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!

Opening a Path
Congratulations to Dr. José R. Romero, Professor of Pediatrics and Arkansas Secretary of Health, on his latest international honor, the Ohtli Award from the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs. It is the highest award given to persons residing outside of Mexico. The name of the award comes from the Nahuatl word meaning “path,” alluding to the idea of opening a path for others. What an incredible and well-earned honor for Dr. Romero, who has provided stellar leadership during the pandemic through his recently completed term as Chair of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as well as his ongoing leadership in Arkansas. The Ohtli Award honors individuals for aiding, empowering and positively affecting the lives of Mexican nationals in the United States and other countries. Thank you, Dr. Romero, for serving as a role model and ally for all.

(You can watch a video of the award ceremony, which was held at the Arkansas Department of Health yesterday, here.)

Chancellor’s Circle Grants
Congratulations to this year’s Chancellor’s Circle grant recipients. Twelve grants totaling $241,620 were awarded to support education, research and patient care initiatives across the state. Among them were $50,000 to the Office of Interprofessional Education to support the Culinary Medicine Program’s “We AR Cooking for a Healthier UAMS” initiative; $30,000 to Translational Research Institute and the Division for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to expand a program providing mini grants for research by underrepresented faculty members; and $25,000 for a Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute initiative to expand lung cancer screening to include less-invasive liquid biopsies and help identify at-risk populations. Read about all of the innovative projects initiated by College of Medicine and UAMS team members in the UAMS Newsroom.

High-Risk Pregnancy Care in NWA
Kudos to our Obstetrics and Gynecology team members who worked very hard for the past two years to develop a new clinical collaboration with Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville. The team conducted its first Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic at Washington Regional earlier this month. The initiative will enable many women with high-risk pregnancies to receive the best possible care closer to home in Northwest Arkansas. Special thanks to Dr. Nirvana Manning, OB/GYN Chair and Women and Infants Health Service Line Director, and Dr. Adam Sandlin, Associate Professor, for their leadership on this very well received initiative.

AOA Fellowship Award
Radiation Oncology resident Dr. Arpan Prabhu is one of only 10 residents and fellows nationwide to receive an Alpha Omega Alpha Postgraduate Fellowship Award this year. Dr. Prabhu will use the award from the national medical honor society to further his research into the use of virtual reality technology to improve the patient experience and quality of care during brachytherapy. Dr. Prabhu’s mentor is Assistant Professor Dr. Gary Lewis. He was nominated by Dr. Molly Gathright, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and AOA Councilor, along with the Arkansas AOA Chapter. Click here to learn more about Dr. Prabhu and his dedication to research on health literacy and patient education. Congratulations Dr. Prabhu!

Group of the Year
A round of applause for the UAMS Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG), which has been named EMIG of the Year by the Emergency Medicine Residents Association. The national award recognizes the accomplishments of the most productive EMIGs and the student leaders who make a wide range of learning and networking opportunities possible for fellow students. 2020-2021 Academic Year Co-Presidents Dr. Paige Dailey, who is now a first-year Emergency Medicine resident, and Morgan Sweere, who is now a senior medical student, were a driving force behind many of the activities that resulted in the national honor. Read more about this amazing group in the UAMS Newsroom.

World Expert
A shout-out to Dr. Gerald Dienel, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Neurology, who has been designated as a world expert in the area of astrocytes by Expertscape. The online science and medicine-focused resource calculates expertise from publications in the scientific literature. Dr. Dienel is ranked No. 23, or in the top 0.034%, among 67,804 published authors worldwide on astrocytes, the most numerous cells in the central nervous system. The ranking is based on his contributions to 22 articles on the topic over the past 10 years. Many will enjoy this 2019 UAMS news feature on Dr. Dienel’s continuing post-retirement scientific contributions.

Six-Year Streak
The hard work of residents and the dedication of our faculty members to their success have led to great outcomes in many programs across the College of Medicine. Under the leadership of Program Director Dr. Rani Lindberg, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency graduates have achieved a 100% pass rate for first-time takers of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Part 1 board examination since 2016. Congratulations to our recent PM&R graduates and the faculty colleagues who made this excellent track record possible.

Putting Patients First
A patient of Dr. Bruno Machado, Assistant Professor of Urology, recently wrote to Chancellor Cam Patterson to praise Dr. Machado and the staff of the UAMS Urology Clinic. “I have never been treated with such professional respect, taking an inordinate amount of time and explaining everything in great detail, as I did with Dr. Machado,” the patient wrote to Dr. Patterson. “He was kind and patient with my wife and me. Hats off to him and his staff. We are blessed to have him working in the state of Arkansas.” Thanks to Dr. Machado and the Urology Clinic team for 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 Gift of Serenity
The generosity of our research community and others across the COM and beyond has resulted in an oasis for front-line clinical team members at UAMS – a “Rejuvenation Room” that offers respite from the difficult and stressful work of caring for COVID-19 and other patients. I mentioned last month that the fundraising drive spearheaded by our basic science chairs raised more than $5,000 in the first day. In two short weeks, contributions from the COM reached $12,050, and a $10,000 gift from a private donor brought the total for furnishing the room to $22,050. Learn more about the sights, sounds and amenities of this amazing space, as well as the fundraising effort, in the UAMS Newsroom. So proud of our COM Team!

Another Record Year
The Solid Organ Transplant Program has achieved another record year in terms of volume and, most importantly, some of the best outcomes for kidney and liver transplant patients in the country. Dr. Lyle Burdine, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Solid Organ Transplant Surgical Director, did a fantastic job last week highlighting the program and outcomes for the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees. “These results are indicative of the overall care patients receive at UAMS and, as these patients depend on all of the care teams at UAMS for successful outcomes, we greatly appreciate everyone’s efforts in this ongoing endeavor,” Dr. Burdine said. I couldn’t agree more!

National Appointment
Congratulations to Dr. Ahmed Abuabdou, Associate Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine and Associate Chief Medical Officer for UAMS Medical Center, on his election as the next Vice President-Operations for the American College of Physician Advisors (ACPA). His term will start in January. At UAMS, Dr. Abuabdou’s roles include leading the Physician Advisory Program, serving as Physician Champion for the Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) Program, and serving as Editor of the UAMS CDI newsletter Concise is Nice, which provides clinical documentation guidance for faculty, residents and fellows. Dr. Abuabdou is also an active member of the CDI Education Committee for the ACPA.

100% Pass Rate
I am delighted to share another example of the excellence of our residency and fellowship training programs with you this week. This year’s graduates of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Program, led by Dr. Amy Phillips, had a 100% pass rate on the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology Qualifying Exam, leading to six straight years of 100% passage. Kudos to Dr. Phillips, and I join with her in thanking all of the outstanding faculty members who made this possible and congratulating the hard-working residents, past and present, who put so much work into preparing for this exam.

Ten for the Team
A team of UAMS cardiologists has published its 10th paper on fractional flow reserve based on data from Arkansas patients. The current paper, “Exhaustion of coronary vasodilatory reserve in the resting state: Clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes after intervention,” was produced by a group including Drs. Srikanth Vallurupalli, Shivkumar Agarwal and Malek Al-Hawwas and led by Dr. Barry Uretsky, Chief of Cardiology at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System. “This high quality research has impacted clinical care and is widely cited in national and international practice guidelines,” said lead author and Cardiology Fellowship Director Dr. Vallurupalli. “Additionally, as an educator, it gives me great pleasure that cardiology fellows over the past six years have played a significant role in both research and the writing phase of all 10 of these papers.”

Compassionate Conversation
The terrible toll of COVID-19 and barrage of disinformation about so-called alternative therapies has led to heartbreaking situations for patients and families as well as extremely difficult situations for UAMS team members striving to provide the best possible care. Ethics Consultation Service members Dr. Jamie Watson and Dr. Laura Guidry-Grimes were working with colleagues from multiple disciplines on one such case and were struck by the thoughtful and especially helpful work of Dr. Mitchell Jenkins, Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases. As the Medical Humanities and Bioethics colleagues noted, Dr. Jenkins made a difference through his compassionate conversation with a family member and the careful documentation he shared with others involved. Hats off to Dr. Jenkins, Dr. Watson and Dr. Guidry-Grimes, and to all of our team members working so hard in these difficult circumstances.

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

Hope for COVID Long-Haulers
A UAMS research team published an important new study in PLOS ONE that sheds light on a potential cause of “long COVID” – an antibody that attacks the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Dr. John Arthur, Professor and Chief of the Division of Nephrology, led the team, which was coordinated by the Translational Research Institute. The researchers tested hypotheses proposed by Dr. Terry Harville, Professor of Pathology and Internal Medicine and Medical Director of the Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratories. The Department of Microbiology and Immunology’s Drs. Karl Boehme, Craig Forrest and Shana Owens developed the assay used in the project. Other contributors were Dr. Christian Herzog (Internal Medicine), Dr. Josh Kennedy (Pediatrics) and Dr. Juan Liu (Pathology). Read more in the UAMS Newsroom. Congratulations to all on this excellent and important research.

Medical Justice Fellowship
Congratulations to Dr. Ramona Rhodes, Associate Professor of Geriatrics, on being selected for the American Medical Association/Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine’s Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship. Dr. Rhodes, who also serves as Associate Director for Health Services Research in the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, will be in the inaugural cohort for the first-of-its kind postdoctoral fellowship. The aim is to enhance physicians’ advocacy leadership skills with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes and advancing health equity in the areas where the fellows serve – a commitment Dr. Rhodes has already demonstrated through national and local leadership roles.

Multi-Specialty Learning
Residents in General Surgery, Urology and Obstetrics and Gynecology will greatly benefit from the new multi-specialty robotic surgery curriculum that uniquely allows participants in the three surgical specialties to learn from one another. The curriculum got off to a great start with a two-day immersive experience in the UAMS Centers for Simulation Education. Kudos to the outstanding educational team led by robotics-trained faculty members Drs. Conan Mustain, Luann Racher, Theresa McCallie, Kimberly Jackman, Katy Marino and Tim Langford, and surgical simulation and education expert Dr. Karen Dickinson. Thanks also to Travis Hill, M.Ed., and the team in the Centers for Simulation Education for all of their hard work to plan and stage the technology-focused workshop. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

GME Excellence
I am so proud of the quality of our residency and fellowship training programs and am always delighted to hear about the results of this excellence. This week I learned that 100% of the graduates in our Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Residency Program since 2009 have achieved board certification on their first attempt. Special thanks to Dr. Abby Nolder for her outstanding leadership as Program Director since 2016.  

A shout-out as well to our third-year Cardiology fellows on passing the National Board of Echocardiography Exam and helping the program achieve a 100% pass rate for the fifth year in a row. Congratulations to fellows Drs. Danish Abbasi, Mahesh Bavineni, Shravan Turaga and Jack Xu, and kudos to Cardiovascular Fellowship Program Director Dr. Srikanth Vallurupalli and all of the faculty members who help to train fellows in this vital diagnostic procedure.

Insights into Methylene Blue
The Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine’s Dr. Renita Pushparajah Mak and Dr. Erica Liebelt recently published a continuing medical education (CME) review article, “Methylene Blue: An Antidote for Methemoglobinemia and Beyond,” in the journal Pediatric Emergency Care. The article discusses the medication best known as an antidotal treatment for acquired methemoglobinemia, a dangerous disorder in which the blood loses the ability to carry oxygen due to exposure to certain medications, chemicals or toxins. Dr. Pushparajah Mak recently joined Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Liebelt also joined the department this year as Professor and Medical and Research Director of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology as well as Associate Medical Director of the Arkansas Poison Drug and Information Center in the College of Pharmacy.

Safety Milestone
Kudos to Dr. Sara Peeples, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Director of the UAMS Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and the entire NICU team for their dedication to safety, quality and excellent care. Most recently, the NICU team surpassed 100 days without a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). Great job!

Champions of Diversity & Service
Congratulations to the winners of the Dr. Edith Irby Jones Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Awards, including Lifetime Achievement honoree Dr. Sheldon Riklon. Dr. Riklon, an Associate Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, provides compassionate and culturally appropriate care for members of the Marshallese community, as well as dedicated and effective advocacy.

Other UAMS team members receiving Diversity and Inclusion Awards at the annual State of Diversity and Inclusion Address were: Student – doctoral candidate Lorraine Stigar, M.P.H.; Staff – Renisha Ward, M.Ed.; Early Career Faculty – Dr. Clare Brown; Mid/Senior Career Faculty – Dr. Kalpana Padala; and Trainee – Dr. Michael Grassi. UAMS Serves Award recipients also were honored during the event for their outstanding volunteerism: Mariella Hernandez, M.P.S., Rose Farquhar, LSW, Stacy Hoyle, MHSA, and the UAMS Auxiliary. Many other COM and UAMS team members earned nominations for these awards. Congratulations to all.

Putting Patients First
An Internal Medicine Clinic patient who was recently diagnosed with cancer had one less thing to worry about thanks to social worker Rose Farquhar. The patient had financial difficulties and was unable to find transportation to his frequent appointments. Rose went out of her way on a Friday afternoon to coordinate a ride with her own money so the patient wouldn’t miss a crucial oncology appointment. Third-year resident Dr. Connor Rayburn wrote to tell me about this “awesome example of real servitude when it matters most.” This is far from the first time Rose has been noticed for her generous spirit. In April, she was UAMS MVP of the Month; in May she received the Helen May Compassionate Care Award; and, as noted in the accolade above, she just received the UAMS Serves Award. Thank you, Rose, for always 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!

National Humanism Award
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has selected Dr. Gloria Richard-Davis to receive the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award for Practicing Physicians. Dr. Richard-Davis, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Executive Director of the UAMS Division for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, is being honored for demonstrating the ideals of compassionate and respectful care. She will be recognized during the ASRM President’s Gala in October for serving as a “superlative role model” for a generation of residents and fellows, as well as for her scientific efforts relating to menopause, fibroids and health disparities. In a letter to Dr. Richard-Davis, ASRM President Dr. Hugh Taylor said, “Your efforts to support and raise the level of care for the underrepresented and disadvantaged have been a wonderful example for all of us.” Here at UAMS, we couldn’t agree more!

Stewarding Scholarships
A $1 million gift from the Ethel Brickey Hicks Charitable Corporation is the latest example of the impact of Assistant Dean for Admissions Tom South’s excellent stewardship of our scholarship programs for more than 35 years. The corporation credits Tom for ensuring the success of previous scholarships, loans and loan-forgiveness opportunities stemming from the legacy of the late philanthropist from Knox County, Tennessee. Over the past 27 years, the Ethel Brickey Hicks Trust has awarded more than $1.7 million to UAMS medical students who aspire to practice medicine in rural Arkansas. “We often thought of making gifts to students outside of Arkansas but did not because Tom made it so much easier for us to continue with our program at UAMS,” trustee Janet Moore says in a UAMS news release. Thank you, Tom.

Leading the Way in Psychiatric Training
The Baptist Health-UAMS Psychiatry Residency Program will begin training its first residents next July, helping to ensure outstanding mental health care for Arkansans in the decades ahead. The ongoing pandemic will impact the mental health of Arkansans long into the future, making this new training program even more important for our state. The program, which received initial accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) earlier this year, will be in great hands under the leadership of Dr. Prasad Padala, Professor of Psychiatry, who has accepted appointment as Program Director. Dr. Padala currently serves as Associate Director for Clinical Innovations for the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System’s Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center and has been a part of PRI’s Center for Health Services Research since 2015.   

91 Days of Writing Excellence
I had the pleasure last week of joining in the Translational Research Institute’s celebration of the researchers who participated in the first 91-Day Writing Challenge, which generated an incredible 173 manuscript submissions. Dr. Don Willis, an Assistant Professor in the Office of Community Health and Research at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, led in the number of submissions with 10, earning him the Astounding Apprentice Award. Indeed, four of the seven writing challenge winners are based in that office, which is led by Dr. Pearl McElfish, the honoree for Best Representation of Team Science. Other winners from across campus included Drs. Jennifer Andersen, Nahed El-Hassan, Holly Felix, Nishank Jain, Sara Landes and Jennifer Vincenzo. Read more in the TRI Newsroom. 

Leading by Example
The team members “behind the scenes” of our work in education, research and patient care are crucial to our ability to carry out our mission. I received appreciative words about one of these heroes, Brian Carpenter, MBA, from Dr. Karen Farst, Chief of the Children at Risk Section in the Department of Pediatrics. As Practice Director for Behavioral Health Services in the department, Brian has shouldered an enormous load as multiple sections have transitioned to EPIC, experienced significant staff turnover, and dealt with staffing issues related to COVID-19. “He is not in a position where the spotlight would ever really shine on him, nor would he seek that out,” Dr. Farst wrote of Brian. “He leads by example with integrity, compassion and always finding ways to encourage those around him.” Kudos, Brian, for all you do!

In the Spotlight
The Department of Emergency Medicine’s efforts to promote and offer COVID-19 vaccinations in the Emergency Department with the aid of medical and pharmacy student volunteers was in the spotlight last week thanks to a KTHV news broadcast. Associate Professor Dr. Carly Eastin and second-year medical students Luke Lefler and Kikko Haydar did a great job sharing information about the initiative for viewers. Check out the KTHV broadcast here, and read more about the efforts of Dr. Carly Eastin and colleague and husband Dr. Travis Eastin to develop the outreach and educational opportunity in the UAMS Newsroom.

What is the Alfieri Stitch?
“What is the Alfieri Stitch?” and “What is 5 mm?” were the final answers – or rather, questions – in the “Jeopardy!” quiz show-inspired competition hosted by our Cardiology Chief Fellows last week. It was great fun watching the action as Cardiology fellows, faculty and APRNs from UAMS and the VA competed in the educational and team-building experience. Special thanks to the Chief Fellows, Dr. Shravan Turaga and Dr. Mahesh Bavineni, for doing such a great job on the event. The Round 1 winning team was Dr. Gaurav Dhar (Professor), Dr. Danish Abbasi (third-year fellow), Dr. Kirby Von Edwins (first-year fellow), and Jenna Valovich, APRN. The Round 2 winning team was Dr. Barry Uretsky (Professor), Dr. Sanjay Shah (Assistant Professor) and Dr. Dinesh Voruganti (second-year fellow). Congratulations!

Kindness in Action
When second-year Radiology resident Dr. Anas Attasi recently encountered a haggard-looking older gentleman in the hospital lobby asking for money, he didn’t look the other way. He stopped to help. Dr. Atassi took the man to the Lobby Café and bought him a sandwich and a drink. This simple gesture, noticed by a colleague, reflects the kindness and compassion Dr. Atassi is known for. Kudos, Dr. Atassi.

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!

AAMC Honors UAMS
We were delighted to learn that UAMS is the 2021 recipient of the Spencer Foreman Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges – the AAMC’s top honor for outstanding community engagement. The award reflects the importance of community engagement in the mission of academic medical centers such as ours, and the importance of the work we do in a culturally diverse state.

Special kudos to Dr. Pearl McElfish, Vice Chancellor for the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus and Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, for leading our efforts during the selection process. Thanks as well to everyone who participated in the virtual site visit and presentations in June, which AAMC representatives said was the best such site visit they had ever been part of. UAMS’ work with the Marshallese community in Northwest Arkansas was a key area of focus. Learn more in the UAMS Newsroom and on the AAMC website.

NIH Shout-Out
Dr. Josh Kennedy, an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics Division of Allergy and Immunology, recently received a nice shout-out from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Kennedy is leading an NIH-funded collaboration among scientists at the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute and UAMS to help the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Arkansas Department of Health learn more about the variants of COVID-19 circulating in the state. This work – so critical for informing public health management of the pandemic in Arkansas – was highlighted to NIH leadership. We couldn’t agree more with the assessment from Dr. Ming Lei, head of the NIH Institutional Development Award (IDeA) programs, that “This Josh Kennedy guy is good!”

Educational Excellence
Congratulations to Dr. Karina Clemmons, Assistant Dean for Medical Education, on being accepted to the prestigious Harvard Macy Institute Program for Educators in Health Professions. Dr. Clemmons, Associate Professor of Medical Humanities and Bioethics and Director of Curriculum Evaluation and Improvement for our college, will be a strong addition to Harvard Medical School’s year-long executive education course for interprofessional health science educators from around the world. As part of the program, Dr. Clemmons will work on a project at UAMS called “Bridging the Gap: Development of a Residency Preparation Course Curriculum.” The new course will provide senior medical students with educational opportunities to support their transition to residency.

On the Cover
Amrita Khakurel, a second-year graduate student in the Cell Biology and Physiology Track, is the first author of an article, “The Golgi-associated retrograde protein (GARP) complex plays an essential role in the maintenance of the Golgi glycosylation machinery,” published in the journal Molecular Biology of the Cell. A super-resolution microscopy image from the paper, taken at the UAMS Digital Microscopy Core, was selected as a cover image for the journal issue. The senior author of the study is Dr. Vladimir Lupashin, Professor of Physiology and Cell Biology. Other collaborators were Tetyana Kudlyk, M.S., a Research Assistant in the department, and Dr. Juan S. Bonifacino of theNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Read more on the Physiology and Cell Biology website.

International Resource
Yet another example of the internationally recognized expertise of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is the recent translation of the textbook “The Chronic Ear,” edited by Professor and Chair Dr. John Dornhoffer, into Chinese. Co-edited with former UAMS faculty member Dr. Michael Gluth, who is now at University of Chicago Medicine, the book is a 360-degree approach to chronic ear conditions, from pathophysiology to surgical intervention. It includes contributions from otology experts in 13 countries and is also available in English and Spanish.

Extraordinary Leader
Congratulations to Dr. Randy Maddox, Professor of Emergency Medicine, on being recognized as an Extraordinary Leader by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). The MGMA will honor individuals who have gone above and beyond during the past year as part of its Medical Practice Excellence: Leaders Conference in October. “Dr. Maddox is an extraordinary person to work for and with,” said his nominator, Emergency Medicine Program Manager Crystal Sparks, MSAM. “He has worked countless days and hours during the ongoing pandemic to keep us all protected and knowledgeable.”

Consultant of the Month
Emergency Medicine residents selected Samia “Sam” Johnston, a licensed social worker in the Emergency Department, as their latest Consultant of the Month. Sam was honored for checking on residents to make sure they are doing OK in stressful times, for her ability to “put a smile on anyone’s face,” and for “tirelessly and often thanklessly going above and beyond to help any patient or staff member she can.” Thank you for exemplifying what Team UAMS is all about, Sam!

Putting Patients First
I am delighted to share some recent comments from families of patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Kudos to these colleagues who always put patients first.

“The nurse that administered my child’s echo was absolutely amazing! You could definitely tell she knew what she was doing, and I believe it was the quickest one my child has ever had! When it comes to Dr. Michael Angtuaco (Pediatric Cardiology), he’s the best! Arkansas Children’s Hospital has a real life hero on their team!”

“Dr. Paul Seib (Pediatric Cardiology) is incredibly compassionate yet professional. He radiates intelligence without making anyone seem inferior. He addressed my concerns thoughtfully and in a thorough manner. I feel very fortunate in having my care placed in his hands, because I know he will always do what is necessary to provide the highest standards of care.”

“Dr. Kristin Lyle (Pediatric Emergency Medicine) was amazing! She listened to me about my concerns and validated my thoughts and feelings. Garrett and Alex were great! Thanks for hearing my concerns and treating us with care and respect. No hospital is like ACH!”

“I could not say enough wonderful things about the pulmonary team! From the nurses to the doctors and everyone in between. They were so kind and understanding during a time where so many things are scary and unknown. It is so comforting to have a staff that truly cares!” (Dr. Ariel Berlinski, Pediatric Pulmonology)

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!

Gratitude for the People of UAMS
Gratitude is a powerful thing – especially when times are times are tough. Dr. Steppe Mette, Senior Vice Chancellor for UAMS Health and CEO of UAMS Medical Center, shared insights on the value of gratitude in his Connections email message for clinical team members last Friday. Dr. Mette noted a chapter in a book he recently read, “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer. A chapter titled “Allegiance to Gratitude” discusses the Thanksgiving Address used by the six nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois). Inspired by the spirit of gratitude of the Thanksgiving Address, Dr. Mette created a personal expression of gratitude for the people of UAMS, which I am delighted to share with you.

The People of UAMS

We give thanks for your sacrifices and your willingness to share your knowledge and your skills to help and to heal others. You come together and work together to create a safer, healthier world where families can live and love one another for many years. You bring babies into the world, you care for the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the nice and the not-so-nice, and you gently usher the dying out of this world when their time has come. You are amazing. To all the people of UAMS, we send our heartfelt greetings and thanks.

Call an Expert
Dr. Jamie Watson, Assistant Professor of Medical Humanities and Bioethics, is internationally recognized for his work on “expertise,” concepts especially relevant for today’s conversations about vital issues such as vaccinations and masking during the pandemic. He has written extensively about what it means to be an expert – someone who can be trusted within their domain of knowledge – including a book last year, another in final proofs and several articles. Most recently, Dr. Watson’s work was central to discussions at the 15^th Cologne Summer School in Philosophy, a weeklong international seminar held virtually this year.

Mentoring Award
A shout-out to Dr. Destiny Chau, Professor of Anesthesiology, and Dr. Caroline Martinello, an Assistant Professor in the department, on their 2021 Mentoring Award from the American Society of Anesthesiologists Committee on Professional Diversity. Dr. Chau will mentor Dr. Martinello as she works on a multidisciplinary initiative to design and implement an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocol for patients undergoing elective Cesarean delivery. The experience will be used to develop a curriculum promoting leadership skills for junior faculty engaged in representing the department in multidisciplinary team initiatives, with an emphasis on faculty of diverse backgrounds who are underrepresented in academic medicine.

Student Published
Second-year medical student Iad Alhallak is the first author on the article “Breast adipose regulation of premenopausal breast epithelial phenotype involves interleukin 10,” just published in the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. Iad carried out part of the study as a recipient of the Endocrine Society Summer Research Fellowship. Senior author of the study is Dr. Rosalia C.M. Simmen (Physiology and Cell Biology) with collaborators Dr. Keith Wolter (Surgery), Dr. Frank Simmen (Physiology and Cell Biology), Dr. Lin-Xi Li (Microbiology and Immunology) and graduate student Ana Castro Munoz.

Best Health Care Professionals
As AY About You magazine notes atop its 2021 list of Best Health Care Professionals of Central Arkansas, “the professionals of the vast landscape of health care are responsible for so much of what goes into our quality of life today.” Thousands of AY readers voted on the best providers across many health care disciplines and specialties. As with the Soiree Top Docs list I mentioned last week, the AY Best Health Care Professionals list includes many of our team members. Congratulations to all!

Floored by the Generosity
The Department of Emergency Medicine got a nice shout-out on Facebook from the Women & Children First organization for contributing a mountain of much-needed items to the shelter for victims of domestic violence. The shelter said it was “FLOORED” by the generosity. Kudos to Assistant Professor Dr. Meryll Pampolina for organizing the successful drive. The Pediatric Emergency Medicine team pitched in as well, with fellow Dr. Abby Russ leading efforts at Arkansas Children’s. Well done!

Putting Patients First
Dr. Issam Makhoul, Professor and Director of the Division of Hematology and Oncology, often double or triple-books appointments in his clinic to accommodate the needs of his patients, while juggling many other obligations. Some patients may not realize how much Dr. Makhoul manages to work in – but a colleague who has been his patient for three years understands and is all the more grateful. When a time-sensitive issue recently arose, Dr. Makhoul arranged an appointment outside of his regular clinic schedule and initiated a crucial series of steps to meet the patient’s urgent needs. “I am so grateful for Dr. Makhoul’s wonderful care,” the colleague said. “I trust him with my life, which every day is better because of him.”