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.

The John N. Whitaker Building, built by the UAB Health System in 2001, was previously used for business and administration. As UAB has grown and moved many of the business functions to the Avondale 720 Business Operations Center, it has opened up space near the city center available for conversion into clinical facilities. This building is named after the neurologist Dr. John Whitaker, who came to UAB in 1985 as a chair of neurology. He ultimately served as the president of the Health Services Foundation until he passed away in 2001. He was known as a pioneer in the field of multiple sclerosis with more than 200 published papers.

Residents and patients have had very positive things to say about the move (other than the as-to-be expected grousing about the logistics of the move). Dr. Jim McAlpine (PGY-3, Internal Medicine) stated the following, "I intend to practice primary care, and our clinic design sets a high standard in my mind of what a practice should look like. It's well-lit with bright colors, lots of natural light, and with ample views of outside with easy options for preservation of privacy (i.e. shades that draw all the way down, very easily)...but the most important feature of the exam room and the facility in general is the mobile computer cart which can easily be positioned such that you can the patient can, together go through labs and imaging. It gives a sense of patient ownership of their issues and emphasizes joint decision-making." UAB Internal Medicine residents can continue to look forward to their clinics in this beautiful new space for years to come. 

The Whitaker Clinic can be found at 22nd Street South and 6th Avenue North.