Asmar received the award during the group 麻豆精品 S檚 annual scientific meeting this fall, where one of his residents received first place for research on improving patient access to heart rehabilitation services.

The American College of Physicians is the world 麻豆精品 S檚 largest medical specialty organization and is committed to advancing 麻豆精品 S渢he science and practice of internal medicine. 麻豆精品 S� The Florida chapter 麻豆精品 S檚 Teacher of the Year is presented to a physician who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication to medical education.

麻豆精品 S淒r. Asmar has proven to be a most influential teacher. His passion for medicine and lifelong learning is tangible and unwavering, inspiring his residents to strive to be the best they can be, 麻豆精品 S� his award nomination noted.

Board certified in internal medicine and nephrology, Asmar is program director of the . The residency, established in 2014 as UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 first graduate medical education (GME) program, trains internal medicine specialists at the Orlando VA Medical Center and HCF Florida Osceola Hospital.

Asmar serves as vice chairman of GME for the College of Medicine and also cares for patients at . He earned his doctor of medicine degree at Kaunas Medical University in Kaunas, Lithuania. He did his residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, where he was named chief resident. He received his fellowship training in clinical nephrology at the University of Florida.

麻豆精品 S淚 am thankful, humbled and honored to receive this award, 麻豆精品 S� Asmar says.

The ACP Florida Chapter 麻豆精品 S檚 annual meeting included research presentations. Inman Squires, a resident at the UCF-HCA Florida Healthcare Internal Medicine Residency Program of Greater Orlando/Osceola won the QI Poster Award for a quality improvement project: Unbreak My Heart: Increasing Cardiac Rehabilitation Referral Rate.

Raj Shah and Richard Henriquez found that gabapentinoids, a family of drugs used to prevent seizures and commonly used for nerve pain, reduced alcohol withdrawal symptoms and slowed the progressions of liver disease better than another FDA-approved drug for alcohol use disorder.

Both physicians have been chief residents at the Orlando VA Medical Center during their Greater Orlando-Osceola Internal Medicine residency training sponsored by the UCF-HCA Healthcare 麻豆精品 S檚 Graduate Medical Education Consortium. Henriquez now serves as an attending physician at the VA, where he helps run the UCF residency and cares for patients. He plans to apply for board certification in addiction medicine this summer and is also a UCF undergraduate alum. Shah will graduate in June from UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Internal Medicine of Greater Orlando 麻豆精品 S� Osceola residency and then join the consortium 麻豆精品 S檚 first Gastroenterology fellowship, where he will care for patients at the VA and HCA Florida Osceola Hospital.

Alcohol Misuse, Liver Disease Increasing

Nearly 30 million people in the United States 麻豆精品 S� ranging in age from 12 to adulthood 麻豆精品 S� have alcohol use disorder and that number is increasing. So is alcohol-related liver disease, which can lead to death, liver failure and transplantation, and other serious health ailments.

麻豆精品 S淎lcohol use disorder is a huge public health issue that needs to be brought to the forefront of research, 麻豆精品 S� Henriquez says. 麻豆精品 S淲e were looking for more ammunition to have in our toolbox and this study might open a path for it, 麻豆精品 S�

The research was presented recently during Digestive Disease Week in Washington D.C. The physicians used the VA 麻豆精品 S檚 extensive patient database to analyze about 49,000 patients who had been diagnosed with alcohol use disorder and were being treated with acamprosate, an FDA-approved drug for alcohol dependency, or gabapentin.

The physicians found that a statistically significant 15.8% of patients on Acamprosate advanced to severe liver disease, including scarring, cirrhosis, alcohol hepatitis or liver cancer, compared with 13.4% of the veterans taking gabapentin. For patients with pre-existing liver disease, 30.4% of those taking acamprosate saw their liver disease worsen, compared with 25.8% of those on gabapentin.

Acamprosate is only used for alcohol use disorder. Because gabapentinoids are used to treat pain from shingles and neuropathy (a common complication from diabetes), they are much more understood and prescribed by primary care physicians. Use of the drug tripled from 2002 to 2015 and it is one of the 10 most frequently prescribed medications nationwide, according to the study. The physician researchers hope that their findings will encourage more doctors to consider using gabapentinoids to treat patients with alcohol use dependency before they suffer significant liver damage. They point to statistics showing that only about 2.2% of alcohol-dependent patients use prescription drugs to help treat their addiction. One of the reasons, they say, is that patients must take two acamprosate pills three times a day and can suffer serious side effects if they drink alcohol while taking the drug.

Gabapentin treats pain by soothing the nervous system. As such, it may address mental health issues such as anxiety that can lead patients to drink heavily and subsequently damage their livers, Shah told media at the national conference.

麻豆精品 S淚f we 麻豆精品 S檙e able to, with gabapentin, kill two birds with one stone 麻豆精品 S� able to treat their pains as well as their alcohol use disorder 麻豆精品 S� then it 麻豆精品 S檚 warranted, using gabapentin versus just using acamprosate, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Both researchers said more studies are needed to replicate their findings. They emphasize that physicians should not conclude that gabapentinoids are better than other FDA-approved drugs to treat alcohol use disorder, only that it is another option for patients and providers.

麻豆精品 S淓ach physician should review patients holistically at an individual level, considering their chronic medical problems and preferences while weighing the risks and benefits, 麻豆精品 S� Henriquez says.

How Research Impacts Patient Care

Both physicians said awareness is key to addressing alcohol use disorder and its serious damage to health.

麻豆精品 S淲hen education and risk awareness of the dangers of alcohol misuse goes up, usage tends to go down, 麻豆精品 S� Henriquez says. 麻豆精品 S淭hat 麻豆精品 S檚 why we need to put an emphasis on education and treatment. 麻豆精品 S�

Shah wants to become a gastroenterologist to help provide that care. He noted that lifestyle habits are increasing all forms of liver disease. One of the reasons UCF and HCA Healthcare created the new gastroenterology fellowship is to address a physician shortage in that specialty. Both physicians said they came to UCF for graduate medical education because the Internal Medicine program of Greater Orlando-Osceola offered a family-like atmosphere and emphasized research and other academic pursuits. The opportunity to care for veterans and residents of Osceola County, one of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 fastest-growing and most complex communities, also allowed them to care for an incredible variety of patients and conditions.

Abdo Asmar has led the Internal Medicine Residency of Greater Orlando- Osceola since UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 inaugural program began in 2014. Today, the UCF-HCA Graduate Medical Education Consortium is one of the fastest growing in Florida, with more than 620 physicians training in 39 accredited programs this summer.

Asmar says Shah and Henriquez 麻豆精品 S檚 research shows their commitment to improving health for all.

麻豆精品 S淭hese physicians are difference makers, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淎nd through their research, they are demonstrating a commitment to advancing science and patient care. With research, you go beyond the patient who is sitting in front of you. You improve care for patients you will never see. 麻豆精品 S�

Alex Diaz was one of 795,000 people who suffer a stroke every year, and among the 13% whose stroke is hemorrhagic, meaning a blood vessel in the brain ruptures. These strokes can cause serious disability and often death.

A now healthy Diaz and his wife came to the UCF College of Medicine this week to thank the emergency medicine physicians who saved him.

Paramedics responding to Lauren 麻豆精品 S檚 911 call originally thought Alex 麻豆精品 S檚 symptoms were from COVID-19, a diagnosis he had received the day before. But Lauren insisted her husband was having a stroke, so the ambulance transported him to HCA Florida Osceola Hospital 麻豆精品 S� one of 38 HCA Healthcare facilities that partner with UCF to train residents and fellows in one of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 fastest growing graduate medical education programs.

David Lebowitz leads the emergency medicine residency and serves as an associate professor at the medical school. He organized Alex and Lauren 麻豆精品 S檚 presentation as an inspirational experience to show residents the impact of their care. Physician teamwork and Lauren 麻豆精品 S檚 persistence made the biggest difference in Alex 麻豆精品 S檚 recovery, he says.

麻豆精品 S淵our insistence led to the EMTs setting off a stroke alert, which had our team properly prepared for his arrival and expedited his care, 麻豆精品 S� Lebowitz told Lauren during the presentation.

She spoke first to the physicians, describing the emotions of seeing her husband intubated and watching helplessly in the fast-paced environment of the emergency room. She thanked the doctors for explaining to her what they were doing to stabilize her husband, and for helping her walk outside when she needed fresh air but was too emotional to move.

After being stabilized, Alex had no function of his right leg and little function of his right arm. Lauren says she began preparing for the fact that her husband might never walk again.

After the residents heard from Lauren, Lebowitz invited Alex to speak. He entered the College of Medicine auditorium to a standing ovation. He walked assuredly, his legs fully functional, and shook Lebowitz 麻豆精品 S檚 hand firmly with the right hand and arm that once could not even lift a spoon 18 months ago.

Alex has no memory of the stroke 麻豆精品 S檚 onset and remembers little about his hospital stay except the bacon the hospital served for his meals.

麻豆精品 S淢aybe the bacon is what helped me heal so well, 麻豆精品 S� he laughed.

After leaving the hospital, Alex began rehabilitation. First, starting on a walker which the physical therapist insisted he did not need after only a few days. Alex and Lauren followed the physical therapist 麻豆精品 S檚 program, doing the exercises every night as Alex began to regain full use of his body. Before long, he was able to walk and use his right arm again.

麻豆精品 S淧hysical therapy was easier than I expected, but the brain-related side was more difficult, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

He recalled taking mental exams and thinking he had done well before getting his results and realizing his short-term memory had been severely affected. He worked extensively with a neurotherapist who specializes in executive functioning, such as planning, problem solving and adaptation and has recovered tremendously. While he still has difficulties with short term memory, it has drastically improved.

Today, Alex has been back at work for over a year. He is grateful to the paramedics who brought him to the hospital and the HCA Florida Osceola Hospital physicians who cared for him and to his wife. Alex thanked the doctors for fighting for him during every part of his healthcare journey.

麻豆精品 S淚 think about that night every single day and what could 麻豆精品 S檝e been if not for my wife and the doctors that took care of me, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

This presentation was part of a retreat to remind emergency medicine physicians and residents that while they respond to countless accidents and illnesses, there are individuals and families behind each case.

The two new programs recently received ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) accreditation and are seeking applicants to begin training in July 2024. With the additions, the UCF-HCA Florida Healthcare Graduate Medical Education Consortium has 37 accredited programs from the Florida panhandle to Orlando, making it one of the fastest growing in the state. By July, the consortium will have 600 physicians in training in high-need specialties that include primary care, surgery, OB-GYN, psychiatry, endocrinology, emergency medicine and geriatrics.

Stephen Cico, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 associate dean for graduate medical education and the consortium 麻豆精品 S檚 designated institutional official (DIO), says the programs will help improve patients 麻豆精品 S� access to care and address the state 麻豆精品 S檚 physician shortage.

麻豆精品 S淭he internal medicine residency will fill the great need in Florida for access to primary care physicians especially in the panhandle, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淭heir clinics and hospital will care for some of those who have the hardest time accessing medical care. The GI fellowship will provide patients in Greater Orlando with additional access to GI physicians and procedures such as colonoscopies while also providing care for GI emergencies. 麻豆精品 S�

The internal medicine residency will accept 12 physicians a year for its three-year program 麻豆精品 S� training 36 doctors when at full complement 麻豆精品 S� and will participate in this year 麻豆精品 S檚 National Match Day March 15. The GI fellowship will accept two physicians a year who have completed their internal medicine residency training for its three-year program 麻豆精品 S� for a total of six at full complement.

Amanda Finley will lead the internal medicine residency. She completed medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and later completed residency training at Magnolia Regional Health Center in Mississippi, where she was chief resident and stayed to serve as faculty. She was founding program director and designated institutional official at Henry County Medical Center in Tennessee, where she worked with the Health Resources Service Administration to create a rural residency program.

麻豆精品 S淥ur commitment to creating a healthy and innovative learning environment make our new residency an amazing place to train, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淥ur goal is to ensure that residents achieve clinical excellence in a supportive family environment where we focus on giving and receiving feedback that take our professional performance to the highest level. 麻豆精品 S�

Vinay Katukuri will lead the GI fellowship. He completed his medical education in India and then pursued residency training at Wayne State University in Michigan. Following this, he completed his gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Michigan, followed by an advanced endoscopy fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He served as interventional faculty at Henry Ford Health System and actively participated in teaching residents and fellows, including those specializing in advanced endoscopy. While at Henry Ford Health System, he was chosen to participate in the inaugural fellowship program for entrepreneurs in digital health. Katukuri later relocated to Florida, where he established his own practice.

麻豆精品 S淚n addition to meeting the community 麻豆精品 S檚 need for gastroenterology services, the new fellowship training program aims to improve access to colon cancer prevention, which is crucial given the rising incidence of cancer, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Graduate medical education programs are key to addressing Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 physician shortage because the majority of doctors locate their practices near where they completed their residency or fellowship training. Medical school graduates cannot practice medicine independently but must complete residency training in their field of specialty.

Raghav Bassi, chief internal medicine resident at the UCF-HCA residency at HCA Florida North Florida Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, found the correlation using HCA 麻豆精品 S檚 expansive, nationwide research data base of its patients. An analysis of 289,196 HCA colon cancer patients across the United States found that those living in southern states had a higher incidence of the disease than those living in the Midwest or Northeast. And states with the highest incidence of colon cancer also had the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 highest obesity rates.

Raghav Bassi’s findings are especially alarming as obesity rates continue to increase, with estimates that 50% of the U.S. population may be obese by 2030.

The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) honored Bassi with its Presidential Award for his poster presentation at the ACG 麻豆精品 S檚 annual meeting in Vancouver, Canada. He also received a second award for outstanding poster presentation.

While at the conference, he discussed his findings with University of Tennessee researchers, who have found that colon cancer rates are increasing in young people 麻豆精品 S� and again attributed the increases to obesity and America 麻豆精品 S檚 heavy consumption of highly processed, high-fat, high-sugar and fast foods. These findings, Bassi says, are especially alarming as obesity rates continue to increase, with estimates that 50% of the U.S. population may be obese by 2030.

麻豆精品 S淲hat 麻豆精品 S檚 alarming is that colon cancer rates are going up 麻豆精品 S� including in young people 麻豆精品 S� because of lifestyle choices, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲e are all looking for food that 麻豆精品 S檚 fast and easy. But just because it 麻豆精品 S檚 fast and easy doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 mean it 麻豆精品 S檚 not doing real harm to your health. 麻豆精品 S�

The World Health Organization estimates 1.8 million new cases of colon cancer a year. Risk factors include age, obesity, diets high in red and processed meats, smoking, excessive drinking and physical inactivity.

In examining state-by-state colon cancer rates, Bassi 麻豆精品 S檚 study found the exception to the obesity-colon cancer connection was Colorado, which leads the nation in colon cancer rates. Bassi and his HCA research colleagues aim to do further studies to identify what factors other than obesity may be influencing Colorado 麻豆精品 S檚 numbers. Mississippi and Missouri were second and third nationally in colon cancer rates. The study noted that obesity rates in Mississippi are the second highest in the nation, with 37.3% of the state 麻豆精品 S檚 population diagnosed as obese. Missouri 麻豆精品 S檚 obesity rate is similar 麻豆精品 S� 37.3% according to the study.

The UCF-HCA Graduate Medical Education (GME) consortium is one of the fastest-growing in Florida, training almost 600 residents and fellows in programs from Greater Orlando to Pensacola to help address the physician shortage. UCF began its first residency in internal medicine in 2014 with HCA Healthcare and the Orlando VA Medical Center. Today, it has programs in high-need specialties including surgery, psychiatry, OB-GYN, geriatrics, emergency medicine, rheumatology and endocrinology.

The UCF-HCA Graduate Medical Education consortium is one of the fastest-growing in Florida, training almost 600 residents and fellows to help address the physician shortage.

The UCF-HCA programs emphasize research as an integral part of training young physicians. Matthew Calestino, a UCF-HCA residency attending physician and mentor, participated in the colon cancer study and calls research by residents 麻豆精品 S渁 game changer. 麻豆精品 S� Scientific studies allow residents and fellows to advance medical knowledge, Calestino and Bassi says, helping them stay current on the latest findings that can help their patients. Understanding and conducting research also trains young physicians to better critically analyze new discoveries and data, according to them.

As one of the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 leading providers of healthcare services, HCA Healthcare has 182 hospitals and approximately 2,300 sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding emergency rooms, urgent care centers and physician clinics in 20 states and the United Kingdom. HCA Healthcare provides 37 million patient encounters a year in those facilities. Data from that care provides extensive opportunities for research into the most successful care protocols. As the UCF-HCA GME consortium has grown, so has the infrastructure to support resident and fellow research efforts, and Calestino applauded the leadership of Katy Robinson, division director of GME Research for HCA 麻豆精品 S檚 North Florida Division, in increasing opportunities and support for such scientific studies.

Bassi became interested in gastroenterology as a medical student at St. George 麻豆精品 S檚 University School of Medicine as he watched a classmate struggle with ulcerative colitis. He was selected as one of the medical school 麻豆精品 S檚 global scholars, which allowed him to study and conduct research in the United Kingdom, Grenada and New York City. He hopes to enter a gastroenterology fellowship after he completes his year as chief resident. Bassi says the field offers opportunities to develop and use new therapies, and provide both clinical care and surgical interventions. He says his research experience has allowed him to meet other physician scientists and expand his knowledge to help his patients. It has also allowed him to spread the word about UCF-HCA 麻豆精品 S檚 young GME programs.

麻豆精品 S淎s a young program we aren 麻豆精品 S檛 as well known, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淭his experience shows we can compete with the bigger programs. Research allows me to connect with other members of the scientific community, get life-changing lessons and bring those lessons back with me when I return to UCF Gainesville. 麻豆精品 S�