Medical Center schools, faculty, staff shine

Published on Monday, May 9, 2022

Oncology Society selects SOM for immersive summer internship program

The University of Mississippi School of Medicine is one of 11 institutions selected by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) as a host site for the 2022 Oncology Summer Internship.

The internship, supported by Conquer Cancer, is an immersive, four-week program set for June 13-July 8 for rising second- year medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine. Jayla Mondy, Kayla Beamon, Kenya Ashby, Daja Martin and Jessica McKenzie from UMMC’s School of Medicine have been selected to take part in the hybrid curriculum developed by mentoring and education experts serving on ASCO’s summer internship advisory group.

During the summer program, students will job-shadow in clinical cancer care settings to gain critical exposure to patient-provider interactions as well as the day-to-day life of an oncology professional. All 50 students will take part in ASCO-hosted virtual education forums led by ASCO education experts, giving students the opportunity to cultivate a national network of peers. Networking and social events will be offered twice weekly so that students can connect with their peers, community and local mentors.

“This is a wonderful program for students for a number of reasons,” said Dr. Loretta Jackson-Williams, vice dean for medical education in the School of Medicine and professor of emergency medicine. “It provides significant clinical experience that is not always available to students. It also connects students to faculty who can serve as mentors.

“The program also shows how specialty societies can engage students early in areas of medicine that are generally not seen in depth until residency, and provides much-needed support for students to strengthen their research exposure and engagement, which is becoming more important for the residency selection process.”

Other schools participating include the University of Kansas Medical Center, the University of Michigan, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Arizona, the University of California-San Francisco, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Rochester and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

ASCO aims to develop a successful oncology internship model that medical schools can implement independently to introduce students to diverse career options in and the promise of the field of oncology.

“Our Oncology Summer Internship program represents a tangible step in ASCO’s mission to infuse equity into everything we do by engaging diverse medical students at a vital phase of their educational journey to seriously consider a career in oncology,” ASCO President Everett E. Vokes, MD, said in a news release.

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Medical Center employee named to MBJ’s ‘Top 40 Under 40’ 

Bridgett Bell, a Human Resources business partner at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has been named to the Mississippi Business Journal’s 2022 Top 40 Under 40 list.

The listing recognizes business and civic leaders who have proven themselves as high achievers and trend setters, and who make significant contributions to economic progress at the state and local level. Winners come from a variety of industries, including health care, higher education and government.

Bell, who came to the Medical Center in 2018, is a resident of Brandon. She serves as vice president of the nonprofit Junior Auxiliary of Rankin County and is a member of Rankin Career Women, the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, the Capital Area Human Resource Association and Crossgates Baptist Church, where she serves as preschool Lifegroup leader. She is a graduate of Leadership Rankin.

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UMMC Communications recognized for work during COVID-19 Delta surge

The UMMC Office of Communications and Marketing received a PRism Award for its crisis communications efforts during the summer 2021 COVID-19 Delta surge.

The Public Relations Association of Mississippi recognized outstanding work in the field of public relations during its recent PRism Awards ceremony in Biloxi. Awards included Certificates of Merit, Awards of Excellence and top-tier PRism Awards within four categories. Professionals in the Public Relations Society of America in Central Ohio judged the award entries.

PRAM is a statewide organization of public relations professionals from advertising and public relations agencies, corporations, non-profit groups, government, education and industries.