Department of Medical Education
With the reopening of the Volker Hall Lecture Tower, academic activities have resumed in the space. Each of the lecture rooms has been updated with new projectors, computers, and WiFi technology. In appreciation of the many technological advances that have made our lives easier or better over the years, today we will take a look back at classroom innovations that paved the way to where we are now.
Catherine Lumb, M.D., practices geriatric medicine with a focus on understanding her patients beyond their health diagnoses. She listens carefully and considers how health care intersects with independence and quality of life. These values are central to her career at UAB Huntsville and were developed during her training at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine.
As part of the UAB Giving Days campaign, Equal Access Birmingham is one of four featured projects demonstrating how student-led care can transform both lives and medical education. This free clinic delivers compassionate, hands-on healthcare to underserved Birmingham neighbors while training future physicians who learn to lead with skill, empathy, and purpose.
As part of UAB Giving Days, the Medical Alumni Association Medical Student Assistance Fund is one of four featured projects from the Heersink School of Medicine, showcasing the impact of compassion in action. This vital fund ensures that when unexpected hardships arise, Heersink medical students can stay focused on becoming the physicians our communities need.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine held its 2026 Match Day on Friday, March 20, at the Alabama Theatre. The annual event marks a major milestone in medical education, as students learn where they will continue their training in residency programs across the country. This year, 99.5% of UAB students matched, reflecting the school’s continued strength in preparing graduates for the next phase of their medical careers.
The UAB Heersink School of Medicine welcomed alumni and guests back to campus on March 6–7 for the 2026 Medical Alumni Weekend. A total of 157 alumni and 110 guests attended the event. Notably, the 47th Reynolds-Finley Historical Lecture on Friday attracted 280 participants, with 50 joining virtually.
For Jordan Beam, Match Day marks the culmination of years of preparation and purpose. From international research at the University of Oxford to hands-on training in Montgomery, she’s honed the skills and confidence that will guide her into the next chapter of her career.
As UAB Heersink School of Medicine continues to improve accessibility in digital materials to comply with updated Title II guidelines, it is important to ensure all images included in published materials contain alt text so that screen readers are able to communicate the contents of the image to readers with vision impairments. For medical education, the use of alt text can become increasingly complex as medical imagery and diagrams involve many aspects.
On March 7, 2026, Heersink School of Medicine faculty, staff, and students gathered at the Lyric Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama for the 2026 Best Medicine Show. The show, which caps off a fundraising campaign for Equal Access Birmingham, is coordinated and produced by Heersink medical students. It serves as an opportunity for the student community to come together and celebrate both the noble cause at the core of the event but also the talent and creativity of the student body.
On Match Day, Philip Harden will stand among his classmates with an envelope in hand, waiting for the countdown to learn where he will train as a resident physician. The moment feels close enough to touch, yet not fully real. For the fourth-year medical student at the Heersink School of Medicine’s Tuscaloosa Regional Campus, it represents the culmination of a goal he began pursuing in high school.
By the time Audria Wood opens her Match Day envelope, she will have spent nearly a decade growing up within UAB’s walls, first as an undergraduate student-athlete, then as a medical student, and now as a future orthopedic surgeon preparing to learn where residency training will take her next.
On Match Day, Brenton Bicknell will join his classmates, eager to share in the excitement to discover where everyone will train in medical residency. Already matched into ophthalmology at UAB Callahan Eye, the day is as much about celebrating his peers’ achievements as it is his own. For the fourth-year medical student at the Heersink School of Medicine’s Huntsville Campus, it marks a milestone shaped by mentors, family, and the camaraderie of classmates who have shared the journey.
Eight UAB Heersink School of Medicine students have been selected for the 2026–2027 class of Alabama Albert Schweitzer Fellows, representing the institution among a competitive statewide cohort. Over the next year, they will partner with community organizations to develop and carry out sustainable service initiatives addressing the underlying factors that influence health in communities with limited access to care.
As Heersink School of Medicine continues to improve accessibility throughout its digital platforms, it is crucial to know foundational steps for building materials. Before uploading documents onto the website or into courses within learning management systems, there are a few quick steps you can take to ensure efficient use of accessibility features.
Matthew Garron is a Help Desk Technician for Medical Education Informational Services, where he has served since June 2024. Prior to joining the MEIS team, he worked in the UAB Campus Bookstore. Garron was nominated to the 2025-2026 cohort of Medical Education Unsung Heroes by Adam Agee, director of Information Technology for the Heersink School of Medicine.
The Volker Hall Lecture Tower is now open for use. After more than a year of renovation, the spaces have been refreshed and updated to accommodate the needs of modern medical education.
Megyn Mielke is a program manager I for the Physician Scientist Development Office (PSDO), where she has served since late 2022. In her role, she oversees several key programs supporting medical students and undergraduate learners across the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. Mielke was nominated to the 2025–2026 cohort of Medical Education Unsung Heroes by Stefanie B. Varghese, Ph.D., MBA, program director II for PSDO.
On February 5, 2026, Heersink School of Medicine celebrated the 2026 Food Fair. Each department was represented by a table highlighting traditions or favorite food/drink from around the world. The Department of Medical Education was represented by the theme of “Sips Around the World.”
The Medical Education Committee’s recent review of the Heersink School of Medicine Family Medicine Clerkship highlighted strong, outpatient clinical experiences across the Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa campuses. Clerkship objectives remain well aligned with Heersink School of Medicine goals and ACGME competencies.
As UAB and Heersink School of Medicine continues to implement guidance around Title II compliance, we wanted to share useful resources with you as you create and deploy materials for students. The goal is for all digital materials to be accessible and Title II compliant, whether instructional, administrative or communicative.
Sharon Noser is a curriculum coordinator for the Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) team, where she has served for more than 13 years. Before joining UME, she spent four years in the UAB contracts office. Noser was nominated to the 2025–2026 cohort of Medical Education Unsung Heroes by Mike Belue, program director for UME.
Hannah Zahedi, M.D., doesn’t just practice medicine; she lives it. In Marion, Alabama, her patients are neighbors, friends, and familiar faces she passes on her morning drive. A quick check-in call, a home visit, a conversation in the clinic, her day flows seamlessly between the office and the community she serves. For Zahedi, medicine is more than a job; it is a way of knowing the people behind every chart and responding to their needs with care and expertise.
Lori Allison is a program manager for the Office of International Medical Education where she has served since 2024. Before her work for IME, she spent 27 years in Information Technology, holding roles in Project Management, Process Development, and Risk and Quality Management. She was nominated to the 2025-2026 cohort of Medical Education Unsung Heroes by Michael Massey, program director for IME.
As part of the Medical Education Committee’s (MEC) charge for curricular planning and oversight, the group has recently voted to make several changes to the curriculum that will allow the students to have more time for career exploration and strengthening their credentials before applying to residency programs.
Tawny Fowler is a Data Verification Specialist for the Enrollment Management team. She has been a member of Admissions and Enrollment Management since 2021 and has worked at UAB since 2014. She was nominated to the 2025-2026 cohort of Medical Education Unsung Heroes by Faye Heard, senior director for Enrollment Management.
The Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) is administered by the AAMC each year to fourth-year medical students prior to their completion of medical school. The questionnaire is a national survey with participation from 155 schools. The results are reviewed closely by Department of Medical Education leadership to determine areas of success and areas of improvement within our learning environment and student experience.
UAB Heersink School of Medicine is committed to fostering an accessible, inclusive learning environment for students with disabilities. Working with UAB's Disability Support Services (DSS), Heersink's Medical Student Services (MSS), and Undergraduate Medical Education (UME), students receive individualized accommodations to support full engagement in classroom and clinical experiences. Examples of these accommodations may include lecture transcription, extended testing time, and access to assistive technology devices, among others. Each accommodation is tailored to the student’s needs to reduce barriers and ensure equal access to the learning environment.
Carlton Young, M.D., assistant dean for Access and Engagement – Medical Student Experience and Professor of Surgery, will retire from Heersink School of Medicine, effective Dec. 31, 2025, after 28 years of service in student support and mentorship for the institution. He will continue his clinical practice and will remain a crucial part of UAB Medicine.
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) hosted its annual Learn Serve Lead conference Nov. 1-5, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The conference gathered leaders and professionals from across academic medicine to discuss pertinent issues in health and health care.
Crystal Burney is an office associate for the Office of Access and Engagement – Medical Student Experience. She joined the OAE team in March 2025 after serving as Lead Clinical Administrative Office Specialist for the UAB Health Services Foundation. She was nominated to the 2025-2026 cohort of Medical Education Unsung Heroes by Erica Brown, Ph.D., program manager for the Office of Access and Engagement – Medical Student Experience.
Denise Coston, administrative associate for Nick Van Wagoner, M.D., and Todd Peterson, M.D., is a vital member of Medical Students Services (MSS). She has been employed by UAB for a total of 35 years, and she has served MSS for the last 20 years. She was nominated to the inaugural cohort of Medical Education Unsung Heroes by Brook Hubner, Ph.D., director of Academic Success, and Jason Noah, program director for Student Success.
The grand rounds session at the Heersink School of Medicine is quiet and charged with attention. Caroline Harada, M.D., professor in the Department of Medical Education, watches as a student unfolds the story of a man from rural Alabama who—afraid of hospitals—grew out his hair to conceal a lump on his head. When his wife discovered it, she took him to the doctor. The diagnosis was grim: stage 4 meningioma (a tumor that grows from the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord) with metastases to the spine.
Burleson Foundation gift creates historic endowment for Department of Medical Education
On Friday, November 14, 2025, students from the UAB Heersink School of Medicine gathered to celebrate faculty excellence during the annual Argus Awards Ceremony. Established to recognize outstanding contributions in medical education, the Argus Awards are determined entirely by student nominations and votes, honoring faculty, courses, and course directors who have made a lasting impact throughout the year.
The newly constructed atrium is the first street-level entrance for Volker Hall in recent history, providing convenient access from the corner of 16th St S and University Boulevard. The completion of this project also marks a major milestone in efforts to update the learning facilities and environments for current and future Heersink School of Medicine students.
The UAB Heersink School of Medicine launched the Family Medicine Integrated Residency (IR) program on the Huntsville campus in 2017, marking the beginning of a new approach to preparing physicians for long-term service in Alabama communities. The IR program combines early recruitment, hands-on training, and strong mentorship to help medical students transition seamlessly into residency.
Between lectures, labs, and late-night study sessions, medical students at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine have found a unique way to unwind on pickleball courts. The Pickleball Interest Group, led by second-year medical students Juan Contreras (president), Bradley Dorin (vice president), and Krishna Josyula (tournament director), has grown into a popular way for students to stay active and connected.
In March 2025, Heersink School of Medicine held its annual Match Day ceremony, recognizing 183 medical students discovering where they would complete their medical residency training. These students have begun their residency journey around the state of Alabama and throughout the United States, taking the next step in their journeys of becoming the next generation of physicians. For Todd Peterson, M.D., assistant dean for students, Match Day is a culmination of four years of dedicated training and mentorship, preparing Heersink students for the transition to residency.
At 4:30 a.m., while much of Birmingham is still asleep, Taylor St. Martin, M.D., is already moving through the quiet rhythm of her morning. With bottles prepared for her daughter and her scrubs on, she heads out the door before sunrise. By 5:30, she is at UAB Hospital, ready to begin another day in anesthesiology residency — a role that demands focus and precision.
The UAB Heersink School of Medicine student-run free clinic, Equal Access Birmingham (EAB), has partnered with the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA), operator of MAX Transit, to help reduce one of the most common barriers to healthcare—transportation.
UAB Heersink School of Medicine’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is the recipient of a 2025 NIH-funded Institutional National Research Service Award (T32). The T32 grant will provide additional training opportunities for prospective students, expanding the total number of supported student slots from 18 to 20.
Craig Hoesley, M.D., senior associate dean for Medical Education and chair of the Department of Medical Education, has been named the inaugural Paul and Martha Burleson Endowed Chair in Medical Education.
On the second floor of Volker Hall, a group of first-year medical students gather in clinic practice rooms, their voices bright with energy as they run through patient histories and exam steps together. They compare notes, swap reminders, and encourage one another before stepping into a test session. These moments capture the essence of the Clinical Reasoning and Integrated Skills Program (CRISP), a pivotal element of the curriculum within the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. Launched in 2023, CRISP was built to ease the leap from the classroom to the clinic, giving students a structured, safe environment to build the skills and confidence they will need when they meet their first patients.
The Medical Education Committee (MEC) is charged with performing a review of each course and clerkship every four years. This ensures that medical education program quality is maintained and enhanced and that medical students achieve program objectives and participate in required clinical experiences and settings. During their fourth year, students take required acting internships, as well as their electives. The MEC Clinical Subcommittee, chaired by Dr. Stefanie Woodard, recently completed a review of the Acting Internships (AI) across UAB’s campuses, focusing on Internal Medicine, Ambulatory Care, Critical Care, Surgery, and OB. The review aimed to assess the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of clinical education for fourth-year medical students.
Educational Research & Innovations in Clinical & Health Sciences (ENRICH) Week is underway at UAB Heersink School of Medicine. The annual conference brings together healthcare educators to discuss and promote innovations in teaching skills, curriculum development, and healthcare research. It is organized by UAB’s Healthcare Educators Academy (HEA), which provides faculty development and mentorship for early career educators in Medicine, Public Health, Health Professions, Optometry, Dentistry, and Nursing at UAB.
A student walks into Cat Lewis, MSW, LICSW’s office and begins to share a challenge that has started to affect their ability to focus in school. Lewis listens closely, giving space for the story to unfold. Her role is to connect students with the right support—matching needs with resources so the weight they’re carrying feels lighter. For her, success means helping students return their focus not just to academics, but to managing life alongside medical school.
In Fall 2025, the UAB Heersink School of Medicine announced the creation of a twelfth Learning Community (LC). This is the first time an LC has been added since the founding of the program in 2015, and it has been named after Latesha Elopre, M.D., MSPH, a beloved member of the Heersink School of Medicine family who tragically passed away earlier this year.
On Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, the UAB Heersink School of Medicine welcomed the 196 students of the class of 2029 at the annual White Coat Ceremony, held at the Alabama Theatre.
In a recent article, the 2024 House Staff Council leadership for the Graduate Medical Education (GME) Office reflected on their year of service. In a yearly election, the small group of individuals are selected to serve as support for the 1,100+ residents and fellows training at UAB Heersink School of Medicine, operating as a direct link between trainees and institutional leadership.
The UAB Heersink School of Medicine welcomed 196 new students to the class of 2029 for New Student Orientation, held July 28–31. Throughout the week, incoming first-year medical students engaged in a variety of sessions and activities designed to equip them with the knowledge, resources, and support needed to begin their medical education confidently