Category Archives: Family Medicine

Family Medicine

Diversion Center to benefit struggling Waco-area residents – Waco Tribune-Herald

The Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Networks Diversion Center opened its doors to visitors Thursday, with several of the events speakers focusing on unity against poor mental health outcomes.

The $9.7 million, 27,500-square-foot facility sits next to the networks administrative campus on Imperial Drive and will serve as a haven for people struggling with mental health crises. The facility is meant to take the burden off of law enforcement and emergency room staff who often are not equipped to deal with acute mental health crises, and help patients on a path back to stability.

The facility also houses a 3,000-square-foot Waco Family Medicine clinic, which should open to the public next month.

Former Rapoport Foundation director Tom Stanton; Daniel Thompson, executive director of the Behavioral Health Network; Waco Police Chief Sheryl Victorian; and Matt Meadors, CEO of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, were among several speakers Thursday who poured out their support for the project.

Waco Family Medicine CEO Dr. Jackson Griggs speaks Thursday about the humanistic aspect of mental health crises and diversion, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network Diversion Center.

Network Board Chair Dennis Wilson kicked off the ribbon cutting ceremony by recognizing several key players in the effort, including Waco City Council and staff, McLennan County staff and commissioners and the networks board of trustees.

He also recognized Dean Mayberry, the organizations former executive director of 30 years, former executive director Barbara Tate and 30-year board member Peter Kultgen, who each provided insight for the project long before it ever came to fruition.

I dont think you really understand the importance of community support until you get into the business that were in and its critical that we work together as a team, Wilson said.

Wilson thanked Intrepid Development Group, RBDR Architects and Built Wright Construction for their work on the project, as well as the Meadows Foundation, Cooper Foundation, Waco Foundation, Jim and Deborah Peevey and the Waco Family Medicine Foundation for their support.

This has been a project that everybody has been included in and our staff members have done a great job bringing the idea forward that can benefit them and the environment they work in to provide the services that we desperately need in our community, he said.

A community room at the Diversion Center provides space for inpatients.

Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network Executive Director Daniel Thompson poses in the new Diversion Center's inpatient wing, which has 16 beds.

McLennan County Judge Scott Felton said the community felt the true weight of the COVID-19 pandemic through its mental health outcomes. He said the county dedicated a portion of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funding allotted during the pandemic to the Diversion Center project. The city of Waco also dedicated American Rescue Plan funding to the center.

I think if the federal government and state government all saw the urgency in mental health since the beginning of COVID wed be in much better shape, he said.

Felton said the pandemic hit us in the pocket book and caused issues for law enforcement and the county jail, which is where a lot of people experiencing mental health difficulties end up.

Part of the mission of the Diversion Center is to offer a place for people who have committed offenses and are struggling mentally to go that would keep them out of jail or emergency rooms, freeing up those resources for when they are truly needed. People who are struggling with mental health are more likely to offend again and return to jail, a revolving door, Felton said, without being given the right tools to cope and succeed.

We want to be part of the solution and I think our community members and our taxpayers want to do the same thing, Felton said. The idea, concept came up that there has to be something different than what we have now, one more piece in the puzzle to be able to have early, effective intervention.

Waco Family Medicine CEO Dr. Jackson Griggs asked attendees to imagine the feeling of their heart racing, as if they heard an alarming sound in the middle of the night, or intense grief, as if a family member had just passed away. Then, he asked them to imagine experiencing those kinds of raw, painful, disorienting emotions amplified 100 times and asked how someone could make rational decisions in that state of mind.

While we think about the very, very important economic reasons for a Diversion Center like this, lets not lose sight of the humanity that is suffering that this facility is going to aid, Griggs said.

Four of the Diversion Center's inpatient rooms are set up for people required to be more closely monitored.

Four of the Diversion Center's inpatient rooms are set up for people required to be more closely monitored.

He said half of all Americans will have a diagnosable mental health condition in their lives, and 25% of Americans right now have a diagnosable condition. Griggs said it takes someone trained in understanding the nuanced acute phase of mental health lapses to know how to help someone who is not in the perfect state of mind, the kind of care the Diversion Center will be prepared to provide.

It takes a spirit of hospitality to host people who are in crisis and to create a safe space for them and to help them bridge that crisis to a safe place of stability, he said.

Waco City Council Member Josh Borderud, who also serves as vice chair of the networks board, said the center will serve a critical role as the Ascension Providence DePaul Center, which offers inpatient and outpatient mental health services, prepares to close by the end of the year.

This Diversion Center will allow our health care systems to better treat those in mental health crisis, Borderud said. It will allow our law enforcement to better deal with actual public safety concerns and not become mental health treatment providers, as they often are.

The Diversion Center on Imperial Drive will serve people facing acute mental health crises.

The 3,000-square-foot Waco Family Medicine clinic in the Diversion Center is set to open next month.

The Diversion Center on Imperial Drive will serve people facing acute mental health crises.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday introduced the new Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network Diversion Center on Imperial Drive. It will serve people facing acute mental health crises.

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Diversion Center to benefit struggling Waco-area residents - Waco Tribune-Herald

Family Medicine

ICYMI: Can the last state in the South to not restrict abortion post … – Democratic Party of Virginia

Salon: The battle for Virginia: Can the last state in the South to not restrict abortion post-Roe survive?

October 27, 2023 | Stephanie Schriock and Cecile Richards

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, nearly half the states in the U.S. have banned abortion. As a result, 25 million women of reproductive age live in states where its now harder to access this essential health care. For anyone doing the math at home, thats 2 in 5 women between the ages of 15 and 44.

The situation is especially dire in the South, where Virginia is the only state that hasnt restricted abortion rights post-Roe. Clinicians in the Commonwealth are working around the clock to meet the demand from patients who have driven all night from Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi even as far as Texas to get necessary health care thats no longer available in their home state.

Now, the future of abortion access for an enormous swath of the country rests on Virginias upcoming elections. For the first time since Roe was overturned, all 140 seats in the state legislature are on the ballot. Democrats are fighting to protect their majority in the state Senate and need just three seats to take the House of Delegates.

We dont have to guess what will happen if Republicans win; weve seen this movie before. Earlier this year, Republicans in Virginia came within one vote of banning abortion. If their bill had passed, it would have gone to Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, who promised to happily and gleefully sign any anti-abortion legislation that came across his desk, no matter how extreme. The resulting change to Virginia law would have been catastrophic for patients across the South. In case there was any doubt about their priorities for the next legislative session, Youngkins PAC recently launched their first TV ad of the season: a $1.4 million attempt to argue that their abortion ban isnt really a ban.

Despite their best Orwellian efforts, the truth is clear: Since 1973, the people of Virginia have had the right to an abortion. If these extremist Republicans take total control of the government, theyll outlaw abortion and criminalize doctors. A ban is a ban, no matter what you call it. (Just ask Republican candidates in Virginia, who are saying the quiet part out loud.)

The Youngkin-backed ad, complete with pink text on screen, is proof of the unenviable position Republicans have found themselves in this election cycle. When Roe was the law of the land, they could talk about abortion in the abstract. They made promises to anti-abortion activist groups without having to acknowledge the cruel impact of abortion bans on peoples lives or be held accountable to the vast majority of voters who believe abortion should be safe and legal.

So far, Republican efforts to hide dangerous laws behind softer language have come up short.

For the last 14 months, however, Americans have been confronted with the reality of these bans: teenage rape victims forced to give birth, miscarrying patients turned away from emergency rooms and told to return when theyre in sepsis, and countless others taking time off work and scraping together child care and money to travel out of state. All of these restrictions disproportionately affect people of color, people with low incomes, young people, and immigrants many of the same groups that already have the hardest time accessing health care.

To make matters worse, abortion bans dont just interfere with reproductive health they decrease the quality of care across our entire medical system. In a country with the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world, pregnancy care has suffered as abortion restrictions drive obstetricians out of hostile states. According to one study, women in states that banned abortion after the Court overturned Roe were up to three times as likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth, or in the postpartum period. Fewer medical students are applying to OB/GYN residencies and family medicine programs, threatening to exacerbate existing physician shortages, especially in rural areas. Its not just abortion patients who are worse off; its anyone who needs a doctor.

So far, Republican efforts to hide dangerous laws behind softer language have come up short. Polling shows Virginia voters dont trust Republican candidates or Youngkin on abortion. Maybe theyve been following the story of House of Delegates candidate John Stirrup, who scrubbed any mention of his anti-abortion positions from his campaign website after being secretly recorded promising to support a 100% ban. Maybe they remember the last time Republicans held power in Virginia and imposed medically unnecessary barriers to abortion care, including mandatory ultrasounds and regulations designed to close health centers and shame patients.

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Its not surprising that Virginia Republicans are working hard to conceal their agenda. As it turns out, no one wants their kids and grandkids to have fewer rights than they had. A whopping 70 percent of Virginians believe abortion should be legal. In all seven states where the issue has been on the ballot post-Roe, abortion rights supporters have won. In Ohio, a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights received nearly double the number of signatures needed to put it on the ballot this month. In less than two weeks, Virginia will either provide a glimmer of hope for extremists or send an unmistakable message that abortion bans are wildly out of step with what voters want.

As unpopular as abortion bans are, the truth is, these wins dont happen on their own. They take resources, organizing, and massive get-out-the-vote efforts. Youngkins PAC has raised a staggering $15.5 million to try to take control of the government. Virginia Republicans and their donors see an opportunity to buy an abortion ban and launch Youngkin into the national spotlight. We cant let that happen.

Right now, volunteers in Virginia are knocking on doors and sharing deeply personal abortion stories in hopes of mobilizing their neighbors. Democratic candidates are running in hard-fought races and standing proudly on records of supporting reproductive freedom. As voters across the country consider the positions of presidential candidates and head to the polls in Ohio, where abortion is quite literally on the ballot, another election is underway that will have sweeping consequences for abortion access in America. This may just be the most crucial test case yet for 2024. No matter where you live, if you care about reproductive rights, now is the time to sit up and pay attention to Virginia.

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ICYMI: Can the last state in the South to not restrict abortion post ... - Democratic Party of Virginia

Family Medicine

National Conference Student Chair Is Ready to Help Her Peers – AAFP News

I chose medicine as a career when I really realized how much I love interacting with people and caring for people who are often forgotten or left on the side, said Driscoll, a fourth-year student at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio who recently matched at North Colorado Family Medicine Residency. Physicians get to take care of everyone in their most vulnerable states. Thats what drew me to medicine.

Driscoll didnt have to look far for inspiration. She shadowed her own family physician, John Agaiby, M.D., as a high school student and later as an undergraduate student at Carroll University in Wisconsin.

Something that I learned from him was how you can really get to know your patients and their entire situation, she said. He always knew the patients whole family and would give me that context before wed walk in the exam room. He remembered and cared about their family. He did a lot of hard work to make sure that they were getting great care. He would round on patients when they were in the hospital.

Driscoll said her experiences with Agaiby had her primed for family medicine entering medical school, although she considered emergency medicine and obstetrics, too.

What really struck me about family medicine was the opportunity to really get involved in your community and meet the needs of every single patient who comes through your door, as well as all of the advocacy work that happens in family medicine, said Driscoll, who served as a student representative to the Texas AFPs Alamo chapter and was a regional coordinator for the AAFPs FMIG Network.

Driscoll interviewed at a dozen residencies, looking for a program that could provide broad-scope training to prepare her for rural practice. She found her match at North Colorado, which has five family medicine training programs under one umbrella organization. Driscoll will train in Evans, Colo., at one of 10 clinics in North Colorados Sunrise program, which is a federally qualified health center.

She spent the spring in Ecuador completing a Spanish immersion program that will help prepare her to serve the FQHCs large Spanish speaking population. Greeley, five miles north of Evans, is home to the states second-largest refugee settlement.

Ill be serving underserved patients, including some of Greeleys refugee and migrant worker populations, said Driscoll, who noted that the program has an advanced obstetrics track in the second and third years to equip residents for surgical obstetrics. I am excited to have the privilege of serving this community. Although Greeley is a city, we serve patients from the surrounding rural and agricultural areas, and the broad-spectrum training provided there will certainly equip me to be a rural family medicine doc. This program fits all of the needs I was looking for.

Driscoll hopes to play a role in helping other students find their paths in the specialty as the student chair of the National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students, which will run July 27-29 in Kansas City, Mo.

If this is your first big exposure to family medicine, its really a place where medical students can feel at home and feel confident in the choice to pursue family medicine, because there are so many like-minded people, she said. There are so many great mentors in one place who can really encourage you to move forward.

National Conference features one of the nations largest residency fairs, with exhibitors from hundreds of family medicine programs.

Having opportunities to meet with residents and program directors in person was so valuable going into the application season, Driscoll said. I really got to know people and be exposed to programs that maybe I wouldnt have considered otherwise, so that was really beneficial.

As chair, Driscoll will lead the Student Congress.

It was really enlightening for me to spend so much time in the student Congress last year and see how the process works and how that can effect change at the AAFP, she said. I saw the work that students were doing to advocate for medical education and for their patients.

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National Conference Student Chair Is Ready to Help Her Peers - AAFP News

Family Medicine

From foster care to military family medicine residency – uoflnews.com

John Bowlings childhood was a struggle.

At age nine, he was placed in a childrens home due to difficulties his mother experienced from cerebral palsy. He lived there until his junior year of high school when he relocated with foster parents, staying with them through high school graduation. Supported by his foster family and his biological mother and sister, he attended Lee University and graduated in 2013 with a degree in broadcast journalism.

Im living proof that there are lots of kids out there who have so much potential but due to circumstances out of their control, are unable to realize it, he said.

Unsure of his next step, Bowling accepted a position through Teach for America as a high school biology and chemistry special education teacher in Hawaii. During his time there, he was inspired to pursue medicine. As much as he loved teaching, Bowling felt a call elsewhere after spending time with a physician mentor who encouraged him to consider medicine.

Going from teacher to doctor

When he made the difficult decision to move back to the mainland and pursue medicine, Bowling searched for programs that would help him obtain his pre-requisite courses for medical school and found the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He enrolled in the Post Baccalaureate Pre-Med program which provides individuals with a bachelors degree looking for a career change to participate in a two-year preparation program to gain pre-med science coursework and offers assured admission to the UofL School of Medicine.

Bowling has been an active student leader during his time at the School of Medicine, serving as historian and using his technical skills in digital media, as well as his interest in social media to help document and promote the activities of his classmates. In addition, he was elected president of the Medical Student Council. During his time as president, Bowling led a complete renovation of the medical student lounge, spearheaded initiatives to support and uplift diversity groups, and contributed to several social events that brought all four classes together despite the COVID pandemic.

As a former teacher, Bowling brings a unique perspective to his medical practice that will undoubtedly benefit his patients. His advice for students pursuing medicine emphasizes the importance of following ones passions.

Be sure of yourself and your decision; it will require effort and commitment beyond what you could ever expect, Bowling said. Surround yourself with people who encourage you and build you up, but also those who will hold you accountable. Always take time for yourself and do the things that make you happy.

Upon graduation, Bowling will begin his residency training in family medicine with the Naval Medical Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.

It is an honor to be able to serve in the U.S. military, and Im beyond excited to get started this summer, he said. I love traveling and adventure. My communications with the U.S. Navy confirmed my decision. Ive made some amazing friends through boot camp and cannot wait to go active duty.

UofL Commencement is May 13

The UofL May Commencement Exercises are May 13 at the KFC Yum! Center.

Morning exercises begin at 10 a.m. honoring graduates from the College of Arts & Sciences, Brandeis School of Law, Graduate School (Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies only), Kent School of Social Work & Family Science, School of Dentistry, School of Medicine, School of Nursing and School of Public Health and Information Sciences.

Afternoon exercises begin at 3 p.m. honoring the graduates of the College of Business, the College of Education & Human Development, the J.B. Speed School of Engineering and the School of Music.

For more information, visitlouisville.edu/commencement.

By Edison Pleasants

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From foster care to military family medicine residency - uoflnews.com

Family Medicine

How joy in practice drives Dr. Harmon in his senior years – American Medical Association

At 71, Gerald E. Harmon, MD, has earned the opportunity to retire from medicine. Besides having practiced for more than 35 years as a family physician in rural South Carolina, he has served as assistant surgeon general for the U.S. Air Force, chief physician for the National Guard Bureau, board chair and president of the South Carolina Medical Association, chair of the AMA Board of Trustees, secretary of the AMA and, most recently, AMA president, from 2021 to 2022.

But retiring isnt something hes comfortable doing just yet.

What would I retire from? What would I do? Dr. Harmon said during a recent interview. I already do plenty of fun things. I hunt and I fish. I spend time with my family. I go to my grandkids events. I have a full life.

Dr. Harmon is also a member of theAMA Senior Physicians Section, which gives voice to and advocates on issues that impact senior physicians, who may be working full time or part time or be retired. In honor of Older Americans Month, May also is marked each year by the occasion of AMA Senior Physicians Recognition Month.

I live in a retirement community in a small rural area thats a destination for many folks, he said. Sometimes I'll get up in the morning and see folks walking their dogs, and if I want to be walking my dog too, Ill ask myself what keeps me going at my age. I'm not trying to be self-aggrandizing, but I always think: Im going to be a doctor come heck or high water. Because I enjoy it and its important."

To illustrate this, he likes to quote Dr. Joseph Warren, a major general in the American Revolutionary War who famously urged his fellow revolutionaries: Act worthy of yourselves.

Dr. Harmon served as a major general too, in the U.S. Air Force.

What we're doing today affects the lives of millions of Americans to come, he said, paraphrasing Dr. Warren. I took an oath when I applied to medical school. Like every other doctor, I said: I want to serve humanity. I feel I have a gift.

For this Q&A, Dr. Harmon discussed in depth what motivates him to keep working and providing care after the age at which many of his peers have retired. At the top of that list: Patients still need him.

AMA: To achieve all that you have in your career, youve obviously put in a lot of time. How many hours a week do you work?

Dr. Harmon: I work a minimum of 65 hours per week, as I always have. But I also vacation and goof offIm pretty aggressive about doing that too. I hear folks saying you should live every day as if it's your last, but I'm not quite that pessimistic. In fact, I describe myself as a pathologic optimist. I'm not manic, but I enjoy every day.

AMA: The physician shortage stands to affect patients of all ages, but older Americans might end up being among the hardest hit. With your being in family medicine, it seems much of the work of caring for older patients will fall to you and your colleagues in that specialty. Does that add to your sense of calling in your senior years?

Dr. Harmon: It does give me perspective, no question about it. We know from the Association of American Medical Colleges that there is an expected shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034, along with a 42% increase in Americans 65 or older. We also know that 40% of doctorstwo out of fiveare going to be 65 or older within the next decade.

I think I'm optimally set up to be a provider for my temporal peers. The challenge is not only around the shortage of geriatricians, or folks who are specialized in medicine for older people, but around the shortage of family medicine and adult internal medicine specialists.

I am trained to be a geriatrician without an extra fellowship year, and having 40 years of practice means I'm experienced in delivering health care for those who are 65 or older. My challenge is to do it in a quality, predictable, scientifically evident mannerin other words, to maintain my skill set and to recognize when I don't have it.

AMA: So what do you do if you suspect that your skill set might no longer be where it ought to be?

Dr. Harmon: One of the reasons we aging physicians are somewhat driven to retire is we're concerned that we may not have the mental acuity that we once had. So first we have to be aware, but we have to also trust the folks were working withwhether it's nurses, technicians or other physiciansif they tell us were not listening or comprehending as well as we used to. In other words, the aging physician needs to be accountable to the workforce.

But there are also lots of resources out there to help keep us sharp. One of those is the AMA Ed Hub, which is a lifelong training initiative. We have an opportunity to go back and learn how to use EHRs, learn how to use augmented intelligence, or AI, learn coping mechanisms for when we have to deal with workforce limitations, and maybe even retrain ourselves so we can volunteer. These things can enhance and extend physicians career paths.

AMA: You mentioned AI. What are your thoughts on it in the clinical and teaching environments?

Dr. Harmon: The first pushback you might get from aging physicians, particularly, is that they don't want to learn these newfangled things. And yet, were already using AI in the electronic health record. And if you think about it, its largely the same as what weve gone through with other technologies. For example, we use cameras and videos now in many professionswe no longer use slide rules. We use computers and calculators. These are the tools we have to become proficient in if we're going to succeed as health care providers.

The same is true in other professions. For example, Ive been flying planes for 40 years, and I use an autopilot in my airplane all the time; I don't try to do everything by hand. It's a time-saving device and a reliability device. When I turn it on, my focus shifts. Im no longer overwhelmed by a multidisciplinary approach to flying an airplane. Autopilot is augmented intelligence too, and weve become very comfortable with it.

AMA: What about the health needs of older Americans? How can senior physicians not just help fill the gap in access due to the physician shortage but even improve the care of older patients?

Dr. Harmon: One of the things were working on at the AMA and other health care organizations is advancing health equity by addressing health disparities. We know that patients of color tend to have better results when their physicians are people of color. They have better communication and they tend to be given better care when the folks that are taking care of them look like them and have similar life experiences.

I would say the same thing for older Americans. When someone in their advanced years is cared for by someone who is of the same demographic, I think we can expect that they're going to have better shared decision-making, be more adherent to the recommendations and have better outcomes. Also, I think we've been able to show that weve given good advice. We have a track record of competence.

And I'll tell you, older Americans do present a more complex burden because of the prevalence of chronic diseases. We have this old saying in medical school that the average person gets about a disease a decade. So, by the time someone is 60 years old, they might have six chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, lung disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

All these things tend to have a burden of overlapping therapies and interventions, and older physicians like myself have the experience to know that we don't always have to order a CT scan or a PET scan. I can examine a patient and have a good predictive instrument going forward. And I might be a little bit more efficient in utilization, or whatever health care matrix I'm giving those older patients.

AMA: Do you think the COVID-19 pandemic affected you and other senior physicians differently from younger physicians? In particular, was there any feeling that your decades of hard work were being undone as the health care system came under siege and physicians and other health professionals started quitting under the workload?

Dr. Harmon: No, but what was disheartening was the pandemic of mistrust that was laid on top of the pandemic of the virus. You heard me talk about that in an AMA Moving Medicine podcast episode. It was a pandemic of lack of faith in the institution of medicine.

But it also gave me an opportunity to step up as a voice of reason. Most people trust their family doctor, often more than anybody elsemore than politicians, more than journalists and almost as much as the military, which has always been one of the most trusted institutions. So it was kind of a bipolar situation: first a little discouraged, but then, hey, that's why I'm here.

AMA: So any plans to retire?

Dr. Harmon: Kind of. I've set an artificial date of three to four years from now just to reassess my situation, because if I don't do it by then I might wish I had. But Ill keep going as long as it's fun and as long as I'm making an impact and I dont have a major physical or cognitive limitation. The good thing about being my age is I realize time is relative and value is everything.

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How joy in practice drives Dr. Harmon in his senior years - American Medical Association

Family Medicine

MU School of Medicine to Award 110 Degrees at Commencement … – University of Missouri School of Medicine

Honorary degree will also be conferred to renowned orthopaedic oncologist

The University of Missouri School of Medicine will celebrate the graduation of 110 students in the class of 2023 at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 13, in Jesse Auditorium, 205 Jesse Hall.

This years graduating class includes 18 graduates who trained at the schools Springfield Clinical Campus in southwest Missouri. The Springfield Clinical Campus is a public/private partnership with MU and CoxHealth and Mercy hospitals.

MU School of Medicine alumnus Benjamin Schmidt, MD, was selected by this years graduating class to serve as commencement speaker. Schmidt is a gastroenterology fellow at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital who is known for his popular social media videos that aim to educate and entertain.

The 2023 class of medical students from the MU School of Medicine was highly sought after: 97% of the class received a residency program match, meaning many hospitals and health systems chose graduating MU medical students as their top resident physician candidates.

After receiving their medical degrees on Saturday, these physicians will go on to receive additional training in their chosen specialties. Many of the physicians 31% of MU School of Medicines class of 2023 will remain on the MU campus for their residency training. 44% of the MU School of Medicine 2023 class will remain in Missouri, and 36% of this graduating class selected residency programs in internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics. Of those graduating, 71 are from Missouri and the others represent 16 other states and three other countries.

Graduates of the MU School of Medicine consistently score higher than the national average on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). MU School of Medicine graduates are trained, evaluated and expected to be competent in their ability to deliver patient-centered care, including their capability to communicate with the patient, family members and colleagues working as part of an interdisciplinary team.

The commencement ceremony will also feature a special honor. Kristy Weber, MD, the Abramson Family Professor in Sarcoma Care Excellence, Chief of Orthopaedic Oncology and Abramson Cancer Center Sarcoma Program Director at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine will be conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Science. Weber is a 1987 graduate of MU, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree after studying Animal Science at CAFNR. In her current role, she specializes in the treatment of children and adults with benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors as well as metastatic bone disease. She is the first female president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the worlds largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists.

Watch a livestream of the ceremony

Friends and family of the graduates can visit the University of Missouricommencement pagefor more information.

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MU School of Medicine to Award 110 Degrees at Commencement ... - University of Missouri School of Medicine

Family Medicine

Stay up to Date With AAFP Immunization Resources – AAFP News

Thanks to funding from Merck & Co. Inc., the Academy recently sent all active members full-color copies of the 2023 adult, childhood/adolescent and catch-up immunization schedules, which were developed by the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices with assistance from the AAFP and several other medical specialty organizations.

For convenience, members can also access the immunization schedules on the AAFP mobile app.

The materials give family physicians the latest vaccine-related information and recommendations, while also serving as a valuable communications tool that FPs can use in the clinic with patients who have questions or concerns about immunizations.

According to Richard Zimmerman, M.D., M.P.H., M.A., M.S., a professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, key changes for the schedules include the addition of COVID-19 vaccines; a notice of preference for enhanced influenza vaccines for older adults; and entries for recently approved vaccines for the prevention of hepatitis B and measles, mumps and rubella. These changes, he said, should decrease hospitalizations, conserve resources and reduce deaths.

I use expanded and enhanced vaccines in my practice to prevent suffering and to save lives, said Zimmerman.

For patients who express concern about vaccine safety, Zimmerman suggested briefly addressing any particular misconceptions they have, then giving a strong recommendation in favor of vaccination.

I focus on two direct messages: One, my family and I take these vaccines ourselves; and two, I, the patients primary care physician, recommend the vaccine for this particular patient, he said.

Another ACIP recommendation of interest to family physicians concerns vaccination against pneumococcal disease. In 2021 the FDA approved a 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and a 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, bringing the total number of pneumococcal vaccines licensed for use in the United States to four. While the increased number of vaccines is expected to improve vaccine coverage and reduce the incidence of pneumococcal disease, it has also caused some confusion among clinicians in determining which vaccines to administer based on patient age and vaccination status.

As a result, the Academy (supported by a cooperative agreement from the CDC) has created a free, 30-minute, 0.5-credit CME on-demand video for family physicians and other health care professionals that specifically addresses the ACIP recommendations.

The on-demand video features case scenarios designed to increase knowledge of pneumococcal vaccines and develop practices for implementing the recommendations. Individuals may review the education as often as needed to reinforce concepts and effect change in learner competence.

Participants who complete the activity will be able to identify

Zimmerman, who serves as speaker for the CME video, said that although pneumococcal vaccine recommendations are complex, vaccination will reduce illness and deaths from pneumococcal disease. Along with the module and the AAFP mobile app, he recommended that clinicians download the CDCs PneumoRecs Vax Advisor mobile app to help determine which vaccines patients need and when.

The AAFP is developing additional educational programs on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in young children and the importance of maternal immunizations. Watch the Academys CME webpage for these and other programs as they are published.

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Stay up to Date With AAFP Immunization Resources - AAFP News

Family Medicine

Prevention and Management of Chronic Diseases presented by … – Sentinel-Tribune

Espinoza.

PERRYSBURG Learn about the latest research and guidelines in cancer screenings, heart disease prevention, lipid and diabetes management, as well as practical tips for making lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. As part of the Mercy Health Better Living Speaker Series, Dr. Nicholas Espinoza will educate and empower individuals on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Way Public Library, 101 E. Indiana Ave.

Attendees will learn about the latest research and guidelines in these areas and practical tips for making lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of chronic disease. The program will also provide resources for further education and support.

Espinoza is board-certified in family medicine and has over 25 years of medical experience. He joined Mercy Health in 2016 as the Clinical Faculty and Medical Director of Family Medicine Residency. Espinoza received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in 1990 from Ohio University. He is dedicated to providing medical education along with patient-centered, respectful, and compassionate care to all. Espinoza lives in Perrysburg with his wife and is a dad of two daughters.

This educational presentation is free and open to the public. It will take place in the Mercy Health Activity Center on the main floor of Way Library. Registration is not required. For specific accommodation requests or inquiries, contact the library at [emailprotected]. For more information about the program, visit waylibrary.info or call 419-874-3135 ext. 119.

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Prevention and Management of Chronic Diseases presented by ... - Sentinel-Tribune

Family Medicine

What physicians earned in 2022, in 4 charts – The Daily Briefing

According to the report, lower-paying metro areas often have older healthcare infrastructures and declining populations. Because of this, some physicians may be moving to other cities around the country for higher pay and improved housing costs, particular in mid-sized cities in Florida, Texas, and the Midwest.

With the COVID-19 pandemic leading to higher workloads, 68% of physicians said they were burned out, and 53% said they felt angry or anxious. In addition, 38% of physicians said they wanted to retire in the next year.

However, despite these increased workloads, many physicians said they still find their work rewarding. Overall, 73% of physicians would choose to work in medicine again if given the opportunity.

Notably, 99% of dermatologists and 97% of orthopedic surgeons were satisfied with their choice of specialty, whereas roughly two-thirds of physicians in internal medicine and family medicine would choose the same specialty again.

When asked about what they found most rewarding about their jobs, physicians said gratitude and relationships with patients (27%), finding answers and making diagnoses (25%), and helping others (23%). In comparison, some of the least rewarding aspects were having so many rules and regulations (23%), long work hours (15%), and difficult patients (15%).

Many physicians also generally felt that their compensation was fair, with a majority of physicians in public health and preventive medicine, oncology, and plastic surgery agreeing. However, this was not the case in all specialties. Less than half of physicians in OB/GYN, internal medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, among others, said they were fairly compensated.

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What physicians earned in 2022, in 4 charts - The Daily Briefing

Family Medicine

Honors Convocation celebrates ‘beautiful things’ achieved by OUWB … – News at OU

Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine held its 2023 Honors Convocation Thursday, paying tribute to students and faculty with exceptional achievements.

More than 250 people attended the 90-minute event held at Oakland Universitys Oakland Center.

The event is held annually on the day before the schools commencement ceremony for the years graduating class.

The OUWB Honors Convocation recognized everything from outstanding student and faculty achievements to excellence in diversity. (See complete list below.)

Two awards presented were new this year: the Deans Distinguished Professor Award (Douglas Gould, Ph.D., professor and chair, Department of Foundational Medical Studies), and the Compass Service Honors, which were given to graduating students who completed more than 150 hours of community service during their time at OUWB.

Duane Mezwa, M.D., Stephan Sharf Dean, OUWB, said he took time during the ceremony to think about all of the beautiful things were celebrating here. Namely, he said, the kind, caring, compassionate physicians that graduate from OUWB.

As the dean of Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, it is a privilege to be here today to celebrate the outstanding achievements of faculty, staff, and medical students from all four of our classes, he said.

Students expressed gratitude for the formal recognition of their achievements.

Margaret Bohr, M4, received recognition for several accomplishments: induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society; Compass Service Honors; Class of 2023 M1 Award for Outstanding Academic Performance; Award for Outstanding Performance in the Diagnostic Medicine Clerkship; and Glasgow-Rubin Certificate of Commendation for Academic Achievement.

It all feels unreal to have been just starting medical school four years ago and now be at the end of the road, she said.

Ive made a ton of great friends and had a lot of supportits exciting to be here celebrating with everybody.

Amelia Najor, M4, shared similar thoughts. Najor was recognized for receiving the OUWB Community Student Scholarship, and Award for Outstanding Performance in the Surgery Clerkship.

Being recognized for all of the hard work and effort we put in seals the dealwere going to be doctors tomorrow, she said. For everyone to recognize that weve worked really hardit feels good to be recognized. Im very happy.

Not all students recognized will be part of OUWBs 2023 commencement on Friday. Kevin Van and Fanny Huang, both M2s, each received an Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Student Award.

David Howell, M2, received the Michele D. Raible Award. The award is named in honor of Raible, founding associate dean, OUWB, who died from complications from Acute Myeloid Leukemia just before the school welcomed its first class.

The award annually goes to a student who best personifies what Raible brought to the school someone who is compassionate, cares deeply about others, demonstrates a true love of learning, and functions as a mentor for their classmates.

Its truly an honor because there are so many qualified people, said Howell. Just to be considered is a privilege, but to be nominated and then receive the award is really something else.

Students also were recognized for induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Mallory Evans, M4, was recognized for receiving the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.

Three students participated in the military promotion ceremony: Benjamin Collaer, promoted to captain in the U.S. Air Force; Adam Wahl, promoted to lieutenant in the U.S. Navy; and Brianna Walter, promoted to captain, U.S. Army.

Recognition of Distinguished Service Awards were given Mezwa, Robert McAuley, Ph.D., associate dean, Institutional Effectiveness and Technology, and Ronald Samarian, M.D., chair and associate professor, Department of Psychiatry. All three are retiring.

Several faculty awards also were given, including the first Deans Distinguished Professor Award that went to Gould.

Gould said he was filled with thanks and gratitude and took a few moments before the ceremony to reflect on his decision to join OUWB about 11 years ago.

Im extremely grateful that Ive been able to stay here for as long as I have and work with all of these great people that I have had the privilege of meeting, collaborating with, and befriending, he said. I really do view them as an extension of my family and its been a really great honor to receive this award.

Malli Barremkala, M.D., associate professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies, was among other faculty honored Thursday. He received the Foundational Medical Studies Excellence in Teaching Award. He called it a big deal.

I started with the school in 2014 and Im coming up on my 10-year anniversary so this feels great to be recognized and given this award, he said.

Barremkala said it also meant a lot to celebrate with others who were recognized at the ceremony, including all of the students he worked with in the schools anatomy lab.

Its a great honor to be given an award at the same ceremony where students are being recognized for their achievements, he said.

Here is the list of honorees from the 2023 OUWB Honors Convocation:

Awards for Outstanding Student Achievements

Class of 2023 M1 Award for Outstanding Academic PerformanceRecipients: Margaret Bohr, Sienna Ringgenberg, Elizabeth Seeley

Class of 2023 M2 Award for Outstanding Academic PerformanceRecipients: Elizabeth Seeley, Brittany Silverman, Brent Yelton

Class of 2023 M3 Clerkship Awards

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Family Medicine ClerkshipRecipient: Corey Carney

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Internal Medicine ClerkshipRecipient: Moneb Bughrara

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Neurology ClerkshipRecipient: Brent Yelton

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Obstetrics and Gynecology ClerkshipRecipient: Benjamin Galen

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Pediatrics ClerkshipRecipient: Katherine Hole

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Psychiatry ClerkshipRecipient: Abiba Salahou

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Surgery ClerkshipRecipient: Amelia NajorClass of 2023 M4 Clerkship Awards

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Anesthesia and Pain Medicine ClerkshipRecipient: Andrew Lee

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Diagnostic Medicine ClerkshipRecipient: Margaret Bohr

Award for Outstanding Performance in the Emergency Medicine ClerkshipRecipient: Natalie Liogas-Deneau

Class of 2023 AMWA Glasgow-Rubin Commendation for Academic Achievement

Glasgow-Rubin Certificate of Commendation for Academic AchievementRecipients: Margaret Bohr, Camilla Cascardo, Stephanie Gappy, Sienna Ringgenberg, Elizabeth Seeley

Embark Competitive Scholarship Awards

2022 Kenneth J. Matzick Embark Program Competitive Scholarship, Manuscript of the YearRecipient Camilla CascardoSubmission Title: Surveillance of Dual-Mobility Hip Systems: Damage Mode and Clinical Data AnalysisMentors: Drew Moore, M.D.; Corinn Gehrke, M.S.

2022 Ravitz Foundation Embark Program Competitive Scholarship, Manuscript of the Year 1st Runner-UpRecipient: Eric JamesSubmission Title: Chief Complaint and Geriatric Depression in the Emergency Department: Assessing Risk for 30 and 90-Day ReadmissionMentors: Victoria Lucia, Ph.D.; Joan Michelle Moccia, DNP, ANP-BC

2022 Ann V. Nicholson Embark Program Competitive Scholarship, Manuscript of the Year 2nd Runner-UpRecipient: Sara DiltzSubmission Title: The Impact of Tumor Location on Cardiac Toxicity in Patients Receiving Partial Breast IrradiationMentor: Joshua Dilworth, M.D., Ph.D.

2022 Kenneth J. Matzick Embark Program Competitive Scholarship, Manuscript of the Year Honorable MentionRecipient: Flora MartzSubmission Title: Outbreak Risks at Religious Schools: Prevalence of Nonmedical Vaccination Exemptions Among Michigan KindergartensMentor: Mark Navin, Ph.D., HEC-C

2022 Ravitz Foundation Embark Program Competitive Scholarship, Manuscript of the Year Honorable MentionRecipient: George CholackSubmission Title: Casual Mechanisms in Basic Science Education - Do They Aid in Recall and Application Performance?Mentors: Stefanie Attardi, Ph.D.; Kristina Lisk, Ph.D.

Recipient: Nicholas MielkeSubmission Title: A Prospective Sonographic Evaluation of Peripheral Intravenous Catheter-Associated ThrombophlebitisMentor: Amit Bahl, M.D.

Recipient: Han NgoSubmission Title: Impact of a Structured Recording Template on the Quality of HRCT Radiology Reports for Interstitial Lung DiseaseMentor: Sayf Al-Katib, M.D.

Newman Family Foundation Embark Program Competitive Scholarship, Manuscript of the Year Honorable MentionRecipient: Claire McNarySubmission Title: Impact of Imposter Phenomenon of Medical Learners and Clinicians: A Scoping ReviewMentor: Edward Rohn, Ph.D.

2022 Ann V. Nicholson Embark Program Competitive Scholarship, Manuscript of the Year Honorable MentionRecipient: Mallory EvansSubmission Title: Leadership Training in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Systematic ReviewMentor: Misa Mi, Ph.D., M.A.

OUWB Scholarship Awards

The W.J. and Lillian Kemler ScholarshipRecipient: Dana Rector, Class of 2023

The OUWB ScholarshipRecipient: Andrew Lee, Class of 2023

The OUWB Community Student ScholarshipRecipient: Amelia Najor, Class of 2023

The OUWB Faculty ScholarshipRecipients: Stephanie Mrowczynski; Mitchell Pfennig, both Class of 2023

Beaumont Health Foundation Scholarship Awards

The Deans ScholarshipRecipients: Camilla Cascardo, Yousef Ibrahim; Eric James, all Class of 2023

Beaumont Foundation ScholarshipRecipients: Joshua Jones, Skyler Porcaro; Sienna Ringgenberg, all Class of 2023

The Schostak Family ScholarshipRecipient: Hayley Walton, Class of 2023

Beaumont Foundation ScholarshipRecipient: Yasmine Abushukur, Class of 2023

Awards of Distinction

Excellence in Diversity Awards

Excellence in Diversity Faculty AwardRecipient: Changiz Mohiyeddini, Ph.D., professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies

Excellence in Diversity Staff AwardRecipient: Ann Voorheis-Sargent, Ph.D., LPC, director, Center for Excellence in Medical Education, assistant professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies

Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Student AwardRecipients: Fanny Huang; Kevin Van, both Class of 2025

Awards for Outstanding Faculty Achievements

Awards for Educational Excellence

Foundational Medical Studies Excellence in Teaching AwardRecipient: Malli Barremkala, M.D., associate professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies

Clinical Science Excellence in Teaching AwardRecipient: Bhavinkumar Dalal, M.D., associate professor, Department of Internal Medicine

Foundational Medical Studies Excellence in Research AwardRecipient: Changiz Mohiyeddini, Ph.D., professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies

Clinical Excellence in Research AwardRecipient: Girish Nair, M.D., associate professor, Department of Internal Medicine

Foundational Medical Studies Excellence in Service AwardRecipient: Jason Wasserman, Ph.D., HEC-C, professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies

The Deans Distinguished Professor AwardRecipient: Douglas Gould, Ph.D., FAAA, professor and chair, Department of Foundational Medical Studies

Golden Apple Awards

(Selected by students in the 2021-2022 academic year)

M1 Foundational Medical Studies Faculty AwardRecipient: Sarah Lerchenfeldt, Pharm.D., BCPS, associate professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies

M1 Clinical Faculty AwardRecipient: Elizabeth Wey, M.D., assistant professor, Department of Pathology

M2 Foundational Medical Studies Faculty AwardRecipient: Gustavo Patino, M.D., Ph.D. associate professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies

M2 Clinical Faculty AwardRecipient: Jaime Taylor, D.O., assistant professor, Department of Adolescent Medicine

M3 Teaching Resident/Fellow AwardRecipient: Jacob Applegarth, M.D., Department of Surgery

M3 Clinical Faculty AwardRecipient: Allison Ball, M.D., associate professor, Department of Pediatrics

M4 Teaching Resident/Fellow AwardRecipient: Sean Masters, M.D., Department of Surgery

M4 Teaching Clinical Faculty AwardRecipient: Ty Kwaiser, M.D., assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Award of Honor

Michelle D. Raible AwardRecipient: David Howell, Class of 2025

PRISM Mentor Recognition

Presented by Brittany SilvermanRecipient: Hannan Alsahlani, D.O. | The Alsahotties

Presented by Elizabeth SeeleyRecipient: Susan Bork, M.D. | Borkupines

Presented by Katherine HoleRecipient: Barbara Herzig, M.D. | Get Ziggy Wit It

Presented by Kelsa KazyakRecipient: Elie Mulhelm, M.D. | Elie Elite

Presented by Corey CarneyRecipient: Neetu Sharma, M.D. | Do NO Sharma

Presented by Sienna RinggenbergRecipient: John Tu, M.D. | TUne Squad

Presented by Mitchell PfennigRecipient: Kurt Wharton, M.D. | Wharton Jellies

Presented by Abiba SalahouRecipient: Angela Xavier, M.D. | Xaviers School for Gifted Children

For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, marketing writer, OUWB, at adietderich@oakland.edu.

To request an interview, visit the OUWB Communications & Marketingwebpage.

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Honors Convocation celebrates 'beautiful things' achieved by OUWB ... - News at OU