This month I’m pleased to share with you some highlights from our busy fall season thus far. On September 20, we welcomed dozens of donors, guests, current and former school leaders, and medical scholarship recipients to our 2018 Scholarship Dinner. This annual tradition offers us an opportunity to thank the many supporters who help make our students’ dreams of medical school a reality, and allows us

While a few decades may have passed since I attended medical school, I vividly recall the strong bonds I developed with some of my instructors. One of the influential figures in my life was Dr. Levi Watkins, an African-American surgeon from Montgomery who launched a program to actively recruit minority students to Johns Hopkins’ medical school. Another mentor was Dr. John Cameron, a surgeon whose

On Sunday I attended a seminal event in the lives of our students when the School of Medicine welcomed our incoming first-year medical students at the White Coat Ceremony. On hand to help students don their new white coats, which are generously provided each year by the Medical Alumni Association, were David Bramm, M.D., representing the Huntsville Regional Medical Campus; Gustavo Heudebert, M.D.,

Summer is an exciting time for our School of Medicine, as we recently welcomed a new class of residents and fellows. Our UAB Graduate Medical Education (GME) team hosted an orientation for over 180 of them on Wednesday, June 20. The new crop of residents and fellows learned about the physician well-being resources we have available and UAB Medicine’s preferred method of communicating with

On Saturday, May 18, we celebrated the graduation of 177 new physicians at the School of Medicine’s Commencement Ceremony. I am proud to report that a third of them are staying in Alabama for their residencies, and a full 42 percent of the class will pursue residencies in a primary care field. Six members of the class also received Ph.D.s as members of our Medical Scientist Training Program, and

Precision medicine—which takes into account individual differences in lifestyle, environment, and biology in order to prevent and treat disease in more personalized and effective ways—is rapidly changing the practice of medicine. But the key to unlocking the full promise of precision medicine is data, which is why I am so pleased that UAB has been chosen to partner with the National Institutes of

At Match Day on March 16, our fourth-year medical students found out where they will conduct their residencies. Match Day marks the culmination of medical school, one of the most exhilarating and challenging periods in a physician’s life. I am proud of the Class of 2018 for all their hard work and dedication, which helped them achieve a 98-percent match rate into residencies at 74 institutions in 27

Earlier this month, we welcomed a group of faculty members from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. The visit is part of an ongoing effort of our Global Health Initiative here at the School of Medicine. Our Global Health team with School of Medicine support is working to formalize and expand our existing global health efforts and forge new partnerships in

Reflecting on the past year as we set off into 2018, I am energized by our steady progress – and some major leaps forward – across all our mission areas, in medical education, patient care, and research. On January 24, I will deliver the annual State of the Schooladdress, which highlights achievements from the past year in the core values of academic medicine that I believe set UAB and the

With the whirlwind of activity surrounding the holidays, it’s easy to lose sight of the true essence of the season: the spirit of giving. I am very proud of the many ways in which our school, the university as a whole, and the UAB Health System give back to our community throughout the year. Here are a few facts illustrating that impact:

On October 27, we celebrated the School of Medicine’s 12^th Annual Scholarship Dinner, where we brought together scholarship donors with the medical students who benefit from their philanthropic spirit. In many cases, medical school would be out of reach for these exceptional young people if not for the financial bridge that scholarships create. You can view an online photo gallery of the event by

On October 27, we celebrated the School of Medicine’s 12^th Annual Scholarship Dinner, where we brought together scholarship donors with the medical students who benefit from their philanthropic spirit. In many cases, medical school would be out of reach for these exceptional young people if not for the financial bridge that scholarships create. You can view an online photo gallery of the event

Last Sunday, I attended one of my favorite annual events when the School of Medicine welcomed our incoming first-year medical students at the White Coat Ceremony. On hand to help students don their new white coats were Roger Smalligan, M.D., regional dean of the Huntsville Regional Medical Campus; Gustavo Heudebert, M.D., incoming interim dean of the Montgomery Regional Medical Campus; and

At the School of Medicine, we are committed to promoting student wellness both inside and outside the medical school setting. Since their creation in 2011, the Learning Communities have helped our medical students navigate medical school while maintaining physical and mental well-being. These 11 small groups led by faculty mentors from a variety of disciplines incorporate discussions on

This summer brings excitement and grateful reflection as we at the School of Medicine welcome new leaders, thank their predecessors, and mourn the passing of an influential teacher and mentor.

In last month’s newsletter, I shared the news that Matt Might, Ph.D., a national leader in precision medicine, has been appointed the inaugural director of UAB’s Hugh Kaul Personalized Medicine Institute.

Spring at the School of Medicine means celebrating our graduating medical students. This year’s Match Day, which took place March 17, was the largest and among the most competitive to date. A record-high 35,969 U.S. and international medical school students and graduates vied for 31,757 positions, the most ever offered in the Match. The number of available first-year (PGY-1) positions rose to

A 2016 study by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) confirmed what we have known for some time: America needs more primary care providers to keep pace with the health care demands of a growing and aging population. The problem is especially acute here in Alabama—in 2012, the state had 3,512 active primary care physicians for a rate of approximately 73 per 100,000 people, ranking it