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The Heudebert family pose in front of a painting of Tavo located in BDB Conference Room 334. L to R: Alonso, Tavo, and JP Heudebert

When the elevator doors opened to the residency hall on the third floor of the Boshell Diabetes Building, a wave of laughter filled the previously quiet hallway. Gustavo "Tavo" Heudebert, M.D., MACP, entered the conference room with a cheerful smile. Following behind were Alonso Heudebert, M.D., MPH, with a Christmas sweater in hand, and JP Heudebert, bashfully amused by the pictures that decorated the walls.One by one, the Heudeberts claimed their seats around the large wooden table. Each sat with their hands resting comfortably on their stomachs and leaned ever so slightly to the left. As the interview began, the Heudeberts’ story unfolded, highlighting how Tavo’s enthusiasm for patient care and medical education inspired the next generation of physicians — right inside his home.

Keith Barron, Noah Blackney, Carolyn Walsh, Shane Wiley, Jeremie Kirkwood, Lisa Jinright, Dawn Self, Francine Montgomery, Whitney Mosely, Dhiral Panjwani. Not pictured: Lauryn Schultz and Terrance Reed

In the spirit of the holidays, Department of Medicine staff gave the gift of time as volunteers to the UAB Blazer Kitchen — a program which provides healthy food and resources for patients, students, and staff who experience food insecurity. The team helped stock the pantry with much needed food items and toiletries, and they encourage other teams to consider taking part in making a difference in our community.

Pictured: Doug Morgan, M.D., MPH (Professor and Division Director) Kelley Williams, MSN, RN (Senior Director, Gastroenterology Service Line and Ambulatory Services), Rick Campbell, RN, (Nurse Manager), Sergio Sanchez-Luna, M.D., (Assistant Professor), and Kondal Kyanam, M.D., (Associate Professor and Director of Advanced Endoscopy) at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

On Tuesday, the UAB Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology celebrated a milestone accomplishment — opening two new state-of-the-art fluoroscopy suites located on the sixth floor of the Jefferson Tower building. The multimillion-dollar renovation provides 2D and 3D imaging, adds video live stream capabilities for training conferences, and expands much-needed capacity for treating more patients with advanced gastroenterological diseases. We look forward to seeing more exciting changes as additional phases of renovations continue.

Above: Dr. May (on screen) and Dr. Willett prepare to lead a WIM session.

Department of Medicine faculty Lisa Willett, M.D., (Professor, General Internal Medicine) and Jori May, M.D., (Assistant Professor, Hematology and Oncology) co-lead the Department’s Women in Medicine lecture series, a quarterly meeting designed to build community among women with careers in medicine and to provide a platform to share challenges and solutions. In the most recent session, a panelist of junior faculty discussed the nuances of transitioning from training to their careers while navigating a new institution. Drs. Willett and May are thrilled to welcome female faculty, fellows, residents, and staff to join the next conversation "Building Professional Relationships" at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 15. Mark your calendars and sign up today!!

In a Thanksgiving message, Seth Landefeld, M.D., (Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine) shares his gratitude for the DOM's faculty, staff, and trainees, provides a reminder to prioritize wellness this holiday season, and encourages employees to donate to the UAB Blazer Kitchen — which increases food security in the UAB community by providing healthy food and resources to roughly 1,000 UAB employees, students, patients and their families every month