Partnership Pulse, Early 2021

Partnership Pulse A Publication of the AU/UGA Medical Partnership

medicalpartnership.usg.edu Winter 2021

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED Combatting the physician shortage in Georgia

Partnership Pulse Augusta University and the University of Georgia partnered to create a four-year medical education program in Athens to help alleviate a statewide shortage of physicians that threatens the health of Georgians. The Partnership Pulse is published bi-annually for alumni, friends, and the medical community of Augusta University and the University of Georgia.

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The PARTNERSHIP PULSE — Winter Issue AU UGA Medical2021 Partnership

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PUBLISHER AU/UGA Medical Partnership EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lindsey Derrick DESIGNER Jennifer Stowe, MS CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Ian McFarlane Lindsey Derrick Andy Tucker Selected articles are courtesy of UGA Today PHONE 706-713-2183 EMAIL mpmedia@uga.edu WEBSITE medicalpartnership.usg.edu Articles may be reprinted with permission from the editor.

From the Campus Dean This year has been a memorable one to say the least. The year 2020 brought many challenges to our campus, to our local communities and nation, and to medical education as a whole, not only in Georgia but across the nation. But, despite these challenges, I am proud of what we were able to accomplish over the past year.

When the pandemic closed our campus in March 2020, our faculty and staff were able to convert an in-person learning experience to an online platform in a matter of a few days. It was a tremendous accomplishment that the students appreciated. The Spring 2020 semester finished online, and the campus held a live Zoom graduation celebration for our senior medical students. By Fall of 2020, we were able to deliver a hybrid curriculum with some portions remaining online while prioritizing in-person instruction for clinical skills, community and population health, simulation, and standardized patients’ sessions. The sessions were carefully planned and followed all the relevant CDC guidelines for in-person instruction.

There were other successes despite our constraints from COVID-19. The Medical College of Georgia saw a record number of applications with 3,478. Our Internal Medicine Residency Program also saw the most applicants it has ever had with 3,500. We held two virtual open houses in the fall and received a record number of RSVPs and guests. This fall was also the first class of expansion, as we enrolled 50 students for the Class of 2024. In the Fall of 2021, we increase to 60 students per class beginning with the Class of 2025.

To complement the growth in our student enrollment, we have focused on bringing additional faculty and staff to the Medical Partnership. Over the past year, we have hired top educators and staff to join our dedicated and passionate team at the Medical Partnership.

With the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine, we now have renewed hope for a better 2021. The challenges and stress we have all faced over the past year will begin to lessen in the coming months. Remember that we are stronger together.

Thank you for your dedication and support of the Medical Partnership in these trying times.

Stay safe and stay well.

Copyright © 2021 by the AU/ UGA Medical Partnership. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without permission from the editor.

The AU/UGA Medical Partnership is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action.

Medical Partnership Leadership UGA PRESIDENT Jere Morehead, JD UGA PROVOST S. Jack Hu, PhD AU PRESIDENT Brooks Keel, PhD AU-MCG DEAN David Hess, MD AU/UGA MEDICAL PARTNERSHIP CAMPUS DEAN Michelle A. Nuss, MD 706-713-2183 snuss@uga.edu

Michelle A. Nuss, MD Campus Dean for the AU/UGA Medical Partnership

IN THIS ISSUE...

Letter from the Dean • 3

Preceptor Highlight: Dr. Kimberly Walpert • 17

Welcome, Class of 2024 • 4

Motivational Monday • 18

Class of 2024 White Coat Celebration • 5

College of Pharm Provides Flu Shot Clinic • 20

Increaing Student Enrollment • 6

Using Saliva for Less Invasive COVID Testing • 21

Student Spotlight: Tony Thawanyarat • 8

A LOOK BACK: Photos from Fall Semester • 22

Mobile Clinic & Food Bank form Partnership • 12 Bruner Named MCG GWIMS Delegate • 24 10th Annual Student Research Symposium • 13

Student Ambassadors & SGO Officers • 24

COVER STORY • 14

New Faculty & Staff and MCG Leadership • 25

Monteil Receives Fulbright Scholar Award • 16

Faculty, Resident, and Student Accolades • 26 www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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T

he Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership welcomed 50 new Medical College of Georgia students to the Athens campus in the fall. The Class of 2024 is the first class to begin as part of the Medical Partnership’s expansion plans.

The Class of 2024 represents a wide variety of faces and backgrounds.

The group is split almost perfectly with 26 females and 24 males— the first year females have outnumbered the males. They hail from cities all over the world, with most coming from the state of Georgia.

Forty-eight students from the class are from Georgia, with Atlanta and Peachtree City being the most represented cities. The only two nonGeorgia residents both come to us from New York.

UGA is the most represented college with 23 of the new students holding an undergraduate degree from the university. Emory (7), Georgia State (3), Georgia Tech (3), Mercer (2), Georgia College and State University (2), and Georgia Southern (1) were the other represented Georgia institutions. The other nine in the class got their education out of the state. Many are joining us from institutions from the northeast such as Brown University, Boston University,

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The PARTNERSHIP PULSE — Winter 2021 Issue

Swarthmore College, and Johns Hopkins.

While keeping up with studies and excelling in the classroom are important, they also know a school-life balance is key. The Class of 2024’s hobbies are just as unique as their backgrounds: they enjoy hiking, sewing, reading, traveling, watching Marvel movies, and playing sports. Twelve different languages are also spoken by this diverse group.

The overall MCG 2024 class is just as diverse as the Medical Partnership campus—with over 2,700 applications, only 240 were admitted.

There are 108 males and 130 females, and they come from 51 different colleges and universities. The overall GPA of the class is 3.8 with an average MCAT score of 516.

These distinguished and diverse students exemplify the future of healthcare in Georgia, and they have already finished their first semester. We at the Medical Partnership ardently anticipate what they will accomplish during the rest of their first year at the Athens campus.

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ith the COVID pandemic postponing the annual White Coat Ceremony in Augusta until spring, M1s at the AU/UGA Medical Partnership still wanted a way to celebrate this monumental occasion.

With direction and blessings from administration, the decision was made to hold a socially distanced White Coat Celebration in Athens—the first of its kind on the campus.

“We have never hosted a White Coat Celebration in Athens, so this was an exciting day,” said Campus Dean Michelle Nuss. “We wanted our first-year students to be able to experience the moment of getting their white coats, and we felt this was the best way to celebrate the class, but also remain within safe protocols due to the pandemic.”

M1 student Laurel Parker said she was blown away by the support of faculty and staff to make the event possible.

“This event wouldn’t have happened without the support of Dean Nuss and Dr. Francis, and we’re all incredibly thankful for them advocating on our behalf,” said Parker.

“One of my favorite things about our campus is the closeness between students and faculty. I truly feel like our faculty wants the best for us and are always trying to help us succeed. Our White Coat Celebration is just another example of our campus leadership partnering with us and helping us get to where we want to be.”

On November 18, all students were filmed being coated by Dr. Nuss and Campus Associate Dean for Student & Multicultural Affairs, Dr. John Francis. The footage was compiled and made into a video for the celebration.

The celebration was held in George Hall on December 11, and only students were able to attend to allow social distancing. The students enjoyed lunch while watching footage of them being coated and heard advice from faculty and administration. A link to the video was available at the start of the celebration so friends and family could watch along in real time.

“I’ve been looking forward to getting my white coat since the moment I decided I wanted to be a doctor. It’s the physical representation of years of hard work and also a reminder of what we are working toward,” said Parker. “Getting to celebrate this occasion with my 49 favorite people just made it even sweeter.”

The White Coat Celebration video is available on our YouTube and Facebook pages. www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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Medical Partnership increases student enrollment T

he Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership located in Athens is helping to address Georgia’s critical shortage of physicians by expanding its class size. The expansion, which grew the class size of 40 students in the Medical Partnership to 50 students per class in the Fall of 2020 and 60 in 2021 and each subsequent year, will bring the total enrollment in Athens to 240 medical students by 2024.

“I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Gov. Brian Kemp, the Georgia General Assembly, and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents for their leadership in advancing this project,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Their longstanding support of the Medical Partnership expansion will help increase the state’s physician workforce and ensure that Georgia is adequately prepared to address public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The state provided funding in Fiscal Year 2019 for a $3 million renovation of Russell Hall on UGA’s Health Sciences Campus. The renovation, which has enhanced the student learning experience, established a state-of-the-art simulation suite and clinical skills

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lab, active learning classrooms, and specific spaces for small-group learning, studying and collaboration.

Over the last two years, the state has provided funding to support the increased costs of faculty, staff and operations related to the expanded campus. The state provided $1.8 million in the FY20 budget and $1.36 million in the FY21 budget as part of a four-year startup timeline in which increased funding is needed until tuition and state funds from the expansion are fully realized.

Morehead also expressed gratitude to Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan; House Speaker David Ralston; Appropriations Chairmen Terry England, Blake Tillery and the late Jack Hill; as well as House and Senate leaders for their support of this project in the FY21 budget.

“I also would like to extend our appreciation to the members of the Athens delegation,” Morehead said. “Sen. Bill Cowsert, Sen. Frank Ginn, Rep. Spencer Frye, Rep. Houston Gaines and Rep. Marcus Wiedower have been champions of the Medical Partnership and have helped to ensure its expansion.”

In 2009, the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University (MCG) and the University of Georgia established a four-year medical school campus in Athens to grow the number of physicians produced by the state’s only public medical school and to help address physician shortages across the state and region.

Georgia already is benefiting from this collaboration. Sixtyeight Medical Partnership alumni have remained in Georgia to practice or complete residency or fellowship programs with many practicing in rural areas.

“According to the latest data by the Association of American Medical Colleges, the projected shortfall of physicians in the United States will be close to 139,000 by 2033,” said Dr. Michelle Nuss, campus dean at the AU/UGA Medical Partnership. “The shortage has been magnified by the ongoing pandemic but also is attributed to the aging population and physician retirement. The class expansion at the Medical Partnership will help offset this growing physician shortage, as we add 20 students per class over the next four years.”

In Augusta at the MCG main campus, there are plans to grow the

class size from 160 to 240 by 2028, bringing MCG’s total class size to 300 and total enrollment to 1,200.

“This class size increase, from 160 to 240 students, will enable the Medical College of Georgia to optimize its impact as the state’s only public medical school,” said Dr. David C. Hess, MCG dean.

“Educating more future physicians and ensuring they remain in Georgia to practice is paramount to MCG’s mission to ensure the physical and financial well-being of this state. We are thankful to our partners at the University of Georgia and to our state legislature for their continued support of the Medical Partnership expansion, especially during these uncertain times.

“For the last decade, the partnership between the state’s flagship university and Georgia’s only public medical school has produced not just more physicians for Georgia, but expanded research collaborations that address some of the state’s major maladies like stroke, obesity and cardiovascular disease,” he said. “I am confident the continued growth of both campuses will ensure that for years to come.”

www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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STUDENT PROFILE

Tony Thawanyarat Tony Thawanyarat spent his undergraduate career studying abroad, volunteering, serving in student government and as a Terry ambassador. Now as a future physician at the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, he is committed to advocating for those around him. He hopes to create a health care system that produces safe and efficient outcomes and decreases barriers for individuals to seek care.

Hometown: Atlanta

High school:

Norcross High School

Expected graduation: May 2024

Family ties to UGA:

I am the first person in my family to attend the University of Georgia and pursue a career as a physician. Most of my family members have their alma maters in the United Kingdom, Thailand and Taiwan, but I’m glad I can call the University of Georgia mine.

Degree objective:

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)

Other degrees:

Bachelor of Arts in economics, minor in biology, and certificate in personal and organizational leadership, University of Georgia, May 2020

Top university highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:

During my time at UGA, I interned with the orthopedics department at the Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, where I shadowed multiple orthopedic surgeons and followed patients from admission to discharge. This was an invaluable experience, allowing me to observe the entire patient care process. I later volunteered at the Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, where I navigated patients to their appointments at various departments, ranging across neurology, midwifery, rehabilitation, cardiology and more. These experiences have amplified my desire to dedicate a life to medicine and learn more about the access and

distribution of care for patients in any health care setting.

I also joined the Center for Vaccines and Immunology during my first year. My mentor Valerie Ryman and I studied Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella bronchiseptica and their associated manipulations with vaccines for pertussis (whooping cough). During my last two years, I worked with Vincent Pohl and Meghan Skira on various research projects ranging from examining Medicare benefits to the impacts of Canadian medical leave.

Additional activities, honors and awards:

ʞ Student Government Association, a two-term senator representing the Terry College of Business and the chair of the Committee on Educational Affairs.

ʞ 2019 Leonard Leadership Scholar at the Institute for Leadership Advancement.

ʞ Terry ambassador, vice president of the Terry Economics Society,

the director of mentorship for Terry Student Researchers and Terry Student of the Year.

ʞ 2020 Deer Run Fellow, attended seminars with Dean Benjamin Ayers and various prominent figures in business.

ʞ Shop with a Bulldawg mentor.

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ʞ Peer mentor through the Honors Program. ʞ Tutor at the Thomas Lay After-School Program and the Athens Tutorial Program.

ʞ Honor societies: Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Beta Gamma Sigma and the Alpha Epsilon Delta Society.

ʞ Scholarships: Cecil Walker Scholarship, Charter Scholarship, Zell B.

Miller Scholarship and the Terry Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Economics.

ʞ Presidential Award of Excellence from President Jere W. Morehead

and Dean Ayers, an award given to the top 1% of students graduating in the Class of 2020 for their commitment to academics, leadership and service to the university.

How is medical school different from undergraduate?

Mainly the volume of material. Sometimes this can get overwhelming, but at the same time, it is very rewarding to see the science we learn in the classroom manifest into the patients we will be treating in the clinic. The Medical Partnership has designed a curriculum emphasizing the importance of practical clinical skills that will translate to how we will eventually practice medicine.

What has surprised you about medical school?

I never thought I would be starting medical school in the midst of a pandemic, but here we are. My peers and the faculty cultivate an environment that is truly second to none. The support system is amazing, and every single faculty member at the AU/UGA Medical Partnership is dedicated to seeing us become worldclass physicians. Moreover, I was recently elected as the president of my medical school class. I am excited and ready to continue to work with my classmates to strengthen our opportunities for mentorship, networking and research, even in these most unusual times.

My favorite place to study is …

I want to take a moment to say that all of my experiences, honors and opportunities were not earned solely on my own effort. I owe more than I can say to the countless hours I spent with my professors in office hours, the frantic texts and phone calls to my mentors and peers, the culture and support system that the university has instilled for every single student to achieve success, and most importantly, the unwavering support that my parents gave me every day.

How did you decide to come to UGA?

Growing up, I always thought I would go out of state for my undergraduate degree. When the time came to make a decision, I was considering three in-state schools: Georgia Tech, Emory and UGA. The beautiful campus, culture and community that Athens had to offer, coupled with a superlative Honors Program and the first-rate Terry College of Business, led me to UGA. I knew the Classic City was the place for me.

How did you choose your major?

I knew I wanted to pursue a career in health care, but always had an interest in business and economics. I looked to the Terry College of Business, fell in love with economics, and never looked back.

Why did you choose to attend the AU/UGA Medical Partnership?

After receiving early acceptance to the Medical College of Georgia, I had the decision between attending their Augusta campus or their Athens campus. I know both campuses have amazing faculty and great resources, but the smaller campus and the small-group teaching style drew me to the Athens campus. And who wouldn’t want to stay a few more years in the Classic City while still attending the flagship public medical school in Georgia? I call this a win-win in my book.

… Patient Encounter Room 121 in Russell Hall on the Health Sciences Campus. This is the only room on the first floor of Russell Hall that isn’t used anymore for clinical skills, and my study group and I have turned this room into our go-to study room. Don’t tell anyone, but we have even stashed our study snacks in cabinets for late-night snacking. The pandemic has really forced us all to get creative with our study spaces.

My favorite professor is …

There are too many impactful professors that have instilled invaluable advice, mentorship and guidance, both during my undergrad and currently in medical school.

At the Medical Partnership

The support and thought-provoking discussions that I have had with Dr. Jo Albritton and Dr. Mike Russell about medicine have been a highlight of my medical school experience. Moreover, the fun and supportive environment that the anatomy faculty (Dr. DeLoris Hesse, Dr. Ariel VanLeuven, and Dr. Brett Szymik) has created has truly made my Thursday afternoons something to look forward to.

I am very appreciative of Dr. John Francis, the associate dean for student and multicultural affairs, who has been an amazing mentor and faculty member to work with. He constantly strives to push each of us to reach our potential and to aim for our goals. Additionally, he makes it his priority to advocate for and support all medical students.

At UGA, some of the amazing professors that helped me get to where I am today are: ʞ Tricia Hackleman has been an invaluable mentor, friend and supporter throughout my time at UGA. Ever since I took her course on the legal and regulatory environment of business in 2017, I have made it a habit to visit her office multiple times a semester. Professor Hackleman has always made it her objective to help her students in any way that she can. From her encouragement of my career goals to the multitude of invaluable advice she pours into our interactions, it’s no wonder that there’s always a line outside her office.

www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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STUDENT PROFILE continued

Tony Thawanyarat

ʞ Sylvia Hutchinson has been a source of guidance for me

during the medical school application season. With countless meetings over my personal statements and my decisions on where to pursue my medical education, she helped me realize my potential and how to craft the story I wanted to share. She also introduced me to the Medical Partnership back in 2018. My favorite memories are the many meetings with her and Sydney Erickson (another Amazing Student) at Thai Spoon and the Grit. The pad thai and grilled tempeh reuben were just what we needed.

ʞ Learning from Dean Ayers and the Ivesters during my Deer

Run seminars was an amazing experience to learn more about leadership and see it in practice in the decisions made as a dean or CEO.

The list goes on, but I would be remiss to not mention just a few more of my amazing mentors and faculty: Gregory Robinson, Zhengwei Pan, Oliver Li, Richard Morrison, Doug Jackson, Alan Darvill, David Hall, David Mustard, Dale Greene, Don Chambers, Rob Nichols, Laura Little, Courtney Aldrich, Don Addison, Elizabeth Hughes, Diana Beckett and Tyler Nungesser — thank you.

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The craziest thing I’ve done is …

… spend a summer semester at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Political Science.

Being an economics major, experiencing the faculty and culture of LSE was a must. That summer, I took courses in economics, marketing and business management. Having discussions about the material with students from all over the world was the experience of a lifetime.

I had an amazing time hanging out in the middle of London between classes and exploring with my newfound friends.

From taking a riverboat cruise down the Thames to strolling the streets of Mayfair and Knightsbridge, I really felt like a Londoner.

It was fairly cheap to hop over to other parts of Europe, so I spent a weekend in Paris experiencing the Tour de France, another in Amsterdam scouring the streets for stroopwafels and poffertjes.

I still keep in contact with many of the friends I made at LSE. It’s always fun trying to schedule Zoom call reunions with everyone scattered across the world, from Stockholm to Belgrade to Copenhagen to Brussels to Sydney.

If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with …

… Roy Vagelos. He was a physician and business executive who bridged the gap between scientific research and visionary corporate leadership. He not only revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry during his leadership of Merck & Co., but he demonstrated a desire for medical advancement along with philanthropic grace. He made several key decisions that led to the cures of many diseases and ailments across the world. He stands as a role model of how the combination of medicine and business has a place in this world.

Fun fact about me:

If a commercial jet flew by, chances are I could tell you if it was a Boeing 747 or an Airbus A380, what airline it was, what kind of engines were fitted on the aircraft, and a slew of other interesting facts about its specifications.

If I knew I could not fail, I would …

… get my pilot’s license. Ever since I was a child, I have been the biggest aviation geek and frequent flyer. It would be a dream to be the captain of a Double Sunrise Flight, flying from Sydney, Australia, to London, England, and being able to see two sunrises occur during one direct flight.

If money was not a consideration, I would love to …

…. start a foundation focused on providing reconstructive surgeries to underserved communities in need. While plastic and reconstructive surgery may sometimes have a vain connotation, many forms of reconstructive surgery can have a transformative impact on people’s lives. Still, it can often be difficult for people to access.

What is your passion and how are you committed to pursuing it?

My passion is advocating for others in ways that can make their lives easier, better and more comfortable. Health care shouldn’t be a burden to the patient and shouldn’t cause any more stress beyond the ailment they are seeking care for. I want to work toward improving systems that help individuals navigate the complexities of health care, as well as improving access to care to help alleviate the troubles, stress and potential hesitation of pursuing medical care.

After graduation, I hope to …

… match into a surgical residency program. Eventually, I would like to explore different business schools to find an MBA program that can help me better understand the practice and management of medicine. A degree in business administration will equip me with the tools to reshape and implement a health care system that can focus more on patient-centered care and improve outcomes of any individual that steps foot in this health care system.

www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu ww

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Mobile Clinic & Food Bank form partnership W

ith COVID-19 cases still holding steady in Georgia as we ended August, the Medical Partnership Mobile Clinic/Athens Free Clinic continued to provide free testing to the underinsured and uninsured of Athens-Clarke county and surrounding areas.

Since beginning the testing in April, the clinic has administered approximately 3,300 tests.

“I wanted to start this mobile testing effort so that we could serve our usual Medical Partnership Mobile Clinic/Athens Free Clinic primary care patient panel during the pandemic by providing them with free testing at their homes and in their neighborhoods,” said Dr. Suzanne Lester, the Medical Director of the clinic.

“We know from our two years from delivering primary care to these communities that they are typically working in critical infrastructure but without health insurance, and often their families have limited access to health care, transportation, and insurance. Knowing that our patients would have to continue to work and be at risk was concerning, and so to bring testing to them and make sure that they know we are still here for their needs was my primary motivation.”

Even while providing this selfless service to the community, Dr. Lester and Dr. Lia Bruner, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Partnership who also volunteers at the clinic, both decided they could do even more.

Access to food is difficult for families with COVID-19. This led the clinic to reach out to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia to form a partnership.

“We looked for ways to help people stay home when they are symptomatic, have a known exposure, or get a positive test,” said Bruner. “We suspect that staying home may not be an option for some for a variety of reasons including food insecurity.”

The partnership with the food bank was finalized in July, and the "Quarantine Supply Boxes" are offered to anyone the clinic tests who receives a positive test result, has symptoms, or has a high-risk of exposure.

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The PARTNERSHIP PULSE — Winter 2021 Issue

“We decided to participate in this program because it was a wonderful opportunity to help meet a crucial need during this pandemic,” said Chuck Toney, Executive Director of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. “When it was presented to me, I immediately said yes.”

Each "Quarantine Supply Box" contains two weeks of fresh foods like produce, meat, and dairy, and also nonperishables like canned foods and dry goods such as pasta, beans, and rice. The boxes also contain supplies such as toilet paper, paper towel, hand sanitizer, and dish detergent.

“Our hope is that we can make it easier for families to stay home when they need to quarantine and help out families who are at financial and medical risk with COVID-19,” said Bruner.

“I hope we are a small part of providing relief to our neighbors who are living in quarantine,” said Toney. “The vision of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is creating a community where no neighbor experiences hunger. By providing food that allows these neighbors to stay home, we are also protecting the larger community from the spread of the virus.”

10th Annual Student Research Symposium

O

n Monday, November 2, students, faculty, staff, and guests gathered over Zoom for the Class of 2023 to present their research findings for the Medical Partnership’s 10th annual Research Symposium.

The Medical Scholars Program (MSP) is an opportunity for students to expand their scholarly experiences and learn how medical knowledge is derived. They also learn how to frame a testable hypothesis, write a research proposal, carry out a project, evaluate scientific and medical data, and write up their results. It provides them with an opportunity to communicate their findings through presentations at local, regional, and sometimes national scientific meetings.

Their findings are then presented at the annual Research Symposium in the fall. The majority of participants are second year medical students who complete research in the summer between first and second year.

With the COVID-19 pandemic fully underway, MSP had to look a little different in 2020—students had to find projects that could be done remotely from home instead of on-site.

“When the pandemic hit back in March, academic institutions around the country suspended all non-critical, on-campus research activities.

Most institutions and organizations also suspended or outright banned non-essential travel,” said Dr. Leslie Lee, Associate Dean for Campus Integration & Academic Enhancement. “This put MSP in jeopardy seeing as most, if not all of the students participating in the MSP had planned to engage in research projects that would require patient contact or work in a laboratory, and many of which also involved travel.”

After much hard work and deliberation, Lee and other administrators from the Medical Partnership decided MSP would go on.

“The end result was that students were forced to either modify their original projects or work with their mentors to come up with new projects they could work on remotely from home,” said Lee. “Some students had their projects outright canceled and had to scramble to find a new mentor and essentially submit a new application to the MSP with an entirely new research proposal that could be done remotely. Fortunately, we were able to find a solution for just about everyone who had originally applied to the MSP.” When all the research and hard work during the summer was complete, 34 M2 students presented their findings during the virtual symposium.

students’ posters were also put on display in Russell Hall to allow for anyone to go further examine their research.

Annelise Bonvillain studied chart analysis of patients with COVID-19 treated with Hydroxychloroquine to determine whether this drug increased mortality or ICU admission and whether elevated body temperature had an impact on patients' QTc. She took on the project with Dr. Kent Nilsson at Piedmont Athens Regional.

"For patients treated with hydroxychloroquine, there was no difference in QTc in patients with average daily temperatures, and treatment with hydroxychloroquine versus no treatment did not affect mortality. We also found that the treatment was associated with increased survival in women only,” she said.

The M2 said she was glad the MSP still forged forward despite circumstances.

“It was challenging and somewhat stressful. Overall, though, considering we completed a successful research project over a 3-month period during a pandemic, I'd say my struggles were well worth it,” said Bonvillain.

“I want to thank all the students for their patience,” said Lee. “This was an unusual summer. We had to do a lot of scrambling to get new mentors or new projects and figure out how to do work remotely. I would like to thank the mentors for all the extra work they had to do to mentor students remotely and make it possible for them to complete a research project during these very stressful times. So, thank you, and congratulations, because I think everybody did a terrific job,” said Lee. For a full list of presentations and abstracts, please visit our website at https://medicalpartnership.usg.edu/research/.

Each student was allowed three minutes to present their research, and the event was opened up to questions after each group (blocks of five students) had finished. The

www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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The AU/UGA Medical Partnership is taking on the state’s physician shortage.

Small class sizes. Case-based learning. And a real sense of community.

That’s what drew Cristina Elstad MD ’14 to the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership. It was 2010 and that partnership’s first year educating medical students. Elstad had applied to med schools all over the country after graduating from Notre Dame, but her family was Georgia-based and she felt called back.

“One of my future professors, Clive Slaughter, was in the building and gave me a tour,” Elstad says. “You could just tell immediately that it was a very personal feel. By the end of my time there not only did the dean recognize me personally, but she knew what my family did and where they were from.”

Her experience as part of the inaugural class at the Medical Partnership did not disappoint.

“I think they did an astounding job at building a program that was forwardthinking in the way that it taught,” Elstad says. “And from a hands-on standpoint, I felt more prepared surgically and procedurally than I think students from other places just because it is a smaller environment and it is more one-on-one learning. I felt a step ahead on some things because of the opportunities that I was provided here.”

In 2009, the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and the University of Georgia established a four-year medical school campus in Athens to grow the number of physicians produced by the state’s only public medical school and to help address physician shortages across the state and region.

The Medical Partnership’s first home was a historic building right beside the North Oconee River. But when the Navy vacated its 56-acre Navy Supply Corps School on Prince Avenue, the university jumped at the chance to develop a new Health Sciences Campus. (The revamped building on the Oconee became the new 14

The PARTNERSHIP PULSE — Winter 2021 Issue

School of Social Work.)

Commissioned in 1954, the property served for years as a training site for Navy Supply Corps officers in leadership, food service, data processing, and more.

The school also provided specialized advanced logistics training to U.S. Naval personnel and military officers from abroad.

After a year of renovations, the Medical Partnership moved into its current home on Prince in 2012.

Combatting the physician shortage “According to the latest data by the Association of American Medical Colleges, the projected shortfall of physicians in the United States will be close to 139,000 by 2033,” says Dr. Michelle Nuss, campus dean at the AU/UGA Medical Partnership. “The shortage has been magnified by the ongoing pandemic but also is attributed to the aging population and physician retirement. The class expansion at the Medical Partnership will help offset this growing physician shortage.”

The situation in Georgia, specifically, is particularly bleak.

The state has 22,471 physicians to serve over 10.5 million Georgians, according to the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce’s 2018 physician renewal survey. But about 3,000 of them don’t work full time, and more than half of those actively practicing are age 50 or older, with retirement looming.

Georgia has increased its total number of physicians by about 4,000 over the past decade, but the rate of physicians to the Georgians they serve has continued to hover at and around 200 physicians per 100,000 people. Rural areas of the state are particularly hard hit. Nine of Georgia’s 159 counties don’t have a single physician, let alone specialists like gynecologists or pediatricians.

The AU/UGA Medical Partnership is working to change that.

Growing its impact Ten years after its founding, the Medical Partnership still boasts those small groups, hands-on learning, and bonded

cohorts that appeal to students like Elstad. But this fall, the medical school increased the class size from 40 students to 50, with plans to add 10 more students each year through 2024, bringing total enrollment to 240 students at the Athens campus.

“For the last decade, the partnership between the state’s flagship university and Georgia’s only public medical school has produced not just more physicians for Georgia, but expanded research collaborations that address some of the state’s major maladies like stroke, obesity, and cardiovascular disease,” says Dr. David C. Hess, dean of the Medical College of Georgia. “I am confident the continued growth of both campuses will ensure that for years to come.”

Alongside the increase in student enrollment, the Medical Partnership also upgraded Russell Hall on UGA’s Health Sciences Campus. The state-funded $3 million renovation included a stateof-the-art simulation suite and clinical skills lab, active learning classrooms, and specific spaces for small-group learning, studying, and collaboration.

Georgia is already seeing the benefit of the collaboration between universities, with 68 Medical Partnership alumni choosing to practice or complete their residencies and fellowship programs around the state. Sixteen grads decided to stick around and are now practicing in the Athens area.

Elstad is one of them, and so is her husband, Parker Smith BS ’10, MD '15.

After completing her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University, Elstad joined Athens ObGyn. Smith practices emergency medicine at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital. But both have given back to the university where they first met.

“Part of the excitement of coming back to Athens was that I loved to teach, and I really have been excited to be involved in teaching at the program where I trained,” Elstad says. “We’ve done some handson sessions with the students, both of us. And I’ve given a handful of lectures, and we do some interest group stuff and mentoring. I think it’s a fantastic program, and it’s super fun to be back and seeing it from the other side.”

Just What the Doctor Ordered

Sixteen grads decided to stick around and are now practicing in the Athens area. Cristina Elstad is one of them, and so is her husband, Parker Smith, MD '15.

After completing her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University, Elstad joined Athens ObGyn. Smith practices emergency medicine at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital. But both have given back to the university where they first met. www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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Dr. Michele Monteil Receives a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award The following release is courtesy of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and features former Medical Partnership professor, Dr. Michele Monteil.

The U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board are pleased to announce that Dr. Michele A Monteil, previously Professor of Immunology at the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership in Athens, Georgia, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Burma (Myanmar). Dr. Monteil will lecture at the University of Medicine in Mandalay as part of a project to introduce a casebased, integrated Immunology course, which is closely linked to important public health problems in Burma. This new course will be introduced into the Year 3 medical undergraduate curriculum, which is equivalent to Year 2 in the US undergraduate medical curriculum.

As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Monteil will share knowledge and foster meaningful connections across communities in the United States and Burma (Myanmar). Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their home countries, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to

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campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad. As Fulbright Scholar alumni, they are enriched by joining a network of thousands of esteemed scholars, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Fulbright alumni include 60 Nobel Prize laureates, 86 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 37 who have served as a head of state or government.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to forge lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, counter misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals.

Since its establishment in 1946, the Fulbright Program has enabled more than 390,000 dedicated and accomplished students, scholars, artists, teachers, and professionals of all backgrounds to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and find solutions to shared international concerns. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in more than 160 countries worldwide.

PRECEPTOR HIGHLIGHT

Dr. Kimberly Walpert Neurosurgeon at Piedmont Athens Regional Education Tulane University School of Medicine Medical School, Medicine, 1994 University of Tennessee College of Medicine Internship, General Surgery, 1995 University of Tennessee College of Medicine Residency, Neurological Surgery, 2000 Where is your hometown?

I was born at Camp LeJeune, but grew up in Memphis Tennessee. I went to school in Baltimore, Nashville, New Orleans, and I love them all.

Tell us a little about yourself: I am 54 and married for 23 years to a great guy I met during my internship. We have two sons, now in college in Colorado—not studying medicine! I spend most of my free time trying to keep up with our border collie, Storm, and we are soon adding another puppy to the fold. I love my gym time, and I struggle regularly with cooking much worth eating, but I try!

Why choose neurosurgery?

I chose neurosurgery for so many reasons–some hard to put into words. My father was an inspiration–a doctor who loved his patients and his work deeply. He was a neurosurgeon as well, so the field wasn’t particularly mysterious, but it was magical when I was young. I spent a little time outside of medicine during my education, with an undergraduate degree in writing and graduate school in history. I couldn't stay away, though, and after that, the choice was fairly automatic. I think the decision was easy to go the surgery route after the first time I walked into an OR. I thrive under stress, find the brain and spine beautiful (kind of nerdy, hmm?) and the surgeries incredible. I love taking care of sick patients. I love the intensity. I love making a difference.

How did you find your way to Athens?

I moved to Athens because we were looking to raise our kids out of a large urban setting, and we both found good jobs here.

Knew no one, and we had to look up Athens on a map!

reasons—I believe that being a doctor is such a gift and a responsibility and feel that I have an obligation to share that with our future doctors. Being part of a profession means teaching. I also find that teaching keeps me accountable and stimulates me to be better and smarter in my daily practice.

What advice would you give to medical students and those looking to go into medicine?

Make sure that you do this because you love it and feel that you MUST do this. Medicine is not a job. It is a life—one you will share on some level with everyone you love and everyone who loves you. There will be many sacrifices along this path, and every one of them worth it if you are here for the right reasons. Find time to nurture your relationships even in the most stressful of times, in small moments and small ways. Keep yourself healthy, make exercise a part of your life even at your busiest. Never forget what a privilege we have been granted to be a part of our patients' lives at times when they are happy, scared, vulnerable, powerless, strong, and weak. Honor that privilege with your hard work to be your best, learn the most, and go the furthest for all of your patients.

It is the best work in the world!

Why get involved with the Medical Partnership?

I became involved with the Medical Partnership for two primary www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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onday is arguably the least popular day of the week. The weekend is gone, and stress for the upcoming week rears its head.

To bring a little brightness and cheer to the beginning of the work week, the Medical Partnership’s Gold Humanism Honor Society came up with Motivational Monday—a way to recognize members of the Medical Partnership family.

Anyone can nominate a member of the Partnership for Motivational Monday, and those who are chosen are featured on the department’s social media with a photo and blurb of why they are being featured.

Messages are uplifting and inspirational—from thanking someone for being a good friend and study partner to recognizing a staff member for going above and beyond the call of duty.

The idea began from the GHHS Class of 2020 as a lighthearted way to thank their peers and to get a smile and good feeling during the stress of medical school.

“There are many challenging moments in medical school, including periods where we do not see our classmates on a regular basis. We hope that the Motivational Monday posts can help remind students that they are part of a vibrant community of inspiring individuals and that we are all on this journey together,” said GHHS member, James Cho. The current group of GHHS students decided to continue

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The PARTNERSHIP PULSE — Winter 2021 Issue

Motivational Monday after the founding class graduated.

Sherayar Orakzai, an M4 and Social Media Chair for GHHS, currently gathers the nominations, chooses someone to be featured, and submits the blurb and photo for social media.

“The members of GHHS Class of 2021 have unanimously decided to continue Motivational Monday,” he said. “We believe that the Medical Partnership has a diverse and collaborative community of outstanding students and faculty. Motivational Monday is a small way to highlight and encourage this wonderful atmosphere at our campus and another way to thank our friends and faculty for all

From left: M4 Ehi Ediale, M2 Blaine Spivey, Class of 2020 alumna Dr. Silki Modi, and M3 Miya Oliver.

M

From left: M4 Sarah Ellen Williams, M4 Tonh Huynh, M2 Pomi Yun, M3 Katie Wehrmeyer, and Campus Associate Dean for Student & Multicultural Affairs, Dr. John Francis.

that they do for us.”

“Every week, students at the Medical Partnership are making important contributions to their community and their patients.

These students deserve recognition and gratitude for all their hard work and their desire to positively impact the people around them,” said Cho. Motivational Monday remains among the most popular social media posts on all accounts.

“The coronavirus pandemic has bought forth another degree of complexity to our schedules. Sadly, this has reduced the daily interaction between the students on our campus,” said Orakzai. “Fortunately, the Medical Partnership students continue to support, advise, and encourage each other! Therefore, Motivational Monday is more important now than ever for maintaining a strong sense of community at the Medical Partnership.”

GHHS has taken Motivational Monday even a step further. They are taking the nominees from each month and giving those

people the opportunity to be considered for a monthly award— the John S. Francis Spotlight Award.

Created in honor of Campus Associate Dean for Student & Multicultural Affairs, Dr. John S. Francis (pictured above), this award recognizes the kindness, altruism, and love for our school demonstrated by each awardee.

“The Gold Humanism Honor Society recognized that many students are not formally recognized for their accomplishments and contributions to the school. We created the John S. Spotlight Award to help fill that gap,” said Cho. “We hope to recognize students who promote a sense of community by enriching the experience of those around them. We plan to feature each winner on our newly created website, which we hope will also allow each class of the Gold Humanism Honor Society to record its various initiatives.”

Each awardee will be recognized on the Medical Partnership GHHS website: https://ghhs-medicalpartnership.org/.

www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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College of Pharmacy Provides Flu Shot Clinic On Thursday, October 8, students and volunteers from the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy made their way to the Health Sciences Campus to administer flu shots to Medical Partnership students, faculty, and staff.

Ashley Hannings, PharmD, Associate Director of Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences at the College of Pharmacy, said they have been partnering with the University Health Center Pharmacy since 2013 to bring flu shots to the UGA campus and Athens community.

“Since that time, we have grown in the number of clinics and number of influenza vaccinations that are provided through the mobile clinics. Last year we administered approximately 2000 vaccines to campus and off campus partners through the program,” said Hannings.

The College of Pharmacy will be at 15 locations on UGA’s campus this year. They also will administer vaccines for Athens Clarke County and Walton County employees.

Hannings hopes this effort by the College of Pharmacy is beneficial to countless people.

“We hope that by making it convenient to receive the flu shot, that more people will get vaccinated,” said Hannings. “It also saves the participants time in that they don’t have to make a special trip to another healthcare setting to get the vaccine. In addition, the program provides great experience for our pharmacy students who receive training on immunization administration during their second year.”

Kim Bosecker, the Partnership’s Credentialing Specialist, 20

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organized the flu shot event at Medical Partnership.

“Since we are a little off the beaten path from main campus, it's much easier for our students, staff, and faculty to get this taken care of without having to make an appointment or schedule a special trip to their doctor or the store,” said Bosecker.

“Additionally, during a pandemic, it is nice to be able to come somewhere that I know what the cleaning standards, mask requirements, and other safety measures are rather hoping for the best in public.”

Fifty shots were administered this year at the Partnership.

Bosecker gets a flu shot every year, and she was one of the first in line for the clinic.

“I get the flu shot to help reduce my risk of an easily avoidable infection,” she said. “I also do it to protect those who may be more at risk than myself or can’t get the shot for some reason. After working in both a private practice office and a major local hospital and seeing how many people get the flu each year and how bad it can get, something that takes less than two minutes to do to avoid it is the only thing that makes sense to me.”

Hannings said more people are being proactive considering the current COVID-19 circumstances.

“We’ve gotten additional requests for clinics, and I have encountered multiple participants at the clinics so far who were either receiving their first flu shot ever or their first one in several years,” said Hannings. “I believe the current circumstances are motivating people to get vaccinated.”

Using Saliva for Less Invasive COVID-19 Testing

O

n Thursday, October 15, pop-up COVID-19 surveillance saliva testing was provided at George Hall on the University of Georgia Health Sciences Campus.

The testing was free for asymptomatic members of the UGA community and was brought to the campus by the UGA Health Center. Participants could not eat, drink, chew gum or smoke for 30 minutes before their test.

Jen Swails, the Health Center’s Director of Finance and Support Services, helped organize the pop-up saliva testing.

“Saliva testing is conducive to hosting pop-up sites since less PPE is required,” said Swails. “One does not need to be a clinician to collect the specimen, and it is contact-less.”

By the time the day was done at George Hall, 74 people got tested at the event.

After the samples were collected, they were overnighted to Rutgers

University for testing. Results usually take 48-72 hours, but most saliva pop-up results have been delivered by the next day.

Campus Dean Michelle Nuss said that pop-up testing allows for broader surveillance—students, staff, and faculty didn’t have to venture to main campus or visit another remote site to get tested, and the saliva test is less invasive than the nasal swab version.

“We hope this type of testing attracts a larger group of participants,” said Nuss.

Saliva testing is now accessible across UGA’s campus—pop-up events are still taking place, and saliva tests are now conducted at Legion Field. Both options are available free of charge to asymptomatic members of the UGA community.

“We aren’t out of the woods yet,” said Nuss. “Just a few minutes of your time and a sample of your saliva, and you can do your part in keeping our community and campus safe.”

www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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A Look Back

1 1. Campus Dean Dr. Michelle Nuss has been busy since the pandemic began in March. She took part in an interview with CNN at Legion Field on UGA’s main campus in September to discuss back to school precautions and surveillance testing. Masks are also still a requirement at all USG institutions, and Dr. Nuss has made sure to represent both UGA and Augusta in style.

2. Along with masks, PPE has become a regular look for our students. As seen below: students gather outside of the anatomy lab donning white coats and PPE, and our M1s take part in a Simulation Escape Room to get better acquainted with the sim bays.

2

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3. The Medical Partnership Mobile/ Athens Free Clinic partnered with the Department of Public Health to administer 350 back-to-school COVID-19 tests in November at Clarke County High School for the Clarke County School District.

A Look Back

3 4

4. Megan Chesne, an M3 at the Partnership, shows off a properly fitting mask during a basic life support recertification course and an intro to suturing workshop.

5. M1s loved finally getting their white coats! They are seen here celebrating getting their coats back in November before the White Coat Celebration was held in December.

6 6. With all residency interviews virtual, our residency program put together videos for applicants to view. The videos show off the Internal Medicine Residency program, St. Mary’s, and the city of Athens to better help applicants get a feel of what we offer.

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www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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New Ambassadors

Bruner Named MCG’s GWIMS Designee Dr. Lia Bruner, Assistant Professor of Medicine, has been appointed the designee for the Medical College of Georgia’s AAMC’s Group on Women in Medicine and Science. She was officially named the representative in August after MCG Dean David Hess made the request to the AAMC last summer.

In her role, Bruner plans to organize discussions, presentations, and networking events to develop a stronger sense of community within the MCG family. She also looks forward to advocating for the advancement of women and representing MCG at AAMC GWIMS events.

“Nationally, we know that women in academic medicine are promoted at lower rates than men, and the COVID-19 pandemic with closures of schools and daycare centers is having a disproportionate effect on women,” said Bruner. “We’re fortunate to have Dean Nuss and other women in leadership positions in our institution, and I want to help ensure that we’re creating a warm, supportive, creative community for women faculty.”

Bruner plans to keep the role in the upcoming years and hopes to develop a framework that can be built upon in the future.

Bruner received her MD from Harvard Medical School in 2001 before completing her residency at Boston University Medical Center in 2004.

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The PARTNERSHIP PULSE — Winter 2021 Issue

M1s Rehmat Babar Jordan Baker Ana Bankey Luke del Balzo Lauren Ellis Chandler Johnson Hunter Manning Shant Ohanian Laurel Parker Lexi Rupel Anna Schramski Kim Shumaker Tony Thawanyarat Amelia Tomei Maddy Wetterhall

M2s Syed Hyder Faiz Saulat M3s Tao Li-Stein Shan Xue 2020-2021 Officers Wes Brown

PRESIDENT VICE PRES.

Gurshawn Tuteja

SECRETARY

Leah Topper

OUTREACH CHAIR

Dillon Patel

Student Government Organization CLASS OF 2021 Andrew Block VICE PRES. Quinn Peragine SECRETARY James Cho TREASURER Wes Brown SOCIAL CHAIR Jordi Gaton PRESIDENT

COMMUNITY SERVICE CHAIR

Kelsey Barber CURRICULUM CHAIR Wendy Bao HONOR COUNCIL Austin Isaac & Mandy Wachtel

CLASS OF 2022 Taylor Tabb VICE PRES. Katie Wehrmeyer SECRETARY Bryanna Moppins TREASURER Miya Oliver SOCIAL CHAIR Megan Chesne PRESIDENT

COMMUNITY SERVICE CHAIR

Hamzah Ali

CURRICULUM CHAIR HONOR COUNCIL

Brannon Hicks Shan Xue & Sarah Bowman

CLASS OF 2023 Zac Adams CO-VICE PRESIDENTS Mary Thornsberry & Alexander Sweeting SECRETARY Tanner Martin TREASURER Kyle Ulversoy SOCIAL CHAIR Lily Francis PRESIDENT

COMMUNITY SERVICE CHAIR

Rachel Gerald

CURRICULUM CHAIRS

Alex Reese & Laura Pride HONOR COUNCIL Blaine Spivey & Sujay Sreenivasan

CLASS OF 2024 Tony Thawanyarat VICE PRESIDENT Laurel Parker

PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

Shadman Ibnamasud TREASURER Pascal Acree EVENTS CHAIR Kyle Chesler

COMMUNITY SERVICE CHAIR

Artie McCarty

CURRICULUM CHAIRS

Ana Bankey & Max Ribot HONOR COUNCIL Shant Ohanian & Tatiana Peduri

Join us in welcoming our new Faculty & Staff Deborah Barany, PhD Assistant Professor of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine Office of Basic Sciences

Bruce Middendorf, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Office of Curriculum

Sven Swanson, MD Assistant Professor of Pathology Office of Basic Sciences

McKay Crowley, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Office of Curriculum

Jaya Pamidimukkala, PhD Associate Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology Office of Curriculum

Stephanie Vaughn Facilities and Procurement Coordinator Office of Finance and Operations

Chris Ham Clerkship & Enrichment Coordinator Office of Curriculum

Lynn Ramsey, MEd Assistant Director of Academic Success Programs Office of Educational Enrichment

New Medical College of Georgia Chairs & Chiefs

Dr. Steven Brooks chair of Department of Ophthalmology

Dr. Steven Brooks was named chair of MCG Department of Ophthalmology in August.

Brooks received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles County Medical Center and a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship at the University of Michigan W. K. Kellogg Eye Center.

Brooks previously held the position of chief of pediatric ophthalmology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City.

Dr. Dean Seehusen

chair of Department of Family Medicine Dr. Dean Seehusen was named chair of the MCG Department of Family Medicine in August. He was also named Georgia Academy of Family Physicians Joseph W. Tollison, MD Distinguished University Chair.

Before coming to MCG in 2018, after an honorable discharge from the United States Army, Seehusen had served as director of medical education and designated institutional official at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon Seehusen earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine and his master of public health from the University of Washington.

Dr. Stephen Shiver

vice chair of Department of Emergency Medicine Dr. Stephen Shiver was named Department of Emergency Medicine vice chair in July.

He is a past chair of the Georgia College of Emergency Physicians’ Education Committee and was the college’s sponsored participant in the Medical Association of Georgia’s Physician Leadership Academy in 2019.

Shiver, a 1997 MCG graduate, completed a general surgery residency at Wake Forest University’s Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

He returned to his alma mater for residency training in emergency medicine, joining the MCG faculty after completing his emergency medicine residency in 2005.

Dr. James St. Louis

chief of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery Dr. James St. Louis has nearly two decades of experience leading pediatric cardiac transplant programs and was also named J. Harold Harrison, MD, Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery.

He earned his medical degree from Georgetown University and completed general and cardiothoracic surgery residencies at Duke University. He completed his pediatric and neonatal cardiac surgery fellowship at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.

www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS FACULTY Deborah Barany, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, published:

jn.00546.2019

Barany DA, Revill KP, Caliban A, et al. Primary motor cortical activity during unimanual movements with increasing demand on precision.

J Neurophysiol. 2020;124(3):728-739. doi:10.1152/

Latchoumane CV, Barany DA, Karumbaiah L, Singh T. Neurostimulation and Reach-to-Grasp Function Recovery Following Acquired Brain Injury: Insight From Pre-clinical Rodent Models and Human Applications. Front Neurol. 2020;11:835. Published 2020 Jul 21. doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.00835 Barany DA, Gómez-Granados A, Schrayer M, Cutts SA, Singh T. Perceptual decisions about object shape bias visuomotor coordination during rapid interception movements. J Neurophysiol.

2020;123(6):2235-2248. doi:10.1152/jn.00098.2020 Tim Brown, PharmD, Professor of Pharmacology, was appointed to the American Society of Healthsystem Pharmacists’ Section of Pharmacy Educators as executive committee member. presented: Pharmacotherapy Advances in 2019. Virtual ePoster (due to pandemic) presented at: American Academy of Family Physicians FMX Conference; October 14, 2020.

Jaroslava Halper, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology, published: Haythorn A, Young M, Stanton J, Zhang J, Mueller POE, Halper J. Differential gene expression in skin RNA of horses affected with degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis. J Orthop Surg Res. 2020;15(1):460. Published 2020 Oct 7. doi:10.1186/s13018-02001994-y Vicki McKinney, PhD, Director of the Phase 3 Curriculum, presented: McKinney VR, Sandborn C, Gibson K, Ziemkowski P, Graves L. Messages on Mental Health: Messages from the Wellness Websites of Medical Schools.

Virtual ePoster (due to pandemic) presented at: AMEE 2020: The Virtual Experience; September 7-9, 2020; Glasgow, Scotland.

Jonathan Murrow, MD, Campus Associate Dean for Research, and Kent Nilsson, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, were both recognized in January 2020 when their company, Infrared Rx, won the Golden Helix Innovation Award from Georgia Bio. Ken Rosenthal, PhD, Professor of Immunology, published:

Kicking the H out of Heroin: Matthew’s Story. Virtual ePoster (due to pandemic) presented at: AAFP Neurology Conference; November 4, 2020.

Insomnia Management; Dangers and Pitfalls of OTC Medications; and Pharmacotherapy Advances in 2020. Virtual ePoster (due to pandemic) presented at: Family Medicine Review Course; November 12 & 13, 2020.

Thom Gaddy, PhD, Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Histology, was named editor in chief for the Medical Histology content at StatPearls Publishing.

Julie K. Gaines, MLIS, Professor, Campus Director of the Medical Partnership Library, presented: Kouame G, Gaines JK. Focusing on faculty facilitator needs for small group case-based learning: Where might librarians fit in? Virtual Presentation at: Medical Library Association Annual Conference; July 27 – August 9, 2020.

Rosenthal KS. Three Properties of SARS-CoV-2 That Promote COVID-19. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice. 2020 Nov 1;28(6):324-6. doi: 10.1097/ IPC.0000000000000941 presented: Rosenthal, Ken S. LEAPS: A platform for peptide vaccines and immunomodulators. Virtual ePoster (due to pandemic) presented at Department of Infectious Diseases, UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. September 14, 2020.

The 2020 MCG Faculty Senate Awards ceremony was held virtually on October 15. The Medical Partnership had four faculty members honored as awardees:

Carrie Kelly, MD, Educator of the Year by the Class of 2020 Mary Bond, MD, Educator of the Year by the Class of 2021 Donald Scott, MD, Educator of the Year by the Class of 2022 DeLoris Hesse, PhD, Educator of the Year by the Class of 2023

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The PARTNERSHIP PULSE — Winter 2021 Issue

RESIDENT & STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS RESIDENTS The following residents had abstracts accepted this fall: American Society of Nephrology: Dr. Shabtab Khan American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST): Dr. Joshuam Ruiz Vega American College of Gastroenterology: Dr. Maureen Onweni GA American College of Physicians (ACP): Dr. Marjory Pesek Dr. Maureen Onweni Dr. Zoheb Sulaiman Dr. Akhila Madala Dr. Kajal Joshi Dr. Amtul Shafi Dr. Joshuam Ruiz Vega Dr. Vandana Yanamadala Dr. Bao-Chau Nguyen Dr. Akuoma Akabogu Dr. Lara Khamo

STUDENTS Megan Chesne, Lauren Slarks, and Julie K. Gaines, MLIS, Professor, Campus Director of the Medical Partnership Library, presented: Beasley E, Gaines JK, Chesne M, Slarks L. Learning by listening: Service-learning in medical education to assess community needs. Virtual Presentation at: 2020 Georgia Gerontology Society Virtual Conference; September 10, 2020; online via Zoom.

Ty Frix, Jacob Lawing, and Kent Nilsson, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, published: Frix J, Lawing, J, Mrlik M, Murrow J, Nilsson K. Quantification of Fractionated Electrograms During 3D Mapping Predicts Reoccurrence Following Pulmonary Vein Isolation [abstract].

Abstract #35, Page 779. In: Abstracts from the 25th Annual International Atrial Fibrillation Symposium January 23 to 25, 2020 Washington DC. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2020;31(3):754-796. doi:10.1111/jce.14375 Lawing J, Nilsson K, Frix J, Mrlik M. Comparison of XY versus XY and XZ Mapping During Pulmonary Vein Isolation Using the HD Grid [abstract]. Abstract #45, Pages 784-85. In: Abstracts from the 25th Annual International Atrial Fibrillation Symposium January 23 to 25, 2020 Washington DC. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2020;31(3):754-796. doi:10.1111/jce.14375 Nilsson K, Lawing J, Frix J, Mrlik M, Jackson K. Multi�dimensional pulmonary vein mapping identifies potentials poorly identified with a spiral catheter [abstract]. Abstract #10, Page 761. In: Abstracts from the 25th Annual International Atrial Fibrillation Symposium January 23 to 25, 2020 Washington DC. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol.

2020;31(3):754-796. doi:10.1111/jce.14375

We want to feature YOU! Megan Chesne, Lauren Slarks, Ty Frix, Austin Lynch, Taylor Tabb, and Shan Xue presented: Chesne M, Slarks L, Frix JT, Lynch A, Tabb T, Xue S. Assessing unmet needs of homebound older adults in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. Virtual Poster at: 2020 Georgia Academy of Family Physicians Online Conference; November 2020; Online.

Ty Frix had accepted: Reed N, Frix, JT, Frix, JM. MRI Findings After Superior Capsular Reconstruction. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation (ASMAR).

Accepted to a conference?

Published in a journal?

Honored with an award?

Let us know so we can share the good news with our Medical Partnership family and friends!

Contact the Office of Communications at MPmedia@uga.edu with all the details of your accomplishment.

www.medicalpartnership.usg.edu

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UGA Health Sciences Campus 108 Spear Road Athens, Georgia 30602

Be like Sailor Dawg: Wear a mask, wash your paws, and socially distance as much as possible.

Gifts Make a Difference!

In 2010, the White Coat Scholarship Initiative was launched with a goal of increasing access to public medical education in Georgia. The fundraising teams at Augusta University and the University of Georgia are working together on this critical program, and we need your help.

Among the first academic priorities of the White Coat Scholarship Initiative is to increase scholarships to attract talented students while also removing the burden of student debt, which can discourage students, especially those of limited financial means, from entering the medical profession. For those who do enter and complete medical school, high levels of student debt are a disincentive to serve in medically underserved areas or to choose specialties where the need is greatest, such as primary care. We need your help to ensure that financial obstacles don’t deter students from serving a state with an urgent need for more physicians.

Donations can be made online or with the enclosed envelope, and all donations are tax-deductible.