College of Medicine Celebrates Outstanding Faculty, Staff at Dean’s Honor Day
| The College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) celebrated exemplary educators, clinicians, scientists and service-minded team members — including a longtime champion of diversity — at its annual Dean’s Honor Day ceremony.
Orthopaedic Surgery Chair C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., presents the Master Teacher Award to R. Dale Blasier, M.D. (right).Bryan Clifton
The 2022 Distinguished Faculty Service Award was presented to Billy Thomas, M.D., MPH, a professor of pediatrics who has made his mark as an outstanding neonatologist and as a key leader in initiatives to ensure a diverse health care workforce for Arkansas during his 36 years on the faculty.
“Dr. Thomas’ work as a neonatologist in the Department of Pediatrics alone would have earned him this award, but he has done so much more,” said Susan Smyth, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice chancellor of UAMS and dean of the college. “He has championed diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do, long before any of the rest of us were talking about it.”
“He is someone who sees a bigger picture,” said Renee Bornemeier, M.D., professor of pediatrics and associate dean for faculty affairs and development, who nominated Thomas and presented the award with Smyth. “He seeks understanding and unity. He is resolute and solution-focused, and is a true inspiration and role model for us all.”
“It is a great honor and extremely humbling to receive this award,” Thomas said after the ceremony. “UAMS has many very gifted, talented and compassionate faculty who are truly deserving of the Distinguished Faculty Service Award. To be nominated by a colleague, to be part of such an esteemed group of faculty, and to receive the award is special and cherished.”
Amber Kahler admires the Staff Excellence Award for Research received by her mother, Pamela Kahler (center). Many family members and colleagues joined honorees for the ceremony.Bryan Clifton
“It is also rewarding to be recognized for what I do on a daily basis,” Thomas said. “Health care workforce diversity has always been, and will continue to be, a key component in our efforts to address health disparities and close the multiple health disparities gaps that exist along racial, ethnic and socioeconomic lines. I am very thankful to the many students, faculty and staff who continue to play a major role in our efforts to increase diversity through the development and implementation of multiple programs targeting minority and disadvantaged students and faculty. Lastly, thanks to my colleagues in pediatrics for allowing me to pursue my interest.”
A 1980 UAMS graduate, Thomas completed his residency in pediatrics at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. He continued his training with a neonatal/perinatal fellowship at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland before returning to Arkansas and joining the faculty in 1986. In 2004, he received a Master of Public Health from Tulane School of Public Health in New Orleans.
An award-winning educator, Thomas has taught in the seminal Practice of Medicine pre-clinical course for medical students, medical ethics, pediatrics and neonatology courses, and other areas. His research has focused on bone mineralization to optimize therapies for fragile preterm infants.
Molly Gathright, M.D., vice dean for graduate medical education, presents the Residency Educator Program Director Award to Mary Katherine Kimbrough, M.D. (right).Bryan Clifton
Thomas has been instrumental in developing pipeline programs to engage and encourage underrepresented minority students to pursue medicine and other health care professions. He served as assistant dean for minority affairs in the College of Medicine from 1998 to 2004, when he was named an associate dean and founded the college’s Center for Diversity Affairs. When the center expanded campuswide in 2009, Thomas was named as assistant vice chancellor. He served as UAMS’ vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion in 2011-2018.
Thomas also has served as a leader and volunteer in clinics that provide important care in underserved areas of the community and hands-on learning opportunities for UAMS students, such as the 12th Street Health & Wellness Center, where he was medical director in 2013-2016.
Physician of the Year honoree Randy Maddox, M.D., (right) with Emergency Medicine colleague Wes Watkins, M.D.Bryan Clifton
The College of Medicine established Dean’s Honor Day in 2011 to recognize accomplishments and contributions of faculty and staff across the core mission areas of education, research and clinical care, along with humanism and service, and promotions in academic rank and tenure.
“I have been here for almost a year, and every day I am impressed and amazed at the work that is being done,” said Smyth, who began serving as dean in June 2021. “The college is what it is because of all of your efforts, and so in addition to celebrating all of our award recipients and those being promoted, I want this to be a celebration of all of you and all that you do every day.”
Along with Thomas, 17 other faculty and staff members received awards during the May 3 ceremony. Bornemeier, who served as master of ceremonies, also presented video photo tributes to faculty members who have been promoted in rank to associate professor or professor, effective July 1. She also recognized four faculty members who were promoted to distinguished professor last November.
Watch the video of the ceremony here.
The College of Medicine is proud to recognize the following 2022 honorees:
Click here for photos and tributes to each of the recipients below.
Staff Excellence Awards
Staff Excellence Award – Education
Baylee Field
Program Coordinator, Stroke Program
Institute for Digital Health & Innovation
Staff Excellence Award – Research
Pamela Kahler
Program Manager, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
T32 Training Program in Systems Pharmacology and Toxicology
HSIE Postdoctoral Training Program, Translational Research Institute
Staff Excellence Award – Clinical
Jan Wall, M.S., RD
Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator
UAMS Diabetes Program
Staff Excellence Award – Administration
Chad Sievers, MSSW
Research Program Manager, ARBEST
Department of Psychiatry/Psychiatric Research Institute
Residency Educator Awards
Residency Educator – Program Director
Mary Katherine Kimbrough, M.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery
Director, General Surgery Residency
Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Residency Educator – Program Coordinator
Darlene Clinton
Program Coordinator, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
Faculty Awards in Education, Research and Humanism
Master Teacher Award
R. Dale Blasier, M.D., MBA
Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Program Director, Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program
Educational Innovation Award
Emily Kocurek, M.D., and Deepa Raghavan, M.D.
Assistant Professors, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
Educational Research Award
Sung Rhee, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Director, M2 Cardiovascular Module
Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award
Presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation
Nicholas Long, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Chief, Pediatric Psychology Section
Excellence in Research Award
Hari Eswaran, Ph.D.
Professor and Vice Chair for Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Director of Research, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation
Faculty Awards for Clinical Excellence
Excellence in Quality and Safety
Simon Mears, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Vice Chair of Quality and Safety
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Best Consulting Physician
Raghu Ramakrishnaiah, MBBS
Professor, Department of Radiology
Vice Chief, Division of Pediatric Radiology
Fellowship Director, Pediatric Radiology, Pediatric Neuro-Radiology, Pediatric Body Imaging
Collaborations and Teamwork
Zachary Lewis, M.D.
Assistant Professor (Associate Professor as of July 1)
Department of Emergency Medicine
Ultrasound Director, Emergency Medicine Residency Program
Rising Star Clinical Faculty
Emily Kocurek, M.D.
Assistant professor, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
Physician of the Year
Randy Maddox, M.D.
Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
Director, Emergency Medicine Service Line