Tamara Robinson

Recent Faculty Appointments – October 2024

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Anesthesiology

Ahmed Zaghw, M.D.

Ahmed Zaghw, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology. Dr. Zaghw received his medical degree at the University of California Davis School of Medicine. He completed his anesthesia residency at Hamad Medical Corporation, an affiliated teaching hospital with Weill Cornell Medicine in Doha, Qatar. He continued his training with a fellowship in transplant anesthesia at the University of Miami and most recently completed a pediatric cardiac anesthesiology fellowship at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Department of Family and Preventive Medicine

Amy Cross, M.D.

Amy Cross, M.D., has joined the faculty as an Associate Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine and pediatrician at the UAMS South Regional Campus in Magnolia. Dr. Cross received her medical degree from UAMS in 1996 and completed her residency in pediatrics at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

A native of Magnolia, Dr. Cross operated the Magnolia Pediatric Clinic since 1999. She also has been a member of the staff of Magnolia Regional medical Center, serving as Chief of Pediatrics from 2002-2017. Dr. Cross will see pediatric patients at the UAMS Health Family Medical Center in Magnolia while also serving on the faculty of UAMS’ Residency Program.

Department of Internal Medicine

Risheek Kaul, M.D.

Risheek Kaul, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiology. Dr Kaul received his medical degree at Weill Cornell Medicine- Qatar in Doha, Qatar. He completed his internal medicine residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Kaul continued his training with a fellowship in electrophysiology at NYU Langone Health in New York City, where he served for the past year as Chief Fellow.

Gilbert-Roy Kamoga, M.D.

Gilbert-Roy Kamoga, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Associate Professor and internist at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus. Dr. Kamoga received his medical degree from Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Mbarara, Uganda. He completed an internal medicine residency at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, and at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

With over 15 years of experience as a hospitalist and general internist, Dr. Kamoga has held key roles, including program director of the Internal Medicine Residency at White River Health in Batesville, Arkansas, from 2020 until his recruitment to UAMS. Dr. Kamoga is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP).

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

William “Scott” Sosebee, M.D.

William “Scott” Sosebee, M.D., has joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as an Associate Professor in the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Sosebee earned his medical degree and completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UAMS. He served in private practice in Russellville, Arkansas, for 22 years before his recruitment to UAMS. Dr. Sosebee is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

Department of Ophthalmology

Mohsen Adelpour, M.D.

Mohsen Adelpour, M.D., has joined the Department of Ophthalmology as an Assistant Professor specializing in glaucoma. Dr. Adelpour earned his medical degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, the most prestigious medical institution in Iran, and completed his ophthalmology residency at Farabi Eye Hospital, the largest tertiary ophthalmology center in the country. He further specialized in glaucoma, completing a fellowship at the same institution.

Dr. Adelpour also conducted a clinical research fellowship at the Shiley Eye Institute at the University of California San Diego, where he focused on innovative treatments and advancements in glaucoma management. He brings extensive expertise in cataract and glaucoma surgery, including complex surgical procedures. His research has led to several publications in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Adelpour will continue his research in addition to his clinical practice in glaucoma and cataract surgery at UAMS.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Ryan Anthony, M.D.

Ryan Anthony, M.D., has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as an Assistant Professor and trauma surgeon. Dr. Anthony received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, followed by a fellowship in orthopaedic trauma at the University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Read more in the Orthopaedic Surgery Newsroom.

Paul Inclan, M.D.

Paul Inclan, M.D., has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as an Assistant Professor and sports medicine surgeon. Dr. Inclan received his medical degree from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. He continued his training with a fellowship in sports medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Read more in the Orthopaedic Surgery Newsroom.

Sean Parham, M.D.

Sean Parham, M.D., has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as an Assistant Professor specializing in foot and ankle surgery. Dr. Parham received his medical degree from UAMS. He also completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at UAMS, earning the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Resident Scholar Award and the UAMS Orthopaedics 2023 Resident Educator of the Year Award. He continued his training with a fellowship in foot and ankle surgery at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Read more in the Orthopaedic Surgery Newsroom.

Department of Radiology

Shrinivas Radder, M.D.

Shrinivas Radder, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Radiology. Dr. Radder received his medical degree from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute in Bengaluru, India. He completed a radiology residency at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi, India, and continued his training with a fellowship in pediatric radiology at UAMS.

Department of Urology

Marcello Bigarella, M.D.

Marcelo Bigarella, M.D., has joined the Department of Urology as an Assistant Professor and urologic oncologist. Dr. Bigarella received his medical degree from the University of Sao Paulo Medical School in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He completed a general surgery residency, followed by urology and kidney transplant residencies, at the University of Sao Paulo. He continued his training with a fellowship in robotic urologic surgery at the Albert Einstein Jewish Hospital in Sao Paulo. Most recently, he completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Jun Song, M.D.

Jun Song, M.D., has joined the Department of Urology as an Assistant Professor and urogynecologist. Dr. Song received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. He completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Song continued his training with a fellowship in urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Joe and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine.

Read more in Dr. Song’s UAMS Health Provider bio.

Accolades – October 9, 2024

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.

Faculty Invested in Arkansas Children’s Endowed Chairs

Congratulations to Department of Pediatrics faculty members Dr. Maya Lopez, Dr. Ron Sanders Jr., and Dr. David Spiro on their well-earned investitures in endowed chairs at the Arkansas Children’s Fall Investiture Ceremony on Oct. 2.

Dr. Lopez, Professor and Section Chief of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, was invested in the Harvey and Bernice Jones Endowed Chair in Developmental Pediatrics.

Dr. Sanders, Professor and Section Chief of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, was invested in the Morris and Hettie Oakley Endowed Chair in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.

Dr. Spiro, Professor and Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, was invested in the Log A Load for Kids of Arkansas Endowed Chair in Pediatric Emergency Medicine/Trauma.

Read more about these outstanding colleagues and the endowed chairs in the Investiture Program and in this Arkansas Children’s news release.

Champion for Hemophilia Patients

Dr. Mina Nguyen-Driver, Professor of Pediatrics, recently received the 2024 Eternal Spirit Award from the Coalition for Hemophilia B, a national non-profit focused on advocacy and education for patients and families affected by bleeding disorders. Dr. Nguyen-Driver is a clinical psychologist at the Schmieding Developmental Center and Arkansas Children’s Northwest in Springdale. She was honored at a gala in New York City for more than 20 years of service and dedication to the bleeding-disorders community. Dr. Nguyen-Driver has spoken at national and international conferences on hemophilia, von Willebrand disease and related bleeding disorders. She is also a strong advocate for mental and behavioral health, women’s empowerment, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Clinical Documentation Stars

A shout-out to Dr. Katie Kimbrough, a Professor in the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, and Dr. Ryan Hui, a third-year resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology, who have been selected as the Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) “Stars of the Month” for their outstanding documentation practices. Dr. Kimbrough was recognized for her “quick and thoughtful responses” when asked to clarify documentation for cases and attesting housestaff notes with added details that help the CDI team immensely. Dr. Hui also was noted for completing his notes in a timely fashion, and for creating templates for fellow residents to improve the accuracy and timeliness of documentation in his department. Both were highlighted in the September-October Chart Champions newsletter.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Teaching

Dr. Megan Scarbrough, a second-year Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow in the Department of Pediatrics Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, served as a teaching aide for the American Academy of Pediatrics Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Fundamentals and POCUS Critical Care courses at the recent AAP national conference in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Scarbrough did a great job sharing the expertise she gleaned while completing the UAMS Clinical Ultrasound Fellowship.

Student Volunteers are Key to “Girlology” Success

UAMS’ latest “Girlology” workshop was once again a great success with the help of medical student volunteers. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has hosted the popular workshops for girls ages 8-14 and their caregivers on campus about twice a year since 2022. As Professor and Chair Dr. Nirvana Manning explains, “We literally could not do this without these amazing students who took time out of their Sunday to help.” With 355 participants at the Sept. 22 workshop and more than 250 on a waiting list, Dr. Manning and colleagues hope to find a larger venue for future workshops. The program was highlighted in an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Special thanks to student volunteers Kaleigh “Ashton” Jones, Lizzie Stevens, Amy Schexnayder, Siddhi Bhat, Macie Cain, Lane Tupa, Sophie Meyers, Lauren Pierce, Mersady Redding, Cassandra Gormley and Jade-Michael Matthews. (Here’s a group photo!)

Accolades – October 2, 2024

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.

Championing Equity in Cancer Care

Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Associate Professor, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Neurosurgery, shared her expertise on a panel focusing on cancer health equity during the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week. Dr. Rodriguez spoke on the topic of “Ensuring Cancer Care for All: Tackling Persistent Health Inequities in the Cancer Care Continuum.” She was joined by other experts and cancer equity advocates from institutions including the American Cancer Society, Harvard and Emory University. Learn more about the event and watch a recording here. (This panel’s discussion is the second segment, starting about 17 minutes into the event recording.) Kudos to Dr. Rodriguez for her excellent work at UAMS and her many contributions to national initiatives aimed at increasing diversity and reducing health disparities in cancer research.

Boosting Scholarly Discussion in Anesthesiology

Dr. Jarna Shah, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, got a well-earned shout-out from the editorial board of Anesthesia & Analgesia, the journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) for her innovative efforts in reader engagement. Dr. Shah, who serves as the journal’s social media editor, spearheads a popular online journal club that helps to disseminate important points from research articles, generate meaningful discussions around the topics, and enable IARS members to ask the authors’ questions. Her contributions were highlighted at the journal’s most recent editorial board meeting.

National Otolaryngology Recognition

Dr. Larry Hartzell, Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, is being recognized with a 2024 Honors Award from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). Dr. Hartzell was an integral member of the small group that established the AAO-HNS Cleft and Craniofacial Committee in 2020, and he remains involved in the group’s collaborative efforts. For more than a decade, he also has provided a comprehensive continuing education course on cleft care, initially in collaboration with former faculty member Dr. Lisa Buckmiller and then with UAMS Associate Professor Dr. Adam Johnson, who completed his pediatric otolaryngology fellowship training at Arkansas Children’s Hospital with Dr. Hartzell and the other pediatric otolaryngology faculty.

National Recognition for Work with Students

Congratulations to Jennifer VanEcko, Program Manager for COM Academic Affairs, on receiving the Susan Shultz Award for Professional Staff from the Learning Communities Institute (LCI). Jennifer was honored at the LCI annual meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sept. 22. The prestigious national award honors non-faculty staff members who work with students in learning communities such as our college’s seven Academic Houses. Jennifer works passionately to coordinate house events, connect students with their faculty mentors, and support students in many other ways.

Improving Outcomes in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Dr. Amit Agarwal, a Professor in the Section of Pediatric Pulmonology, is an author on four recent publications focusing on bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a common complication of preterm birth. The articles stem from his research as part of a national BPD collaborative that is working to improve clinical outcomes. Dr. Agarwal is the lead and corresponding author on “Factors associated with liberation from home mechanical ventilation and tracheostomy decannulation in infants and children with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia,” published in the Journal of Perinatology. Another article by members of the collaborative has been accepted for publication in Pediatric Pulmonology and reports on the first national survey on outpatient care of children with BPD.

Inspiring Future Women Orthopaedic Surgeons

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery recently hosted its 11^th workshop as part of the Perry Outreach Initiative, an annual program designed to introduce female students to the fields of orthopaedic surgery and engineering – fields where women are dramatically underrepresented. Special thanks to Associate Professor Dr. Theresa Wyrick for leading the hands-on workshop in The Orthopaedic & Spine Hospital with help from department staff and residents. This year, 17 medical students participated in an evening session, and 40 high school students participated in a day session. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

UAMS Well Represented at Arkansas ACP Conference

The annual meeting of the Arkansas Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP) was a great success thanks to the contributions of many UAMS faculty, residents and students and the leadership of Chapter Governor Dr. Keyur Vyas, Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases. Faculty presenters included Dr. Matthew Deneke (Gastroenterology), Dr. Omar Atiq (Hematology/Oncology), Dr. Joseph Henske (Endocrinology), Dr. Nick Gowen (General Internal Medicine), Dr. Tuhin Virmani (Neurology) and Dr. Leslie Harrell (Radiation Oncology).

Congratulations to Dr. Sri Obulareddy, Associate Professor of Hematology/Oncology, on receiving the ACP Early Career Physician Award. In the Student Poster competition, UAMS Northwest Campus M2 Calvin Walker took first place, and Northwest Campus M4 Tim Frerking placed third. In the Resident Poster competition, UAMS-Mercy Regional Internal Medicine PGY-2 Dr. Sahil Sabharwal won first place. In the Oral Clinical Vignette contest, UAMS Internal Medicine PGY-2 Dr. J. Curran Henson took first place, and Dr. Chris Blum, a PGY-2 in the UAMS-Washington Regional Internal Medicine program, placed second. Highlights and photos from the conference are available in an article by Assistant Professor Dr. Ples Spradley in the September issue of the Department of Internal Medicine’s IMpact newsletter (Sway file) or this text-only article.

Radiology Challenging Case Competition

A shout out to everyone who participated in the Department of Radiology’s third annual Challenging Case Competition. The project matches senior medical students who are applying for radiology residency training with faculty mentors to format and present a challenging Diagnostic Radiology or Interventional Radiology case. Faculty members Dr. Sateesh Jayappa and Dr. Charles James co-directed this year’s expanded competition. Congratulations to M4 students Mason Belue (mentor Dr. Tarun Pandey) and Dylan Dominguez (mentor Dr. Josh Eichhorn) on winning Best Presentation Awards. Runners-up included Mark Odom (mentor Dr. Kumar Shashi), Nadia Nelson (mentor Dr. Rachel Taylor) and Sam Massey (mentor Dr. Charles James). Current Radiology Interest Group President and M4 student Humam Shahare and Past-President and Radiology resident Dr. Dhruba Dasgupta encouraged student participation. Thanks also to moderators Dr. Kelli Schmitz and Donna Ashlock, assistant Stacey Thompson, and faculty judges Dr. Gitanjali Bajaj, Dr. Shobhit Sharma, Dr. Adam Berry, Dr. Joe Jose, Dr. Uma Mahesh Matapathi and Dr. Kumar Shashi.

Recent Faculty Appointments – September 2024

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Anesthesiology

Emily Williamson, M.D.

Emily Williamson, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Williamson received her medical degree from UAMS. She completed her anesthesia residency and a fellowship in acute pain medicine and regional anesthesia at West Virginia University in Morgantown. She served as an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City for the year prior to her recruitment to UAMS.

Department of Internal Medicine

Sherry Abader, MBBCh

Sherry Abader, MBBCh, has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Abader received her medical degree in Cairo, Egypt. She completed residency training in the Baptist Health-UAMS Internal Medicine program in North Little Rock in July 2024.

Sinthia Alam, M.D.

Sinthia Alam, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Alam received her medical degree, graduating with Honors in Research, at UAMS. She completed her internal medicine residency at UAMS in July 2024.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Lettie Odom, M.D.

Lettie Odom, M.D., has joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology.Dr. Odom earned her medical degree from UAMS in 2020 and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UAMS this year.

Department of Otolaryngology

Tyler Merrill, M.D.

Tyler Merrill, M.D., has joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as an Assistant Professor and Director of the Division of Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery. Dr. Merrill received his medical degree from the Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus in 2018. He completed his internship and residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at UAMS. Dr. Merrill continued his training with a fellowship in neurorhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Throughout residency and fellowship, Dr. Merrill cultivated research interests in patient safety and odontogenic sinusitis. His clinical practice will focus on patients with sinus disease as well as sinonasal and skull base tumors.

Anvesh Kompelli, M.D.

Anvesh Kompelli, M.D., has joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Kompelli received medical degree at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. He completed a clinical research fellowship at the Medical School of South Carolina and then came to UAMS for his residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. Dr. Kompelli will practice comprehensive otolaryngology at the Baptist/UAMS Clinic in Little Rock and the UAMS Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic in Conway.

Adrian Williamson III, M.D.

Adrian Williamson, III, M.D., has joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as an Associate Professor. Dr. Williamson received his medical degree and completed residency training in general surgery and otolaryngology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Dr. Williamson served in private practice in Little Rock for 28 years before joining UAMS. A laryngologist, he specializes in treating patients with voice, airway and swallowing disorders. He will practice at the Baptist Health/UAMS Clinic in Little Rock.

Adrian Williamson IV, M.D.

Adrian Williamson IV, M.D., has joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Williamson received his medical degree at UAMS. He completed his otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. He continued his training with a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Williamson practices comprehensive pediatric otolaryngology at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. His primary clinical and academic interests include pediatric sleep apnea, airway disorders, voice disorders, thyroid disorders, neck masses, sinusitis, hearing loss and chronic ear conditions. He is active in teaching residents, fellows and medical students.

Department of Pediatrics

Dieu Doan, M.D.

Dieu Doan, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Instructor in the Allergy and Immunology Section. Dr. Doan earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport in 2019. She completed her pediatric residency at UAMS and continued her training with a fellowship in allergy and immunology at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

An aspiring physician-scientist, Dr. Doan is completing an optional research-focused third year of fellowship focusing on the role of nutrition in food allergy. Under the mentorship of Professor Stacie Jones, M.D., she is evaluating the impact of allergen-elimination diets on growth, diet quality and nutritional status in young children with multiple food allergies. Her project involves collaboration with the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center and co-mentor Professor Aline Andres, Ph.D.

Thanh Thanh Dai, M.D.

Thanh Thanh Dai, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Child Abuse Pediatrics Section. Dr. Dai received her medical degree at UAMS. She completed her pediatric residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital and went on to complete a child abuse pediatrics fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

A member of the Team for Children at Risk at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Dr. Dai’s main focus outside of clinical service will be continuing education on recognizing and responding to child maltreatment for medical and non-medical members of a multidisciplinary team. Her professional interests include providing trauma-informed medical assessments for at-risk children, educating medical providers about child sexual behaviors, counseling children and caregivers about the effects of child sexual abuse materials, and mitigating bias for drug-endangered children.

Krystle McCarson, M.D.

Krystle McCarson, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Section. Dr. McCarson received her medical degree from the University of New Mexico. She completed her pediatric residency and pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She is interested in improving pediatric prehospital care through her involvement in emergency medical services for children. Her work includes implementation of a pathway for evaluation of soft tissue injuries in the emergency department.

Carissa Rodriquez, M.D.

Carissa Rodriquez, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Section. Dr. Rodriquez received her medical degree at Texas A&M University College of Medicine. She completed her residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Her interests include acute care medicine and investigating areas for improvement in recognizing acutely decompensating patients in the hospital, as well as resident education. Dr. Rodriquez is also a member of the Child Health Equity Council in the Department of Pediatrics.

Brittany Witt, M.D.

Brittany Witt, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Neonatology Section. She earned her medical degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center. Dr. Witt completed her internship and residency training in pediatrics at UAMS, receiving the honors of Gordon E. Shutze Resident of the Year and Leader of Tomorrow upon graduation. She has special interests in advancing resident training and well-being and improving care for medically complex infants and children.

Department of Surgery

Jamie A. Cannon, M.D.

Jamie Cannon, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as a Professor in the Division of Colorectal Surgery. Dr. Cannon received her medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. She completed a general surgery residency at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a fellowship in colorectal surgery at Georgia Colon and Rectal Surgical Associates in Atlanta.

Dr. Cannon comes to UAMS from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she was a Professor of Surgery and Program Director for the colorectal fellowship. She previously served as Director of the Colorectal Cancer Service Line and Division Director of Gastrointestinal Surgery. Dr. Cannon’s primary clinical interests are colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and diverticular disease. She is a renowned robotic surgeon and teaches robotic colorectal surgery to surgeons throughout the United States and around the world. Dr. Cannon is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

Gina N. Sacks, M.D.

Gina Sacks, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Plastic Surgery. Dr. Sacks received her medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She trained in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Michigan, where she also conducted research in ways to mitigate radiation damage on bone healing. Dr. Sacks continued her training with a fellowship in pediatric craniomaxillofacial surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. While there, she focused on management of complex cleft and craniofacial disorders including the full spectrum of cleft care, craniosynostosis and complex jaw surgery.

Dr. Sacks treats both bony and soft tissue issues and has a special interest in cleft care, including primary cleft lip and palate repair, alveolar bone grafting, nasal reconstruction, and jaw (orthognathic surgery).

John Montgomery, M.D.

John Montgomery, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Transplant Surgery. Dr. Montgomery received his medical degree from the University of South Carolina. He completed his residency in general surgery at the University of Michigan and an abdominal transplant surgery fellowship at New York University-Langone Hospital. While in residency, Dr. Montgomery earned a Masters in Health and Healthcare Research from the Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan. He will continue his research endeavors at UAMS, focusing on population health, obesity and implementation science.

Tsukasa Nakamura, M.D., Ph.D.

Tsukasa Nakamura, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Transplant Surgery. Dr. Nakamura received his medical degree and doctorate, as well as completing his general surgery residency, at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Kyoto, Japan. Dr. Nakamura contributed substantially to the living donor liver and kidney transplant program while serving as an Assistant Professor and then as a Lecturer at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine.

Dr. Nakamura continued his training with a fellowship in abdominal transplant surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. He will continue his transplant surgery research at UAMS, focusing on transplant immunology and tolerance induction, including xenotransplantation.

Ulugbek Negmadjanov, M.D.

Ulugbek Negmadjanov, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery. Dr. Negmadjanov received his medical degree from Samarkand State Medical Institute, Samarkand, Uzbekistan. He completed his general surgery residency at Yale School of Medicine Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Dr. Negmadjanov continued his training in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, completing a vascular and endovascular fellowship. Prior to residency, Dr. Negmadjanov devoted several years to basic science and translational research, focusing on cardiovascular medicine. During this time, he authored multiple manuscripts and presented his work at local and regional conferences. Throughout his surgical training, he continued to publish and present his research, furthering his impact in vascular surgery.

Dr. Negmadjanov specializes in the management of arterial aneurysms, carotid artery disease and lower extremity arterial disease. He is experienced in creating vascular access for hemodialysis and managing less common conditions such as renal artery disease and mesenteric arterial disease. Additionally, Dr. Negmadjanov has a special interest in vascular exposures during spinal surgery, and he performs decompressive procedures for thoracic outlet syndrome. He is committed to surgical education and providing patient-centered care, combining clinical expertise with a collaborative approach to complex vascular conditions.

Accolades – September 18, 2024

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.

Frontiers in Nucleic Acid Research

Dr. Kevin Raney, Professor and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has been invited to share his expertise in the chemistry of nucleic acid enzymes and nucleic acid metabolism in a plenary lecture at the Southeast American Chemical Society Meeting in Atlanta in October. Dr. Raney’s talk, part of a symposium on “Frontiers in Nucleic Acids Research,” will discuss helicase-catalyzed unwinding of double-stranded DNA and G-quadruplex DNA unfolding. Congratulations also to Dr. Raney for recently attaining a milestone in his scholarly work, the publication of 100 scientific papers that are indexed by PubMed at the National Library of Medicine.

On the Forefront of Liquid Biopsy Science

Physician-scientist Dr. Donald Johann, Professor of Biomedical Informatics, recently had his fourth Nature publication, “Targeted DNA-seq and RNA-seq of Reference Samples with Short-read and Long-read Sequencing,” published in Nature Scientific Data. Additionally, his 11^th article concerning liquid biopsy science, “Towards Preanalytical Best Practices for Liquid Biopsy Studies: A BLOODPAC Landscape Analysis,” was published in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Dr. Johann is on the forefront of liquid biopsy science and advanced molecular diagnostics, which are transforming clinical medicine and drug development by allowing routine blood draws to be used for Next Generation Sequencing assays.

New Book Focuses on Childhood Glaucoma

Congratulations to PGY4 Ophthalmology resident Dr. Abdel Elhusseiny on the publication of his new book, “Childhood Glaucoma: Current Trends and Future Prospects.” Dr. Elhusseiny is Co-Editor as well as a contributing author on the book. Published by Springer, the book is a comprehensive overview of the clinical and surgical aspects of childhood glaucoma – a challenging condition that relatively few specialists take on. Dr. Abdel’s contributions will help to save vision in many children now and in the future.

Pediatric Pulmonary Research Presentations

Research by Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine team members, medical students in the Honors in Research program, and others from UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW) will be featured at upcoming national conferences. Senior author Dr. Astryd Menendez, Professor of Pediatrics and ACNW Pulmonary Medicine Director, will present a poster discussing a longitudinal assessment of body composition of pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis at ACNW at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Boston. At the American Academy of Pediatrics meeting in Orlando, M3 student Larry Hill will present a poster describing barriers to respiratory virus vaccination in high-risk pediatric populations, based on a multi-year survey at Arkansas Children’s. Dr. Menendez is senior author on the work. Additional coauthors are M3 Hannah Hale and M2 Whitney Skaggs, along with Dr. Hanna Jensen, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology and M2 Cardiovascular Module Course Director.

Odyssey Medal for Research

I was delighted to hear that Dr. Alan Tackett, Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Executive Associate Dean for Basic Research, is receiving a prestigious honor from his undergraduate alma mater, Hendrix College in Conway. Dr. Tackett will receive the Hendrix Odyssey Medal for Research from the college, where he graduated with a degree in chemistry with distinction in 1998. Dr. Tackett, who also serves as Deputy Director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, will be honored at a Sept. 26 ceremony. He is being honored for his research leadership and internationally recognized work to uncover new therapeutic strategies to treat metastatic melanoma and develop the next generation of molecular profiling technologies to identify cancer biomarkers. Last year’s winner of the medal hails from the same UAMS department – Professor and Chair Dr. Kevin Raney.

AAFP Fellow

Dr. Lauren Gibson-Oliver, Assistant Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine and Program Director of the UAMS Little Rock Family Medicine Residency, has been named a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The designation recognizes AAFP members who have distinguished themselves among their colleagues, in their communities, and through their work to advance the practice of family medicine. Dr. Gibson-Oliver will be recognized during a Sept. 27 induction ceremony at the AAFP’s 2024 FMX Conference in Phoenix.

Leadership through Scholarship

Dr. Wayne Bryant Jr., Assistant Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine and Associate Director of the UAMS Little Rock Family Medicine Residency, has been accepted into the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Leadership through Scholarship Fellowship Program. The yearlong fellowship offers training and mentorship for early-career underrepresented in medicine faculty with a focus on developing scholarly writing skills for academic advancement and leadership.

Predoctoral Fellowship Award

Congratulations to graduate student Katie Deck on receiving a highly competitive, two-year NIH Predoctoral Fellowship grant – her second prestigious national fellowship award this year. Katie, who works in the lab of Dr. Shengyu Mu, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, is using the NIH F31 grant to study the critical mechanisms by which kidney-resistant CD8T cells contribute to hypertension. This phenomenon of “salt memory” drives the progression and recurrence of hypertension. With earlier funding from the American Heart Association, her grant funding now totals nearly $78,000. In addition to Dr. Mu, her mentor and sponsor, collaborators include Dr. Yunmeng Liu and Dr. Yuet-Kin (Ricky) Leung (Pharmacology and Toxicology) and Dr. Lu Huang and Dr. Lin-Xi Li (Microbiology and Immunology).

ENT Surgical Training Video

Medical students, residents and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery faculty collaborated on a surgical video distributed internationally by CSurgeries, a leading peer-reviewed online platform. Collaborators included M4 students Ashton Rogers and Noah Slater, PGY4 resident Dr. Courtney Hunter, former fellow Dr. Soroush Farsi, Professor and Chair Dr. John Dornhoffer and Assistant Professor Dr. Robert Saadi. The video offers a detailed look the precise techniques involved in cartilage tympanoplasty, a procedure to repair a perforated eardrum. It is a follow-up to a previous video by UAMS team members on graft harvest and formation.

Accolades – September 4, 2024

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.

10 Years of National Recognition for Stroke Care

A shout-out the UAMS Stroke Program for receiving the highest level of recognition for stroke care from the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association for the 10^th straight year. In addition to the Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, the AHA recognized UAMS with additional Honor Roll awards for quick treatment of stroke patients after arrival and evidence-based care for stroke patients with Type 2 diabetes. Paige Womack, RN, serves as Director of the UAMS Stroke Program. Dr. Sanjeeva Onteddu, Associate Professor of Neurology, serves as Medical Director. Kudos to them and the entire Stroke Program team. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Strategies for Improving Maternal Health

Dr. Pearl McElfish, Director of the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation, was among the leaders and health care experts who served on a recent roundtable discussion in Northwest Arkansas focusing on strategies for improving the state’s maternal mortality and morbidity rates. The panel featured U.S. Sen. John Boozman and was moderated by Olivia Walton. The event was a follow-up to a roundtable hosted by Sen. Boozman and held at UAMS in February. Dr. McElfish highlighted the need for innovative strategies to meet mothers where they are throughout Arkansas, including outreach through telehealth, remote monitoring, and more. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Research Collaboration Exemplifies Translational Spirit

A research collaboration between basic science researchers in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology and clinicians in the Department of Ophthalmology is helping to ensure that findings in the laboratory relating to retinal ischemic diseases will translate into better care for patients. The collaboration was launched in 2021 when Pharmacology & Toxicology Chair Dr. Nancy Rusch introduced a new faculty member, Dr. Abdel Fouda, to Ophthalmology Chair Dr. Paul Phillips. Additional experts were soon on board, including Ophthalmology faculty members Drs. Ahmed Sallam, Sami Uwaydat, Florin Grigorian and Paula Grigorian. The efforts have resulted in a number of projects and scholarly work, training collaborations and external funding. Read more on the Pharmacology & Toxicology or Ophthalmology websites.

Pediatric Otolaryngology Textbook

Dr. Gresham Richter, Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, is Senior Editor on a new textbook, “Essential Pediatric Otolaryngology, Volume I: General Principles, Otology, and Aerodigestive.” The textbook, published by Nova Science Publishers, is the first of two volumes of a comprehensive review of pediatric otolaryngology. Dr. Richter brings extensive, internationally recognized expertise to the publication. At UAMS and Arkansas Children’s, he serves as Chief of Pediatric Otolaryngology and holds the James Hamlen and Robert Siebert Endowed Chair in Pediatric Otolaryngology at ACH. Associate Professor Dr. Andre Wineland is a contributing author of the textbook.

National Award for Pediatric CF Care Team

Congratulations to the Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Care Center team at Arkansas Children’s Hospital for being selected to receive the 2024 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Quality Improvement Award. The center is the only accredited pediatric center in the state of Arkansas. Dr. Ariel Berlinski, Professor of Pediatrics in the Section of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, directs the center, and Assistant Professor Dr. Matthew Pertzborn serves as Associate Director. The team will be recognized at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Boston late this month. (As previously shared in Accolades, the UAMS Adult CF Care Center also is being honored!) The Pediatric CF center’s quality improvement initiatives include reducing the use of acid suppressor therapies that are known to have multiple side effects and increase the risk for complications.

National Pathology Recognition

Dr. Hoda Hagrass, Assistant Professor of Pathology, was recently recognized in Medical Laboratory Observer magazine’s “55 Under 55.” The special feature honored laboratory professionals from across the country who are making a significant contribution to their organization’s success. The feature was published as part of the magazine’s 55^th anniversary celebration. Dr. Hagrass serves as Medical Director of the Clinical Chemistry and Immunology Laboratories at UAMS and the Clinical Chemistry and Metabolic Diseases Laboratories at Arkansas Children’s.

Pediatric Emergency Medicine at National Meetings

The Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics will be well represented at academic national meetings this fall. Assistant Professor Dr. Hannah Wilkins will present “Characteristics of Severe Pediatric Intentional Ingestions Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic” at the American Academy of Pediatrics Meeting. Meanwhile, three others have had abstracts accepted for oral presentations at the American College of Emergency Physicians Meeting. Fellow Dr. Ryan Waddell will present “Gender Identity and Gender Dysphoria in Adolescent Patients Presenting to Pediatric Emergency Department with Positive Behavioral Health Screens;” Fellow Dr. Lyndsay Fisher will deliver “Characteristics and Length of Stay of Children with Bronchiolitis with and without Intravenous Hydration;” and Assistant Professor Dr. April Clawson will discuss “Keeping up with the Flow: Strategic Initiatives to Manage an ED with Reduced Pediatric Resident Workforce.”

Pediatric Sedation Expertise

Pediatric Anesthesiology faculty at Arkansas Children’s have earned a national reputation for providing excellent training in pediatric sedation for non-anesthesiologists in other specialty areas and heath care disciplines. Since 2011, Associate Professors Dr. Anna Maria Onisei and Dr. Saif Siddiqui have served as invited faculty for the annual Pediatric Sedation Outside of the Operating Room Conference hosted by Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. UAMS faculty will lend their expertise at the upcoming American Academy of Pediatrics conference for a second year. Assistant Professor Dr. Meenakshi Atteri and Professor Dr. Destiny Chau were invited faculty at the inaugural and well-received 2023 AAP sedation workshop, which was developed by former faculty member Dr. Meera Gangadharan, who has maintained strong ties with Arkansas Children’s. The 2024 workshop is being expanded to train 50 participants, and Dr. Onisei will join Dr. Atteri and Dr. Chau on the team of experts.

Presidential Poster Award

Dr. Tyler Ratliff, a second-year resident in the UAMS-Washington Regional Internal Medicine Residency, has been selected to receive the Presidential Poster Award from the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) for his abstract “Jejunal Diverticulosis as a Rare Cause of GI Bleeding.” The award is given to the top 5% of submitted posters, from among over 6,000 submissions, for the ACG National Meeting. Dr. Ratliff will present his work and receive the award at the meeting in Philadelphia in October.

Newly Published

Second-year UAMS Internal Medicine resident Dr. J. Curran Henson is first author on an article published in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. Dr. Hakan Paydak, Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Program, is senior author. Additional coauthors are M.D./Ph.D. M4 student Lauren (Clai) Morehead, M3 medical student Niroshi Wijewardane and third-year Internal Medicine resident Dr. Joshua Hagood. The article describes the use of Theophylline for management of sinus node dysfunction in a patient with acute lithium toxicity as a means to avoid further invasive measures such as hemodialysis and temporary transvenous pacing.

UAMS College of Medicine Names Ashley Booth Norse, M.D., Chair of Emergency Medicine

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine has named Ashley Booth Norse, M.D., as chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and clinical service chief for emergency medicine for UAMS Medical Center. Dr. Norse, who started at UAMS on Jan. 6, 2025, previously served as professor and associate chair of operations in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville.

“Dr. Norse is known nationally and in Florida as an ardent emergency medicine physician, leader and patient advocate who has strived to improve standards and performance in her field and medicine more broadly,” Steven Webber, MBChB, College of Medicine dean and UAMS executive vice chancellor, said in an Aug. 26 announcement to faculty. “She will be an outstanding leader for our excellent programs, faculty and staff in Emergency Medicine.”

Dr. Norse served as a faculty member at University of Florida (UF) Health Jacksonville from 2005 until her recruitment to UAMS. Her leadership roles there also included medical director for the UF Emergency Department and ED Observation Unit, as well as director of Physician Assistant Services, Governmental Affairs, and the Emergency Medicine Administrative Fellowship in the department.

Norse received her medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans in 2001. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at the University of Florida/Shands Hospital (now UF Health) in Jacksonville, serving as chief resident during her final year. Norse continued her training with a fellowship in health care policy at the University of Florida before joining the UF Health faculty as an assistant professor.

In addition to her academic and clinical roles at UF Health, Norse has held numerous national and state roles. She is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians (FACEP) and currently serves on the ACEP Governmental Affairs, Reimbursement and State Legislative Affairs committees. She is also vice-president of the Florida Medical Association and serves on its Board of Directors. She is a past-president of the Duval (Florida) County Medical Society and the Florida College of Emergency Physicians.

Norse’s scholarly work has included numerous publications and regional, national and international presentations. She has received many honors for teaching and professional service, including the Administrator of the Year Award from the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine; Medical Director of the Year Award from the American Association of Women Emergency Physicians; the Martin J. Gottlieb Award for Outstanding Advocacy in Emergency Medicine from the Florida College of Emergency Physicians; and multiple faculty awards from UF Health Jacksonville.

(This article was updated in January 2025.)

Alan Tackett, Ph.D., Named Executive Associate Dean for Basic Science Research in UAMS College of Medicine

Alan Tackett, Ph.D., distinguished professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and deputy director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has been appointed executive associate dean for basic science research in the UAMS College of Medicine.

“Dr. Tackett has served in many research leadership roles at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s and has an extensive portfolio of successful grants and scholarly accomplishments, Steven Webber, MBChB, MRCP, College of Medicine Dean and UAMS Executive Vice Chancellor,” said in an Aug. 23 announcement to faculty. “Alan will provide excellent leadership as we work to expand basic science programs in the College of Medicine.”

“I look forward to working with faculty colleagues, administration and leadership in the UAMS College of Medicine to take our research enterprise to the next level,” said Tackett. “We will look to build upon strategic partnerships and collaborations across UAMS, our state, and beyond to address pressing biomedical research questions that impact human health across the lifespan.”

Tackett has served as deputy director of the Cancer Institute since 2021. He has directed the Center for Translational Pediatric Research (CTPR) – a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) – in the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute since 2017. Tackett has directed the NIH IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics at UAMS since 2016. He has also served on numerous institutional committees.

Tackett earned his doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology at UAMS under the mentorship of Kevin Raney, Ph.D., graduating in 2002. He completed postdoctoral training in cancer epigenetics and proteomics at the Rockefeller University in New York. He joined the UAMS faculty in 2005 and rose through the academic ranks to become a distinguished professor in 2023. He holds secondary faculty appointments in the College of Medicine departments of Pathology and Pediatrics.

While serving on the UAMS faculty, Tackett has built an internationally recognized research team focused on uncovering new therapeutic strategies to treat metastatic melanoma and developing the next generation of molecular profiling technologies to identify cancer biomarkers. He has been funded as principal investigator by five different NIH institutes for both basic and translational research across the biomedical research spectrum. He has been continuously funded by the NIH throughout his career, with more than $40 million in federal funding to date, and currently serves as a principal investigator of four R01s, one R21, and two center-level grants.

Tackett has published more than 150 scientific articles and holds multiple patents stemming from his research. He has shared his expertise on more than 60 NIH study sections and review panels. He is currently vice-president and president-elect of the National Association of IDeA Principal Investigators.

Among many honors, Tackett has served since 2016 as the inaugural recipient of the Scharlau Family Endowed Chair in Cancer Research at UAMS. He was named Investigator of the Year by the Arkansas Biosciences Institute in 2018, was named a Fellow of the Arkansas Research Alliance in 2021. He will be recognized by his undergraduate alma mater this year as a Hendrix College Odyssey Medal recipient for research.

Recent Faculty Appointments – August 2024

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.

Department of Anesthesiology

Kristel Magsino, M.D.

Kristel Magsino, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Associate Professor. She will serve at both UAMS and Arkansas Children’s. Dr. Magsino received her medical degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in Loma Linda, California. She completed her residency in anesthesiology at Loma Linda and continued her training with a fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Magsino served as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology at Loma Linda University prior to her recruitment to UAMS.

Jessie Merrill, M.D.

Jessie Merrill, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Merrill received her medical degree at the Ohio State University in Columbus. She completed her residency in anesthesiology at UAMS and continued her training with a fellowship in obstetric anesthesiology at Ohio State. Dr. Merrill served as an obstetric anesthesiologist in Cleveland for the past year before joining UAMS.

Department of Emergency Medicine

Calixto Romero, M.D.

Calixto Romero, M.D., has joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and specialist in the Medical Intensive Care Unit. Dr. Romero received his medical degree at the American University of the Caribbean in St. Maarten. He completed his emergency medicine residency at the University of South Florida/HCA Florida Brandon Hospital, where he served as Chief Resident during his final year. Dr. Romero continued his training in New England, completing a fellowship in critical care medicine with Dartmouth Health in Lebanon, New Hampshire. While at Dartmouth, he spent a considerable amount of time with the flight program, DHART, serving as a Clinical Instructor and focusing on advanced procedures in flight as well as deployment of ultrasound in the field. During his fellowship training, he also served as an emergency medicine attending physician at a rural critical access emergency department in Claremont, New Hampshire.

Department of Internal Medicine

Russell Roark, M.D.

Russell Roark, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor in the Division of Gastroenterology. Dr. Roark received his medical degree in 2017 from the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine in Galveston, where he also completed a residency in internal medicine. Dr. Roark came to UAMS in 2021 to continue his training as a fellow in the Division of Gastroenterology and is currently completing his last year as the Advanced Endoscopy Fellow.

Alan P. Baltz, M.D.

Alan Baltz, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Baltz received his medical degree from UAMS in 2018 and remained at UAMS for his internal medicine residency. He spent the following year as a research fellow at MedStar Health in Columbia, Maryland. Dr. Baltz continued his training with a fellowship in hematology/oncology at UAMS, where he served as Chief Fellow his final year. Dr. Baltz has received many honors and awards during his training and has been active in scholarly work. He has served as a reviewer for the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Khristian M. Sunga, M.D.

Khristian Sunga, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Sunga received his medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield in 2016. He completed his internal medicine residency at Indiana University. Dr. Sunga worked as a hospitalist at Indiana University Methodist Hospital for two years and went on to serve for two years as an attending physician at Mercy St. Louis.

Einnod Williams, M.D., MPH

Einnod Williams, M.D., MPH, has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Williams received his medical degree and Master of Public Health from UAMS in 2021. He completed his internal medicine residency at UAMS in June 2024. While in medical school, he was active and served as a leader in the Student National Medical Association (SNMA).

Department of Medical Humanities and Bioethics

Eva Regel, D.Be.

Eva Regel, D.Be., has joined the Department of Medical Humanities and Bioethics as an Assistant Professor. After serving in social work, Dr. Regel received her doctorate in bioethics at Loyola University in Chicago and went to serve as a clinical ethicist at Mass General in Boston. She holds multiple master’s degrees, including one in bioethics from Harvard University, one in social work from Boston College, and one in economics from the University of Houston. Dr. Regel will focus much of her time on clinical ethics at both UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She has special interests in the ethics of burn care and psychiatry.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Kristina Jones, M.D.

Kristina Jones, M.D., has joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Jones earned her medical degree from the University of Mississippi in 2014. She also completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the university, where she served as Residency Education Chief. Dr. Jones has held previous academic appointments at the University of California, Davis and Texas A&M University, where she was an Assistant Professor with the Baylor Scott and White Women’s Health Group in Dallas. While there, she was honored with the Baylor Resident Teaching Award, the Chief Resident Teaching Award and the Medical Student Teaching Award.

Viktoriya Tulchinskaya, M.D.

Viktoriya Tulchinskaya, M.D., has joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology.Dr. Tulchinskaya received her medical degree at the University of Kansas. She completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of Louisville Hospital. She continued her training with a fellowship in pediatric and adolescent gynecology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Her clinical interests include the breadth of pediatric and adolescent gynecology, including management of heavy menstrual bleeding and bleeding disorders, as well as surgical management of Müllerian anomalies and adnexal masses.

Department of Pediatrics

Hannah G. Barkley, M.D., M.S.

Hannah Barkley, M.D., M.S., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Instructor and Pediatric Chief Resident. Dr. Barkley received her medical degree at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport School of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency at UAMS and Children’s Hospital in June 2024. Dr. Barkley is interested in medical education, advocacy and wellness within medical training programs.

Devin W. Cook, D.O.

Devin Cook, D.O., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Instructor and Pediatric Chief Resident. Dr. Cook received his medical degree from the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Smith. He completed his pediatric residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Cook plans to pursue a career in developmental-behavioral pediatrics with a focus on autism diagnosis and research.

Collette M. Tilly, M.D.

Collette Tilly, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Instructor and Pediatric Chief Resident. Dr. Tilly earned her medical degree at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. She completed her internal medicine-pediatrics residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She is currently pursuing a fellowship in allergy-immunology. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Dr. Tilly is interested in medical education, curriculum development and quality improvement initiatives.

Hamza Hassan Khan, M.D.

Hamza Hassan Khan, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Section. Dr. Khan received his medical degree at Shifa College of Medicine, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan. He worked as a research assistant at the Transplant Center for Children, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, in Washington, D.C., before completing his pediatric residency and serving as a Chief Pediatric Resident at Ascension St. John Children’s Hospital in Detroit. He continued his training with a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston. Dr. Khan’s clinical focus is advanced and transnasal endoscopy. Active in clinical research, he secured an intramural grant during his fellowship to study intestinal ultrasound findings compared to endoscopy at diagnosis in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Department of Psychiatry

Kyle Camp, M.D.

Kyle Camp, M.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Camp graduated from the UAMS College of Medicine in 2019 and completed his residency in psychiatry at UAMS in 2022. He continued his training with a post-graduate fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at UAMS. Dr. Camp provides telehealth psychiatry services to children and adolescents at the UAMS Child Study Center and STRIVE programs and sees adult patients at the Psychiatric Research Institute-Northwest in Fayetteville. He also sees patients in the University of Arkansas’ student mental health service.

Erin Jefferson, M.D.

Erin Jefferson, M.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Instructor and the inaugural UAMS Women’s Mental Health Fellow. Dr. Jefferson graduated from the UAMS College of Medicine in 2020 and completed her residency in psychiatry at UAMS this spring. Dr. Jefferson cares for patients in the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute’s Women’s Mental Health Clinic and on the Women’s Inpatient Unit.

Laura K. Rohm, Psy.D.

Laura Rohm, Psy.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Rohm received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Loyola University in New Orleans in 2015. She received a Master’s in Health Science from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans in 2017. She continued her education at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Xavier University in New Orleans, where she received master’s and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology. She most recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in trauma psychology at UAMS.

Dr. Rohm will see patients in the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute’s Walker Family Clinic for evidence-based treatment of trauma. She will also work across the hospital to provide screening, assessment and brief interventions for trauma surgery and orthopaedic trauma patients. She plans to continue participating in research activities with the UAMS Health and Legal System (HEALS) Lab as well as UAMS Project HEAL.

Department of Radiology

Andrew Buchan, M.D.

Andrew Buchan, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Interventional Radiology. Dr. Buchan received his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans in 2018. He completed an integrated residency in diagnostic and interventional radiology at UAMS. Dr. Buchan served as Chief Resident in Diagnostic Radiology in 2022-2023. In 2022, he received the Chris Hackler Award for Excellence Medical Ethics, an honor awarded to one resident at UAMS each year.

Accolades – August 14, 2024

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.

Medical Humanities in Spotlight at National Conference

Congratulations to Dr. D. Micah Hester, Professor and Chair of Medical Humanities and Bioethics, on being selected to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH). Dr. Hester will be honored during the organization’s annual meeting in St. Louis next month for his leadership in advancing the goals of the ASBH, the largest society devoted to bioethics and health humanities professionals. He has served in many ASBH roles, including Chair of the Annual Conference Program Committee, member of the Nominating Committee, and At-large Director on the society’s Board of Directors. Dr. Hester has served at UAMS for 20 years, including the past 13 as Department Chair.

The department will be well represented at the ASBH conference. Assistant Professor Dr. Lauren Bunch will present a paper exploring practical considerations with “trust” in health care. Assistant Professor Dr. Eva Regel will present on a humanistic approach to health care with refugees. Dr. Hester will discuss the ethics of the relationship between hospital and organ procurement organizations.

Quality Improvement Recognition for CF Team

Congratulations to the UAMS Adult Cystic Fibrosis Care Center team on being selected to receive the 2024 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Quality Improvement Award for their work to ensure the very best care for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The center is directed by Dr. Larry Johnson, Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. The team (click here for a photo and names) will be recognized at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Boston in late September. The center’s quality improvement initiatives include increasing referrals for colonoscopies, because patients with CF patients can have significantly earlier onset of colorectal cancer than the general population.

AAP Presentation to Highlight QI Project

Dr. Rebecca Martin, a third-year fellow in the Section of Pediatric Critical Care, has been selected to present an ongoing QI projected titled “Improving PICU Fellow Feedback” at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference in Orlando, Florida, in September. Additional authors are faculty members Dr. Katherine Irby (Pediatrics-Critical Care); Dr. Deidre Wyrick (Surgery-Pediatric General Surgery); and senior author Dr. Tyler Cunningham (Pediatrics-Cardiology). Their early interventions have improved feedback delivered to PICU fellows from 17.2% in academic year 2022-2023 to 46.7% in the first quarter of academic year 2023. The project also received an AAP Section of Critical Care Early Faculty Travel Award as the highest-scoring abstract.

Monkeypox’s Neuropsychiatric Side Effects

Dr. Abhilash Thatikala, Academic Chief Resident in the Department of Neurology, is first author on an article in the journal Heart and Mind discussing the neuropsychiatric manifestations of monkeypox. The World Health organization declared monkeypox a global health crisis in 2022, and the disease has been in the news recently with cases once again rising in Africa. The research team included colleagues from the departments of Neurology, Radiology and Psychiatry. They found that neuropsychiatric symptoms such as pain, headache, mood disorders, emotional issues and/or anxiety were present in about one-third of the monkeypox cases documented in the retrospective cross-sectional study, warranting awareness by clinicians.

Inspiring Future Doctors & Health Professionals

Medical students juggle a heavy load of classwork, studying and other obligations, and yet many, like M2 Grant Broadway, still manage to find time to pay it forward. Grant recently organized outreach activities for students in a summer program at That After School Place in Little Rock. He first presented a talk at the center for elementary and middle school students to help raise awareness of medical careers. Most recently, he organized a tour of UAMS for 10 middle school students. (Here are a couple of photos.) Other tour volunteers included College of Medicine Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Sharanda Williams and Nick Pettus with UAMS Academic Pathways and Workforce Partnerships. Kudos to these team members and all who take the time to inspire future health professionals.

Nationally Recognized Breast Cancer Care

A shout-out to Dr. Ronda Henry-Tillman, Professor of Surgery and Chief of Breast Oncology, and the entire team in the Breast Cancer Program in the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, for their work to achieve reaccreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). The NAPBC designation from the American College of Surgeons distinguishes the program as one of the best breast cancer treatment programs in the nation. The UAMS Breast Center, a part of the Breast Cancer Program, is likewise designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. The Breast Center is directed by Dr. Gwendolyn Bryant-Smith, Professor of Radiology. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

UAMS Top Docs (and more!)

Finally this last week, congratulations to the many College of Medicine faculty physicians honored in the annual health care-focused “Best of” lists of two Little Rock publications. The August issue of Little Rock Soirée features its Little Rock’s Top Docs 2024 list, a compilation of outstanding physicians as voted on by peer physicians across many specialties. The August issue of AY About You features the 2024 AY’s Best Health Care Professionals, as voted on by readers. UAMS honorees who have provider profiles on the UAMS Health website are also showcased on these webpages: UAMS Top Doctors/Soiree 2024; UAMS/AY Best of 2024. Kudos to all for your dedication to excellent patient care.

Meanwhile, UAMS team members, clinics and UAMS as a whole are among the Top 5 finalists in 11 categories of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Best of 2024 competition – and you can help push them all on to victory. Voting is open through Aug. 26. More information and ballot links are available in this UAMS Announcement.