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Cindy Joiner, PhD, MPH, RN, Assistant Professor of Medicine, will step into a new role as Vice Chair, Department of Medicine, effective April 5, 2021.

Rodney Tucker, MD, MMM, will serve as the Interim Director of the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, effective April 5, 2021.

Anupam Agarwal, MD, will step down from his role as Director of the Division of Nephrology, effective October 1, 2021. Dr. Agarwal has provided the Division, the Department of Medicine, and the School of Medicine exemplary leadership in this role for more than 13 years. Together with a consummate faculty, he has built a powerhouse program in academic Nephrology. During his tenure, the Division more than doubled its number of faculty and saw significant growth in NIH funding—currently more than $15 million in annual total costs. 

The Department of Medicine and the Research Development Group is excited to announce this year’s Max Cooper Award for Career Excellence in Research recipient. This award recognizes researchers that have gained national recognition for important research discoveries over their scientific career.

We are delighted to announce that Will Callans, MPH, MSHA, will be the new Division Administrator for Hematology/Oncology, effective March 15, 2021. 

The Department of Medicine and the Research Development Group is excited to announce this year’s Max Cooper Award for Career Excellence in Research recipient. This award recognizes researchers that have gained national recognition for important research discoveries over their scientific career.

Chief Medical Resident Seema Kumar, MD, displays her COVID Vaccine sticker. 

Concern: I'm worried about possible side effects. 
Response: Seema Kumar, MD  

Brittani Edwards DeLoach, MISE, LSSGB, works in the Department as a Program Manager II serving as the administrative point of contact for the Department’s research programs and initiatives. She also has severe asthma. 

Concern: I have an underlying health condition. 
Response: Brittani Edwards DeLoach, MISE, LSSGB  

Dr. Latesha Elopre, Assistant Professor of the UAB Division of Infectious Diseases receives her COVID-19 vaccine. 

Concern: The U.S. healthcare system, past and present, has been known to disproportionately harm Black and Latinx communities. 
Response: Latesha Elopre, MD, MSPH  

Pictured above receiving her COVID vaccine, Dr. Dionne-Odom is Associate Professor of the UAB Division of Infectious Diseases, Associate Director of the UAB Center for Women’s Reproductive Health, and a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine COVID-19 Task Force. 

Concern: The COVID-19 vaccine may not be safe for pregnant women. 
Response: Jodie Dionne-Odom, MD, MSPH  

Dr. Seth Landefeld, Chair of the UAB Department of Medicine, receives his COVID-19 vaccination. 

Concern: The vaccine was rushed in production. I don’t trust that it’s safe. 
Response: Seth Landefeld, MD  

I write with the sad news that Dr. Patty Goode (Culpepper) died last Monday evening in our UAB Palliative Care Unit. Many of us knew Patty well during her long and distinguished career at UAB. She retired in 2019 as UAB’s Gwen McWhorter Professor of Geriatric Medicine and the Director of the Birmingham/Atlanta VA Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center. 

Dr. Hind Lal, PhD, Associate Professor, Division of Cardiovascular Disease, has been appointed to serve on the Myocardial Ischemia and Metabolism (MIM) Study Section of the NIH. Members reviews grant applications in the area of basic and applied aspects of myocardial biology and cardiac metabolism. These projects involve molecular, genetic, cellular, genomic, proteomic, and physiological approaches to define the pathophysiology of myocardial biology. This prestigious appointment highlights the outstanding cardiovascular science happening at UAB.

A Message from DOM Vice Chair for Culture and Diversity, Professor Monica Baskin, PhD

 As we open dialogues to explore issues of social justice in our institution, the Department of Medicine is fully committed to not only identify problems, but also to combine our intellectual and emotional capital to resolve them. This initiative needs diverse voices from across the department to join me in strategic planning to ensure our vision of a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone.

 We are talking.

Over the past few weeks DOM leaders, faculty, staff and trainees have been engaged in public and private discussions about the devastating impacts of systematic racism on our employees, trainees, patients, research participants and larger society.

 We are thinking.

Many have also engaged in self-study about our national and local Black history. Others have committed to exploring how privilege, social/advantage and/or beliefs may lead others to perceive that our Department is not welcoming or supportive of them.

 We are persevering.

When I took on this leadership role, I set forth this vision for our Department:

All employees, regardless of ethnicity, gender, terminal degree, division, faculty rank, or other affiliation, feel respected, valued, included, and acknowledged for their unique contributions to the DOM mission and vision.

To achieve this vision, we must not only continue the hard work of introspection and dialogue, we must also make measurable progress toward explicit goals. Our actions must speak as loud as our words.

WE WILL DO BETTER!

DOM will convene a time-limited working group to draft the DOM strategic plan for enhancing our culture to reflect the above vision.

Time requirement. The group will meet in just three (3) one-hour sessions over a 6-8 week period starting after the July 4 holiday.

Desired outcome. A draft plan with metrics to be shared with the DOM Chair’s Council, and subsequently with the entire DOM community for comment. The plan will be finalized and presented for adoption by early Fall.

“Please, can I see her? I just want to hold her hand.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Darrel Harding with his daughter, Dr. Susan HardingIn early March, as many of our nation’s physicians were consumed by a public health care crisis, UAB pulmonologist Dr. Susan Harding was dealing with one that was much more personal. Her beloved father Darrel, a stoic 92-year-old army colonel, was slowly succumbing to advanced lung disease.

The Department is delighted to announce that Ken Saag, M.D., M.Sc. will serve as our next Director of the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, effective July 1, 2020.  Ken will build on an outstanding foundation to lead the Division in its growth as an international leader, a truly exceptional program for discovery, learning, teaching, and care. 

Currently the Jane Knight Lowe Endowed Chair in the Division and the Department of Medicine, Ken is a national rheumatologic leader in outcomes and effectiveness research  as well as an esteemed physician and outstanding teacher.  All of us whose patients have benefited from Ken’s consultation know that his excellent clinical acumen is a real asset to our rheumatology and osteoporosis programs.  Ken traces his clinical skills to his residency at Northwestern University, Evanston Hospital, where he was recognized as Outstanding Intern of the Year and a Chief Resident, and his fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Iowa. 

Ken will be President-Elect of the American College of Rheumatology this fall and he is past-President of the National Osteoporosis Foundation.  He has served UAB as Director, Center for Outcomes, Effectiveness Research and Education (COERE) since 2009.  He also directs the Center of Research Translation (CoRT) in Gout and Hyperuricemia, a program supported by the NIH for nearly a decade, and he serves as Vice Chair for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research in the Department.  An elected member of the American Association of Physicians, Ken has first-authored 3 original articles in the New England Journal of Medicine on treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis and on fracture prevention in women with osteoporosis, as well as over 300 other original articles.  Ken has been a preeminent mentor, training over 20 post-doctoral fellows and junior faculty as PI of several T32s, a K12, and the KL2 in UAB’s CCTS.

Trained as an engineer at the University of Michigan, Ken received his M.D. from Northwestern University and the M.Sc. in Epidemiology from the University of Iowa.  He served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa under Francois Abboud before joining our Department under the leadership of Bill Koopman as Chair and Bob Kimberly as Division Director. 

Ken will assume the responsibilities of Division Director from Lou Bridges, M.D., Ph.D., who will become the next Chair of the Department of Medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at Cornell.  For over 10 years, Lou has very ably led the Division as it expanded its research programs in immunology and outcomes and effectiveness research and significantly enhancing its clinical programs in complex rheumatologic diseases.

Please join us in congratulating and supporting Ken in his new role as Division Director.

Dr. Seth Landefeld, MD, Professor and Chair, UAB Department of Medicine 

I recently sat down with our Vice Chairs to reflect on things that are going well and areas where we have room for improvement in the Department of Medicine. We have accomplished so much to be proud of in 2019. Here are a few highlights that stand out:

We care for our patients kindly and well. Every day, we care for thousands of people, improving their health and reducing their suffering from the disease. We think outside the box for our patients. We bring them new treatments. We walk with them through their illnesses. We hold tight to our humanity while caring greatly for the people in our charge.

Troy Brennan, MD, MPH. Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health.Troyen Brennan, MD, MPH, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health, will present, “What Do Long-Term Trends in U.S. Healthcare Financing Tell Us about Future Reforms?” at Medical Grand Rounds at noon on Wednesday, March 21, in the Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium.

In his role at CVS Health, Brennan provides oversight for the development of CVS Health’s clinical and medical affairs and health care strategy. At the end of last year, CVS Health announced plans to merge with Aetna, one of the nation’s leading health insurers, in a $69 billion deal. The goal—to create an integrated health system that combines pharmacy and health benefits, and delivers preventive care services through the drugstore chain’s retail clinics. The merger is currently under review by the U.S. Justice Department, and the firms have scheduled shareholder votes to approve the deal for March 20.

Previously, Brennan was Chief Medical Officer of Aetna Inc. Prior to that, Brennan served as president of Brigham and Women's Physicians Organization. In his academic work, he was Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Law and Public Health at Harvard School of Public Health.

The UAB Department of Medicine has newly appointed three faculty to serve as Executive Vice Chair, Vice Chair for Research, and Vice Chair for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research. These vital leaders, along with four other Vice Chairs, help guide our diverse and productive faculty in our mission to maximize health and eliminate suffering by caring for people, teaching, and creating knowledge.

University of Alabama at Birmingham professor and chair of the UAB Department of Medicine C. Seth Landefeld, M.D., has been appointed to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The Task Force is an independent, volunteer panel comprised of experts from many health-related fields, including internal medicine, pediatrics, behavioral health, obstetrics/gynecology, and nursing. Each is appointed by the director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.