NEJM “Morning Report”
Third-year Pediatric Cardiology fellow Dr. Murad Almasri already has many well-respected publications, presentations and other honors under his belt – and now a first-author article in the New England Journal of Medicine’s NEJM Evidence. Like the time-honored tradition in which physicians-in-training present noteworthy cases to their colleagues and clinical faculty, the journal’s “Morning Report” section invites readers to develop a differential diagnosis and discover the diagnosis along with the authors of a case. Dr. Almasri was first author on a featured case about a 12-year-old boy who suddenly lost consciousness and suffered cardiac arrest while playing catch in his backyard. Associate Professor Dr. Dala Zakaria was senior author on the article, and several other Pediatric Cardiology trainees and faculty contributed. Well done!

National Research Leadership
Dr. Alan Tackett, Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Deputy Director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, has been elected Vice President of the National Committee for the National Association of IDeA Principal Investigators (NAIPI). The committee serves as the collective voice for the IDeA community and multiple programs designed to boost research in states such as Arkansas that historically have received lower levels of NIH research funding. Dr. Tackett has long served in roles relating to impactful IDeA programs, including Principal Investigator of a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) based at the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Principal Investigator of the IDeA National Resource for Proteomics at UAMS, and Biotechnology Resource Director for the UAMS-based Arkansas INBRE.

Hypothyroidism Treatment Insights
Dr. Spyridoula Maraka, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Program Director of the Endocrinology Fellowship, was the senior author on a recent article in Thyroid, the journal of the American Thyroid Association. “Determinants for Thyroid Hormone Replacement Therapy in Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Multicenter Electronic Health Records-Based Study” stemmed from a collaboration among UAMS and three other academic health centers. In addition, Dr. Maraka recently chaired both a symposium and an oral abstract session and presented a poster at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.

Focus on Schizophrenia
Dr. Brian Kirkpatrick, a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, recently served as an Associate Editor for a special issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry. Published on July 10, the issue focuses on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Dr. Kirkpatrick was invited to help edit the issue by Dr. Emilio Fernandez-Egea, a research scientist with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge in England. In addition to helping edit the special issue, Dr. Kirkpatrick was the lead author on an article, “Negative symptoms in the clinic: we treat what we can describe,” and a co-author on two other articles.

Excellence in Sleep Apnea Treatment
Dr. Patrick Fraley, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, was recently recognized as an Inspire Physician of Excellence for his expertise, positive patient experiences and outstanding clinical outcomes using the Inspire obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment device. Only 50 surgeons of the current 1,000 eligible Inspire-trained surgeons have been designated as Physicians of Excellence. Dr. Fraley was the first to offer the Inspire hypoglossal nerve stimulation treatment option in Arkansas and is the only physician in the state with this designation.  

International Education Collaboration
The Department of Anesthesiology’s Division of Neuroanesthesiology recently organized a unique virtual educational program in collaboration with the Hospital das Clinicas of the University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine in Brazil. The virtual meeting was the brainchild of Associate Professor Dr. Priya Gupta and was well attended by students, residents and faculty from both institutions. Topics included anesthesia for cerebral aneurysm surgery and ophthalmological complications from neurosurgery. The UAMS Division of Neuroanesthesiology, directed by Professor Dr. Indranil Chakraborty, has been on the forefront of clinical training and education of medical students, Anesthesiology residents, student registered nurse anesthetists and others.

Head and Neck Cancer Expertise
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery faculty members Dr. Emre Vural, Professor; Dr. Jumin Sunde, Assistant Professor; and Dr. Mauricio Moreno, Professor; represented UAMS well as podium presenters at the 2023 International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer in Montreal this month. Click here for more information about their presentations.

Editorial Appointment
Dr. Yuet-Kin “Ricky” Leung, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, has been appointed as an Editorial Board member for the Molecular Toxicology section of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. The journal encompasses studies relating to molecular studies in biology and chemistry, with a strong emphasis on molecular biology and molecular medicine. Dr. Leung has served as a guest editor for the same journal for the past two years and is currently working on a second special issue for the journal on “Endocrine Disruption and Human Diseases 2.0.”

In the Spotlight
Dr. Terry Harville, Professor of Pathology and Internal Medicine, is the “Spotlight” member of the month for the American Society for Histocompatability & Immunogenetics (ASHI). In a Q&A interview in the July issue of ASHI News, Dr. Harville discusses how he began working in the area of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) decades ago. A trained pediatric allergist, immunologist and rheumatologist, Dr. Harville’s leadership roles at UAMS include Medical Director of the Histocompatibility Laboratory and the Immunogenetics and Transplantation Laboratory.

Thank You, ECMO Team
Since April 2021, the UAMS Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) team has cared for 31 acutely ill patients using the advanced life support device to temporarily augment failing hearts or lungs, and the team has seen many more patients in consultation. This transformative care was introduced just a few months before the COVID “delta surge” that peaked in the summer of 2021. Now, many of these patients are alive to enjoy another summer and many more to come with their loved ones. Other families around the state have the comfort of knowing their loved ones received the best, most comprehensive care possible at UAMS.

As the ECMO program continues into its third year, I want to take a moment to thank the outstanding physicians, nurses, perfusionists, therapists and others who remain dedicated to excellence. These team members represent many areas including Trauma Surgery/Surgery Critical Care, Cardiac Surgery, Anesthesiology, Pulmonology/Medical Critical Care and Emergency Medicine.

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!

Celebrating GME Excellence
June is a time for celebrations across the College of Medicine and UAMS Regional Centers as our graduate medical education (GME) programs say farewell to graduating residents and fellows and honor them, along with many continuing trainees and faculty members, for their excellence. Congratulations to the 195 residents and fellows who are graduating from COM-sponsored programs and 64 Family Medicine and two Sports Medicine fellows who are graduating from Regional Centers programs on June 30.

While honing your knowledge and skills, you have all had a tremendous impact on UAMS patients and our clinical mission across the state. Likewise, you have been instrumental in our educational mission as teachers and mentors for medical students.

I also want to take a moment to congratulate the 66 COM programs that received continued accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) this year, along with three new programs that received initial accreditation. The new programs are Anesthesiology – Pediatric Cardiac, directed by Dr. Destiny Chau; Forensic Pathology, directed by Dr. Theodore Brown; and Pediatric Endocrinology, directed by Dr. Shipra Bansal. Click here for a list of COM programs receiving accreditation, and their directors.

All of UAMS’ longstanding Regional Centers programs received continuing accreditation. This summer, two new programs are welcoming their first residents. Dr. Sheena CarlLee directs the Internal Medicine Residency Program based at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville. Dr. Ronald Brimberry directs the new Family Medicine Rural Training Program, in which residents spend their first year at Washington Regional and years two and three in nearby Carroll and Madison counties.

None of this would be possible without our outstanding leaders and team members in the Graduate Medical Education and Housestaff offices. I join with Dr. Molly Gathright, Executive Associate Dean for GME and Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for the COM; Dr. Stacy Zimmerman, DIO for UAMS Regional Centers; and Dwana McKay Yarberry, Assistant Dean for Housestaff Affairs, in thanking everyone on a job very well done.

Arkansas Children’s Nationally Ranked in 7 Areas – Again!
A shout-out to the many Arkansas Children’s and UAMS team members who helped Arkansas Children’s continue its streak on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals list. For the second year in a row, Arkansas Children’s has been ranked among the best in the nation in seven of its service lines. This year’s ranked services are Cancer, Cardiology and Heart Surgery, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Nephrology, Orthopedics, Pulmonology and Lung Surgery, and Urology. As Arkansas Children’s President and CEO Marcy Doderer, FACHE, noted, the rankings reflect how the entire team “consistently strives for excellence every day with every child.” Read more in the Arkansas Children’s Newsroom.

UAMS Honors Mentoring Excellence
Congratulations to the nine faculty and staff members from the College of Medicine and across UAMS who received Excellence in Mentoring awards at a ceremony last week. The awards were presented in an array of categories across mission areas. COM recipients included Dr. Wayne Bryant Jr. (Family/Preventive Medicine), Dr. Lawrence Greiten (Surgery/Pediatric Cardiovascular); Dr. William Ventres (Family/Preventive Medicine), Dr. Jessica Snowden (Pediatrics/Executive Associate Dean for Research), and Dr. Pearl McElfish (Office of Community Health and Research). Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Patent for Early Disease Diagnosis
Congratulations to Dr. Vladimir Zharov, Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the Josephine McGill Chair in Cancer Research, on his new Divisional U.S. Patent for “Devices and Methods for Fractionated Photoacoustic Flow Cytometry.” This is his tenth patent for noninvasive detection of multiple circulating disease markers using the advanced in vivo Cytophone platform. The technology focuses on early diagnosis of cancers, infections (e.g., malaria), and cardiovascular disorders (e.g., stroke). Clinical trials using this innovative diagnostic platform are in progress at UAMS and in Africa. 

Neurobiology Researchers Present at Endocrine Society
The Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences was well represented at the recent annual meeting of the Endocrine Society. Professor and Vice-Chair Dr. Angus MacNicol was an invited presenter at a symposium on post-transcriptional regulation as a mediator of hypothalamic pituitary function. 2023 Ph.D. graduate Dr. Jewel Banik was invited to present a late-breaking talk in an oral session. Dr. Tiffany Miles, a postdoctoral scholar in the Translational Research Institute’s Health Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HSIE) program, was an invited presenter for a “rapid fire” oral session based on her research poster. Distinguished Professor and Chair Dr. Gwen Childs chaired a session on the hypothalamic tanycyte. Ph.D. students Ashley Herdman, Juchan Lim and Katie Bronson, and Associate Professor Dr. Melanie MacNicol all presented posters.

National Radiology Resident Honors
Fourth-year Radiology resident Dr. George Vilanilam was recently chosen as the American College of Radiology (ACR) 2023-2024 Informatics Fellow. One fellow is selected annually for the competitive program, which provides hands-on experience in the field of informatics through mentoring and projects in collaboration with the Data Science Institute, ACR-AI Lab, and other organizations. Meanwhile, Dr. Vilanilam and second-year resident Dr. Shruti Kumar have been appointed to the editorial board of the American Journal of Roentgenology as podcast editors for the 2023-2024 year.

Simulation Education in National Spotlight
Dr. Karen Dickinson, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Director of Interprofessional Education (IPE) Simulation and Clinical Skills Training, was the guest expert for a recent episode of the renowned health care simulation-focused “Simulcast” podcast series. The interview focused on the collaborative work of the UAMS Centers for Simulation Education, Department of Surgery and Office of Interprofessional Education, including establishment and best practices for an IPE simulation education program. In March, the “Simulcast Journal Club” also highlighted an article by UAMS and UA-Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law collaborators. Published in the International Journal of Healthcare Simulation, the article discussed an interprofessional, interinstitutional medical malpractice mock trial developed and conducted by the team.

Putting Patients First
This edition of Accolades started with a shout-out to our residents and fellows for their excellent work during their time with us at UAMS. I would like to end with one example I heard about recently. Dr. Lindsey Wilbanks, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Associate Program Director of the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship and a Section Chief at Arkansas State Hospital, took the time to write to Neurology Residency Program Director Dr. Neil Masangkay to commend the professionalism of second-year resident Dr. Abhilash Thatikala. Dr. Thatikala had evaluated a patient at the State Hospital for a possible neurological issue during the weekend, and then documented what could have been a frustrating visit in neutral, non-judgmental manner.

“While there is a stigma against mental illness in general, it is so much more with our State Hospital patients,” Dr. Wilbanks explained. “I was very impressed with Dr. Thatikala’s note and professionalism. This may seem like a small thing, but it meant a lot to me, and I am so appreciative of your resident’s kindness toward my patient.”

Accolades is taking a short break and will return later in July. Meanwhile, I hope everyone has a happy and safe Fourth of July holiday!

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

National Cardiology Teaching Honor
Congratulations to Dr. Eudice Fontenot, Professor and Vice-Chair for Education in the Department of Pediatrics, on being named the 2023 recipient of the Maria Serratto, M.D., Master Educator Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery (SOCCS). The award has recognized leading pediatric cardiologists for their teaching and evaluation, development of educational materials and educational leadership. It will be presented at the SOCCS/AAP annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in October.

Dr. Fontenot has taught countless fellows, residents and medical students as a faculty member since 1998, earning many honors including the Betty Ann Lowe, M.D. Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Education. He founded the Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program and served as Director from 2012-2020. In their nomination letter, Pediatric Cardiology Section Chief Dr. Paul Seib and Fellow Dr. Murad Almasri described Dr. Fontenot’s impact: “Whether in the classroom explaining transposition physiology, in the cardiac catheterization lab directing a cardiology fellow in their first right heart cath, or at the bedside of a child in the cardiac ICU, Dr. Fontenot makes every situation a learning opportunity.”

The Pandemic & Prenatal Care
A study by researchers in the Institute for Digital Health & Innovation (IDHI) into the pandemic’s impact on the use of telehealth for prenatal care nationwide has been published in JAMA Network Open. The study revealed a significant jump in the use of digital health services for pregnancy care during 2020. While the use of telehealth had declined by late 2021, it remained higher than pre-pandemic levels. Dr. Mahip Acharya, a senior data analysist for the Rural Telehealth Evaluation Center, was first author. Dr. Hari Eswaran, Professor and Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Research for IDHI, was the study’s Principal Investigator. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Cochlear Implant Conference Leadership
Dr. John Dornhoffer, Professor and Chair of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, was among the organizers of the American Cochlear Implant Alliance annual meeting in Dallas last week as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. The meeting drew over 1,000 participants focused on the alliance’s mission of eliminating barriers to cochlear implantation. Dr. Dornhoffer also moderated a scientific roundtable session.

Exploring Health Disparities
Researchers in the Office of Community Health & Research at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus continue to shed light into multiple facets of health disparities. One recent study showed that people who experience racial discrimination are more reluctant to get vaccinations. Dr. Sheena CarlLee, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Program Director for the UAMS Washington Regional Internal Medicine Residency Program, was first author of the study. Read more here. Another study, with Assistant Professor Dr. Jennifer Andersen as first author, examined the strikingly high rates of diabetes and heart disease in residents of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Read more here. Dr. Pearl McElfish, Professor and Division Director of the Office of Community Health & Research, was senior author on both studies.

Arthroplasty Insights
Rising M3 medical student Kathleen Kinder was the first author on an article recently published in – and highlighted on the cover of – the Journal of Arthroplasty. The article examined the use of articulating knee spacers in the treatment of periprosthetic joint infection and whether all polyethylene tibia (APT) or polyethylene insert, which costs less, would have lower complication rates and higher efficacy and durability. Dr. Jeffrey Stambough, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, was senior author on the study, which discovered that APT and PI tibial components have similar results.

Putting Patients First
Dr. James Suen, Distinguished Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, was part of a volunteer team of medical experts who spent a week this spring treating patients in war-torn Ukraine. Dr. Suen and other physicians treated babies and children with congenital deformities and adults who were injured in the war. “Since the war started, I have been watching and trying to understand,” Dr. Suen explained for a story on the UAMS website. I was seeing the horrors of the war, and I always felt I wanted to do something to help Ukraine.” This is just the latest example of dedication to service for Dr. Suen, who chaired Otolaryngology from 1974 to 2017 and co-founded what is now the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

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!

Radiology Paper in the Spotlight

A recent paper by Pediatric Interventional Radiology colleagues, students and others about the positive results of the launch of an interventional radiology consult service at Arkansas Children’s has been in the spotlight. 2023 graduate Dr. Mallory Heft, who will begin her residency in interventional radiology at UAMS this summer, was first author on “Establishing a pediatric interventional radiology inpatient consult service,” which was published in Pediatric Radiology and highlighted in Radiology Business. Second-year medical student Evan Hicks was among the coauthors. Dr.  Charles James, Professor of Radiology, led the publication efforts as corresponding author, concluding a 2019 clinical initiative spearheaded by former faculty member Dr. Daniel Ashton.

Conference Collaboration
Dr. Samidha Tripathi and Dr. Payton Lea from the Department of Psychiatry and Dr. Shobhit Sharma from the Department of Radiology teamed up to present a session on the essentials of neuroanatomy and neuroimaging in consultation-liaison (CL) psychiatry during the recent American Psychiatric Association annual meeting in San Francisco. CL psychiatry focuses on the care of patients with co-existing psychiatric and general medical conditions. Dr. Tripathi, Director of the UAMS CL Service, chaired the session. Dr. Lea, also a CL psychiatrist, introduced an innovative case conference model that is used in the CL service to enhance trainee education. Dr. Sharma, a neuroradiologist, reviewed the basics of neuroimaging for participants.

Health Literacy Education Call to Action
Collaborators from the Center for Health Literacy, Department of Surgery, College of Nursing and Centers for Simulation Education have completed important work to improve the quality of health literacy education delivered through simulation at UAMS. Better understanding of health literacy is crucial for improving health and reducing disparities. The UAMS team’s work was published in the International Journal of Healthcare Simulation and outlines a national call to action for simulation educators. First author is Alison Caballero, MPH (Center for Health Literacy), and senior author is Dr. Karen Dickinson (Surgery). The initiative also led to their recent presentation of the first educational session in a LEGOS educational series for health care educators, which was well received.

AAFP Fellowship Supports Historical Research
Dr. Diane Jarrett, Director of Education and Communications for the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, has been awarded the 2023 Sandra L. Panther Fellowship in the History of Family Medicine from the American Academy of Family Physicians. The fellowship will support her research at the Center for the History of Family Medicine in Leawood, Kansas. Dr. Jarrett’s research project is titled “The Family Physician on TV: A Reflection of Societal Changes, 1969-1976” and will focus on the development and importance of Family Medicine in a time of social upheaval.

Fellows Research Day at Arkansas Children’s
A shout-out to the fellows in UAMS fellowship programs based at Arkansas Children’s for the outstanding research presented at the annual Fellows Research Day, as well as their excellence and hard work throughout their training. Neonatology fellow Dr. Sarah Diamond took home top honors in both the abstract and poster competitions, while Neonatology fellow Dr. Ashton Walters won for the best oral presentation. At a banquet that evening, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology fellow Dr. Tucker Blackledge received the Fellow Educator of the Year Award, which is voted on by pediatric housestaff. Otolaryngology fellow Dr. Jeffrey Dorrity received the Sam Smith Fellow of the Year Award from Program Directors. Click here for more information about the event, additional honorees, and a photo of our fellows at ACH.

Internal Medicine Research Symposium
The annual Internal Medicine Research Symposium, held on May 16, celebrated the hard work, insightful research and quality improvement initiatives of Internal Medicine and Medicine-Pediatrics housestaff. With 17 posters and six oral presentations by trainees, the event showcased numerous activities within the department. Congratulations to this year’s award winners: Dr. Amisha Gupta, for best poster abstract; Dr. Vidhu Vadini, for best oral QI presentation; and Dr. Farah Mazahreh, for best oral research presentation. Visit the Internal Medicine website for more information and photos from the event.

New RCP Fellow
Congratulations to Dr. Sri Obulareddy, Associate Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, on her election as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP). Fellowship in the UK-based organization is an honor held by renowned physicians around the world who contribute to the RCP’s mission to improve health care and health. Candidates are selected for service in their field, contributions to medical education, research and other criteria.

National IM Chief Residents Honor
Congratulations to Dr. Husam Salah, Internal Medicine Chief Resident, on receiving the 2023 American College of Physicians (ACP) Herbert S. Waxman Chief Resident Teaching Scholarship. Dr. Salah was one of only six chief residents from across the country to receive the honor, which covered expenses to attend ACP’s annual Internal Medicine Meeting in San Diego this spring. As a Waxman Scholar, Dr. Salah assisted with teaching popular clinical skills workshops under the guidance and mentorship of expert faculty, including multiple sessions on the basics of point-of-care ultrasound.

Short Story Published
Medicine and art so often go hand in hand, as Dr. Humaira Khan, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology, demonstrates in a fictional short story, “The Resident,” published in the spring issue of Intima, a journal of narrative medicine. Dr. Khan’s story – which follows a resident on a fast-paced stroke unit as she tries to balance her devotion to patients, fellow residents and her family – will resonate with many. The story was also highlighted on the journal’s main webpage.

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!

Mentors Make the Difference for MSPH
The second year of Medical Scholars in Public Health (MSPH) is drawing to a close, and leaders and students in the post-baccalaureate, pre-med program recently hosted an appreciation celebration for the program’s faculty mentors. The program serves as an educational bridge for Arkansas residents who come from socially, economically or geographically disadvantaged backgrounds, to help prepare them for successful application and admission to medical school. Five members of the first MSPH class started medical school at UAMS in 2022. Seven members of this year’s class have been accepted to medical school, including five at UAMS.

The mentors include Dr. Meredith Von Dohlen in Emergency Medicine; Dr. Leslie Stone in Family and Preventive Medicine; Dr. Renee McGraw in Obstetrics and Gynecology; Drs. Paul Phillips and Romona Davis in Ophthalmology; Drs. Jennifer Laudadio, Aaron Wyble and Eric Yee in Pathology; Drs. Aravindhan Veerapandiyan, Billy Thomas and Shae Merves in Pediatrics; and Drs. Kevin Means and Lindsay Mohney in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

I join with MSPH Director Dr. Jerrilyn Jones, Associate Dean for Student Affairs Dr. Sara Tariq and MSPH Coordinator Kimberlyn Blann in thanking these outstanding faculty mentors.

Promoting Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
Dr. Sufna John, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Co-Director of the Arkansas Building Effective Services for Trauma (ARBEST) Program, shared her expertise in a video on the “Zero to Three” website, explaining why it is crucial to equip professionals with the knowledge they need to promote infant and early childhood mental health. Zero to Three is the website of the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs, a non-profit focusing on the importance of early identification and intervention relating to infant and early childhood mental health. Dr. John also was recognized by Zero to Three as a national thought leader for diversity-informed practice. Read her insights on how culture affects mental health services for children here.

Robotic Bronchoscopy Program Transforms Care
When UAMS activated the first robotic lung biopsy system in Arkansas in September 2021, it enabled our pulmonologists, surgeons and other team members to discover, biopsy and often immediately treat previously undetectable cancerous nodules in the far reaches of the lungs. The interdisciplinary team led by Dr. Nikhil Meena, Associate Professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, completed 100 robotic bronchoscopies over the next 13 months. That number had doubled only six months later, in April. “Everyone has stepped up to the proverbial plate, and I have been in awe of the commitment shown by all involved,” Dr. Meena recently said in a thank you note to the team. Let me add my thanks to all.

Spine Surgery Fellowship Recognition
The UAMS Integrated Spine Surgery Fellowship has been recognized as an AO Spine North America (AOSNA) Designated Fellowship site, a designation that will provide additional networking opportunities, academic resources and support for AO Spine Fellows at UAMS. Kudos to Department of Orthopaedic Surgery faculty members and spine surgeons Dr. Samuel Overley, who serves as the fellowship Program Director, Dr. David Bumpass and Dr. Jordan Walters for their excellent work preparing the AOSNA application. Read more here. 

Symposium Showcases Surgical Research
The second annual Surgical Research Symposium, held on May 9, showcased collaborative work by residents, students and faculty from the Department of Surgery and numerous other departments and divisions across the College of Medicine and UAMS. Congratulations to this year’s poster award winners. Best Overall honors went to Ph.D. student Ana Azevedo-Pouly. The Speaker’s Pick was a poster by third-year General Surgery resident Dr. Seana Corbin. The Chair’s Pick went to third-year medical student Collin Pilkington. Read more on the Surgery website.

Graduate School Celebrates Students and Faculty
The UAMS Graduate School’s recent Spring Awards Reception celebrated the achievements of dozens of students as well as the service of faculty teachers and mentors. Dr. Lee Ann MacMillan-Crow, Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, was named Graduate Faculty of the Year. Dr. Samantha Kendrick, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, received the Outstanding Mentor Award. Click here to read about the many other faculty, students and staff who were recognized. The reception was the final one for Dr. Robert E. McGehee Jr. as Dean of the Graduate School, which he has led since 2004. Dr. McGehee, a Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, is stepping down from the role as Dean Emeritus, a well-earned honor for a colleague who has been one of the most influential educators of medical and graduate students during his three decades on the faculty. Congratulations to all.

Mehta Creative Writing Awards
The third annual Mehta Awards in Creative Writing demonstrated once again that UAMS team members are infinitely creative. Congratulations to this year’s category winners: Poetry – Haylee Shull (Pediatrics/Schmieding Developmental Center); Fiction – Reade Zodrow (Northwest Campus); and Creative Nonfiction – Brook Scalzo (College of Nursing). Several College of Medicine faculty and students also earned honorary mentions. Kudos to Drs. Paulette and Jay Mehta for their continuing support of the annual competition, and to Dr. Micah Hester, Chair of Medical Humanities and Bioethics, who leads the award committee. Read more about the awards here.   

Medicine & Meaning
The latest issue of Medicine & Meaning, UAMS’ online literary journal, is further proof of the links between art and medicine. The Winter/Spring 2023 issue includes works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and images by many faculty, staff and students. Medical student authors included Stephen Aguilar, Melanie Beehler, Claire Gist Bradberry, Olivia Brown, Philomena Mackean, Quentin Parker and Bailey Sutliff. Other COM contributors included Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Instructor and poet Dr. John Marecki; an anonymous physician; and Dr. Hanna Jensen, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology and Course Director for the Cardiovascular Module, who penned an excellent memoir about her not-so-typical journey from being a surgery trainee in her native Finland to the highly regarded clinical research educator and mentor she is today.

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!

Inspiring Future Cancer Scientists
Dr. Tom Kelly, Professor of Pathology and Associate Director for Cancer Research Training and Education in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, has strived to encourage and inspire future generations of cancer researchers through multiple initiatives over the years. The Little Rock School District recently recognized Dr. Kelly with a Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) “Partners in Education” award for his outstanding service on behalf of the district.

Dr. Kelly was nominated by Nancy Rousseau, Principal of Little Rock Central High School, for his work to establish the Cancer Institute’s awards for outstanding cancer research by science fair participants. The Cancer Institute has been a formal VIPS partner for the district since 2022, providing judges and mentors for competitions. Dr. Kelly has presented the Institute awards at the Arkansas State Science Fair since 2021 and in additional local and regional fairs for the past two years. Each year, winners are invited to present their work at the Cancer Institute. In April, the Cancer Institute celebrated 50 students from five schools at the “Celebration of Student Discovery.” Congratulations to Dr. Kelly on this well-earned award.

Otolaryngology National Conferences
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery faculty and trainees contributed to a number of recent national conferences. Dr. Larry Hartzell, Associate Professor, served as Chair for the Otolaryngology and Audiology Discipline Forum at the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association Annual Meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina, last week. Meanwhile, at the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting (COSM) in Boston, third-year resident Dr. Celeste Gibson presented during a scientific session on pediatrics and foreign bodies, on a case involving a .22 caliber bullet that was discharged into the airway of a three-year-old. Dr. Ozlem Tulunay-Ugur, Professor, presented a poster on the effects of swallowing exercises in healthy older adults for the American Broncho-Esophageal Association Program at COSM.

Honors in Underserved Primary Care
The graduating class of 2023 includes the first cohort in our Honors in Underserved Primary Care (HUPC) track. The track was developed under the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Medical Student Education Grant to increase exposure to quality experiences in rural and medically underserved areas and, ultimately, to generate excellent physicians for these communities. The first HUPC class includes Alexandra Diaz-Cruz, who will train in Internal Medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago; Morgan Campbell, who matched in Neurology at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Hospital; and Andrew Campbell, who will train in Medicine-Pediatrics at Ann Arbor. I join with Vice Chancellor Dr. Richard Turnage and the HUPC grant team in UAMS Regional Campuses and the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, in congratulating these honors graduates.

“Pit Crew” Builds Wheels for Special Needs Children
A volunteer “pit crew” of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) residents, Pediatrics PM&R faculty members and a medical student recently teamed up with faculty and students at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) to build modified toy vehicles for children with significant mobility impairment. The “Go Baby Go” event, hosted by UCA in partnership with Arkansas Children’s Hospital, provided retrofitted ride-on toy Jeeps for four children with special needs. Read more and check out the smile on one of the recipients here. The UAMS crew included residents Dr. Jonathan Ross, Dr. Neha Anand and Dr. Daniel Trinh, Associate Professor and PM&R Section Chief Dr. Laura Hobart-Porter, Professor Dr. Vikki Stefans, and third-year medical student Aaron Gaul. Way to go!

Top Poster   
Congratulations to Dr. Leonard Ferdman, a first-year resident in the UAMS Northwest Internal Medicine Residency, on taking home first place in the poster competition at the recent Arkansas Rheumatology Association conference. He earned top honors for a rheumatology-related case poster presentation.

Putting Patients First
Collegiality and teamwork are hallmarks of our college. Dr. Hakan Paydak, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, shared a great story about efforts to help a former patient from another country who had increasing concerns about potential pulmonary issues. Concerned about the level of specialty care back home, the patient hoped to be seen at UAMS during a planned brief return visit to Little Rock. Dr. Paydak praised the work of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Professor Dr. Manish Joshi and Assistant Professor Dr. Jose Caceres, along with Shatericka McKenzie, RN, to make sure the patient was worked in and received excellent care.

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!

Groundbreaking Study Published in NEJM
Congratulations to the team in the UAMS-based Data Coordinating and Operations Center (DCOC) on the publication of a groundbreaking study in the New England Journal of Medicine. UAMS played a key role in a nationwide clinical trial confirming an effective way to wean newborns from opioid withdrawal symptoms. The “Eat, Sleep, Console” care approach significantly reduces hospital stays and the traditional use of drug therapies for infants born with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). UAMS contributors to the study included the DCOC’s Dr. Song Ounpraseuth, Zhuopei Hu, M.S., and Dr. Jeannette Lee in the Department of Biostatistics and Dr. Jessica Snowden in the Department of Pediatrics. UAMS led the statistical design, analysis and reporting for the study, in addition to other key work. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

National Leadership in Translational Research
Dr. Laura James brings nearly three decades of leadership experience in clinical and translational research to her role as Director of the NIH-supported UAMS Translational Research Institute since 2014. She will continue to share her expertise with leaders of other Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) institutions across the country following her recent re-election to a second three-year term on the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) Board of Directors. ACTS supports research that continually improves team science across the translational science spectrum and is the academic home for translational research education and career development. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Addressing Cancer Health Disparities
Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Associate Professor, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology and Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Neurosurgery, has a growing national reputation for her contributions to initiatives to increase diversity and reduce health disparities in cancer research. Most recently, she was selected by the leadership of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) to serve on the steering committee for the organization’s Cancer Disparities 2024 Progress Report, as well as on the program committee for the AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and Medically Underserved to be held this fall.

Impactful Research into Long COVID
A research article into a potential cause of “long COVID” by Professors Dr. John Arthur, Chief of Nephrology, Dr. Terry Harville (Pathology and Internal Medicine) and several other College of Medicine colleagues has gained substantial national attention since its publication in 2021. “Development of ACE2 autoantibodies after SARS-CoV-2 infection,” published in The Public Library of Science ONE (PLOS ONE), has achieved an impressive Altmetric Attention Score of 549. The score is a weighted count of the attention that a scholarly article has received online. In general, a score of 20 or more indicates the article is doing much better than most of its contemporaries, according to Altmetric. Read more about the article and the research team in the UAMS Newsroom.

Insightful Publications
Dr. John Ukadike, a third-year resident in the Little Rock Family Medicine Residency, is gaining well-earned notice nationally for his insightful and personal telling of his journey in medicine. Dr. Ukadike has been selected for an upcoming edition of Academic Medicine’s collection of “transformative moment” works by medical students, residents, fellows and other health professions trainees. “Navigating Failure Through the Teary, Determined Eyes of a Future Physician,” which you can read here, recounts his determination to overcome all obstacles on the way to a career in medicine. Meanwhile, his narrative essay “The Janitor Will See You Now” has been published online in Family Medicine. This essay recounts his experiences as an African American male physician frequently being mistaken for a nursing assistant or a janitor. Well done, Dr. Ukadike.

Otolaryngology Events Showcase Expertise
A shout-out to the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery for its continuing impact in the field across Arkansas and around the world. The third annual Otolaryngology Diamond Conference attracted over 100 otolaryngologists, oncologists, hematologists, speech pathologists and audiologists from across the state. Professor and Chair Dr. John Dornhoffer served as Conference Chair; Professor Dr. Mauricio Moreno was Course Director; and numerous other UAMS faculty presented talks and served as panel moderators. Meanwhile, Dr. Dornhoffer recently wrapped up 24 years of service as Executive Director of the Prosper Meniere Society at the organization’s annual International Symposium on Inner Ear Disorders. The weeklong forum, held in Austria, highlighted the latest research on inner ear diagnosis, medicine and surgery.

Impacts of Biases in Palliative Care
Dr. Masil George, Associate Professor of Geriatrics, presented on how microaggressions can negatively impact palliative care at the recent Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care in Montreal. Microaggressions – brief statements or behaviors that communicate a negative message – are a manifestation of conceptualized learned behaviors informed by implicit and/or explicit biases. Understanding how microaggressions impact key areas of palliative care is important for achieving diversity, equity and inclusion in palliative care, education and research. Dr. George collaborated on the presentation with colleagues from Emory University.

Bone and Mineral Research Leader
A shout-out to Dr. Teresita Bellido, Professor and Chair of the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, who was highlighted on the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) website as part of Women’s History Month for her leadership in the field. Dr. Bellido served as President of the ASBMR in 2019-2020, only the ninth woman elected to the post since the organization’s inception in 1977. Read the ASBMR feature here. Dr. Bellido led the ASBMR during the onset and escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing a successful virtual annual meeting and dramatically expanding virtual educational and professional development opportunities.

Gift of Sight
Kudos to the many Department of Ophthalmology and Jones Eye Institute team members who made the fourth “Gift of Sight” event a great success, providing cataract surgery and related services for eight Pacific Islander patients from Northwest Arkansas. The patients are now among dozens who have received the life-changing care thanks to volunteers for the initiative. I join with Ophthalmology Chair and Jones Eye Director Dr. Paul Phillips in thanking all who participated. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.