News

Na’Tasha Evans, PhD, MEd, is a researcher, published author, champion for female empowerment, and our new vice dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Learn more about her goals, her past work, and more in the following Q&A.

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in research? 

Haley Wehder, MD, loved birthday parties. So much so, that after only one year of knowing resident Conor Malloy, MD, she threw an elaborate surprise party for his wife.

Though not a “birthday party person” himself, Dr. Malloy couldn’t help but smile that Dr. Wehder went the extra mile for someone she only knew a short time.

Brittany Levy, MD, was recently appointed to a committee within the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Her new role will allow her to help improve the clinical learning environment for graduate medical trainees across the country.

Congratulations to the following basic science and clinical faculty at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine! These individuals were honored with promotions and tenure in fiscal year 2023.

Names are organized alphabetically by department.

Sarah Jean Hall, MD, PhD
Associate Professor

Olivia Henderson, MD, said that beyond “tubes and tonsils,” she did not know much about otolaryngology when she started medical school. During her third-year surgery clerkship at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, she discovered her dream career while working within the specialty.

“It felt like after just one day on that service that I never looked back,” she said.

Omar Al-Janabi, MBChB, PhD, MS, initially arrived in Lexington, Ky., for a master’s program and an affordable place to live with his family. Nearly a decade later, he has completed not one but three graduate training programs at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. He also has engaged with mentors who will have a lasting impact on his career in medicine and research.

Standing before a classroom of college juniors, orthopaedics resident Cristina Rivera-Ramirez, MD, skillfully interpreted an X-ray of a distal radius fracture in a patient’s arm. The next step was to reveal how to treat it. By the time she got out the supplies to demonstrate making a splint, students were at the edge of their seats, ready to volunteer.

Mohamed Tarek Seleem Ahmed, MD, is a third-year resident at the UK College of Medicine Department of Radiology, through which he has gained vital clinical experience at UK Markey Cancer Center, the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center.

Carly Clark, MD, a second-year resident in the UK College of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, has gained valuable experience in her graduate medical education program.

Christine Kuhn is a Lexington-based artist who created “Interconnectivity,” a mixed-media art piece that displays in the Medical Center Library. The artwork was created with support from the Herman Lee and Nell Stuart Donovan Memorial Trust.

Following an extensive national search and interviews with highly qualified individuals, the College of Medicine is excited to welcome Na’Tasha Evans, PhD, MEd, as the new vice dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and associate professor in the department of behavioral science.

At times, learners need specific mentoring to face particular challenges—maybe help with a dissertation, a research project, or studying for an exam. But a more general approach to mentoring, one that focuses on the whole person, can also make a crucial difference in student success.

The College of Medicine’s clinical and basic science departments, centers, and educational offices are all working to develop more inclusive and equitable practices. Our Diversity and Inclusion Ambassadors are charged with leading these efforts.

In 2020, the University of Kentucky joined 22 other academic institutions and organizations as inaugural members of The National Center for Pre-Faculty Development, working together to focus on pre-faculty development as a means to diversifying academia.

Khawla Abusamra, MBBS, and Thien Thanh Nguyen, MD, are fourth-year residents in the UK College of Medicine Department of Neurology. As they near the end of their programs, they reflect on the department’s exceptional training and the lasting friendships they built along the way, including with one another. 

Zaki Udin Hassan, MBBS, MBA, professor and chair of anesthesiology, launched an engagement and alignment program called FAIRE within his department.

Our interview with Dr. Hassan highlights the program’s details and how he is promoting wellness and well-being for his department's faculty, staff, and learners. 

Q: What is the FAIRE program?

The Northern Kentucky Campus inaugural class gained an irreplaceable opportunity to pave the way for future generations and improve health care in Kentucky.

A young Ryan Yadav assumed he would move far away from home when he set off for college. But after eight years of training at the University of Kentucky, he wants to remain a Kentuckian now more than ever.

Western Kentucky is special to Claire and Dylan Sanford. It’s where they met and started dating. It’s where Dylan proposed to Claire, on the same Owensboro High School court he played basketball and she cheered.

A mentor might be defined simply as a senior professional willing and able to provide support and direction for younger colleagues or learners. But it’s also a challenge requiring particular skills and strengths. Just how are mentors made?