Optometrist, pulmonary fellow, peds resident join faculty

Medical Center leadership is proud to announce the following additions to its faculty and leadership staff.

Roya Attar, O.D.

Dr. Roya Attar, director of professional relations and assistant clinical professor at the University of Pikeville, Kentucky College of Optometry, has joined the Medical Center faculty as an assistant professor of ophthalmology.

After receiving her B.S. in biology in 2003 and her B.S. in chemistry in 2004 from the University of Memphis, Attar served as a marketing, sales and merchandising specialist for major retail businesses before earning her Doctorate of Optometry at the UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry in 2013. She also obtained her Master’s in Business Administration with an emphasis on health care from the UPIKE College of Business in 2017.

A practicing optometrist for five years, Attar was named director of student affairs and senior faculty instructor at the University of Pikesville, Kentucky College of Optometry in 2014 and became assistant dean of student affairs the following year. She served as an assistant clinical professor and director of professional relations there from 2015-18.

The author or coauthor of several scientific presentations and publications in peer-reviewed professional journals, Attar is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and is an active member of several organizations, including the American Optometric Association and the Mississippi Optometric Association. She has received numerous awards during her academic career and has served on numerous committees.

Attar is the first optometrist to be hired at UMMC and will specialize in seeing primary care patients and will provide low vision services.

Joseph Michael Edward Brewer, D.O.

Dr. Michael Brewer, a recent fellow in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at UMMC, has joined the Medical Center faculty as an assistant professor of medicine.

After receiving his B.S. in biology from Mississippi College in 2002, Brewer earned his M.Ed. at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2004. He received his M.S. in preventive medicine (epidemiology and biostatistics) from UMMC in 2008, then earned his D.O. at the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, in 2012. Brewer had internal medicine residency training from 2012-15, a pulmonary diseases fellowship from 2015-17 and a critical care medicine fellowship from 2017-18 at the Medical Center.

He has served as a flight paramedic at UMMC from 2001-03 and as an assistant professor of health sciences in the School of Health Related Professions from 2001-08.

Inducted into the Alpha Eta Honor Society and the Sigma Sigma Phi Osteopathic Honor Society, Brewer is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American College of Physicians, the American Thoracic Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. A site co-investigator for three PETAL Network studies, Brewer is the author or coauthor of seven articles in peer-reviewed professional journals, two book chapters, three abstracts and nine poster presentations.

Rosalyn Elizabeth Brownlee, M.D.

Dr. Rosalyn Elizabeth Brownlee, recently a pediatric resident at UMMC, has joined the Medical Center faculty as an assistant professor of pediatrics.

After receiving her B.S. in general science with an emphasis on chemistry cum laude from Mississippi State University in 2007, Brownlee taught science, algebra and geometry at Heritage Academy, Columbus, for two years before entering medical school at UMMC. She earned her M.D. in 2015 and had pediatric residency training from 2015-18.

An active member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Brownlee has served as a volunteer at the Jackson Free Clinic and has been involved in several service, leadership and volunteer activities at the Medical Center.