Newsletter - Department of Surgery | The University of New Mexico

Department of Surgery
ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER
Volume 2
The
Corner
Chair
VOL. 7, NO. 14 FALL/WINTER 2015
We extend our profound condolences to the
families of Dr. Michael Carey and Damilola
Beckley, and hope that as the pain of these deaths
fade, the good memories and the wonderful
contributions of these special individuals will
sustain both their families and our entire
community.
JCR
“Broken Hearts”
The past month has been a difficult one for the
Department of Surgery. In the midst of the joy
and excitement of having several new faculty
members join our department, we were struck
with two horrific losses in quick succession – the
passing on October 30th of Dr. Michael Carey
(Anesthesiology), the husband of our former
faculty member (and continued colleague in
Emergency Medicine/Critical Care), Dr. Amber
Rollstin, and one week later, the death of
Damilola Beckley, the seven-year old daughter of
Dr. Akin Beckley, our general surgical colleague at
SRMC.
For surgeons death is not an infrequent foe, yet
somehow these deaths hit us especially hard.
They came out of nowhere, striking down
individuals with their lives before them, full of
promise. They seem like random, senseless
losses that defied explanation. We saw ourselves,
as colleagues, friends and parents, and couldn’t
find the words to adequately express our senses
of helplessness and profound sadness. Our
hearts were broken. Our own mortality became
palpable, and we wanted to gather those closest
to us, to let them know how much we cherish
each day we have together.
New Faculty Reception, 2015
General Surgery (left to right) - Dr. Timothy Nelson,
(Division Chief, General Surgery); Dr. Renee Pepin; Dr.
John Russell (Chairman, Department of Surgery)
Ophthalmology (left to right) - Dr. Arup Das (Division
Chief, Ophthalmology); Dr. Kevin Sitko; Dr. John Russell
(Chairman, Department of Surgery)
UNM School of Medicine Department of Surgery http://hsc.unm.edu/som/surgery/
Otolaryngology (left to right)- Dr. Karen Hawley; Dr.
Duncan Meiklejohn; Dr. Michael Spafford (Division Chief,
Otolaryngology); Dr. Tara Brennan; Dr. Liat Shama
Vascular (left to right)- Dr. Mark Langsfeld (Division Chief,
Vascular); Dr. Sundeep Guliani; Dr. Rachel Danczyk; Dr.
John Russell (Chairman, Department of Surgery)
SRIA Grant Awards, 2015
Plastic Surgery (left to right)- Dr. Jeffrey Wu; Dr. John
Russell (Chairman, Department of Surgery)
SRIA Grant Award Recipients (left to right)Dr. Arup Das, (Vice Chair, Research); Dr. Julie Riley
(Urology); Dr. Guanghua Wan (Surgical Oncology); Dr.
Katherine Morris, Surgical Oncology; Dr. John Russell
(Chairman, Dept. of Surgery); Dr. Michael Davis (Div.
Chief, Urology)
Urology (left to right)- Dr. John Russell (Chairman,
Department of Surgery); Dr. Irina Stanasel; Dr. Michael
Davis (Division Chief, Urology); Dr. Julie Riley (Urology)
UNM School of Medicine Department of Surgery http://hsc.unm.edu/som/surgery/
Distinguished Heroes
Dr. Stephen Lu (Trauma Director, Department of Surgery)
June. Mr. de Caro and Ms. Russell were very
eloquent in their thanks and praise for the first
responders to include, our hospital doctors and
staff, police, fire and ambulance personnel; and
gave out flags to all those involved in saving their
lives. Mayor Berry extended his thank you as well
and named them all heroes, and gave them a
brass token.
The room was filled with police officers,
firefighter personnel, soldiers from Mr. de
Caro’s unit and a plethora of reporters. It was a
pleasure to see our faculty and staff being
celebrated for the heroes they are every day but
only rarely get thanked in such an eloquent and
public manner.
Division of General Surgery
Dr. John Marinaro (Director, Surgical Critical Care)
Dr. Jon Marinaro and Dr. Stephen Lu were
honored at a Thank You Conference on July 17,
2015 and staged by former CNN reporters Chuck
de Caro and his wife, former Headline News
anchor and CNN correspondent Lynne Russell.
Mr. de Caro and Ms. Russell were on a road trip
and spending the night at an Albuquerque motel
when they were involved in an attempted
robbery and shootout where Mr. de Caro was
shot three times and brought to UNM Hospital in
The Division of General Surgery welcomes Dr.
Renée Pepin. Originally from Albuquerque, NM,
Dr. Pepin joined the department as a Program
Specialist who oversees our Medical Residency
Program and Medical Student Education
Program. She completed medical school at the
Medical College of Wisconsin prior to her general
surgery residency at New Hanover Regional
Medical Center in Wilmington, NC. She then
completed a MIS fellowship at Baystate Medical
Center in Springfield, MA. After being in private
practice in Albuquerque, NM, Dr. Pepin shifted
her focus to medical education and taught at the
University of St. Francis PA School for 5 years
prior to joining the Department of Surgery as the
Manager of Surgical Education.
UNM School of Medicine Department of Surgery http://hsc.unm.edu/som/surgery/
Boston, and her MD at Rush University in
Chicago. Her clinical interests include primary
eye care for patients with diabetes, glaucoma,
ocular surface disease, ocular inflammation, and
cataracts. Her teaching roles include weekly
resident clinical supervision, as well as medical
student clinical and research preceptorship, and a
facilitator role in the Doctoring Curriculum. She is
a fellow of the American Academy of
Ophthalmology and an active member of the New
Mexico Academy of Ophthalmology.
The Division of General Surgery welcomes Dr.
Sarah Popek. Dr. Popek is a colorectal surgeon
and prior to her arrival was in a colorectal private
practice in Albuquerque, NM. She completed her
residency in general surgery at the University of
Arizona followed by a fellowship in colorectal
surgery at the University of Southern California.
She earned her Doctor of Medicine at the
University of Southern California after graduating
from Wellesley College with a major in
neuroscience. Dr. Popek is active in the American
Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons as well as
belonging to the American College of Surgeons
and the Association of Women Surgeons.
Division of Ophthalmology
The Division of Ophthalmology welcomes Dr.
Arlene Bagga. Dr. Bagga returns to UNM as a
Board Certified Comprehensive Ophthalmologist.
She is originally from the Detroit area, completed
her residency at Tufts-New England Eye Center in
The Division of Ophthalmology welcomes
Dr. Todd Goldblum. Dr. Goldblum recently
joined the ophthalmology team with a part-time
faculty appointment. He is a pediatric
ophthalmologist and also works at Family &
Children’s Eye Care in Albuquerque. He received
his MD degree from Case Western Reserve
University and served both pediatric and
ophthalmology residencies in Cleveland before
completing his pediatric ophthalmology
fellowship at the University of Minnesota. Dr.
Goldblum has participated in numerous clinical
trials for strabismus and amblyopia as part of the
Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group. He
serves on the Department of Health Vision Screen
Committee and is medical advisor for New
Mexico’s Lions Operation Kidsight. He is boardcertified in Ophthalmology and is a fellow of the
American Academy of Pediatrics.
UNM School of Medicine Department of Surgery http://hsc.unm.edu/som/surgery/
Division of Otolaryngology
The Division of Ophthalmology welcomes Dr.
Kevin Sitko. Dr. Sitko grew up in the Carolinas
and Massachusetts and attended undergraduate
and medical school at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. He went on to do his
residency in ophthalmology at Tufts Medical
Center/New England Eye Center during which he
rotated for three months at the University of New
Mexico Hospital and the Albuquerque VA
Hospital. He completed a fellowship in neuroophthalmology at Emory University. He is happy
to be back in New Mexico with his wife and three
children.
Dr. Todd Goldblum- Abstract submission, “Use
of Green Braided Polyester in Frontalis
Suspension for severe or recurrent Ptosis”
was accepted for presentation at the American
Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology meeting
in April, 2016.
The Division of Otolaryngology welcomes Dr.
Tara Brennan who specializes in facial plastic
and reconstructive surgery. She earned the
William J. Grove Top Medical Student award
before graduating from the University of
Illinois-Chicago College of Medicine, where she
also completed an otolaryngology head and
neck surgery residency. She trained in
rhinoplasty and nasal reconstruction under
world class facial plastic surgeons, and
completed a fellowship in facial plastic and
reconstructive surgery at Lenox Hill and
Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospitals in New
York City, where she focused on further
specialization in cosmetic and functional facial
reconstruction, facial reanimation, and the
treatment of vascular anomalies. Dr. Brennan
has received awards for mentoring, research,
and academic achievement. In 2015, she
received a humanitarian award for a pediatric
cleft lip and palate surgical mission trip to Peru.
The Division of Otolaryngology welcomes Dr.
Karen Hawley. Dr. Hawley joined Drs. Erica
UNM School of Medicine Department of Surgery http://hsc.unm.edu/som/surgery/
Bennett and Tania Kraai of the UNM Children’s
Hospital pediatric otolaryngology team in August
2015. She has trained and practiced medicine
around the U.S. and the world, giving her a unique
perspective on healthcare and patient needs. Dr.
Hawley treated patients with cleft lip and palate,
malformed ears, and other general ENT problems
in Peru, the Philippines, and the Dominican
Republic. She spent 6 years at the Cleveland Clinic
and completed a fellowship at the Medical
University of South Carolina, where she
subspecialized in pediatric otolaryngology. At
UNM, Dr. Hawley is improving access to services
in pediatric hearing loss and cochlear implants.
She is actively involved in the CrossFit
community and enjoys whitewater kayaking, rock
and ice climbing, skiing, and mountain biking.
The Division of Otolaryngology welcomes
Dr. Duncan Meiklejohn. Dr. Meiklejohn was
born and raised in Santa Fe, and completed
medical school at Dartmouth. During his time
there, Dr. Meiklejohn realized the Ear, Nose,
and Throat specialty presented a unique
opportunity to provide surgical care, but still
emphasize long-term relationships with
patients. His time at Dartmouth was followed
by a surgical ENT residency at Stanford
Hospital. In September 2015, he joined the
UNM Department of Surgery, where he
performs ear surgeries, otology, and
endoscopic and minimally invasive surgeries.
His sights are set on advancing the field as an
educator and researcher in addition to
clinical practice. Dr. Meiklejohn enjoys
partnering with patients to improve their
health and quality of life. He feels blessed
with the opportunity to contribute to the
overall health of New Mexicans while
training the next generation of surgeons. In
his free time, Dr. Meiklejohn enjoys reading,
playing piano, and outdoor activities.
The Division of Otolaryngology welcomes Dr.
Liat Shama. Dr. Shama is an Albuquerque
native, practicing rhinology and skull base
surgery. She completed otolaryngology
residency training at the University of
Wisconsin and a fellowship in rhinology and
skull base surgery at Vanderbilt University. Dr.
Shama specializes in all aspects of rhinology,
including basic and advanced sinus surgery,
balloon sinus techniques in the office and the
operating room, and endoscopic and open
techniques, as well as allergy testing and shots
to provide complete care to all patients with
sinus and allergy issues. Along with Dr.
Meiklejohn, Dr. Shama is grateful for the
opportunity to give something back to the
community in which she grew up, and to help
train future generations of otolaryngologists.
When she’s not at work, Dr. Shama enjoys
outdoor activities.
Division of Pediatrics
Dr. Cynthia Reyes completed the Harvard
Leader Development for Physicians program.
Dr. Cynthia Reyes- Publication, "Management of
Metanephric Adenoma in a Child" was published
in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery.
UNM School of Medicine Department of Surgery http://hsc.unm.edu/som/surgery/
Dr. Cynthia Reyes- Poster presentation,
"Integration of Clinical Documentation, Quality,
Compliance, Financial and Information
Technology teams to improve Clinical
Documentation in a University Surgery
Department" was presented by Alissa Greenbaum
at the Western Surgical Association Conference in
November, 2015.
Division of Urology
Division of Plastic Surgery
The Division of Plastic Surgery welcomes
Dr. Jeffrey Wu. Dr. Wu specializes in
Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction Surgery
after breast cancer, and is Board Certified by The
American Board of Surgery. He completed his MD
degree and residency program in general surgery
at the University of Connecticut, School of
Medicine, and completed his residency in plastic
surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
Dr. Wu is happy to be in New Mexico with his
wife, new baby, and older brother Dr. Eugene Wu.
The Division of Urology welcomes Dr. Irina
Stanasel. Dr. Stanasel completed medical school
at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
She completed her urology residency at Wake
Forest University in North Carolina and returned
to Houston for a pediatric urology fellowship at
Texas Children’s Hospital. Her interests include
complex hypospadias repair, disorders of sexual
development, fetal urology, and voiding
dysfunction. She is a member of the Society of
Pediatric Urology, Society of Fetal Urology,
American Urological Association, and Society of
Women in Urology.
Division of Vascular Surgery
The Division of Vascular Surgery welcomes
Dr. Rachel Danczyk. Dr. Danczyk, who practices
at the Albuquerque VA hospital, comes to UNM
after completing a Vascular and Endovascular
Fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University
UNM School of Medicine Department of Surgery http://hsc.unm.edu/som/surgery/
in Portland, OR. Originally from St. John, Indiana,
Dr. Danczyk completed her BS and MS degrees in
Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University in
West Lafayette, IN, followed by obtaining her MD
degree at Indiana University-Purdue University,
Indianapolis, prior to her general surgery
residency at OHSU. Her interests include limb
salvage, treatment of aortic dissections, surgical
education, and improving diversity in surgery.
She is a member of the Society of Vascular
Surgeons, the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
Society, the American College of Surgeons, and
the Association for Surgical Education.
Baby News!
 Dr. Amar Joshi
 Dr. Muhammad Ali Rana
 Dr. Kevin Sitko
 Dr. Jeffrey Wu
Congratulations on the new addition
to your families!
Winter is Here!
The Division of Vascular Surgery welcomes Dr.
Sundeep Guliani. Dr. Guliani is a native of south
Florida and completed his undergraduate and
medical school education at University of Florida.
He then completed a general surgery residency at
Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond,
Virginia. He then went to Baltimore for a
trauma/surgical critical care fellowship at
University of Maryland, Shock Trauma Center. He
subsequently returned to Virginia
Commonwealth University to complete a two
year vascular surgery fellowship. Dr. Guliani’s
clinical interests include acute vascular injury
and endovascular therapies in the critically ill.
UNM School of Medicine Department of Surgery http://hsc.unm.edu/som/surgery/