Capt. Eric Stedje-Larsen, MD, and Cmdr. Ryan Phillips, MD, had worked with one another in the Navy for years, but on opposite sides of the country, Dr. Stedje-Larsen on the east coast in Portsmouth, Va., and Dr. Phillips on the west coast in San Diego. It wasn’t until last May that they met in person while attending a training in California.

That’s when they learned they had something significant in common – they’re both graduates of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

Petty Officer 1^st Class Michael Sherrod’s final duty before closing his 10-year Navy career was as a recruiter, traveling across the region to teach young, prospective military members about the opportunities the Navy offered.

During that time he became familiar with area colleges like the University of Kentucky and also made plenty of visits to Bowling Green, Ky. He appreciated the city for its small-town feel and scenic views, but also its growth and potential.

Now, as he chases a new career path, he calls this place home.

Staff Sgt. Sean Thornton joined the Marine Corps in 2009 for a variety of reasons. He wanted to serve his country. He wanted to continue the tradition within his family. He also wanted to improve himself, both physically and mentally.

He served a combined eight years, five in active duty and three in the reserves, before being honorably discharged as a staff sergeant, a coveted position with responsibilities such as leadership, training, and maintaining an efficient platoon of more than 40 Marines.

For Lance Cpl. Benjamin Shaw, enlisting in the military was almost inevitable. Dedication to serving the country ran in his family.

Something else was also a significant part of his family history: autoimmune disorders. More specifically, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, a disease that affects the central nervous system. Also, his wife has autoimmune hepatitis. Seeing the effects of these disorders firsthand is what prompted Lance Cpl. Shaw to also seek training in science, hoping to someday utilize his passion for helping others through research.

Dr. Sandra Beck, section head of colorectal surgery at UK, is serving her first term as a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Board of Governors. She was officially confirmed at a national meeting of the ACS in March 2019. Dr. Beck joins Dr. Cynthia Downard, a Pediatric Surgeon with Norton Healthcare and UofL Health, as the two surgeons appointed to represent the Kentucky Chapter of the ACS on the board.

In October the Department had eight new publications listed in PubMed.

1: Burggraaf MJ, Speer A, Meijers AS, Ummels R, van der Sar AM, Korotkov KV, Bitter W, Kuijl C. Type VII Secretion Substrates of Pathogenic Mycobacteria Are Processed by a Surface Protease. MBio. 2019 Oct 29;10(5). pii: e01951-19. doi: 10.1128/mBio.01951-19. PubMed PMID: 31662454.

A developing issue within the health care realm is understanding what it means to be transgender inclusive. UK HealthCare’s Transform Health Clinic is hosting an event to discuss what it means to be transgender inclusive with health care providers and members of the Lexington community. The dialogue at the Sound Off workshop will specifically address mental health and substance use treatment for transgender people.

And now for something a little different... Instead of suggesting something to read this month I'm going to suggest something to listen to (thanks for Bobby Murphy for this idea!). There are a lot of podcasts out there, including a lot that are science-based. One that looks particularly interesting comes from the BBC and is called "The Life Scientific". A different scientist is interviewed in each episode, providing insight into different fields, the different paths people take, and a variety of careers.

The University of Kentucky College of Law will host a panel comprising experienced professionals including prosecutors, advocates, social workers, trauma therapists, journalists and psychologists to discuss the themes and events covered in “Unbelievable,” a Netflix series about sexual assault. The discussion will take place noon Monday, Nov. 11, in the G. Chad Perry III Grand Courtroom located inside the College of Law and is free and open to the public.