UMass FMCH Tuesday Talk - September 2, 2025/CLINICAL

Table of Contents

Upcoming Events

Focus of the Week - Clinical

Announcements

Presentations and Publications

Frankly Speaking Podcast

Resources

Upcoming Events


FMCH Grand Rounds

Tuesday, September 2nd, 12:00 - 1:00pm"Medical Uses of Cannabis/CBD", 

presented by Alan Ehrlich, MD.

Meeting ID: 191 986 273 Passcode: FMCH

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/191986273?pwd=NEtlZmNkdWlSUGwyeTJQU3dCeUs1QT09


Tuesday, September 9th, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, the 27th Annual Steven L. Putterman Memorial Lecture FMCH Grand Rounds will be presented by guest speaker Matilde (Mattie) Castiel, MD, City of Worcester Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry and Family Medicine.

Location: Albert Sherman Center, #AS7-2072 or virtual via zoom.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/191986273?pwd=NEtlZmNkdWlSUGwyeTJQU3dCeUs1QT09


Tuesday, September 16th, 12:00 - 1:00pm"Top 10: EBM Updates from the Medical literatures", presented by Frank J. Domino, MD.

Meeting ID: 191 986 273 Passcode: FMCH

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/191986273?pwd=NEtlZmNkdWlSUGwyeTJQU3dCeUs1QT09


Tuesday, September 23rd, 12:00 - 1:00pm"Billing Strategies: Credit Where Credit is Due", presented by Jeanne Cawse-Lucas, MD.

Meeting ID: 191 986 273 Passcode: FMCH

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/191986273?pwd=NEtlZmNkdWlSUGwyeTJQU3dCeUs1QT09


Tuesday, September 30th, 12:00 - 1:00pm"From Vision to Practice: Innovating to Deliver the Quadruple AIM", presented by David Gilchrist, MD, MBA, FAAFP, CPE.

Meeting ID: 191 986 273 Passcode: FMCH

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/191986273?pwd=NEtlZmNkdWlSUGwyeTJQU3dCeUs1QT09

Focus of the Week - Clinical

Josephine Fowler, MD, MBA, Vice Chair of Clinical Services


Who is eligible for COVID Vaccine? 

Current eligibility for COVID vaccine includes adults 65 and older and those with at least one underlying medical condition that increases risk of severe illness. 

What are the  underlying conditions? 

  • Asthma 
  • Blood cancers 
  • Cerebrovascular diseases 
  • Chronic kidney disease 
  • Some chronic lung diseases 
  • Some chronic liver diseases 
  • Cystic fibrosis 
  • Type 1 and 2 diabetes 
  • Gestational diabetes 
  • Disabilities, including Down syndrome 
  • Heart conditions 
  • HIV 
  • Mood disorders, including depression and schizophrenia 
  • Dementia 
  • Parkinson’s disease 
  • Obesity 
  • Physical inactivity 
  • Current or recent pregnancy 
  • Primary immunodeficiencies 
  • Current or former smoking 
  • Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant recipients 
  • Tuberculosis 
  • Use of immunosuppressive drugs 


What are the current Vaccines? 

  • Moderna mRNA-1283 (mNEXSPIKE), for adults aged ≥65 and for individuals 12–64 with at least one CDC-defined underlying risk factor. 
  • Pfizer Pfizer/BioNTech(COMIRNATY), for ages 6 months and older. 
  • Novavax Vaccine, People 65 years and older, and those ages 12 through 64 who have at least one health condition that puts them at increased risk for a severe outcome from COVID, according to the 2025 FDA approval. 

 

NOTE: Massachusetts is listed among the states not yet clear if COVID vaccines will be available at the pharmacies. 

 

New COVID symptoms in 2025 include the following: 

  • "Razor Blade Throat" & Variant-Specific Trends 

The NB.1.8.1 (Nimbus) variant has earned the nickname "razor blade throat" due to particularly severe throat pain — described by some as “like swallowing shattered glass.” Up to 70% of patients report a sore throat, along with typical symptoms like fatigue, mild cough, fever, muscle aches, and congestion. 

  • Variants like XEC and LP.8.1 (seen mostly in early 2025) share symptoms similar to earlier strains: congestion, cough, diarrhea, fatigue, fever/chills, and sore throat, with no strong indication of novel symptoms. 
  • Many of the symptoms seen early may have changed. For example the loss of taste and smell is less prevalent. 

Source: Multiple including CDC, WHO, and local information on Mass.gov. 

 

Health Equity 

Are you aware of the UMass Chan Health Equity Collaborative? Sign up for the newsletter using the link Collaborative in Health Equity 

 

Why should we believe in improving Health Equity? 

  • Health equity works to close these gaps by ensuring everyone has access to the care they need. 
  • Strengthens Public Health when healthcare is accessible and effective for all, the entire population benefits. Communities become healthier, more resilient, and less burdened by preventable disease. 
  • Equity is not about giving everyone the same thing—It is about giving each person what they need to thrive. It is a shift from one-size-fits-all to tailored support that meets people where they are. 

Announcements

 


Reminder to complete your annual performance review in Interfolio. If you have not yet met with your supervisor for your annual performance review, please let Heather Garron (heather.garron@umassmemorial.org) know and log into interfolio.com to complete your part of the annual review. Remember that it can take several hours to receive a password the first time, so give yourself additional time and see the job aids here.


Massachusetts Hepatitis C ECHO

(Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes)

You are invited to join an exciting virtual collaborative learning opportunity which will allow you to build expertise in the evaluation and management of patients living with chronic

Hepatitis C. (see attached brochure) Participants can receive up to 7 CME credits and the course is free. A new cohort begins Friday, September 5th, 12:30-1:30pm ~ with 7 sessions.

Register Today!



The Society of Teachers in Family Medicine is hosting a series of five webinars, "Stages of GME Leadership - From Idealism to Sustainability". These real-time conversations with seasoned GME leaders are 1 hour in length. The first webinar is "Balancing Strategic Priorities With Day-to-Day Fires”, on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 1:00 pm eastern time. For information and to register: https://stfm.org/gme-webinars/


The Massachusetts Society for Addiction Medicine is hosting their annual Pearls for Practice Conference on Friday and Saturday, September 19th-September 20th at MMS in Waltham. This year's conference is titled, Equity and Innovation in Addiction Care. There is a special focus on pain management in the context of opioid use disorder on Friday afternoon that may be of particular interest, though I believe family physicians will find all of the content incredibly valuable. There are sessions on GLP-1 agonists, gambling, addiction consult services, engaging youth in treatment, and more! Please check it out and register today!  https://www.masam.org/pfp-main-page.html



Rising Together: In support of Health Equity for Refugee and Immigrant communities, Friday, October 17th

RISE is committed to serving refugees and immigrants now and always. 

Please join RISE for a night of celebration, connection and impact. Savor flavors from around the globe, and help raise funds to advance health equity in our community. 

Secure your ticket soon! https://givebutter.com/RISE4Health See flyer for additional information.


UMass Chan 30th Research Retreat, October 28th-29th, 2025

We cordially invite you to attend the UMass Chan 30th Annual Research Retreat, October 28-29, 2025. The retreat is scheduled on-site at the UMass Chan Medical School University Campus and typically features talks from new UMass Chan faculty and students, and offers opportunities for networking. More details regarding the agenda will follow as we get closer to the event. See flyer.


The Global Tuberculosis Institute, a CDC-funded Tuberculosis Center of Excellence, will partner again this year with the Brown University ECHO hub and health departments across 20 TB program areas in the Northeastern United States to offer a Regional Tuberculosis Infection (TBI) ECHO Course in Fall 2025 for primary care team members. This is a six-session virtual and interactive TBI ECHO course. Participants can receive up to 6 CME credits and the course is free. We have attached a brochure with more details. Please see the attached brochure and link below for more information.

https://iecho.org/public/program/PRGM175441303441283QHZ1Y0QM


Looking for Volunteers

Mission of Mercy is coming to Worcester on November 15th. They will provide free dental care for 300 patients at the DCU. Looking for medical clinicians to volunteer to provide medical clearance. Sign up here or contact Hugh Silk hugh.silk@umassmemorial.org.


Teaching of Tomorrow (TOT) is a nationally recognized and highly acclaimed interprofessional faculty development program that focuses on building and refining foundational skills for effective clinical teaching in inpatient and ambulatory settings. Preceptors from any specialty and discipline will enhance their clinical teaching skills through discourse and practice. The workshops will be held at the Wellsworth Hotel in Southbridge, MA, on November 14-15, 2025, and March 13-14, 2026. Attendance is required for all four conference days. For more details, please refer to the attached flyer. Registration is now open. CME credits are granted by the American Academy of Family Physicians (and accepted by organizations such as AAPA, ANCC, NCCPA, and AANPCB).

Registration link https://umassmed.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bBoZ9s7WSfhUdyC

Presentations and Publications


Congrats to Scott Hebert, biostatistician in the department for being first author of Newly Identified Genetic Associations of Alzheimer Disease by Conditional Selective Inference: Potential Implications for the Tau Hypothesis in the online journal Bioinformatics and Biology Insights.

50th Anniversary Videos!

Photos from our 50th celebration on March 15th: https://vimeo.com/1090097186/96a27f4d34?share=copy


Photos from 50 years of department history: https://vimeo.com/1067353936/5af9ebbea9?share=copy

Daniel H. Lasser Family Medicine Education Innovation Fund


You can contribute by credit card to this link or QR code:

https://alumni.umassmed.edu/lasserinnovationfund. Or you can send a check payable to UMass Chan Medical School with "Lasser Fund" in the memo to: UMass Chan Medical School Office of Advancement, 333 South St. Shrewsbury, MA 01545.

Frankly Speaking Podcast


Please join us for a weekly Podcast series for an overview: Join us to discover how flavan-3-ols, found in tea, cocoa, and select fruits, can support cardiovascular prevention. Learn how to translate emerging evidence on blood pressure and vascular health into practical dietary guidance that empowers your patients and complements standard hypertension care. Guest: Jill M. Terrien, PhD, ANP-BC, presents, "Never Too Late to Quit: Years Gained with Tobacco Cessation at Any Age". Frankly Speaking Episode #448. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frankly-speaking-about-family-medicine/id1194659367

Resources


Past editions of the Tuesday Talk are available at 

https://www.umassmed.edu/fmch/ under Resources.


The UMass Memorial Caring for Caregivers Program is available at 508-334-HELP,

EAP at 866-263-3525, and the UMass Chan EAP at 800-322-5327.

www.LiveandWorkWell.com 


Yoga Classes with Dr. Liz Erban.

New members always welcome. 

Please join us on Wednesday(s), 6:30-7:30am, for a gentle awakening yoga session led by the talented Liz Erban.

https://umassmed.zoom.us/j/91343267992?pwd=ZHF3NHVrVlR1MVdMV09HSE5lTzdsQT09