Department of Family and Preventive Medicine News
2024: Volume 7, issue 4
55 Words from the Chair
It’s a cool, cool summer! 🌞 This issue highlights graduations, orientations, presentations, new funding, new post-docs and faculty, Emory Farmworkers Project, CME opportunities, updates from the vice chairs, and more. Hey, this newsletter has it all! Bonus: Check out the number of palliative and family medicine graduates who have found a career home at Emory!
Welcome to the Department
of Family and Preventive Medicine!
Dr. Eunice Goetz is a new Assistant Professor in the Emory PA program. She earned a DMS from Butler University in May 2024, an MPH from Johns Hopkins University in 2011, and an MS from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s PA program in 2002. Prior to coming to Emory, she was a didactic faculty member at South College and her clinical experience is in Urology, Interventional Radiology, Urgent Care, and General Surgery. She is passionate about community service and diversity initiatives and served on the Cultural Humility in Item Writing Exam Development board for the Physician Assistant Education Association and continues to serve on the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants' Diversity Committee. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and hiking with her husband and two sons.
Don't Miss Opportunities!
18th Annual Women and Heart Disease Conference August 24
You're invited to join Emory Women's Heart Center for their 18th Annual Emory Women and Heart Disease Conference on Saturday, August 24!
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death among women. Caring for female patients with CVD requires a collaborative, multi-specialty team. Using clinical-based cases, attendees will learn the benefits of comprehensive and coordinated care provided by an expert team of cardiovascular providers.
Target Audience includes Family Practice, General Practice, Internists, Physician Assistants.
Cost:
- Physician: $130.00
- Allied Healthcare Professional: $100.00
- Residents/Fellows/Medical Students: $50.00
Credits Offered:
- AMA PRA Category 1 Credit - 4.75
27th Annual Cardiology Update for the Non-Cardiologist Nov. 8-9
Target Audience includes Family Practice, General Practice, Internists, Physician Assistants,
- Emory Physician: $480.00
- Emory Allied Healthcare: $280.00
- Residents/Fellows/Medical Students: $200.00
Credits Offered:
- ABIM MOC Points - 13.50
- AMA PRA Category 1 Credit - 13.50
News from the Vice Chairs
From Lynn O'Neill, VC of Faculty Development
DFPM Faculty and Staff Annual Awards nominations will open next month so start thinking about nominating yourself or a colleague!
From Dr. Kim Curseen, VC of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Our next DFPM DEI Grand Rounds will be held virtually on Sept. 26 at noon. Dr. Christopher Ervin, Morehouse SOM, will speak on HIV Care for Vulnerable Populations
"Intention to Treat" is a NEJM biweekly podcast exploring the complicated, perplexing, and fascinating issues facing medicine today. "Race-Based Diagnosis" is a new series looking at beliefs about race that make their way into medicine. The first episode investigates how the spirometer, which measures lung capacity, has been used to codify perceived biological differences between White and Black patients.
New in the JEDI Virtual Library:
- Conceptualizing the Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Health Influences of Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Application of Primary Care Behavioral Health for Their Treatment.
- Bringing an end to diabetes stigma and discrimination: an international consensus statement on evidence and recommendations.
- Medicare Advantage and Consolidation’s New Frontier—The Danger of UnitedHealthcare for All.
- State and Local Climate Litigation for Protecting Public Health.
- Transgender noninclusive healthcare and delaying care because of fear: connections to general health and mental health among transgender adults.
Transformative Research
Congratulations to Georgia Gear for
$5M Funding Award!
Congratulations to Dr. Ted Johnson and Dr. Miranda Moore for being awarded $5M over 5 years to fund their HRSA Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) known as Georgia Gear! Grayson Baxter serves as Program Manager and Jason Freiji manages Georgia Gear finances. Stay tuned for news about new partnerships and how DFPM faculty, including Dr. Sara Turbow and Dr. Sarah Dupont, will be involved.
Pictured above, left to right: The Georgia Gear core team: Dr. Dominique Munroe (Clinical research interviewer), Grayson Baxter (Program Manager), Dr. Ted Johnson, Co-Director, Dr. Miranda Moore, Co-Director, and Jason Freiji, Administrator.
Welcome to Rhonda Smith Wright!
Rhonda Smith Wright, PhD, MHSA, RN, is excited to join Emory’s Palliative Medicine Research Team as a Health Services Research Center T32 postdoctoral fellow. Originally from Baltimore, MD, Dr. Wright brings a diverse and accomplished background to Emory School of Medicine, where she is eager to contribute to the ongoing efforts in health services research and palliative care. Her research focuses on health equity with a specific emphasis on examining the associations of neighborhood segregation and context with sickle cell disease pain and healthcare utilization. Her work aims to uncover and address systemic inequities that impact patient care and develop strategies for more equitable health service delivery.
Dr. Wright holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master’s in Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and both a Master of Science in Nursing and a PhD from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. Additionally, she is a licensed Registered Nurse in the state of Maryland.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Dr. Wright is passionate about food, biking, and travel. She is also a Formula One enthusiast, rarely missing a Grand Prix. She is looking forward to collaborating with her new colleagues at Emory, leveraging her background and expertise to advance the mission of the team.
Presentations
Dr. Susana Alfonso (above, left) and Ms. Emilia Grill (above, right) were part of an award-winning poster presentation for Emory Health Equity Day: Education Poster Category along with Sarah Samaranayake, Nicolas Quiroga-Gutierrez, Valentina Larrivey, Arie Szomstein, Maria Elena Cunningham, Hallie Stevens, Mary Cate Walsh. Their poster was titled "Portal de Salud: Interprofessional Education Through a Student-Run Health Screening Clinic."
Dr. Mo Ali (pictured below), Dr. Puneet Chehal (pictured above left), and Dr. Leslie Johnson (pictured above right) presented multiple times at the Annual Research Meeting for AcademyHealth, held in Baltimore June 29-July 2.
- Johnson, L. & Jones, M. Exploring Factors that Keep Adults with Type 1 Diabetes from Seeking Mental Health Treatment.
- Johnson, L., Jones, M., Cooper, H., Chehal, P., Ng, B.P., Alva, M., & Ali, M. Strategies for Addressing Social Determinants of Health within Medicaid Managed Care: A Case Study of Kentucky.
- Chehal P. K., Alexander C., Cunningham S. A., Ali M. K., & Fuse Brown E. How State Governments Purchase Health Insurance for Low-Income Enrollees from Managed Care Organizations: An Introduction to Contracts.
- Chehal P. K., Lu J., Cunningham S. A., Ali M. K., Fuse Brown E. & Alexander C. Analysis of Primary Care Provisions in Medicaid Managed Care Contracts between States and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs): How Does Natural Language Processing Compare to Document Review By Lawyers?
- Chehal P. K., Wang Z., Zuo D., Nielsen J., & Cunningham S. A. Weight Status and Multimorbidity in Early and Later Adulthood in the US.
- Chehal P. K., Haoran T., Johnson L., Litt M. J., Ng B., Alva M. & Ali MK. Tracking Managed Care Organizations Overtime and within States Using in the Center’s Medicare and Medicaid’s Medicaid Enrollment Report Data.
- Chehal P. K., Johnson L., Litt M. J., Cooper H., Ng B., Alva M. & Ali MK. Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) Outreach and Reducing Race Disparities in Diabetes Care in Kentucky’s Medicaid Program.
Dr. Mo Ali also presented at the American Diabetes Association 84th Scientific Meeting (pictured below).
More Research News!
Dr. Sarah Cross (pictured above left) had her research as a PhD student featured in Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy 2024 Impact Report covering the last 5 years. You'll find the story on page 19 of the Sanford School of Public Policy 2024 Impact Report.
New funding for Dr. Sathish Thirunavukkarasu (pictured above right). Dr. Thirunavukkarasu will serve as PI for ‘Translating the Applicability of High-Intensity Interval Training from Type 2 Diabetes to Isolated Impaired Fasting Glucose,’ funded by the Georgia Center for Diabetes Translation Research (GCDTR) Pilot and Feasibility Micro Grant Rapid Funding Mechanism.
Collaborative Publications
Dr. Sarah Cross and Dr. Dio Kavalieratos published Racial differences in palliative care and hospice among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha and Dr Mo Ali published Renal function as an effect modifier of intensive glucose control in delaying cognitive function decline among individuals with type 2 diabetes: A revisit to the ACCORD MIND trial.
Dr. Dominique Munroe and Dr. Miranda Moore published Impact of an Artificial Intelligence-Based Solution on Clinicians' Clinical Documentation Experience: Initial Findings Using Ambient Listening Technology.
Dr. Sara Turbow and Dr. Mo Ali published Where and what separates rural from urban hospital closures?
Dr. Jennifer Mascaro, Erin Brauer, and Dr. Deanna Kaplan published A mixed-method evaluation of implementation determinants for chaplain intervention in a hospital setting.
Individual Publications
Dr. Mo Ali
Dr. Dio Kavalieratos
A Pilot of a Telehealth-Hospice Transition Intervention for Children and Young Adults with Cancer.
Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha
Empathetic Communication in Telemedicine: A Pilot Study.
Dr. Sathish Thirunavukkarasu
'Precision Prevention' is Imperative in the Realm of Diabetes Prevention
Reminder: Emory Media Relations Policy
Are you interested in serving as an expert when journalists have a question about your specialty? If so, please complete this interest form.
Also, as a reminder, all faculty members must notify the WHSC Media Relations Team BEFORE speaking to the media. The WHSC media team helps faculty by vetting publicity opportunities and ensuring that they are worth the faculty member's time—and if they are, the team can schedule and help the faculty prepare for the interview. If not appropriate, they will speak with the media and turn them down on the faculty member's behalf. The team also helps arrange staff interviews, makes sure everyone has given photo consent, if appropriate, and follows up with reporters, as needed. For more information, please review the university's Faculty Handbook's Media Policy.
Educational Investments for our future
Family Medicine Residency Graduation!
Resident Awards
- PGY-1 Resident Award: Nathalie Perez, MD
- PGY-2 Resident Award: Alanna Meadows, DO
- PGY-3 Resident Award: Jungwon Allison Choi, MD
- Scholarly Project Award: Nikhila Gandrakota, MBBS, MPH
- STFM Resident Teaching Award: Tan Van, MD
- Completion of Research Track: Nikhila Gandrakota, MBBS, MPH
- Completion of Hospital Medicine Track: Hannah Lee, MD
Faculty Awards
Amir Antonios, MD: Excellence in Inpatient Teaching
Kim Thompson, MD: Excellence in Outpatient Teaching
What's Next for Emory Family Medicine Residency
Class of 2024 Graduates?
Photos from FMR Graduation!
Palliative Fellowship Graduation
Seven palliative medicine fellows graduated at the completion of their one-year clinical fellowship and will begin their careers practicing palliative medicine. The graduating fellows are pictured here with Drs. O’Neill, Marcewicz, and Flynn, the program leaders.
(from left to right in the above picture)
Dr. Emilee Flynn, Associate Program Director
Dr. Annie Lips, joining the Emory Supportive Care Clinic
Dr. Rebekka DePew, joining the inpatient team at Emory University Hospital
Dr. Deborah Yu, joining the pediatric palliative care team at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago
Dr. Lawson Marcewicz, Associate Program Director
Dr. Chike Leigh, joining the Emory Supportive Care Clinic
Dr. Adugnaw Bekele, joining the palliative care team at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville
Dr. Lauren Lewis, joining the palliative care team at Atrium Health Navicent in Macon
Dr. Meghan Murphy, joining the pediatric oncology team at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth, where she also hopes to develop a supportive oncology clinic
Dr. Lynn O'Neill, Program Director
Division of Palliative Care Annual Awards
Compassionate Caregiver Awards:
The palliative care teams from each clinical site had the opportunity to identify one of their own team members to receive the 2024 Site-Based Compassionate Caregiver Award.
- CHOA: Emilee Flynn
- Emory Decatur Hospital: Robby Palm
- Emory Johns Creek Hospital: Ravi Pathak
- Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital: Laura Brachman
- Emory University Hospital: David Wilkerson
- Emory University Hospital Midtown: Michael Rubinson (not pictured)
Awards for Distinguished Service, Education, and Scholarship:
The following individuals were honored for their contributions to the field of palliative care at Emory and across the region and nation.
Distinguished Service Award: Ashima Lal (pictured above, left)
Distinguished Educator Award: David Wilkerson (pictured above, right)
Awards presented by the graduating fellows to Faculty:
The following individuals were celebrated for their excellence in teaching our fellows in the clinical and classroom settings:
Clinical Teaching Excellence:
David Wilkerson (pictured above, left)
Didactic Teaching Excellence: Janelle Williams Holder (pictured above, right)
Organizing the Division of Palliative Medicine graduation and awards ceremony were members of the Division staff, including Toni Taylor (pictured above, center), program coordinator for the fellowship, Kyra Ayala (pictured above, right), senior program coordinator for education and research, and Charlene Ramos, administrative assistant for the Palliative Care Center (not pictured). They are pictured here with Dr. Lynn O'Neill (pictured above, left), Associate Director of the Palliative Care Center and Fellowship Program Director.
Welcome Family Medicine Residency Class of 2027!
Pictured above, left to right, in front of the Dunwoody Family Medicine Clinic: Dr. Eduard Rosales, Dr. Muhammed Al Jabi, Dr. Harris Daniels, Dr. Shant Ohanian, Dr. Preethi Atluri, Dr. Monica Bell, Dr. Nneanata Echetebu, Dr. Justin Cho, Dr. Hemani Patel, and Dr. Ashleigh Chiedo.
Pictured below, left to right, in front of Grady: Dr. Eduard Rosales, Dr. Ashleigh Chiedo, Dr. Nneanata Echetebu, Dr. Justin Cho, Dr. Preethi Atluri, Dr. Shant Ohanian, Dr. Muhammed Al Jabi, Dr. Monica Bell, Dr. Hemani Patel, Dr. Harris Daniels.
Welcome Class of 2025 Hospice & Palliative Fellows!
The Division of Palliative Medicine welcomed a new class of fellows on July 1.
Pictured below: (front row - left to right): Dr. Grace Park, Dr. Min Yi Dong, Dr. Alison Toback, Dr. Olivia Victoriano, and Dr. Tang Nguyen.
(Back row - left to right): Dr. Ken Harang, Dr. Ella Sorscher, and Dr. Ramya Yeleti
The Family Medicine Core Faculty had their first POCUS live training for faculty development. Thanks to Dr. Mirtha Aguilar-Alvarado for coordinating the training!
Service for our future
Emory Farmworkers Project
This May and June, the Emory Farmworker Project returned to South GA to provide free healthcare to 1,520 farmworkers and community members. Over 250 students, preceptors, interpreters, and others travelled from Atlanta to provide care in partnership with local organizations and volunteers. This team came from across the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Public Health, Emory Healthcare, other universities, and community clinics and organizations.
DFPM was in strong attendance as always with students, faculty, and staff from the PA Program and the Family Medicine division, including Dr. Ted Johnson who we were excited to have join us for the very first time (but hopefully not the last)! The combination of our extremely dedicated team, adjusting dates to better align with peak season in Valdosta, and luck with the weather enabled us to increase the number of patients we were able to serve by hundreds compared to the past two years. As always, it was an incredible opportunity for service to the community and interprofessional education and teamwork!
- Emilia Grill, EFP Program Coordinator
