News - School of Medicine - Surgery

Celebrating Black History Month: Interview with Gooden

In honor of Black History Month, Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Colin Martin, M.D., FACS, and General Surgery Resident Juliet Okoroh, M.D., sat down with Abdominal Transplant Surgeon Christie Gooden, M.D., MPH, who was the first African American female to graduate from the UAB General Surgery Residency Program in 2009.

General Surgery Residency announces new administrative, education chiefs

From left to right: Drs. Uhlich, Rajaei and BakerUpcoming PGY5 General Surgery Residents Rindi Uhlich, M.D., and Mohammad Rajaei, M.D. have been selected as administrative chiefs, while Samantha Baker, M.D., MSHPed, will serve as education chief for the 2021-2022 academic year.

DEI committee 2020 recap

Last June, the UAB Department of Surgery established a committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), led by Vice Chair Colin Martin, M.D., FACS.

Department announces two new endowed chairs

Professor and Director of the Division of Plastic Surgery Jorge de la Torre, M.D., MSHA, is the new Bruce F. Connell Chair in Plastic Surgery, and Professor and Director of the Division of Transplantation Jayme Locke, M.D., MPH, has been named the Arnold G. Diethelm Endowed Chair in Transplantation Surgery.

Carter joins Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery as an instructor

The Department of Surgery welcomes Angela Carter, Ph.D., to the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery and the laboratory of Dr. Aurelio Galli, as an instructor.

American Heart Month: tips for heart surgery recovery

February is American Heart Month and is dedicated to raising awareness and increasing knowledge about heart disease, with the goal of preventing and treating heart disease across the US.

Dudeja and Lindeman named AAS committee co-chairs

Associate Professor and Director of the Division of Surgical Oncology Vikas Dudeja, M.B.B.S., and Vice Chair for Wellness Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., MEHP, FACS, have been named co-chairs of the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS) Publications Committee and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, respectively.

Blakeslee-Carter wins SAVS ePoster competition

Alongside UAB School of Medicine Medical Student Hunter Boudreau, UAB Vascular Surgery Resident Juliet Blakeslee-Carter, M.D., won the 2021 Southern Association for Vascular Surgery (SAVS) ePoster competition.

Hoopes to present at UAB COVID Forum

Department of Surgery Professor Charles Hoopes, M.D., will present at the UAB COVID Forum, End-Stage Heart and Lung Disease in the Era of COVID-19. The virtual event will be held on Mar. 5 from 1-5 p.m. CST.

Beck elected secretary-treasurer of SAVS

Professor and Director of the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy and Holt A. McDowell, Jr., M.D., Endowed Chair in Vascular Surgery Adam Beck, M.D., has been appointed Secretary-Treasurer of the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery (SAVS).

McFarland to join AOA honor society

Department of Surgery Assistant Professor Graeme McFarland, M.D., was recently elected to the national Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society chapter at UAB.

Reed awarded UAB PREP grant

Division of Transplantation Assistant Professor Rhiannon Deierhoi Reed, DrPH, MPH, has been awarded a $25,000 UAB Palliative Research Enhancement Project (PREP) grant.

Locke and Reed publish commentary on kidney transplantation

Division of Transplantation Assistant Professor Rhiannon, Reed MPH, DrPH and Mark H. Deierhoi Endowed Professor in Surgery and Director of the Division of Transplantation Jayme Locke M.D., MPH, were published in Lippincott Research Beta (LWW Journals).

UAB Surgery boasts highest number of abstracts at 2021 ASC

Academic Surgical Congress LogoThough the 16 Annual Academic Surgical Congress (ASC) looked different than previous years, the UAB Department of Surgery still ranked number one in abstract submissions, the fourth year in a row that the department has held that distinction.

Killian receives 2021 Young Innovator Award

General Surgery Research Resident Cozette Killian, M.D. MPH, recently received the 2021 Young Innovator Award from the American Society of Transplantation. Killian received the award for her abstract submission, “Living Donor Kidney Transplantation Racial Disparities Persist Independent of Social Vulnerability.”

Dabal recognized for leading the nation in Norwood Procedure results

UAB Department of Surgery Associate Professor and A.D. Pacifico, M.D., Endowed Chair of Cardiovascular Surgery Robert Dabal, M.D., has been recognized for his role in performing a high number of successful Norwood procedures at Children’s of Alabama.

UAB SWIFT team saves life with in-the-field amputation

On January 25, 2021, an EF-3 tornado ripped through the community of Fultondale, Alabama. The 100-year-old oak tree in Arnoldo Vasquez-Hernandez’s yard did not stand up to the 150 mph winds that evening.

Yang receives SUS Inaugural Trailblazer Award

UAB Department of Surgery Professor and Vice Chair for VA Affairs at the Birmingham Veteran’s Affair’s Hospital, George Yang, M.D., Ph.D., was named the inaugural Society of University Surgeons (SUS) Trailblazer Award Recipient.

Martin to join AOA honor society

Department of Surgery Associate Professor Colin Martin, M.D., FACS, was recently elected to the national Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society chapter at UAB.

Locke elected councilor-at-large for Society of University Surgeons

Mark H. Deierhoi Endowed Professor in Surgery and Director of the Division of Transplantation Jayme Locke, M.D., MPH, has been elected councilor-at-large of scholarship for the Society of University Surgeons (SUS).

Women in Surgery Spotlight: Ransom

Holder helps establish multidisciplinary tumor board

Department of Surgery Assistant Professor Ashley Holder, M.D., alongside Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Assistant Professor Lisa Kafchinski, M.D., Division of Hematology Oncology Instructor Victor Lin, M.D., Ph.D., and Department of Radiation Oncology Assistant Professor Samuel Marcrom, M.D., have launched a multi-disciplinary tumor board focusing solely on sarcomas.

Black History Month, Part 1: Remembering the roots of our community and taking action

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements of Black/African American individuals, recognize the central role of the Black/African American community, and highlight the importance of racial justice and equity.

Dean’s Excellence Awards 2021: nominations now open

Nominations are now open for the 2021 Dean’s Excellence Awards.

Get Ready for UAB @ #ASC2021

UAB Jeopardy Team at 2020 ASCAs the UAB Department of Surgery prepares for the 16th Annual Academic Surgical Congress, which is virtual this year – we’ve made available a spreadsheet of our 72 presenters (with times & topic information) who are affiliated with UAB or who have authored presentations affiliated with our UAB Surgery faculty. 2021 UAB Presentations at ASC - Excel document Don’t forget to share your experience at ASC with us on Twitter by mentioning @UABSurgery and using the hashtag #ASC2021. You can also read more about last year’s ASC, where UAB also won the abstract competition with a total of 121 presentations.

UAB honors memory of Arnold Diethelm, pioneering transplant surgeon

Diethelm was chair of the UAB Department of Surgery, and built the UAB transplant program.

Wei selected for membership in the AATS

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Associate Professor Benjamin Wei, M.D., has been selected for membership in the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS). Wei also serves as the program director of the UAB Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency.

Smith awarded ACS Resident Research Scholarship

PGY2 General Surgery Resident Burke Smith, M.D., has been awarded an American College of Surgeons (ACS) 2022-2024 Resident Research Scholarship award.

Division of Plastic Surgery launches integrated residency program

The Division of Plastic Surgery has launched an integrated residency program. Professor Timothy King, M.D., Ph.D., will lead the program as its inaugural director and Assistant Professor René Myers, M.D., will serve as the inaugural associate program director.

UAB Surgery remembers the life and work of Arnold G. Diethelm

Photo credit: UAB ArchiveWith a heavy heart, the UAB Department of Surgery announces the passing of a transplant hero and pioneer, Dr. Arnold G. Diethelm.

UAB Surgery loses a champion of trauma care: Dr. Alan R. Dimick

The UAB Department of Surgery is saddened to announce that former faculty member and champion of trauma care, Alan Dimick, M.D., passed away this week.

2021 Pittman Scholars announced

Ten faculty members in the School of Medicine have been named the 2021 class of James A. Pittman Jr., M.D., Scholars.

Sutzko named 2021 John Kirklin Award recipient

The Department of Surgery is pleased to announce Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director of the Vascular Surgery Integrated Residency Danielle Sutzko, M.D., M.S., as the inaugural recipient for the John Kirklin Award.

Locke and Sheikh hone in on sex-based disparities in liver transplant

Drs. Locke (left) and Sheikh (right)Director of the Division of Transplantation Jayme Locke, M.D., MPH, and Assistant Professor Saulat Sheikh, M.B.B.S., were featured in Jama Surgery for their commentary “Leveraging Frailty to Mitigate Sex-Based Disparities in Access to Liver Transplant: Justice in Allocation.”

Surgical oncology and cancer center team author top-scoring NCCN abstract

UAB Medical Scientist Training Program student Jeremie Lever, Ph.D., General Surgery Resident, Ahmer Irfan, M.D., and Department of Surgery Associate Professor Sushanth Reddy, M.D., were authors of a top scoring abstract for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)2021 Virtual Annual Meeting.

Gleason finds preoperative care has large implications for colon cancer patients

Department of Surgery PGY3 Resident Frank Gleason, M.D., was recently featured in the Annals of Surgery for his article, “Early Elective Surgery After Colon Cancer Diagnosis has Higher Risk of Readmission and Death.”

Vaccination questions answered by UAB medical professionals

With misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines rife, turn to trusted medical professionals at UAB’s Department of Medicine for the straight dope.

Dudeja, Parker and Vardas elected to AAS phase two committees

From left to right: Dudeja, Parker and VardasThree faculty members were recently elected to various Association for Academic Surgery (AAS) committees. Phase two committees include: Ethics, Global Affairs, Technology & Communication, Leadership, and Membership.

Cannon hits career milestone, performs most robotic colorectal resections of any female surgeon in U.S.

Cannon has performed more robotic colorectal resections than any other female surgeon in the country, and the second most amongst all academic surgeons.

Transplant faculty continue fighting for equitable organ allocation

Division of Transplantation faculty Michael Hanaway, M.D., Paul MacLennan, Ph.D., and Jayme Locke, M.D., MPH, were recently featured in JAMA Surgery for their response to a policy change in organ allocation.

Baird named first Military Match Resident

The General Surgery Residency Program is pleased to introduce the 2021 Military Match Resident, Emily Baird. She is the first military match and will graduate with the residency class of 2026.

UAB Surgery creates timeline, honors history of department

Over the last several months, the UAB Department of Surgery has worked to create a timeline of department history, milestones and achievements.

Mullins featured in UAB MedCast Podcast

In the UAB MedCast Podcast "Introduction to Bedside Teaching" General Surgery Resident Haddon Mullins, M.D., discuss the definitions, barriers to, and advantages of bedside rounds.

Rudraraju leads team to second place in AHA COVID-19 challenge

The challenge focuses on understanding the relationships between health conditions, health disparities and social determinants of health at the county level that may bring a higher burden of illness or mortality due to COVID-19.

Faculty, residents published in Journal of Surgical Research

Two medical students and several Division of Acute Care Surgery faculty and residents were published in the Journal of Surgical Research for their research article, “How Does Mission Ground Time Impact on Population Coverage of Aeromedical Retrieval Systems.”

These employees went from pandemic to ‘Pomp and Circumstance’

Meet four more hardworking staff who completed their degrees this month.

5 mindful tips to de-stress this holiday season

The article below is written by Department of Surgery Wellness Officer and Assistant Professor Brenessa Lindeman, M.D., MEHP, FACS.

King elected as representative to ACS Advisory Council

Division of Plastic Surgery Professor and Director of Research Timothy King, M.D., Ph.D., has been elected to the Advisory Council for Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery as a representative for the Plastic Surgery Research Council.

Sheikh is one of the first female transplant surgeons from Pakistan

Division of Transplantation Assistant Professor Saulat Sajjad Sheikh, M.B.B.S., is one of the first female transplant surgeons from her originating country, Pakistan.

Wang receives VA Five Star Service Award

Department of Surgery Professor and Chief of Surgical Oncology at the Birmingham Veterans Affairs (VA) Thomas Wang, M.D., Ph.D., was recently recognized as a VA Medical Center Five Star Service recipient in a virtual ceremony.

UAB Surgery supports annual toy drive

2020 marks the 27th year that UAB, and the Department of Surgery, has supported the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.

Department welcomes Sethi

The UAB Department of Surgery welcomes Vrishketan Sethi, M.B.B.S., to the Division of Surgical Oncology as an instructor.

15 providers named 2020 “Top-Performing” Providers

UAB Medicine Office of Patient Experience and Engagement (OPXE) has recognized 15 Department of Surgery providers in the 2020 list of “Top-Performing” providers, up 25 percent from 2019, even amid the COVID-10 pandemic.

Department comprises 39 percent of phase one AAS committees

Six faculty members and three residents were recently elected to various Association of Academic Surgery (AAS) committees. Phase one committees include: Academic Advancement, Finance, Clinical and Health Services Research, Education, and Basic and Translational Science.

Department Thanksgiving word cloud

Over the last few weeks, we asked faculty, staff and trainees to take a moment of wellness and submit a word of gratitude to be featured in our department Thanksgiving word cloud. Although Thanksgiving will look different for many of us this year, including School of Medicine's Dean Vickers, this word cloud is powerful tool to remind us of all that we are grateful this year. Take a look!

Abraham places first in ACS regional abstract competition

General Surgery Research Resident Peter Abraham, M.D., placed first the statewide competition and Region IV (southeast region) American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma (COT) resident abstract competition in the clinical category.

Carroll inducted as Fellow into the ACS

Assistant Professor in the Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery Shannon Carroll, M.D., FACS, has been named a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

Chen, Lindeman, Fazendin, and Ramonell author book on thyroid and parathyroid disorders

Chair of the Department of Surgery Herbert Chen, M.D., FACS, as well as Associate Professor in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Pallavi Iyer, M.D., are co-editors of a book dedicated to the care of children with thyroid and parathyroid disorders.

Hospital closures in rural America means longer drive times for patients needing care

The loss of rural hospitals has been felt most keenly in Southern regions of the United States, from Florida to Texas.

UAB establishes uterus transplant program

UAB’s uterus transplant program is the first program in the Southeast and fourth in the United States.

Problem to product: Shielding providers from COVID-19 particles

Most PPE goes on the provider, not the patient. A solution to this problem from UAB faculty earned them a commercialization grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

UAB team wins AHA prize for project mapping links between health disparities and COVID-19

An interdisciplinary team of faculty and graduate students are using machine learning to identify geographic areas in which social determinants contribute to the COVID-19 burden as a way to improve the public health response.

Hendershot inducted into ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators

Kimberly Hendershot, M.D., assistant professor in the UAB Division of Acute Care Surgery, has been named an associate member in the new American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators™.

UAB Medicine provides safe cardiovascular care during COVID-19

There is a narrow window of opportunity for successfully treating major cardiovascular events, and patients risk serious consequences if they wait for symptoms to get worse before seeking medical attention.

Cancer health and education providers stress importance of colorectal cancer awareness following death of “Black Panther” actor

Black people in the United States have the highest rates of colorectal cancer of any racial or ethnic group, according to the American Cancer Society.

Okor and Snyder receive 2020 Brewer-Heslin Award

Erin Snyder, M.D. and Mamerhi Okor, M.D. are this year’s winners of the highly regarded Brewer-Heslin Award.

Vickers and Pisu receive $3 million National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant

Drs. Vickers and Pisu will use a $3 million, five-year National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant to study barriers that may exist for GI cancer patients to access quality cancer surgery in Alabama and Mississippi.

Low health literacy may be a risk factor for postoperative infection

Low or limited health literacy is common among adults in the United States and may affect health outcomes in many ways, according to the government’s Healthy People 2020.

“I’m a best-case scenario” — heart, double-lung transplant gives UAB student new perspective

Cooper Pierce was 13 years old when doctors diagnosed him with pulmonary hypertension. He had a heart and double-lung transplant at UAB Hospital. Now, he is a student at UAB and hopes his story can inspire others.

Phosphoprotein biomarkers to guide cancer therapy are identified

A study identifying biomarkers for certain neuroendocrine cancers demonstrates a novel approach for identifying and detecting tumor drivers, giving this diagnostic-therapeutic coupled system a broad translational potential.

UAB again ranked as best hospital in Alabama by U.S. News

UAB Hospital tops the list of best hospitals in Alabama again, according to US News & World Report.

Trauma/Burn ICU wins Hand in Paw award

UAB's Trauma Burn intensive care unit is honored for their use of therapy dogs.

Transplanting organs from hepatitis C-positive donors decreases wait time for recipients

Doctors at UAB are now able to safely transplant organs from hepatitis C-positive donors into uninfected recipients and then treat the patients with antiviral therapy.

Study: Women more likely than men to die waiting for a liver transplant

New evidence for sex disparity in liver transplants suggests a change may be needed in how livers are allocated.

COVID-19 is not the only health threat in town

Trauma centers are not as busy as usual, but injuries from falls and acts of violence are rising.

Sixteen faculty members named winners of 2020 Dean’s Excellence Awards

Sixteen outstanding faculty members have been named recipients of the 2020 Dean’s Excellence Awards in the areas of teaching, research, service, mentorship, and diversity.

Lindeman named 2020 Dean's Excellence Award Winner in Service

Brenessa Lindeman, M.D. MEHP, FACS, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, is a junior faculty recipient of the 2020 Dean's Excellence Award for Service.

Dudeja named director of UAB Division of Surgical Oncology

Dudeja is a leader in the treatment of colorectal liver metastases and chronic pancreatitis.

Uhlich and Hwang team up with Bham Face Masks to deliver 500 home face masks

Sick with COVID-19 herself, a UAB resident physician sews masks to help others.

Faculty editors share ways their journals are responding to COVID-19

Scientific journals tackle the tough questions with rigor. Learn the questions consuming these thought leaders in sociology, pathology, civil engineering and surgery.

Things you can do today to help improve your mental health amid COVID-19 outbreak

Social distancing can be tough. A UAB clinical psychologist has some pointers for good mental health.

UAB receives grand prize from National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable

Colorectal cancer screening among UAB employees enrolled in a medical plan increased from 54 percent in 2014 to 68 percent in 2019.

UAB’s Kerby named first state trauma consultant

UAB chief trauma surgeon Jeff Kerby will consult with the Alabama Department of Public Health on ways to improve the state’s trauma system.

Study shows new surgical protective gear does not reduce surgical site infections

New guidelines for operating room attire to prevent surgical site infections may be ineffective.

Chen named editor-in-chief of American Journal of Surgery

Chen is the chair of the UAB Department of Surgery.

Martin named James IV Association of Surgeons traveler

Martin is the second UAB surgeon in the last three years to be selected for this fellowship.

Chen named editor-in-chief of American Journal of Surgery

Herb Chen, M.D., FACS, surgeon-in-chief and chair of the Department of Surgery, has been selected as the new editor-in-chief of American Journal of Surgery.

Faculty projects funded through 2019 Multi-PI Awards

Three School of Medicine faculty projects were recently funded as AMC21 2019 Multi-PI awardees.

Recovering trauma patient with an eye toward naval career vows to “use every breath I have to help others”

Cole Burton came back to the UAB Trauma Center to say thanks as his rehab progresses to a possible naval career.

UAB named a top 50 cardiovascular hospital by IBM Watson Health

UAB is continuing its world-class patient care with the establishment of a new Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery.

Resident macrophages reprogram toward a developmental state after acute kidney injury

The School of Medicine communications staff sat down with Dr. George to gain insights about his research, UAB, and the science community.

Department of Surgery establishes new Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery

UAB is continuing its world-class patient care with the establishment of a new Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery.

Study: Medical and surgical residents’ lack of sleep recovery leads to persistent fatigue

A new study shows the quality of sleep medical and surgical residents receive is poor and causes persistent fatigue throughout residency.

Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery to host esophageal cancer event

The UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery will host an esophageal cancer event on the first-floor lobby of The Kirklin Clinic on Nov. 15.

Heart procedure won’t slow down 97-year-old World War II veteran

Trussville resident and World War II veteran Chuck Tompkins has no intention of slowing down, even after undergoing a TAVR procedure.

A $60 kit could help Stop the Bleed, save a life

Just one bleeding-control kit could make all the difference in the event of a mass shooting, explosion or car accident, trauma surgeons say. Learn to use a kit and buy them for your unit or donate kits to the Division of Acute Care Surgery to provide more training at UAB and in the community.

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