Division News

Benefits of Referrals for Patients with Health-Related Social Needs

In a research letter recently published in JAMA Network Open, Eugenia (Genie) McPeek Hinz, Assistant DGIM Professor and Associate Chief Medical Information Officer for Duke University Health System and Physician Informatician, and colleagues developed a patient-centered metric known as the ‘successful connection rate’ (SCR) to assess meaningful outcomes for Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) referrals for patient needs across two time periods, one with federal funding for Communit

Precision Medicine Team Successfully Coordinates National Trainee Meeting

Led by Susanne Haga, a group of staff in DGIM’s Precision Medicine Program successfully wrapped up the third meeting supported under an U13 award from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).  The NHGRI Research Training and Career Development Annual Meeting was held on April 7–9, 2024 at the Westin Seattle Hotel in Seattle, Washington.  

Duke Hospitalists Well-Represented at Annual SHM Meeting

The Society of Hospital Medicine meeting (SHM Converge) was held in San Diego this past week (Apr 12-15). This is the largest conference for hospitalists annually, with several thousand attending nationwide.  Many Duke hospitalists and trainees attended the meeting, with several selected to give a platform or poster presentation.  Here are some of the presenters at this year’s meeting (compiled by Dr. Suchita Shah Sata). Abstracts will be published in an online supplement of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.

DOC-Durham Tech Mobile Lab Wins IPE Award

The DOC-Durham Tech Mobile Lab was awarded the Duke AHEAD 2024 Interprofessional Education (IPE) Team Excellence Award on March 22 at the annual Education Day. This award recognizes the “exceptional achievements in the coordination of learners, faculty, or staff as a team within the realm of educational activities.”  The DOC-Durham Tech Mobile Lab is a partnership that enables monthly home visits of patients limited in their ability to visit a clinic.

Faculty Promotions February 2024

Congratulations to the following faculty members for their recent appointment or promotion in the Department of Medicine.

Covid-19: Lessons Unheeded

The direct and indirect repercussions, particularly the long-term consequences, of the pandemic on all facets of health and well-being continue to be investigated and reported.  DGIM Professor Keisha Bentley-Edwards has explored several areas impacted by the pandemic including contraceptive access and use among students, the impact of systemic racisms and pre-existing conditions for Black Americans, and access to behavioral weight loss interventions in Black adults.  Her latest publication caps off a special

DGIM Hospitalists Recognized by SHM NC Triangle Chapter

The local chapter of the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) hosted their NC Triangle Chapter Networking and Awards night on February 16 at the Graduate Hotel in Chapel Hill.  Among the award recipients were Tara Spector and Pooh Setji (both won for Clinical Leadership for Physicians), Poonam Sharma (Excellence in Teaching), Lana Wahid (Excellence in Research), Noel Ivey (Best vignette), and David Gallagher


PWIM Broadens the Department of Medicine Community Equity Conversation

The Program for Women in Internal Medicine (PWIM), led by Chair Dr. Daniella Zipkin and Dr. Jennifer Rymer, trainee liaison, is broadening the conversation around equity in the Duke University Department of Medicine (DOM). 

Having the space to elevate topics that impact women, holding events that take on the topic of inequity for women and people of color, and creating platforms for authentic discussion at a department level has been ground breaking for Zipkin, associate vice chair for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.   

Trainee Spotlight: Samantha Curtis

Senior resident Dr. Samantha Curtis has won the 2024 Med-Peds Program Director Association (MPPDA) Walter W. Tunnessen, Jr. Award honoring a graduating medicine-pediatric resident for innovative accomplishments in education, clinical care, and advocacy.

Continuing Medical Education: A Pathway to Collaboration and Inspiration

The Duke Department of Medicine (DOM) has long been at the forefront of advancing medical knowledge and fostering collaboration through its Continuing Medical Education (CME) efforts. With a focus on two pivotal programs— Medicine Grand Rounds (MGR) and the Learning Education and Discussion Series (LEADS) —the department not only ensures the maintenance of professional licenses but also cultivates an environment of shared learning, innovation, and inspiration. 

MGR: A Legacy of Innovation 

5 in DOM Complete ALICE Program

ALICE is an annual program that provides targeted development to mid-career women faculty leaders. Applications for the 2024 program are available now and are due November 3.

Mario Family Foundation Awardees Focus on Older Adult Care, Heart Failure Patients, HIV

The Mario Family Foundation Award supports junior investigators in training by annually awarding selected patient-oriented research proposals to fund for one year. This year’s Mario Family Foundation fellow recipients are Judith B. Vick, MD, MPH, General Internal Medicine, Josephine Harrington, MD, Cardiology, and Naseem Alavian, MD, MPH, Infectious Diseases.  

Drs. Wyatt and Bentley-Edwards Receive NIH Award to Reduce Kidney Health Disparities

Christina Wyatt, MD, associate professor in the Division of Nephrology, and Keisha Bentley-Edwards, PhD, associate professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine, received an award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a project entitled “Interventions that Address Structural Racism to Reduce Kidney Health Disparities, Research Coordinating Center.” 

Faculty Perspective: Leadership Development

The Department of Medicine (DOM) has a longstanding history of providing resources and opportunities to faculty at all levels who are on their journey towards building a rewarding career in academic medicine. One component of the department’s vision includes supporting the development of faculty through professional and leadership development programs.

Duke Medicine Expands Advocacy Curriculum to Include Fellows

Health care providers play a crucial role in medical advocacy, and the Duke Department of Medicine is meeting a need for these physicians’ voices by expanding the scope of medical advocacy training to include fellows as well as residents.