Sheldon Riklon, MD, one of only two Marshallese physicians in the world who has completed medical school and residency training from U.S.-accredited programs, has been invested as the inaugural holder of the Peter O. Kohler, MD, Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Health Disparities.
The Sept. 15 investiture ceremony was held in front of friends, colleagues and family at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Springdale.
The distinguished professorship was established by and named for Peter Kohler, MD, vice chancellor of the northwest Arkansas campus and president emeritus of Oregon Health and Science University, where he served as president for more than 18 years. Kohler, a distinguished professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, will retire as vice chancellor at the end of the year but will continue to conduct clinical research in the Center for Pacific Islander Health.
The Peter O. Kohler, MD, Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Health Disparities will allow the holder to focus on research and clinical treatment of medical conditions experienced by the northwest Arkansas population, with an initial emphasis on such conditions experienced by Marshallese and Pacific Islanders in the area, as well as the Hispanic population.
An endowed distinguished professorship requires a minimum of $500,000 in donations. Those funds are invested, and the interest is used to support the honored faculty member’s educational, scientific and clinical pursuits.
Kohler said he established the endowed distinguished professorship to “heighten our success in recruiting to UAMS’ Northwest Regional Campus a fully integrated physician — researcher, teacher, mentor, and someone with a personal stake in helping the Marshallese and Hispanic communities gain better health.” He added, “I am so pleased that Sheldon Riklon is the inaugural holder. I consider the recruitment of Dr. Riklon to be one of the great accomplishments of the center and campus.”
Riklon, an associate professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, joined UAMS in August, coming from the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, where he was an assistant professor and the family medicine clerkship director in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.
He was educated in Hawaii, receiving his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Hawaii at Hilo and his medical degree from the John A. Burns School of Medicine.
In less than two months, Riklon has already helped a number of patients at UAMS’ three clinics in the region and the Community Clinic in Springdale, Kohler said.
Riklon was presented the professorship medallion by Rahn and College of Medicine Dean Pope L. Moseley, MD Also speaking during the ceremony were Provost and Chief Academic Officer Stephanie Gardner, PharMD, Ed.D, and Nia Aitaoto, PhD, MPH, co-director of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Center for Pacific Islander Health.