SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Department of Surgery
ANNUAL REPORT  July 2014
Message from the chair
Wilson named to endowed chair. Bariatric
program recognition. Trauma center, breast center
accreditation. Ross named LCME chair. Urology
residency ACGME approval and recognition.
Tubman lecture by Wayne Frederick, Howard
Univ. Thomas Covey lecture. Bernard Zimmermann
symposium; ‘BZ’ remembered. ‘Coach’ Kandzari fete.
World experts Cerfolio, Holcomb, Haider, Ellison,
O’Neill, Giuliano will give named lectures in 2014-2015.
Chief residents’ plans, incoming interns.
Recognition and new midlevel providers.
Special recognitions of residents and faculty.
Service lines and clinical faculty.
Summary of year by performance pillar: Finance,
people, quality, service and efficiency, growth, education.
Peer review publications, presentations by
residents and faculty during 2013-2014.
About the cover: The administrative suite has two scrolls with
Japanese calligraphy called kakemono (“hanging object”). The one to
the left reads “Respect the past, create the new (onkochishin),” an
ethic of academic surgery where we acknowledge the traditions and
contributions of surgery to modern medicine, and commit ourselves
to creating new knowledge and training the next generation. The
scroll to the right means “Carelessness is one’s greatest enemy
(yudantaiteki),” a self-explanatory warning to all surgeons.
La Rosa death, snapshots of the year’s events and
visitors.
Thank you for a great year: Sharon Bartholomew,
Cindy Chandler, Ruth Fitzgerald.
William “Rusty” and Anne Skewes of Bluefield made a $1.5 million
contribution to the WVU School of Medicine to fund the Skewes Family
Endowed Chair in Trauma Surgery. Alison Wilson, associate professor,
was named by Dean Arthur Ross as its
first recipient. The endowment will fund
educational and research activities of the
Division of Trauma, Acute Care Surgery,
and Surgical Critical Care.
The Skewes met Dr Wilson and assistant
professors Hannah Hazard and Jen
Knight last November. Dr Wilson
described the accomplishments of the
Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center at
Ruby Memorial Hospital, and showed
videos of JMMTC patients.
“They [Drs Wilson, Hazard, and Knight] have great attitude,” Mr Skewes
said. “We could see that they’re very dedicated to what they’re doing.” He
recalled his business experience as a mining executive in making the
donation. “It’s critical to keep your best employees. Bigger businesses
constantly try to steal them away.”
“We want to help the
largest number of
people,” added Mrs
Skewes. “This endowment
benefits everyone in West
Virginia, even the world
through Dr. Wilson’s
travels,” she said, in
reference to international
exchanges with the
JMMTC with surgeons in
Ukraine and China.
Bariatric program
named center of
excellence
Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center level 1 status affirmed
In December the JMMTC hosted
the Changzou No. 2 People’s
Hospital of the Nanjing Medical
University. Ronda Fike,
administrative assistant,
organized the international event.
Arthur Ross named
chair of medical school
organization
Residency in urology
recognized, wins full
accreditation
Top: Arthur Ross; below, Stanley Zaslau.
Alan Brader,
Lawrence Tabone
added to bariatric
faculty
Nezar Jrebi,
colon and
rectal surgery
Cancer center wins
full three-year
accreditation
From top: Alan Brader,
Lawrence Tabone,
Nezar Jrebi.
From top right: Hannah Hazard, Jessica
Partin.
Wayne A.I. Frederick, surgical oncologist and interim
Department of Surgery in February. He spoke on
president of Howard University in Washington, D.C.,
gave the inaugural Harriet Tubman lecture in the
unconscious racial bias in academic medicine and racial
disparities in cancer care in black patients, two wellreceived talks that were both inspiring and informative.
He also discussed cancer cases with residents in surgery
and medical students.
Jen Knight, assistant professor, led organizational
efforts for the event. Arthur Ross, professor and dean
of WVU SOM, and Christopher Colenda, chancellor,
welcomed Dr Frederick. The visit was co-sponsored by
the WVU Health Science Center chancellor’s office and
the Center for Black Culture. WVU president Gordon
Gee participated in a reception at the Erickson Alumni
Center. Dr Frederick met with student leaders from
black undergraduate clubs and Greek organizations,
arranged by Marjorie Fuller and Bruce Mitchell of the
Center for Black Culture.
Thomas H. Covey, M.D., emeritus professor, was honored March 18 at the
annual lecture bearing his name. After the lecture, given by John B. Hanks,
University of Virginia in Charlottesville, a portrait of Dr Covey was
unveiled by his wife Hope and members of his family.
John Hanks,
Charlottesville:
Covey lecturer
Dr Covey became one of the most esteemed clinicians at WVU. Born in
Beckley and educated in Weston, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa from WVU
in 1957. He went to
medical school at
Harvard and trained
in surgery at the
University of
Michigan. His first
academic
appointment was at
Washington
University and the
Jewish Hospital in St
Louis. He returned
to WVU as associate
professor in 1984,
Above: Dr Covey unveils his portrait with family. From left: Sharon Lindsey, Myra
and received a full
Jo White (sisters); Hope, his wife; and daughters Emily Kiral and Joda Lynn
professorship in
1991. Respected for his professionalism and judgment, he served in
leadership roles at Ruby Memorial Hospital, including hospital chief of
staff, executive medical board, and as acting chair of the WVU Department
of Surgery twice. He was recognized as outstanding attending surgeon by
the residents three times.
Dr Covey established the Moran Fund for
Surgical Education and Research in honor of his
friend and colleague Walter H. Moran, one of the
founding faculty. He served as interim director of
the Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center. He
continues to teach anatomy and serves on the
admissions committee.
His likeness will be displayed outside the
Department administrative suite in honor of his
service to his patients of the state, the hospital,
and the medical school.
Amy Halverson: 25th Zimmermann symposium
Above: Dr Halverson chats with Charles
Rosen, chair, department of neurosurgery.
They were residents together at George
Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Dr Zimmermann was founding chair of the department of surgery, a post he held from 1960 to 1973. He was born
in St. Paul, Minn., the son of a surgeon, and graduated from Harvard College and Medical School. He described
in 1945 a technique that anticipated modern intravenous therapy and appeared in Science. He trained under
Owen Wangensteen at the University of Minnesota, where he stayed on faculty. He was part of the wave of
Minnesota clinician-scientists who became the founding leaders of the four-year WVU medical school, recruiting
the first fulltime clinical faculty that would become the foundation of the department for decades. He led an active
basic science laboratory with an emphasis on the metabolic and endocrine responses to injury. He was on the
founding editorial board of the Journal of Surgical Research, a founding member of the Society for Surgery of the
Alimentary Tract, and served as president of the
Halsted Society. The annual research
symposium of the department is dedicated to
his memory.
He had myriad interests that reflected his
adopted state, including fly fishing, hiking,
hunting, Angus cattle and his exacting use of
grammar.
More than 100 colleagues, alumni, and friends honored Chancellor Chris Colenda and Senator Joe Manchin.
Stanley Kandzari in a testimonial dinner held at the
The highlight of the evening
Erickson Alumni Center
was the unveiling of a
April 3 in honor of his more
portrait of Dr Kandzari by
than 40 years of service to
his grandson Gage
the people of the state, the
Campbell. His likeness will
Hospital, and the School of
be displayed outside the
Medicine. Organized by
Department office suite on
urology division chief
the 7th floor.
Stanley Zaslau, a scientific
symposium preceded the
dinner and featured alumni
from the residency in
urology: Ashish Kamat,
professor of urology at the MD Anderson Cancer
Center in Houston and WVU chief resident in
2000 - 2001; Stephen Sparks, chief in 2007 - 2008
and now at the Children’s National Medical Center
in Washington, D.C.; 1985 - 1986 graduate Ron
Prize-winning papers at the ACS CoC residents’ competition, Morgantown.
From left: Peter Zmilewski, PGY1; Patrick Bonasso, PGY1; Linda VonaCercone of Pittsburgh; and Can (John) Talug of
Davis, research sponsor.
Princeton and chief in 2008 - 2009. All the speakers
expressed gratitude for Dr Kandzeri’s training and
mentorship in their residencies and careers.
Dr Kandzari is known as “Coach,” an honorific
nickname that reflects affection, respect, and his
devotion to WVU athletics. The featured speaker
appropriately was Tony Caridi, play-by-play
announcer for the Mountaineer Sports Network. Dr
Kandzari received formal commendations from
University of Alabama,
Birmingham, School of
Medicine
September 30 - October 1, 2014
University of Texas Medical
School, Houston
Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine
October 7 - 8, 2014
February 17 - 18, 2015
Dr Holcomb will be the 2014 Peter Mucha
visiting professor and give the Mucha lecture
Dr Cerfolio will be the Gordon Murray
during his visit. He holds the Jack H.
visiting professor and give the Murray
Mansfield chair at UTMSH, where he serves
lecture. He is James H. Estes Family Lung
in a number of leadership capacities,
Cancer Research professor and chief of
including vice chair, director of translational
thoracic surgery at UAB. He is the
injury research, and chief of the division of
acknowledged leader in minimally invasive
acute care surgery. He is widely known for
surgery for thoracic cancer in the U.S. He
his research in trauma resuscitation,
has published more than 125 major peercompletely revolutionizing the approach to
reviewed articles, and has given named
lectures at major institutions throughout the the management of hemorrhagic shock. He
has been recognized by the U.S. Department
world. A three-sport letterman in high
of Defense for his research, service, and
school, he is a member of both Phi Beta
Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha, graduating dedication to the care of wounded soldiers
cum laude from the University of Rochester with a number of major awards, and by the
for both undergraduate and medical schools. Committee on Trauma of the American
College of Surgeons for his outstanding
contributions to trauma care.
Dr. Haider will give this year’s Harriet
Tubman lecture celebrating diversity in
medicine. He is associate professor of surgery
at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine,
specializing in trauma and surgical critical
care. His clinical research interest is
outcomes in large databases, for which he has
federal funding through the National
Institutes of Health. An area of focus is
disparities in outcome following trauma
among racial minorities in the U.S., and
among the trauma response systems in
different countries. He is known as among
the vanguard of young thought leaders in
trauma care, asking highly original questions
and using insights from “big data” databases
to improve clinical surgical care.
Ohio State University
College of Medicine
March 17 - 18, 2015
Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
April 14 - 15, 2015
May 6, 2015
Dr O’Neill will be the keynote speaker at the
Dr Ellison is known as the world’s foremost 2015 Bernard Zimmermann research
expert on endocrine surgery of the pancreas. symposium in Spring 2015. He is professor
He is immediate past chair of the department of surgery and chair emeritus of the section
of surgical sciences at the Vanderbilt
of surgery at Ohio State, holding both the
University Medical Center in Nashville. He
OSU College of Medicine distinguished
chair, and the Robert M. Zollinger chairs of was surgeon-in-chief at the Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia.
surgery. He served also as CEO and vice
A noted pediatric surgeon with an
dean for clinical affairs.
international reputation, he has held major
With Robert M. Zollinger, Jr., Dr Ellison
leadership positions in surgery, including the
authors the definitive atlas of surgery,
Zollinger’s Atlas of Surgical Operations, now presidencies of the American Pediatric
in its 9th edition. He serves on the editorial Surgical Association and the Southern
board of major surgical journals. He has held Surgical Association. Active in African
mission work, he continues to have an active
major leadership positions in surgery,
translational research project with federal
including chair of the American Board of
funding to study cancer genetics among
Surgery and chair of the Advisory Council
African populations where pediatric cancer is
for General Surgery for the American
endemic.
College of Surgeons.
The Department is honored to host
Armando Giuliano, M.D., as its inaugural
Donald Morton lecturer in surgical oncology.
One of the world’s leading breast cancer
surgeons, Dr Giuliano is ececutive vice chair
of surgery at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in
Los Angeles. He was a pioneer in the use of
needle biopsy and sentinel node biopsy in
the evaluation of breast cancer. More
recently he led a study that documented the
limited utility of node dissection in women
with early stage breast cancer.
The lecture honors Donald Morton, M.D., a
native West Virginian who left to attend
Berea College in Kentucky before leaving for
the west coast where he established a worldrenowned reputation in surgical oncology,
and helped organize the John Wayne Cancer
Center in Santa Monica, Calif.
Brenner Dixon, Colorado University
D. Michael Fourquean, WVU
Robert Jansen (Urology), Medical University South
Carolina
Jason Turner, WVU
Zachary Baker, American University Caribbean
Jennifer Danniel, Kasturba Medical College
Chad Hubsher (Urology), University of Florida
Smarika Shrestha, Dalhousie University
Robert Andres, University of Illinois
James Bardes, University of Texas Medical Branch
Jared Feyko, Touro University Nevada College
Dana Point (Urology), Marshall University
Amanda Bailey, Nova Southeastern University
Moungar Cooper, Howard University
Chad Morley (Urology), WVU
Robert Roddenberry, Georgia Regents University
From left: Patrick Bonasso, III, WVU; Nsisong Ipka, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University; Morris Jessop (Urology),
WVU; Amanda Palmer, WVU; Jacinta Robenstine, St Louis University; Peter Zmijewski, Albany Medical College.
Brenner F. Dixon
A Colorado native, Brenner
attended Colorado University
for both undergraduate
medical school. He will begin
his fellowship in minimally
invasive surgery at St
Vincent’s hospital in
Indianapolis. He and Amy
have son Taylen, 2.
D. Michael Fourqurean
A Parkersburg native, Mike
attended college at West
Virginia Wesleyan College
and majored in chemistry and
WVU SOM. He will enter the
University of Miami residency
in plastic surgery. He enjoys
golf, cooking, and guitar.
N.Y., and raised in Columbia, Martinsburg with a clinical
S.C. He attended Clemson
appointment with the
University and the Medical
Department of Surgery. He
University of South Carolina.
He will be entering private
practice in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Bob and Brittany have new
baby Jonathan born February
24 2014.
Jason Turner
Born in Frostburg, Md., Jason
grew up in West Virginia’s
Eastern Panhandle. At WVU
SOM he was class president,
graduated magna cum laude,
and was a member of AOA.
He served on the WVUH
medical executive committee
and was administrative chief
resident.
Robert Jansen
Bob was born in Long Island, Dr. Turner will practice in
Meet the new 2014 - 2015 interns
and Julie have two children,
Myla Jewel, 4, and Colson
West, 2 and pet dog Jada.
In November Phil Slates,
information technology specialist
with the department, was struck by
a car while walking to work near
highway 705 at the crosswalk. No
bones were broken but
convalescence and
immobilization was
required. The next
month he wrote the
lead letter to the
editor of the
Dominion Post
asking for programs
in walking and
bicycling safety.
award from the WVU hospital for
their top notch teamwork in caring
for patients with breast cancer. The
award recognizes the unsung heroes
that regularly provide excellent care
and thereby help build a better
workplace.
in the build a better workplace
category. Assigned to the vascular
service, Crystal cross-covered and
helped get the work done when
other services were short-staffed.
Crystal is now involved in onboarding new hires.
Crystal Alkire, RN, was nominated
for the WVUH “Bravo!” award, also
Amanda Leinweber,
nurse practitioner,
was a member of the
breast care team that
received the
December “Bravo!”
Welcome to the Department of Surgery!
Coders Lora Hall, Ashley Moore,
and Amanda Shaffer earned
recognition for 100% accuracy in
the most recent coding audit
conducted by the compliance office.
Tracy Bollinger was also recognized
for a 90% rating.
Congratulations!
Tara McCormick,
nurse manager in the
physician’s office
complex, passed her
certifying examination
in ambulatory care by
the American
Academy of
Ambulatory Care
Nursing, the
professional
organization that
represents nurses
involved in outpatient
care.
Farrell Adkins and Mary Vinson, 2013
chief residents, passed the Certifying
Examination (CE; familiarly known as oral
boards) of the American Board of Surgery
(ABS) in March. They passed both the CE
and the Qualifying Examination (written
boards) on their first attempt. First attempt
pass rates are a measure used by the
Accreditation Council for Graduate
Medical Education (ACGME) to certify
residency training programs.
Jason Turner, PGY5, won third place at
the annual residents’ paper
competition at the regional meeting of
the Committee on Trauma of the
American College of Surgeons (ACS)
in Philadelphia in December. It was
the highest award ever received by a
WVU resident. Alison Wilson was his
sponsor. Jason’s presentation also won
the Zimmermann research symposium
event this year.
SOM second-year medical students,
received Departmental scholarships to
attend the annual meeting of the Eastern
Association for the Surgery of Trauma
(EAST) at Lake Buena Vista, Fla., in
January, sponsored by Jen Knight, assistant
professor. They were selected on the basis
of their interest in general surgery and
scholastic achievement. They gave
summaries of their experience to the newly
instituted Friday afternoon medical student
review organized by assistant professors
Jim Bardes, PGY3, and Morris
Jessop, PGY1 (Urology), were at the
WV Chapter of the ACS annual
meeting in May. Jim took second
place in the trauma resident paper
competition, and Morris took second
place in the general resident paper
Greg Schaefer and Pamela Zimmerman.
competition. Dana Point, PGY3 (Urology),
The trauma center outreach and education
and Patrick Bonasso, PGY1, also
team was selected for the WVU
participated.
Chancellor's Award at a ceremony in April
Drs Jessop, Amanda Bailey, PGY2, and
for outstanding service to the state.
Bonasso were selected to participate in the
Included in the recognition were Jon
2014 graduate medical education week
Michael Moore Trauma Center staff
research day in May. Morris was selected in
members Trudy Clark, Lori Double, Ronda
the basic science area; Amanda and
Fike, Michelle Putnam, Holly Riley,
Patrick’s projects were in clinical science.
Ramona Rodriguez, Josilyn Sanner, ChainStanley Zaslau, Hannah Hazard, and Dr
Wen Wang, and Leslie Willard. Faculty
Wilson, respectively, were project sponsors.
recognition included assistant professors
Dr Bardes won a scholarship to attend the Jorge Con, Fawad Khan, and Drs Schaefer,
ACS Leadership and Advocacy Summit in Knight, and Wilson.
Washington, D.C. in April. In addition to
Dr Knight was elected as an alumni
meeting ACS leadership and advocacy
member of the Alpha Omega Alpha
groups, the program includes workshops in
medical honor society in January. The
leadership and public policy.
honor society, founded in 1902, recognizes
Katie Helin and Leslie Matthews, WVU
scholastic achievement, humanism, and
professionalism as embodied in its motto,
“Worthy to serve the suffering.”
Hannah Hazard, assistant professor and
division chief, surgical oncology, is coinvestigator with the cancer center’s
research with the ACS Oncology Group
beginning December 2013.
Kevin Tveter and Anthony Holden,
assistant professors, are co-investigators
with a WVU research project in the
microRNA regulation in the diabetic heart.
Bryan Richmond, professor,
Charleston division, was named to the
executive committee of the
Southeastern Surgical Congress as an at
large representative from the SESC
council, where he serves as councilor
for West Virginia.
Sung Cho, assistant professor, was
recognized by the Fellowship Council
with a certificate of completion in
hepatopancreatobiliary surgery by the
Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary
Association (AHPBA) in February.
Lisa Jacob, assistant professor,
nominated for a distinguished teaching
award from the WVU SOM in March.
Linda Vona-Davis, associate professor, is co
-investigator with Mark Olfert on an
internal WVU grant program to stimulate
competitive research titled, “Metabolic
influence of VEGF-A linking obesity to
breast cancer.”
Dr Zaslau is president of the Mid-Atlantic
section of the American Urologic
Association.
Dr Nakayama was elected president of the
Southeastern Surgical Association at its
meeting in February.
Tom McClelland, clinical assistant
professor, was featured in the winter 2014
issue of West Virginia Executive magazine.
The article featured his clinical work, his
mission trips to central America, and his
business interests in medical device
inventions.
Administration
Education
Bariatric and
metabolic surgery
Cardiac
and thoracic surgery
Hand, plastic and reconstructive surgery
Colon and
rectal surgery
Pediatric surgery
General surgery
Research
Surgical oncology and breast surgery
Trauma, surgical critical care, and acute care surgery
Vascular surgery
Urology
Veteran’s Administration Hospital
Ashland, Ohio
Theodore Avtgis, Assoc Prof
Wheeling
Hugh Andreini, Jr., Instr; Robert
Cross, Asst Prof; Rosemarie Hardin,
Asst Prof; David Kappel, Prof; E.
Phillips Polack, Prof; Ahmad Rahbar
Assoc Prof; Howard Shackelford,
Assoc Prof; C. Alan Tracy, Assoc Prof
Morgantown
John Battin, Instr; David Fogarty, Prof; Andrew
Heiskell, Instr; Jerome Johnson, Assoc Prof;
David Hall, Instr; Mark Johnson, Asst Prof; W.
Thomas McClellan, Asst Prof; Todd Tallman,
Asst Prof; Thomas Covey, Prof Emeritus; Donald
McDowell, Prof Emeritus; Franklin Schiebel,
Assoic Prof Emeritus
Pittsburgh
Keith Apelgren, Prof
McMurray
Timothy Weyrich, Inst
Kingswood
Theresa Rutledge, Instr
Keyser
Suratkal Shenoy, Asst Prof
Clarksburg
Carl Fischer, Asst Prof; Richard Kaufman,
Asst Prof; Catalino Mendoza, Prof; Frank
Schiebel, Jr., Asst Prof
Huntington
Rocco Morabito, Prof;
Rocco Morabito, Jr., Asst Prof
Bridgeport
Gaspar Barcinas, Asst Prof
Fairmont
Charles Frank, Asst
Prof; David McClellan,
Asst Prof; Frank
Schiebel, Jr., Asst Prof
Beckley
Rajinikant Shah, Asst Prof
Petersburg
Anil Makani, Asst Prof
Martinsburg
James Carrier, Assoc Prof,
clerkship director, Richard
Casuccio, Asst Prof; Robert
Cicchino, Asst Prof; Jessica
Johnson, Asst Prof; John
Thomas, Asst Prof
Southpoint, N.C.
Gordon Murray, Prof Emeritus
Charleston
Roberto Kusminsky, Prof &chair; John DeLuca, Asst Prof, prog dir, residency surgery;
Ali AbuRahma, Prof, prog dir, vascular surgery fellowship; Todd Witsberger, Assoc Prof,
clerkship director; Shadi AbuHalimah, Asst Prof; Mark Bates, Prof; James Campbell,
Asst Prof; Robert Cochran, Prof; Benjamin Dyer, Asst Prof; Michael Elmore, Asst
Prof; Michael Hall, Asst Prof; Steve Hass, James Lohan, Asst Prof; Frank Lucente,
Prof; Albeir Mousa, Asst Prof; Aravinda Nanjundappa, Assoc Prof; Bryan Richmond, Prof; Mohrit Srivastava, Asst Prof; Pat Stone, Asst Prof; Eduardo Suson,
Assoc Prof; Willis Trammel, Prof; Richard Umstot, Asst Prof.
Ranson
Wesley Harris,
Asst Prof;
Jan Kletter, Asst
Prof
The most remarkable feature over the past
year is the optimism and dedication of
WVU Healthcare, Hospital, and School of
Medicine in their support of surgical
services and the Department of Surgery.
Uncertainty in medical economics and
tectonic changes in healthcare have led to
multibillion dollar realignments among
providers and insurers. As the leading
provider of healthcare and tertiary care in
the state, the WVU health institutions have
been resolute in their mission to
provide high quality care to the
people of the state. The Department
of Surgery is proud to work in such
an organization. Special thanks goes
to the WVU leadership, Christopher
Colenda, MD, MPH, HSC chancellor
and president of the WV United
Health System, Arthur Ross,
professor of surgery and dean of the
SOM, Judie Charlton, chief medical
officer of WVU Healthcare and SOM
vice dean of clinical affairs, and Bruce
McClymonds, president and CEO
WVUH.
Within the Department, a leadership
team has been named. Alison
Wilson, MD, associate professor,
serves as vice chair. There are three
associate chairs that manage
important areas: Matt Loos, MD,
associate professor, clinical services
and quality; Hannah Hazard,
assistant professor, cancer; and
Stanley Zaslau, education and
research. Named in November they
have already started important programs in
their areas, some summarized below. As
always the day-to-day operation and
management of the providers and staff of
the Department are in the capable hands of
Cindy Chandler, department
administrator, Ruth Fitzgerald, department
manager, and Sharon Bartholomew,
administrative assistant. Those who work in
Department and interact with our
operations know it is Cindy, Ruth, and
Sharon who provide the necessary plans
and organization that somehow make
things work.
total draw from Departmental accounts was
$141,059.
Finance. The Department had a FY 2014
budgeted loss of $1,030,304 in part because
of new faculty. Actual loss was $667,725,
with a positive variance of $362,579.
Revenue of $11.2 million was under budget
of $11.5 million (5.9% increase from
2013), but expenses of $11.9 million were
well under budget of $12.6 million.
Expenses increased 13.5% over the
The spend for 2013-2014 exceeds the
annual endowment income by $41,000. It
includes a number of one-off costs.
Community event costs include the Jon
Michael Moore Trauma Center annual
Trauma Night of Recognition, which is
repaid from proceeds from the event.
Facility remodeling and portraits include
one-time costs of remodeling the common
space of the administrative suite,
occasioned from removal of office
cubicles, filing cabinets, and spare
office furniture. Portraits also are onetime costs for likenesses and
accompanying plaques that honor
past chairs, benefactors, and
distinguished clinicians. Resident
education costs include supplying
magnifying loupes for junior
residents. Resident education and
faculty meeting categories include
meeting costs beyond those covered
by established professional
development funds that come with
faculty and resident compensation.
Such meetings include presentations
at state, regional, and national
meetings, and professional
development courses that add to
clinical and administrative skills.
Medical student education costs
include meeting costs for medical
students as representatives of the
School of Medicine at regional and
national meetings, and presentations
of research work sponsored by fulltime
faculty. Details are available upon request.
previous year. Work RVU for the
Department totaled 220,941, meeting
budget (220,674) and a 6.2% increase over
2013.
People. The biggest event of the year was
the departure of the entire division of
Departmental accounts within the WVU
plastic surgery, Drs Casuccio, Butterworth,
Foundation includes $2.07 million in
and Lisa Jacob. Dr Jacob’s husband, hand
endowments and $701,000 in cash. Annual surgeon Glen Jacob, was also a member of
income from endowment income totals
the Department and will join her in her
some $99,000. Cash accounts and spend
new position. The Department recognizes
distribution from the endowment supports their skill and contributions to the School,
educational, research and academic events WVUH, and the people of the state and
sponsored by the Department. This year the wishes them well on their future careers.
Contingency plans were formulated to
provide acute plastic surgery coverage and
recruitments are underway to rebuild the
division that will provide a full spectrum of
plastic and reconstructive services. This may
cause inconveniences and service
disruptions, but our plan is to keep these to
a minimum while taking deliberate steps to
bring dedicated and skilled clinicians and
committed educators and academicians.
people of the state and hours of teaching
and guidance to WVU’s resident surgeons
and medical students. The Department
wishes them well.
evaluation manager (LEM) goals set by
WVUH. Led by Drs Loos and Zaslau, the
overall goal is to implement a Departmentwide, division-based performance
improvement (PI) program. There are three
Quality. Key service lines underwent
objectives. The first, to educate the faculty
accreditation by the American College of
Surgeons (ACS) during the year. Dr Wilson and residents on the use of various PI
led a successful site visit by the Committee reports, the metrics used, and introduce
Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology.
on Trauma, the Jon Michael Moore
The second will assign the faculty in various
Trauma Canter maintaining its level one
Important recruitments were completed,
trauma center designation. Dr Quinlin and PI programs as a part of expected activity.
Regular reports of PI activities will be a part
with a faculty now at 39.7 FTE from 36 in program coordinator Kristin Rosati
of all faculty meetings. The final objective is
achieved full approval as a level one
2013. Alan Brader, MD, will join the
to publish results of PI programs and
Department as chief of bariatric and weight accredited bariatric center. Drs Hazard,
involve residents and students in current
Partin, and program coordinator won
loss services, assisted by Robert Quinlin,
MD, assistant professor. Lawrence Tabone, another three-year accreditation as a breast programs.
Morbidity and mortality data require
MD, will join the service
interdisciplinary attention.
line as assistant professor.
Participation and alignment
Surgical oncology is now
with other hospital and
one of the Department’s
clinical departments have
strongest divisions, with
been initiated to address
assistant professors Sung
surgical site infection. Dr
Cho, MD, Alan Thomay,
Loos is working with Frank
MD, and Jessica Partin,
Briggs and Mike Sweet,
MD, all joining during the
WVUH quality
2013-2014 year. Nezar
department, have embarked
Jrebi, MD, will come in
on an important
August in colon and rectal
management project to
surgery. Returning the same
improve documentation
month after fellowship
that will more accurately
training in trauma and
reflect the co-morbidities of
surgical critical care is Uzer
our patient population.
Khan, MD, chief resident
Kumar Pillai, MD,
2012-2013. Both will have
associate professor and
appointments as assistant professor.
center by the National Accreditation
division chief, vascular surgery, has
Program for Breast Centers.
Nicholas Shorter, MD, fills a key position
instituted a vigorous improvement program
in pediatric surgery as professor, and will
University Healthsystem Consortium
to decrease surgical site infections and
serve as chief of the division. Assistant
(UHC) for 2013 shows observed to
readmissions. Other programs to improve
professor Khumara Huseynova, MD,
expected ratios above 1 and above UHC
preoperative care, manage high-risk surgical
joined the division of vascular surgery with medians for post-surgical (1.21, median
patients, enhance postoperative care, and to
a joint appointment with the WV clinical
0.90), quality and accountability (3.23,
provide intensive postoperative outpatient
and translational science institute. Offers
0.91) and total inpatient mortality (1.13,
care to avoid readmissions, are planned.
have been made in urological oncology and 0.91). General vascular mortality on the
leadership positions in plastic surgery and
Patient satisfaction is high. The
National Surgical Quality Improvement
general surgery. The Department is assisting Project (NSQIP) was within expected range Department is in the high 90th percentile
in key positions in the Heart Institute and (odds ratio 1.11), but general surgery
for peer institutions (96th, large community
the division of gastroenterology in the
morbidity fell into the needs improvement hospitals; 99th, academic institutions) in
department of medicine.
ambulatory patient satisfaction, and within
range (odds ratio 1.27, ninth decile).
range for inpatient satisfaction (49th and
Other departures include Fawad Khan,
Clearly much work needs to be done. The
57th, respectively).
Glenn Warden, and Jerome Johnson. All Department aligned both quality and
provided years of committed service to the clinical activities with the leadership
Service and efficiency. Drs Loos, Zaslau,
and Tara McCormick, R.N., head nurse,
ambulatory services, physicians’ office
center (POC), are embarking on a project
to improve efficiency and throughput in the
surgery clinics.
Dr Loos and Cynthia Graves, M.D.,
assistant professor and program director,
residency in surgery, are organizing midlevel providers and residents in training in
the department to ensure patient service,
operating room (OR) assistance, and
nighttime call coverage. Key features
include organizing physician assistant
outpatient practices to ensure daytime
availability for all service lines, and
providing inpatient
surgical OR
assistants, intensive
care, and emergency
coverage for services
not covered by the
educational services.
Christina Carey will
serve as lead midlevel provider and
provide
administrative
leadership for the
service. Resident
service coverage will
be contracted to
those that provide
core surgical
experience and meet
educational priorities, rather than “making
sure all the cases are covered.”
nursing resource pool, to improve patient
discharges that improve overall efficiency of
all inpatient units, but especially the OR.
Tiffany Yanuzo, R.N. (Aaron’s wife),
director of care management, will assist the
divisions and service lines create care plans
to standardize care and improve inpatient
movement from admission to discharge.
Growth. The Department will have offices
in the new outpatient facility at the
University Town Centre near the interstate.
Planned for a 2016 opening, the three-story
facility will have 127 exam rooms. Urology,
plastic surgery, bariatric, hand, and general
surgery services will offer services there.
A new 114-bed inpatient tower expansion
surgery, bariatric programs, limb salvage,
and advanced wound care.
Education. Medical student education fell
short of standards. The clerkship has room
to grow with regard to quality, attending
staff engagement, and student evaluation.
Greg Schaefer, DO and assistant professor,
has initiated meetings to improve
coordination among the three SOM
campuses.
All issues will be addressed in anticipation
of the Liaison Committee on Medical
Education site visit scheduled for February
2015. There will be new programs in
medical student engagement augmenting a
biweekly wrap-up session to review problem
cases and situations
with senior faculty.
A mentorship
program in surgery
was started by Dr
Zaslau in
conjunction with
his efforts in the
undergraduate
surgery interest
group. Pamela
Zimmerman,
assistant professor,
assists as co-director
of the junior
clerkship.
The Department
sponsored two
medical students to
will modernize and expand inpatient and
attend the Clinical Congress of the
neonatal intensive care facilities, as well as American College of Surgeons meeting in
Dr Nakayama is working with Aaron
expand and improve accessibility for
Washington, D.C., and one to attend the
Yanuzo, M.B.A., director, process
emergency and trauma services. The
Southeastern Surgical Congress. Two will
improvement, and Myra Beech, R.N.,
licensed bed capacity will increase to 645.
receive summer research stipends to work
director of the operating room (OR),
The Department is exploring new
with Linda Vona-Davis, Ph.D., adjunct
Michael Hurst, M.D., OR medical director, alignments with other hospital and SOM
professor, and Dr Zaslau in the Department
and anesthesia chief Manuel Vallejo, M.D., service lines and departments to create new basic science laboratory.
to improve OR capacity and efficiency. An service lines. These include programs with American Board of Surgery (ABS) first taker
important project is standardizing add-ons the division of gastroenterology, the WVU pass rates for the qualifying examination
to the OR and service line scheduling to
Heart Institute, and the cancer center. The (QE, written board exam) was 86%; the
allow scheduling of complicated cases like
Department is assisting with key
certifying examination (CE, oral board
cancer operations that require urgent
recruitments in these areas, including
exam), 82%; and both QE and CE, 73%.
attention. He and Dr Vallejo are working
advanced endoscopy and cardiac surgery.
with Dan Bazzoli, RN, manager of the
Other opportunities are in cosmetic
The most recent graduating class of 2013,
Farrell Adkins, Uzer Khan, and Mary
Carolyn Vinson, all passed the QE on their
first attempt. Azam Jan, 2012 grad, passed
both his CE and QE on his first attempt.
The residency in urology received a full
accreditation without citations, the highest
level of recognition, by the Accreditation
Council for Graduate Medical Education.
Dr Zaslau, program director, led the
certification effort.
Dr Graves and the medical gastroenterology
(GI) service started a new patient care
conference on their shared patients,
emphasizing medical and surgical aspects of
GI disease. Assistant professor Jon
Cardinal and associate professor Jen
Knight accepted posts as associate program
directors and will share responsibility for
the program.
As noted above there will be a
reorganization of the services so that
residents will cover the mandated services
in general surgery necessary for their
training. For the next two years the
program will participate in the Flexibility in
duty hour requirements for surgical trainees
trial (FIRST), a joint study by the ABS and
the American College of Surgeons (ACS) to
see whether more flexible work hour
requirements result in difference in surgical
outcomes. Changes include longer 24 h
intern shifts, resident availability after call
beyond 4 h, and staying to complete
operations and care for critically ill patients
despite being post call.
The interview season ended with four
categorical residents in surgery and one
intern assigned to urology. More than 40
candidates of hundreds of applicants
received interviews. The new interns
selected are introduced elsewhere in the
Annual Report.
Peer review articles.
Chapters.
EAST leadership course, Naples, Feb 9 2014.
Clinical Congress, American
College of Surgeons, Oct 6 - 10,
2013, Washington, D.C.
Books.
Presentations.
National.
Trauma, critical care, and
acute care surgery. Las Vegas,
Mar 31 - Apr 2 2014.
Trauma symposium. Phoenix,
Feb 14 2014.
Annual meeting, American
Urological Association, Orlando, May 19 - 21 2014.
Mid-Atlantic Section, American Urological Association,
annual meeting, White Sulphur
Springs, Oct 24 - 27 2013.
Resident trauma paper
competition.
Regional.
Annual scientific meeting,
Southeastern Surgical Congress.
Savannah, Feb 22-25, 2014.
Invited lectures.
National.
Annual meeting, World Congress on Exercise is Medicine,
Orlando, May 27- 31, 2014.
Resident paper competition
State.
Charleston Area Medical Center Health Education and
Research Institute. Charleston,
WV.
Visiting professorships.
State.
Annual meeting, West Virginia
Chapter, American College of
Surgeons, White Sulphur
Springs, May 1 - 3 2014.
West Virginia Chapter, American College of Surgeons, Commission on Cancer, Morgantown, October 11 2013.
James LaRosa,
Department donor
He had lifelong passions for Italian
cuisine and golf. Various community
development efforts, including a
recreation center in Summit Hill and
the humane societies in Harrison
and Upshur counties, received his
support. He was named by Ronald
Reagan to serve on the Jubilee
Commission to celebrate the 500th
anniversary of Christopher
Columbus’s first voyage to the
Western Hemisphere.
A 1948 WVU graduate in business
administration, he assumed in 1961
the position of president of LaRosa
Fuel Company, the surface mining
company his father founded. In time
the business expanded to include
facilities in Upshur, Randolph,
Barbour, and Harrison Counties. He
served on the WV Coal and
Advisory Commission and was on
the founding board of the WV
Surface Mining and Reclamation
Association. He developed the
Bridgeport Hill interstate
interchange at US Highway 50.
Christina Carey was named lead
advanced practice professionals for
the Department. She will coordinate
the activities and assignments of the
physician assistants (PA) and nurses
who help attending surgeons and
staffs.
She has been a PA for 14 years, first
working in clinic research at Merck
& Co., then as an outpatient clinic
PA in cardiology with Thomas
The Residency in Surgery will
Jefferson University Hospital in
participate in a national study
Philadelphia. Coming to
investigating the effect of resident
Morgantown when her husband was
duty hour restrictions on patient
on military assignment in the area,
outcomes. The study will take place
she came to work at Ruby Memorial
in the 2014 - 2015 year. Cynthia
Hospital first with the inpatient
Graves, assistant professor and
orthopaedic trauma service then
program director, will coordinate the
recently with general surgery.
study at WVU.
WVU in national
duty hour study
James D. LaRosa (1926 - 2014) of
Bridgeport established the James and
Emilia Surgical Research
Endowment Fund in addition to his
many contributions to the School of
Medicine and University. Among his
donations was the first heliport at
WVU Hospital.
Christina Carey
named lead advanced
practice professional
The Flexibility in Duty Hour
Requirements for Surgical Trainees
trial is co-sponsored by the American
Board of Surgery and the American
College of Surgeons. Using indices
generated by the National Surgical
Quality Improvement Program
(NSQIP), FIRST will test whether
allowing flexibility in duty hour
restrictions affect patient care
outcomes. The only work restrictions
that will remain in force will be the
80 hour per week restriction, one
day off in seven averaged over four
weeks, and no more than one night
on call out of three nights, averaged
over four weeks.
Left: Incoming intern (urology) Ali John Najiran
(kneeling) proposes marriage to fellow graduate
Jessica Johnson at commencement in May. She said
yes, to the delight of Dr Najiran, attendees at the
graduation ceremony, newspaper readers statewide
and YouTube viewers throughout the internet.
Clockwise from above left: Chair Don Nakayama (from left), Dean
and Professor Arthur Ross, WVU president Gordon Gee, and
inaugural Harriet Tubman visiting professor Wayne Frederick at
the Erickson Alumni Center; Frederick and Gee; Frederick and
WVU health chancellor Christopher Colenda.
Right: John Hanks (at left), 2014 Covey visiting professor, and
WVU SOM Dean and Professor Arthur Ross enjoy a laugh
before the Covey lecture. They were surgery residents together at
Duke University. Below: Always engaging, honoree Thomas
Covey charms medical students.
Above: Mid-level providers meet in the newly remodeled
administrative suites on the 7th floor, Health Science Center South.
Long-time home of coders and billing personnel, cubicles were
removed with reorganization that allowed work from home. A
meeting area is in the rear, with a large screen monitor that allows
access and review of on-line resources, records, and images.
Left: Sara Bias and Kristin Rosati of the bariatric service at the Morgantown
Mall in October. Right: Gianna Maria Bonasso, born March 12 2014, a
healthy 5 lb 14 oz, to Marissa and Patrick Bonasso, PGY1.
Right: The Salkini family
helping dad at the
HealthExpo event in
October. From left:
Mohamad Salkini and
his wife Sarah, son Zade,
grandfather Huzefa
holding Khaled,
grandmother Rabab and
oldest son Malek.
Below: The Coach and his urology team. From left: Robert Jansen,
PGY5; Morris Jessop, PGY1; Dana Point, PGY3; Chad Morley, PGY2;
Coach; Hilary Morley; Mary Helen Hess, PA-C; Ashley Point.
Above: Jen Knight and Matt Loos hosted their
annual Christmas party in December. Their son
Andrew, 8, made sure everyone felt welcome.
Sharon Bartholomew
Cindy Chandler-Pasquarelli
Ruth Fitzgerald
Bruce McClymonds
About the photography: The real high-quality
photographs comes from long-time Health
Center photographer Bob Beverly. Always
accommodating and professional in his craft,
the images that make this publication
approach industry standards come from his
talent. The Department office has other
images from our events - requests can be made
with Sharon Bartholomew and must come
with lots of chocolate.