Greetings from the Chairman
Dr. Seth Landefeld, MD, Professor and Chair, UAB Department of Medicine
I extend my best wishes to you for a happy holiday season and joyous new year. Your contributions as alumni have built a lasting legacy of medical excellence here at UAB. Thank you.
I’d love to have you visit us in 2020 to see for yourself how the department and the residency program are thriving. Here are just a few examples:
Program Director Lisa Willett, MD, MACM, has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to training and was recognized with the coveted ACGME Courage to Teach Award this fall. I could not be prouder of this distinction, which came close on the heels of her New England Journal publication with former CMR Jeremey Walker, MD, and collaborators in UAB Neurology.
Chiefs' Letter
Pictured L to R: Stephen Stuart, Jonathan Kalehoff, Jordan Crocker and Ali Johns
We cannot believe that six months of our time serving as the 2019-2020 Chief Medical Residents for the Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine Residency Program have already gone by. The beginning of the academic year is a whirlwind filled with exciting events like welcoming our new PGY-1s to the Tinsley Harrison training program, coaching the new PGY-2s in leadership skills through ACLS training during Code Week and our Leadership Retreats at Dr. Willett’s home. The newly minted PGY-3s experienced the honor of attending our annual Legacy Dinner, hosted by our beloved Professor Emeritus, Dr. C. Glenn Cobbs, who trained under Tinsley Harrison himself.
PATH Clinic
by Salmaan Kamal, MD, PGY-2
“How much is it?”
“About one hundred and fifty dollars for one month.”
“Doc, I can’t afford that!”
I was a junior resident volunteering at a free clinic near UAB Hospital. I sat in front of Ms. Gutierrez, a warm, soft-spoken woman in her sixties. She recently moved to Alabama from Florida, and she was seeking a primary care doctor to help manage her diabetes. She was knowledgeable about the disease and eager to modify her diet, but one barrier remained to her care. She was an undocumented immigrant without access to insulin.
Hospital Employee Spotlight: "Minnie's Cooper"
by Rich Godby, MD, PGY-3
When asked to pick someone to interview for the Hospital Employee Spotlight, it was a no-brainer. Since starting my internal medicine residency in the summer of 2017, I’ve wanted to know more about “the person who drives the golf cart.” At first I didn’t know her name (Minnie), so some detective work was needed up front. This struck me, because over the past 2.5 years I’ve met countless individuals who are the best in their fields and have influenced me as a physician. However, I feel as though Minnie has influenced me as well without us ever speaking, and she doesn’t even know it.
Enhanced Clinical Skill Track
by Alex Martirossian, MD, PGY-3
Thinking back to the bygone days of medical school, many of us were taught with the aid of Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking, learning the principles of how to perform a perfect physical exam. But reflecting on our own performance, how many of these exam skills have we actually mastered? Listening for a wheeze or assessing for lower extremity edema may be a breeze, but how about localizing a neurologic deficit or pinpointing the exact etiology of a patient’s shoulder pain? In his time working with medical students and residents, Dr. Stephen Russell, an Associate Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine, observed a lack of confidence in physical exam skills that was quite prevalent among medical trainees.