Congratulations to Carolyn Ashworth, M.D., Academic General Pediatrics, on being appointed as Professor Emerita in the School of Medicine! She was appointed to this role in recognition of her outstanding service and years of dedication to the Department of Pediatrics.
For the ninth consecutive year, Children’s of Alabama is ranked among the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Eight of Children’s pediatric specialty services – Cancer, Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology/Neurosurgery and Pulmonology – were placed among the top 50 in the United States in the magazine’s 2018-19 Best Children’s Hospital rankings. Currently, U.S. News & World Report ranks 10 specialties. The complete listing and corresponding rankings may be found at https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/pediatric-rankings.
Read the story at Childrensal.org
The Primary Care Extra Mile Award winner for this quarter is David Windler, M.D., PGY-3 Med/Peds Resident. The following was Dr. Windler's nomination from colleagues in Primary Care Clinic:
"A severely autistic child came in for her depo and Tdap shots. She was very agitated on this particular day, and staff had a hard time even getting her into the room. When it came time for her shots, Dr. Windler immediately volunteered. He stayed in the room until family and staff were able to come up with a safe plan for administering her shots. The mom was distressed, and he was calm and reassuring with both the family and staff. Thank you for your positive attitude and teamwork, Dr. Windler!"
Congratulations to Jegen Kandasamy, M.D., Neonatology, on being selected for an award under the Perinatal Research Society Young Investigator program to attend the upcoming Perinatal Research Society Annual Meeting and the NIH - Abbott Nutrition Pre-meeting Workshop September 5-9, 2018 in Englewood, Colorado. Selection into this program is highly competitive. This is the third year in a row that one of our neonatal junior faculty have been selected to attend the pre-meeting workshop.
The Department is pleased to announce that Gregory Friedman, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, has been appointed the new Phase 1 PI at Children's of Alabama and approved by the DVL Executive Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group effective June 18. In addition, Dr. Friedman will lead Developmental Therapeutics in the Division of Hematology-Oncology and the Department of Pediatrics.
Clinical trials follow a typical series from early, small-scale, Phase 1 studies, which may be the first in human trials to assess safety, to late-stage, large scale, Phase 3 studies. Phase 1 studies are the first step in clinical drug development after pre-clinical studies are complete. Patients referred to the Developmental Therapeutics Program typically have recurrent or refractory cancers that have failed standard therapies. Other patients may be diagnosed with rare tumors for which no effective therapies have been established. As one of only 21 premier pediatric oncology programs in the country that are selected through peer review by the Children’s Oncology Group Phase 1 and Pilot Consortium, we are able to provide patients access to innovative therapies not widely available.
Dr. Friedman’s research focuses on improving outcomes for children with malignant brain tumors. His goal is to develop and improve targeted immunotherapeutics such as oncolytic engineered herpes simplex virotherapy and then translate these therapies to clinical trials, benefiting children with brain tumors and other solid tumors. Dr. Friedman has received funding from the FDA and St. Baldrick’s Foundation for these Phase 1 studies.
Dr. Friedman is a nationally known scholar who has demonstrated clinical, teaching and research success at UAB and Children’s of Alabama. In addition to providing specific leadership for this program, he will also participate as part of the leadership team for a growing division of Hematology-Oncology. The Division has added 7 new faculty in the last three years and four more will join this summer.
The Pediatric Residency Program is excited to announce that Will Sasser, M.D., Pediatric Critical Care, will be joining the program as an Assistant Program Director as of July 1, 2018.
When asked about his new role, Dr. Sasser said "I'm thrilled about the opportunity to work more closely with our residents alongside faculty and staff that have meant so much to me as a trainee and junior faculty member."
Dr. Sasser joins Michele Nichols, M.D., Program Director, Nancy Tofil, M.D., Senior Associate Program Director, Candice Dye, M.D., Associate Program Director, and Lauren Nassetta, M.D., Associate Program Director as leadership of the program.
Prior to this role with the Residency Program, Dr. Sasser served as the Director of the Acting Internship and Elective Program with the Pediatric Clerkship. He attended the Medical University of South Carolina for medical school and completed both his pediatric residency and pediatric critical care fellowship at UAB.
Congratulations to Ariel Salas, M.D., Neonatology, on being awarded the Samuel J. Fomon Young Physician Award endowed by the Nestlé Nutrition Institute. This award is one of the National Scientific Achievement Awards given out by the American Society of Nutrition Foundation. These awards are given in honor of scientists, clinicians and scholars for significant achievements in nutrition research and practice.
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Congratulations to Pallavi Iyer, M.D., Pediatric Endocrinology, who has been elected by the faculty to serve a three year term on the Pediatric Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee (APTC).
Gregory Friedman, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and Susan Walley, M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine, have been selected to fill the two vacancies for appointed faculty on the APTC.
Thank you for agreeing to represent your pediatric faculty peers on this important committee for the next three years!
Below is what our graduates will be doing after residency:
Baani Bawa, M.D.- Hospital Medicine, Nashville, TN
Megan E. Boothe, M.D. - Genetics Fellowship, UAB,
John Mark Bouchillon, M.D. - 2018-2019 Chief Resident, UAB,
Stephen T. Clark, M.D. - Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship, UAB,
Adam W. Cohen, M.D.- Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship, UAB,
Orlando Esparza, M.D.- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, University of Colorado
Anna L. Hoppmann, M.D.- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship, UAB
Claire S. Keith, M.D.- Gastroenterology Instructor followed by Pediatric GI Fellowship, UAB
Angela J. King, M.D.- General Pediatrics, Clinical Instructor, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Tiffany D. Moore, M.D.-General Pediatrics, Acton Road, Birmingham, AL
Anastasia T. Nelson, M.D.- General Pediatrics, Tots n Teens, Trussville, AL
Jamie L. Powell, M.D.-General Pediatrics, Mayfair Medical Group, Homewood, AL
Robert D. Sellers, IV, M.D.-2018-2019 Chief Resident, UAB
Mary E. Silverberg, M.D.-Research at UAB, Pursuing NICU Fellowship
Karlene D. Walker, M.D.-2018-2019 Chief Resident, UAB, Birmingham, AL
Carter D. Wallace, M.D.-Gastroenterology Instructor followed by Pediatric GI Fellowship, UAB
Timothy A. Wang, M.D. -Neonatology Fellowship, Cincinnati Children's
Anna P. White, M.D.-General Pediatrics, Health Department, Birmingham, AL
Sara E. Williams, M.D.-Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship, University of Colorado
Andrea M. Wolf, M.D.- General Pediatrics, Dallas, TX
Taylor A. Woodfin, M.D.-Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship, UAB
Sarah E. Bagwell, M.D.-General Medicine/Pediatrics, UAB, Gardendale, AL
K. Shannon Booker, M.D.- Medicine/Pediatrics Hospitalist, Minneapolis, MN
Sarah E. Bragg, M.D.- General Medicine/Pediatrics, UAB, Leeds, AL
Teresa B. Cornelius, M.D.-Medicine/Pediatrics, Hospitalist, UAB
Sarah Joy Dean, M.D.-Medical Biochemical Genetics Fellowship, UAB
2017-2018 CHIEF RESIDENTS
Bryauna S. Lewis, M.D.-General Pediatrics, Christ Health Center, Birmingham, AL
T. Spencer Poore, M.D.- Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship, University of Colorado
Michelle Udine, M.D.- Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship, Children’s National
Congratulations to Smita Bhatia, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, on being named a Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology! As mentioned on the ASCO website, "the Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO) distinction recognizes ASCO members for their extraordinary volunteer service, dedication, and commitment to ASCO. Their efforts benefit ASCO, the specialty of oncology, and, most importantly, the patients at risk for or with cancer.”
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