UMMC's diversity programs, grad student, clinician-educator earn national, state recognition

Mag lists UMMC initiatives among inspiring programs

INSIGHT Into Diversity, the oldest and largest diversity magazine and website in higher education, has presented 2018 Inspiring Programs in STEM Awards to a pair of diversity and inclusion programs at the Medical Center.

The awards recognize colleges, universities and organizations for programs that are improving access to science, technology, engineering and math fields for students from underrepresented groups.

UMMC’s Pipeline Into UMMC and Science Training Enrichment Program each were among approximately 80 programs to receive the distinction nationally.

Pipeline Into UMMC helps high school, undergraduate and first-year medical students prepare for success in medical education and professions. Free, extensive ACT and MCAT workshops give the students an edge in admissions, and several pipeline programs allow undergraduate, graduate and professional students to explore careers by shadowing UMMC and community health care professionals. A summer bridge program for new medical school students provides academic and success skills training.

Disadvantaged junior high students in the STEP Program spend one Saturday a month immersed in the medical school experience at UMMC. Medical faculty lead STEP classes in the university’s state-of-the-art labs, teaching students how to perform research and dissections. Participants also complete CPR certification and community service projects to acquire real-world medical skills and experience.

ADM taps UMMC graduate student for travel award

Kartikeya Jodha, a student in the School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences working on a Ph.D. in biomedical materials science, received the Student Travel Award for the North American region by the Academy of Dental Materials.

One student from each region is chosen each year for the award. The regions include North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia/Middle East and Asia/Pacific Region.

The ADM offers the award in recognition of excellence in dental biomaterials research. The primary purpose of the award is to encourage and recognize outstanding research by students currently enrolled in education programs in areas relevant to the ADM’s mission.

The award pays for registration and $1,000 towards travel to the annual international conference, which will take place from Oct. 4-6 in Porto de Galinhas, State of Pernambuco, Brazil.

Jodha will present his research, “Challenges in Measuring Fracture Toughness of Dental Ceramics: SEPB Method,” at the conference. His project was co-mentored by Dr. Jason Griggs, associate dean for research and professor and chair of the Department Biomedical Materials Science in the School of Dentistry, and Dr. Susana Salazar Marocho, assistant professor of biomedical materials science.

UMMC Department of Medicine honors outstanding faculty

The Department of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center recently presented awards to members of its faculty.

Dr. Javed Butler, professor and chair of the Department of Medicine, presented the awards to Dr. Michael Hall, associate professor of cardiology, for exemplary research; Dr. Vikas Majithia, professor of rheumatology, for exemplary mentoring; Dr. Cameron Guild, professor of cardiology, for being an exemplary educator/teacher; Cheryl Moss, senior education administrator, for being an outstanding service staff member; Dr. Trey Abraham, associate professor of pulmonology, for being an outstanding service faculty member; and Dr. Dan Woodliff, associate professor of medicine, for being a master clinician.

Clinician-educator earns MAFP designation

Dr. Jeremy B. Wells, a faculty clinician-educator at UMMC, was recently honored as New Physician of the Year 2018 by the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians.

This is the first year the award has been presented by the MAFP Awards Committee, comprised of family physicians who are past winners of the MAFP Family Physician of the Year Award.

Individuals who earn the New Physician Award must be less than seven years post-residency and must be community leaders who prioritize patients in their care and make a contribution to the family medicine profession.

A UMMC graduate, Wells was part of the Sally McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College. After completing medical school in 2011, he stayed at UMMC for his three-year family medicine residency. After residency, he completed a one-year fellowship in primary care sports medicine at UMMC.

Wells serves on the clinical faculty of both the William Carey College of Osteopathic Medicine and the UMMC Family Medicine Department. He serves as vice president of the MAFP Foundation and is part of the academy’s fundraising arm.