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Peter Palanas, M.D., a resident at UAMS Southwest, talks about his research on non-traumatic subclavian pseudoaneurysm.
Image by Bryan Clifton
UAMS Highlights Research That Propels New Ideas in Family Medicine
| Family medicine researchers from across Arkansas showcased clinical studies and how healthcare is taught and delivered at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Family Medicine Research Symposium. The yearly event gathers faculty, staff, residents, and students to share ideas and celebrate achievements.
Shashank Kraleti, M.D., chair of the UAMS Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, said the amount of research on display indicated a significant uptick in publications, grants, and presentations by clinical faculty and residents the past year.
Shashank Kraleti, M.D., began the Family Medicine Research Symposium in 2025.Andrea Hooten
“I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved,” said Kraleti, who created the research symposium, now in its second year. “I want each and every one of you to have the same feeling as well and pat
yourselves on the back for doing all the work and being part of this team.”
Research teams from eight regional campuses, residencies from Little Rock, North Little Rock and rural track programs presented 56 scientific posters and 41 oral presentations. Topics included improving colon cancer screening, using artificial intelligence to enhance resident workflow, and overcoming physicians’ barriers to prescribing continuous glucose monitors.
Keynote speaker David Rakel, M.D., encouraged more research and attention on salutogenesis (creating health) versus pathogenesis (treating disease) and asked the audience to rethink how to care for patients.
“Salutogenesis looks forward through the windshield and helps us really understand the social determinants, the importance of community engagement, behaviors, and then how we optimize the
David Rakel, M.D., challenged family medicine practitioners to see the self-health potential of patients.Bryan Clifton
self-health potential of every human being,” said Rakel, chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “So often we just have a pill for every ill, but what is a symptom other than our body asking for some sort of change?”
One research project initiated change for some west Arkansas teens. The research was led by Bryan Clardy, M.D., a faculty member at UAMS West Regional Campus, who showed how sports physicals for minority and underserved teens spread beyond just playing team sports.
“By increasing their participation in athletics, we increased the availability of tutoring to these students, and unsupervised after-school time was taken care of with structured (sports) practice,” said Clardy.
Bryan Clardy, M.D., from UAMS West points out the success of his 10-year study on sports physicals for underserved teens.Bryan Clifton
The push showed a 30% increase in total sports participation, which netted greater health benefits, too.
Clardy said, “So we get these kids that otherwise wouldn’t have had opportunities to play sports, which increases their physical activity and hopefully reduces things like childhood obesity or pediatric hypertension.” The 10-year study not only enhanced the musculoskeletal care options at the UAMS West Family Medicine Clinic, but it also gave residents a taste of sports medicine.
Top Leaders Honored in Research, Education, Clinical Care and Service
The conference culminated with the CARE awards (Chair’s Awards for Recognition of Excellence), given to UAMS faculty, residents, students, and staff who were nominated by their co-workers. Award winners included:
Chair’s Distinguished Faculty Service: Ronald Brimberry, M.D., Berryville/Eureka Springs rural track residency
Ronald Brimberry, M.D., won the Chair’s Distinguished Faculty Service award. He is the program director at the rural track residency program in Berryville, Arkansas.Bryan Clifton
Faculty Leadership: David Kelley, M.D., Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock
Faculty Mentorship/Sponsorship/Coaching: Darrell Over, M.D., UAMS South Central Regional Campus in Pine Bluff
Faculty Service and Professionalism: Brittany Vaughn, M.D., MPH, UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville
GME Educator – Program Director: Brad Walsh, M.D., Crossett rural track residency
Master Teacher: Harvie Attwood, M.D., Crossett rural track residency
Outstanding Adjunct Faculty: Jonathan Fausett, D.O., Berryville/Eureka Springs rural track residency
Rising Star Faculty: Sawyer Sparks, D.O., UAMS Northeast Regional Campus in Jonesboro
UME Educator: Leslie Stone, M.D., MPH, UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville
Resident/Fellow Leadership in Family Medicine: Sujatha Sekar, M.D., Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock
Resident/Fellow Research in Family Medicine: Tatiana Torres Costa Lino, M.D., Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock
Resident/Fellow Service in Family Medicine: Audra Staley Favano, M.D., MPH, UAMS North Central Regional Campus in Batesville
Student Ambassador for Family Medicine: Makenna Madden
Student Leadership in Family Medicine: Abigail McBee
Student Research in Family Medicine: Bianca Rochelle, M.S.
GME Program Coordinator: Brandi Henley, UAMS North Central Regional Campus in Batesville
Staff Excellence – Administration: Carolyn Rucker, CPA, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock
Staff Excellence – Clinical: Brenda Morris, BSN, RN, UAMS West Regional Campus in Fort Smith
Staff Excellence – Education: Marybeth Curtis, BSN, RN, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock
Staff Excellence – Research: Sarah Eastham., Regional Campuses
Clinical Innovation: Jordan Weaver, M.D., UAMS North Central Regional Campus in Batesville
Collaborations and Teamwork: Geeta Sakariya, M.D., MPH, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock
Community/Institutional Service: Lauren Glaze, Pharm.D., UAMS South Regional Campus in El Dorado
Educational Innovation: Alecia Hamilton, M.A., Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock
Educational Research: Kanna Lewis, Ph.D., Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock
Excellence in Research: Lorraine McKelvey, Ph.D., Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock
Quality and Safety: Virginia King, BSN, RN, UAMS West Regional Campus in Fort Smith
The symposium also recognized winning scientific posters.
Staff – FIRST: ECE Trauma Informed Care Teacher Certificate Program (Maya McBride, Jennifer Harman, Karen Hickman, Danya Johnson, Angie Kyzer, Melissa Sutton, Anna Temple and Nicola Edge, with the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine’s Research and Evaluation Division in Little Rock)
Residents – Photosensitive Lesions in Chronic Hepatitis C: A Case of Suspected Porphyria Cutanea Tarda (Lavanyah Anbazhaga, Umesh Doppalapudi and Shail Bhatnagar, with the Baptist/UAMS residency program in North Little Rock)
Faculty – (tie) Integrating Lifestyle Medicine Curriculum into Residency Didactics: A Practical Implementation Model (German Corrales, Monica Ferrero, Lauren Gibson-Oliver and Wayne Bryant Jr., with the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock)
Faculty – (tie) Raise the Floor. Raise the Ceiling. (Amber Norris, Rajalakshmi Cheerla, Leslie Stone, Grace Chiu and David Kelley with the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in Little Rock)
