Since October 2023, Heersink School of Medicine’s Department of Medical Education has hosted several faculty training sessions in partnership with the Global Ultrasound Institute (GUSI). GUSI aims to equip medical professionals with skills to effectively use Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) devices.

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.

On April 9, 2024, an AAMC-sponsored briefing was held in a U.S. Congressional session to examine the impact of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA, 2021). UAB’s Craig Hoesley, M.D., senior associate dean for Medical Education, participated as one of three panelists representing health systems and hospitals that have benefited from the legislation.

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.

Faaiz Saad, a fourth-year MD/MBA student at the Heersink School of Medicine and the Collat School of Business, recently wrote, produced, starred in, and directed a new short film entitled “A Confusing Truth, A Comforting Lie” that was nominated for the Gold Diamond Award for Best Student Short Film at the Asian Film Festival Los Angeles in December 2023.

The second annual Montgomery Health Policy Meeting was held on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Sponsored by UAB Heersink School of Medicine Montgomery Regional Medical Campus and the Kennamer family, the event aims to bring together prominent members of government, public health and policy, and medicine to highlight urgent issues affecting the people of Alabama.

The Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation offers an AI in Medicine Graduate Certificate to meet the growing impact of artificial intelligence in academic medicine. Stevan Fairburn, a UAB MS2 student currently enrolled in the program, met with the Heersink communications team to shed some light on the certificate program and its curriculum. 

The Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation held a Grand Rounds presentation with speaker Christy Harris Lemak, PhD., Professor in the Department of Health Services Administration in the School of Health Professions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, on Tuesday, April 2. 

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion is excited to host the next Staff Grand Rounds session featuring UAB’s University Ombudsperson. Michelle R. Horvath, J.D., will discuss practical strategies to navigate workplace conflicts effectively.

In the intricate landscape of cellular biology, a group of dedicated Heersink investigators is unraveling the mysteries of protein glycosylation, particularly focusing on the enigmatic world of sialylation. Led by Susan Bellis, Ph.D., the Glycobiology group at UAB delves deep into the significance of sialic acid modifications and their profound impact on cellular behavior. As we sat down with Bellis, she shared valuable insights into the group's pioneering work and its pivotal role in shaping our understanding of glycobiology.

In this second quarterly space and facilities article, we will focus on space assignment and space management. The Heersink School of Medicine has roughly 1.8 million square feet to manage, fund, and account for across 60 campus buildings, and the school is the predominant occupant in over 20 of the facilities. Most of the school’s space [85%+] is assigned to our academic departments, while the remainder is assigned to the Dean’s Office, Medical Education, regional campuses, Heersink institutes, and institutional research cores. All assignable space is organized into three main categories: administrative space, clinical research space, and basic research space; these groups account for 54%, 8%, and 38% of the school’s total space footprint, respectively.

In Birmingham, Alabama, the commitment to fostering the potential of young athletes extends far beyond the playing field. Thanks to the initiative spearheaded by James Jones, head athletic trainer for the UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Birmingham City Schools, and Bama Wellness Advocacy, and from the financial support provided by the UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine, a revolutionary nutrition program has been launched. This program not only emphasizes the significance of proper nutrition but also highlights the importance of self-wellness factors such as sleep, ultimately aiming to enhance the overall performance and well-being of student-athletes.

The UAB Graduate Medical Education office is now offering its residents, fellows, and faculty a new training opportunity through the American Medical Association (AMA). The piloting of the AMA GME Competency Software in September 2023 was made possible by medical education funding through a HRSA grant.

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.

Hosted by the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion in collaboration with the School of Health Professions, a panel discussion was held on March 19 to honor Jean Cowsert, M.D. The event served as a testament to Cowsert's pioneering spirit and enduring contributions to the medical field.

Nineteen individuals comprising five teams recently graduated from UAB Medicine’s High Performing Care Collaborative’s (HPCC’s) Spring 2024 program.

Orlando Gutiérrez, M.D., will be appointed senior associate dean for Clinical and Translational Research in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and director and contact principal investigator of the UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science. In this role, Gutiérrez will also serve as the associate vice president of Medicine and Biomedical Research for UAB. In turn, Robert Kimberly, M.D., will transition into the newly created role of senior associate dean for Strategic Initiatives in the Heersink School of Medicine. Both appointments are effective April 1, 2024.

The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) recently held its annual conference in Birmingham, Alabama, from Jan. 9-14, 2024. Hosted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) J. Frank Barefield, Jr. Entrepreneurship Program, the event, titled USASBE 2024: Forging the Future Together, brought together educators, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across the country and featured many team members from the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and UAB Medicine.

UAB medical students gathered with family, friends, and Heersink School of Medicine faculty and staff on Friday, March 15, 2024, to celebrate this year’s Match Day. At 11 a.m., the 2024 graduating class learned the institutions where they will complete their residencies.

Medical Education is in the process of re-surveying medical students as part of an LCME accreditation requirement. The survey is in response to findings from the LCME during the school’s most recent reaccreditation process in 2022, which Medical Education has made strides toward improving.

The Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation held a Grand Rounds presentation with speaker Byron W. Lai, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Pediatrics, on Thursday, March 14.

The 51st Annual Medical Alumni Weekend began Friday, Feb. 23 at Volker Hall, where the Medical Alumni Association (MAA) and UAB Heersink School of Medicine Advancement staff greeted the many alumni for the activities planned for Friday afternoon.

The American College of Physicians Alabama Chapter recently held its annual Winter Meeting at UAB’s new Active Learning Center in Volker Hall. The meeting, hosted by the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine, focused on “Medicine in the Machine Age: The Integration and Influence of AI in Medicine,” and featured presentations and expert involvement from the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation team and other Heersink School of Medicine leaders.

Stephen Obaro, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH) as the associate director for Faculty Engagement and Service Initiatives, tasked to promote faculty engagement in global health.

Women’s History Month celebrates the accomplishments and success of women throughout history and in modern culture. The Office for Diversity and Inclusion is honoring women this month who have made a difference and continue to make a difference currently through a series of events.

This month, during Women’s History Month, the Office for Diversity and Inclusion honors Jean Cowsert, M.D., a physician who once graced the halls as a University of Alabama at Birmingham student.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is an international awareness week observed during the second week of March.

In April, the Heersink School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion proudly commemorates the contributions and achievements of Arab Americans in the field of medicine and science.

In this three-part series, we look into the ways Heersink School of Medicine operations and leadership invests—year after year—in our growth.