Women in Academic Medicine - Women in Medicine Month Honorees 2019

Women In Medicine 2019

"Celebrating Our Legacy, Embracing Our Future"

Women in Academic Medicine

Women in Academic Medicine Vision

Mission

Strategies

To create an inclusive and equitable environment for women faculty in academic medicine.

WAM is dedicated to fostering mentorship, networking, career development, and institutional advancement for women faculty in the College of MedicineTucson.

• Sponsor activities that support targeted skills needed for professional development.

• Facilitate networking opportunities and connections across the College of Medicine.

• Support recruitment and retention of diverse women faculty in the College of Medicine-Tucson

Visit WAM

Women In Medicine Month

Each September, the American Medical Association recognizes the influence and contributions of women in medicine with their own ‘Women in Medicine Month’ campaign.

In celebration, Women in Academic Medicine (WAM) at the UA College of Medicine - Tucson will shine the spotlight on some of the extraordinary female researchers and physicians whose work and leadership have inspired many here at the University of Arizona.

The WAM Steering Committee received nominations of many impressive UA women in medicine. We are so pleased to share the bios of the 20 women who were selected.

Honorees 2019

Ann Mathias, DO

Clinical Assistant Professor Family and Community Medicine Associate Chief of Clinical Affairs

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Dr. Mathias continually identifies innovative ways to address gaps in patient care, improving outcomes not only for the members of the Banner Whole Health Clinic but across the entire Banner community. She spearheaded a city-wide project that ensured the preventive healthcare data for hundreds of patients was transferred successfully from the previously utilized EHR to Cerner. As the Primary Care Medical Director of the Whole Health Clinic Dr. Mathias advocates for the continued success and improvement of staff, peers, and members alike.�

Brittany Ann Arcaris, MD Resident/Fellow

Honoree Honoree Women Women In In Medicine Medicine Month Month

"Brittany fights tirelessly for what's best for the patient, always. She pushes her colleagues to think in more depth about vulnerable populations and elevates the quality of patient care.

She goes out of her way to help others understand why she pushes so hard to help the people our medical system so often fails to adequately serve. She is a boss resident, boss clinician, and boss dog mom."

Gianna O'Hara, DO PGY3 Internal Medicine Resident

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Dr. Gianna O’Hara has been an integral part of the South Campus Internal Medicine Residency Program. She is always the first to step up to help her fellow residents, new interns and the underserved teens in South Tucson. Among her many accomplishments, awards and accolades, she has accomplished a few things that really stand out. Dr. O’Hara started a Google Doc system which includes documents and reference materials for incoming interns. The interns have access to these documents/materials prior to their orientation start date which shows Dr. O’Hara’s passion for her South Campus family. The Google Doc system also includes a calendar that highlights important due dates, events, and helpful information for all residents. Dr. O’Hara is a major organizer for the Pathways to Success event which serves as a hands-on health-care career fair for South Tucson at-risk high school students. These students are underrepresented in health care and the purpose of the event is to encourage them to learn how they can become the future faces of medicine. She recruits presenters, organizes hospital tours and makes sure the event runs smoothly. She is naturally shy but came out of her shell to promote this event on live TV."

Julie Arman, PhD

Assistant Professor of Practice, Health Promotion Sciences Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Dr. Armin’s commitment to increasing diversity, inclusion, and cultural and linguistic competency in medicine and health-related fields is exemplified through her mentorship and scholarly activities. She has mentored emerging scholars, practitioners and leaders ranging from undergraduate students to staff and residents in research and community–based efforts that impact health care and policy. In addition to individualized guidance, she co-directs the Family Medicine Resident Scholarly Project Program preparing residents to test and develop knowledge in a primary care setting, as well as the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities’ Diversity Fellowship program which engages historically underrepresented students in disability research, practice, and policy. Dr. Armin’s scholarly efforts aim to improve access to care and to reduce health disparities for socially and economically marginalized patients. Her research addresses gaps in cancer prevention and treatment in relation to race, gender, immigration status, social class, linguistic communication, and disability. Dr. Armin’s contributions are helping to not only diversify the health-related workforce but also bring greater awareness to the inequities that exist within healthcare and offering solutions to address them."

Elizabeth B. Juneman, MD

Associate Professor, Medicine Member, UA Sarver Heart Center Director, Outpatient Cardiology, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and South Medicine

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

“Dr. Juneman's medical competence and teaching skills pair for an unparalleled learning experience. She can take learners of any age or skill set and teach advanced topics without shaming or belittling. She is the future of medical education, and I look forward to learning from her on the wards Furthermore, performing research under her guidance has been what I needed to succeed. She has high expectations, but does not let the pressure become distressed, nor does she micromanage. She enables me to learn through success and failure, always available to answer questions or use the present circumstance as a learning event. She has taught me more than just cardiovascular physiology but mentoring techniques and communication skills."

Jennifer Erdrich, MD, MPH Assistant Professor, Surgery

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"After personally witnessing many of the disparities in Native American healthcare, especially in the areas of surgical care and cancer treatment, Dr. Erdrich developed a particular clinical and research interest in serving tribal populations. Through joining the faculty at the Department of Surgery, she hopes to be able to expand the surgical oncology resources available to local tribal communities through multidisciplinary approaches that leverage innovation and teamwork. Dr. Erdrich specializes in melanoma, sarcoma, and breast cancers.

She also provides general surgical oncology care to tribal populations throughout southern Arizona."

Julia B. Jernberg, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine Section of Geriatrics General Internal Medicine, Palliative Medicine Ambulatory Medicine, Block Director

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Julia is a consummate teacher who uses creative approaches to engage, educate, and kindle a passion for learning in her Ambulatory Medicine students. She encourages students to view their patients as people dealing with medical conditions, rather than as sources of differential diagnoses. As a clinician, Julia excels in both the inpatient and outpatient setting and sets a very high standard for herself and her team members. She views her clinical activities as a chance to improve both the health of her patients, as well as the education of her residents and students."

Mihra S. Taljanovic, MD, PhD, FACR

Professor, Radiology and Orthopaedic Surgery Director of Musculoskeletal Imaging Research and Development; Division Chief, Musculoskeletal Radiology Program Director, Musculoskeletal Radiology Fellowship Program; Course Director, Diagnostic Radiology Medical Student Elective

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"As Course Director for the University of Arizona Medical Student Radiology Elective, Director of the Musculoskeletal Imaging Fellowship Program, Section Chief of Musculoskeletal Imaging, and Director of Musculoskeletal Imaging Research, Dr. Mihra Taljanovic has been dedicated to the teaching and mentoring of students, residents, and post-doctoral clinical and research fellows for over 20 years. She has taken her expertise and excellence at the University of Arizona and informed the world with over 300 invited national and international lectures, 40 musculoskeletal ultrasound workshops, and medical outreach to numerous African countries. Her collaborative approach is highlighted in the newly published two-volume book set Musculoskeletal Imaging, 1 of 20 books or book chapters she has written, and in her 105 peerreviewed journal publications, which span imaging and non-imaging specialties in both national and international journals. She remains academically active and continues to inspire a new generation of medical professionals with her exceptional and ongoing dedication to education, service, and research."

Jennifer Tran, DO Resident/Fellow Department of Psychiatry

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Dr. Tran is the epitome of professionalism. Always willing to trade call and works diligently to improve her already stellar performance. She has been identified by our residency class as a leader from very early on. She has completed the Banner Leadership LDR program, which will no doubt suit her when she becomes a leader in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Tran is the kind of physician who others model themselves after."

Kristina Skinner, DO

Fellow, Cardiovascular Medicine 2019-2020 Chief Cardiology Fellow

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

“Cardiology is 15% female, and interventional cardiology ~8%. Dr. Skinner is an exemplary cardiology fellow who will be pursuing advanced training in interventional cardiology in 2020-2021 in the BUMC-T interventional fellowship program. She is an outstanding cardiologist and will serve as a role model for trainees interested in interventional cardiology in the path she has chosen."

Rachna Shroff, MD

Associate Professor, Medicine Chief, Section of GI Medical Oncology, UA Cancer Center Leader, GI Disease-Oriented Team, UA Cancer Center Director, Clinical Trials Office

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Dr. Rachna Shroff is an exceptional leader who is a decorated international expert in hepato-pancreatobiliary cancers. Dr. Shroff's expertise and passion to help build the clinical research program at UACC has been outstanding. As the Section Chief of GI Oncology, Dr. Shroff has helped to build the UACC GI Oncology clinical research program into a thriving, robust, and respected leader for clinical trial research in the Southwest region. The GI Oncology research team has doubled in staff to help manage a near tripling of the clinical trials in the GI portfolio since she joined Banner-UACC in 2018. Dr. Shroff has also been integral in providing opportunities and mentorship for junior faculty in their academic pursuits. Her leading efforts to strengthen “bench to bedside” and “bedside to bench” translational research within the UACOM and UACC has also become an exciting and necessary priority to help move the GI Oncology program into the next level on the national and international stage. Dr. Shroff’s focus and energy on establishing UACC as a leader in GI Oncology cannot be overstated, and we are lucky to have her!."

Serena Scott, MD, MBA

Assistant Professor, Medicine Subinternship Director, Department of Medicine

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

Dr. Scott is an exemplary clinical educator, and is a role model for faculty, residents and students. For example, she is leading the effort to bring bedside teaching back in both inpatient and outpatient settings. In addition to her advocacy, she has taken a lead in training our faculty in the skills to teach residents and students at the bedside. Dr. Scott is exceptional at clinical operations, and is devoted to developing and implementing - and communicating!faculty and patient centered approaches to solving the challenges of clinical access, efficiency, timeliness, quality, equity and satisfaction."

Lilah Morris-Wiseman, MD, FACS Clinical Assistant Professor, Surgery (Clinical Series Track) Associate Program Director, General Surgery Residency Associate Program Director, ACES Adv GI/MIS Clinical Fellowship Surgery

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"In addition to being the driving force behind the education component of our residency program, Dr. Morris-Wiseman has co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and invited reviews. In her clinical practice, Dr. MorrisWiseman performs a variety of general surgery procedures. She specializes in evaluating and treating surgical diseases of the endocrine system including: thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands utilizing advanced and minimally invasive endocrine surgical techniques. She works with a multidisciplinary team to evaluate and treat patients with neuroendocrine tumors. She has special expertise in treating endocrine diseases with a genetic component."

Katri V. Typpo, MD Associate Professor, Pediatrics

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Dr. Typpo is nationally known for her research in Nutrition in Pediatric Critical Illness.

She is a leader in the field of Critical Care Medicine. She is an outstanding clinician in the PICU and is respected by families and staff, a dedicated researcher and a skilled educator of multiple types trainees in different disciplines."

Sommer Aldulaimi, MD, FAAFP

Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine Associate Residency Program Director Family and Community Medicine

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Dr. Sommer Aldulaimi is a mover and shaker within our department and residency program. She consistently seeks opportunities to improve clinical care delivery for patients and providers alike. As an intern in our program she started the Global Track and when she stayed on as faculty this track has flourished. We now have 3-4 residents per year participating in this longitudinal track, which spans didactic, workshop-based learning to clinical experiences domestically and abroad. In her dedication to global and underserved medicine she makes sure our residents have the skills they need to practice medicine anywhere. She is the chair of BUMC-SC Code Committee and her work with interdisciplinary mock codes has improved the code survival rate in our hospital.

She has coordinated getting a point of care ultrasound curriculum (taught by the Emergency Medicine Fellowship faculty) for our residency. Additionally, she staffs our dedicated refugee clinic to better serve the needs of our patients navigating the complex healthcare system upon arrival in the United States. Her passion for patient care is contagious and she is consistently named one of our best teachers within our program by our residents."

Rachel Brown, DO PGY4 Neurology Resident Chief Resident

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Dr. Brown demonstrates compassion to others and to her colleagues: she has created WellBeing workshops for colleagues. She is compassionate to her patients, demonstrating empathy with family members and ensuring they understand their loved one's neurologic disease. She also exemplifies academic medicine by volunteering to teach, assist and work with all of our new residents, so that they gain knowledge and competency."

Rebecca K. Viscusi, MD, FACS Associate Professor, Surgery Surgery Clerkship Director

Honoree Women In Medicine Month

"Since 2014 Dr. Viscusi has served as the Surgery Clerkship Director at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Dr. Viscusi’s research interests are broad and varied but focus mainly on the treatment of breast cancer. At the national level, Dr. Viscusi is the Principle Investigator (PI) at the University of Arizona for the multicenter prospective, randomized I-SPY2 (Investigation of Serial Studies to Predict Your Therapeutic Response with Imaging and Molecular Analysis 2) clinical trial for neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This unique trial seeks to investigate and compare the efficacy of novel drugs in combination with standard chemotherapy versus the efficacy of standard therapy alone. Additionally, she is also the PI for the ABLATE Registry(Radiofrequency Ablation After Breast Lumpectomy Added To Extend Intraoperative Margins in the Treatment of Breast Cancer).

ABLATE Registry is a multi-center prospective study that evaluates the ability of radiofrequency ablation of the breast cancer lumpectomy site to extend the "final" negative margin and consequently decrease the rates of reoperation and local recurrence. Finally, Dr. Viscusi is in the process of developing an institutional database of breast surgical oncology patients that can be utilized for further retrospective research."

WAM Co-Chairs Mari Ricker, MD

Department of Family and Community Medicine Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine (Educator Scholar Track) Interim Fellowship Director, Integrative Medicine Fellowship

WAM Contact

rickerm@email.arizona.edu

Hina Arif Tiwari, MD

Associate Professor, Medical Imaging (Clinical Series Track) Acting Division Chief, Abdominal Imaging Director of the Abdominal Radiology Fellowship Program Medical Director, Ultrasound Imaging and Research hinaarif@radiology.arizona.edu

Alejandra Zapien, MD Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine (Educator Scholar Track) Director, Bilingual Medical Spanish and Distinction Track azapien8@email.arizona.edu

@UAWomenAcadMed