Dean’s Message 

Like the changing of seasons, every October brings a new opportunity at VTCSOM for our first-year medical students to experience clinical application in ambulatory sites all across the Roanoke Valley through a program called the Longitudinal Ambulatory Clinical Experience.  Better known as “LACE,” it is designed to introduce early medical students to clinical care. Each VTCSOM student is randomly assigned to a physician at an ambulatory site and works with them over Phase 1. Students and faculty are provided learning objectives and scheduling options that align with the curriculum. LACE faculty are recruited through their department chairs and represent a broad diversity of specialties across Carilion Clinic. On Oct. 7, LACE faculty are invited to an annual faculty orientation to learn more about VTCSOM and the LACE program.  

VTCSOM students are value-added members of our clinical and community teams. They offer fresh perspectives and diversity in the clinical space. Joshua Perez, a VTCSOM M2, summed up his experience, “LACE has been one of the most important experiences during my medical school experience. It offered me opportunities to practice my clinical skills right as I was learning them, and kept me curious about different disease processes. I know for sure I would not have learned as much in my first year if it hadn’t been for my LACE experience and the incredible support of my LACE mentor.” In addition to clinical science applications, the LACE experiences are rich with opportunities to apply health system science concepts. What better way to learn about social determinants of health than hear examples of barriers directly from patients, families, and their medical teams!  

We are particularly pleased to meet a longstanding request from LACE faculty and student participants alike. This fall’s student LACE orientation on Oct. 10 incorporates additional training on electronic medical record documentation. The M1s will complete a required EPIC training program through partnering with the Carilion Clinic IT and compliance teams.  Upon successful completion of the training, they will be granted EPIC note-writing access under the supervision of their LACE faculty.  They will also receive feedback from their LACE preceptor and present patient histories in oral and written formats as a component of their end-of-semester assessments for a new course called Community and Clinical Immersions (CCI).

Beginning with the Class of 2028, the Clinical Science and HSSIP domains have partnered to develop this new course. The LACE program is part of this course and is packaged with a variety of other activities where students visit clinical and community sites.   In Unit 1, for example, CCI launched “Boots on the Ground” at the Roanoke City Health Department.  Students also spent an afternoon at the Carilion Clinic Dental Care at Tanglewood reinforcing concepts introduced in the Integrated Foundational Science course (IFS). Most importantly, LACE continues to provide pre-clerkship students opportunities to catch a glimpse of their end goal, to become physicians and care for patients and the communities they serve.  

Tarin Schmidt-Dalton, M.D.
Associate Dean, Clinical Science and Skills, Years 1 and 2

Editor’s note: The next issue of Progress Notes will be published Mon., Nov. 4. All submissions should be sent to Catherine Doss (cdoss@vt.edu) no later than Mon., Oct. 21.

News Around Campus

Social Media

Events 

  • October 12  – Southwest Virginia Pride Fest
  • October 15 – Blue Ridge Partnership for Health Science Careers annual meeting. Register here.
  • October 24 – Diverse Health Care Professionals in the Roanoke Valley Register here.
  • October 26 – Virginia Tech Homecoming. Come visit our VTCSOM tent at the Alumni Tailgate prior to the game.
  • Nov. 7 noon - 1 p.m. - DIBS event: "Inclusive Holiday Gatherings." Register here. https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/NOVDIBS2024
  • November 14, 12-1 p.m. – Developing Your Personal Brand 

Humanism Notes 

In this heartfelt video, VTCSOM students express gratitude to individuals who have donated their bodies to science, acknowledging the profound impact these donations have on their education. Through personal reflections they honor the donors' selfless contributions to advancing medical knowledge and patient care. Video by VTCSOM’s Ryan Anderson

The First Patient

Recognition

Brian Stanford, VTCSOM Facilities Director, was recognized as the 2024 recipient of the Dr. Daniel P. Harrington Award for Administrative Excellence. The honor was established in 2024 as a way to honor Dr. Dan Harrington's outstanding career at VTCSOM and his legacy of leadership. The award was announced at the annual VTCSOM Family Picnic on September 28, 2024.

The award recognizes employees who consistently demonstrate a strong work ethic, commitment to the school's goals, collaborate well, are reliable and dependable and contribute to a positive work environment.

Publishing

Lee Learman, dean of VTCSOM, and colleagues from around the country, published “Fellowship for Academic Generalists in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Is It Overdue?” in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Nicholas Rider, professor in the Department of Health Systems and Implementation Science, and collaborators, published “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Inborn Errors of Immunity: Current State & Future Promise” in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.

Kristen Eden, assistant professor in the Department of Basic Science Education (DBSE), published “NF-κB Inducing Kinase Attenuates Colorectal Cancer by Regulating Noncanonical NF-κB Mediated Colonic Epithelial Cell Regeneration” in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology with Holly Morrison and Brie Trusiano in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (DBSP) at the VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine, Coy Allen, professor in DBSE and DBSP, and others.

John Epling, professor, and Michelle Rockwell, assistant professor, both in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and collaborators from Virginia Commonwealth University, published “Practice Facilitation to Address Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Primary Care: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial” in JAMA Health Forum as part of an AHRQ-funded statewide initiative to improve screening for unhealthy alcohol use in primary care. 

Michelle Rockwell and colleague Mark Fendrick from the University of Michigan published an invited commentary, “Reducing low-value care is a feasible approach to enhancing access and affordability of high-value care for older Americans,” in The American Journal of Managed Care.

As part of her research domain project, Riya Patel, class of 2024, was first author on “Combination topical 5-fluorouracil 5%/calcipotriene 0.005% cream for the treatment of cutaneous in situ squamous cell carcinoma: a pilot study,” in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Co-authors include mentor Joshua Eikenberg, assistant professor of internal medicine; Nathan Johnson, class of 2017 and Carilion physician; Allison Tegge, Douglas Grider, and Patrick Rush, faculty in DBSE; Kiley Fagan, Eugenia Quan, Kyle Prickett, and Mariana Phillips, faculty in internal medicine; and former Carilion resident Alex Holliday.

Kelly Ingram, class of 2024, along with mentor Brittany Howell, assistant professor of pediatrics and associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science and at FBRI, co-mentor Jaclyn Nunziato, associate professor in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Health Systems and Implementation Science, and others, published “Impact of obesity on the perinatal vaginal environment and bacterial microbiome: effects on birth outcomes” in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.

As part of their research domain project, Kaitlyn Stebbins (MD/PhD student), class of 2027, Parsa Khaksar, class of 2026, with mentor and professor of pediatrics Michael Fox, and other members of the Fox Lab at FBRI, published “Retinal input is required for the maintenance of neuronal laminae in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus” in eNeuro. 

Tyler Shick, class of 2025, along with mentor Justin Weppner, assistant professor of internal medicine, published “Association between impulsivity, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts in traumatic brain injury patients,” in the Journal of Neurotrauma, along with Liliana Ladner, also class of 2025, her co-mentor Eric Marvin, associate professor in neurosurgery, Anita Kablinger, vice chair and professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine, and Carilion resident Srijan Adhikari.

Posters and Presentations

Mia Edelson, Randall Bissette, Ethan Nethery, and Luke Arney, Class of 2025, presented their research and scholarly work at the Mid-Atlantic Section annual meeting of the American Urological Association.

Welcome New Faculty

  • Basic Science Education – Catherine Koebel and Alfred Durham
  • Orthopaedic Surgery – Zachary Lyon and Blayne Patton
  • Radiology – Nicholaus Monsma
  • Family and Community Medicine – Zachary Hall and Stephanie Herwald
  • Pediatrics – Karen Marable and Cara Tillotson
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology – Kathryn Rakes

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Update 

Holidays and observance in October

October is:

  • National Disability Employment Awareness Month
  • LGBTQ+ History Month
  • Global Diversity Awareness Month
  • Polish American Heritage Month 
  • Filipino American History Month

2-4 (sundown to sundown):  Rosh Hashanah
3: Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day
3-12: Sharad Navratri
4:  St. Francis Day, feast day for St. Francis of Assisi
4:  Blessing of the Animals, in congruence with St. Francis Day
10:  World Mental Health Day
11:  National Coming Out Day (United States)
11-12 (sundown to sundown):  Yom Kippur
14:  Canadian Thanksgiving
14:  National Indigenous Peoples Day
16–23:  Sukkot
16:  International Pronouns Day
20:  Birth of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
23-24 (sundown to sundown):  Shemini Atzeret
24-25 (sundown to sundown):  Simchat Torah
31:  All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween)
31:  Reformation Day 
October 31–November 1 (sundown to sundown):  Samhain

Spotlight on Giving

Join us in support of a new fund will help to address potential food insecurity among Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine students by providing essential supplies and resources. The school is seeking monetary support and non-perishable food items to increase food pantry accessibility to all VTCSOM students, ensure that pantries remain stocked with a variety of food items and promote awareness about food insecurity and the resources that are available. 

To give to the VTCSOM Food Pantry Support Fund, visit https://giving.adv.vt.edu. Then:

  1. Select Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine as the area to support
  2. Select VTCSOM Food Pantry for the fund
  3. Select your gift amount

Food drives are planned through the year, but items can also be dropped off in boxes around campus or at Dr. Witcher Walker’s office. 

Requested non-perishable food items include: 

  • Trail mix
  • Nuts
  • Nutrigrain Bars
  • Protein Bars
  • Fruit Cups
  • Applesauce
  • Oatmeal
  • Dried Fruits
  • Soups (chicken noodle, clam chowder, potato, beef stew, vegetable)
  • Canned Tuna (or packaged)
  • Canned Chicken (or packaged)
  • Knorrs Pasta Cups
  • Knorrs Rice Cups
  • Cup of Noodles
  • Jif To Go Peanut Butter Cups
  • Crackers

Alumni Updates 

A warm VTCSOM congratulations!

Lily Colpitts ’15  and her husband Kevin Gutermuth welcomed twin boys on July 24, 2024. The twins were delivered in Roanoke by Lily’s friend and VTCSOM classmate Meg Whitham ’15. Lily will start as an infectious disease attending with Carilion Clinic in the new year. Her husband is a new pediatric emergency medicine attending at Carilion.

Virginia Tech Homecoming Tailgate

Join us for some fun at the annual tailgate in Blacksburg on October 26! Check out more event information and how to register at https://www.alumni.vt.edu/events/2024/10/homecoming-tailgate.html

Update us on what is happening!

Are you moving on to private practice or a fellowship? Did you get married? Have a baby? Get published, receive an award, or promoted?  Tell us about it! Please fill out our survey:  https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/a/TakeSurvey?tt=vgzDQZL8WMUECHrPeIW9eQ%3D%3D

Carilion recruitment

Interested in returning to Roanoke or the surrounding areas to work and play?  Carilion Clinic has outstanding employment opportunities available in many specialties. Visit Carilionclinic.org, scroll to Careers and then Physician Careers for more information. You may also reach out to Andrea Henson, director of physician recruitment & onboarding (ahenson@carilionclinic.org) or 540-224-5241.

Take Note

Fall Yoga Series

  • Wellness Team
  • Select Wednesdays
  • 12:15 PM -12:45 PM
  • Take a break mid-day and engage in a 30-minute yoga session with Emily Holt Foerst. These sessions will be routinely offered throughout the fall semester to students and employees. Click here to sign up for a session!

HS&T High Five!

  • Launched in August of this year, HS&T High Fives are an informal way to celebrate the hard work and achievements of those on the HS&T campus in Roanoke. If you know someone deserving of an HS&T High Five, please email their name and brief description to roanokehokies@vt.edu. HS&T High Fives will be placed on recipients’ doors. Let’s celebrate the amazing work of our colleagues together!

ASPIRE! Awards

  • The Virginia Tech Office of Student Affairs is now accepting nominations for our Aspire! Awards celebrations for 2024-25! Anyone in the university community can nominate any Virginia Tech student or faculty/staff member who exemplifies one of Virginia Tech’s five Aspirations for Student Learning. Learn more.

The Last Note

Altered Art: Making Art Your Own

An artists’ reception and gallery opening was held last month for Altered Art. The pieces reflected creativity and a bit of whimsy. The exhibit will be on display until Dec. 13.