07/11/25
composite image of Thomas Curran, MD and Mehmet Aktas, MD, MBA on a dark blue background with lighter blue accents.
Cardiology Appoints Two New Vice Chiefs
Thomas Curran, MD, was named vice chief of Clinical Cardiology Services, and Mehmet Aktas, MD, MBA, was appointed vice chief of Academic Affairs. These newly created positions support expansion of the division’s clinical and academic programs. Congratulations, Drs. Curran and Aktas!
Top Stories
Nurse holding the hand of an elderly patient who is in a hospital bed.
Postoperative Delirium is Costly but Preventable
A new study in JAMA Network Open coauthored by Heather Lander, MD, of Geriatrics/Aging, shows that postoperative delirium is a high-impact complication that may be prevented through low-cost, evidence-based interventions.
Graduates pose with directors of the Strategic Leadership Education and Development (SLED) program.
DOM Leaders Upskill in SLED Program
Six faculty members and leaders in the DOM recently completed URMC’s Senior Leadership Education and Development (SLED) program. Learn about participants’ leadership projects developed over the course of the two-year program.
A physician types on their phone, overlaid with LinkedIn, X, and Bluesky icons.
Have You Completed Our Social Media Survey Yet?
As more people disengage with Twitter/X, the DOM is exploring new avenues on social media. If you haven’t already, please take five minutes to let us know which social media platforms you use and how to best connect with you.
Bulletin Board

Town Hall: Join us Monday, July 14, at noon via Zoom for our annual Research Town Hall. Get an overview of department research, research education initiatives, and Simon School initiatives.

DOM Grand Rounds: Join us on Tuesday, July 15, at noon in the Class of '62 Auditorium or via Zoom to learn about the modern-day challenges of the ancient disease tuberculosis from Sonal Munsiff, MD, of Infectious Diseases, and Paul Levy, MD, of Pulmonary and Critical Care. 

Webinar on Federal Policy Changes: Learn how the University is navigating potential academic, financial, and operational challenges resulting from recent federal legislation and action. Register now to join on Wednesday, July 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Special Announcements

In the News: Irfan Rahman, PhD, of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care, spoke with the New York Times about the harms of vaping. 

In the News: Angela Branche, MD, discussed the recent meeting of the new Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as part of a press briefing sponsored by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Read more in Medscape

Publication: John F. Cox III, MD, of Primary Care, published a commentary in the Annals of Internal Medicine on a study showing that invitation to screening with FIT was noninferior to invitation for colonoscopy for patients aged 50 to 69.

Publication: Jonathan Friedberg, MD, MMSc, of Hematology/Oncology, coauthored “Minimal Residual Disease Status Predicts Outcomes in Patients with Follicular Lymphoma Treated With Chemo-Immunotherapy on the SWOG S0016 Trial” in Haematologica

Publication: Kah Poh Loh, BMedSci, MBBCh, BAO, MS, Supriya Mohile, MD, MS, Rachel Tylock, and Richard Dunn, MD, MS, of Hematology/Oncology, coauthored “Nutritional Impairment and Quality of Life Trajectories Among Older Adults with Advanced Cancer” in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Publication: Brenda Tesini, MD, of Infectious Diseases, coauthored “Hospitalization for COVID-19 and Risk Factors for Severe Disease Among Children: 2022-2024” in Pediatrics

Publication: Ashley Jenkins, MD, MSc, of Hospital Medicine, coauthored “Defusing Disruption: A Rapid Qualitative Analysis Examining Hospitalist Experiences Navigating Behavioral Escalation Events” in the Journal of Hospital Medicine

Publication: Maikiko Ban-Hoefen, MD, of Hematology/Oncology, coauthored “Over Two Years of Sustained Remission With Olaparib Monotherapy in Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With ATM Mutation: A Case Report” in Cancer Reports.

Publication: David Kaufman, MD, of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care, coauthored "‘Don’t Tell Them Anything’: Should Surrogate Decision-Makers Be Allowed to Withhold Information from Other Family Members or Prevent Them from Visiting with a Patient?” in the HEC Forum

Publication: Danielle Wallace, MD, of Hematology/Oncology, coauthored “Clinicopathologic Findings in T-Cell Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia-Associated Gamma Heavy Chain Disease” in the International Journal of Surgical Pathology.

Off the Clock

Composite image showing Chunkit Fung, MD, and Scott Hartman, MD, on vacation in Provincetown, Mass.Chunkit Fung, MD, of Hematology/Oncology, and Scott Hartman, MD, of Family Medicine, revisited the site of their 2015 engagement in Provincetown, Mass., over the July 4 holiday. They spent time with friends and family and were blessed with beautiful weather to enjoy the beach, sand dunes, and bike riding along the national seashore.

Social Spotlight
URMC Department of Medicine
The Levy Letter is always looking to learn about good things happening here!
Email us with your ideas.