Tamara Robinson

Accolades – May 3, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dean’s Honor Day 2023: Meet our Honorees

The UAMS College of Medicine is proud to honor the recipients of the 2023 Dean’s Honor Day Awards. The outstanding team members highlighted on this page were recognized in an April 25 ceremony in the Fred Smith Auditorium on the UAMS campus.

Capping the ceremony was the presentation of the Distinguished Faculty Service Award to David L. Davies, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences who has served on the faculty for 38 years and continues to lead key educational activities for the college. The award is just the latest for Dr. Davies, who has been long recognized as an exceptional educator.

Drs. Smith, Davies and Childs on stage at award presentation — COM Dean G. Richard Smith, M.D., (left) presents the Distinguished Faculty Service Award to David L. Davies, Ph.D., (center). They are joined by Dr. Davies’ chair and nominator, Gwen Childs, Ph.D.

Read more about Dr. Davies and the ceremony overall in the 2023 Dean’s Honor Day main feature story. (Link coming soon!)

Watch the video recording of the ceremony here.

View the video tribute to faculty being promoted to associate professor.
View the video tribute to faculty being promoted to professor or distinguished professor, and new emeritus faculty.

See a list of the 2023 promotion & tenure honorees.

Congratulations to the following 2023 award winners!

Staff Excellence Awards

Staff Excellence Award – Education
Kelly Hamman, LCSW
Trauma Treatment Training Specialist
Arkansas Building Effective Services for Trauma (ARBEST)
Department of Psychiatry

Kelly Hamman, LCSW, has dedicated her career to serving and advocating for some of the most vulnerable Arkansans as a trainer with Arkansas Building Effective Services for Trauma (ARBEST) in the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute.

Dr. Sufna John and Kelly Hamman, LCSW — Sufna John, Ph.D., presents the Staff Excellence Award in Education to Kelly Hamman, LCSW, (right).

ARBEST develops and carries out initiatives in clinical care, training, advocacy and evaluation to improve mental health outcomes for children who have experienced trauma. Hamman is integral in disseminating evidence-based treatments to clinicians throughout the state. She also teaches community volunteers how to facilitate a specialized parenting curriculum developed by ARBEST called Managing Youth Trauma Effectively. After training, these volunteers provide education and support for parents, many of whom are waiting to be able to reunite with their children.

In her nomination letter, Lindsey Roberts, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry, shared some of the praise Hamman has received. “Kelly holds the best interests of children and families in mind all the time, so it is not surprising that she goes above and beyond to ensure their needs are met,” said a colleague. “When she’s not thinking about children or families, she’s thinking about the best interests of the ARBEST team or ways to include the voices and perspectives of those whose voices have traditionally been left out of discussions around mental health.”

Staff Excellence Award – Research
Angela Kyzer, B.A.
Program Manager, Research and Evaluation Division
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine

Angela Kyzer, B.A., has provided stellar support for researchers in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine for 19 years. She currently serves as the program manager for multiple community-based intervention studies involving efforts to support young children’s social-emotional development, including interventions in early care and education settings.

Dr. Nikki Edge and Angie Kyzer, B.A. — Nikki Edge, Ph.D., presents the Staff Excellence Award in Education to Angela Kyzer, B.A. (right).

“It immediately became clear that Angie has an outstanding work ethic, strong initiative, a desire to learn and grow, and an ability to work effectively and respectfully with a wide range of colleagues and study participants,” said Nikki Edge, Ph.D., professor and associate director of the Research and Evaluation (RED) Division. Edge nominated Kyzer on behalf of numerous faculty and staff as well as community and national partners.

Early in her career, Kyzer worked on a series of studies involving mothers in substance abuse treatment with their children. She went on to volunteer extensively in prevention efforts, serving for 14 years on the statewide Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Task Force.

“Angie regularly contributes to scholarly activity and has a growing national reputation,” Edge wrote in her nomination. A research colleague from Georgetown University was quoted, explaining that Kyzer “has been integral to the process of disseminating findings from UAMS early childhood research to the larger scholarly community.”

Staff Excellence Award – Administration
Mark Mosby, B.S.
Division Administrator, Endocrinology and Metabolism
Department of Internal Medicine

Mark Mosby, B.S., has served in administrative, research and regulatory-focused positions at UAMS for 24 years. As administrator for the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism since 2011, he is responsible for the daily administration of faculty and staff, management of division budgets that include seven National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, and more.

Dr. Elena Ambrogini and Mark Mosby, B.S. — Elena Ambrogini, M.D., Ph.D., presents the Staff Excellence Award in Administration to Mark Mosby, B.S.

Nominators Elena Ambrogini, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor and division director, and Charles O’Brien, Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Musculoskeletal Disease Research, said that among many accomplishments, Mosby was instrumental in the preparation of the center’s NIH Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant and subsequent renewal.

“In addition to these major efforts, Mr. Mosby is also an effective problem solver,” they wrote in their nomination. “He takes responsibility even for assignments that are not his formal duty. In doing so, he sets an outstanding example for his administrative team and the rest of us in the Division. In our collective more than 40 years of time at UAMS, we have not known or worked with any administrator with a greater level of dedication and effectiveness.”

“Mr. Mosby is an exceptional employee, who builds a climate of comradery, positivity and cooperation, while displaying genuine caring and respect for his coworkers.”

Residency Educator Awards

Residency Educator – Program Coordinator
Stephanie Veach, B.A.
Program Coordinator, Pediatric Fellowship Programs:
Hematology Oncology, Emergency Medicine, Endocrinology, Child Abuse, Hospital Medicine

Dr. Molly Gathright and Stephanie Veach, B.A. — Molly Gathright, M.D., Executive Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, presents the Residency Educator – Program Coordinator Award to Stephanie Veach, B.A. (right).

Stephanie Veach, B.A., makes life smoother for trainees and faculty alike in five pediatric fellowship programs, including Hematology-Oncology, where nominator Joanna Mack, M.D., said she is indispensable.

“I could not do my job as a physician and program director without her,” Mack, assistant professor and fellowship program director, wrote in Veach’s nomination letter. “She is my partner in providing the best experience for fellows in graduate medical education.”

“Stephanie has been instrumental to my success in my first year as a pediatric hematology-oncology fellow,” Paige Strebeck, M.D., wrote in a supporting letter. “She is a great communicator and constantly reminds me of deadlines knowing that I have a busy first-year schedule. She checks in with me frequently just to make sure I’m doing alright.”

Mack said Veach seamlessly coordinates applicant interviews for the fellowship programs, scheduling interviews with more than 30 faculty and current fellows and ensuring that more than 60 applicants feel welcome. She noted that Veach also has done outstanding work as Fellows Day coordinator for several years across pediatric fellowship programs. “She truly goes above and beyond what is in her job description to help make fellowship easier for all fellows.”

Residency Educator – Program Director
Mollie Meek, M.D.
Professor, Department of RadiologyDirector, Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency

Mollie Meek, M.D., has excelled in numerous educational and clinical leadership roles in the Department of Radiology, including Division Director of Interventional Radiology since 2012 and Program Director for the Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency since its inception in 2016.

Molly Gathright, M.D., Executive Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, presents the Residency Educator – Program Director Award to Mollie Meek, M.D.

Several residents wrote in support of Meek’s nomination, citing her dedication to helping the next generation of physicians grow and learn both personally and professionally.

“Dr. Meek is passionate about teaching residents and has a unique ability to make complex medical concepts easy to understand, while also challenging residents to think critically and develop their problem-solving skills,” the residents wrote. “She always welcomes students and residents to do simple and complex cases with her believing there is always something to learn.”

Arabinda Choudhary, M.D., MBA, professor and chair of the Department of Radiology, lauded Meek’s service as program director and more broadly, including her work as a member of the UAMS Graduate Medical Education Committee and her recent appointment to the national Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Radiology Review Committee.

Faculty Awards in Education, Research and Humanism

Master Teacher Award
Rosalia C.M. Simmen, Ph.D.
Professor and Co-Vice Chair of Education
Director, Graduate Program Cell Biology and Physiology Track
Department of Physiology and Cell Biology

Rosalia C.M. Simmen, Ph.D., is highly regarded for her commitment to educational excellence in the classroom and for providing outstanding mentorship for graduate and medical students as well as early career scientists in the fields of endocrinology, physiology, and cell and cancer biology.

Dr. Teresita Bellido and Dr. Rosalia Simmen — Teresita Bellido, Ph.D., presents the Master Teacher Award to Rosalia C.M. Simmen, Ph.D. (right).

“Dr. Simmen is a dedicated and inspiring educator who has demonstrated excellence in education during her 37 years as an academician, including 20 years at UAMS,” Teresita Bellido, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, said in her nomination letter. “Her educational contributions at UAMS exhibit a remarkable breadth, covering teaching in the classroom and in the laboratory, mentoring and leadership, and teaching administration.”

Simmen’s internationally recognized research group has made significant contributions to the understanding of the basic mechanisms underlying women’s reproductive health issues including infertility, endometriosis, endometrial cancer, abnormal labor and breast cancer. “Rosie’s passion for research mobilizes students in the classroom and the lab, and her research laboratory provides optimal teaching opportunities,” Bellido wrote.

Simmen has served as track director for the Cell Biology and Physiology track in the UAMS Graduate School’s Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences program since 2018. She has taught in the endocrine and reproduction module for second-year medical students since 2016, earning praise for her lectures and making complex information understandable.

Educational Innovation Award
Leslie Stone, M.D., MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
William Ventres, M.D., M.A.
Associate Professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine

Family and Preventive Medicine colleagues Leslie Stone, M.D., MPH, and William Ventres, M.D., M.A., developed and implemented Philosophies of Family Medicine, an innovative and well-received curriculum for third-year medical students completing their clinical rotations in family medicine.

Drs. Richard Turnage, Leslie Stone and William Ventres — Richard Turnage, M.D., (left) presents the Educational Innovation Award to Leslie Stone, M.D., (center) and William Ventres, M.D.

The curriculum highlights the important role of family medicine in the health care system, including the centrality of the bio-psycho-social model to family medicine, the therapeutic nature of the doctor-patient relationship, the importance of robust primary-care practice to health equity, and the necessity of working together in systems-based care. The “flipped curriculum” model of learning has students read key articles prior to each session, which has prompted lively discussions among students.

“It encourages student involvement in a supportive, engaging, and thoughtful manner around topics that are useful for student physicians entering any discipline,” wrote nominator Richard Turnage, M.D., interim chair of the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and vice chancellor for UAMS Regional Campuses. Turnage noted that Stone, Ventres and colleagues recently published an article on the effectiveness of the curriculum in PRiMER (Peer-Reviewed Reports in Medical Education Research).

“The Philosophies of Family Medicine curriculum is a wonderful example of the creativeness and innovation I have come to know exists within family medicine,” Turnage wrote. “We should all learn from this curriculum and celebrate the efforts of Drs. Stone and Ventres.”

Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award
Presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation
Deidre Wyrick, M.D.Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery
Department of Pediatrics, Section of Critical Care Medicine
Trauma Medical Director, Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Deidre Wyrick, M.D., is just a few years into her career as a faculty member, but the pediatric surgeon is proof that you do not need years of experience as faculty to be recognized as among the best. She proves that every day with the standard of care she provides.

Jennifer York, APRN, and Dr. Deidre Wyrick — Jennifer York, APRN, presents the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award to Deidre Wyrick, M.D. (right).

“When it comes to compassionate patient care, I can honestly say that in my 22 years of clinical experience, I have yet to encounter someone better at the role than Dr. Wyrick,” Jennifer York, APRN, wrote in her nomination letter. “She is wise, considerate, kindhearted, and cares deeply for her patients and their families.”

Wyrick graduated from the College of Medicine in 2010 and stayed at UAMS for her general surgery residency and pediatric surgery fellowship. She continued her training with a surgical critical care fellowship at Oregon Health and Sciences University and was recruited to UAMS and Arkansas Children’s in 2020. Wyrick holds a number of leadership roles in pediatric trauma and surgical critical care. She is highly respected for her teaching and mentoring, as well as for providing exceptional patient- and family-centered care.

“She recognizes that trauma, surgical and critically ill patients have complex medical needs that can feel overwhelming to family members,” York wrote. “Dr. Wyrick has an innate ability to connect with patients and families in difficult situations.”

Excellence in Research Award
Paul Drew, Ph.D.
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences
Professor and Director of Research, Department of NeurologyAssistant Dean for Research, College of Medicine

Paul Drew, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized neuroscientist who has contributed substantially to the research enterprise at UAMS for the past 26 years through scholarly work, teaching and mentoring, and numerous research leadership roles.

Dr. Gwen Childs and Dr. Paul Drew — Gwen Childs, Ph.D., presents the Excellence in Research Award to Paul Drew, Ph.D.

“Dr. Drew is a well-rounded researcher who attracts graduate students and collaborators and has established an outstanding record of publications and service to his field,” said nominator Gwen Childs, Ph.D., distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences. “He is both a leader in his field and has served us well as a leader in research on campus.”

Drew’s research has focused on neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases with a focus on multiple sclerosis (MS), alcohol use disorders (AUD) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Through seminal discoveries, his research team has significantly advanced the understanding of central nervous system cell population responses to alcohol exposure at all ages.

His work has been steadily funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation, and private funding agencies including the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Rampy Foundation for MS Research. He frequently reviews grants for the NIH, the Department of Defense and the National MS Society.

As Assistant Dean for Research, Drew facilitates collaborative research initiatives across the College of Medicine. He co-leads a “creativity hub” focused on neurodegenerative disease research. He has served on numerous college and university committees.

Faculty Awards for Clinical Excellence

Outstanding Advanced Practice Provider
Jennifer York, APRN, MNsc, CPNP-AC
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
Division of Pediatric Surgery and Trauma
Arkansas Children’s Hospital and UAMS

Jennifer York, APRN, is so highly respected and appreciated by clinical colleagues, learners and others at Arkansas Children’s that if you are walking through the hospital with her and are in a hurry, it might be difficult making your way to your destination with so many stopping for her advice.

Dr. Deidre Wyrick and Jennifer York, APRN — Deidre Wyrick, M.D., presents the inaugural Clinical Excellence – Outstanding Advanced Practice Provider Award to Jennifer York, APRN (right).

“Amazingly, when she is stopped, she makes the person she is talking to feel like they are the most important thing she is doing at that moment,” Deidre Wyrick, M.D., wrote in her nomination of York. “While this might seem like ‘fluff,’ it is crucial to why she is such a great APRN. She has fostered this trust and respect from her colleagues because she is excellent.”

Wyrick said York provides outstanding patient- and family centered care, is a skilled communicator, promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, and teaches across the spectrum of care providers. She has served as an APRN in Pediatric Surgery and Trauma for five years and previously held positions in other areas.

York currently serves on the APRN Council at Arkansas Children’s and has been recognized for her work through multiple honors. She is also active in the field at the national level, currently serving as Vice-Chair of the Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Steering Committee of the Pediatric Trauma Society.

Excellence in Quality and Safety
Zachary Lewis, M.D.
Associate Professor, Division of Emergency Ultrasound
Department of Emergency Medicine

Zachary Lewis, M.D., is dedicated to ensuring the quality and safety of care for patients in the Emergency Department now and in the future through education, quality assurance activities and other measures.

Dr. Jason Arthur and Dr. Zachary Lewis — Jason Arthur, M.D., MPH, presents the Clinical Excellence – Quality and Safety Award to Zachary Lewis, M.D. (right).

“Since joining the faculty, he has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of education and clinical care regarding point-of-care ultrasound both within UAMS and throughout the emergency medicine community,” Jason Arthur, M.D., MPH, wrote in his nomination of Lewis. Lewis was the first fellow trained in emergency ultrasound at UAMS. He currently serves as co-director of Emergency Ultrasound Education, the Pediatric Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship, and the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship.

Lewis has performed quality assurance on over 17,000 point-of-care ultrasounds at UAMS since joining the faculty in 2017. Lewis and colleagues in the Division of Emergency Ultrasound perform quality assurance on all ultrasound studies performed in the Emergency Department, to ensure excellent care, foster quality improvement, and add an additional layer of safety for patients. Lewis also has served on task forces to develop and implement multiple state-of-the-art applications of point-of-care ultrasound.

“Beyond ultrasound, Dr. Lewis has a passion for ensuring efficient and compassionate care,” Arthur said, noting his collaborations with others to make improvements in the electronic health record system that will increase clinical efficiency, safety and provider satisfaction.

Excellence in Service and Professionalism
Konstantinos Arnaoutakis, M.D.
Associate Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology
Program Director, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program
Department of Internal Medicine

Konstantinos Arnaoutakis, M.D., brings excellent clinical skills, leadership and a strong commitment to service to his work with patients, fellows and other learners in the Division of Hematology/Oncology.

Dr. Rang Govindarajan and Dr. Konstantinos Arnaoutakis — Rang Govindarajan, M.D., presents the Clinical Excellence – Service and Professionalism Award to Konstantinos Arnaoutakis, M.D. (right).

Arnaoutakis joined the faculty in 2009. He served as associate program director for the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program from 2011 to January 2021, when he was named program director.

“Dr. Arnaoutakis has significantly contributed to the service and growth of our division,” Division Director Rang Govindarajan, M.D., said in his nomination letter. “He is a great teacher, very collegial, and liked by all his peers, nurses and patients.”

Govindarajan said Arnaoutakis provides excellent care for patients as well as outstanding consultation services for clinical colleagues. “He is compassionate and takes personal responsibility and pride in providing individual patient care, Govindarajan wrote. “I see him following through on his patients’ needs by staying late at work, and sometimes coming in very early in the mornings prior to inpatient rounds. His patients feel that Dr. Arnaoutakis treats them like a family member.”

“As Hematology/Oncology Program director, he does an excellent job managing and mentoring fellows,” Govindarajan said. “He is approachable and takes great care to guide them. Dr. Arnaoutakis is a great advocate for the fellows, residents and medical students.”

Best Consulting Physician
Samidha Tripathi, M.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Director, Consultation-Liaison Service
Psychiatric Research Institute

Samidha Tripathi, M.D., was formally appointed as director of the Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service at UAMS last year in recognition of her outstanding collaborative work as a psychiatrist and consulting physician.

Dr. Laura Dunn and Dr. Samidha Tripathi — Laura Dunn, M.D., presents the Clinical Excellence – Best Consulting Physician Award to Samidha Triphathi, M.D., (right) a few days before the formal Dean’s Honor Day Ceremony, which Dr. Tripathi was unable to attend.

“Dr. Tripathi has skillfully demonstrated that building effective collaborative relationships across different groups can help address the mental health needs of Arkansans and help improve the quality of care delivered to our patients at UAMS,” Laura Dunn, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Psychiatric Research Institute, said in her nomination letter.

Consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatry is a subspecialty of psychiatry that focuses on the care of patients with co-existing psychiatric and general medical conditions. The care of these patients can be complex, and C-L psychiatrists must work closely with clinicians across a wide range of primary and specialty care teams.

Dr. Tripathi has collaborated with other clinical teams to improve care and reduce boarding times of patients with mental health needs in the Emergency Department, and to implement a collaborative care model for improving access to mental health treatment for Arkansans at several primary care clinics. She continues to work in additional areas to further integrate mental health services.

Collaborations and Teamwork
Patient Care, Laboratory Diagnostic and Antimicrobial Stewardship Project Team
Eric R. Rosenbaum, M.D., MPH
Katherine T. Lusardi, Pharm.D., BCIDP
Ryan K. Dare, M.D.
Juan Carlos Rico, M.D.
Nicole M. Emery, M(ASCP)
Brett J. Bailey, Pharm.D.

In 2017, an interdisciplinary team of laboratory specialists, pharmacists and infectious disease experts came together to help address the medical, financial and public health burdens that bloodstream infections impose in hospitals such as UAMS.

Five team members on stage — The Clinical Excellence – Collaborations and Teamwork Award was presented to colleagues (from left) Eric Rosenbaum, M.D., MPH, Ryan Dare, M.D., Katherine Lusardi, Pharm.D., BCIDP, Nicole Emery, M(ASCP), and Brett Bailey, Pharm.D., (not pictured).

Together, the team pioneered the introduction of a completely new type of laboratory diagnostic technology that has improved care of UAMS patients with life-threatening bloodstream infections. The work has subsequently received significant international attention for successfully demonstrating substantial downstream cost savings through the technology.

The project team includes Eric Rosenbaum, M.D., MPH, associate professor in the Department of Pathology and medical director of UAMS Clinical Microbiology; Division of Infectious Disease faculty members Ryan Dare, M.D., and Juan Carlos Rico, M.D.; Katherine Lusardi, Pharm. D. (UAMS Hospital Pharmacy); Nicole Emery, M(ASCP) (Pathology); and Brett Bailey, Pharm.D. (UAMS Clinical Informatics).

The team initially convened to evaluate newly available laboratory systems capable of rapidly identifying pathogens and determining the appropriate antibiotic treatment using blood samples collected from patients suspected of having serious bloodstream infections. After selecting the FDA-approved Accelerate Pheno^TM technology, the team tested and validated the system and introduced it for patient testing. The team continued to work together in the following years, analyzing and quantifying the positive impacts of the new system. The results have been highlighted in numerous journal articles and presentations at national and international conferences.

Rising Star Clinical Faculty
Joseph Henske, M.D.
Associate Professor, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Director, UAMS Diabetes Program
Department of Internal Medicine

Joseph Henske, M.D., has quickly garnered recognition as an outstanding, extremely dedicated and effective diabetes-focused clinician and educator who has made fundamental contributions to the UAMS mission.

Elena Ambrogini, M.D., Ph.D., presents the Clinical Excellence – Rising Star Award to Joseph Henske, M.D.

“Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes himself at the age of 15, Dr. Henske has committed his life to helping others better manage their disease,” Elena Ambrogini, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, said in her nomination of Henske, who joined the faculty in 2019. “In his brief time here, Dr. Henske has greatly impacted the care of patients with diabetes in our institution as well as the state of Arkansas at large.”

“He always goes the extra mile and spends endless hours to identify the optimal and latest approach to treatment,” Ambrogini wrote. “He never gives up on anyone.”

Henske, director of the UAMS Diabetes Program, also has advocated publicly for the needs of patients with diabetes. His testimony and work with Arkansas legislators helped to secure the 2021 law mandating that the Arkansas Medicaid program cover a continuous glucose monitor for individuals with diabetes. At UAMS, he has been active in teaching and mentoring of students, residents and fellows, and has presented extensively on diabetes topics for colleagues in other specialties.

Physician of the Year
Thomas Kiser, M.D., MPH
Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Thomas Kiser, M.D., MPH, has dedicated his career to providing stellar care for Arkansans with spinal cord injuries and other conditions requiring highly specialized physical rehabilitation.

Dr. Kevin Means and Dr. Thomas Kiser — Kevin Means, M.D., presents the Clinical Excellence – Physician of the Year Award to Thomas Kiser, M.D., MPH, (right).

“Over the past 26-plus years, Dr. Kiser has distinguished himself locally and nationally as an outstanding clinician and teacher, Professor and Chair Kevin Means, M.D., wrote in his nomination. “He has demonstrated excellent leadership within our department, within the hospital where we at UAMS Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) primarily practice, the Baptist Health Rehabilitation Institute (BHRI), within Arkansas, and within our specialty.”

“Dr. Kiser has demonstrated subspecialty knowledge, expertise, and substantial practice experience dedicated to the care of the most vulnerable, most complex, and most severely disabled subpopulations of persons requiring medical rehabilitation,” Means wrote.

Kiser received his medical degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia and came to UAMS for his internship and residency training in PM&R. In addition to his certification by the American Board of PM&R, he was among the first group of physiatrists nationally to earn additional certification in spinal cord injury medicine. He received a Master of Public Health from the Arkansas MPH Program and Tulane University in 2000.

Kiser has served as Medical Director of the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission since 1998. He recently was appointed UAMS Musculoskeletal (MSK) Service Line medical director at BHRI. Previous leadership roles included three two-year terms as chief of staff at BHRI.

Recent Faculty Appointments — April 2023

Department of Radiology

Khushboo Gupta, M.D., M.S.

Khushboo Gupta, M.D., M.S., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Nuclear Medicine Division. Dr. Gupta received her medical degree from Dr. Vaishampayan Memorial Medical College in Solapur, India. She completed her nuclear medicine training at Hindjua National Hospital and Medical Research Centre in Mumbai, India, and Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Gupta earned a Master of Science in Clinical Research at Rush University Medical Center, where she served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. Prior to her recruitment to UAMS, Dr. Gupta was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

Accolades – April 19, 2023

Congratulations to our 2023 Dean’s Honor Day Award Winners!

It is always a pleasure to share examples of the excellent work being done across the college through our weekly Accolades. This week, I am very pleased to announce the recipients of awards to be presented at the 2023 Dean’s Honor Day celebration next week. These faculty and staff members exemplify the expertise, hard work and commitment to service that make our college a vital institution for our state and those we serve. The event is a tribute to the outstanding work and service of all COM team members.

Please join us for the celebration from 4:00-5:00 p.m. next Tuesday, April 25, in Fred Smith Auditorium, 12^th floor of the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute. We will also present video tributes to more than 70 faculty members who are receiving promotion and/or tenure this year. A reception will follow the ceremony. The event will also be livestreamed on the College of Medicine website.

Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees!

Staff Excellence | Education
Kelly Hamman, LCSW
Psychiatry/ARBEST

Staff Excellence | Research
Angela Kyzer, B.A.
Family and Preventive Medicine/Research and Evaluation

Staff Excellence | Administration
Mark Mosby, B.S.
Internal Medicine/Endocrinology and Metabolism

Residency Educator | Program Coordinator
Stephanie Veach, B.A.
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship

Residency Educator | Program Director
Mollie Meek, M.D.
Interventional Radiology Integrated Residency

Master Teacher
Rosalia C.M. Simmen, Ph.D.
Physiology and Cell Biology

Educational Innovation
Leslie Stone, M.D., MPH & William Ventres, M.D., M.A.
Family and Preventive Medicine

Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine
Deidre Wyrick, M.D.
Surgery/Pediatric General Surgery

Excellence in Research
Paul Drew, Ph.D.
Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences

Clinical Excellence | Quality & Safety
Zachary Lewis, M.D.
Emergency Medicine

Clinical Excellence | Service & Professionalism
Konstantinos Arnaoutakis, M.D.
Internal Medicine/Hematology-Oncology

Clinical Excellence | Best Consulting Physician
Samidha Tripathi, M.D.
Psychiatry

Clinical Excellence | Collaborations & Teamwork
Patient Care, Laboratory Diagnostic and Antimicrobial Stewardship Project Team:
Eric R. Rosenbaum, M.D., MPH
Katherine T. Lusardi, Pharm.D., BCIDP
Ryan K. Dare, M.D.
Juan Carlos Rico, M.D.
Nicole M. Emery, M(ASCP)
Brett J. Bailey, Pharm.D.

Clinical Excellence | Rising Star
Joseph Henske, M.D.
Internal Medicine/Endocrinology and Metabolism

Clinical Excellence | Outstanding APP
Jennifer York, APRN
Pediatric Surgery and Trauma

Clinical Excellence | Physician of the Year
Thomas Kiser, M.D., MPH
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Distinguished Faculty Service Award
David L. Davies, Ph.D.
Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences

Click here for a list of faculty members receiving promotion and/or tenure this year.

Accolades – April 12, 2023

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!

Congratulations, Golden Apple Winners
Every year, students in each of the four medical classes vote for the faculty member they consider to be their best teacher of the year. I am delighted to announce and congratulate this year’s winners, who will be recognized by students at Honors Convocation on May 19. Our college is grateful to all four of these colleagues for their exceptional teaching.

M1 Class – Dr. Alan Diekman, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Urology. This is Dr. Diekman’s 11^th Golden Apple from freshmen, who rave about his teaching and support as Course Director for the Molecules to Cells module. He also is Course Director for the M2 Endocrine/Reproduction course.

M2 Class – Dr. Hanna Jensen, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Radiology. Dr. Jensen directed the M2 Cardiovascular course for the first time this year – making her debut as a Golden Apple winner all the more impressive. She is also the first faculty member based at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus to receive the Golden Apple.

M3 Class – Dr. Nick Gowen, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine. Dr. Gowen is a hospitalist at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and teaches students on that service. He also conducts a highly rated weekly teaching session with all students on the Internal Medicine Clerkship.

M4 Class – Dr. Lindsey Sward, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Assistant Dean for Clinical Education. Dr. Sward, who teaches in the OB/GYN clerkship, has received the Golden Apple from the senior or junior class for the past six years. Seniors have chosen her to deliver the Faculty Address at Honors Convocation in three of the last four years, including this year’s ceremony.

National Pediatric Otolaryngology Recognition
Dr. Graham Strub, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, has been selected to receive the 2023 Richard J.H. Smith Young Faculty Award in Pediatric Otolaryngology from the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO). Dr. Strub will be honored May 6 at the ASPO Annual Meeting in Boson, where he also will present his award-winning manuscript, “Multi-omic analysis of miRNA-mRNA-protein network dysregulation in lymphatic malformation endothelial cells uncovers novel molecular targets.”

Advancing Health Care in the Criminal Justice System
Dr. Melissa Zielinski, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Health and the Legal System (HEALS) Lab in the Psychiatric Research Institute, has been appointed to a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health. The organization is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of health care for individuals and populations within the criminal justice system.

National Pediatric Allergy & Immunology Leadership
Dr. Amy Scurlock, Professor of Pediatrics in the Section of Allergy and Immunology, has been elected to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Section of Allergy and Immunology (SOAI) Executive Council. The 10-member council leads SOAI’s efforts to ensure children receive the highest quality of allergy, asthma and immunology care through education, training and research programs as well as advocacy. Dr. Scurlock’s three-year term starts in November.

Leadership Development in Surgery
Dr. Mary Katherine Kimbrough, Associate Professor of Surgery, has been selected for the Southern Surgical Association’s Leadership Development Program. She is one of six members in the program’s 2023 cohort, joining peers from leading universities such as Duke, Harvard and Vanderbilt. The program pairs participants with Southern Surgical Association members for mentorship, sponsorship and networking. At UAMS, Dr. Kimbrough is doing an outstanding job in leadership roles including Program Director of the General Surgery Residency.

Genomic Surveillance Yields EHR Insights
Assistant Professor Dr. Se-Ran Jun and colleagues in the Department of Biomedical Informatics have a new article in Microbiology Spectrum that takes an innovative “top down” analytical approach – utilizing population genomics to molecular biology – to comprehensively analyze hospital-associated Enterococcus faecium and associated antibiotic resistance in cancer patients. The study provides new insights into genomic surveillance of E. faecium to help monitor and further limit the spread of multidrug-resistant E. faecium. Contributors included Instructor Dr. Zulema Udaondo (first author) along with Ph.D. student Kaleb Abram and Dr. Atul Kothari.

Gynecology Conference Presenters
Associate Professor Dr. Laura Hollenbach, Assistant Professor Dr. Kathryn Stambough and Courtney Lambert, CNP, of the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, along with medical students Liza Hill, Emma Johnson and Sally Barnes, attended the recent North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Annual Clinical and Research Meeting in Nashville. Liza presented a poster on a case report of menstrual suppression in Ogilvie’s Syndrome. Emma presented a poster on a case report and literature review on the treatment of Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS) using PIK3CA inhibitor. Both were co-authored with Dr. Hollenbach and Dr. Stambough. Dr. Stambough also presented in the “Fellows Boot Camp” on pediatric vulvovaginal care.

Tops in Brain & Behavior
Second-year medical student Madeline Richards was honored by educational leaders on April 5 for earning the top score in the M1 Brain and Behavior Module as a freshman last year. In recognition of her excellent work in the foundational course, she received a plaque, letter of commendation from the Dean in her file, and a monetary award. Her name also will be added to the Neuroscience Award plaque located on the south wall of the ground floor of the Education II building. I join with Brain and Behavior Co-Module Directors Dr. Shona Ray-Griffith, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and Dr. Laura Stanley, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, in congratulating Madeline. Well done!

Accolades – Special Edition, April 5, 2023

Students working outside a home that was damaged by a falling tree

“Disaster is never something that we expect at home. It is never supposed to happen to our loved ones, our community. So whenever it does strike there is this feeling in your throat as you watch the news, as you see it happen. There is the fear of loss and the fear of what to do next, how to organize the ensuing chaos. But, the next second always comes. It is in those seconds that we decide who we are. If we are leaders in our society. If we can push ourselves through the unknown of what to do and actually do something. Here we decided to be the helpers.” – Ethan Clement

The tornado that brought so much devastation and heartache to Arkansas last Friday also brought out the very best in UAMS team members. This week’s Accolades is a salute to all of you who have pitched in on cleanup efforts, food drives and fundraising, clinical care and healing, and so much more.

I want to give a special shout-out to our students who answered the call to serve in the aftermath of the storm. For instance, dozens of students joined forces to participate in cleanup efforts last weekend and beyond. Student groups including the Emergency Medicine Interest Group and the Street Medicine Interest Group were integral in these efforts. Lead organizers included senior medical students Ethan Clement (EMIG President), Katy Rose (SMIG President), Kiley Schlortt and Josh Welch (SMIG officer).

Ethan’s observation at the top of this accolade helps to explain why so many busy medical students took this on. “The number of homes, communities and families that were affected were overwhelming, but text after text, car after car, students kept showing up, with their own supplies including tarps, yard equipment, chainsaws, and work ethic,” said Ethan.

Student group posing outside near a house

Meanwhile, the M1 Class, led by Co-Vice Presidents Lindsey Herberger and Gabrielle Gauthier, organized a food and water donation drive for all COM classes. More than $1,000 in non-perishable food items and cases of water were donated to the Arkansas Food Bank to benefit area residents affected by the tornado, thanks to food and monetary contributions collected on April 5.

Three shopping carts filled with food items

These are just a small number of the ways our students (and many others) have pulled together.

Kudos to all. We are proud of you.

Here is a list of some of the medical students who have helped with cleanup tornado efforts, courtesy of Ethan. (We will add more names as we learn about them. If you have information to add, please reach out at COMInternalCommunications@uams.edu.)

Leaders:
Ethan Clement
Katy Rose
Kiley Schlortt
Josh Welch

Medical Students who have participated:
Carter Pacheco
Logan Clay
Josh Bennett
Ethan Chernivec
Andrew Eller
Kori Bullard Kornet
Jesse Tompkins
Cade Haynie
Sydney Darling
Philomena Mackean
Clara Puente
Sydney Blevins
Gracie Cape
Emily Pavlovic
Connor Shewmake
Amber Davis
Tanner Burns
Jennie Burns
Kat Wright
Andrew Delo
Lane Tupa
Anna Bragg
Collier Jones
Sandra Krug
Rachel French
Angel Castro
Andrew Mathews
Jessa Selsor
Brendon Hogge (His family drove in from a different state to come help!)
Emily Fields
Jared Hastings
Colton Smith
Jared Canonigo

This post was updated on April 6 to provide details about the food drive.

Accolades – March 29, 2023

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!

Ensuring Good Doctors through NBME Service
The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) and the United States Medical Licensing Program (USMLE) are essential to our profession, ensuring the highest quality assessments of competencies relevant to medicine. The NBME depends on the expertise and service of medical school faculty from around the country to contribute to NBME exams and fulfill this mission. Each year, a number of our outstanding faculty serve on NBME or USMLE committees. I join with the NBME in expressing gratitude for our colleagues who served in 2022: Dr. James Graham, Professor of Pediatrics and Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Dr. Rachel Slotcavage, Assistant Professor of Surgery; Dr. Neil Masangkay, Associate Professor of Neurology; Dr. Tobias Vancil, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine; and Dr. Stacy Rudnicki, Adjunct Basic Science Professor in Neurology. Their service is noted in this letter from the NBME.

Spina Bifida Presentations
Pediatrics faculty members Dr. Laura Hobart-Porter, Associate Professor and Section Chief for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Dr. Rachel Millner, Assistant Professor in Pediatric Nephrology, presented three abstracts at the World Congress on Spina Bifida Research and Care in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Hobart-Porter presented research conducted with coauthor Dr. Supriya Jambhekar, Professor in Pediatric Pulmonology: “Strategies to improve polysomnography access for children and adolescents with spina bifida: an implementation science approach.” This work was part of Dr. Hobart-Porter’s research as an Implementation Science Scholar, with mentorship from Dr. Geoffrey Curran and funding support from the UAMS Translational Research Institute. She also presented “Rates of autism in children with spina bifida higher than general population.” Dr. Millner presented “Prevalence of elevated blood pressure in a pediatric spinal cord disorders clinic,” which was done in collaboration with Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation resident Dr. Neha Anand.

Surgical Oncology Presenters
Dr. Michail Mavros, Assistant Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, had one of the top abstracts submitted for the recent Society of Surgical Oncology meeting in Boston and was given the rare honor of presenting the research during the plenary session. His oral presentation discussed the use of extended venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after complex gastrointestinal cancer surgery. Also recently, Assistant Professor and Surgical Oncology Division Director Dr. Sonia Orcutt and Surgery resident Dr. Lauren Johnson presented a poster on the clinicopathologic features of colloid carcinoma at the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association meeting in Miami.

Building Compassion for Patients with Rare Diseases
Congratulations to second-year medical students Melanie Beehler and Claire Peterson on being accepted into the 2023 RARE Compassion Program, a yearlong experience that helps medical students learn about the unique needs and challenges faced by patients and families living with an undiagnosed or rare disease. The international program connects students with patients virtually, to discuss how their rare disease diagnosis has impacted their lives. Kudos to Melanie and Claire for their commitment to the program’s goals of building compassion, understanding and communication skills for working with such patients, and to learning about medical specialties relevant to rare disease.

Recent Faculty Appointments — March 2023

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

Department of Anesthesiology

Akrm Abdalrahman, M.D., M.S.

Akrm Abdalrahman, M.D., M.S., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor and critical care anesthesiologist. Dr. Abdalrahman attended Al-Arab Medical University in Libya, where he received his medical degree, completed his anesthesiology residency, and received a Master of Science in anesthesiology and critical care. He subsequently earned a Master of Science in biomedical engineering at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Abdalrahman continued his training with a critical care fellowship at Augusta University/Medical College of Georgia, followed by a neuro-critical care fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center, and most recently a clinical educator fellowship at Augusta University/Medical College of Georgia.

Department of Internal Medicine

Mamatha Gaddam, M.D.

Mamatha Gaddam, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Gaddam received her medical degree from Government Medical College in India in 2011. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh in 2018 and continued her training with a fellowship in hematology/oncology at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Dr. Gaddam most recently completed a bone marrow transplant fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Her clinical practice will focus on treatment of benign hematology, leukemias, lymphomas, and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Nasir Khan, M.D.

Nasir Khan, M.D., has rejoined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor and transplant nephrologist in the Division of Nephrology. Dr. Khan received his medical degree at Quaid-e-Azam University Army Medical College in Pakistan in 2002. He completed his residency in internal medicine at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey, followed by a nephrology fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Khan continued his training with a fellowship in transplant nephrology at Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio. Following his fellowships, Dr. Khan was a transplant nephrologist at UAMS from 2019 to July 2022 before moving to Spokane, Washington, to serve as Medical Director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplant at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Morgan Knight, M.D.

Morgan Knight, M.D., has joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of General OB/GYN. Dr. Knight received her medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. She completed residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of South Carolina in Greeneville. She continued her training with a fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at the University of Rochester School of Medicine in Rochester, New York, where she was also a Clinical Instructor. Dr. Knight’s clinical interests include minimally invasive fertility-sparing surgery, including myomectomy and resection of endometriosis, as well as complex hysterectomy and treatment of benign pelvic masses.

Accolades – March 22, 2023

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

Matched!
Let’s have a round of applause for members of the Class of 2023 on their matches to outstanding residency programs here and around the country. This class had a medical school experience like none before them. They started with us in the fall of 2019, and by the end of their freshman year, the entire world had changed with the emergence of COVID-19. But these students persevered. They pivoted to new ways of learning (with the help of many College of Medicine faculty and staff) and overcame numerous obstacles. Because of their hard work and dedication, they will be strong assets to the programs they are joining. Click here to see where our graduating seniors will be heading this summer. Congratulations to all.

Top 20 Anesthesiology Chairs
Dr. Jill Mhyre, Professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, has been elected to the Morton Society, a select group of leaders considered as the top 20 Anesthesiology department chairs in the country. Morton Society members nominate and vote to accept new members, and Dr. Mhyre was one of two chairs selected to join the group. The society serves as a network focused on innovative solutions to align and advance the academic missions of clinical service, education and research in Anesthesiology departments nationwide.

Healthcare Communication Leader
Dr. Laura Sisterhen, a Professor in the Section of General Pediatrics, has become a faculty member of the Academy of Communication in Healthcare (ACH) following completion of the ACH faculty-in-training program. The professional development program is highly selective with a small number of health care leaders accepted each year. Its goal is to improve health care through better communication. Participants work to enhance, and then teach, skills in group facilitation, coaching and workshop content and development, along with interpersonal skills relating to leadership, diversity, teamwork and conflict engagement. At Arkansas Children’s, Dr. Sisterhen serves as Medical Director for the General Pediatrics Clinic and for Quality Improvement for Primary Care. (By the way, Dr. Calvin Chou, Senior Faculty Advisor for External Education with the Academy of Communication in Healthcare, will be speaking at UAMS on April 12.)

Arkansas Dentistry Leadership
Dr. Laurence Howe, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatric and Special Needs Dentistry, has been elected to a three-year term as Secretary/Treasurer of the Arkansas State Dental Association (ASDA). Dr. Howe is a Life Member of the American Dental Association and has been an active member of the ASDA for over 35 years. At Arkansas Children’s, he provides prosthetic treatment for cleft palate and craniomaxillofacial patients.

Surgery Residents Present Trauma Projects
General Surgery residents Drs. Andrew Smedley, Joe DeLoach, and Garrett Klutts recently presented trauma research projects at the Southeastern Surgical Congress in Savannah, Georgia – and all three of the projects have been accepted for publication in The American Surgeon. Dr. Smedley’s podium presentation was on the availability of blood products in trauma centers in the Arkansas Trauma System. Dr. DeLoach’s podium presentation was on the accuracy of initial imaging to predict pneumothoraces (collapsed lungs) in trauma patients. Dr. Klutts’ quickshot presentation used geospatial analysis to evaluate prehospital triage of potentially preventable trauma deaths. Dr. Kyle Kalkwarf, Assistant Professor of Surgery and UAMS Trauma Medical Director, mentored the residents and was the senior author of the projects.

Orthopaedic Conference Speakers
Dr. Lowry Barnes, Professor and Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Dr. Jeffrey Stambough, Assistant Professor, shared their expertise with over 1,000 participants as invited speakers for the Combined Hip and Knee Society Specialty Day during the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery Annual Meeting in Las Vegas on March 7. Dr. Barnes discussed the use of medial pivot as part of the program section on total knee arthroplasty. Dr. Stambough presented on the use of cemented vs. cementless stems during a section on revision knee implants.

Patent for Clot Detection
Congratulations to Dr. Vladimir Zharov, Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and Dr. Ekaterina Galanzha, Associate Professor, on their latest U.S. Divisional Patent for “Device and method for in vivo detection of clots within circulatory vessels. This is their fourth patent for early noninvasive detection of clots followed by well-timed treatment to prevent lung emboli, stroke, and possible heart attacks. Major collaborators in this research were Dr. James Suen (Otolaryngology), Drs. Laura Hutchins and Issam Makhoul (Internal Medicine), and Eric Siegel, M.S., (Biostatistics).

Bioinformatics Conference
A shout-out to the many faculty and staff who contributed to the Arkansas Bioinformatics Consortium Annual Meeting on March 13-14. The conference centered on the interrelated areas of bioinformatics, big data, artificial intelligence and public health. Keynote speakers included Dr. Joseph Sanford and Dr. Kevin Sexton, and faculty from multiple departments presented talks or posters. Two of the three Student Poster Awards were presented to individuals associated with UAMS. First place went to Michael Rutherford, a doctoral student and Instructor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI), who collaborated with DBMI and Myeloma Center colleagues on “Toward Automation of Diagnosis for Multiple Myeloma using Natural Language Processing.” Third Place was awarded to Anu Iyer – a senior at Little Rock Central High School – who worked closely with Dr. Fred Prior and others in DBMI along with the Department of Neurology’s Dr. Tuhin Virmani on “A Novel Multimodal Machine Learning Method to Detect Parkinson’s Disease and Assess Severity.”

Students Help Make ‘Girlology’ a Success
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology did a great job this month hosting its second “Girlology” workshop – and 16 medical student volunteers helped make it possible. The 2½-hour course provided information on topics relating to puberty for girls ages 8-14 and their parents or other caregivers – 236 attendees in all. OB/GYN Chair Dr. Nirvana Manning and faculty members Dr. Laura Hollenbach and Dr. Kate Stambough led the event, which you can read about in the UAMS Newsroom. The medical student volunteers, all female, didn’t just help ensure a smooth-running event – they also served as role models for the young girls in attendance. Maybe we will see some of them in medical school one day.

I join with Dr. Manning, Dr. Hollenbach and Dr. Stambough in thanking student leaders Sally Barnes and Bailey Sutliff and fellow volunteers Anna Benafield, Savannah Busch, Mallory Caldwell, Carolina Coleman, Lindsey Herberger, Sarah Jong, Savana Kuhn, Jade Matthews, Sophie Meyers, Laura Miron, Anna Claire Pilkington, Alleigh Stahman, Kristen Stringfellow and Blaire Taggart.

Accolades – March 15, 2023

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

National Recognition for Championing Research
Congratulations to Dr. Lawrence Cornett, Distinguished Professor of Physiology and Cell Biology, on receiving the prestigious W. Fred Taylor Ph.D. Award in recognition of his extensive contributions to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Program. Dr. Cornett was honored in Washington, D.C., at the annual meeting of the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)/IDeA Coalition and Foundation. Dr. Alan Tackett, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Deputy Director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, highlighted Dr. Cornett’s impact at the state and national level in a talk at the event.

As Director of the Arkansas IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Program since 2001, Dr. Cornett has strived to expand research infrastructure and capacity at undergraduate campuses across Arkansas. In his current role and in past leadership posts at UAMS including Vice Chancellor for Research, he has helped to bring in more than $200 million in IDeA funding, championed the funding of six Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) programs and much more.

At the national level, Dr. Cornett has served as Chair of the EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation Board; as an Executive Committee member, and as a National Committee member for the National Association of IDeA Principal Investigators. In short, this is a very well earned national honor. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

‘Basic Science’ for the 21^st Century
Data and population health management are sometimes dubbed the new “basic science for the 21^st century” as a reflection of the need for future physicians to develop a new skillset to provide effective and equitable care. Dr. Riley Lipschitz, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, and Dr. Karina Clemmons, Assistant Dean for Medical Education and an Associate Professor of Medical Humanities and Bioethics, are co-authors on an article on the topic published in the Society of General Internal Medicine Journal. The article describes an innovative curriculum, developed by Dr. Lipschitz at UAMS and Dr. Shira Yun at the University of Michigan Medical School, for teaching medical students about data and population health management. UAMS graduate Dr. Zain Alfanek, now a second-year Internal Medicine resident at Brown University, also is a coauthor on the article.

National Academies Presenters
Dr. Corey Hayes, an Assistant Professor in the departments of Biomedical Informatics, Psychiatry and Pharmacy Practice, and Dr. Bradley Martin, a Professor in the College of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmacy Practice, Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy, were invited presenters at a meeting sponsored by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The March 9 session focused on evaluating the effects of opioids and benzodiazepines on all-cause mortality in veterans. Dr. Hayes and Dr. Martin presented virtually on their research into prescribed opioid use and associated issues.

International Leadership in Pediatric Neurosurgery
Dr. Eylem Öcal, Associate Professor in the Pediatric Neurosurgery Division of the Department of Neurosurgery, has been elected Vice-Secretary for the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgeons. The organization promotes the health and welfare of children around the globe who require neurosurgical care, through research and international cooperation. At Arkansas Children’s, Dr. Öcal practices the full range of pediatric neurosurgery with an emphasis on the management of infants with myelomeningocele and other congenital anomalies.

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Insights
Dr. Amit Agarwal, Associate Professor in Pediatric Pulmonology, is an author on two recent articles relating to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a common complication of preterm birth, both of which were published in Pediatric Pulmonology. He was the senior author on a review article on transitioning children with severe BPD from the intensive care unit to a portable home ventilator. As a member of a multicenter BPD collaborative, he was a co-author on an article about validation of an outpatient questionnaire for BPD control. Dr. Agarwal also has been invited to serve on the editorial board for Pediatric Pulmonology. In another national role, he is serving on the planning committee for the 2023 annual meeting of the American Thoracic Society.

Neurosciences Chairs Conference
Dr. Gwen Childs, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, was an invited speaker for two panels at a recent conference of the Association of Medical School Neurosciences Chairs. Dr. Childs presented information about managing change and unexpected events in department leadership in a “New Chairs Boot Camp.” She also was a panelist for a session focusing on space and finance. Dr. Paul Drew, Professor and Vice-Chair, also attended the conference, which was open to Vice-Chairs for the first time.

Virtual Reality & Brachytherapy
Dr. Gary Lewis, Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, shared his expertise in the use of virtual reality technology in conjunction with gynecologic cancer radiation/brachytherapy at the annual Virtual Reality and Healthcare Global Symposium in Philadelphia this month. Brachytherapy is an essential component of standard-of-care treatment for gynecologic cancers. Unfortunately, many patients do not receive brachytherapy as recommended, resulting in decreased survival for these patients. Virtual reality has the potential to mitigate contributing factors including lack of patient understanding, lack of access to practitioners skilled in brachytherapy, and suboptimal patient experience during the treatment. Dr. Lewis has opened a pilot clinical trial at UAMS studying the use of virtual reality to improve the patient experience during gynecologic brachytherapy.

UAMS Hosts International Training Course in Digital Health
A shout-out to the UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation (IDHI) for hosting a three-day digital health training course for 13 health and technology professionals from developing countries around the world. The course, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Telecommunications Training Institute, provided a comprehensive overview of UAMS’ digital health programs and how to develop a multiple-site digital health network. I join with IDHI Director Dr. Joseph Sanford in thanking all of the staff and faculty who contributed to the course. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Groundbreaking Lung Cancer Trial
Under the leadership of Dr. Matt Steliga, Professor and Chief of Thoracic Surgery, UAMS contributed to a ground-breaking lung cancer clinical trial demonstrating that select patients with early-stage lung cancer can be treated with sublobar resection instead of the more-aggressive lobectomy. The trial results were published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Steliga was among the surgeons at 83 centers across the United States to enroll patients in the Phase 3 study. The findings are welcome news for Arkansas, where lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death. Our thoracic surgeons – Dr. Steliga, Dr. Katy Marino and Dr. Jason Muesse – are all experienced in sublobar resection, to offer the best treatment options for Arkansans. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.