USA Senior Medical Students Celebrate Residencies at Match Day 2016

USA medical student Elizabeth Swartout and her husband try to look into her match envelope prior to opening it during the University of South Alabama College of Medicine Match Day celebration Friday, March 18, 2016, at the Mobile Convention Center. Swartout matched in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

Senior medical students at the University of South Alabama gathered March 18 at the Mobile Convention Center to find out this year’s Match Day results and the next step in their medical training.

The National Residency Matching Program, or Match Day, is the annual event in which future doctors across the United States and Canada learn where they will be doing their residency training. The graduating medical students across North America simultaneously opened their envelopes with their assigned matches at 11 a.m. CST.

After interviewing with several different residency programs across the country, students rank their top-choice programs in order of preference. Training programs also rank the students who interviewed. The NRMP then uses a mathematical algorithm to designate each applicant into a residency program. Each year, thousands of medical school seniors compete for approximately 24,000 residency positions across the United States.

“Match Day is an important day for each graduating medical student,” said Dr. Susan LeDoux, associate dean of medical education and student affairs at USA. “This year, as in the past, we are extremely proud of our students’ successes in securing excellent residency positions. Their success reflects years of hard work on their part and also speaks to the quality of the educational training provided to them here in the USA College of Medicine.”

The 73 USA College of Medicine seniors matched in 18 different states, with 53 students matching out-of-state and 20 students matching in the state of Alabama. Fourteen of those students matching in Alabama matched at USA Hospitals.

USA medical student Preston Warren pins the map at the USA College of Medicine Match Day celebration Friday, March 18, 2016, at the Mobile Convention Center. Warren matched in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

One fourth-year medical student at USA, Preston Warren, has a unique background. Warren, a native of Mobile, Ala., and a graduate of Davidson High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in graphic design and a doctor of physical therapy degree from USA.

Warren dreamed of pursuing a career in medicine, but he did not have the financial resources to allow for it at the time. “I often laughingly tell people that I’ll retire as a student, which in some respect will be true since a good clinician will always be a student,” Warren said.

Ultimately, Warren was able to go to medical school. He will be the first physician in his family. He describes Match Day as an exciting and emotional milestone of his academic journey.

Warren matched in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. Beyond the initial excitement, the first thought that came to Warren was “I am going to have to become accustomed to real winter weather.”

He is most excited to have the opportunity to work alongside leaders in the field and be able to learn from them on a daily basis. He says he plans to use his background in physical therapy as a foundation for future training.

Katie Richards celebrates her match results at the USA College of Medicine Match Day celebration Friday, March 18, 2016, at the Mobile Convention Center. Richards matched in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Katie Richards, another fourth-year medical student, uses a sports analogy to describe Match Day. “I actually joked with my family that Match Day is like the NFL Draft for a bunch of medical students,” she said. “This day is the result of many years of sacrifice and hard work. It is incredibly exciting to see where all of our careers are taking us in the next big step of our training."

Originally from Huntsville, Ala, Richards earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from Auburn University. Since high school, Richards’ academic interests have been centered on math and science. Once she realized her interests could be used to help others, she could not imagine herself pursuing another career.

“Medicine is such a unique profession where hard science is perfectly complimented by softer social skills,” Richards said. “It’s a beautiful blend that keeps me looking forward to coming to work every day."

Richards matched in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “Baylor was my first choice,” Richards explained. She feels confident USA has prepared her for the next steps in her career. “Our faculty really views student success as their own success, so it’s hard to imagine learning in a more supportive environment,” she added. Richards is looking forward to the challenges and responsibilities she will face during her residency training.

Fourth-year medical student Elizabeth Swartout is following in her mother’s footsteps. As a child, Swartout was introduced to health care while watching her mother go through the process of medical school. Because her mother was a special education teacher for 15 years before deciding to go to medical school, Swartout was old enough to watch and understand the process.

Swartout credits her mother for her interest in medicine. “Sometimes, bedtime stories were a case report. She got to study and spend time with us,” Swartout recalled. “After reading about any young woman of childbearing age, mom would ask, ‘okay girls, what do we do next?’ and my sister and I would announce ‘Pregnancy test!’”

Match Day holds a very important place in Swartout’s heart. Her husband is in the Air Force and has been absent for most of her medical school journey. “Match Day means finding out where we are going to build our first home together,” Swartout said. “It’s an extremely exciting time both personally and professionally.”

Swartout matched in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. She is looking forward to continuing to gain confidence and knowledge about patient care during her residency training. “I strive to be a resource for patients, and residency will help me achieve that goal,” Swartout said.

USA medical student Lindsey Stewart announces at the USA College of Medicine Match Day celebration that she matched in psychiatry at USA Hospitals.

Lindsey Stewart, another fourth-year medical student, is the youngest of four children and will be the first physician in her family. Originally from Pascagoula, Miss., Stewart earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from USA before pursing medical school.

Stewart said she realized at a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in the medical field. “Since I was very young, I have told my family - and anyone who would listen - that I wanted to be a doctor,” Stewart said. “This profession stood out to me because of the combination of science, problem-solving and helping others.”

Stewart decided to only apply for psychiatry residency programs, a field she is deeply passionate about. “There is a cloud of shame surrounding the diagnosis of mental illness,” Stewart said. “I found myself sympathizing with people who suffer with mental health issues because they often do not receive necessary treatment due to their disease not being equally respected in society.”

Stewart believes she is ready for residency training. “USA has prepared me for the next phase in my training by offering excellent one-on-one opportunities and giving us the clinical skills that we need to be a successful physician.”

Stewart’s dedication paid off and she matched in psychiatry at USA. “I am so excited. USA was my first choice,” Stewart said. “After my residency I plan to do a child and adolescence psychiatry fellowship and ultimately work on the Gulf Coast.”

USA medical student Ryan Dewitz pins the map at the USA College of Medicine Match Day celebration Friday, March 18, 2016, at the Mobile Convention Center. Dewitz matched in orthopaedic surgery at LSU.

Ryan Dewitz, fourth-year medical student and a native of Huntsville, Ala., also will be the first physician in his family. “My mom is a nurse, and hearing her talk about the patients she took care of and the cool things she got to do at work interested me,” Dewitz said.

Dewitz said Match Day is more exciting than graduation day. “For me it is the day that marks the culmination of four years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice during medical school,” Dewitz explained. “Our first three years of medical school we spend countless hours studying and learning as much as we can about all disciplines in medicine. Our fourth year of medical school is spent researching, applying and interviewing with various residency training programs. Match Day is the day when I will learn where I will continue my medical training for the next several years of my life."

Dewitz said he went into medical school with an open mind, hoping to get experience in all fields before deciding which one to pursue. Dewitz matched in orthopaedic surgery at LSU. “I am excited to take on more responsibility in terms of patient care,” Dewitz said.

Brandon Finnorn pins the map at the USA College of Medicine Match Day celebration Friday, March 18, 2016, at the Mobile Convention Center. Finnorn matched in pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Mobile, Ala., native and senior medical student Brandon Finnorn describes a career in the medical field as a “natural fit.” Finnorn earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Louisiana State University before pursuing medical school at USA.

Finnorn said his parents instilled the importance of serving others at an early age. As a child, Finnorn remembers participating in several service projects in the community. “My mother was a special education teacher,” Finnorn said. “I remember multiple times helping her former students move into different apartments or helping them receive new wheelchairs.”

“The willingness my parents had toward serving individuals in need set a great example for the type of person and physician I wanted to become,” Finnorn added. “A career in the medical field gives me the opportunity to continue learning the science of medicine and serve people in need of care.”

Match Day represents the start of a new journey for Finnorn because he is getting married later this year. “Not only does this match affect me, but my future wife and family,” Finnorn said. “The program I match with will affect the beginning of our new life together.”

Finnorn said his experience at USA will aid him tremendously during his residency. “My experiences taught me to be a more efficient and effective caregiver, while still maintaining the rapport and healthy relationships with my patients.  I will hopefully be able to build on this experience into my years as a resident.”

Finnorn matched in pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. Pittsburgh is an ideal location for Finnorn and his future family. “My fiancé and I are ecstatic. She already lives and works in Pittsburgh, so it is the perfect fit!"

Finnorn said he chose pediatrics for many reasons. “Pediatrics allows me to be an early influence in the lives of young patients,” Finnorn said. “It gives me the opportunity to counsel and teach patients and help them meet their full potential.”

Click here or here to view more photos from the event. Click here for the Match Day video.

Click here for a complete list of Match Day results.

March Med School Cafe - 'Hard to Breathe? Let's Talk about COPD'

The March Med School Café lecture will feature Dr. Philip Almalouf, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and a pulmonologist with USA Physicians Group.

His lecture, titled “Hard to Breathe? Let's Talk about COPD,” will be held on March 31, 2016, 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.

Dr. Alamouf will discuss COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs.

Dr. Almalouf earned his medical degree from the University of Damascus School of Medicine in Damascus, Syria. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich. He then completed his fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at USA.

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.

Dr Almalouf MSC Promo from USA Health System on Vimeo.

Register Now: 25th Annual OBGYN Conference

The University of South Alabama Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology will host its 25th Annual Continuing Education Conference in Obstetrics and Gynecology April 14-15, 2016. The event will take place at the Daphne Civic Center in Daphne, Ala.

The event will be of particular interest to OB/GYN physicians, family medicine physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, nurse midwives, social workers and others interested in the health care of women and newborns.

USA speakers include Dr. Susan Baker; Dr. Brian Brocato; Dr. Lynn Dyess; Dr. David F. Lewis; Dr. Elizabeth Minto; Jeff Morris BSN, RN; Danny Rickert, BS; Dr. Botros Rizk; Jo Ellen Roberson, MSN, CNM; Dr. Rodney P. Rocconi; Jean Tucker, JD, MPH, BSN; Dr. Stephen T.F. Varner; and Dr. Richard M. Whitehurst.

Special guest speakers include Dr. David Adair from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn.; Dr. David Jackson from the University of Nevada in Reno, Nev.; and Dr. Joshua Johannson from Anniston, Ala.

Register for the conference by mail or visit http://www.usahealthsystem.com/obgyn-conference-announcement. Registration cost includes a syllabus on flash drive, free parking, continental breakfast, lunch and a snack.

For more information, contact Catherine P. Hanks, BSN, RN, at 415-1571.

‘An Amazing Place with Precious People’

Dr. Lee Grimm (right), assistant professor of surgery at the USA College of Medicine, takes a photo with children in Rwanda, Africa, during a medical mission trip.

They live in a small hut without electricity or running water.
To get to their home is physically challenging.
With his illness, he can no longer work in the fields.
The burden, therefore, falls on his wife and children.
In short, life is difficult for them.

“They are an inspiration, though,” said Olivia Butters, a fourth-year medical student at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. “Many of us would be tempted to be overcome by such circumstances, yet they were joyful and grateful. How incredible that people with so little to offer in the eyes of the world could teach me so much.”

Butters – along with fellow classmates and attending physicians – recently returned from a month-long medical mission trip to Rwanda, Africa, where they directly helped patients in the area and at the same time received hands-on experience.

The group, including 12 USA medical students, one USA physician assistant student, one USA CRNA, and five USA physicians, spent a month working at Kibogora Hospital, a roughly 230-bed self-supported facility in Southwestern Rwanda. They worked alongside Congolese and Rwandan physicians in a variety of fields, including surgery, pediatrics, internal medicine, ophthalmology and obstetrics. They also made home visits – examining patients and offering what they could to help.

Butters said her home visit with a man dying from liver cancer was one of many experiences on the trip that changed her. He was diagnosed three years ago and now has constant pain and difficulty eating. While there, she offered what medications were available in the hopes that his pain would be eased. “I prayed with them, and they praised God for his goodness,” she said. “I have never known suffering as they have. They could choose bitterness – instead they choose joy.”

Butters said she was inspired to participate in the trip because of her responsibility to use the resources, education and abilities that she has been given to help those in need. She enjoyed being an encouragement and helping hand to the permanent staff of Kibogora Hospital. “The hospital is limited by scarcity of resources, personnel and training,” she said. “Supporting the staff encourages their efforts and offers them some relief from their busy, emotionally- and physically-draining service.”

USA surgeon Dr. Lee Grimm, who also visited Rwanda, said mission trips are a vital and necessary part of medical training and practice. “If we don’t exist to serve people like this,” he said, “why are we even physicians?”

Those participating in mission trips learn how patients can still receive excellent care without a fraction of the medical resources we enjoy – and in many instances have become dependent on – in our country. “When you see these patients clustered in a single open ward yet still maintaining a great sense of appreciation and gratitude for their care, it reminds us that we just don’t help heal disease but rather are tasked to help better and empower every aspect of a patient’s life, from the physical to the spiritual,” said Dr. Grimm, who is an assistant professor of surgery at the USA College of Medicine.

Surgical missions have always been of great interest to Dr. Grimm – in fact, one of the things that attracted him to join USA in 2013 was the existence of the surgical mission trip to Rwanda. “USA provided this already established opportunity for me to not only fulfill my desire to help those in vastly underserved areas who suffer from surgically correctable disease, but also to bring students and residents with us to educate them while there and hopefully spark a desire in them to serve similarly in their own future practices.”

Gretchen Vandiver, a fourth-year medical student at USA, split her time between neonatology and pediatric wards while in Rwanda. “I was able to examine so many newborns and children and make my own decisions and plans, which I believe will be beneficial as I begin my residency,” she said.

For many, the biggest challenge of the trip was the language barrier. The people in Rwanda speak a language called Kinyarwanda, which according to Vandiver, is just as difficult to learn as the word itself sounds. The patient charts are in French.

“We learned to rely on histories and physical exams because we didn't have the ability to do most of the tests that we do in the States,” said fourth-year USA medical student Rebekah Frazier. “Getting an accurate history is difficult when you don't speak the language.”

Frazier, like Vandiver, spent most of her time in neonatology and pediatric wards. She said she’s always wanted to use her skills to take medicine to those with fewer resources. “This trip opened my eyes to how extremely blessed we are in the Western world,” she said. “It made me appreciate what we have.”

On the trip, USA surgery resident Dr. Caleb Butts operated on a wide variety of disease processes. Dr. Butts, who earned his medical degree from USA and has been on two previous medical mission trips, said he cannot emphasize enough how much of a difference mission trips make for all medical professionals. “It stretches your abilities and allows you to grow professionally,” he said.

Dr. Butts, who has always been drawn to providing health care on a regular basis in an environment like Rwanda, enjoyed working through challenging cases. One of his favorite moments was treating a burn patient that had failed a skin graft. “Due to the location of the burn, we needed to use a skin flap, which is a rather advanced procedure usually performed by a plastic surgeon,” he said. “Thanks to our combined experience, as well as that of one of our plastic surgeons here in Mobile who we communicated with, we are able to perform the procedure.”

Fourth-year USA medical student Anna Crutchfield went on the trip to learn how other missionary doctors “preach and treat.” “I am called to help people – both medically and spiritually – no matter what their faith, race or background,” she said. Crutchfield said the experience has confirmed her desire to practice medicine in a rural area.

While performing quality control with a group of doctors in a remote area of Rwanda, Crutchfield was involved in resuscitating a child that was born breeched, or bottom first instead of head first.

She entered a room where a 17-year-old girl was in labor, showing signs that she needed a cesarean section. “Before we could finish her transfer papers, the patient's water broke and we were forced to deliver the baby breeched,” Crutchfield said. “We prayed, delivered, and the baby came out blue and floppy, which is the exact opposite of what a newborn should be.”

They immediately began resuscitating the newborn. “Looking back at it, I thought I would've been a bag of nerves, but I wasn't,” she said. “There was a sense of calm and warmth in the room that was not present before. We suctioned, we breathed, and we prayed.”

Minutes later, the baby was pink and crying. “Joy and praises filled the room as the baby was examined and not a single deficit was noted,” Crutchfield said.

“In the States we rely on our resources and knowledge,” she added. “In Rwanda, however, they have little resources – sometimes all they have is prayer.”

Dr. Grimm said he enjoyed working with students and residents in a much more intimate setting and to see the impact they had even in a short trip. “Not only were we able to help patients, but we were also able to work alongside local health care providers and equip them to deliver better care for their patients after we left.”

Now, though the group is back in the United States, Rwanda remains in their hearts. “I will miss Kibogora Hospital and the beauty that Rwanda holds,” Vandiver said. “It is an amazing place with precious people.”

The mission trip is sponsored by the Christian Medical Ministry of South Alabama (CMMSA). To learn more about CMMSA and supporting medical mission trips like these, visit http://cmmsa.org/#/missions.

Click here to view more photos from the trip. 

March 17 DSS to Feature Dr. Michael Matthay

This week's Distinguished Scientist Seminar at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine will feature Dr. Michael Matthay, professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF).

The lecture, titled “Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Biology Relevant to Acute Lung Injury,” will take place March 17, 2016, at 4 p.m. in the first floor auditorium of the Medical Sciences Building on USA’s main campus.

Dr. Matthay earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He received clinical training in internal medicine at the University of Colorado from 1973-76 and in pulmonary and critical care medicine from the UCSF from 1977-78. He also received research training from the Cardiovascular Physiology Laboratory, University of Colorado in 1976 and the Cardiovascular Research Institute from 1978-79.

Dr. Matthay earned the Edward Livingston Trudeau Medal from the American Thoracic Society and the Lifetime Achievement in Mentoring Award from UCSF.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Matthay.

Mark Your Calendar: Greater Gulf Coast Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Symposium

The University of South Alabama Department of Surgery will host the 7th annual Greater Gulf Coast Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Symposium on April 7-8, 2016, at the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel in Mobile, Ala.

This symposium is designed for healthcare professionals involved in the management of trauma & critically ill patients.  It will provide physicians, surgeons, nurses, technicians, EMT, EMS personnel and residents with evidenced-based concepts and techniques in critical care in today’s world. Specialists will provide presentations on current topics and a forum for the exchange of knowledge and ideas on a variety of issues.  Panel discussions will also be provided to stimulate dialogue with the audience in a question and answer format. 

The 9th annual William A. L. Mitchell Endowed Lectureship in Traumatology and Surgical Critical Care will be held in conjunction with the seminar. This year’s lecture will feature Dr.  L.D. Britt, professor of surgery at the Eastern Virginia Medical School located in Norfolk, Va. Dr. Britt has served as president of the American College of Surgeons as well as president of the Southern Surgical Associates. The lecture, titled “What Acute Care Surgery Is and Its Journey,” will take place April 7, 2016, at 4:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel in Mobile, Ala.

Dr. Britt will also lecture during the two-day symposium. Click here to view the full list of speakers. For more information, contact Rebecca Scarbrough at (251) 471-7971 or visit http://www.usahealthsystem.com/trauma-symposium.

William A. L. Mitchell Endowed Lectureship to Feature Dr. L.D. Britt

This year’s William A. L. Mitchell Endowed Lectureship in Traumatology and Surgical Care hosted by the University of South Alabama Department of Surgery will feature Dr.  L.D. Britt, professor of surgery at the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) located in Norfolk, Va.

The lecture, titled “What Acute Care Surgery Is and Its Journey,” will take place April 7, 2016, at 4:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel in Mobile, Ala.

The lecture is held in conjunction with the 7th annual Greater Gulf Coast Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Symposium.

Dr. Britt earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass. He then earned two honorary doctorates at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala., and Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Va., and completed a general surgery residency at the University of Illinois School of Medicine in Chicago.

Dr. Britt has served as president of the American College of Surgeons as well as president of the Southern Surgical Association. He has been recognized with many national and institutional awards for his excellence in teaching, including the EVMS Dean's Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award and the American Association of Medical Colleges' Robert J. Glasser Distinguished Teaching Award - the nation's highest award in medicine.  He was also awarded the Distinguished Service Medal from the Uniformed Services University of Health Science, their highest award given.  He was a recipient of the Hampton Roads, Chamber NAACP, Man of the Year and Special Image Awards. Dr. Britt has participated in more than 180 visiting professorships and distinguished lectureships throughout the world.

The lecture is presented annually in memory of William A. L. Mitchell, who died in 2005 from severe traumatic injuries sustained in a car crash. In appreciation for the care he received at the USA Trauma Center, his family established the endowed lecture series to memorialize their son and brother and to improve trauma patient care in our region through education. He was a senior at UMS-Wright Preparatory School at the time of his death.

The USA Trauma Center is this region’s only Level I Trauma Center, serving as a community resource for citizens throughout the central Gulf Coast region. The center provides the highest level of care for critically ill and/or injured patients.

For more information about the lecture, contact Rebecca Scarbrough at (251) 471-7971.

2016 Match Day - Watch Live March 18

On March 18, 2016, senior medical students and residency training program directors across the United States and Canada will find out this year’s Match Day results.

Match Day is the annual event in which senior medical students across North America simultaneously learn where they will be doing their residency training.

Locally, the University of South Alabama’s Match Day will be held at 10:30 a.m. CST on March 18, 2016, in the Upper Concourse Grand Ballroom at the Mobile Convention Center at 1 South Water Street in Mobile, Ala. The envelopes containing Match results will be handed out to the students shortly before 11 a.m. followed by the students’ individual announcement of the location of their residency.

Click here on Friday to watch the 2016 USA Match Day event live. 

Match Day results for USA students will be tweeted live on the USA College of Medicine Twitter page found here. There will also be updates on the USA College of Medicine Instagram page found here and the Facebook page found here.

Share your own posts and photos using the hashtags #USAMatchDay and
#Match2016.