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LAUREL, Miss. — April 27, 2026 — South Central Regional Medical Center’s Graduate Medical Education program hosted its Inaugural Poster Symposium, which was open to residents and student doctors regionally.
The event had 56 submissions from Forrest General Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, Merit Health Wesley Transitional Year and Emergency Medicine Residencies, North Mississippi Health Services Internal Medicine Residency, William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center and South Central Regional Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency, representing a wide range of specialties, research interests and clinical perspectives.
After a rigorous review process conducted by GME faculty and invited physician judges, including W. Mark Horne, MD; Kimberly Dobbs, MD; and Kosana Lee, MD, the field was narrowed to fifteen finalists. These selected works showcase topics spanning clinical research, quality improvement, case studies and emerging trends in patient care. The authors of the posters each presented their findings to the judges, who ultimately selected the top 4 presentations.
“As student doctors and residents, these physicians are learning about and encountering complex diagnoses every day. The symposium was started to showcase our knowledge and research in a way that is accessible to everyone,” SCRMC’s Graduate Medical Education Program’s Designated Institutional Official, Deepu Thoppil, MD, said. “Opportunities like this allow us a moment of pause to demonstrate the amazing work that is being done in Mississippi every day.”
First Place was awarded to Student Doctor Aswin Arunachalam, who is a second-year medical student at the University of Mississippi Medical School. His research demonstrated how malnutrition affects pilon fractures, which are high-impact breaks of the shin/ankle that occur after falls or car accidents.
The following individuals also placed in the competition:
- Second Place- Student Doctor Neely Burns, medical student at William Carey University
- Third Place- Amber Dawood, DO, Resident Physician at SCRMC
- Honorable Mention- Krutika Gohil, MD, Resident Physician at SCRMC
“The level of competition here today was impressive,” said SCRMC President and CEO, Gregg Gibbes. “Truly, the most exciting thing is seeing all these medical institutions from across our region gathered here to promote excellence.”
This competition showcases South Central’s ongoing commitment to exceptional training, meaningful research and strengthening health care for rural Mississippi and the wider region.
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