Some Highlights from the Department of Medicine History:
Here are some highlights from the history of the Department of Medicine, the university's longest-standing department:
1973: Eastern Virginia Medical School now known as Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University opens its doors.
1975: Internal Medicine begins providing comprehensive patient care and superior education to residents and medical students in a warm, family-like atmosphere.
1987: What is now known as the Strelitz Diabetes Center opens.
1994: Dr. Thomas Manser steps into his role as the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program.
1995: A gift from Virginia Beach resident Virginia Glennan Ferguson leads to the establishment of the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology.
1997: Research scientists at the Strelitz Diabetes Center discovered the importance of the INGAP (Islet Neogenesis Associated Protein) gene, which stimulates immature cells in the pancreas to produce insulin. This breakthrough discovery was made under the direction of Dr. Aaron Vinik.
2000: Leon-Paul Georges, MD, is officially named chair of Internal Medicine. He had been interim chairman since 1999 and continued his role as director of the Strelitz Diabetes Center. Richard Snyder joined as the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program.
2005: David Castaldo joins as the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program.
2008: Recruits Jerry Nadler, MD, a veteran medical educator, to become Chair of Internal Medicine. Nadler was chairman of the endocrinology and metabolism department at the University of Virginia.
2011: A gift from Sentara Healthcare supports a $5 million endowment to support the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology.
2012: Benjamin Mitchell Goodman, III, becomes the Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program.
2015: The university opens its first satellite diabetes clinic. The center was funded through a grant from the Obici Healthcare Foundation to meet the needs of uninsured and underinsured individuals in Western Tidewater.
2016: Jerry Nadler, MD, an internationally known physician/scientist making potentially game-changing advances in diabetes research, is named Outstanding Scientist in Virginia for 2016. The prestigious award is given annually by the Science Museum of Virginia. Dr. Nadler was the third EVMS faculty member to be so honored. Previous recipients were Dr. Aaron Vinik (2002) and Dr. Gary Hodgen (1995).
2019: Jerry Nadler, MD steps down as Chair of Internal Medicine. Dr. Robert Palmer begins as Interim Chair.
2020: Researchers at the EVMS Strelitz Diabetes Center are part of a U.S./Canadian team of investigators that received a $3 million NIH grant to study a potentially revolutionary treatment for diabetic neuropathy.
2021: Rehan Qayyum, MD, MHS, SFHM, FAHA, inaugural Chair of the Division of Hospital Medicine and Professor of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, joins the university as chair of Internal Medicine. He follows Interim Chair, Dr. Robert Palmer. Qayyum is an experienced academic clinician and manager with a passion for studying the genetics of heart disease. Dr. Patrick Haggerty retires and becomes Professor Emeritus. Dr. Catherine Derber takes up the charge as interim Division Chief. A national search for Division Chief is initiated. Dr. Chinelo Okigbo and Dr. Manasi Shah join the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism. Dr. Bahar Niknejad joins the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care. Dr. Melanie Miller and Dr. Saad Mussarat join the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Christian Weaver joins the Division of Infectious Diseases. Dr. David Lieb becomes Associate Chair for Education and establishes the IM Education Council and the IM Leadership Club.
2022: Dr. Joshua Sill becomes Chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine after Dr. Paul Marik. Dr. Radwa Osman joins the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism. Dr. Waleed Kassabo, Dr. Kelly Thomson, Dr. Alvin Maliakal, and Dr. Zahra Tasneem join the Division of General Internal Medicine. Dr. Timothy Ori joins the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Cayleigh Blumrick joins the Division of Infectious Diseases. The Internal Medicine Department starts the Research Workshop Series and Research Journal Club.
2023: Dr. Jennifer Hanrahan joined as Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, succeeding Dr. Catherine Derber, who served as Interim Chief. Dr. Seth Berney was appointed to establish the Division of Rheumatology, and the Division of Hospital Medicine was launched on July 1, 2023, with Dr. Jody King becoming the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director as Dr. Goodman assumed the role of inaugural Chief of the Division of Hospital Medicine. New faculty members include Dr. Taylor Attar, Dr. Roy Flemmer, and Dr. Sara Serji (all in Hospital Medicine), Dr. Nathaniel Gordon (Sleep Medicine), Dr. Madeeha Deo and Dr. Emily Cunningham (both in General Internal Medicine), and Dr. Joseph DeBiase (Infectious Diseases). Dr. Kelly Thomson was honored with the McKinnon Family Professorship in Palliative Medicine, and Dr. Mily Kannarkat received the Sue Faulkner Scribner Distinguished Professorship in Geriatrics. At the 2023 Service and Recognition Awards Ceremony, Dr. LaConda Fanning received the President’s Champion of Diversity & Inclusion Award, Dr. Mily Kannarkat received the Fine Family Academy of Educators Award for Educational Leadership, Dr. Rehan Qayyum was honored with the Faculty Mentoring Award, and Dr. Sami Tahhan received the Faculty Excellence Award. Lynn Morganti, MBA, retired as Associate Chair for Finance and Administration after many years of service, and Scott Griffin joined as Chief Administrator.
2024: Dr. Sami Tahhan received the Brock VHS/Sentara Endowed Chair of Academic Leadership, and Dr. Bahar Niknejad was honored with the Rosemary Fenton and Garnett Jordan Professorship in Geriatrics. Several faculty members, including Dr. Catherine Derber, Dr. Marissa Galicia-Castillo, Dr. Sean Hesselbacher, Dr. David C. Lieb, Dr. Thomas J. Manser, Dr. Aaron Mills, Dr. Hamid R. Okhravi, Dr. Rehan Qayyum, and Dr. Joshua M. Sill, were recognized as Top Doctors by Virginia Business. At the EVMS Annual Awards ceremony, Dr. David Lieb, Dr. Keith Newby Sr., Dr. Chinelo Okigbo, Dr. Elias Siraj, Dr. Bahar Niknejad, Dr. Rehan Qayyum, Dr. LaConda Fanning, Dr. Catherine Derber, Dr. Hamid Okhravi, Dr. Bahar Niknejad, and Dr. Ethlyn McQueen-Gibson received awards for their excellence and community service. During the American College of Physicians, Virginia Chapter’s Annual Meeting, Dr. B. Mitchell Goodman III, Dr. Mily J. Kannarkat, Dr. Bahar Niknejad, and Dr. Xian Qiao were honored with various awards. New faculty members this year include Elizabeth Batchelor, Alistair Thomson, Emily Cunningham, Sarah Al-Allawi, Matthew Slief, Iullia Kovalenko, Mariam Agladze, and Ruhani Desai. Additionally, the department launched a Comprehensive Sickle Cell Program, led by its founding Director, Dr. Madeeha Deo.