While health care in recent years has pursued the triple aim of patient satisfaction and positive health outcomes while reducing the costs, Mark Jansen, M.D., told first-year resident physicians June 21 there should be a fourth target — provider satisfaction.

“If we don’t have healthy, happy providers, you are not going to be a good provider for your patients,” said Jansen, medical director for UAMS Regional Campuses. “We have to have the quadruple aim. We have to rename our target to include those other three but also to achieve provider satisfaction.”

The first-year residents were gathered in Little Rock for the first meeting of all 44 of the first-year residents from the university’s Regional Campuses throughout the state.

Through the programs at these campuses, UAMS trains medical residents in family medicine while providing clinical care and health education services in communities around the state. As medical director and with the support of physician faculty, Jansen oversees the medical education of the residents and the clinical care they provide.

Jansen holds the Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, George K. Mitchell, M.D., Endowed Chair in Primary Care, and he used funds from the chair to support and organize the two-day meeting. UAMS has eight regional campuses in Batesville, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Helena, Jonesboro, Magnolia, Pine Bluff and Texarkana.

“The facilities we have in Regional Programs are real jewels in the UAMS system,” Jansen said.

UAMS in recent years has extensively remodeled or built new Family Medical Centers at campuses in Batesville, Fort Smith, Helena, Jonesboro and Texarkana.

Jansen urged the residents to seek counseling for stress or anxiety if they feel overburdened or simply need to talk about a problem.

“Our job is to help you learn all you can about medicine,” Jansen said. “That’s our commitment. We want to teach you about the art of medical care delivery. Your job is to keep your mind, eyes and ears open. Be respectful and not too critical of the people you’re working with. Maybe they’re stressed out, too.”

In addition to Jansen, other UAMS Regional Campuses faculty and staff made presentations about residency requirements, policies and procedures, loan repayment and career options, health literacy, research and scholarly activity.

“I’ve had the pleasure of long-term relationships with patients, so I get a lot of fulfillment working in primary care and family medicine,” Jansen said. “I’ve found that to be very rewarding.”

By Ben Boulden | July 6th, 2018

June 28, 2018 | A biomagnetic technique developed at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) can be used to assess the brain and heart health of third-trimester fetuses exposed to opioids, UAMS researchers showed in a recent pilot study.

The study was published online this month in the medical journal Addiction, authored by Diana Escalona-Vargas, Ph.D., research faculty in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; and Jessica Coker, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, all in the College of Medicine.

The study was conducted by recording and analyzing biomagnetic data from fetuses of eight women exposed to the opioid buprenorphine and 16 non-exposed women. Researchers acquired the data noninvasively by using the SARA (SQUID-Array for Reproductive Assessment) device developed by UAMS researchers.

During the SARA examination, the pregnant woman sits against a concave shield that covers her abdomen. More than 100 sensors obtain three-dimensional data from the fetus and the uterus – without employing needles or any other invasive instruments. Advanced techniques with the SARA allowed for the simultaneous examination of cardiac and brain activities in the fetuses.

Exposure of fetuses to opioids, including buprenorphine, has been shown to affect fetal activity, specifically heart rate variability and fetal movement. Opioid-dependent pregnant women are treated with the opioids buprenorphine or methadone because those drugs are thought to have less effect on the fetus than other opioids and keep the women from going through the cycle of detoxification then relapse.

Babies born after exposure to opioids in the womb are immediately at risk for withdrawal, which can include tremors, seizures, excessive crying, breathing problems and more.

Current standards of care include the use of opioid maintenance therapy during pregnancy instead of detoxification because of the high rates of relapse and potential adverse effects on the fetus. Little is known about any risks to the fetus from intoxication or detoxification from opioids. Understanding how buprenorphine or opioids may impact the development of the fetus is also important for health care providers

“A biomagnetic device such as SARA could help to understand the impact of buprenorphine on the clinical care of pregnant women with opioid use disorder as well as care of their exposed children,” Escalona-Vargas said.

“The use of opioid maintenance therapy has grown along with the opioid epidemic in the United States,” Coker said. “For pregnant women, studies like these can help us identify babies who may be at higher risk for negative outcomes such as neonatal abstinence syndrome.”

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the incidence of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome has increased about 400 percent nationally, from 1.2 per 1,000 hospital births in 2000 to 5.8 per 1,000 in 2012, with some states reporting rates in excess of 30 per 1,000 hospital births.

Researchers and co-authors in the study are Shona Ray-Griffith, M.D., assistant professor in the UAMS Department of Psychiatry; Eric R. Siegel, research associate in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Biostatistics; Curtis Lowery, M.D., chair of the UAMS Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Zachary Stowe, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, Wisconsin; and Hari Eswaran, Ph.D., professor in the UAMS Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

By Ben Boulden | June 28th, 2018

A recent study by University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS) researchers shows that a type of blood protein we are all born with protects against osteoporosis, illuminating the potential for a novel approach to treatment.

Elena Ambrogini, M.D., Ph.D. – an assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, part of the Department of Internal Medicine in the UAMS College of Medicine, and a staff physician at CAVHS – conducted the study with other UAMS and CAVHS faculty with the Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases.

Ambrogini used a genetically modified mouse developed at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), where researchers conducted a related study that showed this protein also has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease, specifically atherosclerosis, in which plaque builds up inside the arteries.

The findings of the companion studies were published June 6 in prestigious scientific journals: the UAMS study in Nature Communications and the UCSD study in Nature.

“Together, the two studies provide proof of principle for a new therapy for two very common diseases, osteoporosis and atherosclerosis, simultaneously,” Ambrogini said. “In the case of osteoporosis, this would be a new anabolic therapy, meaning that it can build new bone as opposed to only preventing the loss of old bone.”

Everyone is born with innate immune antibodies that help fight bacteria and other pathogens. The study found that these antibodies protect against bone loss induced by a high-fat diet. Importantly, the UAMS researchers found that even in the absence of a high-fat diet, the levels of these antibodies decrease as mice grow older, which may contribute to age-related bone loss. By giving back these antibodies, Ambrogini was able stop the bone loss in the mice and build new bone.

Meanwhile, the UCSD researchers found that the same antibodies strongly protect against atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Robert L. Jilka, Ph.D., a co-author on the study and professor of medicine, has been studying the relationship between atherosclerosis and osteoporosis for about 10 years.

“We have known for quite some time that there was some sort of connection between osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and the high-fat diet,” Jilka said. “Investigators all over the world have been studying this for a while without much success as to the reason for this connection.”

This groundbreaking finding is the latest in 24 years of significant advances in the understanding of osteoporosis and other bone diseases because of research conducted at the Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases at UAMS and CAVHS.

The center is one of the largest and longest-funded osteoporosis research centers in the world. It is directed by Stavros Manolagas, M.D., Ph.D., a distinguished professor of medicine, professor of orthopaedics, director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and co-author on Ambrogini’s publication.

Ambrogini’s research career has been funded by the Osteoporosis Center’s National Institutes of Health program project; CAVHS; the Arkansas Biosciences Institute; the UAMS Translational Research Institute; and the College of Medicine’s Barton Endowment and Initiative for Bone and Joint Research.

The UAMS Center for Musculoskeletal Disease Research also provided support. The center, directed by Professor Charles O’Brien, Ph.D., is funded by $11.3 million in federal funds over five years from an NIH Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant. The grant supports junior researchers like Ambrogini as they work to secure their own independent funding and establish their careers.

“It would not have been possible for Dr. Ambrogini to do this work in a vacuum,” said Vice Chancellor for Research Lawrence Cornett, Ph.D. “The work of Dr. Manolagas, Dr. O’Brien and Dr. Jilka, along with the vast assembly of knowledge and talent found among the scientists and support staff in the two bone research centers, was essential. This is yet another illustration of the importance of team science and long-term, consistent support for research.”

Ambrogini came to UAMS in 2007 from Italy after she completed her medical degree and specialization in endocrinology at the University of Pisa. She conducted research at the Center for Osteoporosis while working on her Ph.D. degree. She stayed at UAMS for a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in endocrinology and metabolism. She joined the endocrinology faculty three years ago.

“I couldn’t be more pleased,” Ambrogini said. “This publication comes at a perfect time for my career development. I’m excited and look forward to the translation of this science into a treatment for these conditions, which affect so many of my patients.”

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UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; northwest Arkansas regional campus; statewide network of regional centers; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Myeloma Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and Translational Research Institute. It is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 2,834 students, 822 medical residents and six dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses throughout the state, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

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By Amy Widner | June 27th, 2018 |

The Internal Medicine Residency Program at the Northwest Regional Campus of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), was recently awarded a full, 10-year accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

The residency program, launched in 2015, provides a three-year training period to recently graduated medical students prior to practicing medicine professionally. Internal medicine residents are focused on providing preventive and general medical care to adults 18 years old and older, much like a pediatrician provides care for children. The program is made possible due to a partnership with Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers and the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, where the residents practice alongside established physicians.

“This program and the partnership with Mercy are helping us to develop the future health care leaders for the people of Arkansas, and especially northwest Arkansas,” said Thomas Schulz, M.D., director of the program and associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. “The students who choose this program are exceptional and care deeply for this state and its people.”

The program is welcoming its third class of residents this month, bringing the program to capacity. More than 1,200 students applied for the eight open positions. Interviews were conducted with more than 60 applicants. Graduates earn certification through the American Board of Internal Medicine.

“The volunteer community faculty are a key component to the success of this program,” said Schulz. “Partnerships with Mercy and the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks allow our residents to have superb learning opportunities and amazing mentors.”

The UAMS Internal Medicine Residency Program in northwest Arkansas receives financial support through the Mercy Health Foundation, the Walmart Foundation and the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas.

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a northwest Arkansas regional campus; a statewide network of regional centers; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, the Myeloma Institute, the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, the Psychiatric Research Institute, the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and the Translational Research Institute. It is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 2,870 students, 799 medical residents and six dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including about 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS and its regional campuses throughout the state, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

By Ben Boulden | June 20th, 2018 |

June 21, 2018 | A couple dozen school-aged girls broke into groups of four and five and spread out across the room. In each group, one girl stood in the center as the rest — armed with a pen, clipboard, paper and measuring tape — outfitted her with round, silvery, shiny markers to track their movement.

Everyone watched in amazement as the volunteer subjects had their movements shown on a television screen.

It was technology — made possible at the high-tech gait and motion-detection laboratory at HipKnee Arkansas Foundation and used by UAMS researchers — most from the Museum of Discovery’s Girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) workshop were unfamiliar with. Special cameras at strategic spots throughout the room and the markers worn by the subjects resulted in a 3D model created by computer software that was shown right before them on television.

Erin Mannen, Ph.D., director of translational orthopaedic research and assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, is one of many UAMS researchers who use the technology every day to measure muscle activity and motion in babies, learn how joint replacements affect golf swings, or identify safe yoga practice in hip and knee replacement patients.

Alexis Thompson of Ruston, Louisiana, is a veteran participant of the Girls in STEM workshop, but was still surprised to learn of this technology. It was especially interesting to her because she wants to one day research animals and the evolution of their movements.

“It is really amazing that engineers can do this and find ways to fix what might be broken,” said Alexis.

Bliss Bradford of Marked Tree was speechless.

“It shows how far technology has come,” said Bliss. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is interesting that we’re able to do something like this.”

The reactions of Alexis and Bliss is exactly why Mannen wanted to take part in the Museum of Discovery workshop, which each summer brings middle- and high-school girls to Little Rock to learn about STEM opportunities and meet women in related careers.

“I grew up in a small town without much access to STEM,” said Mannen. “Whenever I see a workshop like this or an opportunity to teach kids, particularly girls, about careers in science and engineering, it is always something I’m happy and honored to take part in.”

Last year, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported women filled 47 percent of all U.S. jobs, but only 24 percent of STEM jobs. Mannen encountered similar disparities while studying mechanical engineering where she was one of only three females in her graduating class.

“There is a misconception that girls don’t belong in STEM fields, but by introducing them to science and technology that engages and excites them, girls are more likely to stay interested in STEM,” said Mannen. “We need women in STEM to move the fields forward, to ask new questions and to find creative solutions. I hope the girls had their eyes opened to many unique opportunities in STEM fields.”

By Lee Hogan | June 21st, 2018

June 20, 2018 | The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has established the Pamela Rakhshan Chair in Otolaryngology thanks to a $1 million gift from her father, Chris Rakhshan, in gratitude to the physician who saved her life.

UAMS will name a professor to the Rakhshan Chair at a later time.

Rakhshan, of Boulder, Colorado, was living in Arkansas in 2008 when Pamela, then 18, was diagnosed with mucoepidermoid carcinoma, a malignant tumor of the trachea. The rare condition occurs only 2 or 3 times per 100,000 people per year, most often in the elderly.

James Y. Suen, M.D., distinguished professor in the UAMS College of Medicine and a world-renowned head and neck cancer surgeon, operated on Pamela for more than 10 hours and continued her follow-up care. Today, Pamela is cancer free.

“I thought for sure that we had lost her,” Rakhshan said. “But Dr. Suen told me later that he took extra time, because she’s so young, and he wanted to be sure that not only the operation was successful, but that she would never have any issues. He took extra time to make sure everything was done to perfection.”

During Pamela’s follow-up visits, her father was impressed not only with Suen’s skill but with his kind, soft-spoken and compassionate manner.

“I realized then how very lucky my family and I were to have Dr. Suen save my daughter’s life, and I determined that somehow I wanted to repay that kindness,” Rakhshan said.

Rakhshan, who moved to Colorado recently, donated his Arkansas home to UAMS, and UAMS used the proceeds of that sale – nearly $1 million – to establish the Pamela Rakhshan Chair in Otolaryngology, both to celebrate Pamela and honor Suen.

“Sometimes we mistakenly measure our fortunes with what’s in our pocket,” Rakhshan said. “And at the time, when I was going through this with my daughter, I realized that my true fortunes in life were what was in front of me – my family. And there’s no greater gratitude I could have had to Dr. Suen and UAMS for bringing her back to me.”

An endowed chair is among the highest academic honors a university can bestow on a faculty member and is established with gifts of $1 million, which are invested and the spendable distributions from the endowment are used to support the educational, research and clinical activities of the chair holder. Those named to a chair are among the most highly regarded scientists, physicians and professors in their fields of expertise. The endowment will provide funding for continued research and advancements to treatments and surgeries for head and neck cancers.

“I would like to thank Chris Rakhshan for this generous donation, especially because it’s honoring his daughter,” said Suen. “This chair will be at UAMS for as long as UAMS exists, and the interest can be used year after year for research, helping us find cures for patients that have these vascular anomalies. This gift will make a huge difference and I think will save many lives in the future. We’re grateful to Chris and Pamela for that.”

“This is kind of like the eternal flame,” said John Dornhoffer, M.D., chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in the UAMS College of Medicine. “This is going to continue to support – so long as there are sick people, so long as there are diseases, so long as there’s cancer – this is going to allow us, essentially forever, to continue to research this. I think that’s a really powerful gift. For somebody who does research, for somebody who supports clinicians and researchers, this is going to allow us to do it in a way that otherwise would not be possible.”

LITTLE ROCK — Laura Hutchins, M.D., a hematologist oncologist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) who has devoted her medical practice and research to fight breast cancer, melanoma and brain cancer, has been appointed interim director for the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute effective immediately.

She succeeds Peter Emanuel, M.D., who recently resigned after leading the institute since 2007. A committee will be formed to conduct a national search for a permanent director.

Hutchins is a professor in the College of Medicine Division of Hematology/Oncology where she was division director from 1998 until September 2013.  She also has served as director of clinical research at the Cancer Institute since 1998 and has held the Virginia Clinton Kelley Endowed Chair for Clinical Breast Cancer Research since 2007.

A New Jersey native, Hutchins graduated from the UAMS College of Medicine in 1977. She served her internship and residency at UAMS, followed by a fellowship in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. She joined the UAMS faculty in 1983 and is board certified in internal medicine, hematology, oncology, and hospice and palliative medicine.

She has been a co-investigator on numerous National Institutes of Health grants including those focused on detection of circulating melanoma cells, and using nanotubes to detect and purge circulating cancer cells.

She served as principal or co-investigator on multiple other grants focusing on projects ranging from the development of a South Arkansas Integrated Telehealth Oncology Program to weight management in breast cancer patients. She has been funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Foundation, Arkansas Breast Cancer Research Program and American Society of Clinical Oncology, among others.

Her research includes collaborating with Thomas Kieber-Emmons, Ph.D., a fellow scientist to study a UAMS-designed vaccine to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer. That vaccine, now in a phase 2 clinical trial, is being used in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer to determine if the combination of the vaccine and standard chemotherapy improve the benefit of preoperative therapy.

For many years, Hutchins has championed efforts to promote and expand participation in research clinical trials through the use of shared data. She has enrolled patients in more than 70 industry-sponsored trials for breast cancer, melanoma and supportive care, providing new treatment options to Arkansas patients and research data to advance new therapy availability.

In 2007, Hutchins received a grant of more than $120,000 from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to participate in the Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG), a virtual information network enabling researchers and doctors to more easily share information and accelerate progress in cancer research. With her leadership, UAMS used caBIG’s open-source tools to personalize its own information-sharing program, which received international recognition from peer institutions and a 2009 NCI Delivering Results Award.

Hutchins was appointed by the governor to the Arkansas Breast Cancer Research Program Oversight Committee from 2001-2004. From 2004-2012, she was appointed to serve on the state Breast Cancer Control Advisory Board, serving as chairman from 2007-2008.

Hutchins has published more than 200 journal articles, book chapters and abstracts, and has presented numerous lectures at courses, symposia, workshops and other events in Arkansas and across the country.

She is a member of the American College of Physicians, American Society of Hematology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association of Cancer Education and the American Medical Association.

June 18, 2018 | Emergency care requires health care professionals and first responders to be adept at reacting quickly and efficiently to a variety of needs.

Staying abreast of the latest advancements in treating common conditions and identifying what needs to be done takes training and practice.

About 100 health care professionals, first responders, police officers and firefighters received updates and training exercises on best practices in emergency care June 1-2 at UAMS as part of the third annual ICARE Conference (Improving Critical and Acute Care through Regional Education).

The event is led by the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Emergency Medicine and the UAMS Office of Continuing Education. The conference’s lectures, question-and-answer periods and interactive sessions help participants assess and treat traumatic injuries, and learn evidence-based diagnostic and treatment recommendations for common emergency situations.

Participants took part in sessions on opioids, psychiatric and pediatric emergencies, traumatic injuries, stroke and sepsis.

The conference was started in 2016 to address emergency medical care preparedness in Arkansas and appeal to different specialties and disciplines that require emergency response and care.

“We have rapid-fire teaching sessions, large group discussions and panel discussions,” said Rawle A. “Tony” Seupaul, professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and ICARE course director. “This makes it a much more interactive experience for our participants.”

By Lee Hogan | June 18th, 2018

Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine celebrated the investiture of Frederick “Rick” E.  Barr, M.D., MBA as the recipient and steward of the Robert H. Fiser, Jr., M.D. Endowed Chair in Pediatrics on Tuesday, June 12.

In 2006, the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Board of Directors created this chair in honor of Dr. Fiser’s service and commitment to championing children. He served as chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at UAMS from 1975–1994. At age 32, he became the youngest pediatric department chairman in the United States.

“Arkansas Children’s proudly celebrates Dr. Rick Barr as the chair holder for the Robert H. Fiser, Jr., M.D., Endowed Chair in Pediatrics,” said Marcy Doderer, president and CEO of Arkansas Children’s. “Dr. Barr serves a vital role as a physician leader at Arkansas Children’s and his partnership is helping to change the story for children by continuing efforts to make our state one of the healthiest and safest places for children.”

On October 1, 2017, Dr. Rick Barr assumed the role of pediatrician-in-chief for Arkansas Children’s and as chair of the Department of Pediatrics and associate dean for child health in the UAMS College of Medicine. He succeeded Richard F. Jacobs, M.D., who retired in June of 2017 after 35 years of service on the UAMS faculty and Arkansas Children’s team.

“Dr. Barr is a leader who has played a key role in strengthening our partnership with Arkansas Children’s to provide a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, chancellor of UAMS. “Through this endowed chair, Dr. Barr will continue to lead the Department of Pediatrics to pursue innovative ideas, programs and projects to move the needle on children’s health.”

Establishing endowed chairs provides ACH and UAMS the ability to recruit top-notch leaders in the medical field who can provide the best care for patients in Arkansas. An endowed chair or professorship remains the highest academic honor a university can bestow on its most distinguished faculty. Those named to a chair or professorship are among the most highly regarded scientists, practitioners and professors in their academic fields.

Barr formerly served as the Suzan B. Thames endowed professor, chair of the Department of Pediatrics and senior associate dean for Graduate Medical Education at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He was also physician-in-chief at Children’s of Mississippi/Batson Children’s Hospital. Barr served on the faculty at Vanderbilt University from 1995 to 2010, and was chief of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care from 2007 to 2010. He also served as co-director of Vanderbilt University Master’s in Clinical Investigation Programs). From 2010-2011 he was an endowed professor of Pediatric Critical Care and director of the Clinical and Translational Research Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the University of Cincinnati.

Barr received his medical degree from the University of Virginia in 1988, and completed his residency in pediatrics at Vanderbilt. Barr completed a clinical fellowship in pediatric critical care at the University of California San Francisco, where he was also a research fellow in the Cardiovascular Research Institute. While on the faculty at Vanderbilt, he obtained a Master’s of Science in clinical investigation.

By Ashley McNatt| June 13th, 2018|