Resident is ‘Rising Star,’ Women in Medicine group chooses board

Published on Monday, August 19, 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.

UMMC resident recognized for leadership by state medical association

Dr. Melanie Baker, an internal medicine resident at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, is the recipient of the Rising Star Award for a resident/fellow from the Mississippi State Medical Association.

Baker, who graduated from the UMMC School of Medicine in 2023, received the honor during the MSMA’s Women in Medicine Awards Aug. 8 ceremony in Jackson. It recognizes the efforts of a woman resident or fellow taking on leadership roles and who is active in organized medicine.

“Receiving MSMA's Rising Star Award is an incredible honor and deeply meaningful to me,” said Baker, who was introduced to the association as a first-year medical student.

“I quickly discovered a passion for organized medicine. Since then, I have served as the MSMA student trustee during my M4 year and held national positions with the AMA medical student section including policy chair for our region and as a delegate to the AMA House of Delegates.

“None of this would be possible without the invaluable guidance and support of numerous mentors I've met because of the association, many of which are UMMC graduates.”

Baker was recently elected as the resident and fellow section trustee for the MSMA board. She served as president of the UMMC American Medical Association Chapter and chief operating officer of the Jackson Free Clinic during medical school.

As a medical student, she was named the 2023 recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award given by the UMMC Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society to a graduating medical student and a faculty member who are exemplars of humanism in medicine. 

Baker, who earned her undergraduate degree at Mississippi State University, was also named the James C. Waites, MD Medical Student of the Year in 2023 by the Mississippi Physicians Care Network for being a role model for students in the compassionate care of patients.

“I would like to say a special thank you to Dr. Jennifer Bryan, Dr. Randy Easterling, Dr. Claude Brunson and Dr. Loretta Jackson-Williams, all of whom have championed my involvement in both MSMA and AMA,” Baker said.

“I am especially grateful to my mom who was in attendance to celebrate with me. If I am anything good, it is built upon the foundation she instilled in me.

“This award is tangible evidence of the faith in me of fantastic physicians of MSMA whom I've learned from and deeply admire. Being mentioned alongside such distinguished nominees is truly humbling and inspires me to keep striving to make a positive impact in the field of medicine.”

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GWIMS names 2024-25 Executive Board members

The University of Mississippi Medical Center Chapter of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science executive board for 2024-2025 includes President Dr. Roselin Nittala, assistant professor of radiation oncology; and President-elect Dr. Charly Edwards, chair of endodontics.

Dr. Angelle Klar, professor of neonatology, is past president. Serving as secretary is Dr. Ana Palei, associate professor and researcher in surgery, trauma and critical care; and the treasurer is Dr. Kimberly Bibb, associate professor of family medicine.

Dr. Rebecca S. Moore, associate professor of neonatology, will serve as membership chair, and Dr. Sumana Ramarao, associate professor of neonatology, and Dr. Laura Hendon, associate professor of genetics, are leadership co-chairs. Dr. Michelle Sheth, professor of anesthesiology, is mentoring chair, and Dr. Dongmei Cui, professor of research in advanced biomedical education, is awards chair.

Trainee representatives are Yamrot Sileshi, a registered nurse, medical student Karen Wong, and School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences students Riya Titus and Jordan Hart.

GWIMS, a group of the Association of American Medical Colleges, advances the participation and inclusion of women across the spectrum of academic medicine and biomedical research by addressing gender equity, recruitment and retention, awards and recognition and career advancement.