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!

Exemplary Nurse
Congratulations to the Institute for Digital Health & Innovation’s Stacy Petty, APRN, Director of UAMS HealthNow, on her recent, well-earned Daisy Award. Ms. Petty epitomizes the spirit of the award for exemplary nurses at UAMS and around the world. The impact of her work to lead the state’s telemedicine response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been immeasurable. HealthNow facilitated face-to-face digital visits when in-person appointments and medical procedures were severely limited. In addition to receiving vital medical care while avoiding potential exposure to the virus, many Arkansans gained assurance and peace of mind. Kudos, Stacy, for your exemplary service.

Glimpse into the Heart
A recent virtual workshop presented by UAMS’ ArkanSONO program for high school sophomores participating in the American Heart Association’s Sweetheart Program was a great example of the program’s ability to pivot during the pandemic. Students learned about the inner workings of the heart. With funding from a five-year, $1.27 million NIH grant, ArkanSONO exposes students to point-of-care ultrasound and other imaging technologies to stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The workshop was a great success thanks to ArkanSONO Director Dr. Kevin D. Phelan, Professor of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, Dr. Tiffany Huitt of the UAMS Department of Physician Assistant Studies, and Internal Medicine Chair Dr. Edward T.H. Yeh.

Healthy Community
Congratulations to Dr. Gloria Richard-Davis, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Executive Director of the UAMS Division for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, on her new grant from the American Cancer Society and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focused on building healthy communities. The $20,000 grant will be used to install a cooking demonstration kitchen at the 12^th Street police station, support UAMS’ boxed food program launch, install a demonstration kitchen, build a raised-bed community garden, and host a provider course on cancer prevention and nutrition later this month. Also recently, Dr. Richard-Davis was the guest for an American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s ASRM Today podcast, discussing a book on fertility that she co-authored, “Planning Parenthood: Strategies for Success.”

Anatomy Teaching Innovations
Dr. Edgar Meyer, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, did a great job chairing a session at the Experimental Biology 2021 conference last week. The session focused on innovative technology applications and teaching designs to support the requirements and resiliency of current anatomical education. Dr. Meyer also delivered the final presentation in the session, “Prosections to Virtual Explorations: Transitions in a Physician Assistant Gross Anatomy Course and Beyond. The College of Health Professions’ Dr. Tiffany Huitt, lent her expertise as a coauthor on the presentation.

Scholarly Collaborations
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery faculty, residents and fellows, along with medical students, collaborated on several recent publications and presentations. These projects are outstanding and epitomize the integration of education, clinical care and research at UAMS. Participants in these various efforts include faculty members Drs. Alissa Kanaan, Mauricio Moreno, Gresham Richter, Ozlem Tulunay Ugur and Emre Vural; residents and fellows Drs. Olivia Daigle, Quinn Dunlap, J. Reed Gardner and Tyler Merrill; and medical students Jessica Campbell, William Mitchell, Jennifer Silva-Nash and Merit Turner. Read about their projects here.

EBM Leadership
Dr. Carly Eastin, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, has been elected as the incoming Chair of the Evidence Based Medicine Interest Group in the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. At UAMS, Dr. Eastin serves as Co-Chief for the Division of Evidence Based Medicine and Research in the Department of Emergency Medicine and as Director for the EBM component of Practice of Medicine in the College of Medicine. Congratulations.

Addressing Disparities
Dr. Omar T. Atiq, Professor of Internal Medicine and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, served as an invited faculty member for Internal Medicine Meeting 2021, the American College of Physicians’ premier annual meeting, held April 29-May 1. Dr. Atiq presented a talk, “Addressing Disparities and Discrimination in Health Care,” during a session on “Hot Topics in Health Care.” Thanks to Dr. Atiq for his ongoing national leadership in the ACP on these important issues.

Endovascular Expertise
First-year Radiology resident Dr. George Vilanilam had an abstract accepted for the International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy (ISET 2021)  – and selected for publication online in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. Dr. Vilanilam will present his work, “Use of a Stent Retriever to Treat Severe Intracranial Vasospasm Refractory to Intra-arterial Vasodilator Infusion” virtually. Mentors for the project were Dr. Martin Radvany and Dr. Mudassar Kamran. Dr. Vilanilam also received the Residents and Fellows Activity Scholarship for ISET 2021. Well done.

Diversity Matters
The recent news that UAMS ranked seventh nationally on Forbes magazine’s annual list of Best Employers for Diversity is a reflection of one of UAMS’ greatest strengths: our team. And because we are a diverse team that respects and values the contributions of all, we are better able to accomplish our missions in education, research and clinical care. The ranking is the result of commitment to our core value of diversity, equity and inclusion. Special thanks for the leadership and efforts of Dr. Brian Gittens, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Danielle Lombard-Sims, Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer, Dr. Gloria Richard-Davis, Executive Director of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and their amazing teams.

No Place Like Home
Finally this week, I am delighted to tell you about the 10^th annual UAMS NICU Reunion, which was held virtually on April 24 with the apt theme of “There’s no place like home.” Dr. Sara E. Peeples, NICU Medical Director, moderated the event with a scene from the yellow brick road in “The Wizard of Oz” as her background. Former NICU patients and families shared stories of the impact of the outstanding care they received at UAMS, and several UAMS team members shared information and answered questions.

Among the many contributors were Becky Sartini, Assistant Nursing Director for the Inpatient Women and Infant Service Line; faculty physicians Drs. Steven Dahl, Jared Beavers and Blair Beavers; Sarah Rhoads, Ph.D., APRN; and Child Safety Coordinator Heather Smith. Kudos to all for creating a magical event for our NICU families. If you could use a smile today, check out the full recording of the event on the NICU Facebook page, a very creative message to the NICU’s “munchkins” here, and a video about the NICU’s Angel Eye camera system that has long allowed families to maintain contact with their babies from home.

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

Distinguished Faculty Scholar
We were delighted to honor Dr. Charles O’Brien, Professor of Internal Medicine (Endocrinology) and Orthopaedic Surgery, as the College of Medicine Distinguished Faculty Scholar yesterday. As an internationally recognized authority in the molecular biology of bone and mineral metabolism – and as a colleague who is dedicated to developing and mentoring aspiring scientists – Dr. O’Brien epitomizes the spirit of this annual award. We will share a link to a recording of his stellar talk, “Osteoclast Formation – Who’s in Control,” in the April COMmunication e-newsletter, which you will receive tomorrow. Learn more about Dr. O’Brien and his research here. Congratulations, Dr. O’Brien. We are honored to have you as a colleague.

Gift of Sight
Thanks to the dedication of many dozens of UAMS team members and community partners, 21 members of the Marshallese community in Northwest Arkansas who had poor eyesight for many years regained good vision through the Gift of Sight Cataractathon last Saturday. You might have read about it in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Sunday or saw the TV coverage, such as this report on KATV. Please take a moment to look through this roster of the volunteers and teams in Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock who made this happen. I want to pass along some words of gratitude from Dr. Paul Phillips, Chair of Ophthalmology and Director of the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, who did a spectacular job leading this initiative.

“The success of this project depended on the efforts of a dedicated team that included ophthalmologists, optometrists, anesthesiologists, nurses, ophthalmic technicians, surgical technologists, translators, administrators, food service providers, bus drivers, and many more,” Dr. Phillips said. “It was gratifying to see the completion of months of planning as everyone came together to take care of the Marshallese. Despite the long hours and huge effort, many told me how great they felt participating and asked when they could do it again.”

New Psychiatry Residency
We received great news this week – initial accreditation approval for the Baptist Health-UAMS Psychiatry Residency Program from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The program eventually will have 16 residents, with the first four residents selected in the upcoming Match cycle and starting their training in July 2022. This program, part of the growing GME enterprise at Baptist, will have a major positive impact on mental health care in Arkansas in the decades ahead.

Special thanks to Dr. Erick Messias, Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, for his superb leadership of this initiative. I join with Dr. Messias in thanking fellow Psychiatry colleagues and GME leaders Dr. Jim Clardy, Director of the UAMS Center for GME, Dr. Molly Gathright, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, and all of the UAMS Psychiatry and Neurology team members who contributed to this effort. It also would not have been possible without the excellent leadership and support of the GME leadership at Baptist, especially Dr. Stan Kellar, Designated Institutional Official (DIO) and Chief of Clinical Affairs for Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock, and Melissa Yandell, M.H.A., Associate DIO for Administrative Services.

Primary Care Excellence
We were pleased to learn that UAMS ranked 39^th in primary care in U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Medical Schools list – up from 63^rd the previous year. The list ranked 122 medical schools on the quality of education relating to primary care, with a key measure being their success in generating graduates who go into primary care. As Dr. James Graham, Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, points out in this UAMS news release, primary care physicians have a key role in prevention and care of chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes and improving the health of Arkansans overall. This makes our efforts to produce outstanding primary care physicians all the more important. We are profoundly grateful for all of our faculty and staff who are involved in primary care education and clinical services. Great job!

Dermatology Conference
A shout-out to Dr. Vivian Shi, Associate Professor of Dermatology, and fourth-year resident Dr. Kelsey Wilson for their contributions to the American Academy of Dermatology’s Virtual Meeting Experience over the weekend. Dr. Shi presented and directed two live talks with Q&A sessions, one on integrative dermatology and the second on dietary triggers and modification of common dermatologic conditions. Dr Shi also presented a poster titled “Abrocitinib in the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis Refractory to Dupilumab Treatment: An Analysis of JADE-EXTEND, a Phase 3 Long-Term Extension Study.” Dr. Wilson presented a poster, “Inpatient training modules increase dermatology resident confidence for hospital consults.”

EM Presenters
Department of Emergency Medicine faculty and trainees did a fantastic job at the recent Academic Assembly of the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine – the preeminent Emergency Medicine education organization in the world. Teams gave didactic presentations highlighting lessons from the department’s all-female program leadership, effects of gender on resident evaluations, and a hybrid approach to residency didactics. Separate research presentations explored changes in faculty and resident attendance at conferences after transitioning to a virtual format due to the pandemic. Participants included Drs. Carly Eastin, Travis Eastin, Lauren Evans, Christopher Fowler, Rachael Freeze-Ramsey, Sarah Greenberger, Heidi Meredith, Meryll Pampolina, Meredith Von Dohlen and Amanda Young. Read more about their conference contributions here.

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!

QI Winners
Department of Geriatrics and Pediatrics colleagues completed the UAMS Quality Improvement for Advanced Learners Program (QIALP) with first-place honors for their project. The team assessed racial disparity in the use of standardized screening for dementia in patients in the Thomas and Lyon Longevity Clinic and implemented educational and other measures to improve screening and health care for patients with memory problems. Project leaders included Drs. Regina Gibson, Jeanne Wei, Priya Mendiratta and Gohar Azhar and Jasmine Crane, B.A., in the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging; Dr. Rosemary Nabaweesi in the Department of Pediatrics, and Troy Schmit, M.H.A., UAMS Chief Quality Officer.

The team will present their project live during the third annual QIALP Conference on April 27. QIALP was founded in the Office of Interprofessional Education (IPE) by Dr. Wendy Ward, Associate Provost for Faculty and Director of Interprofessional Faculty Development. A shout-out to the winners and all of this year’s outstanding teams!

Educator Extraordinaire
Congratulations to Sarah Green, M.Sc., a certified genetic counselor in the Institute for Digital Health & Innovation’s High-Risk Pregnancy Program, on receiving the Outstanding Clinical Supervisor Award from the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors and UAMS. Graduating students in genetics counseling programs nominate clinical educators for the honor. A 2020 UAMS senior wrote, “Sarah was always someone I could rely on to provide invaluable insight and guidance on my clinical prep work. I felt like I could always approach Sarah with any question, and she was integral in shaping who I am as a recently graduated genetic counselor.” Kudos to Sarah for her excellent clinical work with telemedicine sites across the state for the past 10 years – and for her dedication to education.

Terrific Teamwork
The exceptional hands-on ultrasound training that our first-year medical students have continued to receive this year despite the pandemic is a testament to the excellence and collaboration of many. “This was only possible because of the dedication of the basic science and clinical faculty and staff that helped make this year a success,” said the Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Science’s Dr. Kevin D. Phelan, who co-directs the M1 Ultrasound Curriculum module with Dr. Greg Snead in Emergency Medicine and Dr. Sumera Ali in Radiology.

In a message of appreciation to department leaders, the module leaders thanked Dr. Mohsin Syed, Dr. Noor Akhter and Celia McCaslin (Neurobiology/Dev. Sciences); Dr. Jason Arthur, Dr. Zachary Lewis and Dr. Brian Russ (Emergency Medicine); and Dr. Ebaa Jastaniah (Pediatric Emergency Medicine). Also instrumental were Michae Orfanos and her colleagues and standardized patients in the Clinical Skills Center. Learn how the team provided meaningful, safe ultrasound training in this message of appreciation.

AAP Appointments
Congratulations to Dr. Whit Hall and Dr. Stephen Canon, who have been elected to serve on Executive Committees for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Dr. Hall, a Professor in the Neonatology Section of the Department of Pediatrics, will serve a three-year term on the AAP Section on Senior Members Executive Committee. Dr. Canon, Chief of Pediatric Urology at Arkansas Children’s, will serve for the next three years on the AAP Section on Urology Executive Committee.

Helping Survivors
A shout-out to Dr. Rani Lindberg and Dr. Lindsay Mohney of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation for sharing their expertise at the annual UAMS Brain Injury Survivors’ Conference. In addition to serving as panelists for a medical Q&A for attendees, they worked with the Institute for Digital Health & Innovation-based Trauma Rehabilitation Resources Program (TRRP) and colleagues at the Baptist Health Rehabilitation Institute to plan the event. The importance of the conference and the TRRP’s work is clear in this inspiring UAMS news story. Dr. Lindberg and Dr. Mohney’s role in the conference was also highlighted in the newsletter of the Association of Academic Physiatrists.

Giving Matters
UAMS’ annual Day of Giving was a great success with at least 673 gifts received last Wednesday. While initial tallies showed nearly $350,000 in contributions campus-wide, the non-monetary gifts were just as important. Many UAMS team members and other supporters donated items to the Stocked & Reddie food pantry, and 171 messages of gratitude were sent to front-line health care heroes at UAMS. Gifts to the College of Medicine totaled at least $219,172. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who participated in the Day of Giving, and to let all of you know how much we appreciate your contributions of all kinds throughout the year.

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!

Bragging RITEs
Congratulations to our Neurology residents on their superb results on the Resident In-service Training Exam (RITE), including a rare, perfect 100^th percentile score achieved by Chief Resident Dr. Hisham Elkhider (PGY-4). His PGY-4 classmate Dr. Sen Sheng secured the 99^th percentile nationally. Third-year resident Dr. Rohan Sharma was also among the nation’s top scorers at the 93^rd percentile among all residents and the 95^th percentile for his year of training. Our second-year residents also performed well, and as a result, the entire program hit the 89^th percentile, reflecting a consistent, 20-point increase since 2018. Bravo to our residents, Residency Program Director Dr. Mitesh Lotia, and all of the faculty members who helped make this possible!  

Better Cancer Detection
The ability to use a routine blood draw to provide the same diagnostic information included in a traditional tissue biopsy has tremendous ramifications. Dr. Donald Johann Jr., Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Internal Medicine, was part of an international team that conducted an independent assessment of five commercially available assays for blood-based tumor DNA sequencing (aka liquid biopsy). The findings were published this week in Nature Biotechnology and provide crucial information and best-practice guidelines for blood-based tumor DNA sequencing – a fast, inexpensive and less-invasive way to diagnose and monitor cancer. The research was led by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in New South Wales, the FDA National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson, Arkansas, and the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Super Symposium
Team members from the Movement Disorders Clinic and departments of Neurosurgery, Neurology and Psychiatry did a great job on the 6^th annual UAMS Parkinson’s Symposium presented last Sunday. The event drew 125 attendees from across the United States and Europe this year, providing vital information for patients and families affected by Parkinson’s and continuing education for medical professionals. UAMS organizers and presenters included Course Director Dr. Erika Petersen; Drs. Rohit Dhall, Mitesh Lotia, Tuhin Virmani, Jennifer Gess, Jennifer Kleiner, Chelsea Wakefield and Chrystal Fullen; and Shannon Doerhoff, APN. Faculty organizers expressed special appreciation for Neurosurgery Project Specialist Christian Pedroza Portillo for coordinating the symposium and doing an amazing job converting it to a virtual format.

Teamwork Matters
When pediatric radiologist Dr. Kelli Schmitz sought consultation for a complex situation with an adult patient being cared for in the burn unit at Arkansas Children’s, many Radiology colleagues at ACH and UAMS went above and beyond to help. The team overcame a number of technical issues to ensure the very best imaging and care for the patient. I join with Dr. Schmitz in expressing gratitude to faculty members Drs. Lance Runion, Spencer Lewis, Mary Moore, Erin Priddy, James Meek, Gitanjali Bajaj and Philip Kenney; and to residents Drs. Ryan Wycliffe, Daniel Harper, Jeff Lynch and Razvan Zemianschi.

In the Spotlight
Arkansas Business selected two UAMS team members for its 2021 “40 Under 40” list: the Department of Internal Medicine’s Ayoola Carleton, M.A., who serves as an Associate Director of Research for UAMS Northwest Community Health and Research; and the Department of Anesthesiology’s Dr. Johnathan Goree, Associate Professor and Director of the Chronic Pain Division. The annual feature shines a spotlight on 40 rising young professionals in Arkansas who are making a significant impact on their companies, organizations and communities. They will be profiled in the May 17 edition of Arkansas Business and honored at an event in June. Congratulations!

C-H-A-M-P-S
Pediatrics faculty members Dr. Becky Latch and Dr. Shruti Tewar and second-year resident Dr. Tomi Adegboyega recently spelled their way to victory in the annual AR Kids Read celebrity “Spellebration.” The event is a fundraiser to help the non-profit organization support and foster grade-level reading skills for kids in Arkansas. The Arkansas Children’s-based colleagues, competing as Team Healthcare, out-spelled teams representing other frontline heroes in Arkansas – police officers, firefighters and educators. Way to go!

Working Together
And finally this week, a shout-out to the Department of Internal Medicine’s Dr. Michelle Krause and Dr. Robert Hopkins for their leadership of the community mass-vaccination clinic at Simmons Bank Arena on Saturday, along with faculty preceptor Dr. Lindsey Sward of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and everyone who volunteered. The UAMS team included junior medical students Anna Blach, George Austin Brown, Catey May, Logan Scott-Kirchen, Jordan Steele, Paige Walker, David Williams and Monica Williams. The event was the first of four mass vaccination clinics at the arena planned for this spring. UAMS is coordinating the clinics in partnership with the cities of North Little Rock and Sherwood, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Pulaski County and Simmons Bank Arena. Thank you all for working together for a stronger, safer community.

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!

Trial Results in JAMA
Congratulations to Dr. Erika Petersen, Professor of Neurosurgery, and colleagues on the publication in JAMA Neurology this week of the results from a national clinical trial that she led into a unique treatment for painful diabetic neuropathy. The randomized clinical trial assessed high-frequency (10-kHz) spinal cord stimulation for patients with the painful diabetic foot condition and found significant benefit from the treatment for patients who had inadequate pain relief from other best-available medical treatments. The article is featured on the journal’s home page, and a JL Learning podcast features an interview with Dr. Petersen. Her UAMS co-authors included Chronic Pain Division Director Dr. Johnathan Goree and former faculty members Dr. Christopher Paul and Dr. Heejung Choi.

Pancreatic Insights in JAMA
Dr. Michail Mavros, Assistant Professor of Surgery, is the lead author on an important new paper in JAMA Surgery, “Clinical Trials of Systemic Chemotherapy for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer.” Dr. Mavros worked with surgical and medical oncologists at some of the leading institutions in the United States and Canada to critically evaluate all randomized clinical trials that investigated neoadjuvant (before surgery) and adjuvant (after surgery) chemotherapy treatment of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) that was resectable (able to be removed by surgery). Well done.

Research Alliance Honorees
The Arkansas Research Alliance has named Professor and Internal Medicine Chair Dr. Edward T.H. Yeh an ARA Scholar and Dr. Alan Tackett, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Deputy Director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, as an ARA Fellow. The ARA Scholars program helps recruit and support world-class researchers to Arkansas universities, and the ARA Fellows program recognizes research leaders currently working at one of the state’s five research campuses. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom. Congratulations to both of these outstanding researchers and leaders.

International Teaching
Dr. Surjith Vattoth, Associate Professor of Radiology in the Division of Neuroradiology, shared his expertise as an invited course faculty member for the multi-module “European Course in Head & Neck Neuroradiology” conducted by the European Society of Neuroradiology (ESNR). Dr. Vattoth provided a lecture and workshops on temporal bone imaging last November, and he participated in the international course again last week, delivering a lecture and workshops on the added value of MRI and CT to assess thyroid and parathyroid disease.

National Honors
Congratulations to fourth-year Psychiatry resident Dr. Abigail Richison on two national honors. She has been selected for the highly competitive American Psychiatric Association’s Research Colloquium for Junior Psychiatric Investigators, where she will receive guidance from top researchers and academics and present on a research project, “A survey of providers’ perceptions and comfort with medical cannabis.” Dr. Richison also has been selected for the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry’s REACH (Recognizing and Eliminating Disparities in Addiction through Culturally Informed Healthcare) program through Yale University and SAMHSA. She will attend an intensive training course at Yale and receive up to $104,000 in funding for a fellowship position in addiction psychiatry that she will complete at Vanderbilt University Medical Center following her residency graduation in July.

Mentors Matter
I received the good news in the accolade above from Dr. Richison’s proud mentor, Dr. Jessica Coker, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology. And I was doubly pleased to hear what Dr. Richison later wrote to Psychiatry Chair and Psychiatric Research Institute Director Dr. G. Richard Smith. “Dr. Coker has been an amazing mentor, and I would not have received these awards without her help,” Dr. Richison wrote. “She played a crucial role in my career development, and I am so grateful to be able to call her a mentor.” Dr. Richison also praised Dr. Smith’s leadership, the exceptional attending physicians in PRI, and the support she has received from the Psychiatry Residency Program, which is directed by Dr. Ben Guise.

Scholarly Collaborations
The Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery’s scholarly collaborations among faculty, residents and medical students continue to result in excellent publications. Third-year medical student Merit Turner’s article, “Impact of Oral Steroids on Tonsillectomy Post-Operative Complications and Pain,” was published in Ear, Nose, and Throat. She completed the project with Research Fellow Dr. J. Reed Gardner and Professor Dr. Gresham Richter. Meanwhile, fourth-year resident Dr. Donald Vickers and COM senior Courtney Hunter had their article “Perioperative Indicators of Prognosis in Acute Invasive Fungal Sinusitis” published in Oto-Open. Their project was conducted with Dr. Gardner and Associate Professor Dr. Alissa Kanaan. And second-year resident Dr. Anvesh Kompelli’s article “Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia and Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease: A Case Report” was accepted for publication in Oto-Open. Dr. Kompelli worked on the project with Dr. Gardner and Dr. Kanaan. Congratulations to all.

Global Education
A shout-out to the Department of Radiology, which has been designated as a member and chapter of the non-profit organization Health for the World (H4TW). The organization is devoted to disseminating health education worldwide to help stop preventable medical conditions. Faculty and residents in Radiology will contribute lectures to a virtual library of educational materials that will be available in multiple languages for health care professionals and medical trainees in other countries. The chapter will also collaborate with other clinical departments on educational projects highlighting the diverse expertise at UAMS. Read more about the new H4TW chapter here.  

Above & Beyond
Finally this week, very special thanks to the third- and fourth-year medical students who volunteered for a recent student-led workshop to help M1 and M2 students learn how to do physical exams. The pandemic has prevented first- and second-year students from having many of the opportunities for in-person, hands-on learning that our students ordinarily have prior to starting their third-year clinical rotations.

The Internal Medicine Interest Group, led by Muhammad Abu-Rmaileh, (President), Zain Alfanek (Vice President) and Lillie Pitts (Secretary), reached out to M4s and M3s to help with the workshop, which was held in the Simulation Center and followed COVID safety guidelines. More than 20 juniors and seniors taught physical exam skills to 75 M1s and M2s, and the group hopes to provide another workshop soon.  

“I was honored that so many M3 and M4 students took time from their busy schedules to help out,” said Muhammad. “Some of the M3s had their NBME finals coming up and still wanted to help. We also could not have done this without Sherry Johnson and the team in the SIM Center.”

Volunteers included Justin Klucher, Skye Heckman, Gideon Singleton, Courtney Hunter, Aaron Henry, Allyson Walker, Garrett Bethel, Neil Simmons, Nicole Thomas, Cody Thompson, Jackson Weaver, Anna Blackshare, Gray Orman, Braxton Anderson, Brandon Leding, Morgan Howells, Sydney Roper and Ryan Coleman.

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!

Leadership Fellow
Congratulations to Dr. Jessica Snowden, Associate Professor and Director of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Pediatrics, on being accepted for the 2021-2022 class of Fellows in the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program at Drexel University. Dr. Snowden was selected for the prestigious yearlong program from a highly competitive field of nominees from institutions across the country. Of course, we’ve seen Dr. Snowden’s exceptional leadership first hand at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s, and she has gained national acclaim for her co-leadership, with Dr. Jeannette Lee, of the UAMS-based Data Coordinating and Operations Center for the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network.

Executive Council
Jonathan Laryea, M.D., Professor of Surgery andChief of the Division of Colorectal Surgery, will lend his expertise to the Executive Council of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. The ASCRS Nominating Committee selected Dr. Laryea from more than 3,000 active society members to serve a three-year term as a member-at-large. He has served the society in multiple committee roles throughout his career. Dr. Laryea is an expert in the minimally invasive treatment of colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. He sees patients in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, where he serves as Medical Director of the Cancer Service Line.

National Recognition
Congratulations to Dr. Aravindhan Veerapandiyan, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Neurology, on receiving the 2021 A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award from the American Academy of Neurology. The award recognizes Dr. Veerapandiyan’s contributions and dedication to neurology education throughout his career, including his work with UAMS Child Neurology and Pediatrics residents.

Scholarship Committee
Dr. Carla Brown, Assistant Professor in the Division of Neonatology, has been selected by the American Academy of Pediatrics to serve on the Section on Early Career Physicians Subcommittee on Hardship Scholarships. The scholarships help allay financial difficulties for residents and fellowship trainees, and committee members are responsible for scoring applications and selecting award recipients. Kudos to Dr. Brown for her national service.

Headed for the NIH
Congratulations to second-year medical student Mason Belue, who has been selected for the prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP). Mason, who plans a career as a physician-scientist, will spend a year at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition to conducting research with NIH mentors, MRSP scholars attend lectures, seminars, clinical teaching rounds and other courses, and present their research to the NIH community and at professional conferences. With an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering, Mason’s research interests include medical devices, translational research, health disparities and social determinants of health. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Trusted Care
A patient recently said in a survey comment that they wouldn’t entrust their ENT care to anyone other than the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery’s Dr. David Walker. “Dr. Walker has been phenomenal in every aspect,” the patient wrote. “I won’t go anywhere else anymore for my ENT work, even if it is a three-hour drive. Thanks UAMS for the exceptional care and understanding each and every time I come.” Bravo Dr. Walker!

Above & Beyond out for review
Many of you know now-retired Dr. Jan Shorey, former UAMS Associate Provost for Faculty and College of Medicine Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, as a champion of professionalism, kindness and patient-centered care. So it speaks volumes that Dr. Shorey wrote to UAMS leaders to praise more than a dozen UAMS team members for their superb care during the recent surgery and hospital stay of a loved one. Dr. Shorey expressed gratitude for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery’s Dr. David Bumpass and Dana Lawrence, APRN, for their competency, kindness and more. Many others they encountered during the multi-day stay also received kudos. We’re proud and honored to have all of these outstanding team members at UAMS!   

Celebrating Creativity
And finally this week, congratulations to the recipients of the first annual Drs. Paulette and Jay Mehta Awards in Creative Writing – and special thanks to the Mehtas for their generosity and understanding of the value of creative endeavors. The inaugural winners are the UAMS Student Success Center’s Timothy Muren (first place); the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute’s Susan Van Dusen (second place); and Dermatology Chair Dr. Sara Shalin (third place). They will be honored in a livestreamed ceremony at 2:30 p.m. this Thursday. Click here to read more about the awards and get the Zoom link.