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Ambika Ashraf, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, has been selected to lead the 2021 Pediatric Endocrine Society meeting. Dr. Ashraf will co-chair the program committee for the society's first independent, annual meeting.

Pallavi Iyer, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, has been appointed to the American Academy of Pediatrics Pediatrics Review and Education Program (PREP) Endocrinology Editorial Board. As a member of the PREP Endocrinology Editorial Board, Dr. Iyer will play an important role in the development and success of the PREP Endocrinology Self Assessment. 

The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomes ten new faculty members during the month of July. Please join us in making them feel at home! 

Guillermo Beltran Ale, M.D., Assistant Professor in Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine
Vidit Bhargava, M.D., Assistant Professor in Pediatric Critical Care
Jared Buchan, M.D., Instructor in Pediatric Emergency Medicine 
Viral Jain, M.D., Assistant Professor in Neonatology
Jeremy Loberger, M.D., Assistant Professor in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Brittany Marlin, M.D., Instructor in Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Pedro Anis Nourani, M.D., Assistant Professor in Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine
Bhuvana Sunil, M.D., Assistant Professor in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes
Kent Willis, M.D., Assistant Professor in Neonatology
Cynthia Wozow, D.O., Assistant Professor in Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine

Randy Cron, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, and Gabriela Oates, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, have received funding to conduct high-impact COVID-19 research from the UAB Research Office. 

On July 10, 2020 Governor Kay Ivey announced a $375,000 grant to Children’s of Alabama and the UAB Department of Pediatrics to establish a statewide medical network to ensure that victims of child abuse receive immediate and professional care. The network, the Alabama Child Abuse Medical System (ALCAMS), is a joint effort between UAB and the Alabama Network of Child Advocacy Centers.

Donna Murdaugh, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, received one of 53 grants recently awarded by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Dr. Murdaugh was awarded a Supportive Care Research Grant to help fund her research project title, “Feasibility of cognitive remediation via telemedicine in cancer survivors.” Her study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive remediation interventions via telemedicine for cancer survivors between the ages of 10 and 18 years old. 

Gabriela Oates, Ph.D., Pediatric Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine, has been accepted to membership in the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) as an Associate Scientist. 

Jeffery Lebensburger, D.O., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, has been selected to serve on the Scientific Review Subcommittee for the American Society of Hematology Sickle Cell Disease Clinical Trials Network. 

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2020-2021 Founder's Fund Grants!

The Founders' Fund was established by the UAB Department of Pediatrics to honor the exceptional lifetime achievements of the founders Drs. John W. "Bill" Benton, Ralph E. Tiller and Paul A. Palmisano. For more than a decade, the Founders' Fund has been used to encourage and support educational endeavors in the Pediatric Residency Program through educational grants. These educational grants support new, innovative educational research or programs related to the curriculum or quality and outcomes research of the residency program.

Ten Founders' Fund Awards were given this year:

Obesity Prevention Birth-to-Two Years in Primary Care Clinic

Cason Benton (PI)
Kelsey Thetford

STEP-PREP

Joe Bradsher (PI)
Neha Teekappanavar
Andrew Marshall
Channing Brown
Kirollos Roman
Rachel Klein
Carlie Stein

Well Child Check that is Anything But Well: Suicidal Teenager

Candice Dye (PI)
Nancy Tofil

Baby Safety Shower for Young Mothers

Meghan Harrison (PI)
Abigail Martin
Grace Spears
Kathleen Vincent
Terri Coco
Kathy Monroe

Pediatric RAP

Kylee Miller (PI)
Kathy Monroe
Michele Nichols
Brad Troxler
Chang Wu

Pediatric Neurology at UAB Podcast

Salman Rashid (PI)
Khaled Al-Robaidi

Improving Residency Physician History and Physical in Challenging Situations

Nicholas Rockwell (PI)
Nancy Tofil
Michele Kong
Chrystal Rutledge

Procedural Competence in Pediatric Residents

Jeremy Ruhlmann (PI)
Alexis Ricci
Jordan Ashcraft
Michele Nichols
Nancy Tofil
Erinn Schmit

Kids CAN DO Telehealth

Stephen Russell (PI)
Channing Brown
Ryan Sheets
Andrew Watson 

Improving Firearm Safety Counseling in Primary Clinic

Austin Wheeler (PI)
Katie Mascia
Abby Martin
Christina Hunley
Jennifer Joseph
Morissa Ladinsky

Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., Adolescent Medicine, has been selected to serve on the Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA) Advisory Board. The HLA is a collaboration between the Collat School of Business and the School of Medicine. The program offers training opportunities and develops leadership skills essential to academic healthcare.

The UAB Pediatric Primary Care Clinic has been awarded recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home Program.

In order to achieve NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition, the UAB Pediatric Primary Care Clinic must meet certain standards that emphasize the use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care. This recognition will help the Pediatric Primary Care Clinic support their patients through access, communication and patient involvement.

In the UAB Pediatric Primary Care Clinic, we have already been providing many aspects of the level of care required for Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition,” said Candice Dye, M.D., medical director for the Pediatric Primary Care Clinic. “Having the official recognition and certification from the NCQA is a huge gain for our patients and clinic. Our team worked extremely hard to organize and submit the various needed documents to achieve this. We are very excited to partner with NCQA with this Patient-Centered Medical Home certification to provide even more comprehensive care to our wonderful and deserving patients and their families in Primary Care Clinic.”

The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home program reflects the input of the American College of Physicians (ACP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and others. It was developed to assess whether clinician practices are functioning as medical homes and recognize them for these efforts.

“NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasizing access, health information technology and coordinated care focused on patients,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “Recognition shows that the UAB Pediatric Primary Care Clinic has the tools, systems and resources to provide its patients with the right care, at the right time.”

Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., has been elected to the board of directors for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). Dr. Coyne-Beasley will serve a three-year term from July 2020 to June 2023. As part of her role on the board of directors, Dr. Coyne-Beasley will also serve on the NFID Continuing Professional Education Committee and the Work Group on Strategic Opportunities.

Please join us in congratulating Connie Trieu, M.D., Second Year Fellow- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, on receiving the 2019-2020 Spring Fellow Research Roundtable/Fellow Core Conference Attendance Award. This allows her to attend a scientific meeting of her choice, within the continental United States.

Hope Wilson, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, has been selected to participate in the 2020 Class of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Clinical Research Training Institute (CRTI). A prestigious honor, the institute is year-long education and mentoring program for hematology fellows and junior faculty.

Christina Cochran, M.D., Pediatric Emergency Medicine, was named the recipient of the UAB Emergency Medicine Pediatric Emergency Medicine Instructor of the Year Award. This award is given out annually by the UAB Emergency Medicine Residency Program to recognize faculty and instructors who show dedication to resident education and superior patient care. 

Congratulations to Sarah Grace Engel, M.D., and Amelia Schuyler, M.D., on being named the 2020 Joe LaRussa Interns of the Year!

The Joe LaRussa Intern of the Year Award is given out annually by the Pediatric Residency Program to honor two members of the intern class who inspire others with their work ethic, compassion, professionalism, and positive outlook. The award is named after Joe LaRussa, M.D., an alumnus of the residency program. The winners are voted on by the pediatric faculty, fellows and residents. 

For the 11th consecutive year, Children’s of Alabama is ranked among the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.
 
The nine of Children’s pediatric specialty services ranked in the top 50 programs in the United States are:

The Founders’ Fund was established by the Department of Pediatrics to honor three key “Founders” and educators of our Department: Dr. Paul Palmisano, Dr. Bill Benton, and Dr. Ralph Tiller. These physicians epitomized the ideal academic pediatrician. Thankfully, the dream to honor these esteemed individuals became a reality with the generosity of former and current pediatric faculty and residents. For more than a decade, Founders’ Fund Educational Grants have been used to encourage and support educational endeavors in our Pediatric Residency Program.

Congratulations to our UAB Pediatric Fellowship Class of 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were not able to hold an in-person banquet. Please the video above that was created to celebrate the graduates.

Please see below where they will be going after completing fellowship training.

Congratulations to Brooke Goar, M.D., Pediatric Resident PGY-3, on being chosen as this year's recipient of the Carolyn Ashworth, M.D. Pediatric Primary Care Award.