Medical Center, faculty, student and caregivers on national stage

Published on Monday, August 12, 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 joins prestigious group of cancer treatment institutions

The University of Mississippi Medical Center has joined the Caris Precision Oncology Alliance™ (Caris POA), Caris Life Sciences®’ extensive network of leading cancer institutions.

The Caris POA is a growing network of leading cancer centers and research consortia across the globe that collaborate to advance precision oncology and biomarker-driven research, with its members working together to establish and optimize standards of care for molecular testing through innovative research to improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients.

“The power of the Caris POA is that it provides UMMC access to not only thousands of complete annotations and molecular profiling data points for each patient, but also a network of investigators and oncologists, both of which are powerful resources for cancer researchers,” said Dr. Rodney Rocconi, director of the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute and Ergon Chair for Cancer Research.

“This cutting-edge data will provide our physicians with immediate information at their fingertips.”

Dr. George W. Sledge Jr., Caris executive vice president and chief medical officer of Caris POA, welcomed UMMC to the alliance

“UMMC’s commitment to cutting-edge therapy, clinical trials and interdisciplinary collaboration makes them a valuable alliance member,” Sledge said. “We’re eager to collaborate with their investigators on our shared mission of improving the outcomes of all patients affected by cancer.”

The Caris POA includes 95 cancer centers, academic institutions, research consortia and health care systems. These institutions have early access to the extensive database and artificial intelligence platform within Caris to establish evidence-based standards for cancer profiling and molecular testing in oncology.

Information available through Caris provides the ability to prioritize therapeutic options and determine which clinical trial opportunities may benefit patients.

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Burrell recognized for commitment to health education

Dr. Angela Burrell has been named Senior-Level Healthcare Executive of the Year by the American College of Healthcare Executives Regents (ACHE).

Burrell, chair of the Doctor of Health Administration program in the School of Health Related Professions at UMMC, was recognized for her commitment to expand and improve health education in Mississippi.

“Her involvement with the Ronald McDonald House and Stop Hunger Now demonstrates her service to the community. With this award, Dr. Burrell is recognized by her peers as a role model for professionalism and altruism,” said Dr. Kina White, Mississippi Regent.

Burrell earned a PhD in nursing education and administration from William Carey University and a Master of Science in nursing from the Medical Center.

She earned her undergraduate degree from Mississippi College and is a licensed registered nurse, with more than 20 years of experience in health care including service in clinical, educational and leadership roles.

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UMMC nurse earns honor in MSN studies 

Kayla Sykes’ love of health care and helping children converged in her pursuit of an advanced degree from the UMMC School of Nursing and at Children’s of Mississippi’s Pediatric Intensive Care unit, where she has been a registered nurse since 2020.

Her dedication to full-time studies and career earned her an honor along with an MSN in acute primary care pediatric nursing: Student of the Year of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners’ e-chapter, which includes hundreds of members across the United States.

“I am very grateful to have been nominated for this award,” she said. “This is such an honor.”

Dr. Amy Lowery Carroll, assistant professor and director of the Pediatric Acute and Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program and Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program at the UMMC School of Nursing, said Sykes’ efforts in class and clinical care made her a natural for nomination.

“Kayla is doing such an excellent job in the virtual classroom and clinical rotations,” said Carroll, who nominated Sykes. “She works full time and is a full-time student, and she does both well.”

A native of Hattiesburg, Sykes had first considered elementary education as a career path. Job-shadowing a teacher as a high school student changed her mind.

“I knew teaching wasn’t for me, so I thought about nursing,” she said.

After earning a BSN from the University of Southern Mississippi, Sykes started her career in adult critical care, but a year and a half later, she joined UMMC as a registered nurse at the PICU, located in the Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower.

“I knew this was where I wanted to be,” she said. “I love children, and I also love critical care. At the PICU, we help children who are seriously ill and see them get better and get to go home.”

The culture of the PICU is another plus, she said. “I love the teamwork and collaboration among the multidisciplinary care team. Everyone works together to provide the best care for our patients.”

Once part of the PICU care team, Sykes wanted to further her education by earning an MSN with a pediatric focus.

While her studies have taken her about two years, “I’ve taken it day by day,” Sykes said. “I knew it was going to be a challenge when I started working on my MSN, but I push forward every day.”

By being on the UMMC campus, the nursing school offers students benefits like nowhere else.

“There are more opportunities for hands-on experience because of the many specialties here at UMMC,” Sykes said. “Also, the School of Nursing faculty members are kind and ready to help whenever students have questions.”

PICU nurse manager Gordon Gartrell, who earned his BSN and MSN from the UMMC School of Nursing, said Sykes’ dedication at work and as a student set her apart.

“Kayla is an incredibly diligent, compassionate and knowledgeable nurse and student,” he said. “She has a steadfast sense of morality and duty which drives her to provide the highest level of care possible to the patients in her charge, no matter what her role she is serving in. A staunch patient and staff advocate, Kayla is relentless in her support of all within her care and under her leadership.”

Gartrell said he’s observed her growth over the years.

“During my time leading the PICU, I have seen her grow day by day, shift by shift as a graduate student, a leader and a person,” he said.

“I could not be more proud of Kayla’s accomplishments, but I am not surprised by her success. She is the kind of nurse you would want caring for your own children, which I am confident will translate to her performance as a pediatric nurse practitioner.

“It is an honor to lead Kayla and to have her represent the ideals and mission of the PICU and Children’s of Mississippi in such a capacity. There is not a more deserving candidate for this honor.”