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.

Public Service Woman of the Year

Congratulations to Dr. Nirvana Manning, Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, on being selected as the Woman of the Year in Public Service by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas. Dr. Manning will be honored at the organization’s “Power of the Purse” luncheon in October. In an announcement this week, the organization lauded Dr. Manning for her leadership on projects to improve health for women and girls across the state. This work includes implementing grants focused on postpartum maternal outcomes in populations that experience health disparities and expanding access to prenatal care in rural areas. The announcement also noted Dr. Manning’s vital work to raise awareness about Arkansas’ maternal mortality rate, which is the highest in the country.

Expertise Shared at Capitol Hill Briefing

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) invited Dr. Susan Emmett and Dr. Samantha Robler, Director and Associate Director of the Center for Hearing Health Access and faculty members in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, to Capitol Hill to speak at the PCORI Telehealth Briefing on April 18. They were one of three study teams selected nationally for this honor and the only team given the opportunity to also invite patient partners. As a result, a mother-daughter patient team traveled over 40 hours from their home community in rural Alaska to speak on the panel and meet lawmakers alongside Drs. Emmett and Robler. 

Surgery Leadership for Arkansas

Dr. Deidre Wyrick, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Trauma Medical Director at Arkansas Children’s, has been named President-Elect of the Arkansas Chapter of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). She will be the first female surgeon to hold the post of President when her two-year term in that role starts in 2025. Dr. Wyrick continues to gain local, state and national recognition for her surgical expertise and commitment to outstanding surgical education. She will provide strong leadership for Arkansas surgeons as President-Elect and then President.

Faculty Present at Pathology Conference

UAMS and the Department of Pathology were well represented at the annual meeting of the U.S. and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) in Baltimore. Dr. Camila Simoes delivered an invited presentation, “And This is What Makes Liver Pathology Fun,” at an evening specialty conference. Dr. Felicia Allard was the invited moderator for a platform presentation session on the pancreas, gallbladder, ampulla and extrahepatic biliary tree. Dr. Susanne Jeffus contributed to a multi-institutional reproducibility and validation study to assess the role of tumor budding in predicting prognosis of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma, which was selected for a platform presentation. Dr. Matt Quick moderated a gynecologic pathology evening specialty conference, taught on the pearls and pitfalls in staging uterine cancer in an interactive microscopy session, and contributed to two multi-institutional projects presented as abstracts.

Geriatric Teaching Earns National Spotlight

Dr. Priya Mendiratta, Professor and Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Geriatrics and Program Director for the Geriatrics Fellowship, was featured by the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) in its “Educator Spotlight” on the AGS membership website this month. The Q&A profile includes her insights on teaching – and on learning from students, residents and fellows as well as from her patients. “My learners constantly remind me of the power of curiosity and the value of lifelong learning,” she said in the Q&A. “Their enthusiasm for exploring new ideas and their willingness to challenge assumptions invigorate my teaching approach and deepen my understanding of geriatric care.” The AGS recognition is a testament to Dr. Mendiratta’s excellence in geriatrics education, which also earned her the COM GME Educator Award for Program Directors this spring.

Resident Earns National Hematology Award

A shout-out to Dr. Kingsley Nnawuba, a second-year Internal Medicine resident at the Northwest Regional Campus, on being selected by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) for the 2024 Hematology Opportunities for the Next Generation of Research Scientists (HONORS) Award. The award provides $5,000 in support for a research project, ASH mentorship and a $1,000 travel stipend to attend the ASH annual meeting, where recipients will be recognized at a Career Developments Awards reception.

Student Presents at Psychiatric Conference

Third-year medical student Dana Abulez did a great job presenting her research at the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting in New York City last week. Her poster presentation highlighted a cross-sectional study on the association between patient-level factors and positive treatment response in individuals with psychostimulant use disorder. Co-authors included Dr. Clare Brown from the College of Public Health and Dr. Michael Cucciare and Dr. Corey Hayes from the Department of Psychiatry. Dana was a summer intern in the UAMS Addiction Research Training Program as a first-year student.

Alpha Omega Alpha Honorees

Finally this week, I want to take a moment to congratulate the students, residents, fellows, faculty and alumni who were recognized at the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) New Member Induction Ceremony and Reception last week. Election to the national medical honor society signifies a lasting commitment to professionalism, leadership, scholarship, research and community service.

The ceremony was led by Dr. Molly Gathright, Executive Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, who serves as AOA Faculty Councilor for the Arkansas Chapter. Prior to 2020, new members were recognized at a yearly induction banquet. While the pandemic put the annual event on hold, new members have been elected each year. The May 7 gathering honored all who were elected in 2020-2024. Inductees are listed by year and category in this PPT from the ceremony.

I join with Dr. Gathright in congratulating these AOA members and thanking them for their exceptional dedication to the profession and art of healing.

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.

Newly Invested Endowed Chair

Congratulations to Dr. Mauricio Garcia, Associate Professor and Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, on his investiture in the Jerome S. Levy, M.D., Chair in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at UAMS last Wednesday. Dr. Garcia is internationally recognized for his expertise in the management of liver diseases, with a focus on alcohol-related liver disease, liver transplantation and hepatocellular carcinoma. Earlier leadership roles at UAMS included serving as Director of the Primary Liver Tumor Clinic and later as Director of Hepatology Services and Transplant Medical Director until 2020. After serving for two years in the transplant program at Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Garcia was recruited back to UAMS in 2022. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

National Nutrition Research Award

Congratulations to Dr. Colin Kay, a Professor in the Developmental Nutrition Section of the Department of Pediatrics, on being selected for the 2024 Mary Swartz Rose Senior Investigator Award from the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). The award recognizes outstanding research into the safety and efficacy of bioactive compounds for human health and will be presented at ASN’s Nutrition 2024 meeting in Chicago this summer. Dr. Kay serves as Director of the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC) Metabolomics and Analytical Chemistry Research Core and as Director of Precision Health Research at the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI). Dr. Kay and his research team are playing a leading role in defining the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of polyphenols. Read more in this ACRI Research Update.

National Neurosurgical Conference Leadership

Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Associate Professor, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Neurosurgery, delivered talks showcasing her expertise in two distinct areas at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) national meeting. One of the presentations was on recurrent low-grade glioma and adjuvant therapy, and the second was on social determinants of health. As a member of the AANS Scientific Program Committee, Dr. Rodriguez worked over the past year to develop the program and select speakers for the May 3-6 conference.  

Outstanding Young Alumnus

Dr. Brian Koss, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, is a rising star in cancer research at UAMS and nationally with a prestigious 2021 National Institutes of Health Director’s Early Independence Award and other scientific honors to his credit. His latest recognition comes from Hendrix College in Conway, which named him as the 2024 Outstanding Young Alumnus. Dr. Koss, a 2008 Hendrix graduate, was recognized during the college’s President Inauguration Ceremony on April 20, and he will return to campus to formally receive the award during Hendrix’s 2025 Alumni Weekend. Dr. Koss completed his Ph.D. at UAMS and joined the faculty in 2021. Read more about him here.

ASTRO Research Fellowship

Congratulations to second-year M.D./Ph.D. student Amie Brint on receiving a Medical Student Research Fellowship Award from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). She is the first UAMS student to receive the prestigious fellowship, which is awarded to only 10 students nationally each year. Under the mentorship of UAMS Radiation Oncology faculty members Dr. Robert Griffin and Dr. Ruud Dings, Amie’s predoctoral research will focus on determining dose response and spacing between peak dose regions that is optimal for killing of oxic or hypoxic tumor cells. Amie also serves as Vice President of the Oncology Interest Group. After completing her Practice of Medicine 2 preceptorship with Dr. Richard Crownover, she hosted a very successful and well-attended Feb. 29 tour of the Proton Center for medical students and others.

Kudos, Senior Olympics Volunteers

A shout-out to the many College of Medicine and UAMS team members who are contributing to the Arkansas Senior Olympics this year. UAMS Health Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is the Presenting Sponsor. Most recently, Dr. Gary McHenry, Executive Director of the Schmieding Senior Center, delivered the welcome remarks at the start of the track and field competition held at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville on April 27. Joining him as volunteers for the day were fellow UAMS Centers on Aging team members Brandi Schneider, René Garcia-Oliver and Lauren Gale. Student volunteers included COM sophomore Liam Alderson.

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.

Minority Health Pioneer

Congratulations to Dr. Sheldon Riklon, Associate Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine in the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation, on receiving the Dr. Joycelyn Elders Minority Health Pioneer Award from the Arkansas Minority Health Commission. Dr. Riklon was honored at the 8^th Biennial Minority Health Summit last week for his positive impact on the health and healthcare of minority Arkansans, particularly the Marshallese community in Northwest Arkansas. The award is the latest of many recognitions of Dr. Riklon’s remarkable work. He holds the Peter O. Kohler, M.D., Endowed Chair in Health Disparities at UAMS. In 2021, he received UAMS’ Dr. Edith Irby Jones Lifetime Achievement Award. He is being promoted to Professor on July 1. 

Pediatric Fellowship Recruitment

Dr. Jill Fussell, Professor and Vice Chair of Education (Fellowships) in the Department of Pediatrics, was appointed Chair of the national Fellowship Recruitment Action Team (FRAT) at the recent annual conference of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors. Dr. Fussell will provide strong leadership as Chair for 2024-2026. FRAT is a collaboration of pediatric organizations that works to create a fair application process for both learners and programs, with emphasis on the needs of historically underrepresented learners across the range of fellowship program types and sizes.

Criminal Justice Health Conference

Dr. Melissa Zielinski, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Health and the Legal System (HEALS) Lab, and several HEALS colleagues were presenters and participants at the recent Academic Consortium of Criminal Justice Health annual meeting in Phoenix. Dr. Zielinski, who serves on the consortium’s board of directors, moderated a pair of seminars and served on a panel on the intersection of ethics and research with justice-involved persons. A scientific poster by Assistant Professor Dr. Mollee Steely Smith was one of five selected to be specially featured at the conference. Dinesha Darrough, LCSW, received a research staff travel scholarship to attend the conference.

National Leadership in Endocrinology

Dr. Spyridoula Maraka, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Endocrinology Fellowship, has been appointed to a three-year term on the Endocrine Society Clinical Affairs Committee. The committee provides insights on issues affecting clinical practice in endocrinology including health care policy and advocacy, access to care, evidence-based standards of care, reimbursement, quality of life for endocrinologists and more. Dr. Maraka has served in several national leadership roles in endocrinology, including her current term as Co-Chair of the American Thyroid Association Guidelines and Statements Committee.

Otolaryngology Diamond Conference Showcases Expertise

The Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery did a great job hosting the fourth annual Otolaryngology Diamond Conference. The April 19-20 conference drew its largest attendance to date with about 125 providers from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas. Dr. John Dornhoffer, Professor and Chair, was Course Chairman, and Professors Dr. Mauricio Moreno and Dr. Gresham Richter served as Course Directors. Along with three national experts, UAMS and Arkansas Children’s presenters included Dr. Robert Saadi, Dr. Emre Vural and Dr. Michael Larson (Otolaryngology); Dr. Shipra Bansal (Pediatrics); Dr. Santanu Samanta (Radiation Oncology); Caitlyn Jenkins, Aud.D. (Clinical Audiology); and Dr. Joe Elser (Arkansas Children’s Headache Clinic).

VA Honors Psychiatry Faculty

Several colleagues from the Department of Psychiatry and the Center for Health Services Research recently received awards for their work with the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS) and the VA. As part of VA Psychology Week, Dr. Sonia Singh was named Outstanding DEI Advocate, and Dr. Marci Weber received an award for Outstanding Research Achievement. The VA South Central Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) recently presented its 2023 awards, including Mentor of the Year to Dr. Ellen Fischer and Best Publication by a Senior Investigator to Dr. Sara Landes. MIRECC also named Dr. Brandon Griffin as its Assistant Director for Research.

Harvard Bound for Leadership Program

Dr. Monique Spillman, Professor and Chief of the Gynecologic Oncology Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was recently accepted into the prestigious Emerging Women Executives in Health Care certificate program at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard. The intensive four-day, on-site leadership development program is designed to help women in senior positions develop effective leadership strategies to improve organizational performance.

Newly Invested in Arkansas Children’s Chairs

And finally this week, congratulations to COM faculty members Dr. Raghu Ramakrishnaiah, Dr. Erin Willis and Dr. Jason Williams on their investitures in endowed chairs by Arkansas Children’s on April 24.

Dr. Ramakrishnaiah, Professor of Radiology and Chief of Pediatric Radiology at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, was invested in the Lee Roy and Melba T. Beasley Endowed Chair in Pediatric Radiology.

Dr. Willis, Associate Professor and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurology and Department of Medicine Chief for Arkansas Children’s, was invested in the John H. Bornhofen, M.D. Endowed Chair in Child Neurology.

Dr. Williams, Professor and Director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Vice President and Chief Mental and Behavioral Health Officer at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, was invested in the Belinda H. And Robert L. Shults Endowed Chair in Child Behavioral Health.

Read more about these outstanding colleagues and the endowed chairs in the Investiture Program.

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.

Newly Invested

Congratulations to Dr. Shashank Kraleti on his formal investiture in the Dr. Algernon Sidney Garnett Chair in Family Medicine on April 10. The investiture is just the latest of many well-earned honors for Dr. Kraleti for his exceptional clinical and academic leadership, teaching, mentoring and much more during his 15 years on the faculty. Dr. Kraleti has served as Chair of the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine since last July. He also serves as Director of the Primary Care and Population Health Service Line and Senior Vice President for UAMS Health. Read more about Dr. Kraleti and the investiture in the UAMS Newsroom.

Protecting Arkansas’ Children

Dr. Sufna John, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Co-Director of UAMS’ Arkansas Building Effective Services for Trauma (ARBEST) program, recently received the Percy Malone Child Protection Award from the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas. ARBEST is dedicated to improving outcomes for traumatized children and their families through excellence in clinical care, training, advocacy and research. The award honors Arkansans who, like State Sen. Percy Malone and his wife, Donna, have fought to prevent and end the devastating effects of physical and sexual abuse of the state’s children.

Surgery, Neonatology Collaboration Published in JAMA

Dr. Sid Dassinger, Professor of Surgery and Chief of Pediatric General Surgery, and Dr. Sherry Courtney, a Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Clinical Research for Neonatology, were investigators and co-authors on a multi-center clinical trial, recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), into the effect of early vs. late inguinal hernia repair in preterm infants. The study, which required close collaboration between the Surgery and Neonatology teams at UAMS and other participating centers, helped to address an important question in a very vulnerable population. The findings support delaying inguinal hernia repair until after initial discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit.

Young Investigator Award

Dr. Divya Citla, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Hematology-Oncology, received the coveted Young Investigator Travel Award at the Thrombosis Hemostasis Summit of North America (THSNA) meeting in Chicago this month. She delivered an oral presentation on a national claims database study into osteoporosis and fragility fractures in hemophilia and von Willebrand disease. Dr. Citla also presented two poster abstracts – a quality improvement study on access to factor 8 and factor 9 products for patients with hemophilia in Arkansas, and “ATHN Transcends,” a natural history cohort study of bleeding symptoms and treatment outcomes in patients with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia.

National Trauma Conference Presentation

Dr. Kyle Kalkwarf, Associate Professor of Surgery and UAMS Trauma Medical Director, recently presented his work stemming from a UAMS Translational Research Institute Implementation Science Scholar Award at the Western Trauma Association (WTA) meeting. The event is the most selective annual trauma meeting, with only 40 research projects presented annually. This is the second WTA presentation for Dr. Kalkwarf in three years. The manuscript for the project was accepted for publication in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. Along with colleagues from the Division of Acute Care Surgery, co-authors included UAMS clinical informaticist Dr. Brett Bailey and the College of Pharmacy’s Dr. Geoffrey Curran.

Healthcare Research All-Stars

Nine current and former UAMS physicians have been named “Healthcare Research All-Stars” for 2024 by Avant-garde Health, a technology and analytics company. The UAMS Hip and Knee Surgery team placed among the top 1% of hip and knee surgeons nationwide, the Orthopaedic Surgery team was among the top 3% nationwide, and both the Gastrointestinal and General Surgery teams at UAMS placed among the top 5% nationwide for published, leading-edge health care research. Current faculty members named as All-Stars are Dr. Lowry Barnes, Dr. Jeffrey Stambough and Dr. Benjamin Stronach (Orthopaedic Surgery); Dr. Sumant Inamdar (Gastroenterology); Dr. Subhi Al’Aref (Cardiology); and Dr. Emmanouil Giorgakis (General/Transplant Surgery). Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Paper Examines Gingivitis and Neuroinflammation

Dr. Ambika Verma, a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Geriatrics and Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, was first author on an article in GeroScience that sheds new light on the mechanisms that gingivitis may play in neuroinflammation. The article, “Proteomic Analysis of p. Gingivalis-lipopolysaccharide induced Neuroinflammation in SH-S5Y and HMC3 Cells,” was coauthored by faculty members Dr. Xiaomin Zhang, Dr. Gohar Azhar and Department Chair Dr. Jeanne Wei (senior author) and post-doctoral fellow Dr. Pankaj Patyal.

National Neurosurgical Research Summer Fellowship

Congratulations to second-year College of Medicine student Andrew Mathews on receiving a 2024 Neurosurgery Research Education Foundation Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship. The highly competitive national award from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons is presented to fewer than 15 students from across the United States and Canada annually. Andrew is mentored by Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Associate Professor, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Neurosurgery.

“Girlology” Workshop is an Ongoing Hit

Kudos to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for hosting the latest “Girlology” workshop, which drew about 350 girls ages 8-13 and their caregivers to campus on April 7 to learn about issues relating to puberty. Special thanks as well to the medical student volunteers who helped out, including leaders Ashton Jones and Sally Barnes, along with Megan Hand, Madi Nichols, Katie Pacheco, Sarah Mitchell, Madison Haraway and Cat Davis. OB/GYN Chair Dr. Nirvana Manning, Dr. Kate Stambough and Dr. Laura Hollenbach initiated the popular recurring workshop in 2022.

TRI Research Day Highlights “The Last Mile”

The UAMS Translational Research Institute’s Research Day 2024 celebrated novel, transformative research and translational science aimed at improving health outcomes in Arkansas. A shout-out to TRI Director Dr. Laura James and her team and the many presenters and other participants who made the recent event a great success. Read more about the event, including key presenters, here. Congratulations also to this year’s poster contest winners.

I would like to wrap up this week’s Accolades with an insightful comment from Dr. Susan Emmett, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Epidemiology, who delivered one of two keynote presentations at TRI Research Day. Dr. Emmett is founder and Director of the UAMS Center for Hearing Health Access and is leading a large-scale implementation project to bring hearing health care to rural Arkansas and other states.

“We can’t do research for research’s sake, because then we have stopped short of real-world impact,” Dr. Emmett explained. “It’s about going that last mile, creating the evidence, and then working with policymakers to ensure that it is put into practice to actually change lives.”

Congratulations to our 2024 Dean’s Honor Day Award Winners!

Next Tuesday, April 16, we will celebrate excellence across our college at the 2024 Dean’s Honor Day celebration. I am really looking forward to ceremony. I know we will hear wonderful stories about these staff and faculty who exemplify the very best of the College of Medicine.

Please join us from 4:00-5:00 p.m. in Fred Smith Auditorium, 12^th floor of the Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neurosciences Institute. In addition to nearly 20 awards to faculty and staff, we will have photo gallery-style video tributes to our faculty who are receiving promotion and/or tenure this year. A reception will follow the ceremony. If you can’t make it in person, tune in to the ceremony livestream.

Meanwhile, I am very pleased to announce the faculty and staff who will receive awards at the ceremony. Please join me in congratulating these remarkable members of our team!

Awards

Staff Excellence

Education

Jessica Bursk — Family and Preventive Medicine

Research

Caroline Miller Robinson, B.S. — Physiology and Cell Biology/INBRE

Clinical

Chris Cathcart, DPT, MBA — ICE, Physical Therapy/Trauma Team

Administration

Robin Rogers, B.A. — Biomedical Informatics

GME Educator

Program Coordinator

Angela Warr — Pain Medicine Fellowship

Program Director

Priya Mendiratta, M.D., MPH — Geriatric Medicine Fellowship

Master Teacher

Steve Schexnayder, M.D. — Pediatrics/Pediatric Critical Care

Educational Innovation

Ahmed Abuabdou, M.D., MBA — Chief Clinical Officer/Cancer Service Line

Educational Research

Karen Dickinson, MBBS, M.D., M.Ed. — Surgery/IPE Simulation and Clinical Skills Training

Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine

David Kelley, M.D. — Family and Preventive Medicine

Excellence in Research

Lorraine McKelvey, Ph.D. — Family and Preventive Medicine

Clinical Excellence

Outstanding Advanced Practice Provider

Ashley Wilson, DNP — Surgery/Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery

Quality & Safety

Tabasum Imran, M.D. — Family and Preventive Medicine, UAMS West

Service & Professionalism

Chenia Eubanks, M.D., MPH — Pediatrics/Community Pediatrics

Best Consulting Physician

Sarah Cobb, M.D. — Pediatrics/Pediatric Neurology

Collaborations & Teamwork

Lyle Burdine, M.D., Ph.D. — Surgery/Transplant Surgery

Rising Star

Dinesh Edem, M.D. — Internal Medicine/Endocrinology

Physician of the Year

Ronda Henry-Tillman, M.D. — Surgery/Breast Surgical Oncology

Distinguished Faculty Service Award

Eduardo Ochoa Jr., M.D. — Pediatrics/Community Pediatrics

Promotion and Tenure

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

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

COM Students Win National IR Competition

A team of five UAMS medical students took home top honors in the finals of the Biodesign Competition at the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) annual meeting in Salt Lake City on Saturday for their design of an innovative “AccessAnywhere” Catheterization Trainer. Prompted by the contest theme of “Telehealth in Interventional Radiology (IR),” the team interviewed interventional radiologists in the Little Rock area and Northwest Arkansas to learn about procedural training needs that could be addressed in part through telehealth technology.

The team learned that some of the most common IR procedures incorporate central and peripheral venous catheterization. Then they designed a device that combines an affordable and portable vascular model with computer-mediated sensing, recording and feedback capabilities to give IR fellows, residents and even medical students an opportunity to practice the fundamental skill of catheterization in a low-pressure environment before attempting it “for real” in the IR suite. Read more about the project on the Radiology website.

Congratulations to team members Andrew Mathews (M2), Aaron Rieth (M2), Mason Belue (M3), Milenko Petrovic (M2), and Josue Calderon (M1), and their faculty mentors from the Division of Interventional Radiology, Professors Dr. Mollie Meek and Dr. Bob Dixon. Way to go!

UAMS Well Represented at Geriatric Psychiatry Conference

UAMS was well represented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry in Atlanta. Third-year medical student Michael Ward delivered a podium presentation on “Navigating Ethical Complexities in Suicide Attempts in Older Adults,” which described a clinically and ethically complex case that was expertly handled by the Department of Psychiatry’s Consultation-Liaison Service. His mentors were Drs. Samidha Tripathi, Amy Grooms, Payton Lea and Psychiatry Chair Dr. Laura Dunn. PGY-4 Psychiatry resident Dr. Adam Burroughs delivered a podium presentation on driving-related issues in older adults with cognitive impairment. His talk focused on screening for risk factors, discussion of resources, and a review of driver laws to equip physicians for assessing and counseling elderly drivers. Dr. Dunn chaired a symposium titled “Becoming an Authentic, Resilient Leader: An Interactive Workshop to Enhance Your Abilities to Lead.”

Arkansas ACP Leadership

Department of Internal Medicine faculty members Dr. Meer Akbar Ali, Dr. Sheena CarlLee and Dr. Sri Obulareddy were recently elected to the Governor’s Advisory Council of the American College of Physicians (ACP) Arkansas Chapter. Dr. Akbar Ali is an Associate Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Dr. CarlLee is an Assistant Professor and Program Director of the UAMS/Washington Regional Internal Medicine Residency Program in Northwest Arkansas. Dr. Obulareddy is an Associate Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology. Dr. Keyur Vyas, a Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases, is Governor of the ACP Arkansas Chapter. Kudos to all for their service to Arkansas as well as UAMS.

Brain & Behavior Top Score

Second-year medical student Haya Safar was honored by educational leaders recently for earning the top score in the M1 Brain and Behavior Module as a freshman last year. For her outstanding work in the foundational course, she received a plaque, monetary award and recognition on the Neuroscience Award plaque located on the south wall of the ground floor of the Education II building. I join with Brain and Behavior Module Co-Directors Dr. Shona Ray-Griffith, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and Dr. Laura Stanley, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, in congratulating Haya!

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.

Match Day Heralds Next Chapter for Senior Class

The Class of 2024 learned where they will complete their residency training at the Match Day ceremony last Friday – and what a celebration it was! As a newcomer, it was wonderful to see the excitement and joy of our graduating seniors and the sea of family, friends and faculty who cheered them on as they opened their envelopes and announced their match locations. Nearly half of our students will be joining residency programs in Arkansas, while others matched to programs in 25 other states. About 48 percent will be training in primary care specialties. Here is a list of where are seniors are going. View a video of the ceremony here, and watch for a story on the UAMS website soon.

Meanwhile, congratulations to all. As I said on Friday, we are confident that the hard work you put in here over the past four years will make you an asset to the institution you are joining. We know you will do great things.

Pediatric Eye Research Prominence

Department of Ophthalmology faculty and their clinical colleagues at Arkansas Children’s are gaining national prominence for their work with the National Eye Institute-funded Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG). The team is the No. 1 investigator group in the country for an exotropia study under the leadership of Dr. Paula Grigorian, and among the top investigators for a retinopathy of prematurity study thanks to the efforts of Dr. Florin Grigorian. Both faculty members received awards for their work at the recent PEDIG meeting in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Paul Phillips, Ophthalmology Chair and Director of the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, is an elected member of the PEDIG executive committee.

Surgery Research Showcase

The IDW Education Building buzzed with intellectual energy during the third annual Surgery Research Symposium hosted by the Department of Surgery on March 12. Along with a keynote address from renowned trauma specialist Dr. Martin Schreiber, the event showcased cutting-edge research through 26 scientific posters. Awards were presented to Ph.D. student Khandoker Usran Ferdous for Best Overall Poster and surgical residents Dr. Hailey Hardgrave and Dr. Nicholas Callais for the Speaker’s Pick and Chair’s Pick, respectively. The symposium underscores the department’s commitment to enhancing patient care through research. Kudos to Surgery Chair Dr. Ron Robertson and the faculty, residents and organizers who made it a great success.

Alcohol Research Award Finalist

Dr. Mustafa Mithaiwala, a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Ashley Acheson’s Neurodevelopmental Risk and Resilience program in the Psychiatric Research Institute, has been selected as a finalist for an Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award from the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA). The international research group presents the awards annually to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows working in the areas of biological, psychosocial and translational research. As a finalist in the prestigious competition, Dr. Mithaiwala will present his research in June at the RSA’s annual scientific meeting in Minneapolis, where the awards also will be presented. We’ll be rooting for you, Dr. Mithaiwala!

Paper Examines CCG Molecules

Dr. Pankaj Patyal, a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Geriatrics and Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, was first author on an article in Cells that sheds new light on the mechanisms of certain small molecules, CCG-203973 and CCG-232601, for potentially treating cancer. The article, “Inhibitors of Rho/MRTF/SRF Transcription Pathway Regulate Mitochondrial Function” was coauthored by faculty members Drs. Xiaomin Zhang, Gohar Azhar and Jeanne Wei (senior author) and post-doctoral fellow Dr. Ambika Verma.  

Lectureship Brings Renowned Neurosurgeon to UAMS

The Department of Neurosurgery and Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute recently hosted a renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Jaques Morcos, for the M. Gazi and Dianne C.H. Yasargil Lectureship on Advances in Neuroscience. Dr. Morcos, President-Elect of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, discussed two types of cerebrovascular surgeries as “the inseparable twins.” He also praised Dr. Yasargil, a UAMS Emeritus Professor who has been hailed as the “Neurosurgeon of the Century” for his work between 1950 and 1999. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Thank You, Dr. Worley

Dr. Linda L.M. Worley, a Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, has devoted her expertise to help patients, physicians and other colleagues, students and residents achieve better mental health and wellbeing. She retires at the end of this month after serving in many clinical and academic leadership roles and a career that has been driven, in Dr. Worley’s own words, by a determination to prevent and relieve suffering. Dr. Worley currently serves as Chief Wellness Officer for the College of Medicine, following five years as Associate Dean for Northwest Arkansas. Earlier roles included founding the now campus-wide student and faculty wellness programs, the Women’s Mental Health Consultation Service in the statewide Antenatal and Neonatal Guidelines for Education and Learning System – and much more.

On behalf of our college, thank you, Dr. Worley, and best wishes for your well-earned retirement.

Here’s to Great Beginnings

My first full week at UAMS is underway, and I am happy to continue the tradition of sharing recent honors and accomplishments of College of Medicine faculty, staff, students, residents and fellows with you. I already have noticed that many of the Accolades suggestions we receive reflect not only the excellent work being done across our mission areas, but also the collegiality of team members who take a moment to make sure we hear about someone who deserves a shout-out.

Speaking of which, I want to reiterate what I said in my “hello” message last Friday, Employee Appreciation Day, about being thankful to all of you for your important contributions to our work in Arkansas. I also want to express my gratitude to Dr. G. Richard Smith for his dedicated service as Interim Dean and for his invaluable, ongoing guidance as I continue to learn about our institution.

Let’s do great things together.

Next Freshman Class Takes Shape – Thanks to Many

The essential work to ensure that the strongest, most promising applicants are offered one of the 175 spots in the next freshman class culminated in the final meeting of the College of Medicine Admissions Committee on Feb. 16 and the completion of admissions notifications early last week. We greatly appreciate all of you who were integral to this effort, including the 156 faculty members and 43 senior medical students who volunteered to serve on interview teams this year. Kudos also to Tom South, Assistant Dean for Admissions, Dr. Jeanne McLachlin, Director of Admissions and Recruiting, and Tammy Henson-Platt for their hard work throughout the process.

Finally, very special thanks to the physicians on our faculty and from across the state who served on the Admissions Committee. Dr. Richard Turnage, Professor of Surgery and Vice Chancellor for UAMS Regional Campuses, assumed the role of Chair this year, his third on the committee. Two members completed their fourth and final year of service: Dr. Amy Cahill of White Hall and Dr. Alan Wilson of Monticello. The full committee is listed below.

• Dr. Lee Archer
• Dr. Amy Cahill
• Dr. Rhonda Dick
• Dr. Wesley Garner
• Dr. Adam Johnson
• Dr. Jonathan Laryea
• Dr. Rebecca Latch
• Dr. Matthew McNelley
• Dr. Michele Moss
• Dr. Sheldon Riklon
• Dr. Analiz Rodriguez
• Dr. Richard Turnage
• Dr. Jordan Weaver
• Dr. Richard P. Wheeler
• Dr. Alan K. Wilson

Science Communication Fellowship

Congratulations to graduate student Carol Morris on being selected for the 2024 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Science Communication Training Fellowship. Carol, who works in the lab of Dr. Abdel Fouda, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, was one of only 10 researchers accepted this year in a highly competitive process open to students, postdocs and junior faculty members. Carol has received multiple national and UAMS honors for her research in stroke and retinal ischemic injury. The ARVO fellowship helps early-career researchers hone their science communication and advocacy skills and includes a visit to Washington, D.C., to engage with legislators. 

Sleep Medicine Expertise

Sleep specialists across the state and their patients will benefit from the expertise of COM faculty members who are speaking at the Sleep Professionals of Arkansas Meeting later this week. Faculty presenters and panelists include Dr. Patrick Fraley and Dr. Jeffrey Kirsch, Associate Professors, and Dr. Gresham Richter, Professor and Vice Chairman of Pediatric Services, in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; and Dr. Praveen Nandamuru, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine. 

Race to the Finish

It may seem like a race to the finish line now for any senior medical student, but for Robert “Robbie” Kiss, the race was literal on Sunday. Robbie took first place in the Half Marathon event held as part of the Little Rock Marathon. The Fort Smith native beat 2,295 other finishers with a remarkable time of 1:15:29.5. Many other COM and UAMS students, residents and team members also participated in the Marathon events this year. Way to go, everyone, and congratulations, Robbie!

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.

Shaping Food Allergy Medications

The Arkansas Children’s Food Allergy Program, under the leadership of Dr. Stacie Jones, Professor of Pediatrics, has been a major contributor to advancing therapies for food allergy patients for almost 20 years. The field took a major step forward this month with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Xolair (omalizumab) as the first biologic treatment for multi-food allergy in patients ages 1-55. The medication can help reduce life-threatening allergic reactions from accidental exposure to one or more foods.

The Arkansas team, including Drs. Amy Scurlock, Safia Nawaz, Robbie Pesek and Tamara Perry, along with a host of committed team members, patients and families, contributed as one of 10 sites for the landmark OUtMATCH study, which was published Feb. 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Jones and colleagues have lent their expertise to the NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-funded Consortium for Food Allergy Research as an inaugural center since 2005. Well done.

Insights from UAMS in NEJM Catalyst

UAMS’ unique challenges as the state’s lone academic medical center (AMC) and the contributions of institutions like ours to states that only have a single AMC are the focus of a new article in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst. Co-authors of the insightful article are Dr. Cam Patterson, UAMS Chancellor and CEO for UAMS Health; Dr. Stephanie Gardner, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Provost and Chief Strategy Officer; and Dr. Kristie Hadden, Associate Professor of Medical Humanities and Bioethics and UAMS Senior Strategy Associate. UAMS is one of 10 institutions across the country that serve as the lone AMC in their state. Drs. Hadden, Patterson and Gardner and colleagues also collaborated on an article about UAMS’ leadership in a novel rural hospital alliance, published this month in the Southern Medical Journal.

AAMC Educator Award Regional Honoree

Dr. Lauren Gibson-Oliver, Assistant Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine and Program Director of the UAMS Little Rock Family Medicine Residency Program, has been selected as the regional winner of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) M. Brownell Anderson Award. The award celebrates early-career medical educators who exemplify enthusiasm, commitment and creativity in medical education. Dr. Gibson-Oliver will be honored by the Southern Group on Educational Affairs (SGEA) at its annual meeting in April. She and three other regional winners are under consideration for the national award to be presented later this year.

Reducing Preventable Trauma Mortality

The outstanding work done by the Arkansas Trauma System to save lives of severely injured Arkansans was reported in a recent article in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons and presented at the 2023 Southern Surgical Association (SSA) meeting. UAMS coauthors included Department of Surgery faculty members Drs. Kyle Kalkwarf, Deidre Wyrick, Ben Davis and Department Chair Dr. Ron Robertson, along with Dr. Charles Mabry, Adjunct Associate Professor and surgeon at Jefferson Regional Medical Center, UAMS Trauma Program Manager Terry Collins, RN, and Dr. Austin Porter with the UAMS College of Public Health and Arkansas Department of Health. Dr. Mabry presented the study at the SSA meeting.

Otolaryngology Research Funding on the Move

A shout-out to Dr. Susan Emmett, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Epidemiology, on her ranking as the 10th highest National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded PI in the nation in otolaryngology and the second highest funded otologist, with $2.16 million in NIH funding for FY23 in the prestigious Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings. With this funding alone, the Department of Otolaryngology ranked 26^th in the country among otolaryngology departments, just behind the University of North Carolina and Duke University.

Coagulation Study Insights

Department of Surgery Division of Acute Care Surgery team members, led by senior author Dr. Joseph Margolick, recently had their work presented by second-year Surgery resident Dr. Maraya Camazine at the annual Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) Scientific Assembly. The presentation was titled “Standard ROTEM Protocols May Mask Underlying Coagulopathy in Hypothermic Trauma Patients.” Other contributors included Drs. Nolan Bruce, Avi Bhavaraju, Kyle Kalkwarf and Ginell Post, along with medical student Hudson Surber and UAMS biostatistician Scott Stewart. In addition, the premise of the work – that coagulation studies run at room temperature may not reflect current physiology – has been deemed worthy of an EAST multicenter trial that will start enrolling soon.

Neuroanesthesia Expertise

Department of Anesthesiology second-year (CA-1) resident Dr. Emily Breland, Associate Professor Dr. Priya Gupta and Dr. Indranil Chakraborty, Professor and Chief of the Division of Neuroanesthesiology, authored a peer-reviewed medically challenging case report that was published in the quarterly newsletter of the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care (SNACC). Their article, “Functional Pituitary Macroadenoma: Anesthetic Considerations” reflects the world-class treatment of complex neurosurgical cases and associated neuroanesthesia care available at UAMS.

Welcoming Dr. Webber

Tomorrow marks my last day as Interim Dean, and Dr. Steven Webber begins serving as Dean and Executive Vice Chancellor on Friday. Dr. Webber is a highly regarded pediatrician, researcher and leader in academic medicine who is internationally known for his expertise in solid organ transplantation in children. He trained and has served at leading institutions in the U.K. and U.S., including the University of Pittsburgh and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, where he served as the James C. Overall Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Pediatrician-in-Chief of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital from 2012 until his recruitment to UAMS. I have greatly enjoyed getting to know Dr. Webber over the past several months and appreciate his collegiality and friendship. The College of Medicine has a bright future ahead under his leadership.

Thank You, Colleagues

Last but not least this week, I have one final accolade to share – for all of you. It has been an honor to work with you in this role for the past 14 months. Last year was challenging in many respects, but we enjoyed many successes as well. These wouldn’t have been possible without your contributions and your dedication to our college, our students and trainees, our patients, and all those we serve across our state.

Thank you.

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.

Chair-Elect of the LCME

Dr. James Graham, Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, has been elected by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) as its Chair-Elect. Dr. Graham’s one-year term as Chair-Elect will begin on July 1, and he will begin serving as Chair of the national accrediting body for M.D.-granting U.S. medical schools the following July. Dr. Graham was first elected to the LCME in 2020 as a nominee of the American Medical Association (AMA), after serving for about a decade as an LCME site survey team member for other medical schools during their accreditation and reaccreditation processes.

Dr. Graham’s election to this high-profile national leadership role reflects the high regard of his peers in the AMA and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the LCME’s joint sponsors. At UAMS, Dr. Graham has served as Executive Associate Dean since 2020, after 10 years as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education. A Professor of Pediatrics, he joined the faculty in 1991 and was Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine in 2005-2010. Early central leadership roles included Director of the Clinical Medicine I course (now called Practice of Medicine I) from 1999 to 2017.

Congratulations, Dr. Graham, and thank you for your service nationally and at UAMS.

Flagship for Adult Trauma Care

UAMS has received designation as an adult Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) for another three years following a comprehensive on-site review in November that lauded UAMS as the “flagship trauma center” for the state. UAMS remains Arkansas’ only adult Level 1 Trauma Center, having first earned the verification from the ACS in 2017. Evaluators gave UAMS high marks in several areas and specifically noted the contributions of Dr. Kyle Kalkwarf, Associate Professor of Surgery and Trauma Medical Director, and Terry Collins, RN, Trauma Program Director. Kudos to them and the entire Trauma Team for their commitment to providing exceptional care for seriously injured trauma patients. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

National Honors for Pediatric Trauma Leaders

I am also delighted to share good news about two of our pediatric surgeons this week. Dr. Todd Maxson, a Professor in the Division of Pediatric Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, has been named President of the Pediatric Trauma Society. The society is the leading organization in the development of optimal treatment guidelines, education, research and advocacy for injured children. Arkansas Children’s is the state’s only Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center.

Dr. Deidre Wyrick, Assistant Professor and Trauma Medical Director at Arkansas Children’s, has been selected as a Future Trauma Leader by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. Only a small number of promising young trauma surgeons receive the honor each year. The two-year program includes travel to national meetings, mentorship from national trauma leaders and other opportunities.  

Students Serve as Anatomical Scholars

The College of Medicine’s Anatomical Scholars program will kick off its sixth year in the fall with six students who were recently selected from a competitive pool to serve as teaching assistants in the M1 Human Structure module. Congratulations to Little Rock current M2s Drew McFall, Jade-Michael Matthews, Dane Richey and Brittany Montgomery, and M3 Asher Parvu, and current M2 Fayetteville student Kelly Fowler. The students were selected for their academic record and narrative application, and for having strong potential for an anatomically oriented field within medicine. All six will participate in a research-focused journal club and receive $5,000 scholarships along with elective credits. In recent years, previous scholars have devised and conducted education-related research projects that resulted in published conference abstracts and poster presentations at national meetings.

Congratulations also to the six students who have been serving as Anatomical Scholars for the 2023-2024 academic year: Little Rock M3s Evan Hicks, John Lee, John Norys, Humam Shahare and Vanessa Vyas, and Fayetteville M4 Russell Garner. Their research projects have been accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association for Anatomy. The studies span a wide range of topics, including the intersection of medical education and advances such as artificial intelligence and ChatGPT. Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences faculty members Dr. Tiffany Huitt and Dr. David Davies served as faculty mentors.

National Psychiatric Research Colloquium

Third-year Psychiatry resident Dr. Wesley White has been selected by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to participate in its 2024 Research Colloquium in New York City on May 5-6. Dr. White will participate and present his research in sessions focusing on alcohol, pain and substance-use research. The program provides a travel stipend and opportunities for networking with senior researchers. Dr. White’s research focuses on substance use in pregnancy, psychiatric causes of maternal mortality and the laws surrounding drug use in pregnancy. His mentor is Dr. Jessica Coker, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Director of the Women’s Inpatient Psychiatric Unit and Co-Director of the Women’s Mental Health Program.

Giving Matters

Finally this week, I want to highlight the extraordinary generosity of a longtime faculty member and leader, Dr. Michael Jennings, and Paula Jennings, M.A., who also has served UAMS in many volunteer and philanthropic leadership roles. The couple has supported our college in many ways, including the creation of a scholarship for medical students in 2018. Now, they have pledged $1 million to create an endowed chair in the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, and $1 million in additional support for the endowed scholarship.

Dr. Jennings saw the power of endowments while serving as Chair of Physiology and Biophysics for 25 years, as an endowed chairholder himself, and as Executive Associate Dean for Research. He continues to help our college build philanthropic resources as a member of our Board of Advisors, in addition to teaching. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.