DOM CONNECT:
Your Department, Your Colleagues, Your Stories
| |
|
In this month’s Chair’s Spotlight, we highlight the work of Sunita Puri, MD, MS, director of the Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship and associate professor of medicine in the Division of Palliative Care Medicine. She is also a writer of nonfiction and memoir.
We recently sat down with Dr. Puri for a conversation about what drew her to this work, what inspires her, and what her hopes are for the palliative care fellowship as she steps into the role of fellowship director.
| | |
 | |
In this month’s Fellow Spotlight, we feature Anila Zainab Medina, MD, MPH, a fellow in Geriatric Medicine, originally from Karachi, Pakistan. In late April, we caught up with Dr. Medina to learn more about her work, an incredible trip that she took to Iceland, and her favorite author.
What are your clinical interests?
I am interested in providing multidisciplinary, function-focused care to older adults, especially those with neurocognitive disorders. I hope to develop an Aging and Memory Center of Excellence at UMass, dedicated to the care of these patients. I have been actively involved with the dementia steering committee at UMass and have recently launched an interdisciplinary forum with providers in geriatrics, neurology, geriatric psychiatry, and neuropsychology to discuss complex patients and review topics related to neurocognitive disorders. My other major goal is to provide collaborative care to primary care physicians in the community for patients living with dementia and for frail older adults.
Why did you choose UMass for your fellowship?
I chose UMass for the fellowship, as the program was accommodating to my interests, and I was able to build on my prior experience as an internist in primary care. Dr. Erika Zimmons and Dr. Jerry Gurwitz were instrumental in providing me with this opportunity. Additionally, I was intrigued by the age-friendly health system and its use of the 4 Ms (i.e. mobility, mentation, medications, and What Matters most) for older adults in the outpatient clinic.
Where is your favorite place to travel for vacation and why?
My favorite vacation was a family trip to Iceland. It was a breathtaking experience. As we traveled through the geologically contrasting regions, we saw geysers, hot springs, and spectacular waterfalls, walked on black sand beaches, hiked glaciers, drove near the arctic circle, and went on white water rafting in frigid waters.
Who is your favorite author?
My favorite author is Yuval Noah Harari, who wrote “Sapiens A Brief History of Humankind" and "Homo Deus A Brief History of Tomorrow."
| |
 | |
In this month’s Resident Spotlight, we feature Julia Hyman, MD, a third-year Internal Medicine resident, originally from Newton, MA. Dr. Hyman is recognized for going above and beyond for her patients, approaching them with great professionalism and kindness. One of her many accomplishments is that she helped plan a wedding for a patient in palliative care, who expressed the wish to be married before they passed away. We recently caught up with Dr. Hyman to learn more about her work and her favorite things to do during her downtime.
What are your clinical and research interests?
I am interested in global health, palliative care, addiction medicine, and infectious disease. After completing residency in the summer, I am doing the HEAL Initiative Fellowship (Health, Equity, Action and Leadership) through UCSF, which is a clinical fellowship in Global Health. I will spend 1 year on Navajo Nation in Arizona, working with the Indian Health Service, and 1 year in Rwanda, working with Partners In Health. I am absolutely ecstatic and reasonably, but appropriately, terrified having lived the vast majority of my life within a 10-mile radius with a 50-mile distance from home being the farthest away I have lived. However, I majored in Primatology in college and studied monkeys in Uganda, and did a QI project on severe mental illness in Malawi with Partners In Health during medical school.
What makes UMass a great place for your residency?
Dr. Kopec makes UMass IM most special due to his deep love and care for the residents and the program itself. A close second are my colleagues and attendings, who make the experience enjoyable. Then come the patients, who make the residency meaningful.
Favorite Hobby?
I love playing soccer. Mostly, I am happiest on my days off spending time with my family or soaking up relaxation time watching TV in my wonderful bed at home. Does sleeping count as a hobby? During residency, sleep as a hobby seems reasonable.
Favorite thing to do in Worcester/Worcester area?
I play indoor soccer at Teamworks in Northborough. I’ve played weekly since my intern year, more recently on a UMass-heavy team. It has kept me sane, kept me active, kept me social, and kept me feeling like myself - even during my intern year during deep COVID times.
| |
Left to Right: Greg Leslie, Jenna L'Heureux, Mary Stanley (top), Melissa Schnauber, Michelle Drew, Kristen Fuhrmann, and Sandra Durand (bottom) | |
The Department of Medicine's Spring Town Hall was held on Monday, May 1. Below are a few highlights.
We celebrated the achievements of Greg Leslie, MD, assistant professor of medicine and clinical chief of Hospital Medicine, Jenna L'Heureux, NP, Gastroenterology, Mary Stanley, NP, Cardiovascular Medicine, Melissa Schnauber, LPN, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Michelle Drew, clinic manager, Tri-River, Kristen Fuhrmann, administrative coordinator, Innate Immunity, and Sandra Durand, clinic manager, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism. Congratulations to all the awardees!
We heard from Department of Medicine leadership who discussed goals for mission areas during the upcoming year. Deborah Blazey-Martin, MD, MPH, vice chair for Ambulatory Care, Yoel Carrasquillo-Vega, MD, MBA, director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and Rick Forster, MD, vice chair for Professional Development, each gave a presentation and took time for questions. At the Fall Town Hall, we will hear from vice chairs, Drs. Kate Fitzgerald, Kim Eisenstock, and PY Fan about their research, clinical care, and education goals, respectively.
We also heard about professional development opportunities for faculty, clinicians, and staff, the Department of Medicine’s updated Core Values, upcoming events, and more!
If you missed the Town Hall, we encourage you to watch the recording or view the slides below.
Click here to view the slides.
Click here to view the Town Hall recording.
| |
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Survey
Have you completed the Department of Medicine’s DEIB survey? We are interested in learning about your experiences at UMass Chan/UMass Medical Center. Your responses to this survey will be used to guide interventions and improve satisfaction at UMass.
They may also be used in research to understand workforce dynamics in general. The survey is expected to take you less than 10 minutes to complete. Your participation in this survey is voluntary and all your responses will be anonymous. No incentives will be offered for your participation. We would appreciate you completing all questions posed, though you may skip any question you wish.
Thank you for participating in this survey! Please click the button below to begin.
The UMass Chan Institutional Review Board has approved this anonymous survey. The Principal Investigator is Dr. Lauren Feld and her email is lauren.feld@umassmed.edu.
| | |
Department of Medicine Staff Celebrate Administrative Professionals' Day | Left to Right: Katherine Conlon, Candice Dufour, Ibriz Moonim, Maritza Vazquez-Byrnes, Kaity Lewis, Tina Peladeau, Karen Griffin, Kristen Fuhrmann, Gary Sadusky, Julie Schutz, Rose Doherty, Maureen Mayfield, Sierra Williams, Jaime Restic, Karen D'Amico | |
Administrative staff members from the Department of Medicine gathered on Wednesday, April 26, to celebrate Administrative Professionals' Day and enjoy breakfast treats and coffee with fellow colleagues.
We thank all of our staff for their hard work and dedication to the department!
| | |
Excellence in Clinical Care | |
|
Rebecca Kowaloff Describes Racial Disparities in End-of-Life Care in Recent Publication
Rebecca Kowaloff, DO, a provider in the Division of Palliative Care Medicine, recently published an article in the Journal of the National Medical Association, titled “Even at the End of Life, Patients of Color are Denied Equity.” Here, Dr. Kowaloff discusses racial disparities in end-of-life care for people of color. She explains that racial and ethnic minority patients often have life-limiting illnesses diagnosed at later stages, which are less aggressively managed due to decreased access to healthcare and providers minimizing complaints.
“Many of the reasons for this disparity are socioeconomic, relating to healthcare access and social support for medical decision-making and home caregiving. However, these deficiencies combine with healthcare providers’ implicit biases against racial and ethnic minorities’ ability to understand complex medical decision-making,” states Dr. Kowaloff. Patients who are not given the necessary care information are then forced into potentially harmful medical interventions. Dr. Kowaloff further explains that cultural values and expectations, such as spiritual beliefs and language barriers, are also large factors in end-of-life care differences between white patients and patients of color. When clashing with the view of healthcare providers, these factors can hinder progress toward culturally sensitive care.
| | |
|
Elizabeth Murphy Poster Competition Winner at Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine Annual Meeting
Elizabeth Murphy, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Primary Care Residency Track, recently presented her poster, “Tapping into the Experience and Expertise of Established General Internal Medicine Leaders to Keep Residents Engaged in Pursuing Primary Care Careers,” at the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM) 2023 Annual Meeting in Austin, TX, where she was the poster competition winner for her Programmatic Innovation Poster.
Dr. Murphy’s poster describes the Benedict Leaders Clinic which was established to help keep trainees on the path to pursuing primary care careers. Previously, some trainees who had intended on pursuing a career in primary care changed their plans due to challenges they faced in their continuity clinics. As part of the Benedict Leaders Clinic, each intern is paired with a general internal medicine leader who has a critical role in leadership throughout the clinical system and medical school, with the goal of acquiring career skills and gaining mentors. They found at the end of the second year of their program, 6 out of 8 residents intended to continue pursuing primary care careers and for the first time in years, many categorical and Chief residents also intended to continue pursuing primary care careers.
| | |
|
Shawna Steadman Presents on Primary Palliative Care at Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital
Shawna Steadman, MS, RN, ACNP, a provider in the Division of Palliative Care Medicine, and instructor in nursing, was recently invited to speak to staff at Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital in Worcester, on the topic of basic primary palliative care skills. She discussed how to manage symptoms of serious illness, support patients and their families through serious illness, and have serious illness discussions centered around setting goals.
Learn more about Ms. Steadman by clicking the button below.
| | |
2022-2023 Medical Grand Rounds | Left to Right: Apurv Soni, Neil Marya, Cansu Canca, Eric Alper, Sunita Puri, Navine Nasser-Ghodsi, and Scot Bateman | |
The Department of Medicine Grand Rounds series continued this past month, with the annual Howe Lecture, featuring Cansu Canca, PhD, Northeastern University, and Neil Marya, MD, UMass Chan Medical School, titled "The Dog Has Finally Caught the Car, Now What? Ethical Challenges of AI-Based Diagnoses of Malignancy." The Howe Lecture was moderated by Apurv Soni, MD, PhD, and panel members included Eric Alper, MD, Sunita Puri, MD, Navine Nasser-Ghodsi, MD, and Scot Bateman, MD, all of UMass. This past month, the Department of Medicine also heard from Sarah McGee, MD, Clinical Chief of Division of Geriatric Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, and Stephen Bonasera, MD, PhD, Division Chief, Geriatric and Palliative Care, Baystate Health, titled "Family Caregiver Burden and Distress in the Care of an Older Adult Living with Dementia," and from Feiran Lou, MD, assistant professor of surgery, UMass Chan Medical School, and Rahul N. Sood, MD, assistant professor of medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, titled "Lung Nodule Diagnosis and Surgical Treatments for Lung Cancer: Advances in Robotics."
View this year's line-up of speakers here. Please join us in person for these presentations if you are able. Light refreshments will be available.
Interested in watching our Grand Rounds presentations? Click on the links below.
April 27 - Grand Rounds: Lung Nodule Diagnosis and Surgical Treatments for Lung Cancer: Advances in Robotics - Recording Not Permissible
April 20 - No Grand Rounds
April 13 - Grand Rounds: Family Caregiver Burden and Distress in the Care of an Older Adult Living with Dementia - Recording Not Permissible
April 6 - Special Grand Rounds: Howe Lecture - The Dog Has Finally Caught the Car, Now What? Ethical Challenges of AI-Based Diagnoses of Malignancy
| | |
Appointments and Promotions | |
|
Congratulations to the following staff members on their recent appointments and promotions:
Appointments
Elizabeth Aherne, DO
Division of General Internal Medicine
Assistant Professor
Kirti Basil, DO
Division of Renal Medicine
Assistant Professor
Lindsey Bazzone, MD, PhD
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine
Assistant Professor
Kai Chen, MD, PhD
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Associate Professor
Jennifer Coukos, MD
Division of Gastroenterology
Assistant Professor
Arun Damodaran, MD
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Assistant Professor
Matthew Greenwood, MD
Division of Hospital Medicine
Assistant Professor
Stefania Gallucci, MD
Division of Innate Immunity
Professor
Aanchal Gupta, MD
Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology
Assistant Professor
Omar Hadzipasic, MD
Division of General Internal Medicine
Assistant Professor
Evan Jones, MD
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine
Assistant Professor
Robert Le, MD
Division of Hospital Medicine
Assistant Professor
| |
|
Navine Nasser-Ghodsi, MD
Division of Gastroenterology
Assistant Professor
Elizabeth Patsio, MD
Division of Geriatric Medicine
Assistant Professor
Jason Pitarresi, PhD
Division of Hematology and Oncology
Assistant Professor
Ethan Senser, MD
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Assistant Professor
Biqi Wang, PhD
Division of Health Systems Science
Assistant Professor
Viola Zhu, MD, PhD
Division of Hematology and Oncology
Associate Professor
Promotions
Emily Chang, MD
Division of General Internal Medicine
Assistant Professor
Please join us in welcoming our newest hire:
Recruitment
Sarah Hyder, MD, MBA
Division of Gastroenterology
Endoscopy Director
Associate quality officer for the Department of Medicine
| | | | | |
