Spring 2019 A Dissection of News from the Department of Surgery If you are like me, it seems like
As I reflect on my first 3 months in the Chairman’s Office, I
2019 arrived with a bang and the realize the big shoes I am trying to fill in the Department of days are flying by. For those in
Surgery. Dr. Goldman has been a great help, knowing that
the Graduate School of Medicine he has sat in this seat before and his sage advice is
Michael B. Freeman, MD Interim Chairman
the academic year is over
invaluable. With that thought in mind, I would encourage
halfway completed and plans
anyone who is interested in giving back to the Department
are underway for honoring our
of Surgery to consider contributing to The Goldman Chair
graduating residents as well as
of Surgery Endowment. It is our desire to raise 1 million
the Department of Surgery annual research day festivities.
dollars to endow a chair in surgery honoring Dr. Goldman
This year we are honored to have Dr. Patrick Bailey return
for all his accomplishments at UT. Dr. Sperry Nelson has
to Knoxville to deliver the Kimball I. Maull Lecture. Pat is a
spearheaded this effort and we are optimistic that the goal
former UT faculty member who was in the Division of
outlined is in sight. If you are interested in contributing to
Pediatric Surgery. He currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona
the endowment, you may do so by contacting Hope Wright
where he is Chief of Pediatric Surgery at Maricopa Medical
at 865-305-9244 or (HWright@UTMCK.edu). If you want
Center. He has taken on a major leadership role in the
more information on how to give back to the department,
American College of Surgery and is Chair of the American
drop me, or, Sperry a line. Better yet, just pick up the
College of Surgeons Professional Association Political
phone and call (865-305-9244).
Action Committee as well as a member of the ACS Health Policy and Advocacy Group. We look forward to Pat returning to Knoxville and giving us insight into how the ACS is lobbying on behalf of all surgeons.
Best Wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2019,
Michael B. Freeman, MD
Grand Rounds Offers Variety in Surgical Education September marked the beginning of Surgery Grand Rounds and with it came notable speakers from the department but also visiting professors from other universities. This past fall Surgery Grand Rounds hosted Dr. William Costello of Vanderbilt University. Dr. Costello presented on ECMO Therapy (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) to a nearly full Wood Auditorium including faculty and staff from Respiratory Therapy. Dr. Costello noted that although he had previously given this presentation to other hospitals this visit was unique. “I completed my medical schooling with UTHSC and rotated with Anesthesia here at UTMCK so it is nice to return William Costello,
to a familiar place,” Costello said. After completing residency with Vanderbilt, Dr. Costello is now
Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology. He also holds specialty certification in Critical Care Medicine. In January 2019, the UT Center for Advanced Medical Simulation (UTCAMS) presented information for residents and medical students on simulation. The panel featured H. Sperry Nelson, MD, Mitchell Goldman, MD, Kyle Kleppe, MD, and Leonard Lamsen, MD. Each speaker brought valuable insight into simulation discussing the history of simulation, the institutional benefits, and the importance of outreach on a global front. UTCAMS also provided the current resources available to surgery residents and medical students within the Graduate School of Medicine. January grand rounds also featured B. Todd Heniford, MD, a renowned surgeon in hernia repair. After attending the Medical University of South Carolina, he completed his surgical residency and Research Fellowship in Surgical Oncology at the University of Louisville and a fellowship at the
Dr. Henry Nelson presenting with Dr. Kleppe and Dr. Goldman
Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. He has been on the faculty of the Cleveland Clinic at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., where he serves as a Professor of Surgery and directs Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery and the Carolinas Hernia Center. Dr. Heniford is the author of over 400 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters and editor of three books. He and the research fellows he directs have been the recipient of 60 regional, national and international research awards, including a 5-time recipient of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons Research Project of the Year Award and 12 of the last 18 Americas Hernia Society Research Awards. He is a multi-time winner of the research awards from the American College of Surgeons, Association for Academic Surgery, European Hernia Society, among others. Dr. Heniford was the 2014 recipient of the MedStar Georgetown University Lifetime Achievement Award in Surgery, received the American Hernia Society Nyhus-Wantz Career Achievement Award, and has been named “Medical Innovator of the Year”
Dr. B. Todd Heniford
from the Business Journal. Dr. Heniford has served on the boards of a numerous of surgical societies and is a former president of the American Hernia Society.
Spring 2019 │The Scalpel │ Department of Surgery │2
Search for Department Chair Underway The University of Tennessee Health Science Center has opened the search for the next Department of Surgery Chair. Among the qualifications are national recognition in patient care, education, and either research or innovation. This Chair will also have an interest in developing and engaging faculty,
expressions of interest to be submitted to UTGSM.
enhancing postgraduate programs, and show strong
Review of materials will begin immediately and will
business acumen. In addition to serving as Chair, the continue until the appointment is made. Preliminary prospective faculty will also serve as Service Chief of interviews are targeted to begin in the spring of 2019.
Surgery for University Health Systems at UT Medical
For full description of the position and information on
Center. The Search Committee invites letters of
where to submit materials, please review:
nomination, applications (with letter of interest, a complete CV, and a list of three references), or
Chair of Surgery Position Description
Dr. Lauren Grimsley Presents at SAVS The 43rd Annual Meeting for the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery was held January 23— 26, 2019 in Boca Raton, Florida. Among the presenters was third year resident Dr. Lauren Grimsley. She presented during a scientific session with her research “Liposomal Nanocarriers Designed for Sub-Endothelial Matrix Targeting UnderVascular Sheer Stress.” The presentation also featured faculty authors Dr. Raymond Dieter, Dr. Joshua Arnold, Dr. Ryan Buckley, Dr. Michael McNally, Dr. Scott Dr. Grimsley
Stevens, Dr. Michael Freeman, Dr. Oscar Grandas, and Dr. Deidra Mountain.
Dr. Keith Gray Named Chief Medical Officer Effective March 1, Dr. Gray was named Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Gray joined the medical center as a surgeon in the Cancer Institute in 2007 and began taking on positions of leadership almost immediately. During his time, he created the Gastrointestinal Tumor Service and the Liver and Pancreas Service, and co-founded the medical center’s Physician Leadership Academy, of which he is also a graduate. Dr. Gray has served as Chief of Staff, as well as Medical Director of three different services at the medical center (including the Operating Room Committee, a role in which he will continue at this time). Since joining the medical center, he earned his MBA and graduated from the Leadership Knoxville and Leadership Tennessee classes. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gray’s extensive work understanding and meeting the needs of physicians and the medical center will help advance the organization for patients.
PEMBA Graduates Fall 2018
Haslam’s PEMBA is the longest running and
Critical Care Fellow Dr.
most highly respected physician-only MBA.
Jessica Taylor and
Unlike most other ranked programs, which
Critical Care Fellowship typically have a duration of 18 to 24 months, it
Dr. Taylor and Dr. Nickloes
Director Dr. Todd
only takes a year to complete.
Nickloes have worked
The PEMBA program is not only a vital part of
closely during the two
improving the future of healthcare but also serves
years of her fellowship
as a comprehensive experience during the
training and now they
fellowship allowing future graduates the combined
can add completing an
opportunity of fellowship and MBA. Dr. Taylor
MBA to their collective
shares what made this experience exceptional:
experience. Dr. Nickloes and Dr. Taylor completed the Physicians Executive Masters in Business Administration program with the Haslam College of Business this past fall. This program provides physicians the opportunity to
“My experience with the PEMBA program at the University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business was phenomenal. I am grateful to the Trauma and Surgical Critical Care faculty for their
improve the future of healthcare. From the PEMBA support, especially my program director Dr. Todd Nickloes and Division Chief Dr. Brian Daley. Over program: Multiple studies suggest that
healthcare organizations excel most with a
the course of the year, I learned about topics in
physician executive at the helm. Haslam’s
finance, accounting, and marketing, but the most
PEMBA prepares physicians to take on this role, memorable part was meeting and interacting with teaching them the specific application of
other physicians in the program from across the
business principles in a healthcare environment. United States and world. I learned a great deal from the experiences of physicians in other specialties. The relationships I built with the faculty and students will be utilized for
the remainder of my career. I have a passion for taking care of trauma patients, and in the future I hope to apply my additional training by pursuing a leadership role in the field of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care.”
Spring 2019 │The Scalpel │ Department of Surgery │4
18th Annual Clinical Congress The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress was held this past October in Boston. Among the presenters were Taylor presenting at ACS
resident Dr. Lauren Grimsley and first
year medical student Taylor Harris from East Tennessee State University. In collaboration with Dr. Michael McNally, Taylor gave a podium video presentation “Open Vena Cava Filter Removal” based on her time spent in the Vascular Research Lab at UTMCK. Taylor worked alongside Dr. McNally in the VRL prior to her first year of medical school at ETSU.
year.” The study, which was
conducted from January 2016 to December 2016, analyzed financial costs for patients who undergo clinically triggered maintenance fistulograms (FM) and percutaneous thrombectomy (PT), and
Dr. Lauren Grimsley
comparing the costs
of the two procedures. After 690 procedures were performed in 518 patients, the study found that “it is cost effective to perform clinically triggered
Dr. Grimsley presented from her research titled
surveillance
“Financial Analysis of a Surveillance Fistulogram
fistulogram
Protocol for Hemodialysis Access Maintenance.” The compared to objective of Dr. Grimsley’s study was to “compare thrombectomy.”
Dr. Mitchell Goldman, Taylor Harris, and Dr. Michael McNally
surveillance fistulograms to percutaneous thrombectomy hospital cost and margin over one
UTHSC Offers New Third Year Electives The University of Tennessee Health Science Center will be offering third year medical students more electives starting May 2019. In an effort to create career exploration, fourth year electives will now be available to students interested in specialty areas during their third year. For the Department of Surgery, this includes orthopedics, pediatrics, plastic surgery, transplant, and advanced general surgery electives. Students who have completed a third year surgery clerkship rotation will be eligible.
Jessica Taylor, MD Featured in ACS Bulletin Critical Care Fellow Dr. Jessica Taylor was recently featured in the American College of Surgeons publication the Bulletin for the RAS-ACS Symposium: Physician Extenders. Her article “Physician Extenders: Integrated Members of Surgical Teams,” explores the positive role advanced practitioner providers (APPs) have on ICU patient treatment as well as resident support and education. Because APPs are so involved in the ICU they remain a consistent part of an
environment that sees residents rotate in and out. This allows more efficiency and stability for residents in a chaotic landscape. Dr. Taylor argues that instead of taking away any benefits residents may receive in place of the APPs, residents are allowed more time to attend and participate in educational conferences because of the balance APPs provide. Dr. Taylor concludes that physician extenders are necessary in the future of patient care. “As surgical education continues to evolve, residency programs that employ PEs will have an advantage that is reflected in the educational achievements of their future residents.” The full article can be found here
New Cardiothoracic Faculty The Department of Surgery would like to welcome Ben R. Barton, MD, MSHA to the faculty. Dr. Barton joined the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery in January, 2019. Dr. Barton previously served as Assistant Professor of Surgery with Vanderbilt University Medical Center Department of Cardiac Surgery. Prior to Vanderbilt, Dr. Barton served as
Chief of Cardiovascular Services at Lewisgale Medical Center in Salem, Virginia. He completed his medical schooling with the UT Health Science Center in Memphis and his residency with the Medical College of Virginia. He received his Thoracic Surgery training from Emory University. In may of 2015, Dr. Barton received his Master of Science in Health Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. Clinical interests include adult cardiac surgery and minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Research studies include health economics and clinical outcomes.
Spring 2019 │The Scalpel │ Department of Surgery │6
Upcoming Events Resident Research Day Friday, June 14, 2019*
Department of Surgery Department Photo
*please note the change in day
Thursday, April 28, 2019
7AM Wood Auditorium
Chief Residents’ Dinner Saturday, June 15, 2019 Chesapeake’s West Parkside Drive
Grand Rounds Visiting Speakers March 7, 2019 • Eric M. Pauli, MD • Penn State Health March 28, 2019 • Pasithorn Amy Suwanabol, MD • University of Michigan April 25, 2019 • Raphael Pollock, MD • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center June 6, 2019 • Adrian Park, MD • Anne Arundel Medical Center
Department Resources
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.
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
Department Faculty and Alumni http://gsm.utmck.edu/surgery/faculty.cfm http://gsm.utmck.edu/surgery/alumni.cfm
Contacts Us The University of Tennessee
Department of Surgery 1924 Alcoa Highway, U-11
The University of Tennessee Medical Center comprises the
Knoxville, TN 37920-6999
University Memorial Hospital and the Graduate School of Medicine. Together, these entities embody the medical center’ s philosophy and mission through the spirit of exploration, the
Phone: 865-305-9294
passion for teaching, and the compassion to restore. The
Email: rroberts1@utmck.edu Website: http://gsm.utmck.edu/surgery/main.cfm
University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title IV/Section 504/ ADA/ADEA employer. E20-6358-00-0002-08
Spring 2019 │The Scalpel │ Department of Surgery │8