GA-OMS

Emory University School of Medicine Update

By

Gary F Bouloux MD, DDS

The division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Emory University has had a productive 12 months. There are several notable achievements and milestones worthy of reporting.

    • Emory-medicine-logo2The Program had a CODA site visit in December 2014 and passed with no recommendations. This is a monumental feat and reflects the robust nature of the Emory program. A total of more than 1300 major cases were completed last year which is more than twice the number required by CODA and provides a robust case load for residents.

 

    • The program graduated Drs Ashley Zerweck, Robert Attia, Thao Le and Anne Stearns in June 2014 with all entering private practice and all successfully passing the ABOMS written certifying examination in January 2015.

 

    • Three new residents joined the program with Dr Elizabeth Consky in the 6 year certificate/MD program and Drs Erin Sharif and Sam Harouni in the 4 year certificate program.

 

    • Dr Sam Farish, a fulltime faculty member at the VAMC, retired after an illustrious career and many years of resident training. His presence will be missed although he will continue to work at Emory one day per week. We wish him well in his pseudo retirement.

 

    • Dr. Steven Colm became the new Chief of OMFS at the VAMC and has already contributed positively to the VA resident rotation. We wish him well in this new position.

 

    • Drs. Henry Blair, Michael Demo and Jonathon Threadgill, all prior graduates from Emory OMFS, have joined the volunteer faculty staff at Grady Memorial Hospital and will provide great support to the cadre of existing volunteer faculty who include Glenn Maron, Asif Taufiq, Joyce Lee, Richard Paul, Vinny Perciaccante, Jeff Shultz, Ed Joy, Kael Rogers, Amy Kuhmichel, Fred Simonton and Michael Vucuolo.

 

    • Drs. Shelly Abramowicz and Gary Bouloux were appointed CODA site visitors.

 

    • The research aspects of the program have grown with two private industry grants totaling nearly $200, 000 and the completion of the inaugural OMSF funded grant for a comparison of hyaluronic acid, steroid and placebo for arthrocentesis in patients with TMD. Stay tuned for the results. More than 40 IRB approved studies have been or are being conducted at Emory over the last 10 years alone.

 

    • The humanitarian goals of the Emory program continue with two mission trips lead by Steven Roser to Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The primary focus of the trips remain cleft lip and palate although there are no limits to the needs of this underserved community nor the type of surgery performed.

 

  • The inaugural Alumni gala was conducted on March 28th 2015 as a tribute to Dr Sam Farish for his achievements over a lifetime and his dedication to Emory. Multiple faculty and residents presented at the educational symposium while more than 100 attended the reception and dinner at the Emory Conference Center. A great success.

Gary F Bouloux MD, DDS, MDSc, FRACDS(OMS)
Associate Professor
Residency Program Director
Division Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Department of Surgery
Emory University School of Medicine