Jayme Locke, M.D., surgical director of UAB’s Incompatible Kidney Transplant ProgramJayme Locke, M.D., surgical director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Incompatible Kidney Transplant Program at UAB Hospital, has been selected for the prestigious James IV Traveling fellowship, designed to promote communication and collaboration in the surgical community.
Travelers are both ambassadors representing their home countries and conduits to share their knowledge with their peers. Travelers also are expected to promote collegiality and collaboration among the James IV community of surgeons.
“This is a tremendous honor, and it’s a privilege to have the opportunity to represent UAB and American surgery abroad,” Locke said. “I really look forward to the opportunities this will provide for me to learn from peers in the surgical community as well. Previous fellowship travelers have commented that this experience was one of the highlights of their careers, and I’m sure it will be a wonderful experience.”
The fellowship, which is ideally suited to young academic surgeons who are at the stage in their career to benefit from international exposure, covers a four-week period and pays a flat stipend of $15,000. Typically, travelers will be at the assistant to associate professor academic rank, have distinguished themselves in terms of their academic achievements, and be considered emerging leaders in surgery.
“The James IV Traveling fellowship is a very high honor in the surgical community, and we are proud to have Dr. Locke selected as a fellow representing the United States abroad,” said Herb Chen, M.D., chair of the Department of Surgery in UAB’s School of Medicine. “She will be the perfect ambassador for UAB and American surgery.”
As part of the fellowship, UAB guarantees Locke the availability to travel for a period of up to four weeks within a two-year period. The award may be one four-week trip or two two-week trips over a period of two years. Travelers are announced at the annual James IV Association of Surgeons, Inc., General Members Meeting held during the annual American College of Surgeons’ Clinical Congress, in the fall. The travelers’ timeline begins in January 2017.
Locke was selected as one of the Birmingham Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2015 and also coordinates the UAB Kidney Chain, the longest ongoing kidney transplant chain on record, which is currently at 67 transplants. If you are interested in exploring the opportunity to become a living organ donor, visit UAB Medicine today and fill out the Living Kidney Donor Screening Form. Register with the Alabama Organ Center today to be an organ, eye and tissue donor.