Rising Expectations

Success in faculty recruitment supports UMMC’s mission of service

To supply faculty for growth in the medical school, University Hospital and community clinics, University of Mississippi Health Care hung the equivalent of a help wanted sign in the window.

Physicians responded. More than 80 have joined the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s faculty since July 2008; nearly half of them work in the Departments of Radiology and Medicine. Dr. James Glisson, assistant professor of medicine, was among the new hires.

A graduate of the UMMC School of Medicine, Glisson returned to the Medical Center this year from private practice in the state. He said the Department of Medicine provided the best opportunity to pursue all his interests.

“I enjoy basic science and clinical research as well as teaching. However, I do not wish to fully give up my clinical practice time. UMMC offered me all three as well as a diverse group of colleagues with fresh ideas in all disciplines of medicine,” he said.

Dr. Scott Stringer, associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs and president of University Physicians, said the buzz surrounding the continued growth and improvement in all the mission areas resonates with the greater medical community, contributing to successful recruiting efforts.

“Our educational programs are performing on par with the best programs in the nation,” he said. “We are experiencing a record year in research funding, and we have brought in some outstanding new leadership in the cancer research area with the arrival of our new Cancer Institute director, Dr. Lucio Miele.

“We have had outstanding success in developing new and innovative clinical programs to serve the people of Mississippi. And we have applied sound business principles to the management of the institution that has allowed us to continue our progress during these difficult economic times while other academic institutions have experienced significant declines.”

Another appealing aspect, says Dr. Richard deShazo, chairman of the Department of Medicine, is being at the forefront of medical breakthroughs.

“Discovery brings people to academic institutions. If we’re not discovering new ways to do things, we’re not doing our jobs,” he said.

Ten of the Department of Medicine’s 13 divisions have hired at least one additional faculty member, bringing the total of full-time faculty additions to 22 since July 1, 2008. The expanded class sizes in the medical school and those proposed in the residency programs have contributed to the demand for more physicians, deShazo said. 

“Internists, like other specialists, require one-on-one contact and supervision. So if we are to address access to care and health-care disparities in Mississippi, we must produce more physicians at UMMC,” he said.

The department also is preparing for the opening of University Physicians-Grants Ferry next year by recruiting physicians who will serve patients in that facility. Shortages remain in several specialties, including primary care, endocrinology, pulmonary, gastroenterology and acute care.

“The expansion of inpatients at UMMC with the opening of the new hospital has resulted in a need for full-time, dedicated, acute care physicians,” deShazo said. “In response to this need and the associated need for training of hospitalists, the department has begun a program in hospital medicine within the Division of General Medicine and Hypertension to meet these needs.”

David Putt, interim CEO of University Hospitals and Health System, said hospital administration has been working with deShazo and his staff to recruit primary-care providers and hospitalists to improve access to care and patient flow.

“With the increased need and emphasis on primary care, this will allow improved patient access and throughput to our subspecialties,” he said. “We have been working with other clinical chairs in their recruitment of specialists to meet the needs of our patients. This will help us to build national recognition and capabilities for our institution to be the leader in clinical training programs and academic recognition.”

When asked where he will place the 15 new radiologists he’s hired since January, Dr. Timothy McCowan laughs before saying, “the hallway.” Office space is at a premium and the department is redesigning its space to accommodate the faculty.

McCowan, chair of the Department of Radiology, said the department was chronically understaffed for the volume of studies and procedures at the Medical Center and it needed additional physicians with a variety of subspecialties, such as body imaging, mammography, interventional and emergency radiology.

“They give depth to what we do,” McCowan said. “We are required to provide services for all the hospitals and we have to be able to handle everything that walks through the door, from pediatrics to adults.”

He said additional faculty will allow the department to devote more time to research, grow the residency program and initiate fellowships in neuro and interventional radiology. He said faculty growth is a testament to the Medical Center.

“I think it’s a tribute to the institution that we’re doing so well that we need this additional staff, especially in light of the economy,” McCowan said. “It’s a very exciting time to be here.”

-Patrice Sawyer Guilfoyle

2009-08-03 00:00:00 18956