WASHINGTON — The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has selected 11 professionals for the 2022 class of the NAM Scholars in Diagnostic Excellence program. Funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, this collaborative program in partnership with the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) offers a one-year, part-time experience for exceptional individuals to advance their diagnostic skills, make significant contributions to improve clinical diagnosis at the national level, and accelerate their career development as national leaders in the field. With additional support from the John A. Hartford Foundation, the program now includes a scholar with a focus on improving diagnosis for older adults.

The scholars were chosen based on their professional qualifications and accomplishments, demonstrated leadership in the field, and potential to advance diagnostic excellence and equity. They were also chosen based on the quality and feasibility of their program proposals to improve diagnosis and reduce diagnostic errors at the national level and build upon the work of the 2015 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consensus report Improving Diagnosis in Health Care.

“Congratulations to this new class of extraordinary scholars, whose work will undoubtedly be vital to minimizing diagnostic errors in the U.S.,” said Victor J. Dzau, president of the National Academy of Medicine. “When we improve diagnostic quality and safety, we have the opportunity to vastly improve the way our health care system operates and, most importantly, have profound impacts on the lives of patients.”

The 2022 NAM Scholars in Diagnostic Excellence and their program proposal titles are:

• Reuben Arasaratnam, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center; infectious diseases staff physician and assistant to the medical services chief for education, VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas
  “Advancing the Equity of Penicillin Allergy Diagnosis at a Veterans Affairs Facility”

• Miriam Bredella, M.D., professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School; vice chair for faculty affairs and clinical operations, department of radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
  “Using Opportunistic CT and Machine Learning to Diagnose Osteoporosis and Determine Fracture Risk in Underserved Populations”

• Kimberly C. Claeys, Pharm.D., associate professor, department of pharmacy and practice, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore
  “Engaging Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacists in Diagnostic Excellence for Urinary Tract Infections”

• Cristina M. Gonzalez, M.D., M.Ed., professor of medicine, department of medicine, division of hospital medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, N.Y.
  “Identifying Specific Behaviors within the Diagnostic Process Influenced by Racial Implicit Bias”

• Alaina J. James, M.D., Ph.D., medical dermatologist, assistant professor, and skin health equity director, department of dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh
  “Do you see me? Visual Learning Equity: Achieving Diagnostic Excellence in Skin Health and Disease”

• Nadja Kadom, M.D., professor of radiology, Emory University School of Medicine; neuroradiologist, department of radiology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta
  “Developing a Patient Decision Aid (PDA) For Use in Children with Headaches”

• Dimitri Papanagnou, M.D., M.P.H., professor and vice chair for education, department of emergency medicine, and associate dean for faculty development, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
  “‘Unfortunately, I Do Not Have a Diagnosis for You’: Interprofessional Training for the Equitable Communication of Diagnostic Uncertainty in the Emergency Department”

• Michael Pulia, M.D., M.S., assistant professor, department of emergency medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison
  “Improving Diagnostic Accuracy for Older Adults with Suspected Pneumonia”

• Naykky Singh Ospina, M.D., M.S., associate professor, division of endocrinology, department of medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
  “Developing a Framework for Understanding the Process of Diagnostic Reconciliation and Supporting Diagnostic Conversations”

• Fatima Cody Stanford, M.D., M.P.H., M.P.A., M.B.A., associate professor of medicine and pediatrics and obesity medicine physician-scientist, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
  “Beyond Body Mass Index (BMI): Improving Diagnosis of Obesity to Better Inform Treatment Strategies”

• Sungmin Woo, M.D., Ph.D., director of genitourinary radiology and assistant attending radiologist, department of radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; assistant professor of radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City
  “Reducing Diagnostic Errors by Improving Communication through Structured Reporting of Ovarian Cancer Imaging Examinations”

“We are delighted to support this talented and passionate group of scholars,” said Karen Cosby, program director for patient care at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. “The collaboration between NAM and CMSS provides opportunities for scholars to connect and partner with the NAM community as well as with other scholars to advance efforts to improve diagnosis.”

“We are excited to have another remarkable cohort of scholars and future leaders across medicine in diagnostic excellence,” said Helen Burstin, CMSS chief executive officer. “Through our partnership with NAM, we look forward to supporting the scholars’ impact on diagnostic safety, quality, and equity across specialties and disciplines.”

The scholars will continue in their primary academic posts while engaging part time over a one-year period in developing an implementation plan for their proposals as well as participating in a structured online curriculum, cohort learning activities, and professional networking opportunities through the NAM and CMSS. In addition, each scholar will be matched with a mentor(s) who can provide professional guidance and subject matter/technical expertise for their work. A flexible research grant will be awarded to every scholar.

The National Academy of Medicine, established in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, is an independent organization of eminent professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine; the natural, social, and behavioral sciences; and beyond. It serves alongside the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering as an adviser to the nation and the international community. Through its domestic and global initiatives, the NAM works to address critical issues in health, medicine, and related policy and inspire positive action across sectors. The NAM collaborates closely with its peer academies and other divisions within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Contact:
Dana Korsen, Director of Media Relations
Office of News and Public Information
202-334-2138; e-mail news@nas.edu