US News & World Report continues to rank Cardiology, Endocrinology, Geriatrics, Nephrology, Pulmonary, and Rheumatology among the Top 50 programs in the U.S. Rheumatology remains #10, Nephrology and Pulmonary moved up further in the Top 20, and Cardiology moved into the Top 20. These improvements are driven in part by falling 30-day mortality for our patients. Congratulations to each of our Divisions and to all our faculty, staff, residents, and fellows! A program is highly ranked only when each patient receives care from a high-functioning team.
More Good News for August 15, 2018
General Internal Medicine Professors Gustavo Heudebert, MD and Carlos Estrada, MD, MS, have recently published an article in Southern Medical Journal, “Are All Teaching Activities Valued the Same? Their Relative Worth Is in the Eye of the Beholder,” comparing the perceived value of diverse educational activities during clinical training in medical and surgical specialties.
Nirav Patel, MD (Fellow, Cardiovascular Disease) has been chosen as an AHA Young Investigator Award finalist for two research projects. One investigates the likely bias in providing emergency cardiovascular care following a heart attack based on insurance coverage—Medicaid vs. private insurance. The second is a pilot clinical trial to expand "precision knowledge" of how diet can acutely influence the heart and produce differential response by race. Congratulations, Dr. Patel!
Orlando Gutierrez, MD (Associate Professor, Nephrology) has been awarded an NIDDK K24 for his project entitled “Mentored Patient-Oriented Research in Disparities in Cardiovascular and Kidney Disease.” The ultimate goal of this project is to produce well-trained investigators committed to patient-oriented research focused on disparities in cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease.
The Department of Medicine is sponsoring the Equal Access Birmingham (EAB) 5th Annual Heart+Sole 5K and Fun Run on Saturday, August 18, 2018. EAB is a free clinic run by medical students which provides health care and education to Birmingham’s homeless and uninsured population. Join Dr. Well-Be and other DOM runners to have great fun for a great cause.
Robert Centor, MD (Professor Emeritus, General Internal Medicine) is featured on each Annals on Call podcast where a clinically influential article published in Annals of Internal Medicine is discussed and debated with a guest expert.
Announcements:
- The Inaugural UAB Marchase Interdisciplinary Research Centers Symposium will take place today at 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., in Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium. Keynote Speaker Anthony S. Fauci, MD, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, will present “Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases: From AIDS to Zika” at noon.
- IRAP Upgrade to begin August 24. IRAP will be upgrading to a new version the weekend of Aug. 24. This upgrade includes a number of changes that will affect UAB investigators. There will be town halls Aug. 20-22 and training sessions beginning Aug. 27 for those interested in learning more.
- Register now for the Update in Infectious Diseases, set for Friday, August 24, at The Florentine Building in Downtown Birmingham.
- UAB Medicine Pituitary and Thyroid Disease Conference will be held at Vulcan Park on Saturday, August 25, 2018, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact Kathryn Lea.
- Register now: The UAB Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center’s7th Annual Symposium: Focus on Heart Failure will take place September 6-7, 2018 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel. The two-day update in cardiovascular disease will feature keynotes from Thomas J. Wang, MD, Physician-in-Chief at Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute, and Douglas L. Mann, MD, Cardiologist-in-Chief at Barnes Jewish Hospital. Submit abstracts to Megan Pickering.