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The Pediatric Heart Transplant Study (PHTS) has awarded the Children’s of Alabama/UAB Pediatric Transplant and Heart team it PHTS Vanguard Award. This award is given to centers who have met criteria signaling a program’s reliability, timeliness, and adequate volume.

The Department of Pediatrics is pleased to honor these faculty members. They have attained a level of excellence recognized by their peers due to their exceptional contributions for the development of the department and in turn, the achievers of tomorrow - our children.

L to R: Xianzhen Hu, Michael Lopez, Shelby Rorrer, Katherine English, Matthew Alexander, and Muthukumar KaruppasamyThe Alexander Lab received the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Impact Award from the Birmingham chapter for their work on neuromuscular diseases.

Top L to R: Joycelyn Atchison, Hannah Hightower and Jose MestreJoycelyn Atchison, M.D., professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Hannah Hightower, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Neonatology, and Jose Mestre, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, were elected to the Heersink School of Medicine Clinical Faculty Council.

The 4th annual Safety and Quality Day held on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023 provided a great opportunity to share experiences, ideas, methodologies, and challenges related to Epic and informatics, the day’s theme, as well as quality and safety efforts more broadly.

Ambika Ashraf, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, and Steven Rowe, M.D., professor in the Division of Pulmonology, have been elected to the American Pediatric Society (APR).

Vivek Shukla, M.D., Samuel Gentle, M.D., and Jegen Kandasamy, M.D., all assistant professors in the Division of Neonatology, have been elected to the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR). 

The UAB Pediatrics Administrative Supervisor & Leader Retreat took place Friday, Oct. 13.

The Department of Pediatrics and seven Pediatrics faculty have been nominated for multiple 2023 Argus Awards. Created in 1996, the Argus Awards give medical students the chance to honor their mentors, professors, courses and course directors for outstanding service to medical education. Faculty members are nominated by course evaluations, and students vote to select award winners in each category.

Congratulations to all nominees!

Introduction to Clinical Medicine: Jessica Schmit, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes
Best Educator-Cardiovascular: Robb Romp, M.D., Pediatric Cardiology
Best Educator-Endocrine Systems: Hussein Abdullatif, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes
Best Educator-Preparation for Residency: Will Sasser, M.D., Pediatric Critical Care, and Michael Barnett, Palliative Care
Endocrine Systems: Hussein Abdullatif, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes
Best Clinical Department on the Birmingham Campus: Pediatrics
Best Clinical Educator, Birmingham Campus: Chang Wu, M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine, and Swetha Pinninti, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Best Clinical Department on the Huntsville Campus: Pediatrics
Best Clinical Department on the Montgomery Campus: Pediatrics
Best Clinical Department on the Tuscaloosa Campus: Pediatrics
Best Clinical Educator, Tuscaloosa Campus: Heather Taylor, M.D.

Click here for full list of nominees

Scott James, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, was elected a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

Will Sasser, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, has been selected for the Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD) Leadership in Educational Academic Development (LEAD) cohort.

Annalise Sorrentino, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, gave a Ted Talk at the FemInPem conference in Chicago on September 22, 2023.

The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomed one new faculty member in the month of September. Please join us in making them feel at home! 

Meghan Harrison, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Andrea Kane, M.D., assistant professor in the division of Neonatology, received a 2023 Inspiration Award from the American Medical Association (AMA) Women Physicians Section.

Amy CaJacob, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology has been recognized by the Office of Patient Experience and Engagement for the exceptional care provided to her patients.

Laura “Katie” Metrock, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, has been selected to take over as director of the Pediatric Neuro-oncology Program starting October 1, 2023. In this capacity, Dr. Metrock will oversee and grow and develop clinical, research, and educational aspects of the neuro-oncology program.

Sandeep Gupta, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition, has been elected to serve as the vice chair of the Pediatric Gastroenterology & Developmental Biology for the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). 

Ariel Salas, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Neonatology, is the lead author on the Impact Article of the Month for August 2023 for Evidence-Based Neonatology (EBNEO).

Nancy Tofil, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, received the 2023 Wallace Alexander Clyde Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Congratulations to the 15 faculty promoted effective October 1, 2023!