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Accolades

Accolades – June 16, 2021

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!

Best Children’s Hospitals
Congratulations to our colleagues at Arkansas Children’s on their national rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-2022 Best Children’s Hospitals. Arkansas Children’s ranked nationally in four specialties: Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Nephrology, Pulmonology & Lung Surgery, and Urology. Arkansas Children’s is also ranked within the Southeast Region along with pediatric hospitals in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. As President and CEO Marcy Doderer, FACHE, noted in her message to the Arkansas Children’s Team yesterday, this important national recognition reflects the incredible work of the team and the strong commitment to provide the very best care for the children of Arkansas. Thank you all.

Serving Arkansas Physicians
Congratulations to Dr. Danny Wilkerson, Professor of Anesthesiology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, on his inauguration as the 2021-2022 President of the Arkansas Medical Society. As AMS President, Dr. Wilkerson plans to continue the organization’s work to address health care disparities in Arkansas, address scope-of-practice issues and reduce the stigma of substance use disorders. He also will lead AMS’ ongoing vaccine advocacy and other work related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The role is one of many examples of Dr. Wilkerson’s service and leadership in Arkansas and beyond, in addition to his outstanding work on our faculty since 2000. He was also recently reelected by his colleagues in the Arkansas Society of Anesthesiologists to serve as the Arkansas Director on the American Society of Anesthesiologists Board of Directors.

Genetic Sequencing Policy Update
Dr. Kent McKelvey, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Genetics, contributed to a major new article in Nature, Genetics in Medicine that is receiving international attention. Dr. McKelvey serves on the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) Secondary Findings Committee, which reviews genes for inclusion or exclusion on clinical exomes and substantially impacts what molecular data labs report out when exome sequencing – sequencing of the small fraction of the genome that contains all of the protein coding genes – is performed. “ACMG SF v3.0 list for reporting of secondary findings in clinical exome and genome sequencing: a policy statement of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG)” can be read here. Thank you, Dr. McKelvey, for serving in this important national role in the field of genetics.

Outstanding in Orthopaedics
Congratulations to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery on a slate of recent accomplishments, including receiving the Joint Replacement Excellence Award from Healthgrades. The award recognizes UAMS as among the top 10% in the nation for quality and safety relating to joint replacement surgery. It was presented last week to Dr. Steppe Mette, senior vice chancellor for UAMS Health and CEO of UAMS Medical Center, Orthopaedic Surgery Chair Dr. Lowry Barnes, and orthopaedic surgeons Dr. Simon Mears, Dr. Jeffrey Stambough and Dr. Ben Stronach. Read more here.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jeffrey Stambough has been named Chair of the Young Physicians Committee (YPC) of the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR). He will lend his expertise, passion for mentoring young physicians, and fervent involvement in research through the AJJR to the YPC as it works to shape the growth and strength of the registry. AJJR operates under the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and is the preeminent registry of its kind, capturing the details and outcomes of more than 40% of all total hip and knee replacements in the country.

A shout-out also to Dr. Ramon Ylanan, who was a co-winner of the Southeastern Conference’s Michael L. Slive Distinguished Service Award for his work as a University of Arkansas team physician serving on the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force. Dr. Ylanan and physicians for other SEC teams were honored for developing policies and protocols to support a healthy and safe return to intercollegiate athletics competition during the pandemic.

National Service in Pathology
Department of Pathology faculty members are doing a great job in national service roles as well as in their work here in Arkansas. Most recently, Dr. Eric Rosenbaum, Director of Clinical Microbiology at both UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, assembled and led a laboratory inspection peer-review team for the College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation program, the gold standard for clinical laboratories. The team, which also included UAMS Cytopathology fellow Dr. Ryan Campbell, earned an excellent evaluation for their inspection of a laboratory in Texas.

Kudos as well to Dr. Tina Ipe, Director of the UAMS Blood Bank and Transfusion Division, for her contributions as a member of the American Society for Apheresis Public Affairs and Advocacy Committee on a guidebook to help peer therapeutic apheresis programs around the country ensure accurate billing and appropriate reimbursement for the important services they provide to patients.

Cancer Testing Innovation
Congratulations to Dr. Donald Johann, Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Internal Medicine, who is among the national leaders from academia, industry, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration to co-author an important new paper  in the high-impact journal Genome Biology. The paper concerns the establishment of a new genomic reference sample to be used in creating advanced Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) assays for small to large oncopanels and liquid biopsies. Studies focusing on this aspect of translational science don’t tend to grab headlines, but they are foundational to valid testing and the future benefit of cancer patients. UAMS is involved in national efforts to bring liquid biopsy and other types of advanced NGS assays to the clinic for our patients – and this work is important in our efforts to achieve National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation.

Scholarships Matter
Hundreds of College of Medicine students have benefited over the decades from the generosity of the late Dorothy Snider Surles, a Manila, Arkansas, native who later lived in Memphis. This year, we reached a milestone with more than $2.5 million in cumulative scholarship funding from the Dorothy Snider Foundation. Combined with matching funds from the college, these scholarships have now surpassed $5 million. Assistant Dean for Admissions Tom South has expertly shepherded this process since joining UAMS in 1984, working with the Dorothy Snider Foundation, our scholarships selection committee, and UAMS Institutional Advancement to ensure the continuity of this important funding and that outstanding students receive the scholarships. I join with Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Dr. James Graham in expressing gratitude to the Dorothy Snider Foundation and to Tom, his team, and all at UAMS who have made this possible.

Multicenter Study
Dr. Hannah Baer Wilkins, an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Dr. Lindsay Arthur, a graduating Pediatric Cardiology fellow and upcoming inaugural Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Imaging fellow, did  a great job on in important multicenter study. They are among the authors of “Rheumatic Heart Disease in the United States: Forgotten But not Gone-Results of a 10-Year Multicenter Review,” which has been accepted for publication in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

ASTROnomical Potential
2020 UAMS graduate Dr. Scarlett Acklin is on a trajectory for great success as a radiation oncologist. After wrapping up her internship at UAMS, she begins her radiation oncology residency at Duke University next month. And she has just been awarded the Basic/Translational Science Abstract Award in the Radiation and Cancer Biology category from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Her abstract was one of only 30 selected from more than 2,000 submitted. She is also invited for an oral presentation of her research, “SIRT2 promotes murine melanoma progression through natural killer cell inhibition,” at the ASTRO annual meeting in October. Dr. Acklin started her adventure of cancer research in Radiation Oncology Chair Dr. Fen Xia’s laboratory when she was a first-year medical student. She went on to win a research award, have four invited oral presentations at national and international cancer research meetings, and produce four papers including one in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and two as first author. I join with Dr. Xia and her team in congratulating Dr. Acklin!

Above & Beyond
A recent patient in the Medical Intensive Care Unit experienced the very best of UAMS, thanks to the MICU team, Neurology colleagues and others who helped to get to the bottom of a condition that is often misdiagnosed. Just as noteworthy was the kindness of first-year Internal Medicine resident Dr. Tanya Savenka. Second-year resident Dr. Lana Abusalem told us about the case, saying it reminded her of why she wanted to go into medicine. Dr. Savenka had gone out of her way to obtain a great history, establish rapport with the patient’s mother and check back on the patient after she had been transferred to another service. She even gave the mother a book about another patient’s experience with the same disease, to let her know her daughter was not alone.

“I was very impressed by how caring, thoughtful and compassionate Dr. Savenka is,” said Dr. Abusalem. “I was reminded of how vulnerable our patients and their families feel when they are sick and alone in the hospital, and that small gestures like this can go a long way to make them feel seen.”

Accolades – June 9, 2021

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

National Leadership
Congratulations to Dr. José Romero, Professor of Pediatrics, on his appointment to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. The appointment is the latest example of Dr. Romero’s exemplary service as a state and national leader in public health policy relating to infectious diseases. Dr. Romero has been instrumental in Arkansas’ response to the pandemic in his roles as Arkansas Secretary of Health and Director of the Arkansas Department of Health. At the national level, he has helped to guide the safe rollout of COVID-19 vaccines as Chair of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Commission Appointment
Congratulations to Dr. Manisha Singh, Associate Professor in the Division of Nephrology and Director of the Home Dialysis Program, on her appointment to the Arkansas Kidney Disease Commission by Governor Asa Hutchinson. The appointment reflects Dr. Singh’s longstanding dedication to Arkansans with kidney disease, including her work in education for rural and underserved Arkansans to help them implement lifestyle modifications to slow the progression of the disease. The commission provides financial support for life-saving care and treatment for Arkansans in need.

Excelling in MFM
The Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine has excelled in training fellows and generating collaborative scholarly work since 2011, when the MFM Fellowship was founded by Dr. Everett “Pat” Magann, Professor and Division Director. I enjoyed learning about some of the program’s accomplishments, along with many others from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, at a recent faculty meeting. The three-year fellowship has maintained a remarkable 100% first-time pass rate by all of its graduates to date on both the written and oral MFM board exams. The MFM Division also has had a fantastic year for publications, with 21 listed in PUBMED in June 2020-May 2021. Click here for a look at the publications and the many current and former faculty, residents, fellows and students who contributed.

Section Editor
Dr. Manish Joshi, a Professor in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Division of the Department of Internal Medicine, edited a recent issue of Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine. He has served as a section editor for the annual issue of the journal that focuses on obstructive, occupational and environmental lung diseases for the past five years and has been invited to serve for the 2022 issue as well. Dr. Joshi was also the first author on a review article in the issue, “Unprecedented: the toxic synergism of Covid-19 and climate change.” Coauthors were Pulmonary and Critical Care colleagues Dr. Thaddeus Bartter, Professor, and Dr. Jose Caceres, Assistant Professor, along with fellows Dr. Sarenthia Epps and Dr. Steven Ko.

Above & Beyond
In a time of unimaginable pain and grief, an obstetric patient found transformation thanks to the incredible team in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Labor & Delivery. “I did not expect to be treated with such respect and dignity,” began a letter from a patient who lost her baby, but found healing. The letter went on to describe the kind and thoughtful actions of many team members, including nurses Becky Sartini, Amy Brooks, LaSharon Tubbs and Jennifer Divino, and second-year resident Dr. Tucker Doiron. This is a story of compassion and dedication. It’s a story of why we are in medicine. I join with Dr. Nirvana Manning, Chair of OB/GYN and Director of the Women and Infants Service Line, in thanking this wonderful team. I hope you will take a moment to read this extraordinary letter.

Accolades – June 2, 2021

Greetings, colleagues!

I am very pleased to continue the tradition of sharing Accolades with you each week. I have been reading Accolades over the past couple of months, and it has been a joy to learn about some of the great things College of Medicine team members are doing. Here are some of the honors and accomplishments of faculty, staff, residents, fellows and students I’ve heard about recently! – Susan S. Smyth, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice Chancellor and Dean

Newly Invested Colleagues
Congratulations to Pediatrics faculty members Dr. Elizabeth Sellars and Dr. Jessica Snowden on their investitures in endowed chairs at Arkansas Children’s last Thursday.

Dr. Sellars, Section Chief of Genetics and Metabolism, was the recipient of the Committee for the Future Endowed Chair in Genetics. Among other leadership roles, she serves as Medical Director of the INSTEP Clinic for children with differences in sexual differentiation and development, Co-Medical Director for the Neurofibromatosis Clinic at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH), Co-Director of the UAMS Genetic Counseling Master’s Program, and Medical Director of the Arkansas Reproductive Health Monitoring System.

Dr. Snowden, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, was invested in the Horace C. Cabe Distinguished Chair for Infectious Diseases. Her leadership roles include Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Pediatrics and Co-Principal Investigator of the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network Data Coordinating and Operations Center, which directs clinical operations for trial implementation and professional development across a 17-state NIH-funded research group.

Watch the virtual ceremony here, and learn more about Dr. Sellars, Dr. Snowden and the philanthropists who made these endowed chairs possible in the ceremony program.

Public Service Award
Congratulations to Dr. Jerrilyn Jones, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, on being selected to receive the Arkansas First Lady’s Woman in Public Service Award from the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas (WFA). Dr. Jones’ longstanding dedication to public service has been front and center during the pandemic. She serves as Medical Director for Preparedness and Response at the Arkansas Department of Health and was named to the Governor’s Medical Advisory Group for Post-Peak COVID-19 Response and the Winter Task Force. Dr. Jones will be one of three women honored at the WFA Power of the Purse Luncheon on September 22. You can read more about Dr. Jones in the latest issue of Little Rock Soiree magazine.

Team Publication
Department of Radiology faculty, residents and fellows contributed substantially to a special issue of Pediatric Radiology focused on child abuse imaging. Professor and Chair Dr. Arabinda Choudhary, who is internationally recognized for his expertise in pediatric neuroimaging and imaging related to pediatric abusive head trauma, served as Co-Editor, and UAMS authors collaborated on nearly a third of the 32 articles. Congratulations to Drs. George Vilanilam, Rangarajan Purushothaman, Iqbal Haq, Flavio Garcia-Pires, James Sorensen, Shivang Desai, Sateesh Jayappa and Raghu Ramakrishnaiah on this impressive and important work.

Maternal Disparities
Dr. Nirvana Manning, Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of the Women and Infants Service Line, did a great job as a panelist for a “Conversations on Health Equity” event hosted by the Clinton Presidential Center on May 25. Dr. Manning and other experts discussed policies and systems that impact the reproductive health care of marginalized women, as well as resources to help ensure good health for women and their babies before, during and after pregnancy. A recording of the virtual discussion is available here.

Stress & Meth
Dr. Michael Wilson, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, is leading the first ever study of its kind to better understand meth addiction and the stress of an Emergency Department visit experienced by a meth user. Dr. Wilson’s novel study will use simulation to model such stress. The project, which was featured in this KATV news report, is the latest example of Dr. Wilson’s outstanding research into diverse aspects of psychiatric emergencies.

Cardiovascular Health & Longevity
The Class of 2021’s Dr. Brandi Mize is first author on an article published in SAGE Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, “Cardiovascular Health in Individuals with Exceptional Longevity Residing in Arkansas.” Dr. Mize will begin a vascular surgery residency at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta this summer. Dr. Brandon Duke, a 2020 graduate currently completing his family medicine residency at the University of Alabama Tuscaloosa College of Community Health Sciences, is a coauthor. Their mentors and collaborators in the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging included Research Associate Amanda Pangle, Dr. Jeanne Wei, Professor, Chair of Geriatrics and Institute Director, and Geriatrics Professor Dr. Gohar Azhar, who served as senior author.

Scholarly Collaborations
2021 UAMS graduate Dr. Muhammad Abu-Rmaileh and 2020 graduate Dr. Santiago Gonzalez are first authors of separate studies resulting from collaborations with Dr. James Yuen, Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery, and others. Dr. Abu-Rmaileh’s article, a timely review of live-streaming technologies in surgery, has been accepted for publication in the Annals of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Abu-Rmaileh will start his internal medicine residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas this summer. Dr. Gonzalez and third-year resident Dr. Tamara Osborn also were collaborators. Dr. Gonzalez, who is completing his plastic surgery residency at the University of California San Francisco, is first author on “Self-development Tools Utilized by Plastic Surgeons: A Survey of ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons) Members,” published in PRS Global Open. Former faculty member Dr. Michael Golinko, now at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, is also among the collaborators.  

Cardiology Mentorship
Mentorship and collaboration among Cardiovascular Medicine faculty, fellows and residents continue to result in publications on timely issues such as treatment of COVID-19 complications. Dr. Khalid Sawalha, a resident with the White River Health System Internal Medicine Residency Program in Batesville who rotated with the UAMS team, has had two case reports accepted for publication. The latest is “Theophylline in Treatment of COVID-10 Induced Sinus Bradycardia,” in Clinics and Practice. Coauthors included Chief Cardiology Fellow Dr. Fuad Habash, Associate Professor Dr. Srikanth Vallurupalli and Professor Dr. Hakan Paydak, senior author on the study.

Accolades – May 26, 2021

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 Example
The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA), a UAMS-housed public database funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and led by Biomedical Informatics Chair Dr. Fred Prior, was recognized recently as a prime example of a High-Value Data Asset (HVDA) for national research. The recognition stemmed from a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) working group that has been charged with building a framework to ensure the sustainability of HVDA across the NIH. The program manager for TCIA at the NCI relayed the good news to Dr. Prior, emphasizing that it reflected the excellent work and contributions of the UAMS team. Kudos to Dr. Prior and his colleagues on the TCIA: Drs. Jonathan Bona, Mathias Brochhausen and Lawrence Tarbox, Instructors Tracy Nolan, Kirk Smith and William Bennett, Project Manager Roosevelt Dobbins and the entire TCIA staff.

Leadership Fellow
Congratulations to Dr. Matt Quick, Associate Professor of Pathology, on being selected for the highly competitive Association of Pathology Chairs Leadership Fellows Program. He is one of only 25 pathologists nationwide to be chosen for the new program, which cultivates leadership potential and opportunities by providing experiences and education to accelerate understanding and competency in academic administration skills. At UAMS, Dr. Quick serves as Vice-Chair for Anatomic Pathology, Co-Course Director for the Musculoskeletal and Reproduction & Endocrinology modules in the medical curriculum, and an Academic House Advisor. He has been approved for promotion to Professor on July 1. 

Tomorrow’s Researchers
Bench-to-Bedside research in infectious disease was the timely topic of a virtual workshop for undergraduates hosted by Arkansas INBRE (IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence). INBRE, which is directed by the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology’s Dr. Larry Cornett, sponsored the event for Arkansas college students who are interested in careers in medicine and biomedical research. Dr. Tom Kelly of the Department of Pathology did a great job organizing the workshop, and many faculty members lent their expertise to clinical case discussions, interactive sessions on infectious disease topics, and a panel discussion focused on aspects of COVID-19.

I join with Dr. Cornett and Dr. Kelly in thanking these colleagues: Drs. Juan Carlos Rico and Robert Bradsher in Internal Medicine; Dr. Amanda Novack (UAMS/Baptist Health); Drs. Karl Boehme, Roger Pechous, Jon Blevins and Mark Smeltzer in Microbiology and Immunology; Dr. Samantha Kendrick in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Dr. David Ussery in Biomedical Informatics; and Dr. Bobby Boyanton in Pathology.

ECMO Excellence
UAMS completed its first ECMO course of treatment this week, helping a COVID-19 patient overcome a very dire situation. ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) life-support technology allows the heart and lungs of a patient to rest and heal over weeks or months. Implementing ECMO care at UAMS was a big team effort that took many months of hard work. I join with Department of Surgery Chair Dr. Ron Robertson and Cardiovascular Medicine Division Chief Dr. Paul Mounsey in expressing gratitude to all who made this initiative – and this remarkable patient success story – possible. Special thanks to Dr. Ben Davis, Carmen Eaken, RN, Allison Lord, MNSc, RN, CCRN, Shawn Welch, Dr. Julius Balogh and Dr. Jay Bhama.

Student Published
Congratulations to rising junior medical student Sarah E. “Liza” Hill on the publication of her article in the American Journal of Surgery. Ms. Hill is the first author on “National Readmissions Database characterization of post-cholecystectomy care for inpatients: Readmissions and bile duct repair.” Co-authors included her primary mentor on the project, the Department of Surgery’s Dr. Lyle Burdine, along with Surgery faculty Drs. Hanna Jensen, Kevin Sexton, Kyle Kalkwarf and Emmanouil Giorgakis, and graduate assistant Rebecca Reif, M.H.A., and Dr. Saleema Karim of the College of Public Health. The study analyzed and compared readmission and other complications for patients who had either laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal).

Anesthesia Study
A shout-out to Dr. Muhammad Athar, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, on his new article in the International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia. Dr. Athar is the first author on “An observational pilot study of a novel loss of resistance syringe for locating the epidural space.” He collaborated on the study with colleagues at Stanford University School of Medicine while completing a fellowship in obstetric anesthesia prior to joining UAMS last year.

Wellness Champion
A colleague recently emailed me to express gratitude for Dr. Puru Thapa, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Faculty Wellness. The faculty member has referred several colleagues for help with various struggles, and was not surprised to learn that all were treated with exceptional compassion and respect. “Dr. Thapa is invariably a kind, thoughtful, reflective listener and always seems to help faculty put things into perspective,” she wrote. “Dr. Thapa is an institutional treasure, and we are so lucky to have him.” I couldn’t agree more!

For an overview of some of the wellness resources available to UAMS faculty, residents, students and employees, click here.

An Accolade for YOU
When I launched Accolades in the fall of 2018, I saw it as an opportunity to pass along some of the many great things I was hearing about College of Medicine team members every day. I also knew that sometimes a pat on the back for hard work well done is just what is needed to inspire us to get up the next day and do it all over again. I have been amazed at – and certainly inspired by – the stories, honors and accomplishments you have shared with me during my time as Dean.

Next week, we welcome your new Dean, Dr. Susan Smyth, to UAMS. I know she, too, will enjoy hearing and passing along good news about the College of Medicine family. So please do keep those accolades coming!

Thank you for your service to our college and those we serve. Thank you for your extraordinary collegiality. It really is what makes the College of Medicine and UAMS so special.

Accolades – May 19, 2021

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!

Rising Star in Research
Congratulations to Dr. Taren Swindle, Assistant Professor in Family and Preventive Medicine, on being selected as the 2021 recipient of the Norman Kretchmer Award in Nutrition and Development from the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). Dr. Swindle will be recognized at the ASN’s Nutrition 2021 virtual conference in June. The Kretchmer Award is given to a young investigator for a substantial body of independent research in the field of nutrition and development with potential to improve child health. At UAMS, Dr. Swindle is being promoted to Associate Professor effective July 1.

Award-Winning Research
Congratulations to the Department of Anesthesiology’s Dr. Nadir El Sharawi, Assistant Professor, and Dr. Jill Mhyre, Professor and Chair, on their tied first-place finish in the Gertie Marx Research Competition at the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology annual meeting for a study titled “The ED90 of Intrathecal Chloroprocaine for Cervival Cerclage Placement: An Up-Down Sequential Allocation Dose-Response Study.” This multicenter study was completed with colleagues at Duke University, including Dr. Cameron Taylor, a 2018 graduate of the UAMS Anesthesiology Residency.

Resident Published
Fourth-year Medicine-Pediatrics resident Dr. Emily Sanders is the lead author on a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Pediatrics. “Cardiac Manifestation among Children with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome” identified differences in in-hospital mortality based on the type of cardiac manifestations, with increased risk observed for patients with multiple cardiac involvement, cardiac arrest, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation deployments. Co-authors included the College of Public Health’s Dr. Clare Brown; Dr. Richard Blaszak and Dr. Brendan Crawford in Pediatric Nephrology; and Dr. Parthak Prodhan in Pediatric Cardiology – Dr. Sanders’ primary mentor on this research. Dr. Sanders will begin a Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at UAMS/Arkansas Children’s this summer.

Geriatrics Presenters
Department of Geriatrics faculty, staff and fellows did a great job at the American Geriatrics Society annual conference last week. Geriatrics fellows Drs. Elizabeth Eoff, Jametria Howard-Jones and Shami Nandy all presented posters. Their mentors were Professor and Chair Dr. Jeanne Wei and Professors Dr. Gohar Azhar and Dr. Priya Mendiratta, Fellowship Program Director. Dr. Mendiratta and the College of Nursing’s Dr. Pam deGravelles were session presenters for “Using an Integrated Approach to Geriatrics Fellowship.” Other collaborators were Associate Professor Dr. Denise Compton, Dr. Wei, Dr. Azhar, Fellowship Coordinator Joni Pharis, Education Coordinator Patty Summons, and the Simulation Center team. The Geriatrics education team also was involved in mentoring early-career geriatricians and poster-judging during the meeting.

EM Consultant of the Month
Congratulations to Dr. Ramez Awad, Assistant Professor in the Hospital Medicine Division of the Department of Internal Medicine, on being the first attending physician selected by Emergency Medicine residents as their Consultant of the Month. Residents honored Dr. Awad for “treating patient care like a TEAM SPORT with patient well-being as the top priority.” They appreciated Dr. Awad for following up with them on outcomes stemming from their diagnoses, to help them learn from those cases, and much more. A shout-out also to graduating EM resident Dr. Laura Werline, who has overseen the monthly honor since its inception a year and a half ago. Many residents from other specialties have been honored, and now a stellar faculty member!

Book Chapter
Dr. Faiza A. Khan, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, and Dr. Jill Mhyre, Professor and Chair, authored a chapter on Obstetric Hemorrhage in the newly published book “Obstetric Anesthesia Practice,” edited by Alan Kaye and Richard Urman and published by Oxford University Press. Congratulations.

National Committee
Dr. James C. Yuen, Professor and Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, has been reappointed to an additional term on the American Board of Surgery-General Surgery Certifying Exam Consultant Committee in Skin and Soft Tissue. Dr. Yuen has shared his expertise on the committee since 2017.

Best of the Best
I was delighted to hear that two of our colleagues, Dr. Sarah Cobb and Ebonye Green, APRN, were honored in AY Magazine’s Best of 2021 list. Dr. Cobb, an Assistant Professor in the Neurology Division of the Department of Pediatrics, was voted best neurologist by AY readers across the state. Ms. Green, APRN for the Department of Neurosurgery and Lead Advanced Practice Provider for the Inpatient Neuroscience Service Line, was voted best nurse practitioner. Way to go!

Life-Saving Dedication
An attending transplant surgeon sent me a fantastic example of what makes our surgical residents so amazing. One recent night, second-year General Surgery resident Dr. Sarah Martin completed a non-surgical procedure to facilitate life-saving nephrology care for a transplant patient while also caring for three Level-1 trauma cases. “Heroisms like this happen every single day and night in our service,” the faculty member said. “UAMS surgical residents seamlessly go far above and beyond to cover patients’ needs, no matter if surgical, nephrology or hepatology-related. They willingly step in to ensure the very best care for extremely complex and often very sick patients; and all this despite their otherwise hectic surgical residency duties.”

Honoring our Colleagues
Finally this week, I want to congratulate our many College of Medicine team members who were honored for their excellence as part of annual ceremonies such as Honors Convocation and Dean’s Honor Day, and in annual traditions such as the Chancellor’s Teaching Awards and our college’s Red Sash and Gold Sash recognitions.

The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology’s Dr. Sung Rhee received the Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence. And at Honors Convocation, Dr. Rhee received the Sophomore (M2) Golden Apple Award for the sixth consecutive year.

This year’s other outstanding Golden Apple Awards recipients are: M1: Dr. Alan Diekman (Biochemistry/Molecular Biology); M3: Dr. Nicholas Gowen (Internal Medicine); and M4: Dr. Lindsey Sward (Obstetrics and Gynecology). This is the eighth consecutive Golden Apple for Dr. Diekman. Dr. Sward has received Golden Apples from either the junior or senior class for four straight years, and seniors chose her to deliver the faculty address at Honors Convocation for the second year in a row.

College of Medicine seniors chose fourth-year Child Neurology resident Dr. Paul Drake as the Resident of the Year.

I was profoundly moved by the kind words of appreciation for my service from Dr. Stephanie Gardner, Dr. Erick Messias and others at our Dean’s Honor Day Ceremony this Monday. It has been my honor to serve at UAMS for the past 23 years.

It was equally gratifying to watch the video tributes to our faculty who are receiving promotions in rank this year and to hear the enthusiastic, heartfelt presentations to 15 of our award-winning colleagues from their nominators during the ceremony.

Watch for the ceremony video and stories about our honorees in the May issue of the COMmunication and on the UAMS and COM websites next week. For now, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate:

Staff Awards Recipients: Bailey Snellgrove, B.A.; Aaron D. Warren, B.A.; Laura Jones, APRN; Shannon Giger, M.H.A.

Faculty Honorees in Education: Dr. Sara Tariq and Dr. Riley Lipschitz; and in Research: Dr. Tamara Perry

Residency Educator Award winners: Dr. Alice Alexander and Wyvonne Ora, B.S.

Clinical Excellence Award Recipients: Drs. Hunter Gibbs, Elena Ambrogini, Benjamin Tharian, Benjamin Davis, Zachary Lewis and Jon Rubenow

Last but not least, I know you will all join me in congratulating the College of Medicine Class of 2021 on their many accomplishments!

Accolades – May 12, 2021

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 Research Award
Congratulations to Dr. Spyridoula Maraka, Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, on receiving the Women Advancing Thyroid Research Award from the American Thyroid Association. Dr. Maraka was recognized for her expertise in hypothyroidism in pregnancy and subclinical hypothyroidism in older adults, and specifically for her article, “Clinical Outcomes after Discontinuation of Thyroid Hormone Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” published in Thyroid.

Scholarly Teamwork
Excellent teamwork among College of Medicine faculty, fellows, residents and senior medical students in Dr. Hakan Paydak’s ECG Reading and Arrhythmias Course has resulted in a new publication in the Journal of Electrocardiology. Dr. Michael Cross, a Chief Resident in Internal Medicine, was the first author and Dr. Paydak, Professor and Director of the Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship, served as senior author on “The sensitivity of graphic trends in differentiating sinus and supraventricular tachycardia.” Collaborators included Dr. Sarah Floyd of the Division of Hospital Medicine; Division of Cardiology faculty members Dr. Subodh Devabhaktuni and Dr. Srikanth Vallurupalli; Chief Cardiovascular Diseases Fellow Dr. Fuad Habash; and former fellows Dr. Kanishk Agnihotri and Dr. Abhishek Deshmukh.

Pathology Publications
Congratulations to Dr. Neriman Gokden, Professor of Pathology, on the publication of two new original articles. She is a co-author with colleagues around the country on a paper, “Distal tubular hyperplasia: a proposal for a unique form of renal tubular proliferation distinct from papillary adenoma,” which was published in the American Journal of Surgical Pathology. Dr. Gokden collaborated with a team at Arkana Laboratories in Little Rock on an article, “Appearances can be deceiving: Viral-like inclusions in COVID-19 negative renal biopsies by electron microscopy,” which was published in Kidney360.

Book Chapter
A shout-out to Assistant Professor Dr. Neeraj Kumar, Associate Professor Dr. Priya Gupta and Professor Dr. Indranil Chakraborty on the publication of their book chapter. The Department of Anesthesiology colleagues collaborated on “Airway Devices for Thoracic Anesthesia and Ventilatory Techniques,” which is featured in the book “Thoracic Anesthesia Procedures,” edited by Drs. Alan D. Kaye and Richard D. Urman and published by Oxford University Press.

Dermatology Presenters
UAMS was well represented at the annual meetings of the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphomas (ISCL) and the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID). Dr. Katelynn Campbell, a dermatopathologist and Assistant Professor of Pathology, Dr. Henry Wong, Professor of Dermatology, and second-year medical students Sophia Ly and Delice Kayishunge had a case presentation, “Heterogenous Clinical Phenotype of Primary cutaneous gamma/delta T-cell lymphoma after treatment,” highlighted at the ISCL meeting. At the subsequent SID meeting, second-year Dermatology resident Dr. Jonathan Rick presented “Delays to Diagnosis: A Survey of Hidradenitis Patients; Dr. Wong, Ms. Ly and Ms. Kayishunge presented “Epidemiologic trends of mycosis fungoides and sezary syndrome in Arkansas reveals increasing incidence and disparities;” and Ms. Ly received a SID Registration Grant for her submission.

Preparing Interns
Rising Intern Preparation Week is traditionally held with in-person expert panels, advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training and simulation education to help prepare College of Medicine seniors for life as interns. After the pandemic halted the event last year, a dedicated team of faculty and staff worked very hard to plan and conduct this important program virtually for the Class of 2021. Special thanks to Dr. Matthew Spond, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology; Dr. Karen Dickinson, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Director of Interprofessional Simulation and Clinical Skills Education; Veronica Ussery, Education Director for the Anesthesia Tech Pipeline and GME Program Coordinator for Anesthesiology; and Sherry Johnson of the Simulation Center. Many others from Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, Cardiology, Neurology, Orthopaedic Surgery, the Centers for Simulation Education, COM Housestaff Office and other UAMS areas contributed to this effort. Hats off to you all!

ER Excellence
When two Little Rock police officers were injured in a major vehicle collision recently – one of them seriously – they received outstanding care in the UAMS Emergency Department. As it happens, a parent of the officer who was most seriously injured is a College of Medicine faculty member. “We greatly appreciate all the care both officers received in the UAMS ER that night,” the colleague said in a thank you note. “Several officers who were at the ER to check on those injured and offer support expressed to me their appreciation and trust in the UAMS ER and indicated that is where they would wish to be taken if anything were to happen to them.” I would like to echo this gratitude for the always-exceptional care provided by the Emergency Medicine team.

Above & Beyond
Imagine being new parents and having a serendipitous move to Arkansas – along with the remarkable efforts of a UAMS physician – save your baby’s life. Dr. Kapil Arya, an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics Division of Neurology, used the training he received as a UAMS Translational Research Institute/UAMS Center for Implementation Research Implementation Science Scholar to rapidly establish statewide newborn screenings for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare, disabling and fatal disease, following the enactment of an Arkansas law calling for the screenings. Read about this incredible effort in the UAMS Newsroom.

Accolades – May 5, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accolades – April 28, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accolades – April 21, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accolades – April 14, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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