Greetings from the Chairman
Seth Landefeld, MD, Department of Medicine Chair
Welcome back to Letters to Tinsley. The residency program you helped build thrives, and the Department of Medicine has exciting news.
In a historic first, two new faculty—both past Tinsley Harrison residents—have been selected for the 2017 Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program. Latesha Elopre, M.D., and Gregory Payne, M.D., Ph.D., were chosen as finalists to receive one of 14 four-year career development awards given to health professionals who are from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine and are committed to developing careers in academic medicine! I invite you to read more about their tremendous honor here.
Greetings from the CMRs
L to R: Mack Brown, MD, Amanda Brito, MD, Karla Williams, MD, and Rob Smola, MDAs the 2017-2018 Chief Medical Residents, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve the Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine residents, faculty and staff. It is difficult to believe that we are six months into the academic year! The saying that time flies when you’re having fun has definitely been the common sentiment.
Beyond the Hospital Doors: Residents Reaching Out
by Sarah Marucci, MD
On the hospital wards, Internal Medicine residents frequently take care of uninsured and underserved patients, but we rarely get exposed to how these vulnerable patients live and obtain access to healthcare outside the hospital after discharge. Through multiple different outreach efforts, residents now have opportunities to interact and better understand the daily challenges and health inequities facing the medically underserved of the greater Birmingham area, as well as develop camaraderie amongst other residents while serving.
Breaking the Silence: A Word on Physician Burnout
by Madeline Eckenrode, MD, and Karla Williams, MD
Burnout among physicians is a topic that is increasingly in the headlines. A recent article in The New York Times cited several studies linking physician burnout to poor patient outcomes. In April 2017, the Society of General Internal Medicine held their meeting in Washington. The theme of the meeting? “Resilience and Grit: Pursuing Organizational Change and Preventing Burnout in GIM.” In keeping with the growing cultural interest in physician wellness, the Department of Medicine held a grand rounds in September on the topic. UAB hosted Dr. Tait Shanafelt, a nationally known expert in the field, who joined the Stanford University faculty as the very first physician wellness officer in September 2017. The title of his talk was “Finding Meaning, Balance, and Personal Satisfaction in the Practice of Medicine.”
Designed with Patients in Mind: New Clinic in Whitaker
by Shannon Booker, MD, Med-Peds
As you may or may not know, the new acronym for our resident led Internal Medicine-IV Clinic is in a state of flux; no longer can it be called 'TKC' as an abbreviation for 'The Kirklin Clinic', now that we have moved to the beautifully renovated John N. Whitaker Building just a block away. This change occurred only a few months ago, but physicians and patients alike have raved about the modern design and new equipment that comes with the updated space. The clinics that are currently operational in the new building are Rheumatology, Dermatology, Podiatry, and Primary Care, including the IM-IV clinic.
Bring A to B
by Emily Bufkin, MD
In early September, Amazon launched a search for a home for its second headquarters and invited cities across the country to submit their proposals for consideration. The criteria for submission were simple - a metropolitan area with more than one million people, a stable business-friendly environment, and the potential to attract and retain strong technical talent. Amazon charged cities to think big and creatively when submitting their proposals.
Reserving a Place for Patient Values: Flipping the Checklist
Alumni Essay by Anand S. Iyer, MD
Dr. Anand IyerI arrived at the medical emergency call to a familiar situation, a man in his 60s with respiratory distress. The record confirmed he had an end-stage lung disease, and after stabilizing him, I braced for something I have become too accustomed to doing in recent years--emergency advanced care planning.