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Department of Family and Preventive Medicine News
2024: Volume 7, issue 10
55 Words from the Chair
I wish you a joyous holiday season filled with friendship and cheer! All in the department are deeply appreciative of your hard work, dedication, and the remarkable accomplishments achieved this year. Please know that your contributions make a lasting impact. Here’s to continued success together in the new year. Thank you for all you do!
Send your good news and photos to leigh.partington@emory.edu with #FPMnewsletter in the subject line.
Tabitha Curtis Reflects on her 30-Year Career at the PA Progam
Describe your path to Emory and your current role.
It all started when I was a young 22 years old just graduating from DeKalb Technical Institute in search of my career path. I started through a temp agency and was informed that Emory University Physician Assistant Program was looking for a temp to cover for their receptionist while she was out on maternity leave. The assignment was only supposed to be for 3 months and now it's 30 years later. WHAT A BLESSING! I was hired as the front office receptionist/greeter, from there, I became a secretary for the Didactic Team, then I became a Senior Secretary, and now I'm the PA Program’s Administrative Assistant. All my 30 Years have been working in the same office - the amazing Emory University Physician Assistant Program.
What do you love most about your job?
What I love the most about my job is the friendly Faculty/Staff and the students that I have come to love and see come and go over the years that I have been here. The friendships are incomparable.
What are you proudest of over the course of your years at Emory?
The growth and the support of the Administration to get me to where I am today is what makes me so proud to be a part of the Emory PA Family.
What is one thing you wish others knew about your job?
The one thing I wish others knew is I have had so many classes to come and graduate from the PA Program and during my tenure here at Emory I have had 2 children that were helped by my PA students to enter this world. The friendships and getting to know these PA Students is the best to me. I love my job and plan to retire from here!
FPM Staff Reach Career Milestones
Each year, Emory University employees who reach milestone years of service (those reaching 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 years of service) are celebrated at a Service Awards Luncheon. Nearly 200 staff members were recognized by President Gregory L. Fenves and other university leaders during the 2024 luncheon on Nov. 19, including three of our department staff members.
25 years: Ms. Ursula Robertson and Ms. Pat Woodard
30 years: Ms. Tabitha Curtis
Ms. Ursula Robertson
Ms. Pat Woodard
Ms. Tabitha Curtis
Transformative Research
Research News
Yash Kamdar, Emory undergrad and team member in Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha's lab, won Best Poster award at the Alzheimer's Association Equity Meeting in Chicago. As part of the award, he will receive fully-funded travel to Toronto next year for the 2025 Alzheimer's Association Annual Scientific Meeting.
Collaborative Publications
Dr. Mo Ali and Dr. Rosette Chakkalakal published Body mass index changes and their association with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a real-world analysis. (International Journal of Obesity)
Dr. Leslie Johnson and Dr. Mo Ali published
- Effects of Integrated Care Approaches to Address Co-occurring Depression and Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Diabetes Care)
- Factors influencing diabetes treatment satisfaction in the INtegrating DEPrEssioN and Diabetes treatmENT randomized clinical trial: A multilevel model analysis (Diabetic Medicine)
- Incidence of high blood pressure among Kenyan adults living with HIV: a longitudinal cohort analysis from 2004-2023. (AIDS)
Dr. Rebekka DePew, Dr. Ashima Lal, and Dr. Emily Pinto Taylor published Navigating the Ethical Challenges of Clinical Decision-Making for Patients with Mental Illness Presenting with Self-Inflicted Burns. (Journal of Burn Care and Research)
Alexander Soltoff (research assistant for palliative medicine and PhD candidate at RSPH) and Dr. Dio Kavalieratos published in JAMA Caregiver-Reported Quality in Hospices Owned by Private Equity Firms and Publicly Traded Companies.
Individual Faculty, Staff, and Learner Publications
Dr. Mo Ali
Changes in diabetes care and management practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Media and Public Appearances
KCUR-FM | Subscription-based clinics are growing in Kansas and cutting health care costs (Dr. Tina-Ann Thompson quoted)
WABE-FM | Diabetes (Dr. Mo Ali interviewed)
HealthDay | Many cases of dementia go undiagnosed in poorer communities (Emory research featured, Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha quoted)
GPB-FM | Some communities have a higher risk of undiagnosed cognitive decline that could lead to dementia (Emory research featured, Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha interviewed)
Get Your Research in the Headlines
Emory’s Media Relations team can help amplify your research and innovation in the news.
Why engage with the media?
- Gain recognition as a leading voice in your field and establish yourself as an expert.
- Showcase Emory’s reputation as a leading R1 institution.
- Media coverage of your research can result in higher Altmetric scores, which can lead to increased interest in a topic, increased citations, and stronger funding applications.
When to contact Emory Media relations
- If a reporter or news outlet reaches out to you.
- As soon as your research has been accepted for publication. Early engagement increases the chances of successful coverage. Emory Media Relations prioritizes high-impact medical journals or research with high consumer impact.
- If you have any questions or need advice about engaging with the media.
FPM Emory media contact:
Jacob Gnieski
Associate Director, Media Relations and Health Sciences Communications
jacob.gnieski@emory.edu
Educational Investments for our future
Fellowship Match for FM Residents!
Congratulations to the PYG-3 Family Medicine Residents who received news of their fellowship matches!
Dr. Karla Garcia-Ortiz and Dr. Carolina Huertas-Ayala matched at Emory for Geriatrics. Dr. Hanain Fazal matched at St. Vincent's in Jacksonville, FL for OB-GYN. Dr. Alanna Meadows matched at UT Houston for Obesity Medicine.
Dr. Sophie Lin also accepted an offer to join the Family Medicine faculty at Houston Methodist. We look forward to hearing about the future plans of our other PGY-3s closer to graduation time.
Congratulations to the 2025-2026
Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellows!
Family Medicine PGY-3 Winter Social
FM Residency PGY-3 faculty liaison Dr. James Jo hosted a winter social with a special guest appearance by Dr. Jose Villalon-Gomez.
Family Medicine Residency Wellness
The FM Residency Wellness Committee held a nature immersion activity as part of their longitudinal wellness initiative.
One of Dr. Tina-Ann Thompson's ambulatory primary care students, Megan Wasson, was selected to present their case report at the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians meeting.
Service for our future
Malik Family Promotions
Dr. Jimi Malik was promoted to Site Medical Director, DOU Palliative Care and Jenny Malik was promoted to the position of Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis, Emory Primary Care Finance Team.
