Trauma and Burn Center Level I Reverification 

The VCU Adult Trauma, Pediatric Trauma and Evans-Haynes Burn Centers underwent our Level I reverification site surveys on February 10-11, 2022 and received official reverification in early April with no critical or non-critical deficiencies. This verification as a Level I trauma and burn center is the highest in the Commonwealth and demonstrates the outstanding commitment to excellence in trauma care, performance improvement, injury prevention and research. The VCU trauma center has been a verified trauma center for more than 50 years and the Pediatric and Burn programs were the first in the Commonwealth to receive independent verification. VCU trauma and burn centers admit more than 4000 critically injured/burn patients annually and more than 50% of these patients require surgical specialty care that only VCU can provide.

Congratulations to all the teams across the continuum of care who work together daily to save lives and reduce the burden of injury for our region and our State.

VCU's Center for Trauma and Critical Care Education Offers First Academic Medical Center Paramedic Program in VA

Celebrating Appointments & Awards

Congratulations to Dr. Lance Hampton for being appointed to the VCU Health System Board of Directors! VCU Health System Authority's Board of Directors governs our hospitals, clinical operations and services, which are governed in conjunction with their own individual boards. We are honored to have Dr. Hampton serve in this role as he will be a representative for all clinicians and help to ensure all missions of the health system are poised for success now and for years to come.

Congratulations to Dr. Stefan Leichtle for being nominated as President Elect to the American College of Surgeons Virginia Chapter! Dr. Leichtle has been involved with the Chapter for several years. He served as the Chapter's Advocacy & Issues Chair for five years and moderated a panel on "Surgeons and Health Policy at the State & Local Level" at this year's American College of Surgeons Virginia Chapter Meeting in Williamsburg.

Congratulations to Samantha Mladen for receving the 2022 featured Student Leadership Award, the Richard I. Wilson University Service Award! Samantha has been working with Dr. Katy Maher as her practicum student providing mental health care to our trauma and burn surgery patients for the past two years. She will be staying with us a 3rd year and also doing her dissertation work! The award nominations were incredibly competitive this year. Dr. Maher’s nomination of Samantha reflects her truly outstanding achievements.

View this video to learn more about Samantha's award and accomplishments.

Congratulations to Jon Miller for matching into the Hand Fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD! Dr. Miller will graduate from the Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Residency program in June 2023 prior to beginning his fellowship.

Presentations & Publications

Congratulations to all who presented at the 45th Annual Surgical Symposium of the Association of VA Surgeons in Pittsburg, PA on April 24 – 26. Central Virginia VA Health Care System/VCUHS projects had more podium presentations than any other VA or medical center in the country!

• Boyd S, Lavingia K, Wolfe l, Amendola M. Common Femoral to Iliac Artery Ratio Predicts Type IB Endoleak in Patients Undergoing Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR). 
• Bentan M, Dittman J, Boyd S, Lavingia K, Amendola M. Impact of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Long Term Outcomes of Complete Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion in a Veteran Cohort.
• Otoya D, Lavingia K, Amendola M. Watch That Waistline! Analysis of Anthropometric Measures Affecting Outcomes in Primary Radiocephalic Fistulas in a Veteran Population.
• Simmonds A, Keller-Biehl L, Khader A, Timmerman W, Amendola M. RAI predicts mortality in patients undergoing colectomy for diverticular disease at Veterans Affairs Hospitals.
• Otoya D, Simmonds A, Lavingia K, Amendola M. Operative Autonomy: Assessing resident impact on surgical outcomes in arteriovenous Fistulas.
• Simmonds A, Keller-Biehl L, Khader A, Timmerman W, Cohen S, Amendola M. Predicting Complications after Ostomy Takedown following Colectomy in the Veterans Affairs Hospital System.
• Simmonds A, Keller-Biehl L, Khader A, Timmerman W, Cohen S, Amendola M. Comparing Colectomy Outcomes Between Veteran Affairs Hospitals and Non-Veteran Affairs Hospitals.
• Keller-Biehl L, Simmonds A, Tse W, Khader A, Amendola M. Comparison of Surgical Outcomes Following Pancreatic Surgery Between the Veterans Affairs and NSQIP Participating Institutions. 
• Amendola M, Otoya D, Boyd S, Keller-Biehl L, Ripley B, Vega R. Assessment of Radiology and Surgery Programs in the United States: Are we Missing an Opportunity to Implement 3D Printing Technology?

Congratulations to Alex Simmonds, Yahya Alwatari and Edgar Rodas for having two abstracts selected for oral podium presentations at the 81st Annual Meeting of AAST (American Association for the Surgery of Trauma) and Clinical Congress of Acute Care Surgery that will take place in Chicago on September 21 – 24. 

• Early Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures for Flail Chest is Associated with Improved Patient Outcomes
• Early Tracheostomy in Polytrauma Patients is Associated with Improved Outcomes

Congratulations to Taylor Chishom for having her abstract "Impact of Intraoperative Hypothermia on Autologous Breast Reconstruction" accepted for inclusion in the Glancy Resident Competition of the Scientific Program at the 65th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons that will take place June 11 – 15 in Orlando.

Congratulations to Anthony Nye for having his abstract "Provider Understanding of Novel Nicotine Delivery Systems" accepted as a poster presentation at the 2022 SESPRS 65th Annual Scientific Meeting that will take place June 11 – 15 in Orlando.

Congratulations to Research Post-Docs Jad Khoraki and Loren Liebrecht for receiving invitations to present talks at the Military Health Systems Research Symposium (MHSRS) in Orlando in September. 

• Jad Khoraki, MD: Prognostic and Survival Benefits In A Preclinical Model Of Hemorrhagic Shock
• Loren Liebrecht, MD: Superior Survival Using PEG-20k Resuscitation Solution in LPS Model of Rodent Septic Shock

Congratulations to Kwame Asante Akuamoah-Boateng for his recent publication on his work in Rwanda on critical care training titled "The Impact of the Fundamental Critical Course on Knowledge Acquisition in Rwanda".

Congratulations to Dr. Herndon for Running the Boston Marathon

Diversity, Inclusion, Restoration and Equity Conversations

Wednesday, May 25 – 12 to 1pm

Join VCU Health’s Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion and the Office of Student Engagement for Diversity, Inclusion, Restoration and Equity (DIRE) Conversations. DIRE Conversations provide the opportunity for the VCU Health community to creatively engage in meaningful and informed dialogue, in a safe space, about the pressing issues of the day. Join here.