Biography
My primary clinical goal while serving patients at UNM is to provide optimal care as part of a collaborative approach to ensure the best patient outcomes. To this end, I work closely with each referring clinical team to accurately and efficiently help render diagnoses, utilizing the appropriate imaging modalities in conjunction with current literature guidelines. This approach is possible by performing daily, weekly, and monthly rounds with referring teams to critically discuss patient needs and to determine questions which still need to be addressed. I value this relationship and believe better patient outcomes stem from open dialogue between all members caring for each patient.
My primary educational goal while serving at UNM is to provide medical students, residents, and fellows with the tools they need to succeed in their chosen field. With visiting medical students and residents and fellows in specialties other than Radiology, I strive to provide the foundation of image interpretation, tailoring teachings to their individualized field. For those residents in Radiology, I work one-on-one, daily, to discuss each exam with them at the workstation, covering not only detecting a specific finding, but carrying this to building a differential diagnosis, and ultimately accessing the current literature to help drive appropriate management of each condition.
During by time as prior Associate Program Director, I worked to develop directed-reading rounds and facilitate discussion of specific cases for our first-year residents in Pediatric Radiology to help ensure early establishment of study habits for a strong foundation in Diagnostic Radiology. I also facilitate learners by providing didactic teaching, including in my area of interest in pediatric cardiac imaging, adding lectures to this topic in our Pediatric Radiology curriculum and attending, and presenting at, weekly Pediatric Cardiology conference. As this team grows, I look forward to offering more advanced imaging modalities for evaluating our cardiac patients, as well as facilitating research projects that may stem from such collaboration, including potential for 3D imaging.
Personal Statement
My primary clinical goal while serving patients at UNM is to provide optimal care as part of a collaborative approach to ensure the best patient outcomes. To this end, I work closely with each referring clinical team to accurately and efficiently diagnose myriad medical conditions, utilizing the appropriate imaging modalities in conjunction with current literature guidelines. This approach is possible by collaborating with referring teams to critically discuss patient needs and to determine questions which still need to be addressed. I value this relationship and believe better patient outcomes stem from open dialogue between all members caring for each patient.
My primary educational goal while serving at UNM is to provide medical students, residents, and fellows with the tools they need to succeed in their chosen field. With visiting medical students and residents and fellows in specialties other than Radiology, I strive to provide the foundation of image interpretation, tailoring teachings to their individualized field.
Areas of Specialty
Specialization #1: Pediatric Imaging
Specialization #2 Pediatric Cardiac Imaging
Certifications
American Board of Radiology
Achievements & Awards
Best Teacher/Mentor: Pediatric Radiology 2019
Best Teacher/Mentor: Pediatric Radiology 2018
Outstanding Lecturer/Didactic Teacher Department of Pediatrics University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico 2014
Educational Innovator/Fellow of the Year Children’s Medical Center/University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, Texas 2012
Radiology Resident of the Year Department of Radiology University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico 2010
Nominated for Faculty Excellence Award University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque, New Mexico 2006
Alpha Omega Alpha University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque, New Mexico 2005-Present
Languages
- English
Research
Although my interests are predominantly focused on education and clinical service, I serve as a journal reviewer for Pediatric Radiology, the official journal of the Society of Pediatric Radiology. I have provided imaging expertise for multiple scholarly works and strive to provide mentorship for residents in pediatric imaging research.
Courses Taught
Coordinator and principal lecturer of annual Pediatric Radiology lecture block
Coordinator and principal presenter of annual Pediatric Radiology Case Conference series
2012-Current
Responsible for training of Radiology Residents in
the interpretation of pediatric imaging studies, covering inpatient and outpatient services during 2-week rotations.
Pediatric Radiology Lecture Block: Responsible for coordinating 12 hours of lectures during this 4-week pediatric radiology lecture block. Historically, I present 3-4 lectures each year and have created the final block examination yearly since 2013 to assess Resident Learning over the block. All lectures are tailored for residents and rotating medical students, though fellows and faculty are welcome to attend
2014-Present
Only Pediatric Radiologist providing Brant and Helms rounds for all first-year Radiology Residents, including directed reading assignments and subsequent quiz, followed by small-session review of pertinent imaging
2012-Present Responsible for providing case conferences for
Diagnostic Radiology Residents with my contribution to total
approximately 3-5, hour-long conferences per year
2013 and 2017
Senior Board Review
Case-based review for senior radiology residents preparing for boards. This was initiated in 2013 for Oral Board preparation, but was temporarily discontinued after Oral Boards were terminated and a Core Exam was created nationally. It is being reinstituted this year on a volunteer basis for Core Exam prep. I have, thus far, created a 50 case series in Pediatric Radiology for this review.
2012-2015
On-call preparatory lecture and case presentation for Pediatric Radiology targeting PGY1 and PGY2 residents
2014 Pediatric Radiology journal club
Research and Scholarship
Although my interests are predominantly focused on education and clinical service, I serve as a journal reviewer for Pediatric Radiology, the official journal of the Society of Pediatric Radiology. I have provided imaging expertise for multiple scholarly works and strive to provide mentorship for residents in pediatric imaging research.
July 19-22, 2018
Pacific Coast Pediatric Radiology Association Annual Meeting
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Invited or refereed abstracts and/or presentations at professional meetings
July 19-22, 2018
Pacific Coast Pediatric Radiology Association Annual Meeting Panel: Hot Topics in Pediatric Radiology and Syndrome Associated with Cardiac Disease
July 19-22, 2018
Pacific Coast Pediatric Radiology Association Annual Meeting Selected Case Presentations
May 4-9, 2014
Lam E, Williamson S, Williams J, Richards A, Upham B.
Imaging of Suspected Pediatric Appendicitis, and the role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
Electronic 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society
San Diego, California
November 25-30, 2012
Koral K, Richards A, Gargan L, Zhang S, Bowers DC, Timmerman R. Where the Spinal Drop Metastases Preferentially Lodge in Children with Brain Tumors and Where Imagers Should Focus?
Radiological Society of North America, 98th Annual Meeting
Chicago, Illinois
April 2012
Richards A, Koral K, Gargan L, Zhang S, Bowers DC, Timmerman R.
Specific Sites of Spinal Drop Metastases in Children with Brain Tumor and Its Potential Impact on Imaging Strategies
Society of Pediatric Radiology, 55th Annual Meeting
May 2010
Subphrenoma of Glisson’s Capsule: Retrospective Descriptive Analysis.
Department of Radiology Annual Research Symposium
Additional Completed Scholarly Works and Works-in-Progress
Ongoing
PENUT Trial (Preterm Epo Neuroprotection) - A Multicenter, Randomized placebo controlled phase III 940 subject trial of Erythropoietin for the Neuroprotection of Extremely Low Gestational Age Neonates. I will be interpreting the study-required cranial ultrasounds. UNM Site Coordinator: Robin Ohls, M.D.
In Progress
The combination of sorafenib and capecitabine in recurrent fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma: A novel oral chemotherapy approach. Submitted for presentation at 2018 Wyler Lecture Series, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In Progress
Sheak K, Richards A, Greene A. Myocardial Infarct Caused by Low Dose Caffeine in a Patient with Suspected Coronary Artery Anomaly. Submitted for presentation at Western Medical Research Conference, January 25-27, 2018, Carmel. California
In Progress
Koral K, Richards A, Gargan L, Zhang S, Bowers DC, Timmerman R.
Specific Sites of Spinal Drop Metastases in Children with Brain Tumor and Its Potential Impact on Imaging Strategies
February 2018. Pavlik D, Richards A, Dehority, W. Six Weeks Of Fever, Headache, and Emesis in a 14-year-old Girl. 2018 DOI: 10.1542/pir.2015-0024 Pediatrics in Review 2017;38;98
December 2011-March 2012
Pediatric Radiology Quality Assurance Project: Cranial Ultrasound Presented at UT outhwestern/Children’s Dallas Radiology Department in March 2012.
October 2010. Battah S, Wu C, Richards A, Crooks L, Hartshorne M, Brown L. A 41-Year-Old Man With Fluorodeoxyglucose-Avid Thickening on PET Scan. Chest, 2010. Vol 138 (no 4), pp. 1010-1013.
2009 Diagnostic Radiology Quality Assurance Project Protocol Sheet Modification. Presented at Departmental Quality Assurance Meeting
December 2007. Colleran, K, Richards A, Shafer K.
Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Risks and Treatment: A
Demographic Comparison. Journal of Investigative Medicine. Vol 55 (no 8), pp. 415-422.