June 2026

Dean's Message

Breathe

From our first moments, a cry signifies that most fundamental part of life – breathing. It is a sign of life. A sign that things are going well. It is a necessary part of life that largely remains subconscious. We only seem to acknowledge its importance when we find ourselves needing to put more effort into breathing. The great technological advances in the past two centuries have come at such a pace that life is yet to adapt appropriately and healthily. Modern life has brought with it an incessant need to move, be quick, make decisions, and get things done.

There is an increasing understanding of the effects of how we breathe on our physical and mental health. There are the obvious impacts of airborne pollutants and biohazards. There are also less well-known factors such as our use of screens. There are studies that show screen usage causing shallower breathing which signals the need for more frequent breathing. Our brains recognize this pattern as a sign of distress and our bodies act accordingly.

In order to combat the insidious nature of this pattern of breathing we need to think consciously about breathing, specifically deep breathing. This is also referred to as diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing. Examples include box, 4-7-8, and alternate nostril breathing. Deep breathing promotes health by encouraging relaxation and reducing stress. I encourage us all to add this to our “health toolkit” along with tools such as eating well, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and socialization.

So, as we march through spring and enter into summer – take a break, take time to breathe, smell the roses (or your flower or choice). In short - pause, focus, breathe, repeat. Your body will thank you.

Dr. Azziza Bankole, MBBS
Senior Advisor for Faculty Affairs

1. Kang KW, Jung SI, et al. Effect of sitting posture on respiratory function while using a smartphone. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016 May;28(5):1496-8. doi: 10.1589/jpts.28.1496.
2. Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, et al. How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018 Sep 7;12:353. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353.
3. Balban MY, Neri E, et al. Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Rep Med. 2023 Jan 17;4(1):100895. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100895.
4. Noble DJ, Hochman S. Hypothesis: Pulmonary Afferent Activity Patterns During Slow, Deep Breathing Contribute to the Neural Induction of Physiological Relaxation. Front Physiol. 2019 Sep 13;10:1176. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01176.

News Around Campus

Social Media

Humanism

Known

On this seemingly
ordinary rock
in the middle
‍of the river‍ ‍‍

where arrival
is only by
intention

there’s always
room for two.‍ ‍

Here
let’s share
what matters now
what’s never been said
what can’t be said enough

speak of love and loss
fear, shame and wonder
let’s laugh
cry
sing
shout
dream‍

or simply
listen

and be
known‍ ‍‍ ‍

as I am

here
today‍ ‍

by myself
yet not
alone‍ ‍

this rock
the water‍ ‍‍ ‍

you have become
part of me

and I
of you‍‍‍ ‍

Mark Greenawald

Publishing

The following highlights a selection of recent publications from across the VTCSOM community.

Michelle S. Rockwell, director of Health Systems Science and Interprofessional Practice (Phase 1) and assistant professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine, is first author on Ivermectin-Benzimidazole Prescribing Following Celebrity Endorsement and a co-author on Telemedicine Adoption, US Ambulatory Visits, and Total Medical Spending, 2019–2023, both published in the May issue of JAMA Network Open.
Nicholas L. Rider, professor in the Department of Health Systems & Implementation Science, is among the authors of 2025 Inborn Errors of Immunity Practice Parameter: Guidance from the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters, published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Arthur Ollendorff, associate dean for graduate medical education and professor in the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Health Systems & Implementation Science, is first author on The Evolution and Adoption of a Standardized Letter of Evaluation for OBGYN Residency Applicants, published with colleagues in the Journal of Surgical Education.
Kiran Khalid, clerkship director and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, joined senior author Anita S. Kablinger, vice chair for academic affairs and professor in the same department, and colleagues to publish Risk of Neuropsychiatric Disorders After Pediatric Delirium in Children Under 12: A Cohort Study in Psychiatry Investigation.
Andrew Strohman (MD/PhD student) is an author on A Standardized Framework for Reporting Participant-Experienced Events in Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation, published in Brain Stimulation. The paper was developed with his mentor Wynn Legon, assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, and colleagues.
Christian J. Ostrowski (class of 2026) is first author on Improving Urine Testing Stewardship with a Technology-Leveraged Urine Testing Guideline, published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Ostrowski worked with his mentor Jacob R. Gillen, associate professor in the Departments of Surgery and Health Systems & Implementation Science, along with Anthony Baffoe-Bonnie, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, and colleagues.
Patrick Bonson (class of 2022) is an author on Gaining Empathy for the Learner: A Way to Identify Unique Themes and Patterns in Medical Student Experiences, published in Medical Science Educator. Bonson collaborated with his mentor Renee LeClair, associate professor in the Department of Basic Science Education, along with co-mentor Andrew Binks, associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Radford University Carilion, and colleagues.
Katherine D. Mayes, assistant professor, is first author on Age-Specific Clinical Biomarker Ranges in Acute Head Injury, Non-TBI Trauma, and Healthy Control Subjects in the Emergency Department, published in Academic Emergency Medicine on behalf of the HeadSMART II Investigators. Co-authors include Justin Weppner, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, and senior author Damon R. Kuehl, professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine.
Alyssa Sze (class of 2026) is an author on Histotripsy Treatment Reduces Tumor Burden and Extends Survival in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Osteosarcoma, published in Frontiers in Oncology. Sze collaborated with her mentor Joanne Tuohy, associate professor in the Department of Surgery, and colleagues.
Justin O'Leary (class of 2027) is first author on Comparison of Cadaveric Warming Rates in Accidental Hypothermia Between Continuous and Dwell Thoracic Lavage, published in The Journal of Emergency Medicine. The work was conducted with his mentor Stephanie Lareau, professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, along with Christopher Waasdorp Jr., assistant professor in the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Family & Community Medicine, J. Daniel Gumayan, Emergency Medicine resident graduate, and colleagues.
Han O. Lim (class of 2025) is first author on Evaluating Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury Screening in High-Energy Trauma Patients: A Rural Trauma Center Study, published in the Journal of Surgical Research. Lim worked with his mentor Daniel I. Lollar, associate professor, along with co-authors Katie L. Bower, associate professor, and Bryan Collier, full professor, all in the Department of Surgery, and colleagues.
Tyler Shick (class of 2026) is first author on A Clinical Vignette: Resolving a 10-Year History of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms After Traumatic Brain Injury, published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Shick worked with his mentor Justin Weppner, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine.
Alison N. Seifert (class of 2027) is an author on Ethylene Glycol Toxicity Presenting as a Rapidly Deteriorating Focal Neurological Exam and Reversible Cerebral Herniation Syndrome, published in Toxicology Reports. Co-authors include Andrea L. Klein, resident in Emergency Medicine, and faculty Hayley H. Rose-Inman, Paul E. Stromberg, and Andrew B. Moore, assistant professors in the Department of Emergency Medicine.
Taneen Maghsoudi and Carter Colwell, both General Surgery residents, and Marina Levochkina (class of 2026) joined Katie Bower, Michael Saccocci, and Maxine Lee, associate professors, Michael S. Nussbaum, chair and professor, and Joshua Stodghill, assistant professor — all in the Department of Surgery — as co-authors of How Timing of Regional Anesthesia Impacts Outcomes in Traumatic Rib Fracture Patients: A Trauma Quality National Improvement Program-Based Study, published in the Journal of Surgical Research.

Spotlight On Giving

Save the Date! Please join us on Thursday, August 6 at VTCSOM for the inaugural lecture of the Craft Family Endowed Guest Professorship on Medicine and Humanities. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Aubrey Knight as our inaugural speaker. A deeply respected leader within our community, Dr. Knight serves as Professor of Medicine and Family & Community Medicine at VTCSOM and Section Chief for Geriatric Medicine at Carilion Clinic. Known for his longstanding dedication to humanism in medicine and patient-centered care, he brings a wealth of clinical insight and educational expertise that perfectly embodies the spirit of the medical humanities. Additional details and a formal invitation will follow.

Through the establishment of this new endowment, Dr. Hugh and Mrs. Reggie Craft have demonstrated a generous and deeply rooted commitment to the medical humanities. The professorship reflects their enduring passion for integrating the arts and humanities into medical education, a value Dr. Craft lives out as a local pediatrician who already contributes to our curriculum by teaching an ethics course to our first-year students and a history of medicine to our fourth-years. He is also spearheading an oral history focused on medicine in Roanoke and the surrounding areas.

The endowment will bring distinguished scholars and experts to campus to share insights on topics selected from the breadth of the medical humanities, including medical history, ethics, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, art, and literature. This initiative will enrich the intellectual life of our community, offering vital perspective and context to our future physicians. We extend our sincerest gratitude to Dr. and Mrs. Craft for their unwavering support of VTCSOM, our students, faculty, and staff.

Alumni Update

Please welcome our newest VTCSOM Alumni!
In May, our VTCSOM alumni network grew a bit! The Class of 2026 graduated with 54 new graduates. (Fun Fact: we now have a total of 550 VTCSOM alumni all over the nation)

These new grads will be representing VTCSOM as they set out on their new adventures-residency programs.

We look forward to hearing about all the great things that they will accomplish in their residency programs and in their future careers!

Thank you to Dr. Meg Whitham ’15 and Dr. Adam Tate ’18 for serving as our 2026 Commencement Alumni Speakers.

Here are links to pictures and video!

Last Note

Since joining Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in 2013 as Senior Adviser for Accreditation, Dr. David Musick has played a vital role in advancing accreditation efforts, curriculum development, and continuous quality improvement. Throughout his distinguished career, he has also contributed extensively to medical education research, teaching, and mentorship.

Thank you Dr. Musick for your lasting impact on VTCSOM and the many students, faculty, and colleagues you have inspired along the way. Wishing you all the best in retirement!