Section News
VANDERBILT Section of Surgical Sciences
Spring 2015
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
Curriculum 2.0 nurtures
physicians with early
clinical encounters
As we enter the last quarter of the academic year, we are reminded
of the continual cycle of renewal and progression in our system of
medical education and training. We are preparing for a new cohort
of interns beginning in July and a new class of medical students
beginning in August. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine has
undergone major recent changes in the medical school curriculum,
termed Curriculum 2.0. This innovative curriculum was the product of countless hours of faculty time and effort in the conception,
design and implementation phases. I am proud to report that two
of our General Surgery faculty members, Dr. Bonnie Miller, Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Senior Associate Dean for
Health Sciences Education, and Dr. Kim Lomis, Associate Dean for
This new curriculum is a grand and
bold experiment aimed at improving
medical education
Undergraduate Medical Education have provided the leadership to
drive these changes in our curriculum. The new curriculum looks
and feels much different from the traditional medical school curriculum. Instead of the traditional two years of basic sciences followed
by two years of clinical experiences, the new medical school curriculum is designed to more fully integrate the clinical experience
from the very beginning of the first year of medical school. This is
based on the observation that the key basic science information will
be more readily recalled and applied if it is anchored to the relevant
clinical application. The new curriculum also calls for more teambased and case-based learning experiences and problem solving
that are designed to reinforce the concept that medical care is
delivered by teams of health care professionals and that it is most
effective when the care is well coordinated.
FOR FULL STORY 8
Best regards,
Dr. Dan Beauchamp
Chairman, Section of Surgical Sciences
INSIDE
ADMINISTRATIVE
NEWS
RECOGNITION
EVENTS
HONORS & AWARDS
NEW FACULTY &
PROMOTIONS
ADMINISTRATIVE
Select team tackles issues
with appointment calls with
improved success
Bess Wildman
Administrative Section leadership
selected a unique team to tackle an
issue that is vital to our success, which
is getting patients scheduled into
the surgical clinics without a hitch. It
has been a frustrating step for some
patients and they have abandoned
the phone call requests, potentially
diminishing our patient volumes. Here
are the steps and goals the team formulated in order to reach the leadership’s goals:
• Urology and General Surgery scheduling teams transitioned to the centralized model January 12, 2015.
• Focused effort with dedicated leadership that provides
standardized approaches and strong accountability to customer service and key processes.
• The transition allowed professional growth and development for the Access Specialists through the implementation
of a career ladder.
• A steering committee consisting of clinic, physician, administration, and access center leadership representatives was
implemented to oversee the transition and build an effective
partnership.
Key metrics demonstrate the success:
GOALS:
• Abandonment Rate % - less than 5% of total call volume
abandoning before their call is answered
• Average Speed of Answer (ASA) - 30 seconds or less
PRE TRANSITION:
• Abandonment Rate: 9% average for both clinics
• ASA: 1 minute and 31 seconds
Congratulations to
Section Credo Winner
Jerrie Smith
Jerrelyn “Jerrie” Smith,
Administrative Assistant
in the Division of Surgical Oncology, is the
recipient of the Section’s Credo Award for
this quarter. Jerrie has
worked her entire 29
years at Vanderbilt within the Section of Surgical Sciences. Her
nomination focuses on her commitment to
patients, her dedication to staff, and her
commitment to helping others.
Dr. Ingrid Meszoely praises Jerrie as
“stellar,” and the Division always feels
Jerrie’s absence when she’s on vacation,
especially when it comes to scheduling
OR appointments. Her gentleness with
patients is especially noteworthy because
she understands that when dealing with
cancer, people need as much kindness as
they can get.
Congratulations, Jerrie, for being the Section’s Credo winner.
We look forward to receiving other outstanding nominations in the coming quarters and to recognizing those who consistently demonstrate exceptional Credo
behaviors.
Deadline for the next quarter is May 22.
POST TRANSITION:
• Abandonment Rate: 3.2% monthly trend
• ASA: 31 seconds
The Access Center was able to secure additional resources to support the service necessary for our patients and
referring offices, as well as employ advanced scheduling
techniques that make the process more efficient and reduce
scheduling errors that impact our providers and patients.
Piloting a new questionnaire for Urology prostate cancer
patients utilizes an algorithm to aid the scheduler in getting
the right patient to the right provider in the most efficient
manner.
Ms. Jerrie Smith (in blue) is flanked by
Surgical Oncology faculty and Section
leadership.
NOMINATION FORM 8
1
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
NEWS
Abumrad steps down as chair as Karp steps up
As recently announced, Dr. Naji Abumrad plans to step down from his role as Chairman
of the Department of Surgery in the Section of Surgical Sciences effective June 30, 2015,
in order to focus more on his other leadership and mentoring roles and his robust research efforts. Dr. Dan Beauchamp is very pleased to announce that Dr. Seth Karp will
assume the role as Chair of the Department of Surgery,
effective July 1, 2015. Dr. Karp is currently serving as the Abumrad will focus
Ingram Professor of Surgery and Director of the Vanmore on his other
derbilt Transplant Center. His leadership has generated
significant growth in solid organ transplantation rates
leadership and
and outstanding outcomes.
mentoring roles
While Dr. Abumrad will relinquish this administrative role
and his robust
as department chair, he will remain on faculty as ChairNaji Abumrad, M.D.
man Emeritus of the Department and he will continue to research efforts.
teach, to serve as the physician leader for the Surgery
Patient Care Center, and he will continue to oversee his
research program in metabolism, obesity and diabetes. Dr. Abumrad has over 30 years
of service to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he has served as leader and
mentor to faculty, residents and students.
Dr. Karp brings a well-balanced set of skills to this position: as an outstanding clinical surgeon, as a scientific investigator, as a teacher and mentor, and as a proven leader. Drs.
Karp and Abumrad will work closely together and with Dr. Beauchamp during this interval
period to facilitate a smooth transition.
Dr. Karp, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Harvard and his medical degree from the Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) Division of
Health Sciences and Technology, said Abumrad had built the Department of Surgery
into one of the finest in the country.
Seth Karp, M.D.
“During his tenure, the department recorded tremendous growth, provided the highest quality general and
subspecialty care and rose to rank in the top 10 in National Institutes of Health funding,” Karp said. “The residency is generally regarded as one of the finest in the country, attracting outstanding medical students and
placing graduates into premier fellowships. It is an honor to be asked to help continue and build upon these
extraordinary successes.”
LEARN MORE 8
Above, Dr. Karp on Rounds,
Left, Dr. Abumrad and
Residents in Research
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
2
NEWS
Alex Jahangir will lead new
Center for Trauma, Burn,
and Emergency Surgery
Daniel Barocas named
Representative to Commission
on Cancer
Daniel Barocas, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of
Urologic Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical
Center, was recently named a representative on the
Commission on Cancer.
Barocas will represent the American Urological
Association on the national commission, which is
a program of the American College of Surgeons.
The program helps to raise the quality of care at
hospitals across the country through developing
standards for cancer care and uses those standards
to accredit hospitals.
“I view this as an outstanding opportunity to be
involved further in developing standards for quality
of cancer care in order to reduce unnecessary variation and elevate the quality of care on a national
level,” Barocas said.
During his three-year term, Barocas will serve on
the commission’s quality integration committee,
which oversees quality measurement.
“The Commission on Cancer is a key national organization in the effort to improve the quality of cancer care in the United States,” said David Penson,
M.D., chair of Urologic Surgery. “Given Dan’s work
on the quality of care here in the Vanderbilt Department of Urologic Surgery, he is a perfect person to
represent all of urology on the commission. This is
a great honor for him, and it is well-deserved.”
LEARN MORE 8
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< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
The Clinical Services of
Trauma, Orthopaedic Trauma, Burn and Emergency
General Surgery are formally joining forces to form
The Vanderbilt Center for
Trauma, Burn and Emergency Surgery. Vanderbilt
University Medical Center
operates the only certified
Level 1 trauma facility in
Middle Tennessee.
Alex Jahangir, M.D., MMHC, associate professor
of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, will
lead the new center as medical director and will
work alongside other leaders to advance the
center’s mission.
The mission of the center, which is organized
within the Surgery Patient Care Center, is to align
resources internally and increase community outreach, all in order to further advance Vanderbilt’s
ability to meet these particular acute care needs
and further strengthen this unique set of services
for patients across the region.
“About 70 percent of patients admitted to the
Trauma Service also have orthopaedic trauma,
so our vision is a one-stop shop, which would
enable a patient to make fewer visits rather than
have several different appointments for follow-up
care,” Jahangir said.
LEARN MORE 8
NEWS
SOCKs surgeon-scientists benefit from
collaborative effort at Children’s Hospital
The Surgical Outcomes Center for Kids, or SOCKs,
facilitates collaborative research endeavors across multiple
surgical disciplines at Children’s Hospital. SOCKs acts as
a research clearinghouse for surgeon-scientists, a place
for them to hone their research interests and bring them
to fruition — from hypothesis generation all the way to
journal publication.
Among the many pediatric disciplines involved so far are
Neurosurgery, Cardiac Surgery, Urologic Surgery and General/Thoracic Surgery. Otolaryngology and Orthopaedics
are set to formally integrate within SOCKs soon.
Chevis Shannon MBA,
MPH, Dr.PH
Jay Wellons, III, M.D.,
MSPH
LEARN MORE 8
Neurosurgery teams continue to
lead in stroke prevention
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States, killing nearly
130,000 Americans each year — one of every 20 deaths. It is even
more prevalent in the South. For nearly a decade, Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been at the forefront of stroke treatment
using endovascular neuro-interventional techniques.
Similar to procedures done for a heart attack, interventional stroke
treatment employs suction and retrievers to remove blood clots.
Research published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the International Stroke Conference held in Nashville in February has
now definitively proven this treatment to be safe and effective.
The Vanderbilt Stroke Center is a designated Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Joint
Commission. It also holds the American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines, Gold
Plus and Target Stroke, Honor Roll awards and works closely with the American Hospital
Association to monitor quality and efficiency.
.
LEARN MORE 8
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
4
NEWS
WARM WEATHER INCREASES LIKELIHOOD OF
TRAUMATIC MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS
Spring brings the arrival of “trauma
season,” which in the Southeast runs
from April through September.
During this period, physicians with
VUMC’s Level 1 Trauma Center
typically see a 50 percent increase
in patients injured by major trauma,
including motorcycle accidents.
“The advent of warm weather rolls out
many activities such as motorcycle and ATV
riding and cycling that require attention to detail and
essential safety gear,” said Oscar Guillamondegui,
M.D., associate professor of Surgery, medical director of the Trauma Intensive Care Unit and director of
the Vanderbilt Multidisciplinary Traumatic Brain Injury
Clinic. “Do not forget to be attentive, and always
wear helmets when riding.”
“The ability of motorcycle helmets to
save lives and health care dollars
through reduced severity of injury
is without question,” said Richard
Miller, M.D., professor of Surgery
and chief of Vanderbilt’s Divi
sion of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care. “Tennessee’s universal
motorcycle helmet law, enacted in
1967, has saved tens of thousands of
lives and hundreds of millions of
dollars.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) reports that in 2010 alone Tennessee’s
motorcycle helmet law saved 46 additional lives and
$94 million in economic costs upon discharge,” he
said.
LEARN MORE 8
Neurosurgery associate
professors lead discussion
of sports concussions at
symposium
Concussions suffered on the playing field will not cause permanent brain damage if treated appropriately, Vanderbilt University experts said during a recent symposium sponsored by the
Vanderbilt Program in Molecular Medicine (VPMM).
“Concussion is not necessarily a benign injury, but when treated properly it can be a benign outcome,” said Gary Solomon, Ph.D., associate professor of Neurological Surgery.
Appropriate treatment includes physical and mental rest. Return to school and
play need to be gradual and occur in discrete stages, said Allen Sills, M.D.,
associate professor of Neurological Surgery. Most importantly, athletes should
not return to play until they are free of all symptoms.
LEARN MORE 8
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< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
NEWS
3D MRI Biopsy System
allows surgeons
to design
personalized
patients
treatment
plans
Gun safety tips from
Children’s Hospital
Unintentional shootings are the
leading cause of firearm-related
injuries in children, while intentional assault was the biggest
cause of such injuries in adolescents, according to a Vanderbilt
study that Dr. Harold Lovvorn,
assistant professor of Pediatric
Surgery, co-authored. The study, Harold Lovvorn,
III, M.D.
which reveals racial disparities of
gun injuries amongst Tennessee
children, underscores the importance of practicing gun safety to prevent a tragedy.
Store Guns and Ammunition Safely
• Store guns in a locked location, unloaded, out
of the reach and sight of children.
• Store ammunition in a separate locked location,
out of the reach and sight of children.
• Keep the keys and combinations hidden.
• Make sure all guns are equipped with effective,
child-resistant gun locks.
Talk to Your Kids and Their Caregivers
Vanderbilt is the first hospital in Tennessee to offer
this new diagnostic tool to locate tumors more
accurately.
We regularly lead other health care institutions across
the nation in finding new ways to fight disease. One
of the most recent innovations we’re bringing to men
with prostate cancer is 3-D MRI fusion targeted biopsies.
3D MRI targeted biopsy combines real-time ultrasound with MRI to create a high-definition image of
the prostate in 3D color. First, an MRI exam detects
any lesions in the prostate that may be cancerous.
The MRI is then fused with live ultrasound imagingduring the biopsy procedure. This allows your physician to guide the biopsy needle and accurately target
any suspicious areas detected on the MRI.
• Explain how a gun seen on television or in a
video game is very different from a real gun and
could hurt someone very badly.
• Teach children never to touch a gun and to
immediately tell an adult if they see one.
• Talk to grandparents and the parents of friends
your children visit about safe gun storage practices.
Dispose of Guns You Don’t Need
• If you decide that you no longer need to have
a gun in your home, dispose of it in a safe way.
Consult with law enforcement in your community
on how to do so.
If a diagnosis of prostate cancer is made, this technology can help you and your physician develop an
informed and appropriate treatment plan based on a
clear understanding of the extent and nature of the
disease.
SEE THE VIDEO 8
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
6
NEWS
Joseph Neimat and team uses the latest laser
technology to treat epilepsy
Joseph Neimat, M.D., associate professor of Neurological Surgery, in consultation with Kevin Haas
M.D., Ph.D., neurology director for epilepsy surgery,
recently performed the laser ablation procedure on
patient Cory Moquist. The procedure, which uses
the Monteris NeuroBlate System, was performed in
accordance with the consensus recommendation of
the full Vanderbilt Epilepsy Surgery Group.
This cutting-edge technique employs MRI-guided
laser ablation to destroy the brain tissue causing
seizures in place of surgical resection.
Vanderbilt recently
debuted a new
minimally invasive
surgical treatment
for epilepsy.
The most common
operation for epilepsy
is a temporal lobectomy, which removes
the brain tissues
causing seizures and
has a very high rate of
success.
“Most people think of surgery for epilepsy as a last
resort, but we think it can hugely improve quality of
life. This is an improvement on traditional surgery,
making it a little less complicated and scary for patients,” Neimat said.
Instead of a big incision and craniotomy, laser
ablation uses a stereotactic frame to insert a probe
into the abnormal tissue. Under real time MRI
guidance, a laser heats the tissue and thermography measures when it has reached the proper
temperature.
For 25-year-old Cory Moquist, the procedure is
“opening a lot of doors.” He had the procedure
Feb. 16 and is recovering well. Moquist is optimistic about being seizure-free.
g wel
uist is recoverin
Patient Cory Moq
eat his epilepsy.
Vanderbilt to tr
7
ery at
l following surg
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
LEARN MORE 8
NEWS
CHAIRMAN DAI CHUNG, M.D.
EXPRESSES PRIDE IN PEDIATRIC SURGERY STAFF
AS YOUNG PATIENTS RECOVER
Children’s Hospital provides a unique experience and specialized care
from board-certified pediatricians and pediatric specialists, unmatched in
Nashville or the region. Children aren’t little adults and shouldn’t be treated as such. They need child-sized doses of anesthesia, colorful rooms and
caring faces.
With more than 3,000 procedures performed by the Department of
Pediatric Surgery annually in the Rascal Flatts Surgery Center, the highly-skilled surgeons at Children’s Hospital have the expertise to take on a
wide range of childhood conditions. Daily, they tackle some of the most
common ailments like appendicitis to the more rare and complex cases
like tumors and birth defects. And frequently, these surgeons are called
into life-threatening situations to perform emergency surgery as part of
the trauma team.
“We can do complex trauma cases, congenital pediatric surgery, ECMO,
and we take care of some of the most challenging tumors. But we also
provide unbelievable services for the more common, ordinary, general
surgical problems such as hernia, appendicitis and abscesses,” said Dai
Chung, M.D., chair of the Department of Pediatric Surgery and the Janie
Robinson and John Moore Lee Professor of Pediatrics. “I am very proud
of our faculty and nurses who provide such excellent care. We offer a
patient-oriented service and the care we provide is really second to none.
Our team does an exceptional job.”
Click here to learn more about 3 exceptional young
patients and how Dr. Chung and his team continue to do outstanding work.
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
8
RECOGNITION
VANDERBILT BURN CENTER
30 YEARS OF CARING AT
VANDERBILT BURN CENTER
In 1978, it became apparent that Tennessee needed a burn unit
during the aftermath of a 24-car train derailment in the downtown area of Waverly, Tennessee, about 60 miles west of Nashville. Two days after the accident, a tank-car containing 28,000
gallons of liquid petroleum gasoline exploded, which killed six
people instantly and ultimately claimed 16 lives, including the
town’s fire chief and police chief.
In addition to the initial blast, the explosion started numerous
fires in the area.
More than 100 victims were transported to burn centers in other
states, and about 50 victims came to Vanderbilt from this event,
known as the Waverly Train Disaster.
“It was a disaster for sure,” said Bruce Shack, M.D., who was
chief resident of General Surgery at the time and is now professor and chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery. He and his
colleagues reorganized the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, then
located on the fourth floor of
Medical Center North, to acNearly 700 burn
commodate the inundation
of burn victims.
victims are admitted
annually from middle
and east Tennessee
and surrounding
states
The chief of Plastic Surgery
then was J.B. Lynch, M.D. He
had substantial prior experience with burn patients and
had been instrumental in
opening the Shriners Burn
Hospital for Children in Galveston, Texas.
Prior to 1983, burn victims in the Southeast were transported
to burn centers in Louisville, Kentucky, Birmingham, Alabama,
or Cincinnati, Ohio. Following the Waverly Train Disaster, Lynch
and others began the work of gaining community support for a
burn unit at Vanderbilt, and in November 1983, the Vanderbilt
Regional Burn Center opened its doors.
Lynch, who died last year, served as the first medical director of
the Burn Center, with Shack overseeing the intensive care unit.
For 22 years, the Burn Center resided in the same space that
the train disaster victims once occupied. In 2005, it moved to
the 11th floor of Vanderbilt University Hospital (VUH), offering
25 beds to the nearly 700 burn victims admitted annually from
middle and east Tennessee and the surrounding states.
“The Burn Center is a tremendous asset for the entire region,”
said Shack. “We have burn patients from all over the place
come to Vanderbilt to get the quality care we can give them.”
LEARN MORE 8
9
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
RECOGNITION
Camp Hope offers haven
to pediatric burn victims
Joseph Smith
named editor of
The Journal of Urology
Joseph Smith Jr., M.D.,
professor of Vanderbilt
Urologic Surgery, was
recently named the next
editor of The Journal of
Urology.
Children make up a large portion of the Burn
Center’s patient population. The most severely injured children who require a ventilator go
to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Monroe
Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt,
while the less critical children occupy a special
room in the Burn Center specially decorated
and outfitted for these younger patients.
For 25 years, former patients of the Vanderbilt
Burn Center have gathered for a free camp
called Camp Hope for burn survivors ages 6
to 16, which offers these children a chance to
take part in a week of summer activities while
recovering from the devastating physical and
psychological injuries associated with burns.
It is self-esteem that Camp director Rebekah
Lemley says is one of the greatest challenges
of a burn survivor.
Vanderbilt nurses, physicians, occupational and
physical therapists and respiratory therapists,
along with adult burn survivors, local firemen
and emergency medical services personnel,
volunteer to create activities to promote physical and emotional healing for the children at
the camp, which is held at the William P. Ridley
4-H Center in Columbia, Tennessee.
Lemley says the camp provides a safe place for
dialogue among peers with similar experiences.
Smith, the William L. Bray
Professor of Urology, was
selected for the role by the
American Urological AssoJoseph Smith, Jr., M.D.
ciation Board of Directors
and will work with other editors at the journal
to select and review articles and content for the
monthly publication.
“Dr. Smith is one of the best known and most
respected urologists, not just in the U.S. but in
the world,” said David Penson, M.D., chair of
Vanderbilt’s Department of Urologic Surgery.
“As such, it is completely fitting that he be
chosen editor-in-chief of the premier urologic
journal in the world.”
Roger Dmochowski
named trustee of the
American Board of
Urology
Roger Dmochowski, M.D.,
professor of Urologic Surgery, was recently elected
a trustee of the American
Board of Urology.
The board’s central role is
maintaining standards for
the practice of urology and Roger
certifying physicians in safe, Dmochowski, M.D.
efficient and ethical practices.
“It is a great honor to be elected to the Board
of Urology,” Dmochowski said. “The board’s
commitment to public safety and upholding
the standards of urologic care are integral to
maintaining public trust in the profession.”
LEARN MORE 8
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
10
EVENTS
TRAVELING ART EXHIBIT
Honors African American Academic Surgeons
Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons
April 13 to May 23, 2015, Eskind Biomedical Library
The Eskind Biomedical Library will host “Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons,” a traveling exhibit from the National Library of Medicine. This exhibit celebrates the history of black
surgeons and black medical institutions, as well as current and future trailblazers in the field.
As part of the exhibit, the EBL will be feature black surgeons who have trained or practiced at Vanderbilt,
including surgical technicians whose contributions have been overlooked. These men and women include
Vivien Thomas, Andrew Manlove, Levi Watkins, Jr., Steve Stain, Christina Bailey Edwards, Keith Gray, Selwyn
O. Rogers, Jr., Willie V. Melvin, III, and John H. Stewart, IV. Many of these pioneers and surgeons have already
made their mark on history as technical innovators or chairs of surgery departments around the country. Others are innovators in their field and look forward to continuing long and productive academic careers.
The EBL is also proud to include images and artifacts on loan from the archives of Meharry Medical College,
which was founded in 1876. The home of one of the nation’s oldest and largest historically black medical
schools, Meharry is also featured heavily in the NLM’s traveling exhibit. It is open from 9am-5pm weekdays.
In Memorium
Vanderbilt mourns loss
of surgery pioneer
Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr.
Levi Watkins Jr., M.D., renowned cardiac surgeon,
champion of racial equality and diversity, and the
first African-American to be admitted to and graduate from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
(VUSM), died Saturday April 11, from complications
after suffering a stroke. He was 70.
When Dr. Watkins walked through the doors of VUSM in 1966, he broke new ground by becoming the
school’s first African-American student. When he graduated four years later after being elected into the Alpha
Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society, he was still the only one. However, he blazed the trail for a medical school now nationally recognized for its admission of students underrepresented in medicine.
“Levi was a true pioneer whose innovations and persistence broke scientific and cultural barriers throughout
his long, distinguished career. We are deeply grateful for his determination and achievements that paved the
way for many minority students to follow in his footsteps,” said Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos.
“Levi Watkins changed the way medical centers think, act and feel, as he guided us
with a firm hand to implant principles of equality in medical training,” said Jeff Balser,
M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor for Health Affairs and dean of the School of Medicine.
Dr. Watkins passed away after the Opening Doors exhibit was completed, but he is featured as one of thirteen
pioneering surgeons. His contributions to Vanderbilt and the medical field have been an honor.
LEARN MORE 8
11
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
EVENTS
§
SECTION
ADMINISTRATION
LUNCH&LEARN
Section of Surgical Sciences
MONTHLY
RESEARCH
CONFERENCE
• JUNE 5
• SEPTEMBER 11
• DECEMBER 11
May 13 - Customer Service
Nicholas Nguyen
June (TBD) - Understanding Financial Reports
Joe Ennis & Christy Nichols
NOON-1:00 P.M., • D-5245 MCN BLALOCK CONFERENCE ROOM
June, July and August
Dates to be announced
5:00 p.m., 7455 MRB IV
M&M
QUARTERLY CONFERENCES
Multidisciplinary
Perioperative
Morbidity Mortality
& Improvement
Click here to go to the
Section Award and
Publication Tool
and enter your
latest activity.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING EFFORTS RECOGNIZING RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY OUR FACULTY
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
12
HONORS & AWARDS
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Association honors
Pinson
C. Wright Pinson, MBA, M.D.,
deputy vice chancellor for
Health Affairs and CEO of the
Vanderbilt Health System, is
the recipient of the Americas
Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary
Association (AHPBA) 2015
Distinguished Service Award.
He received the award recently at the AHPBA’s annual
gathering in Miami “in recognition of his outstanding research and contribution in the field of Hepatobiliary Surgery and longstanding dedication to the
AHPBA.”
Beauchamp presented
coveted award at 2015
ASA National
meeting
Dr. R. Daniel Beauchamp
was presented the coveted
Flance-Karl Award at the 2015
ASA (American Surgical Association) National meeting.
The Flance-Karl Award was
established in 1996 by Samuel A. Wells, Jr., M.D., who
was then President of the Association. The primary
endowment for the award was a gift from Mr. David
Farrell, Chief Executive Officer of the May Corporation, and the Barnes-Jewish-Christian Health Care
System, both of St. Louis, Missouri. The FlanceKarl Award is presented to a surgeon in the United
States of America who has made a
seminal contribution in basic laboratory research which has application
to clinical surgery.
13
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
Kyla Terhune selected to join
the Academy for Excellence in
Teaching
The Academy provides a
forum to foster higher levels
of participation and promote
excellence and scholarship
in the delivery of education
to health professionals. The
Academy is a collective of
outstanding faculty educators in the School of Medicine who are highly engaged in the educational
mission. Each strives to have a significant impact
on educational endeavors in diverse settings with a
variety of learners.
This group enables us to meet our institutional mission of preparing clinicians, scientists and educators
for positions of worldwide leadership.
Resnick awarded grant from
American Cancer Society
Matthew J. Resnick, MD, MPH,
assistant professor of Urologic
Surgery and Health Policy, is
the recipient of a Mentored
Research Scholar Grants in
Applied and Clinical Research
from the American Cancer Society to support his study “The
Effect of ACO Enrollment on
Appropriateness of Cancer
Screening.” The five-year and
$726,000 grant is a major
coup for Dr. Resnick.
“The ACS Mentored Research Scholar Grant is
extremely competitive and prestigious,” says Dr.
David F. Penson, MPH, Professor and Chair, Department of Urologic Surgery, as well as Hamilton
and Howd Chair in Urologic Oncology and Director,
Center for Surgical Quality and Outcomes Research.
“Matt is highly deserving of this honor and the entire Department is proud of him. He is a rising star
in surgical health services and policy research and
we are lucky to have him here at Vanderbilt.”
AWARDS & HONORS
Lisa Rae accepted
to attend the AAMC
seminar.
The Early Career Women Faculty
Professional Development Seminar
committee has invited Dr. Lisa Rae
to attend this year.
Seminar faculty from schools throughout the United
States and Canada have been chosen for their specialized knowledge in particular areas and demonstrated leadership capabilities. They offer valuable
information, inspiring stories, and practical advice
to support career advancement.
Kahn in group of 2015
Health Care Heroes
Dr. Steven Kahn has been selected as one of Nashville Business Journal’s 2015 Health Care Heroes
in the Surgeon category. This is the ninth annual
Health Care Hero Awards publication and awards
luncheon celebrating the physicians, leaders, innovators, and strategists whose work is helping to
grow the region’s health care industry.
Kahn and the other winners will be featured in the
Health Care Heroes special section in the May 23
edition of the Nashville Business Journal and honored at an awards ceremony.
Resident Recognition for
2014-2015
• Dr. Vance Albaugh (resident in research, general
surgery) was a recipient of the leadership scholarship
award from RAS-ACS to attend the ACS Clinical Trials
Course.
• Dr. Jacob Ark (PGY-3, urology) won the T. Leon
Imaging Case Conference at the Southeastern Section Meeting of the American Urological Association
in March 2015.
• Dr. Nicholas Carter (PGY-3, general surgery) received
the Billings Award, a teaching award elected by Vanderbilt medical students.
• Dr. Britney Grayson (PGY-3, general surgery) was
elected to the Vanderbilt Alpha Omega Alpha
Chapter as a Housestaff Inductee.
• Dr. Lucy He (PGY-4, neurosurgery) won the CNS
Education Fellowship Award for 2015-1016
• Dr. Clark Kensinger (resident in research, general
surgery) was a national finalist for the 2014 ACS
Resident Award for Exemplary Teaching.
• Dr. Amelia Maiga (PGY-3, general surgery) has been
selected to the VA Quality Scholars Program for
2015-17.
• Dr. William McMaster (resident in research, general
surgery) is a recipient of the 2015 Society for Vascular
Surgery travel fellowship.
• Dr. Carolina Pinzon-Guzman (PGY-2, general surgery)
was a recipient of the 2014 AAS Fall Courses Travel
Grant.
Student awarded
HHMI grant under
Beauchamp’s
mentorship
Nathanael Smith, a second-year student at Meharry
Medical College, is an inductee in the 2015 HHMI
Medical Research Fellows Program. Nathanael,
mentee of Dr. R. Daniel Beauchamp, has been
awarded a research fellowship from the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute.
“Nathanael is a second year Meharry Medical
student and spent 8 weeks in our lab,” said Dr.
Beauchamp. “This experience stimulated a deeper
interest in scientific training, and he applied for the
HHMI Medical Fellows Award with my support. I
am very proud to have such a talented and bright
young man in our laboratory. His enthusiasm and intelligence will serve him well in developing a career
as a physician scientist.”
Flanked by Dr. Dan Beauchamp and Dr. Steven
Eskind, Dr. Britney Grayson (PGY-3, general surgery) was selected as one of the House Staff Clinical
Teaching Award Winners for 2015, as well as Dr.
Clark Kensinger (resident in research, general surgery) - his second year for this honor.
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
14
NEW FACULTY & PROMOTIONS
• Dr. Kevin Sexton (chief resident, general surgery)—
was a national finalist for the 2014 ACS Jameson L
Chassin Award for Professionalism in General Surgery.
• Dr. Melissa Stewart (resident in research, general
surgery) has been named a Surgical Education
Research Fellow from the Association for Surgical
Education in 2015-16.
NEW FACULTY
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
DIVISION OF VASCULAR SURGERY
Professor of Surgery
R. James Valentine, M.D.
• Dr. C.J. Stimson (chief resident, urology) was
appointed the Resident Representative at the
Southeastern Section Meeting of the American Urological Association in March 2015.
DIVISION OF SURGICAL RESEARCH
• Dr. C.J. Stimson (chief resident, urology) was
awarded the American Urological Association H.
Logan Holtgrewe Legislative Fellowship.
DEPARTMENT OF UROLOGIC SURGERY
New PGY-1 Categorical
Residents for 2015 - 2016
Gretchen Edwards, M.D., Vanderbilt University
Research Instructor
Eunyoung Choi, Ph.D.
Assistant in Urologic Surgery
Katherine E. Braunlin, MSP, ACNP
DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRIC SURGERY
Assistant in Pediatric Surgery
Laura McDaniel, PA-C
Kelly Peterson, MSN, APRN, CPNP-AC
Eugene Gu, M.D., Georgetown University
Diane Haddad, M.D., Boston University
Jaleesa Jackson, M.D., Johns Hopkins
Nicholas Parrish, M.D., University of Pennsylvania
Monica Polcz, M.D., Florida International University
Maren Shipe, M.D., University of Washington
Tyler Zorn, M.D., Florida State University
FACULTY PROMOTIONS
DEPARTMENT OF CARDIAC SURGERY
Associate Professor of Cardiac Surgery
Matthew Danter, M.D., FRCS
DEPARTMENT OF THORACIC SURGERY
Associate Professor of Thoracic Surgery
Eric Lambright, M.D.
DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY
UPCOMING ENDOWED LECTURES
David Hall Lecture Guest Speaker, Alan S. Herford, M.D., F.A.C.S.
May 16, 2015, 7:30 a.m., Children’s Theater
Holcomb Lecture Guest Speaker, TBA,
Fall TBD, 2015, 7:00 a.m., 208 Light Hall
Rollin Daniel Lecture Guest Speaker, TBA,
Fall TBD, 2015, 7:00 a.m., 208 Light Hall
15
< Vanderbilt Innovations in Surgery • Spring 2015 >
Reaearch Associate Professor of
Neurological Surgery
Chevis Shannon, MBA, MPH, DrPH
Associate in Neurological Surgery
Elizabeth Haley Vance, DPN, APRN,
CPNP-AC
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
DIVISION OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
Research Associate Professor of Surgery
Anna Means, Ph.D.