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MUSC Psychiatry Chair Update
Thomas W. Uhde, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Institute of Psychiatry |
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ONGOING STUDIES & PUBLICATIONS |
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Hollings Cancer Center to be Part of Prestigious SPORE Grant Targeting Health Disparities |
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On September 22, the National Cancer Institute announced that Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center, MUSC Hollings Cancer Center and City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center secured a highly competitive Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant that aims to address lung cancer racial disparities through precision medicine, targeted smoking cessation programs and community outreach.
The grant will establish the Translational Research Center in Lung Cancer Disparities — TRACER for short — based at VCU Massey, in partnership with MUSC Hollings and City of Hope. TRACER will also engage a host of community groups, including local health departments, community health centers, marginalized populations, civic activists, educational institutions, faith-based groups and cancer survivors.
Although the racial gap in lung cancer cases appears to be closing, likely due to the success of antismoking campaigns, Black men still have a higher risk of developing lung cancer compared with white men, even though they tend to smoke less — an effect referred to as the “Black smoking paradox.” Black patients are also more likely than white patients to be diagnosed at later stages and to receive no treatment at all for their cancer. To understand more fully the Black smoking paradox, TRACER will investigate how stress and smoking interact with gene expression to raise lung cancer risk for Black men. better early detection and prevention tools, designed with the Black community in mind.”
The next project, led by Chanita Hughes-Halbert, Ph.D., will investigate how cortisol — the body’s main stress hormone — relates to racial differences in smoking behaviors and overall lung cancer risk. These findings could lead to more tailored approaches to smoking cessation as well as medications that reduce the lung cancer burden on the Black community by counteracting stress.
“We are excited to be a part of this collaboration that will lead to novel discoveries and advance the science for lung cancer equity through a multi-institutional collaboration,” said Hughes-Halbert, who retains an adjunct appointment at MUSC but recently joined USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California as vice chair for Research and associate director for Cancer Equity.
The study goals fit well with the goal of Hollings’ Cancer Control Program to reduce cancer health disparities by focusing on preventive measures and better treatment options for minority and underserved communities.
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Drs. Rheingold and Hanson were interviewed by the Post & Courier regarding how these grant funds will be used to help crime victims in the Lowcountry. The article can be accessed here. |
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Dr. Dean Kilpatrick was interviewed by WMC TV (NBC affiliate) in Memphis regarding his experience with mass violence events and the NMVVRC. The interview can be accessed here. |
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EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAM |
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Do you know an employee who has gone the extra mile recently? Nominate them for the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences' MVP Award! This award will be given quarterly to an employee nominated by their peers for going above and beyond in the workplace. For more information or to nominate an employee, please visit our Employee Recognition Page on the Horseshoe. |
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CHANGES TO CLOZAPINE REMS REQUIREMENTS |
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On July 29, 2021, FDA approved a modification to the Clozapine REMS. The modification to Clozapine REMS will go into effect on November 15, 2021. Important changes include:
- All prescribers and pharmacies must be re-certified by November 15, 2021, or they will no longer be able to prescribe/dispense clozapine.
- Prescribers must re-enroll their patients who will continue clozapine by November 15, 2021. Patients who are not re-enrolled by that day will no longer be able to receive clozapine.
- Re-certification and re-enrollment can begin on August 16, 2021.
- Pharmacies will no longer be able to use the telecommunication verification (also known as the switch system) to verify safe use conditions. The authorization to dispense will be obtained either through the contact center or online via the REMS website.
- A new Patient Status Form will document absolute neutrophil count (ANC) monitoring for all outpatients. This form must be submitted monthly. Patient monitoring must continue per the Prescribing Information.
To re-certify and re-enroll in the Clozapine REMS, please see the Important Program Update at www.clozapinerems.com. More information about changes and Clozapine REMS requirements can be found here.
The Psychiatric Pharmacy group will be disseminating some additional information in the next few weeks you can or you can contact the group at psychpharmd@musc.edu if you have questions.
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2021-2022 GRAND ROUND SERIES |
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CHAIR'S RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT FUND |
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The Chair’s Research Development Fund (CRDF) supports several goals related to maintaining high quality research training programs. Primary goals are:
- Increase the number of extramurally--funded junior investigators
- Encourage integration of trainees into research projects
- Enhance mentor-mentee collaborations within and across department divisions
- Increase minority representation among funded junior investigators
Awards
The CRDF will support a number of awards each year to be determined by available financial resources. The maximum requested award amount will be $25,000. Most awards will be in the $10,000 – 25,000 range.
Eligibility
The PI must a) have a primary faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the rank of Assistant Professor or below or b) be a trainee within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences with a commitment from Division/Program of faculty appointment.
Award recipients are eligible to receive only one CRDF pilot research grant; once they have received a CRDF grant, they are not eligible to apply for another.
Application Submission Dates
There are two submission dates each year as funds are available: May 1 (with funding to begin on August 1) and November 1 (funding to begin on February 1). Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM on those dates to be eligible for review.
The application is available within InfoReady here.
Full program guidelines can be found here.
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A call for nominations is underway for the MUSC Advancement, Recruitment, and Retention of Women (ARROW) Award for Advancement of Women Faculty. The purpose of the award is to recognize the MUSC faculty member who best demonstrates excellence in his/her commitment to the advancement and promotion of women faculty at MUSC.
The deadline for submissions is 5:00 pm, Friday, October 8, 2021. Note that nominations will require a mentoring table to be considered. Please contact the ARROW program coordinator, Rachel Simmons at arrows@musc.edu if you have any questions.
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CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: LEADERSHIP AND ADVANCEMENT |
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Applications now being accepted:
“Career Development Program: Leadership and Advancement”
March 24 & 25, 2022
Open to ALL FACULTY
Applications are now being accepted for a virtual two-day intensive Career Development Program (CDP) focused on leadership and career advancement on Thursday, March 24 & Friday, March 25, 2022 from approximately 8:30 am – 1:00 pm. The CDP is sponsored by ARROW (Advancement, Recruitment, and Retention of Women). The program is open to both women and men faculty in all ranks and tracks (tenure and non-tenure track) who are planning to submit their promotion or tenure application in the next two years. Early and mid-career faculty are highly encouraged to apply.
The program will include panel discussions, as well as large and small group interactive sessions. The ARROW CDP is an excellent opportunity to learn leadership skills and career advancement tips in a high-level, interactive, and intensive program. To participate, you will be required to submit an updated CV and personal statement six weeks prior to the program for review by a faculty mentor.
Before applying, please consult with your department chair and/or division director to ensure that you will be released from all duties to attend the entire two-day program. Space is limited; Priority will be given to applicants who have not attended one of the previous two-day programs held in 2018 and 2020. If you attended one of the half-day CDPs focused on promotion and tenure, you are welcome to apply.
If you are interested in attending this program, please complete the application by November 12, 2021. Applicants accepted into the program will be notified by December 3, 2021. Please contact Rachel Simmons with any questions about the application or program. Thank you!
Sincerely,
ARROW Career Development Program Planning Committee Chair,
Emily Johnson, Ph.D. and the ARROW Career Development Program Planning Committee
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STAR CHILDREN'S DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM |
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Struggling with Depression?
We are currently seeking individuals between the ages of 21-70, diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) to participate in a research trial using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Treatment and study related assessments will be provided at no charge.
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NAMIWalks YOUR WAY CHARLESTON |
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NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE |
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This past weekend (Saturday, 09/25/21) was National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims. The National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Charleston County Sheriff's Office, and Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy hosted a service in honor of this day of remembrance. So far, we have had over 600 views (between FB & YouTube).
For those interested in viewing, you can watch the service below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkBm-Yreb2A
Please feel free to share this link with colleagues, family, friends, or on your social media platforms, so that more survivors are able to view this program in honor of their loved ones.
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OUT OF THE DARKNESS
CHARLESTON AREA WALK |
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Join the MUSC Psychiatry Team at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Out of the Darkness Charleston Area Walk!
So far, the team has 24 Team Members registered and
has raised $6,859.00 towards our team goal.
The MUSC Psychiatry Team is currently the
TOP fundraising team and has the top two
individual fundraisers for the event!
Date: 10/24/2021
Location: Riverfront Park
Event Time: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
To register for fundraising and participation:
https://supporting.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=270066 |
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Psychiatry Team Awareness Video/Photo Campaign:
We will be putting together a video to show awareness for suicide prevention and send a message of hope to survivors or those impacted by suicide. If you (or any family, friends, colleagues, etc) would like to participate, please send a photo or 30 sec-1 min video to megan.mercedes.wallace@gmail.com by
Friday, October 15th, 2021. These will be combined into a video to be shared on social media during the week leading up to the event. Shout out to the CDAP team (pictured below). Below are two examples of photos that will be included in the campaign.
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FACULTY ANNUAL LEAVE CUTBACK |
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MUSC Executive Leadership has extended the Faculty Annual Leave cutback date to December 31, 2021. Based on the December 31 faculty cut back extension, all unused annual leave in excess of 360 hours, regardless of future leave approvals in the kronos system, will be cutback to 360 hours in January 2022.
We encourage you to review the annual leave balances for the faculty members in your areas and determine if you have individuals who stand to lose leave when the automatic reduction occurs, and if so, we ask that you share this information with them. We also ask that you update all leave records as necessary to ensure we have the correct leave balances on file before the automatic reduction occurs. Leave balances can be viewed directly using MyRecords, found on the Horseshoe under the Employee Corner, http://horseshoe.musc.edu/human-resources/univ/employee-corner.
If you have questions concerning annual leave cutbacks or accruals, please contact Monique Robinson at robinsmo@musc.edu or 843-792-7225.
Supervisors are asked to distribute this information to the employees in the area in which they are responsible. Thank you. |
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SELF CARE SUPPORT SESSIONS |
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COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHIATRIC
CARE SPECIALISTS (CPCS) |
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The CPCS office is currently taking referrals for youth and adults for outpatient therapy and/or medication management. The CPCS office is located at 26 Bee Street and is seeing patients either virtually or in the office. All patients are self-pay at the time of the appointment and will be provided with the necessary paperwork to submit for reimbursement from their insurance companies. All department of psychiatry faculty members are eligible to see private patients in CPCS.
To make a referral or schedule an appointment, call 843-792-9396.
For more information about making a referral or joining the practice, feel free to contact Hilary Bernstein, LISW, DHA at bernsteh@musc.edu
Check out our website: Psychiatriccarespecialists.com
Like our Facebook page: Comprehensive Psychiatric Care Specialists
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PRESIDENT'S VALUES IN ACTION AWARD |
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The Medical University of South Carolina's values are the heart of the institution and each day these values are exhibited by employees who help to fulfill MUSC's vision statement, leading Health Innovation for the Lives We Touch.
Each year, the President's Values in Action award recognizes five deserving employees who demonstrate MUSC's five values: compassion, respect, innovation, collaboration, and integrity.
Award Submission Process
- Fill Out the Nomination Form
- Nomination information must include:
- Sponsor Name, Email, Department
- Nominee Name, Email, Department
- Value Demonstrated: Compassion / Respect / Innovation / Collaboration / Integrity
- A letter of recommendation from the sponsor, addressed to President Cole, explaining why the nominee is worthy of the award.
- The deadline for nominations is October 19, 2021.
- Nominees will be notified upon receipt of nomination. Sponsors will be copied on this notification as well. All nominees receive a certificate of nomination; sponsors of the five individuals selected for awards will receive a separate notification and details about award presentations in early November 2021.
- Winners will be chosen by President Cole based on the award criteria outlined below:
- Nominations are submitted to recognize an individual who has demonstrated one of the five institutional values within the course of the current calendar year between February and September 2021. Only five winners will be chosen during this time; one winner per MUSC value.
- Nominees can be submitted from any department across the MUSC enterprise, including the MUSC Regional Health Network.
- Nominations for individuals will be accepted. Self-nominations and team nominations will not be accepted.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion is a priority for the criteria of the Values in Action award, as the aim is to offer an award and recognition opportunity to all department and team members. This will provide an inclusive opportunity to recognize values that are demonstrated from a variety of backgrounds and skill sets.
Questions
For specific questions regarding the Values in Action award, please contact Heather Woolwine.
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Addiction Sciences Division
Open Rank/Assistant Professor (UNIV, Full-Time): The successful applicant for this position will have either an MD or a PhD degree and will be expected to have an established and independent research program that will interface with the multidisciplinary NIAAA P50 Charleston Alcohol Research Center at MUSC.
Open Rank/Professor (UNIV, Full-Time): The successful applicant for this position will have either an MD or a PhD degree and will be expected to have an established and independent research program that will interface with the multidisciplinary NIAAA P50 Charleston Alcohol Research Center at MUSC.
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FENTANYL URINE TEST
CLINICAL NEUROBIOLOGY LAB |
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FENTANYL URINE TEST NOW OFFERED BY
THE CLINICAL NEUROBIOLOGY LAB (CNL)
The use of the powerful opiate drug, FENTANYL is on the rise, accounting for a large share of overdose deaths in SC, and the greater US.
Previously, urine drug testing at MUSC could not detect Fentanyl use. The Clinical Neurobiology Laboratory has recently completed an extensive validation of a qualitative (positive vs negative) urine test for the presence of Fentanyl which can be used to distinguish this drug from other commonly used/abused opiates such as oxycodone, buprenorphine and morphine. This test should aid clinicians in the evaluation of patients in multiple clinical settings, especially when illicit drug use is suspected.
Simply order: “Fentanyl, Urine, Qual (IOP LAB)” or “LAB9066”
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Program for Researchers Affected by Pandemic
COVID-19 Voucher Program
The College of Medicine, Hollings Cancer Center, and South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute (SCTR) are pleased to offer a new funding opportunity open to all MUSC tenured and tenure track faculty members whose research has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding of up to $2,000 is available to help investigators gather preliminary data for inclusion in a grant proposal by covering the cost of supplies and/or core and laboratory services; pay for publication costs; or develop a translational focus to their research. Vouchers cannot be used to fund computer purchases, PI or staff salary, or travel. These funds will be distributed through SCTR. A total of $200,000 is available to support these awards.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to receive a voucher an individual must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member and serve as PI on an active research grant. A faculty member can receive only one COVID voucher.
Apply
To apply for a voucher, select the COVID-19 Voucher Program in SPARCRequest. Awards will be made on a rolling basis until all funds are expended.
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COVID VACCINE CALL CENTER |
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Individuals needing to contact the MUSC COVID Vaccine Call Center can utilize the information below:
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The COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force will be posting updates on the COVID-19 Vaccine intranet site, including information about the vaccine safety and efficacy, so our care team members can make an informed decision.
**Updated University Directives can be found here.**
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LAB & TESTING OPTIONS
The following resource provides MUSC Health lab and testing options pertaining to COVID-19. Included on this page is information regarding drive-thru and “pop-up” mobile COVID testing locations, antibody or serology tests, drive-in lab and nurse visits, and original/classic lab testing.
MUSC Health Lab & Testing Options
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MANDATORY SELF-MONITORING
Due to the activity of COVID-19 within the hospital and community, all employees, residents, fellows and students within all MUSC entities are directed to begin daily self-monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms. This applies regardless of whether you have been working remotely on a full-time or intermittent basis.
You need to continue daily self-monitoring, even if symptoms are not present.
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UPDATES VIA THE HORSESHOE
In addition to updates provided by MUSC Enterprise, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences will also provide updates through our employee intranet, The Horseshoe. Updates will be provided regularly as new information becomes available. For your convenience, direct links are provided below.
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COVID-19 RESILIENCY CLINIC |
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NAMI CONNECTION & NAMI FAMILY SUPPORT |
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UPDATED MOONLIGHTING POLICY |
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THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS |
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If you would like to submit content to include in next week's Chair Update, please submit to Dr. Jamie Fisher by 12:00 pm on Monday. Thank you. |
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