Therapy Dogs Help Students De-Stress for Finals

University of South Alabama students Katlyn Lurker (right) and Tiffany Acuff pet Muddy, a British Labrador, July 23, 2014,  in the USA Biomedical Library. Therapy dogs were at the library to help students de-stress for final exams.

On July 23, 2014, therapy dogs visited the second floor of the USA Biomedical Library, located on USA’s main campus. Judy Burnham, director of the USA Biomedical Library, said the dogs were available to help students de-stress for final exams.

Pet therapy has become increasingly common in hospitals and schools across the country. The animals help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety by providing unconditional love. For years, USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital has provided therapy dogs to help patients recover from and better cope with health problems. To learn more about the pet therapy program at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital, click here.

University of South Alabama second-year medical students Megan Thomas and Brad Edmonds pet Lilly, a standard poodle July 23, 2014,  in the USA Biomedical Library. Therapy dogs were at the library Wednesday to help students de-stress for final exams.

Dr. Grace Hundley Named Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program Director

Dr. Grace Hundley, assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, was recently appointed as the USA internal medicine-pediatrics residency program director. The graduate medical education committee voted unanimously on her behalf, and she began her new role on July 1, 2014.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) defines the program director as the physician designated with authority and accountability for the operation of the residency program.

The program director wears many hats -- filling the role of principal, counselor, registrar, financial officer, time keeper, and recruiter.

“I am grateful for the support from the medicine and pediatrics chairs for the medicine-pediatrics program, as well as the program coordinators and support staff in helping me transition to this new role,” Dr. Hundley said. “I look forward to finding innovative ways to help the residents reach their full potential.”

As the program director, Dr. Hundley’s goals are focused on creating the best possible learning and working environment for the residents while upholding the program requirements. “I want to keep the residents challenged and progressing to be the best physicians they can be,” she said.

Medical Student Research Day Set for August 1

The University of South Alabama College of Medicine’s 41st annual Medical Student Research Day will feature Dr. Arthur P. Grollman, distinguished professor of pharmacological sciences, Evelyn G. Glick Professor of Experimental Medicine, and director of the Zickler Laboratory of Chemical Biology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook (SUNYSB).

The event will take place August 1, 2014, in the Medical Sciences Building. Oral presentations will begin at 8:30 a.m. and poster presentations will begin at 12:30 p.m. Dr. Grollman’s lecture will take place at 11 a.m. in the Medical Sciences Building Auditorium.

Dr. Grollman has published more than 200 papers in the fields of molecular biology and cancer research. His current research interests focus on the biological consequences of DNA damage as they relate to molecular mechanisms of DNA replication, mutagenesis, and DNA repair.

Dr. Grollman received his B.A. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley and his M.D. from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Following internship and residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins, he conducted research at the National Institutes of Health. He then joined the faculty of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y., where he became professor of medicine, pharmacology and molecular biology. He served concurrently as associate dean for scientific affairs at Albert Einstein from 1970 to 1972 and held a similar position in the School of Medicine at SUNYSB from 1994 to 1996.

To learn more about Dr. Grollman’s research, click here.

For more information on Medical Student Research Day, contact Marcina Lang at (251) 461-1548.

July Med School Café - 'Alternative Approach to Cardiac Catheterizations'

The July Med School Café lecture will feature Dr. Ghazanfar H. Qureshi, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and an interventional cardiologist with USA Physicians Group.

His lecture, titled “Alternative Approach to Cardiac Catheterizations,” will take place July 29, 2014, at the USA Faculty Club on USA’s main campus. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., and the presentation begins at noon.

During the talk, Dr. Qureshi will discuss the benefits of radial artery cardiac catheterizations, an alternative approach to traditional cardiac catheterizations. Cardiac catheterizations are performed to evaluate the coronary arteries for the presence of obstruction to blood flow. Traditionally, the entry point for a cardiac catheterization has been in the groin area through the femoral artery. However, a radial artery catheterization can be performed through the radial artery in the patient’s wrist, significantly reducing the risk of bleeding complications and recovery time.

The Med School Café lecture and lunch are provided free of charge, but reservations are required. For more information or to make reservations, call Kim Partridge at (251) 460-7770 or e-mail kepartridge@health.southalabama.edu.

Med School Café is a free community lecture series sponsored by the USA Physicians Group. Each month, faculty from the USA College of Medicine share their expertise on a specific medical condition, providing insight on the latest treatment available.

Dr Qureshi from USA Health System on Vimeo.