News from
Family & Preventive Medicine

April 2021

Just 55 Words: 

"What happened to February?"

Those of you keeping track may have noticed that our department newsletters skipped from January to March last month. This adjustment was made to align with the actual publication date of the newsletter, which fluctuated, but has now settled at the beginning of the month. You'll find news from March and things to look forward to in April and beyond in this April issue of the newsletter.  

Wellness Corner

 1.       Sign up for the AMA’s Burnout Management Tip of the Week:

• Exclusive, expert-driven insights on managing burnout
• Quick tips to streamline workflows
• Resources designed to improve professional satisfaction

2.       Get your (hygienic) zzzzzzz’s: Did you know that sleep difficulties are highly associated with burnout (see: American Academy of Sleep Medicine statement)? If you’re having sleep difficulties, check out the Emory Psychiatry Wellness Resources and Tips.

Transformative Research

Research News

What is your professional background?
I am a health services researcher, having completed a PhD in Health Policy and Management at UNC-Chapel Hill before a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. My focus is on health care, access, quality, and outcomes, primarily in the context of serious and life-limiting illness. Before arriving to Emory in March 2020, I was an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.

In what division/program do you work and who is your mentor?
I am primarily in the Division of Palliative Medicine in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, with secondary affiliations in the Division of General Internal Medicine and the Department of Epidemiology. My mentor is Tammie Quest, MD.

Briefly discuss your research. Why is it important?
Our team works to develop, test, and implement clinical strategies by which to identify and deliver services to people with serious illness who have unmet palliative needs. We do this through a variety of interrelated techniques, including qualitative and mixed-methods research, patient-reported outcomes assessments, EMR analyses, systematic review and meta-analysis, and randomized clinical trials. As a matter of equity, we focus our work on chronic, non-cancer illnesses (e.g., heart failure, cystic fibrosis), recognizing that the evidence base for palliative care originated in oncology and we therefore know much less about the role and efficacy of palliative care interventions in non-cancer illnesses.  

What do you like best about Emory?
Starting a new faculty position during a pandemic is strange, disorienting, and challenging; yet, I have felt such an incredible feeling of welcoming, support, and kindness from across the Emory community. 

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy traveling internationally (thanks, COVID), hiking, baking (baklava and chocolate chip cookies are my specialties), spending time with my dog, and finding new coffee shops. 

What is a fun fact about you?
I can take on most anyone in a game of 90s/00s R&B music trivia.

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Recent Awards and Honors

Dr. Miranda Moore been elected as the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Liaison to the Council of Academic Family Medicine (CAFM) Educational Research Alliance (CERA) Steering Committee for 2021-2023. As liaison, she will bring ideas from the CAFM organization to CERA.participate in discussions to offer ideas and make decisions on the priorities, direction, and initiatives of CERA. She will also serve as a liaison to the CAFM organization’s leadership and members to promote and encourage participation in CERA projects.

  Dr. Sara Turbow has been selected for the 2021 Tideswell Emerging Leaders in Aging Program, an inspiring, interdisciplinary experience that augments and leverages existing leadership skills for clinical, research, policy, and educational initiatives in aging. Beginning with a two-day, in-person workshop in the fall, followed by a series of individual and small group coaching/mentoring sessions via videoconference, and culminating with a final two day in-person meeting in the days preceding the American Geriatrics Society Annual Meeting, the Emerging Leaders in Aging program provides leadership training focused on the unique needs of leaders in aging-specific environments.

Megha Shah selected for the Institute for Implementation Science Scholars (IS-2) at Washington University. IS-2 is a mentored training program for investigators interested in applying dissemination and implementation (D&I) methods and strategies to reduce the burden of chronic disease and address health inequities. This 2 year program provides mentorship, training, and pilot funds to help support promising young investigators apply for R-level funding. 

Dr. Zazi Nylander and team received a 2021 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Conference on Medical Student Education Blue Ribbon Award for Outstanding Poster. 

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New Funding

Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha's  student mentee, Vinita Subramanya, was awarded the Healthcare Innovation Program/Georgia CTSA Seed Grant for her proposal "Developing a Novel Toolkit (Empower-Connect) to Improve Telemedicine Experience for Patients and Providers".  

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Upcoming FPM Research Meetings

April 16, 2021 12:30-1:30 pm - Coffee and Conversation

This month, we will host a coffee and conversation. This meeting is optional. Please feel free to join if you’d like to discuss your projects, share research ideas, or if you have research questions, concerns, or feedback. If you are interested in joining this session, please feel free to join Mo for a socially distanced in-person meeting at Highland Bakery @ SOM or via Zoom at the following link.

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Highlighted Opportunities

SOM I3 Teams Research Awards – due April 26

Proposals with a plan to cultivate an interdisciplinary team with an SOM PI and two or more additional departments from across Emory are solicited. Awards will provide seed money to support the infrastructure of building interdisciplinary collaboration with the ultimate goal of submitting a center or program project grant to target a significant problem with an impact at a clinical or basic science level. Potential proposals might include supporting a part-time employee to organize and analyze data, meetings to facilitate team formation, or generating preliminary data. 

Find out more>>

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Free Online Trainings for Clinical Research 

Georgia CTSA and the University of Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute (SC CTSI) have created a new Online Course Catalog with free course and program offerings available to clinical research professionals. Participants earn a certificate or badge with contact hours (continuing education – CE) from an accredited provider upon completion of a course or a program (series of courses). Contact hours can be used to meet requirements for CRP certification renewal. The newest program, “Diversity in Clinical Trials in the Time of COVID-19”, is now available online. Select a course/program that interests you and click on the blue “Enroll” button. Course catalog available here.

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Health Sciences Research Day, May 5

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Recent Presentations

Dr. C. McLean Ellis presented on Palliative Care in NICU for Neonatal Grand Rounds for the Division of Neonatology, Emory University School of Mediicne and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta on March 24th. 

Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha gave a seminar talk on "Improving Heart and Brain Health Along the Life Course" at the Universities Allied for Essential Medicine.

Presentation at Georgia CTSA meeting: Wiley, Z, Kulshreshtha, A, Kobadize, K, Li, D, Franks, N, Clinical Characteristics, Outcomes, and Predictors of Readmission in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Eight Atlanta Hospitals   

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Recent Publications

in print:

Ali MK, Seiglie JA, Narayan KMV. Progress in diabetes prevention or epidemiology-or both, or neither? Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2021 Feb 23:S2213-8587(20)30433-2. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(20)30433-2. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33636103 No abstract available.

Ernecoff NC, Bilderback A, Bellon J, Arnold RM, Boninger M, Kavalieratos D. Associations between Reason for Inpatient Palliative Care Consultation, Timing, and Cost Savings. J Palliat Med. 2021 Mar 23. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2020.0636. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33761279

Galaviz KI, Schneider MF, Tien PC, Althoff KN, Ali MK, Ofotokun I, Brown TT. Expanding the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score for predicting diabetes incidence in people living with HIV. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2021 Mar 8. doi: 10.1089/AID.2020.0247. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33683149

Masood MQ, Singh K, Kondal D, Ali MK, et al. Factors affecting achievement of glycemic targets among type 2 diabetes patients in South Asia: Analysis of the CARRS trial. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2021 Jan;171:108555. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2020.108555. 

Ramakrishnan A, Zreloff J, Moore MA, Bergquist SH, Cellai M, Higdon J, O'Keefe JB, Roberts D, Wu HM. Prolonged Symptoms After COVID-19 Infection in Outpatients. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2021 Feb 2;8(3):ofab060. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofab060. eCollection 2021 Mar. PMID: 33732751 Free PMC article.

Turbow S, Hollberg JR, Ali MK. Electronic Health Record Interoperability: How Did We Get Here and How Do We Move Forward? JAMA Health Forum. Published online March 17, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.0253

Turbow SD, White MC, Breslau ES, Sabatino SA. Mammography use and breast cancer incidence among older U.S. women. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2021 Mar 5. doi: 10.1007/s10549-021-06160-4. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33666831

in press:

Ash, M., Baer, W., Peacock, C., Haardörfer, R., Mascaro, J. S. (2021) Advancing Measurement of the Sources and Consequences of Burnout in a Comprehensive Cancer Center: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis" American Journal of Medical Quality

Mascaro, J. S., Singh, V., Scott, B., Juan, J., Curtis, C. M., Haack, C.. (2021) Randomized, wait-list controlled study of app-delivered mindfulness for patients experiencing chronic pain. Pain Reports

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Educational Investments for our future

Another Successful Match for Preventive Medicine 

Feb 16th was Preventive Medicine’s “match” program.  We were pleased to match the 3 candidates who we’d ranked as our top three. We also accepted two candidates who are currently completing different residencies within Emory. In combination with others, this means that for the training year beginning July 1, for the second time we’ll have a total of 7 residents.  In the aggregate, this is a highly-trained group, as 6 of the 7 will already have completed full residencies in either Internal Medicine or Family Medicine, and 5 already have MPH degrees.

The complete group who will be in the Emory Preventive Medicine Residency Program for academic year July 2021 – June 2022 are introduced below. Drs. Ronak Ghiya and Alex Paras are continuing into their second year. Of the five who are beginning in July, Dr. Siri Chirumamilla will be in the Program for two years while earning an MPH in addition to completing the full curriculum of rotations, and Drs. Hari Athreya, Sarah Dupont, Alex Molinari, and Melissa Taylor are entering as PM-2 appointees because they will have already completed a categorical residency in another specialty and an MPH degree.

Hari Athreya, MD, MPH – Graduate of Rice University, and the McGovern Medical School and the School of Public Health at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, he is completing his residency in family medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Siri Chirumamilla, DO – Graduate of Emory University, and of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (Georgia Campus) where she also earned an MS degree in Biomedical Sciences, she is completing her residency in family medicine at Dignity Health–Northridge Hospital, an affiliate of the UCLA School of Medicine.

Sarah Dupont, MD, MPH –  Graduate of Gonzaga University, and of the MD/MPH Program of Emory University School of Medicine and School of Public Health, she is completing her residency in family medicine at Emory University.

Ronak Ghiya, MD – Graduate of Wright State University, and the Wright State University School of Medicine, he completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Baylor Scott & White Health.

Alex Molinari, DO, MPH – Graduate of the University of Florida, the Florida State University MPH Program,  and Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, he is completing a residency in family medicine of the Community-Based Family Medicine Residency, Texas Institute for Graduate Medical Education and Research in San Antonio.

Alex Paras, DO, MPH – Graduate of San Diego State University, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, and Western University of Health Sciences / College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific.  Dr. Paras previously completed a transitional year internship at Chino Valley Medical Center (California) and served as an active duty medical officer (Major) in the U.S. Air force from July 2013 – June 2020.

Melissa Taylor, MD, MPH – Graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, and of the MD/MPH Program of Emory University School of Medicine and School of Public Health, she is completing her residency in internal medicine at Emory University.

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Family Medicine Welcomes
the Class of 2024

The Family Medicine Residency Program had a terrific #EmoryMatchDay, filling all 10 available spots. The residents who will be joining the Family Medicine family next year are:

Jungwon "Allison" Choi, University of Miami SOM

Teresa Colon-Asumu, Ross University SOM

Kaitlin Ervin, University of South Alabama COM

Shaaz Syed Fareed, University of Central Florida COM

Nikhila Gandrakota, Siddhartha Medical College

Hannah Lee, University of Illinois COM

Diana Rodgers, Ross University SOM

Rachel Schenkel, University of California San Francisco SOM

Tam Van, Tulane University SOM

Eden Woubshet, Medical College of Georgia

Porsha Clayton, Associate Academic Coordinator for Undergraduate Medical Education, arranged a virtual Welcome from FM faculty - some photo highlights appear below.

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FM Residency Announces
Research Track

The Family Medicine Residency has launched a Health Services Research Track for the 2021-2022 academic year. The program will offer a structured approach to facilitate research skills development through practical application. The application cycle will open in November to residents at the PGY-1 level who will be PGY-2 level by July 2022. More details will be available on the Family Medicine Residency website soon. 

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Update on the
Art and Medicine Workshop 

The first quarterly meeting of the Art in Medicine workshop participants was held on March 19. Dr. Ali John Zarrabi arranged for a diverse group of faculty from the SOM to meet at the High Museum to engage in art museum-based pedagogy and develop strategies to disseminate the arts into health professions education.  

This workshop is funded by the Emory Imagine, Innovate, and Impact (I3) Education Award, continues. Now underway is The Art of Palliation, a three-part art museum-based experiential curriculum designed to foster core palliative care clinical and team-based skills outside of the usual structures and hierarchies of the healthcare environment. 

Pictured below: Art in Medicine workshop participants at the High Museum of Art

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Woodruff Health Educators Academy News

Congratulations to our WHEA Teaching Fellow graduate, Dr. Ashima Lal, and our 4 new WHEA Fellows for 2021-2022, Alexander Kendall, and Drs. Jimi Malik, Meredith Maxwell, and Julie Mitchell. 

Jimi Malik, MD, Meredith Maxwell, MD, and Julie Mitchell, DO, all assistant professors in the division of Palliative Medicine, were chosen for the 2021-22 WHEA Teaching Fellowship, a 12-month program for health sciences educators who want to advance their teaching skills and offer quality instruction to their learners.

Dr. Ashima Lal, Assistant Professor in the division of Palliative Medicine, just completed the 2020-2021 WHEA Teaching Fellowship. Her project "PRIME: Development of a Palliative Medicine Specific Feedback Tool for Medical Students, an adaptation of the RIME Framework," is described below:

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Dr. Smith selected for STFM Educators Development Institute for 2021-2022

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FM Resident Dr. Cronk wins Scholarship

Congratulations to Dr. Emma Cronk for receiving the 2021 American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Scholarship. She is the only recipient who has received this award as a student and now as a resident.  

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New Leadership Role for Dr. Fluker

News from the
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

DEI Council Spotlights:
Mr. William Lemon

The DEI Council will spotlight a member of our department staff each month. 

Will is the gentle giant of the division; he is responsible for the affiliation and preceptor agreements.  Prior to a student rotating on a rotation, he must ensure there is a contract between the institution, preceptor, and Emory University.

A fun fact about Will is for 9 years and 5 months, he was the head football coach for Hiram Athletics

News from the
Faculty Development
Committee

Drs. Curseen and Nwosu nominated for Clinical Distinctions

The Emory School of Medicine Clinical Distinctions designation program is designed to recognize faculty who have devoted a majority of their time and careers to providing excellence in clinical care. While the CD is not intended to compete with or replace the standard academic promotions mechanism for faculty advancement, it emphasizes the critical contributions of clinically focused faculty in the School of Medicine (SOM). Regular faculty who have a minimum 0.5 FTE and devote at least half their time to clinical efforts (patient care and clinical administration) are eligible for these distinctions. For the inaugural year of this SOM program, the Department has nominated Dr. Kimberly Curseen for Master Physician and Dr. Oguchi Nwosu for Distinguished Physician. 

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Calling any and all women physicians in the Department:

Are you interested in advocating for women in medicine and connecting with others who share this passion?  If so, you may be interested in being part of a group who is hoping to re-create an American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) group in the state of Georgia.   

AMWA Women in Medicine April 7th Wednesday 7:30 pm till about 830pm

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://uga.zoom.us/j/93910723668?pwd=YlJUUkhRbUQwTmtOdUl2Q0dOemN1dz09

Meeting ID: 939 1072 3668
Passcode: 761511
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,93910723668# US (Washington DC) 13126266799,,93910723668#
+US (Chicago)

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Faculty Academic Advancement, Leadership, and Inclusion Lecture Series

The FAALI (Faculty Academic Advancement, Leadership, and Inclusion) Lecture Series, presented throughout the year by senior faculty within the School of Medicine, covers practical topics aimed at assisting faculty in their career development.
Details and Registration for all events listed below.

Addressing Health Disparities Highlighted during COVID-19

Tuesday, April 13 | 5:30 - 6:30 pm

By: Maura George, MD, Associate Professor, Medicine
Nicole Franks, MD, Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine
Igho Ofotokun, MD, MSc, Professor, Medicine

Emory Integrated Computational Core

Thursday, April 22 | Noon - 1 pm

By: Rich Johnson, MS, Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology

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Being of Service

Congratulations, Dr. Alfonso!

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Fighting Health Inequities, Shot by Shot

On March  20, Dr. Mirtha Aguilar-Alvarado from the Family Medicine Residency  Program, plus other Hispanic faculty from the Department of Medicine and students from SOM (Spanish interest group) and Rollins Public Health School volunteered in the COVID-19  Vaccination Campaign for the Latin Community at the Mexican General Consulate. 450 Latinos were vaccinated. Thanks to Dr. Aguilar-Alvarado and everyone else working to overcome the vaccination disparities.

Pictured below: Dr. Aguilar-Alvarado and team

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Happy Retirement, Catherine Dragon! 

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Dr. Guest Keeps Iditarod Running

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2021 Doctors' Day Recognition 

In recognition of Doctors' Day, the Emory School of Medicine Recognitions Committee sent out a call for nominations for doctors across the School of Medicine who go above and beyond. Over 195 Emory faculty members were nominated by their peers and colleagues for their dedication to improving the health and well-being of our patients and community through the care they provide, the research they conduct, and their efforts to teach and inspire learners. 

The committee reviewed each nomination and selected those who exemplify the outstanding faculty of the Emory School of Medicine. Congratulations to the six FPM faculty members who were recognized: Drs. Neena Ghose, Susan Kunihiro, Lauren Marcewicz, Meredith Maxwell, Julie Mitchell, and Anu Murthy. You'll find quotes from the nomination materials and the complete list of Doctors' Day honorees HERE. 

Dr. Rabinowitz Honored for Leadership

Rabinowitz was recognized for her achievements as part of the University’s COVID-19 response team since January 2020. Although “often the only woman in the room at the highest levels of decision making and planning,” Rabinovitz advocates for “COVID-19 responses that more equitably serve our community,” including students from marginalized and first-generation backgrounds, students of color, and LGBTQ+ and female students. Congratulations, Dr. Rabinowitz! 

Don't Miss Opportunities!

Art Gala to Benefit PA Program

The 2021 Art Gala will be an online week-long auction (April 26th – April 30th), culminating in a Zoom celebration on Friday, April 30th.

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/4847502313

Time of celebration: 6:30pm

Auction platform: 32Auctions

The Zoom Celebration will include

• Auction winner announcements
• Raffle drawing
• Student / Faculty performances
• Student / Faculty speeches 
• Short reflections from student-run clinic representatives

All proceeds will be split between the MD program and the PA program.

How can you help?

Donate art. The PA Program is looking for art donations from faculty, staff, students, friends, and family for the online auction. Examples from last year's auction include photographs taken at National Parks; handmade earrings; self-portraits; paintings of plants, landscapes, and abstract; flower vases; misc photography; and much more.

Sign up for the talent showcase. We are also looking for both faculty and students to sign up to showcase their talents during the zoom celebration on April 30th, whether it be music, dancing, poetry, magic, or literally anything cool you want to show us!

Submit a t-shirt design. Lastly, we will also be selling Art Gala t-shirts as a fundraiser, and we’re looking for someone to design these t-shirts. If you’re feeling creative, send your design to me, and maybe you’ll get to see your design on a t-shirt!

Submission deadline: April 23.

HIV & Aging: Mitochondria to the Metropolis Virtual Conference

April 14-16, 2021

HIV & Aging: Mitochondria to the Metropolis is going virtual! The theme for the 2021 conference is "HIV & Aging: Mitochondria to the Metropolis — Population Determinants of Health." This multidisciplinary conference will provide a venue for all attendees to build scientific partnerships and contribute useful knowledge to the quality of care and life of persons aging with HIV. 

Registration Now Open! 

• Professional (Faculty, Clinicians, Claiming CE Credits): $75
• Student: $50
• Community Member (Persons living with or affected by HIV): Free

More information >

Register for Health Equity Day

Save the Date: DOM Research Day 2021

Did you miss an issue?

Links to previous department newsletters can be found on
the department website HERE.

Got news? Please send your announcements and photos to leigh.partington@emory.edu. The DFPM newsletter is published monthly.