The College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) celebrated the excellence of faculty and staff at its annual Dean’s Honor Day ceremony on April 16, presenting awards for teaching, clinical care, research, administration, humanism and service, and recognizing faculty members who are receiving promotion and/or tenure in 2024.
The ceremony culminated with the presentation of the Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Service Award to Eduardo R. “Eddie” Ochoa Jr., M.D., a professor in the Department of Pediatrics who has strived to improve the health and quality of life of children in Arkansas and nationally since joining the faculty in 1999. In addition to pediatrics-focused leadership, Ochoa’s service has included impactful roles such as helping the college identify and select promising future physicians as a multi-term member and chair of the college’s medical student admissions committee.
Ochoa’s nominator, Chenia Eubanks, M.D., MPH, associate professor and chief of the Section of Community Pediatrics, described the former section chief as a “fierce, steely advocate for children, their health and their future.” She noted Ochoa’s work in research, advocacy and policy work, as well as clinical care, to reduce disparities and eliminate barriers to good health.
“Dr. Ochoa understands that the future of his daughters is inextricably tied to that of the poorest child in Arkansas,” Eubanks said when presenting the award. “Behind his unassuming demeanor lies a passionate advocate whose dedication is fueled by a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all children’s futures.”
After accepting the award, Ochoa congratulated and thanked Eubanks and other fellow 2024 honorees and colleagues for their contributions to academic medicine including efforts to reduce health disparities.
“We are all here for the same thing – to improve the health of all Arkansans, wherever they come from, wherever they are, wherever they live,” Ochoa said. “We – all together – help move that forward with all of the work that we do.”
Ochoa received his medical degree at Texas Tech University Health Sciences in Lubbock and El Paso. He completed his pediatric internship and residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital and joined the faculty as an instructor in 1999.
Ochoa was instrumental in advocating for and developing Arkansas Children’s Latino Clinic and later Arkansas Children’s Southwest Little Rock Community Clinic. He has served as executive director of the UAMS Head Start/Early Head Start program since 2017.
Ochoa has served on numerous national panels addressing children’s health. He has provided invited testimony before the U.S. Congress twice, advocating for federal child nutrition programs in 2015 and 2019. He has been nationally recognized for his advocacy of children’s vaccinations and has worked extensively to expand access to vaccinations in Arkansas through legislative advocacy, school and community clinics, teaching and other initiatives.
The College of Medicine established Dean’s Honor Day in 2011 to recognize the accomplishments of faculty and staff. At this year’s ceremony, awards were presented in 18 categories in addition to the Distinguished Faculty Service Award, with nominators describing each honoree’s impact on areas of the college’s mission.
Renee Bornemeier, M.D., a professor of pediatrics and associate dean for faculty affairs, served as master of ceremonies. Bornemeier presented video tributes to faculty members who have been approved for promotion and/or tenure this year. In keeping with a college tradition, the videos feature favorite family, casual or professional photos of the faculty members.
Steven Webber, MBChB, executive vice chancellor of UAMS and dean of the College of Medicine, said after the ceremony that two things have stood out to him since he arrived at UAMS on March 1.
“The first is the high level of excellence of faculty and staff working across our mission areas,” he said. “And the second is their collegiality. Warmest congratulations to this year’s honorees. I look forward to working with them and faculty and staff across the college in service to UAMS and Arkansas in the years ahead.”
The College of Medicine is proud to recognize the 2024 honorees!
Click here to read all of the stories about the recipients below, or click on the award titles in the list to go directly to the individual profile.
Staff Excellence Awards
Staff Excellence – Education
Jessica Bursk
Program Education Manager
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Staff Excellence – Research
Caroline Miller Robinson, B.S.
Program Financial Manager
Arkansas INBRE
Staff Excellence – Clinical
Chris Cathcart, DPT, MBA
Physical Therapist
Trauma Program
Staff Excellence – Administration
Robin Rogers, B.A.
Associate Chair, Finance and Administration
Department of Biomedical Informatics
Graduate Medical Education (GME) Educator Awards
GME Educator – Program Coordinator
Angela Warr
Program Coordinator
Pain Medicine Fellowship
GME Educator – Program Director
Priya Mendiratta, M.D., MPH
Program Director, Geriatric Medicine Fellowship
Professor, Department of Geriatrics
Alexa and William T. Dillard Distinguished Endowed Chair in Geriatrics
Faculty Awards in Education, Research and Humanism
Master Teacher Award
Steve Schexnayder, M.D.
Professor, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Executive Vice Chair, Department of Pediatrics
Morris and Hettie Oakley Chair in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Educational Innovation
Ahmed Abuabdou, M.D., MBA
Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Chief Clinical Officer, UAMS Medical Center
Educational Research
Karen Dickinson, MBBS, M.D., MBA
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery
Director of IPE Simulation and Clinical Skills Training
Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine
Presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation
David Kelley, M.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Director, DFPM Division of Undergraduate Education
Co-Course Director, Practice of Medicine II
Excellence in Research
Lorraine McKelvey, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Developmental Psychologist, Research and Evaluation Division
Clinical Excellence Awards
Outstanding Advanced Practice Provider
Ashley Wilson, DNP
APRN Nurse Practitioner
Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery
Excellence in Quality and Safety
Tabasum Imran, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
UAMS West Regional Campus
Excellence in Service & Professionalism
Chenia Eubanks, M.D., MPH
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Section Chief, Community Pediatrics
Best Consulting Physician
Sarah Cobb, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics-Child Neurology
Director of Neonatal Neurocritical Care
Collaborations & Teamwork
Lyle Burdine, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery
Director, Solid Organ Transplant Surgery
Rising Star Clinical Faculty
Dinesh Edem, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine-Endocrinology
Director, Medical Weight Management
Physician of the Year
Ronda Henry-Tillman, M.D.
Professor and Executive Vice Chair, Department of Surgery
Division Chief, Breast Surgical Oncology
Muriel Balsam Kohn Chair in Breast Surgical Oncology
Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Service Award
Eduardo R. “Eddie” Ochoa Jr., M.D.
Professor, Department of Pediatrics-Community Pediatrics
Watch the video tribute to associate professors.
Watch the video tribute to professors, distinguished professors and emeritus faculty.
Download a list of the 2024 promotion and tenure honorees.
Watch the video recording of the ceremony.
All photos by Bryan Clifton