As we approach the end of 2023, I find myself reflecting on the incredible accomplishments and wonderful people of the DOM. It fills me with pride to witness your dedication, passion, and resilience. I cannot express enough gratitude for all that you do.

May this season bring you joy with your loved ones. I recognize that the holidays can also bring their own stresses, but I hope that each of you finds moments of gratitude and peace. This is a time for family and friends to come together and celebrate traditions, new and old! I would love to hear how you enjoy this time of year.

January 1 brings the promise of a new year. Let's carry forward our spirit of collaboration, empathy, and innovation, which defines our department. The challenges we face will be met with the strength of our unity, and I know that we will reach new heights in 2024.

From my home to yours, happy holidays.

Be well,
Ruth O'Regan, MD

*The Levy Letter will return January 5

Honors: Louis Papa, MD, from Primary Care, received a Rochester Business Journal Icon Honor award. Learn about his legacy in the RBJ Icon Honors magazine, page 22.

Awards: Susan Friedman, MD, MPH, from Geriatrics & Aging, is lead author of the poster "A Comparison of Two Variants of an Educational Nutrition Program: In-Person vs. Remote," which won Best Professional Abstract at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Annual Conference.

Impact Report: In 2021, Valerie Lang, MD, MHPE, from Hospital Medicine, founded the Lang and Solky Hospitalist Faculty Development Award, an endowed fund to enhance career development and medical education. Get the details on recent awardees and their projects.

Publication: King Mazumdar, MD, MBA, an Internal Medicine resident, Meghan Train, DO, and Jennifer Readlynn, MD, both from Hospital Medicine, are authors of "Things We Do for No Reason™: Discontinuing β-blockers in patients who use cocaine," published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.

Publication: Valentina Kutyifa, MD, PhD, vice chair for Clinical Research, is co-author of "Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation," published in the New England Journal of Medicine. She served on the steering committee for eight years of this international collaboration with Canadian and European sites.

Book Publication: Joseph Nicholas, MD, MPH, from Highland Hospital, is co-editor of the medical textbook "Osteoporotic Fracture Care," from AO Publishing.

In the News: Mahala Schlagman, MD, from General Medicine, offers her expertise as the assistant program director for Health Equity in the Internal Medicine Residency program on the episode "Understanding how a medical legal partnership can help patients improve their health outcomes," on WXXI's Connections.

Apply for the 2024 University Research Awards

The request for proposals and online application are now available for the 2024 University Research Awards, providing seed money to enable the development of new, innovative research projects with a high probability of attracting external support in the short term, and further stimulating the research of faculty who have moved beyond research support provided by the University as part of their initial start-up period. Applications must be received by Wednesday, January 31.

Details on eligibility, the application and review processes, and post-award follow-up requirements are available on the Office of the Vice President for Research website.

The UR Aging Institute (URAI) is seeking submissions for a Pilot Award in Aging Research. Proposed projects should focus on basic or clinical aging research topics. Up to two awards will be funded, for up to $50,000 each, for a one-year project. Collaborative projects are encouraged. Initial abstracts of proposals are due by Monday, December 18.

Researchers interested in applying for any limited submission opportunity (those in which the sponsoring agency limits the number of proposals it allows from an institution) are required to submit an internal application. For information on the internal application process and currently available limited submission opportunities, visit the Office of the Vice President for Research web site. To receive notifications of limited submission funding opportunities, contact Sharon Pomeroy with a request to be added to the VPR Funding Opportunities listserv.