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Oct. 24, 2023

Clinician-scientists in the Department of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery have linked a rare inner ear disorder to cognitive dysfunction, including poor memory and concentration, forgetfulness and other vestibular conditions related to the sense of balance. Using a novel animal model created by the research team led by P. Ashley Wackym, MD, professor and chair of department, they reported for the first time a connection between third window syndrome, known clinically as superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD), and cognitive impairment by examining behavioral and anatomical responses. The findings were published in the neuro-otology section of the journal Frontiers in Neurology.

The researchers studied how SSCD in animals impaired cognitive function and impacted decision-making, which they found was significant and similar to impairment observed in human patients with SSCD. However, unlike humans who require surgical intervention, the researchers studied how the bony holes in animals’ inner ears healed spontaneously, leading to a quick recovery of decision-making functions.

“Understanding central neuralplasticity of the inner ear, or how it self-heals in animals, allows us to test SSCD conditions before, during and after recovery, findings that could be applied to humans, significantly improving their quality of life,” Wackym said.

A study led by Kristine Schmitz, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, found that a father’s depression in the first year of their child’s life was strongly associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) by the time children were 5 years old and were transitioning into kindergarten. The preliminary findings suggest that fathers should be screened for and offered treatment for their depression in an effort to reduce the risk the hardships their children may later face. Dr. Schmitz presented the study abstract at the American Academy of Pediatrics' national conference this past weekend.

ACEs, which include household dysfunction and child maltreatment, have lifelong effects on children, including health problems, poorer mental health, and poorer school performance. In this high-risk, U.S.-based study of almost 5,000 children of mostly unmarried parents, the research team found that fathers' depression in the first year of their child’s life was strongly associated with ACEs by the time children were 5 years old. Children had a two-times higher chance of experiencing three or more ACEs, by the time they were 5 years old. This risk was above and beyond sociodemographic factors and the mother’s postpartum depression.

The study has received broad media coverage, including this video in which Dr. Schmitz discussed the study with Healio while at the conference and in Contemporary Pediatrics, and HealthDay.

Congratulations to Billie S. Fyfe-Kirschner, MD, FCAP, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, who was honored with the 2023 CAP Lifetime Achievement Award by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) for her service as a member and chair of the CAP Autopsy Committee and for her contributions to the Autopsy Pathology Program.

According to CAP, "Dr. Fyfe-Kirschner has been a leading contributor for autopsy educational courses presented by the committee at CAP annual meetings. She was instrumental in developing the innovative wet-lab course for CAP22, which allowed attending pathologists to reinforce the lecture material with immediate hands-on practice.

"She is a leader in the field of autopsy pathology and has worked tirelessly to help develop additional autopsy educational materials for practicing pathologists, residents, and pathologist-educators."

2023 Chancellor Awards Honor Four at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Congratulations to the faculty and staff members at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School who were honored as part of the 2023 Chancellor Awards, which celebrate institution-wide excellence in research in the biomedical and health sciences; clinical care; community service; mentorship; education; leadership; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and staff service and support. Nominated by their peers, recipients of the awards are selected by the Chancellor Awards Committee, which reviews the contributions of the nominees. This year's RWJMS honorees are:

During #SIDS Awareness Month in October, the medical school's SIDS Center of New Jersey released four videos that provide simple, easy-to-follow safe sleep tips for parents, grandparents and other caregivers to reduce the risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).

In a video specifically geared for grandparents, Barbara Ostfeld, PhD, professor of pediatrics and program director of the SIDS Center, provides guidance about safe sleep in line with the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for the first 12 months of life, including placing infants on their back to sleep and keeping loose bedding and toys out of the crib.

The three additional videos for parents and caregivers that focus on the benefits of breastfeeding, the risks of smoking and more guideliness from the AAP, respectively, are narrated by Ariana Nuñez-Restituyo, MPH, adjunct instructor of pediatrics and health education manager for the SIDS Center.

The videos can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/rwjms

In addition, the SIDS Center offers a free mobile app, SIDS Info, which helps families keep their infants safe throughout the first year of life. Download the app and learn more about ways to reduce the risk of SIDS at https://www.rwjms.rutgers.edu/sids.

Rutgers Health is pleased to offer a fourth series of the CIRCLE Peer Talk Groups and CIRCLE Peer Text Groups for faculty. CIRCLE stands for Colleague Involved in Reaching Colleagues through Listening and Empathy. These discussion groups allow faculty to connect with colleagues, reflect and discuss what it means to be well at work and important issues that we might not ordinarily address during day-to-day work and practice. The demonstrated benefits of such groups include improvement in well-being.

These groups will “meet” synchronously (virtually) or asynchronously (by text) every other week for six months, with a target to begin early November 2023.  This program is open to all faculty. For clinical faculty, participation will confer CME for up to 35 individuals.

STEPS TO PARTICIPATE:

1. Form your own group of five to eight colleagues based on your own definition of “peer" -- for example, your department, specialty, stage of career, life stage (e.g., faculty with young children), gender and/or ethnic/race background. If you cannot form a group, we will help you create a group (see contact information below).

2. Select a group leader who will sign up the group for the program.

3. Select one of two types of groups for your leader to choose at sign-up:

CIRCLE Peer Talk Groups: meet synchronously using a virtual platform or face-to-face (if physical distancing is possible) at a time of your choice, for one hour every two weeks. All group members will receive themed, evidence-based topics every two weeks, which you will discuss. 

OR

CIRCLE Peer Text Groups: “meet” using text on a secure platform (WhatsApp) to discuss the same topics every two weeks, asynchronously, over the week that follows the release of the topic to the group.

For the group leader: please register your group at: https://redcap.link/circle-text-talk.application or scan the QR code above.

If you need help forming a group or have any questions, please contact Norma Hernandez at norma.hernandez@rutgers.edu and Chantal Brazeau, MD, assistant dean for faculty vitality, New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and chief wellness officer, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, at chantal.brazeau@rutgers.edu.

Deans Amy P. Murtha, MD, and Robert L. Johnson, MD, FAAP, are hosting virtual sessions in the next few months to give faculty, staff, and learners the opportunity to speak with them about the integration of Rutgers' two medical schools. There are still time slots available for you to ask questions and share your input, which will help inform the integration process.

Reserve your 10-minute "chat" with Deans Murtha and Johnson in one of the following sessions:

• Oct. 25 -- 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
• Nov. 8 -- Noon - 1 p.m.
• Nov. 9 -- 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
• Nov. 16 -- 2 - 3 p.m.

The deans also are hosting events for one-on-one discussions with each dean separately.

• Dean Murtha's one-on-one chats will be held on Oct. 24, from 2 - 3 p.m.; on Nov. 2, from noon - 1 p.m.; and on Nov. 30, from 2 - 3 p.m.
• Dean Johnson's one-on-one chats will be held on Nov. 22, from 3 - 4 p.m.; and Dec. 7, from noon to 1 p.m.

Make your reservation for one of these sessions here. Appointments are limited, so please sign up for only one session.

The Department of Medicine’s third annual Women in Medicine Symposium sponsored by the Sodhani Foundation was held on Sept. 14, co-chaired by Gabriella Ferreira, MD, and Ranita Sharma, MD, associate professors in the department. Dean Amy P. Murtha, MD, provided opening remarks.

The event reflects the department’s and school's commitment to the women in medicine mission, which advocates for recruitment, retention and advancement of women in the medical profession, as well as professional development of all women through support, mentorship and networking forums. Inspirational presentations were given by Suja Mathew, MD, MACP, chief clinical officer and executive vice president, Atlantic Health System, and Sejal Hathi, MD, MBA, MPH, deputy commissioner and state health officer, Public Health Services, State of New Jersey.

More than 75 female faculty, fellows and residents from the department were in attendance as the Elizabeth Blackwell WiM awards were presented to Carmen Shulman, MD, assistant professor, in the Division of General Internal Medicine; Briette Karanfilian, MD, gastroenterology fellow, and Brooke Kania, DO, medicine resident. Dr. Sharma, executive vice chair of the department, was presented with a Lifetime Mentorship Award. 

The patient care clinics at the medical school will be moving to a new call center platform called Five9, which will use technology integration to create efficiencies, improve the patient experience, reduce cost, and increase revenue.

Having one single contact center solution for the health system will consolidate and standardize work, and provide multiple patient access channels via voice, chat, email, SMS and MyChart. Additional features will include an integration of the phone system with Epic, Workforce Management for staffing, and Quality Assurance for interaction monitoring and training, as well as enhanced reporting.

Phase 1 of the project to migrate the school's clinical areas to Five9 and upgrade current Five9 users throughout the health system onto the newest version, has begun and will continue over the next few weeks. Additional updates will be provided as the project moves forward. Thank you for your continuous support as we make this transition to one system, one family.

Faculty and staff are invited to take part in one of our free professional photo shoots planned for this Fall.

Photos are used in the school's print and online communications, and digital copies are available in the order they are requested. Please contact the Department of Communications and Public Affairs two weeks after your sitting.

New Brunswick Campus

Wednesday, Oct. 25

CAB 1302

125 Paterson Street

8 a.m - 3:45 p.m.

No Appointments Required

*Please note: the photographer will take a break from 12 - 12:30 p.m.*

Please join the medical school's Staff Council in supporting Elijah's Promise Community Soup Kitchen by participating in its new clothing drive. The following new items are greatly needed:

• Underwear
• Undershirts
• Socks
• Thermal underwear
• Hand/body warmers (e.g., Hot Hands)

Donations can be dropped off in the box in the Clinical Academic Building lobby, or brought to the Employee Health & Wellness Fair on Wednesday, Nov. 1, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the Great Hall, Piscataway.

For more information, download the flier here or contact Susan Giordano at susan.giordano@rwjms.rutgers.edu.

Open to all faculty, staff and residents! WELCOME TO WELLNESS! Join us for this three-hour special event, designed to meet different aspects of wellness, whether physical, emotional, nutritional, or otherwise.

Wednesday, Nov. 1

11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Piscataway Campus

Great Hall

675 Hoes Lane West

The Department of Emergency Medicine's Grand Rounds will feature “Bedside Teaching Through a Health Equity Lens," by Brad Kamitaki, MD, assistant professor of neurology, on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 8 - 9 a.m., in the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, room 3101, and via Zoom. For virtual details, please contact Nirali Kelly.

The Department of Medicine's Grand Rounds will present the 2023 John Suydam Kuhlthau Bioethics Conference in collaboration with the New Brunswick Theological Seminary on the topic "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Healthcare: Equitable Care is Ethical Care." The speakers are Dula Pacquiao, EdD, RN, Professor Emerita, Rutgers School of Nursing Fellow, Transcultural Nursing Scholars, and the NY Academy of Medicine, and Jeffrey Grosser, MHS, SO, REHS, deputy administrator, health officer, Municipality of Princeton, adjunct faculty, Stockton University, School of Health Sciences. It is scheduled for Oct. 25, from 8 - 9 a.m., as a live virtual meeting via Zoom that requires pre-registration. All attendees must register by clicking here. For more information, please contact Dawn Dunn.

The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation recently launched its Best Practices Series, which will address "Updates in the Care and Outcomes of Patients with Spinal Cord Injury" by Jennifer Chui, MD, medical director, Spinal Cord Injury, Hackensack Meridian Health, and assistant professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. It will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 4 - 5 p.m., as a live virtual meeting via Zoom: https://hmhn.zoom.us/j/89571710721. For more information, contact Dr. Jaclyn Joki.

The Department of Surgery's Division of Urology Grand Rounds on "Interesting Pathology in Pediatric Urology," featuring Haris Ahmed, MD, assistant professor, Division of Urology, Section of Pediatric Urology, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 25 from 7 - 8 a.m.  It will be held in a hybrid format, in person at MEB 593, and via Zoom (meeting ID 926 3064 5102; password 963626).

Feel free to send me programs that you would like featured with as much notice as possible.

Best wishes!



Paul F. Weber, MD, RPh, MBA, associate dean, Continuing Medical Education

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A New Dad's Postpartum Depression Can Be Tough on His Kids - Kristine Schmitz, MD -- Montana Standard, Science Magazine; Neuroscience News; Sanford Herald and other syndicated media

Saiba por quanto tempo uma pessoa permanece contagiosa após ficar doente

-- Patricia Whitley-Williams, MD -- UOL.com (reprint from the New York Times)

Iredell Family Medicine welcomes Sorensen to practice -- Christian F. Sorensen, MD (alumnus) -- Statesville Record & Landmark

Adults with ADHD are more likely to get dementia: Study -- Michal Schnaider Beeri, PhD -- Healthworld.com, Everyday Health, expresshealthcaremgmt.com, and Pioneer Newz

United Way of Greater Newark to celebrate a century of service (slideshow) -Denise Rodgers, MD -- NJ Biz

U. researchers develop machine learning model to predict severity of coronavirus cases -- David Natanov and Byron Avihai, medical students -- Daily Targum

Through-ear vagus nerve stimulation improves kids' GI symptoms, Long Island study finds -- Lea Ann Chen, MD -- Newsday