Diagnostic Radiology Program Director
Vice Chair of Education
Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs
The Department of Radiology continues to grow and evolve, and as a result, has made some exciting changes to leadership roles including a new Diagnostic Radiology program director, vice chair of education, and vice chair of faculty affairs.
Constantine Burgan, M.D., will assume the role of Diagnostic Radiology program director, effective July 1, 2023.
“I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to serve as program director. Building relationships and educating residents is what drives me and makes this the best place in the world to work,” said Burgan. “Dr. Zarzour is an impossible act to follow, but I am up for the challenge and ready to push our program to reach its highest potential. I am grateful to lean on her mentorship and continue to work closely together as she begins her new role.”
Burgan, chief of ultrasound and abdominal procedures, assistant program director of the Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program, director of the Clinician Educator Pathway, and associate professor of the abdominal imaging section, received his Bachelors in Chemistry from Towson University, followed by medical school at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at the Allegheny Health Network where he served as chief resident. Burgan completed a fellowship in cross-sectional imaging at Johns Hopkins Hospital, then joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins as a body radiologist. Burgan has served as the abdominal imaging educational liaison for many years and has overseen the abdominal imaging lecture curriculum. He is a six-time recipient of the “Top 10” Teaching Award for Excellence in Resident Education. He has served on multiple committees within the Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) and the American College of Radiology (ACR), and is active in the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU). Burgan's areas of interest include general and vascular ultrasound with particular interests in endocrine and genitourinary imaging, procedural simulation, and resident education.
Jessica Zarzour, M.D., will assume the role of vice chair of education, effective July 1, 2023.
“I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to have served as program director of our residency. I can only hope that I had a fraction of the impact on the residents that they have had in my life” said Zarzour. “Dr. Burgan will do a fantastic job as the new program director and will take our program to new heights. I'm thrilled to continue in the role of vice chair of education, furthering the excellent work done by Dr. Morgan.”
Zarzour, chief of GI Modality and associate professor in the abdominal imaging section, completed her undergraduate training at Auburn University, followed by medical school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She completed residency training in diagnostic radiology at UAB where she served as chief resident and completed fellowship training in abdominal imaging at UAB. Clinically, Zarzour practices a full spectrum abdominal imaging including fluoroscopy, CT, and US. Her research interests include swallowing disorders, contrast enhanced ultrasound, diversity and inclusion, and education initiatives. She is a fellow in SAR and serves on numerous committees with the ACR. Zarzour has served as the program director of the diagnostic radiology residency program for the past six years. During this time, she has enjoyed mentoring many radiology residents and has been invested in their education. She was awarded the UAB Department of Radiology Gary T. Barnes Distinguished Faculty Award in 2021 and is a 12 time recipient of the “Top Ten” Faculty Award for Excellence in Resident Education.
Desiree Morgan, M.D., will assume the new role of vice chair of faculty affairs, effective July 1, 2023.
“I am thrilled that Coz and Jessica will be assuming their new roles in education in our department and will do all I can to support them through this transition and beyond”, said Morgan. “I am confident that our trainees will applaud and embrace this change because both are such fantastic resident advocates. I look forward to focusing now on faculty development, mentorship, and professional growth for all members of our department.”
Morgan, vice chair of education and professor in the abdominal imaging section, is the former program director of the diagnostic radiology residency program. Prior to being appointed the vice chair of education, Morgan served as the vice chair of clinical research. Since joining the faculty in 1993, Morgan has mentored numerous medical students, residents, and junior faculty in a variety of preclinical and clinical research endeavors, and while she still enjoys discovery in clinical radiology, her focus in the recent past has been to develop educational programs in and beyond the department. Morgan served as a lead author of the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA) Patient Centered Care Modular Curriculum. She initiated the Radiology Resident Research Education and Appreciation Day (READY) that has become the annual celebration of our graduating residents and fellows. She created and served as the initial director of the resident clinician educator pathway (CEP) to excite trainees about future careers in academics, and started the accelerated fellows program as a tool for faculty recruitment. Since 2016, Morgan has organized the program for our faculty development workshop that occurs every three years for new faculty, and hosts junior faculty mini workshops throughout the year. She also participates on the steering committee of the UAB Healthcare Educators Academy where she also serves as a mentor. In 2021, Morgan became the lead mentor for the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Barfield Carter Learning Community and spends most Monday afternoons facilitating our students with professionalism, ethics, and leadership skills.
Morgan has won numerous teaching awards including the UABSOM Argus Award, multiple Outstanding Faculty Lecturer Medical Student Radiology Elective Awards, UAB Department of Radiology Gary T. Barnes Distinguished Faculty Awards and Louisville Slugger (senior radiology resident) Awards. She is a greater than fifteen time recipient of the “Top Ten” Faculty Award for Excellence in Resident Education, and in 2021, the Desiree E. Morgan Award for Continual Excellence in Teaching was named in her honor and is given to faculty who achieve the same level of consistent recognition for teaching by our residents. She has served as the SAR Igor Laufer Traveling Professor, an honor reserved for outstanding physician educators and in 2016 she was awarded the UAB Brewer-Heslin Award for Professionalism in Medicine, presented annually to the Heersink School of Medicine faculty member who upholds the highest ideals of integrity, honesty, and concern for patients. Morgan is a fellow and member of the executive board of the Society of Advanced Body Imaging and is a fellow and past president of the SAR. She is an abdominal trustee for the American Board of Radiology, where she serves as the vice chair for diagnostic radiology.
Congratulations to these outstanding faculty members.