University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Logo University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
College of Medicine

News

A New Way to Invest in Arkansas’ Future Pediatricians

If you trained in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, you know how much a single mentor, a well-timed piece of advice, or a little financial breathing room can shape a career. A group of College of Medicine alumni and colleagues has created a new way to pay that forward.

UAMS has launched the Pediatrics Scholarship Initiative, a first-of-its-kind scholarship for the College of Medicine built specifically to support students at a pivotal moment: the transition from medical school into pediatric residency.

The scholarship was the vision of four pediatricians who know firsthand what that transition looks like — Richard Jacobs, M.D.; Michele Moss, M.D.; Rhonda Dick, M.D.; and Bill Steinbach, M.D. Their goal was simple but ambitious: build a scholarship that the Department of Pediatrics and pediatricians across Arkansas would be proud to stand behind, creating a shared investment in the physicians who will care for the state’s children for decades to come.

For many alumni, this kind of connection is exactly what made the difference in their own training. Now it’s built into the scholarship by design.

How It Works

  • A $5,000 award will go each year to a qualified fourth-year UAMS medical student pursuing pediatrics or a pediatric subspecialty.
  • Students who match into the UAMS Pediatrics Residency Program at Arkansas Children’s may be eligible for an additional $5,000 or more, depending on available funds.
  • As philanthropic support grows the fund, award amounts — and the number of students supported — are expected to grow with it.

Why It Matters

Medical education keeps getting more expensive, and that cost can quietly steer talented students away from pediatrics. This scholarship is designed to counter that pull — easing the financial burden so more graduates choose to become the pediatricians Arkansas needs, and choose to stay and lead here.

How Alumni Can Help

Supporters can contribute in the way that fits them best:

  • Principal gifts grow the endowed fund, creating a permanent, self-sustaining source of scholarship support through annual investment earnings.
  • Spendable gifts go directly to scholarship funding now, helping a student today.
  • Many donors choose to combine both — supporting a current student while building a lasting legacy for the classes that follow.

Make a gift: bit.ly/pedsscholarship

Questions? Contact: Erica Dunn Senior Executive Director of Development (501) 889-8843 EMWillardDunn@uams.edu

100 DAYS IN: Dean Robertson on Leadership, Teamwork, and Staying in the OR

When Ron Robertson, M.D., stepped into the role of Dean of the UAMS College of Medicine on May 1, he wore the “interim” label for a while before it came off. Now, a little more than 100 days into the permanent role, he says the shift has changed more than just his title.

“It’s always easier to work in a role when you know it’s yours and you can make it your own,” Robertson said. He believes the certainty has rippled through his team, too. With the interim title gone, colleagues know he’s in it for the long haul, freeing them to lay out real plans.

That confidence has been tested by a learning curve Robertson didn’t fully anticipate. After seven years as Chair of the Department of Surgery, he had that role “pretty much figured out,” he said. The Dean’s office is entirely different — “like being chair of multiple departments at once,” he said, with a faster pace and problems that rarely have a solution involving just one person or group.

What has struck him most, though, is the people.

“We have exceptional people who are very committed to our mission,” Robertson said.

It’s a mission Robertson approaches the way he has every operating room for decades: as a team sport. His trauma career was built on assembling and leading teams that function under pressure, and he sees the Dean’s role as the ultimate test of that approach — one that spans education, research, and clinical care all at once.

“Being the Dean may be the ultimate expression of teamwork,” he said. “Building, and then watching, that team thrive is what I love most about the job.”

Looking ahead, Robertson lays out a vision for strengthening the College of Medicine across all three pillars of its mission. In clinical care, that means leveraging the hospital system to widen access and improve the health of Arkansans. In education, it means building a curriculum that keeps the college competitive for top talent long into the future. In research, it means growing the portfolio across both basic science and clinical programs.

“We have huge opportunities in all three aspects of our mission and the right leadership team starting at the top,” Robertson said.

Ask him for a single defining moment in his first 100 days and Robertson points to a string of them — graduation, welcoming new students and residents, working alongside fellow deans and the leadership team. Each one, he says, sharpens his sense of what’s at stake: training excellent physicians, delivering exceptional care, and pursuing research that helps patients.

“The people of Arkansas are counting on me, and they’re counting on us to accomplish our goals.”

Through it all, Robertson hasn’t stepped out of the operating room.

“At the core of my being, I’m a surgeon, and I don’t want to lose that,” he said. Staying in clinical practice keeps him grounded in what faculty actually face day to day — insight he considers essential to leading real change.

“I love taking care of patients. I can’t imagine that not being a part of my life.”

Nearly 80% From Underserved Areas: UAMS Class of 2030 Reflects a Commitment to Rural Care

On the morning of Aug. 3, 172 first-year medical students filed into the UAMS library carrying a mix of nerves and excitement.

They came from rural Arkansas towns and cities across the country, straight from college and others after careers in education, engineering, and other fields. All have spent years working toward the moment.

Together, they make up the UAMS College of Medicine Class of 2030 — the 148th class to begin medical school at UAMS.

For five students — Ruth Walters, Rachael Wehrle, Jenny Zhang, Ella Roper and Kyle Lee — arriving at UAMS was a homecoming in the most literal sense: They were born at the hospital where they are now training to become physicians.

Becky Latch, M.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs, said she was struck by the energy and range of experiences represented in the class.

“They came ready to get started,” Latch said. “There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm from the very beginning. I was impressed by the different experiences and perspectives they bring with them.”

Of 3,337 applicants, the Class of 2030 includes 143 Arkansas residents. Nearly one-third come from rural areas, and nearly 80% come from medically underserved areas. They enter medical school with an average GPA of 3.86 and an average MCAT score of 510.

Beyond the numbers is a class shaped by a remarkable range of experiences. Before medical school, students turned wrenches as mechanics and automotive engineers, built virtual worlds as Roblox game developers, sold real estate, drove for Uber, taught dance, and worked as EMTs, medical scribes, and nurse’s aides.

They volunteered in homeless shelters, hospice centers, wound care clinics, and food pantries; worked with the Salvation Army, Girl Scouts, and animal rescues; and participated in medical mission trips.

M1 Sallie Hendrix once led hundreds of musicians on the SEC sidelines as drum major for the Arkansas Razorbacks Marching Band (Go, Hogs!)

Many members of the class are also accomplished athletes, bringing years of competition, coaching, and teamwork with them to medical school. They have captained an NCAA golf team, played women’s rugby, competed in soccer, swimming and diving, taught PGA golf, coached Little League softball and volleyball, and umpired baseball.

Different Paths, Same Room

For Chancellor’s Scholar Lance Viscioni-Wilson, starting medical school was also a homecoming. He was just a year old when his father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The family relocated from Chicago to Little Rock so his father could receive specialized care at the UAMS Myeloma Center.

For the next six years, UAMS became a familiar part of his childhood as his father underwent treatment.

(left) M1 Lance Viscioni-Wilson celebrated his seventh birthday at UAMS, where his father was undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma. It was in rooms like this one, watching his father’s care team, that Lance’s own path toward medicine began to take shape. (right) Years later, he returned to UAMS as a medical student, alongside his wife, Gabriella.

After returning to UAMS as a medical student and receiving his white coat, he reflected on what the moment meant.

“My father’s physicians and their teams provided the precious extra years I had with him, and I owe my memories of my dad to the intentional, patient- and family-centered care they delivered,” he wrote in a social media post. “Fifteen years later, I have now been given the opportunity to give back to the same institution that gave so much to my family through the symbol of this white coat.”

For Sara Fritz, a 33-year-old former high school chemistry teacher, the road to medical school took 10 years.

Fritz earned a bachelor’s degree in movement science and a master’s degree in education before teaching science in Chicago Public Schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. She loved working with students but eventually found herself drawn back to science and medicine.

“I came back to how much I love science, the body, and its ability to heal itself,” she said. “I want to use science and my teaching background to explain health issues to patients and help them understand how their bodies work.”

For fellow Chancellor’s Scholar Kate Stidman, the journey began in Flippin, Arkansas, a medically underserved community of about 1,280.

“I started thinking about being a doctor at a very young age,” Stidman said. “I remember in seventh grade I told my English teacher that I wanted to be an OB/GYN.”

Chancellor’s Scholar Kate Stidman celebrates on the Northwest Arkansas Campus after the White Coat Ceremony. She will be the first physician in her family.

Stidman will be the first physician in her family, although her mother is an advanced practice registered nurse. She is considering primary care or internal medicine.

Her first day at UAMS was the realization of a longtime goal.

“It was truly a day where I realized so many of my dreams had come to fruition,” she said.

The Journey Begins

During Welcome Week, UAMS leaders reminded students that reaching medical school was both an accomplishment and the beginning of a demanding new chapter.

“In four years, you’ll be a doctor,” said UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D. “Expectations are different when you have an M.D. after your name. People will expect more of you. And because you represent UAMS, you must hold yourself to high standards.”

Dean Ron Robertson, M.D.

Ron Robertson, M.D., Dean of the UAMS College of Medicine and Executive Vice Chancellor, spoke to the weight and reward of the path ahead.

“As physicians, we have both the extraordinary privilege and the great responsibility of caring for patients and their families,” he said. “Healthcare has changed a lot over the years, but it’s still the best profession there is. The rewards are profound.”

Latch offered students another piece of advice: Give themselves permission not to know everything yet.

“Stay curious and keep a growth mindset,” she said. “If you can’t do something, remember that you can’t do it yet. You may struggle to learn some things, but you will get there.”

It’s advice informed by her own first days at UAMS.

“I remember being nervous and wondering if I was really ready for medical school,” Latch said.

At the time, medical school culture often made students reluctant to admit when they were struggling or unsure of themselves. That has changed for the better.

“Now we acknowledge that many students have those feelings,” she said. “Helping them recognize and address those feelings of imposter syndrome allows them to get down to learning what they need to learn.”

That support will be important as the Class of 2030 prepares for a profession that continues to evolve. Latch said she is particularly encouraged by the number of students coming from rural communities and hopes medical education remains accessible to students from a wide range of backgrounds.

“Arkansas is a rural state, and training doctors from rural areas means they understand where their patients are coming from,” she said. “That’s something we want to continue.”

Spencer Frederickson will be a 4th generation physician in his family. He received his white coat from his grandfather, a family physician.

Welcome Week culminated Aug. 7 with the White Coat Ceremony, when students recited a professional oath marking their public entry into medicine.

For Robin Eluvathingal, one of three M.D./Ph.D. students in the class, the ceremony marked the first step on an eight-year path that will combine patient care with scientific research. Eluvathingal, Brahmi Prayaga, and Sadie Farmer are the first students in the new NIH-funded Medical Scientist Training Program at UAMS.

“I know it’s just the beginning,” Eluvathingal said. “But it’s the first time this whole thing has felt real instead of just a plan.”

Five days after arriving at UAMS as newly minted medical students, the Class of 2030 left Welcome Week wearing white coats.

They join a tradition that began in 1880, when the first UAMS medical school class had just 22 students. Nearly a century and a half later, that journey has officially begun for the UAMS Class of 2030. Good luck!

UAMS Builds Pipeline for Student Success in Competitive ENT Specialty

(back, l to r) Class of 2026 UAMS medical school graduates (back, l to r) Lindsey Herberger, John Odom, ENT Department Chair Gresham Richter, M.D., Michael Hahn, Alexa Pearce, Roger Roe; (front, l to r) Ravi Sun, Peyton Pinkus, and Anna Benafield celebrate during commencement ceremonies after matching into highly competitive ENT residency programs.

Eight students in the UAMS College of Medicine’s most recent graduating class matched into the field of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, an extraordinary accomplishment in one of medicine’s most competitive specialties.

The specialty offered only 370 residency positions nationwide for more than 550 applicants in 2026. The national match rate in the specialty fell to 67% during one of the toughest cycles on record. UAMS students matched at 100%.

The eight students represent nearly 4% of the UAMS College of Medicine graduating class — almost double the percentage typically seen at many top-tier medical schools nationwide.

UAMS faculty credit the success to years of intentional collaboration between the UAMS College of Medicine and the UAMS Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery to create a structured support system that sets students up for success. This includes early exposure to the specialty through meaningful research, mentorship, and extensive clinical exposure at UAMS, Arkansas Children’s, and the Central Arkansas Veteran’s Healthcare System.

“We are incredibly proud of these students and the work they put in to reach this milestone,” said Gresham Richter, M.D., Chair of the UAMS Department of Otolaryngology. “Matching eight students in a year this competitive speaks not only to their talent but also to the strength of the training environment and collaborative culture we’ve created at UAMS.”

Executive Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Development

Renee Bornemeier, M.D.

Dr. Renee Bornemeier serves as Executive Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Development for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine. In this role, she leads faculty development initiatives including mentoring, leadership development, wellness culture, and work-life integration, while overseeing promotion and tenure, faculty merits and awards, compensation plan development, and personnel matters.

Dr. Bornemeier has dedicated her entire career to UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH), building a legacy of clinical excellence, teaching, and faculty leadership. A pediatric cardiologist specializing in fetal cardiology, she has provided outstanding clinical care for children across Arkansas alongside decades of teaching and mentorship for medical students, residents, and fellows.

She earned her medical degree from UAMS in 1988 and completed her pediatrics residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s. She completed a fellowship in pediatric cardiology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia before returning to UAMS in 1994 as an Instructor in the Department of Pediatrics. She rose through the faculty ranks and has served as Professor in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology since 2009.

Her clinical leadership roles at Arkansas Children’s have included Medical Director of the ACH Heart Station (1995–2008), Director of the Bale Fetal Heart Center (since 2009), and Vice Chief of Staff (2017–2018) before becoming Chief of Staff. She also directed the development of the Cardiac 3D Print Lab at Arkansas Children’s.

Dr. Bornemeier has long championed her faculty colleagues, serving as Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs in the Department of Pediatrics since 2017, as Assistant Dean for the College of Medicine leading faculty affairs for all faculty at Arkansas Children’s. She has served on the Pediatrics Promotion and Tenure Committee since 2013, and previously served on the College of Medicine Promotion and Tenure Committee from 2012 to 2016, chairing the committee in 2015–2016.

Two Alumni, Two Extraordinary Legacies: UAMS College of Medicine Presents 2026 Alumni Awards

The UAMS College of Medicine honored two outstanding graduates during the 2026 UAMS Alumni Reunion — one for pioneering research in pediatric infectious diseases and another for a career dedicated to emergency medicine and public health advocacy.

Ron Robertson, M.D., executive vice chancellor of UAMS and interim dean of the College of Medicine, presented the Dean’s Distinguished Alumnus Award to Toni Darville, M.D., ’87 and the Distinguished Alumnus Service Award to Gene Shelby, M.D., ’77 at a June 6 dinner and awards ceremony in Little Rock.

“The college established the Dean’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1973 to recognize graduates who have made exceptional contributions to medicine and health,” Robertson told UAMS alumni and guests. “These have taken many forms, including world-class patient care, groundbreaking research, and transformative leadership.”

Toni Darville, M.D., Receives Dean’s Distinguished Alumnus Award

A North Little native and a 1987 UAMS College of Medicine graduate, Darville completed her residency in Pediatrics and a fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UAMS before launching into a remarkable career as a physician scientist and academic leader.

Toni Darville, Ph.D., Receives Dean's Distinguished Alumnus Award
College of Medicine Interim Dean Ron Robertson, M.D., (left) presents a commemorative art glass bowl to Dean’s Distinguished Alumnus honoree Toni Darville, Ph.D. (Photo by Nelson Chenault)

Over an outstanding career spanning more than three decades, Darville has built an internationally recognized research program focused on preventing chlamydial infections, which are among the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide. Her pioneering work bridges basic and translational science and has significantly advanced the search for an effective chlamydia vaccine.

Today, Darville serves as chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, vice chair for Pediatric Research, and scientific director of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Children’s Research Institute.

Equally impressive is her deep commitment to education and mentorship. As co-director of the UNC Medical Scientist Training Program, she has guided more than 95 M.D.-Ph.D. students while mentoring countless residents, fellows, and junior faculty throughout her career. At the same time, she has remained dedicated to patient care through her clinical work.

“Toni’s career exemplifies the very best of academic medicine,” said Robertson. “Her research has advanced our understanding of infectious disease, her leadership has strengthened pediatric research programs, and her commitment to mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists has multiplied her impact far beyond her own remarkable accomplishments.”

Gene Shelby, M.D., Receives Distinguished Alumnus Service Award

While presenting the Distinguished Alumnus Service Award to Gene Shelby, M.D., Robertson noted the slightly different focus of the honor. “This award recognizes a graduate who not only has had a successful career in medicine, but who is also making a substantial impact on our College and what we’re striving for in Arkansas,” he said.

Ron Robertson, M.D., presents the Distinguished Alumnus Service Award recipient Gene Shelby, M.D. (right). (Photo by Nelson Chenault)

A Little Rock native, Shelby attended Princeton University before returning to Arkansas to earn his medical degree at UAMS. Drawn early to a life of service, he joined the Peace Corps as a medical officer and later returned home to train in emergency medicine. Since then, Shelby has cared for the most vulnerable patients in his community and championed the most pressing public health issues across the state.

As a state representative, he played a leading role in developing a coordinated statewide trauma system that continues to save lives every day. Today, UAMS is home to the state’s only Level 1 Trauma Center – something that would not have been possible without Shelby’s support.

He has also been a tireless advocate for addressing opioid addiction. His work on the AMA Task Force to Reduce Opioid Abuse has helped advance safer prescribing practices and expanded access to treatment. Shelby also runs his own clinic to help patients recover, along with a charity HIV clinic.

“Gene has devoted his career to improving the health of Arkansans while never losing sight of the importance of supporting future physicians,” Robertson said. “Through his leadership, advocacy, and philanthropy, he has helped strengthen both our state and our medical school.”

A Global Voice for Mothers and Babies: Alan Tita, M.D., Ph.D., Delivers Dean’s Distinguished Lecture

Alan Tita, M.D., Ph.D.

An internationally renowned maternal-fetal medicine expert took the stage at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute’s Sam Walton Auditorium on March 5 to discuss the challenges and breakthroughs shaping women’s and infant health worldwide.

Alan T.N. Tita, M.D., Ph.D., who serves as the Mary Heersink Endowed Chair of Global Health and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), visited the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to  present the College of Medicine’s Dean’s Distinguished Lecture, “Out of the Deep South: TRIALS, Tribulations, and Triumphs Advancing Global Women’s Health.”

Tita shared insights from decades of clinical research, including the landmark Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy (CHAP) study he led that changed obstetric care guidelines for treating hypertension during pregnancy. UAMS participated in the large multicenter study of nearly 30,000 women, which received Trial of the Year awards from the  Society for Clinical Trials and the Clinical Research Forum following its publication in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2022.

Since 2009, Tita has served as principal investigator on obstetric studies supported by more than $100 million in total research funding.

During his lecture, Tita highlighted several additional clinical trials that have changed obstetric care guidelines, including research on preventing obstetric hemorrhage, reducing cesarean births through labor management strategies, and improving outcomes through better timing of delivery.

Tita was the invited guest of Paula Robertson, Ph.D., professor in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Biostatistics, who served on the CHAP trial’s data and safety monitoring board.

“Dr. Tita has devoted his life to improving the health of women and infants around the world. And his work is especially meaningful to us here in Arkansas, as we confront our own maternal health challenges,” said Robertson.

In her introduction, Roberson shared the origins of Tita’s journey.

Growing up in Cameroon, Africa, Tita witnessed firsthand the profound challenges women faced, particularly the tragic and preventable loss of young mothers to infection and complications of childbirth. In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, maternal mortality rates can be more than 100 times higher than in high-income countries. Those disparities left a lasting impression.

As a young physician working in rural missionary hospitals alongside colleagues from around the world, he recognized that public health alongside clinical medicine could be a force multiplier. That early experience continues to shape his work today. He now co-leads the Cameroon Health Initiative, a partnership between UAB and Cameroon partners to improve health outcomes in his native country.

A scholarship took Tita from Cameroon to the United Kingdom for a Master of Public Health at the University of Leeds. He later came to the United States, completing his OB-GYN residency at Baylor College of Medicine and a Ph.D. in perinatal epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston.

Since then, Tita has served as a consultant to the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He has authored more than 400 scientific publications and is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Association of American Physicians.

Tita emphasized that progress is only possible through strong partnerships and well-supported research networks. Over nearly three decades, UAB has participated in the National Institutes of Health Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network, which he noted has contributed to roughly a quarter of the evidence guiding obstetric practice today.

“You may hear a lot of what I’ve done,” Tita told the audience. “But it’s not really about me. It’s about the opportunities I’ve had in this country and in the Deep South to work with amazing people and teams.”

Reflecting on his journey, Tita described how early exposure to maternal deaths and infectious diseases like HIV in South Africa cemented his purpose and commitment to improving women’s health.

“My inspiration was my mother, a nurse,” Tita said. “These memories continue to define my approach. It became clear to me that we had to do something, especially for young women.”

Tita noted that the United States continues to have the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income countries and stressed the need to address social determinants of health, chronic disease, and the growing number of rural “maternity deserts.”

He also encouraged students, trainees, and early-career faculty in attendance to pursue ambitious goals while building strong collaborative teams.

“Know and plan where you want to go and keep that vision in mind,” he said.

Tita closed the lecture with an African proverb that has guided his work and philosophy on collaboration and life: “If you want to go fast, go alone,” he said. “If you want to go far, go together.”

A recording of Dr. Tita’s lecture is available here.

UAMS Medical Students Help Others Find Wellness Through Art

Two medical students at a table painting, with more students at other tables in the background.
Freshmen medical students including Elias Rushing and Mariah Guevara (at front table) paint designs in a wellness-focused activity during Welcome Week at UAMS in August 2025.

UAMS College of Medicine student Catalina Terlea discovered the power of art to foster well-being while she was a busy and frequently stressed undergraduate. Now, she is leading a student initiative to help fellow medical students — and eventually patients — experience these benefits.

Catalina Terlea demonstrating a technique with a paint dauber.
UAMS medical student Catalina Terlea leads a painting session to help freshmen manage stress during orientation.

“I realized that students and patients could really benefit from having a space to engage in art creation to deal with the stress that life and being a student brings,” said Terlea, who is from Little Rock and majored in art and biology at Lyon College in Batesville.

The idea took shape in discussions last year with Tiffany Huitt, Ph.D., an associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Neuroscience who teaches in the freshman Human Structure course and who, like Terlea, is an artist. “As we were brainstorming how to have a space available for students and patients to engage in art creation, I thought of the UAMS 12th Street Health & Wellness Center, our student-led free clinic,” Terlea said. “For students and the community that the center serves, it can be incredibly hard to afford wellness therapy services and art supplies. We wanted to bridge that gap.”

Composite image of three abstract paintings done in the abstract neurographic style.

Terlea worked with Huitt and another Human Structure teacher, assistant professor Erica Malone, Ph.D., along with then 12th Street Center Director Melissa Halverson, Pharm.D., to plan and implement the pilot program. In the initial sessions, Terlea taught a therapeutic drawing and painting technique called neurographic art to student volunteers at center. In addition to creating art, volunteers were trained in how to conduct sessions for others.

Later, Terlea began leading pottery-making sessions at the center. “This is something I dreamed about with Dr. Huitt when we first envisioned the idea for art-based wellness sessions,” she said. “Being able to bring the tactile benefits that pottery-making offers to the expression and release of emotions for student wellness has been very rewarding.”

Tracy Haselow, M.D., an associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and director of the UAMS Student Wellness Program, attends and provides guidance during the pottery sessions. The ongoing initiative is a collaboration with John Shea, MFA, and the University of Arkansas Little Rock Department of Fine Arts, which fires the pottery in its kilns.

“Our sessions are aimed at stress reduction, emotional awareness and being grounded,” Terlea said. “In our pilot study, we found measurable stress reduction for most of the volunteers who engaged in both the painting and pottery sessions. Most students showed a reduction in what is called state trait anxiety.”

“Additionally, our survey feedback showed that most of our student participants believed that expanding art-based wellness to patients would improve their wellbeing,” Terlea said.

Five students in the 12th Street Clinic holding newly made unfired clay items.
Catalina Terlea (second from left) and student volunteers at the UAMS 12th Street Health & Wellness Center show the pottery pieces created in a session designed to boost well-being. Pictured with Terlea are (from left) COM students Edward Denton, James Hughes and Kristin Ryan and College of Pharmacy student Erica Jones.

Terlea and her team hope to put the theory into practice by eventually providing art wellness sessions for patients at the center. But the 12th Street center isn’t the only hub of activity for the initiative.

Catalina Terlea standing beside a table covered with art supplies in a clinic educational space, holding an abstract painting.
Catalina Terlea prepares to conduct a painting session at the UAMS 12th Stree Health & Wellness Center.

Last August, College of Medicine leaders invited Terlea and six fellow volunteers to conduct a painting session for the entire incoming freshman class during orientation activities. “We used Catalina’s initiative to teach about wellness and as an opportunity for new medical students to practice managing their stress, as well as for community-building,” said Rebecca Latch, M.D., associate dean for student affairs.

In October, Terlea spoke about art and wellness and led a neurographic painting session for more than 30 educators at the Learning Communities Institute national conference hosted by UAMS. She also presented at the Society of Student Run Free Clinics annual conference in Chicago. Terlea’s work was well received, and she is now working on a scholarly article about the initiative with Huitt and Malone.

Closeup of a student at a table with paintbrush in hand working on a painting.
A UAMS medical student relaxes while painting a design.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences M.D./Ph.D. Student Receives Fellowship Award from National Cancer Institute

UAMS student Sydnye Shuttleworth will continue her pursuit to become a physician and cancer researcher with support from a National Cancer Institute fellowship. (Image by Jaison Sterling)

Sydnye Shuttleworth, a student in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine and an affiliate trainee member of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, has been awarded a prestigious fellowship award for aspiring physician-scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Shuttleworth, who is pursuing a doctoral degree in the UAMS Graduate School in addition to a medical degree, is the first M.D./Ph.D. student at UAMS to receive the highly competitive Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the NCI. She joins an elite group across the country and a small group from UAMS who have received NRSA awards from one of the NIH institutes.

The $189,128 award, referred to as an F30 NRSA fellowship, provides four years of funding for Shuttleworth’s tuition, a stipend and an institutional allowance to support her research training.

“Ms. Shuttleworth’s NRSA fellowship is focused on the rapidly expanding field of engineering immune cells to be more effective and efficient at eliminating cancer cells, particularly those in solid tumors,” said Alan Tackett, Ph.D., deputy director of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and executive associate dean for basic research in the UAMS College of Medicine. “This specific area of research has the potential to transform how we utilize immunotherapies to treat patients with cancer.”

“Sydnye is one of those trainees who just doesn’t let up — in the best way,” said Shuttleworth’s mentor, Brian Koss, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. “She is driven, deeply committed, and always thinking about how her work can make a real impact. That kind of focus is exactly what you want in a future physician-scientist, and it’s no surprise she has already earned competitive funding to support her research. She raises the bar for everyone around her, including me.”

Sydnye Shuttleworth conducting experiment in lab
Sydnye Shuttleworth’s research aims to uncover novel mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies to improve the effectiveness of T-cell therapies to fight cancer. (Image by Jaison Sterling.)

Shuttleworth chose the rigorous M.D./Ph.D. program at UAMS with the goal of becoming both a physician and cancer researcher. She has completed the first two years of medical school and the first of an anticipated three to four years of predoctoral research toward a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). She will then complete the final two years of medical school before continuing with postgraduate clinical and research training.

“I have wanted to pursue medicine for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until college that I discovered how much I enjoy research,” said Shuttleworth, who is from Beebe and earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry at Harding University in Searcy.

The impact of cancer on her own family placed her on her current path.

“I never got to meet my grandfather, who died from colon cancer before I was born, and I watched my grandmother fight triple-negative breast cancer while I was in high school,” Shuttleworth said. “Those experiences inspired me to pursue a career in oncology where I can care for others facing the same challenges and work to develop new immunotherapies for cancer.”

“My fellowship research focuses on understanding how an enzyme called RNF166, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, can enhance the function and persistence of cancer-fighting T-cells by preventing T-cell exhaustion, which is a major barrier in treating solid tumors,” Shuttleworth said. “By using advanced proteomics, our research aims to uncover novel mechanisms and therapeutic strategies to improve the effectiveness of adoptive T-cell therapies such as CAR-T.”

UAMS is home to the NIH-funded IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics, the only facility of its kind in the country. Proteomics is the large-scale, technology-driven study of proteins to better understand disease mechanisms, rapidly identify disease biomarkers and develop new drug targets. Tackett, who is also a distinguished professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, directs the center.

Koss established his laboratory for highly specialized cancer research as the state’s first recipient of an elite NIH Director’s Early Independence Award in 2021. He previously received an NCI Ruth L. Kirschtein NRSA award for predoctoral students, while he was a graduate student working with Tackett in 2019.

“Dr. Koss is pioneering numerous strategies to improve the efficacy of immunotherapies, and he provides a rich and vibrant atmosphere for training within his laboratory,” noted Tackett.

“I am incredibly fortunate to have an outstanding mentor like Dr. Koss,” Shuttleworth said. “I joined his lab as a research technician before starting medical school, and from the beginning, he was enthusiastic about helping me apply for this fellowship early.

“I greatly admire Dr. Koss for his determination, creativity and success in building a successful research program,” she said. “I hope to build a career that mirrors that impact by leading a lab dedicated to advancing cancer immunotherapy, guiding future scientists and contributing to meaningful progress in translational research.

“I’m also grateful to Dr. Tackett for welcoming me into the proteomics core facility during my time as a medical student and his willingness to serve as my co-sponsor for this fellowship,” Shuttleworth added. Having the opportunity to work in the core facility early in my training allowed me to build valuable technical skills in mass spectrometry and proteomics. His mentorship and support were instrumental in shaping both my research direction and the preparation of my fellowship project.”

While Shuttleworth was the first M.D./Ph.D. student at UAMS to receive a Ruth L. Kirschtein award from the National Cancer Institute, additional UAMS learners have received similar NRSA awards from the NIH in recent years. In 2023, M.D./Ph.D. student Ravi Sun received an NRSA F30 fellowship award from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Graduate students Hayley Sabol and Katherine Deck received F31 NRSA fellowship awards designated for predoctoral students in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

UAMS College of Medicine 2025 Golden Apple, Gold Sash and Red Sash Honorees

Each year, students in the UAMS College of Medicine vote for the faculty members they consider to be the most outstanding educators. The honorees are recognized during the college’s Graduation Ceremony (previously Honors Convocation).

Red Sash winners in attendance at the May 16 Graduation ceremony were entitled to wear red sashes over their regalia robes. These honorees were named as outstanding teachers by members of the senior class. Gold Sash honorees are the faculty members who received 10 or more votes.

The person voted by each of the four medical school classes as the best teacher of the year receives that class’s prestigious Golden Apple Award.

In the list of faculty honorees below, the Gold Sash and Golden Apple Honorees are noted and in bold type. The others in this list are Red Sash winners selected by the senior class. All faculty members are listed in their primary department. Congratulations to all!

Anesthesiology

Daniel Bingham, M.D.
Blake Plyler, M.D.

Biochemistry/Molecular Biology

Alan Diekman, Ph.D.  Gold Sash, Freshman (M1) Golden Apple. Dr. Diekman also was selected by seniors to deliver the Faculty Address at the Graduation Ceremony.

Emergency Medicine

Meryll Bouldin, M.D.
Zachary Lewis, M.D.
Jordan Hunter White, M.D.

Family/Preventive Medicine

Scott Dickson, M.D.
Stephen Foster, M.D.
Stephen King, M.D.
Amber Norris, M.D.
Jeanne (Catie) Ross, M.D.
Leslie Stone, M.D., MPH
Donya Watson, M.D.

Internal Medicine

Omar Alqaisi, M.D.
Konstantinos Arnaoutakis, M.D.
Joseph Thaddeus Beck, M.D.
Sheena CarlLee, M.D.
Ryan Dare, M.D.
Steven Deas, M.D.
Nicholas Gowen, M.D. Gold Sash. Dr. Gowen also was selected by seniors to participate in donning their doctoral hoods at the Graduation Ceremony.
Nishank Jain, M.D.
Larry Johnson, M.D.
Emily Kocurek, M.D.
Caroline Miles, M.D.
Hakan Paydak, M.D. Gold Sash, Senior (M4) Golden Apple.
Thomas Plugge, M.D.
Sandra Pruitt, M.D.
Manisha Singh, M.D.
Morgan Tripod, M.D.
Thomas “Ples” Spradley, M.D. Gold Sash, Junior (M3) Golden Apple
Toby Vancil, M.D.
Taylor Washburn, M.D.

Congratulations also to Medicine-Pediatrics Resident Taylor Winn, M.D., on his selection as Resident of the Year by the senior class!

Microbiology/Immunology

Karl Boehme, Ph.D.
James Craig Forrest, Ph.D.

Neuroscience

Noor Akhter, Ph.D.
David Davies, Ph.D.
Tiffany Huitt, Ph.D.
Erica Malone, Ph.D.
Kevin Phelan, Ph.D.
Mohsin Syed, Ph.D.

Neurology

Humaira Khan, M.D.
Scott Lucchese, M.D.
Hillary Williams, M.D.

Obstetrics/Gynecology

Katie Beal, M.D.
Joel Dickens, M.D.
Renee McGraw, M.D.
Luann Racher, M.D.
Monique Spillman, M.D., Ph.D.
Kate Stambough, M.D.
Lindsey Sward, M.D.  Dr. Sward also was selected by seniors to participate in donning their doctoral hoods at the Graduation Ceremony.
Alexis White, M.D.

Ophthalmology

Sami Uwaydat, M.D.

Pathology

Charles Matthew Quick, M.D.

Pediatrics

Carla Brown, M.D.
Courtney Cox, M.D.
Joshua Dailey, M.D.
Paul Drake, M.D.
Jacob Filipek, M.D.
Induja Gunasekaran, M.D.
Joana Mack, M.D.
Steven McKee, M.D.
Angela Scott, M.D., Ph.D.
Zackary Shearer, M.D.
Maxwell Taylor, M.D.
Keshari Thakali, Ph.D.
Aravindhan Veerapandiyan, M.D.

Psychiatry

Jessica Coker, M.D.
Margaret Ege-Woolley, M.D.
Lewis Krain, M.D.
Payton Lea, M.D.
Abigail Richison, M.D.
Samidha Tripathi, M.D.
Lindsey Wilbanks, M.D.

Surgery

Jeffrey Bell, M.D.
Richard Betzold, M.D.
Nolan Bruce, M.D.
Lyle Burdine, M.D., Ph.D.
Benjamin Davis, M.D.
Hanna Jensen, M.D., Ph.D.  Gold Sash, Sophomore (M2) Golden Apple
Mary Katherine Kimbrough, M.D.
Melissa Kost, M.D.
Matthew Roberts, M.D.
Christian Simmons, M.D., Ph.D.
Nicholas Tingquist, M.D.
Keith Wolter, M.D., Ph.D.
Deidre Wyrick, M.D.
James Yuen, M.D.

College of Public Health/Environmental Health Services

Mitchell McGill, Ph.D. (Secondary COM appointments in Pathology and Pharmacology/Toxicology)