Meet the GME Team

Dr. Sarah Beth Harrington joined the COM GME team in October 2020 as the Assistant Designated Institutional Official (DIO). Dr. Harrington currently serves as the Director of the UAMS Division of Palliative Medicine and the Chief of Palliative Care for the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System. Dr. Harrington received her medical degree from UAMS and completed both her Internal Medicine residency and Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. Dr. Harrington served as the Program Director for the UAMS Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship program from 2009 to 2019. In support of UAMS’ partnership with Baptist Health, Dr. Harrington recently served as the Assistant DIO for Clinical Affairs for the Baptist Health-UAMS Medical Education program. Dr. Harrington enjoys spending time with family, coffee, reading, and taking naps. When she's not at work, she can be found on the sidelines of a soccer field, cheering for sons Cole and Patrick.

Dr. Jim Clardy, a professor of psychiatry, served as associate dean for graduate medical education from 2004-2019. Dr. Clardy graduated from the College of Medicine in 1986 and remained at UAMS for his residency in psychiatry before completing a fellowship in schizophrenia research at the National Institute for Mental Health. Dr. Clardy enjoys gardening, landscaping, and especially likes collecting botanical specimens from friends and special places to serve as memories when they grow and bloom.

Dr. Carol Thrush is a Professor in the Departments of Surgery, Medicine, and in the Office of Graduate Medical Education. Dr. Thrush provides support of GME faculty development, evaluation, scholarship, and accreditation-related activities. Dr. Thrush earned BA and MA degrees in Psychology from the University of West Florida, and an Ed.D. degree from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. She is passionate about science writing, publishing, her family, and the beach.

With close to 20 years of program management experience, Jennie Kirby has worked as a public administration specialist at the state and federal level. Her UAMS COM GME professional experience includes serving as GME Director, Community Program Manager working with Arkansas’s GME community partners and a Program Manager for the UAMS COM Pediatric residency program. Jennie has lived and worked overseas in London, England for the World Association for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and in Japan, where she taught conversational English. In her free-time, she loves to read, try new restaurants and watch her daughter play soccer.

Brenda Burks joined the COM GME team in 2021 transitioning from a nine year career in Faculty Affairs at UAMS. She earned her BA and MA degrees in Applied Communication Studies from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She oversees the educational efforts of the UAMS COM GME office and directs the development of the continued growth and knowledge of GME program directors and program coordinators related to GME. Brenda is true-crime buff and a Hamilton fanatic. She is passionate about budgeting, good food, and fitness.

Emma Johnson joined the GME Team in May 2021. She is the GME Affiliate Coordinator and Transitional Year Program Coordinator. She graduated from Arkansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Outside of work Emma is a proud full time dog mom to her golden doodle, Simon.

Sarah Sharp is the administrator for our residency management software program, New Innovations. She provides educational and resource support and acts as the liaison between the hospital and their use of the reporting components of the software. She also maintains and updates the websites for Graduate Medical Education, Resident Wellness, and Transitional Year Residency Program. Sarah graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management Information Systems. She is well versed with troubleshooting and problem solving technology and software. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, playing games, and being creative with DIY projects, crafts, and desserts.

Gloria J. Townsend is the Executive Assistant/Paralegal for the GME office. She comes to the GME office skilled with high level executive assistance, office management and paralegal experience. She attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and studied business law. Subsequently in 1992, she and her husband moved to Little Rock, Arkansas where she attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and studied business administration. She attended UALR Law School where she obtained her paralegal certificate. In 1999, she joined UAMS and worked in the Chancellor’s office with the UAMS General Counsel where she then transitioned to the HIPAA Office helping draft HIPAA policies and procedures, and registering faculty and staff training. Her personal interests are wedding photography and event planning, design and execution. She loves to spend time with her husband, 3 cats, 1 dog and 2 horses.