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UTSW PM&R in the News

 

group of faculty at the retreat
Front row (left to right): Kavita Trivedi, Rupali Kumar, Kelly Scott, John Thottakara, Surendra Barshikar, Heakyung Kim, Benjamin Nguyen, Kim Barker, Anjali Shah, Mona Mirchandani, Elham Cohen; Middle row (left to right): Nikesh Patel, Priya Nangrani, Isabel Huang, Shelby Tesdall, Marielisa Lopez, Yoonhee Choi, Amanda Wise, Amy Mathews, Donald Kasitinon, Benjamin Miller, Weibin Yang, Annie Abraham, Saylee Dhamdhere, Merrine Klakeel, Gargi Raval; Back row (Left to right): Ziyi Chen, Denizen Kocak, Sunny Sharma, Ellen Sloan, Julia Bryarly, Amar Patel, Ankit Patel, Susan Murphy, Minh Nguyen, Yashesh Parekh, Vincent Lee, Raymond Cheng, Chaitanya Konda, Jean De Leon

Awards

Benjamin Nguyen, M.D., received one of UTSW's 2025 Leaders in Clinical Excellence Awards for mentorship. He was recognized for the hundreds of JAMP (Joint Admission Medical Program) students who have spent time on our campus and received his kind and ever-present mentorship. JAMP is a program in Texas to help mentor and nurture undergraduate students coming from an economic disadvantage. Of those UTSW JAMP students, 24 have also gone into PM&R, much more than any other campus in Texas. Read more: Mentoring Award: Center Times Plus, UT Southwestern.

The Burn Reconstruction Program also received the Program Development Award at UTSW's 2025 Leaders in Clinical Excellence Awards. Karen Kowalske, M.D., and the faculty and residents who have worked with the Burn team have always played a vital role in this multidisciplinary program.

Surendra Barshikar, M.D., was one of two physiatrists awarded the PM&R Awareness and Value Award from AAPM&R at the 2025 Annual Assembly. He was noted for his work on neurorehabilitation, spasticity, and the UTSW COVID Recover program.

Stephanie Georgoudiou, M.S.N., APRN, AGPCNP-BC, CWCN, was awarded a scholarship by the Rose-Marie “Rory” Meyers Advanced Education Program for Nursing Excellence at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Stephanie has been working on her Ph.D., studying wound care in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Michael Fediw, M.D., was named the Medical Director of Supportive Care, Integrative Oncology, and Rehabilitation for UTSW's Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Donald Kasitinon, M.D., completed UTSW's LEAD program. He was also named one of the team physicians covering the Dallas Mavericks.

Amar Patel, M.D., stepped into the position of UTSW's Zale Inpatient Rehabilitation Medical Director in September. He is eager and grateful for the opportunity and is working on plans for the rehab unit. He has a love for inpatient rehabilitation and particularly for cancer rehabilitation.

Annie Abraham, M.D., will be taking over as the Medical Student Rotation Director and mentor from Dr. Kasitinon. Dr. Abraham has had a love for medical education since she was a medical student here at UT Southwestern. This passion continued when she served as Academic Chief Resident as well. The department and medical school are excited for her new role.

Helen Chung, Ph.D., is heading Rehab Psychology for the Department at UT Southwestern as well as serving as the Rehabilitation Psychology Fellowship Director.

D Magazine announced its list of Best Doctors for 2025, and it was filled with many from the Department. Congrats to everyone!

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