UTHSC College of Medicine Magazine - Fall 2023

MEDICINE THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER FALL 2023

Advancing Women in Medicine

Scholarships help our UTHSC College of Medicine students serve our communities.

JOIN THE MISSION alumni.uthsc.edu/give | 901.448.5516 UTHSC Office of Advancement

“Thank you so much for investing in me. Your generosity will lessen the financial burden of medical school and allow me to focus completely on my medical school studies, which in turn will enable me to become the best doctor I can be. I am blessed to be part of the inaugural three-year MD Program and accepted into UTHSC Family Medicine residency. Graduating with less student loan debt will allow me to stay in Tennessee and pursue opportunities to give back both in and outside of medicine. Thank you again for this opportunity!”

– Leigh Anne Hogue Third-year medical student Kingsport, TN

< Supporting Women Scientists

LEADERSHIP UTHSC Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating and Financial Officer Raaj Kurapati, AIFA Vice Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships Paul Wesolowski, MBA

Program funds research in Knoxville

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Interim Executive Dean and Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs G. Nicholas Verne, MD Senior Executive Associate Dean and COO, Clinical Affairs Jon McCullers, MD Dean, College of Medicine – Chattanooga James Haynes, MD, MBA, FAAFP

Representing Students > Med student serves on UT Board of Trustees

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Dean, College of Medicine – Knoxville Robert Craft, MD Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Graduate Medical Education – Nashville A. Brian Wilcox, Jr., MD Vice Chancellor for Advancement Brigitte Grant, MBA Assistant Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Constituent Engagement Chandra Tuggle

< Seeking Answers Knoxville scientist passionate about his work

Senior Director of Development College of Medicine Kelly Davis

Vice Chancellor for Communications and Marketing Sally Badoud, MBA

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Editors Chris Green Peggy Reisser, MASC Erika Wynn Designer Adam Gaines Writers Chris Green Janay Jeans Peggy Reisser Josh Sullivan Erika Wynn Photographers Caleb Jia Erika Wynn On the Cover: Associate Dean Claudette Shephard, MD, left, is a leader and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Contributing to > Student Success

Alumna committed to next generation

20 All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment and admissions without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.

Eligibility and other terms and conditions of employment benefits at The University of Tennessee are governed by laws and regulations of the State of Tennessee, and this non-discrimination statement is intended to be consistent with those laws and regulations.

In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the University.

Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), ADA (disability), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 910 Madison Avenue, Suite 826, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, telephone 901.448.7382 (V/TTY available). Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Equity and Diversity. E073201(007-240626)

From the Interim Executive Dean I am proud and humbled to assume the role of Interim Executive Dean of our amazing UTHSC College of Medicine. In the coming year, I am looking forward to getting to know you and working together in support of our outstanding medical school.

In this issue of the Medicine magazine, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to share the remarkable achievements and milestones of our institution with you.

We pay special tribute to the women of our College of Medicine. Their contributions have been invaluable in shaping the future of medicine, and we take this moment to honor their accomplishments, share their inspiring stories, and celebrate their leadership and dedication.

I also encourage you to reflect on the remarkable achievements of our institution, the progress we have made together, and the bright future ahead. Your continued support and involvement are vital to the success of our College of Medicine, and we remain grateful for your unwavering commitment to our shared vision.

One of our most significant milestones over the past year for our college has been the successful completion of our recent LCME accreditation visit. This rigorous process examines the exceptional quality of education we provide to our students and signifies our steadfast dedication to excellence. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff, and students, who have collectively ensured that our college continues to meet and exceed the highest standards.

To further elevate the caliber of our institution, we continue to recruit the top faculty, scientists, and students nationwide. We believe that by attracting the brightest minds in medicine, we can foster an environment that nurtures excellence, creativity, and inclusion. These individuals will undoubtedly contribute to our mission of advancing health care through education, research, and patient-centered care.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to our alumni for their continued support and involvement in our college and our state. Your dedication to advancing medicine, mentoring aspiring physicians, and contributing to research and innovation is truly commendable. It is because of your efforts that we have been able to navigate through transitions and challenges, emerging even stronger.

Thank you for being an integral part of our College of Medicine community. Together, we will continue to shape the future of medicine and inspire the next generation of physicians.

Warmest regards,

G. Nicholas Verne, MD Interim Executive Dean of the College of Medicine

From the Chancellor Medical student Jon Pat “JP” Ransom is pursuing pediatrics and pediatric oncology research because his younger sister died of neuroblastoma.

Propelled to help others because of his own experience, he is a stellar example of the caliber of students the College of Medicine attracts, educates, and trains to care for the people of Tennessee. It is inspirational to observe how, year after year, our College of Medicine provides outstanding health care across the state, even as it trains those, like JP Ransom, who will be the caregivers of tomorrow.

I am most grateful to our Interim Executive Dean Nick Verne, a highly regarded leader both in our UTHSC community and with our partners across Tennessee. Previously, he served as the senior associate dean for Statewide Operations and Strategy, chair of the Department of Medicine, and Chief of Medicine at Regional One Health. In addition to being a remarkably accomplished academician, Nick has a longstanding commitment to student education and has been a great mentor to many students, who have gone on to do great things as physicians.

Recent accomplishments by the college include the full accreditation of the Graduate Medical Education programs across the state; a growing research portfolio with some very innovative studies; and increasing philanthropic support bolstered by the past year’s great success.

Additionally, our strong partnerships with major hospitals across the state allow the College of Medicine faculty, alumni, residents, fellows, and students to make a difference in the lives of people from one end of the state to the other. Now, that is something we can all be proud of!

I thank you, our cherished alumni, for being so giving of your time, talent, remarkable experience, and funds to support those who come behind you. That speaks volumes for the education each of you received at UTHSC and the high regard I know you hold for your alma mater. Building on your own time at UTHSC, your selfless dedication will help create a brighter tomorrow. With your help, the best days are ahead of us!

Thank you again for all you do for your College of Medicine, your university, and for the wider world.

Sincerely,

Peter Buckley, MD Chancellor of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center

From the Alumni Council Dear Friends and Fellow Alumni, As a member of the UTHSC College of Medicine Alumni Council and a proud mother of two daughters who are graduates of the college, I am delighted for this issue of our magazine to showcase the significance of women in medicine and the expanding impact and leadership of women in our college. I know you will enjoy the many wonderful stories shared in the forthcoming pages.

Our family has a lengthy history with the UTHSC College of Medicine, as well as the College of Dentistry, including nine alumni of the two programs over the span of four generations. My husband, Joe, and I, along with our daughters, Meg and Sarah B., are thankful beneficiaries of the tremendous medical education and clinical training offered at UTHSC, and we are excited about the future of our college and its growing impact.

Involvement on the Alumni Council, as well as interactions while our daughters were in medical school and residency, have offered us a unique opportunity to engage with medical students and faculty leaders. We have seen firsthand the exceptional quality and achievements of our students and the passion they have for medicine and service. We have also witnessed the enhanced emphasis leaders place on supporting our students’ medical education and the extraordinary influence the faculty have on our communities through research, outreach, and clinical care. We are incredibly proud of the meaningful work and many successes of our students, faculty, and programs, and we hope you are as well.

Thank you for all you do to enhance health care, medicine, and our UTHSC College of Medicine. I encourage you to continue supporting and advocating for our profession and future UTHSC physicians, and to reach out to the College of Medicine team if you are interested in being more involved.

Sincerely,

Jan Stallings DeLozier, MD, ‘82

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BY THE NUMBERS

#24

100% #46 Residency Match

Physician Assistant Program, No. 1 in Tennessee*

#18

162

35%

185

$56

In Primary Care*

In Most Graduates Practicing in Medically Underserved Areas*

Incoming PGY1 Trainees

Medical Students Matched

MILLION

in Federal Research Dollars

Matched Remaining in Tennessee for Residency

660 Scholarships Awarded, Totaling $3,906,441

*Rankings by U.S. News & World Report

UTHSC COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | FALL 2023

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College of Medicine Programs Enjoy Accreditation Across the State The College of Medicine’s Graduate Medical Education (GME), medical residency and fellowship programs, in Memphis, Nashville, and Jackson were awarded continued accreditation earlier this year from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) The College of Medicine’s GME programs in Chattanooga and Knoxville also enjoy continuing accreditation status from the ACGME, which oversees the accreditation of medical residency and fellowship programs in the United States.

The UTHSC College of Medicine in Memphis serves as the sponsoring institution for GME programs based in Memphis, Nashville, and Jackson. The programs offer training for more than 900 residents and fellows across three campuses in partnership with outstanding teaching hospitals in the region. These hospital partners include

Regional One Health, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Baptist Memorial Healthcare, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, and St. Francis Hospital in Memphis; West Tennessee Healthcare in Jackson; and Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville.

In January, the ACGME awarded the UTHSC College of Medicine-Chattanooga continued accreditation as the sponsoring institution for the GME programs in Chattanooga at Erlanger Health System.

The College of Medicine in Knoxville at the University of Tennessee Medical Center also has continued accreditation status without citation from the ACGME. The Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville has received continued accreditation without citation since 1957.

G. Nicholas Verne, MD, Leads the College of Medicine G. Nicholas Verne, MD, was named the interim vice chancellor for Clinical Affairs and executive dean of the College of Medicine. Dr. Verne previously served as the senior associate dean for Statewide Operations and Strategy, chair of the Department of Medicine in the College of Medicine, and chief of medicine at Regional One Health.

A distinguished educator, clinician and researcher, Dr. Verne also holds the Lemuel W. Diggs Alumni Professorship in Medicine. He joined UTHSC in 2019.

Dr. Verne previously served as chair of the Department of Medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine for five years. He held the Harry B. Greenberg, MD, Chair in Internal Medicine. He has also served as chief medical officer for the Tulane University Health System.

Dr. Verne has been a funded investigator for more than 20 years. He is internationally recognized for his studies of epigenetic regulation of enteric neural pathways. His research program focuses on gastrointestinal molecular

physiology and signaling pathways. His work includes studies of miRNA signaling mechanisms that regulate intestinal permeability, gastrointestinal inflammation, and intestinal neuroplasticity.

A native of upstate New York, Dr. Verne earned his bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. He received his medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse and completed his residency in internal medicine at Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York. Dr. Verne completed his gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he was a NIH T32 Research Fellow.

He received the American Gastroenterological Association Master’s Award in Gastroenterology for outstanding achievement in basic and clinical digestive sciences and is an elected fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American Gastroenterological Association.

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Women in Science Initiative Aims to Support Female Faculty in Knoxville

By Peggy Reisser Deidra Mountain, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Surgery and scientific director of Vascular Research at the College of Medicine in Knoxville, knows all too well the challenges women in academic medicine and biomedical science face.

“What we know is that with both medical students and biomedical PhD candidates, the student cohorts are about 50/50 male and female,” she said. “But as of 2019, when we started pulling these statistics together, only about 30% of full-time faculty in academic medicine were female, both PhD and MD faculty, and only a little more than 10% of the female faculty appointments are at the level of full professor.

In fact, just shy of 50% of female faculty leave academic medicine within the first 10 years without ever being promoted, most citing a lack of opportunity for promotion and leadership appointments.”

In the fall of 2019, Dr. Mountain was pulling the statistics together for a project she was working on with Paul Hauptman, MD, who was then dean of the College of Medicine in Knoxville and is now dean of the University of Nevada-Reno School of Medicine.

“He and I started thinking about how we could put an initiative together to foster career progression and increase the retention of our brightest female faculty here on the GSM Knoxville campus,” Dr. Mountain said.

The Women in Science initiative was born.

The initiative is designed to foster the development of junior and mid-level female faculty in medicine and biomedical science, Dr. Mountain said. It was initially funded with the help of $100,000 in philanthropic support from The University of Tennessee Medical Center Auxiliary.

The initiative recently received a generous donation from the estate of Patricia Becker of Knoxville, who passed away in 2022, and chose to leave a portion of her estate to the Graduate School of Medicine for research purposes. The gift totaled $178,087, and her heirs requested that at least 50% of the gift be used to support the Women in Science Initiative.

Patricia Becker earned a degree in physics in the early 1950s but was never offered a job commensurate with her degree. She and her husband, Stanley Becker, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, were always appreciative of the excellent care they received from the UT medical system. Her heirs wanted 8

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to be sure the gift would be used in a way that honored her legacy and love for science.

Since it began in 2020, the Women in Science initiative has supported two cohorts of three female faculty members with diverse research programs. Dr. Mountain, who researches vascular disease and therapeutic interventions to improve vascular surgical outcomes, was among the first cohort.

“It really catapulted the trajectory of my research program and really my academic career overall,” she said. “Because of the funds that we were fortunate enough to receive, we were able to purchase some advanced instrumentation that was necessary for the characterization and safety profiling of some of the therapeutic compounds that we’re developing in our lab aimed at vascular disease. With the data that we were able to procure because we had that instrumentation, we’ve now patented two technologies.”

She said the lab has also been able to partner with a biotech startup for future research and development, and recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation to hopefully advance their technology into the clinic.

Other recipients of support from the Women in Science initiative are Stacy Stephenson, MD, associate professor in Surgery, working to develop techniques for nerve and vessel repair through regenerative medicine; Emily Martin, PhD, associate professor in Medicine, developing screening techniques for early detection of amyloidosis; C. Lindsay McKnight, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, evaluating the use of antibiotics early during surgical management of patients suffering traumatic bone fractures; Jill Maples, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, studying biomarkers for maternal metabolic dysfunction in pregnancy; and Kelsey Grabeel, MSIS, AHIP, associate professor in the Preston Medical Library, studying patient health literacy.

“Our new Dean (Dr. Robert Craft) and our Assistant Dean of Research (Dr. Jonathan Wall) are both deeply committed to ensuring that the GSM supports our women faculty here, because what we realize is that a gender diverse medical workforce and a gender diverse translational sciences workforce is going to translate into scientific advancements and improved patient outcomes that benefit the entire population,” Dr. Mountain said.

Josh Sullivan, a public relations specialist at the College of Medicine in Knoxville, contributed to this story.

Deidra Mountain, PhD, above, and Emily Martin, PhD, are recipients of support from the Women in Science initiative in the College of Medicine in Knoxville.

Medical Student Named Student Member of the UT Board of Trustees

By Janay Jeans As the only one in her family to pursue medicine, Woodi Woodland said she missed having someone in medicine to turn to as she began her journey in medical school. That feeling has inspired her to mentor incoming students.

“I loved the program and the family feel,” she said. “That was probably the biggest emphasis because it brought me back to what I felt in Knoxville, which in no way is Memphis, but it was great to have the same feeling of a family and that they wanted you here.”

“Not having anyone within medicine, especially as an African American female in the U.S. at the time I was being raised, caused some self-doubt with what I wanted to pursue,” Woodland said. “It has driven me to make sure no one thinks they can’t do what they choose, and I direct a lot of my time on showing others that there is a pathway and focusing on how we can help provide the resources and bring more people, no matter what they look like, into medicine or other fields.”

After arriving at UTHSC, her profound support for students continued through her roles as an ambassador.

She provided tours and served as a point of contact for incoming students. She also served as a peer mentor, giving one-on-one mentorship to students, and as an MPOWER mentor for a group of first- and second-year medical students.

Now, she serves as the 2023-2024 student trustee on the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, amplifying her leadership as a representative for students statewide.

The position rotates annually among the campuses across the UT System. The student trustee serves as a non-voting member of the Board of Trustees and as a voting member of the Education, Research, and Service Committee.

Woodland said she is surprised and excited to be appointed to the position. She believes she can contribute her student and community perspectives from her years of serving as a mentor, tutor, and ambassador.

“Having experienced multiple campuses of the UT System, I can speak to a large population and advocate for students and what they see lacking in the community,” she said. “It is a huge honor. I am very excited to serve in this position for the next year and see what comes out of it.”

Woodland, from Fairfax, Virginia, and Brentwood, Tennessee, is a fourth-year student in the College of Medicine pursuing otolaryngology. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2020.

She served as a tutor and ambassador while studying at UT Knoxville. Upon graduating, she chose the UTHSC College of Medicine after touring the college during her interview and witnessing its familial atmosphere.

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“I have always loved to teach, and there is a lot to be said about the ability of wanting to foster the success and education of those coming behind you, and that has always been important to me,” she said.

Woodland has also proven her drive for leadership through her time as a representative of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education action plan board, the director of communications for the Global Surgery Institute, and as the secretary of the Student Orthopedic Association. In addition, she has exhibited tremendous volunteerism in the community, including in Clínica Esperanza, a primary care clinic serving the uninsured and underserved in Memphis; the Student National Medical Association; the Boys and Girls Club of Memphis; The Gentleman’s League; and the Memphis Oral School for the Deaf.

After graduating in 2024, Woodland plans to pursue a residency in otolaryngology with the goal of becoming an ear, nose, and throat surgeon.

“It has been amazing to see the progression each year and how much clinical knowledge and experience can be gained,” she said. “The faculty is invested in your learning from your preclinical to your clinical years. And although my class entered at the height of the pandemic, it brought us closer together because we were in this new environment.

It’s a great class and I am very excited to see where we go in our future.”

“ Having experienced multiple campuses of the UT System, I can speak to a large population and advocate for students and what they see lacking in the community. It is a huge honor. I am very excited to serve in this position for the next year and see what comes out of it.”

– Woodi Woodland, fourth-year medical student

Dr. Jeanne Scanland is grateful for the mentorship of Dr. R. Phillip Burns and has made a $1.5 million planned gift toward an endowed chair in his honor. The two are shown here, in past days in the skills lab.

Alumna Dedicates Successful Career to CoM Mentor

By Chris Green When speaking with Jeanne Scanland, MD, about her success as a woman in medicine, she is quick to pay homage to her career-long mentor R. Phillip Burns, MD, FACS. In 1982, Dr. Scanland, a Chattanooga native, became the first female resident in the general surgery program at the UTHSC College of Medicine in Chattanooga.

“It was all men and me during my training. Many other programs weren’t choosing women to be surgeons back then, but Dr. Burns believed in me,” she said.

The two first met when Dr. Scanland was on surgery rotation in Chattanooga as a third-year student in the College of Medicine in Memphis. By the time her rotation was over, she knew she wanted to be a surgeon and continue to train under Dr. Burns.

“He’s a superb surgeon and an amazing teacher because he’s patient,” Dr. Scanland said. “It’s very difficult when you’re a good surgeon teaching somebody else because you know exactly how it should be done, but you have to stand there watching the other person make decisions and correct them as needed.”

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After finishing her training, Dr. Scanland grew her career while breaking down barriers.

She was the first female board-certified general surgeon and plastic surgeon in Chattanooga.

She continued to work with Dr. Burns to support the college’s general surgery residency program, and in 2013, she started the R. Phillip Burns Surgical Society with an initial gift of $25,000 to raise money for the program. It was her way of repaying Dr. Burns for not only taking a chance on her, but also for making the program what it is today.

Dr. Scanland knows firsthand the impact someone in Dr. Burns’ former position can have. While she credits much of her success to his mentorship, Dr. Scanland said she received inspiration from her mother, Opal Scanland, who in the 1960s served as the first female judge in the region. “My mom was a great influence because she was a professional woman who was out in the real world. I saw her as inspiration that I could do whatever profession I wanted to do,” she said. Dr. Scanland said her interests in science and working with her hands came from her father, who was a mechanical engineer.

“Dr. Burns rescued our general surgery program,” she said. “He worked really hard to turn this program around and made it one of the best general surgery residency programs in the country.”

Dr. Scanland said she is grateful her parents chose to send her to Girls Preparatory School (GPS) in Chattanooga, which made her excited to learn and prepared her for her future medical training. In memory of her parents, she started the Boyd and Opal Scanland Memorial Scholarship in 1997 for GPS students.

In his 46 years as department chair, Dr. Burns trained hundreds of students and residents. Among his many accomplishments are starting a skills lab for trainees to hone their surgical and medical skills, expanding the number of residents in the general surgery program from two per level to five per level, starting other surgical residency programs at the college, and helping to develop Erlanger into a Level I Trauma Center with a helicopter transport service, Dr. Scanland said.

“My dad had a large workshop where he taught me to be precise with design work and using tools,” she said.

“We built out our basement into eight separate rooms and fixed cars together. This gave me the confidence and skills to design and fix most anything.”

Dr. Scanland has made a $1.5 million planned gift that will greatly enhance the Dr. Burns chair fund upon her passing. She believes her success is directly tied to her training, and thus it was important to her to make a significant commitment now while she is alive. She hopes others will do what is best for them, whether it’s an outright gift now or a planned gift later.

Dr. Burns stepped down as chair last year. To honor his dedication, leadership, and overall excellence, the college has established the R. Phillip Burns, MD, FACS, Endowed Chair in Surgery. Dr. Scanland is proud to serve on the steering committee for the initiative, and the funds raised through the Burns Surgical Society will be transferred to the endowed chair fund.

“All of us who have been blessed with a medical career must give back to guarantee excellent medical education for future doctors so they can provide the best medical care for our communities,” Dr. Scanland said. “We did not get here alone. Many have contributed money to our medical school, allowing us to have the best teachers and mentors helping us achieve our dreams and successes.”

“This is our first endowed chair at the College of Medicine in Chattanooga, and there’s no one that deserves it more,” Dr. Scanland said. “People have come and gone, but Dr. Burns has been here as a stabling person and driving force since 1976, building our excellent medical community.”

Please consider donating to the R. Phillip Burns, MD, FACS, Endowed Chair in Surgery Initiative by visiting giving.uthsc.edu/burns.

Having an endowed chair will help the program to increase its prominence, maintain state-of-the-art surgical and simulation equipment, and provide first-class surgical training opportunities for residents, fellows, and medical students learning at the College of Medicine – Chattanooga. The initiative aims to raise $1.5 million, regardless of the gift vehicle, within the next year.

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“I am most proud of being able to work with such an incredible team of people for all the years I have been in the lab.”

– Jonathan Wall, PhD

After Three Decades, Knoxville Researcher Remains Passionate About His Work

By Peggy Reisser Researcher Jonathan Wall took his PhD exam at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom on December 21, 1994, and started working at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Graduate School of Medicine (GSM) in Knoxville on January 16, 1995.

University Distinguished Professor and the director of the Amyloidosis and Cancer Theranostics program. Systemic amyloidosis occurs when clumps of protein (amyloid) build up in tissues and organs, including the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, and nerves, causing them to malfunction.

“I never went home for the graduation,” he says. “I actually had no idea where Knoxville was, and when I arrived, I was happy it wasn’t Nashville, because I am really not a fan of country music.”

“I came for two years and stayed,” he says. What has kept him in Knoxville for almost three decades is his passion for his research and what it can mean for individuals with the disease. He is dedicated to the lab he has helped build and the growing team that continues to advance the research.

Today, almost 30 years later, Dr. Wall is the assistant dean for Research in the College of Medicine in Knoxville. He is a

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“I am most proud of being able to work with such an incredible team of people for all the years I have been in the lab,” Dr. Wall says. “Over these years, we have achieved a lot of things, but the ones I am most proud of are those that may, one day, help patients with AL amyloidosis (light chain amyloidosis) and the other devastating types of amyloid disorders.”

Dr. Wall came to Knoxville under the mentorship of Alan Solomon, MD, now professor emeritus at the GSM Longtime researcher Dr. Jonathan Wall enjoys working with his colleagues in the in Knoxville, and one of the world’s College of Medicine in Knoxville. leading experts on myeloma and amyloidosis. Dr. Wall had wanted to study multiple myeloma but knew could not have been achieved without the expert help nothing about amyloidosis. “He (Dr. from everyone in the amyloid program, as well as all the Solomon) had a huge program with amazingly gifted patients who came to Knoxville to participate.” people working there,” Dr. Wall says. “My first job in the lab was to uncover the secret of cardiac tropism in He says the Graduate School of Medicine has been patients with AL amyloidosis, something that still hasn’t incredibly supportive of the lab. “In addition to the been solved by anyone to this day.” continuous material support, the GSM has continually He says there are still people in the lab now who were working on this disease when he joined the lab. “We just don’t leave,” he says. “It’s such an interesting problem that still has lots of things to be addressed, and we’re all passionate about solving them.”

Because amyloidosis is an infiltrative disease that cannot be surgically removed, Dr. Wall and the team are working to develop antibody drugs to reverse the organ destruction it causes. “What we’re trying to do is use the body’s immune system,” he says. “We have developed, or helped develop, three antibodies that are currently in clinical trials being assessed for their ability to clear amyloid and hopefully reverse the organ destruction caused by the disease.”

Testament to the quality of research coming from the lab, the team recently presented 12 abstracts of original research at the 18th International Symposium on Amyloidosis in Heidelberg, Germany. This year’s symposium was the largest ever with more than 1,100 attendees from around the world.

“The other thing I am proud of is our ongoing work to develop new diagnostic imaging agents for patients with amyloidosis,” Dr. Wall continues. “Our initial, firstin-human, clinical trial of an imaging agent was done at UTGSM with support from the NIH and donors. It

embraced our vision and goals for changing the clinical outcome for patients with amyloidosis.”

Dr. Wall and the research team have spent decades trying to understand the many aspects of amyloidosis and the clinical problems that impact patients. “Over the years, this research has led to the development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic agents that are desperately needed by these patients in Tennessee, throughout the U.S., and around the world,” he says. “Many of the patients who come to participate in our trials are from Tennessee and we hope that the reagents we are developing will, one day, benefit these patients and those who visit Tennessee for expert care.”

“Dr. Wall’s 29-year career is on the one hand emblematic of the typical faculty longevity on our campus, while on the other hand quite extraordinary with respect to his ability to collaborate and team build to produce truly meaningful discovery,” says Robert Craft, MD, dean of the College of Medicine in Knoville. “He is also already having significant impact in his new role as assistant dean of Research for the Knoxville campus by leveraging the lab’s experience to create similar collaborations and outcomes in other areas of research.”

Josh Sullivan, a public relations specialist at the College of Medicine in Knoxville, contributed to this story.

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A team from the College of Medicine in Chattanooga performed interventional heart surgeries that were broadcast live to physicians around the country for instructional purposes. (Photos courtesy of Erlanger Health System)

Chattanooga Team Leading the Way in Interventional Cardiology Training

By Peggy Reisser Medicine changes so rapidly, textbooks often can’t keep up. In the field of structural interventional cardiology, physicians from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Medicine at Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga are doing their part to help advance knowledge in their field live and in real time.

A team led by Megan Coylewright, MD, MPH, FSCAI, FACC, an associate professor for the UTHSC College of Medicine in Chattanooga and director of Erlanger Health System’s Structural Heart Program, has performed two interventional heart surgeries this year that were broadcast live to physicians around the country for instructional purposes.

“The research is moving so quickly, the devices are changing, the way that we deliver those devices, and the way we take care of people is really rapidly evolving to the benefit of patients,” Dr. Coylewright said. “For physicians to learn how to perform these procedures safely and effectively, we need to have ways of teaching that can keep up with that progress. And so, one of 16

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the key ways for interventional cardiologists to learn about these new developments is through live case transmission.”

Dr. Coylewright explained national conferences are a major venue for interventional cardiologists to come together to talk about best practices, high-quality care, safe and effective delivery of devices, and to understand options that will be available to their patients in the future.

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), the top professional society for interventional cardiology, and the Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) meeting in Washington, D.C., invited the Chattanooga team to perform two cases, in February and in May, that were broadcast and made available to members for instructional purposes.

The case in February was a left atrial appendage closure under moderate sedation, a procedure that increases safety for patients. The live broadcast case in May was a state-of-the-art 3D intracardiac echocardiography to

guide left atrial appendage closure for stroke prevention.

“Both of the cases that were selected for live case transmission demonstrated new ways that physicians can perform procedures to prevent stroke,” she said. “The Chattanooga team taught how to offer these options in ways that are less invasive and safer than past procedures, using state-of-the-art imaging.”

“It’s a very prestigious opportunity,” Dr. Coylewright said. “We were honored to participate, and particularly to represent our region and the work that we’re doing.”

Dr. Coylewright said the live surgical broadcasts increase the reputation of the UTHSC College of Medicine in Chattanooga and help with recruitment of health care professionals.

“When people think about heart disease and the field of interventional cardiology, they think about doctors who save people from heart attacks. Our team at Erlanger is well known for our work in this area, serving the local community,” she said. “In addition, the field of structural interventional cardiology – where we fix heart valves and offer solutions to prevent stroke without the need for blood thinners – is now a central part of what cardiologists can offer. This field began just 20 years ago, when we developed a heart valve that could be implanted without open heart surgery. This major development in structural cardiology changed the choices available to patients. Now, we’re able to offer valve replacement and valve repair for all the valves in the heart for many patients, with excellent results. Erlanger and the UTHSC College of Medicine in Chattanooga are now a national leader in research for these new developments.”

She explained that during a conference, members can watch a procedure being performed with an expert panel of physicians leading an active dialogue with the operators.

For the live cases, Dr. Coylewright partnered with Harish Manyam, MD, the chief of cardiology and medicine, who provided additional teaching for those attending the conference. “Only the top institutions that are performing these procedures on a regular basis and are participating in research are selected to do a live case transmission,” she said. The Erlanger team has been invited to perform a live case transmission again next year.

“We ensure that the cases we are presenting are not cases that we’re doing for the first time. These are cases we’ve done hundreds of times before, and we make sure that the patients are very well informed,” she said. “The patients who choose to participate are very excited about the opportunity to help further safe and effective care delivery.”

Dr. Coylewright specializes in leading global clinical trials that evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new devices to treat heart disease. She said she came to Chattanooga because she was interested in diversity, equity, and inclusion

and wanted to work where she could treat the mostvulnerable patients.

“I had finished my training in structural heart interventions at Mayo Clinic in 2014 and then moved on to Dartmouth to build the structural program there. As my research increasingly was aimed at diversity, equity, and inclusion, I realized that working alongside other committed and skilled physicians that treated all patients was a high priority,” she said. “And this is what brought me down to Chattanooga, the rare combination of an academic medical center with a focus on research, as well as a talented and compassionate staff serving the entire community.”

Dr. Coylewright said the invitation to conduct a live transmission for a conference increases pride in the hospital system, the university, and the service being provided to the community.

“It helps with our recruitment and retention of essential health care workers, including nurses, cath lab technicians, and others,” she said. “There was a palpable sense of pride of being part of a team that was recognized nationally for expertise. And in an era where all hospitals struggle with retention and recruitment, I think this is a very important aspect of what we’re offering. I want to attract people to the UTHSC College of Medicine in Chattanooga and to teach our medical students and residents and fellows and to provide an example of a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion. We provide an essential service to the community, and it is not basic services. It is state-of-the-art options for the heart that are offered only at Erlanger.”

“UTHSC CoM-Chattanooga is very fortunate to have talented, compassionate physicians like Dr. Coylewright and Dr. Manyam,” said James Haynes, MD, dean of the College of Medicine in Chattanooga. “Their expertise and commitment to excellence and health equity is contagious and we look forward to further great work from their team.“

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Bridging the Gap: Dr. Thomas Atkins Paves the Way for Rural Health Care Tennessee aimed at tackling the physician shortage in remote areas. This initiative showcases UTHSC’s unwavering commitment to enhancing the health and wellbeing of every Tennessean.

During the intensive three-year residency, based at Ascension Saint Thomas River Park in McMinnville and Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Dr. Atkins will not only be trained in hospital-based medicine but also acquire specialized skills to address the unique challenges faced by rural communities. In these underserved regions, patients often struggle to access quality care, making it essential for rural providers like Dr. Atkins to possess a broad range of expertise.

“As a rural provider, you have to be well-versed in various medical disciplines,” Dr. Atkins says. “Being potentially the only physician for miles around means you must be prepared to handle any medical situation with confidence.”

The lack of accessible health care services in rural communities served as the driving force behind Dr. Atkins’ decision to pursue a career in medicine. Though he left his hometown of Pleasant View, he always intended to return to a rural community, if not the one he grew up in.

After completing his undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University, just thirty miles from his hometown, Dr. Atkins was determined to remain in Tennessee for medical school. His deep connection to the state and the inclusive environment at UTHSC solidified his decision.

Growing up in rural Middle Tennessee, Thomas Atkins, MD, witnessed the pressing need for improved access to health care in underserved areas outside of bustling cities.

The choice between seeking medical care or sacrificing a day’s work became a heartbreaking reality for many in his community. Driven by this firsthand experience, Dr. Atkins embarked on a mission to make a difference in rural health care.

A proud graduate of UTHSC, Dr. Atkins stands as a symbol of hope and progress for the College of Medicine – Nashville’s Family Medicine program. As the first-ever resident in the rural track, he is part of a pioneering pilot program funded by the state of

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Upon learning about the rural track residency opportunity from Dr. Craig Glass, associate director of the Family Medicine program, Dr. Atkins eagerly embraced the chance to make a significant impact in rural areas.

Following graduation, he, accompanied by his wife and young daughter, settled in Middle Tennessee, not far from his childhood home. Today, Dr. Atkins spearheads the trailblazing rural track residency program.

Over the next few years, Dr. Atkins will confront the disparities faced by rural communities in accessing quality health care due to economic constraints, educational limitations, geographic isolation, and other contributing factors. The limited screening opportunities for preventable diseases especially piqued his interest.

“In underserved communities, people often face a choice between earning a paycheck or seeking preventive care,” he says. “This unfortunately leads to higher rates of complications from conditions like hypertension, COPD, and inadequate cancer screenings. Additionally, lack of access to medication and refills further exacerbates issues like poorly managed diabetes and hypertension.”

Dr. Atkins acknowledges that practicing medicine in a rural community requires a special kind of dedication, which largely accounts for the shortage of rural physicians. Many doctors opt for urban settings, enticed by increased career advancement opportunities in hospitals and private practices. Being the sole medical provider in a vast area can be intimidating, yet Dr. Atkins relishes the challenge.

Once he completes his residency, Dr. Atkins plans to serve rural Tennessee communities as a practicing physician.

In addition to treating underserved patients, he aspires to shape health care policy and advocate for improved governmental support in addressing health care issues. “My goal is to alleviate the burden of physician shortages in Tennessee’s non-metropolitan areas,” he says.

Dr. Atkins wants to assure rural communities that change is underway as more physicians are recognizing the importance of bringing health care to underserved populations. He hopes to inspire additional medical students to consider practicing in rural areas so they can make a tangible impact within communities, becoming pillars of support and beacons of hope.

Dr. Thomas Atkins is shown with his wife and daughter at his graduation.

“From my perspective, rural medicine is immensely rewarding. You have the power to positively transform the lives of countless individuals,” Dr. Atkins says. “Becoming an integral part of these communities, where people look up to you as a trusted provider, brings a deep sense of fulfillment.”

Dr. Thomas Atkins serves as an embodiment of resilience, compassion, and dedication as he blazes a trail toward bridging the health care divide in rural Tennessee. Through his unwavering commitment, he aims to bring about lasting change and inspire a new generation of health care professionals to embrace the transformative power of rural medicine.

Chris Green and Erika Wynn contributed to this story.

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Alumna Driven to Give Back and Support Future Medical Professionals

By Janay Jeans Jessica Ruffin, MD, is committed to giving back and contributing to the success of future medical professionals by serving in various alumni positions for the college.

“You want UTHSC to continue to grow and be a source of excellent care in this community,” said Dr. Ruffin. “We all should have a large interest in continuing to support the medical school.”

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, Dr. Ruffin joined the UTHSC College of Medicine in 1996 and earned her Doctor of Medicine degree in 2000.

“We were a close class, we had a great education, great instructors, and we supported each other,” she said. “I got married when I was a second-year medical student and had my first baby the spring of my senior year, and I can think of many places that I could have gone that would not have been as embracing of starting my family.”

Dr. Ruffin reflected on her outstanding student experience in the college, during which she was selected as one of two students to serve on the College of Medicine Admissions Committee.

Designated by the executive dean and under the authority of the UT Board of Trustees, the committee oversees the selection of students for admission and establishes the standards for admission to be approved by the college, UTHSC administration, and the UT Board of Trustees. The members include both clinical and basic medical science faculty, practicing physicians, and medical students from the junior and senior classes.

“I got to know Dr. Kenneth Robinson, Dr. Hershel Wall, and Nelson Strother really well, and it was nice to be a student around those who were successful in their careers, still loved UTHSC, and wanted to give back,” she said.

Dr. Robinson, now the president and chief executive officer of United Way of the MidSouth, previously served as an assistant dean in the UTHSC College of Medicine; Dr. Hershel “Pat” Wall, served in multiple roles at UTHSC,

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including as a faculty member and associate dean for Admissions and Student Affairs in the College of Medicine, interim chancellor from 2007 to 2009, and chancellor emeritus from 2012 until he passed away in December 2022; Nelson Strother previously served in the College of Medicine for 35 years in various roles including coordinator for Admissions, director of Admissions, assistant dean for Admissions and Student Affairs, and served in the Central Admissions Office.

After graduating, Dr. Ruffin remained at UTHSC and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2004. Now, she serves as an OBGYN physician in Memphis.

“When you train as a resident, you hit the ground running,” she said. “I think all our rotations were carefully selected, and now as I have been practicing, I can see how beneficial that training was. I have yet to meet another OBGYN doctor who trained somewhere else and I thought, ‘I wish I had that when I trained.’ I never felt that way.”

With her continuous love for UTHSC, Dr. Ruffin makes a lasting impact as clinical faculty and in her multiple alumni positions with the college, including her second appointment as a member of the admissions committee.

“The committee loves the school and treats the job of bringing in new students as very important. You realize how many people are not chosen every year. It makes you (students) feel honored and special that your name came through the committee, and they chose you,” she said. “So, I feel like God sent me here. It’s been a great experience and I don’t doubt that it was orchestrated by his hand.”

Dr. Ruffin also serves as co-chair of the College of Medicine African American Alumni Reunion, a biennial weekend of events that reconnects and celebrates the achievements of African American alumni and provides opportunities to support current and future African American medical students.

“The reunion is a great time because we love each other, but it also is a great time for them to witness the growth and phenomenal things that UTHSC has now that were not present when we were here,” she said. “It inspires attendees to give back to the College of Medicine, but also to decide what we can do to be examples for people who look like us to continue to be physicians in the future.”

“Medical school education costs have increased significantly, and as graduates that have benefited greatly from the education we received, we like to do the reunion to encourage others to continue to be a blessing to somebody because you were also blessed,” she said.

Dr. Ruffin also gives back as a member of the College of Medicine Alumni Council and financially as an annual and planned gift donor.

“It wasn’t until I started serving on the UTHSC Alumni Council that I understood the dynamic of UTHSC and the outreach we have throughout Tennessee. I have learned the importance of the college’s supplying doctors in all the corners of the state,” she said. “Now, as I serve on the admissions committee and the council, I also understand the importance of bringing people to this state who want to continue to supply health care to the residents in Tennessee. Knowing these doctors who conduct such hard work with little recognition for the people who live in their communities, it’s a humbling experience and something that I am happy to be a part of.”

In addition to her leadership and service at UTHSC, Dr. Ruffin is a member of local and national organizations and continuously serves in the community. She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a member of the American Medical Association, Memphis and Shelby County OBGYN Society, Bluff City Medical Society, Memphis Medical Society, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the Memphis chapter of The Links, Incorporated, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She also volunteers locally at the Church Health Center.

From her experiences and service in the college, Dr. Ruffin witnesses firsthand the importance of giving back, and she works to encourage others to give.

“On the committee, we meet young people who work so hard, and you have no doubt that they will be great physicians and contribute to our community—you don’t want the finances to be the reason they don’t do it or trap them with overwhelming debt when they graduate.

Everyone feels like they’re one person and don’t have a lot of money to give, but what is considered small, over time with persistent giving becomes very big to someone else,” she said. “When the funds are put together, it feels great to present students with scholarships, tour the CHIPS facility, and see the great things UTHSC is doing.”

One of the various ways the reunion weekend serves to support this mission is raising funds for the UTHSC College of Medicine Diversity Scholarship Endowment, which aims to provide more financial accessibility for underrepresented medical students.

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African American Alumni Reunion Honors Past Graduates, Assists Future African American graduates of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Medicine gathered in Memphis in April for their second reunion weekend.

The event brought together alumni from across the country to reconnect with classmates and friends, tour campus facilities, engage with College of Medicine leaders, support current and future students, and pay tribute to fellow African American physicians.

The gathering culminated with a celebratory banquet honoring the legacy of Dr. Beverly Williams-Cleaves, MD, ‘69, one of the first female African American graduates of the college and a longtime Memphis internist/endocrinologist and clinical associate professor. In addition to mentoring and teaching many of the alumni in attendance, Dr. Williams-Cleaves was remembered for touching the lives of countless patients in Memphis, her kindness and humility, and always putting her patients first.

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After the weekend events, generous alumni, along with the family of Dr. Williams-Cleaves, committed more than $38,000 in gifts to aid future medical students.

The College of Medicine Diversity Scholarship Endowment reached the $25,000 minimum endowment threshold over roughly the past year and is now producing earnings.

However, a fundraising goal for the reunion and future gatherings is to grow this endowment and encourage diversity scholarship support.

A significant part of this year’s African American Alumni Reunion program focused on expanding opportunities for students from backgrounds underrepresented in the medical profession and enhancing support for these students already in medical school.

Med Student’s Journey from Nigeria to Memphis Lets Her Help Others

By Peggy Reisser As a child in Nigeria, third-year medical student Khadijat Perkins suffered through several life-threating bouts with malaria.

“I felt that I had the most dreadful childhood memories, unaware that at the same time, many young children in my country never live long enough to create such memories,” she said. “I am from Nigeria, where one in six children die before the age of five due to the absence of timely, quality health care.”

That’s how Perkins, whose given name is Adegbemisola Khadijat Aregbe, described herself when she applied for admission to the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Now the immediate past president of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) at UTHSC, Perkins is working to bring quality health care to those in the Memphis community who might otherwise not have access to it. In February, Perkins led a group of College of Medicine students in staging a health fair at the UTHSC Health Hub in Uptown. The group, who call themselves Healthier Memphis, also includes Callie Walls, Taylor Dent, Cassidy Lounsbury, Alaina Rule, and Gabrielle Napper.

The Healthier Memphis Group worked with the Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC) to hold a free

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Wellness Festival in September at Morris Park near the UTHSC campus. The event was open to the community and featured health care services and resources, live music, and wellnes activities.

“This festival was born from a group of young doctors and medical students who wished to meet patients well before a health crisis,” said Latasha Harris, MMDC’s director of workforce strategies. “With the support of Medical District partners, like UTHSC, the festival was curated to address some of the health and other factors that affect daily life.”

Perkins, which is her married name, recalls caring for others at the young age of 12, after her father, an accountant, was transferred to Katsina, a state in Northern Nigeria. She said her family had traveled to a small rural village almost two hours away from a developed city to provide community service. “What took me by surprise on this trip wasn’t the amount of people who lived in one hut, but the number of young children who came with their equally young mothers to get food,” she said. “These young mothers were having multiple births in their homes, far away from access to clean water, electricity, and health care. In that moment, I remembered my life-threating bouts with malaria and how access to some form of health care saved my life. Had

circumstances been different and I was from this small village, I would have most likely perished. So, it was there in that small village, that I developed a desire to become a physician in order to provide lifesaving health care for the people of underserved marginalized communities.”

LaTonya Washington, MD, past president of the Bluff City Medical Society, said she first met Perkins during her interview for admission to UTHSC. “I was extremely impressed with her tenacity and dedication to achieving her goals,” said Dr. Washington, who has since mentored Perkins through the Project STAR program in the College of Medicine. “Despite me being the mentor and she the mentee, we encourage each other in our journeys. Her dedication to service will undoubtedly lead her to a successful career as a cardiac surgeon.”

Perkins lived with her family in Abuja, Nigeria, until she was 14. “I made an early move to England to make sure that the transition to try to get into medical school over there would be easier.” She completed her first year of study in biomedical sciences at King’s College London, then went back to Nigeria for a year when she could not afford to continue living in England. She moved to the United States in 2015 to finish her bachelor’s degree in health sciences at East Tennessee State University, which offered her a scholarship, and later a master’s degree in chemistry.

“For me, given the privilege and opportunity to live in different parts of the world, one thing that I had always noticed that doesn’t really change among all types of people is health care, health, and access to care,” she said. “I’ve always been very passionate about ensuring that health care access and health care itself is not just a privilege that certain people have, but a basic right. So, in everything I do with volunteering, a lot of my passion is related to bridging that gap in health care access.”

President of the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Interest Group at UTHSC, Perkins aspires to be a pediatric cardiac surgeon with a long-term global focus. “I’m trying at the moment to set up a foundation in Nigeria that helps young women who are interested in STEM to get them through education and to also help people who need medical services,” she said. “When you think about the access to cardiac care globally, it’s abysmal. So, for me, that is something that I envision myself, and how it can impact people is not only am I going to be helping people, I’m also going to be giving people and cultures and generations a chance of life, because impacting children means you impact the future.”

September’s community wellness fair was the result of her passion for expanding access to health care. As a Regional Alliance Leadership Development intern through

the SNMA, she was tasked with designing a project and wanted to focus on health care access and advocacy.

“Then, I came up with a team of a few members of my class, who I knew were passionate about health care access and were willing to work toward making sure this would come to fruition.” The group reached out to the UTHSC Health Hub earlier this year and the MMDC this summer.

Claudette Shephard, MD, associate dean for Diversity and Inclusion in the College of Medicine, said Perkins exemplifies the life of a servant leader. “She is compassionate about her calling and seeks every opportunity to help those in need,” Dr. Shephard said.

“Her leadership skills are well demonstrated in the way she organized our local chapter of the Student National Medical Association, seeking every opportunity to minister to the community and reach out to students interested in medical careers. She has been recognized at the regional and national level for her leadership.”

Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Admissions Catherine R. Womack, MD, said Perkins is invested in giving back to the community. “In addition to her community engagement, she serves as the vice president of Student Affairs and works to mentor and lead her peers and those students in classes below to ensure that all are supported as they progress through our rigorous curriculum.”

Perkins is married to Alec Perkins, who recently finished his PhD in sports physiology. She had their first child, a daughter, weeks earlier, but still attended the September wellness event.

She said she and the Healthier Memphis team are grateful to member Callie Walls, who has been instrumental in planning the second health fair in conjunction with MMDC. “Her passion for service to our community has shone through in the way she has dedicated her time and effort to ensure that not only do we have another fair, but an improved quality of service to our community.”

Perkins shares a message of perseverance with others who, like herself, have set their sights on a stretch goal.

“I applied to medical school three times to be able to get this now,” she said. “I think if you have a goal and a dream and passion, sometimes it might seem easier to want to give up, but keep pushing because you will find the perfect place for you. I truly believe that UTHSC was the perfect place for me, from the members of the community, the Bluff City Medical Society who have been very supportive to me, to my classmates, to mentors that I’ve met here, and to be able to serve the community.

I think that I am just blessed.”

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CoM Strengthening Partnerships Around the Globe

As part of its global outreach, the College of Medicine has a partnership with Levy Mwanawasa Medical University in Zambia (left).

At right, journalists from Africa visited UTHSC in July as guests of the U.S. State Department to learn about health care in America.

The Center for Multicultural and Global Health in the College of Medicine reaches around the world to promote interdisciplinary learning, equitable health care delivery, and build collaborative relationships.

•T he Center partners with Levy Mwanawasa Medical University in Lusaka, Zambia, a large health training university. Residents and faculty from UTHSC have traveled to Levy Mwanawasa to learn and care for patients at the university’s hospital. Earlier this year, representatives from Levy Mwanawasa Medical University visited UTHSC to discuss ways to strengthen the partnership for future collaborations.

•N ia Zalamea, MD, assistant professor of general surgery and director of the Global Surgery Institute, conducts mission work annually with her family foundation, Memphis Mission of Mercy, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit to provide health care to communities in need in the Philippines and other countries. The organization also collaborated with Nova Ukraine and shipped more than 20 tons of donated hospital supplies and equipment to Ukraine.

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The Global Surgery Institute promotes surgical mission work and provides opportunities for global surgical experience, curriculum, and research for residents, students, and faculty and apply education and skills for clinical care worldwide.

• In 2021, the Paul Nemir Professorship and Novick Cardiac Alliance conducted two missions to Libya, one mission to Lebanon, and two missions to Russia.

Approximately 115 patients received operations in Libya, 21 in Russia, and 14 in Lebanon.

•A pproximately seven surgeons, three anesthesiologists, three perfusionists, four scrub nurses, three intensivists and 21 ICU nurses were trained.

•A nnounced the new Paul Nemir, Jr./William Novick Global Surgery Institute Scholarship for Medical Students and the Dr. Ivan Lainez Honduras Scholarship for Residents in Honduras.

LEAP Returns to Empower Future Hopeful Medical Students The Learning and Engagement for Aspiring Physicians (LEAP) program led by Dustin Fulton, EdD, assistant dean in the Office of Admissions, returned in Spring 2023, thanks to generous donor support. This year, the College of Medicine welcomed high school juniors and seniors from Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Tennessee’s largest school district. Participants had the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the field of medicine through engaging experiences, including panel discussions, simulation exercises at the UTHSC Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation and interactions with College of Medicine administrators, faculty, staff, residents, and students.

Annual Cataract-A-Thon Transforms Lives During the sixth-annual Ivan Marais Cataract-A-Thon at the UTHSC Hamilton Eye Institute (HEI) in June, 21 individuals received free cataract surgeries to restore their sight. The event, organized by physicians Brian Fowler, MD, and Emily Taylor Graves, MD, aims to help those who cannot afford the surgery. Since its inception in 2017, the Cataract-A-Thon has benefited more than 120 people. The event is supported by the Mid-South Lions and the HEI Lions Club, with funding from an annual 5K run. Other organizations also provide support. Dr. Graves and Dr. Fowler have been recognized for their work with the American Academy of Ophthalmology Unsung Hero Award and the World Cataract Foundation Freeman Vision Award.

Physician Assistant Program No. 1 in Tennessee The Physician Assistant Program in the College of Medicine is No. 1 in Tennessee and No. 46 in the United States, according to the latest ranking by U.S. News & World Report. The program enjoys full accreditation from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant.

The program, which accepts 30 students per cohort, offers a two-year curriculum to train health care providers who can serve Tennessee communities effectively. It celebrated its 10th white coat ceremony in February.

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Student Leader Recognized by Black Student Association Savannah Bush was honored at the 2023 BSA Awards Ceremony for her outstanding academic achievement and community service. She served on the Wellness Committee, aids impaired medical students, and is involved in the Diversity Coalition. She helps select speakers for the Inspire Series, which features renowned physicians sharing their passion for medicine. A Knoxville native, Savannah received a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She will complete her residency at the University of Colorado Denver for Child Neurology.

Frayser Urban Community Garden Blossoming in Food Desert The Frayser Urban Community Garden, an effort of the UTHSC College of Medicine’s Office of Community Health Engagement, has made significant strides in fulfilling its mission of providing healthy food options in a food desert. Recent updates include new signage, free garden classes, a new fence to decrease blight and crime, and a three-bin compost station. Volunteers have also repurposed donated tires for artistic installations and have plans for a sensory garden. Exciting plans include a raised bed learning garden, a walking path, meditation area, and community events stage. The Frayser Urban Community Garden has become a vibrant hub for the Frayser community.

CoM-Chattanooga Making a Difference with Future Docs Program Students at the College of Medicine in Chattanooga serve as valuable members of the Future Docs (30 annually) and Medical Explorations (12 annually) programs. These programs, sponsored collaboratively by the college and the Chattanooga Hamilton Medical Society, offer high school seniors, graduates, and undergraduates the opportunity to observe physicians and other health care professionals, getting an up-close look at medicine. Medical and PA students share their own experiences with the participants and provide coaching and mentoring.

National Football League Honors UTHSC Alum Valerie Sams, MD an alumna of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, Knoxville, was honored by the National Football League for her role in saving Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Dr. Sams, a trauma surgeon in the U.S. Air Force and director of the Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills (C-STARS) program at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, responded to an emergency when Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a game. She coordinated with the medical team to get him admitted to the hospital, and he made a full recovery. The NFL recognized Dr. Sams and other clinicians for their exceptional care.

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UTHSC Health Hub Holds Community Health Fair The UTHSC Health Hub sponsored a free Health Fair at the Greenlaw Community Center in February to offer essential health services and education to the community. Attendees had access to various health screenings like blood sugar and BMI assessments, with the option of receiving doctor referrals. Additionally, informative classes on healthy lifestyle and sleep for children were provided, along with the opportunity to have questions answered

by UTHSC medical professionals and health coaches. The Health Fair featured 14 vendors, including SNAP and the Department of Health, who offered information about other free community services.

Center for Youth Advocacy and Well-Being Hosts Trauma Summit The Center for Youth Advocacy and Well-Being, under the leadership of Altha Stewart, MD, associate dean of Community Health Engagement in the College of Medicine, hosted a Trauma Summit in observance of Children’s Mental Health Acceptance Week. The summit featured various events related to children’s mental health, including panel discussions, mental health resource fairs, and wellness fairs. The National Federation of Families began acceptance week to promote acceptance and combat discrimination in youth mental health.

The summit included a panel discussion on a trauma-informed mental health approach to addressing youth violence, with keynote speaker Rwenshaun Miller, a mental health advocate.

Additionally, there was a roundtable discussion and dinner specifically for males aged 10-21 years old.

Congratulations to our Outstanding Alumni!

Richard Dew, MD ‘65 2023 Outstanding Alumnus Award Winner Richard Dew, MD, started his medical career at the College of Medicine in July 1962. He excelled academically, graduating first in his class in September 1965. After completing a year of internship in then-City of Memphis Hospital and serving as a medical officer in the U.S. Navy, including a tour of duty in Vietnam, he pursued his interest in family medicine through a residency at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas. He became a charter member of the American Board of Family Practice in 1970 and scored in the 96th percentile on the board exam. He established hospitalist programs at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Covenant Loudon Hospital in Lenoir City, Tennessee.

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Dew has been involved in teaching medical students and nurse practitioner students, as well as serving as a guest lecturer for medical schools. He is also actively involved in The Compassionate Friends, an international support group for families who have experienced the death of a child. Dr. Dew has authored five books, including “Medicine with a Human Touch, Putting Patients First” and “Rachel’s Cry.” Now in his 80s, he continues to be a shining example of a graduate of the College of Medicine.

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Catherine Robilio Womack, MD ‘95 2023 Outstanding Alumna Award Winner Catherine Womack, MD, FACP, has been a part of the UTHSC College of Medicine for more than 30 years. After graduating in 1995, she stayed at UTHSC to complete her internal medicine residency. Since becoming a faculty member in 1998, Dr. Womack has served in many roles in the College of Medicine. Currently the associate dean for Student Affairs and Admissions, she has also held the titles of associate professor, co-division chief for General Internal Medicine, associate program director for medicine residency, and interim chair of Preventive Medicine.

In addition to her role as associate dean, Dr. Womack continues to teach and serve her patients in her UT Baptist Medical Group outpatient clinic. Her recognition as a Top Doctor and an Exceptional Woman in Medicine annually since 2016 and 2019, respectively, further solidify her position as a leader in clinical medicine.

At the state and local level, Dr. Womack is serving a four-year term as the Tennessee governor on the American College of Physicians (ACP) Board of Governors, and she is an ACP Laureate Award recipient. She is also vice chair of the Memphis MetroCare Board and vice president of the Memphis Medical Society Board. At the national level, Dr. Womack has served on the Careers in Medicine Advisory Committee and the group on student affairs committee for the Association of American Medical Colleges. She was selected for induction into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and last year was awarded the American Medical Women’s Association INSPIRE Award.

Dr. Womack’s research endeavors have also been instrumental in shaping health care guidelines. Her work as a co-investigator of the SPRINT clinical trial for blood pressure control and principal investigator of the ASPREE trial for aspirin use in the elderly directly led to changes in hypertension and aspirin guidelines, respectively. Her 43 peer-reviewed publications and 48 invited seminars underscore her commitment to advancing medical knowledge.

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Nelson Strother 2023 Honorary Alumni Council Member Nelson Strother served the UTHSC College of Medicine for 35 years, beginning in 1985, and he is best known for his thoughtful, straightforward counsel, encouragement and support of thousands of students seeking admission to medical school. Under his leadership, more than 5,000 medical students entered the College of Medicine. Doctors all over the country recall how much it meant to them that Nelson knew their name the day they came to interview, each time they met him on campus, and then, no matter how difficult the name to pronounce, his confident baritone calling them to the stage to receive their diplomas on graduation day.

Strother served and worked with the Admissions Committee, student orientation, the White Coat Ceremony, and Parents Appreciation Day. Additionally, he served for five years in the UTHSC central Admissions Office before returning to the College of Medicine, where he continued to pursue his passion for excellence alongside the Admissions Committee in advising and selecting the best of the best students to pursue a career in medicine at UTHSC. Prior to joining the UTHSC College of Medicine, Strother worked to empower the next generation of students at the Methodist School of Nursing and Girls, Inc. It was at Girls, Inc., that he ensured hundreds of disadvantaged high school students and adults enrolling in post-secondary educational programs had the necessary tools and financial aid to achieve their goals.

A native of Charlottesville, Virginia, Strother attended East Carolina University on a football scholarship, where he was a three-year letterman and graduated with a double major in philosophy and psychology. He earned his MA in philosophy at the University of Memphis, where he also taught as an adjunct professor.

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NEW LEADERSHIP Robert Craft, MD, Named Dean of the College of Medicine in Knoxville Robert M. Craft, MD, a native of East Tennessee and an alumnus of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, has been named dean of the UTHSC College of Medicine in Knoxville.

Dean Craft has served since October 2022 as the interim dean of the College of Medicine in Knoxville and the senior vice president and chief academic officer for the University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC), one of UTHSC’s key partner teaching hospitals.

Dean Craft completed his residency at UTMC in 1993 and joined the faculty of the College of Medicine in Knoxville in 1994 as an assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, after a fellowship in neuroanesthesiology at the Mayo Clinic.

He was promoted to professor and also served as the department’s vice chair, residency program director, and chair. A native of Kingsport, he grew up in Memphis, and is also a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“I’m very committed to this campus, UTHSC, and the UT System as a whole,” Dean Craft said. “I’ve been a faculty member at the University of Tennessee Medical Center for 29 years and I spent a year in medical school, as well as four years of residency here, so that adds up to more than half my life.”

Dean Craft said he will focus on growing the College of Medicine in Knoxville to help meet the shortage of physicians predicted for Tennessee. “Growth is the bottom line in order to ensure physician-led care for our region,” he said. This would include expansion of the Graduate Medical Education programs that direct residencies and fellowships, as well as expansion of educational opportunities for medical students. He also aims to increase the research enterprise on the campus, which is integral to the education missions.

A. Brian Wilcox, MD, Tapped to Lead College of Medicine in Nashville A. Brian Wilcox, Jr., MD, an alumnus of the UTHSC College of Medicine, has been named associate dean of Clinical Affairs and Graduate Medical Education for the College of Medicine in Nashville.

Dr. Wilcox is an accomplished clinician and health care leader in Middle Tennessee.

He has worked with Ascension Saint Thomas for nearly 30 years in roles including chief physician executive of the Cardiovascular Service Line; chair and lead surgeon of Heart, Lung, and Vascular Surgery; chief of staff of Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown; and founding medical director of the Ascension Saint Thomas Craig Wound Care Center.

A 1986 graduate of the UTHSC College of Medicine, Dr. Wilcox is eager to continue to nurture and grow the great partnership between the college and Ascension Saint Thomas. “I’ve been a part of the graduate medical education processes here in Nashville for years, but this new role offers me the ability to reconnect to my roots more directly,” he said.

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2023 CoM Alumni Awards Dinner

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM OUR STUDENTS AND TRAINEES

Perri Johnson, MS

Lincoln Mitchell

Biomedical engineering graduate research assistant in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering in the College of Medicine

Second-year medical student and Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army

“ I am pushed outside of my comfort zone every day, and although it can be challenging, I enjoy it, and it forces me to grow. I think this is where God wants me, and as long as I can do something that gives him glory, that’s all that matters.”

“ While we all come from different backgrounds, colleges, and even military branches, we share a common goal having answered the call to provide the best health care possible to our nation’s warriors, the men and women selflessly willing to give it all in service to this nation. That is an honor and a privilege we have decided to uphold, and wherever they are called across the globe to defend freedom, so are we.”

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Okeoghene Ogaga

Corinne Gibson

Fourth-year medical student speaking about Project STAR (Student Achievement and Retention) mentoring program

Fourth-year medical student and student representative on the UTHSC Advisory Board

“ Between my mentor, as well as the leadership of the Bluff City Medical Society, they have given me a good base of individuals I can talk to on a variety of things. They have given me a good support system of how to navigate certain things that come up, not just academics, but everyday life, too.”

“ I want to make the campus better, not just for me and my class, but also for the students that are going to come after us. Knowing that I helped implement a policy or a change, or maybe helped interview someone who’s going to impact students for 5, 10, 15 years, that’s just something that’s meaningful for me.”

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WORDS OF WISDOM

FROM OUR STUDENTS AND TRAINEES (CONT.)

Jon Pat Ransom

Hayley Ward

Third-year medical student

Fourth-year medical student

“UTHSC has really set me up for success. As I have gone through my second year, going into my clinical rotations, everything has been amazing. I am really thankful and looking forward to all of the opportunities that UTHSC has given me and set me up for.”

“Learning medicine as part of a team has been so impactful on my medical education. Having the opportunity to learn from attendings, residents, and other students is one of the best parts of UTHSC CoM!”

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Why Make an Annual Gift to UTHSC?

Donating to UTHSC every year helps us provide scholarships, laboratory equipment, travel grants, community outreach initiatives, and many other benefits that would not be available using state or tuition-provided dollars alone!

Thank you for being a partner with our campus, our colleges, and our programs.

Your gift in any amount will make a difference.

Donate $100 or more and become a member of our 1911 Society!

For details, go to giving.uthsc.edu/1911.

Make your gift today! giving.uthsc.edu/give | 901.448.5516

2023 Match Day

BY THE NUMBERS 162 students matched 35% matched in Tennessee 29% matched into UTHSC residency programs 44% matched into primary care 23% matched into surgery 33% matched into non-primary care MATCH DAY 2023 FULL OF ANTICIPATION, JOY On March 17, the College of Medicine on the Memphis campus was full of anticipation and nerves, as medical students gathered with their families to learn of their future during Match Day 2023. Excited screams and tears of joy reverberated throughout the Mooney Building Library and the Nash Building Annex, as the fourth-year students opened the envelopes that revealed where they would continue their medical training.

In a room decorated for St. Patrick’s Day, students stood with their families and friends in anticipation. Raven Okechuku-Wachuku nervously watched the clock. “It was so nerve-wracking. I had the longest week of my life,” she said, seconds before learning she had matched into the psychiatry program at the University of Arkansas.

The Class of 2023 had 162 successful placements in residency positions, with 44% going into primary care, 23% into surgery, and 33% into non-primary care specialties.

Emily Grimes, who matched at Baylor College of Medicine in pediatrics, had been waiting for this moment for four

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years. “It can’t be lost how hard we have worked to get here and how much support we have in this room from our family and friends, as well as the faculty at the College of Medicine,” she said.

Across the country on the third Friday of March each year, future doctors look forward to the tradition of Match Day. The National Resident Matching Program determined where students would be matched based on a monthslong process of applications, interviews, and ranking of their preferred programs. Nearly 43,000 students matched nationwide this year.

Of the students who matched this year, 35% will remain in Tennessee and 29% will remain at UTHSC to complete their residency training. Theresa Dinh, who matched into UTHSC’s surgery residency program, was delighted to stay close to home. “It’s only fitting that we end this journey four years after we started it with our white coat ceremony, celebrating each other and our successes, our accomplishments, and our goal to be the next leaders in health care in Tennessee,” she said.

Match Day festivities on the Chattanooga campus had a fun twist. The five students’ match letters were hidden inside piñatas hung from IV poles. Each student used an instrument of their choice to break open their piñata and find their results.

In Knoxville, seven students and their families celebrated Match Day at downtown’s Maple Hall. Two students matched into UTHSC’s Graduate School of Medicine, with others matching into top programs nationwide, including Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The students heard words of encouragement from Robert Craft, MD, dean of the College of Medicine in Knoxville, and Paige Johnson, MD, assistant dean for Undergraduate Medical Education.

Congratulations Class of 2023!

A Legacy Continues: UTHSC College of Medicine Celebrates the Class of 2023 The College of Medicine proudly graduated 166 new doctors during the May 2023 commencement ceremony.

The event was a momentous occasion for the graduates and their families, symbolizing the culmination of years of diligence, dedication, and resilience.

The keynote address, presented by Jeff Warren, MD, a Memphis City Council member and family medicine physician, set the tone for the celebration. His words inspired the newly minted doctors to embark on their professional journeys with passion, purpose, and a commitment to making a difference in their communities.

This year’s commencement held special significance for more than a dozen graduates and their families. For the first time, the college allowed alumni to hood their relatives during the ceremony, giving intergenerational legacies the opportunity to shine brightly. Seventeen individuals were honored with legacy hoods from their grandparents, parents, or siblings, who once proudly stood in their place. Each hood represents a proud lineage of healing and compassion.

Among those graduates was Lane Brandt, MD, whose mother, Dawn Huff, MD, lovingly hooded her. Dr. Huff, an esteemed pediatrician in East Tennessee and a 1986 graduate of the College of Medicine, shared her excitement over witnessing her daughter’s achievement.

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“I’m so proud that you wanted to stay in Memphis for medical school and am excited that you found UTHSC to be the same encouraging and supportive school that I did,” Dr. Huff told her daughter. “We both made lifelong friendships and feel like we were given a strong academic foundation.”

Dr. Brandt expressed her appreciation for her mother’s presence on this meaningful occasion. She acknowledged the incredible legacy her mother had built, not only through education, but also through compassion and kindness toward every patient she encountered. “I am so thankful that my mom got to be in this huge life moment with me,” she said. “She has created a wonderful legacy for me to walk into.”

The ceremony also included an inspiring speech by Randy Boyd, president of the University of Tennessee System.

President Boyd urged graduates to recognize and express their gratitude to those who supported them throughout their educational journey.

As the class of 2023 embarked on their professional paths, they carried with them the knowledge, skills, and values instilled by the UTHSC College of Medicine.

The future looks bright as these doctors, armed with compassion and dedication to excellence, fulfill their roles as healers and leaders in their respective fields.

College of Medicine Class of 2023 Graduates Oluwaseyi Adeleye Dylan Wrinn Bravo Alexander Garrett Jeffrey Allen Johan Anantharaj Catherine Anderson-Quinones Jesse Roger Armstrong Johni Brooke Armstrong Elizabeth Jordan Austin Michael Barats Sarah Evelyn Baxley Aram Bejnood Ian Craig Bennie Jessica Lynn Bertram Andrew Thomas Bihl Caleb Patrick Blackburn Timothy Scott Blackwell Charles Thurber Blue Alexander Freeman Bowers Nicole Bracewell Bobby Deshaun Bradley Josiah Philip Brandt Lane Beatrice Brandt Amanda Lund Brown Michala Nicole Burges Robert Ethan Burks Anna Hendrix Burroughs Savannah L. Bush Walker Briles Bussey-Spencer Nalan Ross Callonas

Randy Scott Carpenter Christopher Daniel Castelow Tracy Cherian Christopher John Cieker Phillip Thurman Crawford Elizabeth Walton Crowder Nicholaus Alonso-Yague Cummins Tina Hong Dao Anwesh Dash Andrew Manuel De Jesus John Joseph Delaney Melissa Rose Delaney David Nathaniel Demaio Anna Margaret Denson Theresa Tuong-Vy Dinh Ruth Catherine Dunn Jackson Baker Eber Rachel Elizabeth Edge (Fowler) Elizabeth Laudelina Eshun Jihan Majed Esmail Evan Andrew Fenyves Mason Vincent Forchetti Donald Lee Gaines Lee P Gore Aaron William Grayson Benjamin Cory Greenberg Emily Kathryn Grimes Jennie Ann Hamilton John Baker Hammond

Christopher James Harper Dilovan Aso Hawrami Laura Whitfield Hayes Edward James Hughes Michael Jalfon Kathryn Elizabeth Jordan Arati Joshi Layla Eyad Jubrial-Jaber William Elbert King Neethu Mary Kurien Walker Saucier Laird Gene Gerard Lamanilao Damon Izaac Lawson Olivia Katherine Lawson Steven Jay Laxton Kevin Lee Connor Breen Lenihan Corey Lin Sonja Lipman John Grant Little Justin Allen Liu Kelly Liu Tiffany Taylor Loo Tarun Mallipeddi Pranay Reddy Manda Lynley Tilden Matthews Grace Elizabeth McCarthy Peyton Miles Lindsey Erin Miller

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James Burkhalter Mitchum Christopher Montes-Sabino Jacob Connard Mullins Meryl Julia Musicante Andrea Alejandra Natera Chad Nieri Courtney Nicole O’Connor Herman Howard Odens Jasmine Morenike Ogundipe Monica Taiwo Ogunsusi Raven Okechuku-Wachuku Nicole Sanford O’Malley Chad Owens Emily Ann Pabst Anthony Mack Padgett Sara Parker Akash B Patel Robert William Pedersen Madison Caroline Perchik Aaron Michael Perry Sarah Grace Lebovitz Perry Anita Pershad Sophie Adele Pilkinton Robert Reed Pitts Joshua Vaughn Porter

Gary Price Caroline Anne Rader Thomas Isaac Raines Niyati Rangnekar Roshan G. Rao Mei Ray Jordan S Ritchie Tucker J Roof Brent Lee Russell Michelle Rai Santoso Aditya Sathe Brent Vincent Scheckel Elizabeth Faricy Schneider Rachel Anne Schultz Lara Catherine Scott Kenyi Segura Claire Anne Sentilles Aditya Shah Aidan Marie Shea Hamid Ali Khan Shirwany Sarah Katherine Shore Christian Taylor Sidebottom Abhishek Singh Rishika Singh Vidushi Sinha

Allison Stokes Austin James Sturdivant Andrew James Swehla Templeton, David Mikell Thomas, Jonathan Christian Natasha Tillett Sarada Maury Kolli Tilton Maryo Ashraf Toma Mariaelena Dominga Uceda Nathanael Kenneth VanKampen Madelyn Mackenzie Vincent Caroline Elisabeth Wade Lauren Elizabeth Wade Charles D Waldroff Janet Gaoyijia Wang Jacob Brian Whitman Darren Savage Will Patrick Joshua Williamson Andrew Patton Wofford Megan Elizabeth Woods Rachel Woods Samantha R Wray Andrew James Yoches Kirsten Lee Young Alison Xinjue Zhong

Leave Your Legacy Have you thought about the legacy you will leave behind?

With a Planned Gift, you can: • Simplify your estate for your family • Reduce the tax burden applied to your assets • Benefit causes you hold dear

The UTHSC Legacy Society The Legacy Society was inspired by the dedication and generosity of the late Dr. Hershel “Pat” Wall, former chancellor and dean of the College of Medicine at UT Health Science Center, special assistant to the UT System President, and instructor in pediatrics.

For more information about planned gifts to UTHSC and Legacy Society membership, contact Bethany Goolsby at 901.448.5516 or estateplans@uthsc.edu.

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We Are Grateful to Our Legacy Society Members!

Estate of Hermon T. Abernathy Estate of Reba Absher Mr. and Mrs. Michael Acevedo Dr. and Mrs. Danny Adkins Estate of Anita O. Agnew Dr. and Mrs. A. Julian Ahler Estate of Nina Rice Albright Estate of Emerson A. Alburty Estate of Mr. and Mrs. John S. Allen Estate of William W. Allen Dr. Jack B. Alperin and Ms. Lynn Manaster Dr. and Mrs. Rex A. Amonette Dr. and Mrs. Coleman Lee Arnold Dr. and Mrs. Larry T. Arnold Estate of Dr. E.R. and Anna Kathryn Atkinson Dr. Nancy J. Auer Estate of Dr. Troy P. Bagwell Estate of Mrs. Carolyn B. Bailey Estate of John W. Bailey Estate of Leon T. Banakas Drs. Freddie T. and Marji Barron Drs. Randall V. and Jo Ann F. Bass Estate of Mildred P. Bassett Estate of Joe D. Beals, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Peter T. Beaudette Dr. and Mrs. W. Richard Beaver Estate of Patricia Becker Estate of Cynthia Ann Beer Estate of Abraham P. Behrman Estate of Herman Bensdorf II Estate of Dorothy Swan Benson Dr. Gerald and Mrs. Allison Berkowitz Estate of Calvin Bishop Estate of James M. Blake Estate of Glenn Johnson Blassingame Estate of Edward H. Bloch Estate of Edward J. Boling Estate of William Webster Bond Estate of William and Kathryn S. Bowld Estate of Bettie Lane Barnhill Bragg Dr. and Mrs. William A. Bridgforth, Jr. Estate of Vera Brown Estate of Mertie W. Buckman Estate of William L. Bullen Estate of Chloe M. Burch Estate of Ephraim E. Camp Dr. and Mrs. Donald C. Chase Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth W. Christenberry, Jr. Estate of Jane Alvis Clarke Dr. and Mrs. Joel B. Clements Estate of Emma Cleveland

Estate of Dr. William B. Clotworthy, Jr. Estate of Edwin W. Cocke, Jr. Estate of David D. Coleman Estate of George D. Conger Estate of Dr. and Mrs. E.D. Connell Dr. and Mrs. James Martin Cooper Estate of Dr. George A. Coors Estate of D. Richard Coriale Estate of Dr. Lewis T. Corum Mrs. Ruth C. Coughlin Estate of Mrs. Shirley Covington Dr. and Mrs. James T. Craig, Jr. Estate of Mrs. Lynne Craver Dr. and Mrs. Alvin H. Crawford Estate of Lloyd Vernon Crawford Ms. Betsey Beeler Creekmore Dr. and Mrs. Jerrall P. Crook, Jr. Estate of Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence B. Crowson, Jr. Estate of Ruth B. Crumley Dr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Currey Dr. and Mrs. Shannon R. Curtis Estate of Peggy Murphy Dawson Estate of Mr. and Mrs. Mack Day Estate of Ella Ingram Deere Estate of Dr. Francis L. DeGeorge Estate of Emilie Dehellebranth Dr. Robert G. Demos* and Mrs. Jean Case Demos Estate of Lemuel W. Diggs Estate of E. H. and G. D. Doggett Estate of James. H. Donnell Estate of Reeva E. Donoghue Dr. Sabra F. Drake Estate of Mary P. Dudney Estate of Charles Eastridge Estate of Tom and Kathleen Elam Estate of Jacob Epstein Estate of J. W. Erwin Estate of James Etteldorf Dr. George E. and Mrs. Jane Hardy Fant Drs. James R. and Glenda McCartney Feild Dr. Howard C. Filston and Mrs. Sandra K. Stoutt Estate of Harley Flannigan Dr. and Mrs. James Christian Fleming Estate of Julian G. Fleming Mr. and Mrs. Edwin A. Fox, Jr. Estate of Dr. Harold H. Fry, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Jeff L. Fuqua Estate of Drs. Ted Galyon and Virginia Galyon Estate of Laurence B. Gardiner Estate of Daniel and Dorothy K. Gerwin Goldsmith Foundation, Inc.

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Estate of Ruth R. Goltman Estate of C.M. Gooch Estate of Marion H. Gore Dr. and Mrs. James A. Greene Dr. Mike Greer and Mrs. Vallerie Hixson Greer Dr. J. Carol Grigg and Mrs. Madeline Hope Berman Drs. Gary A. and Ann McGuire Grooms Estate of Gene A. Guinn Estate of Lois S. Haas Mr. Christopher A. and Mrs. Watson B. Hall Dr. and Mrs. John E. Hamilton Dr. Ralph S. Hamilton* and Mrs. Barbara H. Hamilton Dr. Herman L. Hampton, Jr.* and Mrs. Donna Hampton Drs. Wahid T. and Samia Hanna Estate of George W. Hansberry Estate of Martha Hardiman Estate of Harold P. Hargreaves Dr. James H. Harris, Sr., and Mrs. Judy Harris* Dr. and Mrs. John S. Harris Estate of Jessie H. and Julian Harrison Dr. and Mrs. Don C. Harting Estate of Dr. Frederick H. and Louise Rice Hartwig Estate of Dr. Fred E. Hatch, Jr. Drs. Anne G. and William R. Hayes Estate of Dr. Roger L. and Nancy Hiatt Dr. and Mrs. Bobby C. Higgs Dr. and Mrs. David Edwin Hill Estate of C. Thomas Hill, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. George Alan Hill Dr. Leonard H. Hines and Mrs. Nancye E. Hines* Dr. and Mrs. J. Parks Hitch, Jr. Estate of Dr. Perry J. Hockaday Dr. and Mrs. John “Mac” Hodges Dr. John H. Hooker* and Mrs. Marlene Hooker Estate of R. James Hooper Estate of Virginia M. Hord Estate of George M. Houston Estate of John H. How Estate of Carol L. Huff Estate of Helen Humphreys Mr. and Mrs. Weldon R. Humphries Mr. Steven L. Hurdle and Ms. Debbie L. Fulton Estate of Gertrude Hurlbut Dr. and Mrs. David M. Hurst Drs. Kim Tin Huynh and Minh Quang Thai Estate of Margaret Hyde Estate of Orren W. Hyman, Jr. Estate of Thomas Marion Jackson Estate of Fannie Lou Jamison Estate of Rona Jefferson Estate of Dr. Elizabeth Johnston Estate of Dorothy Cottier Jones

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Estate of Evelyn V. and Olin C. Julian Mrs. Sue H. Kaplan Estate of Dr. Edward A. Karl Estate of Dr. James A. Kaufmann Dr. and Mrs. Larry C. Kilgore Dr. and Mrs. Frederick A. Klein Dr. and Mrs. William Jay Klopstock Estate of Dr. and Mrs. Charles Kossmann Estate of Patricia Franke Kouns Estate of Dr. Ralph Kustoff Dr. and Mrs. Roger S. Labonte Estate of Fred and Angeline J. Lambert Estate of Martha C. Lansing Estate of Joanna Morris Larson Estate of Elizabeth M. Latimer Dr. and Mrs. James Douglas Link Dr. and Mrs. Melvin Litch, Jr. Estate of Alberta Longmire Estate of Walter Lorenz Estate of Cynthia Lott Dr. and Mrs. W. Allen Loy Estate of Dr. John R. Maddox, Jr. Estate of Mr. and Mrs. George Malloy Estate of Mrs. Evelyn G. Malloy Estate of Sylvia Marks Dr. and Mrs. Wayne Marley Estate of William P. Maury, Jr. Estate of Mary Garnette O. Mayberry Mr. Thomas H. McCarley III and Ms. M.D. Moretz Dr. and Mrs. John W. McCravey Drs. Martha A. McCravey and Alan B. Wood Mr. Gustaf R. McIlhenny Dr. and Mrs. William R. McKissick Dr. David A. McMillan Estate of Edward D. Mitchell, Jr. Estate of Joseph N. Mitchell Dr. Billy G. Mitchell* and Mrs. Juanita Mitchell Estate of F. June Montgomery Estate of Charles S. and Lucille H. Moon Honorable Kenneth L. and Mrs. Linda Moore Estate of Henry Moskowitz Estate of Dr. Maurice Moskowitz Estate of Morrie A. Moss Estate of Grace E. Moulder Estate of Sam D. Mount Dr. John P. Nash* and Mrs. Barbara Nash Dr. Charles R. Nelms, Jr.* and Mrs. Gretchen Goerdel Nelms Dr. George L. Nelson Dr. and Mrs. Henry S. Nelson, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Khuong Van Nguyen Estate of Jane L. Nuckolls Dr. Lester Carol Nunnally* and Mrs. Jeanne Nunnally

Estate of Elihu I. Orleans Dr. and Mrs. John G. Paty, Jr. Estate of William T. F. Paul Estate of Louis G. Pawelek Estate of F. Homer Payne Estate of Iris Annette Pearce Estate of Dr. Randall E. Pedigo Ms. Jolanda M. Penczner Estate of Tillie Wilson Perry Drs. John P. Phillips* and June Helen Dunbar Estate of Marie E. Phillips Ms. Zona Hill Phillips Dr. Benjamin F. Pike* and Mrs. Linda P. Pike Estate of Arthur R. Porter Dr. and Mrs. Bill Scott Portis Estate of Joseph O. Priestley Estate of Viola W. Quigley Estate of W. Gerald Rainer Estate of Ann S. Keith Rea Estate of R. G. Reaves, Jr. Estate of Della Faye Reichert Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Richardson, Jr. Dr. Donald C. Riley Mrs. Jean Rothwell Mr. Michael D. Rothwell Dr. James D. and Mrs. Patricia C. Rucker Dr. and Mrs. Jack A. Rule Estate of Dr. and Mrs. John W. Runyan, Jr. Dr. Robert L. Sain Mr. Robert F. and Mrs. Diana C. Samples Dr. Harvey S. Sanders Estate of Dr. Sam H. Sanders, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Stephen F. Santi Dr. Marshall Sashkin and Mrs. Molly Goltman Sashkin* Estate of Dr. Phil C. Schreier Estate of Dr. Thomas E. Scott, Jr. Estate of P. K. Seidman Estate of Dr. Joseph S. Shavin Dr. William A. and Mrs. Catherine Clark Shell Estate of Dr. and Mrs. Leroy Sherrill Estate of Mary E. Skinner Dr. and Mrs. Bruce C. Smith Dr. Michael J. Smith Estate of Norma Mary Smith Dr. William B. Smith and Ms. Nyda S. Brook Estate of William Todd Smith, Jr. Estate of Ben M. Spears Estate of Everett Speer Mrs. Mary Bishop Spengler Dr. John R. Staley, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Bruce William Steinhauer Estate of Dr. William A. Stem

Estate of Sharon Stewart Dr. Lloyd J. Story* and Mrs. Ranny L. Story Estate of Warda Stout Dr. and Mrs. Timothy A. Strait Dr. and Mrs. Gary D. Strasberg Estate of Dr. Henry T. Stratton Estate of Florence Striegel Dr. Hiram M. Sturm and Mrs. Ruth Sturm* Estate of Dr. and Mrs. Audrey W. Talley Estate of Dr. Nancy Lynne Taylor James Tharp Trust Dr. Michael C. Thomas Dr. Carolyn Crump Thompson Estate of R. Bernard Thompson Dr. Audrey W. Tuberville Estate of Mary Wade Vinsant Estate of A. H. Voss Estate of Dr. Parks Walker Dr. Hershel P. Wall* and Mrs. Jean Wall Dr. John M. Wallace Estate of Mary Ellen Watkins Dr. and Mrs. Clarence B. Watridge Estate of Dorothy C. West Dr. and Mrs. James E. West Estate of Stanley R. White Estate of Robert B. Whittle Estate of Dr. Olin O. Williams Estate of Dr. Harwell Wilson Estate of May D. Wilson Estate of Earl W. Winstead Dr. and Mrs. Frank G. Witherspoon, Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Michael D. Wooten Dr. Robert E. Younger, III Estate of Estelle Zimmerman Estate of Elsie May Zofer *denotes someone who is deceased, but spouse is still living

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