Department of Family and Community Medicine

The Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Network is working across the state to recruit, train, and retain a workforce of health professionals committed to serving communities with insufficient access to care.

The Department of Family and Community Medicine will be welcoming 33 future residents — including eight Heersink School of Medicine students — who matched into the Cahaba-UAB Family Medicine Residency, UAB Selma Family Medicine Residency, and newly branded UAB-St. Vincent's East Family Medicine Residency programs.

Though the loss of an hour may not seem like much, UAB experts say it can still have an impact on your health. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to adjust in the first week following the switch to daylight saving time.

Irfan Asif, MD, chair of the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine, has been elected as 2nd vice president of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) and will assume the organization’s presidency in 2027.

November 2024 marked 20 years since the establishment of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute (EMBI) at UAB. The institute was made possible by a generous gift from the McKnight Brain Research Foundation (MBRF), matched by the university, to support research in cognitive aging and age-related memory loss. Ronald Lazar, Ph.D., professor in the UAB Department of Neurology, has been director of the institute since 2017.

Twenty-two UAB leaders graduated among the ninth cohort of the UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership on Dec. 11, 2024. Institute for Leadership is a flagship program of the UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office, an organization dedicated to providing tools and training to empower UAB Medicine’s leaders and the individuals and groups they manage.

Twenty-two UAB employees recently graduated from the Emerging Leaders Series (ELS) fall 2024 leadership development program. The program, presented by UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO), recognized its second cohort of graduates at a ceremony on Nov. 7.

UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office welcomed 22 individuals in its ninth cohort of Institute for Leadership in August 2024.

The spring 2024 Endowed Chairs and Professorships Reception honored the distinguished faculty members of the Heersink School of Medicine for their outstanding impact on contemporary medicine and medical education. Anupam Agarwal, M.D., the dean of the Heersink School of Medicine, extended a warm welcome to the honorees, their families, and other leaders from the school. The gathering took place at the Wallace Tumor Institute on April 17.

UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office recently recognized 12 individuals in its fourth cohort of Sharing Authentically to Inspire and Lead (SAIL). The spring 2024 graduates received their certificates on April 9.

In Birmingham, Alabama, the commitment to fostering the potential of young athletes extends far beyond the playing field. Thanks to the initiative spearheaded by James Jones, head athletic trainer for the UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Birmingham City Schools, and Bama Wellness Advocacy, and from the financial support provided by the UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and UAB Sports & Exercise Medicine, a revolutionary nutrition program has been launched. This program not only emphasizes the significance of proper nutrition but also highlights the importance of self-wellness factors such as sleep, ultimately aiming to enhance the overall performance and well-being of student-athletes.

Thirteen faculty members recently graduated from UAB Medicine’s LEading Advancing Developing (LEAD) Spring 2024 program. The program, presented by UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO), recognized its graduates at a ceremony on March 14, 2024.

More than 70 attendees from 20 institutions across Alabama had conversations and heard from a diverse group of panelists about workforce shortages, rural and underserved care, and more at the 2024 Primary Care Summit on Jan. 25.

On Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, students from Heersink School of Medicine gathered to celebrate faculty, courses, and course directors at the annual Argus Awards Ceremony.

Nine Heersink staff members were honored at the 2023 Dean’s Excellence Awards for Staff reception. Recipients, guests, and Heersink leaders gathered in the Wallace Tumor Institute Lobby on Sept. 14 to celebrate the inaugural group of honorees. Read about this year's honorees and see photos from the reception.

Ryan Outman, executive administrator in the UAB Department of Family and Community Medicine, has been selected as a recipient of the inaugural Heersink School of Medicine Dean’s Excellence Award for Staff.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a life-threatening event that can happen unexpectedly to anyone, including young individuals. Unlike a heart attack, SCA occurs when the heart suddenly stops functioning, leading to unconsciousness and cessation of breathing. It's crucial to recognize the signs, understand the risks, and be prepared to take action, especially in sports and other high-risk settings.

Heersink School of Medicine is proud to announce nine staff members have been selected as the inaugural Dean’s Excellence Awards for Staff winners.

Sara Gould, M.D., MPH, associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Camden Hebson, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, were recently featured as experts on ESPN’s SportsCenter regarding athlete Bronny James’ recent cardiac arrest.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine Office of Research introduces new faculty for Spring 2023. Please join Heersink School of Medicine and the Office of Research in welcoming these new faculty.
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