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

Department of Family Medicine – Regional Programs

Kenneth Ross, M.D.

Kenneth Ross, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and UAMS Southwest Regional Campus in Texarkana as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Ross received his medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean in 2009 and completed his family medicine residency training at UAMS. Prior to returning to UAMS, Dr. Ross was a member of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group in West Los Angeles. During his tenure at Kaiser, he was named the Baldwin-Hills Crenshaw Adult Primary Care Physician of the Year in 2019.

Department of Internal Medicine

Nazish Malik, M.D.

Nazish Malik, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor and hospitalist in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Malik received her medical degree from Sargodha Medical College in Pakistan in 2012. She completed her internal medicine residency at Temple University/Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 2021. Prior to her residency, Dr. Malik worked as a Medical Officer in the Department of Internal Medicine at District Headquarters Hospital in Pakistan and completed an internship at Johnstown Cardiology Associates.

Muhammad Nazir, M.D.

Muhammad Nazir, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Nazir received his medical degree from Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan in 2010. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago in 2017 and served as Chief Resident the following year. After completing his residency, Dr. Nazir joined Baptist Health Medical Center in Conway, Arkansas, as an internal medicine hospitalist.

Department of Neurology

Gaby K. Jabbour, M.D.

Gaby K. Jabbour, M.D., has joined the Department of Neurology as an Assistant professor on the Stroke and Neurocritical Care team. Dr. Jabbour received his bachelor’s degree in biology and medical degree from the Balamand University in Lebanon, where he was ranked first in his class and graduated with high honors. He completed residency training in surgery, serving as Chief Resident in 2015, at Hamad Medical Corp. in Qatar, where he also completed a fellowship in trauma critical care. He continued his training with a fellowship in surgical critical care at Westchester Medical Center in New York and a fellowship in neurocritical care at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut. He is currently working toward a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Jabbour has extensive experience managing traumatic brain injuries and neurosurgical emergencies. His research interests include trauma, critical care and injury prevention, and he has published numerous articles in high-impact journals.

Department of Pediatrics

Lauren Appell

Lauren Appell, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Hematology/Oncology Section. Dr. Appell earned her medical degree at the University of Alabama School of Medicine and completed her pediatrics residency at UAMS. She continued her training with a fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology at UAMS. Dr. Appell has worked on several research projects as a research assistant and sub-investigator, including a study of novel therapies for the prevention of graft-versus-host-disease supported with a $15,000 grant from the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute.

Lindsay Arthur

Lindsay Arthur, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Pediatric Cardiology Section. Dr. Arthur earned her medical degree at St. George’s University School of Medicine in West Indies, Grenada. She completed her pediatrics residency at the University of Florida College of Medicine, where she also served as Pediatric Chief Resident. Dr. Arthur completed an advanced imaging fellowship and pediatric cardiology fellowship at UAMS and is currently working toward a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University.

Tyler Cunningham

Tyler Cunningham, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Pediatric Cardiology Section. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and completed his pediatrics residency at St. Louis Children’s Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Cunningham continued his training with a pediatric cardiology fellowship at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and a pediatric critical care fellowship at UAMS. He is currently working on a pair of research projects associated with urinary biomarkers as indicators of kidney injury.

Department of Psychiatry

Natashia Bottoms, M.D.

Natashia Bottoms, M.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Bottoms earned her Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and molecular biology at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. She received her medical degree at UAMS in 2017. Dr. Bottoms recently completed a triple-board residency in pediatrics, adult psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where she also served as Chief Resident. Dr. Bottoms sees patients in the Psychiatric Research Institute’s Child Study Center and will be collaborating with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the Dennis Developmental Center to develop a program to meet the needs of children with developmental disabilities.

Department of Radiation Oncology

Wen Chien Hsi, Ph.D.

Wen Chien Hsi, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Radiation Oncology and Proton Center as an Associate Professor and medical physicist. Dr. Hsi has been on the forefront of proton therapy science and medical physics for more than 20 years. Among many leadership appointments, he has served as senior medical physicist at the McLaren Proton Therapy Center in Flint, Michigan, the Shanghai Proton Center in Shanghai, China, and the Miami Cancer Institute. Most recently, he served since 2018 as an Assistant Professor at the University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville, where he established the quality-control program for the proton center’s multiple-room delivery system.

Dr. Hsi received his Bachelor of Science in physics at Soochow University in Taiwan. He earned his doctorate in nuclear physics at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, in 1995. He served as a Research Associate at Indiana University Cyclotron Facility in Bloomington, Indiana, for four years and then continued his training as a medical physics fellow at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago in 1999-2001.

Department of Surgery

Robert J. Vandewalle, M.D., M.B.A.

Robert Vandewalle, M.D., M.B.A., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Surgery. Dr. Vandewalle received his medical degree and Master of Business Administration at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and then did pediatric surgery outcomes research at both Indiana University and Emory University. Dr. Vandewalle went on to train in surgical critical care at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, followed by a pediatric general surgery fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta in 2022. His focus will be in pediatric surgical critical care as well as minimally invasive surgery/bariatric surgery.

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

Department of Internal Medicine

Sarah Assem, M.D.

Sarah Assem, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Program Director for the Northwest Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Assem received her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Portsmouth, Dominica, in 2011. She completed her residency in internal medicine at University of California, Los Angeles Kern Medical Center in 2012 and served as Chief Resident. Prior to her recruitment to UAMS, Dr. Assem practiced internal medicine at Vancouver Clinic in Washington since 2017.

During this time, she also served as core faculty for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Determinants of Health for Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital’s Internal Medicine Residency Program as well as a Clinical Instructor for the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and the University of Washington. Passionate about equality and inclusion in medicine, Dr. Assem helped pilot the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Vancouver Clinic and has participated in panels and given talks on equality in medicine. As a resident, she organized a Women in Medicine event, the first of its kind at her residency program.

Ioannis Anastasiou, M.D.

Ioannis Anastasiou, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology. Dr. Anastasiou received his medical degree from the University of Athens Medical School in Athens, Greece, in 2004. He completed his residency in internal medicine and his fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Evangelismos General Hospital of Athens in 2010 and 2015, respectively. He completed a second fellowship in advanced endoscopy from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston in 2016. Prior to joining UAMS full-time, Dr. Anastasiou was with the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital, where he served as Director of Advanced Endoscopy since 2020.

Natalie “Brooke” Peeples, M.D.

Natalie “Brooke” Peeples, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Palliative Medicine.Dr. Peeples received her medical degree from UAMS in 2017. She stayed at UAMS for her internal medicine residency and a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine, which she completed in 2021. Dr. Peeples was an Assistant Professor in the Division of Palliative Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine prior to her recruitment to the UAMS Internal Medicine faculty.

Department of Neurology

Hisham Elkhider, M.D.

Hisham Elkhider, M.D., has joined the Department of Neurology as an Assistant Professor specializing in epilepsy. Dr. Elkhider received medical degree from the University of Khartoum in Sudan. He completed his neurology residency at UAMS and served as Chief Resident. He continued his training with a fellowship in clinical epilepsy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. Elkhider’s expertise and clinical interests include comprehensive management of epilepsy in adults, video EEG monitoring, ambulatory EEG reading, pre-surgical evaluation and invasive EEG monitoring for patients with medically refractory epilepsy, and managing neuromodulation devices. He sees adult patients at the UAMS Health Epilepsy and Neurology Clinic in Freeway Medical Tower in Midtown Little Rock.

Department of Radiation Oncology

Mausam Patel, M.D.

Mausam Patel, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiation Oncology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Patel received his medical degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in 2016. He completed his intern year in medicine at JFK Medical Center in Atlantis, Florida, followed by a year in radiology residency training at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Patel completed his radiation oncology residency at UAMS in June 2022.

Dr. Patel’s research interests include the study of cancer epidemiology and survival using large national databases. He has published multiple peer-reviewed abstracts in scientific journals and has presented at local and national professional conferences. Read more about Dr. Patel.

Santanu Samanta, M.D.

Santanu Samanta, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiation Oncology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Samanta practices at UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Center in North Little Rock, where he treats patients with head and neck and gynecological cancer with advanced treatment modalities and performs brachytherapy procedures for patients with gynecological cancers. His expertise includes treatment with proton therapy for head and neck-skull base cancers, re-radiation treatments, and a variety of other cancers.

Dr. Samanta received his medical degree from the University of Calcutta in West Bengal, India, and completed radiation oncology residency training at Christian Medical College in Vellore, India. He continued his training with a residency in radiation oncology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and Maryland Proton Center and a fellowship at Maryland’s Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Translational Radiation Sciences. Read more about Dr. Samanta.

Department of Radiology

Joe Jose, M.D.

Joe Jose, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Body Imaging. Dr. Jose received his medical degree from Vinayaka Missions KV Medical College Salem, located in Tamil Nadu, India. He completed a residency in radiology at Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh, Assam, India, and Sagar Hospitals in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Dr. Jose continued his training with clinical fellowships in neuroradiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts, and abdominal radiology at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

Department of Surgery

Alexis Danielle Tashima, M.D.

Alexis Danielle Tashima, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Plastic Surgery. Dr. Tashima received her undergraduate degree in psychobiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, graduating cum laude. She received her medical degree from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Dr. Tashima completed her plastic surgery residency training at Pennsylvania State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and continued her training with fellowship in pediatric craniofacial surgery at Emory University in Atlanta.

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

Department of Anesthesiology

Shashidhar Manchegowda, M.D.

Shashidhar Manchegowda, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Manchegowda received his medical degree and completed his residency at JSS University in Mysore, India. He continued his training, receiving a diploma in critical care medicine at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, India. He completed additional fellowships in transplant anesthesia at Miami Transplant Institute, Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida; in neuroanesthesia at Montefiore Medical Center in New York; and in critical care anesthesiology at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University. Dr. Manchegowda provides anesthesia services in the Neuro ICU and main UAMS operating rooms.

Department of Family Medicine – Regional Programs

Rachael Goodwin, M.D.

Rachael Goodwin, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and UAMS North Central Regional Campus in Batesville as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Goodwin received her medical degree from UAMS in 2019. She completed her family medicine residency training at the UAMS Northeast Regional Campus in Jonesboro and served as Chief Resident in 2021-2022. Dr. Goodwin is certified with the American Board of Family Medicine.

Brittany Carmack, M.D.

Brittany Carmack, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and UAMS Northeast Regional Campus in Jonesboro as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Carmack received her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in 2016. She completed her family medicine residency training at UAMS Northeast. Dr. Carmack is certified with the American Board of Family Medicine and the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She has been in private practice in Northeast Arkansas since completing her residency training.

Alan Padilla Ramos, M.D.

Alan Padilla Ramos, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Padilla Ramos received his medical degree from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Facultad de Medicina Mexicali in Mexico in 2015. He completed his family medicine residency at the Northwest Regional Campus in 2019-2022 and served as Chief Resident. In 2020, Dr. Padilla Ramos was active in UAMS Northwest’s efforts to reduce COVID-19 disparities among the Marshallese Pacific Islander and Latinx local communities, resulting in a published paper. He also has volunteered as a mentor in the University of California, San Diego migrant health program, which helps refugee communities overcome health inequities.

Natalie Rodriguez, M.D.

Natalie Rodriguez, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Rodriguez received her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in 2018. She completed her family medicine residency at UAMS Northwest from 2019-2022. She volunteers her time to provide medical care at homeless shelters in Texas, Dominica and California as well as in Arkansas. Prior to her residency, Dr. Rodriguez organized monthly mobile clinics throughout Dominica to provide diabetic-focused exams, education and care.

Kaethe Goodwin-Chigumira, M.D.

Kaethe Goodwin-Chigumira, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and UAMS West Regional Campus in Fort Smith as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Goodwin-Chigumira received her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica and Miramar, Florida. She completed her residency in family medicine at UAMS West in June. Dr. Goodwin-Chigumira’s activities at UAMS West include serving as an EPIC electronic health records system “super user” and the primary point of contact for EPIC provider training.

Department of Internal Medicine

Arwa Albashaireh, M.D.

Arwa Albashaireh, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology.Dr. Albashaireh received her medical degree from Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan, in 2014. She did a rotating internship at King Abdullah University Hospital and Princess Basma Teaching Hospital in Jordan before completing her residency in internal medicine at UAMS in 2020. Dr. Albashaireh continued her training with a fellowship in endocrinology and metabolism at UAMS prior to joining the faculty.

Heba Mousa, M.D.

Heba Mousa, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Mousa received her medical degree from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, in 2009. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Ain Shams University in 2012 and served as Chief Resident the following year. While completing her residency, Dr. Mousa also received a Master of Science. After her residency, she stayed at Ain Shams University as a Clinical Instructor with the Division of Medicine. Dr. Mousa came to UAMS in 2018 and received a Master of Translational Science in 2019. She went on to complete internal medicine training in the Baptist-UAMS Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Anil Anandam, M.D.

Anil Anandam, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine.Dr. Anandam earned his medical degree from Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad, India, in 2004. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University at Buffalo (SUNY) in New York. After his residency, Dr. Anandam worked as a hospitalist at St. Ann’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Cleveland Clinic-Akron General Hospital in Akron, Ohio, and Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio. In 2018, he joined Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, as an academic hospitalist and core faculty member for the Internal Medicine Residency Program. Prior to joining the UAMS Internal Medicine faculty, Dr. Anandam completed a fellowship in geriatrics at UAMS.

Department of Medical Humanities and Bioethics

Lauren Bunch, Ph.D.

Lauren Bunch, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Medical Humanities and Bioethics as an Assistant Professor. A graduate of Duke University, Dr. Bunch completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical ethics at Albany Medical College. Prior to her recruitment to UAMS, she served on the faculty of Mercer University School of Medicine in Columbus, Georgia, for two years. Dr. Bunch’s scholarly interests include ethical issues in biomedical enhancement and challenges relating to consent/assent from teenagers. She is active in ethics education, provides clinical ethics consultations at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s, and serves on the UAMS Institutional Review Board.

Eleanor Gilmore-Szott, Ph.D.

Eleanor Gilmore-Szott, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Medical Humanities and Bioethics as an Assistant Professor. After receiving her doctorate from the University of Utah, Dr. Gilmore-Szott was a postdoctoral fellow in clinical ethics at Baylor College of Medicine. She has worked in the area of what constitutes “understanding” in clinical decision-making and has been exploring the ethics of machine-learning models in clinical settings. Dr. Gilmore-Szott is active in education in ethics throughout the institution, provides clinical ethics consultations at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s, and serves on the UAMS Institutional Review Board.

Department of Neurology

Aditya Vikram Boddu, M.D.

Aditya Vikram Boddu, M.D., has joined the Department of Neurology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Boddu received his medical degree from Gandhi Medical College in Secunderabad, India, in 2015. He completed his residency in neurology at the University of Missouri- Columbia, graduating as Chief Resident in 2020. He continued his training as the Edmond J. Safra Fellow in Movement Disorders at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Dr. Boddu is a movement disorders specialist with expertise in the diagnosis and management of Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, Huntington’s disease, dystonia, ataxia, myoclonus, tremor, gait disorders and neurodegenerative disorders. He is trained in deep-brain stimulation programming and the administration of botulinum toxin. Dr. Boddu is active in medical education and clinical research as well clinical care.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Jordan Walters, M.D.

Jordan Walters, M.D., has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Walters received his medical degree from UAMS, graduating with honors in research in 2016. During his residency in orthopaedic surgery at UAMS, he received the Resident Teaching Award, an honor given annually to a resident who has demonstrated excellent teaching skills and a commitment to orthopaedic surgery education. Dr. Walters completed an integrated spine fellowship at UAMS in 2022. He provides surgical and nonsurgical treatment for a wide variety of spinal conditions for patients at the UAMS Health Orthopaedic Clinic on Autumn Road and the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans’ Hospital.

Department of Pathology

Elizabeth Grasmuck, M.D.

Elizabeth Grasmuck, M.D., has joined the Department of Pathology as an Associate Professor, Laboratory and Pathology Service Line Medical Director, and CLIA Director. Dr. Grasmuck received her medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. She completed post-graduate training including a residency in anatomic/clinical pathology at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. Dr. Grasmuck completed tours in Cherry Point and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and Yokosuka, Japan, before returning to San Diego. She served in various roles including as a flight surgeon, Laboratory Medical Director, Laboratory Department Head and Director for Clinical Support Services.

Mugahed A. Hamza, M.D.

Mugahed A. Hamza, M.D., has joined the Department of Pathology as an Assistant Professor in the Dermatopathology Division. Dr. Hamza received his medical degree from the University of Khartoum and completed a clinical internship with the Federal Ministry of Health in Khartoum, Sudan. He completed his anatomic and clinical pathology residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. Hamza continued his training with a fellowship in dermatopathology at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Hany Meawad, M.D.

Hany Meawad, M.D., has joined the Department of Pathology as an Assistant Professor in the Hematopathology Division. Dr. Meawad earned his medical degree and completed a rotating internship at Cairo University, followed by an anatomic pathology residency at Ahmad Maher Hospital, in Cairo, Egypt. He served on the faculty at Cairo University, teaching anatomy and embryology, before deciding to continue his career in the United States. Dr. Meawad completed an anatomic/clinical pathology residency and then a hematopathology fellowship at City of Hope Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Jacob Wooldridge, M.D.

Jacob Wooldridge, M.D., has joined the Department of Pathology as an Assistant Professor in the Pathology Informatics and Hematopathology divisions. Dr. Wooldridge completed medical school and his pathology residency training at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and then a fellowship in hematopathology at Columbia University in New York. He continued his training in the field of informatics, completing the first year of a clinical informatics fellowship at Stony Brook University in New York and the second year at UAMS.

Brannon Broadfoot, M.D.

Brannon Broadfoot, M.D., has joined the Department of Pathology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Molecular Pathology. Dr. Broadfoot attended medical school and completed his anatomic and clinical pathology residency at UAMS. He continued his training with a fellowship in molecular genetic pathology at Emory University in Atlanta.

Department of Pediatric and Special Needs Dentistry

Peter Jang, D.D.S.

Peter Jang, D.D.S., has joined the Department of Pediatric and Special Needs Dentistry as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Jang received his dental degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry in 2003. He completed his residency training in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2006. He has been in private orthodontics practice in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, where he served as president of the Memphis Association of Orthodontists. Dr. Jang is also a proud U.S. Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is joining the craniofacial orthodontic team at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, seeing patients with complex orthodontic needs.

Department of Pediatrics

Hugh Bigg, D.O.

Hugh Bigg, D.O., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Instructor in the Cardiology Division. Dr. Bigg joins the department following a pediatric cardiology fellowship at Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee, and a residency at Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, in Washington.

Jeffrey Orcutt, M.D.

Jeffrey Orcutt, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Associate Professor in the Cardiology Division. Prior to joining UAMS, Dr. Orcutt served as Director of Pediatric Electrophysiology at OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria, since 2016. In addition to his duties at OSF Children’s Hospital, Dr. Orcutt served as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. His training includes fellowships in pediatric cardiology and pediatric electrophysiology at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Amna Qasim, M.D.

Amna Qasim, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Cardiology Division. Dr. Qasim completed a pediatric cardiology fellowship at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. An active researcher, Dr. Qasim has multiple ongoing investigations and publications under peer-review.

Praveen Juvvadi, Ph.D.

Praveen Juvvadi, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Associate Professor in the Infectious Diseases Division. Dr. Juvvadi comes to UAMS from Duke University Medical Center, where he served in multiple roles across a 14-year period, including as an Associate Professor and research scientist. Dr. Juvvadi is a highly prolific researcher and frequent collaborator with William J. Steinbach, M.D., Chair of the Department of Pediatrics.

Vonita Chawla, M.D.

Vonita Chawla, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Neonatology Division. Dr. Chawla comes to UAMS following the completion of a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, and a pediatric residency at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Caroline Crocker, D.O.

Caroline Crocker, D.O., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Neonatology Division. Dr. Crocker completed her residency in pediatrics at UAMS and continued her training with a neonatal-perinatal fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Sarah Perez, M.D.

Sarah Perez, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Neonatology Division. Dr. Perez completed her residency in pediatrics, followed by a neonatal-perinatal fellowship, at UAMS. She serves on multiple committees across the institution including the NICU Safety Committee and the NICU Continuous Quality Improvement Committee.

John Stack, M.D.

John Stack, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Neonatology Division. Dr. Stack completed a neonatal-perinatal fellowship at the University of Louisville. He earned a Certificate of Clinical Investigation Science at the University of Louisville School of Public Health.

Amanda Brown, M.D.

Amanda Brown, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Associate Professor in the Rheumatology Division. Dr. Brown completed her pediatric rheumatology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2011. She served on the faculty at Louisiana Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and then at Baylor College of Medicine before her recruitment to UAMS.

Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Hieu Mitchell Pham, M.D.

Hieu Mitchell Pham, M.D., has joined the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Pham received his medical degree from Texas A&M School of Medicine in Temple, Texas, in 2018. He completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at UAMS in 2022, serving as Co-Chief Resident during his fourth year of training. Dr. Pham sees patients in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic in the Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neuroscience Institute.

Department of Radiology

Kumar Shashi, M.D.

Kumar Shashi, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Radiology. Dr. Shashi received his medical degree from Bangalore Medical College in India and completed an internship at its affiliated hospital. He completed a residency in radiodiagnosis at Manipal Hospital/Kathmandu University in Nepal. Dr. Shashi continued his training with clinical fellowships in adult interventional radiology at Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, and The Ottawa Hospital in Ottawa, Canada. He completed fellowships in pediatric interventional radiology and pediatric radiology at Boston Children’s Hospital, and additional fellowships in thoracic and emergency radiology at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Department of Surgery

Martha Estrada, M.D.

Martha Estrada, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Transplant Surgery. Dr. Estrada received a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She received her medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Estrada completed a general surgery residency at the University of Texas McGovern School of Medicine in Houston and continued her training with a fellowship in abdominal transplant surgery at the University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine. She is board certified by the American Board of Surgery.

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty – and watch for introductions of more faculty members who are joining us this summer and fall on the website and in upcoming issues of the COMmunication!

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Tudor Moldoveanu, Ph.D.

Tudor Moldoveanu, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as an associate professor. Dr. Moldoveanu received his doctorate in biochemistry from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, in 2002. He completed postdoctoral fellowships at McGill University in Montreal in 2003-2006 and at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis in 2006-2014. Prior to his recruitment to UAMS, Dr. Moldoveanu was a member of the St. Jude faculty in the departments of Structural Biology and Chemical Biology and Therapeutics since 2014.

Department of Geriatrics

Onna Lau, M.D.

Onna Lau, M.D., has joined the Department of Geriatrics as an assistant professor. Dr. Lau received her medical degree from the Medical University of Sofia in Bulgaria in 2015. She completed her family medicine residency training at UAMS and was the recipient of the Outstanding Professional (TOP) Award. Dr. Lau continued her training at UAMS with a fellowship in geriatrics, earning recognition as a Bailey Scholar awardee. Dr. Lau sees patients at the Thomas and Lyon Longevity Clinic in the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. She will also participate in clinical research on dementia and cognitive impairment.

Department of Internal Medicine

Emily Holthoff, M.D., Ph.D.

Emily Holthoff, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Holthoff received her doctorate in interdisciplinary biomedical sciences from UAMS in 2016, followed by her medical degree in 2018. After medical school, she joined the UAMS Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program, completing her training this year.

Trilok Shrivastava, M.D.

Trilok Shrivastava, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as a hospitalist and assistant professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Shrivastava received his medical degree from Kathmandu Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Nepal in 2015. He completed his residency in internal medicine at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago in June 2022. Prior to his residency, Dr. Shrivastava served as a Research Officer at Mediciti Hospital and Infertility Center in Nepal and as a physician at Star Hospital, AASHA for Nepal, and Missionaries of Charity Nepal.

Department of Neurology

Rashi Krishnan, M.D.

Rashi Krishnan, M.D., has joined the Department of Neurology as an assistant professor on the Stroke and Neurocritical Care team. She sees patients in the UAMS Health Inpatient ICU. Dr. Krishnan received her medical degree from B.J Medical College in Ahmedabad, India, in 2009. She also earned a Master’s in Surgery in otolaryngology from N.H.L. Medical College in Ahmedabad. Dr. Krishnan completed her residency in neurology, followed by a fellowship in neurocritical care, at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.

Dr. Krishnan has published numerous original articles in high-impact journals. Her research currently focuses on ischemic strokes due to large vessel occlusion and factors that can affect outcomes in acute ischemic strokes. She has broad expertise in the field of neurocritical care, including management of acute neurosurgical emergencies, traumatic brain injury, refractory seizures, and ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.

Dr. Krishnan is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Her honors during residency training included a Research Scholarship award from the American Academy of Neurology in 2018, Research Resident of the year in 2019, and Best Overall Resident Award. She was the Chief Resident during her otolaryngology training and was awarded a gold medal.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Joel Dickens, M.D.

Joel Dickens, M.D., has joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as an associate professor in the Division of General OB/GYN. Dr. Dickens received a Bachelor of Science in biology at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and his medical degree at Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock. He completed a residency in pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville and worked as a pediatrician for four years before deciding to pursue a new specialty and completing a residency in OB/GYN at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Dr.  Dickens has experience in both private practice and academic settings, including as an assistant professor at Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Amarillo. He also served for four years as a missionary physician in Ghana, where he trained and supervised volunteer physicians, residents and medical students in the areas of tropical medicine, general medicine, pediatrics, general surgery and OB/GYN. Dr. Dickens most recently served as a staff OB/GYN at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, for seven years. His clinical interests include low- and high-risk obstetrics and gynecological surgery.

Department of Ophthalmology

Mohammad Pakravan, M.D., MBA

Mohammad Pakravan, M.D., MBA, has joined the Department of Ophthalmology as an associate professor specializing in neuro-ophthalmology and glaucoma. Dr. Pakravan earned his medical degree in 1992 from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, where he also completed his ophthalmology residency. After completing a neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at Iran University of Medical Sciences and a glaucoma fellowship at Shahid Beheshti, he continued his training with a research/clinical fellowship in glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmology at Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

In 2004, he joined the faculty at Shahid Beheshti, where he was Director of the Glaucoma and Neuro-ophthalmology divisions and then Educational Director of the Ophthalmology Division. He remained at Shahid Beheshti until 2019. He most recently served as a neuro-ophthalmology fellow at Houston Methodist Hospital’s Blanton Eye Institute. Additionally, he earned his MBA in 2021 from Westcliff University in Irvine, California.

An internationally recognized expert in neuro-ophthalmology and glaucoma, Dr. Pakravan has authored more than 80 journal articles, four book chapters and is a top contributor to EyeWiki, an online reference maintained by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He has presented regularly at ophthalmology congresses and meetings worldwide. He is a reviewer for six ophthalmology journals and is a member of the editorial board for the Bina Journal of Ophthalmology and the Journal of Ophthalmic & Vision Research. His medical interests include neuro-ophthalmology, glaucoma, cataracts, and diseases of the cornea and anterior segment.

Riley Sanders, M.D.

Riley Sanders, M.D., has joined the Department of Ophthalmology as an assistant professor and retina specialist. Originally from Georgia, Dr. Sanders started his eye care career as a technician and photographer before attending Valdosta State University and then Mercer University School of Medicine. He came to UAMS in 2016 for his internship and residency in ophthalmology, followed by a retina fellowship.

Through his fellowship, he specialized in treatment of retinal diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, epiretinal membranes and macular holes, as well as the treatment of ocular trauma, complex cataracts and secondary intraocular lens placement. He has special interests in ophthalmic imaging, surgical techniques and video editing. His educational videos regularly appear on the American Academy of Ophthalmology weekly newsletter, reaching an audience of thousands of eye doctors around the world. He has contributed to many scholarly publications on eye disease, surgical techniques and outcomes. In collaboration with the UAMS Department of Anesthesiology, he helped create an eye-safety protocol that has made general anesthesia safer for all patients.

Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery

Janine Amos, D.O.

Janine Amos, D.O., has joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as an assistant professor at Arkansas Children’s Northwest. She received her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering from Marquette University and her medical degree from Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Amos completed her residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at McLaren Healthcare/Michigan State University. She continued her training with a pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Dr. Amos previously was an attending pediatric otolaryngologist at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. She is board certified in otolaryngology. Her primary clinical and academic interests include general pediatric ear, nose and throat problems, obstructive sleep apnea and pediatric airway.

Samantha Kleindienst Robler, Au.D., Ph.D.

Samantha Kleindienst Robler, Au.D., Ph.D., has joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as an assistant professor and Associate Director of the Center for Hearing Health Equity. Dr. Robler is nationally recognized for her expertise in telehealth and innovative solutions for improving access to hearing health care. Her work focuses on new and expanded applications of telehealth technology as well as improving hearing health care delivery through policy change. She brings over a decade of clinical and research experience in rural Alaska and continues to serve in Alaska part-time through a population health position at the Norton Sound Health Corporation in Nome.

Dr. Robler earned her bachelor’s degree in communication science disorders and her American Sign Language (ASL) certificate from the University of Pittsburgh. She received her Doctorate in Audiology in 2009 and Doctorate in Philosophy in 2014 from Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. She completed post-doctoral fellowships at Mayo Clinic Arizona in the Aerospace Medical and Vestibular Lab and Mayo Clinic Florida in the Department of Audiology.

Dr. Robler began collaborating with Susan Emmett, M.D., in 2016 on an innovative telehealth solution to improve follow-up care after school hearing screening in rural Alaska. They were awarded federal Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funding for their work and have been collaborating to address childhood hearing loss ever since. Dr. Emmett joined UAMS as associate professor and Director of the Center for Hearing Health Equity earlier this year.

Robert A. Saadi, M.D.

Robert A. Saadi, M.D., has joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as an assistant professor. Dr. Saadi earned his Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his medical degree at Penn State University College of Medicine and completed his otolaryngology residency at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. He continued his training with a fellowship in otology at UAMS.

Dr. Saadi has earned a number of honors including the Hershey Medical Center Department of Surgery Award for Excellence in Surgery and the Head and Neck Society and Endocrine Surgery Section Eisai Research Grant from Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. Dr. Saadi has authored numerous book chapters and publications in the field and has presented at national and international meetings. He is board-certified in otolaryngology. His academic and educational interests include hearing loss, cochlear implantation, bone anchored hearing aids (BAHA), eardrum reconstruction and chronic ear infections.

Department of Pediatrics

Linda Dawn Murphy, M.D.

Linda Dawn Murphy, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an assistant professor in the Hospital Medicine Division. Dr. Murphy earned her medical degree with honors in Research from UAMS in 2017. She completed her residency training at UAMS and served as a Pediatric Chief Resident in 2021-2022.

Daniel Liu, M.D.

Daniel Liu, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an assistant professor in the Clinical Informatics Division. Dr. Liu received his medical degree from UAMS in 2017. He completed his residency in pediatrics at UAMS, where he continued his training with a clinical informatics fellowship. Dr. Liu is currently using machine learning to improve telehealth workflows and patient outcomes.

Department of Psychiatry

Lee Isaac, Psy.D.

Lee Isaac, Psy.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an assistant professor in the Psychology Division. Dr. Isaac received a master’s in counseling psychology at Temple University in 2015 and continued his education at LaSalle University, where he earned a master’s and then a doctorate in clinical psychology. Dr. Isaac completed his psychology internship in the neuropsychology track at the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI) in 2020, followed by a two-year fellowship in neuropsychology. Dr. Isaac provides neuropsychological evaluations in the PRI Walker Family Clinic, with a specialty interest in geriatric evaluations.

Caiti Maskrey, D.O.

Caiti Maskrey, D.O., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an assistant professor. After graduating from the University of California at Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience and behavior and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, she went on to attend the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, where she graduated in 2017. Dr. Maskrey completed her residency in psychiatry at UAMS and served as Chief Resident. She continued her training with a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Dr. Maskrey sees patients and performs forensic evaluations at the Arkansas State Hospital.

Abigail Richison, M.D.

Abigail Richison, M.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an assistant professor. After graduating from Southern Methodist University in 2013, she received her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Dr. Richison completed her residency in psychiatry at UAMS, where she also participated in the T31 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Addiction Research Training Program. She continued her training with a fellowship in addiction psychiatry at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Dr. Richison sees patients in the Psychiatric Research Institute’s Center for Addiction Services and Treatment and in the adult inpatient unit, where she provides care for those with co-occurring disorders.

Department of Radiology

Suryakala Buddha, M.D.

Suryakala Buddha, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an assistant professor in the Division of Diagnostic Imaging. Dr. Buddha, who has a special interest in oncology imaging, received her medical degree and completed a residency in diagnostic radiology at NTR University of Health Sciences in Andhra Pradesh, India. She completed a clinical fellowship in body imaging and intervention at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Buddha continued her training with an additional diagnostic radiology residency at Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital & Research Institute, Hyderabad, India. She has received awards for presenting research at the Radiological Society of North America.

Department of Surgery

Lauren Story-Hefta, M.D.

Lauren Story-Hefta, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an assistant professor in the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. Dr. Story-Hefta received a Bachelor of Science in biology from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, graduating summa cum laude. She received her medical degree from UAMS in 2017 and then joined the UAMS Vascular Surgery Residency Program.

Sonia Orcutt, M.D.

Sonia Orcutt, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an assistant professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology. She received her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine, where she graduated magna cum laude and served as President of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. Dr. Orcutt completed a residency in general surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, followed by a fellowship in complex general surgical oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. She is board certified in both surgery and complex general surgical oncology. Dr. Orcutt practiced surgical oncology in Illinois prior to joining UAMS.

Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty – and watch for introductions of more faculty members who are joining us this summer on the website and in upcoming issues of the COMmunication!

Department of Anesthesiology

Jonathan Aronson, M.D.

Jonathan Aronson, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Aronson received a BA in geology from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and completed undergraduate work in biology and chemistry at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and the University of Memphis in Tennessee. He worked as a math and science educator in Memphis before coming to UAMS for medical school. Dr. Aronson completed his residency in anesthesiology at UAMS this year, serving as a Chief Resident in 2021-2022.

Department of Internal Medicine

Ramya Bachu, M.D.

Ramya Bachu, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor and hospitalist in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, Multiple Myeloma Section. Dr. Bachu received her medical degree from Dr. P.S.I. Medical College in Chinoutpalli, India, in 2012. Following medical school, she joined Ramesh Cardiology Hospital as a Senior Intern. In 2013, Dr. Bachu became the Medical Officer, Civil Assistant Surgeon at Government Medical Hospital in Machilipatnam, India, until 2014. She recently completed her residency in internal medicine with the Baptist Health-UAMS Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Anusha Jillella, M.B.B.S.

Anusha Jillella, M.B.B.S., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Jillella received her medical degree from Gandhi Medical College in Hyderabad, India, in 2015. She completed her residency in internal medicine at UAMS in 2019 and continued her training with a fellowship in hematology/oncology.

Tanvi Patel, M.D.

Tanvi Patel, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor and hospitalist in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, Multiple Myeloma Section. Dr. Patel received her medical degree from Government Medical College in Surat, India, in 2013. She trained as a junior resident doctor at Gurat Medical Education and Research Society Medical College from 2013 to 2015. In 2019, Dr. Patel joined the Baptist Health-UAMS Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Cesar Gentille Sanchez, M.D.

Cesar Gentille Sanchez, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Gentille Sanchez received his medical degree from Cayetano Heredia University in Lima, Peru, in 2012. He completed a residency in internal medicine in 2018 and a fellowship in hematology/oncology in 2020 at Houston Methodist Hospital. Dr. Gentille Sanchez recently finished his fellowship in blood and marrow transplantation/cellular therapy. 

Sunny Singh, M.D.

Sunny Singh, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Singh graduated from King George’s Medical University in India in 2013. He completed a residency in internal medicine at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago in 2018 and served as Chief Medical Resident the following year. Dr. Singh completed his first hematology/oncology fellowship in 2021 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, followed by a second fellowship at UAMS.

Chitra Nadagoundla, M.B.B.S.

Chitra Nadagoundla, M.B.B.S., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Nadagoundla received her medical degree from Gandhi Medical College in 2010. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Canton Medical Education Foundation in 2017. She continued her training with a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at the University of Buffalo. Dr. Nadagoundla began her career as a hospitalist at Saint Luke’s South Hospital in Overland Park, Kansas, and as a palliative care physician at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. She subsequently served as a hospitalist at St. Vincent’s North in North Little Rock.

 

Venkata Manchala, M.D.

Venkata Manchala, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor and transplant nephrologist in the Division of Nephrology. Dr. Manchala received his medical degree from the Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences in India in 2008. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts. Dr. Manchala began working as an academic hospitalist at Denver Health Hospital in 2013. He went on to serve at St. Vincent’s Medical Center and the Frank H. Netter, M.D., School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Dr. Manchala subsequently continued his training as a nephrology fellow at UAMS and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System.

 

Emily Newsome, D.O.

Emily Newsome, D.O., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Palliative Medicine. Dr. Newsome received her medical degree from William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in 2017. She completed her residency in internal medicine/pediatrics at UAMS and continued her training with a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine.

Siddharthan Vaithilingam, M.D.

Siddharthan Vaithilingam, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor and Interventional Pulmonary Fellow in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care. Dr. Vaithilingam received his medical degree from KAP Viswanatham Government Medical College in Trichy, India, in 2012. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Presence Saint Joseph Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Vaithilingam began his career as a hospitalist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago in 2018. In 2019, he began a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care at UAMS. During this time, he also worked toward a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation at Northwestern University, which he received in 2022.

Lana Abusalem, M.D.

Lana Abusalem, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor and Chief Resident in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Abusalem earned her medical degree from the University of Jordan in 2016. She served as a research resident with the Center for Palliative and Cancer Care in Conflict before joining the UAMS Internal Medicine Residency Program in 2019.

Husam Salah, M.B.B.S.

Husam Salah, M.B.B.S., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor and Chief Resident in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Salah received his medical degree from Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan, in 2018. He joined the UAMS Internal Medicine Residency Program in 2019. Dr. Salah has also worked since 2019 as a research collaborator with the Mayo Clinic Department of Cardiovascular Medicine.

Ples Spradley, M.D.

Ples Spradley, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Instructor and Chief Resident in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Spradley received his medical degree from UAMS in 2019 and then joined the Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Spradley earned several awards throughout his time in medical school, including the Senior Buchanan Key and the Richard V. Ebert Award.

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

KyoungHyun Kim, Ph.D.

KyoungHyun Kim, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Kim received his doctorate in molecular toxicology from Texas A&M University. Prior to his recruitment to UAMS, he served as an Assistant Professor in Environmental and Public Health Sciences at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Kim’s research focuses on the molecular basis of nuclear receptors and non-coding RNAs in toxicant-induced tissue injuries and cancers, with the aim of advancing prevention and therapeutic strategies.

Department of Psychiatry

Payton Lea, M.D.

Payton Lea, M.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. A graduate of Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, Dr. Lea received his medical degree from UAMS in 2017. He stayed at UAMS for his residency in psychiatry and then continued his training with a fellowship in consult-liaison psychiatry at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Dr. Lea sees patients in the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute’s Walker Family Clinic and on the consult-liaison service.

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

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Joonas Jamsen, Ph.D.

Joonas Jamsen, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Jamsen earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in biochemistry at the University of Turku in Finland. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Cancer Research in the UK (CRUK) in London, and the Institute for Molecular Oncology in Milan, Italy, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis.

Since 2014, Dr. Jamsen has served as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Genome Integrity & Structural Biology Laboratory at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Funded since 2018 by an NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence award, his research has focused on the molecular architecture of oxidative stress induced double strand break repair.

Department of Internal Medicine

Peter DelNero, Ph.D., MPH

Peter DelNero, Ph.D., MPH, has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Community Health and Research. Dr. DelNero completed his undergraduate studies in chemical engineering at Vanderbilt University. He received his Master of Science and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Cornell University in 2015 and 2017, respectively. He earned a Master of Public Health in quantitative methods from Harvard University in 2019. Dr. DelNero most recently completed a four-year postdoctoral fellowship in cancer prevention with the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. His research portfolio involves research implementation science, community engagement and biomedical engineering.

Mauricio Garcia Saenz de Sicilia, M.D.

Mauricio Garcia Saenz de Sicilia, M.D., has rejoined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Associate Professor and Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He served most recently on the faculty at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

“We are pleased to recruit Dr. Garcia back to UAMS to transform the delivery of gastroenterology service in Little Rock and the state of Arkansas,” said Edward T.H. Yeh, M.D., Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. “He will also play a pivotal role in strengthening the liver transplantation service at UAMS.”

Dr. Garcia earned his medical degree at Facultad de Medicina, Ciudad Universitaria Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in 2004. He completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas Salvador Zubiran, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. He continued his training with two additional fellowships in transplant hepatology and advanced transplant hepatology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha in 2012 and 2013. While completing his fellowships, he also earned a Master’s in Medical Sciences from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.

Dr. Garcia began his career at UAMS in 2013 as Director of the Primary Liver Tumors Clinic in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. In 2017, he took on the role of Hepatology Service Line Director, shortly followed by Gastroenterology and Hepatology Service Line Co-Director. A year later, he was appointed Liver Transplant Medical Director.

In 2020, Dr. Garcia joined Washington University School of Medicine as an Associate Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology’s Hepatology Program. He has mentored numerous students, lectured in undergraduate and graduate programs, published 18 articles, and delivered over 15 oral presentations.

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Susan Emmett, M.D., MPH

Susan Emmett, M.D., MPH, has joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery as an Associate Professor and Director of the new UAMS Center for Hearing Health Equity. Dr. Emmett holds a secondary appointment in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health Department of Epidemiology.

“Dr. Emmett is a star in our field, with a national and international reputation,” said John Dornhoffer, M.D., Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. “As one of the most successful NIH-funded ENT surgeons in the country, she will help UAMS quickly become a leader in research involving hearing health disparities both in Arkansas and abroad. I am extremely excited to have been able to recruit a physician scientist of her caliber.”

In addition to practicing otolaryngology and performing cochlear implant surgery, Dr. Emmett is a nationally and internationally recognized public health-trained researcher who holds four grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As Director of the new Center for Hearing Health Equity, she will lead research into hearing health disparities in Arkansas and around the world. The center will be home to research conducted by two multi-center research networks.

Dr. Emmett comes to UAMS from Duke University School of Medicine, where she earned her medical degree in 2010 and was most recently an Associate Professor of surgery and global health.

Read more in the UAMS news release about Dr. Emmett’s appointment, and about a landmark study led by Dr. Emmett that has just published in The Lancet Global Health in this news release. The study has been featured in a number of national health and general news outlets.

Department of Pediatrics

Mina Nguyen-Driver, Psy.D.

Mina Nguyen-Driver, Psy.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as a Professor in the Division of Pediatric Psychology at the Schmieding Developmental Center in Springdale.

Dr. Nguyen-Driver specializes in evaluation and treatment for children with complex developmental and medical concerns, using a variety of modalities including comprehensive assessment and consultation, and short- and long-term cognitive behavioral therapy.  

Dr. Nguyen-Driver completed her psychology internship at UC Davis Medical Center and fellowship at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, gaining extensive clinical training in the evaluation of medically complex pediatric patients with a broad range of medical disorders. After completing the fellowship in 2001, she joined Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). In 2007, the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) recruited her to its Department of Pediatrics, where she spent the next 15 years. Between CHLA and OHSU, she has gained significant experience in the field of rare disease and behavioral health.

Department of Physiology and Cell Biology

Ryan Allen, Ph.D.

Ryan Allen, Ph.D., will join the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology in July as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Allen received his master’s in biology at Arkansas State University. He received his doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Prior to his recruitment to UAMS, Dr. Allen served as a postdoctoral fellow and research instructor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville (2018-2022).

Neha Dole, Ph.D.

Neha Dole, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Dole pursued her early graduate education in biotechnology at Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College in Navi, Mumbai, India, and at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. She earned her doctoral degree in biomedical sciences at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington in 2015. She received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Orthopaedic Research Society/OREF Foundation and worked as a post-doctoral scientist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). In 2021, she was appointed an Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCSF.

Dr. Dole is currently funded through a Mentored Career Development Grant from the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disease (NIDDK). Her current focus of study is the impact of nutritional variation on bone development and physiology.

Dr. Dole’s honors include a Young Investigator Award from the International Bone & Mineral Society (IBMS), the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Award, the Advances in Mineral Metabolism (AIMM)-ASBMR John Haddad Young Investigator Award, the Orthopaedic Research Society Alice Jee Award, and the ASBMR Most Outstanding Basic Abstract Award.

Amy Sato, Ph.D.

Amy Sato, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology as an Assistant Professor. She received her doctorate from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Indiana University School of Medicine, where she went on to serve as a postdoctoral fellow in 2017-2020. Dr. Sato relocated to UAMS in 2020, serving as postdoctoral fellow prior to assuming her current faculty appointment in March 2022. 

Department of Surgery

Sabina M. DeMarco Siddiqui, M.D.

Sabina M. DeMarco Siddiqui, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Associate Professor in the Division of Pediatric Surgery practicing at Arkansas Children’s Northwest.

Dr. Siddiqui was born in Texas and raised in Tennessee. She completed her undergraduate studies at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating magna cum laude with degrees in biology and communication. She received her medical degree at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis and completed her general surgery residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. She continued her training at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with fellowships in medical innovation and surgical critical care with a focus in pediatric patients and pediatric surgery. 

Dr. Siddiqui practiced pediatric surgery and critical care in Ann Arbor, where she also served as a clinical lecturer, and at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where she was an Assistant Professor, prior to her recruitment to UAMS and Arkansas Children’s. Dr. Siddiqui is board certified in general surgery, critical care surgery and pediatric surgery.

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

Department of Family and Preventive Medicine

Sujit Kumar Kotapati, M.D.

Sujit Kumar Kotapati, M.D., has joined the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Kotapati received his medical degree from Windsor University School of Medicine. He completed his family medicine residency training at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. Most recently, he practiced for over two years with a primary care medical group in Bellingham, Washington.

With a background in business management and computer information systems, Dr. Kotapati strives to integrate information technology with medical knowledge to enhance patient care and prevent medical errors. Dr. Kotapati has presented extensively at national and international conferences on research topics such as the chronic care model, chronic disease management associated with depression, prevention of hospital readmission, reducing the risk of falls in the elderly, and the effects of adverse childhood events in patient health.

Department of Internal Medicine

Mojdeh Taghizadeh Khamesi, M.D.

Mojdeh Taghizadeh Khamesi, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Rheumatology. Dr. Khamesi earned her medical degree from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, in 2009. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Drexel University in Philadelphia in 2019. Dr. Khamesi most recently continued her training with a fellowship in rheumatology at UAMS.

Department of Radiology

Rahul Jadhav, MBBS

Rahul Jadhav, MBBS, has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Interventional Neuroradiology. Dr. Jadhav received his medical degree from Dr. Vaishampayan Memorial Medical College, Solapur, Shivaji University, in India. He completed residency training at BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, Pune University, in India and continued his training at Jaslok Hospital and Research Institute in Mumbai, India.

Dr. Jadhav went on to complete fellowships in neuroradiology, nuclear medicine, body imaging/musculoskeletal, advanced imaging, and advanced interventional radiology and cardiothoracic imaging at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, where he also earned a Master’s in Clinical Research. Dr. Jadhav also completed a fellowship in neurointerventional radiology at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is board certified in radiology. Dr. Jadhav has served as an attending at Bombay Hospital and Research Institute in Mumbai, India.

Department of Internal Medicine

Shi-Ming Tu, M.D.

Shi-Ming Tu, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, and the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute as a Professor and medical oncologist specializing in the treatment and research of genitourinary cancer.

A fellowship-trained medical oncologist from MD Anderson Cancer Center with 30 years of clinical experience, Tu treats cancers of the urinary system of men and women and the reproductive organs in men. Prostate cancer is the most common genitourinary malignancy and the third highest cancer diagnosis in Arkansas with an estimated 2,680 cases per year.

“Dr. Tu will bolster a growing team of physicians and scientists in the battle against genitourinary malignancies,” said Michael Birrer, Cancer Institute director and UAMS vice chancellor. “He joins a multidisciplinary team of clinicians committed to holistic and patient-centered cancer care, including uro-oncologic surgeons, radiation oncologists specializing in modern treatments of GU tumors and other clinical specialists.”

Before joining UAMS, Tu served for 28 years on the medical oncology faculty at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. There, he conducted clinical and translational research relating to genitourinary cancers, authored or co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed research articles, presented at national and international conferences and developed a highly regarded clinical practice. In addition to clinical work on the main campus, he also conducted specialty clinics at one of MD Anderson’s satellite network sites in the greater Houston area.

After earning his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis and completing residency at the University of Illinois Hospitals, Tu completed a clinical fellowship in medical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University.

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

Department of Internal Medicine

Rushita Bagchi, Ph.D.

Rushita Bagchi, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor and researcher in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. Dr. Bagchi earned her Master of Science in zoology from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in India in 2005. She received her doctorate in physiology and pathology in 2016 from the University of Manitoba in Canada, where her research focused on cardiovascular pathophysiology and gene transcription. Dr. Bagchi comes to UAMS from the University of Colorado Denver, where she served as a postdoctoral research fellow focusing on epigenetics, metabolism, pharmacology and translational research.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Justin Hire, M.D.

Justin Hire, M.D., has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Arkansas Children’s Northwest in Springdale. Dr. Hire received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in 2011. He completed his internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Fort Gordon, Georgia, and continued his training with a fellowship in pediatric orthopaedics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Hire most recently was an Assistant Professor of clinical orthopaedic surgery in the Pediatrics Department at Women’s and Children’s Hospital at the University of Missouri in Columbia and the Cox Medical Center South in Springfield, Missouri. He previously served at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, as an orthopaedic staff surgeon and Chief of the Orthopaedics and Podiatry Department. A decorated U.S. Army veteran, Dr. Hire was deployed with the Army’s 541^st Forward Surgical Team as part of Operation Inherent Resolve in Ash Shaddadi, Syria, in 2017.

Department of Pathology

Felicia Allard, M.D.

Felicia Allard, M.D., has joined the Department of Pathology as an Associate Professor in the GI and Cytopathology divisions. Dr. Allard received her medical degree at the University of Colorado Denver & Health Sciences Center. She completed her residency and clinical fellowship in gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary pathology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. Allard continued her training with a fellowship in cytopathology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Prior to her recruitment to UAMS, Dr. Allard served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at the Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook, New York.

Department of Psychiatry

Aaron Carson, M.D.

Aaron Carson, M.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Carson received his medical degree from UAMS in 2012. He completed his residency in psychiatry at UAMS, serving as Chief Resident at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in his final year. Dr. Carson most recently served as Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health at the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville. He sees patients for the AR-Connect program and Psychiatric Research Institute-Northwest at the behavioral health offices in Fayetteville.

Brian Kirkpatrick, M.D., MSPH

Brian Kirkpatrick, M.D., MSPH, has joined the Department of Psychiatry as a Professor. A graduate of the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, he most recently served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Nevada at Reno School of Medicine. He is a former Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Texas A&M College of Medicine, and former Vice Chair of the Medical College of Georgia Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior. His research and clinical work have focused on schizophrenia and related disorders.  

Brian Mooney, M.D

Brian Mooney, M.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Mooney received his medical degree from UAMS in 2001 and completed his residency in psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma at Tulsa. He most recently practiced at the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, where he served as lead psychiatrist for the Trauma Recovery Program. He also served as an Adjunct Clinical Instructor for the UAMS Department of Psychiatry, supervising medical students and psychiatry residents at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus. Dr. Mooney sees patients in the Psychiatric Research Institute Northwest’s outpatient clinic in Fayetteville as well as the AR-Connect Northwest Arkansas office.

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

Department of Anesthesiology

Chaya Krishnan, M.D.

Chaya Krishnan, M.D., has rejoined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Krishnan received her medical degree from Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute in Porur, Chennai, India. She completed a compulsory rotatory resident internship in India before coming to UAMS for her anesthesiology residency. She worked as active staff at a couple of surgery centers and then returned to UAMS an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology in 2006-2010. She served most recently as an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.

Department of Internal Medicine

Dinesh Edem, M.D.

Dinesh Edem, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology. Dr. Edem received his medical degree from Topiwala National Medical College in Mumbai in 2009. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins University/Sinai Hospital of Baltimore in 2015 and an endocrinology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2017. He most recently served as an endocrinology and obesity medicine physician at Indiana University Health – Arnett.

Gena Miller, M.D.

Gena Miller, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology. Dr. Miller received her medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in 2010. She completed an internal medicine residency in 2014 and an endocrinology fellowship in 2016 at the University of Kentucky. Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. Miller has held positions as an endocrinologist with The Baton Rouge Clinic in Baton Rouge, Louisisana, and the Aspirus Department of Endocrinology in Wausau, Wisconsin, before joining UAMS and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Barbara Porchia, DPM

Barbara Porchia, DPM, has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as an Assistant Professor. A podiatrist from Camden, Dr. Porchia brings more than 20 years of experience in treating foot and ankle conditions to UAMS’ orthopaedic team of foot and ankle providers. She received her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine in Cleveland. Dr. Porchia completed her residency in primary podiatric medicine at St. Michael Hospital in Cleveland. Read more in the UAMS Newsroom.

Department of Pediatrics

Salim Aljabari, M.D.

Salim Aljabari, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Critical Care Medicine Section. Dr. Aljabari received his medical degree at Al-Quds University Faculty of Medicine in Jerusalem, with Dean’s honors. He completed his residency in pediatrics at Texas Tech University, where he was named Chief Resident. Dr. Aljabari continued his training with a fellowship in critical care medicine at Primary Children’s Hospital /University of Utah, and is currently working toward a master’s degree in health administration. He most recently served on the faculty and as a pediatric intensivist at the University of Missouri-Columbia and MU Health Care. Dr. Aljabari’s clinical and research interests include pediatric respiratory failure, post extubation complications, patient safety and quality of care.

Department of Radiology

Bob Dixon, M.D.

Bob Dixon, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as a Professor in the Division of Interventional Radiology. Dr. Dixon received his medical degree from the State University of New York, Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. After training in and practicing Emergency Medicine for a decade, he went on to complete a residency in radiology at Upstate Medical University, where he served as Chief Resident. He continued his training with a fellowship in interventional radiology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, where he subsequently served on the faculty as Program Director for the Radiology Residency, the Interventional Radiology Residency and the Interventional Radiology Fellowship programs.

Dr. Dixon’s clinical interests include thermal ablation, portal hypertension, vertebral augmentation, superficial venous disease, complex IVC filter retrievals and prostate artery embolization. Passionate about medical education, Dr. Dixon facilitated the initiation of the Interventional Radiology Fellowship at the University of Nairobi. He currently serves a Program Manager for RAD-AID International – Kenya.