Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, physical distancing helped mitigate spread of the virus. But a consequence was that it eliminated opportunities for in-person team building. In a year of trials and tribulations, the restrictions made coping with distressing events more difficult.

To build community during the challenging year, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hosted Moments of Reflection, virtual events that allowed faculty, staff, and learners to connect over Zoom and openly discuss national events that might have caused grief, sadness, anger, and fear.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 13, 2022) — The University of Kentucky is participating in a nationwide study that seeks to understand why some people have prolonged symptoms (long COVID) or develop new or returning symptoms after an acute bout of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The Department of Physiology would like to recognize and thank James Simpson and Alexander Karakashian for their 20 years of dedicated service to the department. To honor this acheivement, they've each recieved personalized, engraved desk clock awards to commemorate their 20 years of hard work and scientific excellence. Congratulations!

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 12, 2022) — The University of Kentucky College of Medicinehas once again teamed up with other medical schools from the state for the monthlong MedMadness Blood Donation Competition.

LEXINGTON, KY. (Jan. 11, 2022) — The world looks to The University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging for answers to the mysteries of dementia, and the elderly rely on them for help in charting their path to a healthy and vigorous senior lifestyle.

For Nicholas Annichiarico, DO, last year was one of new beginnings. After completing a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at the UK College of Medicine, he joined the faculty as an assistant professor and physiatrist.

Just as Dr. Annichiarico’s career has soared to new heights, so has he – literally. In March of 2021, he started learning how to become a pilot. He has completed approximately one-fifth of his training in order to take the official flight test.

A monthly newsletter from the UK College of Medicine to keep you updated
on important news, announcements, events, and programs
as they relate to your medical education.

Click here to view the January 2022 Newsletter.

The Department had eight publications listed in PubMed for the month of December 2021. The contributions of our graduate students are highlighted with bold text.

The Department ended the year with a total of 83 publications!

1: Ostrakhovitch EA, Song ES, Macedo JKA, Gentry MS, Quintero JE, van Horne C, Yamasaki TR. Analysis of circulating metabolites to differentiate Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. Neurosci Lett. 2021 Dec 28:136428. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136428. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34971771.

Anika Hartz never planned on becoming a scientist.

She’s a pharmacist by trade, who moved to the United States from her home of Germany in 2002 to begin her doctorate at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). At the time, she had no intention of going into science.

“Coming to the U.S. in 2002 changed my mind,” said Hartz.

Her time at the NIH was unique and it marked a turning point for her future.

For medical students at the University of Kentucky, the COVID-19 pandemic not only shifted their learning experiences, but also demonstrated to them how prepared they are to impact the world through their future careers in medicine.

Jarrett Grace, Class of 2024, Northern Kentucky Campus
Many of Jarrett Grace’s family members work in health care fields, so they already had witnessed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients in their communities. But when they caught the virus, they felt the fear firsthand.