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!

Chancellor’s Awards of Excellence

Five outstanding UAMS faculty members, including four from the College of Medicine, received Chancellor’s Awards of Excellence at the Chancellor’s Town Hall yesterday. The awards recognize exceptional and innovative contributions to education, clinical care, scholarly work, faculty mentorship and service. Please join me in congratulating these honorees:

Clinical Innovation | Dr. Misty Virmani

Dr. Virmani, an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, was honored for her commitment and instrumental leadership in the development of the Arkansas Milk Bank. The state’s first donor milk bank opened in September and will help ensure a ready supply of donor breast milk for sick and vulnerable infants in neonatal intensive care units around the state. Dr. Virmani serves as Executive Medical Director of the milk bank and Director of Breastfeeding Medicine at UAMS.

Scholarship | Dr. Pearl McElfish

Dr. McElfish, a Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Office of Community Health and Research at the UAMS Northwest Campus, was recognized as one of the most impactful researchers at UAMS, with more than 200 published manuscripts and extramural grants totaling more than $180 million. Significantly, her leadership in translational research and population health has improved the health of the Marshallese community and other vulnerable populations.

Faculty Mentorship | Dr. Robert E. “Bobby” McGehee Jr.

Dr. McGehee, a Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, was honored for his long commitment to mentorship at UAMS through direct mentoring of students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty, and the creation and leadership of programs designed to nurture a strong and diverse mentorship culture. Dr. McGehee has served in many leadership roles during his three decades on the faculty, including Dean of the Graduate School from 2004 until earlier this year.

Community/Institutional Service | Dr. Kevin Phelan

Dr. Phelan, a Professor of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, was recognized for developing and directing the highly successful ArkanSONO Outreach Program, along with development and implementation of the Clinical Procedure Teaching and Learning Laboratory. ArkanSONO has used ultrasound and other imaging modalities to enhance learning and stimulate interest in STEM careers in K-12^th grade students since 2017. The program was an outgrowth of Dr. Phelan’s pioneering teaching techniques using point-of-care ultrasound devices to teach living anatomy to medical students.

Educational Innovation | Dr. Tiffany Haynes

Dr. Haynes, an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education in the College of Public Health, was lauded as an exemplary teacher, devoted mentor and student advisor, effective academic administrator, and productive researcher. She was praised in particular for encouraging her students to explore and address health disparities in their communities through visual storytelling.

Ensuring Educational Research Integrity

Dr. Carol Thrush, Professor of Surgery and Internal Medicine and an educational research leader in the COM Graduate Medical Education Office, was among the experts from educational institutions, federal funding agencies, professional associations and accreditation agencies participating in a national summit on the state of research integrity and education. The Nov. 8-9 event was hosted by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) and held at the National Academy of Sciences in Washinton, D.C. The summit’s aim was to help foster a culture that makes badly done research “unthinkable.” Dr. Thrush presented on the topic of institutional commitment and shared leadership and assessment strategies. The APPE will release a report with strategies and suggested next steps in early 2024.  

Multiple System Atrophy Center of Excellence Designation

UAMS has been selected as a 2023 Center of Excellence by the Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Coalition, thanks to the hard work of the Movement Disorders Program team with the application process led by Dr. Tuhin Virmani, Associate Professor of Neurology. The MSA Center of Excellence Program is designed to ensure access to the highest quality of multi-disciplinary clinical care and supporting services for patients and families affected by MSA. Along with Dr. Virmani, the team includes Assistant Professors Dr. Hillary Williams and Dr. Aditya Boddu, Rachel Sloan, APRN, Kathryn Stafford, RN, Delores Chandler, RN, Kristie Cervantes, LPN, and Neurology Chair Dr. Rohit Dhall.

Influencing Molecular Pathology Clinical Practice

Dr. Susan Harley, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Lab at UAMS, was elected by members of the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) to serve on the AMP Clinical Practice Committee. During her two-year term, Dr. Harley will lend her expertise to the committee’s review, analysis and presentation of data that guides current test reporting and interpretation practices for clinical laboratories across the country.

Excellence in GME Administration

A shout-out to three Graduate Medical Education (GME) team members who recently achieved certification as a Training Administrator of Graduate Medical Education (TAGME). The Department of Internal Medicine’s Jennifer Cushing, Residency Program Manager, and Sarah Brennan, Program Coordinator, along with Corinne Morphew, Program Coordinator for the Pediatric Anesthesiology and Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology Fellowships, completed a rigorous and comprehensive process that demonstrates advanced competencies and a high commitment to the role of residency and fellowship administration. They join four other current UAMS GME administrators who hold the prestigious TAGME certification.  

Infectious Disease Fellow Designation

Congratulations to Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease faculty members Dr. H. Kathy Liverett, Assistant Professor, and Dr. Ryan Dare, Associate Professor, on being named Fellows of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). The designation is one of the most prestigious honors in the field of infectious disease, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exceptional professional excellence and have provided significant service to the profession.

National Pain Medicine Conference

UAMS was well represented at the recent American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine annual meeting in New Orleans. Chronic Pain Medicine fellow Dr. Bryan Slepicka was one of 25 fellows nationally selected to participate in an Advanced Interventional Pain Management Course and Workshop held during the meeting. Anesthesiology residents Dr. Humaira Saleem and Dr. Shawn Shoham and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation residents Dr. Suzanne Abou-Diab and Dr. Ibrahim Samarra’e presented posters on a range of pain medicine topics. Congratulations also to Dr. Jarna Shah, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Program Director for the Pain Fellowship, on her appointment as Vice Chair for the Women in Regional and Acute Pain Medicine Significant Interest Group.

Article Showcases Pediatric Clinical Informatics Section

A new article by Dr. Obeid Shafi, Assistant Professor in the Clinical Informatics Section of the Department of Pediatrics, sheds light on the critical role of electronic health records (EHRs) in pediatric care. “Defining Electronic Health Record Standards for Child Health: A State-of-the-Art Review” was published in Applied Clinical Informatics and showcases the work of the Clinical Informatics section, positioning them as leaders who are shaping the future of pediatric health IT. Coauthors include Assistant Professor Dr. Daniel Liu and Professor and Section Chief Dr. Feliciano Yu. Read more in the Department of Pediatrics Newsroom.

Putting Patients First

A staff member recently shared an example of how compassion and going the extra mile for our patients makes all the difference for those who receive care at UAMS, along with their families. Dr. Kalaivani Sivakumar, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Medical Director of the Heart Restoration, Mechanical Circulatory Support and Cardiac Transplant Program, and Chase Paladino, APRN, took the time to visit a patient at home and make sure she was doing well after an extensive hospitalization. “This was a compassion call, not a requirement of their jobs,” said the staff member, who is a relative of the patient. “My loved one was so happy to see them, she cried. The whole family was very impressed and thankful.” Kudos to these outstanding team members and to all of you who exemplify putting patients first.

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!

“The Last Lecture” to Honor Dr. Kent Westbrook

Congratulations to Dr. Kent Westbrook, Distinguished Professor of Surgery, on being nominated and selected to deliver the inaugural talk in “The Last Lecture” series presented by the UAMS Emeritus Society. The honorific lecture will be held annually to pay tribute to a late-career or retired faculty member and, just as importantly, to share the honoree’s wisdom and insights with faculty, staff and students across UAMS.

Dr. Westbrook has served as a leader at UAMS for five decades. In the 1970s and early 1980s, he worked with colleagues to develop comprehensive cancer programs at UAMS. Dr. Westbrook co-founded what is now the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute in 1984 and served as its founding Director for 14 years. He directed the Division of Surgical Oncology for 11 years. Dr. Westbrook also has made an immeasurable impact on UAMS through philanthropic initiatives and as a champion for our mission and programs across the state.

In short, Dr. Westbrook exemplifies the spirit of “The Last Lecture.” As many know, he is also an engaging and entertaining speaker. All are invited to hear Dr. Westbrook’s talk on Thursday, Nov. 16, at 4:00 p.m. in Walton Auditorium on the 10^th floor of the Cancer Institute. (Please note this location has changed since the initial announcements about this event.)  A reception will follow. The lecture also can be viewed virtually via this link.

Addressing Disparities in Asthma & Allergy Research

Dr. Tamara Perry, Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of the Allergy and Immunology Section, will share her expertise at an upcoming workshop of the Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The two-day workshop will convene experts with knowledge and experience in engaging diverse populations in asthma and allergic diseases research, to strategize how to optimize research recruitment to better understand and address disparities. Dr. Perry will moderate a session on Dec. 4 focusing on the epidemiology of health disparities in allergic disease.

Five Star Rankings for UAMS Specialty Care

We received excellent news recently that Healthgrades, a key resource for consumers looking for a health care provider, has awarded UAMS five stars – its highest rating – for treatment of heart failure, pneumonia and respiratory failure, and cranial neurosurgery. This is the third straight year our neurosurgery team has earned the five-star rating. The ratings reflect the excellence and deep commitment to providing high-quality care of many clinical team members across multiple specialties, the Cardiovascular, Integrated Medicine and Neurosciences service lines, and others. Learn more about the new ratings in this UAMS news release. Congratulations and kudos to all.

Mental Health Needs of the Incarcerated

It is staggering to realize that about half of the people in U.S. jails and more than one-third of those in U.S. prisons have been diagnosed with mental illness. Dr. Lisa Evans, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Pulaski County Regional Stabilization Unit, is doing outstanding work to help ensure law enforcement teams and mental health care providers are prepared to address crisis situations and meet the mental health care needs of those who are incarcerated. A $500,000, three-year grant from the federal Bureau of Justice will bolster these efforts by creating well-trained crisis response teams of Little Rock police officers and social workers. Read more about the initiative in the UAMS Newsroom. 

Evidence-based Innovation Award

The Arkansas Medicaid Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program received the inaugural Evidence-based Health Policy Innovation Award from the Center for Evidence-based Policy based at Oregon Health Sciences University. Dr. William Golden, Professor of Internal Medicine and Public Health and Medical Director of the Division of Medical Services for the Arkansas Department of Human Services, accepted the award on behalf of the program at an Oct. 25 ceremony. The Arkansas PCMH program, now in its 10^th year, was recognized for achieving robust participation of primary care clinics across Arkansas and improving the viability of care for Medicaid patients in a rural state.

Supporting Health Care Entrepreneurship

Arkansas entrepreneurs from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds will benefit from a groundbreaking new initiative directed by BioVentures President and Department of Surgery faculty member Dr. Kevin Sexton and co-directed by Dr. Eric Peterson (Pharmacology/Toxicology) and Dr. Robert Griffin (Radiation Oncology). With support from a nearly $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Arkansas Collaborative for Technological and Innovative Venture Equality (ACTIVE) will serve as an early-stage technical assistance program and incubator for disadvantaged business owners working to develop health technology and health care businesses. UAMS-based BioVentures LLC was one of 43 recipients receiving grants under the Minority Business Development Agency’s Capital Readiness Program. Dr. Sexton participated in a ceremony and roundtable discussion on the program at the White House in August.

Golf Lab to Help Patients Lead Active Lives

A shout-out to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery on the reopening of the renovated golf laboratory within the UAMS Biomechanics Lab. An anonymous gift funded improvements to the Biomechanics Lab and the creation of dedicated space for golf-focused research. This space has been renamed in honor of renowned Arkansas golfers Dan Snider and the late Jon Zieske. The Biomechanics Lab is used for clinical and biomechanical research to better understand how patients move before and after orthopaedic procedures and for numerous studies involving gait, balance and movement. As Professor and Chair Dr. Lowry Barnes notes in this UAMS news story, the upgraded facility will improve our ability to help patients stay active and live their best lives.

Family Medicine Update 2023

Kudos to the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Community Health and Education Division, and team members from across our college and UAMS who made the 2023 Family Medicine Update and Tobacco and Disease Symposium a great success. Special thanks to Andrea Hooten, Marybeth Curtis, Colleen Lassiter, and Alysia Dubriske for their leadership and hard work on the continuing education conference. The event was held virtually Oct. 24-27, hosting national experts as well as UAMS clinicians and faculty presenters.

Here are this week’s Accolades, a roundup of some of the honors and accomplishments of College of Medicine and UAMS faculty, staff, residents, fellows and students I’ve heard about recently!

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Congratulations to Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Associate Professor, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Neurosurgery, on receiving the 2023 Distinguished Alumnus Award in the M.D./Ph.D. category at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine this month. The award honors alumni whose work has made a significant mark in the medical sciences and has brought distinction to Case Western. Dr. Rodriguez earned her doctorate in pathology in 2008 and medical degree in 2009 in the NIH-sponsored Medical Scientist Training program at CWRU. Since joining the UAMS faculty in 2017, Dr. Rodriguez has achieved growing national recognition for her expertise in glioblastoma and neurosurgical oncology, and for her contributions to national initiatives to increase diversity and reduce health disparities in cancer research.

Otolaryngology Expertise Shared Nationally

Dr. Susan Emmett, an Associate Professor in the COM Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the College of Public Health Department of Epidemiology, was an invited lecturer for the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Dissemination and Implementation (D&I) Science in Communication Disorders. The Oct. 24-25 NIH virtual workshop was held to identify needs and opportunities within D&I research in communication disorders. Dr. Emmett was also a speaker and faculty member for the Oct. 20-22 Otology Fellows Congress and Advanced Course in Ear and Skull Base Surgery hosted by UAMS for the sixth year. Dr. John Dornhoffer, Professor and Chair of Otolaryngology, co-chaired and spoke at the event, which drew 23 fellows and 10 expert instructors from 10 countries.

Chancellor’s Circle Grants Support Ingenuity

Congratulations to the College of Medicine teams and faculty and staff across UAMS who received Chancellor’s Circle Grants this year. Thirteen grants totaling $213,000 will support a wide range of initiatives that reflect ingenuity and excellence across our mission areas. For example, the Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program, a BioVentures project, will teach medical students to critically evaluate needs in the practice of medicine and help instill an innovator mindset. The Office of Graduate Medical Education will use a grant to help identify and provide professional development for newly emerging leaders. A grant to the Culinary Medicine program will be used to provide cooking demonstrations and information on healthy, low-cost meal prep for community members at the 12th Street Community Café. And much more. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Radiology Challenging Case Competition

A shout-out to everyone who made the second annual Department of Radiology Challenging Case competition this fall a successful and fun educational event. The project matches senior medical students who are applying for radiology residency training with faculty mentors to format and then present a challenging Diagnostic Radiology or Interventional Radiology case. Faculty members Dr. Sateesh Jayappa and Dr. Charles James co-directed this year’s competition as well as the inaugural project. Congratulations to M4 student Haley Feezell on winning the Best Presentation Award (mentor Dr. Janice Murphy); and Brandon Allen on earning the Runner-Up Presentation Award (mentor Dr. Robert Dixon). Radiology Interest Group President and M3 student Humam Shahare and Past-President and Radiology intern Dr. Dhruba Dasgupta encouraged medical student participation. Thanks also to moderators Dr. Murphy, Dr. Kelli Schmitz and Donna Ashlock and judges Dr. Scott Harter, Dr. Mahesh Matapathi and Dr. Kala Buddha.

ENT Surgeon Named FACS Fellow

Dr. Graham Strub, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, has been named a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS). Dr. Strub has provided outstanding pediatric care for patients since his recruitment to UAMS and Arkansas Children’s in 2018. Dr. Strub also was recently named to the Editorial Board for Nature: Scientific Reports, which will benefit from his research expertise in the molecular biology of vascular anomalies.

12th Street Health and Wellness Celebrates 10 Years

Community has always been at the heart of the UAMS 12th Street Health and Wellness Center, so a Fall Festival was the perfect way to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the student-led clinic. The center, which provides free health screenings and health management services, has provided care for more than 7,000 patients since opening in January 2013. Hundreds of College of Medicine students, along with their peers from other UAMS colleges, have volunteered at the center while gaining valuable interprofessional learning experiences with UAMS faculty. Kudos to M4 student Nadia Safar, Executive Director of the Student Board of Directors, Deputy Executive Director and M3 student Brittany Tian, and fellow student volunteers for helping to organize the festival. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

First Anniversary for Mental Health Services at 12th Street

As the 12th Street Health and Wellness Center celebrated its 10th anniversary, the Department of Psychiatry’s mental health clinic marked its one-year anniversary of providing care at the center this month. The clinic was spearheaded by third-year Psychiatry resident Dr. Wesley White, who had volunteered at 12th Street while he was a student and recognized the need for providing mental health care in addition to the other services provided for members of the 12th Street community. Dr. White enlisted the assistance of several faculty members to launch and conduct the monthly mental health clinics. The team has treated patients for anxiety, depression and trauma. Dr. Samuel Olson serves as the Faculty Director, with Drs. Jessica Coker, Greer Sullivan, Shona Ray-Griffith, Laura Dunn, Abigail Richison and Payton Lea serving as attending physicians.

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!

Expanding Mental Health Resources for Arkansas

Arkansas youth and young adults will benefit from expanded mental health resources thanks to recent grants from the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas and the leadership of College of Medicine faculty. A $1.6 million grant will be used to create a multifaceted Pathways to Wellness Program that will be led by Dr. Nikki Edge, Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine, and Dr. Laura Dunn, Professor and Chair of Psychiatry. The program will build on two previous programs, the Trauma Resource Initiative for Schools (TRIS) and UAMS Health AR ConnectNow. TRIS is led by Dr. Sufna John, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and Dr. Edge. A second grant will provide $714,809 to launch an adolescent and young adult addiction treatment program in the Psychiatric Research Institute. Dr. Srinivasa Gokarakonda, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, and Dr. Jason Williams, Professor and Chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, will oversee the program. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

International Leadership in Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Dr. William Steinbach, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Associate Dean for Child Health, began serving a two-year term as President of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) during the society’s IDWeek 2023 conference in Boston last week. Dr. Steinbach will provide outstanding leadership for PIDS, the world’s largest organization of professionals dedicated to the treatment, control and eradication of infectious diseases affecting children. Dr. Steinbach is internationally known for his expertise and research into the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of invasive fungal infections and other infections, which are leading killers in patients with lowered immune systems. At Arkansas Children’s, Dr. Steinbach also serves as Pediatrician-in-Chief and holds the Robert H. Fiser Jr., M.D., Endowed Chair in Pediatrics.

Reality Check on Obesity in Arkansas

Dr. Dinesh Edem, Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and Director of the Medical Weight Management Program, provided an insightful reality check for recent national numbers that seemed to indicate a drop in obesity in Arkansas as well as an improvement in the state’s national obesity ranking. Dr. Edem’s expertise was central to an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last week. Dr. Joe Thompson, Professor of Pediatrics and President and CEO of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) also was among the experts who provided important context for the latest report from the Trust for America’s Health. Dr. Edem also was interviewed recently for an article in About You magazine about the pros and cons of the latest weight loss drugs.

International Presentation on Long COVID

Dr. Terry Harville, Professor of Pathology and Internal Medicine, was a Visiting Professor and invited speaker for the recent Association des Patients Immunodeficents dus Quebec (APIQ) annual meeting in Montreal, Canada. Dr. Harville presented an update on Long COVID, including the groundbreaking research that has been conducted at UAMS by Dr. Harville, Professor and Division of Nephrology Chief Dr. John Arthur and other colleagues into the involvement of an antibody that attacks the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). After the well-received presentation, APIQ leaders invited Dr. Harville to return for next year’s conference.

Women of Impact

The Women’s Foundation of Arkansas and Soiree magazine recently honored the “Top 100 Women of Impact in Arkansas 2023,” including several College of Medicine and UAMS team members. The list profiles women who are making a difference through their work and service, including the COM’s Julie Joyce, J.D., Senior Manager of Community Partnerships in the Department of Internal Medicine Division of Community Health & Research at the UAMS Northwest Campus; Dr. Jerrilyn Jones, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of the Medical Scholars in Public Health Postbaccalaureate Program; Dr. Nirvana Manning, Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology; and Dr. Jeanne Wei, Professor and Chair of Geriatrics and Director of the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. The list also includes women serving in other areas of UAMS and several who are making a difference at partnering organizations, such as Arkansas Children’s President and CEO Marcy Doderer, FACHE. Congratulations to all – and, more importantly, thank you for your commitment to improving the lives of Arkansans.

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!

Student Volunteers, Faculty Make “Girlology” a Hit

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s “Girlology” workshop continues to draw “sell-out” crowds of pre-teen and teenage girls along with parents or other caregivers. On the heels of a very successful event in Springdale last month, faculty and medical student volunteers welcomed the largest turnout yet on Sunday with close to 700 participants in two sessions on the Little Rock campus. Launched in 2022, the program provides thoughtful information about puberty and related health and social topics. OB/GYN Chair Dr. Nirvana Manning and faculty physicians Dr. Laura Hollenbach and Dr. Kathryn Stambough have done an outstanding job developing and growing this program.

“We couldn’t do it without our student volunteers,” emphasizes Dr. Manning. “They register attendees, help with props, assist the children during question-and-answer sessions and during breaks, and more. They provide such great energy and help so much in making the families feel more comfortable.”

Second-year student Ashton Jones took the lead inorganizing fellow students for Sunday’s event. Other student volunteers included Macie Cain, Lauren Camp, Alex Carrasquillo, Makenzie Cole, Rachel French, Khristina Huff, Sarah Mitchell, Katie Pacheco, Ashton Rogers, Emily Pavlovic-Segal and Lane Tupa. (See photos here.) The Northwest Arkansas program on Sept. 17 was presented in partnership with the UAMS Office of Community Health and Research and Arkansas Children’s Northwest. Kudos to all for making this program so successful.

Musculoskeletal Research in the Spotlight

The UAMS Musculoskeletal community is having a strong showing at the meetings of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), Pre-Meeting on Osteocytes, and the Endocrine Fellows Forum in Vancouver, British Columbia, this week. Faculty, postdocs and students will present six invited talks, seven oral presentations and 15 posters (two oral and six plenary) and receive several awards. Post-doctoral fellows and student honorees include: Most Outstanding Translational Abstract recipient Dr. Japneet Kaur; Young Investigator Award winners Dr. Adriana Carvalho and Hayley Sabol; Travel Awardees Alicen James, Aric Anloague, Mohsin Ali and Ana Resende-Coelho; and Plenary Poster winner Dr. Alongkorn Kurilung. Dr. Melda Onal, Assistant Professor, also received a Travel Award and was one of many faculty presenters and lab leaders from the departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Internal Medicine/Endocrinology, Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Informatics, and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System. Read the full schedule of UAMS presentations and honorees here.

IDSA Fellow Designation

Dr. Bobby Boyanton Jr., M.D., Professor of Pathology and Pathologist-in-Chief and Section Medical Director of Molecular Pathology at Arkansas Children’s, has been named a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). The highly competitive designation is one of the most prestigious honors in the field of infectious disease and reflects Dr. Boyanton’s nearly 20 years of service in clinical laboratory diagnostics, medical education and research in the areas of clinical microbiology and molecular infectious diseases.

Keynote Address Highlights Simulation Education

Dr. Karen Dickinson, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Director of Interprofessional Education (IPE) Simulation and Clinical Skills Training, presented “Computer Assisted Surgery and Training” at the Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference (SBEC) in September. Her invited keynote address provided an overview of technology-enhanced simulation education in health care and summarized current evidence for efficacy and recommendations for application as part of an educator’s toolkit. The SBEC was conceived by bioengineering professionals from academia and industry located primarily in the southern United States in 1982. It has grown to become a global event that regularly attracts attendees from all over the world. 

Rising Stars in Spine Surgery

Congratulations to Dr. Samuel Overley, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of the Spine Surgery Fellowship, on being featured as one of “10 spine surgeons younger than 45 to know” in Becker’s Spine Review. The national shout-out wasn’t the first for Dr. Overley, who was honored by the North American Spine Society last year in its “20 Under 40” list in SpineLine. It’s worth noting that Associate Professor and Orthopaedic Spine Division Director Dr. David Bumpass was featured in SpineLine’s inaugural list in 2018. The 2023 list includes Dr. Abduljabbar Alhammoud, who completed a fellowship at UAMS in 2022-2023 and is now at the University of Arizona. That’s a great track record for our Orthopaedic Spine Surgery team. 

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!

New Endowed Chairs

Congratulations to the three leaders in pediatric health care, research and education who were invested in endowed chairs at Arkansas Children’s in a ceremony last week. It was an honor to celebrate their accomplishments and contributions with other Arkansas Children’s and UAMS leaders. The endowed chairs are well-earned honors for all three of these colleagues, who have been instrumental in programs and initiatives to ensure the very best health for young Arkansans.

Dr. Mario Ferruzzi was invested in the Arkansas Children’s Endowed Chair in Digestive Disease & Nutrition Research. Dr. Ferruzzi serves as Professor and Chief of the Developmental Nutrition Section in the Department of Pediatrics and Director of the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center.

Dr. Peter Mourani was invested in the Ross and Mary Whipple Family Distinguished Research Scientist Endowed Chair, established in honor of Professor Emeritus and former Pediatrics Chair Dr. Richard Jacobs. A Professor of Pediatrics, Dr. Mourani serves as President of the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute and Senior Vice President and Chief Research Officer at Arkansas Children’s.

Dr. William Steinbach was invested in the Robert. H. Fiser Jr., M.D., Endowed Chair in Pediatrics, named for the late longtime department leader. Dr. Steinbach serves as Professor and Chair of Pediatrics and Associate Dean for Child Health in our college. He is also Pediatrician-in-Chief at Arkansas Children’s.

Kudos, Mock Residency Interview Volunteers

Residency application interviews are on the horizon for our senior medical students, and they are better prepared thanks to 40 faculty volunteers from across many departments and specialties. Mock residency interviews are an important component of the residency prep course led by Dr. Karina Clemmons, Assistant Dean for Medical Education and Associate Professor of Medical Humanities and Bioethics, and Dr. Nicholas Gowen, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine. Thanks to this year’s volunteer interviewers, every senior medical student had an opportunity to complete a virtual practice interview session and receive helpful feedback. It’s worth noting that the vast majority of volunteers also volunteered last year. Kudos to all of this year’s faculty volunteers, Dr. Clemmons and Dr. Gowen, and Academic Affairs team members Jessica Cannon and Tasha Lewis.

Neurosurgery Conference Presenters

The Department of Neurosurgery’s Dr. Hector Soriano-Baron, Assistant Professor, and Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Associate Professor, shared their expertise in multiple sessions at the recent Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Dr. Soriano-Baron moderated a special symposium, the Meeting of the Americas, the first ever meeting within the CNS conducted in a language other than English. He also presented a lecture, “Novel surgical management for recurrent tethered cord in adults: the shortening surgery.” Dr. Rodriguez delivered four oral presentations on the topics of tissue presentation for advanced preclinical brain tumor models, mentorship in academia, using social media with a busy practice, and high-grade glioma and presurgical optimization.

AHA Guidelines Leadership

Dr. Steve Schexnayder, Professor and Executive Vice Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, has been named Senior Science Editor for the American Heart Association’s 2025 guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiac Care. The AHA guidelines undergo a major revision every five years and are used as the standard for best practices in over 100 countries around the world. Dr. Schexnayder will serve as an oversight editor and co-author for all pediatric and neonatal content, as well as chapters on ethics, evidence evaluation, education and the executive summary.

Best Poster and More at International Conference

A shout-out to the College of Medicine team members who participated in the annual conference of the International Cancer Imaging Society in London last week, including Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI) Instructor and master’s degree candidate Tracy Nolan, who won the Best Poster competition. Tracy’s winning poster was titled “Sorting the imaging: Improved metadata indices of The Cancer Imaging Archive.” Another DBMI staff member and graduate student, Sonya Utecht, presented a poster with co-contributor Dr. Linda Larson-Prior, Professor of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, as did Dr. Joshua Eichhorn, Assistant Professor of Radiology.

State Forensics Leadership

Dr. Ted Brown, Associate Professor of Pathology, will serve as the next Director of the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory (ASCL), alongside his current statewide role as Chief Medical Examiner for Arkansas, starting Oct. 23. At UAMS, Dr. Brown also serves as Medical Director for the Autopsy Service, as well as founding Program Director of the Forensic Pathology Fellowship, which received initial accreditation from the ACGME this year. Read more about Dr. Brown’s new ASCL role in this news release from the Arkansas Department of Public Safety.

Geriatric Student Scholar

Third-year medical student Melanie Beehler’s volunteer work with Caring Hands Hospice helped to foster a deeper passion for working with the aging population. As a 2023-2024 Scholar in the UAMS Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) Geriatric Student Scholars Program, she will have even more opportunities to work with older adults and learn about the specialized care they need. In addition to her hectic schedule as a medical student, Melanie serves as Secretary of the UAMS Geriatric Interest Group and is completing the Honors in Research Program. Learn more about her and the Geriatric Student Scholars Program in the AGEC announcement. Congratulations, Melanie!

Honoring Champions of Diversity & Service

Congratulations to the UAMS team members who recently received Dr. Edith Irby Jones Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion awards and UAMS Serves awards. Individuals and organizations from across UAMS were honored after the State of Diversity Address presented by Dr. Brian Gittens, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which kicked off Diversity and Inclusion Month at UAMS.

The Edith Irby Jones awards honor students and employees who demonstrate commitment and leadership in fostering diversity and inclusion. The winners are: Student – Kennede McLeroy-Charles (College of Pharmacy); Staff – Cilia Zayas, MHA, MSF (Biomedical Informatics); Early Career Faculty – Dr. Rajinder “Sonia” Singh (Psychiatry); Mid/Senior Career Faculty – Dr. Diane Jarrett (Family and Preventive Medicine); and Lifetime Achievement – Rosalyn Perkins, MNSc, APRN (Institute for Digital Health and Innovation).

The UAMS Serves campaign encourages volunteerism and connects team members with opportunities to serve at UAMS and in the community. The winners and their area of volunteer service are: Gwendolyn Bradford (Stocked & Reddie Food Pantry); Jason Lewis (UAMS Volunteer Services Auxiliary); Ahad Nadeem (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit); the UAMS Care Management STRONG Committee; and the UAMS House of Delegates.

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!

Congratulations, Alpha Omega Alpha Inductees!

I am pleased to announce the newly elected members of Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society. AOA recognizes exceptional students, faculty, residents and alumni who exemplify professionalism, scholarship, leadership and service. Please join with me and Dr. Molly Gathright, Councilor of the Arkansas Chapter of AOA and Executive Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, in congratulating those who were elected to AOA membership by the Arkansas Chapter this month.

Residents: Dr. Devin Cook (Pediatrics); Dr. Sayena Jabbehdari (Ophthalmology); Dr. Lauren Johnson (General Surgery); Dr. Katie Stahler (Pediatrics)

Faculty: Dr. Rebecca Cantu (Pediatrics); Dr. Brendan Crawford (Pediatrics); Dr. Gloria Richard-Davis (Obstetrics/Gynecology); Dr. Megha Sharma (Pediatrics)

Alumni: Dr. Angela Chandler* (Pediatrics); Dr. Romona Davis* (Ophthalmology); Dr. Meghan Repp; Dr. Leslie Stone* (Family/Preventive Medicine). *Inductees nominated in the Alumni AOA category who serve on the COM faculty

Students, Class of 2024: Brandon Allen; Harrison Ballard; Jennie Burns; Graham Cate; Samuel Cloyd; Darynne Dahlem; Emily Goodman; Connor Griffin; Morgan Gurel; Larkin Harris; Thomas Heye; Lillian Jones; Farhan Kawsar; Savana Kuhn; Kennedy Kuykendall; Nada Lelovic; Andrew Mangan; Monroe McKay; Reece Mitchell; Elise Moix; Brooke Nunn; Kristina Pieterson; Ryan Pohlkamp; Genna Potter; Ryan Rahman; Kaersti Rickels; Nadia Safar; Aaron Sesler; Connor Shewmake; Hudson Surber; Blaire Taggart; Addison Yee; Sairi Zhang.

International Clinical Scientist Award

Congratulations to Dr. Robert J. Shmookler Reis, Professor of Geriatrics, on receiving the Jawahar (Jay) Mehta Annual Award for Clinical Scientist from the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS). Dr. Reis was honored at the IACS North American Section meeting in Tampa, Florida. In Arkansas, Dr. Reis holds the Udupa Chair in Gerontologic Research and serves as a Senior Research Career Scientist in the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System. His internationally recognized research focuses on the molecular genetics of longevity and aging. The IACS Award is named for UAMS’ Dr. Jay Mehta, whose past honors with the IACS also include the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

DOD Peer-Review Panel Leadership

Dr. Shelley Crary, Professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, was invited by the Department of Defense (DOD) to chair a Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program Clinical Trial Award panel. The panel of experts convened earlier this month to evaluate FY23 clinical trial applications relating to vascular malformations. At UAMS, Dr. Crary serves in several leadership roles including Medical Director of the Arkansas Center for Bleeding Disorders at Arkansas Children’s and Co-Director of the Pilot Program in the UAMS Translational Research Institute.

Epilepsy Surgery Firsts

The UAMS Comprehensive Epilepsy Team performed two surgical firsts for Arkansas recently, helping two young patients with refractory epilepsy. A robotic stereotactic encephalography (SEEG) of the thalamus, anterior nucleus opens a new era of surgical intracranial epilepsy network explorations. A robotic close-loop responsive neurostimulator (RNS) implantation into the thalamus, centromedian nucleus represents a new era of neuromodulation for refractory epilepsy. Kudos to Dr. Viktoras Palys, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Surgical Director of the Level 4 Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, and the entire epilepsy team: Dr. Sisira Yadala, Dr. Salman Zahoor, Taneicie Sabb, Dr. Jennifer Gess, Dr. Tatiana Wolfe, Kathleen Hogue and Tammy Drake.

National Presentations on Antibiotic Stewardship

Dr. William Golden, Professor of Internal Medicine and Public Health and Medical Director of the Division of Medical Services for the Arkansas Department of Human Services, will present the framework and results of the Arkansas Medicaid program’s outpatient antibiotic stewardship initiative at two national summits in October. Dr. Golden will share information about the Arkansas program at the NCQA Health Innovation Summit in Orlando, Florida, and at a Pew-sponsored southeast regional Medicaid summit in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Insights into Retinal Ischemia

A shout-out to Dr. Abdelrahman Fouda, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and colleagues on the publication of their paper in Nature Cell Death and Disease addressing retinal ischemia, a major cause of visual impairment and blindness. The paper investigated the involvement of the enzyme arginase 1 (A1) pathway in myeloid cell inflammatory response to the retinal pathology. The findings are highly relevant from a clinical perspective considering the need for new therapies for patients suffering from vision loss due to ischemic retinopathies such as diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Esraa Shosha, Dr. Rami Shahror and graduate student Carol Morris from Dr. Fouda’s lab authored the manuscript together with Department Chair Dr. Nancy Rusch.

Pediatric Hospital Medicine National Activities

Pediatric Hospital Medicine colleagues Dr. Emily Barnes, Associate Professor, and Dr. Sara Sanders, Assistant Professor, are taking part in national activities for emerging academic leaders in the field. Dr. Barnes is a member of the 2023-2024 cohort of the competitively selected Advancing Pediatric Educator eXcellence (APEX) Teaching Program. Dr. Sanders was accepted to attend the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Hospital Medicine’s inaugural Emerging Leaders Conference being held at AAP headquarters last week.   

UAMS Expertise in Spotlight at Otolaryngology Conference

The Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery will have a robust presence at the annual American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) meeting in Nashville. The five-day conference starts September 30, with an all-time high of 12 UAMS faculty members, six residents and six medical students presenting as expert lecturers, on panels or with scientific oral presentations. Learn more about the presentations here. Kudos to Professor and Chair Dr. John Dornhoffer and all who are representing UAMS.

Future Leaders in Surgery

General Surgery residents Dr. Seana Corbin (PGY3) and Dr. Lauren Johnson (PGY4) have been selected as scholars for the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., next month. At UAMS, Dr. Corbin is currently the Surgical Oncology Research Fellow, and Dr. Johnson took a year away from clinical work last year for the fellowship. PGY4 Surgery resident Dr. Megan White represented the Arkansas Chapter of the American College of Surgery (ACS) at the ACS Leadership and Advocacy Summit earlier this year. As future physician leaders, these conferences will help all three of these outstanding residents hone the skills needed to advocate on behalf of their patients, colleagues and communities.