Clinic, faculty member recognized nationally

Published on Monday, April 29, 2024

By: Gary Pettus, gpettus@umc.edu

Medical Center faculty and staff often are recognized regionally, nationally and internationally for their academic or medical achievements. These accolades place UMMC among health science centers worldwide.

Children’s of Mississippi clinic acclaimed for spina bifida care

Children’s of Mississippi’s multidisciplinary spina bifida clinic has been recognized by the Spina Bifida Association as an SBA Clinic Care Partner.

The prestigious designation means the clinic, located in the Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower at UMMC, meets the highest standards in providing comprehensive, coordinated care for individuals with spina bifida.

The team, which includes neurosurgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, urologists, physical therapists, psychologists, social workers and experts in pediatrics, orthotics and complex care, delivers care aligned with SBA Guidelines and connects patients to valuable resources.

Babies with spina bifida may have spinal cord and nerve damage because the neural tube has not closed all the way. This can result in mild to severe physical and intellectual disabilities, depending on the size and location of the opening and how it affects the spinal cord and nerves.

In the U.S., about 166,000 people have spina bifida. About 1,400 children are born with this condition.

The SBA Clinic Care Partner program is an initiative that stems from the Spina Bifida Collaborative Care Network, a program that works to identify the needs of people with spina bifida, connect with health care providers, show clinics with the best outcomes, and identify research priorities.

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Kara saluted for excellence in neurologic teaching

Dr. Sukriye Damla Kara, assistant professor of neurology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has earned the A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award from the American Academy of Neurology.

The award was announced during the AAN’s annual meeting, held April 13-18 in Denver, Colorado.

Kara, who is also associate program director of the neurology residency program at UMMC, was recognized by the AAN for “contributions to improving neurology now and in the future. This award demonstrates respect and appreciation for neurologic teaching,” its website says. 

“Receiving this teaching award has been very humbling,” Kara said. “It shows how much effort not just I, but also my colleagues and mentors, have put in to help me succeed in academic neurology.

“It reminds me why I love teaching and mentoring so much, and I'm excited to keep doing it and making a positive impact in our medical community.”

UMMC has “one of the premier neurology residency programs in the Southeast,” thanks to the leadership of Kara; Dr. Manasa Gunturu, assistant professor of neurology and residency program director; and Abby Gomez, program administrator, said Dr. Alissa Willis, professor of neurology at UMMC.

“For the second year in a row, UMMC neurology residents have scored in the 90th percentile on a national in-service training exam. Dr. Kara deserves much of the credit for changing the format of didactics and inspiring young neurologists. Her recent A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award is well-deserved. Rock on, Dr. Kara!”

There is a “pressing need for future neurologists” in this region, Kara said. “I think we can fix this by getting more students interested in neurology. My goal is to inspire and motivate our students and residents toward educational excellence, fostering a continuous cycle of impactful teaching.”

Kara earned her medical degree in 2017 at St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada as a Keith B. Taylor Global Scholar, which included clinical training in Newcastle, United Kingdom. 

She completed her neurology residency at the University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa.

Her current research is focused on health care disparities in epilepsy, quality improvement projects including curriculum innovations in education, and establishing a hospital-wide status epilepticus protocol. 

Kara is a member of, among other organizations, the AAN, whose website describes the organization as “the world's largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with more than 40,000 members.”

“Dr. Kara is an invaluable member of our department and has significantly contributed to enhancing our residents’ education,” said Dr. Shreyas Gangadhara, associate professor of neurology, vice chair of clinical operations and chief of vascular neurology.

“She is a role model for our residents and has inspired several to pursue a career in academic medicine. 

“Additionally, as faculty advisor for the Student Interest Group in Neurology, Dr. Kara has inspired both local and international medical students to pursue careers in neurology.”