Meet James Paul Cook, M.D., one of our newest faculty members in the Department of Radiology. 

What is your full name, title, and position?

James Paul Cook, M.D, clinical assistant professor in the section of emergency radiology, and assistant program director for the emergency radiology fellowship

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Lilburn, GA, a suburb on the east side of Atlanta.

Why did you choose to work at UAB?

I thoroughly enjoyed my time during residency and fellowship training at UAB. I appreciated the collegiality and camaraderie in the department, the numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth, and the breadth and complexity of the cases. My family also fell in love the friendly culture and livability of Birmingham. We could not imagine raising our children anywhere else.

Why did you choose radiology?

It was a tough decision! During medical school I had planned to pursue a career in vascular surgery. I was drawn towards specialties that required immediate, deliberate action to solve challenging problems. However, after enough repetitions, the action was interesting but not enough for me to want to dedicate my career to it. Ultimately, I realized that the most intriguing part of this clinical pathway to me was the problem solving component. I found that radiology offered precisely that: an opportunity to meaningfully advance patient care through problem solving.

What are your career  goals?

During the final years of residency and fellowship, I developed a passion for teaching. This was a critical factor in my decision to stay in academic medicine, and I intend to continue to find opportunities to teach residents and fellows. In a more formal capacity in this pursuit, I have taken on the role of assistant program director for the emergency radiology fellowship with the intention to move into the program director position in the coming years.

What are your professional interests?

Emergency/trauma, abdominal, and musculoskeletal imaging.

What are your personal hobbies?

Spending time with my wife and children, traveling, exploring world cuisine through cooking, and working on home improvement projects around the house we bought after fellowship– a daunting but often rewarding process!