Tamara Robinson

Two Alumni, Two Extraordinary Legacies: UAMS College of Medicine Presents 2026 Alumni Awards

The UAMS College of Medicine honored two outstanding graduates during the 2026 UAMS Alumni Reunion — one for pioneering research in pediatric infectious diseases and another for a career dedicated to emergency medicine and public health advocacy.

Ron Robertson, M.D., executive vice chancellor of UAMS and interim dean of the College of Medicine, presented the Dean’s Distinguished Alumnus Award to Toni Darville, M.D., ’87 and the Distinguished Alumnus Service Award to Gene Shelby, M.D., ’77 at a June 6 dinner and awards ceremony in Little Rock.

“The college established the Dean’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1973 to recognize graduates who have made exceptional contributions to medicine and health,” Robertson told UAMS alumni and guests. “These have taken many forms, including world-class patient care, groundbreaking research, and transformative leadership.”

Toni Darville, M.D., Receives Dean’s Distinguished Alumnus Award

A North Little native and a 1987 UAMS College of Medicine graduate, Darville completed her residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UAMS before launching into a remarkable career as a physician scientist and academic leader.

*UAMS College of Medicine Interim Dean Ron Robertson, M.D., (left) presents a commemorative art glass bowl to Dean’s Distinguished Alumnus honoree Toni Darville, M.D. (Photo by Nelson Chenault)*

Over an outstanding career spanning more than three decades, Darville has built an internationally recognized research program focused on preventing chlamydial infections, which are among the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide. Her pioneering work bridges basic and translational science and has significantly advanced the search for an effective chlamydia vaccine.

Today, Darville serves as chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, vice chair for Pediatric Research, and scientific director of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Children’s Research Institute.

Equally impressive is her deep commitment to education and mentorship. As co-director of the UNC Medical Scientist Training Program, she has guided more than 95 M.D.-Ph.D. students while mentoring countless residents, fellows, and junior faculty throughout her career. At the same time, she has remained dedicated to patient care through her clinical work.

“Toni’s career exemplifies the very best of academic medicine,” said Robertson. “Her research has advanced our understanding of infectious disease, her leadership has strengthened pediatric research programs, and her commitment to mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists has multiplied her impact far beyond her own remarkable accomplishments.”

Gene Shelby, M.D., Receives Distinguished Alumnus Service Award

While presenting the Distinguished Alumnus Service Award to Gene Shelby, M.D., Robertson noted the slightly different focus of the honor. “This award recognizes a graduate who not only has had a successful career in medicine, but who is also making a substantial impact on our College and what we’re striving for in Arkansas,” he said.

*Ron Robertson, M.D., presents the Distinguished Alumnus Service Award recipient Gene Shelby, M.D. (right). (Photo by Nelson Chenault)*

A Little Rock native, Shelby attended Princeton University before returning to Arkansas to earn his medical degree at UAMS. Drawn early to a life of service, he joined the Peace Corps as a medical officer and later returned home to train in emergency medicine. Since then, Shelby has cared for the most vulnerable patients in his community and championed the most pressing public health issues across the state.

As a state representative, he played a leading role in developing a coordinated statewide trauma system that continues to save lives every day. Today, UAMS is home to the state’s only Level 1 Trauma Center – something that would not have been possible without Shelby’s support.

He has also been a tireless advocate for addressing opioid addiction. His work on the AMA Task Force to Reduce Opioid Abuse has helped advance safer prescribing practices and expanded access to treatment. Shelby also runs his own clinic to help patients recover, along with a charity HIV clinic.

“Gene has devoted his career to improving the health of Arkansans while never losing sight of the importance of supporting future physicians,” Robertson said. “Through his leadership, advocacy, and philanthropy, he has helped strengthen both our state and our medical school.”

Distinguished Faculty Award Winners Honored for Lifetimes of Service and Leadership

Two UAMS College of Medicine faculty whose longstanding careers have shaped generations of physicians were honored at Dean’s Honor Day on April 21, 2026. Distinguished Faculty Service Awards were presented to Teresita Angtuaco, M.D., Professor of Radiology, and Joan Cranmer, Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics.

Teresita Angtuaco, M.D.: A Legacy in Women’s Imaging and Radiology Education

A member of the UAMS faculty since 1980, Dr. Angtuaco has spent 45 years advancing radiology, women’s imaging, and medical education in Arkansas and beyond.

A nationally and internationally recognized pioneer in women’s imaging, Dr. Angtuaco led the Division of Ultrasound for more than four decades and served as Division Chief of Body Imaging from 2011 to 2025. Her influence extends throughout every major radiology organization in the country.

Dr. Angtuaco has served on numerous committees for the American College of Radiology and served as an American Board of Radiology examiner for 11 consecutive years. Within the Radiological Society of North America — the world’s largest radiology organization — she served on 13 committees between 1990 and 2016, ultimately chairing the Fund Development Committee for the Research and Education Fund. She also served on the Board of Directors and as president of the Association for Women Radiologists.

Dr. Angtuaco’s peers have elected her to fellowship status in multiple prestigious organizations, including the American College of Radiology, the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, and the American Association for Women Radiologists, where she was named the organization’s inaugural fellow.

In his nomination letter, Sanjaya Viswamitra. M.D., Chair of the Department of Radiology, emphasized the national reach of her expertise and reputation.

“Even today, we receive inquiries from across the country seeking Dr. Angtuaco’s expertise,” he wrote, citing her 75 peer-reviewed publications, 23 award-winning scientific exhibits, and nationally recognized expertise in obstetric imaging.

“Her impact, however, may be felt most strongly in Arkansas through her decades of work training sonographers and strengthening maternal and fetal imaging across the state.”

The UAMS Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program estimates that Dr. Angtuaco has helped train more than 500 ultrasound technologists during her career.

Ulrike Hamper, M.D., Professor of Radiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, praised Dr. Angtuaco’s integrity and teaching ability in a letter supporting her nomination.

“Dr. Angtuaco has always demonstrated the highest intellectual integrity in addressing professional and academic issues,” Hamper wrote. “She is an outstanding teacher with a remarkable knack for synthesizing complicated information.”

Throughout her career, Dr. Angtuaco has also mentored countless residents, fellows, and trainees while helping to secure more than $550,000 in grant funding for Arkansas educational programs and directing numerous educational courses and lectures throughout the state.

Joan Cranmer, Ph.D.: Transforming Faculty Mentorship and Academic Medicine

For 50 years, Joan Cranmer, Ph.D., has combined internationally respected scientific achievement with transformative leadership in faculty mentoring at UAMS.

Dr. Cranmer joined UAMS in 1976 and the Department of Pediatrics in 1984 after earning her doctorate in anatomy and pharmacology from the University of Minnesota. She served on the faculties of the University of Minnesota and the University of Virginia.

An internationally recognized neurotoxicologist, Dr. Cranmer built a distinguished research career studying the effects of chemicals and environmental exposures on neurodevelopment, organ systems, and long-term health outcomes. During her career, she secured more than $4 million in approved grants, authored more than 90 publications, and delivered invited presentations at conferences around the world, including Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Egypt, Russia, India, and Australia.

Her expertise led to appointments on advisory boards, study sections, and expert panels for organizations including the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental Protection Agency, National Academy of Sciences, World Health Organization, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Dr. Cranmer also founded the journal Neurotoxicology: An International Journal in 1979 and served as editor-in-chief for 38 years, helping shape the field internationally.

At UAMS, her most lasting influence may be the mentoring framework she created within the Department of Pediatrics more than 30 years ago.

The faculty mentoring and promotion model she developed has produced nearly a 100% promotion rate within the department and has since been adopted or adapted by academic medical centers across the country, including institutions in Texas, Michigan, Colorado, Oregon, Oklahoma, Missouri, New York, and even the American University of Beirut.

William Steinbach, M.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, praised Cranmer’s extraordinary impact in his nomination letter.

“This mentoring program is recognized throughout the country,” Steinbach wrote, “and is now in place in other academic centers to aid junior faculty in successful matriculation through their academic ranks.”

He added that Dr. Cranmer “set the bar for how mentoring in academic medicine can and should be done to support junior faculty and develop a ‘pay it forward’ culture.”

Dr. Cranmer’s mentorship legacy continues across UAMS through the Women’s Faculty Development Caucus, which she helped establish to support and mentor women faculty across all five UAMS colleges. The Department of Pediatrics also honors her impact annually through the Joan Cranmer Mentor of the Year Award.

Drs. Angtuaco and Cranmer exemplify the highest ideals of academic medicine through careers defined by scholarship, mentorship, leadership, and service.

UAMS Medical Student Wins Top Honors in National Poetry Competition

Safi Alsebai, a fourth-year student in the UAMS College of Medicine, won first place in the prestigious William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition, earning top honors among more than 250 submissions from medical students in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada

Named for the 20^th century American poet and physician, the contest honors writing that reflects the humanistic, patient-centered values that defined Williams’ work.

Alsebai’s winning poem,“The Passion According to a Citizen of Geneva,” draws inspiration from Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s political treatise, “A Discourse Upon the Origin and Foundation of the Inequality Among Mankind.” In the poem, the narrator reflects on how doctors speak to patients, exploring how people come to imagine the suffering of others.

A Little Rock native, Alsebai studied politics, ethics, and aesthetics at Bard College at Simon’s Rock before pursuing medicine. His writing began with essays, later expanding to short stories and then poetry in medical school.

For Alsebai, writing is essential to becoming a thoughtful physician.

“Even if it’s not creative writing, I take as much pleasure writing a patient note as I do writing a poem,” he said. “Particularly in medicine, writing is a way to process and make sense of what’s happening around me, as well as to complicate and recontextualize it against other narratives and processes.”

Alsebai is part of the Medical Humanities Honors Track in the UAMS College of Medicine, one of six honors tracks offered by the college. In medical humanities, students study literature, ethics, history, and the creative arts alongside their medical training. Medical humanities help students better understand the lived experience of illness, strengthen communication skills, and develop a more holistic, patient-centered approach to care.

Alsebai has published two poems and one short story, with an additional 10 poems accepted by literary journals. He is enrolled in the Medical Humanities Honors track at UAMS, where he studies history and literary criticism alongside his clinical training.

He will continue his training in internal medicine at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia after graduation in May.

In March, Alsebai read his award-winning poem at the Health Humanities Consortium Annual Conference, hosted by the Medical Humanities program at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.

For him, poetry fits naturally into the rhythm of medical training.

“I’ll write lines in between classes or patient visits, then arrange them later,” he said. “Poetry works with the day I have and the physician I want to become.”

Angela Scott, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Pediatrics and Medical Humanities at UAMS, said Alsebai’s work exemplifies the value of integrating humanities into medical education.

“Safi came to us with a strong background in the humanities and critical scholarship, so it was natural for him to view medical education and practice through that lens,” she said. “It’s been a privilege to work within him in the Humanities Honors Track where his work on clinical “wish statements” (“I wish things were different”) has become a rare example of a project with both immediate, practical application for teaching, as well as theoretical depth for examining the role and limitations of the physician. Within the small group discussions in the honors track, we all learn from each other, and Safi has been an outstanding teacher.”

Scott added that interest in the program continues to grow, reflecting a broader interest among students who want to explore the human experience of illness.

“I’ve heard our students talk about the track as a ‘home away from medicine,’ but I think it’s best described as a home within medicine, a protected space to explore big picture issues in healthcare and their own professional development with a trusted cohort of likeminded students and mentors. It’s been more meaningful to all of us than we anticipated, and the students have exceeded our expectations in scholarship and creativity. We hope to find ways to offer this kind of experience to more of our students and would love to hear from other interested faculty.”

Recent Faculty Appointments – January 2026

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Internal Medicine

Vishnu Kumar, M.D.

Vishnu Kumar, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Dr. Kumar received his medical degree from S.R.M. Medical College Hospital and Research Center in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India. He completed his internal medicine residency and fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at SUNY Upstate Medical University in New York, where he also served as Chief Gastroenterology Fellow. He went on to complete a fellowship in advanced therapeutic endoscopy at Northwell/Staten Island University Hospital in New York.

Dr. Kumar’s professional interests include pancreaticobiliary disorders, minimally invasive therapeutic procedures such as peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and EUS-guided interventions.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Constance Chapman, M.D., MPH, M.S.

Constance Chapman, M.D., MPH, M.S., has joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Chapman earned her medical degree at The Ohio State University and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Lehigh Valley Health Network. She also earned a Master of Public Health from Tulane University, as well as a Master of Science from Case Western Reserve University.

Most recently, Dr. Chapman practiced in Monticello, Arkansas, where she was the Medical Director in the Department of Obstetrics at Baptist Health – Drew County Hospital.

UAMS Medical Students Help Others Find Wellness Through Art

Two medical students at a table painting, with more students at other tables in the background. — *Freshmen medical students including Elias Rushing and Mariah Guevara (at front table) paint designs in a wellness-focused activity during Welcome Week at UAMS in August 2025.*

UAMS College of Medicine student Catalina Terlea discovered the power of art to foster well-being while she was a busy and frequently stressed undergraduate. Now, she is leading a student initiative to help fellow medical students — and eventually patients — experience these benefits.

Catalina Terlea demonstrating a technique with a paint dauber. — *UAMS medical student Catalina Terlea leads a painting session to help freshmen manage stress during orientation.*

“I realized that students and patients could really benefit from having a space to engage in art creation to deal with the stress that life and being a student brings,” said Terlea, who is from Little Rock and majored in art and biology at Lyon College in Batesville.

The idea took shape in discussions last year with Tiffany Huitt, Ph.D., an associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Neuroscience who teaches in the freshman Human Structure course and who, like Terlea, is an artist. “As we were brainstorming how to have a space available for students and patients to engage in art creation, I thought of the UAMS 12^th Street Health & Wellness Center, our student-led free clinic,” Terlea said. “For students and the community that the center serves, it can be incredibly hard to afford wellness therapy services and art supplies. We wanted to bridge that gap.”

Composite image of three abstract paintings done in the abstract neurographic style.

Terlea worked with Huitt and another Human Structure teacher, assistant professor Erica Malone, Ph.D., along with then 12^th Street Center Director Melissa Halverson, Pharm.D., to plan and implement the pilot program. In the initial sessions, Terlea taught a therapeutic drawing and painting technique called neurographic art to student volunteers at center. In addition to creating art, volunteers were trained in how to conduct sessions for others.

Later, Terlea began leading pottery-making sessions at the center. “This is something I dreamed about with Dr. Huitt when we first envisioned the idea for art-based wellness sessions,” she said. “Being able to bring the tactile benefits that pottery-making offers to the expression and release of emotions for student wellness has been very rewarding.”

Tracy Haselow, M.D., an associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and director of the UAMS Student Wellness Program, attends and provides guidance during the pottery sessions. The ongoing initiative is a collaboration with John Shea, MFA, and the University of Arkansas Little Rock Department of Fine Arts, which fires the pottery in its kilns.

“Our sessions are aimed at stress reduction, emotional awareness and being grounded,” Terlea said. “In our pilot study, we found measurable stress reduction for most of the volunteers who engaged in both the painting and pottery sessions. Most students showed a reduction in what is called state trait anxiety.”

“Additionally, our survey feedback showed that most of our student participants believed that expanding art-based wellness to patients would improve their wellbeing,” Terlea said.

Five students in the 12th Street Clinic holding newly made unfired clay items. — Catalina Terlea (second from left) and student volunteers at the UAMS 12^th Street Health & Wellness Center show the pottery pieces created in a session designed to boost well-being. Pictured with Terlea are (from left) COM students Edward Denton, James Hughes and Kristin Ryan and College of Pharmacy student Erica Jones.

Terlea and her team hope to put the theory into practice by eventually providing art wellness sessions for patients at the center. But the 12^th Street center isn’t the only hub of activity for the initiative.

Catalina Terlea standing beside a table covered with art supplies in a clinic educational space, holding an abstract painting. — *Catalina Terlea prepares to conduct a painting session at the UAMS 12th Stree Health & Wellness Center.*

Last August, College of Medicine leaders invited Terlea and six fellow volunteers to conduct a painting session for the entire incoming freshman class during orientation activities. “We used Catalina’s initiative to teach about wellness and as an opportunity for new medical students to practice managing their stress, as well as for community-building,” said Rebecca Latch, M.D., associate dean for student affairs.

In October, Terlea spoke about art and wellness and led a neurographic painting session for more than 30 educators at the Learning Communities Institute national conference hosted by UAMS. She also presented at the Society of Student Run Free Clinics annual conference in Chicago. Terlea’s work was well received, and she is now working on a scholarly article about the initiative with Huitt and Malone.

Closeup of a student at a table with paintbrush in hand working on a painting. — *A UAMS medical student relaxes while painting a design.*

Gratitude and Reflection — UAMS Medical Students’ Anatomy Donor Ceremony Honors “Silent Teachers”

Two students placing roses in vases at front of auditorium while classmates look on. — College of Medicine freshmen Logan Ieler and Karlie Ieler place roses in vases in memory of individuals who donated their bodies to the UAMS Anatomical Gift Program for use in the Human Structure course.

UAMS College of Medicine freshmen gathered on Dec. 9 to pay homage to the individuals who donated their bodies for the Human Structure course, which helps future physicians learn the complexities of human anatomy and begin to understand the fundamental humanity of medicine.

“Their lives may have ended, but their legacy has just begun,” Class of 2029 Vice President Carson Wleklinski explained in his opening remarks at a ceremony in Walton Auditorium. “It lives on in our hands, in our minds, and in the care we will provide to thousands of patients over the course of our careers. So, to our silent teachers, we offer our deepest humility and our eternal gratitude.”

The ceremony, held annually since 1999, included tributes of poetry, music, displayed artwork and more. Before the service drew to a close, 100-plus students filed to the front of the auditorium to place a red, pink or yellow rose in a cluster of vases, creating a vibrant memorial to the donors. The ceremony was livestreamed for the 21 class members who are based at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville.

The first nine weeks of the freshman year are devoted to the Human Structure course, led by faculty in the Department of Neuroscience. In the anatomy lab, the cadavers donated through the UAMS Anatomical Gift Program provide new medical students with far greater knowledge and understanding of the human body than textbooks and diagrams alone could impart.

Five medical students in white coats pose behind a table holding artwork and a cluster of vases with roses — Student Art Committee members pose with the pieces of art created by members of the Class of 2029 and the vases that classmates filled with roses during the ceremony. Pictured are (front row) Mattie Neighbors, Katherine Hunter and Saminah Munshi, and (back row) Alex Sandoval and Carson Haller. Jada Parker (not pictured) and musicians Ashton Rodrigues and Elias Rushing (pictured performing, below) also serve on the committee.

Freshman Mattie Neighbors spoke about a collection of artwork, created by her and classmates Carson Haller, Katherine Hunter, Saminah Munshi, Jada Parker and Alex Sandoval, as expressions of “what we felt, learned, and carried with us” while working in the anatomy lab. For example, Parker’s gouache portrait of fibrous scarring of a myocardial infarction is “a reminder that the heart is resilient, and healing does not mean forgetting.”

“What makes this artwork meaningful is that it embodies the intersection between the human body and the human story,” Neighbors said. “Our donors were much more than the physical forms we studied. They lived full lives, had families, passions and experiences. Through this collaborative piece, we hoped to acknowledge both their scientific contribution and their humanity.”

The artwork, like pieces created by previous freshmen classes since 2014, will be displayed in a gallery in the Patrick W. Tank Anatomy Teaching Complex on the UAMS campus. (View the gallery of previous artwork here.) In earlier years, freshman classes planted trees on campus in remembrance of donors.

The ceremony also featured a reading of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “A Psalm of Life” by Olivia Chapell and a performance of Eugène Bozza’s “Aria” with Ashton Rodrigues on saxophone and Elias Rushing on keyboard. UAMS staff chaplain Pete Weber also shared words of reflection.

Two medical students performing on saxaphone and keyboard at front of auditorium a slide stating "27th Annual Anatomy Donor Ceremony" projected behind them. — *Ashton Rodrigues and Elias Rushing perform Eugène Bozza’s “Aria” during the Class of 2029 Anatomy Donor Ceremony.*

Class President Robert Benafield closed the ceremony, noting that anatomical dissection has been deeply interwoven into the history and practice of medicine. A short soliloquy from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” served as reminder of the continuity of life and hope for the future. On behalf of the class, Benafield expressed gratitude to the families of anatomy donors and, most importantly, for the donors themselves.

“The donation they provided is more than just a gift, but a testament to the power of human generosity and the prudence to leave the world a stronger place,” Benafield said. “As we reflect today, let us reaffirm our promise to honor their sacrifice by carrying forward their legacy — through our commitment to learning, through the care we provide, and through the respect we show to the patients we encounter.”

The Class of 2029 expresses special thanks to Tipton & Hurst for donating the roses for the ceremony.

Recent Faculty Appointments – December 2025

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Anesthesiology

Russell Roberson, M.D.

Russell Roberson, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Associate Professor of Cardiac Anesthesiology. Dr. Roberson received his medical degree at Harvard Medical School in Boston in 2007. He completed his anesthesiology residency and critical care fellowship at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. He is board certified in anesthesiology, critical care medicine, neurocritical care and adult cardiac anesthesiology. He is also certified in advanced perioperative transesophageal echocardiography.

Dr. Roberson served as an Assistant Professor of anesthesiology at University of North Carolina (UNC) Hospitals in 2012-2013 and at University of Texas (UT) Southwestern in 2013-2014. He has practiced in Arkansas since 2015, working at Southern Regional Anesthesiology Consultants, St. Vincent Medical Group, and most recently at Baptist Health Medical Center.

Department of Internal Medicine

Pratheepa Ravikumar, M.D., MPH

Pratheepa Ravikumar, M.D., MPH, has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Ravikumar earned both her medical degree and Master of Public Health at UAMS, where she went on to complete her residency in medicine-pediatrics.

Dr. Ravikumar’s professional interests include providing comprehensive care across the lifespan, public health and medical education.

Shadiqul Hoque, M.D.

Shadiqul Hoque, M.D., has rejoined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology. Dr. Hoque received his medical degree from Dhaka Medical College, University of Dhaka, in Bangladesh. He completed his residency in internal Medicine at Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University.

Dr. Hoque first joined UAMS as an Assistant Professor and hospitalist in 2015. In 2021, he continued his training with a fellowship in hematology and oncology at UAMS, where he developed a focus on gastrointestinal cancers, sarcoma, and both benign and malignant hematology.

Tanya Ongbin, M.D.

Tanya Ongbin, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Ongbin received her medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine in Manila, Philippines. She completed her internal medicine residency at Manila Doctors Hospital and a fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital. She completed a fellowship in infectious disease at UAMS this year.

Dr. Ongbin’s clinical background includes experience as an emergency room hospitalist and participation in several U.S. based clinical observerships.

Department of Neurology

José Miguel Morales, M.D., M.Sc.

José Morales, M.D., M.Sc., has joined the Department of Neurology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Morales is a vascular neurologist, neuro-interventional surgeon and researcher. He specializes in minimally invasive, image-guided techniques to diagnose and treat disorders and diseases of the head, brain, neck and spine.

Dr. Morales received his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in 2016. He completed his residency in neurology at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, also in Chicago. He continued his training with fellowships in vascular neurology, biodesign and interventional neurology at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center.

In addition to clinical care, Dr. Morales is active in clinical and translational research, including work to pioneer transvascular access to the brain that eliminates the need for invasive brain surgery. His research has been published in leading journals including Nature, Stroke, Interventional Neuroradiology and the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery.

Department of Pediatrics

David Selewski, M.D., M.S.

David Selewski, M.D., M.S., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as Professor and Chief of the Section of Pediatric Nephrology. Dr. Selewski received his medical degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago in 2005. He completed his pediatric residency and his pediatric nephrology fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He went on to earn a master’s in clinical research design and statistical analysis from the University of Michigan in 2013. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology (FASN).

Dr. Selewski’s clinical and research interests center on pediatric and neonatal critical care nephrology, including pediatric and neonatal acute kidney injury, fluid overload, and continuous renal replacement therapy. This work includes participation in multicenter research collaboratives including the Neonatal Kidney Collaborative (NKC), for which he is currently President-Elect. He also serves on the steering committees for the Worldwide Exploration of Renal Replacement Outcomes Collaboration in Kidney Diseases (We-Rock) and Neonatal and Pediatric Heart and Renal Outcomes Network (NEPHRON) study groups.

Dr. Selewski is a council representative for the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology to the International Pediatric Nephrology Association, where he also serves as Co-Chair for the Education Committee. He is an Associate Editor for the journal Pediatric Nephrology. He recently was Co-Chair of the 36th Acute Disease Quality Initiative.

Department of Radiology

Amy Schroder Bezold, D.O.

Amy Bezold, D.O., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Interventional Radiology. Dr. Bezold received her medical degree from A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, in 2013. She completed a family medicine residency at UAMS in 2016 and practiced family medicine in Arkansas and Texas for four years.

Dr. Bezold continued her training at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 2020-2024, completing a residency in diagnostic radiology. She expanded her expertise with a fellowship in interventional radiology at the Dotter Institute at Oregon Health Science University in Portland in 2024-2025.

Recent Faculty Appointments – November 2025

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Biostatistics

Deukwoo Kwon, Ph.D.

Deukwoo Kwon, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Biostatistics as a Professor. Dr. Kwon received his doctoral degree in statistics from Texas A&M University in 2005. Before his recruitment to UAMS, he served at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami, the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and UTHealth Houston for over 14 years.

Dr. Kwon has extensive experience conducting statistical analysis in various areas, including the application of statistical methods to clinical trials and epidemiologic studies related to cancer, novel approaches to the statistical design and analysis of phase I and phase II clinical trials, survival analysis, longitudinal data analysis, Bayesian inference, and high-dimensional data analysis.

As Director of the Biostatistics Shared Resource in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Dr. Kwon leads statistical support for the institute’s investigators. He participates in the Protocol Review & Monitoring Committee as a statistical reviewer. He also serves as Associate Director of the Statistical and Data Analysis Center for the AIDS Malignancy Consortium, which is an NCI-supported international clinical trials group, a role he has held since 2023.

Department of Emergency Medicine

Gitansh Bhargava, D.O.

Gitansh Bhargava, D.O., has joined the Department of Emergency Medicine as an Assistant Professor. Originally from Connecticut, Dr. Bhargava received his medical degree from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York in 2020. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at Inspira Health Network in Vineland, New Jersey.

With an interest in teaching and practicing in academic medicine, Dr. Bhargava went on to complete a fellowship in advanced emergency medicine ultrasonography at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. His professional interests include emergency ultrasound and physician wellness.

Cynthia Simmons, M.D.

Cynthia Simmons, M.D., has joined the Department of Emergency Medicine as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Simmons brings over 25 years of experience in emergency care and leadership to UAMS. Originally from Texas, she has served as the Medical Director and in other leadership and attending physician roles for large EMS systems in Arlington and Dallas along with other emergency departments across eastern Texas. Dr. Simmons also has extensive experience in disaster response preparedness and overseeing special event EMS operations for major gatherings including the Superbowl and World Series.

Dr. Simmons received her medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in 1994. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Florida Health Sciences Center-Jacksonville.

Department of Geriatrics

Deanna Cochran, M.D.

Deanna Cochran, M.D., has joined the Department of Geriatrics as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Cochran received her medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. She moved to Arkansas in 2021 to begin a residency in internal medicine at White River Health in Batesville. After completing her residency in 2024, she continued her training with a fellowship in geriatrics at UAMS.

Dr. Cochran practices in the Thomas and Lyon Longevity Clinic in the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging.

Department of Neurology

Shitiz Sriwastava, M.D., M.S.

Shitiz Sriwastava, M.D., M.S., has joined the Department of Neurology as an Associate Professor. A neuroimmunologist with expertise in multiple sclerosis (MS) research and treatment, Dr. Sriwastava comes to UAMS from The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, and before that, West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Dr. Sriwastava received his medical degree from Manipal College of Medical Science in Pokhara, Nepal. He completed his neurology residency and a fellowship in neuroimmunology at Wayne State University in Detroit. Later, he earned a master’s degree in clinical and translational science from West Virginia University.

Dr. Sriwastava has special interest in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system. His clinical and research focus includes multiple sclerosis, myelitis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD), myasthenia gravis, immune-mediated and inflammatory neuropathies, myositis and autoimmune encephalitis, among other areas.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation

W. Cody Grammer, M.D.

W. Cody Grammer, M.D., has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation as an Assistant Professor practicing in Northwest Arkansas. Dr. Grammer received his medical degree and completed his internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery at UAMS. He practiced general orthopaedics for 11 years, first in Batesville and then in Rogers, before returning to UAMS for a fellowship in joint reconstruction.

Specializing in joint reconstruction of both the hip and knee, Dr. Grammer served patients in Northwest Arkansas for more than 16 years. He directed two successful joint replacement programs prior to joining UAMS. His special interests include direct anterior hip replacement, partial knee replacement, low- or no-opioid joint replacement, and same-day joint replacement procedures.

Dr. Grammer is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (FAAOS) and a Fellow of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (FAAHKS). He currently serves as the elected Arkansas Representative to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board of Councilors. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Dr. Grammer served as an officer, pilot and flight instructor in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Department of Pathology

Sidra Zaheer, M.D.

Sidra Zaheer, M.D., has joined the Department of Pathology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Zaheer received her medical degree from Dow Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan, and completed her residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at Westchester Medical Center in New York. She subsequently pursued fellowships in hematopathology at NYU Langone Health and in molecular genetic pathology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York.

Dr. Zaheer will serve in the hematopathology and molecular pathology services at UAMS. In addition to her clinical and academic focus in these areas, she is passionate about global health. Dr. Zaheer has contributed to educational initiatives aimed at expanding access to hematopathology and has collaborated with institutions in resource-limited settings to advance diagnostic capacity.

Department of Pediatrics

Caitlin Cunningham, M.D.

Caitlin Cunningham, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Section of General Pediatrics. Dr. Cunningham received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. She completed her pediatrics residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Cunningham practiced at the Complex Care Clinic at Dallas Children’s and at the Little Rock Children’s Clinic prior to joining UAMS. Her professional interests include serving underrepresented communities and providing compassionate, equity-driven care for patients and their families.

Julie Holstead, M.D.

Julie Holstead, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Section of General Pediatrics. Dr. Holstead received her medical degree at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport. She completed her pediatric residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Holstead worked in private practice prior to joining UAMS. Her focus as a general pediatrician is the comprehensive health of children from birth to young adulthood, including physical, emotional and social wellbeing.

Department of Radiation Oncology

Sondos AlKhatib, M.D.

Sondos AlKhatib, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiation Oncology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. AlKhatib received her medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University, in Amman, Jordan. She completed her clinical internship and radiation oncology residency at King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman, serving as Chief Resident in her final year. She continued her training there with a fellowship in radiation oncology, focusing on lung, gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers.

After relocating to the United States, Dr. AlKhatib completed an additional internship and residency in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, where she served as Chief Resident in 2023-2024. Dr. AlKhatib’s honors include receiving a competitive Global Health Scholar Grant from the American Society of Radiation Oncology, after being selected for an internship at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Department of Radiology

Dhanush Amin, M.D.

Dhanush Amin, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Neuroradiology. Dr. Amin earned his medical degree (MBBS) from Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences in India. He completed his residency (M.D.) in radiodiagnosis at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad, India. Dr. Amin subsequently pursued a clinical fellowship un neuroradiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Nivedita Radder, M.D.

Nivedita Radder, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Neuroradiology. Dr. Radder received her medical degree from S.S Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre in Karnataka, India. She completed her residency in radiology at the University of Central Nicaragua. Dr. Radder continued her training with fellowships in neuroradiology and musculoskeletal imaging/Body MRI at UAMS.

Recent Faculty Appointments – October 2025

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Family and Preventive Medicine

Ashley Shuffield, M.D.

Ashley Shuffield, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Shuffield received her medical degree from UAMS in 2019. She completed her family medicine residency at the UAMS Northeast Regional Campus in Jonesboro in 2022 and joined the Baptist Health Family Clinic-Conway West, where she practiced until her recruitment to UAMS. Dr. Shuffield will provide care and teach at the UAMS Neighborhood Clinic in Maumelle.

Department of Internal Medicine

Anshuk Kakria, M.D., MSHS

Anshuk Kakria, M.D., MSHS, has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Kakria received his medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica in 2019 and a Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS) in Clinical Translational Research at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., in 2024. He began his internal medicine residency training at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center–Temple in Texas and later completed a transitional year of residency training at HCA Healthcare in Plantation, Florida, followed by residency training at Trios Health in Kennewick, Washington.

Dr. Kakria is committed to evidence-based care and advancing patient outcomes through both clinical excellence and research in his new role at UAMS.

Raja Kumar Pola, M.D.

Raja Pola, M.D., has rejoined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Pola earned his medical degree at Andhra Medical College in Vishakhapatnam, India. He completed his internal medicine residency at Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, where he also served as Chief Resident.

Dr. Pola served as an Assistant Professor, Academic Hospitalist and Chief Hospitalist at UAMS from 2011-2016. He went on to practice hospital medicine at CHI St. Vincent Hospital and Cornerstone Long-Term Acute Care Facility in Little Rock. Dr. Pola is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP).

Department of Pathology

David Raggay, M.D.

David Raggay, M.D., has joined the Department of Pathology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Raggay received his medical degree from the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica. He completed his residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dr. Raggay continued his training with fellowships in hematopathology at Hartford Hospital and in transfusion medicine and blood banking at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut.

Dr. Raggay will serve as Medical Director of the Blood Bank at Arkansas Children’s Hospital along with his role with the transfusion medicine and hematopathology services, with close collaboration with the apheresis and cell therapy services. In addition to his clinical and academic focus in these areas, Dr. Raggay is passionate about medical education and the advancement of diagnostic and therapeutic care in underserved populations.

Department of Surgery

Chad E. Cragle, M.D., Ph.D.

Chad Cragle, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology. Dr. Cragle received both his Ph.D. and his medical degree from UAMS, graduating in 2018. He completed his general surgery residency at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle and continued his training with a surgical oncology and hepatopancreatobiliary fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Dr. Cragle manages a wide range of cancers and has a particular interest in cancers of the upper GI tract including the stomach, duodenum, pancreas, biliary system and liver.

Gregory Tyler Rives, M.D.

Tyler Rives, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Rives received his medical degree from UAMS in 2019. He completed his general surgery residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and continued his training with a fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Dr. Rives specializes in helping patients address the disease of obesity through a comprehensive and individualized approach. His surgical expertise includes sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, single anastomosis duodenal ileal bypass and a full range of foregut procedures including hiatal hernia repair.

Department of Urology

Bradley Houston, M.D., MPH

Bradley Houston, M.D., MPH, has joined the Department of Urology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Houston received his Master of Public Health and medical degree at UAMS, graduating from the College of Medicine in 2017. He completed a general surgery internship and residency in urology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.

Dr. Houston brings a wide range of experience to UAMS with special expertise in kidney stone surgery, enlarged prostate (BPH), prostate cancer and robotic surgery. He practiced at Arkansas Urology in Conway prior to his recruitment to UAMS. Dr. Houston will provide care at the UAMS Urology Clinic in the Premier Medical Plaza building in Little Rock.

Recent Faculty Appointments – September-October 2025

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Anesthesiology

Rajasekhar Byreddy, M.D.

Rajasekhar Byreddy, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Byreddy completed medical school at St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore University, in India. He continued his training in the United Kingdom, completing the Fellowship of the College of Anaesthestists in Ireland. Dr. Byreddy gained extensive experience as a consultant and senior consultant in anesthesiology and pain management in hospital systems in Qatar, India and the United Kingdom.

Christopher Murphy, M.D.

Christopher Murphy, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Murphy received his medical degree from UAMS in 2016. He completed his residency in anesthesiology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and continued his training with a critical care medicine fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis.

Dr. Murphy was an Assistant Professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at Washington University from 2021 until his recruitment to UAMS. He will serve as an intensivist in the UAMS Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit.

Megan Rashid, M.D.

Megan Rashid, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Associate Professor and Medical Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. Dr. Rashid received her medical degree at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She completed her anesthesiology residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital/Jackson Health Systems in Miami and continued her training with an anesthesiology and critical care fellowship at Washington University/Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

Prior to her recruitment to UAMS, Dr. Rashid served as an Associate Professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System in Richmond, where she also served as the ICU Medical Director for several years.

Andrew Weaver, M.D.

Andrew Weaver, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Weaver received his medical degree from UAMS in 2017. He completed his residency in anesthesiology and fellowship in cardiothoracic cardiology at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington.

Dr. Weaver served as an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of Thoracic Anesthesia at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in 2022-2024. After relocating to Arkansas in early 2024, he began practicing at Arkansas Anesthesia Associates, where he has served as Director of Cardiovascular Anesthesia providing care at Arkansas Heart Hospital. At UAMS, Dr. Weaver will provide anesthesia services in the main operating room.

Department of Family and Preventive Medicine

German Corrales, M.D.

German Corrales, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Corrales received his medical degree from Universidad Nacional de Cordoba in Cordoba, Argentina, in 2017. He completed his family medicine residency at UAMS, Little Rock, this year. Dr. Corrales practices in the UAMS Neighborhood Clinics.

Nalini Narayana Reddy, M.D.

Nalini Reddy, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine as an Assistant Professor at the UAMS Southwest Regional Campus in Texarkana. Dr. Reddy received her medical degree from Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences in Bangalore, India, in 1997. She most recently completed her family medicine residency at UAMS Southwest.

Department of Internal Medicine

Salma Ahi, M.D.

Salma Ahi, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor in the Division of Endocrinology. Dr. Ahi received her medical degree from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Tehran University of Medical Sciences and continued her training with a fellowship in endocrinology at Shahid Beheshti University. Dr. Ahi’s clinical and research interests include diabetes, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis and vitamin D metabolism.

April Erdag, M.D.

April Erdag, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Erdag received her medical degree from Hacettepe University School of Medicine in Ankara, Turkey. She completed a residency in pediatrics at Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul. Dr. Erdag served as an Assistant professor and Associate Program Director in the Department of Pediatrics at Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine before relocating to the United States.

Most recently, Dr. Erdag completed a residency in internal medicine in the Baptist Health-UAMS Internal Medicine Residency Program in Little Rock. Her professional interests include medical education, inpatient and outpatient clinical care and academic scholarship.

Michael Nguyen, D.O., M.S.

Michael Nguyen, D.O., M.S., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Nguyen received his medical degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth. He earned his Master of Science in Medical Physiology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Dr. Nguyen completed his internal medicine residency training in the HCA Medical City Healthcare UNT-TCU Graduate Medical Education Program. His professional interests include medical education, mentorship and community engagement.

Department of Pediatrics

Alicia Allen, Ph.D.

Alicia Allen, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Associate Professor in the Section of Allergy and Immunology and Director of the National Center for Opioid Research and Clinical Efficacy (NCOR) in the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI).

A behavioral epidemiologist, Dr. Allen trained at the University of Minnesota and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She was recruited to UAMS and Arkansas Children’s from the University of Arizona, where she was an Associate Professor and founding Director of the Recovery through Engaging and Empowering Women (RENEW) research team.

Dr. Allen’s highly regarded research focuses on identifying female-specific factors, such as ovarian hormones, that contribute to the development and continuation of addiction. She recently received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s New Innovator (DP2) Award to examine how infant caregiving and hormones contribute to recovery from opioid use disorder in the early postpartum period.

As the inaugural Director of NCOR, Dr. Allen will lead research initiatives to improve evidence-based prevention and treatments for infants, children and families in Arkansas and beyond who are impacted by opioid use disorder.