Our school’s strength is rooted in our people, whose dedication to excellence is essential to advancing our missions in education, research, and patient care. This month, I want to highlight some of the programs designed to recognize the extraordinary contributions of our faculty and staff.
These programs are more than a means of appreciation—they are an affirmation of who we are and what we value as an institution. They serve as powerful reminders that our collective success is built upon the daily actions of individuals across every department, discipline, and role.
Each year, the Dean’s Excellence Awards for Faculty recognize outstanding achievements in service, research, mentorship, teaching, and access and engagement. The range of categories highlights the fact that excellence takes many forms. Whether mentoring the next generation of physicians and scientists, leading groundbreaking research, or providing compassionate support to colleagues and patients, our award recipients exemplify the very best of our Heersink community.
In many ways, our staff are the engine that keeps our institution running—and the Dean’s Excellence Awards for Staff honor those who power our success every day through dedication, innovation, and service. These awards recognize the individuals whose behind-the-scenes efforts drive progress forward and ensure our mission continues at full strength.
The Will Ferniany Academic Medicine Leadership Award recognizes an administrative executive who has provided significant support to the academic mission of UAB Medicine and whose commitment to that mission inspires others. The award is named in honor of former UAB Health System CEO Will Ferniany, Ph.D., who fostered greater collaboration and synergy between the Health System and Heersink School of Medicine. This year’s deserving awardee, Jordan DeMoss, executive vice president of UAB Medicine, was recognized by Dr. Ferniany at the Dean’s Excellence Awards for Faculty reception on May 12.
The Pittman Scholars Program recognizes early-career assistant professors who demonstrate exceptional research accomplishments and strong potential for sustained scientific impact. Named for James Pittman Jr., M.D., our school’s longest serving dean, the program highlights our commitment to supporting innovation, discovery, and distinction among physician-scientists and investigators in the formative stages of their careers.
The Brewer-Heslin Award recognizes a faculty member who exhibits the highest commitment to providing excellent and compassionate patient care, maintaining professional and ethical standards, and leading the next generation of physicians. It is named for the late Alabama Governor Albert Brewer and the professionalism he observed while in the care of UAB surgeon leader Martin Heslin, M.D. Nominations are now open for the 2026 Brewer-Heslin Award and are due by July 2.
In addition, our faculty are consistently recognized by university-level programs, including the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award, the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the President's Award for Excellence in Support of UAB and Shared Governance, the Ellen Gregg Ingalls/UAB National Alumni Society Award for Lifetime Achievement in Teaching, and the Sam Brown Bridge Builder Award.
These recognition programs not only shine a spotlight on those who excel, innovate, and inspire others, they also foster a culture of gratitude and belonging. When we take the time to acknowledge one another’s contributions, we strengthen our sense of community and reinforce our shared purpose. I encourage each of you to actively participate in this recognition process—not only by nominating deserving colleagues but also by expressing appreciation in your daily interactions. A great way to do this is through the Applause platform, which makes it easier to recognize each other’s hard work in real time.
On Saturday, May 16, we honored the excellence of our 2026 graduating class at Commencement. Our students marked this singular milestone with family, friends, faculty, and alumni at Bartow Arena, and gained valuable insights from keynote speaker Victor Montori, M.D., the Robert H. and Susan M. Rewoldt Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic and one of the most cited researchers in clinical medicine and social science.
I’d like to close with a quote from an outstanding alumnus, David Thrasher, M.D., who was himself honored with the Garber Galbraith Medical-Political Award at this year’s Medical Alumni Weekend, who shared with me some meaningful reflections on what it means to be a physician in the days leading up to Commencement:
“In the end, the true measure of a physician is not found only in the outcomes, but in the presence—in the last touch, the suffering erased, and the dignity preserved. One must remember that this work is not about prestige or achievement, but about service—quiet, steady, and faithful.”