FAMILY MEDICINE
50 YEARS OF EXPANSION
IN THIS ISSUE
Aspects of a Learner | Ahmed Abbas, MD
50 years of expansion | Federal support spurs growth of Family Medicine
Heart of Quincy | Family Medicine’s James Daniels retires
IN MEMORIAM | Lenny Maroun, PhD
Janet Albers | Doctor, leader, teacher, giver
Gender equity and transgender clinic opens
Spirit of '76: Charter class reflects on groundbreaking education
Healthy perspectives: Alumni director enjoyed evolving career at SIU
A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
Family Medicine provides a home for health care
Despite great advances in medical and surgical health care, the United States has struggled for decades with an unbalanced health care workforce and with provision of care that is inequitable, fragmented and very expensive. It has always been the goal of the SIU Department of Family and Community Medicine to address these issues with local programs and national leadership. The department has one of the largest residency training programs in the nation for which the university is the sponsoring institution. Each year, 33 new resident physicians enter our programs in Springfield, Carbondale, Decatur, Quincy and Alton.
The department also hosts the Physician Assistant Program, which trains 40 new PAs annually for their initial degree, and expands its reach by offering an advanced degree for those PAs who desire an academic career. After the residents complete their three-year program and the PAs complete their two-year program, the graduates provide a solution to the unbalanced workforce.
The department’s Federally Qualified Health Center was established in October 2012 and now has 15 sites in eight cities and includes other divisions, like General Internal Medicine. Through the FQHC clinics and programs, populations who have never received care have been reached, and people who have never had the comfort of effective health insurance have been insured. Unique programs have been developed to offer medically assisted therapy for opioid use disorder, trauma-informed care, mobile testing for COVID-19, mobile care for high school students, and so on.
Effective, efficient, equitable and enjoyable – that describes the people and programs of FCM.
Jerry Kruse, MD, MSPH
Dean and Provost, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
CEO, SIU Medicine
GOOD FOR THE SOLE
New shoes brighten the day for elementary students
On December 1 and 2, medical students from SIU’s Pediatric Interest Group brought new shoes and some healthy energy to area elementary school children, putting more than 85 pairs of athletic shoes onto children’s feet at McClernand and Enos elementary schools. The medical students raise funds within SIU School of Medicine and purchase the shoes as part of the national Shoes That Fit program. Springfield School District 186 staff at the respective schools identify students needing new shoes, measure their feet and send sizes to the medical students, who purchase the new tennis shoes and socks using donations. Since 2007, the medical school has provided more than 1,000 pairs of shoes to area students.
Physician Assistant Program offers new doctorate degree
SIU School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program launched a new Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree in 2021. The curriculum uses online learning activities and offers a choice of an education or clinical practicum.
The new Doctor of Medical Science degree will prepare medical professionals to be leaders in health care, higher education, research and innovative industries, as well as public and private agencies.
“These physician assistants will be thoroughly grounded in knowledge-based research paradigms, practical applications, and the ethical and legal implications of their respective career paths,” says Jacob Ribbing, DMSc, PA-C, director of doctoral education.
The courses are designed to produce PAs who can take on high-level administrative, leadership and clinical roles within their organizations and communities and be a trusted resource during disaster situations. “PAs who complete the DMSc will be more prepared, adaptable, competitive and marketable in the ever-evolving health care landscape,” Ribbing says.
The curriculum uses SIU’s online platform Desire2Learn and caters specifically to the PA profession. The DMSc students can continue to practice medicine and/or teach full-time while earning their doctorate. In addition to the practicum coupled to their employment, students complete a scholarly project with the goal of publication.
In launching the program, SIU joined seven other schools who offer the DMSc to physician assistants. “SIU is the first state school,” says Don Diemer, director of the PA program. “Our hope is this will be followed by other schools, making it the standard doctoral degree for PAs.”
“Innovation in medical education is a cornerstone of SIU School of Medicine. This new degree designed for the working PA is keeping the tradition alive and well,” says Ribbing.
PBS broadcast brings SIU rural health efforts InFocus
Health care access and availability can be a challenge to families with economic or geographic hurdles. In October 2021, the WSIU PBS program ‘InFocus’ shined its spotlight on SIU Medicine’s efforts to provide better access to care, especially in rural Illinois.
Featured segments examined:
- Telehealth technology that closes distances between medical provider and patient
- The medical school’s new Lincoln Scholars program that is preparing the next generation of SIU physicians to care for people in rural communities
- The many programs SIU’s Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development helps to administer that improve – and sometimes save – the lives of downstate residents
Crosby leads Otolaryngology
Dana Crosby, MD, MPH, has been named chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at SIU School of Medicine. She is also the director of rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery, director of otolaryngic allergy and residency program director.
The department provides care focused on ears, nose and throat (ENT), with eight subspecialty/fellowship-trained ENT surgeons offering specialized treatments for patients. Crosby now hopes to expand specialty offerings to make SIU Medicine the destination for all ENT and head and neck surgery care in central and southern Illinois.
“As 1 of only 8 female ENT chairs out of 125 in the country, Dr. Crosby is a rising star in the field of otolaryngology,” said SIU School of Medicine Dean and Provost Jerry Kruse, MD, MSPH. “She has ably led the department as both interim co-chair and acting chair over the past few years. She’s an outstanding physician, teacher and scholar who invests herself in innovative and collaborative endeavors.”
“It is an honor to guide this team,” Crosby said. “We are expanding our clinical and research staff to increase productivity and offer a higher level of academic medical care. And we are working to establish a presence in outreach clinics throughout central and southern Illinois, in order to meet patients closer to home.”
A native of Pennsylvania, Crosby obtained her undergraduate degree from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., before earning a medical degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia. She completed her residency training at SIU School of Medicine and went on to complete a fellowship in rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. Since that time, she has served as faculty at Southern Illinois University. While serving as faculty at SIU, she obtained a Master of Public Health degree from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.
SIU Medicine opens Post-COVID Recovery Clinic
Most people who get infected with COVID-19 get better within weeks of the illness, yet studies indicate about 1 in 4 experience lingering post-COVID symptoms. For these individuals, post-COVID issues extend a month or longer, and can include a wide range of new, returning or ongoing health problems.
SIU Medicine has created a Post-COVID Recovery Clinic to support these “long haulers.” The patients can receive customized care from multidisciplinary specialists. Clinicians will help identify achievable health goals as a way to optimize patients’ quality of life and function.
COVID-19 can affect individuals differently and cause a range of symptoms. Typically, these include:
- Brain fog, or trouble concentrating, remembering or sleeping
- Blood-clotting disorders
- Anxiety and depression
- Blood sugar issues, including diabetes
- Kidney dysfunction
- Tiredness
- Pneumonia and trouble breathing
- Prolonged loss of taste and smell
These symptoms can cause problems in multiple organs and body systems at once. Even people who had a mild case of the virus can have persistent COVID symptoms that disrupt their daily life.
At SIU Medicine’s Post-COVID Recovery Clinic, care will emphasize shared decision-making between providers and patients, and will be tailored to address a patient’s long-term COVID recovery needs. Medical specialists who are part of the care team may include: cardiology (heart and vascular), general internal medicine (primary care), infectious diseases, psychiatry, rheumatology (immune disorders), pulmonary and critical care, rehabilitation and physical medicine.
The care is available to patients at SIU Medicine and Memorial Care, formerly Memorial Physician Services. SIU will also help coordinate care to assist individuals who are not currently a patient at SIU or Memorial Care and are suffering from long COVID effects.
Mulch new assistant dean of student affairs
Amanda Mulch, MD, has been named assistant dean of student affairs at SIU School of Medicine.
Student Affairs provides a variety of services for SIU learners: career education, mentoring, debt counseling, and more, as its staff seeks opportunities to improve the learning environment for students.
Dr. Mulch brings experience as an alumna (Class of 2003), practicing physician and award-winning mentor to students in the first-year curriculum.
“Dr. Mulch has already shown her dedication to the professional development of students. She will now assist many more students in the first phase of their medical education,” said SIU School of Medicine Dean and Provost Jerry Kruse, MD, MSPH. “She is an exemplary physician, teacher and role model who is devoted to humanistic care.”
“I love that our students get to learn how to be lifelong problem-solvers from the very first day of their education,” Mulch said. “By working in small, close-knit groups on real patient cases as well as receiving direct mentoring through simulated patient interactions, they receive a world-class medical education in an amazingly short time.”
“I want to build on SIU’s reputation for student engagement, social accountability and educational innovation. I hope to improve the longevity of our learners’ careers as well as the quality of health care in our communities.”
A native of Quincy, Mulch is an obstetrician-gynecologist and has been a partner at Southern Illinois OB/GYN Associates in Carbondale since 2007. She earned a bachelor’s degree in microbiology at Southern Illinois University (1999) and her medical degree at SIU School of Medicine (2003).
“It’s exciting to be returning to my roots,” Mulch said.
She met her husband as an undergraduate in Carbondale. They have two children, ages 13 and 10. In addition to her duties at the medical school, Mulch performs minimally invasive surgery and provides office and obstetrical care at Carbondale Memorial Hospital.
SIU Medicine scientist to explore aging’s effect on balance
Balance problems that often accompany aging can lead to falls and injury. Research has also shown a strong link between balance disorders such as unsteady gait or vertigo and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
SIU Medicine research scientist Brandon Cox, PhD, has been awarded a $3.2 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to study how cumulative damage to specific hair cells in the inner ear can lead to these troubling balance problems. Her lab will also investigate whether this process is enhanced when there is a predisposition to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Cox and her colleagues have identified an age-related reduction in a gene known as Pou4f3 that is related to vestibular hair cell death in the balance organs of the inner ear.
“Exactly why these cells die as we age is a mystery,” Cox said. “Our research suggests that this gene plays a significant role in maintaining the health of hair cells that control our balance. With aging, this gene is turned off, followed by a degeneration of the cells. It makes this a promising therapeutic target for preserving balance function.”
Dr. Cox is an associate professor in SIU’s Department of Pharmacology and a primary co-investigator on the 5-year grant with Brad Walters, PhD, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Previously, Dr. Cox was awarded more than $3 million in grants from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense for her research.
In addition to their studies of the vestibular system, the Cox lab is investigating the mechanism controlling hair cell regeneration, a process that holds the potential to restore hearing. They are interested in the developmental changes that take place soon after birth that prevent regeneration from occurring later in life. Other projects in the lab are focused on mechanisms that regulate auditory hair cell survival during postnatal maturation, aging, and in stressed hair cells after noise exposure.
SIU helps providers get tools to treat complex care
What is the best way to treat patients who require complex care? These individuals typically have a combination of medical, behavioral health and social challenges that can result in extreme patterns of health care utilization and cost. (Super-utilizers represent 1% of patients, but account for up to 30% of health care costs, according to the AAMC.)
A new toolkit should help. For the past two years, SIU Medicine staff has worked with the National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs (NCCHSN) to help publish the core competencies for complex care. It details the knowledge, skills and attitudes that all providers, regardless of their discipline, need to provide person-centered care to those with complex needs.
Once the standards were set, the groups again collaborated to ensure current and future care team members would have the necessary guidance to design complete complex care programs and achieve the best outcomes. During 2021, they interviewed more than 100 health and social system leaders and innovators to understand what matters most in the delivery of complex care. In the fall, the NCCHSN produced a new toolkit to give providers a step-by-step process to demonstrate the value of complex care programs, complete with more than two dozen downloadable worksheets, tools and resources.
In the kit, health care leaders are given:
- Interactive tools to test budgets and model the potential impact and return on investment
- A complex care program budget template
- Triage tools and billing resources
- How-to resources for developing community partnerships and identifying funding opportunities
“The toolkit will be a total game-changer for professionals wanting to level up the way they teach and train,” says Meghan Golden, director of the Survivor Recovery Center and Community Health Programs at the SIU Center for Family Medicine and a member of the development team. Other SIU group members include Hope Cherry; Hannah Jacobs; Janice Frueh, PharmD; Nichole Mirocha, DO; and Mary Dobbins, MD. The group’s experience includes work with the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, who selected the medical school as one of only four sites in the United States to lead and train educators on the hotspotting model of access to care.
Aspects of a LEARNER
Ahmed Abbas, MD
Ahmed Abbas, MD, is a husband, new father and the chief neurology resident at SIU School of Medicine. After completing the program in June 2022 and a fellowship in neuroimmunology, he hopes to return to the Land of Lincoln to diagnose and treat patients with diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Baghdad, the capital and the largest city in Iraq.
What did you want to be as a child?
As a boy, fun was solving puzzles, riddles, mathematical questions and reading mystery books. As such, I wanted to be either a mathematician or a detective. I think this liking for complex problem-solving played a big role in my eventual choice of becoming a doctor, specifically a neurologist.
Where did you attend college and medical school?
I attended medical school in my hometown of Baghdad, at the University of Baghdad College of Medicine.
What are your plans after completing the program?
After finishing residency, I will further my training with a one-year neuroimmunology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. This will be supported by the prestigious Clinical Care Fellowship award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In fellowship, I will learn about the diagnosis and treatment of conditions like multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders and other inflammatory disorders of the brain and spinal cord. I will come out with the necessary skills and experience to provide quality subspecialized care for patients with these conditions.
After fellowship, I plan to return to SIU as an academic faculty and establish a multiple sclerosis program that will provide state-of-the-art care for patients in central Illinois.
This issue of Aspects highlights the Department of Family Medicine as it nears the 50th anniversary of the residency program. As a doctor who specializes in neurological care, how do you work with primary care providers? What can you learn from each other?
Primary care providers are a neurologist's strongest allies when it comes to caring for patients with or at risk of having neurologic conditions. They play a major role in both the primary and secondary prevention of certain neurologic diseases like strokes by treating risk factors of high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. For other episodic neurologic conditions like epilepsy and migraine headaches, they play an integral part in managing and preventing potential medical triggers and contribute greatly to freedom from seizures and headaches respectively. Neurologic diseases can indirectly affect other organ systems. Primary care providers also play an important role in coordinating care with other specialists and function as the centerpiece of the multidisciplinary care.
What might we find you doing outside of school?
I play soccer, hike and run. I also like travelling and exploring new places.
Do you belong to any groups or organizations?
I was recently elected as a resident to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. I am a resident representative in the SIU Graduate Medical Education Committee and an alternative neurology resident representative in the SIU Housestaff Board of Directors.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
Arabic names usually have meanings and sometimes more than one. My last name - Abbas - mostly translates to "stern" but one of the other meanings of the name is “grumpy face!”
Tell us about your family.
My mother is an engineer and my father is a chemist. I have two older brothers, both are doctors. I am married to my best friend and the love of my life, Hamsa. She is a third-year internal medicine resident at SIU. She is staying for hematology/oncology fellowship after she finishes her residency in June 2022. We just had our first child, Hanna, a few months ago.
If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would you choose? Why?
I would say Turkey. Great food, nice weather year round, beautiful nature, rich history, interesting architecture and friendly people. It really has it all.
50 YEARS OF EXPANSION
National forces spur growth of family medicine in the region
By Steve Sandstrom
The Department of Family and Community Medicine (FCM) is a workhorse for SIU Medicine, providing the comprehensive care one would expect from the medical school’s original patient care group. It offers a breadth of services to cover a person’s lifespan: birth and women’s health; well-child care and immunizations; screenings; diagnostic and procedural services; geriatric care, including nursing home and home visits, and more.
In May 1972, the SIU Family Practice Center first opened it doors and began treating area residents. Forty years later, a seismic shift occurred when FCM expanded its scope to become a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). The designation allowed its Center for Family Medicine in Springfield to provide essential primary care health services to a wider base of patients and to apply for grants that offered new programs to tackle broader problems affecting the health of the region.
Since 2012, the department’s funding and staffing levels have doubled and its footprint expanded from the 4th and Carpenter clinic in Springfield – FCM’s “legacy site” – to 15 separate locations across central and southern Illinois.
“Our growth since becoming an FQHC is just remarkable,” says Janet Albers, MD, professor and chair of the department. “I’ve watched it, and I can barely believe it.”
Family Medicine origins
In 1968, the Illinois Board of Higher Education issued a report calling for the creation of a medical school to combat a physician shortage. As luck would have it, the precedent for national support of family medicine was set the following year, just before SIU School of Medicine was founded. An excerpt from Southern Illinois University at 150 Years (2019) explains:
The issue of providing primary care physicians to rural areas was addressed in a fairly novel way. At the same time as the school was beginning, the specialty of family practice was founded to combat the declining number of graduates entering ‘general practice.’ Four years of medical school plus a one-year rotating internship left many doctors feeling inadequately prepared to practice, given the rapid growth in medical knowledge, procedures and drugs. Board-certified specialists garner more prestige and had an easier time getting hospital privileges than general practitioners did.
In response, the American Board of Family Practice was created in 1969 with the authority to confer board certification to physicians who successfully completed a three-year family medicine residency and passed the family practice board examination. The School of Medicine capitalized on this by creating a Department of Family Practice along with multiple residency training sites in Carbondale, Springfield, Decatur, Belleville and Quincy… The rationale made sense: Graduates who lived and trained in these communities were more likely to stay and practice in the region on completion of their training.
In addition, the route to a family practice residency was made easily accessible by creating an obligatory third-year-student-clerkship in this specialty—a unique move made by a new school with a mandate to find creative solutions to health care problems.
On July 1, 1971, William Stewart, MD, was appointed the first chair of the Department of Family Practice (the precursor of Family Medicine). In May 1972, the SIU Family Practice Center opened on Herndon Street and the school’s first residency program was accredited. The initial fear of white coat competition in Springfield and downstate gradually receded as local physicians were hired to serve as adjunct faculty and supplement the training of the medical students.
Fast-forward four decades. By 2010, the total number of doctors practicing in Springfield had increased fivefold, bolstered in large part by SIU School of Medicine. SIU’s Department of Family and Community Medicine had become a foundational health care provider in the region, with services in high demand. Its physicians saw patients in settings both rural and urban, neighbors on public assistance and private insurance, and anyone in between. But the cost of health care was rising at rates much higher than inflation and efficiencies needed to be sought wherever possible.
The Affordable Care Act
To address costs and improve access to care, the U.S. Congress passed a comprehensive health care reform law in March 2010 known as the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The ACA significantly expanded access to private and public health insurance for low-income individuals through income-based subsidies and eligibility expansions, respectively. The act increased funding to community health centers, which provide primary care and services on a sliding scale based on income. It also shifted how hospital care was financed – from uncompensated care to Medicaid and private payers – and increased profits as reimbursement rates became relatively more lucrative.
Federally funded health centers had been a fixture in American communities since the 1960s, established as a way to provide general health care across a diverse nation. Presently, the Health Resources and Services Administration funds nearly 1,400 health centers, with more than 13,500 service delivery sites in the U.S. They treat 1 in 3 people living in poverty, 1 in 5 rural residents and nearly 3 million adults age 65+.
At a meeting with community organization officials shortly after the ACA passed, FCM chair Dr. Janet Albers and Iris Wesley, then assistant to the chair and present FQHC CEO, discussed the possibility of becoming a Federally Qualified Health Center to bring a new population-focused level of care to the region (see ‘What Is an FQHC?’).
The Department of Family Medicine pursued funding, and in 2012 SIU School of Medicine earned the FQHC designation that allowed the department to expand.
Larger footprint
Since Dr. Albers was named department chair in 2014, she has made no small plans. An ambitious construction project began the very next year, to add 40,000 square feet to the Center for Family Medicine in Springfield, essentially doubling its floor space. A ribbon-cutting was held in the fall of 2016.
“It was perfect timing,” she says. “We had just become an FQHC and really needed to grow.”
Three years later, a new state-of-the-art facility opened in Carbondale. Southern Illinois Healthcare funded the construction of the SIU Center for Family Medicine and is leasing the building to SIU Medicine. It is home to the FCM department at SIU’s sister campus and includes the Family Medicine Residency Program, led by Program Director Andy Yochum, MD, and Medical Director Scott Schonewolf, MD, as well as the Physician Assistant Program, led by Don Diemer, PA-C, DMSc, and the Lincoln Scholars Program, directed by Jennifer Rose, MD.
FCM has also received a nearly $1 million federal grant to renovate the Center for Family Medicine in Quincy. Its facility is the oldest of the SIU medical centers. The upgrades will be made during the next two years.
Some of SIU’s public health partners have plans underway that will also benefit the school and its FQHC patients. The Morgan County Public Health Department in Jacksonville purchased a building that was previously part of the MacMurray College campus. The conversion with its community health care providers will double SIU Medicine’s Jacksonville space in 2022.
Community medicine
SIU School of Medicine’s founding mandate was to advance patient care for central and southern Illinois. This has created an environment of advocacy, as our physicians and policymakers assist and sometimes solve local health problems within a growing list of communities.
Two successful FCM programs have tackled expensive health care problems using engagement and prevention strategies.
- In 2015, Family Medicine worked with Springfield’s two hospitals, HSHS St. John’s and Springfield Memorial Hospital, to launch the Enos Park Access to Care Collaborative in response to the community’s needs assessment. The pilot program trained Community Health Workers (CHWs) to focus on the most vulnerable members of the community to improve their living conditions, to help them meet their basic needs and connect with a primary health care provider.
A $650,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health contracted with the Illinois Primary Care Association to support hiring community health workers at 10 sites within SIU’s FQHC network. The American Rescue Plan sustained funding for an additional two years. The State of Illinois is now looking at reimbursing community health workers for their services through the Department of Health and Family Services.
- Since 2017, SIU Medicine has been 1 of 4 national hub-sites for interdisciplinary student hotspotting training in partnership with the National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs. The 6-month program housed within Family Medicine identifies hospital emergency medicine super-users and high-risk patients and promotes ways to give them better, more cost-effective medical care. SIU students track the patients, learn about the teamwork involved within health care and social services, and build relationships with the patients over time. “It sets a template for patient engagement in a non-traditional format compared to what most medical schools offer,” Albers says.
Teaching and learning
Through 2021, FCM has graduated more than 900 family physicians, half of whom practice in Illinois and more than 40% practice in state and federal health care shortage areas. Teaching the next generation of family medicine physicians keeps Albers inspired and optimistic about the future. When she became chair in 2014, four SIU students went into family medicine. It has gradually increased under her leadership, with 12 SIU grads joining in each of the last two years.
“I love to see it coming back up. This generation is really dedicated to social justice and a social conscience. They want to make sure we’re addressing the determinants of health and doing all we should.”
Because SIU School of Medicine is an academic medical center, Albers says the initial goal was to bring the residency programs into the FQHC.
“Teaching is so important. We wanted to provide interprofessional training and great experiential learning in population health so our new doctors can go out and recreate similar models of care, provide wraparound services and work in FQHCs.” All of SIU’s family medicine residency programs are now located within FQHC sites — a potent recruitment tool.
And in 2021, Alton added a residency program, with an inaugural class of six physicians. Resident physicians see patients in Alton Memorial Hospital, and the Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation manages the clinical practice. This hybrid model is common elsewhere but new to SIU.
“SIU is the only FQHC I’m aware of where all the clinic physicians are also full-time faculty at SIU School of Medicine,” says Albers. “In Alton, we manage just the residency program, so we understand what it’s like for other collaborators.”
In 2020, the school launched the Lincoln Scholars program to encourage medical students who have a passion for rural health care to serve in the areas where they grew up. The students train alongside physician assistants at the facility in Carbondale and are immersed in the clinical experience with a local physician early in their first year. Lincoln Scholars program director Dr. Jennifer Rose says, “We’re allowing them to learn the challenges that are unique to rural medicine, to watch someone role-model handling and overcoming those challenges, and to feel comfortable and inspired to stay in the communities that they’re already drawn to.”
The Physician Assistant Program also began offering a new educational opportunity in 2021: a Doctor of Medical Science degree (DMSc). The intent was to create parity with other health care professionals, most of which have an available clinical doctorate track, says Don Diemer, program director. “We joined seven other schools who offer this degree, but SIU is the first state school.” It proved so popular, a second cohort was started in January 2022.
Expanded specialty care
Patient-centered care received a big boost in 2021, with another logical addition at the Springfield campus: General Internal Medicine. Federal programs like the 340B Medication Assistance Program allows the general internal medicine patients who can’t afford important medications to get them at a much cheaper rate, resulting in decreased hospital emergency visits and dramatically improved health outcomes. In addition, the Federal Tort Claims Act covers the group’s malpractice insurance, allowing it to direct more funds toward patient-focused areas.
John Flack, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, was eager for the new shift to an FQHC. “The inclusion of the ambulatory General Internal Medicine group is a win for all involved: patients, physicians and other providers, the FQHC and SIU School of Medicine. We’re thrilled to be a part of it.”
Early in 2021, Albers and Careyana Brenham, MD, learned about another opportunity for a group in need. While going through ECHO training on care for transgender individuals, they listened while Jonna Cooley, director of the Phoenix Center in Springfield, spoke about a number of transgender patients who were not being heard or treated respectfully within the health care system. As a result, distrust had grown and the individuals were not engaging in any care. In fall 2021, a new Gender Equity and Transgender Clinic opened within FCM. Brenham and Dr. Priyanka Bhandari are coordinating the clinic with help from behaviorist Kelly Crooks. It is delivering high-quality, empathetic care and changing attitudes, says Albers. “We also have a number of our wonderful subspecialists at SIU caring for these patients. They are thrilled to collaborate with some familiar primary care physicians.”
Fulfilling the mission
As a community-based medical school, SIU does not own a hospital or health system; it relies on strong relationships to fulfill its goals of improving population health and delivering high-quality clinical care efficiently. An argument could be made that one of its strongest partnerships has emerged in just the past decade. With the U.S. government’s top-down support, SIU Medicine’s Centers for Family Medicine now provide a broader menu of care and services, with much of it aiding the most vulnerable. From 15 locations (and counting), we have been able to advance the school’s mission further into the rural roots of the Prairie State.
Strengthened partnerships. Larger learner classes. New programs, outreach clinics and community impacts. SIU Family Medicine’s growth as a Federally Qualified Health Center clinic illustrates its dedication to be an agent of change to the region’s health care. And by all accounts, it has been an unqualified success.
What is a Federally Qualified Health Center?
The SIU Centers for Family Medicine is the largest university-owned Federally Qualified Health Center network in the country.
Our 15-site Federally Qualified Health Center, commonly referred to as an FQHC, is working to meet the health care needs of both our patients and the communities where they live and work. Our sites include Carbondale, Decatur, Quincy, Springfield and many other cities across central and southern Illinois. The SIU Centers for Family Medicine and General Internal Medicine serve the health care needs of our patients in a friendly and affordable environment. We do this by staying focused on our vision of providing compassionate quality health services and leading health care education.
An FQHC serves a range of patients. FQHCs have defined target populations and service areas governed by a board with at least 51% of its members comprised of consumers of the FQHCs. Services are provided to Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, insured and uninsured individuals. Patients may be eligible for discounted services on a sliding fee scale based on their family size and income. This allows all patients to be served regardless of their ability to pay.
FQHCs receive federal grant funds directly from the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to support the operation and services of the health center through the Health Center Program. They also receive cost-based (or enhanced) payment for services to Medicaid and Medicare patients, Federal Tort Claim coverage, 340b drug pricing, and can participate in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC).
Heart of Quincy
Family Medicine’s James Daniels retires
By Aren Dow
Ask about consulting with the U.S. Olympic baseball team and James Daniels, MD, will respond with the incredible work being done in sports medicine to improve athletes’ performance and longevity.
What about receiving SIU School of Medicine’s inaugural teaching award with unanimous support? He will humbly say it’s a testament to his mentors, his colleagues – especially the entire graduating class of ’83 – and that second-year medical student that asked a question during rounds that makes everyone stop and reconsider how to best care for patients.
There’s a good reason Dr. Daniels continues to champion SIU Medicine for four decades now – he embodies the team culture it takes to accomplish goals and achieve excellence. Now, after 27 years in Family Medicine in Quincy, Daniels is retiring.
“He is the greatest of student and patient advocates,” says SIU School of Medicine Dean and Provost Jerry Kruse, MD, MSPH, who was the long-time chairman of the Department of Family and Community Medicine in Quincy.
“He is a bulldog for what is right in medicine. JD has made SIU School of Medicine a better place – he has inspired us all to be better and to understand what is really important. It is an honor to be his colleague.”
Kruse and Daniels helped build SIU Medicine in Quincy basically from the ground up, as they arrived shortly after the residency program was launched. “He’s a teacher,” Daniels said about Kruse. “He got me fired up about family medicine. He kind of helped me find my soul.”
It’s a common refrain when talking with JD: there have been numerous mentors in his life helping to guide the way. While he initially ventured to then-Quincy College to play soccer, Daniels wanted to develop skills to becoming a great soccer coach. The teaching gene was passed down from his mother, Carolyn, an elementary school teacher for more than 40 years, and was “the best teacher I ever had.”
Turns out, his college advisor saw Daniels as an ideal prospect for medical school instead. And those foundational blocks of sports, teaching and love of community dovetailed neatly with the encouragement to consider SIU School of Medicine.
The result? The young physician helped spur an innovative sports medicine fellowship program, establish the Ambulatory Care Center (the first urgent care center in the Quincy area), became a celebrated faculty director and assistant dean for student affairs, as well as many other accomplishments. Daniels has become perhaps the most recognizable name in medicine in the Quincy area.
But if you were to talk to JD, you probably wouldn’t learn any of that. What you will learn is the importance of being the kind of doctor each individual patient needs. It’s about listening to your heart. And when it comes to medicine, knowing the importance of shifting gears, listening and continually learning to figure out how to answer the question: “What do you need today?”
That vision is acutely reflected in one of Daniels’ more recent accomplishments, the Lincoln Scholars Program. He, along with Cheri Kelly, wanted to reduce disparities in rural health and create a program designed to keep residents embedded in rural communities. To accomplish that, it meant reaching out and discovering how to connect prospective medical students’ passions with their work.
“JD’s down-to-earth, practical and humble approach to teaching and leadership have inspired numerous students, residents, fellows and faculty,” says Janet Albers, chair of Family and Community Medicine. “He has been a visionary leader.”
Daniels’ joy is apparent when he talks about the relationships he’s built up over the years and seeing other’s accomplishments.
“One of the things I’m very proud of is all the residents,” he says. “Their transition from medical students to practicing on their own is a testament to the quality education we provide here. And I’m friends with all of my nurses – every nurse I’ve worked for, I’m still on their nice list.”
Though Daniels is retiring, that just means he’ll have more time to spend with his wife, Kate, their four children, and to devote to other projects to help his community.
“SIU’s done so much more for me than I could ever pay back. That was what was so cool about my job,” he says. “You work with the athletes in college, you work with the high school students. You see students succeed. I got to work with them every year, then through residency and fellowship. To see students grow and develop is something I will cherish.”
Lenny Maroun, PhD
By Don Caspary, PhD
Dr. Leonard (Lenny) Maroun, one of the founding basic science faculty of SIU School of Medicine, passed away on November 19, 2021, at High Pointe Hospice House, in Haverhill, Mass. He was a member of the “Three Musketeers” of what was then the Department of Medical Sciences, along with Carl Faingold and Don Caspary. Lenny was a very popular teacher and attracted many young people to his lab. He spent his own money funding the higher education of a number of learners he met along the way.
Lenny dedicated his entire life to science and in particular, finding a cure for Down syndrome. He formed a company, Meiogen, to continue research on his patented treatment for the genetic disorder. He retired early from SIU in 2000 and raised money through stock sales and venture capital to further fund his research with which he was engaged right up to his passing.
For years, Lenny was the convener of the annual basic science holiday party at the Lake Springfield Beach House pavilion. His warmth and joie de vivre would light up the room, especially when he brought his guitar. Lenny’s insights into the state of the world were unique, reflecting the fact that he was too kind and too idealistic for its realities. He will be sorely missed by his friends at the school of medicine, the people in Springfield and the many who were lucky enough to know him.
Janet Albers, MD
Doctor, Leader, Teacher, Giver
By Rebecca Budde
Be the change you want to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi
Janet Albers, MD, considers Gandhi’s quote a mantra of sorts. Promoting change toward better health for individuals and communities has been a key goal of her work at SIU for nearly 25 years.
Albers began at the school as a medical student (’87), returning in 1997 after her residency as well as time as faculty at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. She has served as faculty in the Department of Family and Community Medicine (FCM) ever since, achieving leadership positions over the years, most recently as the FCM department chair in 2014.
Throughout her career, Albers has been making her mark as a doctor, educator and mentor. In the last 10 years, she has guided FCM as it added more rigorous programs to impact community health, making changes that are progressive and monumental (see article). And she continues to keep clinic hours, for which her patients are grateful.
“I have patients who I delivered as babies, and now they are bringing their children to see me,” she says. “They say to me, ‘Well, who else would we go to?’ It’s a privilege to do what we’re able to do in medicine, to have a window into patients’ lives in a very special way. And I don’t take that lightly.”
Teaching and mentoring are clearly her passion. She beams when reminiscing about the residents she’s trained, the faculty she is currently mentoring or when she shares the musings of her medical students. Her lifelong desire to be a teacher is fulfilled annually, with each new class of learners that comes through the center.
“They inspire me. It’s a stressful time we’re in. There’s a lot of changes in our health care system nationally, and they give me hope,” she says.
Another figurative feather in her cap: She has either hired or trained every Springfield FCM faculty member during her tenure at the department.
Her leadership has earned her numerous awards, including SIU School of Medicine’s Distinguished Alumni Award (2017). “Janet is not only the consummate professional with a wide range of experience and knowledge, but also a warm, caring and engaging person,” said Roger Wujek, MD, her nominator and former teacher.
Family focus
“I think I knew early on that I wanted to do family medicine because I love working with patients and their families, the whole spectrum from delivering babies to nursing homes,” she says. “It just fit.”
Family medicine made sense to the mother of three. Janet, husband Tom and their children call Springfield home. The past few years have been busy for the family. Last year, Tom and Janet became first-time grandparents. Two of her children also joined the School of Medicine. Daughter Chrissie is a physician assistant with FCM and son TJ is a health policy coordinator in the Department of Population Science and Policy. Youngest son Zach is attending Lincoln Land Community College.
Dr. Albers considers Tom the backbone of the family, staying home to help manage the household when her busy schedule kept her working. “I couldn’t have done it without him,” she says.
Sharing the wealth
When asked about the expansion of SIU’s Department of Family and Community Medicine over the years, Dr. Albers replied, “Once you know you have the ability to expand and serve more people, how can you not?”
The Albers have also served others and promoted change in the community and SIU Medicine through their financial donations. The couple began giving to the school in 1997, the same year Janet was hired as the fifth faculty member at FCM. Their first gift (and many subsequent gifts) was to the department’s residency program, a fitting tribute to the more than 100 residents she trained as program director.
Through the years, the couple’s consistent support has enriched the depth and breadth of SIU Medicine’s mission. From cancer and Alzheimer’s research to the Department of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Physician Assistant Program, they understand that supporting different areas of the school promotes the institutional mission: to improve the health of the people of the region.
In 2020, their cumulative giving earned Tom and Janet Albers membership into the School of Medicine’s Harbinger Society of Donors.
There’s no doubt that FCM will continue to expand its services with the goal of better health for the community. And Janet Albers will be a family-friendly presence at the helm, guiding it as a physician, mentor and benefactor.
The Harbinger Society
The Harbinger Society was established in 1984 by the Southern Illinois University Foundation at the School of Medicine. This prestigious group was created to honor the philanthropic efforts of special friends and alumni who provide significant contributions of private resources to enable the SIU School of Medicine to remain a leader in medical education, patient care, research and service to the community.
The organization remained active until 2005. In 2015, the School of Medicine Foundation Office revived and expand the Harbinger Society. Individuals/couples may qualify as Harbinger members by meeting one of the following criteria:
- Making a gift of $25,000 in cash, securities, equipment, materials, supplies or other gifts-in-kind.
- Pledging $25,000 payable over a 5-year period, not less than $5,000 annually.
- Bequeathing a whole-life insurance policy valued at $50,000 or more.
- Donating a trust (instrument) valued at $50,000 or more.
► To learn more about becoming a Harbinger Society member, contact the Foundation Office at 217.545.2955 or foundation@siumed.edu.
GENDER EQUITY AND TRANSGENDER CLINIC
By Sarah Kinkade
Growing up female, Avery Gragg always felt better wearing masculine clothing. By the time he turned 15, he knew he was transgender, cut his hair short and wore even more clothing designed for men. He began wearing a “binder” around his chest to hide feminine, physical distinctions.
“Most people didn’t really know or care about how I dressed, but then I came out trans,” he said. “I knew back then I was transgender, but my mom wanted me to wait until I was little older before I did anything about it – as far as hormones go.”
According to research from the National Institutes for Health, members of the LGBTQIA community seek care less often due to a variety of socioeconomic factors, discrimination or simply because of fear or feeling not accepted by the medical community. Patients in these communities typically participate in fewer preventive health care measures, like regular doctor appointments, and are at higher risk for mental health concerns.
“Transgender” is an umbrella term used to describe people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differ based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Transgender people have diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions and gender identities, and transgender identities do not depend on physical appearance or medical procedures.
Growing up in a small town in central Illinois, Gragg didn’t talk about his experiences much, but once he moved to St. Louis for college three years ago, he started to open up. It was then he also started taking hormone therapy, though he continued to struggle with gender dysphoria – something many LGBQTIA people experience. Gragg recalls how difficult it was to find a health care provider for hormone therapy.
Hoping to alleviate the challenges often faced by those in the LGBTQIA community, SIU Medicine’s Center for Family Medicine in Springfield launched a Gender Equity and Transgender Clinic to serve patients in central Illinois. Led by Careyana Brenham, MD, and Priyanka Bhandari, MD, the multidisciplinary team offers comprehensive care and referrals to other SIU specialists.
“We saw a need in the community. There was a lack of access and we knew some members in the community were not seeking preventive care, or sometimes care at all,” said Dr. Brenham. “We are offering preventive health care as well as other services in a primary care setting with a multidisciplinary team approach. All of our patients are offered a visit with a behavioral health consultant who is a social worker and great at providing care to the LGBTQIA community.”
Many patients are seeking hormone-affirming management with either masculinizing or feminizing hormones. This is seldom provided in a primary care setting; patients have previously received this care, when possible, from Planned Parenthood or SIU Medicine’s Division of Endocrinology.
However, those settings do not have mental health services incorporated into their clinics, and patients are often required to seek a mental health provider before being prescribed hormones,” Brenham says. “It was an additional barrier to care for some of our patients.”
The Gender Equity and Transgender Clinic offers hormone therapy and mental health care within the same setting. The team also offers injection training for patients to give their own hormone injections.
“I didn’t have a way to present as a masculine person other than my hair so the binder and testosterone have helped so much,” Gragg said. “Think of dysphoria as putting on clothes that you know don’t look right on you because they don’t fit, but you can’t take them off. Like a dress is too tight and the zipper is stuck and no one can undo the zipper for you. Now, I have a beard and chest hair, which makes it much easier to identify as a trans guy.”
Throughout the opening of the clinic, SIU Medicine worked in partnership with the Phoenix Center, which supports central Illinois’ LGBTQIA community.
“They have been great partners with us to get this clinic going and provide education and support,” Dr. Brenham said. “The Phoenix Center often refers patient to us and we can send patients to them for support groups and to be involved in the community.
“The staff at the Phoenix Center also helped provide education to our team to help us plan for working with the transgender community and help us determine what services they may need here,” Brenham continued. “It has been a great working relationship that we plan to continue building.”
During the pandemic, Gragg moved back home and started seeing Dr. Brenham for primary care, as well as his hormone therapy. Dr. Brenham recently referred him to see Nicole Sommer, MD, professor at the SIU Institute for Plastic Surgery, to consider top surgery. Dr. Brenham has referred several transgender patients to SIU Medicine’s plastic surgery team for top surgery, a reconstructive surgery performed on the chest for individuals who wish to alter their chest size, shape or overall appearance.
“We also provide referral services for surgical-affirming care and can provide written documentation for insurance coverage for these procedures,” said Brenham.
“I’ve had a good experience with SIU and Dr. Brenham,” Gragg said. “It’s nerve-wracking to walk in and not know how people are going to react – whether or not they are insincere if they say the right words. The struggle is also compounded by finding somewhere insurance is accepted. Each plan is particular on the phrasing on what gets approved, and money is always an issue. SIU has done a great job of working with insurance.”
Dr. Sommer and others follow guidelines from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which provides standards of care to meet the diverse health care needs of transsexual, transgender and gender-nonconforming people.
SIU offers male-to-female and female-to-male top surgery. Male to female top surgery is breast augmentation with implants or with a patient’s own fat. This surgery is ideal for patients who do not develop breasts while on hormone treatment. Female to male top surgery is the removal of natural breasts, and then the tightening of skin and repositioning and downsizing of areola.
“To make sure patients are prepared and committed to surgery, I discuss their options and like to start by finding out if they have plateaued in regard to changes from the hormone treatment first,” said Dr. Sommer. “We also make sure they have seen a psychologist or psychiatrist in regards to gender dysphoria.”
“Once I have my surgery, I think it will really help with my mental state and body dysphoria, especially with my chest,” Gragg said. “I will be so relieved.”
Spirit of '76
Charter Class reflects on groundbreaking education
by Mary Bonn
On the first weekend in October 2021, members of the charter class of SIU School of Medicine gathered in Springfield for a 45-year class reunion, a long-awaited weekend of dining, reminiscing and history-taking.
Back in 1973, these individuals converged on Carbondale with no compass to guide them, but sufficient faith and a desire to achieve greatness. They represented a cross-section of the diverse population of Illinois, and they wanted to be challenged and taught differently than those who had come before them.
The majority of the class had pre-med degrees in the sciences, but they also had trained in psychology, sociology, chemical engineering, anthropology and mathematics. So, why did they choose this program? The reasons are just as varied.
Jim Bohan, stayed in the Midwest for his residency. He returned to central Illinois where he practiced medicine until retiring in 2021. He states how fortunate he was to have been allowed to live and work in a community of 20,000 with a well-staffed hospital and great community resources. Involved with SIU Medicine through committee work and educational meetings, Dr. Bohan was able to have time for his family during his career and felt well prepared by 'SIU School of Medicine because of the training and experiences he received.
Larry Jones, returned to his hometown of Harrisburg, a rural, underserved area of southern Illinois. He started a solo primary care practice in 1979 that grew to include 10 physicians, many of whom were SIU School of Medicine graduates.
Regina Kovach did a one-year residency in Internal Medicine at Lutheran General Hospital in Des Plaines. She completed her last two years of her IM residency at SIU School of Medicine. She also became certified in Emergency Medicine and practiced EM at Memorial Medical Center for 20 years. She joined the SIU faculty in 1991 and stayed for 25 years. At SIU School of Medicine she focused on medical student education, student assessment and student progress. She also had leadership roles in national medical education organizations.
Greg Renner, went to the University of Missouri in Columbia. He started as a resident in General Surgery and transitioned as a resident in Otolaryngology - head and neck surgery. He was the first U.M. resident to do a four-year, rather than a three-year residency, in Otolaryngology. In that last year, he helped instruct the junior Otolaryngology residents. He became an attending physician in Otolaryngology and ultimately joined the faculty. For the rest of his career, he helped grow the program. He retired but continues to work in a part-time capacity.
Michael Williamson, did an internship in medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Besides his internship, he did residencies in neurology, diagnostic radiology and a fellowship in nuclear medicine and ultrasound. After 4-years on faculty at the University of Arkansas, he transitioned to being a faculty member at the University of New Mexico for thirty-four years. He became the chair of radiology at the University of Arkansas from 2002-2009, published sixty-eight papers, 4 books, and had grants funded. He is currently working and writing a book.
Roger Wujek, completed his Family Medicine residency in Carbondale, then went to Litchfield where he and Jerome Epplin established Litchfield Family Practice Center. The practice has grown from two providers to a practice of seven family physicians, 12 Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. This town of 6,900 has assured quality medical care into the foreseeable future.
What were you looking for when deciding on a medical school?
Bohan: I was attracted to SIU because it was located downstate and because of the emphasis the institution placed on primary care. At my admission interview I remember being impressed with the quality of the faculty members I met and their dedication to downstate health care and primary care in particular.
Jones: Medical school admission was competitive back in the ‘70s, just as it is now. I remember being so thankful to receive my acceptance letter from SIU because it was my first choice.
Kovach: I didn’t know what I was looking for in a medical school. There are no doctors in my family, and I started out college as a math major, thinking I would end up as a high school teacher. I didn’t know anything about medical schools or what characteristics I should consider. I was just hoping to be accepted. I applied mostly to schools in the Midwest, and I specifically applied to SIU because that was where I went as an undergraduate, my family is from Southern Illinois (my father grew up in Royalton, a former coal mining town), and I liked it there.
Renner: I was hoping to find a school that would provide instruction in a very friendly and nurturing environment and give me a good general experience, which I certainly got at SIU.
What led you to choose SIU School of Medicine?
Williamson: I had entered pre-med as a college senior after finishing a degree in math at Washington University in St. Louis. I did not get accepted into medical school the first year I applied and was drafted into the army. While in the army, I applied for early admission to SIU because I had the resources to visit only one medical school, and I was familiar with SIU because my hometown was near Carbondale.
Jones: I knew Dr. Hurley Myers as an undergrad at SIU Carbondale. I sensed his enthusiasm for teaching and the fact that he truly cared about his students. After getting to know him, I could not imagine myself attending any other medical school.
Wujek: My interview with Ninzel Anoe and Dean Doolen cinched it for me. The school was what I was looking for and I was what the school was looking for.
Kovach: I chose SIU School of Medicine because to me, I belonged there. It just felt right to be in southern Illinois, and I liked being part of something new. The small class size also appealed to me.
Renner: SIU was not far from my home, in a more rural/small town environment like where I had grown up. It was a more comfortable environment than I would find in a large city. I liked the SIU Carbondale campus. Springfield was also an environment that was generally comfortable for me.
What concerns, if any, did you have about the pioneering aspects of your education and training?
Bohan: My class had some minor anxiety, but in general we trusted the staff and the process. There was a standing joke during the first year that our curriculum would inadvertently "leave out" something important. We joked that in residency, we might discover that we had not covered a major organ system. But that was only a joke and certainly never occurred.
Williamson: I had no concerns initially. But after starting school, there were some worries because the curriculum was being prepared as we went, a few days ahead of time. I had assumed that the entire curriculum would be ready for the whole year. Not true.
Jones: It was exciting but sometimes a little scary. I worried about whether or not we were gaining the necessary knowledge to become good physicians. That “pioneering spirit” and camaraderie of my classmates was such an inspiration. After graduating from SIU, I started residency in Indiana with several Indiana University graduates. It was evident early on in the residency that my medical school training was significantly better than theirs was.
Wujek: The curriculum was interesting, problem-based and all, and we were assured from the beginning that we would graduate from an accredited school. I liked the small class size and close relationship with the professors.
Renner: I had a reasonable degree of confidence that the school would provide a good education for me and be a successful new medical school in general. It was stimulating and a joy to be a part of the evolving medical school curriculum.
Kovach: I had no concerns whatsoever about it. I was just excited to be a student in a school with a progressive and innovative curriculum, and among other students who wanted the same. It was clear that the faculty cared about our education and wanted us to succeed.
How did the school’s program prepare you for your career?
Jones: The school’s emphasis on self-directed learning helped me immeasurably over the years.
Wujek: Self-learning was the main thing I took away from the SIU curriculum. My residency training experiences in Carbondale better prepared me for my future family practice than if I had I stayed in Springfield.
Renner: SIU instilled in me a desire to try to advance beyond what was simply here and now. During my time at the University of Missouri, I worked both on a local level and as a part of various national otolaryngology societies to expand the discipline. Looking back, I believe SIU clearly help set up the mentality that there should be no boundaries to what one can accomplish if you set out to do it with realistic expectations, true purpose and dedication.
Williamson: The SIU faculty were fantastic teachers; they taught me to teach. At the University of New Mexico, our residency scored #1 in the country four times between 1995 and 2008.
Healthy perspectives
LOOKING BACK ON EVOLVING CAREER AT SIU
By Julie Robbs
Office of Alumni Affairs Director Julie Robbs retired on December 31, 2021, bringing to a close a diverse and “never dull” 33-year career at SIU School of Medicine. We asked her to share some of her institutional memories with us.
I started working at SIU School of Medicine in 1988 as extra help for Dr. Shannon Stauffer, the founding chair of the Division of Orthopedic Surgery. St. John’s Pavilion opened that year and we moved his office there from Memorial Medical Center. I also worked for clinical marketing for a short time.
My husband, Randy, was working in Statistics and Research Consulting (now Stats Core within the Center for Clinical Research), and he told me about an extra-help position that was opening to assist with a faculty effort study in medical education. I worked on the survey and reporting of data with our faculty in the old AI (artificial intelligence) lab, a cramped, cold room kept chilled for the early PCs.
The problem-based Learning Curriculum (PBLC) was in its first year in Carbondale and, in 1991, a new position opened for a PBLC coordinator in Springfield for the second-year students. I was offered the job. I knew nothing about problem-based learning but jumped right in with a terrific team in the educational affairs office in the Department of Medical Education. I worked under Dr. Howard Barrows and Dr. Linda Distlehorst. They provided such a stimulating atmosphere, encouraging research, innovations and presentations. I learned rather quickly and embraced our team approach. It was exciting to see the recognition that SIU School of Medicine received for this and so much of its groundbreaking work.
I loved learning how to train the standardized patients with Dr. Barrows. I also became a master tutor after a thorough, week-long training process to support the curriculum. The Class of ’94 was the first formal PBLC class, consisting of 13 students in two tutor groups. Dr. Earl Loschen, chair of Psychiatry, was the PBLC director and Dr. Don Ramsey, Surgery, was the chair of the PBLC-Springfield Committee. We met weekly and I respected their dedication to this new curriculum. It was quite an immersive experience — and a little intimidating — to become a frequent flyer with Dean Moy and other faculty on the state plane to our sister campus. The Carbondale faculty were such a joy to work with, always very energized and creative in their approaches. And while Dean Moy was “the first,” it has been a real privilege to work with all four of our Deans at the medical school and to experience so much history being made.
Soon after, I started coordinating the standard Year 2 curriculum in addition to the PBLC, and between this, the exams and clinical experiences, I got to know the students well. I truly valued the camaraderie and following their progress. The curriculum coordinators met often and worked together; we knew the curriculum intimately and worked with the clinical and basic science faculty. I remember the microbiology and pathology labs on the second floor at 801 N. Rutledge, with Dr. Grant Johnson’s picture displays and his famous slides in student lectures. Those are no longer around; times have changed.
The school of medicine has always supported its learners. I enjoyed being a member of the Caduceus Guild — a group of physician spouses who supported the students and residents, and sold school of medicine apparel to raise funds for emergency student/resident loans.
In 1998, I moved to the Department of Family and Community Medicine (FCM) to coordinate the clerkship and electives years. I was there for a decade. At the time the clerkship ran six weeks, and I worked with our wonderful community preceptors: family medicine physicians throughout Illinois who volunteer to teach and let our students experience life as a ‘family physician’ for 5 weeks. Many of the preceptors are our alumni, and I got to know them, their commitment to the communities, their profession and our students. I have such a wonderful appreciation for the work they do and the lives that they touch. The pre-doc team of Drs. Barnhart, Suzewitz, Young and I wrote federal grants to create a distance learning curriculum while the students were away from campus. This allowed teaching and case discussion online (before Zoom!). I really enjoyed working with the FCM faculty from Springfield, Decatur, Carbondale and Quincy during those years.
An opportunity opened in Alumni Affairs in 2008 when John Record announced his retirement. The Alumni Affairs director position was an ideal fit for me and an exciting challenge. I was so thrilled that my ‘next chapter’ could continue my work with the alumni, whom I’d gotten to know over the previous 17 years. I started in March of 2008 and have never looked back. Directing Alumni Affairs has been an honor, and I couldn’t have done it without a great team.
Working with the alumni board, we have grown the activities and offerings from this office. There is never a dull moment; every day is different. You have to be prepared for anything. When the COVID pandemic started, our team adapted quickly, creating virtual activities supported and presented by our alumni and alumni connections. We’ve learned that we really miss in-person events, but virtual gatherings have their advantages too: they are very low-cost and get some folks involved who might not have attended without the convenience.
The SIU School of Medicine alumni are not just wonderful physicians; they are also humble, hard-working, and have done amazing work in their communities. Some have gone to the far corners of the world and made a global impact. Most have stayed closer to home in the Midwest, rooted in Illinois, and made the people around us healthier. ALL their contributions are appreciated. And working with our students has always been a highlight, as they have such enthusiasm, compassion and intelligence. The students ARE our future alumni!
The students and I are so very grateful for the alumni support shown through the years. Their generosity is boundless: hosting students to lunches and dinners or at their homes during travel for residency interviews, connecting on the phone or virtually to provide input about their communities or professions, etc. You name it, the alumni are always available. They have helped our Office of Alumni Affairs, the Alumni Society and the school of medicine grow and prosper. Each year I love to read the distinguished alumni nominations and the nominations from alumni to be board members—they are doing some incredible work, and are proud of the medical education and life-long friends that they received here. It’s a small world; it’s fun to hear how often alumni run into each other out in the field. Alumni, you truly are ‘a family.’
I thank my own family, who have found that my spare time and reading usually involved medical education or ‘work material’ over the years. My grown children have certainly been immersed with SIU School of Medicine throughout their lives. The assorted jobs have provided me with great opportunities to present at national meetings, meet wonderful colleagues at SIU and many medical institutions, and to serve on several national committees. I will really miss the students and alumni but still hope to run into them in the community. I hope that I’ve helped keep our alumni connected to the school and their classmates and that they continue to keep that family connection.
CLASS NOTES
1970s
James Bohan, MD, ’76, writes “I retired July 31, 2021, and look forward to my life ahead.”
Timothy Roberts, MD, ’76, “has been working at 80% for the last two years and plan to reduce to 50 or 60%. We have three granddaughters who we babysit and a grandson in Charlotte, NC. Being a grandfather is the best job I have ever had.”
Robert Kaufmann, MD, ’76, is “directing research and publishing papers on the effects of CBD and other hemp-based cannabinoids in both clinical and basic sciences in U.S. medical schools and universities and abroad for the last several years. It is so much fun. Still practicing medicine one day a week, but no longer doing maternal-fetal medicine. After getting certified in clinical allergy and immunology, I’m an allergist/immunologist. My body can’t do all it used to, but I am loving life and having fun with all my kids and grandkids and beautiful wife.”
1980s
Susan Nagele, MD ’81, was featured in the August 2021 Illinois Family Physician magazine. bit.ly/3IosQ6T
Regina Rabinovich, MD '82, is director of the Malaria Elimination Initiative at ISGlobal and a visiting scholar at Harvard University. She joined The World's host Marco Werman to discuss the first WHO-backed malaria vaccine. bit.ly/3A7cDjw “Next transition: Through the magic of Zoom, and soon to resume, travel. I’m still active with both Harvard and Barcelona but the home base is — believe it or not — Carbondale! Still meandering in global health with trials in Africa. Class of ’82, let me know if you’re going to be in the area!”
Bonnie Wirfs, MD, ’83, writes "I used to be a geriatric doctor, now I've become just a geriatric doctor! Traveling carefully, despite the pandemic. Greetings to all my classmates. Come visit New Orleans!"
1990s
Kristin Herman, MD, ’99, was named one of “Sacramento Magazine’s” Top Doctors for Medical Genetics 2017-20.
Julie Panepinto, MD, ’91, was appointed deputy director of the Division of Blood Diseases and Resources, NHLBI at the NIH. Her work with sickle cell disease (SCD) and COVID-19 led to the NIH classifying SCD as a high-risk disease for COVID. She was also a member of SIU’s Alpha Omega Alpha honor society’s Class of 2020. bit.ly/3Gy5Wt8
2000s
William P. Robinson III, MD, ’00, writes that he is “honored and excited to return to SIU SOM as professor and chief of vascular surgery! My wife, Liz Robinson, MD, is a sports orthopedic surgeon who has joined SIU SOM Ortho. It is great to be back!"
Martin (Marty) Muntz, MD, ’01, has accepted the position of associate dean for curriculum in the MCW School of Medicine. He will direct educational activities for medical students, as well as play an integral role in the planning, development and implementation of the new School of Medicine curriculum set to begin at the start of the 2023 academic year. He serves as a professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Muntz is also vice chair for faculty development in the Department of Medicine and curriculum pillar director in the Kern Institute for the Transformation of Medical Education. He practices at the Froedtert General Internal Medicine clinic.
Amanda Amin, MD, ’07, writes, “After spending seven years at with University of Kansas Health System, I have accepted a position with University Hospitals in Cleveland to be co-director of the breast program beginning September 2021.”
Tabatha Wells, MD, FAAFP, ’09, was installed as president of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians on October 20, 2021: bit.ly/3rpOdhb
2010s
Danielle Carter, MD, ’10, received the 2019 Florida Academy of Family Physicians Young Leader Award. She completed a term on the AAFP Board of Directors in September 2021, and returned to the FAFP Board of Directors at that time as well as roles as alternate delegate for Congress of Delegates and delegate to the National Conference of Constituency Leaders. She was lead physician for the PROVIDE 2.0 Trial to reduce the primary caesarean rate in Florida, and on the steering committee for the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative. Carter is a volunteer physician at The Way Free Clinic, a member of the advisory board for her local Y, and medical director for IRONMAN Florida and 70.3 Gulf Coast.
Dakota and Molly Gilbert, MDs, ’18, started accepting new patients this fall at the Springfield Clinic East office in Hillsboro. bit.ly/3mJWP0q
Samuel Richey, MD, ’20, was married April 24, 2021, after delaying their wedding due to COVID-19. He will be pursuing a fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine, looking to train and continue to work in the greater St. Louis area.
Tisha Spence, MD, ‘11, Rory Mills, MD, ’19 and McKenna Murphy, MD, ‘20 took care of patients together in the pediatric ICU at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL. Mills and Murphy are PGY-3 and PGY-2 pediatric residents, respectively. Spence is a PICU attending at the hospital.
Henry Phipps, MD, ’76, passed away on September 22, 2021.
Michael G. Langley, MD, ’79, of Robinson, died Friday November 5, 2021, at the age of 69 following a battle with COVID pneumonia.
David C. Chapman, MD, ’82, passed away October 13, 2021, at his seaside home in Jensen Beach, Florida. He practiced in Springfield, delivering thousands of babies across two generations.
Ted Rogers, MD, ‘82, of Chillicothe, passed away on Monday, June 28, 2021.
Basil Anderson, MD, ‘83, passed away September 21, 2021 at the age of 65 from COVID complications. Dr. Anderson was in the SIU MEDPREP program in Carbondale prior to med school.
William Kevin Walsh, MD, ’01, 51, of Roanoke, VA, died October 29, 2021.
The Alumni Society Board of Governors established the Student Resource Fund (SRF) in 1997 to enhance the student experience at SIU School of Medicine by funding educational and social needs that cannot be met through other sources. Any expenditures must benefit a large number of students and must meet an immediate and demonstrable student need. Each year, the fund supports the students’ Winter Ball and a group health club membership for Springfield-based students. ► To donate to the Student Resource Fund, visit siumed.edu/foundation/giving.html
SOM Alumni Society Board of Governors welcomes two new members to begin at the spring 2022 meeting: Diane Hillard-Sembell, MD, ’86, Orthopedic Surgery, and Michael Pick, MD, ’76, Rheumatology.
HOSTS (Helping Our Students To Succeed) Season is coming to a close! The HOSTS program is in its 14th year and has been invaluable to our students over the years. Thank you to the alumni who have virtually hosted this season, and we will continue to contact you if a student is doing a virtual interview in your community or specialty. For 2021 / 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no travel for residency interviews. The Office of Alumni Affairs matched students with alumni to promote a virtual mentor interaction. We hope you will consider connecting with a student during the next interview season. ► If you are interested in participating in the HOST program or to learn more, visit siumed.edu/alumniaffairs/hosts-program.
The Class of ’76 (Charter Class) Reunion was held in Springfield on October 1-2, 2021. Half of the class returned, and it was such a joyous time for them to reunite. For a couple of the alumni, it was their first time attending a reunion, which made for an extra-emotional and fun weekend. Thank you to the ’76 Reunion Committee who helped organize and encourage classmates to attend: Michael Williamson, MD, Regina Kovach, MD, Michael Pick, MD and Max Hammer, MD. Additional thanks to Jeffery Belden, MD, for his excellent skills in creating the memorable ’76 video. The reunion committee presented Alumni Affairs Director Julie Robbs with a beautiful crystal “Honorary Member Charter Class of 1976.” Many memories and much laughter was shared reminiscing about the 3-year curriculum, hard work, fun activities and living in the Carbondale dorm.
#SIUDay of Giving | March 2, 2022
We are counting on all of our generous donors and alumni to once again show your support the school of medicine. Our most important goal is to raise the number of gifts made. We believe that every gift matters, no matter the size, as it shows your belief in our mission. Our other goal is to raise $400,000 in support of scholarships, programs, research and patient care. ► Visit siuday.siu.edu/medicine on March 2 or contact us at foundation@siumed.edu or 217.545.2955 to make your gift early.