AMA taps SOM prof for council seat; ASB honors student, faculty LEADERSHIP

AMA medical education council seats UMMC SOM professor

Dr. Sharon P. Douglas, professor of medicine and associate dean for veterans administration education in the School of Medicine, has been elected to a seat on the American Medical Association’s Council on Medical Education.

Her selection was announced during the 2019 annual meeting of the AMA House of Delegates June 8-12 in Chicago.

Douglas was one 600 physicians, residents and medical students gathered in Chicago to deliberate on proposals affecting clinical practice, payment, medical education and public health topics.

“[O]ngoing medical education at every level of medicine is critical to the care of our patients and the communities that we serve,” Douglas said in a statement. “[M]edical education . . . should be clinically relevant, efficient and directed toward what we practice, where we practice.”

The Council on Medical Education recommends educational policies to the AMA House of Delegates. It also advises the AMA Board of Trustees on appointments of representatives to medical education organizations, accrediting bodies and certification boards.

Its main areas of concern are medical education, graduate medical education, continuing medical education and continuing professional development. Each member serves a four-year term, for a maximum of two terms.

Douglas also serves as associate chief of staff for education and ethics and as a staff pulmonologist at the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery VA Medical Center. She serves on the Mississippi State Medical Association's Judicial Council.

Board-certified in internal medicine and pulmonary medicine, Douglas is a fellow in the American College of Chest Physicians. She also is a member of the core faculty for UMMC’s Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities.

ASB honors UMMC students, faculty for outstanding LEADERSHIP

The Associated Student Body has presented its inaugural LEADERSHIP Awards in recognition of the outstanding contributions of individual students and faculty members at the Medical Center.

"LEADERSHIP" is an acronym for the names of the 10 awards. Student recipients were nominated by students and faculty, while faculty recipients were nominated by students.

The nominees and recipients were honored at banquets concluding the 2018-19 academic year.

The ASB, whose members are drawn from all seven campus schools, serves as the governing body of all UMMC students.

The awards and honorees include:

   •  Leadership Award, for a student adept at directing others toward a common goal or mission: Taylor H. Tubertini, School of Health Related Professions

   •  Education Award, for a student and a faculty member demonstrating a talent for instruction, assessment, learning theory, curricular design and more: Dr. Venkataraman Palabindala, associate professor of medicine, internal medicine (faculty); Phil L. Lee, School of Population Health

   •  Affect Award, for a student who is tirelessly committed to fulfilling scholarly or professional obligations while demonstrating to colleagues, faculty and staff a bright and positive attitude: Skiey T. Hardin, School of Medicine

   •  Determination Award, for a student who faithfully demonstrates resolve and resilience in the face of adversity and unexpected events: Yvonne P. Zuchowski, School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences

   •  Exemplar Award, for a student who consistently displays integrity, loyalty, trustworthiness and responsibility in everyday interactions with peers, colleagues, faculty and staff: David "Spencer" Remley, School of Dentistry

   •  Research Award, for a faculty member and student contributing to the scholarly literature in high-impact journals, to mentorship of students in research and experimental design and/or to the dissemination of ideas at professional meetings or conferences: Dr. Jane F. Reckelhoff, professor and chair of cell and molecular biology (faculty); Kenji J. Maeda, School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences (student)

   •  Service Award, for a student keenly devoted to community service and philanthropy and/or who leads others in service-oriented endeavors: Mariam C. Ebeid, School of Medicine

   •  Health Care Award, for a student and a faculty or staff member dedicated to timely, compassionate patient care and while working eagerly as part of an interprofessional team: Dr. Danny Burgess, associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior (faculty); Hayley N. Rank, School of Nursing (student)

   •  Innovation Award, for a student who has produced a novel method, device or object meant to transform the field or discipline for which it was created and which challenges others to consider its impact or influences them to use it to advance their respective fields or disciplines: Jared S. Cobb, School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences

   •  President’s Award: presented by the ASB to a student officer or officers who has/have persistently strived to meet the inherent responsibilities of an ASB member, communicated with the president and/or fellow committee members diligently and gone above and beyond the call of duty and presidential expectations to achieve unique and visionary goals: Kandice C. Bailey, School of Medicine; John F. Bobo, School of Medicine; Meredith B. Cobb, School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences and the School of Medicine; Rachel C. Larry, School of Pharmacy; Louise M. Spencer, School of Medicine