Amy Knight, Ph.D., ABPP, recently received a lovely painting from a patient as an expression of gratitude.

 Assistant Professor Amber Clark, M.D., received her second pilot grant from the Resource Centers for Minority and Aging Research (RCMAR) to study the post-stroke continuum among African American stroke survivors in Alabama.

 The UAB Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Assistant is thrilled to welcome our new education coordinator, Savannah Tinsley!

 UAB Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Assistant Professor, Casey Azuero, Ph.D., MPH, recently presented “Standardization of care for patients with SCI across care continuum: A pilot study” at the 24th Annual Rehabilitation Psychology Conference in February. 

My name is Gloria Bennett, niece of Theresa Peagler, one of the former patients at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center.  Ms. Peagler had part of her leg amputated (up to her knee), so she was transported to UAB Spain for rehabilitation and extra care from the hospital.  In addition, my aunt has experienced an abundant number of losses in life; she lost her parents, all her siblings, her daughter, and recently lost her husband several months ago.

 During severe weather season, families make plans for what they need to do in the case of a severe weather threat. When making your plans, University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Rachel Cowan, Ph.D., wants to remind you to remember your neighbors with disabilities. 

 Jereme Wilroy, Ph.D., was recently featured on the "2021 CCTS Year in Review Kudo Board". View his recognition.

 The UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is thrilled to welcome assistant professor, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson.

 Burnout is on the rise across the United States. In a survey of 1,500 U.S. workers conducted by the online job site Indeed, 52 percent of respondents said they were experiencing burnout, with 67 percent of respondents saying that burnout worsened during the pandemic.

 James Lo, medical student mentee of Dr. Yu-Ying Chen, recently received "AAP Best Paper Award" for their project titled "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Substance Use Behaviors in People with Spinal Cord Injury." The study aimed to understand the correlation between COVID-19 and substance use behaviors for people with spinal cord injury.

 Join us today on Resident Appreciation Day in thanking all of our residents. Our residents are often the first face seen by most of our patients/families and they represent us exceedingly well – days, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Danielle Powell, M.D., is one of three selected to receive the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion 2022 Professional Excellence Award. 

Roshita Rathore, Ph.D., is a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Cowan's Lab at the UAB Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 

Casey Azuero, Ph.D., MPH, and Elaine Mahoney, Ph.D., discussed strategies for addressing poor insight during acute rehabilitation at the acute therapy "Lunch and Learn" on Dec. 16.

Mahoney presented strategies for working with patients who have limited insight into their deficits because of cognitive impairments that resulted from an injury.

Azuero discussed strategies for working with patients when emotional defenses are impairing their ability to fully participate in their rehabilitation and learn health behaviors related to their condition. 

Overall, the discussion was interactive and well received. 

Kudos to Drs. Azuero and Mahoney for representing the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation!

"It’s been almost one year since a Fultondale father lost his leg while saving his daughter in the January tornado that destroyed his home, and Arnoldo Vasquez Hernandez says he has a lot for which to be thankful."

Read the full story.

After 33 years of service to UAB, Amie McLain, M.D., former Chair of the UAB Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, has been appointed Professor Emerita and plans to retire from clinical practice. 

Throughout her career, McLain has founded and directed the nation's first reproductive health clinic for women with disabilities. She has served on the NIH Advisory Committee for Health of Women with Disabilities, the United Spinal Association’s national committee, “Women Without Limits”, and was a panel member for the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine to develop clinical practice guidelines for women with spinal cord injuries (SCI).

McLain served as president of the American Spinal Injury Association and as a member of the International Spinal Cord Society’s scientific committee and council. She has published a number of research studies in peer-reviewed journals and has served as a reviewer for Spinal Cord, Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, and Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. A great achievement was her authorship of the chapter “Women with Disabilities” in the well-known obstetric textbook, Obstetric Medicine; Management of Medical Disorders in Pregnancy. 6th ed., edited by Cohen and August and published by People’s Medical Publishing House, USA. 

Prior to attending medical school, McLain worked for two years at Spain Rehabilitation Center in the UAB Division of Urology pursuing research activities involving basic science investigations of urological complications following SCI. She completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at UAB and, since joining the staff as a faculty member in 1988, has made her major focus of clinical research activity the medical management of spinal cord injuries and disorders.

McLain’s passion, insights, and convictions have shaped patient care, education, and research. Her distinguished career has left an impact on the department. As she retires, the department hopes to expand upon her legacy of excellence. 

“I have had the opportunity to grow professionally due to the encouragement, support, and resources provided by UAB. While my training and career have been centered in one place it gave me a very unique perspective of UAB. I’ve experienced so many School of Medicine and Department of PM&R changes and growth. I’ve met and worked with many people throughout the decades —both within the institution and also in the community and state—who have been truly dedicated to the goals and values of our mission. It has been rewarding to see that dedication make our health system what it is today. Not too many people can take pride in that longevity.“ said McLain.

To date, 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability, accounting for 26% of the population, or one in four individuals.

The UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and Office of Diversity and Inclusion would like to recognize Dec. 3 as International Day of People with Disabilities.

UAB Medicine Office of Patient Experience and Engagement (OPXE) has recognized 4 Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation providers in the 2021 list of “Top-Performing” providers.

Written by Megan Hays, Ph.D., ABPP

Burnout was already a well-documented issue in healthcare workers prior to this global pandemic, but after multiple surges of COVID-19 we are seeing unprecedented levels of burnout and compassion fatigue in healthcare, leading to some professionals dreading their jobs or even thinking about quitting. Increased workloads, staffing shortages, and emotional trauma are just a few of the factors that have led to an increase in job dissatisfaction among healthcare workers during the pandemic. So how can you find joy in your job again while working in a helping profession? Check out these 5 practical tips to feel more joy in your work:    

1. Get back to the basics: Water. Sunlight. Sleep. Movement. Have you been treating your basic needs more like “nice-to-haves”? Think again. Physical and mental health are inextricably linked, so neglecting these basics leaves us more vulnerable to problems like burnout and compassion fatigue, making it difficult to find joy in our day-to-day work. Consider pressing the reset button for your body and mind by creating some specific and realistic goals focused on your basic needs, and only focusing on one change at a time! For example:

• Spending at least 30 minutes outside in the sun daily. Consider meeting this goal by simply eating your lunch outside or going on a brisk walk during your lunch break.

• Bringing a large refillable water bottle to work and setting a goal for the number of times you will drink and refill the water bottle per day.

• Going to bed 8 hours before you plan to wake up, even if you “still have so much to do.” There are always more things to do, but trying to be productive with insufficient sleep will make your job even harder.

2. Use your vacation and sick days: Americans have been taking less and less time off for decades. Research shows that most people take off about a week less than they used to 40 years ago. For healthcare workers, taking time off during the pandemic may lead to feelings of guilt or shame. Many studies have demonstrated the health benefits of taking a vacation, including decreased risk of heart disease and other illnesses, decreased depression and anxiety symptoms, and reduced stress. Going on a vacation, or simply taking time away from work for a staycation, improves employees’ productivity, as well as their energy and focus within the workplace. And when organizations and supervisors support employees taking vacation time, employee retention, employee loyalty to the organization, and job satisfaction all improve – which is a win-win situation!

3. Compartmentalize your work and home lives: If you are feeling burned out by your job or finding yourself dreading your workday, practice leaving work at work by creating better personal and professional boundaries. You can practice mental boundaries by stating “I am leaving my patients at work” to yourself before you leave for the day, or having a box on your desk that you symbolically put all work-related thoughts and emotions into before heading home. You can also create contextual cues that encourage separation between your work and home lives, such as leaving all paperwork in your workspace at the hospital before you go home, taking off your work clothes as soon as you arrive home, or immediately doing something enjoyable when you get home (such as cooking a new recipe, lighting your favorite candle, and/or listening to music). For those who work from home, make sure that you have a separate workspace that is different from where you spend your leisure time.

4. Reorient yourself to your “why”: Remember that for every why, there is a how. Healthcare workers have seen some dark times during the pandemic, and it can be easy to lose sight of the meaning behind the work that you do. Get into the practice of reminding yourself of your “why.” Why did you want to work into healthcare in the first place? Why did you start this journey (what may feel like) so many years ago? Understanding the driving force behind what you do can facilitate meaning and fulfillment in your job. Similarly, remind yourself of your unique skills and the ways in which you make a difference that are special. Perhaps you are the one at work who is always able to make your team laugh when humor is most needed, or you can remain calm and collected under significant pressure. Appreciating yourself and your contributions will open the door to feeling more joy in your work.

5. Know your values: Why is it important to know your values? Because knowing your values is like having a North Star to guide you back in the right direction when you are caught in a storm. Having values means that adversity, disappointments, losses, and trauma do not take away from your life’s greater meaning and purpose. Just because you have experienced more adversity as a healthcare worker during the pandemic does not take away from your values of helping others or contributing to your community. It is difficult right now, but these values can ultimately help you to find meaning in your work and build the resilience to see this pandemic through the other side when surges are fewer and farther between. In addition, it is critical to live a life consistent with your most deeply held values outside of work as well. For example, if family is one of your top values, think of just one concrete thing that you can do in the next day or even hour that reflects this value, such as FaceTiming with grandkids, playing hide and seek with your child, or enjoying a date night with your partner.