february 2010 jmsma

VOL. LI No. 2

February 2010

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FEBRUARY 2010 VOLUME 51 NUMBER 2

SCIENTIFIC ARTICLESRecurrent, Transformed Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Presenting as Chiasmal Syndrome with Hyperprolactinemia and Hypopituitarism 35Ashley Sumrall, MD and Vince Herrin, MD

PRESIDENT’S PAGEBe Careful What We Ask for, We Might Get It 49Randy Easterling, MD; MSMA President

EDITORIALSDignity 52Michael O’Dell, MD; Associate Editor

Will Politicians Ever Change? 53Myron W. Lockey, MD; Editor Emeritus

RELATED ORGANIZATIONSMississippi State Medical Association 39Mississippi State Department of Health 57University of Mississippi Medical Center 59

DEPARTMENTSNew Members 43Deaths 45Personals 46Physicians’ Bookshelf 54Numbers Count 56Information for Authors 61Una Voce 63Placement/Classified 64

ABOUT THE COVER: “UPPSALA CATHEDRAL” - Artist John J. Jackson, MD painted this original oil on canvas of theUppsala Cathedral in 1962 while performing a medical genetics fellowship at the Institute for MedicalGenetics at the University of Uppsala, Sweden. The Uppsala Cathedral was begun in 1287 A.D. Thedome to one side sits atop the administration building of the University and was constructed by a Swedishanatomist, Olaus Rudbeck, for anatomical demonstrations. Rudbeck was one of the pioneers in the studyof lymphatic vessels. According to his supporters in Sweden, he was the first to discover the lymphaticsystem and is documented as having shown his findings at the court of QueenChristina of Sweden in the spring of 1652. However, he did not publish anythingabout it until the fall of 1653, after Danish scientist Thomas Bartholin hadpublished a description of a similar discovery of his own. Rudbeck's research ledto the Queen's support of his career. To facilitate his studies of human anatomy, hehad a cupola built on top of Gustavianum, a university edifice, and in it was builtan arena-like Theatrum anatomicum, where dissection could be carried out infront of students. The cupola still remains and is a landmark in Uppsala. The"Gustavianum" stands in front of the cathedral and is still part of the university.

Dr. Jackson taught Medical Genetics and Internal Medicine for 30 years at the University ofMississippi Medical Center and retired in 1992 as chairman of the Department of PreventiveMedicine.❒

2010February

VOL. LI No. 2

Official Publication

of the MSMA Since 1959

JOURNAL OF THE MISSISSIPPI STATEMEDICAL ASSOCIATION (ISSN 0026-6396)is owned and published monthly by the Mississippi

State Medical Association, founded 1856, located at

408 West Parkway Place, Ridgeland, Mississippi

39158-2548. (ISSN# 0026-6396 as mandated by

section E211.10, Domestic Mail Manual).

Periodicals postage paid at Jackson, MS and at

additional mailing offices.

CORRESPONDENCE: JOURNAL MSMA,Managing Editor, Karen A. Evers, P.O. Box 2548,Ridgeland, MS 39158-2548, ph.: (601) 853-6733,FAX (601)853-6746, www.MSMAonline.com.

SUBSCRIPTION RATE: $83.00 per annum;

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ADVERTISING RATES: furnished on

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POSTMASTER: send address changes

to Journal of the Mississippi State Medical

Association, P.O. Box 2548, Ridgeland, MS 39158-

2548.

The views expressed in this publication reflect

the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily

state the opinions or policies of the Mississippi State

Medical Association.

Copyright© 2010,

Mississippi State Medical Association.

Lucius M. Lampton, MD

EDITOR

D. Stanley Hartness, MD

Michael O’Dell, MD

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Karen A. Evers

MANAGING EDITOR

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

Dwalia S. South, MD

ChairPhilip T. Merideth, MD, JD

Martin M. Pomphrey, MD

Leslie E. England, MD, Ex-OfficioMyron W. Lockey, MD, Ex-Officio

and the Editors

THE ASSOCIATION

Randy Easterling, MD

PresidentTim J. Alford, MD

President-ElectJ. Clay Hays, Jr., MD

Secretary-TreasurerLee Giffin, MD

SpeakerGeri Lee Weiland, MD

Vice SpeakerCharmain Kanosky

Executive Director

FEBRUARY 2010 JOURNAL MSMA 33

An Academic Medical Center Is Not Like

An Ordinary Hospital.

As a physician, you ask more of an academic medical center.

You ask us to invent new ways to diagnose and treat disease.

To lead the medical research that can give us all better lives.

You ask more of University of Mississippi Health Care.

You ask us to offer the highest level of medical care to our mutual patients, every day.

To push the boundaries of what is possible.

This is University of Mississippi Health Care.Your academic medical center.

Expect more.

Talk doctor-to-doctor at 866.UMC.DOCS or learn more at umhc.com.

34 JOURNAL MSMA FEBRUARY 2010


A 69-year-old white female with past medical history of follic-

ular cell lymphoma presented to her local physician with new neuro-

logical findings. She was subsequently diagnosed with a pituitary lesion

comprised of diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin's lym-

phoma (NHL) affecting the pituitary uncommonly appears as metasta-

tic disease from a concurrent systemic lymphoma. This case represents

the first case of recurrent, transformed NHL as chiasmal syndrome with

hyperprolactinemia and hypopituitarism in the American medical lit-

erature.

KEY WORDS: CHIASMAL SYNDROME, PITUITARY LYMPHOMA,

HYPOPITUITARISM, NON-HODGKINS' LYMPHOMA,

DIFFUSE LARGE B CELL LYMPHOMA

INTRODUCTION

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) is a group of disorders com-

prised of malignant proliferation of lymphocytes. Within this group,

both low and high grade variants are seen. Because this group of dis-

orders affects lymphocytes, it may affect any organ of the body.1, 2

Follicular lymphoma, a low grade lymphoma, transforms to

more aggressive large cell lymphoma in up to 60% of cases. A new

clone of cells emerges, losing the previous follicular architecture and

becoming more difficult to treat. Multiple genetic abnormalities have

been described, but there are no methods to prevent this transforma-

tion yet.1, 2

CASE REPORT

A 69-year-old white female with past medical history of follic-

ular cell lymphoma presented to her local physician with new com-

plaints of vision loss, nausea, and headaches in November 2007.

Evaluation by her ophthalmologist yielded visual acuity of 20/100 in

the right eye, 20/80 in the left eye, elevated intracranial pressure, and

bitemporal inferior quadrantanopia. MRI of the brain revealed an en-

hancing mass in the sella, extending into the suprasellar cistern and

compressing the optic chiasm (figure 1). The lesion measured 2.1 cm

x 2.8 cm in maximum diameter. Serological evaluation for activity of

the tumor yielded: prolactin of 92.8 ng/ml (elevated), adrenocorti-

cotropic hormone of <10 pg/ml (decreased), morning cortisol of

2.5ug/dl (decreased), follicle-stimulating hormone of 0.6 miu/ml (de-

creased), thyroid-stimulating hormone of <0.006 uiu/ml (decreased),

insulin-like growth factor-1 of 56 ng/ml (elevated). Initially the mass

was thought to be a macroadenoma or prolactinoma causing hypopitu-

itarism.

She was referred to a neurosurgeon who promptly excised the

mass via transsphenoidal resection. She tolerated the operation well,

but her postoperative course was complicated by postsurgical localized

hemorrhage, diabetes insipidus, pulmonary embolism, hypothyroidism,

clostridium difficile colitis, and acute renal failure.

Pathological examination of the tumor revealed a diffuse large

B cell lymphoma. On flow cytometry, the cells were positive for CD10,

CD 20, CD79a, kappa, and showed light chain restriction (monoclonal).

CT scans for staging revealed hepatomegaly with a hypodensity in the

left lobe of the liver. Multiple hypodensities were seen throughout the

spleen and both kidneys. Portacaval and perisplenic lymphadenopathy

was present. Nodular thickening in the fundus of the stomach was seen

also, most consistent with lymphomatous involvement. Bone marrow

aspirate showed hypocellular marrow with no evidence of lymphoma.

Cytogenetics were limited due to only 6 analyzed metaphases, but ap-

peared abnormal.

• SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES •

Recurrent, Transformed Non-Hodgkin’sLymphoma Presenting as ChiasmalSyndrome with Hyperprolactinemia

and Hypopituitarism

Ashley Sumrall, MD and Vince Herrin, MD

ABSTRACT

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Dr. Sumrall is a third-year fellow in Hematology and Oncology atthe University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dr. Herrin is Associate Professor ofHematology and Oncology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He is alsoProgram Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the University ofMississippi Medical Center.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Ashley Sumrall, MD, University of Mississippi Medical CenterDepartment of Hematology, 2500 N. State St. Jackson, MS 39216.


At this time, review of her past medical history was completed.

According to her local hematologist, she was diagnosed with B cell

follicular lymphoma in April 2005. She presented for initial evaluation

with right-sided neck and parotid, and left-sided submandibular lym-

phadenopathy. She was started on chlorambucil but subsequently de-

veloped abdominal lymphadenopathy. Four cycles of CHOP-R

(cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, rituximab)

were given, but persistent neutropenia and pneumonia prevented addi-

tional systemic treatment. Right-sided neck lymphadenopathy recurred

in June 2007, for which the patient received palliative external beam ra-

diation.

Within two weeks of her diagnosis, she was started on treatment

with ProMACE- CytaBOM.3 She tolerated this cycle well and was dis-

charged home. She returned to clinic for chemotherapy, but ultimately

became too ill for treatment. Hospice care was initiated, and the pa-

tient died shortly thereafter.

DISCUSSION

BackgroundBecause pituitary adenomas are the most common sellar masses,

this tumor was surprisingly lymphomatous. Sellar masses may include

craniopharyngioma, arachnoid cysts, epidermoid cysts, chordomas,

germ cell tumors, meningiomas, aneurysms, infections or abscesses,

sarcoidosis, and lymphocytic hypophysitis.4

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) affecting the pituitary occurs

as a primary CNS tumor or, less commonly, as spread from a concur-

rent systemic lymphoma. This is usually observed in immunocompro-

mised patients such as those with HIV. Once felt to be an extremely

rare condition, several cases of pituitary lymphoma in immunocompe-

tent patients have been reported in the last few years. It is suggested that

up to one-third of NHL patients may develop CNS involvement with

lymphoma.4-7

A search of the English language medical literature identifies

several series of pituitary lymphoma patients. An autopsy series in-

cluding 165 patients who died from hematological malignancies found

pituitary lymphoma in 38 cases. No documented cases of hypopitu-

itarism were seen in this population. In a series of 1120 patients with

sellar masses, only one case of pituitary lymphoma was identified. The

total number of pituitary lymphoma cases in the English language lit-

erature approaches 30. Of those, 15 cases of secondary sellar lesions are

present, of which 12 were NHL. This case represents the first case of

recurrent, transformed NHL as chiasmal syndrome with hyperpro-

lactinemia and hypopituitarism in the American medical literature.4

Signs and symptomsVision is frequently affected in these patients. Varying degrees

of optic chiasm involvement have been described such as: bitemporal

hemianopsia, diplopia, and total blindness. These findings may result

from pituitary compression of the chiasm or from direct involvement

of the optic nerve as the tumor spreads. Additional cranial nerve in-

volvements due to extension of the pituitary lymphoma into the cav-

ernous sinus have also been reported. Up to one-fourth of reported

patients with pituitary lymphoma have impairment of cranial nerves II,

III, IV, and VI.4

Symptoms of hypopituitarism are vague and include: fatigue,

muscle weakness, nausea, constipation, weight loss or gain, decreased

appetite, headache, or temperature sensitivity. Hyperprolactinemia may

produce vision changes, headaches, galactorrhea, irregular menstrual

cycles or infertility in premenopausal women, and sexual dysfunction

in men.

HistopathologyThe most commonly reported histology affecting the pituitary

is large B cell NHL. Involvement of the anterior pituitary is usually

seen. Patients with NHL of pituitary origin reportedly have a better

prognosis than those with pituitary metastases.5

REFERENCES1. Lossos IS, Alizadeh AA, Diehn M, et al. Transformation of follicular

lymphoma to diffuse large-cell lymphoma: Alternative patterns with

increased or decreased expression of c-myc and its regulated genes.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99(13):8886–8891.

2. Hillman R, Ault K, and Rinder H. Hematology in Clinical Practice. 4th

ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Co; 2005:277-279.

3. Fisher R, Gaynor E, Dahlberg S, et al. A phase III comparison of CHOP

vs. m-BACOD vs. ProMACE-CytaBOM vs. MACOP-B in patients with

intermediate- or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: results of

SWOG-8516 (Intergroup 0067), the National High-Priority Lymphoma

Study. Ann Oncol. 1994;5(1) (Suppl):S291-S295.

4. Buchler T, Ferral C, Virgili N, et al. A relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma

presenting as panhypopituitarism successfully treated by chemotherapy.

Journal of Neuro-Oncology. 2002;59(1):35–38.

5. Giustina A, Gola M, Doga M, et al. Primary lymphoma of the pituitary:

an emerging clinical entity. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86(10):4567-

4575.

6. Megan Ogilvie C, Payne S, Evanson J, et al. Lymphoma metastasizing

to the pituitary: an unusual presentation of a treatable disease. Pituitary.

2005;8:139-46.

7. Mathiasen R, Jarrahy R, Cha S, et al. Pituitary lymphoma: a case report

and literature review. Pituitary. 2000;4:283-287.

The 142nd Annual Session of

the MSMA House of

Delegates and Medical

Affairs Forum 2010

will be held

June 3-6, 2010in Natchez.

MarkYour

Calendar!

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Natchez is the place to be June 3- 6,

2010 for the 142nd Annual Session of

the MSMA House of Delegates June

3-6, 2010 at the Grand Hotel in Natchez and the

Natchez Convention Center.

The 2010 Medical Affairs Forum will feature

eight hours of Continuing Medical Education credit

on current topics to interest physicians in all

specialties.

Medical Assurance

Company of Mississippi

(MACM) is planning a

Thursday afternoon golf

tournament that’s sure

to get you going green.

Special efforts are

underway for fun family

and kids activities so

plan to bring the whole

family. Historical

cemetery tours are sure

to creep you out and a

county fair will feature

a dunk-the-president

booth and pie toss that

even the adults will

love!

The MSMA

Alliance is planning a

Friday night fundraiser

for medical school

scholarships that will

feature paintings,

pottery, jewelry and

other fine arts by

physicians and their

family members. Be sure to contribute your own

work of art to this worthy cause. Then enjoy the

display and silent auction showcasing the many

artistic talents of the Mississippi medical

community.

Mark your calendars now and be sure to save

the dates June 3 thru 6, 2010 for the 142nd Annual

Session of the MSMA House of Delegates.

The Saturday night

Gala Dinner Dance will

feature the official

inauguration of MSMA’s

143rd President Dr. Tim

J. Alford of Kosciusko.

Dr. Alford will be sworn

and present his

inaugural address at the

Gala. Then it’s dinner

and dancing in the

ballroom at the Natchez

Convention Center

overlooking the bluffs of

the Mississippi River.

The House of

Delegates will convene

on Friday, June 4th for

policy talks and Sunday,

June 6, 2010 to elect

officers and mark the

course for the coming

year.

• MSMA •

June 3-6, 2010 in Natchez

142nd Annual Session of the MSMA House of Delegates

Save the date. June 3-6, 2010

Natchez Grand Hotel Natchez Convention Center


The Annual Physician Award for Community Service, sponsored by

Mississippi State Medical Association, is designed to provide recognition

to members of the association who are actively engaged in the practice of

medicine, for the many and varied services above and beyond the call of

duty which they render to their respective communities.

Each recipient of the award is nominated by his or her component society and selection is

made by the members of the Council on Public Information. The intent of the program is to

honor only living persons, and to honor no person more than once. Presentation is made at the

annual meeting of the association’s House of Delegates. Every society has many members

worthy of this distinguished award. It is your society’s responsibility to see that they are

nominated. A nomination form is avaiable on the MSMA Web site. All nominations should besubmitted to the Mississippi State Medical Association by May 1, 2010.

The award is a handsome plaque which features a cast bronze medallion. The medallion’s design

symbolizes the close relationship between medicine and the community. A $500 contribution is

also made by the association to a civic organization designated by the award recipient.

Nominations should be submitted in writing. Since the award is for outstanding community

service it is important that all accomplishments of the nominee in this regard be presented in

detail. The Council on Public Information encourages you to seek the assistance of your local

MSMAAlliance in preparing the written nomination and supporting materials.

Nomination supporting documents may include all or some of the following: a narrative

about the person and his community involvement, newspaper clippings, letters of support from

community leaders, newspaper or magazine articles written about the person, photographs and

other materials that show the physician’s community involvement.

Nominations should be sent to MSMA, P.O. Box 2548, Ridgeland, MS 39158-2548, as soon as

possible, but no later than May 1, 2010. For further information contact: Karen Evers, Director

of Communications, (601) 853-6733 or 1-800-898-0251, or [email protected].

CALL FOR ENTRIES

Seeking Nominations for the2010 MSMA Award for Community Service


Contact: Collier SimpsonBedford Realty 601-506-6622

[email protected]

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AFZAL, SYED M., Brandon; Born 4/10/1962 Pakistan; Graduated

MD Dow Medical College, University of Karachi, Pakistan 1987;

Specialty: Family Practice; MS Family Doctors.

ALBERS, TIMOTHY A., Tupelo; Born 11/14/1964 Poplar Bluff,

MO; Graduated MD University of Missouri School of Medicine,

Kansas City 1990; Specialty: Internal Medicine; North MS Medical

Center Inc. d/b/a Med Serve.

ARNOLD, TIMOTHY L., Laurel; Born 2/14/1951 Newark, NJ;

Graduated DO University of Medicine & Denistry of New Jersey, New

Jersey 1997; Specialty: Psychiatry; Arnold Psychiatry Center, LLC.

ASHER, FREDERICK, Jackson; Born 2/20/1975 Gulfport, MS;

Graduated MD University of MS School of Medicine, Jackson 2002;

Specialty: Internal Medicine; University Physicians, PA.

BORGANELLI, SANTO, Jackson; Born 6/14/1958; Graduated MD

University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas 1984;

Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease.

BRIEN, G. ANTHONY, Flowood; Born 12/7/1974; Graduated MD

University of MS School of Medicine, Jackson 2003; Specialty:

Orthopaedic Surgery; Capital Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center.

BROWN, JULIAN ARTHUR, Aberdeen; Born 8/8/1955; Graduated

MD University MS School of Medicine, Jackson 1982; Specialty:

Forensic Medicine; Family Medical Clinic.

CAIN, GEORGE L., Corinth; Born 1/22/1957; Graduated MD

University MS School of Medicine, Jackson 1986; Specialty: Family

Practice.

COLE, THOMAS P., Hattiesburg; Born 3/22/1973 Poplarville, MS;

Graduated MD University MS School of Medicine, Jackson 1999;

Specialty: Radiology; Hattiesburg Radiology Group, PLLC.

CORNELIUS, KIMBERLY D., Clinton; Born 1/3/1978 Jackson, MS;


Specialty: Family Practice; Baptist Health Systems.

COX, ROBERT D., Jackson; Born 11/20/1954, Chicago, IL;

Graduated MD University of Texas Southwestern Medical School,

Dallas 1985; Specialty: Emergency Medicine.

CRIGLER, LAKISHA A., Clarksdale; Born 2/26/1977 Ruleville, MS;

Graduated MD Meharry Medical College of Medicine, Nashville 2005;

Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology; The Woman's Clinic.

CROSBY, ROBERT L., McComb; Born 4/8/1954; Graduated MD

University MS School of Medicine, Jackson 1985; Specialty:

Pulmonary Disease; Southwest Pulmonary Medicine.

DEW, JAMES, Pearl; Born 7/28/1978; Graduated MD University MS

School of Medicine, Jackson 2004; Specialty: Forensic Medicine;

MEA, PA.

DEWS, ROBERT C., Hattiesburg; Born 1/07/1974 Hattiesburg, MS;


Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery; Southern Bone & Joint Specialists,

PA.

DILLARD, BENJAMIN, Jackson; Born 8/5/1971 Tupelo, MS;


Specialty: Pediatric Emergency Medicine; University Physicians, PA.

DUNN, THOMAS J., Columbus; Born 1/1/1972; Graduated DO

University of Health Sciences - College of Osteopathic Medicine,

Kansas City 1999; Specialty: Nephrology; Nephrology Associates, PC.

FREEMAN, TIJUANA L., Biloxi; Born 12/21/1968; Little Rock, AK;

Graduated MD University of Arkansas School of Medicine, Little Rock

1995; Specialty: Pediatrics; Gulf Coast Children's Clinic.

GUILD, CAMERON, Jackson; Born 1/16/1974 Jackson, MS;


Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease; University Physicians, PA.

HANNA, SHAHIRA, Biloxi; Born 9/1/1959 Cairo Egypt; Graduated

MD University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia

1985; Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology; Woman's Clinic, PA.

HENSON, TERRI H., Southaven; Born 11/27/1960 Memphis, TN;

Graduated MD University of Tennessee College Medicine, Memphis

1993; Specialty: Dermatology.

HOLLAND, DANIEL, Hattiesburg; Born Leland, IA; Graduated


Emergency Medicine.

HOLLIS, LEANNA LINDSEY, Tupelo; Born 4/29/1955 Starkville,

MS; Graduated MD University MS School of Medicine, Jackson 1986;

Specialty: Internal Medicine; The Wound Healing Center.

JEFFERSON, GINA D., Jackson; Born 4/20/1972 Cleveland, Ohio;

Graduated MD Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine,

Cleveland 2000; Specialty: Otolaryngology; University Physicians, PA

Otolaryngology.

JONES, JOHN H., Indianola; Born 3/8/1975 Hattiesburg, MS;


Specialty: Family Practice; Indianola Family Medical Group.

JONES, KEITH O., Jackson; Born 5/17/1976; Graduated MD


Neurology; Baptist Neurological Associates.

JONES, OSCAR BARRETT, Laurel; Born 1/25/1977 Vicksburg,

MS; Graduated MD University MS School of Medicine, Jackson 2004,

Jackson; Specialty: Family Practice.

KATZ, HOWARD T., Jackson; Born 3/8/1956 Memphis, TN;

Graduated MD University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis

1982; Specialty: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; University

Physicians, PA.

KENNEDY, E. JEFF, Flowood; Born 5/17/1958 Florida; Graduated


Orthopaedic Surgery; Capital Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Center.

KIRK, H. ALDEN, Oxford; Born 3/23/1976 Jackson, MS; Graduated


General Surgery; Surgery Consultants of Oxford.

• NEW MEMBERS •


LAI, MICHELLE, Lumberton; Born 4/30/1975 Vietnam; Graduated

MD University of Arkansas School of Medicine, Little Rock 2003;

Specialty: Internal Medicine; Southeast MS Rural Health Initiative,

Inc..

LAKE, CHESTER H., Flowood; Born 7/30/1954; Graduated MD


Anesthesiology; Anesthesia Consultants, PA.

LANDSDOWN, CHRISTOPHER E., Biloxi; Born 12/4/1976

Pensacola, FL; Graduated MD 2005; Specialty: Family Practice; North

Bay Family Medical Clinic, PA.

LEMYRE, MARTIN, Laurel; Born 3/28/1976, North York, Ontario,

Canada; Graduated MD Saba University School of Medicine,

Netherland Antilles 2006; Specialty: Internal Medicine; Jefferson

Medical Associates.

LEWIS, SCOTT F., Jackson; Graduated DO West Virginia School of

Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg 2004; Specialty: Rheumatology; MS

Arthritis Clinic, PLLC.

LIPSON, STEPHEN DUNCAN, Biloxi; Born 2/2/1948 Boston, MA;

Graduated MD University of Cincinnati College of Medicine,

Cincinnati 1974; Specialty: Urology; Biloxi Bay Urology Center,

PLLC.

LUM, RITA, Meridian; Born 9/6/1946 Jackson, MS; Graduated MD

University MS School of Medicine, Jackson 1972; Specialty: Child

and Adolescent Psychiatry.

MADAKASIRA, SUDHAKAR, Jackson; Born 8/13/1951 India;

Graduated MD Sri Venkatesvara Medical College, Sri Venkatesvara

University, Tirupa 1975; Specialty: Psychiatry; Psycamore Psychiatric

Partial Program.

MCGEE, ROBERT R., Clarksdale; Born 12/12/1949 Louann, AK;


1946; Specialty: Internal Medicine; Region One Mental Health.

MCINTOSH, DAVID G., Jackson; Born 10/5/1955 Fort Sill, OK;

Graduated MD University of Texas Southwestern Medical School,

Dallas 1980; Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology; University

Physicians, PA.

MCVEY, EMILY S., Jackson; Born Eglin Air Force Base, FL;


Specialty: Anatomic Pathology.

MOAZZAM, NAUMAN, Tupelo; Born 2/26/1975 Pakistan; Graduated

MD King Edward Medical College, Lahore Pakistan 2000; Specialty:

Hemotology/Oncology; Hematology and Oncology Associates.

NEWMAN, FARRAH, Jackson; Born 2/22/1977 Amory, MS;


Specialty: Ophthalmology; University Physicians, PA.

O'BRIEN, JOHN P., Natchez; Born 2/26/1935 Mobile, AL;

Graduated MD New York Medical College, Valhalla 1961; Specialty:

Internal Medicine.

OSWALT, KENNETH E., Jackson; Born 8/24/1953 Greenville, MS;


Specialty: Anesthesiology; University Physicians, PA.

OWEN, JULIAN LEE, Madison; Born 8/10/1933 Greenville, MS;

Graduated MD Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville

1958; Specialty: Pediatrics; Madison Ridgeland Children's Clinic, PA.

PARKER, JOHN M., Shelby; Born 9/21/1930 Biloxi, MS; Graduated


Dermatology.

PARRILLA, ZORAYA, Jackson; Graduated MD University of Puerto

Rico School of Medicine, San Juan 1994; Specialty: Physical Medicine

& Rehabilitation; Methodist Rehabilitation Center.

PICKERING, TREVOR R., Jackson; Born 12/31/1967 Encino, CA;

Graduated MD Duke Unversity School of Medicine, Durham 2002;

Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery; MS Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic

Center.

PIERCE, PAUL W., Vicksburg; Born 7/22/1970 Jackson, MS;


Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease; River Region RHC - Vicksburg.

POWELL, MARGARET O., Jackson; Born 3/26/1957; Graduated


Family Practice; Hinds Internal Medicine.

PRUETT, JACK BRUCE, Gulfport; Born 3/5/1951 Gainesboro, TN;


1977; Specialty: Vascular Surgery.

PULLEN, ASHLEY B., Madison; Born 10/12/1979 Greenwood, MS;


Specialty: Family Practice; Medical Foundation of Central MS.

RAFF, JOHN B., Gulfport; Born 7/17/1954 Chicago, IL; Graduated

MD University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 1980;

Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery; Memorial Hospital Group.

RAUCHER, SANJA, Jackson; Born 8/27/1965 Osijek, Croatia ;

Graduated MD University of Zagreb, Croatia 1990; Specialty:

Anesthesiology; Surgical Anesthesia Associates, PA.

RENO, WILLIAM L., Hattiesburg; Born 1/21/1970 Jackson, MS;


Specialty: Plastic Surgery; Plastic Surgery Center of Hattiesburg.

REYNOLDS, CHRISTOPHER, Booneville; Born 4/4/1971 Atlanta,

GA; Graduated MD Mercer University School of Medicine, Georgia

1999; Specialty: Forensic Medicine; North MS Medical Clinic, INC.

RHODEN, HEATHER, Ocean Springs; Born 10/11/1973 Urbana, IL;

Graduated MD University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore

1999; Specialty: Pediatrics; Gulf Coast Children's Clinic.

RICHARDSON, LAKEISHA M., Canton; Born 1/16/1978;


2005; Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery; Delta Regional Medical Center.

SCHIAVI, FRANK, Pass Christian; Born 11/14/1934 New Orleans,

LA; Graduated MD Louisiana State University School of Medicine,

New Orleans 1962; Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery.

SHERMAN, RANDALL L., Hattiesburg; Born 6/13/1949 Tulsa, OK;

Graduated MD University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma

1978; Specialty: Addiction Medicine; Forrest General Hospital.

SIDDIQUE, AFSHEEN, Ocean Springs; Born 1/16/1977 Karachi,

Pakistan; Graduated MD AGA Khan Medical College, Pakistan 2001;

Specialty: Pediatrics; Gulf Coast Children's Clinic.

SIDDIQUI, OBAID A., Ocean Springs; Born 11/21/1965 Pakistan;

Graduated MD 1990; Specialty: Pediatrics; Gulf Coast Children's

Clinic, PA.

SLOAN, NEIL B., Corinth; Born 3/7/1949 Lookout Mountain, Ga;

Graduated MD Ross University, Dominica 1989; Specialty: Internal

Medicine; Easy Care Medical Clinic, PLLC.

SMITH, DENNIS EARL, Tupelo; Born 3/1/1973 Batesville, MS;

Graduated DO University of Missouri School of Medicine, Kansas City

2003; Specialty: Family Practice; North MS Medical Center.

TAYLOR, MAX R., Tupelo; Born 9/29/1950 Jackson, MS; Graduated


Internal Medicine; IMA Foundation, Inc.

THOMAS, CATHERINE A., Hattiesburg; Born 7/31/1963;

Graduated MD University of South Alabama College of Medicine,

Mobile 1989; Specialty: Internal Medicine; Southeast MS Rural Health

Initiative, Inc..

THOMPSON, FREDA D., Jackson; Born 9/16/1975 Greenville, MS;

Graduated MD Ross University School of Medicine, Dominica 2004;

Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology; Central MS OB-GYN Assoc.,

PLLC.

TRINCA, DOMINICK, Greenville; Born 1/21/1960 New York, NY;

Graduated MD Albany Medical College of Union University, Albany

1990; Specialty: Gynecology; Dominick Trinca, MD.

WALTERS, GLORIA, Jackson; Born 8/17/1955 New York, NY;

Graduated MD Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfork 2001;

Specialty: Neuroanesthesia; University Physicians, PA.

WILKINS, FRANCESCA A., Brandon; Born 5/30/1968 Clarksdale,

MS; Graduated MD University MS School of Medicine, Jackson 2005;

Specialty: Internal Medicine; Care Plus Medical Clinic-Brandon.

WILLIAMS, WILLIAM T., Jackson; Born 9/23/1976 Little Rock,

AR; Graduated MD University of MS School of Medicine, Jackson

2003; Specialty: Pulmonary Disease; Premier Medical Group.

WINDHAM, BEVERLY, Jackson; Born 2/19/1969 Bay Springs, MS;


Specialty: Internal Medicine; UMC-Dept of Internal Medicine.

WYATT, JULIE, Ridgeland; Born 8/31/1979; Flowood, MS;


Specialty: Dermatology; Face and Skin Center.

ZANONE, MICHAEL T., Horn Lake; Born 8/15/1947 Memphis, TN;


1973; Specialty: General Practice.

Bobo, William B., Clarksdale Died October 18, 2009

Buchanon, Jr. Ben H., Tupelo Died October 4, 2009

Giles, William G., Hattiesburg Died December 16, 2009

Graham, James C., Enterprise Died September 2, 2009

Kahlstorf, Jack H., Tupelo Died December 12, 2009

Krestensen, James G., Natchez Died August 29, 2009

Lott, Ramon C., Columbus Died October 31, 2009

Moore, B. O., Amory Died August 13, 2009

Posey, E Leonard, Jackson Died September 5, 2009

Russell, Randy H., Oxford Died May 15, 2009

Schmieg, Jr. Robert E., Jackson Died October 23, 2009

Stonnington, Henry H., Wiggins Died May 31, 2009

Stringer, Willie F., Poplarville Died July 21, 2009

Thompson, F. Ed, Jackson Died December 1, 2009

Tillman, Clifford, Natchez Died November 11, 2009

Triplett, R. Faser, Jackson Died January 28, 2010

Vice, Jr. Guy T. , Jackson Died December 14, 2009

Werkheister, Edwin B., Madison Died December 16, 2009

Wood, W. M., Meridian Died September 14, 2009

[Please send MSMA member obituaries to Karen Evers, JMSMA

managing editor: [email protected].] —ED.


• DEATHS •

[If you recently paid new member dues and your name is omitted here,

your membership file may be incomplete. Please send a copy of your

current curriculum vitae to MSMA Membership, P.O. Box 2548,

Ridgeland, MS 39158-2548 or email it to: [email protected].]

—ED.

Timothy Alford, MD, MSMA President-elect, of Kosciusko, was

nominated by the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians last year

as the American Academy of Family Physicians Torch Bearer for the

2010 Olympic Torch Relay. The MAFP submitted a 200 word essay on

how Dr. Alford helps others live positively by staying active and

physically fit; working to make good things happen in the community;

and helping the planet by recycling or donating time to a recycling

program. Dr. Alford won, and he carried the Olympic Flame in

Strathmore, Canada on Tuesday, January 19. Dr. Alford was chosen the

winner out of 17 competing essays. He was a guest on Mississippi

Public Broadcasting Radio’s “Mississippi Edition,” to discuss his

participation in the Olympic Torch Relay. The show aired Wednesday,

January 20. To listen to the interview go to: http://msafp.org/upload/

file366_Torch.MP3.

Erich Arias, MD, has joined Purvis Family Practice Clinic.

Hattiesburg Clinic welcomes Dr. Arias, who completed his medical

degree at the University of Monterrey, Mexico. He completed his

internship in preliminary surgery at University Medical Center,

University of Nevada, in Las Vegas, Nev. He completed his residency

in family medicine at Latrobe Area Hospital, Thomas Jefferson

University, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Dr. Arias is board certified by the

American Board of Family Physicians. He is a member of the

American Academy of Family Medicine, AMA, and the MSMA. He

joins Michael O’Neal, MD, and Sarah Tucker, CFNP, at Purvis Family

Practice Clinic. Dr. Arias is available for the treatment of minor

illnesses, injuries, allergic reactions, physicals, x-rays, and lab services.

Purvis Family Practice Clinic is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

It is located at 102 Shelby Speights Drive in Purvis, phone: 601-794-

8065.

Timothy J. Beacham, MD, MSMA Board of Trustees resident/fellow

member, has been awarded one of ten Resident/Fellow AMA

Foundation Leadership awards. Dr. Beacham is a resident and pain

fellow in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of

Mississippi School of Medicine. The award is presented to those who

have demonstrated strong non-clinical leadership skills in medicine or

community affairs and have an interest in further developing these

skills within organized medicine. The objective of the award program

is to encourage involvement in organized medicine and continue

leadership development among the country's brightest and most

energetic medical students, residents, early career physicians and

established physicians. The award will be presented March 1st in

Washington DC at the Grand Hyatt Washington. This presentation is in

conjunction with the AMA National Advocacy Conference March 1st-

3rd. Dr. Beacham said, “I am humbled yet honored to represent MSMA

and the UMC family for this prestigious award.”

Barry Berch, MD, assistant professor of surgery, and John Cross,

MD, assistant professor of medicine, have joined University of

Mississippi Medical Center. They will see patients through University

Physicians, part of University of Mississippi Health Care.

Dr. Berch received the B.S. magna cum laude from Millsaps

College in 1996 and the M.D. magna cum laude from the University of

Mississippi Medical Center in 2001. He completed an internship in

general surgery in 2002, and served as junior resident in general surgery

from 2002-04, senior resident in general surgery from 2005-06 and

chief resident in general surgery from 2006-07 at Vanderbilt University

Medical Center, where he completed a surgical research fellowship in

2005. He also served a pediatric surgery fellowship at Monroe Carell,

Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt from 2007-09. Dr. Berch received

the Grave's Resident Teaching Award as chief resident at Vanderbilt

University Medical Center in 2007 and the Pediatric ED Consultant of

the Year Award at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in 2008.

Dr. Cross, whose father, Maj. Gen. Harold Cross, is adjutant

general of Mississippi, received the B.S. cum laude from Mississippi

State University in 2000 and the M.D. from UMMC in 2006. He

completed residency training in internal medicine at UMMC in 2009.

Before attending medical school, Cross served as an electrical and

computer engineer in the Department of Physiology.

Donald V. Conerly, MD; Robert F. Heath, MD; Rodney N. Lovitt,

MD; and Keith M. Simnicht, MD are now seeing patients at their new

facility, Petal Family Practice Clinic, a service of Hattiesburg Clinic.

The new 11,300 square foot facility will feature 17 exam rooms and

an updated layout to better accommodate patient flow. The new

location will also offer easier accessibility for patients and additional

ancillary services. “The practice at Petal Family Practice Clinic has

continued to grow,” said William Allen, Assistant Administrator at

Hattiesburg Clinic. “We recognized a need to expand in order to

accommodate new physicians. The new facility will allow us to

prepare for the expanding population of Petal as well meet the needs of

the current population base. As the practice continues to grow, the

design of the new facility gives us the capabilities for expansion in the

future.” The new facility is located at 50 Parkway Lane in Petal. Petal

Family Practice Clinic is open Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The

clinic also provides after hours and weekend care from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Monday – Friday; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturdays; and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. on

Sundays. Appointments can be made by calling (601) 544-7404.

Thomas E. Dobbs, III, MD, MPH of Laurel, has been appointed

health officer for the Mississippi State Department of Health’s

Southeast and Southwest public health districts 7 and 8. Dr. Dobbs

holds a Doctorate of Medicine from Emory University, and a Master's

in Public Health Degree from the University of Alabama at

Birmingham. He is certified by the American Board of Internal

Medicine as a Diplomate in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease.

Prior to joining the Department of Health, he practiced as an infectious

disease physician and served as past secretary of the South Mississippi

Medical Society. His professional affiliations include membership in

• PERSONALS •


ALFORD ARIAS BEACHAM BERCH CROSS DOBBS

the AMA, the MSMA and the Infectious Diseases Society of America,

as well as serving on the Clinical Advisory Committee of the National

HIVQUAL Project of the U.S. Health Resources and Services

Administration.

James Griffin, MD, a family physician with Wesley Medical Center,

has recently completed the requirements for certification as a

Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Griffin

received his medical degree from Indiana University School of

Medicine. He completed residencies in obstetrics and gynecology at

the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, and in family medicine at the

Family Medicine Residency Program at North Mississippi Medical

Center in Tupelo. In addition to AMA and MSMA membership Dr.

Griffin is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians,

Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians and the Mississippi State

Medical Association. He is an active participant in and a board member

of the Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera.

Kenneth Wayne Liechty, MD, a pediatric surgical specialist, joined

the University of Mississippi Medical Center faculty as an associate

professor of surgery. He will see patients through University

Physicians, a part of University of Mississippi Health Care. A 1989

graduate of the University of Utah, Dr. Liechty received the M.D. from

the University of Utah School of Medicine in 1994. He completed a

general surgery residency at the Allegheny University of the Health

Sciences, Philadelphia, in 1996, a pediatric surgery research fellowship

and fetal surgery fellowship at the Children's Institute for Surgical

Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, in 1999, a general surgery

residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania,

Philadelphia, in 2002 and a pediatric surgery fellowship at Children's

Hospital of Philadelphia in 2004. He served as an instructor of surgery

from 1999-2003 and as an assistant professor of surgery from 2004-09

at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia. A

fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American

Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the American Academy of

Pediatrics, the Wound Healing Society and the Association for

Academic Surgery, Dr. Liechty has received numerous awards for his

research activities. He has served as an ad hoc reviewer for several

professional journals, including the Journal for Clinical Investigation,

the Journal of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Research. He has

received more than $600,000 in extramural funding for research and is

the co-author of more than 40 articles in peer-reviewed research

publications.

Thurman Neal Polchow, MD of Pascagoula; Gary Gorden, MD of

Meridian; Wendall Helveston, MD of Hattiesburg; William Kroos,

MD of Jackson and Paul Moore, MD of Pascagoula recently received

the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award (PRA). The PRA award

recognizes physicians who earn at least an average of 50 credits per

year from educational activities that meet the AMA standards. The

award is a way to demonstrate to colleagues and patients that one is

committed to expanding continually knowledge and improving skills

by participating in continuing medical education. Please visit the AMA

Web site at www.ama-assn.org/go/pra for more information about the

AMA PRA and other topics of interest to the CME community. To

obtain an application (print or online) for AMA PRA direct credit

activities: Web: www.ama-assn.org/go/cme , e-mail: [email protected] phone: (312) 464-5296.

Brian Sellers, DO, RPVI has joined Hattiesburg Clinic Vascular

Specialists. Dr. Sellers received his medical degree from the University

of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City,

Missouri. He completed his internship in general surgery at Greenville

Hospital System in Greenville, South Carolina. He completed his

residency in general surgery at Medical College of Georgia in Augusta..

Dr. Sellers also completed a fellowship in vascular surgery at Carolinas

Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. He joins Lewis E. Hatten,

MD, FACS, and J. Keith Thompson, DO, FACOS, RVT, at Hattiesburg

Clinic Vascular Specialists.

Shane M. Sims, MD has joined the medical staffs of River Oaks

Hospital and Woman's Hospital. He specializes in obstetrics and

gynecology. Dr. Sims has bachelor's degrees in chemistry and biology

from William Carey University and a medical degree from the

University of Mississippi. As a resident he received the Robert S.

Caldwell, MD Award given by Medical Assurance Company of

Mississippi in recognition of excellence in medical care, record

keeping, leadership, and the teaching of medical students and fellow

residents.

J. Keith Thompson, DO, FACOS, vascular specialist with Hattiesburg

Clinic, recently became the first vascular specialist in Mississippi to

perform a new surgical technique known as carotid flow-reversal. This

advanced technique, which is used to open blocked neck arteries that

can often cause strokes, involves temporarily reversing blood flow to

part of the brain while safely opening the neck artery with a balloon and

a stent. This technique is considered to be the next generation of carotid

artery intervention by reducing strokes caused by severe neck artery

blockages. Dr. Thompson performed this procedure in the new

Vascular Suite at Forrest General Hospital. He is a fellowship trained

vascular specialist that specializes in the comprehensive treatment of

aortic aneurysms and peripheral artery disease (PAD). He is one of the

leading authors in the state regarding the minimally invasive treatment

of aortic disease. Dr. Thompson was the first physician in the state to

perform minimally invasive surgery to repair potentially traumatic

injuries to the aorta that sometimes occur in severe car wrecks. He also

recently co-authored a study published in the International Journal ofInjury on the topic of traumatic vascular injuries to the arteries of the

kidneys. This research was performed in collaboration with physicians

at Ohio's largest trauma hospital - Grant Medical Center in Columbus,

Ohio. Dr. Thompson completed his vascular surgery fellowship at

University of Cincinnati Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is

board certified in vascular surgery. Dr. Thompson is originally from

Magee.


GRIFFIN LIECHTY SELLERS SIMS THOMPSON

• PRESIDENT’S PAGE •

Be Careful What We Ask for,We Might Get It


Iwrite this President’s Page less than 24-hours after returning from the

American Medical Association’s 2010 state legislation strategy conference

in Palm Springs, California (I know, here we go again, warm weather and

cool drinks).

While most of you were wrapping pipes and shivering in 15-degree

temperatures, Dr. Claude Brunson (chair of the MSMA Council on Legislation) and

myself were being warmed by the mid-70’s weather in southern California. However,

most of the heat I felt came as my blood began to boil while being confronted with the

stark reality of what the present health system reform legislation will do to our already

struggling state economy.

The most “chilling” presentation came from Dr. Lynn Nichols, an Arkansas

native and highly respected health care economist who presently directs the New

America Foundation Health Policy Program. This foundation has as its core objective

to expand health care coverage to all Americans while reigning in costs and improving

the efficiency of the overall health care system (a noble, but almost impossible

objective to obtain, in my opinion).

After earning a PhD in economics from the University of Illinois in Chicago,

Dr. Nichols chaired the economics department at Wellesley College in Wellesley,

Massachusetts and served for several years as senior advisor for health policy at the

office of management and budget during the Clinton administration. Having grown up in Star, Arkansas (just outside Dumas, Arkansas), Dr.

Nichols explained in a very homespun manner that the United States economy could no longer “afford” the escalating cost of health care as we

know it today.

“Clearly, the expense of maintaining our present system,” he explained, “is not in the best interest of either providers nor recipients of

this state of the art care that we have all grown to know and love.” While I found it refreshing to hear a speaker at an AMA conference that did

not have an accent, I confronted Dr. Nichols at the question and answer time as to the obvious conundrum that he had just presented. “While

you make a compelling argument that the present health care system is driving America to an economic abyss,” I ask, “Could one not make an

equally sound case that the present one trillion dollar — (yes, that’s a trillion with a capital T) pending health care legislation might well escalate

this country’s fall off the proverbial economic cliff.” He agreed, kind of sort of. The answer to my question was simple. The states will be asked

to pay for and implement a good portion of this so called health system reform.

It was at this point that I once again began scratching my head and asking, “What is wrong with this picture?” After all, we were having

this intellectual debate in the state of California, whose “governator” (talk about accent) had just that morning announced on a local Sacramento

news show that his state was staring down a ninety-two billion dollar budget deficit. I know he said it, I was there, I heard it with my own two

Mississippi born and raised ears.

The National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers recently released the following data:

1. For the first time, states will face back-to-back reductions in general fund expenditures (negative 4.8 percent in 2009 and at least

negative 4 percent in 2010).

2. State revenues declined about 8 percent in 2009.

3. States have had to close a collective budget gap of 250 billion dollars between physical year 2009 and physical year 2011.

4. State budgets show no evidence of recovery until at least 2012.

It is at this point that I will remind you that 49 states (including Mississippi) are bound by law to balance their budgets. Fast forward

backwards to June 16, 2009 when President Barack Obama, live and in person, rolled out to the AMA House of Delegates his intentions to

reshape, redefine, and reconstruct the American health care system. During this 55-minute speech he made no mention or reference to states

being required to pick up the tab for even a portion of his proposal. I know he didn’t, I was there! I saw it with my own two Mississippi born

RANDY EASTERLING, MD2009-10 MSMA PRESIDENT


and raised eyes. Now, 7 months later, it is becoming clear that much of the burden of health system reform will flow downstream from

Washington, D.C. to Sacramento, California; Austin, Texas; Jackson, Mississippi, etc.

Let’s be specific. Of the 30-something million additional Americans to be covered under the present health system reform debate, around

15 million of those will be insured by expansion of each state’s Medicaid rolls. This will come at a huge expense to state budgets that, as

previously mentioned, all are already gasping for air. There are, of course, two notable exceptions. The states of Nevada and Louisiana will be

spared the full weight of this federal edict due to the United States Senators selling their votes for a reprieve from this Washington mandate.

Wait a minute; I thought you could go to jail for such goings on! Well, my bad.

How will this likely affect the Magnolia state? Chew on these numbers! The present Senate proposal will expand Mississippi Medicaid

by a minimal of 250 thousand recipients. This will likely drive our percentage of Medicaid population from 26 percent (already the highest in

the United States) to close to 33 percent. Mississippi is presently close to 200 million dollars in the hole and would need a direct infusion of the

same amount of state funding for the state portion of Medicaid for 2011 to offset an anticipated deficit. The federal fix for our present health

system will likely add an additional 200 million dollars to our states portion of the Mississippi Medicaid program. This comes out to around a

400 million dollar deficit for Medicaid alone. At this point, take a deep breath, relax - but don’t take your blood pressure! It gets worse. The

only way to capture the additional 400 million dollars is to cut back on services provided to Medicaid recipients, decrease provider

reimbursement, and or raise taxes. Of course, we could always take the money from teachers’ pay, corrections, department of public safety,

highways, etc., all of which or any combination thereof will hurt the very people health system reform is designed to help. How does health

system reform sound now?

As I reflect on the past 7 months, I am bothered by a gut feeling that when it is all said and done, we may well end up with a system that

is just as expensive as our present delivery of health care, but not as good. I hope not!

We have all expressed in some way, shape, or form a desire to see the present system changed in some manner. I wonder if we may get

what we well want at the expense of losing what we have. I hope not!

Remember, we should be careful what we ask for, we might get it.

Your partner in making Mississippi healthier,

Randy Easterling, MDPresident, Mississippi State Medical Association

Let Us SHOWCASE Your ARTWORKby donating it to the Silent Auction to be

held at Annual Session

ALL types artwork welcome: photography, paintings, pottery, ceramics, woodwork, jewelry, sculpture, etc.

Silent Auction

Annual SessionJune 3-6, 2010

Natchez, Mississippi

Benefiting the University of MS Medical CenterAMA Foundation Scholars Fund

for M3’s and M4’s

MSMA & MSMA ALLIANCE

Contact Amy Gammel, AMA Foundation Chair,at [email protected]


• EDITORIALS •


Dignity

Mabel appeared as a person in command of the clinic. She would arrive on time for her appointment, always better dressed than

the occasion would demand. She exuded a presence that, however calm and impeccably polite, clearly indicated she was not a

person to take lightly or cross. She terrified the residents and staff, although in a way similar to generals and admirals bringing

to attention hundreds of soldiers and sailors. I could never discover a time that Mabel had cursed or been unruly in her intimidation of anyone at

the clinic.

I first met Mabel after I had returned from three year’s of active duty in the Navy and was finishing my final two years of residency

training. There was no doubt why I had been assigned Mabel. The unspoken understanding was that I had been toughened with those years of

dealing with Marines and serving as the medical officer for the Navy’s brig at Treasure Island. None of the other current residents had been quite

so seasoned and annealed.

The stated complaint against Mabel appeared to be two fold: she was indigent and could not pay for her care; she demanded samples of

every medication prescribed on an ongoing basis. But it was the unstated that made Mabel so different from many other patients. There was

dissonance created by the staff’s expectation and Mabel’s actual responses to the staff. The staff expected a maudlin style of gratitude from our

indigent patients in return for services being given away. Mabel received these services as if they were her imperial right. The staff expected

some degree of groveling but instead received the impression they were outranked. Mabel was not a favorite patient at the clinic.

I did not expect much satisfaction from my first encounter with Mabel. She did not give the impression of expecting much from me either

on first meeting. As is my habit with any new patient to me, I began by retaking her history. As much as I respect my colleagues, I have

repeatedly found that our records often perpetuate errors, and besides, something about hearing from the patient directly helps form better

thoughts for me. Recent reports about the impact of family history and social history indicate these are not helpful. However, such reports

neglect the importance of understanding family and social settings in building a relationship of trust with patients. It was from that history, the

social history, that my perception of Mabel and our future relationship were built. Understanding Mabel’s social circumstances served as a

springboard for me to more broadly appreciate justice and forgiveness in wider society,

Mabel had fallen in love early in her life, only to find later that her now husband was irrationally jealous and eventually abusive. She was

imprisoned in her home, including a shotgun strategically placed by the kitchen door. Her husband had repeatedly told her he would shoot her

with that gun should she leave the house. After a particularly violent night, as her husband came for her chest with her butcher knife, Mabel’s

instinct for survival pulled both triggers on that shotgun as she lay battered against her kitchen door. Troubled, poor, and likely poorly

represented, she was labeled a felon with a manslaughter conviction. I fear that being African American may also have played a role in her

conviction. Ten years of prison did not serve as ample enough penalties for her actions though. As a felon, she could not find stable employment,

and various problems were encountered with the welfare system. The myriad of odd jobs, ironing and such, that she took on barely fed her and

certainly could not provide her with needed medical care.

What I came to understand about Mabel was this: she had nothing left but her dignity, and she clung to that dignity fiercely. What I came

to understand about our larger society was that our inability to forgive, even when a penalty has been paid, costs us dearly in lives lost. I was not

a member of the jury that convicted Mabel and, having heard one side, I can suspend my disbelief and entertain a notion that the sentence was

just. But if Mabel or anyone else has served a justly applied sentence, let alone was one that smacks of injustice, I find little to be gained for

society in permanently prohibiting persons like Mabel from re-entering society. Mabel’s commitment to her dignity preserved our society in

countless ways. It prevented the downward spiral into further crime that desperate and jobless felons spiral into everyday. Providing samples

and free care was the least I could do to repay Mabel for her commitment to leading an honest and dignified life.

I saw Mabel for many years after our first meeting. I am the richer for that meeting, despite no payment to the clinic for our services.

Mabel, thank you for teaching me so much about respect and dignity.

—Michael O’Dell, MDJMSMA Associate Editor

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword!Express your opinion in the JMSMA through a letter to the editor or guest editorial. The Journal MSMA welcomes letters to the editor. Letters for publication should

be less than 300 words. Guest editorials or comments may be longer, with an average of 600 words. All letters are subject to editing for length and clarity. If you are

writing in response to a particular article, please mention the headline and issue date in your letter. Also include your contact information. While we do not publish

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You can submit your letter via email to [email protected] or mail to the Journal office at MSMA headquarters: P.O. Box 2548,

Ridgeland, MS 39158-2548.


In the fourteenth century Franco Sacchetti, an Italian short story writer, published “The Two Ambassadors.” This is a tale of two

politicians selected by their local authorities to meet with “Bishop Guido” the controlling authority of the region. In a hastily

convened meeting the local authorities elected two men as ambassadors to meet with the bishop and instructed them on what they

wanted from him. They departed early the next morning, and after traveling all day, each confessed to the other he had forgotten their

instructions. It was decided they would continue to the next Inn, have wine and a meal, and see if they could recall the details of their

assignment overnight.

On arousing themselves once more, one of them inquired of the other whether he had yet succeeded. “I know not” was the reply; “but I

know that our host’s is the best wine I ever drank: the truth is, I have never thought about it since dinner, and now I hardly know where I am.”

“And I declare it has been the same with me,” answered his friend; “the Lord only knows what we shall do! However, we shall stay here today

and tonight, for the night is always favorable to memory; we cannot fail to recollect the whole.” To this the other agreed; and they stayed there

the remainder of the day, repeating the experiment of the wine, frequently finding themselves in the clouds, where, however, they found nothing

of their mission. The same story was repeated at supper; and they afterwards with difficulty found their way to bed. At breakfast the next

morning the inquiry was vainly repeated, both declaring that they had not so much as dreamed about the matter, and that they had not got the

most distant notion of it, having never slept so soundly in all of their lives. “The devil is in the wine, I think,” cried one; “ let us mount horse

again, and see what that will do; it will come when we are not thinking about it on the road.”

After further travel neither of them could recall the assignments of their mission, yet it was decided they would continue, meet with the

bishop, and tell him the truth; they had forgotten what their people wanted from him. This they did.

So trusting to fortune, they requested an audience with the bishop, saying they had some matters of importance to communicate to him;

and being introduced into his presence, they made a very low obeisance, and remained silent. Upon this the bishop with great dignity

approached them, and taking them by the hand, said “You are welcome gentlemen; what tidings of import may you bring?” Each of the

ambassadors now looked at the other, and bowing, said “Do you speak!” “No, sir,” was the reply; “do you speak, sir; I cannot think of it;” till at

length the boldest of the two, addressing the bishop, observed: “We come, my lord, as ambassadors from your poor servants of Casentino, and I

can assure your Grace that both those who sent us and we who are sent are equally devoted to you; but , please your Grace, we are all of us men

of fact, but of few words: our mission was intrusted to us in haste; and what ever may be the occasion of it, either our assembly must have

informed us wrong, or we have in some way misunderstood them. Nevertheless, we humbly recommend both them and ourselves to your

Grace’s good offices; though what possessed them to send us on such a mission, or ourselves to come, we cannot exactly say.”

The good bishop, like a wise man, only patting them on the shoulder, said, “Well, well, my friends. It is all right; go home, and say to my

dear children of Casentino that I shall always be happy to serve them every way in my power; so much so, that henceforeward they need be at

no expense in appointing ambassadors to my court; let them only write to me, and I will reply agreeably to their wishes.”

The bishop then taking leave of them, our ambassadors resumed their way, saying as they went. “Let us take care not to fall into the same

error on our return.” “But,” said one, “we cannot easily do that; we have got nothing to remember.” “Yet we must have our wits about us,”

returned the other; “for they will ask us what we said in our oration, and what was the reply. For if the good people were to suspect that our

embassy, like many others, was all a joke, they would never employ us again; and farewell to our occupation--it is gone.” To this the more

politic of the two replied, “Oh, leave this to me; we will continue in office, trust me. I will tell them such a story about the embassy, and what

was passed on both sides, as would deceive wiser heads than theirs. The bishop shall say such polite things of them as shall make them in good

humor with themselves for an age to come.”

After traveling several days, the end of the journey “brought them into the presence of their employers, where, finding it easier to

recollect their own lies than the truths which had been reposed in them, they mystified the good people in such a manner that they were highly

pleased with the success of the embassy. They talked in so bold and lofty a tone of the orations they had delivered, that some in the audience

compared them to Tully and Quintilian; and the thanks of the assembly being unanimously voted to them, they were afterwards promoted to

other offices of great honor and emolument. Nor will this appear very extraordinary if we reflect upon the sort of people, of a higher rank than

our heroes, whom we every day see entrusted with public missions, and who are about as much suited to their business as a common trooper

taken from the ranks; and yet they write long letters, assuring the Government that they are busied day and night in the affairs of the nation, and

that all lucky events which fall out are wholly to be imputed to their skill. Did they tell the truth, however, they would own that they had as little

merit in bringing them about as a cabbage, or any other vegetative substance, though they are richly recompensed and promoted to the highest of

honors, in consideration of the ingenious lies and forgeries which they pass upon their countrymen.”

Have politicians changed over the last seven hundred years?

Looking at the current scene in Washington; what do you think?

—Myron W. Lockey, MDEditor Emeritus

Will Politicians Ever Change?

• PHYSICIANS’ BOOKSHELF •

Kings of Tort: The True Story ofDickie Scruggs, Paul Minor, andTwo Decades of Political and LegalManipulation in Mississippi. By Alan Lange and Tom Dawson.Hardcover, 255 pages, $27.95ISBN: 9781597252447Battle Ground, WA , Pediment Publishing,2009.

This book about greed and corruption

proves the adage, “Truth is stranger

than fiction.” While the basis for

“Kings of Tort” may read like a John Grisham

novel, sadly it is no fictitious courtroom drama.

Sadder still, the story happened right here in

Mississippi.

While many physicians know the fall-

out from lawsuit abuse in Mississippi, many

of us may not know the history leading up to

the downfall of the state’s so-called kings of

tort. This book tells a well documented story

of the rise and fall of Dickie Scruggs, Paul

Minor, and others in their efforts to

influence judges and the outcomes of Mississippi court cases. Written by

a Jackson businessman and political blogger (Alan Lange) and a former federal prosecutor (Tom Dawson), their

book gives a detailed account of how three separate federal investigations netted three judges, one former district attorney, a

former state auditor and a number of well-connected trial lawyers.

One of the most interesting things about reading this book is learning how wildly successful the tort kings were in

amassing their money and influence, and how unbelievably corrupt they were in using both to cause their own failure.

Greed and an arrogant sense of invincibility were the ultimate causes of the downfall of these very talented men. King

Scruggs described his crafty method to influence the outcomes of legal cases in a speech in 2002, which co-authors Lange

and Dawson quote as follows:

[W]hat I call the “magic jurisdiction”…[is] where the judiciary is elected with verdict money… It’s almostimpossible to get a fair trial if you’re a defendant in some of these places. The plaintiff lawyer walks in thereand writes the number on the blackboard, and the first juror meets the last one coming out the door with thatamount of money… The cases are not won in the courtroom. They’re won on the back roads long before the casegoes to trial.

Co-author Dawson, who was the lead prosecutor in the Scruggs case, commented in a recent speech that he believed

this was the first time a future criminal defendant had ever confessed to a crime nearly five years before it was actually

committed. Sadly for Scruggs, members of his own circle of tort kings benefited from his successful methods, yet turned

on him and cooperated with federal prosecutors to bring about the convictions of Scruggs, his son, and several others.



We specialize in the business of healthcare

Aboutthe

AuthorsAlan Lange is a native of Jackson and is

actively involved in a variety of business and

community interests. He is the founder of

YallPolitics, one of the largest political

interest websites in the Southeast.

YallPolitics became ground zero for

documenting the Scruggs and Minor

scandals. He is also president of Kinetic

Staffing, a southeast regional legal and

accounting recruiting firm. Along with his

wife, Holly, and their sons Ford and Jake,

they live in Jackson’s Fondren community –

not far from their alma mater, Millsaps

College.

Tom Dawson is a 36-year veteran federal prosecutor, having served as a trial attorney with the Department of Justice in

Washington, D. C., Associate Independent Counsel and Assistant U.S. Attorney. Since his retirement in January 2009, he has

been widely recognized by his peers for his role as lead counsel in the investigation and prosecution of the Scruggs cases. Tom

and his wife Susan reside in Oxford.

ALAN LANGE AND TOM DAWSON

Photo

by J

am

es P

atters

on

“Kings of Tort” is a factual account of a sordid chapter in

Mississippi’s legal and political history. The book reads easily, but

it contains some terms, persons, and events that may not be

familiar to some readers. Nevertheless, Mississippi physicians are

likely to find the book an interesting read, for the detailed

descriptions of the tort kings’ manipulations and the sad ironies of

their lives.

Forthcoming: “The Fall of the House of Zeus”

by Curtis Wilkie

Another book about the downfall of the kings of tort is due

out later this year from Curtis Wilkie, an Associate Professor of

Journalism, Cook Chair and Overby Fellow at the University of

Mississippi. Random House anticipates that its publication of

“Fall of the House of Zeus” will benefit from Wilkie’s interviews

with his friend Dickie Scruggs that Lange and Dawson were not

able to obtain. Zeus was the nickname of Scruggs in college.

JMSMA readers may wish to be alert for the publication of this

work in order to gain another perspective on this intriguing story.

—Philip Merideth, MD, JD MSMA Committee on Publications member

• NUMBERS COUNT •


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At the December ’09 meeting of the MSMA Board of Trustees, Dr. H. Vann Craig, Director of

the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure (MSBML) provided the following statistics

on Mississippi licensees. All of this information may be accessed on the licensure board’s Web

site: MSBML.State.MS.US. From the home page, click: Licensure. On this page at the lower right click:

Statistical Information. Here you will find all you want to know about licensure by specialty, county

distribution, age, etc. Dr. Craig noted in 2009, the MSBML issued 407 new licenses (370 MD and 37 DO).

Physicians Licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure

In Mississippi Out of State All Licensees

Medical Doctors 5,234 3,229 8,463

Osteopaths 307 143 450

Podiatrists 65 25 90

24.6% female

Physician Assistants 68 9 77

50% female

• MSDH •


* Totals include reports from Department of Corrections and those not reported from a specific districtNA - Not available (temporarily)

For the most current MMR figures, visit the Mississippi State Department of Health web site: www.HealthyMS.com

Mississippi Reportable Disease Statistics

November 2009

There’s a lot going

on in organized medicine so

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if you’re on the go. To help

you stay in touch no

matter where you

are, MSMA is now

communicating

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In its regular quarterly

meeting held January 13,

the Mississippi State

Board of Health named Dr. Mary

Currier to the post of State Health

Officer, effective immediately.

Currier will serve a six-year term.

Dr. Currier became Interim

State Health Officer early last month

after the death of former State Health

Officer Dr. Ed Thompson. Currier

began her Mississippi State

Department of Health tenure in 1984

and has served in various capacities including two terms as State

Epidemiologist, from1993 to 2003, and again since 2007.

“I am very honored and excited to be appointed State Health Officer. I

look forward to continuing to pursue the goals Dr. Thompson outlined during

his tenure, which include lowering tuberculosis, syphilis and infant mortality

rates,” said Dr. Currier. “Public health is my passion, and the Mississippi

State Department of Health is where I belong.”

A graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Dr.

Currier received her master’s degree and preventive medicine residency

training in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and

Public Health. Currier’s bachelor’s degree is from Rice University, and she

attended Trinity College in Dublin.

Board Chairman Dr. Luke Lampton said the Board had a robust

discussion about filling the position of State Health Officer, including the

possibility of conducting a nationwide search within a short time frame.

“The Board is very grateful that we have someone of Dr. Currier’s

caliber willing and able to fill this position. The Board unanimously felt that

Dr. Currier was the best and most qualified individual to be our next State

Health Officer,” said Dr. Lampton.

Lampton added, “The fact that Dr. Mary Currier is a Mississippian

and has over 20 years of public health experience – much of it under the

leadership of Dr. Ed Thompson – is an added benefit.”

Currier has 25 years of state service experience and 20 years serving

in public health. Prior to serving as State Epidemiologist, Dr. Currier was a

medical consultant with the Mississippi State Department of Health, where

she began her career as a staff physician for the prenatal care, family

planning, STD, and pediatrics programs.

Currier is a member of the American Medical Association, the

Mississippi Central Medical Society, the American Public Health Association,

and is Board certified in General Preventive Medicine and Public Health.

• MSDH •

Dr. Mary Currier NamedState Health Officer


• UMMC •

JACKSON - Two finalists have been named in the search for a new vice chancellor

for health affairs and dean of the medical school at the University of Mississippi

Medical Center. The finalists include one internal and one external candidate.

They are Dr. Robert C. Robbins, chair of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at

Stanford University School of Medicine, and Dr. Scott Stringer, chair of the Department of

Otolaryngology and Communicative Sciences at UMMC.

Dr. Robbins, a specialist in heart and lung transplantation, graduated from medical

school and completed residency training in surgery at UMMC. He completed a fellowship in

cardiothoracic transplantation at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York and

additional residency training in cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford University Hospital. He is

director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute.

Dr. Stringer, a specialist in rhinology and head and neck oncology, graduated from

medical school and completed residency training in general surgery and otolaryngology at the

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He received a Master of Science in

administrative medicine from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is president of the

faculty practice, University Physicians, and the associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs.

A national search firm that specializes in placing top level executives in academic

medicine presented a slate of candidates with a broad range of specialties and geographic

locations. Dr. LouAnn Woodward, chair of the search committee, said she was thrilled with the

national interest in Mississippi.

“These two gentlemen are extraordinarily well-rounded, intelligent and proven leaders

in academic medicine who are poised to lead the Medical Center into the new decade,” Dr.

Woodward said.

The candidates had a final round of interviews and made presentations to faculty, staff

and students in late January. Following that, the search committee forwarded their

recommendation to Dr. Dan Jones, chancellor of the University of Mississippi, for the final

selection, which is expected by mid-February.


Stringer, Robbins Named Finalists forUMMC Vice Chancellor

DR. SCOTT STRINGER

DR. ROBERT C. ROBBINS

• UMMC SOM •

Profile of an EnteringMedical School Class

Every August, another entering class of first year medical students arrives at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC)

in Jackson. Emotions range from eager anticipation to anxiety; but these quickly fade as orientation concludes and course work

commences in earnest. Who are these students? Where are they from? Why were they selected? Data averaged from the past

decade (2000-2009) enable construction of a profile of what will be referred to as the “Class of the Aughts.”


Applicants to the UMMC School of Medicine (SOM) are restricted to legal residents of Mississippi, as defined by By-laws and Policies of

the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, State of Mississippi. The process used to evaluate SOM applicants and

applications is outlined at http://som.umc.edu/admissions.html#EvalApps.

Due to ongoing class expansion [100 students through 2004, 105 in 2005, 110 from 2006 to 2008 and 120 in 2009), the average “Class of

the Aughts” consists of 106 students. It was selected from a pool of 262 applicants from which 173 were interviewed based on a combination of

Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math (BCPM) grade point average (GPA) and Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores. To fill the

class, offers were made to 119 applicants; 13 elected to attend medical school elsewhere.

All members of the “Class of the Aughts” have earned a baccalaureate degree; over 70% were earned at one of 10 institutions of higher

learning in Mississippi, the remainder from one of 18 out-of-state schools. Twelve percent have graduate degrees. Two year colleges have

contributed to this class; 39% of the students have taken at least one science or math course, 12% have completed at least one academic year and

5% have acquired an associate’s degree at a community or junior college before enrolling at a four year college or university. While 39% of the

class majored in biology, the remainder earned one of 27 other baccalaureate degrees.

The average age is 23 (range 19-43), 43% are female, and 15% are minorities including 9% that belong to a racial or ethnic group that is

under-represented in medicine in Mississippi (African American, Hispanic or Native American). Eight percent are disadvantaged, 28% come

from rural counties and 75% from counties that are medically underserved. Fifteen percent are children of physicians.

The “Class of the Aughts” has strong metrics; the average BCPM GPA is 3.6 and the average MCAT sum is 28; however, the range of

these numbers (2.5 to 4.0 for BCPM GPA; 19 to 42 for MCAT sum) is evidence that other factors contribute to the selection process.

For example, during one-on-one interviews with three members of the medical school admissions committee, applicants responded to

questions and scenarios that contributed to the evaluation of their motivation for medicine, vision of practice, respect for others, critical thinking,

integrity, accountability, altruism, awareness of ethics, strive for excellence, setting priorities for medical school preparation, self appraisal,

coping skills, support system, listening and relational skills, maturity and honesty. Faculty evaluation letters also contribute to these assessments.

Students in the “Class of the Aughts” have a remarkable record of accomplishment that reflects extensive interaction with diverse people

and superb time management skills. On average, they participated in 24 activities outside the classroom. All have acquired some knowledge,

exposure to and experience in delivery of healthcare, 80% regularly participated in volunteer or community service activities, and 55% had other

significant time commitments such as employment, research, artistic endeavors and varsity athletics.

Attention is given to the distance that applicants traveled on the pathway to medical school. Some are educationally disadvantaged

because they graduated from a secondary school whose funding and performance, for example, as reported in the Mississippi report card

(http://www.msreportcard.com/), is below average for the state. Others come from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background due to the

level of parental education, household size and income, and hometown location. A holistic review that includes consideration of these factors

revealed applicants who in a head-to-head comparison appeared less competitive yet whose relative achievements were truly remarkable.

Finally, 29% of the “Class of the Aughts” consists of students whose first or second medical school application was unsuccessful. These

students typically sought post-application counseling offered by the SOM admissions office and followed advice offered on how to improve the

competitiveness of a subsequent application. Past data indicate these students will perform as well as students who were accepted when they first

applied.

The medical school admissions committee has the daunting task of annually selecting applicants that comprise an incoming class. This

dedicated group of professionals is committed to the institution’s mission, is unaffected by external influences, and assures that every applicant

is given an equal opportunity to be evaluated by identical admissions criteria. What this committee knows better than anyone outside of the

admissions process is that while metrics such as BCPM GPA and MCAT scores might identify “the brightest” individuals, they do not define the

“best” applicants who will succeed in medical school and, more importantly, become the licensed physicians to whom one would entrust

treatment of family. Decades of data support the notion that no pre-admission metric predicts the class rank of our medical school graduates;

however, the combination of criteria discussed above enables selection of a diverse group of qualified and compassionate medical students

capable of completing a rigorous training program and willing to provide quality healthcare to all Mississippians.

The UMMC SOM admissions committee has a remarkable track record; past performance predicts that 95% of the “Class of the Aughts”

will graduate with the M.D. degree and two thirds of them will practice medicine in Mississippi.

—Steven T. Case, PhDAssociate Dean for Medical School AdmissionsProfessor of Biochemistry

• UMMC SOM •

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• INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS •

The Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association welcomes material forpublication submitted in accordance with the following guidelines. Address allcorrespondence to the Editor, Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association, P.O.Box 2548, Ridgeland, MS, 39158-2548. Contact the managing editor with anyquestions concerning these guidelines. Articles should be consistent with AMAstyle. Please refer to explanations in the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authorsand Editors. 10th ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2007.

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• UNA VOCE •

Eavesdropping


It’s not nice to eavesdrop. We all grew up with that admonition. If your parents caught you lurking around in the hall while they were

discussing something in whispered tones about the new neighbors, you were pretty sure that you were going to get whopped in the

back of the head. They would tell you to knock it off and if it was still light you were sent out into the backyard. I tell my kids that.

Parent: “Do you want people to think you’re creepy, or something?”

Child: “No.”

Parent: “Then don’t eavesdrop, it’s creepy.”

I don’t whop them much anymore. It’s too much trouble with girls. Besides, these kids need all the brain cells they can keep.

So, we all agree. Eavesdropping is not nice, it’s creepy, it’s sneaky, and a whole bunch of other bad stuff. Unless, of course, you’re a

parent, then it’s essential. Eavesdropping has always been a parent’s main source of information about what happened that day at school, who

did what to who, who cheated on a test, all the stuff you need to know. For a parent the best place to eavesdrop on kids has always been in the

car. You can hear everything they say. And if you’ve got the technique down, which is to never butt in or mention anything that you overhear

until later, your kids think you’re too deaf to hear them so they keep on talking like you’re not even there. Several times I’ve mentioned

something I’ve overheard in the car later in the evening and had a kid say, “Where’d you hear about that?”

My wife Charlene had a pat answer: “the mother network.” The kids never questioned it. See, I told you we needed to preserve as many

neurons as possible.

Unfortunately, all that’s changing. Kids don’t talk anymore. They text. All you can hear is clickety click click click, clickety click. If

you’re like me you don’t have any idea what all the clicks mean or even why they do it when they’re sitting right next to the person they’re

texting. My two daughters do that constantly. They’re sitting next to each other in the car and start having a texting argument. Then one of

them eventually screams then the other complains.

“Sissy texted me a brat!”

Of course, being the wise benevolent father that I am, I have the perfect solution.

“Put those stupid phones up or I’m going to throw them out of the window.”

“If you throw my phone out the window, can I get an I-phone?”

“Of course not, why would I get you an I-phone if I had to throw your phone out of the window?”

“What about the new Blackberry?”

“NO! Now put ‘em up!”

“I don’t know why I can’t have internet service?”

“Because you’re ten. What do you need to get on the internet for anyway?”

“To go on Facebook.”

“You’re not allowed to go on Facebook.”

“I could if you got me an I-phone.”

“No you can’t…”

You get the idea, see, in the past you would have spent all that time socking away valuable bits of parental intelligence, now it’s wasted

on electronic warfare.

R. Scott Anderson, MD


My wife objects to using warfare related terms to describe

parenting techniques. I don’t know why. The way I look at it they

(the children and sometimes I think my wife) are trying to kill me.

That’s why they say these things, to try and give me a stroke. I don’t

know if they’re working individually or collectively. That’s another

reason I have to eavesdrop on them.

But sometimes it’s purely for the entertainment of it. I love to

listen to my children play. Tonight was a classic. Maddie and Holton

were in the next room. I’m not sure what they were playing. Maddie

was a lady with a horse farm and the horses. Holton was apparently

a general and an alien invader.

Lady voice: “I’m going to town to get some hay for supper.

Does anyone want to go with me?”

Horse voice: “Neigh neigh. I do. I do.”

General voice: “Battlefield command request permission to

launch a rocket strike on this location to destroy the aliens.”

Alien voice: “They’re requesting an air strike. Deploy the

disrupters.”

Maddie: “What are you doing? We’re playing horses.”

Holton: “I know, but the horses are stuck in the middle of an

interplanetary conflict.”

Maddie: “You can’t launch rockets if horses are in the way.”

General voice: “I’ll clarify that. Launch control, launch

control, we have livestock on the battlefield. I repeat livestock on the

battlefield.”

Reply: “General, this is the president. I repeat: this is the

president. Launch your rockets…launch your rockets. We cannot let

the safety of the world be endangered by livestock.”

Maddie: “Holton that’s not the way you play horsies.

Besides, what kind of idiot president would let them blow up horses?

You didn’t even tell him they were horses; you said livestock. He

probably thought they were pigs.”

General voice: “I’ll get further clarification. Blue Eagle, Blue

Eagle, this is Sly Fox One. The livestock in question are horses, I

repeat, not pigs, horses.”

Reply: “General you have your orders. It is sure a shame that

the horses have to die, but we can build a statue in memory of the

brave horses that gave their lives to save the world.”

Maddie: “You and your army are a bunch of idiots. I’m going

to be with the aliens.”

Alien voice: “Save the horses. We eat them for desert on our

planet.”

Maddie: “What kind of planet eats horses?”

Holton: “You’re so stupid. Ours does. They make them into

dog food too.”

WHAP

Holton: “Owww owww owww. You’re not allowed to hit

people with the horses. They’re hard.”

Me: “Maddie, you better not be hitting anybody with those

horses.”

Maddie: “I didn’t. The horses were just defending their

selves.”

Just another slice of my life,

—R. Scott Anderson, MD

• PLACEMENT/CLASSIFIED •

PHYSICIANS NEEDED

Physicians (specialists such as

cardiologists, ophthalmologists,

pediatricians, orthopedists,

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performing consultative evaluations

(according to Social Security

guidelines) should contact the

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DISABILITY DETERMINATION SERVICES

1-800-962-2230

Toll Free 1-800-962-2230

Jackson 601-853-5487

Leola Meyer (Ext. 5487)

[R. Scott Anderson, MD, a radiation oncologist, is medical director of the Anderson Regional Cancer Center inMeridian, and vice chair of the MSMA Board of Trustees. Additionally, he is an accomplished oil-painter and alsodabbles in the motion-picture industry as a screen-writer and helped form P-32, an entertainment funding entity.“Una Voce” (With One Voice) is a column in the JMSMA designed by Dr. Dwalia S. South, MSMA past presidentand chair of the Committee on Publications. “Una Voce” features the selected prose of MSMA members. If you area writer and would like to submit your work for consideration please send us your contribution or contact one ofthe editors.]—ED.

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insurance protection for your family - fast.

is the answer.Quick Life offers an excellent selection of personalized life insurance quotes all from highly-rated life insurance companies and offered by MSMA and The Executive Planning Group.

Online. Fast. It’s easy to get free life insurance quotes for competitively priced policies. Apply on online. We ask the right questions about your specific objectives and then guide you through the application process. We provide the important information you need to make the

right decisions for yourself and your loved ones.

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february 2010 jmsma

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