UMMC excellence shines for faculty, staff, students
Medical Center faculty and staff often are recognized regionally, nationally and internationally for their academic or medical achievements. These accolades place UMMC among health science centers worldwide.
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SOD faculty earns national appointment as a director of the American Board of Periodontology
Dr. Jennifer Bain, chair of the Department of Periodontology in the School of Dentistry, has been selected to serve a five-year term as a director of the American Board of Periodontology, becoming the first periodontist from Mississippi to serve on the board. The appointment places her among national leaders responsible for advancing certification standards and excellence in periodontal care.
The board consists of 10 voting directors who are elected in a national election by the voting members of the American Academy of Periodontology. Directors serve staggered five-year terms and help oversee the certification and continuing certification processes, examination development and the standards that guide board certification in periodontology.
“Dr. Bain’s appointment to this national leadership position reflects her expertise and the respect she has earned within the profession,” said Dr. Pia Chatterjee Kirk, dean of the School of Dentistry. “Her contributions will help guide the future of periodontal education and patient care while further elevating the work being done at our School of Dentistry.”
Prior to this appointment, Bain served for six years as an examiner for the American Board of Periodontology, participating in the assessment and certification of periodontists seeking board certification.
“Being selected for this national leadership position is especially meaningful to me because board certification has played an important role throughout my professional career,” Bain said. “It is both a privilege and an opportunity to give back to the specialty while helping support excellence in periodontal education, assessment and patient care nationwide."
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Chandra elected to national leadership role in American Rhinologic Society
Dr. Rakesh Chandra, chair of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, was recently elected to the presidential cycle of the American Rhinologic Society, one of the leading professional organizations dedicated to the advancement of rhinology and skull base surgery.
This leadership role on the executive committee will begin in the fall and includes four consecutive one-year terms as second vice president, first vice president, president and immediate past president. In these roles, Chandra will help guide the society’s strategic initiatives, educational programming and efforts to advance research, innovation and patient care within the field of rhinology.
The American Rhinologic Society represents specialists from across the country and internationally who focus on disorders of the nose and sinuses, ranging from biologic mechanisms of disease to sinus and skull base surgery. The organization sponsors an array of grants and educational programs to advance research, education and clinical care in these areas.
“It has been more than an honor to serve the ARS for over two decades,” Chandra said. “I am awestruck by how our discipline has evolved over this time and am excited to represent UMMC in shaping our society's future.”
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Davis honored for rural health innovation in virtual care
Dr. Tearsanee Carlisle Davis, director of clinical programs and strategy at the UMMC Center for Telehealth and Emerging Technologies, recently received the 2026 Virtual Care Champions: Rural Health Innovation Award during ATA NEXUS, the American Telehealth Association’s annual conference and expo.
The award recognizes an individual or organization that has advanced virtual care for rural, underserved or vulnerable patient populations. Honorees are also recognized for increasing awareness and adoption of telehealth or contributing to ATA policy initiatives related to reimbursement, regulation and access to telehealth services.
Davis was nominated by her colleagues in the field and chosen by the ATA Board of Directors for her leadership in maternal health and remote patient monitoring, as well as her work to strengthen telehealth policy and statewide virtual care infrastructure. In addition to her work at UMMC, she is actively involved with ATA, serving as a speaker and workshop facilitator and as a member of the ATA CEO Advisory Group on Eliminating Disparities via Telehealth.
“Over the past five years, UMMC Center for Telehealth and Emerging Technologies has administered a Maternal RPM program to improve maternal health outcomes across Mississippi,” Davis said.
“Through the innovative use of remote monitoring technology, the program has supported early identification and management of high-risk conditions, improved health literacy, increased patient engagement, provided maternal mental health support, and expanded access to care for individuals who may otherwise face barriers during pregnancy and in the postpartum period.”
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Largest group of UMMC students inducted into prestigious Phi Kappa Phi honor society
Dozens of top scholars from the University of Mississippi Medical Center have been invited to join Phi Kappa Phi, a nationally recognized honor society with a legacy spanning more than 125 years.
Sixty-two students from various schools across UMMC were inducted into the highly selective and distinguished organization during a recent ceremony recognizing academic excellence, leadership and achievement.
Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary collegiate honor society. The organization inducts approximately 20,000 members each year on more than 300 campuses throughout the United States and its territories. Since its founding in 1897 at the University of Maine, more than 1.75 million members have joined its ranks.
The University of Mississippi chapter was chartered in May 1959 as the 77th chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, and UMMC is part of the University of Mississippi chapter.
Students inducted into the honor society received graduation honor cords and medallions to wear during UMMC commencement ceremonies. According to Dr. Natalie Gaughf, this year’s group represents the largest class of inductees in UMMC history.
Membership in Phi Kappa Phi is earned and granted by invitation only. Undergraduate students must be seniors who demonstrate exceptional scholarship and character, complete at least 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours, and rank in the top 10% of their class.
Graduate and professional students must also demonstrate distinguished academic achievement, placing them among the highest-performing students in their respective programs.