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The Department of Pediatrics is pleased to announce Lauren Nassetta, M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine, as the chief wellness officer (CWO) for the department. “Before COVID-19, which was actually not so long ago, I asked Lauren Nassetta to be the chief wellness officer for the department,” said Dr. Cohen. “Dr. Nassetta has been a champion for faculty and trainee wellness and was an obvious and outstanding choice for the role. I promise to listen to her, and I hope you will too.”

The CWO will be a central and senior advocate for prioritizing and promoting the well-being of all professionals, especially faculty, in the department. This role will have the authority and ability to have a positive influence on the department’s culture.

“I am thrilled to be the chief wellness officer for UAB Department of Pediatrics,” said Dr. Nassetta. “I hope to provide wellness opportunities and resources and promote the importance of wellness in the department. The goals Dr. Nassetta has for this new role include:

• Providing opportunities for members of the department to improve whole-person wellness. Opportunities are not mandates. The purpose of this role is not to inflict wellness.

• Advocating for environments and systems that support faculty and trainees and work with leaders to decrease stressors and barriers to thriving.

• Attempting to lead by example, though it might be imperfect. There will likely be times where a little grace and understanding will be needed as this role continues to grow.

Dr. Nassetta will work closely with Tina Simpson, M.D., in the Office for Faculty Development to raise awareness about the importance of wellness and mental health, promote engagement and continue her leadership in this important area. Look for the Wellness Corner section in FYI Fridays each week for resources and opportunities and visit the Faculty Wellness website for additional information.

Susan Walley, M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine, has been named co-PI for Healthy Alabama 2030: Live HealthSmart. Dr. Walley will work on the smoking cessation portion of the project. She will focus on improving access to tobacco cessation resources and reducing tobacco use in the state. Currently 20.9% of adults in Alabama use tobacco products. “Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death and disease in Alabama,” said Dr. Walley. “I am excited and deeply committed to working with Live HealthSmart Alabama to lower the percentage of adult smokers in Alabama and provide access to tobacco cessation resources to our citizens.”

The Healthy Alabama 2030: Live HealthSmart project, led by Mona Fouad, M.D., UAB Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center, was selected as the inaugural UAB Grand Challenge winner. The goal of the project is to improve the health of Alabama’s citizen through advancing good nutrition, physical activity and preventative wellness. Currently, Alabama ranks among the worst in the country in terms of obesity, high blood pressure and other health issues. With community partnership, Healthy Alabama 2030: Live HealthSmart seeks to move Alabama out of the bottom ten in national health rankings.

We would like to introduce the inaugural Best Resident Educator Award. This award was created to honor pediatric residents who excelled in service to medical student education. The award was voted on by third year UAB medical students following their pediatric clerkship. The medical students voted for the best resident educator from the PGY-1, PGY-2 and PGY-3/4 classes. Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Best Resident Educators!

PGY-1

Kathleen Vincent, M.D., Pediatrics

PGY-2

Joe Bradsher, M.D., Med-Peds

PGY-3/4

David Sanford, M.D., Pediatrics

Mary Orr M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Justin Cimring M.D., PGY-1 Pediatric Resident, Chloe Meyer, M.D., PGY-1 Pediatric Resident, and Aubrey Coleman, M.D., PGY-2 Pediatric Resident The Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) hosted the 17th Annual Pediatric Legislative Day Tuesday, March 5 at the Alabama State House in Montgomery. This legislative day is an opportunity for pediatricians across Alabama to learn about the legislative process and meet with lawmakers to discuss health issues impacting children in Alabama. 

Representatives from the Pediatric Residency Program attended the day. Justin Cimring M.D., PGY-1 Pediatric Resident, Chloe Meyer, M.D., PGY-1 Pediatric Resident, and Aubrey Coleman, M.D., PGY-2 Pediatric Resident, joined Mary Orr M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine, in participating in the legislative day to advocate for issues related to pediatric health and learn about the legislative process in Alabama. 

Susan Walley, M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine, spoke as part of an expert panel at a congressional staff briefing as the American Academy of Pediatrics representative and medical expert for the Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic. This was an informational session to provide updated statistics and information on the youth vaping epidemic and changes to the FDA policy guidelines for e-cigarettes.

"Pediatricians are on the front lines of counseling youth and young adults about the harms posed by tobacco products," Dr. Walley remarked during the panel. "The latest data from the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey show that e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth and 27.5% of high school students are current e-cigarette users. As pediatricians, we are seeing all too frequently how nicotine addiction takes hold in adolescent patients who use e-cigarettes."  

After the staff briefing, the House voted to pass the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act. When asked about the House's passage of the legislation, Dr. Walley said, "the body of evidence is clear: flavors in tobacco products attract young users. The Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act passed by the House will help prevent youth from starting tobacco use and pediatricians continue to have a vital role to prevent youth tobacco use and assist nicotine-addicted youth in quitting."

The Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic will now work to get the legislation introduced in the Senate. 

Drs. Tamera Coyne-Beasley and Nefertiti Durant and Patricia Bowman BillupsThe William A. Daniel, Jr. Adolescent Health Center received a generous donation from the Birmingham Chapter of Jack and Jill of America to our literacy corner. Patricia Bowman Billups, chair, Birmingham-Jack and Jill Associate Jewels presented the books to the AHC. One of the missions at the Adolescent Health Center is to promote literacy among young people and these donated books will assist the center is fulfilling this mission.

Eunice Dixon, M.D., Pediatric Chief Resident, represented the Department of Pediatrics Residency Programs at the Howard University College of Medicine Residency Fair in Washington, DC on Feb. 29. The event provides participating residency programs the opportunity to share information about their programs with Howard University medical students and medical students from surrounding states. The students have the opportunity to network and learn about program and research information. Dr. Dixon was able to share the benefits of the UAB Pediatric Residency with prospective applicants and grow the reach of UAB Pediatrics. 

Other UAB residency programs had representatives in attendance including obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, pathology, and general surgery.

Dr. Eunice Dixon and the other physician representatives from UAB

Dr. Tamera Coyne-Beasley with members of the "Porgy and Bess" cast.The UAB School of Medicine sponsored a private showing of the newly adapted production of "Porgy and Bess" at the Red Mountain Theater on Tuesday, Feb. 18 for School of Medicine faculty and staff. The play, adapted for the stage by George Gershwin, focuses on the underserved residents of a tenement in Charleston, SC. It addresses real-life issues such as addiction and violence. Following the performance, a reception was held for the School of Medicine attendees and a panel discussion, "Community Conversations," was moderated by Keith Cromwell, executive director of the Red Mountain Theater. 

Tamera Coyne-Beasley, M.D., Adolescent Medicine, was a participant on the panel along with Tony Jones, M.D., senior associate dean for Clinical Affairs and the entire "Porgy and Bess" cast. The panel covered topics such as addiction, trust among marginalized communities and health care professionals, and other varying themes portrayed within the play as it relates to today’s society.

Dean Vickers spoke of the panel discussion in his Dean's Message on Black History Month and our diverse community. 

Drs. Tony Jones and Tamera Coyne-Beasley with "Porgy and Bess" cast during panel discussion

Keith Cromwell moderating the "Community Conversations" panel

John Bridges, M.D., First Year Fellow-Rheumatology, has been awarded a partial travel award to attend the VERITY (Value and Evidence in Rheumatology using bioInformaTics, and advanced analYtics) research course in Boston this May. The travel award recipients are selected by the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA). The partial travel awards are funded by the Arthritis Foundation. The VERITY/Brigham Course in Rheumatology Clinical Research is aimed at early career clinical investigators who are interested in rheumatic disease epidemiologic and patient-oriented research. During the course, attendees will receive training in developing research protocols and aims for grant proposals. 

Congratulations Dr. Bridges!

Dr. Shannon Ross (R) with other Superbug Ambassadors on Capitol Hill.For the fourth year, Shannon Ross, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Diseases, served as an ambassador for The Pew Charitable Trusts' Stand Up To Superbugs initiative. Dr. Ross joined more than 40 other 2020 Stand Up To Superbugs Ambassadors in Washington, DC Feb. 25-27 to meet with the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, leaders from CDC, FDA, and other key agencies and members of Congress and their staffs to urge action to fight the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant infections. This year's ambassadors include people from several different fields including health care, public health, research, farming, veterinary medicine and patients and patient families impacted by superbugs. During their trip to Washington, the ambassadors meet with the representatives from their states to share their expertise and experience to advocate for funding and support to preserve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics and to develop new antibiotics. 

Ed Colvin, M.D., Pediatric Cardiology, has been appointed as Professor Emeritus in the School of Medicine. The appointment, approved by the Board of Trustees, is made in recognition of his outstanding service and years of dedication to the Department of Pediatrics, Heersink School of Medicine, and Children's of Alabama.

Dr. Colvin joined the Division of Pediatric Cardiology in 1983, serving as division director from 1990 to 2012. During his tenure as division director, he built a strong team of cardiologists spanning the full range of pediatric cardiology subspecialties. A true testament to his superb leadership, no cardiology faculty member has left the division since 1992. Dr. Colvin also played an instrumental part in the rebirth of UAB as a comprehensive state of the art pediatric and congenital cardiovascular program. 

Always a forward thinking physician, in 1991 he developed, with the assistance of a computer programmer, an electronic repository that is still used by the division today. This repository is an integral part in the efficiency and organization of the division. He is an exemplary clinician, loved by his patients, and a kind and patient teacher. 

Congratulations Dr. Colvin!

Samantha Hill, M.D., MPH, Adolescent Medicine, was awarded grant funding from the UAB Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Developmental Core: CFAR Ending HIV in Alabama Scientific Working Group for her pilot study “Evaluating Parental Support as a Strategy to Increase PrEP Adherence among Adolescents and Young Adults.” Dr. Hill's project seeks to understand the perspectives of adolescents and young adults regarding the use of parents and caregivers to assist with adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This project is a follow up to her Dixon Fellowship research project that sought to understand parent and caregiver perspectives about adolescents and young adults using PrEP.

Congratulations Dr. Hill!

Fred Goldman, M.D., and Hilary Haines, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, have been awarded a seed grant from the Sickle Cell Foundation of Birmingham to fund their project titled, “Barriers to Transplant in Sickle Cell Disease: A Survey of Patients and Families at Children’s of Alabama.” The grant will provide seed money to assist them in studying the barriers that contribute to why sickle cell patients at Children's of Alabama are not getting bone marrow transplants at the same rate as the rest of the country. 

Congratulations Drs. Goldman and Haines!

Effective immediately, the Endocrine Division has been renamed to the UAB Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes. The change will also encompass the endocrine clinical service and training program. The name change was initiated by Ambika Ashraf M.D., division director for pediatric endocrinology and diabetes. Dr. Ashraf noted, in 1935, the subspecialty started as ‘pediatric endocrinology’ by Lawson Wilkins at the Harriet Lane Home, at Johns Hopkins Hospital. ‘Diabetes’ evolved in parallel as a clinical pediatric discipline from the clinics of Elliott Joslin and Priscilla White in Boston.
 
In 1980, both branches joined together to become pediatric endocrinology and diabetes. Since our division also encompasses both aspects, it is only appropriate to rename the division. Efforts to change references to the division online and in printed material has already begun and we ask that you do the same where appropriate. 

Carl Coghill, M.D., Neonatology, has been appointed the first holder of the Waldemar A. Carlo, M.D., Endowed Professorship in Clinical Neonatology. This endowed professorship recognizes the compassionate patient care and superior teaching Dr. Coghill exhibits.

Dr. Coghill is the medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s of Alabama, the perinatal referral center for the state of Alabama. He is also the medical director for the Community Neonatology Program. His leadership and dedication to patient care have improved the medical care of neonates in community hospitals in the Birmingham area. Dr. Coghill has contributed greatly to advancing the field of neonatology by mentoring and training the next generation of neonatologists. Additional roles held by Dr. Coghill include, medical director for the Neonatal Simulation Lab, physician champion – High Reliability Unit, and medical director of the CRNP Skills Lab.

The Waldemar A. Carlo, M.D., Endowed Professorship in Clinical Neonatology was created and named to honor Dr. Wally Carlo for his many years of leadership as the division director of the Division of Neonatology.

Congratulations Dr. Coghill!

Amy Freeman, M.D., First Year Fellow-Neonatology, was awarded the SSPR Young Investigator Award-Basic Science at the Southern Society for Pediatric Research (SSPR) Annual Meeting in New Orleans last weekend. She won for her research titled, “Germ-free Mice are Protected but Humanized Mice with Diseased Airway Microbiome Develop Severe Lung Injury in Hyperoxia.”

Congratulations Dr. Freeman!

Gabriela Oates, Ph.D., Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, and Cathy Mims, MS-HQS, BSN, RN, CPN, Children's of Alabama CF Center Coordinator, are the co-authors of Chapter 7: “Which Types of Providers Can Help Me with My CF” in the new book “Facing Cystic Fibrosis.” The book was written by leading health care providers in their field and members of the cystic fibrosis community to provide resources and information for families on the management of cystic fibrosis.

The Russell Cunningham Memorial Research Program was established by Dr. Sergio Stagno, Chair Emeritus of the UAB Department of Pediatrics, to honor the memory of Dr. Russell Cunningham. Dr. Cunningham spent more than 30 years as a member of the faculty and was a fervent advocate for medical education. The program is designed to introduce students to pediatrics through research and clinical experience.

Interested students

First-year UASOM medical students with an interest in pediatrics are encouraged to apply for the 2020 Russell Cunningham Memorial Research Program, an eight-week summer internship and research program. 

Eligible projects include bench research, clinical research, and quality improvement projects. All projects should be designed for completion within the 8-week summer research internship time frame, or enough progress made such that finalization can occur during a scholarly activity block. Suggestions for projects in which this can be accomplished include: analysis of existing data from an ongoing project to answer a new research question or expansion of an existing project to examine a new but related question. New projects which can be accomplished within the internship time frame are also encouraged. Each student must have his/her own project; funding is not available for students to work as a research assistant on an existing project.

Based on these applications, two students will be selected and will work with faculty mentors from the Department of Pediatrics. Each selected student will receive $4000; an additional $1000 is available to cover costs of travel to present the research.

Faculty mentors MUST be in the Department of Pediatrics.

Application process

The following materials should be submitted through the Medical Student Summer Research Programs website:

• Student’s CV or resume (no longer than 3 pages)

• Students should compose a 3-5 page project proposal indicating research interests and career goals, research project description (introduction, project objectives and hypothesis, methods/approach) and literature cited. This description should be reviewed by the faculty mentor prior to submission to the committee.

Applications must be submitted by April 3, 2020 at 5 p.m.

Interested faculty mentors

Faculty mentor responsibilities include:
1) helping the student design a summer research project
2) providing the student with clinical experience.
This may include observation or participation in clinical activities (clinics or hospital rounds) or attendance at educational conferences. 

Faculty who are interested in mentoring a student for the summer of 2020 should forward the information and application document to the student. Applications must be submitted no later than April 3, 2020 at 5 p.m.  

For questions, please contact Dr. Cassi Smola, csmola@peds.uab.edu. 

The Southern Regional Societies Annual Meeting will be held Feb. 13-15 at the in New Orleans, LA. UAB Pediatrics will be well represented with 34 presentations by UAB Pediatric fellows and residents. Below are links to lists of presentation times and dates for the fellows and residents. If you are attending the meeting we know you will help support our trainees at their presentations. 

Fellow presentation times
Resident presentation times

Stephanie Berger, M.D., Pediatric Hospital Medicine, has been nominated to participate in the Innovation's Academy's "Train the Trainer" program. This program is a unique, inter-professional approach to analyze and develop solutions for current challenges in healthcare delivery. The program hopes that participants will return to their respective units armed with new knowledge and a thorough understanding of the process of innovating at UAB Medicine. A key goal of this academy is the creation of a cohort of innovation coaches dispersed throughout our organization.

Congratulations Dr. Berger!