a great place to start. Many thanks to Editor-in-Chief Dr. Mehta; Founding Editor Dr. Erick Messias; and Section Editors Eric Moorehead, Metu Osele, Dr. Vicki Flynn, Chris Fettes, Dr. Allen C. Sherman, Dr. Bill Ventres and Chris Lesher.
A Welcome, and a Thank You, for our Urology Leadership
This month marks a transition in the Department of Urology as Dr. Tim Langford begins his service as Chair and Dr. Rodney Davis steps down after leading the department since 2012. I want to express our gratitude to Dr. Davis for his outstanding service, which included graciously postponing his retirement and continuing to lead Urology during the search for his successor. Dr. Davis, an internationally recognized expert in treating urologic malignancies, will continue seeing patients and serving on the faculty until late this year, so be sure to wish him well when you see him. Dr. Langford, whose recruitment was announced in May, is a leader in urology in Arkansas and the region with more than 28 years in private practice. Welcome back to your alma mater, Dr. Langford!