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Neurology, dermatology, preventive medicine, workforce development faculty garner national, state accolades

UMMC neurology faculty earns NCS mentorship accolade

Dr. Hana Nobleza, UMMC assistant professor of neurology, has received an award from the Neurocritical Care Society for a project related to diversity in speakership selection.

Nobleza accepted the society’s Mentorship Award on Oct. 15 during its annual meeting last week in Vancouver, Canada. The prize honors the best mentor-mentee project of the year.

Nobleza evaluated the opportunities to improve diversity among speakers invited to its annual meeting. The project, commended for being unique and well-constructed, was the handiwork of a Nobleza-led collaborative group, SPARC (Speakership Pattern Analysis and Review of process Collaborative), which included Duke University, the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the University of Kansas, along with Dr. Nujud Farag, a UMMC resident in neurology, and Renira Rugnath, a student in the School of Medicine.

“For me, this award means there is a way for us to bring change into the usual process of choosing speakers at international meetings such as this one,” Nobleza said. “Various leaders of the society have discussed plans for change in the upcoming meetings, which shows to us that the society is open to change. It means the society is taking a step forward toward increasing diversity.

“This diversity is related not only to gender, but also to different disciplines in a critical care society such as this. We have shown that the trend is improving in terms of involving more women and multidisciplinary teams and other speakers from other institutions; however, more work has to be done.”

Nobleza, who joined the Medical Center in August 2015, is a neuro-intensivist who did her medical training and internship at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, Philippines. She completed her residency at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

She heads the Women in Neurocritical Care (WINCC) mentorship program and is the project lead for the WINCC Speakers Program.

 

ACGME selects UMMC preventive med chair for review committee

Dr. Joshua Mann, UMMC professor and chair of preventive medicine, has recently been appointed to the American Council on Graduate Medical Education Review Committee for Preventive Medicine.

The ACGME is the accrediting body for residency programs across the country. Each medical specialty has its own Residency Review Committee in the ACGME, and each committee is responsible for making determinations about the accreditation status of initial and continuing programs.

As a committee member, Mann will take part in updating preventive medicine residency training and accreditation requirements. He will serve a multi-year term beginning in July.

Under Mann’s leadership in 2018, UMMC launched the first preventive medicine residency program in Mississippi. Mann, a 1996 SOM graduate, returned to the Medical Center in 2015 to revive the dormant Department of Preventive Medicine as its chair and to create the residency program from scratch.

Mann earned a Master of Public Health and completed his preventive medicine residency at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

 

Workforce development director ascends to MNA presidency

Dr. Tonya Moore, executive director of leadership and workforce development at UMMC, was named president of the Mississippi Nurses’ Association during the organization’s annual convention last month.

Moore, who has 24 years of professional nursing experience, previously served as vice president of the organization and is the first African-American to be elected to this position.

“Dr. Moore has a love for nursing and the ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders to advance the nursing profession and represent the over 47,000 registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses in our state,” said Teresa Malone, MNA executive director.

At UMMC, Moore is responsible for directing the institutional workforce and leadership development program for faculty, staff and students in collaboration with the chief academic officer, chief faculty affairs officer and chief human resources officer.

She recently received the University of Alabama at Birmingham Nursing Alumni 2019 Jo Ann Barnett Award for Compassionate Care and the 2019 Myrlie Evers-Williams Minority Health Leader Award. In 2017, Moore received national recognition when the American Health Council awarded her the Best in Nursing – Award of Excellence.

The MNA is the only professional nurses association in Mississippi representing all registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses across all nursing roles. MNA works to improve health standards and the availability of health care services for all people; to foster high standards of nursing; to stimulate and promote the professional development of nurses; and to promote and protect the professional environment of nurses.

 

Dermatology chair to head CHPE Liaison Committee

Dr. Robert Brodell, professor and chair of dermatology, has recently been selected medical director for UMMC’s Continuing Health Professional Education Liaison Committee.

The medical director works with the CHPE director and the committee to identify educational needs regarding quality, safety, clinical practice or other areas that can be met through continuing education activities; review content for CE activities; and represent the School of Medicine on the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.

Brodell is taking over for the previous CHPE medical director, Dr. Shirley Schlessinger, professor of medicine and former associate dean for graduate medical education.

Vickie Skinner, CHPE director, said Brodell was chosen for the role because of his innovative vision and success in conducting continuing education activities in the Department of Dermatology.