The Scalpel - Winter 2019/2020

Winter 2019/2020

The Scalpel A Dissection of News from the Department of Surgery

The beginning of a

With UTMCK now the largest hospital in the

new year provides a time to

state of Tennessee, the department is already

reflect on the past and plan

focusing on significantly increasing the hiring of new

for the future. The beginning faculty to keep up with clinical demands. The of the new decade has

addition of faculty also allows the department to hire

certainly given me the ability individuals who can advance the academic mission.

Michael B. Freeman, MD

to look backwards, but also

My goal is to continue to strive to make alumni

Chairman

time to look at what is on the proud of the institution where they have trained, as horizon for what is to come for the Department of

well as, graduate outstanding surgeons who will be

Surgery. The past year has been a rewarding change an asset to any community they practice. I again in my career at UT from being appointed Interim

want to thank those who have reached out to me as I

Chair of the Department of Surgery to now being

have begun my new position and pray that 2020 will

named Chair. As I expressed last year, I was humbled be a prosperous and healthy new year for all in our as I contemplated the responsibilities of being the

alumni, as well as, faculty, residents, and staff in the

Interim Chair recognizing the past contributions of

Department of Surgery.

Chairmen serving in this position. It is not without

Michael B. Freeman MD

pause that I now step into this new role knowing my desire to carry on the great traditions of the program while also trying to advance the department.

General Surgery Celebrates Five Years of MIS/ Bariatric Fellowship With the graduation of Dr. Lars Webb in July 2019, the Division of General Surgery celebrates a half decade of training successful Advanced GI MIS/Bariatric fellows. Under the guidance of Fellowship Director Dr.

Greg Mancini, the program has become a highly soughtafter fellowship for General Surgery graduates. The program has enriched general surgery residency

training through the infusion of new surgical techniques brought to UT from across the country.

The fellowship started in 2014, with one of UT’s

(From left) Dr. Matt Mancini, Dr. Kyle Kleppe, Fellow Dr. Lars Webb, Dr. Melissa LaPinska, and Dr. Greg Mancini

education. They finish the program as trained experts in bariatric and foregut surgery, the use of the robotics

own as the first graduate. When Dr. Hien Le finished, she platform, complex hernia repair, and interventional did so with a robotic certification and over 280 advanced endoscopy. In addition to learning technical excellence, GI and Bariatrics cases. The case volume and

they gain valuable insight into the logistics of a surgical

accomplishments have only grown over the years.

practice from the dedicated advanced practice

Recent graduate Dr. Webb was able to complete over

providers, nurses, medical assistants, and bariatric

500 cases. In addition to his robotic certification, he was

personnel of the bariatric surgery and hernia center.

accepted as a fellow of the American Society for

Each fellow has left his or her “UT offers a rare opportunity. There Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the Society mark on the program, and it are few programs of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons continues to improve with each around the (SAGES). When asked how he felt his training prepared passing year. As it has grown, it has country that offer him for practice, Dr. Webb noted that “the fellowship at become one of the premier the breadth that UT prepares you to perform at the highest level of fellowship opportunities for general we get here.” - Dr. minimally invasive surgery, with its focus on leading MIS surgery residents seeking additional Rogers technology and complex laparoscopic surgical

training across the spectrum of advanced

techniques. Beyond that it has prepared me for surgical

gastrointestinal and minimally invasive surgery.

practice on the modern medical landscape. To be able to

According to Dr. Andrew Rogers, the current fellow, “UT do this at a place like UT with our incredible team makes offers a rare training opportunity. There are few it one of the premier Bariatric/MIS fellowships in the programs around the country that offer the breadth that

country.”

we get here. Not only do I feel well-prepared to start my

Since the program’s inception, the fellows have benefitted from strong clinical education provided by

career, but I can’t imagine another place that would afford me the flexibility to pursue my own interests and

outstanding faculty. Under the guidance of Drs. Greg and the support to make that happen.” In its sixth year, the Matt Mancini, Dr. Melissa LaPinska, and Dr. Kyle Kleppe,

program is excited about its ability to continue

the fellows have gained a well-rounded and diverse

attracting high-quality fellows.

Winter 2019/2020 │The Scalpel │ Department of Surgery │2

Department of Surgery Welcomes New Faculty Laura Enomoto, MD, M.Sc. • Assistant Professor Dr. Enomoto joins the Division of Surgical Oncology. In 2014, Dr. Enomoto received her Master of Science in Public Health Sciences from Penn State. She completed her General Surgery Residency in 2017 at Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Her fellowships include Division of Outcomes Research and Quality from Penn State in 2014 and Complex General Surgical Oncology at Wake Forest in 2019.

Jessica E. Taylor, MD • Assistant Professor A recent graduate of the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at UTMCK, Dr. Taylor is serving with the Division of Trauma and Critical Care. In 2017, she completed her residency in General Surgery at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. As part of her fellowship training at UTMCK, she also received her MBA from the UT Haslam College of Business in December of 2018.

Dr. Daley Inducted Into Academy of ACS Clinical Congress. The Master Surgeon Educators Department of Surgery wishes to Brian Daley, MD was part of the 2019 class congratulate Dr. Daley on this inducted on October 4, 2019 in Chicago. prestigious achievement.

The aim of the Academy is to “recognize and assemble a cadre of Master Surgeon Educators of national and international renown who will work solely with the ACS Division of Education to advance the science and practice of avant-

For more information on the ACS Academy: https://www.facs.org/ education/academy Dr. Daley in front of the induction podium

garde surgical education and training.” Members are selected through a peerreview process and induction is a very high honor. They are also recognized during the annual Convocation at the Eighty-three surgeon educators admitted into the Academy

Knoxville Campus Sees Increase in Medical Students Over the past 10 years the Knoxville campus ample learning opportunities. As part of the of the University of Tennessee Health Science

clerkship, students meet with the clerkship

Center has seen a dramatic increase in medical

director, Dr. Michael McNally, to give their

students rotations, specifically the Third Year

perspective on how the clerkship benefits their

Clerkship in Surgery. UTHSC offers four campus

medical education.

rotation sites across the state: Memphis, Nashville,

Student comments reflect an organized and

Chattanooga, and Knoxville. The Knoxville rotation varied clerkship. “We appreciate an organization allows seven students maximum every eight weeks that values our education. The Knoxville surgery to learn from the Department of Surgery’s exceptional faculty, fellows, and residents. It is the second largest rotation site, behind the flagship Memphis site. From 2010—2015, Knoxville hosted on average 13.6 students per academic year. From 2015-2020 the campus has more than doubled its clerkship numbers at 30.6 per year on average.

During the 2015-2016 academic year,

rotation clearly values our education,” wrote one student. Considering what they enjoyed most about the clerkship, one student commented, “This was overall a very enjoyable rotation. The faculty are all great teachers...all of the residents were

really quite pleasant to work with.” Residents and faculty are listed frequently throughout feedback as a positive influence for students. “The residents

UTHSC celebrated a landmark year in enrollment

and attendings were about teaching and

numbers for students and graduates, with an

education,” wrote another student.

overall goal of joining ranks of top academic health science centers. UTHSC has increased its Medicine enrollment by 16 students from 667 in 2014 to 685 students in the Fall of 2019. Even with expanding sites in Nashville and Chattanooga, Knoxville remains a popular choice.

For the eight weeks of the clerkship, students get to experience a wide range of surgical specialties. They have options of selecting surgical oncology, general surgery, trauma, critical care,

vascular surgery, and even neurosurgery elective weeks. A few days are spent with anesthesia and pediatrics to ensure students are provided with

Clockwise: Vitaly Chernish, Matthew Hobbs, James Drew, Daniel Drewry, Matthew Wendahl, Jami Reece and Sanhitha Valasareddy

Winter 2019/2020 │The Scalpel │ Department of Surgery │4

In addition to education, wellbeing of

It is the goal of the clerkship to be a well-

students is a priority of the Knoxville campus.

rounded and fostering environment for students in

Within the last year, UTHSC implemented the

order to prepare them for their medical future. Dr.

CARE Team, a valuable resource for students who

McNally hopes to continue this growth and sees a

may be in or heading toward distress. One goal

positive future for the clerkship.”

identified during the clerkship improvement review was wellbeing while on the clerkship.

Clerkship Director Dr. Alex Cantafio, having

conducted a recent sleep analysis on medical professionals, has provided a support for the students with his medical student lecture “Wellness, Sleep and Strategies.” This lecture is

For more information on the Surgery Clerkship please visit: http://gsm.utmck.edu/students/ third_surgery.cfm UTHSC enrollment information can be found here: http://uthsc.edu/institutional-effectiveness/ factbook.php

taught as part of the regular lecture series attended by the students during the eight weeks.

This graph was presented recently at a faculty meeting to demonstrate the growing numbers of the clerkship. Blocks in 2020 are projected numbers and are subject to change.

2019 American College of Surgeons Alumni Reception

(From left) Layla Casillas, Krissy Bollig, Mark Casillas, MD, Matthew Mancini, MD, Reagan Bollig, MD, Sagar Gandhi, MD, Brian Daley, MD, Chandler Long, MD, Gregory Mancini, MD, Valerie Sams, MD, Lindsay McKnight, MD, Terry DeSpain, Mike Hemmert, Henry Nelson, MD, Sung Lee, MD, Cameron Lee, and James McLoughlin, MD

The annual reception was held October 28 at the Hilton San Francisco. Among the alumni were Dr. Chandler Long, Dr. Sagar Gandhi, Dr. Lindsay Keith, Dr. Gregory Mancini, Dr. Matthew Mancini, Dr. Valerie Sams, Dr. Henry Nelson, and Dr. Reagan Bollig. This year the following faculty and alumni were inducted into the Fellowship of Academy of Surgeons (FACS): Dr. Lindsay compromise to practice by the professional and ethical McKnight, Dr. Reagan Bollig, Dr. Chandler Long, Dr.

standards of the College.” The Department of Surgery

Sagar Gandhi, Dr. Jillian Lloyd, and Dr. Lindsay Keith.

congratulates its faculty and alumni on this

According to the FACS, this credential “exists to

achievement.

foster the professional growth and development of surgeons, promote high standards and best practices in

ACS 2020 will be held in Chicago at McCormick Place,

surgical care, and establish and maintain patient's

October 4 –8. For more information please visit:

confidence in the ability and integrity of their surgeon.”

https://www.facs.org/clincon2020

The ACS only admits those whose professional activity is “devoted to surgical practice and agree without

Winter 2019/2020 │The Scalpel │ Department of Surgery │6

Save the Date: Friday June 19, 2020 Resident Research Day Wood Auditorium Guest Speaker Michael Brunt, MD

Chief Resident’s Dinner Cherokee Country Club

Department Faculty and Alumni http://gsm.utmck.edu/surgery/faculty.cfm http://gsm.utmck.edu/surgery/alumni.cfm

Further Reading The Department of Surgery is actively engaged in research.

Check out our recent publications and presentations at:

http:gsm.utmck.edu/surgery/scholarlyactivity.cfm

Development The UT Graduate School of Medicine and the Department of Surgery are thankful for generous support from people like you!

If you are interested in giving please contact development@utmck.edu or 865-305-6611.

Contacts Us The University of Tennessee Department of Surgery 1924 Alcoa Highway, U-11 Knoxville, TN 37920-6999 Phone: 865-305-9294 Email: rroberts1@utmck.edu Website: http://gsm.utmck.edu/surgery/ main.cfm

Check us out on Instagram! @utknoxsurgery

The University of Tennessee Medical Center comprises the University Health Systems, Inc, and the UT Graduate School of Medicine. Together, these entities embody the medical center’s philosophy and mission through the spirit of exploration, the passion for teaching, and the compassion to restore. The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title IV/Section 504/ ADA/ADEA employer.

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