I hope that the transition from a Summer that didn't quite meet most of our expectations in terms of the pandemic to Fall has started off well for all of you. Although we all are facing uncertainty in many domains of our personal and professional lives, including the safety of having our children return to in-person school, to waning personal immunity, to waiting for policy recommendations about whether health care workers will be needing Covid-19 boosters, our GIMHSR division has continued to thrive.
This month’s newsletter celebrates successful promotions for 2 of our research faculty and important new leadership positions for some of our clinician educator faculty. Our division also has had a number of important new and impactful research and clinical care delivery publications and a record breaking 37% year over year growth in our research portfolio! Many of our division members are also playing key roles for the implementation of the new medical school curriculum and others continue to work on key projects that are getting the Covid-19 vaccine to some of the most vulnerable people in our State.
As Janet Pregler was putting the final touches on our newsletter, I think that she summed up my sentiments perfectly when she said “This looks great, and makes me proud to be a member of GIMHSR”. I hope is that is the case for all of you. Please remember to forward your accomplishments to me so that we can celebrate them together in future newsletters.
Best,
Carol
Congratulations to our Newest Associate Professors!
Please join us in congratulating John Mafi and Yusuke Tsugawa on this very important accomplishment of becoming associate professors! As many of you know, in the research series promotion to associate professor requires an impactful research program and outstanding teaching. You make GIMHSR proud!
Dr. John Mafi,Associate Professor-in-Residence. Dr. Mafi's research focuses on quality measurement and improvement and electronic health records' influence on value of care. Dr. Mafi also sees patients in our Internal Medicine Suite.
Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa, Associate Professor-in-Residence. Dr. Tsugawa's research focuses on determinants of the quality and costs of care of individual physicians.
Dr. Curls Elected President of DMPG Executive Board
Evelyn Curls, MD, MBA, HS Assistant Clinical Professor GIMHSR, was elected President of the Department of Medicine Professional Group (DMPG) Executive Board for the 2021-2022 academic year. The DMPG organizes clinically active faculty in the Department of Medicine group practice. The Board is elected to make recommendations on clinical practice to the Executive Chair. Dr. Curls currently serves as Regional Medical Director for the South Bay and Downtown Los Angeles community practices, where she oversees clinic operations and physician management. A graduate of the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency, she practices primary care internal medicine at the Redondo Beach Primary & Specialty Care site.
Josh Khalili, MD, HS Clinical Instructor GIMHSR, was newly elected to the 6 member Board and will serve as Secretary. Dr. Khalili sees patients through the UCLA Health Santa Monica Extensivist program. A former UCLA Internal Medicine Chief Resident for Primary Care, he is certified by the American Academy of HIV Medicine, and also practices at the UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education (CARE) in Beverly Hills.
Faculty in Health Sciences, In Residence, Regular, and Clinical X series have received a ballot to elect new members. Please vote!
The Faculty Executive Committee of the David Geffen School of Medicine takes its role in shared governance seriously. Their actions are reported to the Academic Senate of UCLA, and this body directly interacts with its counterpart representing faculty at the ten-campus University of California, working directly with the Regents to set policy.
Dr. Casillas Selected as NAM Emerging Leader Scholar
GIM's Dr. Alejandra Casillas has begun a 3-year term as a National Academy of Medicine Emerging Leaders in Health and Medicine Scholar. NAM selects early- and mid-career professionals with demonstrated leadership and exceptional professional achievement in biomedical science, population health, health care and related fields. Scholars participate in activities and provide input and feedback to shape the priorities of the academy and sustain the NAM’s reputation as a leader in advancing knowledge and accelerating progress in science, medicine, policy, and health equity.
Dr. Ong Appointed Chair of Faculty Welfare Taskforce
University Committee on Committees (UCOC) has appointed GIM's Dr. Michael Ong as the 2021-22 Chair of the University Committee on Faculty Welfare (UCFW) Health Care Task Force (HCTF). The HCTF is charged to review and analyze UC employee health plans; advise on issues of faculty welfare in academic, research, and clinical settings at UC Health Systems; and advise on the management of the UCOP Division of UC Health, and of UC Health Systems. Dr. Ong and GIM's Dr. Arleen Brown have been members of HCTF since 2018.
GIM at DOM Grand Rounds
GIM faculty were part of the last three Grand Rounds:
Lisa Skinner and Christina Harris participated in the “The Myth of Meritocracy” panel on August 18;
Kelley Chuang, Tyler Larsen, and Satya Patel in “Evolving Digital Strategies in Medical Education” on August 25, and
John Mafi in “Addressing Healthcare Value in Our Time” on Sept 1.
If you missed them, you can find them (and receive CME/MOC credit for physicians) atdomtv.med.ucla.edu
Upcoming Seminars & Events
UCLA Value-Based Care Research Consortium Journal Club
“Words Matter: Deprescribing in Primary Care” Ariel Green, MD, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine, John Hopkins University Tuesday, September 14th
11am-12pm https://uclahs.zoom.us/j/97466354232
Password: 343772
(669) 900-6833 | Meeting ID: 974 6635 4232 | Passcode: 343772
RCMAR/CHIME Methodological Seminar Series
"Introduction to the RAND HRS Data Products" Jessica Hayes
Research Programmer, RAND Corporation Monday, September 20
3-4 pm https://uclahs.zoom.us/j/93573827324
(669) 900 6833 | Meeting ID: 935 7382 7324
New GIM Publications
Behavioural nudges increase COVID-19 vaccinations. Dai H, Saccardo S, Han MA, Roh L, Raja N, Vangala S, Modi H, Pandya S, Sloyan M, Croymans DM.Nature. 2021 Aug 2. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03843-2. Online ahead of print.PMID: 34340242
Welcome to Fall 2021! 
Greetings!
Dr. John Mafi, Associate Professor-in-Residence. Dr. Mafi's research focuses on quality measurement and improvement and electronic health records' influence on value of care. Dr. Mafi also sees patients in our Internal Medicine Suite.
Evelyn Curls, MD, MBA, HS Assistant Clinical Professor GIMHSR, was elected President of the Department of Medicine Professional Group (DMPG) Executive Board for the 2021-2022 academic year. The DMPG organizes clinically active faculty in the Department of Medicine group practice. The Board is elected to make recommendations on clinical practice to the Executive Chair. Dr. Curls currently serves as Regional Medical Director for the South Bay and Downtown Los Angeles community practices, where she oversees clinic operations and physician management. A graduate of the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency, she practices primary care internal medicine at the Redondo Beach Primary & Specialty Care site. 
Josh Khalili, MD, HS Clinical Instructor GIMHSR, was newly elected to the 6 member Board and will serve as Secretary. Dr. Khalili sees patients through the UCLA Health Santa Monica Extensivist program. A former UCLA Internal Medicine Chief Resident for Primary Care, he is certified by the American Academy of HIV Medicine, and also practices at the UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education (CARE) in Beverly Hills.
GIM's Dr. Alejandra Casillas has begun a 3-year term as a National Academy of Medicine Emerging Leaders in Health and Medicine Scholar. NAM selects early- and mid-career professionals with demonstrated leadership and exceptional professional achievement in biomedical science, population health, health care and related fields. Scholars participate in activities and provide input and feedback to shape the priorities of the academy and sustain the NAM’s reputation as a leader in advancing knowledge and accelerating progress in science, medicine, policy, and health equity.
University Committee on Committees (UCOC) has appointed GIM's Dr. Michael Ong as the 2021-22 Chair of the University Committee on Faculty Welfare (UCFW) Health Care Task Force (HCTF). The HCTF is charged to review and analyze UC employee health plans; advise on issues of faculty welfare in academic, research, and clinical settings at UC Health Systems; and advise on the management of the UCOP Division of UC Health, and of UC Health Systems. Dr. Ong and GIM's Dr. Arleen Brown have been members of HCTF since 2018.
GIM faculty were part of the last three Grand Rounds:
“Words Matter: Deprescribing in Primary Care”
