Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
After more than 25 years of service, Christy Willis, M.A., ALC, NCC, is retiring from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to medical education, mentorship, and student success.
The UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Dean's Excellence Awards for Faculty, recognizing exceptional faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, service, access and engagement, and mentorship.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) services are expanding to Mobile Infirmary through a new telemedicine agreement that increases access to high-risk obstetric care in the Mobile region.
UAB Medicine's Leadership Development Office (LDO) recently celebrated the graduation of a group of clinical and operational leaders who successfully completed the High Performing Care Collaborative (HPCC) program. This initiative brings together functional leadership teams from across the institution to strengthen collaboration, enhance performance, and drive meaningful improvements in patient care and operations.
Ashley Battarbee, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has been appointed as director for the Center for Research in Women’s Health at UAB, effective March 1.
A recent avenue for grassroots outreach, a rural forum for addressing women’s health concerns, has positioned the UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology with an outstanding opportunity to further focus on supporting and educating women in rural Alabama. Through a free, monthly women’s health column published in local newspapers, UAB OB/GYN faculty are sharing accessible, evidence-based women’s health topics with communities where access to care and health education can be limited.
Dina M. Jones, Ph.D., MPH, is making a difference in Alabama by focusing on a unique area of study: tobacco cessation.
There’s a positive energy that happens when a community comes together not just to raise funds and awareness, but to raise hope. That energy was undeniable this year as Teal Wings of Hope and UAB Gynecologic Oncology deepened a powerful partnership by turning events of speed, style, and sport into an effort for change.
On Thursday, Nov. 20., the Heersink School of Medicine honored 20 faculty members at the Fall 2025 Endowed Chairs and Professorships Reception. This event recognizes Heersink faculty who have made major contributions to research, education, and clinical care.
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is recognizing 39 providers for delivering outstanding patient care throughout fiscal year 2025. These physicians, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse midwives were acknowledged by the UAB Office of Patient Experience and Engagement for earning top box ratings of 95 percent or higher (n ≥ 30) in Medallia patient satisfaction surveys.
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 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is proud to announce the 2025 OB/GYN fellows.
Over the past six months, the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery at UAB has taken meaningful steps to expand access to care for all communities in Alabama. Gabriela Halder, M.D., MPH, an assistant professor in the division who spearheaded the initiative, elaborated on the team’s approach to community engagement, its impact so far, and its plans for the future.
As cold weather approaches, respiratory illnesses such as influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and whooping cough become more common, increasing risks for pregnant patients and healthcare providers.
Since 2019, the UAB OB/GYN Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, led by Akila Subramaniam, M.D., MPH, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine division director, has actively participated in UAB’s Green Labs Program, reducing environmental impact while maintaining research excellence.
This week, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology bids farewell to a true pioneer as William Hurd, M.D., officially retires. He will be closing a chapter that spans more than four decades of service, science, and heartfelt devotion to the care of women and their families.
The UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership, the flagship program of the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office, recently celebrated the graduation of its 10th cohort.
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome, is a rare, but serious, genetic disorder that causes abnormal blood vessels to form throughout the body. These abnormal vessels bypass much smaller blood vessels, or capillaries, creating direct connections between arteries and veins known as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). This can lead to serious health issues, including internal bleeding and complications in vital organs like the lungs, brain, spine, liver and gastrointestinal tract.
Twelve UAB employees recently graduated from the Emerging Leaders Series (ELS) spring 2025 leadership development program. The program, presented by the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office (LDO), recognized its third cohort of graduates at a ceremony on June 5.
As summer ushers in the next generation in OB/GYN, we will soon bid a heartfelt farewell to our graduating chief residents. These eight exceptional physicians have left a lasting impact through their dedication to patient care, commitment to research, and contributions to medical education. Please join us in celebrating their accomplishments and wishing them well on their next chapter.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is proud to announce the early success of its groundbreaking Anemia in Pregnancy Quality Improvement Initiative. This innovative program, launched in October 2023, has already made significant strides in reducing rates of pre-delivery anemia among obstetric patients, showcasing the power of evidence-based protocols in improving maternal outcomes.
The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees has approved the formal establishment of the Division of Global and Rural Health within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine. The resolution was passed during the Board of Trustees Meeting on April 4, 2025.
UAB Medicine will host Maternal Health for All 2025: Maternal Health in Focus, an event focused on maternal health and infant mortality, on April 16, 2025, at 5 p.m. at Sidewalk Film Center & Cinema.
The UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is proud to announce the appointment of Shweta Patel, M.D., as the new associate division director for the Division of Women’s Reproductive Healthcare (WRH).
Zach Gentry, M.D., is breaking new ground as the inaugural Global and Rural Health Fellow for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. His journey into global health began when UAB introduced this fellowship within the past two years, offering OB/GYN residents an opportunity to engage in international medical research and intervention. For Gentry, the opportunity was too compelling to pass up.
Michael D. Toboni, MPH, MD, assistant professor in the UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was recently named the leader of the Gynecologic Oncology Disease Working Group (DWG) within the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.
In an inspiring effort to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, University of Alabama at Birmingham Peer Wellness Ambassadors (PWAs) and medical students in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Student-Run Interest Group at UAB Heersink School of Medicine have launched OPERATION WIPE OUT UAB. These students lead initiatives to raise cervical cancer awareness, promote HPV vaccination and screening among UAB students, and empower them to advocate for their own health and the well-being of others.
The University of Alabama Board of Trustees has approved renaming the Center for Women's Reproductive Health (CWRH) to the Center for Research in Women's Health (CRWH) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). This decision, made during the Board’s meeting on Feb. 7, 2025, reflects the center’s mission and comprehensive approach to advancing women’s health research.
When Latrice Quinn walked through the doors of UAB Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for the first time, she was not an employee but a patient. What she didn’t know then was that the compassionate care she received would inspire her to return, not as a patient, but as a vital part of the team, ensuring other mothers felt just as supported as she had.
Martina Gonzalez-Gomez, M.D., M.Sc., program manager for the Global Neurosurgery program in the Department of Neurosurgery, and James Johnston, M.D., professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and director of the Pediatric Neurosurgery division, co-instruct the Global Surgery course. In 2023, we met with Gonzalez-Gomez and Johnston to learn more about their vision for the course, which launched with the introduction of the UAB Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) program offered by the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and the UAB School of Public Health (SOPH).
UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office welcomed 16 individuals in its 10th cohort of Institute for Leadership in January 2025. UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership is a flagship program of the Leadership Development Office, aimed at empowering leaders across UAB and the UAB Health System. It features an initial DISC assessment and a robust agenda of guest speakers from executive-level leadership positions at UAB, including Institute alumni, throughout the program.
Cynthia Ye, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Alan T. N. Tita, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH) and associate dean for Global and Women’s Health, co-instruct the Global Health Research Methods course. In 2023, we met with Ye and Tita to learn more about their vision for the course, which launched with the introduction of the UAB Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) program offered by the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and the UAB School of Public Health (SOPH).
Twenty-nine individuals comprising six teams recently graduated from UAB Medicine’s High Performing Care Collaborative (HPCC) fall 2024 program. The program, presented by UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office, recognized its graduates at a ceremony on Oct. 3, 2024.
UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office recognized 16 individuals in its eighth cohort of Institute for Leadership at a graduation ceremony on June 26, 2024.
Seven chief residents at UAB recently graduated from the Chief Residents Leadership Series Spring 2024 program. The program, presented by UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office, recognized its graduates at a ceremony on May 30, 2024.
Twenty-eight UAB employees recently graduated from the Emerging Leaders Series (ELS) Spring 2024 program. In its pilot year, the program, presented by UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO), recognized its first cohort of graduates at a ceremony on May 23, 2024.
UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office recognized 13 individuals in its third cohort of Momentum Leaders in Medicine at UAB during a graduation ceremony on May 7, 2024.
The spring 2024 Endowed Chairs and Professorships Reception honored the distinguished faculty members of the Heersink School of Medicine for their outstanding impact on contemporary medicine and medical education. Anupam Agarwal, M.D., the dean of the Heersink School of Medicine, extended a warm welcome to the honorees, their families, and other leaders from the school. The gathering took place at the Wallace Tumor Institute on April 17.
The Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion hosted the annual Women in Medicine and Science Promotion Reception April 11, which recognized women faculty promoted at the end of 2023. The honorees and their guests were greeted by Heersink leadership to celebrate their remarkable achievements.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine saw great success in acquiring research funding in 2023, making significant strides in securing resources to advance human health through biomedical discovery.
Thirteen faculty members recently graduated from UAB Medicine’s LEading Advancing Developing (LEAD) Spring 2024 program. The program, presented by UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO), recognized its graduates at a ceremony on March 14, 2024.
World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every April 7, and is one of 11 global health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All, at least 140 countries currently recognize health as a human right in their constitution. However, as of 2021, at least 4.5 billion people were not fully covered by essential health services.
From January to May of 2023, Shelby Lyda, M.D., was extremely tired and had brain fog, but she chalked it up to the demands of a residency program.
Alan T. N. Tita, M.D., Ph.D., director for the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH) and associate dean for Global and Women’s Health, and Cynthia Ye, Ph.D., a researcher in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, have partnered to instruct the Global Health Research Methods course.
On Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, students from Heersink School of Medicine gathered to celebrate faculty, courses, and course directors at the annual Argus Awards Ceremony.
Anupam Agarwal, M.D., dean of the Heersink School of Medicine, welcomed 13 esteemed faculty members, their families, and Heersink School of Medicine leaders to the Wallace Tumor Institute on Nov. 14 to honor the new endowed chairs and professorships for their contributions to modern medicine and medical education.
Momentum in Medicine's third cohort includes an impressive list of 15 women leaders from a variety of roles, departments, and backgrounds within UAB Medicine.
UAB and the University Teaching Hospital/University of Zambia in Lusaka, Zambia have collaborated on a project titled “Interventions to Reduce Infant Mortality and Morbidity in Low Resource Settings,” which has been continuously funded since 2003. The funding for the ongoing program has been competitively renewed for a seven-year term by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health.
In this installment of MHIGH's Partner Profiles series, Dr. Isabel Scarinci shares about her life and work in global health.
Alabama is one of three states currently offering an ovarian cancer car tag, thanks to the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Proceeds from each tag purchased go directly to the Division of Gynecologic Oncology to support ovarian cancer research. Donations from the Drive Out Ovarian Cancer car tag have totaled almost $1.7 million since the tag's inception.