Department of Family and Preventive Medicine News
2024: Volume 7, issue 7
55 Words from the Chair
September offers a full calendar of upcoming opportunities for faculty and staff, including our Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Grand Rounds! Read about recent accomplishments in research, education, and service. Please see the multiple opportunities for you to quench your thirst for lifelong learning. And DFPM Faculty and Staff Awards are back! Nominations open soon.
Send your good news and photos to leigh.partington@emory.edu with #FPMnewsletter in the subject line.
Welcome to the DFPM Family!
Kiran Isaac Gurbani was born on August 9, 2024. His proud parents are Mom Dr. Sarah Dupont and Dad Dr. Saumya Gurbani (MD/PhD alum of Emory SOM, current Emory R3 in Radiology). Congratulations and best wishes from your Emory DFPM family!
Don't Miss Opportunities!
PA Program Art & Medicine Festival -
POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER
The Emory PA Program is having an Art and Medicine Festival Fundraiser FUNDRAISER to raise money for the Emory Farmworker Project!
There will be a DJ, a FREE salsa class (6:30 - 7 pm), a jewelry vendor, many local artists selling crochet goods, jewelry, glassware, prints, and more, and food vendors.
**All ticket sales and a portion of the proceeds from our artists will go to the Farmworker project **
Who: Family, friends, spouses, and all are welcome to attend
Date, Time & Place: DATE TBA SOM lawn
Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at the door
Includes: entry, a drink, the salsa class, and… FREE King of Pops!!!
- Venmo: @ARTMEDICINEFESTIVAL2024
- Cashapp: ARTMEDICINEFESTIVAL
WHEA Fellowship in Interprofessional Leadership and Professional Development
Consider nominating a colleague or yourself to participate in the WHEA Fellowship in Interprofessional Leadership and Professional Development ("formerly the Kern Faculty Fellowship") for health sciences educators and practitioners who want to transform interprofessional collaborative practice & education at Emory University.
This longitudinal certificate program uses a small-group approach to learning. The educational method facilitates growth in teamwork, communication skills, moral development, and professional identity through guided critical reflection coupled with immersion in challenging scenarios. This proven pedagogical approach develops and sustains meaningful leadership and relational skills as a model that can be exported to other organizational and community contexts. Example session topics include the following:
- Building and sustaining community engagement.
- Restoring trust with patients, colleagues, and staff.
- Character formation, professional development, and leadership.
- Effectively addressing equity, inclusion, and structural racism in healthcare.
- Addressing burnout and moral injury and achieving joy and balance using peer support.
Applications are due September 16.
Emory Diversity Week - Sept. 23-26
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) is hosting Diversity Week from September 23-26, 2024! This year’s theme reflects our commitment to fostering a culture where diversity and excellence thrive together. Mark your calendar for these highlighted events:
The Keynote Panel: An engaging and thought-provoking panel discussion where we will explore how our daily actions contribute to building a more inclusive and excellent community at Emory. Light refreshments will be provided. September 23, 2024, from 4:00-5:00pm; register.
Women in Leadership Networking Luncheon, Oxford: An interactive session on wellness facilitated by Sharon Stroye, inaugural Director of Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation initiatives. This event offers women a unique chance to connect with leaders, share experiences, and discuss strategies for advancing in leadership roles. September 24, 2024, from 11:30-1:00pm; register.
Diversity of Desserts: Drop by Wonderful Wednesdays in Asbury Circle to savor an exquisite selection of desserts that celebrate the rich tapestry of our community. September 25, 2024, from 12:00-2:00pm.
FPM JEDI Grand Rounds, September 26
Dr. Christopher Ervin, Morehouse School of Medicine, will be speaking via Zoom on HIV Care of Vulnerable Populations for the department's Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Grand Rounds.
Dr. Christopher Ervin is active in community-driven work and is an advocate for health, wellness, and social justice. He earned his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. He completed his General Surgery internship at the University of Illinois at Chicago and his Emergency Medicine residency at Cook County Hospital. He works at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) in the Department of Family Medicine as the Director for Community-based Initiatives. As an Emergency Medicine physician, he has served on multiple committees and has held assistant and interim medical director positions at numerous hospitals. He served as Chair of the Emergency Medicine Section, Secretary of the House of Delegates, and the Bioterrorism Task Force for the National Medical Association. As a representative for the American College of Emergency Physicians on the Commission to End Health Disparities, he served on the Steering Committee, Co-Chair of the Subcommittee on Workforce Diversity, and Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Business and Health Disparities. He also served as a Commissioner on the Sullivan Alliance.
Leaving medicine to pursue community-driven work, Dr. Ervin has served in numerous capacities with community-based nonprofits, served in multiple leadership positions, including Chair of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Region 3 Advisory Board, and President of the South Fulton Human Services Coalition. In 2019, Dr. Ervin was honored by the state of Georgia with a Proclamation for his commitment to community service, selected by Georgia House District Representative, Rep. Park Cannon. Presently, at Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Ervin is adjunct faculty with the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and in the Department of Family Medicine, the Director of Operations for Morehouse School of Medicine Student-run Free Clinic, the MSM H.E.A.L Clinic (Health Equity for All Lives), and the HRSA-funded CHAMPS program (Community Advanced by Medical Practice Superstars). And until recently, he was program manager for the MSM High School and Young Adult Community Health Worker Program.
Dr. Ervin has served as a consultant for local nonprofits and as an advisor to the Black Women’s Health Imperative. Dr. Ervin also sits on the Georgia HIV Prevention and Care Council, serving as chair from 2016 - 2018. And has recently been appointed to the Georgia Department of Public Health Community Health Worker Advisory Board and the Dekalb CURDSE (Center for Urban Research, Development, Sustainability, and Evaluation) Community Action Board.
2024 William T. Branch Jr. Innovations in Primary Care Lecture
October 23, 2024 at 6 pm. SOM 101
Reception 6 - 6:30 pm SOM lobby
Lecture 6:30 - 7:30 pm
Emory PA Program alum Dr. Tonia Poteat is a Professor in the Duke University School of Nursing, Co-Director of the Duke Sexual and Gender Minority Wellness Program, and Associate Director of the Duke Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Developmental Core. Her research, teaching, and clinical practice focus on LGBTQ health and HIV with particular attention to the health of transgender and gender-diverse communities. She directs the RISE Lab where her community-engaged research attends to the role of intersectional structural stigma in driving health inequities and seeks to identify strategies to advance health justice. Certified as a Gender Specialist by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and HIV Specialist by the American Academy of HIV Medicine, she is a leader in research and care with transgender persons.
As a certified PA, she has 30 years of experience providing medical care for transgender adults and people living with HIV. She currently cares for adults living with HIV at the UNC Infectious Diseases Clinic and mentors medical students in the SHAC Gender Affirming Care Clinic. She is an associate editor for the journal LGBT Health and has served on consensus panels for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine including Sex and Gender Identification and Implications for Disability Evaluation and Understanding the Status and Well-Being of Sexual and Gender Diverse Populations. She is deeply committed to community-engaged research with actionable findings.
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
6th Annual Diabetes Updates & Technology Symposium
Dec. 7, 2024
Saturday, December 7
8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Emory Conference Center Hotel
Cost: FREE
CME credit: The Emory University School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 3.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ or 3.75 contact hours by ENPDC upon completion of the activity evaluation and by participating in 90% of the activity time.
- Understanding Hepato-Cardio-Renal-Metabolic (HCRM) diseases
- Diabetes Technology Update & Interpretation
- CGM Workshop
- Type 1 Diabetes Management & CGM
- Implementation and overcoming barriers of CGM in primary care
For Physicians, PAs, NPs, Nurses, Dietitians, Pharmacists, and CDCES.
Transformative Research
Turbow Awarded Macy Foundation Funding
Dr. Sara Turbow will co-lead a Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation President’s funded project to increase collaboration among future health professionals and help support the non-clinical needs of patients. The grant will support Dr. Turbow's "Transforming Interprofessional Education Through Student Hotspotting" project, which addresses the need for more experiential interprofessional education by fostering collaborative, patient-centered care among high-cost, high-need patients and teams of five to seven students from local medical, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, public health, and social work programs.
Zarrabi Awarded NIH Loan Forgiveness
Dr. Ali John Zarrabi was awarded a 100K loan repayment program scholarship from NIH.
The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are a set of programs established by Congress and designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. The escalating costs of advanced education and training in medicine and clinical specialties are forcing some scientists to abandon their research careers for higher-paying private industry or private practice careers.
The LRPs counteract that financial pressure by repaying up to $50,000 annually of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research. Since tomorrow's medical breakthroughs will be made by investigators starting in their research careers today, the LRPs represent an important investment by NIH in the future of health discovery and the well-being of the Nation.
Johnson and Ali Awarded NIH Funding
Dr. Leslie Johnson is Co-Investigator for a new 5-year NIH grant titled ENHANcing CErvical cancer screening and treatment in women LIviNg with HIV in KenyA (ENHANCE LINKAge). This study aims to identify and address barriers to the integration and uptake of cervical cancer screening and treatment linkage in HIV clinical care settings for women living with HIV in Kenya, evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a combined package of interventions that accommodates these qualitative findings, and analyze the sustainability and economic impact of our approach. Dr. Mo Ali is an MPI on this grant as well.
Congratulations to our 2024
SOM Researcher Appreciation Day Honorees!
These Emory researchers were nominated by their peers and colleagues for their groundbreaking research, development of new technologies, and continued pursuit of novel and innovative ideas. Read more about the honorees here: 2024 Researcher Appreciation Day | Emory School of Medicine
Dr. Puneet Chehal
Dr. Sarah Cross
Dr. Dio Kavalieratos
Dr. Jane Lowers
Dr. Jennifer Mascaro
Dr. Ali Zarrabi
Collaborative Publications
Dr. Mo Ali and Dr. Sathish Thirunavukkarasu published Community Control of Hypertension and Diabetes (CoCo-HD) program in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu: a study protocol for a type 3 hybrid trial.
Dr. Leslie Johnson and Dr. Mo Ali published Addressing depression and comorbid health conditions through solution-focused brief therapy in an integrated care setting: a randomized clinical trial and A mediation analysis evaluating change in self-stigma on diabetes outcomes among people with depression in urban India: A secondary analysis from the INDEPENDENT trial of the collaborative care model.
Dr. Rachel Hadler and Dr. Dio Kavalieratos published Interhospital Transfer: A New Frontier for Palliative Care.
Individual Publications
Dr. Mo Ali
Diabetes Disparities in the United States: Trends by Educational Attainment from 2001 to 2020.
Prospective Study on Kidney Dysfunction Markers and Risk for Mortality among South Asians.
Dr. Kim Curseen
Dr. Rebekka DePew
published poems in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Laertes Loses His Memory, and JAMA To My Doctor on the Day of My Death
Dr. Leslie Johnson
Dr. Deanna Kaplan
Dr. Miranda Moore
Dr. Megha Shah
Educational Investments for our future
Start Spreading the News!
2024 Fall Amos Application Window is Open!
Family Medicine Interest Group Book Club
Dr. Neena Ghose hosted the FMIG (Family Medicine Interest Group) book club at her home a few weeks ago. They read The People’s Hospital by Ricardo Nuila - it was a great turnout and a lively discussion!
Hispanic Heritage Appreciation Lunch
at Dunwoody Family Medicine!
Dr. Kim Thompson arranged a Hispanic Heritage fiesta during lunch on September 12. Residents, faculty, and staff enjoyed music, food, and camaraderie!
Service for our future
Thompson selected for ADFM LEADS Fellowship
Dr. Tina-Ann Thompson has been accepted into the ADFM LEADS Fellowship, a dynamic program for rising family medicine leaders. Designed by the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, this one-year fellowship equips participants with top-notch training, mentorship from senior leaders, and strategic career tools. medicine! The one-year program is tailored for individuals destined for senior leadership roles and those seeking to enhance their strategic leadership skills. Participants benefit from interactive training, access to senior leaders, and tools designed to support their professional growth.
Since its inception in 2009, the LEADS Fellowship has guided nearly 80 fellows through personalized learning experiences and mentorship. Almost half of these fellows have progressed to interim or permanent chair positions, while many others have advanced to senior leadership roles within their departments.
Malik is New Site Director for DeKalb Palliative Units
Dr. Jimi Malik has been selected as the Site Director for the Dekalb Operating Units (EDH, EHH and LTACH) effective September 9, 2024. Dr. Malik joined the Emory Palliative Care Center in August 2019 after completing his Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Prior to his fellowship, Dr. Malik was Assistant Professor, Medical College of Georgia Southwest Campus (2013 -2019) and was a hospitalist at the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (2013-2018) and the Medical Director for Hospital Medicine at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center (2016-2018).
Dr. Malik completed his training in Family Medicine (2010-2013) at the Southwest Georgia Family Medicine Residency, Albany, GA. Since joining the Emory faculty, he has had a number of high-impact projects including Spiritual Health Office hours; Palliative Pharmacy Office hours; and the quarterly Complex Case Discussion Series for the division, presented by APPs and APP fellows. He has received numerous teaching and service awards including the Woodruff Health Educators Academy Teaching Fellowship. Dr. Malik will continue in his roles as APP Physician Co-Lead and Assistant Clerkship Director for MS3 Palliative Care Rotation.
Congrats to DFPM Castle Connolly Top Docs!
Congratulations to our Palliative and Family Medicine faculty who were named Castle Connolly Top Docs for Atlanta in 2024!
Since 1991, Castle Connolly has been the nation’s official source for identifying Top Doctors, relying on referrals from other physicians. The website www.castleconnolly.com enables potential patients to easily search for doctors by specialty, location, name, procedure, and illness.
Dr. Laura Brachman
Dr. Kim Curseen
Dr. Susan Kunihiro
Dr. Julie Mitchell
Dr. Oguchi Nwosu
Dr. Ali John Zarrabi
New SOM committee roles for Johnson and Kulshreshtha
Dr. Leslie Johnson (pictured above left) has been invited to join the Woodruff Health Sciences Center's Initiative for Maternal Health as a member of the Community Engagement Advisory Group.
Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha (pictured above right) has begun his year as Co-Chair of the Dean's Faculty Advisory Committee.
In the News
Weight-loss drugs are a hot commodity. But not in every neighborhood. - The Washington Post - Dr. Mo Ali quoted
Georgia may soon see biggest summer COVID wave in two years (ajc.com) - Dr. Jodie Guest quoted
Summer Covid surge 'very high' in Georgia. FDA approves new vaccines. - Healthbeat - Dr. Jodie Guest quoted
COVID spread mitigation in schools urged by health experts (thehill.com) - Dr. Jodie Guest quoted
Back to school, COVID edition (thehill.com) - Dr. Jodie Guest quoted
U.S. Resumes Program to Provide Free At-Home COVID Tests (aarp.org) - Dr. Jodie Guest quoted
Who Needs to Get the RSV Vaccine This Fall? (aarp.org) - Dr. Jodie Guest quoted
The Covid Vaccine Just Got a Lot More Expensive—If You’re Uninsured – Mother Jones - Dr. Jodie Guest quoted
New Covid shots may be hard to come by for uninsured Georgians | Georgia Public Broadcasting (gpb.org) - Dr. Jodie Guest quoted
Feeling smarter with every run: How sprinting can stimulate your brain (ajc.com) - Dr. Ted Johnson quoted
Marked Cognitive Decline in Husbands After a Spouse's CVD Event? | MedPage Today - Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha quoted
