Mission-Driven MD Program

On behalf of Dr. Brian Good

We wanted to take an opportunity to provide an update regarding our School of Medicine's roll-out of the new MD Program. This program is the culmination of a nearly two-year structured process of reflection, learning, and discussion. Although our school has many strengths, we are constantly seeking to improve. We saw an opportunity to disrupt our historical educational structure to implement changes that have proven successful at other medical schools and through pilots here at the University of Utah. Although there are many facets to the new MD program, we wanted to highlight a few exciting innovations:

1. For starters, we are off and running! 127 students are in the midst of their first six-week course, called SCoPE (Skills, Communication, and Professional Exploration) focusing on establishing a school culture that embraces social connection, collaboration, diversity, self-reflection and self-care, and grit. 
2. Increased focus on student-led clinics. In order to increase medical care in underserved areas of the Salt Lake Valley, the School of Medicine is providing resources to strengthen the student-led clinic model that had been present at the School of Medicine for years. Medical students across all levels will be supervised and supported as they learn the skills necessary for direct patient care in the clinical setting. These clinics will not only extend access to the university's excellent clinical care but will also provide a rich multi-faceted clinical, administrative, and service-oriented educational experience for all students. The program is utilizing clinic days at South Main Clinic, Midvale Clinic, the new Rose Park Student-run Primary Care Clinic, 4th Street Clinic, and the People's Clinic in Park City. This earlier clinical experience will allow us to move the major clinical year ("clerkship year") into the second year of our new Medical School Program.
3. Creation of an Academic House System. We created the "House" system to counteract some of the challenges innate to becoming a physician and practicing medicine. This system will foster community amongst all years of medical students, staff, and faculty and serve as a place for support, advice, and open reflection. The houses are structured to provide venues for career mentoring, social events, and honest, non-assessed conversations to foster students' personal and professional growth through medical school. As the houses are forming, there is room for all levels of residents and current and emeritus faculty to be integrated into the communities. 
4. Transforming the traditional "block" clerkship year into a longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) model. Where "block" clerkships provided concentrated time in each specialty before moving to the next, LIC students are paired with individual preceptors in each medical field for a longer duration. Students and preceptors work together weekly or biweekly through the entire year. Under the preceptor's guidance, students perform larger and larger clinical roles, eventually becoming value-added to the patients, preceptors, and the clinic. The LIC schedule has dedicated time for inpatient immersions and also allows students to follow patients they meet in one specialty to other specialties. This provides a distinct view of the health care system. Although this restructuring does require organization and preceptor recruiting, the literature base is convincing that this model benefits patients, preceptors, and students. Students have shown to be more empathetic and patient centered.

Need for LIC Preceptors

As the new LIC model emphasizes the longitudinal relationships found in ambulatory care, we are reaching out to the education teams of each University of Utah department to learn their current and planned total ambulatory clinic precepting capacity. As the student learning objectives focus on patient care, both generalists and sub-specialists will make fantastic preceptors. From the University of Utah, we estimate we will require capacity for roughly 95 medical students per specialty. In pediatrics, students will work with preceptors, on average, ½ day weekly or one full day every other week. Faculty members could easily precept more than one student. We have asked that each department's leadership emphasize that precepting medical students is an expectation. As we also have LIC programs operating in different local and rural health systems, the remainder of the clinical preceptors will be identified from different clinician pools.  

Clinical Experience "Bubble"

As we are rolling out this model iteratively, there is going to be a time period where we will have double the amount of student learners in our clinical environment. This nine-month overlap will occur between September 2024 and June of 2025. By enlisting each department's clinical precepting capacity, the traditional block teams and the LIC teams will be able to create a plan that smooths the "bubble" and ensures a great educational experience for all of our medical students. We recognize that this impacts all departments and that the upcoming months will be challenging. As our Department of Pediatrics has robust representation across the entire MD program leadership, we are hoping for wide-spread support.   

Dr. Brian Good and the School of Medicine team will be in touch in the next few weeks asking about ambulatory preceptor capacity. In the meantime, if you would like more details or to organize a divisional presentation, please reach out. 

Primary Children's Vertical Kilometer

Primary Children's Vertical Kilometer (PCVK) is a run up the west face of Grandeur Peak (1,000 meters/3,280 feet). The PCVK is a true mountain event, and will test your endurance and skills in a great community of enthusiasts. The event takes place on Saturday, November 11, 2023.

PCVK is raising funds to help the children cared for at Primary Children's Hospital (PCH).

The entry fee, which supports pediatric care and research at PCH, is $1000. The fee is 100% tax-deductible and goes to support the mission of PCH. We encourage you to raise the funding from friends and colleagues for this worthy goal. 

Don't want to run but still want to support PCH? Don't worry - you can sign up and donate $2,000 NOT to run☺(or a donation amount that is meaningful to you).

Visit pcvk.org for further details, to register, or to make a donation.

Please contact the race team at the PCVK website or talk to Josh Bonkowsky with questions.

Healthcare Stories 2024

The Resiliency Center has released a call for stories for Healthcare Stories 2024 via Accelerate!

As a part of UtahPresents 2023-2024 season, this event will be live and on stage at Kingsbury Hall the evening of Thursday, February 1, 2024.

The theme for this year is "Promise." Stories might address imagined futures, potential pathways, new opportunities, vows, commitments, and moments of growth, as well as journeys that took unexpected detours and relationships that changed.

Storytellers will consist of healthcare professionals, trainees, students, family members, and patients. If you or someone you know has a good story and would be willing to tell it in front of an audience, please submit your story pitch! Storytellers from within and outside of U of U Health are encouraged to submit their healthcare related stories. The submission deadline is Monday, October 23, 2023. See the website for story pitch guidelines and further event details.

> Submit a story

WSPR Western Medical Research Conference

The Western Society for Pediatric Research (WSPR) invites you to attend the 2024 Western Medical Research Conference that will be held in Carmel, California on January 18-20, 2024. 

With all the outstanding child health research being conducted, we would love for the University of Utah and Department of Pediatrics to be well represented at this meeting. Trainees of all levels and junior faculty are especially encouraged to submit an abstract and apply for the many trainee awards that are available. To learn more about WSPR and/or apply for membership, visit www.westernspr.org.  

The abstract deadline is Friday, September 22, 2023 by midnight PST.

> Call for abstracts

There is a registration discount before January 6, 2024. Registration details to come.

We look forward to seeing you in Carmel in January!

DELPHI Data Science Symposium

The 1st annual Data Exploration and Learning for Precision Health Intelligence (DELPHI) Symposium will be held on Friday, October 20 from 8:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m. at the Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House.

> Register here

> Informational flyer and agenda

Employee Appreciation Day

Faculty and staff are invited to a day of fun and recognition. Employee Appreciation Day takes place Thursday, September 28 from 10:00–2:00 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. 

Employees must bring their Ucard employee ID badge in order to enter the event.

Virtual Activities

Goosechase! This year, employees who can't make it to the in-person event can participate in a virtual scavenger hunt/take a photo game through Goosechase. Participants will compete to submit corresponding photos or answer text-based prompts to generate points to be entered into a chance to win U of U swag!

In-person Activities

• Free pizza and dessert!
• The return of Flashbacc the Band! This cover band will have you groovin' to the classic rock sounds of the 60's and 70's!
• Print & Mail Photo Booth! Take commemorative photos with your friends and colleagues against U of U backdrops!
• Live juggling entertainment presented by master juggler, Tanner Alder!
• Receive a custom and unique-to-you poem printed on vintage typewriters courtesy of The Poem Pros!
• Temporary Airbrush Tattoos! Rock your U of U spirit with a nonpermanent tattoo!
• Flu Shot Clinic
• University of Utah Public Safety K9 Unit Demonstrations! Watch highly-trained canines perform explosive materials detections!
• Hooked on Books! Browse through donated books, CDs, DVDs, etc. for an EAD souvenir!
• If you would like to donate your old books, CD's, DVD's, etc. to Hooked on Books, there are drop-off donation boxes located at the Marriot Library, the S.J. Quinney College of Law Library, Eccles Health Sciences Library, Campus HR's downtown office, U of U Hospital, the College of Humanities, and the Physics Department.
• Field activities, including:
• The ever-popular football field goal kick! Embody your favorite Utes player and see if you can score a field goal!
• Challenge your friends to a game of corn hole, giant Jenga or giant Connect Four!
• Putting with the Police! See if you can score a hole-in-one using a comically large golf putt alongside the U Police!

Visit the EAD website for more information, or contact Mandy Skonhovd at 801-581-6206 or EAD@utah.edu.

Thank you for all your hard work! We hope you enjoy the Employee Appreciation Day festivities.

Faculty Review & Advancement (FARA) Events

eVote for 4th Year Reappointment Candidates on the Career-line Track:

Actions for Career-line faculty will be voted on through an MBM eVote starting Friday, September 8. Faculty should have received the eVote invitation in their inbox. The ballot will be open for one week. Faculty from all ranks on the Tenure and Career-line tracks are eligible to vote on reappointment actions. 

Department Advisory Committee Meetings (Faculty Only)

Faculty members being considered for promotion and/or tenure-line retention during the 2023–2024 cycle will be presented and voted on. 

Meeting 1 of 2: Tuesday, September 26, 5 p.m. 

Meeting 2 of 2: Thursday, September 28, 5 p.m.

• Meetings will be held in a hybrid format, with an in-person option at the HSEB Building Lecture Hall 1700 and an online option via Zoom. Faculty members of the FARA Department Advisory Committee (i.e., all department faculty of any track/rank) should have previously received Outlook invitations with further details.
• Tenure-line faculty are required to attend, and we need a quorum of Tenure Track faculty to make these meetings count! Career-line faculty are strongly encouraged to attend. We submit all faculty votes to the School of Medicine. 

Please email Alberta Elstein if you cannot attend a meeting and would like an absentee ballot or if you need the Outlook appointments re-sent. Thank you for your participation!

Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Symposium

Huntsman Cancer Institute and Primary Children’s Hospital invite you to a one-day symposium on Friday, October 6 on advances in pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancer research. Presentations will focus on digital health and data innovations to improve outcomes for young individuals with cancer. 

Please RSVP by Wednesday, September 20.

> RSVP here

> Informational flyer

> Symposium agenda

2023 Holiday Party - Save the Date!

Mark your calendars for annual Department of Pediatrics holiday party: Saturday, December 9, 7–10:30 p.m.

Pediatric Health Equity Symposium - Save the Date!

Please mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual Pediatrics Health Equity Symposium, Friday, February 9, 2024 from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. at Eccles Outpatient Building.

To be added to the Save the Date Outlook placeholder, please contact Renae Lawless.

Brent James First in Quality Award

The Department of Pediatrics has established the Brent James First in Quality Award to both honor the tremendous impact of Dr. James on Quality Improvement Science and to recognize multi-disciplinary team members who have used that quality improvement scientific approach to substantively improve a clinical process over time with a demonstrable change in a desired health outcome.

Dr. James is known internationally for his work in clinical quality improvement, patient safety, and the infrastructure that underlies successful improvement efforts, such as culture change, data systems, payment methods, and management roles. His call to action to use quality improvement principles to make care better and better for the children and families we serve is exemplified by the inaugural awardees, members of a team whose efforts have had a dramatic impact on the delivery of sepsis-related care:

• Rhonda Carter – PCH Emergency Department Nurse
• Andrea Cowan – PCH Emergency Department Nurse
• Roni Lane – Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician
• Gitte Larsen – Division of Pediatric Critical Care Physician
• Susan Masotti – PCH Database Specialist
• Nicholas Weaver – PCH Pharmacy Manager
• Katy Welkie – PCH CEO & VP for Children's Health
• Jennifer Workman – Division of Pediatric Critical Care Physician

The team of awardees, recognized for their QI work in pediatric sepsis, were honored at a luncheon on August 31 with Dr. Brent James in attendance

Left to right: Susan Masotti, Brent James, Roni Lane, Gitte Larsen, Nicholas Weaver, Rhonda Carter, Jennifer Workman, Andrea Cowan, Katy Welkie, Angelo Giardino

>2023 Brent James Award Program

Student and Trainee Abstract Awards

Two trainees from our Division of Clinical Pharmacology received 2023 Student and Trainee Abstract Awards from the American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP). Congratulations to Rachel Hudson and Autumn McKnite! Recipients are distinguished individuals who will be recognized at the ACCP annual meeting this month for their outstanding research abstracts. Click the images below to view the award winner's video statement.

Rachel Hudson, PhD, MS

Abstract: Drug and Dietary Supplement Exposure During Pregnancy and Lactation in the US from 2011 to 2022

Autumn McKnite, BS

Abstract: A Combined X Vivo and Physiologically-based Pharmacokinetic Approach to Determine Fentanyl Dosing in Children on Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

Welcome to the Team!

NEW FACULTY & APPs WHO JOINED US IN AUGUST:



Behavioral Health

• Shannon Chaplo, PhD – Associate Professor (Clinical)
• Matthew Koster, DO – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Cardiology

• Spencer Barfuss, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)
• Hugh Bigg, DO – Assistant Professor (Clinical)
• Claire McMahon, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Cardiology & Neonatology

• Ryan Carpenter, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Complex Care

• Avery Hill, DO – Instructor (Clinical)

Critical Care

• Jordan Gaudio, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Emergency Medicine

• Alan Potts, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Endocrinology

• Hannah Jelley, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)
• Michelle Meder, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Gastroenterology

• Oriana Vanegas Calderon, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

General Pediatrics

• Maggie Bale, MD – Instructor (Clinical)
• Karla Feindt, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Genetics

• Annabelle Wilcox, PA – Physician Assistant

Hematology/Oncology

• James Ford, DO – Associate Professor (Clinical)
• Claire Fraley, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)
• Amanda Johnson, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)
• Jane Underdown, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Hospital Medicine

• Lee Morris, MD – Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Infectious Diseases

• Nicole Pershing, MD – Assistant Professor



NEW STAFF WHO JOINED US IN AUGUST:



Administration

• Tanner Mott – Administrative Program Coordinator (Contracts, Staff Development Program, Education Loan Repayment Program)

Behavioral Health

• Katherine Saldana – Clinical Study Assistant

Clinical Enterprise

• Sonya Balling – Outpatient Services Specialist
• Wendy Hack – Customer Advocate Specialist
• Julia Helvey – Health Care Assistant
• Phoebe Knight – Health Care Assistant
• Fernanda Luna – Medical Assistant I
• Maxine Marquez – Health Care Assistant
• Nathalia Nieto – Outpatient Services Specialist
• Kaitlyn Vance – Customer Advocate Specialist
• Maddison Wallace – Customer Advocate Specialist
• Katie Wilson – Scheduling Coordinator

Clinical Pharmacology

• Porter Hunt – Research Associate

Emergency Medicine

• Kristen Cline – Academic Program Manager
• Julie Pouladi – Administrative Assistant

General Pediatrics

• Samantha Bennett – Clinical Nurse
• Anabeli Zavala – Medical Assistant I

Genetics

• Sheelu Kumari – Lab Technician

Hospital Medicine

• Anahi Guillen – Research Assistant/Analyst

Infectious Diseases

• Rachael Mackay – Clinical Nurse

Neurology

• Kalynn Culver – Clinical Study Assistant

Research Enterprise

• Roldan Navarrete – Grants and Contracts Officer II in Pre-Award Office

UDAC

• Tina Williams – Occupational Therapist

Thanks for the Memories!

All of us in Pediatrics and Genetics were deeply saddened in learning of the passing of our friend, teacher, colleague, and mentor, Dr. John M. Opitz. John joined the faculty of the University of Utah in 1997 after many contributions to the field at the University of Wisconsin and the Medical Genetics program in Montana. During the 6 decades of his career, he received many honors and honorary degrees and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers in human and medical genetics. Notwithstanding, John was most proud of his work in educating all of us on the role of evolution in the practice of medicine.

Those of us who know John are not surprised by the idea that he would compose his own obituary, and we include it here:

John M. Opitz, MD died on 8/31/2023. He last served, with gratitude, the University of Utah as Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics in its Division of Medical Genetics. He came to Salt Lake City on 1/1/1997, having previously worked for 18 years in Montana as clinical geneticist out of Shodair Hospital in Helena. 

Dr. Opitz was born on 8/15/1935 in Hamburg, Germany as an only child of Erica and Friedrich Opitz, the latter dying when John was five years old. He spent the years of 1942-1947 with his grandfather in Hamburg during its destruction through Allied air raids and its occupation by British forces. In 1945 his mother began to work with the American Occupation forces and the Allied War Crimes Tribunal until 1950 when both received permission to enter the United States, settling in Iowa City, Iowa. Here, John completed his high school, college, and medical education and began training in Pediatrics. 

In 1961, Dr. Opitz moved to Madison, Wisconsin to complete training at the University of Wisconsin, emphasis: Pediatric Genetics. During his Fellowship training 1962-1964 and for a subsequent five years, he received support from the National Institutes of Health. Between 1964 and 1979 he served on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, departments of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, founding in the latter its Division of Clinical Genetics, its Medical Genetics and Genetic Counseling Training programs, as well as the American Journal of Medical Genetics. 

Dr. Opitz was known as a morphologist, emphasis on pleiotropy ("syndromes") worked out in detail by means of phenotype analysis. In later years he concentrated on the relationship between evolution and development. His work on that subject remains incomplete. 

Dr. Opitz is survived by his wife of 35 years Dr. Susan Lewin, and their daughter Emma. He is also survived by children Lea, Teresa, John, Santi, first wife Marian, and grandchildren Lauren, Nate, Greg, Darya, Violet, and Max. 

Dr. Opitz was a naturalist, humanist, student of the history of morphology. He loved children, animals, all things beautiful and held to the view that music was "the voice of God."

His body was donated to the Body Donor Program in the Neurobiology Department in the School of Medicine.

Russ Telford – Transitioned from Biostatistician IV to Research & Science Director with the Data Coordinating Center (Critical Care)

Zach Tripp – Transitioned from Research Assistant to Clinical Study Assistant with University Developmental Assessment Clinics

Women in Pediatrics would like to share the following article from the American Medical Association: "3 Keys to Help Women Physicians Win at the Negotiating Table" by Jennifer Lubell, AMA Contributing News Writer.

This article touches on successful negotiation tactics and also includes a video link to a Negotiation Workshop for Women in Medicine (51 minutes) led by Dr. Anees B. Chagpar, MD, MSc, MPH, MA, MBA, Professor at Yale University.

Women in Pediatrics Faculty Networking Event

On behalf of Dr. Nancy Murphy, Associate Chair of Faculty Engagement, you are cordially invited to:

The 2nd Annual Women in Pediatrics Faculty Networking Event

Thursday, September 21st from 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Thomas S. Monson Center Ivory Ballroom

To RSVP, please Register via Eventbrite by September 14th

We hope you will be able to join us for this special celebration of our women faculty. Hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be served, with opportunities for mingling and networking, and a prize raffle!

This year we are very fortunate to have guest speaker Natalie Gochnour – Associate Dean in the David Eccles School of Business, Director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, and Chief Economist for the Salt Lake City Chamber – joining us to deliver our keynote presentation on "The New Utah"!

Please contact Renae.Lawles@hsc.utah.edu for more information.

> Informational flyer & agenda

Women in Pediatrics for Staff: Recording of Inaugural Event

In August, the WiP for Staff Committee hosted its inaugural event, inviting all staff members in the Department of Pediatrics to come hear the keynote speakers: Pat Jones, CEO of Women's Leadership Institute and husband Joe Horton, MD, former CEO of Primary Children's Hospital and current adjunct faculty in Health Management & Policy at University of Michigan.

For those not able to attend, a recording of the presentations is available here.

As fall begins and students return to classrooms, we can reflect on the past year and its opportunities and challenges, including the Supreme Court decision to overturn race-based admissions in the Harvard and University of North Carolina cases. While this decision made headlines and groups have been concerned about impact on underrepresented groups in academia, the truth is that the University of Utah does not utilize race-based admissions, and this decision does not impact our educational mission or values. The University of Utah requires academic discipline and rigor for acceptance from all candidates to create a rich environment for learning. Outreach efforts to groups that historically have been underrepresented to foster that richness will continue.  

The Department of Pediatrics supports these efforts through a number of initiatives including the Genomics Summer Research for Minorites (GSRM) and the Native American Research Internship (NARI) through the Research Education Office, providing training opportunities in biomedicine and research to diverse learners. This summer, the department hosted the largest class yet, with 43 talented GSRM and NARI trainees coming from across the country and U.S. territories. The programs provide academic, cultural, and professional mentorship.  

Since its inception in 2019, the GSRM program has hosted 53 trainees through federal funding; the program supports specific members of underrepresented groups as defined by the National Institutes of Health. Remarkably, of the 21 trainees who have graduated so far, 15 (71%) have been accepted into higher education graduate programs including two recruits to the PhD and MD/PhD programs at the University of Utah.

NARI has welcomed American Indian and Alaskan Natives from tribes across America since 2010. To date, 194 participants representing 68 tribal nations, 75 colleges and universities, and 29 home states have participated in the NARI program. Of 194 NARI alumni, 160 (82%) have completed a bachelor's degree; the remaining 34 (18%) are current undergraduate students. Since 2010, 36 students have been accepted to medical school, 2 into MD/PhD programs (one at the University of Utah), and 51 to health-related graduate programs. In addition, 67 (35%) of NARI alumni have gained employment in biomedical research fields.  

Other outreach efforts to share knowledge and experiences include the following: 

1. The Department of Pediatrics will participate of the 2nd Annual Medicine Immersion Day Saturday, September 16th, 2023, with representation from the JEDI office (Dr. Slattum), the ARWG (Dr. Asaki), Division of Neurology (Dr. Espinoza), Division of Pediatric Cardiology (Dr. Binka), and Division of Palliative Care Medicine (Dr. Gradick). The program supports pre-meds and STEM-interested black and under-represented youth of the Salt Lake valley, and it is hosted by the Black Physicians of Utah organization.
2. MEDiversity Week hosted by the OHEDI also returns this fall on October 23-27, 2023 with an emphasis on anti-ageism in health care and the recent designation of U of U Health as an Age-Friendly Health System.

GSRM and NARI Trainees Graduation Day August 3rd, 2023, Williams Building  

New Publications

Congratulations to authors and reviewers on publishing new, updated, or peer-review of content on the Medical Home Portal! This month's shout-outs go to:

• Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) – Diagnoses & Conditions: Kirti Sivakoti, MD
• Leukodystrophies – Diagnoses & Conditions: Lynne M. Kerr, MD, PhD; Reviewed by: Joshua L. Bonkowsky, MD, PhD
• Infantile Spasms – Diagnoses & Conditions: Lynne M. Kerr, MD, PhD; Reviewed by: Cristina Corina Trandafir, MD, PhD
• Guanidinoacetate Methyltransferase (GAMT) Deficiency – Newborn Screening: Brian J. Shayota, MD, MPH; Reviewed by: Nancy C. Rose, MD
• Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) (FAQ) – Parents & Families: Tyler T. Miller, MD; Jennifer Goldman, MD, MRP, FAAP
• Treating Diaper Rash – For Physicians & Professionals: Claire K. Turscak, MD, MS
• Screening for Sleep Problems – For Physicians & Professionals: Claire K. Turscak, MD, MS; Jennifer Goldman, MD, MRP, FAAP

Writing Opportunities for Faculty, Fellows, and Residents

The Medical Home Portal's Writing & Career Development Group provides support and training for faculty, fellows, and residents who enjoy writing and want to build their CV and professional network. Providing guidance to primary care clinicians, related professionals, and families taking care of children with special healthcare needs, the website has over 1 million viewers annually from around the world. Portal publications are analogous to book chapters for academic scholarly effort. Pediatrics faculty, fellows, and residents can contact the Medical Home Portal's editor-in-chief to discuss content authoring and reviewing opportunities.

Pediatrics ECHO

The Pediatrics ECHO fall series started August 30th, and registration is open for the upcoming sessions. You can view previous session recordings on the Project ECHO page.

If you didn't have time to attend, you can watch this great session:

Eczema, Warts, and Molluscum – presented by Luke Johnson, MD

The fall schedule is as follows:

Pediatrics ECHO: Autism 101

The Pediatrics ECHO Autism 101 series will continue at noon MDT on the fourth Wednesday of each month through October. CME is available for participating in these classes.

Our presenters are Allison Ellzey, MD, MSEd; Michele Villalobos, PhD; Paul Carbone, MD; and Ashley Stuart, PhD from the University Developmental Assessment Clinics (UDAC). They will cover topics that are of importance to primary care providers. Register here for upcoming sessions:

Safe and Healthy Families ECHO

The twice monthly Safe and Healthy Families ECHO series brings experts in child physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, child welfare, and ethics together to present on a diversity of topics of interest to those who work with potentially abused children (pediatricians, family medicine, child and adolescent psychiatry, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, social workers, mental health providers, child welfare workers, and lawyers).

Each Safe and Healthy Families learning session qualifies for 1 hour of CME credit. Sessions are held on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month with bonus ethics sessions on the fifth Thursdays of the month.

Register now for any of the Safe and Healthy Families sessions:

Wellness Message

Brought to you by Thriving in Pediatrics (TiP)

Monthly Topic

By Monique Chantry, Pediatrics Administration

In any state of life, in any profession, in any situation, we will face new changes that can challenge our resilience. The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney asserts that "mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness. Positive mental health involves feeling good and functioning well, and there are ways to improve even if you don't have a mental illness." Many of us might think we are in an "acceptable" place in life, but we don't want to just "survive" we want to "thrive" in our daily lives.

When stress reaches a certain level, it increases our cortisol hormone production. This in turn affects our executive function, shifting it to a more primitive state that can actually shrink our brain if kept consistently raised over a period of time. Simone Cox, a licensed marriage and family therapist, gave an insightful TEDxTalk about how "emotional well-being affects personal growth." She explained that when we are in a constant state of fight or flight, we begin to think the worst about ourselves and others and even begin to have chronic physical health effects. To work through this, Simone recommends reaching out to safe people amongst our family and friends.

Another important step is contacting a professional to help us look at ourselves honestly and work to take accountability for how we truly want to thrive. Working at the U affords us the opportunity to take advantage of licensed professionals through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). They are at our disposal to help us over whatever amount of time we need with whatever support we need.

You can call Blomquist Hale (801-587-9319 or 800-926-9619) for free counseling at any of their many locations across Utah (listed below) or even virtually for individual, marital, or family sessions. They have many focuses like: stress, anxiety, or depression; personal or emotional challenges; grief or loss; financial or legal problems; substance abuse or addictions; senior care planning; etc. You can also look through the lists of their therapists' bios to find who might be the right fit for you.

It's ok to be nervous to take that first step, and if it doesn't quite click how you hoped, there's no shame in looking into other therapists or therapies to make sure you are working to strengthen your emotional well-being how you need. Remember to do self-care so that you can really thrive in your personal and work life.

Blomquist Hale Solutions Office Locations:

1.  Resiliency Center (UofU Health Employees)
2. Ogden
3. Orem
4. Draper
5. Farmington
6. Logan
7. Murray
8. Downtown Salt Lake

Notable Dates

Here are a few dates to be mindful of this month:

Did you do anything specific to acknowledge these dates? Let us know at pedwellness@hsc.utah.edu

University Resources

The University of Utah has a wide variety of resources available to both staff and faculty. Here are useful links related to Emotional Wellness:

Need more information? Reach out to pedwellness@hsc.utah.edu

For a larger version of an employee highlight, click the corresponding image below.

The department has an online tool you can use to show appreciation for other members of Pediatrics and recognize them for exemplifying the PROMISE behavior standards: People Centered, Respect, Ownership, Making a Difference, Innovation, Safety, and Excellence.

Recognitions will be published anonymously in an upcoming issue of the newsletter.

The link to the recognition form can be found on the department intranet home page in the "Contact Us" tile, or click the button below.

This Month's Recognition

Kellie Colunga - Clinical Enterprise

Recognized for Excellence

"Kellie is a fantastic MA and does an outstanding job in CF clinic. She is a problem solver and plans ahead to ensure all have proper training and skills to do their job. We really appreciate all she does for our CF patients!"

Isabel Tapia Barraza - Clinical Enterprise

Recognized for Excellence

"Isabel is a fantastic MA. She is always willing to learn new things and goes above and beyond in CF clinic. We are so lucky to have her on our team!"

Dr. Giardino Wants to Hear from You!

If you have any ideas or concerns you'd like to share with Dr. Giardino, please submit your comments to his suggestion box. The link can be found on the department intranet home page in the "Contact Us" tile, or send a suggestion now by clicking button below.

For contributions or suggestions for the newsletter, write to us here!

Past issues of the Pediatrics Flyer can be found here.

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