Victoria Fraser, MD
Colleagues and friends,
This time of year always inspires reflection on the past and anticipation for what the future will hold. I am so proud of the many ways that together we have advanced our tripartite mission in 2022. We continue to respond to new challenges and enhance our clinical operations, research portfolio, and educational programs. I look forward to seeing continued progress through the coming year.
There were many accomplishments in the Department of Medicine in 2022. A few highlights are listed below:
Early in the year, we battled the Omicron COVID surge. Our clinicians continue to provide outstanding patient care and successfully managed incredibly busy inpatient and outpatient services with record volumes throughout the year.
Research thrived in 2022. We celebrated the successful renewal of the Clinical and Translational Science Award, a $61 million grant from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant supports the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences at Washington University and ensures continued growth of clinical and translational research and training in the department, the School of Medicine, Washington University, and our partner institutions across Missouri.
Our educational programs continue to thrive. We just successfully completed our fellow recruitment season and look forward to welcoming our accomplished new fellows in 2023. Residency recruitment is underway and promises to deliver another outstanding class of residents. We welcomed new immersion, medicine clerkship and advanced clinical rotation students as we enter phase three of the new Gateway Curriculum.
Several Department of Medicine faculty and trainees were recognized for their teaching achievements at the annual Distinguished Service Teaching Awards ceremony and at the Academy of Educators’ annual Education Day.
Department of Medicine faculty, staff and trainees honored at the annual Distinguished Service Teaching Awards include: Dennis Chang, MD; Stephen Cheng, MD; Megan Dietrich, Gerome Escota, MD; Jonah Graves, MD; Nigar Kirmani, MD; Joshua Mendoza, MD; Devan Patel, MD; Amy Riek, MD; Justin Sadhu, MD; Megan Wren, MD; Timothy Yau, MD and Lisa Zickuhr, MD. Read more about the Distinguished Service Teaching Awards ceremony.
Drs. Lisa Zickuhr, Justin Sadhu and Nigar Kirmani. Medical students at Washington University presented the Distinguished Service and Teaching Awards (DSTA) to faculty and house staff in appreciation of exemplary service in medical student education on March 1, 2022.
At the Academy of Educators Annual Education Day in October, Rakhee Bhayani, MD, Carol Faulk, MD, Donna Jeffe, PhD, and Eileen Lee, MD, were all inducted as new members. Patricia Kao, MD, MHPE, MS, was honored with the Exemplary Educator award and Megan Wren, MD, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement award. Read more about Education Day here.
Our Grand Rounds programming switched to hybrid with in person speakers and audience as well as remote viewers. In March, Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Washington University alumnus, spoke at Grand Rounds in honor of the Gerald Medoff Distinguished lectureship.
A selfie from the FWIM Meet and Greet event with Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, Director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on March 2, 2022.
We’ve welcomed outstanding talent to our department leadership, including:
- Nancy K. Sweitzer, MD, PhD: Appointed Vice Chair of Clinical Research for the Department of Medicine and Director of Clinical Research for the Division of Cardiology.
- Daniel C. Link, MD: Appointed the new Chief of the Division of Oncology in the Department of Medicine and Deputy Director of the Siteman Cancer Center.
- Ramaswamy Govindan, MD: Appointed as Associate Chief of the Division of Oncology.
- Janet S. Lee, MD: Appointed the new Chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine beginning January 3, 2023.
- Carolina Salvador, MD: Appointed as the Director of Wellness for the Department of Medicine.
We’ve announced new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leadership positions:
- Jesus Jimenez, MD, PhD: Appointed as the Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Fellows and Postdoctoral trainees in the Department of Medicine.
- Felicia Gomez, PhD and José Sáenz, MD, PhD: Appointed as Co-Directors for the newly established URiM Post-Baccalaureate program for the Oliver Langenberg Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) in the Department of Medicine.
We launched a new name for the Department of Medicine Office of Inclusion and Diversity, now known as Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Allyship and Social Justice (IDEAS) at Department of Medicine. This new name change better reflects our core values and encompasses all of the ongoing and new efforts in Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, along with our commitment to Allyship and Social Justice throughout the department. In 2022, we expanded our diversity programs including the launch of Mentorship to Enhance Diversity in Academia (MEDA) Program. The MEDA program provides trainees with support, resources, personalized guidance, and engaging opportunities they need to become successful at the School of Medicine and in their future careers. We celebrated OUTmed’s sponsorship at St. Louis PrideFest and the Forum for Women in Medicine organized the inaugural Department of Medicine Women in Medicine & Science Seminar, with over 180 people registered from departments across the campus including medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty.
Reflecting on 2022 makes me so grateful for everyone in our Department of Medicine community. Thank you for your ongoing dedication, service, and support that continues to drive us to achieve great things. I hope you find time for some reflection and quality time with family and friends in these final days of the year.
Best wishes to you and yours for a happy, healthy 2023.
Vicky Fraser, MD
Chair, Department of Medicine
