Rad onc chair, rad sciences chair among UMMC staff earning honors

National society selects UMMC rad-onc director as fellow

Dr. Srinivasan Vijayakumar, chair of the UMMC Department of Radiation Oncology, recently was named a Fellow of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

Fellows are named based on ASTRO membership, their service to ASTRO and contributions to the field of radiation oncology.

Vijayakumar was inducted during ASTRO’s 60th annual meeting in San Antonio. 

Radiological science association elects Moore to V.P. position

Dr. Kristi Moore, UMMC professor of radiologic sciences, departmental chair and assistant dean for academic affairs in the School of Health Related Professions, has been elected to serve on the American Society of Radiologic Technologists Board of Directors.

The ASRT, the world’s largest radiologic science association, installed Moore as vice president or the organization at its annual meeting in Orlando, Florida this June.

Moore served as the ASRT board’s secretary from 2018-19, was an ASRT affiliate delegate for four years and has had served in numerous roles on the Mississippi Society of Radiologic Technologists.

ASRT represents the health care professionals who perform medical imaging procedures or plan and deliver radiation therapy. With more than 156,000 members, its mission is to advance and elevate the medical imaging and radiation therapy profession and to enhance the quality and safety of patient care.

AAMC to honor UMMC GWIMS for emerging leadership

The Association of American Medical Colleges has selected the UMMC Group on Women in Medicine and Science to receive the 2019 GWIMS Leadership Award for an Organization (Emerging Leader).

Since its inception in 1995, The award has been given to only 24 individuals and 19 women in medicine programs nationally.

UMMC GWIMS is being honored for its emerging commitment to advocating for the professional advancement of women in medicine and science and for helping women in medicine and science realize their potential.

UMMC GWIMS will be recognized at “Learn Serve Lead 2019” during the AAMC’s annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, this November.

Transplant program staff earn MORA Spero honors

UMMC’s transplant program received accolades from the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency during the nonprofit organization’s annual Spero Awards ceremony July 25.

Awards given to 14 individuals and hospitals bear the word “Spero,” which is Latin for “hope.” The name of the award reflects the hope that organ and tissue donations bring to those in need of a transplant.

Spero Awards given to Medical Center staff during the event included:

* Most Supportive Ancillary or Health Care Staff: Dustin Wicker, respiratory therapist, special transport team

* Nurse Champion of the Year: Holly Holder, R.N., Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit

* Most Supportive Care Team: Neuroscience ICU

UMMC also received the Mississippi Lions Eye Bank Gift of Sight Award for helping to facilitate sight-saving corneal transplants and the Hospital Excellence Award for achieving national organ donation performance standards set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

UMMC and UMMC Grenada are among a group of 32 hospitals statewide recognized by MORA for enrolling in the Mississippi Hospitals for Hope campaign. That initiative develops awareness of the need for organ, eye and tissue donation and strives to increase the number of people on donor registries.

State pharmacist group taps pharmacist, pharm tech for honor

A UMMC pharmacist and pharmacy technician were each honored by the Mississippi Society of Health-System Pharmacists at the organization’s annual luncheon recently.

Dr. Andrew Mays, an assistant professor of pharmacy and a clinical pharmacy specialist at UMMC since 2016, was named the Health-System Pharmacist of the Year, while Emily Cross, a purchasing manager who began her UMMC career as a chemotherapy pharmacy technician 13 years ago, received the Pharmacy Technician of the Year Award.

Mays was honored for showing outstanding service to the organization, having served as president, central region vice president, public relations chair and member of the education committee.

Cross was recognized for playing an integral role in managing high-cost medications, drug shortages and inventory management. Her coworkers described her as a “dedicated team player who represents health system pharmacy with a positive hard-working image.”

The awards recognize pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who go “above and beyond” in the following areas: cooperation with the entire health care team; service to the profession and the community; and contributions to the progress of health-systems pharmacy.