Our school continues to make meaningful strides toward the goals I outlined at the annual State of School address on February 6, 2026. This month, I am pleased to share the second installment of a three-part series highlighting progress in medical education and professional development, including expanding training opportunities, fostering faculty and trainee success, and increasing scholarship support.
Growing our graduate medical education (GME) enterprise to address our state’s healthcare needs remains a top priority. I am immensely grateful to the UAB Health System for funding 45 new residency slots, effective FY2027. These new positions will strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional patient care, expand access to services, and train our state’s physician workforce.
In April, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) approved a new UAB Family Medicine Residency Program with tracks in Birmingham and Selma. While Birmingham serves as the program’s primary educational hub, Selma provides a vital rural training ground where residents deliver much-needed care to local communities. The program launched successfully this summer with an inaugural class of 16 residents.
The new Integrated Psychiatry Residency Pathway at our Montgomery Regional Campus matched its first resident in the 2026 match. The mission of the integrated pathway is to identify and support trainees dedicated to addressing Alabama’s shortage of mental healthcare providers.
With new psychiatry residency programs at our regional campuses in Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, and Montgomery, we now rank No. 17 in the nation for the number of psychiatry training positions. Our psychiatry matches have increased fourfold since 2022 to 16 matches in 2026.
Since becoming dean, I have made expanding scholarship support for our medical students a top priority. Thanks to the dedication of our advancement team and the generosity of our donors, nine new scholarships were established in FY26 and four scholarships were awarded for the first time this academic year.
I am excited to share that the Marnix E. Heersink Endowed Medical Scholarship was established through the Heersink family gift that named our school, and I congratulate the inaugural recipients, third-year medical students Sadie Ross and Paige Lonergan. The scholarship prioritizes students committed to practicing in rural and underserved areas of the state. Two additional Heersink Endowed Medical Scholarships will be established for the 2027 academic year.
In addition, 14 members of Heersink’s 2026 graduating class who matched into primary care residency programs in Alabama received the 2026 Primary Care/Family Medicine Match Scholarship award, sponsored by the Department of Family and Community Medicine's Comprehensive Urban Underserved and Rural Experience (CU2RE) Program. This is the first year the funding has been extended as scholarships to all Heersink students who matched into in-state family medicine programs.
Investing in professional growth and leadership development strengthens our ability to attract, retain, and support outstanding educators, scientists, and clinicians. This commitment is reflected in the recently launched search for a senior associate dean for academic affairs and professional development, a new role that will help shape faculty success, career advancement, and academic excellence across the school.
Heersink also continues to create meaningful opportunities for faculty and staff to develop new skills, expand their impact, and reach the next stage of their careers. The Caregiving Affected Early-Career Research Scientists (CARES) Intramural Funding Program recently announced its 2026 cohort. The program provides researchers who face significant caregiving responsibilities with critical support to help sustain their research programs at a pivotal juncture in their careers.
The Clinical Trialist Development Program (CTDP) equips faculty with the knowledge, mentorship, and practical experience needed to lead innovative clinical trials, a focus for strategic growth. In its first seven months, the CTDP has already filled its 32 available slots with faculty from seven UAB schools and colleges, including Heersink.
The UAB Medicine Leadership Development Office recently welcomed 19 staff members to its 13th Institute for Leadership cohort for fall 2026. The program is designed to strengthen the leadership capabilities of senior and mid-level leaders across UAB and the UAB Health System.
The Developing Emerging Administrative Leaders (DEAL) program, a UAB program that originated in our school, is accepting applications for the 2027 cohort through September 22. DEAL prepares promising staff members for future administrative posts by introducing them to the essential components of administrative and management positions in finance, research, human resources, education, and clinical.
Efforts like these demonstrate a strategic commitment to nurturing talent, empowering professional growth, and ensuring that our people are prepared to lead with excellence in a rapidly evolving academic medicine environment.
Look for the final installment in this series next month, which will focus on advancements in clinical care goals shared at State of the School.