Dear Colleagues,
Summer has arrived in Central Massachusetts with the sounds of the season resonating across Lake Quinsigamond and heat waves rising from the campus pavement. As we enter the month of July, I hope you find some time for rest, rejuvenation, and fun! Although summer is here, we remain busy and accomplished as a department. We have much to celebrate and I am grateful for your contributions!
June was a particularly busy and exciting month in the Department of Medicine. At UMass Chan Commencement Week events and awards, our faculty and students shined as they were recognized for various achievements. Our residents and fellows showcased their work at the 2022 Poster Day; Drs. Leslie, Wong, Fish and Skehan were recognized at the Clinical Educator Awards; and our Grander Rounds presentation featuring Drs. Fan, Blanchard, Alroumi, and Forster, was a huge success. Throughout this month, we are also highlighting the work of Dr. Stephen Erban. Dr. Erban is highly respected by his patients and colleagues and we are thankful for his invaluable contributions to the DoM and to the UMass Chan/UMMH community. I would also like to welcome Stefania Gallucci, MD, Roberto Caricchio, MD, and Abbas Rupawala, MD, to the Department of Medicine. Dr. Gallucci joins us as Professor of Medicine in the Division of Innate Immunity, while Dr. Caricchio joins us as Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology. Dr. Rupawala will serve as our new Director of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Division of Gastroenterology.
Thank you to everyone contributing to our summer budgets and annual reviews. We appreciate the time and effort that goes into these important tasks. Finally, I would also like to extend my gratitude and best wishes to Dr. John Zawacki on his upcoming retirement! Dr. Zawacki served as a role model to many and cared for IBD patients for more than 40 years!
All of these stories, faculty and staff honors, awards, links to recent Grand Rounds recordings, and more are highlighted below.
Sincerely,
Dave
Don’t miss next month’s Chair’s Newsletter which will feature: DPAC Chair changes—our thanks to outgoing chair, Dr. Peter Rice, as we welcome to new chair, Dr. Mark Madison. We will also feature Dr. Allen Mullen, new academic chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, and much more!