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Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, awarded 13 grants at the Chancellor’s Circle Grant Awards ceremony.
| LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) awarded 13 grants totaling $213,000 at the annual Chancellor’s Circle Grant Awards ceremony held Oct. 23.
The Chancellor’s Circle is UAMS’ premier annual giving society. Through its unrestricted annual giving, this group of dedicated members donates more than $200,000 a year that funds grants to address the institution’s highest priorities. More than 250 household and corporate members make up the Chancellor’s Circle.
UAMS uses the grants to help attract distinguished scholars, purchase state-of-the-art medical equipment, provide seed monies for innovative health and wellness programs, and finance research projects of high potential to the state’s economic and social development.
“This is another strong year for the Chancellor’s Circle grants, and I know that each of these programs will make UAMS a better place,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “I want to thank the donors who make these grants possible — you may never know how many patients, families and students have benefited from your service to UAMS, but we at UAMS will always be grateful to you.”
Since the inception of the Chancellor’s Circle in 1984, donors have given more than $9 million to support UAMS’ mission. The funds awarded in the ceremony will support key mission areas in health care education, research and patient care.
This year’s grants were awarded to the following:
- The Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program, an initiative of BioVentures LLC., will teach medical students to critically evaluate needs in the practice of medicine. The goal is to arm students with the innovator mindset so that they can make a larger impact beyond their own practice. John Sherrill, MPH, Ph.D., project management specialist with BioVentures, accepted the $10,000 grant.
- The UAMS College of Medicine’s Research and Evaluation Division will conduct a study that explores how faculty members can be trained to recognize the signs that a student is at-risk for suicide, and how they can best intervene. Rikki Turner, D., research associate for the College of Medicine, accepted the $5,000 grant.
- Connecting Faculty Development with Student Success, a program of the Educational & Student Success Center, will help faculty develop valuable skills that will impact the success of students. Accepting the $6,125 grant were Helen Hu, Ph.D., director of the UAMS Educational and Student Success Center; Marybeth Norcross, M.Ed., teaching and learning specialist; Wendy Ward, Ph.D., associate provost for faculty in the UAMS Division of Academic Affairs; and Kat Neill, Pharm.D., associate provost for academics.
- Healing with Hope: Crafting a Therapeutic Retreat for Pediatric Cancer Heroes is dedicated to creating a pediatric cancer patient room in the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute’s Radiation Oncology Center. The room will provide a supportive space for young cancer patients. Anam Kesaria, M.D., chief radiation oncology resident, accepted the $10,000 grant.
- With its grant, the UAMS College of Pharmacy will incorporate the new American Heart Association standard of using automatic blood pressure cuffs and simulation blood pressure arms. Pilar Murphy, Pharm.D., MPH, associate professor of pharmacy practice, accepted the $10,000 grant.
- The UAMS 12th Street Health & Wellness Center will add and replace existing equipment, including increasing the number of ophthalmoscopes and otoscopes, replacing monitors and addressing standard upkeep around the center. Madeline Neubauer, Pharm.D., assistant director of patient care, and Sydney Darling, director of finance and administration for the Center’s Student Board of Directors, accepted the $10,000 grant.
- The UAMS Department of Emergency Medicine will create a space in the UAMS Medical Center to conduct medical-forensic exams for sexual assault survivors. In addition to the necessary medical and exam equipment, the room will include many amenities of comfort, offering survivors a calming space to begin their healing. Sherrie Searcy, BSN, RN, director of operations for the UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation’s TeleSANE program, accepted the $15,000 grant.
- The UAMS Center for Faculty Excellence will host a spring conference and a monthly series, inviting national experts in artificial intelligence to speak to students and staff. Wendy Ward, M.D., associate provost for faculty in the UAMS Division of Academic Affairs, accept the $18,800 grant.
- To support the College of Medicine’s Office of Graduate Medical Education, its grant will help identify and, through a series of workshops, train newly emerging leaders for the program with the goal of strengthening the knowledge, skills and abilities of emerging leaders. This project will also provide UAMS with additional methods of professional development training specific to academic medicine for junior faculty. Molly Gathright, M.D., associate dean of Graduate Medical Education, accepted the $22,500 grant.
- To address the gaps in care for those with disabilities transitioning from pediatric care to adult services, the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus will partner with the Supporting Lifelong Success Community to host a summit that addresses the needs of neurodiverse adults. This partnership will also create one-day workshops for UAMS students and faculty to expand their understanding of the issue. Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., UAMS provost and chief academic officer, accepted the $25,000 grant.
- To develop better methods in managing diabetes during pregnancy, UAMS Women’s Health services will conduct a pilot study on the use of cellular-enabled remote patient monitoring iGlucose devices. For the study, 100 women in the Medicaid population will be enrolled to test the feasibility of these devices and their effects on maternal and neonatal clinical outcomes. Mary Clarkson, Pharm.D., BCACP, pharmacy specialist, accepted the $25,000 grant.
- The speech-language pathology program in the College of Health Professions, will purchase two speech-generating devices for patients who require advanced technology to communicate. This technology will also allow students to gain valuable experience working with this equipment with patients. Amanda Gaston, rehab therapy manager with the UAMS Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, accepted the $27,296 grant.
- To combat food insecurity and promote healthy diets in Little Rock’s 12th Street corridor, the College of Medicine’s Department of Culinary Medicine will provide cooking demonstrations, information on preparation of healthy meals on a budget, and nutrition and lifestyle education to participants, with workshops hosted at the new 12th Street Community Cafe Café. Alyssa Frisby, M.S., RD, LD, instructor in the Culinary Medicine Program, and Gloria Richard-Davis, M.D., executive director of Division for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, accepted the $28,800 grant.
“It is always encouraging to see how the Chancellor’s Circle grants are being utilized, and this year’s projects are impressive,” said John Erck, vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement. “I’m inspired by the great work that is made possible by the generosity of our Chancellor’s Circle members and their investment in the health and wellness of Arkansas.”
To learn more about the Chancellor’s Circle, visit giving.uams.edu/chancellorscircle.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.
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