The UAB Department of Pediatrics established the Mini Medical School in the spring of 2022 to provide a longitudinal series of virtual and in-person experiences to increase middle school students’ awareness of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers, with a particular focus on healthcare.
The Mini Medical School selects a cohort of students from schools in the Birmingham area to participate in the program during the school year. This cohort meets monthly to hear from a variety of healthcare and science professionals about their careers and participate in hands-on STEM activities.
During these sessions, students may hear from healthcare professionals including: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists and forensic scientists. The healthcare professional will give a presentation and then work with the students on an activity that relates to his/her field.
The program is funded through the generous support of the Carlo Family and the Department of Pediatrics.
Our first cohort in the Spring of 2022 was comprised of 25 6th grade students from the following schools: WJ Christian, Smith Middle School, Erwin Middle, Huffman Middle, Cornerstone Academy, and Phillips Academy. Click here to read more about our first cohort. Based on the success of our initial program we expanded to a full academic year for 2022-2023. One of the highlights of the past year was our field trip to the Children’s of Alabama Pediatric Simulation Center. You can read about that event here.
Virtual Talks
In addition to the in person activities, there will be virtual offerings as well. Every month, there will be a zoom session with healthcare professionals. All speakers currently work at UAB or completed training in the UAB school of medicine or other UAB healthcare professional school. Mini Med School participants are encouraged to join these virtual conversations to hear from physicians and healthcare professionals located throughout the country.
Apply
We are now accepting applications for students in 6-8th grades for the 2024-2025 school year. Click the link below to apply. Note: The application takes about 15 minutes to complete and must be done in one sitting; you cannot save your work to return to it later.
Leadership
-
Brian Sims, M.D., Ph.D.
Brian Sims, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the Division of Neonatology, attended University of Alabama at Birmingham where he completed a Bachelor Science and a PhD, and a Medical Degree at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He finished a Clinical Research Fellow at Washington in St. Louis, MO, and a Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship at University of Alabama at Birmingham.
His primary research interest is in exosome biology and mechanisms involved in neuroprotection. One of his primary roles as a Physician Scientist is to help develop younger trainees. He is involved heavily in training many students on various levels with an emphasis on helping students from diverse backgrounds. He has a sincere interest in increasing diversity in the academic setting.
-
Shaundra Blakemore, M.D.
Shaundra Blakemore, assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, is the co-director of the UAB Mini Medical School Program. She is a proud graduate of the Birmingham City School System (Central Park Elementary School, WJ Christian Middle School, and Ramsay High School). She attended Yale University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. After college she spent a year teaching biology abroad in Singapore. She completed medical school, pediatric residency, and pediatric emergency fellowship at UAB. She is excited to help expose students to all of the varied careers in healthcare. In addition to co-directing the mini medical school she also co-directs a course in the medical school and is the medical director of the American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support course for Children’s of Alabama. When she isn’t in the hospital she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughters.
-
Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., MPH
Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., MPH, professor in the Division of Adolescent Medicine has oversight for Mini Medical School Program team facilitating the UAB Mini Medical School Program. Dr. Coyne-Beasley completed medical school at Duke University, a residency in Internal Medicine/Pediatrics: Duke University Medical Center, and a fellowship at Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program: University of North Carolina Preventive Medicine Fellowship: University of North Carolina. Additionally, she completed a master’s degree in Public Health in Epidemiology at University of North Carolina.
Her academic, community work, policy development and research has focused on adolescent health and risk behaviors especially sexual and reproductive health, violence and injury prevention; health promotion and disease prevention, reducing health disparities, immunizations, improving health care access, community-based participatory and engaged research, and practice-based research.
-
Marsha Kelley-Sutton, MPA
Marsha Kelley-Sutton, a UAB School of Medicine retiree, brings over 35 years of program coordination to the Mini Medical School Program. She possesses expertise in program management, grant solicitation, curriculum development and development of strategic partnerships. In her profession as a program administrator for the University of Alabama School of Medicine, her responsibilities included coordinating the Health Career Opportunity Program, the Summer Health Enrichment Program (formally MMEP), and pre-matriculation programs for the Office of Medical Student Services. Her passion for working with students continues as she assists aspiring college students with creating essays and writing personal statements to assist them in gaining admissions to various schools and programs or scholarships. Ms. Kelley-Sutton began her academic pursuits at Tuskegee University and completed her B.A. degree in English and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
