Renita Daniels, M.D.

Medical School
Heersink School of Medicine

Hometown

Tracy, CA and Huntsville, AL

Undergraduate

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Graduate School

UAB School of Public Health

Medical School

Heersink School of Medicine

Career/Clinical Interests

Academic Primary Care/Transition Medicine/Precision Medicine Research

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds Residency Program?

The people! Additionally, Children's Hospital of Alabama is the only children's hospital in the state, providing a very large catchment area and allowing us to see not only bread and butter peds, but also rare and complex cases. As an aspiring researcher, UAB not only has robust research opportunities and world-renowned research faculty, but also an inter-disciplinary culture well-known to support early career trainees.

Hobbies/Special Interests

Yoga, running, D&D, gardening, hanging out with my fiance Jon and our dog Roux

Fun Fact

I just bought a house!

Hometown

Starkville, MS

Undergraduate

Rice University

Medical School

University of Mississippi Medical Center

Career/Clinical Interests

Primary Care, Adolescent Medicine

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds Residency Program?

UAB Peds is filled with remarkable people! It was also a huge plus to have an opportunity to train as a world renowned institution so close to home.

Hobbies/Special Interests

Social Justice, Foodie/Brunching, Motivational Speaking

Fun Fact

Marjada doubles a training physician and entrepreneur. During her long coat ceremony, she had the honor of being coated in a piece from her very own collection.

Hometown

St. Louis, MO

Undergraduate

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Medical School

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Career/Clinical Interests

Academic Med-Peds Hospitalist with involvement in Medical Education

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds Residency Program?

The people here are fabulous! They are invested in your personal success both in and outside of the hospital. Moving from another state, I couldn’t be more appreciative to have made a new family here with the wonderful people at UAB. It was important to me to train at a Med-Peds program that offered equally strong training on both sides. UAB has the perfect mix of local engagement as well as a national reputation for excellence in medicine.

Hobbies/Special Interests

Cooking, baking, running, game nights with friends, Peloton, exploring BHAM!

Fun Fact

My husband is an oral surgery resident at UAB and we've both inadvertently started saying "y'all" since moving down here!

Hometown

Hoover, AL

Undergraduate

Auburn University 

Medical School

Heersink School of Medicine

Career/Clinical Interests

Adolescent medicine, transitional care, some form of inpatient and outpatient (all the things)

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds Residency Program?

I was really fortunate and lucky to have been able to work with a lot of the MedPeds residents as a medical student; they were half the reason why I decided to go into MedPeds! I chose to stay at UAB for the residents, the leadership, and the incredibly strong categorical programs on either side!

What do you love about UAB Med-Peds?

Everyone here is just incredibly supportive of one another and down to earth. On my first day of residency, almost every resident reached out to us and offered support and encouragement. I also love that Dr. Stein set such a welcoming and warm atmosphere for us - I know that her door truly is always open, day or night.

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

Big Spoon Ice Cream!!! I’m torn on drinks because I love all of the breweries: Trimtab, Backforty, and Carrigans Beer Garden are my favorites

Birmingham Must-See

Legion FC Soccer Game!

Hometown

Waterproof, LA/Natchez, MS

Undergraduate

Louisiana State University

Graduate School

Georgia State University College of Law

Medical School

Heersink School of Medicine

Career/Clinical Interests

Primary care, prison healthcare reform and medico-legal consulting.

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds Residency Program?

Some of my most memorable upper levels were Med-Peds residents. Other than the fantastic training, I was truly interested in a program that was open and willing to have honest conversations about increasing diversity and minority representation within their program. I also had a really fun virtual interview day!

What do you love about UAB Med-Peds?

This program leadership has been phenomenal. They reached out to offer honest advice early on in 4th year and that advice has only increased since then. For every good and bad experience, I know that if I hear from no one else, I am going to hear from my PDs, APDs and Chief. I think I talk to/text with my PD every single day. Is that weird? That might be weird. You don't have to put this part if it's weird.

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

Chez FonFon if you want to be fancy. Encore Rouge Food Truck if you aren't on any sort of diet. Big Bad Breakfast, ABE, FIVE or Over Easy if you are looking for brunch. Slice if you want a good low carb pizza.

Birmingham Must-See

Hmmm. Tough. I'm not really an outdoors, hiking, nature person so I'm probably not the best person to answer this questions. There's some monument, viking man thing that people talk about. Apparently people like the mountains around here. But, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is really nice.

Hometown

Beckley, WV

Undergraduate

Washington University in St. Louis

Graduate School

Ohio State University

Medical School

Ohio State University

Career/Clinical Interests

Primary care & public health

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds Residency Program?

UAB was the perfect combination of top-tier IM and Peds programs I was looking for, with a warmth I had only hoped for. The UAB motto is “Excellence without Ego,” and that feeling of competence overlapping with compassion is felt every day in the hospital. The small Med-Peds class allows you to have a tight knit community even within the large Peds and IM programs. In addition, as someone interested in public health, I was excited by UAB’s ties to the Jefferson County Health Department (right next door). I’m hoping to collaborate with them on a local public health initiative during my training.

Why do you love about the UAB Med-Peds Residency Program?

The warmth and hospitality of everyone in the program! Coming from another state, I was anxious about how I’d fit into the program. But from Day #1, I have felt showered with support from every person in the Med-Peds, Peds, and IM programs.

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

My favorite so far is Thai food at Surin West

Birmingham Must See

Oak Mountain Park is only 30 minutes away and has incredible hiking and mountain biking.

Hometown

Huntsville, AL 

Undergraduate

Auburn University 

Medical School

Heersink School of Medicine

Career/Clinical Interests

Medical education, hospital medicine, infectious diseases

What do you love about UAB Med-Peds?

Since I had the privilege of being a medical student here at UAB, I was able to see that both the IM and Peds programs here truly display excellence without ego. Also, the Med-Peds residents were always my favorite to work with on the wards. 

What are the strengths of UAB Med-Peds?

The support! The UAB Med-Peds family is no joke. 

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

Post Office Pies, Ono Poke, Back Forty, Soho Social, Blue Pacific, Seoul Restaurant 

Birmingham Must-See

Hometown Supermarket! I know it’s strange to recommend a grocery store, but for those who love international cooking, this place is truly top notch. I could spend hours in there!

Hometown

Cottonwood, ID

Undergraduate

Washington State University

Medical School

University of Washington

Career/Clinical Interests

Hospital medicine or cardiology

Why did you choose UAB for your residency?

The people!!! UAB is a very strong academic program with great training facilities and research opportunities, but ultimately the people drew me to the program.  Everyone is so incredible and genuinely cares for each other!  I'm far from home and my family but everyone has been so warm and welcoming and I truly feel like I have a second family here within the internal medicine and pediatric programs!

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

BBQ!

Birmingham Must-See

Hiking Ruffner mountain, exploring the different breweries

Hometown

Hoover, AL

Undergraduate

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Medical School

Heersink School of Medicine

Career/Clinical Interests

Academic Med-Peds hospitalist 

Why did you choose UAB for your residency?

I knew that UAB, being a large academic center would be a place where I would get exposed to a variety and a large volume of patients and disease processes, both of which were important to me. I also was fortunate enough to work with some of the residents while I was  a student here and experienced just how great they were to work with. 

What do you love about UAB Med-Peds?

The people and how supportive, thoughtful, and caring they are - can come to them with any problem and they will help you no matter what it is.  

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

Saw's BBQ

Birmingham Must-See

Any of the parks/running trails 

Hometown

Birmingham, AL

Undergraduate

Auburn University

Medical School

Heersink School of Medicine

Career/Clinical Interests

I am interested in all things medicine and pediatrics! I am especially interested in disease prevention with an emphasis on nutrition and primary care in underserved settings.

Why did you choose UAB for your residency?

I love Birmingham, and UAB has outstanding internal medicine and pediatrics programs with excellent training and opportunities to care for all types of patients. I think the biggest deciding factor for choosing UAB was the people, from co-residents to faculty and program leadership. Everyone is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced in medicine but also conveys humility and a sincere interest in the welfare of their patients and residents. 

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

Lots of options. Good BBQ, Mexican, and Greek/seafood. Several good farmer’s markets for fresh fruit/vegetables.

Birmingham Must-See

Ruffner Mountain and Oak Mountain

Hometown

Hamden, CT

Undergraduate

Wellesley College

Medical School

University of California, San Francisco

Career/Clinical Interests

Med-Peds Primary Care, Addiction Medicine, Transitioning patients with chronic diseases from pediatric to adult care, and a smattering of other interests including Med-Peds Rheum and PICU. 

Why did you choose UAB for your residency?

I got the vibe that everyone in the Med-Peds program and in each categorical program genuinely cared about each other both as people and as medical colleagues. UAB Med-Peds has the combo of a supportive, tight-knit program with amazing teaching, a sweet balance of complex inpatient medicine and primary care, and the opportunity to train at a variety of different hospitals and clinics. 

What do you love about UAB Med-Peds?

I love the people, the learning, our primary care clinics, and that I feel comfortable asking questions and for advice and support when I've needed it during intern year. 

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

Zaza Trattoria, Big Spoon Creamery, Rodney Scott's BBQ, Trim Tab Brewing, Homewood Bagel Co., and the Hippie Fisherman burrito from Taco Mama

Birmingham Must-See

The day off combo: a run at Red Mountain Park followed by iced chai from Seeds Coffee 

Hometown

Birmingham, AL

Undergraduate

Lipscomb University

Medical School

Heersink School of Medicine

Career/Clinical Interests

Palliative care, primary care

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds?

Having been a student at UAB, I was able to get a small glimpse of what it looked like to be a Med-Peds resident at UAB. When it came time to start looking at residencies, I found that everyone I looked at I was subconsciously comparing to UAB. I knew that both the medicine and the pediatrics programs in and of themselves were strong, but what really drew me to UAB was the people. I could see as a medical student through the way they interacted with one another that they weren’t just colleagues, but friends who genuinely cared about each other and were willing to go out of their way to help each other. Residency is hard and I didn’t want community during it to be. Not only is the community strong, but the intelligence and work ethic of the residents are, too, make it a collegial environment where you can still be pushed academically. Another aspect that drew me to UAB, was that the residents truly are integrated well into both Medicine and Pediatrics. Although there are Med-Peds itself has its own identity, we are very well integrated into both programs, which I loved because at the end of residency I want to be able to say that I am an internist period and a pediatrician period. I want to be fully equipped to not just pass the boards, but practice adeptly in both specialties and I feel that UAB provides that. Lastly, Birmingham is my home, I love it, and I love the people—our patients are our greatest teachers and the people of Birmingham have a lot to offer.

What do you love about UAB Med-Peds?

My favorite aspect of residency at UAB is, of course, the people. Both the patients that I have the privilege to treat and the residents and attendings I get to work with. At UAB, we have the opportunity to treat and learn from a wide array of patients from so many different socioeconomic, racial, and cultural backgrounds. I am daily humbled by the opportunity to meet people from so many different walks of life and engage with them in a way that is special to the patient-doctor relationship. I have learned far more from my patients themselves than I ever will from any book. Not only that, but my coresidents on the pediatrics and medicine side who both push and encourage me make coming to work each day a joy.

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

Little Donkey

Birmingham Must-See

Alabama Theatre during Christmastime

Resident Bio:

Though originally from Egypt, I was raised in Ormond Beach, FL and attended the University of Florida for both my undergraduate and medical education. Born in Cairo to Egyptian parents, I still speak fluent Arabic and I am proud of my Coptic Orthodox heritage. I am recently engaged and my fiancé, Ashley Chin, is starting her Anesthesiology residency at MGH. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, playing and watching soccer, hosting board game nights, and obsessing over a quality cup of coffee. I am thankful to be a part of the Med/Peds family at UAB and, most importantly, to eat all the food Birmingham has to offer.

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds?

My interview experience at UAB was unlike any other. I left the pre-interview dinner feeling like I had just had a casual night out with lifelong friends. The friendliness and conversation that often felt burdensome, exhausting and forced throughout the interview season just felt natural at UAB. The warmth and kindness that permeates throughout UAB was epitomized when Dr. Nichols found out I was from UF, shouted “Oh my goodness, Jordan Ashcraft was just here! Let me go get her!”, and literally sprinted down the hall and around the corner trying to find Jordan just so I could say hi. It made me so uncomfortable at the time, because it was supposed to be such a formal, interview-day vibe, but then I realized there was no such thing here. The warmth here was so genuine, it was actually a relief from the expected chaos and formality of interview season. The way the UAB Med-Peds residents interacted with each other showed how close they all were. The way JR interviews is so much more personal than most PD’s. He took us aside to have a mini-round table discussion rather than the usual formal presentation, he wouldn’t let us call him Dr. Hartig, he took us on the tour around the hospital personally—it showed his true passion and his love for the place. I felt like a part of the family since literally day 1 (well, night 1. Shout out to the fraternity). More objectively-I LOVE the number of young, recently trained, evidence-based and academia-passionate physicians that are on staff here, Dr. Kraemer and Dr. Weil to name a couple I’ve worked with so far. That was a big attraction as well.

Resident Bio:

I grew up in Vero Beach, Florida then went to college at the College of William and Mary, before returning to Florida for medical school at the University of Florida. Outside of the hospital, I love food (cooking and eating), biking, hiking, podcasts, and spending time with friends and family. I think I want to do general Med/Peds, and have particular interests in women's health, public health, and underserved medicine. 

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds?

I was so impressed by UAB on my interview day. Not only is the clinical experience incredible, balanced, and diverse, but all within a supportive, collegial environment and a group of residents that are like family.

Hometown

Brandon, MS

Undergraduate

University of Mississippi

Medical School

University of Mississippi

Career/Clinical Interests

Undecided

Why did you choose UAB Med-Peds?

I chose UAB Med-Peds for the strong clinical training and the hospitable people. Also, the residents were cool and it is close to home. Just the best mix of everything from people to program to location to city.

What do you love about UAB Med-Peds?

The people are kind, supportive faculty, broad/deep clinical experience.

Birmingham's Best Food and/or Drink

Little Donkey and Taco Mama

Birmingham Must-See

Moss Rock Preserve