Pediatrics Flyer

The official newsletter of the Department of Pediatrics
November 2020 | Issue 15
Spotlight
Sabrina Malone Jenkins, MD
Division of Neonatology
Dr. Sabrina Malone Jenkins is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology. Sabrina grew up in Florida and attended the University of Florida for her undergraduate education (Go Gators!). She then attended Ross University School of Medicine before completing her pediatric residency at the University of Nebraska/Creighton/ Children’s Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Following completion of residency, Sabrina found her new home at the University of Utah for her neonatal-perinatal fellowship.
 
During fellowship, she was given the immense privilege of working with Dr. Gary Chan who inspired her love of research, instilled the basic principles of clinical research, and stressed the importance of being a team player. Also during fellowship, she identified her love of neonatal genomics. Under the leadership of Dr. Steven Bleyl and Dr. Luca Brunelli, she was given the opportunity to be involved with RapSeq. This was a targeted gene panel developed by ARUP Laboratories with a rapid turn-around time targeting acutely ill infants in the NICU. Seeing the huge impact on clinical care and giving much needed answers to families was the moment she realized the power of this information. The pediatric department has supported her research efforts by recently awarding her the Gary M. Chan Endowed Chair of Pediatrics.
Rapid Whole Genome Sequencing
With the encouragement of Dr. Angelo Giardino and under the leadership of Dr. Josh Bonkowsky, the PCH Center for Personalized Medicine was formed. The first pilot project was to start offering clinical rapid whole genome sequencing in the NICU. This was done in collaboration with Intermountain Precision Genomics and Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine. It was made possible because of the hard work of the Center’s genetic counselor, Rachel Palmquist, and the brilliant minds of the medical genetics division. With early success, the target population was expanded from the NICU to the PICU, CICU, and other Med/Surg units. In a little over a year, more than 70 rapid whole genome sequencing tests have been completed. It has allowed physicians to have more information to adapt and focus their care to an individual patient.
 
Dr. Martin Tristani-Firouzi then asked the all-important question, “Why aren’t we doing this at the University of Utah?” We have the clinical diagnostic infrastructure of ARUP Laboratories and the state of the art computational tools developed by the Utah Center for Genetic Discovery. With support from Dr. Will Dere, the Utah Center for Genomic Medicine and the Margolis Foundation, the Utah NeoSeq Project was formed. This is a research pipeline for rapid whole genome sequencing (<7 days) with sequencing being done at ARUP and analysis through the Utah Center for Genetic Discovery. Currently, Sabrina is the principal investigator on this study, but works closely with many individuals that make this research possible. Special thanks to Dr. John Carey for his continued wisdom and our research coordinator, Dawn Bentley.
 
These projects have already demonstrated clinical impact on many of our pediatric patients and families. They also provide a rich area of research across colleges, departments, and divisions at the University of Utah. As a junior faculty member, Sabrina wants this spotlight to recognize the support she has received from the Department of Pediatrics and the mentorship she receives across multiple divisions (Neonatology, Cardiology, Neurology, Genetics) to make this research possible.
 
If you have a patient you think would benefit from rapid whole genome sequencing or a project idea, please reach out to Sabrina.MaloneJenkins@hsc.utah.edu or Rachel.Palmquist@hsc.utah.edu.
GREETINGS
Welcome to the Team!
To see the new faculty and staff who joined us in October, click here.
NEW RESPONSIBILITIES
Carrie Cetina Transitioned from the Template Team to Scheduling for Clinical Enterprise

Melanie Gauci – Transitioned from Administrative Assistant to Regulatory Coordinator for Hematology/Oncology

Lisa Hansen – Promoted from Clinical Research Coordinator to Senior Clinical Research Coordinator for Cardiology

Zachary Mitchell – Promoted from Project Manager II to Clinical Site Monitor for the CTO
NEW FACULTY PROFILES
In this new section of the newsletter, we'll be sharing faculty announcements as they become available for faculty who have joined the department in the previous few months.

For pdf versions of the faculty announcements, click the appropriate link:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Halloween Costume Contest Winners

Congratulations to the following winners! The prize for each winner is a free vacation day.

Click here to see the costumes that won Honorable Mention.
Most Creative
E.T.
Abbey Bentley
(Genetics)
Funniest
Tiger King
Daniel Jensen
(Clinical Enterprise)
Best Overall
Taco Belle
Jessie Montgomery
(Clinical Enterprise)
Flu Shot Requirement

The flu shot is mandatory for all faculty, advanced practice clinicians, and staff whose job responsibilities are performed at any Intermountain or University practice facilities. The deadline for all required providers, faculty, and staff is November 18, 2020.

For detailed instructions on where to get your flu shot and how to ensure the department has record of your flu shot, click here.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Congratulations to the Native American Research Internship (NARI) Program for receiving the National Impact Award from the National Indian Health Board. This award honors individuals and organizations whose work has made an impact on Native American health care on a national level. Read the press release below.
Program Nationally Recognized for Setting American...

A University of Utah Health Department of Pediatrics program that supports academic, career, and personal development of American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) undergraduates from across the country has received recognition from the National...

Read more
healthcare.utah.edu
DIVISION UPDATES
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Congratulations to Jade Mulvey for being accepted to University of Utah’s School of Medicine! 
  • Jessica Jung has returned to the DOPEM family and was hired as a Regulatory Coordinator for our Research Team. She came to us from the Total Cancer Care program and we are very excited to have her back with us! 

Pediatric Cardiology
  • The division started doing telehealth fetal echocardiography for patients in St. George.
  • The new space which houses the Utah Fetal Care Center and the Fetal Heart Program opened a few months ago on the 4th floor in the NE wing of PCH.
SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY
Recent Publications from Pediatric Emergency Medicine


New Grant for Pediatric Cardiology
  • Nelangi Pinto, along with her co-PI, Dr. M. Sean Esplin from OB/GYN, was awarded one of two Intermountain Clinical Process Model Implementation Grants. The two-year grant is to support research in improving prenatal screening for heart defects.
IN THE NEWS
Mark Fluchel, MD (Pediatric Hematology/Oncology) had a piece in The Salt Lake Tribune: Will the Supreme Court Treat Our Health like Our Cars? A Physician's Perspective on the Pending ACA Case.

Erin Treemarcki, MD (Pediatric Rheumatology) was featured on Good Things Utah: How to Keep Your Family Safe During COVID-19
WELLNESS
Gratitude
By the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Thriving in Pediatrics Champions: David Sandweiss, Sydney Ryan, and Kelly McKnight

"This is a wonderful day. I've never seen this one before." - Maya Angelou

As we head into the holiday season, our division looks to orient towards gratitude. Cultivating this most treasured, yet oft forgotten, core value provides both individuals and communities the psychological nourishment that is our birthright as members of this stunningly amazing, complex universe. We hope this compilation connects you with our common humanity, during a moment in history when we all come to know what Martin Luther King, Jr. so wisely stated… “that all mankind is tied together; all life is interrelated, and we are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.”

November Book Recommendation: To Bless the Space Between Us by John O'Donohue. This is a lovely collection of blessings by the great Irish poet, author and priest, who died much too soon. If interested, take a listen to one of the last interviews he gave, with Krista Tippett. Truly amazing. 

Other Gratitude Resources:

HELLO! MY NAME IS...
Roni Lane, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Pediatric Emergency Medicine

  1. When did you join the Department of Pediatrics? I joined in 2004 as a PEM fellow and in 2007 as faculty.
  2. What is your role in the department? I try to be the best minion I can and also am the division’s Quality Improvement Medical Director.
  3. What's your favorite part of your job? Hands down, interacting with and taking care of children.
  4. Do you have any pets? We have 2 dogs: Jojo and Tobie, both lovable mutts, though one has some ankle-biter tendencies.
  5. Do you collect anything? At the risk of judgement for being on the fringe of weirdo (️), I will admit that I have been a passionate collector of handmade, small-batch-made paper (letter or card stock) for the last 20+ years. I became interested a long while ago as a lover of writing letters. My interest was born out of becoming conscious of the unpleasant smell and feel of overly processed paper. I have hundreds of samples and I use them regularly as I continue to enjoy letter writing.
  6. What are your hobbies and/or talents? I claim no talent in these endeavors, but I love reading historical fiction and doing jigsaw puzzles (none of those 5000+ monsters).
  7. What's your favorite motto or quote? Every cloud has a silver lining—this focuses and grounds me on a regular basis.
  8. What’s your favorite band, musical artist, or music genre? Probably not one specific genre nor artist, but some of my go-tos include: The Wind and the Wave, Raign, Milck, Metallica, Queen, Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode
  9. What’s your favorite book or movie? Book- All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr), Movie- The Color Purple  
  10. What are you currently reading, watching, or listening to? Book- Birds without Wings (Louis de Bernières)
  11. Who or what inspires you? Who- My 2 incredibly different children, husband, mom and dad. What- nature, everyday
  12. What is your favorite way to decompress after work/on the weekends? Walk, hike or play cards/board games with family and/or friends.
  13. If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in one thing, what would it be? Couldn't decide on one: Spanish language and advanced QI strategies
  14. What’s the most interesting or weirdest job you’ve ever had? The most interesting job was as a pediatrician at Gallup Indian Medical Center in New Mexico. I was immersed in a totally foreign and incredible culture. It was such a lovely, warm, educational experience that I regard with fondness. I stayed an extra year because it was hard to leave. Will not go into the weirdest job . . . . .
  15. What is something you learned recently? One of our dogs just underwent tumor removal and for post-op pain control, he was given Gabapentin. . . . .who knew!?
  16. If you could share a meal with any three well-known individuals, who would they be? Rosa Parks, Jon Stewart and Malala Yousafzai
  17. What do you consider your superpower? Laughter/humor
  18. What is your guilty pleasure? At the risk of sounding cheesy, I try (sometimes unsuccessfully) to be intentional with things that bring me joy.
  19. What’s something you saw recently that made you smile? Last night my daughter was animatedly talking about painting pumpkins for younger children.
  20. What's the most daring thing you've ever done? This represents a fine line between daring and stupidity, but while holding hands with my best friend, I jumped off a 40 foot high bridge into a lake. It was thrilling, but once was enough. 
  21. What is something that might surprise us about you? I was born and raised on the outskirts of Death Valley in a town that rarely makes it on a map. Among other things, I explored a lot on dirt motorcycles. 
Anna Jolley
Clinical Research Manager
Pediatric Critical Care

  1. When did you join the Department of Pediatrics? 2010 when I was the Research Manager for Pediatric Cardiology
  2. What's your favorite part of your job?  I enjoy being a part of a team that is responsible for collecting and analyzing rare disease and birth defect data to better understand how best to manage these patients.  
  3. Do you have any pets? 3 cats (Picky, Burger, and Harvey) and one overweight golden retriever (Hooch)
  4. Do you collect anything? Vintage fabric. I once took fabric that was my great-great-grandmother’s and created a quilt for my mother’s birthday.
  5. What are your hobbies and/or talents? Fostering kittens with Best Friends Animal Society, needle crafts (sewing, knitting, cross-stitch, etc), travel.
  6. What’s your favorite book or movie? Midnight in Paris is my most favorite movie ever. Ever.
  7. What are you currently reading, watching, or listening to? I just finished my Masters Degree in Healthcare Leadership in 7 months! I’m just barely coming out of the mandatory reading and studying fog. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
  8. Who or what inspires you? My two daughters. All of my hard work and dedication to my job, continuing my education, my family, and my community are to provide them a good example of what can be accomplished if they have the motivation to work for it. 
  9. What is your favorite way to decompress after work/on the weekends? I’m known to scroll through Instagram for hours if I don’t regulate my time.
  10. If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in one thing, what would it be? Skiing. I’m decent but would love to be an expert.
  11. What’s the most interesting or weirdest job you’ve ever had? While not a job, in 2017 I was a volunteer for several months with the Murray City Police Citizen Academy. I got to drive a police cruiser!
  12. What is something you learned recently? I just finished my thesis on postpartum depression public health care management solutions.
  13. If you could share a meal with any three well-known individuals, who would they be? Michelle Obama, Kristen Bell, and the Tiny Chef
  14. What do you consider your superpower? Jigsaw puzzles. Nobody in my family wants to do jigsaw puzzles with me because I’m so fast.
  15. What is your guilty pleasure? Yellow gummy bears and lemon starbursts
  16. What's something you saw recently that made you smile? Have you seen the baby panda cam at the Smithsonian Zoo? It’s great!
  17. What's the most daring thing you've ever done? Skydiving.
  18. What is something that might surprise us about you? If I didn’t get into clinical research, I would have become a police officer. Nobody believes me but it’s true!
Recognize Someone for a Job Well Done!
The department has an online tool you can use to show appreciation for other members of Pediatrics and recognize them for exemplifying the PROMISE behavior standards: People Centered, Respect, Ownership, Making a Difference, Innovation, Safety, and Excellence.

Recognitions will be published in an upcoming issue of the newsletter. Please note: if a submitter's name is not given, we will not publish the comment. However, the submitter's name will remain anonymous in the newsletter.
 
The link to the recognition form can be found on the department intranet home page, or click the box below.
This Month's Recognition

Leigh Fredericks - Administration
Recognized for Making a Difference
Leigh possess a multitude of special talents and skills that make her a great leader. She is truly people focused, and makes the University such a great place to work. Her willingness to always lend a hand and share her knowledge is just a small part of what makes her a great champion for her coworkers throughout the department. Happy Boss's Day Leigh- we value and appreciate your valued contributions and leadership! -The Eccles Admin Team

Laurie Goold - Clinical Enterprise
Recognized for Excellence
Thank you Laurie for stepping in to help reschedule patients for Rheumatology. Laurie stepped in to reschedule several patients for the same week rapidly and effectively. Thank you!

Brandy Harman - Administration
Recognized for Ownership
Brandy Harman is responsible for the weekly bulletin and monthly newsletter, which require a lot of effort and attention to detail to ensure all of the needed information is included, accurate, and easily readable. She cares about making sure these tools are useful for the department's many employees. I enjoy reading the bulletin each week and the newsletter each month because both help me feel more connected to what is going on in the department and the people in it. Thank you, Brandy, for your efforts to make the bulletin and newsletter so great!

MaryAnn Howard - Finance Team
Recognized for Excellence
MaryAnn Howard is an asset to the accounting/finance team. She's not only knowledgeable but personable and willing to share her expertise.

Human Resources Team - Administration
Recognized for Excellence
The HR team is awesome. Everyone on the team does their best to answer questions and provide guidance. I am so glad we have them as a resource in our department. Thanks for all you do, HR!

Kecia Lesuma - Physical Medicine & Rehab
Recognized for People/Patient Centered
I would like to recognize Kecia for going above and beyond to help care for one of our families in clinic. She went out of her way, with absolutely no hesitation, to help, beyond her expected scope of tasks. She interacted with one of our patients to keep him safe and entertained, allowing me to help a parent in crisis. She is an exceptional team member in every way. Her compassion and dedication to our medical team and to our patients is amazing and I feel so grateful to work with her.

Dave Sutherland - IT Team
Recognized for Making a Difference
Dave recently performed a huge service for the Department of Pediatrics by providing technical support during the Department Advisory Committee meetings. This was the first year we have held these large evening meetings online and Dave played an indispensable role in the transition by quickly providing solutions to people's technical questions as they came up. Thank you so much, Dave!
DEPARTMENT CHAIR'S SUGGESTION BOX
Dr. Giardino wants to hear from you!
If you have any ideas or concerns you'd like to share with Dr. Giardino, please submit your comments to his suggestion box. The link can be found on the department intranet home page in the "Contact Us" tile, or send a suggestion now by clicking box below.