Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D.
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I will be giving my first State of the School of Medicine address from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28 in the Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium, and I am personally inviting you to attend.
This year has been one of hard work and determination to grow and build on the leadership of the JOL and my predecessors in the dean’s office.
When President Ray Watts and leaders of UAB Medicine developed and implemented AMC21, comprehensive strategic, they set some lofty goals in setting aside funds to recruit research faculty and concentrate focus in priority areas.
As we re-initiate our strategic plan (AMC 21 Reload), I am asking for your input on our areas of strategic emphasis in research.
Two weeks ago, I had the distinct honor to participate in my first White Coat Ceremony at the School of Medicine and saw firsthand the expressions of joy and pride from our first-year students, their family and faculty. Being accepted to medical school is a significant achievement to celebrate with peers and loved ones.
The School of Medicine’s fence post is accreditation, and the Liaison Committee for Medical Education notified UAB President Ray Watts on Monday that the School of Medicine has received the full eight-year accreditation, the highest level of accreditation any medical school in the U.S. can receive.
I had the opportunity this morning to sit down with Evan Belanger, the education reporter for al.com, and discuss many wonderful initiatives we're working on in the School of Medicine. Here is a very short video outtake of one topic we covered, minority health and health disparities and UAB's unique position that affords us the opportunity to really make a lot of progress in these areas. You can read more about this at the UAB Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center website.
I was very pleased recently to announce that Dr. Mitch Cohen will be our next chair of Pediatrics and physician-in-chief at Children’s of Alabama, starting Sept. 1. He will succeed Dr. Sergio Stagno, a tremendous statesman and leader in pediatrics who will remain on faculty where he will continue to care for patients and influence current and future pediatricians.
On May 18, more than 160 medical students – and their families – will be able to take a collective sigh of relief at the School of Medicine’s commencement ceremony. Finally, they’re going to become doctors.
First of all I would like to congratulate all our fourth-year medical students, faculty and staff for another wonderful Match Day. This year, 94 percent of our students matched in a sharply increasing competitive environment.