Michael Hyun-ook Kim, MD, MMM, FACC, FHRS, has joined the faculty of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine as the chief of the Division of Cardiology and a professor of medicine. He is also a member of SIU HealthCare, the School's group practice.

Children with specific urological conditions requiring surgery have a new option for care closer to home. Ranjiv Mathews, MD, has partnered with Effingham Urology Associates to bring specialized pediatric urological care to Effingham County. Mathews will see patients at 414 W. Virginia Ave. in Effingham. He is the only pediatric urologist in an 80-mile radius.

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine alumnus Traves Crabtree, MD, '95, has returned to his alma mater as a professor in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. He also a member of SIU HealthCare, the medical school's group practice.

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine alumna Samantha Dial, MD, '11, has joined the faculty of her alma mater as an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology. She is also a member of SIU HealthCare, the School's group practice.

Abhishek K. Kulkarni, MD, has joined the faculty of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine as an assistant professor in the Division of Cardiology. He is also a member of SIU HealthCare, the School’s group practice.

Program empowers patients The Department of Family and Community Medicine at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine has been awarded recognition from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for its diabetes self-management education program. The Association’s Education Recognition Certificate assures that educational programs meet the national standards for diabetes self-management education programs. “The process gives professionals a national standard by which to measure the quality of services they provide,” said Janet Albers, MD, chair of the Department of Family and Community

A new family medicine clinic slated to open this summer will mean easier access to primary care for residents of Morgan County. Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Passavant Area Hospital and Morgan County Public Health Department have partnered to develop SIU Center for Family Medicine-Jacksonville, at 345 W. State St. in Jacksonville. SIU School of Medicine’s Center for Family and Community Medicine, based in Springfield, will oversee the administration of the clinic. Passavant providers and health department medical staff will work on site at the center. The site is scheduled

The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) has rated the Breast Center at Simmons Cancer Institute (SCI) at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield as 100 percent compliant on all 27 evaluation standards for accreditation used by the NAPBC. In 2009, the Breast Center was among the first 23 centers in the United States to receive NAPBC accreditation. It has continued to receive 100 percent compliance on all 27 evaluation standards each time it has been evaluated. The NAPBC is administered by the American College of Surgeons and was established to ensure

Patients who have been diagnosed with Stage II or III melanoma and have had surgery may be eligible to participate in a new clinical trial at Simmons Cancer Institute at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. The clinical trial is studying the effectiveness of a vaccine for melanoma. Stephen Stone, M.D., professor of dermatology at SIU School of Medicine, is the principal investigator on the study. This Phase III melanoma clinical trial uses a combination of proteins associated with laboratory-grown melanoma cells to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight the cancer. The

A new partnership between Simmons Cancer Institute (SCI) at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield and Litchfield Oncology Institute will expand area cancer patients’ access to cancer care. Sherjeel Sana, MD, assistant professor of hematology/oncology at SCI, will hold clinic hours every Tuesday at the clinic located at 1201 East Union in Litchfield. Appointments can be made by calling 217-545-8000. Sana said SCI physicians also travel to Staunton and Jacksonville. “This is a continuation of our efforts to provide oncology services to patients closer to their homes.”