UAMS East Receives Grant from Helena Health Foundation to Support Solid Organ Transplants in Arkansas Delta
UAMS East in Helena received a $125,000 grant from the Helena Health Foundation to support the solid organ transplant clinic at UAMS East Family Medical Center in Helena. UAMS opened a satellite clinic for UAMS Health’s kidney and liver transplant at UAMS East Family Medical Center in 2023. This grant will help elevate transplant care for Phillips County and the surrounding area.
Lyle Burdine, M.D., Ph.D., (left) receives a check from the members of the Helena Health Foundation Board.
“We are very honored and grateful for the support of the Helena Health Foundation as we provide much needed care to the Arkansas Delta. Partnerships like this ensure people throughout Arkansas have access to high-quality solid organ treatment.”
~ Lyle Burdine, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of transplant surgery and director of organ transplant in the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Surgery.
UAMS Northwest Internal Medicine Residency Program Receives Accreditation
The UAMS Northwest-Washington Regional Internal Medicine Residency Program earned continued accreditation status from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in March 2025. Reaccreditation relies on annual data from resident/fellow and faculty surveys, scholarly activity and board pass rates. The three-year program was originally accredited in 2015 and admits 10 residents each year.
UAMS Internal Medicine Residency in Springdale
UAMS South Launches Fellowship in Family Medicine Surgical Obstetrics
UAMS South in El Dorado has launched Arkansas’ first family medicine surgical obstetrics fellowship, led by Donya Watson, M.D. Developed throughout 2024 and early 2025, the one-year program was created to strengthen rural maternity care and build future faculty for the rural residency program.
Arkansas has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation. The new fellowship addresses a critical gap in obstetric services across Arkansas, preparing family medicine physicians to deliver full-spectrum care in underserved communities.
Donya Watson, MD
Each year, the fellowship will select at least one physician for advanced training in prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care, including cesarean sections and operative vaginal deliveries. The curriculum also includes gynecologic procedures, simulation-based learning, outpatient continuity clinics, and leadership development. Graduates will commit to remaining in clinic for a designated period, supporting long-term workforce stability.
Fellows will also engage in quality improvement, documentation, and teaching—contributing to UAMS South’s mission to recruit, train, and retain physicians dedicated to improving maternal health in rural Arkansas.
C’Asia James, M.D. examines a pregnant patient at the UAMS South Regional Campus in El Dorado Arkansas
Family Medicine Residency Grows in South Arkansas
A $2.5 million grant from the Arkansas State Legislature is supporting the expansion of residency programs in south Arkansas. The state’s PEER joint budget committee supported the development of family medicine residency programs in El Dorado and Crossett. These funds will help create 22 new residency slots in hospitals in the two cities as well as one new family medicine obstetrics fellowship.
The Crossett program earned accreditation in 2023 and enrolled its first class of residents in 2024. The El Dorado program earned its accreditation in 2024 and will enroll its first residents in 2026. Trainees in both programs will complete their first year of residency in Little Rock at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, with the last two years immersed in south Arkansas-based rural clinic settings.
UAMS Southwest Hosts two Healthcare Events in Nevada County
Residents of southwest Arkansas got free medical screenings and health resources during two community events in Rosston Nov. 22, hosted by UAMS. The event, “Filling the Health care Gaps in Nevada County,” offered free medical tests, general health screenings and screenings for lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Confidential testing for HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and hepatitis C was also available. Ambulatory services offered information on what to do while waiting on emergency services, and information was given on mental health, COVID-19, heart health, and opioid awareness.
UAMS West Family Medical Center Recognized as National Leader in Hypertension Care
The UAMS West Family Medical Center (FMC) in Fort Smith was named a 2024 Million Hearts Hypertension Control Champion by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They are one of just 32 health organizations nationwide to receive the prestigious recognition and one of only two in Arkansas. The CDC’s Million Hearts Hypertension Control Challenge recognizes clinicians, practices and health centers that achieve blood pressure control for at least 80% of their patients with hypertension. At the end of 2024, the UAMS Fort Smith FMC had achieved a control rate of 85%.
Most adults with hypertension fail to manage it, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. The Fort Smith FMC helps patients manage hypertension in several ways: accurate initial blood pressure measurement, rechecks for those with blood pressure over 140/90, instruction on how to control hypertension with diet, and nurse visits for two-week rechecks. The plan also includes collaboration with pharmacists and other providers as well as quarterly follow-up visits.
“This recognition means a lot to us. It shows that we are contributing to the health improvement of all of Arkansas. More than five years ago, we started a comprehensive initiative to improve hypertension control for area patients aged 18 to 85. Our high-performing team has been a huge part of our success.”
~ Tabasum Imran, M.D., medical director, UAMS West FMC
UAMS West FMC staff receiving the Million Hearts Recognition award.
