E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., will become dean of the College of Medicine at UAMS full-time in January 2002. He is currently chairman of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. During monthly visits, he is meeting with faculty, staff, and students at UAMS to become familiar with the college he will lead.  

During his tour on Tuesday, Dean Reece visited investigators in the Biomedical Research Center; physicians, nurses, and others in the Outpatient Center and University Hospital, and faculty and students in the College of Medicine. He received briefings on the following:  

Diabetes Care at UAMS Medical Center

Debra L. Simmons, M.D., showed Dean Reece the UAMS Diabetes Clinic and explained how UAMS is promoting better management of diabetes for Arkansans. Dr. Simmons is an assistant professor of medicine and director of the Arkansas Diabetes Program at UAMS. The Arkansas Diabetes Program is a comprehensive education and management program.
 
In addition to Dr. Simmons, the following diabetes team members met with Dean Reece Tuesday: Jan Wall, MS, RD, LD, CDE, diabetes nutrition specialist and coordinator, Arkansas Diabetes Program; Kelley Olree, MS, RD, LD, CNSD, research coordinator; Melinda Daily, RN, UAMS Diabetes Clinic nurse; Chastity Clark, registration and appointment specialist, UAMS Diabetes Clinic; and Lena Loeschner, point of service coordinator, UAMS Diabetes Clinic. Kathy Riordan, RN, CDE, diabetes nurse educator; Gina Bailey, LPN, UAMS Diabetes Clinic nurse; and Katherine Dishongh, BS, research coordinator, also are on the Arkansas Diabetes Program team.

Toxicology Research at UAMS

Dean Reece met with Jack A. Hinson, Ph.D., and Laura James, M.D., about their research on the toxicity of the common over-the-counter drug acetaminophen. Dr. Hinson is director of the Division of Toxicology in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the College of Medicine. Dr. James is an assistant professor of pediatrics in the College of Medicine. The Division of Toxicology conducts research on the metabolism of drugs and chemicals, mechanisms of chemical-induced toxicities, and analytical methods for studying metabolism and toxicity.

Two graduate students in the Division of Toxicology, Tamara Knight and James Yu, joined the discussion of Drs. Hinson’s and James’s research.

Paperless Patient E-charts at University Hospital

Two physicians and a nurse manager demonstrated the use of electronic patient charts to Dr. Reece at a work station in University Hospital’s Harry P. Ward Tower. E-charts are one of the innovations that recently won University Hospital a “Most Wired” award from the American Hospital Association. Charles W. Smith, M.D., associate dean for clinical affairs; Venkatesh P. Nagalapadi, M.D., a resident in family and community medicine; and Lesley Dairion, nurse manager on the hospital’s sixth floor, gave the demonstration to Dean Reece.

The Student Experience in the College of Medicine

Dean Reece met with several fourth-year students in the College of Medicine.

The students, all Class of 2002, were David Jones (Little Rock), Rhonda Williams (Hot Springs), Monica Love (Little Rock), Peter Kim (Bryant), and Sidney Collins (Jacksonville). Richard Wheeler, M.D., executive associate dean for Student and Academic Affairs in the college, arranged the meeting so that Dean Reece could begin to get acquainted with the students.

The College of Medicine has an undergraduate enrollment of 582 students from Arkansas and other states. Another 600 residents, or new medical graduates, and fellows currently receive advanced training in medical specialties in the college.

Genetics Education at UAMS

Carl V. Smith, M.D., chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) in the College of Medicine, talked with Dr. Reece about ways to incorporate more information about genetics in the medical curriculum.

Stunning breakthroughs in research on human genes by scientists around the world are moving medical educators to teach students more about how genetic information can help with prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease.

In addition to Dr. Smith, the following persons met with Dean Reece about the genetics curriculum: Paul Wendel, M.D., clerkship director in the Department of OB-GYN; Terry DuBose, program director in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program of the UAMS College of Health Related Professions; Shannon Barringer, MS, CGC, supervisor of genetics counselors; Katherine Icke, MS, genetics counselor; and Becky Butler, LCSW, coordinator of telegenetics for the Department of OB-GYN.

Photos

Top: Dean Reece listens to a group of fourth-year medical students discuss opportunities for patient contact during the first two years of their training. (Photos by Amy Theriac, UAMS Media Services)

Second: Dean Reece, James Yu, and Dr. Hinson discuss the toxicity of acetaminophen. Dr. James and graduate student Tamara Knight was also present.

Links on This Page

College of Medicine: http://www.uams.edu/com/
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology: http://www.uams.edu/pharmtox/pharmtox.htm
Department of OB-GYN: http://www.uams.edu/obgyn/obgyn.htm
Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program: http://www.uams.edu/chrp/dmshome.htm