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!

Landmark Study
Congratulations to Dr. Stacie Jones, Professor in the Allergy and Immunology Division of the Department of Pediatrics, and colleagues on the publication of a landmark study into oral immunotherapy for life-threatening peanut allergy. The study was published in The Lancet, one of the top scientific journals in the world, and touted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci in a NIH news release. The trial, called IMPACT, found that providing oral immunotherapy to highly peanut-allergic children ages 1-3 safely desensitized most of them to peanut and induced remission of peanut allergy in one-fifth.

Dr. Jones, Director of the Food Allergy Research Program in the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, co-led the study and was first author on the publication. It was the result of many years of outstanding work by Dr. Jones along with former faculty member and co-leader of the study Dr. Wesley Burks, who is now Dean of the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine and CEO of UNC Health; UAMS Pediatrics faculty Dr. Amy Scurlock and Dr. Robbie Pesek; and others at five study sites. At Arkansas Children’s, many research coordinators, nurses, dietitians and others contributed to the pivotal study. Read more in the Arkansas Children’s Newsroom.

Global Health Honor
Fourth-year Anesthesiology resident Dr. Mi Mi Kim is one of just four residents nationwide to receive the prestigious 2021-2022 Resident International Anesthesia Scholarship from the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Committee on Global Humanitarian Outreach. The award will support a one-month rotation at the University of Botswana in Gaborone, Botswana. While there, Dr. Kim will gain experience delivering safe anesthesia in a resource-poor setting as well as participate in training and education of local anesthesia providers. Well done Dr. Kim!

Leadership Development
Congratulations to Dr. Tisha Deen, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, on being accepted into the American Psychological Association’s 2022 Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology. The program for mid-career women psychologists prepares, supports and empowers participants to work toward positive changes in institutional, organizational and practice settings and seeks to increase the diversity, number and effectiveness of women psychologists as leaders. At UAMS, Dr. Deen serves as Director of Behavioral Health Integration for the Integrated Medicine Service Line.

Coronavirus Mutation Limits
Dr. David Ussery, Professor of Biomedical Informatics, led a multinational research team that found that coronavirus – despite its ability to create dangerous variants – has limits to its ability to mutate, which should help drug and vaccine manufacturers trying to fight the virus. The team’s observations were published in FEMS Microbiology Reviews. Drawing from global databases of millions of sequenced SARS-CoV-2 genomes, Dr. Ussery and colleagues learned that the virus’ structure makes it slower to mutate with fewer mutation possibilities. The team also included UAMS Biomedical Informatics postdoctoral fellow Dr. Visanu Wanchai. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

The Amazing Case
PGY-4 Diagnostic Radiology resident Dr. Ron Mora returned from the recent International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy (ISET) with more than just new insights into endovascular therapy. He also brought home bragging rights in the “FellowLuminaries: the Amazing Case Competition.” Dr. Mora won first place in the Peripheral Embolization category for his case titled “Massive Hematuria Due to Ectopic Vesical Varices in a Patient with Portal Hypertension.” The presentation stemmed from a case that came in to the UAMS Emergency Department and required emergent interventional radiology intervention with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and embolization. Great job!

More than a Random Act
Finally this week, I would like to share a thoughtful essay that just came to my attention, “More Than a Random Act of Violence,” by Dr. David Spiro, a Professor in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, that was published last fall in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. “Our own Dr. Spiro at ACH writes about an awareness that I think makes us more compassionate physicians when we practice with intentionality and empathy,” Dr. Sara Tariq, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, wrote in an email to students accompanying the article. In telling the tragic story an 18-year-old shooting victim on a Thanksgiving Day, Dr. Spiro discusses his own awareness of privilege – and the realities that many who lack such privilege face. He calls on fellow physicians to acknowledge and address systemic racism and gun violence. Thank you, Dr. Spiro.

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!

Newly Endowed Chair
Congratulations to Dr. Ozlem Tulunay-Ugur, Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, on her investiture last week in the Patricia and J. Floyd Kyser, M.D., Chair in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. This is a well-earned honor for an exemplary colleague. A member of our faculty since 2008, Dr. Tulunay-Ugur directs UAMS’ Laryngology Program and is nationally known for her expertise in geriatric laryngology, including voice and swallowing disorders. Among many national and statewide leadership roles, she is immediate Past President of the American Society of Geriatric Otolaryngology and Past President of the Arkansas Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, for which she currently serves as Secretary-Treasurer.

Welcome, and Thank You
This week we welcome Dr. William Steinbach as he begins his service as Professor and Chair of Pediatrics and Associate Dean for Child Health in our college and Pediatrician-in-Chief for Arkansas Children’s. Dr. Steinbach brings extensive leadership experience in pediatric care, research and education to Arkansas and will be a driving force in UAMS and Arkansas Children’s initiatives to enhance the health and wellbeing of the children of our state. (Read more about Dr. Steinbach here.) We look forward to working with you, Bill!

I want to express my gratitude to Dr. Renee Bornemeier for doing an outstanding job as Interim Chair for more than a year. Dr. Bornemeier has led faculty initiatives on many fronts, and she will now focus on her new role as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Development. (Read more about Dr. Bornemeier here.) Thank you for your ongoing leadership and service to our college, Renee!

Spotlight on Excellence
If you haven’t had a chance yet, be sure to check out the newest video in our Spotlight on Excellence Series. I had a great conversation with Dr. Brian Koss, an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and researcher in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Dr. Koss is Arkansas’ first recipient of the prestigious Director’s Early Independence Award from the National Institutes of Health. Brian and I discussed his innovative approach to cancer research and his goals for making the most of the award. Well done, Dr. Koss. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish!

Journal Leadership
Dr. Rosalia C.M. Simmen, Professor in the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, has been named to the new position of Deputy Editor of Endocrine Connections for a three-year term. Dr. Simmen will oversee the Reviewer Board’s makeup and mentorship and contribute to overall strategies to expand the journal’s emphasis on innovative research and scientific quality. Endocrine Connections is an open-access official journal of the Society for Endocrinology (UK) and the European Society of Endocrinology. The journal publishes basic, translational and clinical research and reviews in all areas of endocrinology.

Pediatric Sedation Insights
Dr. Deepak Choudhary, Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, is the lead author on a study into pediatric procedural sedation (PPS) practices among pediatric emergency medicine practitioners in the United States. The article was published in Pediatric Emergency Care. In a nationwide survey, Dr. Choudhary and collaborators at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital/University at Buffalo, New York, and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, found wide variability in several aspects of pediatric procedural sedation and low adherence to national PPS guidelines.

Tops in Brain Surgery, Stroke Care
A shout-out to our colleagues in Neurosurgery and the Stroke Program on UAMS’ latest recognitions from Healthgrades. UAMS ranked in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for cranial neurosurgery, earning a 2022 Cranial Neurosurgery Excellence Award. Healthgrades also named UAMS a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Stroke. Kudos to Neurosurgery Professor and Chair Dr. J.D. Day, neurosurgeons Drs. Viktoras Palys, Erika Petersen and Analiz Rodriguez, and Ebonye Green, APRN, for their world-class neurosurgical care. Special thanks also to the Department of Neurology’s Dr. Sanjeeva Reddy Onteddu, Medical Director, and Marzella Backus, MNSc, RN, Director of the Stroke Program, for ensuring the very best stroke care for Arkansans.

Radiation Oncology Reaches APEx
Congratulations to Professor and Radiation Oncology Chair Dr. Fen Xia and the Radiation Oncology Center team on leading UAMS to become the first health care institution in Arkansas to achieve full accreditation from the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Accreditation Program for Excellence (APEx). APEx is the society’s highest honor, recognizing centers that meet the most rigorous standards for safety and performance. A tremendous amount of multidisciplinary work went into the accreditation process. Kudos to Medical Director Dr. Sanjay Maraboyina, Clinical Operations Director Greg May, Chief Physicist Dr. Zhong Su, Melissa Peterman, RN, and Radiation Therapist Ashly Cummings.

Service and Compassion in the Wake of the Storm
And finally this week, I’m sure all of us remember the devastating tornadoes that hit northeastern Arkansas on the evening of Dec. 10, destroying the Monette Manor Nursing Home and taking the life of one of the nursing home’s residents. The resident physicians of the UAMS Northeast Family Medicine Residency are the primary care providers for those who lived at Monette Manor. Residency Program Director Dr. Scott Dickson recently wrote to let me and other UAMS leaders know about the residents and a student who truly put patients first that night.

Two second-year residents, Dr. Andrew Bryson and Dr. Logan Bevill, took it upon themselves to travel to Monette to help authorities triage and treat patients, while the program’s other residents and faculty responded to St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Meanwhile, fourth-year medical student Anna Brickell was at home with her family in nearby Caraway when the news hit. She, too, went to Monette to help out.

“It makes me immensely proud that our residents responded so quickly and selflessly, and particularly proud that Drs. Bryson and Bevill went that extra mile to help where needed,” Dr. Dickson wrote. “Anna also should be commended for her dedication to her community and her selflessness.” I couldn’t agree more. Kudos to these outstanding members of the UAMS family!

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
Congratulations to Dr. Intawat Nookaew, Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics, and colleagues on the publication of a groundbreaking study into the presence of extrachromosomal circular DNA in the human male germline (sperm cells) and its connection to the recombination rate of different chromosomes. The article was published in and featured on the cover of Molecular Cell. Dr. Nookaew collaborated on the study with researchers in Denmark along with former UAMS post-doctoral fellows and lecturers Dr. Piroon Jenjaroenpun and Dr. Thidathip Wongsurawat. The team provided high-resolution experimental results using third-generation (long read) sequencing and advanced bioinformatic algorithms, which were essential for this discovery.

Clinical Informatics Honor
Dr. Feliciano “Pele” Yu Jr., Clinical Informatics Section Chief in the Department of Pediatrics, was named Volunteer of the Year by Health Level Seven International (HL7) for his longstanding dedication and contributions to the nonprofit health care data standards development organization. Dr. Yu was a founding member of the HL7 Child Health Work Group and served as its Chair in 2008-2016. Kudos to Dr. Yu for his international leadership in clinical informatics as well as his service as Section Chief, Program Director for the UAMS Clinical Informatics Fellowship Program and Chief Medical Information Officer at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Cancer Society Fellowship
Congratulations to Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute researcher Dr. Kirk West on becoming the first UAMS scientist to be awarded the prestigious American Cancer Society (ACS) Postdoctoral Fellowship. The three-year fellowship will support Dr. West’s research in the cutting-edge, ACS-funded laboratory of his mentor, Dr. Justin Leung, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Pediatric Resuscitation Leadership
Dr. Steve Schexnayder, Chief of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Executive Vice Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, has been reappointed as one of four U.S. representatives on the 17-member International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Pediatric Task Force. Dr. Schexnayder has served on the task force since 2017. Kudos for his national and international contributions in the field as well as his leadership of pediatric critical care medicine here in Arkansas.

Winning Abstract
A shout-out to postdoctoral fellow Dr. John Sherrill and Associate Professor Dr. David Bumpass in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, who co-authored the winning basic science abstract submitted to the Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS). Dr. Bumpass presented the top-scoring abstract, “Posterior Cervical Spine Fusion Assemblies Intended to Cross the Cervicothoracic Junction: A Mechanical Analysis,” at the recent annual meeting of CSRS. The full manuscript, with Dr. Sherrill as first author, has been accepted for publication in the journal Clinical Spine Surgery. Dr. Sherrill and Dr. Bumpass collaborated on the study with former faculty member Dr. Erin Mannen.

Top Posters
Congratulations to UAMS Northwest Internal Medicine residents Dr. Lawrence “Tony” Hoyt and Dr. Yash Shah on their winning posters in the Arkansas Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP)) poster competition. Dr. Hoyt, a third-year resident, took top honors for “Initial CAD Evaluation with CCTA and FFRCT” and has been invited to present the poster at the National ACP Annual Meeting in April. Dr. Shah, a second-year resident, was a third-place finisher for his poster “Mixed AIHA as initial presentation of hereditary hemochromatosis.”  

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!

MS Care Recognition
I was delighted to hear that UAMS has been designated as a Center for Comprehensive MS Care by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Kudos to Assistant Professor Dr. Erika Santos Horta, who spearheaded the effort, Department of Neurology Chair Dr. Lee Archer and the entire team in the UAMS Neuro-immunology Clinic for their commitment to providing the very best care for MS patients from across Arkansas and earning this important distinction for UAMS.

Cardiotoxicity Study
Dr. Michael Bauer, Assistant Professor in Biomedical Informatics, and Dr. Valentina Todorova, Assistant Professor in Hematology/Oncology, are co-first authors on a paper published in Cancers. Along with UAMS and VA colleagues in Geriatrics, Hematology/Oncology, Nephrology, Pathology and the College of Public Health, they examined whether the DNA methylation state of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) could predict cardiotoxicity caused by doxorubicin (DOX)-based chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. The team found a significant difference in the pattern of DNA methylation of PBMCs associated with a risk of cardiotoxicity. The study shows the potential for further personalized medicine and tailored treatments.

Telehealth in Endocrinology
Dr. Spyridoula Maraka, Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and Director of the Endocrinology Fellowship, has been appointed to a working group of the Endocrine Society that will develop a consensus statement on the appropriate use of telehealth in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is the world’s largest and most respected scientific and professional organization in the field. Dr. Maraka, who is internationally recognized for her expertise, will be a strong asset for this initiative.

ACEP Honors Resident, Student
Congratulations to Emergency Medicine Chief Resident Dr. Michael Hobensack and fourth-year medical student Morgan Sweere-Treece on their recent honors from the Arkansas chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Dr. Hobensack received the inaugural Resident of the Year Award for his clinical excellence and service in multiple leadership roles during residency, including as the Arkansas ACEP resident representative. Morgan received the inaugural Medical Student of the Year Award for her strong track record of involvement and leadership in the UAMS Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG). Under her leadership, the chapter recently received an award from the national Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association.

Women in Neurosurgery
A shout-out to fourth-year Neurosurgery resident Dr. Natalie Guley, who did a great job presenting at the recent annual meeting of the Neurosurgical Society of India. In a forum focusing on issues relating to women in neurosurgery, Dr. Guley discussed her experiences as a female neurosurgery resident along with relevant issues in the United States. The organizing team praised Dr. Guley for her contributions to the forum.

Insights into Heart Disease
Dr. J.L. Mehta, Distinguished Professor of Internal Medicine, Physiology and Cell Biology, and Pharmacology and Toxicology, has authored a new book, “Heart Disease: It is All in Your Head.” The book shares Dr. Mehta’s insights into the causes of heart disease based on his personal life experiences, 45 years in clinical practice and academic medicine, and extensive research. Dr. Mehta, who holds the Stebbins Chair in Cardiology, also explores the impacts of the brain and the immune system in regulating cardiovascular function and disease. Congratulations, Dr. Mehta.

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!

Article Highlights UAMS Strategic Efforts
Dr. Kristie Hadden, Associate Professor of Medical Humanities and Bioethics and Senior Strategy Associate for UAMS, is the lead author of a paper published this month in NEJM Catalyst on strategy execution in an academic medical center. In the article, Dr. Hadden and her co-authors, Provost and Chief Strategy Officer Dr. Stephanie Gardner and Chancellor Cam Patterson, illustrate how UAMS is successfully executing a robust and ambitious strategic plan. They also provide guidance and practical advice to health care leaders on strategy execution and monitoring, including efforts to anticipate obstacles and respond to challenges. Congratulations on this important publication!

Pediatric Specialties Match
Congratulations to our pediatric fellowship programs on the successful Pediatric Specialties Match. I join with Dr. Molly Gathright, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, and the GME team in thanking all of our pediatric fellowship faculty and staff for their hard work to recruit and match quality candidates amid the challenges of virtual interviews. Fully filled programs included Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine (2); Pediatric Cardiology (2); Pediatric Critical Care (3); Pediatric Emergency Medicine (3); and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (1).

Military Match
Congratulations to our senior medical students who participated in the Military Match as the next step in their service to our nation and the field of medicine. The Class of 2022 will have the most military graduates in a single year since at least 2010. Please join me in thanking these seniors for their dedication and service:

Timothy Hardaway (Navy), Surgery, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia
Rebecca Philpott (Army), Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia
Connor Purvis (Army), Transitional Year, Walter Reed National Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
James Sellers (Army), Pediatrics, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington
Gideon Singleton (Army), Transitional Year, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Vi Tran (Air Force), Family Medicine, Eglin AFB, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida
John “Nick” Wary (Army), Orthopaedics, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
John Wilson (Army), Family Medicine, Fort Benning, Georgia

Breakthrough Treatment
The results of a multicenter, randomized clinical trial led by Dr. Erika Petersen, Professor of Neurosurgery and Director of Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery, were published in Diabetes Care. The study highlighted the benefits of a breakthrough treatment for patients with painful diabetic neuropathy using high-frequency spinal cord stimulation. “This study was the success of a great team,” Dr. Petersen said, noting the co-leadership of Dr. Johnathan Goree, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of the Chronic Pain Division, and Lisa Richardson, RN, the lead study coordinator in the Translational Research Institute. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

UAMS Hosts Anatomy Meeting
The Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences did a great job hosting the recent virtual regional meeting of the American Association for Anatomy, which focused on the diverse and multidisciplinary nature of anatomy and its influence on other health sciences. Dr. Edgar Meyer, who recently moved from UAMS to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, led the planning committee. Other committee members were Neurobiology Chair Dr. Gwen Childs, faculty members Drs. David Davies, Kevin Phelan, Tiffany Huitt, Noor Akhter and Mohsin Syed, and Dr. Steve Boone, Director of the UAMS Office of Educational Development and the Office of Academic Services. Neurobiology faculty and colleagues from several other departments presented top-notch workshops and talks that showcased instructional and research innovations at UAMS. Read more here.

Neurology Resident Honor
Congratulations to Dr. Ricardo Lopez Castellanos, Administrative Chief Resident in Neurology, on being chosen for the 2022 Enhanced Resident Leadership Program by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The highly selective program provides additional educational and networking opportunities at the AAN meeting for residents with the potential to become future leaders in the field and the Academy. With only 10 residents in adult neurology across the country selected for the program, this is quite an honor and an indication of how well regarded Dr. Lopez Castellanos is at the AAN.

Social Media Standouts
A shout-out to the Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group (LMIG), which recently received the Outstanding Social Media award from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. The group was founded last year by its College of Medicine student leaders:  LMIG President Sam Ivanovsky, now a senior; Vice-President Alanna Davis, also a senior; Secretary Elise Moix, sophomore; Treasurer Calie Morrison, junior; and Social Media Manager Caitlin Harty, who is also a junior. LMIG has grown to include interprofessional colleagues in the College of Pharmacy and the College of Health Professions Physician Assistant Program. Dr. Gina Drobena, Associate Professor of Pathology and Course Director for the Culinary Medicine Elective, serves as faculty advisor. Check out their award-winning social media outreach and follow LMIG on Instagram.

Surgical Research Leader
The Department of Surgery continues to excel in its scholarly collaborations among faculty, residents and students – and Assistant Professor Dr. Hanna Jensen is a major reason why. “With Dr. Jensen’s leadership and facilitation, our department has nine talks accepted for the Academic Surgical Conference and eight accepted for the Southeastern Surgical Conference,” Assistant Professor Dr. Sacha McBain said in a note. “Most have a student or resident as first author, and while each student has a faculty project mentor, Dr. Jensen provides crucial overarching support to all of our students to help them accomplish their research goals. I know I would be lost without her and her team!” Thank you Dr. Jensen, and congratulations to those who will be presenting at the upcoming conferences.

Putting Patients First
When a medical student makes a great impression on a patient, it makes our day. A patient at the VA recently took the time to praise the efforts of several members of the health care team – and third-year medical student Vanessa Bastidas was at the top of the list. The patient noticed the great care that Vanessa, who was on her Internal Medicine rotation, took to learn about the patient’s situation and to communicate effectively. “She helped me to understand why I was there and what I was going through,” the patient wrote. “She helped me to relax and understand the process.” Faculty and residents have noticed Vanessa’s work, too, describing her as hardworking and integral to the team. Well done, Vanessa!

Power Women
Congratulations to Dr. Jerrilyn Jones, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, and Dr. Jessica Snowden, Professor and Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, on being named to Arkansas Money and Politics’ 2021 Power Women list. Honorees were nominated by AMP readers and selected for blazing trails, exhibiting outstanding leadership or enhancing their company or organization’s performance.

At UAMS, Dr. Jones’ leadership roles include directing our new Medical Scholars in Public Health program. She also serves as Medical Director for Preparedness and Response at the Arkansas Department of Health and has served on an advisory group to Gov. Asa Hutchinson during the pandemic. Earlier this year, she received the Arkansas First Lady’s Woman in Public Service Award.

In addition to serving as a Division Chief, Dr. Snowden is Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Pediatrics. She is also Co-Principal Investigator of the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network’s UAMS-based Data Coordinating and Operations Center and recently became the site leader at the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute for a new 14-state NIH-funded consortium focusing on pediatric COVID-19 long haul cases. Here’s a Q&A with Dr. Snowden from the AMP feature.

Team Science in Action
When Arkansas’ first case of the Omicron variant was confirmed last week, the discovery was the result of sequencing by Sangam Kandel, a Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI) Ph.D. student working with a team of faculty, staff and students at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI). The team is sequencing SARS-CoV-2 samples from UAMS, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Baptist Health and the Arkansas Department of Health to learn more about variants circulating in the state.

The project is led by Department of Pediatrics Associate Professor Dr. Josh Kennedy as an extension of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Professor Dr. Alan Tackett’s NIH-funded Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE). DBMI Professor Dr. David Ussery, who is also working with the group, notes that the equipment, staffing and other costs of this important project were made possible by five different external and internal funding sources as well as team members from many areas. This is true team science in action. Kudos to Sangam and the entire group for their outstanding work! 

Happy Holidays, and Thank You
Finally this week, I want thank all of you for your collegiality and hard work this year. Learning about your accomplishments and sharing them with colleagues across the college has been a delight. I look forward to hearing more great stories of excellence in 2022.

Enjoy the holidays!

Accolades will return on Jan. 5.

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!

Top Doctors
Congratulations to the 76 UAMS faculty physicians who were named to this year’s Top Doctors in Arkansas list compiled by Castle Connolly and published in the Arkansas Times. These outstanding physicians have been recognized by their peers and were evaluated as being among the very best by a physician-led research team. Criteria included professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation and more. We’re so proud to have all of you in the College of Medicine!

Buchanan Key Honorees
Congratulations to senior medical student Merit Turner, junior Kyle Jackson and sophomore Jacob Siebenmorgen, who have been selected as recipients of the Buchanan Key by their respective classmates. Each is the winner of the Buchanan Key for their previous class year. The Senior Buchanan Key recipient will be selected this spring and recognized at Honors Convocation. The award is one of our college’s oldest and most prestigious honors for students, recognizing a member of each class who has demonstrated superior academic achievement and has been voted by their peers as having the attributes most desirable in a physician. It includes a $1,000 scholarship and a plaque.

ACP Aces
Congratulations to our Internal Medicine residents who aced competitions at the recent Arkansas Chapter Scientific meeting of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and will go on to represent UAMS and compete at the national ACP meeting in April. Dr. Lana Hasan, Dr. J.D. Bridgforth and Dr. Husam Salah took first place in the state “Doctor’s Dilemma” competition. Dr. Kayln Holloway won first place in the “Oral Clinical Vignette” contest. Congratulations also to Professor and Internal Medicine Residency Program Director Dr. Keyur Vyas, who was selected to serve as the next Arkansas Chapter Governor-elect designee. He will start his four-year term as Governor for the Arkansas ACP Chapter in 2023.

Textbook Published
Dr. Vivian Shi, Associate Professor of Dermatology, has coauthored a comprehensive textbook on the management of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a condition that causes painful lumps to form under the skin. Dr. Shi is a champion for patients with HS and leads the only HS Foundation-recognized clinic in Arkansas. Proceeds from the book, published by Elsevier and scheduled for release in January, will go to the HS Foundation. Kudos, Dr. Shi.

Fellow Published
Dr. Kyle Davis, research fellow in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, had an article, “Cutaneous hyperpigmentation following bleomycin sclerotherapy for vascular malformations,” accepted for publication in Pediatric Dermatology. Dr. Davis completed the project with third-year resident Dr. Anvesh Kompelli and Professor Dr. Gresham Richter. Congratulations!

Consultant of the Month
Second-year General Surgery resident Dr. Megan White earned the latest Consultant of the Month honors from the Emergency Medicine residents for her excellent work with patients and colleagues in the Emergency Department. “Even on the busiest shifts, she is still happy to help and do the best thing for the patient,” said one EM resident. “”She appreciates us and what we do as much as we appreciate her, her team, and everything they do,” said another. Well done, Dr. White!

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!

Matched!
I was delighted to hear that our fellowship programs had great success in the NRMP Medical Specialties Match last week, with nearly every position being filled. A round of applause is in order for the dedicated faculty and staff of the programs in Allergy/Immunology (1/1 filled); Cardiology (4/4); Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology (1/1); Endocrinology (2/2); Gastroenterology (3/3); Hematology/Oncology (4/4); Hospice and Palliative Medicine (3/3); Infectious Disease (2/2); Interventional Pulmonology (1/1); Pulmonary Critical Care (3/3); Rheumatology (2/2); and Nephrology (3/4).

Immune Response Discovery
Congratulations to Dr. Edward T.H. Yeh and Dr. Hui-Ming Chang on the publication of their latest article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The article discusses their seminal discovery of how a key switch in the body’s immune response is turned off, complementing their earlier work on how the response is turned on and opening the door to new treatments for patients with dangerous, uncontrolled immune responses. Dr. Yeh is Professor and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine and the Nolan Family Distinguished Chair. Dr. Chang is a Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Internal Medicine. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

National Teaching Recognition
Congratulations to Dr. Kapil Arya, Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics Division of Neurology, on being selected to receive the 2022 A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award from the American Academy of Neurology. At UAMS and Arkansas Children’s, Dr. Arya serves as Associate Program Director for the Child Neurology Residency Program and is active in teaching adult neurology residents, medical students and pediatric residents. He directs the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and spasticity programs at Arkansas Children’s and serves as a consultant to the Arkansas Department of Health and on the ADH Newborn Screening Committee. As an inaugural Translational Research Institute Implementation Science Scholar, he was integral in implementing lifesaving statewide newborn screenings for SMA.

COVID Hospitalization Disparities
Dr. Lowry Barnes, Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, is a co-author of a paper to be published this month in JAMA Health Forum exploring the racial and ethnic disparities in hospitalization outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lead author Dr. Zirui Song, additional contributors at Harvard Medical School and Avant-garde Health in Boston, and Dr. Barnes found that racial and ethnic disparities were evident among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and that these disparities widened among non-COVID hospitalizations during the pandemic. The study showed the need for greater efforts to understand the sources of the disparities and improve health equity.

FASA Fellow
Congratulations to Dr. Victor Mandoff, Professor of Anesthesiology, on becoming a Fellow of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (FASA). The designation is awarded to ASA members who represent the highest standards of professionalism, leadership, advocacy for the profession and patient safety, and education.

Asian Americans & the Pandemic
Dr. Sara Tariq, Professor of Internal Medicine and Associate Dean for Student Affairs, did a great job in her recent talk at UAMS about some of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Asian Americans. Dr. Tariq discussed the harm caused by the rise of anti-Asian sentiment and offered ideas for how bystanders can intervene when witnessing racist comments or jokes. She also cautioned about a tendency to lump all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders together as a single group, when in reality there are a multitude of populations, cultures and communities. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Ophthalmology at AAO
A shout-out to the Department of Ophthalmology for its scholarly work during the past year, including a strong showing of faculty, residents and students at the recent American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting. Recognitions included the award for Best Resident Video to PGY-1 resident Dr. Philip Dockery and a Best Paper award to 2021 UAMS graduate Dr. Victoria Ly for her work with Dr. Thomas Cannon. PGY-4 resident Dr. Heather Broyles was selected to participate in a novel surgical skills workshop, and PGY-1 resident Dr. Abdel Elhusseiny had two posters accepted for presentation. Faculty members also were substantial contributors at AAO 2021, with Dr. Ahmed Sallam and Ophthalmology Chair Dr. Paul Phillips serving as invited instructors and presenters for a number of courses.

ENT Conference
The Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery’s Dr. Gresham Richter completed his term as President of the Society for Ear Nose and Throat Advancement in Children after hosting SENTAC’s annual meeting in Phoenix earlier this month. The department was well represented at the meeting. Research fellow Dr. Kyle Davis and pediatric fellow Dr. Mary Timbang gave oral presentations. Dr. Timbang and Dr. Andre Wineland along with residents Drs. Mary Brown, James Reed Gardner, Celeste Gibson, Aryan Shay and Chrystal Lau co-authored a poster presentation. Medical students Olivia Speed and Thomas Heye presented posters. With the help of nurse practitioner Kayla Nevala and audiologist Madison Howe, Arkansas Children’s placed second in the annual academic bowl at the conference. Great job!

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 Leadership on Diversity
Congratulations to Dr. Ronda Henry-Tillman, Professor of Surgery and Chief of Breast Surgical Oncology, on being named as an inaugural member of the Surgery Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of the American Board of Surgery. As Surgery Chair Dr. Ron Robertson said when he shared this good news, the appointment is an incredible honor that speaks to Dr. Henry-Tillman’s ever-growing national reputation, and yet another example of how she represents us so very well. Thank you, Dr. Henry-Tillman.

Increasing Diversity in Clinical Trials
Congratulations to Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Director of Neurosurgical Oncology, on being selected for the first cohort of the Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program. The initiative is sponsored by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation along with its implementation partner, National Medical Fellowships, and its curriculum partner, the American Association for Cancer Research. Participants will be trained as world-class clinical research scientists with additional knowledge and skills in effective community outreach and engagement to help drive increased diversity in clinical trials.

Award of Gratitude
The Arkansas Blood Institute – whose volunteer donors supply blood for patients at UAMS and many other hospitals across the state – recently surprised Dr. Tina Ipe and the Transfusion Medicine team with an award of recognition for UAMS’ outstanding efforts and partnership during the COVID-19 crisis. UAMS was one of only a few hospitals to receive the recognition. ABI is an affiliate of the Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI). OBI Vice-President Terry Ridenour lauded Dr. Ipe’s work with the Arkansas Department of Health to make convalescent plasma available across the state in the early months of the pandemic and UAMS’ commitment to hosting drives to obtain much-needed blood. Great job, Transfusion Medicine Team!

Popular Paper
An article by Dr. Duah Alkam, Assistant Staff Scientist in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and colleagues has been one of the most popular articles in the journal Microbial Genomics this fall. The article – the journal’s third most read in both October and November – was part of her thesis project for her Ph.D. in the Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences, which she completed earlier this year. As a graduate student, she worked with Dr. Mark Smeltzer, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, and Dr. David Ussery, Professor of Biomedical Informatics. Great job!

The “PIT” Model
Dr. Rawle A. “Tony” Seupaul, Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and Chief Clinical Officer for UAMS Medical Center, recently presented at a national conference hosted by the performance improvement company Vizient. Dr. Seupaul discussed the Emergency Department’s success in dramatically decreasing the Left Without Being Seen (LWBS) percentage among patients through its Physician in Triage (PIT) model. Dr. Seupaul and colleagues Dr. Randy Maddox, Dr. Carly Eastin, Dr. Travis Eastin and Program Manager Crystal Sparks also found that the PIT model resulted in higher patient satisfaction and increased revenue for the hospital. Well done!

Revision Arthroplasty Prep Time
A shout-out to senior medical student Samantha Mohler on her excellent podium talk at the recent annual meeting of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons. Samantha presented a paper discussing the extensive preoperative preparation by the surgical team that is necessary for revision hip and knee arthroplasty. Her examination of EMR audit logs revealed, for example, that the prep time is more than 1.5 hours per patient for revision hip arthroplasty. Samantha’s mentors included the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery‘s Dr. Jeffrey Stambough and Dr. Simon Mears.

Winning Paper
Congratulations to fifth-year Surgery resident Dr. Krista Stephenson on winning the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Region 6 Resident Paper Competition. Dr. Stephenson’s paper, which discussed a questionnaire used to predict functional outcomes and resource needs in pediatric trauma patients, will advance to the national competition. The paper stems from her research with Drs. Deidre Wyrick, Sid Dassinger and Todd Maxson, which was also presented at the recent Pediatric Trauma Society meeting.

Elected Fellows
The Department of Internal Medicine’s Dr. Subhi Al’Aref, Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and Dr. Nishank Jain, Assistant Professor in the Division of Nephrology, have been elected Fellows of the Southern Society of Clinical Investigation. The society is dedicated to the advancement of medical research and the exchange of knowledge, information and ideas. Those elected as Fellows have demonstrated meritorious scholarly activities and current or anticipated academic leadership. Congratulations!

Expert Panelist
Dr. Julius Balogh, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Chief of Anesthesia Critical Care Medicine, was invited to serve on a panel alongside other experts from leading institutions around the country during the recent Society for the Advancement of Transplant Anesthesia regional conference. Dr. Balogh did a great job as he and fellow panelists conducted a lively and informative pro/con debate on coagulation versus thrombosis management in liver transplantation.

Data Analytics Leadership
Dr. Hoda Hagrass, Assistant Professor of Pathology, has been named Chair of a working group of the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) that is developing a glossary to help AACC members and laboratory support staff understand the technology and applications of data analytics and machine-learning to laboratory medicine. She was initially appointed to the committee last year. Dr. Hagrass serves as Medical Director for the Clinical Chemistry and Immunology Laboratories at UAMS and the Clinical Chemistry and Metabolic Diseases Laboratories at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Kudos to Dr. Hagrass for her leadership in this area.

Historical Publication
Sixth-year Neurosurgery resident Dr. Kelsey Hundley is the lead author on a historical vignette about prominent early neuropathologist Dr. Louise Eisenhardt that has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Neurosurgery. Dr. Eisenhardt was a leader in the field of neuropathology and the first editor of the Journal of Neurosurgery. She worked with pioneering neurosurgeon Dr. Harvey Cushing on many of his published works, and together they founded a brain tumor registry. Dr. Eisenhardt’s handwritten notes, which are archived in the Department of Neurosurgery at UAMS, describe her and Dr. Cushing’s methods for collecting follow-up data on patients. Faculty members Dr. T. Glenn Pait and Dr. Analiz Rodriguez and Neurosurgery Chair Dr. J.D. Day contributed to the journal article, and Dr. Hundley has presented nationally on the historical papers. Great job!

Leading the Way on Community Engagement
Finally this week, I would like to once again thank Dr. Pearl McElfish for her ongoing leadership of community engagement initiatives at UAMS. This work recently earned a prestigious recognition from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the Spencer Foreman Award for Outstanding Community Engagement. I talked with Dr. McElfish about the importance of community engagement across our mission areas for our Spotlight on Excellence video series. If you haven’t had an opportunity to watch the video yet, check it out here.