News

Acute Care Surgery, a service line of the UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, was recognized as one of UAB Medicine's top ten service lines for timely and effective consults, according to results from the 2025 hospital-wide Consult Optimization Survey.

Holly Waller, R.N., MPH, associate vice president for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, is the recipient of the 2025 President’s Award for Shared Values, selected from the 12 UAB VIP recipients in 2025.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine is proud to announce the 2026 Pittman Scholars. This prestigious honor recognizes assistant professors for their exceptional research achievements and their potential to make future contributions to their fields.

Rondi Gelbard, M.D., a professor in the UAB Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery, has received the 2025 Alliance Committed Leader Award from the Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance (The Alliance) which recognizes a leader who commits significant time and expertise to Alliance initiatives and taken on significant efforts to advance nationwide collaboration and engaged learning within the organ donation...

The UAB Medicine Vein Clinic has received reaccreditation and the 10-year Milestone Award from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC), reaffirming its continued commitment to excellence in patient care, clinical quality, and adherence to nationally recognized standards for venous disease management.

The UAB Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery led a holiday clothing and supply drive to support several local non-profit organizations, including Impact Family Counseling, the Offender Alumni Association, and the UAB Compassion Closet.

UAB Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Associate Professor James Donahue, M.D., and UAB Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery Associate Professor Sophie Dream, M.D., MPH, have recently been elected to the prestigious Southern Surgical Association (SSA).

The UAB Department of Surgery Access and Engagement Committee hosted Operation CARE, a new community outreach initiative focused on serving Birmingham’s unhoused population, on December 13 at Railroad Park downtown.

UAB has completed more than 16,000 organ transplants since 1968.

The UAB Department of Surgery is proud to announce Professor Robert Dabal, M.D., the chief of pediatric cardiac surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, as the 2025 recipient of the Champ Lyons Award for Outstanding Clinical Service, recognizing his exceptional dedication to patient care, clinical excellence, and leadership in pediatric cardiac surgery.

In just a little over a week, the UAB Department of Surgery will travel to Orlando, Florida for the 21st Annual Academic Surgical Congress.

This month’s UAB Department of Surgery Access & Engagement Committee Spotlight highlights Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Advanced Practice Provider Jamie Theodore, CRNP. From her journey as a nurse in the ICU to the UAB Cardiovascular Institute, her breadth of knowledge and personal experiences highlight her empathetic approach to patient care.

Herbert Chen, M.D., the Fay Fletcher Endowed Chair of the UAB Department of Surgery, gave the 2026 State of the Department presentation earlier this week, spotlighting achievements from the past year and reflecting on the 80 year history of the department.

UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine medical students Thanushri Srikantha, Neil Chaudhary, and Alison Levine were awarded among the best projects of the 2025 UAB Medical Student Research Day (MSRD).

The Empathy Project helps trainees respond to the emotions beneath patients’ tough questions. Creator Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., MSCI, a UAB surgeon specializing in high-risk abdominal procedures, understands why doctors often substitute facts for feelings. But it is possible to have better doctor-patient conversations, she said: “It is a skill you can practice.”

Robert Hollis, M.D.,MSPH, an assistant professor in the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery and leader of the colorectal cancer management team in the O’Neal Cancer Service Line, was recently featured on a national medical education podcast episode focused on the modern management of diverticulitis for hospitalists and frontline clinicians.

UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office would like to welcome 19 individuals in its 12th cohort of the Institute for Leadership in the spring of 2026. The goal of the UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership is to enhance existing personal, leadership, and management competencies while leveraging current leadership strategies and trends.

The DATA coordinating and Collaborative Research Unit (DATA CRU) at UAB will lead the Data Coordinating Center (DCC) for the United States arm of the international WARRIORS trial (Women’s Aneurysm Research: Repair Immediately Or Routine Surveillance).

Researchers at UAB recently received a grant to help develop a plan aimed at reducing crash fatality in Central Alabama through evidence-based enhancements.

After a devastating car accident, Garry Taylor, 71, had nearly a zero percent chance of survival. Pre-hospital blood extended his survival to allow him to get the lifesaving care he needed at UAB Hospital.

UAB Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Cardiovascular Institute patient services were recently recognized in Newsweek’s list of the World’s Best Specialized Hospitals 2026, highlighting its position as a leading institution in treatment and care.

UAB Department of Surgery providers have been recognized by UAB Medicine for their excellence in patient care. This year, 42 providers have received the Provider Excellence Award – based on patient evaluations and feedback.

The UAB Department of Surgery is honored to congratulate five faculty members who have recently graduated from the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine Emerging Leader Series (ELS) professional development program, which was developed by UAB Medicine's Leadership Development Office (LDO).

UAB Division of Transplantation Professor and Surgical Director of Kidney Transplantation, Michael Hanaway, M.D., has recently been featured on UAB MedCast.

Angela M. Carter, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, was selected to chair a minisymposium at Neuroscience 2025, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) and the largest international gathering of neuroscientists.

Even in the colder months, it is important to keep an eye out for any unusual skin changes as some discolorations may not appear immediately after sun exposure.

UAB Neurosurgery and Trauma experts discuss the importance of taking precautions when decorating this holiday season.

The award, totaling over $2 million through 2030, will support Overstreet’s investigation aimed at uncovering the factors that determine patients’ experiences of acute and chronic pain during their healing journeys after surgery.

A UAB expert provides recommendations on how to drink responsibly during the holidays.

Experts at UAB are providing insight into some of the top preventable injuries they see on a regular basis and some practical advice for how to avoid them.