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School of Medicine Dean Selwyn Vickers, MD, recently shined a light on alarming health inequities revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He calls out disproportionate death rates among African Americans as attributable to racial and socioeconomic disparities in health and health care in America, creating a crisis within a crisis.

Did you know that 125 Environmental Services personnel work all night every night to clean UAB patient care areas so they are ready to go at 6:00 a.m.? Drs. Seth Landefeld, Cheri Canon, David Standaert, and Herb Chen sponsored a Chick-fil-A meal for UAB's environmental services employees to thank them for their hard work in keeping UAB safe and clean. 125 boxed dinners were shared with those who began their shift at 10:00 p.m. Wednesday night. They help us care for each of our patients, even when we don’t see them!

Pictured above: Dr. Seth Landefeld with Arthur McKenzie who now serves UAB after working 20 years at Cooper Green. She has just welcomed great grandbaby number 9 to her family!

In collaboration with the UAB Office of Interprofessional Simulation for Innovative Clinical Practice (OIPS), the DOM trained 287 healthcare providers on the appropriate use of personal protective equipment this week. Using the Zoom digital meeting platform, Andres Viles, MSN, RN, demonstrated the donning and doffing procedures to remote participants. Though actual PPE was not used, the simulated walk-through of procedures will enhance the safety of our front line. Thanks to all who trained, and who made this training possible!

Last Friday, The Tinsley Harrison Internal Medicine Residency Program became the new home for 39 smart, capable interns. We are so proud to have them come train here at UAB and experience the "excellence without ego" that makes our program exceptional.

Veena Antony, MD (Professor, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care) has just received a Notice of Award for a $6.5 million P42 Superfund Grant. This makes UAB one of 23 centers across the country to address the effects of pollution on community environments. Five projects will investigate the effects of pollution on airway function, measure the impact of heavy metal contaminants, and develop remediation plans in the North Birmingham area. DOM researchers involved in these projects and supporting cores are Drs. Victor Thannickal, Jessy Deshane, Brent Carter, Sejong Bae, Young-il Kim, and Monica Baskin. Hats off to these research heroes and their colleagues across UAB and the Southeast!