Emory Family & Preventive Medicine Department News
2023: Volume 6, issue 7
55 Words from the Chair
Please join your department colleagues this month for the 2nd Annual Excellence to Eminence in Preventive, Primary, and Palliative Care Lecture series, featuring Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, MHS, from Yale School of Medicine. See below for more details and the registration link. With all these awesome updates and news about the latest research, service, and education, please be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom!
Welcome to the DFPM!
Dr. Amir Antonios has joined the Division of Family Medicine after completing his residency at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center. Dr. Antonios earned his MD at American University of Antigua College of Medicine. He also served as a combat medic in 256th Area Support Medical Company (2010-2016).
Please welcome Yasmine Shakur as Assistant Program Coordinator for DFPM Research! She will support different administrative and programmatic functions for our growing research enterprise. She is working with us on a part-time basis but will temporarily expand her role in September to assist Dr. Leslie Johnson with her GDM project. Ms. Shakur is originally from Orlando, FL and recently graduated from RSPH with her MPH.
While at Rollins, she founded Emory's Disability, Illness, and Divergent Collaborative to support and advocate for those with disabilities achieving higher education. Her passion is improving patient outcomes for minority women with chronic illnesses, autoimmune disease, and disabilities through qualitative research.
Ms. Shakur is proud mother to her cat, Gypsy and proud aunt of her niece, Luna. Outside of her interests in public health, she is an artist and loves being creative. She also enjoys exploring Atlanta and beyond!
Faculty & Staff Achievements
The Emory School of Medicine Faculty Recognitions Week is October 2-6. Congratulations to Dr. Jose Villalon-Gomez (pictured above left) for his promotion to Associate Professor and Dr. James Jo (pictured above, center) and Dr. Thien-Kim Le (pictured above, right) for their Clinical Distinction designation as Senior Physicians.
Dr. Sara Turbow has been nominated for the Department of Medicine "Outstanding Scientific Citation Award" which recognizes researchers who are producing outstanding basic and clinical/ translational (including quality improvement and health services) research publications. Dr. Turbow is the Program Director for the Preventive Medicine Residency and Fellowship Program.
Ms. Toni Taylor is a nominee for the Department of Medicine "Outstanding Newcomer Award" which recognizes a newly-hired staff member for his/her excellent support and exceptional performance during the first year of employment. These nominees have made significant contributions within their work teams, division, the Department, and/or the School of Medicine despite being employed within the Department of Medicine for one year or less. Toni is the program coordinator for both the Palliative Medicine and the Geriatrics Fellowships.
Mr. Jason Freiji is a nominee for the Department of Medicine "Leadership Excellence Award" which recognizes a staff member for his/her exemplary leadership accomplishments and contributions to the Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and Emory University. These nominees have led, served, inspired, and collaborated with broad-ranging impact beyond their regular responsibilities. Jason served as interim DFPM Administrator from October 2022-May 2023 in addition to serving as division administrator for general internal medicine and geriatrics/gerontology.
Dr. Leigh Partington has been promoted to Senior Manager, Marketing for the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. She supports faculty develop and manages internal and external communications for DFPM, the division of General Internal Medicine, and the Primary Care Consortium.
Spotlight on Partnerships
Our department has multiple thriving partnerships, both inside and outside the department.
Pictured above: from left to right, Dr. Roman Palitsky, Dr. Caroline Peacock, Dr. George Grant, and Dr. Deanna Kaplan celebrating successful presentations of the ongoing work of the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality in Denver, Colorado and Chicago, Illinois this summer. (Dr. Ali John Zarrabi was also part of the Denver meeting, but is not pictured).
Dr. Kaplan also has a partnership and affiliation with the recently established Emory ADJUST Center. This partnership has led to Dr. Kaplan's first-authored publication, Wear With Care: A Call for Empirical Investigations of Adverse Outcomes of Consumer Health Wearables.
Pictured above: Dr. Megha Shah and the DREAM ATL and NYC teams at a site visit from their pilot study. Dr. Shah just received NOA on a new RO1 with her partners at NYU entitled: "Scaling Telehealth Models to Improve Co-Morbid Diabetes and Hypertension in Immigrant Populations." Dr. Nadia Islam is the PI and Dr. Shah is the Study Site PI for Atlanta.
FPM Summer Celebration Continues!
It still feels like summer outside, so our celebration of a summer of work-life balance continues. Our DFPM faculty and staff have worked hard this summer, but they have also traveled, relaxed, and enjoyed summer!
Pictured above: Dr. Anne Dunlop enjoying her 2-wheeled commute. Photo credit: Ms. Ursula Robertson, Senior Secretary for the PA Program.
Pictured above: Dr. Sarah Cross hiking part of the Tour de Mont Blanc in the French Alps.
Pictured above: Dr. Tina-Ann Thompson and her family in Greece.
Pictured above: Ms. Jaycie Emery, Clinical Research Coordinator for the Palliative Medicine Research Program, spent time in Italy and France. (upper left: panorama of Florence; lower left: sunset in Nice; right: Jaycie at Lake Como).
Pictured above: Dr. Oguchi Nwosu and family in front of the Torres Glories (bullet building) in Barcelona, Spain.
Pictured above: Georgia Gear Program Coordinator Grayson Gunn got married in Savannah, GA. Congratulations, Grayson and Matt!
Pictured above: Dr. Leigh Partington and her family at New Smyrna Beach, FL.
Transformative Research
Research Partnerships
Chapters in New Diabetes Textbook from Ali and Shah
Springer released its 2nd Edition of The Diabetes Textbook: Clinical Principles, Patient Management and Public Health Issues with chapters on Diabetes Management in the United States and Healthy Lifestyles for the Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes by Dr. Mo Ali and Dr. Megha Shah. Both Dr. Ali and Dr. Shah were quoted in the Emory press release.
Research News
Dr. Miranda Moore has been selected to serve on the Board of Directors as the Chair of the Research Committee for the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine for a 2 year term.
Dr. Jodie Guest received the Kenneth Rothman Career Accomplishment Award presented at the Society for Epidemiologic Research’s annual meeting in Spring 2023. Dr. Guest was recognized for her research in HIV care and COVID-19.
The Society for Epidemiologic Research is the oldest and largest general epidemiology society in North America focused on keeping epidemiologists at the vanguard of scientific developments in the study of chronic diseases, infectious diseases, and mental health.
Recent Presentations
Dr. Leslie Johnson (pictured above: right) and her MINDS intervention research team presented at this summer's Annual SLEEP Conference in Charlotte, NC. The presentation was entitled, "A mindfulness intervention to improve sleep in a diverse sample: results from a pilot feasibility study."
Dr. Dio Kavalieratos (pictured above: center) and Dr. Sarah Cross (pictured above: right) recorded a podcast discussing their recent paper on Public Health and Palliative Care. This edition of the Clinics Review Articles Podcast features discussion on the August 2023 issue of Clinics in Geriatric Medicine on "Palliative Care", guest edited by Dr. Kimberly A. Curseen. Elsevier Clinics Editor Taylor Hayes talks with authors Drs. Sarah H. Cross and Dio Kavalieratos about optimizing care for the population while also considering personal needs. Articles available here.
Faculty publications
Collaborative Faculty Publications
Dr. Sathish Thirunavukkarasu (Preventive Medicine) and Dr. Mo Ali (Family Medicine) published: Effect of Conventional Lifestyle Interventions on Type 2 Diabetes Incidence by Glucose-Defined Prediabetes Phenotype: An Individual-Participant Data Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Family Medicine faculty Dr. Mirtha Aguilar-Alvarado, Dr. Bernadette Baker, and Dr. Megha Shah published Benign Colorectal Disorders.
Faculty Publications
Dr. Mo Ali:
- Behaviour change in the era of biomedical advances.
- Cost-effectiveness of a multicomponent quality improvement care model for diabetes in South Asia: The CARRS randomized clinical trial.
- Multimorbidity clusters and associated health care cost among patients attending psychiatric clinics in Odisha, India.
- National Estimates of the Adult Diabetes Care Continuum in India, 2019-2021.
- Trends and Race/Ethnic Disparities in Diabetes-Related Hospital Use in Medicaid Enrollees: Analyses of Serial Cross-sectional State Data, 2008-2017.
Dr. Jodie Guest:
Dr. Leslie Johnson:
Dr. Ted Johnson:
Dr. Dio Kavalieratos:
Dr. Jennifer Mascaro:
Dr. Tammie Quest:
Dr. Sathish Thirunavukkarasu:
- Precision Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes: An Approach to Revitalize Current Lifestyle Interventions.
- Development of a Modified Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and its Construct Validity among Adults in Kerala, India
- Increased severity of COVID-19 in patients with newly diagnosed diabetes: a public health priority.
- A peer support program results in greater health benefits for peer leaders than other participants: Evidence from the Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program
- Global, regional, and national burden of diabetes from 1990 to 2021, with projections of prevalence to 2050: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.
Educational Investments for our future
Educational News and Events
The Family Medicine Interest Group and Emergency Medicine Group co-hosted a recent event for medical students titled Is There a Doctor on Board? In-Flight Medical Emergencies. Over 35 students attended, Family Medicine resident Dr. Nathalie Perez and Dr. Ryan Smith helped lead simulations, and Dr. Neena Ghose helped organize the event.
Emory Family Medicine faculty Dr. Bernadette Baker and FM Residents Dr. Jungwon "Allison" Choi, Dr. Teresa Colon-Asumu, and Dr. Alanna Meadows recently attended the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) meeting. Dr. Colon-Asumu served as a Resident Delegate from Georgia. Here's what she had to say about her experience: "I am a Resident Alternate Board member for the GAFP with various colleagues around Georgia. This was my first time going to AAFP and also being involved with advocacy, so I had no idea what to expect. There were several required sessions daily including attending both joint and individual Resident/Medical Student congress sessions. We had the opportunity to hear from previous members regarding all the accomplishments and opportunities they had while serving on their position in AAFP. It was truly eye opening to see how involved we can be as residents with policy, ACGME decisions, and much more. I had the opportunity to learn how to write a resolution and to give a testimony regarding a proposed resolution. Then we voted on the adoption of all proposed resolutions and new resident AAFP positions. It was very inspiring to see my fellow colleagues dedicate themselves to serve on these various leadership roles and truly engage in advocating for topics such as resident burnout, DEI initiatives, and IMG acceptance."
Pictured above (left to right): Dr. Jungwon "Allison" Choi, Dr. Bernadette Baker, Dr. Alanna Meadows. Pictured below (left to right): Dr. Jungwon "Allison" Choi, Dr. Bernadette Baker, Dr. Alanna Meadows, and Dr. Teresa Colon-Asumu.
PA Program faculty Ms. Amber Davis (pictured above, left) and Dr. Erin Weinisch (pictured above, right) were presenters at the North Carolina Academy of Physician Assistant's Summer CME Conference the week of August 21. Together they gave a talk called "Take Your Pills: A Provider's Guide to Prescribing Benzodiazepines". Amber gave another presentation titled "Drips, Claps and Crabs: A Review of STI Presentations and Treatments".
Dr. Karla Garcia Ortiz has been named the 2022-2024 LaHouse Scholar for the Emory Family Medicine Residency. Dr. Garcia Ortiz plans to become an active member of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians
and work on scholarly projects impacting the Latino and Hispanic community in Georgia.
Save the Date!
Dr. Paul Williams of "The Curbsiders Podcast" will deliver the William T. Branch Innovations in Primary Care lectureship this year. On October 4, 2023, from 4-6 pm at Wild Heaven Brewery, 1010 White St SW, Atlanta, GA 30310. He will speak on "Social Media and Medicine: Connectivity and Disconnects."
Recommended reading: Dr. Paul DeSandre recommends this article about the reality of CPR vs. public understanding of CPR. The Hidden Harms of CPR | The New Yorker
Recent Preventive Medicine Residency/Fellowship graduate Dr. Siri Chirumamilla was nominated for induction into Delta Omega, an honorary society for public health.
Service for our future
Congratulations to Dr. Rosette Chakkalakal selected to be part of the 2023 Women's Leadership Development program. The program is designed for mid-career women faculty who demonstrate strong potential for assuming executive leadership positions in academic medicine and aims to strengthen the network among women faculty members, develop and enhance leadership and career development skills, and contribute to efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive environment. Meet this year's cohort.
Congratulations to Dr. Janelle Holder selected to be part of the Emory at Grady 2023 Under-Represented in Medicine (URiM) faculty development program. The program, offered in collaboration with the Department of Medicine's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, provides resources, information, and tools important for navigating academic health sciences as a URiM faculty member. Meet this year's cohort.
Dr. Tina-Ann Thompson is the new Steering Committee Chair of Emory Alliance of Women in Medicine and Science Steering Team
Film Screening and Creator Q&A
In collaboration with the Paul W. Seavey Lecture Series and the Office of Medical Education and Student Affairs, the Emory Primary Care Consortium will screen 'The Only Doctor' and have a Creator Q&A on September 24th. Register here.
From IMDb: "Dr. Karen Kinsell is the only doctor in all of Clay County, Georgia, one of the poorest and unhealthiest rural regions in the state. Her clinic has served the most vulnerable in her community for over 22 years, but now faces bankruptcy. Despite not drawing a personal salary to help keep the doors open, Kinsell must now weigh retiring against providing healthcare to her patients. When a Hail Mary offer arrives from [Mercer University], a fully equipped health center is proposed. But Kinsell makes affordability and access her personal red lines of the potential sale. An impending state election and the outbreak of COVID add more uncertainty to the fraught population, reminding Kinsell of how much is riding on the fine print. Straight-talking and downright inspirational, The Only Doctor presents a modern David-versus-Goliath healthcare story that might just restore your faith in humanity."
Emory Farmworker Project Update and Call for Volunteers
Seeing the photos from the summer Emory Farmworker Project is always a highlight of the DFPM year. Below are some great photos from the summer and a call for translation help for the fall program.
The PA Program is currently preparing for the Fall 2023 Emory Farmworker Project which will take place October 20-22nd in Bainbridge, GA. We are looking for people who can join us as interpreters! Interpretation is vital to be able to serve this patient population and is needed in Spanish and Haitian Creole. Please feel free to share with friends and family outside of Emory! Anyone interested in volunteering as an interpreter can email etgrill@emory.edu.
Join the Palliators for the Winship 5K!
After a truly "EPIC" year, the Winship 5K returns on October 7 2023. Join the Emory Palliative Medicine team, The Palliators, and contribute to the great cause of cancer research.
Run/walk in the memory of a loved one or to honor their fight. Even if you don't plan to run/walk, join us on Clifton campus for an exciting morning of food, friendship and fun! This is a wonderful family oriented event so feel free to pass the word to friends and family.
What: Emory Winship 5K. Registration link below. Search for the Palliators and register as a team member. Our fundraising goal is $2000- Let's do it!
When: October 7th 2023 (the absolute best way to spend your Saturday I think! The weather will be crisp and we'll have treats for the team)
Where: McDonough Field on Eagle Row, Clifton campus
News from the FPM DEI Council
SOM Office of Diversity
Committee Call for Nominations
2023-2024
You are invited to express your interest in serving on the following important committees that represent the SOM commitment to inclusion and belonging. You may self-nominate or submit names of others, with their permission. This is an excellent opportunity to become involved in institutional service and the DEI mission.
Please find the call for nomination details and committee descriptions below. If you wish to submit a name for consideration please use the respective online forms below by Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.
If you have any questions please contact Kiara Jackson.
ESOM Implicit Bias Training (IBT) Subcommittee
Open positions: 14 (6 Recruitment, 4 Clinical, 4 Environmental Education)
Term: 1 year – begins October 2023
Eligibility: SOM regular, full-time faculty, staff, and learners.
Duties: Implicit Bias Training is one of the four pillars of the Actionable Education Initiative which aligns with our strategic goal to design and implement an educational portfolio that infuses principles and competencies of equity, cultural humility, antiracism, bias mitigation, and respect for all members of our community. IBT Subcommittee members will serve on one of three working committees - recruitment, clinical education, environmental education - dedicated to create training materials that better assist IBT facilitators in delivering topic specific, up-to-date, and actionable educational content for implementation by the SOM Office of Equity and Inclusion and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
Subcommittee Focus Areas:
Recruitment: learner recruitment; hiring and promotion of faculty & staff; recruitment searches for faculty and staff.
Clinical: patient care; leadership and management; teamwork and interprofessional dynamics (learner/faculty, nurse/resident, etc.)
Educational Environment: teaching, mentoring and learner evaluation.
Submit online nomination: Self-nominate or submit nominations of individuals from your department DEI committees and councils by Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.
ESOM Diversity & Inclusion Week Planning Committee
Event date: May 20-24, 2024
Open positions: 14 (2 co-chairs, 12 committee members)
Term: 1-2 years with option of renewal – beginning October 2023
Eligibility: SOM regular, full-time faculty, staff, and learners.
What is D&I Week: Diversity & Inclusion Week is a collaborative celebration and education initiative across the SOM to explore the broad range of identities and experiences that make up our diverse community as well as showcase the incredible work being done inclusive of our learners, faculty, and staff on topics of DEI. The focus of the week, which is typically the 2nd or 3rd week of May, will be the domains of awareness and education/research, innovation, and discovery and programs.
Co-Chair Duties: Co-chairs will work together to lead the committee in meetings, planning of the week, and other tasks as well as work in conjunction with the Office of Equity and Inclusion to execute the week.
Speaker Development Subcommittee Chair: You will be responsible for leading the efforts in contacting speakers and panelist for the week. Duties include but are not limited to coordinating speaker schedules, sending out speaker invites, logistics planning for the week and other tasks. Please note this is a working committee, which means there will be regular meetings as well as work that will sometimes need to be done outside of the scheduled meeting times.
Cultural Subcommittee Chair: You will be responsible for leading the efforts for the block party and other programming that may arise within the week. Duties include but are not limited to booking food truck vendors, setting up the art gallery, coordinating block party setup, and other tasks. Please note this is a working committee, which means there will be regular meetings as well as work that will sometimes need to be done outside of the scheduled meeting times.
Committee Duties: Planning committee members will assist with planning, selection of speakers, and determining the overall format of the week while also completing other tasks assigned by the co-chairs. Please note this is a working committee, which means there will be regular meetings as well as work that will sometimes need to be done outside of the scheduled meeting times.
Submit online nomination: Self-nominate or submit nominations of individuals by Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.
Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Awards Committee
Projected event date: January 18, 2024
Open positions: 1 (co-chair)
Term: 2 years with the option to extend 1 time – beginning October 2023.
Eligibility: SOM full-time faculty, and staff.
Duties: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Awards Program honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In partnership with the Rollins School of Public Health and the Goizueta Business School, committee members will regularly and actively participate in committee meetings and discussions; express ideas and provide input on event planning and execution, serving on one of three subcommittees - marketing and Promotions, nominations and awards, post-event; participate in Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Awards selection; and ensure visibility and promotion of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Awards program within your school/division. Committee members should anticipate being available an average of 2‐5 hours per month between October and January.
Submit online nomination: Self-nominate or submit nominations of individuals by Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.
20th Anniversary Hamilton E. Holmes Lecture Speaker Selection Committee
Projected event date: Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Open positions: 4
Term: 5 months (October 2023 – February 2024)
Eligibility: SOM students, residents, learners, faculty and staff.
Preference for the ability to suggest and contact potential speakers, and ability to help spread the word/promote the event.
Duties: Since 2004 the Office of the Dean and the Office of Multicultural Affairs for Emory University School of Medicine have annually hosted a lecture in honor of Dr. Hamilton E. Holmes, the first African American to graduate from Emory School of Medicine. The speaker selection committee will meet 3-4 times between October 2023 and December 2023 to identify lecture panelists and moderators, then help to promote attendance through circulating program materials.
Submit online nomination: Self-nominate or submit nominations of individuals by Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.
ESOM Staff Recognitions & Engagement Committee
Open positions: 3
Term: 2 years – starting October 2023
Eligibility: All SOM staff members (must have worked in the SOM for at least two years).
Duties: The Staff Recognition and Engagement Committee serves as a community of professionals from across the SOM who provide guidance to leadership regarding the enrichment of sense of belonging and staff recognition. The work will include program building and delivery along with the development of formal means of recognition and engagement. The committee’s work is expected to enrich both the SOM environment and core values related to the critical role of staff in furthering our tripartite mission and overarching commitment to employee engagement, wellness, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Committee meetings are held monthly.
Submit online nomination: Self-nominate or submit nominations of individuals by Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.
News from the Office of Faculty Development
EmoryFIRST: Faculty members are responsible for keeping their EmoryFIRST profile page updated. Please ensure you are regularly maintaining your profile and have linked it to the new Open Researcher and Contributor ID system (ORCID) which connects to your scholarly work. Faculty members' Emory FIRST profiles are regularly used in Emory publications or on DOM and SOM web pages.
