Health systems leader earns national CEO distinction; Evers, GWIMS Awards honor educators, admins, faculty clinicians

Published on Monday, April 13, 2020

Health system admin makes national list of ‘CEOs to Know’

UMMC’s health system leader has been named among the nation’s 100 noteworthy medical center CEOs by one of the nation’s leading hospital magazines.

Becker’s Hospital Review has included Kevin Cook, UMMC Health System CEO, among its list of 100 academic medical center CEOs to know in 2020.

The list, available at https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/100-academic-medical-center-ceos-to-know-2020.html, highlights executives “responsible for large, often multisite institutions that provide cutting-edge technology and clinical trials,” according to the beckershospitalreview site.

Cook, who became CEO in 2013, was selected for inclusion on the list for focusing on improved efficiency and quality throughout the system and for leading efforts to develop relationships with other hospitals and providers.

Becker’s Hospital Review claims to be the most-read publication for every informed decision-maker in hospitals and health systems. The mission of its parent company, Becker’s Healthcare, is to equip health care leaders with the information and forums they need to learn, exchange ideas and further conversations about the most critical issues in American health care.

Evers Awards recognize top med school educators, admins

The Carl G. Evers, M.D. Society has announced this year’s winners of the Evers Awards, which honor the achievements of medical school educators, administrators and departments.

Established as an honorary and service organization striving to improve medical education at UMMC, the society is named for the late Dr. Carl Evers, who served as professor of pathology and associate dean for academic affairs in the School of Medicine from 1978 until his death in 1992.

This year’s honorees, as voted on by each of the medical school classes, are:

M1 Class

Professor of the Year: Dr. Ellen Robertson, Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences

All-star professor: Dr. Gongchao Yang, Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences

All-star professor: Dr. Damian Romero, Cell and Molecular Biology

Department of the Year: Biochemistry

M2 Class

Professor of the Year: Dr. Stanley Smith, Pharmacology and Toxicology

All Star Professor: Dr. Kristen Adams, Department of Pathology

All Star Professor: Dr. Ian Paul, Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Department of the Year: Microbiology

M3 Class

Department of the year: Internal Medicine

Clerkship Administrator of the year: Laura Thigpen, Pediatrics

Attending of the Year: Dr. Paul Moore, Obstetrics and Gynecology

All-star attending: Dr. Brett Jeter, Medicine

All-star attending: Dr. Shannon Orr, Surgery

Resident of the Year: Dr. John Caleb Grenn, Medicine-Pediatrics

All-star resident: Dr. Wade Christopher, Surgery

All-star resident: Dr. Benjamin Carrol, Neurosurgery

M4 Class

Department of the year: Internal Medicine

Attending of the year: Dr. Austin Harrison, Pediatrics

All-star attending: Dr. Amanda Clark, Medicine

All-star attending: Dr. Asef Mahmud, Medicine-Pediatrics

Resident of the Year: Dr. Adrian Sims, Medicine

All-star resident: Dr. Nathalie Malcolm, Medicine-Pediatrics

All-star resident: Dr. Samer Mehio, Medicine

GWIMS awards celebrate UMMC faculty, clinicians

Eight UMMC faculty members and clinicians have been lauded by the campus chapter of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science.

Those receiving 2019-20 GWIMS Awards include:

Dr. Phyllis Bishop, professor of pediatrics, chief of children’s gastroenterology and chief quality officer – Dr. LouAnn Woodward Authentic Leadership Award

Dr. Joy Akanji, nurse practitioner and nurse manager, Student and Employee Health – Resilient Spirit Award

Dr. Lillian Joy Houston, associate professor of psychiatry and director of Psychiatry Emergency Services – Shining Star Award

Dr. Catherine Lowe, cardiology fellowship trainee – Emerging Star Award

Dr. Kimberly Crowder, professor and chair of ophthalmology – Helen Barnes, M.D. Diversity and Inclusion Award

Dr. Hana Noblenza, medical director of the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit – Innovation Award

Dr. Denise Cornelius, assistant professor of emergency medicine – Rising Star Award

Dr. Jerry Clark, chief student affairs officer and associate dean for student affairs in the School of Medicine – Trailblazer Award

For more information on GWIMS or to join the organization, visit www.umc.edu/gwims.