Tekuila Carter, MD

Date of interview: 08/29/2022

Position: Program Director

Time served as PD: 1 year

• Interests outside of medicine: Spend time with family, especially doing crafts ad swimming with her daughters. Reading sci-fi novels

Training background:

• Medical School: Meharry Medical College
• Residency: University of Virginia & Vanderbilt
• Fellowship: Obstetrics, Vanderbilt 

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?

• Reach out to faculty to get exposure and learn about anesthesiology. All faculty emails are on the anesthesiology website. Students can also join the Student Interest Group for Anesthesia (SIGA)

What made you want to become a program director?

• I enjoy guiding medical students and residents to a career that is fulfilling for them.

How did you decide academics vs private practice?

• Academic medicine is the best way for me to work with residents and medical students. Overall, it felt like a better fit for me.

What is one thing you students should know about your field before the match?

• Anesthesiologists must know a great deal of information, use that information quickly when the time arises, and be able to adapt rapidly.

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?

• No specific experiences but I like to see an overall well-rounded student. For example, students should have some research (does not have to be anesthesia related), service, work experience, and having passions outside of medicine.

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty?

• Lack of exposure- Students in branch campuses at UAB and smaller medical schools have trouble getting exposure to anesthesia faculty and getting letters of recommendation from them.

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications?

• Medical school, class rank, research/service/work experience, leadership positions, communication, and effective learning

Why is anesthesia a great specialty?

• Flexibility in work schedule
• Having pride in your work because of the great responsibility it carries
• Variety of each clinical day due various anesthesia subspecialties and procedures
• All fellowships are 1 year making it easier to change paths
• Less charting than many specialties

Brant Wagener, MD, PhD

Date of interview: 09/09/2022

Position: Physician-Scientist in the Department of Anesthesiology

Time served in position: Attending starting in 2015. Has worked in the research setting since 1995.

Interests outside of research/medicine: Reading, spending time with kids (building rockets, assistant coach for soccer team), Couch to 5K, traveling, hiking, watching movies

Training background: 

• Medical /graduate school: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM,
• Preliminary Year: University of New Mexico
• Residency/Research Fellowship/ICU Fellowship: UAB  

What kind of research do you do?

• I do research in critical care medicine. My main research question is “how does acute critical illness become chronic disease.” I explore this question through basic science (mouse models), translational, and clinical research.

How did you get involved with research?

• I was a research tech prior to medical school.

How do you balance research and being a clinician, and why do you choose to have both roles?

• I have non-clinical time through grants. My grants allow me to have technicians that work with me, and I have help from collaborators inside and outside UAB. As a clinician, I typically work 14 weeks in SICU and 4-5 weeks in the OR. I work clinically because I like to connect to patients and link my research back to them. It also influences my future research questions.

What are some things you love about being a physician-scientist? What are the challenges?

• I like that each has different goals. Medicine is more goal-oriented. It can be easier to find gratification through interacting with patients rather than bench work. Research is process oriented. It requires a different kind of critical thinking to troubleshoot problems and rework your current strategy to meet your goals.

How would you recommend getting into research in your field? 

• Most students contact me, and I can help students get in touch with an available mentor that aligns with their interests. Some students I pair with mentors at the beginning stages of a project, and other times, students are introduced in the middle or later stages.
• Research programs can also offer experience.  UAB MSSRP is a good way. I also recommend the FAER summer research program. It’s best for first year students, because it requires 8 weeks off; however, all students are welcome to participate.

Do you recommend students propose their own research projects?

• They can; however, most students find a mentor with a project on going. There are several data bases that students can use to find a research question of their own. MPOG (Michigan perioperative group) and the UAB anesthesia division are good resources.

What advice do you have for students wanting to get involved in anesthesia?

• Getting involved with SIGA is helpful and going to conferences like ASA can help students learn about the specialty. To be a good applicant to residency, having anesthesia specific research is not strictly necessary. Programs like to see that students are able to successfully balance their life with medicine. Research takes time and commitment. If you can balance that commitment with academics, volunteering, and your personal life they will know you can be successful. Overall, demonstrate your care for others.
• If you are further along in your medical school journey and are seeking letters of recommendation for residency, I recommend an anesthesia rotation in the ICU. This allows you more time to build a longitudinal relationship with an attending that can write you a strong letter

Rongbing Xie, DrPH, MPH

Date of interview: 09/05/2022

Specialty: Outcomes Research 

Time served in position: 7 years 

Interests outside of research/medicine: Drawing and painting, playing the piano, reading, kayaking, hiking, and more.

 Training background:

• Doctor of Public Health in Outcomes Research
• Masters of Public Health in Prepardness Management and Policy 

What kind of research do you do?

• Outcomes research studying advances in medical treatment and care delivery.

How did you get involved with research?

• Starting in my masters’ degree training, I was invited to participate in research projects by my mentors and advisors.

Why do you do research and have chosen to make it a part of your career?

• I design studies, of which the data collection process and data analysis will be conducted or suprivised by me. I write manuscripts and grant proposals. I enjoy researching and it is satisfactory and rewarding to solve intellectural puzzles while helping people. 

How would you recommend getting into research in your field? What if a student has no research experience?

• I would recommend students to join a team and help out as much as could. Even without any research experience, you can learn to perform some tasks easily, for instance, collecting data from a chart review, data entry, or do basic calculations. 

What advice do you have for students with looking to get into research in your field?

• Find a good mentor, work closely with her/him, manage up, always follow up and follow through, read and write a lot. Most importantly, think critically and ask a lot of questions.

How do you [or your colleagues] view students who approach you with a research proposal and who are in search of mentorship?

• Very grateful for any opportunities to work with a student. Always a delight to teach an eager and self-motivated student.

Looking to take on students (yes/no)

• Yes

Lauren Kole, MD

Date of interview: 08/15/2022

Position: Dermatology Residency Program Director

Interests outside of medicine: Dr. Kole enjoys spending time with her family.

Training background:

• Medical School: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Internship: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Residency: University of Alabama at Birmingham

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?

• I recommend developing relationships with faculty in that field. Also, cultivate your interests, knowledge, and contributions to the field – that shows in your application.

What made you want to become a program director?

• I loved the educational opportunity that comes with becoming a program director and having the ability to have a relationship and mentor peoples at multiple levels in their training.

How did you decide academics vs private practice?

• The educational aspects of academic medicine are a major draw. Outside of that the security of financial compensation that comes with academics so that I do not need to depend financially on volume of what I see.

What is one thing you wish you would have known about your field before the match?

• How much I have to manage patient issues outside of dermatology, including comorbidities and drug interactions.

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?

• The #1 thing I like to see rather than numbers (scores, grades, etc) are letters of recommendation (LOR) because the LORs illustrate the relationship the applicant has with others in the field and the positive outcomes they have had with those relationships.

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty?

• Unfortunately, the number of applicants far exceed the number of spots available. It is hard to make yourself stand out as a student. Virtual Interviews make the application process tough as well since there is limited opportunity to get to know each applicant

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications?

• When reviewing applications, I look at letters  of recommendation and focus on holistic  review, not just scores. I do, however, make  sure that there are no major red flags such as a failed course or repeated step exam.

Tiffany Mayo, MD

Date of interview: 08/02/2022

Position: Director of Clinical Research (Department of Dermatology)

Interests outside of medicine: Dr. Mayo enjoys spending time with her family and doing Pilates.

Training background:

• Medical School: Baylor College of Medicine
• Internship: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University
• Residency: University of Alabama School of Medicine
• Fellowship: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Clinical Reseach Fellow 

What kind of research do you do?

• Clinical Research including topics on Alopecia, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, and inflammatory conditions in skin of color patients.

How did you get involved with research?

• I was always interested in research as an undergraduate but was not sure how to combine my clinical interests and research. At the time, I pursued research while completing my master’s degree in chemistry. After medical school, I became interested in dermatology (later than most applicants), but I found that there were opportunities with research fellowships to make research clinical and make it fit my interests.

Why do you do research and have chosen to make it a part of your career?

• Being a minority in dermatology, I get to fill some of the gaps in medicine. From a clinical perspective, I am able to educate patients who may have hesitancy towards medicine and clinical trials, while also helping educate other researchers and physicians about clinical trials.

What are some things you love about being a physician-scientist? What are the challenges?

• I love being able to combine my interests and help advocate for my patients through research. Everything takes time with research.
• Currently, a gap in research is our generalizability for clinical trial results since there is difficulty in enrolling representative populations. There is still more work to do.

How would you recommend getting into research in your field? What if a student has no research experience?

• I would recommend that students first look at the type of work that the dermatologists are doing at their institution and see if there is a topic that sparks their interest. Students can then brainstorm their own research ideas related to the topic and present the idea to their attending.
• For students who have no experience, I recommend looking at the clinical research trainings offered by the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS). There, they can gain experience in working with human subjects and complete trainings.

What advice do you have for students with looking to get into research in your field?

• For students to seek mentors conducting research in topics they are interested in.

How do you [or your colleagues] view students who approach you with a research proposal and who are in search of mentorship?

• I prefer that students approach me with a research proposal!

Looking to take on students (yes/no)?

• Yes, see above.

Robert Hollis, MD, MSPH

Date of interview: 09/05/2022

Position: Assistant professor and Associate Scientist in the Department of GI Surgery

Training background:

• Undergraduate: Washington and Lee University
• Medical School: UAB
• Residency: UAB, with two additional years to training in outcomes research and obtaining a Masters of Science in Public Health at the UAB School of Public Health
• Fellowship: Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?

• Meet as many people as possible in the field:  senior attendings, junior attendings, senior residents, junior residents, and medical students who matched in that field to gain a better perspective of the specialty
• Do rotations early in fields of interest before investing large resources in that field
• Find research that you are passionate about in that field (don’t just do to check a box!)

What made you want to become a program director? 

• I am not a PD of general surgery, but help run the T35 summer med student research program.

How did you decide academics vs private practice?

• Academics:  I wanted to have a bigger impact than all the patients than I would ever operate on through education of residents and research

What is one thing you wish you would have known about your field before the match?

• I wish I knew more about all the programs nationwide that aligned with my interests – that said, I am very happy that I matched where I did.   However looking back, I didn’t really have a good understanding of the reputation and nature of programs that I didn’t appy to.   Would have included many additional programs.

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?

• Anything that demonstrates that the individual can be very passionate about a subject to lead to a meaningful achievement in that area – whether it be playing D1 sports, touring with a bluegrass band, emerging as a first gen college graduate, prior careers.   
• Significant leadership examples
• Multiple research publications related to the same topic (not scattered research)

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty? 

• Lack of knowledge of the broader field and contacts within our field. 

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications?

• Passion through prior experiences/involvement
• Leadership through prior experiences/involvement
• Letters of rec (staff that were close to them that can vouch for specific capabilities compared to peers)
• Diversity

Starr Steinhilber, MD

Date of Interview: 12/5/24 

Research/Clinical Specialty: Internal Medicine  

Position(s): Associate Program Director & Associate Professor of Medicine 

Time served in current role: 6 years 

Interests outside of research/medicine: fashion, art, & kids 😊  

Training background:  

• Undergraduate: University of Miami 

• Medical/Graduate School: Heersink School of Medicine Class of 2010 

• Residency: UAB Internal Medicine 

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?  

• Internal Medicine is the perfect field if you like complex problems & great patient relationships. We know a lot about a lot of things.  

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?  

• We like to see that you were dedicated to something. Volunteering at the same place weekly for years speaks more than the occasional health screening fair. We also love when students have appropriate EQ and can accurately describe their struggles/weakness, and what they took from those experiences.  

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications? 

• We care about academics as we are a rigorous training program and we want people to succeed, but also were they active outside of studying. We’re interested in their extracurriculuars and specifically did they take a leadership role in something. Try to use all 3 of your LOR spots. (The automatic Chair’s letter doesn’t count.) 

Thoughts on away rotations/advice for those pursuing these opportunities?  

• Away rotations are not needed for Internal Medicine. More often they are used for the applicant to try out a place they think they’ll like or make a good impression while there to help their chances. That said, I think it is great when we see a LOR from a visiting rotation showing you tried hard and succeeded in a new place, just like you will intern year in a (likely) new place. So if you do complete an away rotation, try to get a letter from it.  

When evaluating applicants' research, what stands out to you? (ie first author, total number of projects, widespread vs singular focuses, ability to talk in detail about the projects)  

• Research is likely lowest on our list for internal medicine residency behind academics, extracurriculars, and leadership. As mentioned, we have a great rigorous clinical training program and knowing how to do research well won’t help you take care of complicated patients or lead a team of interns & students. It’s a bonus but not the focus. If you do research, being able to speak to it and understand it is key.  

Todd Peterson, MD

Date of interview: 11/01/2022

Position: Director of Medical Student Simulation, Associate Professor, and Assistant Dean for Students

Interests outside of medicine: Hiking, obstacle course races, and spending time with his wife and four daughters.

Training background:

• Medical School: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Residency: University of Alabama at Birmingham

What made you want to become involved in medical education and clinical simulation?

• I first realized that I enjoyed teaching when I served as an anatomy teaching associate in medical school. As a resident I spent a great deal of time teaching students and junior residents with didactic sessions and procedure labs.
• As a student and resident, I always felt that the sim lab was the most effective way to learn clinical medicine. I incorporated several different types of simulation into the EM rotation that ran for several years. That involvement led to my current simulation role in the Heersink School of Medicine. 

What is one thing you wish you would have known about your field prior to pursuing a career in it?

• I wish that earlier in my career I had a greater understanding of the importance of finding external professional development opportunities. I’ve learned so much through formal and informal medical education development programs. They have been a great way to learn new educational techniques and find external mentorship.

What are some unique challenges in medical education?

• Medical education is a constantly changing landscape. We have to balance the importance of following national standards for accreditation and board preparation, while making space for innovative programing and educational techniques to best prepare our students for the challenges of a career in medicine.

What are your favorite aspects of your role in medical education?

• I love watching students and residents as they progress throughout their training. It’s inspiring to watch them develop into compassionate caring physicians who deliver outstanding care. 

What research options are out there for students interested in medical education? What is the best way to get involved in these projects?

• I would encourage anyone who is interested in medical education to take advantage of opportunities while they are in medical school. Being a tutor, peer mentor, or teaching associate are great ways to get involved.
• There are a number of med ed research projects that take place each year. Anne Zinski helps to organize a med ed research group, and would be a great contact. Additionally, a number of our career advisors are active in medical research. A link to the list of advisors is available on this page: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/home/current-students/residency-application-resources-timeline

How do you predict the fields of medical education and clinical simulation will change in the future?

• I expect medical schools to continue the trend of more interactive educational delivery. UAB has been on the leading edge of incorporating simulation in the preclinical years, and with current trends, I expect more schools to follow suit.

What recommendations do you have for students interested in pursuing a career in medical education?

• I would recommend that getting involved in as many educational opportunities as possible. Serving as a tutor, teaching associate, or mentor to undergraduate or high school students is a great way to gain experience, develop your teaching skills, and see if it would be a good fit for your long term career goals.

Dr. Curtis Rozzelle 

Date of Interview: 09/20/23 

Research/Clinical Specialty: Pediatric Neurosurgery 

Time served as PD: 5 years 

Interests outside of research/medicine: Strategy/ role-playing board games.  

Training background:  

• Undergraduate: Duke 
• Medical/Graduate School: Wake Forest University 
• Residency: UAB 
• Fellowship: UT-Southwestern, University of South Florida 

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?

• Come see what we do, early and often. Get involved in research efforts.  

What made you want to become a program director?

• I was drafted. 

How did you decide on academics vs private practice?

• I chose pediatric neurosurgery because of Dr. Oaks and how he approached clinical problems and how he taught, and I wanted to do what the kind of work he did. Nearly all pediatric neurosurgeons are a part of university which is why I am in academics. 

What is one thing your students should know about your field before the match?

• Neurosurgery is not for the faint of heart. 

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?

• Things that demonstrate the applicant is a self-starter. That they can pick something up and carry it through to a conclusion without having someone look over their shoulder and push them to do it.  

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty? 

• Going to a medical school without a neurosurgery program. For example, now with STEP 1 pass-fail, we rely on letters of recommendation very highly. So, if they don’t have a neurosurgery program or they have a small program where faculty are not well known, it will put them at disadvantage.  

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications?

• Research, letters of recommendation, and personal statement.  

Thoughts on away rotations/advice for those pursuing these opportunities?

• Need to do at least 1 away rotation, 2 is a good number if you have a home neurosurgery program. If not, I would do as many as you can. 

When evaluating applicants' research, what stands out to you? (ie first author, total number of projects, widespread vs singular focuses, ability to talk in detail about the projects)

• First author and total number stand out. I look for what they did in a study and what their role was in it.  

Why is neurosurgery a great specialty?

• Offers a great variety of opportunities to make a very positive impact in people’s lives.  

Dr. Brandon Rocque 

Date of Interview: 10/4/2023 

Research/Clinical Specialty: Pediatric Neurosurgery 

Position(s): Professor of Neurosurgery 

Time served in position: 9 years 

Training background:  

• Undergraduate: University of Georgia 
• Medical/Graduate School: Washington University 
• Preliminary Year/Intern Year: University of Wisconsin 
• Residency: University of Wisconsin  
• Fellowship: University of Wisconsin, Children’s of Alabama 

What kind of research do you do?

• Clinical research, focused broadly on improving experience of pediatric neurosurgery. Also I research the transition to adult care as well. 

How did you decide on academics vs private practice?

• Had several areas of research interest as a resident and never wanted to leave that behind. Also get to take a wide variety of clinical conditions.  

How did you get involved with research?

• Very early. PGY2 prank email. In call room we had one computer that everyone used for their emails. If you left and didn’t sign out, you would be pranked. When I forgot to sign out, one of my co-residents sent an email to all of the pediatric neurosurgery staff stating that I loved pediatric neurosurgery and if anyone had extra work I would love to have it. I was therefore given a project to help with. 

How do you balance research and being a clinician, and why do you choose to have both roles?

• Chose both roles because I can and have the ability to. Balance by having time set aside to do research.  

Why do you do research and have chosen to make it part of your career?

• I do it because “nothing we do, we do well enough” and research is the way to improve it. 

What are some things you love about being a physician-scientist? What are the challenges?

• Love the opportunity to improve the care we deliver and it’s fun to be an expert in an area. Challenges are it takes a lot of time and can be stressful. 

What are some trends in your research area? How do you see the field changing over the next 10-15 years?

• I hope we can identify ways to provide better support for pediatric neurosurgical patients targeted in ways that they need. Making sure patients are ready for their transition to adulthood. Pediatric neurosurgery is a small and young field, we do not have a large number of RCTs. That is changing and the quality of the science is improving.  

How would you recommend getting into research in your field? What if a student has no research experience?

• Find something that excites you, figure out what the big and small unanswered clinical questions are, and then figure out who at your institution is working in that space. You got to take the initiative to start.  

Do you recommend students propose their own research projects?

• Yes absolutely.  

What advice do you have for students wanting to get involved in neurosurgery research?

• Reach out. 

What is one thing students should know about your field before the match?

• Don’t be afraid of neurosurgery, it’s great.  

Looking to take on students (yes/no)

• Not right now. If you come to me with a question you want to try and answer, I will support you if it is a pediatric neurosurgery question.   

Dr. Louis Burt Nabors, III 

Date of Interview: 10/23/2024 

Research/Clinical Specialty: Neuro-Oncology/ Clinical research involving patients primarily in treatment clinical trials but also population science efforts. I have a basic science lab examining RNA binding proteins and RNA regulation. 

Position(s): Professor, Director of Neuro-Oncology, Vice-Chair of Research of Neurosurgery, Vice Chair of Research of Neurology 

Training background:  

• Undergraduate: B.S. Engineering Mississippi State University 
• Medical/Graduate School: University of Tennessee Memphis 
• Preliminary Year/Intern Year: National Naval Medical Center 
• Residency: University of Alabama at Birmingham 
• Fellowship: University of Alabama at Birmingham 

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?  

• Seek out mentors and attend seminars and outside speaker talks to get a feel for the current state of research in the field. 

What are some things you love about being a physician-scientist? What are the challenges? 

• I love the rewards both at the patient level and research, I enjoy working with colleagues and students; I enjoy exploring new research areas.  Challenges are limited, the main ones are really the cost of doing research, obtaining the funding, and administrative tasks tied to research. 

 What is one thing you students should know about your field before the match?  

• The match is neurology then neuro oncology fellowship afterwards. It is a great field with a tremendous increase in disease understanding and treatments. 

Why do you do research and have chosen to make it part of your career?  

• Clinically I primarily deal with primary brain cancer, and we need to better understand why patients get these and what causes them. 

How do you balance research and being a clinician, and why do you choose to have both roles?  

• It is a challenge, but I believe being a clinician and my research matches my clinical practice, the 2 are very useful to each other. 

Russell W. Read, MD, PhD 

Date of Interview: 11/9/23

Research/Clinical Specialty: Uveitis 

Position: Professor; Former Residency Program Director  

Time served as PD: 16 years 

Training background 

• Undergraduate: Auburn University  

• Medical/Graduate School: University of Alabama School of Medicine 

• Preliminary Year: Physicians Medical Center Carraway 

• Residency: University of Washington Seattle 

• Fellowship: uveitis/ocular inflammatory disease; Doheny Eye Institute, University of Southern California 

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field? 

• Do a rotation in the field during your third year to become familiar with what being an ophthalmologist is all about, then if you’re still interested, a fourth year elective. Away rotations are also a good way to be exposed to other programs. I do think that there is such a thing as doing too many rotations such that it limits your exposure to the rest of medicine. Your goal in medical school should be to become a well rounded physician. You’ll have plenty of time to learn ophthalmology during your residency. 

What made you want to become a program director?    

• Opportunity to impact the training of the next generation of ophthalmologists. 

How did you decide on academics vs private practice? 

• I wanted to continue my exposure to really smart people doing innovative work in my field. 

What is one thing you students should know about your field before the match? 

• Being an ophthalmologist is not just eyeballs. You need to be an excellent physician before you are an ophthalmologist. 

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications? 

• Strong work ethic. I really like applicants that held down non-medical jobs before or during their training. 

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty?  

• There are many, many more applicants than there are slots. This means that some really outstanding people don’t get a residency in the field. 

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications? 

• There is not one. We look at the entirety of the applicant’s experiences to date. 

Thoughts on away rotations/advice for those pursuing these opportunities? 

• One or two at locations at which you think you are really interested are good, but too many takes away from your general medical training. 

When evaluating applicants' research, what stands out to you? (ie first author, total number of projects, widespread vs singular focuses, ability to talk in detail about the projects) 

• I think research activities are vastly overemphasized for ophthalmology applicants. When I am reviewing an applicant, research experience can help, but lack of research doesn’t hurt, an applicant. But if you did do research, then you should be able to discuss it intelligently. 

Why is ophthalmology a great specialty? 

• It contains the breadth of medical care. 

Benjamin Greene, MD

Date of Interview: 10/16/2023 

Research/Clinical Specialty: Head and neck Oncology and Reconstructive Surgery, Facial Nerve Reanimation and Rehabilitation 

Position(s): Associate Professor of Otolaryngology 

Time served as PD: Associate Program Director Jan 2017-June 2018; Program Director: July 2018-Present 

Interests outside of research/medicine: Spending time with my wife and kids, running, exercise in general 

Training background:  

• Undergraduate: State University of New York at Geneseo 
• Medical/Graduate School: Jacobs School of Medicine at University of Buffalo 
• Preliminary Year/Intern Year: 2009-Otolaryngology University of Rochester Medical Center 
• Residency: Otolaryngology University of Rochester Medical Center 
• Fellowship: UAB: Head and Neck Oncology and Microvascular reconstructive surgery  

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?  

• Get involved with research early. Show that you can finish projects. Be helpful to the current ENT residents and be active in the department 

What made you want to become a program director?    

• I like seeing the residents start off with very little procedural knowledge and graduate doing a really good job. Also, there is a lot of administrative minutiae that I am *unfortunately* pretty good at 

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?  

• Growing up in underserved areas. Overcoming adversary and personal struggles. I really don’t like cookie cutter personal statements about why you like otolaryngology. We all know why you like it, it is the best field! You don’t need to convince me! 

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications? 

• Letters of recommendations, step 2 ck score, publications, personal statements 

Thoughts on away rotations/advice for those pursuing these opportunities?  

• Applicants are statistically more likely to match to their home program or a place where they did an Away rotation. They are very very helpful, not only for the match, but to help applicants determine what is important to them during the interview trail. 

When evaluating applicants' research, what stands out to you? (ie first author, total number of projects, widespread vs singular focuses, ability to talk in detail about the projects)  

• Good projects, publications-especially first author, Good papers and good projects. Sheer volume in and of itself is not impressive, but quality and knowing that the person did the work is what really makes it interesting to me. 

Jessica Grayson, MD

Date of Interview: 10/27/23 

Research/Clinical Specialty: Rhinology/Anterior Skull Base Surgery  

Position(s): Associate Professor of Otolaryngology 

Time served in position: 4 

Interests outside of research/medicine: running, college football, hiking, travel 

Training background:  

• Undergraduate: University of Alabama  
• Graduate School: University of Alabama 
• Medical School: University of Alabama Birmingham 
• Preliminary Year/Intern Year: Otolaryngology – UAB (2013-2014) 
• Residency: Otolaryngology (UAB – 2013-2018) 
• Fellowship: Rhinology/Anterior Skull Base Surgery – Sydney Australia, 2018-2019 

What kind of research do you do? 

• I mostly do clinical research focused on outcomes in sinonasal inflammatory and tumor conditions. I participate in lab based research on the etiologies of sinonasal inflammatory disorders 

How did you decide on academics vs private practice? 

• I wanted to be able to do large cases that require substantial collaboration amongst services  
• I wanted to be able to continue to push myself and be challenged 
• I wanted to have the opportunity to help take care of some of the sickest patients who have the fewest resources to ensure that they had a partner in their care and knew that we would fight with them. 

How do you balance research and being a clinician, and why do you choose to have both roles? 

• Different weeks require different priorities. Some weeks clinical responsibility reigns supreme and sometimes that alternates.  
• At minimum I don’t think we are functioning as academic surgeons if we aren’t reporting outcomes and moving the clinical arm forward. You either participate in writing the story or you sit on the sidelines and let someone else tell the story. I don’t like being on the sidelines. 

How would you recommend getting into research in your field? What if a student has no research experience? 

• T35 research is helpful between 1st and 2nd year  -- just grab a mentor to guide you. No prior experience needed. Everyone has to start somewhere. 

Do you recommend students propose their own research projects? 

• It’s not required, but if there are questions that are coming up and you’re interested in the answer then it’s potentially an actionable thing. It’s helpful to have someone to flesh out the details with and make sure there is bang for your buck in the question. 

What advice do you have for students wanting to get involved in ENT research? 

• Reach out to Dr. Carissa Thomas and join our research meetings. 

What is one thing students should know about your specialty before deciding to pursue it? 

• That you could come to work everyday for 40-50 years and still enjoy what you do.  
• Your life won’t look like a residents life or even the program total so don’t let that overwhelm you. Look at the lives of the individuals in practice – that’s a better judge of what it looks like long-term. All residency is hard. All residents work a lot. It’s really about what you become at the end of it. Anything in life worth doing will take effort.  

Michele Nichols, MD

Email:  mnichols@uabmc.edu 

Office:  205-638-9589 

Date of Interview: 2025 

Research/Clinical Specialty: Pediatrics/ Pediatric Emergency Medicine 

Position(s):  Director, Pediatric Residency Program Director 

Time served in current role:  > 15 years 

Interests outside of research/medicine: Spectator sports, Travel, Broadway, Dance, Community outreach  

Training background:  

• Undergraduate:  Auburn University  

• Medical/Graduate School:  UASOM 

• Preliminary Year/Intern Year: Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CHMC), Cincinnati, Ohio 

• Residency: Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CHMC), Cincinnati, Ohio 

• Fellowship: Children's Hospital Medical Center (CHMC), Cincinnati, Ohio 

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?  

• Shadow early on – college, medical school
• Talk with as many pediatricians as you can – highs and lows of career, the WHY of what they do
• Be open minded about what specialties might be out there as a career path – do not have early closure

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?  

• Consistent investment in activities – not just one day or a few months participation
• Passionate about a cause
• Leadership in organizations, initiation of ideas
• Anything that shows student goes above and beyond going to school everyday – student government, community outreach, extracurriculars, research 

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications? 

• We look at the whole application – grades in medical school, performance on clinical rotations, USMLE scores – (if failures, need to address in application – why and what did you learn from this), activities, leadership, initiatives 
• We value Dean’s letter, letters of recommendation, and personal statements that are truly “personal” and help us know the applicant 

Thoughts on away rotations/advice for those pursuing these opportunities?  

• “Away” rotations are great – especially if looking to go to a “reach” school.  They also help one to appreciate what is at “Home”.  Remember, though, “away” rotations can help or hurt an applicant – so if going, put your very best foot forward!
• Seek advice from the specialty faculty advisors – as well as talk with residents.  

When evaluating applicants' research, what stands out to you? (ie first author, total number of projects, widespread vs singular focuses, ability to talk in detail about the projects)  

• Really – any extra effort in medical school –is noteworthy. 
• First author – presenting author – is always strong – any research though is impressive. 
• Any resulting publication is super impressive – difficult to accomplish in such a short period of time.
• If doing research, make it something you are passionate about.
• Be prepared on interviews to talk about the research.  

Resident Interview

Katie Fogle, MD 

Date of Interview: 12/12/24 

Research/Clinical Specialty: Pediatrics 

Position(s)/Year: PGY-3 

Interests outside of research/medicine: reading, ballet  

Training background:  

• Undergraduate: Auburn University 

• Medical/Graduate School: UAB 

• Preliminary Year/Intern Year: UAB 

• Residency: UAB 

What drew you to pursue a career in your field?  

• The kids and their families! It is truly a privilege and honor to get to walk through a child’s and parent’s most difficult time with them. Not only that, but I find joy in talking with families about our common goal of keeping their children safe and happy.  

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field?  

• Be able to explain why pediatrics is for you! Stay engaged during your peds clerkship and tell us that you are interested in peds.  

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications or were emphasized during your residency applications?  

• Anything that an applicant is passionate about and can talk about (does not have to be specific to peds). Showing passion and dedication is important.  

What are the main metrics you have seen examined for residency applications? 

• It is wholistic  

Thoughts on away rotations/advice for those pursuing these opportunities?  

• Hard to say – talk to your advisor 

When evaluating applicants' research, what stands out to you? (ie first author, total number of projects, widespread vs singular focuses, ability to talk in detail about the projects)  

• Definitely the ability to talk about a project – important to see passion and dedication and understanding. That to me is more important than a huge number of projects that you know nothing about. Quality over quantity in my opinion.  

Are you or your co-residents open to working with medical students on research projects? If so, do you prefer them to approach you with research project ideas or to assist with existing projects?  

• Not currently  

Berdale “Dale” Colorado, MD

Date of interview: 8/18/2022

Position: Program Director

Time served as PD: Stayed on as faculty at Washington University for 8 years and then for the last 5 years he has served as the PD for sports medicine and interventional spine fellowship at Washington University. Starting at UAB as Vice-Chair of academics and PM&R residency PD in September of 2022.

Interests outside of medicine: Married with 3 kids. Enjoys basketball, tennis, and taekwondo.

Training background:

• Undergraduate: University of Iowa
• Medical school: Des Moines University
• Prelim year: University of Iowa
• Residency: Medical College of Wisconsin
• Fellowship: Sports Medicine and Interventional Spine at Washington University School of Medicine

What recommendations do you have for a medical student interested in your field and what would you like students to know about the field?

• PM&R is a broad field with 7 accredited fellowships and even more non-accredited ones.
• Explore the breadth of the field as much as you can (including inpatient and outpatient experiences) and know that you may have completely different experiences depending on what area of the field you are working in. The overall focus of the field is to improve patients function and quality of life. This is achieved in multiple fashions including, inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, and procedural based rehab.
• There is opportunity to work with patients of all ages, ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics.

What made you want to become a program director?

• Thoroughly enjoy teaching and was blessed with amazing mentors that made a positive impact, so I wanted to do the same. 

How did you decide academics vs private practice?

• Love for teaching and research. 
• Research focuses include musculoskeletal and neuromuscular ultrasound, electrodiagnostics, and adaptive sports.

What is one thing you wish you would have known about your field before the match/ while in medical school?

• PM&R is a small field and for the most part everyone knows everyone. While on away rotations and the interview trial make the most of your experience and always put your best foot forward. You are likely to cross paths with fellow applicants and colleagues down the road.

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?

• Having PM&R experiences that include the breadth of the specialty (ie inpatient/outpatient/procedural)

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty?

• Exposure to the field
• Hard specialty to squeeze into one rotation
• Getting a variety of experiences

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications?

• WHOLE application is important
• If he had to pick three most important things, performance on PM&R rotation, understanding the field, and having strong letters from an academic physiatrist that has worked with a ton of trainees goes a LONG way
• Leadership positions while in medical school
• Volunteer activities

Thoughts/viewpoint of away rotations?

• At least 1 is very important, 2 if you can
• Performing well on away rotations significantly boosts your application
• Take advantage of all the program has to offer. Ask to spend time on other areas of PM&R beyond just the rotation you are on.

When evaluating applicants research, what stands out to you? (ie first author, total number of projects, widespread vs singular focuses, ability to talk in detail about the projects)

• Presence of research at all!! Even if not PM&R based, having exposure to the steps of research is beneficial.

What advice do you have for students while on PM&R rotations?

• “We are looking for candidates who drink from the firehose” i.e., we are looking for ppl who want to learn. We don’t expect you to be a polished physiatrist, but we want to see that you are interested and want to learn as much about the field as possible and work hard.

Jessica Zarzour, MD

Date of interview: 9/12/22

Position: Program Director

Time served as PD: 6 years

Specialty: Radiology- Abdominal Imaging

Interests outside of medicine: I have a family with 2 sons and a husband that I love spending time with. We hang out at a lake when have a chance to get away. I enjoy watersports, hiking at oak mountain, and skiing in the winter.

Training background:

• Undergraduate: Auburn
• Medical School: UAB
• Residency: UAB
• Fellowship: UAB

How can med student figure out if radiology is right for them?

• As a med student in other rotations you play a big role. In radiology it’s harder because it’s more shadowing. Try to imagine yourself in the radiologist’s role as the one dictating, reading, formulating treatments, etc. Do you see yourself finding satisfaction being the one doing the radiologist’s jobs.
• Sometimes we do hands on sessions and residents will let med students dictate cases and read for education purposes. Biopsy cases in radiology are another good thing to see. All subspecialties of radiology do a fair share of procedures and we do biopsy sessions where students can practice and get hands on experience.
• Radiologists usually like everything, because they learn everything head to toe.

What made you want to become a program director?

• I like being involved in resident education and I served as the assistant program director for 3 years. After that I became the program director.

How did you decide academics vs private practice?

• I liked the culture of UAB and collegiality between departments. Radiology here at UAB is like a family. They trained me well and I had more fulfillment in academics and education.

What is one thing you wish you would have known about your field before the match?

• I wish I had known it was out there earlier. That’s why UAB tries to introduce it earlier to med students. I also wish I knew the important role radiology plays in peoples’ lives.

What kind of experiences stand out to you on residency applications?

• Leadership.  Work experience while not necessary, is interesting to see because at the end of the day you’re applying for a job. Some of our best residents are the ones who come in looking for ways to improve and contribute.
• People who have had roles contributing to med school by serving on different committees and roles is something we like to see.

What are the biggest barriers students encounter when applying to your specialty?

• We’ve had good luck with our students matching. We try to mentor our students have ppl in dept to mentor. Best to have a mentor in rads.
• Residents are great and are willing to help students navigate. All virtual interviews, learn from those who have gone before you. 

What are the main metrics you examine when reviewing applications?

• The main metrics we use are Step 2, research, personal statement, letters of recommendation, and dean’s letter.