WVU School of Medicine Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

DHHR Names New Medical Director For OEMS

State Health Officer and Commissioner of the West Virginia DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health, Dr. Matt Christiansen, announced Martin will replace interim director, Dr. Beth Toppins who served since April 2023.

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) named Dr. PS Martin as the new medical director for the Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS).

State Health Officer and Commissioner of the West Virginia DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health Dr. Matt Christiansen, announced Martin will replace interim director Dr. Beth Toppins who served since April 2023.

“Dr. Martin brings a wealth of knowledge to this critical position with hands-on experience as a physician in emergency departments and as the medical director for multiple EMS agencies,” Christiansen said. “His unique and specialized background in the field of emergency medical services will be an asset to West Virginia, and will continue the work of Dr. Toppins. We are grateful for her service during a period of transition.”

Martin is an associate professor of emergency medicine at WVU’s School of Medicine and an emergency room physician at West Virginia University’s Ruby Memorial Hospital.

“I am honored to lead this office, which does incredible work to support West Virginia’s EMS systems and residents,” said Martin. “I look forward to working with OEMS staff and partners to optimize the quality of emergency care across the state and improve the job satisfaction of our dedicated EMS providers.”

Dr. PS Martin

*Credit: West Virginia University*

Martin earned his bachelor’s degree and doctor of medicine from West Virginia University.

Martin will replace Toppins on June 23, 2023.

WVU Researchers Find Too Much Light At Night May Trigger Depression

New research from West Virginia University suggests too much light, instead of too little, may cause depression in hospitalized individuals.

Researchers Randy Nelson and Courtney DeVries at the Department of Neuroscience in the WVU School of Medicine studied two groups of mice for three nights. One group was exposed to total darkness, while the other was exposed to dim light – the equivalent of a child’s night light.

The researchers found that the mice exposed to the dim light exhibited more “depressive-like” behaviors than the ones that spent their nights in the dark. The mice exposed to dim light showed smaller amounts of a molecule associated with blood-vessel growth in the hippocampus – a part of the brain that regulates emotions.

“We’re trying to mimic what happens in intensive care units,” said Nelson in a press release from the university. Nelson chairs the Department of Neuroscience.

The researchers hope the findings can be used to explore how light at night affects the mood of people who are hospitalized. People in intensive care units are often never exposed to a fully dark room while receiving treatment.

The researchers are investigating whether different lighting schemes, such as an ICU light that shifts from a bright, bluish white light during the day to a warmer tone at night, might prevent or reverse the depressive symptoms they observed in the mice. They also hope to expand their research to include human trials.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from Marshall Health and Charleston Area Medical Center.

WVU Launches Fast-Track Medical School Program

The West Virginia University School of Medicine has launched a new accelerated program for medical students.

In a press release, WVU said the Mountaineer Accelerated Track to Enter Residency program will shave a semester off of the four-year medical degree program. This move, they said, is to give students an option to graduate with less debt and try and get medical professionals into patient care sooner to meet the state’s health needs.

According to the Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, only 45 percent of West Virginians have adequate access to a primary care health professional.

The program will be available to students starting medical school in August.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Marshall Health, Charleston Area Medical Center and WVU Medicine.

WVU Medical School Dean Leaving After Nearly Five Years

The dean is resigning at the West Virginia University School of Medicine.

WVU President Gordon Gee announced Tuesday that Dr. Arthur J. Ross informed him of his decision to leave at the end of June. Gee did not cite a reason for Ross’ resignation.

Ross has been in Morgantown for nearly five years. A pediatric surgeon, he came to WVU after serving as dean of Chicago Medical School and as vice president for medical affairs at Rosalind Franklin University.

Gee said Ross will continue to lead an accreditation process at the school.