by amande | Jan 24, 2025 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News
Dear GME Community,
Happy New Year! This issue of GME News & Notes includes some policy changes, new roles in the GME Office, upcoming GME Lunch & Learn schedule and other valuable events, in addition to various important updates.
This month we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrate the Distinguished Service and Community Service award winners. The GME Office also welcomes Jessica Kruse, our new Information Systems & Web Support Specialist! Jessica brings a wealth of experience in user-centered design, web development, and process optimization. If you are wondering who to contact for your specific question, please see Our Team page.
I’m also including language from Dr. Dellit’s email to the UW Medicine community regarding recent federal executive orders: It is unclear how these orders may be implemented, what policies may emerge, and where potential legal challenges may be made. We are working across the UW to better understand these potential impacts and to support our patients, faculty, staff, trainees and students. We are not changing any of our practices or programs while navigating this period of uncertainty. If, after careful review and analysis, we identify the need to make changes or to clarify our position in order to comply with federal and state law, we will work through our existing policies and protocols to ensure appropriate implementation in our complex system. Please know that the GME Office is tracking these matters closely for applicability to our trainees and programs. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out.
Thanks,
Cindy
Policies and Processes
- The GMEC approved revisions to the following policies at the January 2025 meeting. All are posted on the Policies and Procedures page of the GME website.
- Minor updates to the following policies: Visiting Resident and Fellow Policy, Appointment Policy, Credentialing Policy and Meals Policy
- The 2025-2026 Residency and Fellowship Position Appointment (RFPA) Agreement, which will take effect July 1, 2025, has been released and is now available on the Policies and Procedures, Current Residents and Fellows, and Prospective Residents and Fellows pages of the GME website. An announcement with a summary of changes was sent to programs and current residents and fellows on January 7. Programs currently interviewing candidates for the 2025-2026 academic year must provide candidates with a copy of the updated agreement.
- GME is Hiring!
- Programs that would like to discuss any GME Impacts of the UW Medicine and Valley Medical Center Announcement, please contact Cindy Hamra.
- Annual Scheduling Window Opens for WISHTrack Users on January 13th: Each January, WISH opens annual scheduling for recurrent activities and course series for the following academic year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). In order to support migration to WISH’s new WISHTrack system, the schedule will be open for EARLY ACCESS online booking starting at NOON, on Monday, January 13th. Programs may continue to submit requests via email using the WISH Scheduling Request Template, starting at NOON, on Monday, January 27th (Regular Access).
- A reminder to all clinicians from our colleagues in Risk Management not to use secure chat for emergent issues and that secure chats are subject to public record requests.
- Training Extension Form on the Appointments & Credentialing page has been updated to the Current Appointment Change Form. The new form will be used to request individual appointment updates for chief designation, overnight call, training extension, and training reduction.
- Meeting and away conferences that take place during VA assignments require pre-approval from the corresponding site director and designated education officer. Please submit these requests to the VA no later than 30 days before leave occurs.
- New Non-ACGME Programs: Is your department planning to launch a new non-ACGME fellowship program? Visit the Non-ACGME Program Resources page for resources including the application for new non-ACGME programs.
- Best Practices for Recruiting and Supporting International Medical Graduates: The GMEC IMG Task Force has developed best practices and resources for programs to reduce barriers to recruitment of IMGs which is now available on the Recruitment Resources page of the GME website under Application and Recruitment: UW > Recruiting and Supporting International Medical Graduates: Best Practices.
- Welcome New Program Administrators:
- Sam Rogers: Interventional Radiology-Integrated, Interventional Radiology-Independent, Imaging Physics
- Debra Weinstein, MD, assumed the role of ACGME President and Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2025. Read the Announcement in the ACGME Newsroom.
- The ACGME has a weekly e-Communication. If you wish to receive it, email ACGMECommunications@acgme.org.
Events of Interest
- GME Lunch & Learns
- January 16: ACGME Surveys; slides and recording now available
- February 20: Cancelled due to ACGME Annual Conference
- March 20: Annual Program Evaluations (APEs) & Workplace Safety
- Program Administrators and department staff involved in the appointment and onboarding process of new residents and fellows in Workday are encouraged to join us on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, from 8:30am-12pm for the AY26 Onboarding Kickoff Meeting. This virtual event will provide an overview of the onboarding and reappointment processes for the upcoming academic year. No registration is required for this event. Complete information can be found in the 12/2 email from Shinetra Pryor.
- Residents & Fellows – we are thrilled to extend a warm invitation to an upcoming event designed exclusively for you – Navigating Parental Leave for Resident & Fellow Physicians, taking place on Tuesday, February 4th from 6:30-7:30pm via Zoom. We encourage all residents, fellows, and guests to join us for this essential discussion. Don’t wait! – Register today!
- February 28 marks National Thank a Resident Day. The GME Wellness Team will be coordinating celebrations at HMC, UWMC, and SCH. Use this link to celebrate the contributions residents and fellows make to our teams every day. Stay tuned to email for more information about lunchtime events on February 28.
- The March 2025 Educator Development for GME Excellence (EDGE) session registration is now open. This virtual session is Tuesday, March 25, 2025 from 10:30 am and 12:00 pm and will focus on “Supporting Trainee Disability Accommodations” with Hayley Fisher, UW GME.
- Navigating Housing and Financial Wellness: A Panel Discussion Thursday, January 30, 2025, from Noon to 1:00 p.m. Gain insights into housing and financial resources tailored for the UW community with experts from SabbaticalHomes, HomeStreet Bank, and Bridges @ 11th.
- Get to Know the WA EAP: For Employees and Their Families Wednesday, February 12, 2025, from Noon to 1:00 p.m. Explore the wide range of work/life resources offered by WA EAP to support employees and their families, from legal assistance to financial counseling.
- Clinical & non-clinical volunteers are needed for the upcoming Seattle/King County Clinic from April 24 – 27, 2025 at Seattle Center. The Clinic is celebrating its tenth anniversary and provides free dental, vision, medical & social services for 3000+ people in need. Review the assignment descriptions for more information on the requirements and duties of each position, including information for students and residents.
- Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.
Projects and Resources
Please review the GME Annual Program Timeline for important dates for the months of January and February.- 2025 ACGME Surveys Open February 10: The ACGME Resident/Fellow and Faculty Surveys run from February 10 to April 4. This year, early participation is especially important due to union-related discussions closer to the deadline. Verify ADS rosters are accurate, with 70% response rates required (or 100% for smaller programs). Resources are available on the ACGME website and from the January GME Lunch & Learn.
- The UW Medicine Peer to Peer program is seeking nominations from residents and fellows who may be interested in becoming trained peer supporters. Submit your nomination here.
- Please remember that the UW Medicine Bias Reporting Tool is a place to share incidents of bias including racism, sexism, ableism, discrimination of any form or other behaviors that do not reflect the prioritization of inclusion and equity expected in all areas of our community. The GME Concern Reporting tool is also available to members of the GME community to report concerns about the learning environment.
- Medical Quality Improvement Committee (MQIC) is a multidisciplinary committee encompassing all core service lines at UWMC. Its goal is to promote quality improvement and enhance patient safety through oversight and coordination of an ongoing standardized case review process. Please see the Lessons & Highlights from January 2025 for more information of current activities.
- Multiple regulations require health service providers to document that faculty/staff who provide healthcare to patients in a language other than English are competent to do so. UW Medicine meets this requirement by having faculty/staff undergo a verbal language assessment or provide university diploma acquired in a country and institution where coursework was completed in the target language. Faculty/Staff must complete the language assessment process, including a brief LMS module on the role and limitations of bilingual staff, prior to listing and/or utilizing their language skills in communicating with a patient in a language other than English. Those who are assessed may use their language skills to the full extent of their own scope of practice. Because this process does not certify faculty /staff as medical interpreters, they should not act as an interpreter between patients and other care team members. If you are interested in having your language ability assessed, please contact uwmed-bilingualtest@uw.edu. More information is available here (login required).
- UWHR is thrilled to announce a new opportunity to support UW families over the summer—a summer camp on our UW campus brought to you by KinderCare’s Champ Camp Great Outdoors. We will be able to accommodate up to 100 kids for summer 2025, with the hope of doubling this count for 2026. KinderCare is giving UW community members a $75 discount off the $600 weekly fee. The camp runs from June 23 to August 22, 2025. Learn more information on the UW WorkLife summer camp webpage.
- Stress First Aid: Anne Browning and Marie Cockerham share how this simple tool can help you check in on your well-being and that of others.
- The GME Office has created a resource regarding information about legal matters for trainees. This document was created with input from Risk Management and Claims Services and is designed to be used by both trainees and programs. The resource is posted to the GME Website and can be found on the Current Residents and Fellows page under UW Resources.
- Affordable housing available near the Seattle campus; priority for UW employees UW employees receive priority access to vacancies at Bridges@11th in the U District. There are three MFTE units available: studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
- Institutional Post Recruitment Survey: Programs received a summary of the Institutional Post Recruitment Survey for the 2023 and 2024 recruitment seasons on October 4. We continue to ask programs to include the survey link in post-recruitment survey communications to interviewed applicants. Please contact Gabrielle Pett with questions.
People
- Kelley Branch, Cardiovascular Disease Program Director, has been selected as the Vice Chair and future Chair of the American College of Cardiology Rick Nishimura, MD, MACC and Patrick T. O’Gara, MD, MACC Emerging Faculty Leadership Academy. Dr. Branch is also co-author of “The risk of death according to left ventricular ejection fraction and right ventricular dilatation in 17 321 adults with heart failure from 40 high-, middle- and low-income countries – A Global Congestive Heart Failure (G-CHF) study” in the European Journal of Heart Failure.
- Anne Browning, Chief Well-Being Officer and associate dean for Well-Being, offers practical tips to keep a chaotic day from getting the best of you in “6 Ways to Save Your Stressful, Busy Day” from Right as Rain.
- John Choe, Internal Medicine Program Director, is co-author of “Initial Analysis of Internal Medicine Intern UME to GME Individualized Learning Plan Content” in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
- Haiming Kerr, acting assistant professor, Lindsey Anderson, acting assistant professor, and Jose Garcia, Geriatric Medicine Research Pathway Program Director, are co-authors of “The LEAP2 Response to Cancer-Related Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome in Male Mice and Patients” in Endocrinology.
- Fuki Hisama, Medical Genetics and Genomics Program Director, gave a presentation at the Paramount Theatre last week for their Beyond the Curtain Series which features local experts who speak about themes related to the current show.
- Dirk Keene, Neuropathology Associate Program Director, is featured in “Changes in cerebellum linked to more severe Alzheimer’s” from the UW Medicine News Room.
- Radhika Narla, Internal Medicine Associate Program Director, is lead author of “Rationale for osteoporosis screening in men” in Osteoporosis International.
- Stefanie Deeds, clinical associate professor, is lead author and Karin Nelson, Health Services Research & Development Program Director, is senior author of “Electronic Health Record Time Allocation Among Primary Care Clinicians at the Veterans Health Administration Using Virtual Observations” in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Department of Medicine co-authors are Scott Hagan and Ashok Reddy. Dr. Nelson is also co-author of “National Telehealth Contingency Staffing Program and Primary Care Quality in the VHA” in JAMA Network Open.
- Johnnie Orozco, Hematology & Oncology Associate Program Director, and Brenda Sandmaier, professor (Hematology and Oncology) are co-authors of “Randomized Phase III SIERRA Trial of 131I-Apamistamab Before Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Versus Conventional Care for Relapsed/Refractory AML” in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
- Sarah Prager, Complex Family Planning Program Director, is featured in “Washington pharmacists prescribe abortion pills through new pilot program” from Washington State Standard.
- Bridget Collins, clinical associate professor, is lead author and Ganesh Raghu, Interstitial Lung Disease Program Director, is senior author of “Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: A high index of clinical suspicion is key for early diagnosis and successful treatment” in Respirology. Dr. Raghu is also co-author of “Covered Stent Correction for Sinus Venosus Atrial Septal Defects, an Emerging Alternative to Surgical Repair: Results of an International Registry” in Circulation.
- David Rink, Internal Medicine chief resident and acting instructor, is lead author and Tyler Albert, associate professor (General Internal Medicine) is senior author of “Failing Safely: Autonomy and Identity Formation in Medical Training” in ATS Scholar. Department of Medicine co-author is Gaby Berger.
- Coralynn Sack, Occupational & Environmental Medicine Program Director is lead author of “Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure and Severity of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Data from the IPF-PRO Registry” in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Department of Medicine co-authors are Joel Kaufman and Ganesh Raghu.
- Christopher Sanford, Global Health Program Director, is featured in “The health risks of these 4 raw foods aren’t what you’d expect” from Right as Rain.
- Georgia Sleeth, Internal Medicine resident, is co-author of “Protest-related injuries during the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone protest in Seattle, Washington, USA in 2020” in Injury Prevention.
- Zachary Steinberg, Interventional Cardiology Program Director, is co-author of “Covered Stent Correction for Sinus Venosus Atrial Septal Defects, an Emerging Alternative to Surgical Repair: Results of an International Registry” in Circulation.
- Check out the Otolaryngology Head and Neck – Winter 2025 Newsletter for trainee features and faculty highlights.
- The top recommended hospitals in every state by Becker’s Hospital Review.
- 100 great neuro and spine programs | 2024 by Becker’s Hospital Review.
by amande | Jan 14, 2025 | Wellness, Wellness Corner
Dear Wellness Community,
As we step into January, you may find yourself reflecting on the year ahead. If the idea of setting goals or embracing change feels overwhelming, you might experiment with practice rather than perfection.
Sustainable change isn’t about transforming overnight: it’s about progress, no matter how small. Incremental change can make a meaningful difference in how you approach your work, your relationships, and your own well-being.
This month, we’re highlighting local events and mindfulness practices to help you set a sustainable tone for the year ahead. Whether it’s expressing gratitude, walking with a friend, or carving out a few moments for journaling, there are countless ways to pause, recharge, and reconnect. These small but meaningful practices can provide a sense of balance and clarity amid the demands of your training.
Let’s make 2025 a year of steady growth and renewed commitment—to your health, your goals, and the extraordinary work you’re here to do.
Take care,
This month’s Wellness Corner authored by:
Amy Wheat LMHC
Mental Health Counselor
amywheat@uw.edu
GME Wellness Counseling
GME Events
- 2/28 marks National Thank a Resident Day. The GME Wellness Team will be coordinating celebrations at HMC, UWMC, and SCH. We’re collecting anonymous stories of appreciation to share with our community. Use this link or the QR code below to celebrate the contributions residents and fellows make to our teams every day:
- Residents and fellows interested in Navigating Parental Leave are invited to join the GME for a webinar to learn more about taking leave and successfully returning to work on 2/4 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.
- Looking to support your peers? UW Medicine invites residents and fellows to join the Peer to Peer Program. Submit an application or nominate a peer today!
- At our December GME Wellness outreach event, the community turned out to greet Diesel, the emotional support horse, and Palmer, the emotional support dog. Stay tuned for more opportunities to connect with these caring critters.
Black Lives Matter
- The Whole U has compiled a directory of ways to engage, reflect, learn, and support our communities to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Have a few free hours on 1/20? Why not sign up for the King County Day of Service?
- Ready for an ongoing commitment? Add your name to MD Connections, a directory hosted by the UW School of Medicine Career Advising Office. The directory allows first gen and BIPOC students to connect with physicians who may share their identities as they navigate their education and training.
- If you’re in the mood to learn, the Campus Library Social Justice Team at UW Bothell has compiled a virtual display of streaming videos related to the fight for racial and social justice in the 20th.
Celebrate the Lunar Year with
Friends of Little Sài Gòn from
1/17 to 1/19. Activities include a
vinyl record listening party, market, and bánh tét cooking workshop.
The
Woodland Park Zoo invites you to
stroll WildLanterns, a
winter festival of lights from
4 to 9 pm every Monday through Friday until 1/19.
Snag your tickets for the annual
screening of the world’s premiere outdoor film festival. Leave feeling
inspired and reinvigorated.
Wellness Corner Quick Links
Gems from Treasure Valley
- Join the Boise State MLK Living Legacy Committee for their annual MLK Day of Greatness, including a march and rally that begins at 11:30 am at the Boise State student unio
- Grab the kiddos (or the young at heart) and head to Bogus Basin for a day of tubing, just 16 miles north of Boise.
- Join the community at Beginners Mind Sangha for sitting and walking meditation every Wednesday evening and Sunday morning.
Got Feedback for Us?
We’d love to hear it! Share your thoughts about the Wellness Corner, suggestions for future events, discounts or articles to highlight, or anything else you’d like to share. Please email your thoughts to Dipti Chrastka (diptic@uw.edu), Howard Schafer (hischa5@uw.edu), Amy Wheat (amywheat@uw.edu), and/or Maureen Horgan (mhorgan@uw.edu).
by amande | Jan 2, 2025 | Announcements, News
Dear Residents, Fellows and GME Community,
Byron Joyner, MD
Happy 2025!
As we welcome this new year, the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) – Northwest and the University of Washington will begin negotiating for a fourth collective bargaining agreement. We are hopeful this process will find all stakeholders coming to the table with goodwill and shared commitment towards collegial, productive discussions.
The UW GME Office looks forward to celebrating housestaff wins. Our roles in negotiations are to advocate for the housestaff to UW Medicine leadership, serve as subject matter experts regarding matters of policy, accreditation, and finances, and connect with other subject matter experts whose scope affects residents and fellows.
Accordingly, the GME Office commits to the following values as we enter negotiations in 2025:
- Be at the table regarding decisions that affect our residents and fellows
- Articulate clear common goals in support of the work that residents and fellows do and to secure resources for them
- Serve as an expert in accreditation and education, bridging UW Medicine and the housestaff during and after negotiations
- Appreciate and enculturate a healthy, diverse and inclusive learning environment
- Promote well-being so that our community can grow and thrive
- Consistently interact in a professional and collegial manner with all parties involved in negotiations
Contract negotiations are challenging, and the reality is that compromises are necessary to arrive at any agreement. We expect difficult conversations but look forward to a process that is collegial and ultimately elevates us all.
Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for GME and DIO
by amande | Dec 20, 2024 | Announcements, Events, GME News & Notes, News
Dear GME Community,
As the year draws to an end, we share our Reflections on 2024 and our gratitude for this wonderful community. Some things to celebrate include selection of Dr. Mark Harrast for the Bruce C. Gilliland Award and an article in the Huddle featuring stories from former trainees who are now leaders at UW Medicine: Why Our Residents and Fellows Stay – and Lead – at UW Medicine.
We are looking forward to working with Dr. Alex Chiu, who joins UW Medicine in January as the New Executive Vice Dean. I’m also excited to share that Branden Phanmaha is our new Associate Director for GME Finance, leading the Finance team in the GME Office.
December News & Notes contains information about the Annual Scheduling Window for WISH, spring 2025 Lunch & Learn topics, a call for participation in our newly approved GME Resident-Fellow Clinical Coverage Task Force and many other useful items.
Thanks,
Cindy
Policies and Processes
- Programs that would like to discuss any GME Impacts of the UW Medicine and Valley Medical Center Announcement, please contact Cindy Hamra.
- Annual Scheduling Window Opens for WISHTrack Users on January 13th: Each January, WISH opens annual scheduling for recurrent activities and course series for the following academic year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). In order to support migration to WISH’s new WISHTrack system, the schedule will be open for EARLY ACCESS online booking starting at NOON, on Monday, January 13th. Programs may continue to submit requests via email using the WISH Scheduling Request Template, starting at NOON, on Monday, January 27th (Regular Access).
- EARLY ACCESS REQUIREMENTS – Prepare! Familiarize yourself with WISHTrack
- WISHTrack is WISH’s new online information management system with capabilities such as online scheduling and equipment requests, course documentation, learner attendance and evaluations, as well as data management and reporting.
- Instructions/tutorials for use of the online system well as links and times for live WISHTrack Trainings and User Support Sessions (via Zoom), are available HERE via the WISH website.
- Be Prepared – In order for courses to be available for request, both the requestor and the courses must be registered in the WISHTrack system prior to a request being made.
- If a course was held with WISH in the last 6 months, it will already have a WISHTrack ID, but if it’s an older or brand-new course – WISH can work with you to make sure the system is updated ahead of time.
- A list of WISHTrack Course IDs is available in the online Course Catalog.
- A friendly reminder to all clinicians from our colleagues in Risk Management not to use secure chat for emergent issues and that secure chats are subject to public record requests.
- Training Extension Form on the Appointments & Credentialing page has been updated to the Current Appointment Change Form. The new form will be used to request individual appointment updates for chief designation, overnight call, training extension, and training reduction.
- Meeting and away conferences that take place during VA assignments require pre-approval from the corresponding site director and designated education officer. Please submit these requests to the VA no later than 30 days before leave occurs.
- Complimentary Access to Cortex: The AAMC and Thalamus have announced that all ERAS participating programs will have complimentary access to Cortex for the 2026 ERAS season (see November 7 press release). The GME Office will hold an information session for programs in the coming months. Details to come.
- New Non-ACGME Programs: Is your department planning to launch a new non-ACGME fellowship program? Visit the Non-ACGME Program Resources page for resources including the application for new non-ACGME programs.
- Remember that trainees who are members of the RFPU-NW are entitled to one (1) paid personal holiday per calendar year. If unused in the calendar year, the personal holiday is forfeit, and it is not paid at separation. It is the employee’s responsibility to schedule the personal holiday before December 31st. Please see complete information in Article 12 of the RFPU-NW Contract.
- UW Medicine Epic News and Reminders
- Epic Upgrade/2FA Changes began on October 20: this upgrade includes a new 2FA requirement for Epic Mobile Apps (Haiku, Canto, Rover). Providers are encouraged to setup the Authentication App before 10/20 to avoid delays accessing the mobile Apps. Details have been sent out in the Epic and UWMC Weekly newsletters. Review the Enrollment Instructions for more information.
- Dragon Medical One (DMO) Dictation: Residents and fellows are enrolled in Dragon at onboarding, but there are still a few steps that need to be completed for setup. Instructions are on the Dragon Medical One page in the UW Medicine EHR Hub and linked from the Getting Ready for UW Medicine Epic EHR page on the GME website.
- Epic Personalization (Customization): Looking to be more efficient in Epic? Complete the Epic Physician Personalization eLearning in the Learning Hub (login and search for Epic Physician Personalization) and review the Epic Customization Quick Start Guide in the UW Medicine EHR Hub which will walk you through the steps to create customized Order Sets, Preference Lists, and SmartPhrases, and directions on how to set up your Dashboard.
- Best Practices for Recruiting and Supporting International Medical Graduates: The GMEC IMG Task Force has developed best practices and resources for programs to reduce barriers to recruitment of IMGs which is now available on the Recruitment Resources page of the GME website under Application and Recruitment: UW > Recruiting and Supporting International Medical Graduates: Best Practices.
Events of Interest
- GME Lunch & Learns
- January 16: ACGME Surveys
- February 20: Workplace Safety
- March 20: Annual Program Evaluations (APEs)
- Program Administrators and department staff involved in the appointment and onboarding process of new residents and fellows in Workday are encouraged to join us on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, from 8:30am-12pm for the AY26 Onboarding Kickoff Meeting. This virtual event will provide an overview of the onboarding and reappointment processes for the upcoming academic year. No registration is required for this event. Complete information can be found in the 12/2 email from Shinetra Pryor.
- The March 2025 Educator Development for GME Excellence (EDGE) session registration is now open. This virtual session is Tuesday, March 25, 2025 from 10:30 am and 12:00 pm and will focus on “Supporting Trainee Disability Accommodations” with Hayley Fisher, UW GME.
- Other GME Events can be found on our calendar.
Projects and Resources
- Please review the GME Annual Program Timeline for important dates for the months of December and January.
- Cindy Hamra and Dr. Jennifer Best are excited to co-chair a newly approved GME Resident-Fellow Clinical Coverage Task Force, which will address variability in how training programs partner with clinical services to ensure continuity of care in light of increased utilization of leave of all types by residents and fellows. They are hopeful that members of our community including residents, fellows, chief/exec residents/fellows, program directors and program administrators will be interested in participating. Please see their December 12th ‘Call for nominations: GME Resident-Fellow Clinical Coverage Task Force (due 12/31)’ email for complete information. Interested individuals should send an email to Cindy Hamra and Jennifer Best by 12/31/2024. Please offer a brief explanation (1 paragraph) of your interest in participating.
- Stress First Aid: Anne Browning and Marie Cockerham share how this simple tool can help you check in on your well-being and that of others.
- The GME Office has created a resource regarding information about legal matters for trainees. This document was created with input from Risk Management and Claims Services and is designed to be used by both trainees and programs. The resource is posted to the GME Website and can be found on the Current Residents and Fellows page under UW Resources.
- Affordable housing available near the Seattle campus; priority for UW employees: UW employees receive priority access to vacancies at Bridges@11th in the U District. There are three MFTE units available: studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
- The holiday season is often a time of giving by grateful patients, vendors, and other outside organizations. State employees within UW Medicine are governed by the Washington State Ethics in Public Service Act with regard to the gifts they may accept and how they may redirect gifts they cannot accept. Common questions about gifts from patients and other external sources (including food and beverages) and other related topics are answered in the Gifts from External Sources FAQs on the UW Medicine Compliance website. Additional information is available on the Internal Audit website.
- Institutional Post Recruitment Survey: Programs received a summary of the Institutional Post Recruitment Survey for the 2023 and 2024 recruitment seasons on October 4. We continue to ask programs to include the survey link in post-recruitment survey communications to interviewed applicants. Please contact Gabrielle Pett with questions.
- Thanks to Michael Hardin in Facilities for this guide to the all gender restrooms on the Harborview campus [UW Medicine password required]
People
- Anne Browning, Chief Well-Being Officer and associate dean for Well-Being, has collaborated on the One Fun Thing series with The Huddle; see the Self-Care Survival Guide (Holiday Edition). She is also featured in ‘”6 Ways to Reduce Suffering With Radical Acceptance” from Right as Rain.
- Yaacoub Chahine, Internal Medicine, is lead author and Nazem Akoum, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Program Director, is senior author of “Atrial fibrillation substrate and impaired left atrial function: a cardiac MRI study” in EP Europace. Department of Medicine co-authors are Nadia Chamoun, Ahmad Kassar, and Lee Bockus.
- Congratulations to Cassandra Chiao, fellow (Nephrology) who received a Fall 2024 Cares Award.
- Mark Harrast, Sports Medicine (PM&R) Associate Program Director, is featured in” 6 Common Running Injuries (and What to Do About Them)” from Right as Rain.
- Cooper Kersey, fellow, is lead author and Chris Longenecker, professor (Cardiology) is senior author of “Ischemic Evaluation in New‐Onset Methamphetamine‐Associated Heart Failure” in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Department of Medicine co-authors are Danelle Hidano and Joey Chiang.
- Emily Liang, fellow, is lead author, and Jordan Gauthier, associate professor (Hematology and Oncology) is senior author of “Development and validation of predictive models of early immune effector cell-associated hematotoxicity (eIPMs)” in Blood Advances. Department of Medicine co-authors are Jennifer Huang, Andrew Portuguese, Natalie Wuliji, Mohamed Sorror, Joshua Hill, Noam Kopmar, Rahul Banerjee, Andrew Cowan, Ajay Gopal, Christina Poh, Mazyar Shadman, Brian Till, Alexandre Hirayama, Erik Kimble, Lorenzo Iovino, Aude Chapuis, Folashade Otegbeye, Ryan Cassaday, Filippo Milano, and David Maloney.
- Ganesh Raghu, Interstitial Lung Disease Program Director, is senior author of “Development and Evaluation of ABI-171, a New Fluoro-Catechin Derivative, for the Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis” in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. He is also co-author of “Precision Cut Lung Slices: Emerging Tools for Preclinical and Translational Lung Research. An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report” in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology.
- Xavier Sendaydiego, Internal Medicine, is lead author and Namrata Singh, Rheumatology Associate Program Director, is senior author of “Use of Biologic or Targeted Synthetic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs and Cancer Risk” in JAMA Network Open.
- Ariana Stuart, R2, is quoted in “AI May Improve MASLD Diagnosis Rate” in Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News. She is also quoted in “AI Helps Spot Liver Disease Early” in Health Day. Read more about her research on the Department of Medicine news site.
- The Department of Surgery Newsletter ‘Surgery Synopsis’ features many voices of the GME community: Check out the Fall 2024 issue.
- UW Medicine Hospitals Receive Certification for Digital Health Excellence
by amande | Dec 9, 2024 | Announcements, Awards, News
Mark Harrast, MD
Dr. Mark A. Harrast has been voted by his peers as the winner of the 2024 Bruce C. Gilliland Award. Dr. Gilliland was a professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and a professor of Laboratory Medicine at the University of Washington SOM.
The Gilliland award is presented annually to the candidate who is actively engaged in clinical and didactic training or in the implementation of a graduate medical education curriculum. The winner must have shown evidence of excellence over time and must have served for a t least 3 years within the UW SOM as a teacher of residents/fellows.
Dr. Harrast is the founding director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship program (2006). He served as the director of the fellowship program until this year – 18 years. He stepped away from his role as a contingency plan for stability of the Sports Medicine Fellowship, allowing Dr. Liem to have a comfortable transition into his new role.
According to the 5 colleagues in his department who nominated him and wrote supportive letters, Dr. Harrast is well regarded as a strong leader – he is supportive, knowledgeable, organized, responsible, communicates well, has a strong guiding vision and is highly dedicated to the field. He is extremely principled, ethical, and dedicated to advancing the field of Sports Medicine and providing highest quality evidence-based care and education. Because of his leadership experience particularly related to medical education and training, he was appointed as the first Vice Chair of Education in 2023 by Dr. Janna Friedly, Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. In this role, Dr. Harrast has been critical in faculty development, innovation, improvement, quality and patient safety.
Dr. Harrast embodies what it means to be a Clinician Educator. His clinical skills and ability to relate to patients are superb. His teaching skills are well appreciated by trainees (as evidenced by his prior receipt of the Outstanding Teacher award), and he works tirelessly to disseminate medical knowledge and skills to the broader medical community. He also makes it a point to help residents and fellows increase their own competency in academic medicine, by incorporating trainees into book chapters, review articles, and case presentations at national meetings, and happily mentors them along every step of their journey.
Stanley Herring, a PM&R colleague, who knew Dr. Gilliland said that he believes that Dr. Harrast has the same characteristics: compassion and selfless dedication to mentoring and teaching.
It always gives me great pleasure to celebrate members of our community. Thank you, Dr. Harrast.
Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education
Designated Institutional Official
