USA College of Medicine Prepares for LCME Accreditation Visit

In preparation for next month's official accreditation visit from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the University of South Alabama College of Medicine will welcome the mock site survey team Sept. 23-25, in the first-floor conference room of the Strada Patient Care Center.

The official LCME survey visit will take place Oct. 21-24.

Medical education programs leading to a medical degree in the United States and Canada are accredited by LCME, a peer-reviewed process of quality assurance that determines whether the medical education program meets established standards. Programs undergo accreditation on an eight-year cycle.

Read the latest issue of CURRents for more information.

USA Health Names Dr. Michael Chang as Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Michael Chang recently was named chief medical officer for USA Health and associate vice president for medical affairs and professor of surgery at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Chang to USA Health. In his new role, Dr. Chang will be responsible for leading clinical quality and safety initiatives that support the performance and practice standards across the health system as it continues to grow,” said Dr. John Marymont, vice president for medical affairs and dean of the USA College of Medicine. 

“I am extremely excited to join the progressive and highly functioning leadership team here at USA Health,” Dr. Chang said. “This health care system is well into the journey of providing high-quality, safe, and patient-centered care as it continues to expand its clinical and research activities across the Gulf Coast.”

Prior to his appointment at USA, Dr. Chang served as chief medical officer for Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and chief quality officer for the Wake Forest Baptist Health System in Winston Salem, N.C. He was also a professor of surgery at the Wake Forest School of Medicine and the executive director of the Trauma/Acute Care Surgery Service Line.

“We value the expertise and insight that Dr. Chang brings to USA Health,” said Owen Bailey, chief executive officer for USA Health. “As a key member of senior leadership, Dr. Chang will work closely with the entire USA Health team to ensure the quality, safety and efficiency of care delivery.”

Nationally, Dr. Chang serves as the chair of the Trauma Quality Improvement Program at the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, and is a recognized national expert in quality assessment and performance improvement.

Dr. Chang received his bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and his medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He completed his residency in general surgery at UAB and fellowship training in critical care and trauma surgery at Vanderbilt. He has spent the last 24 years in Wake Forest, before moving to the Gulf Coast and USA Health.

USA Health Welcomes Dr. Adam Herring to Internal Medicine

Dr. Adam Herring recently joined USA Mobile Diagnostic Center at Providence Park where he will serve as an internal medicine physician.

As an internist, Dr. Herring focuses on both health promotion and disease prevention. He also performs chronic management of illnesses and coordinates care with specialists. He takes care of patients in outpatient and inpatient settings.

Dr. Herring earned his medical degree from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, where he also completed his residency training in internal medicine.

He is accepting new patients. To make an appointment with Dr. Herring, call (251) 633-8880.

USA College of Medicine Announces New Educational Loan Program for Faculty

The University of South Alabama College of Medicine has announced a new initiative to support faculty members as they build skill sets that can be applied to their work within the College of Medicine and/or USA Health. 

Educational loans are available to eligible College of Medicine faculty to encourage enrollment in and completion of either of two new USA master's programs: 

• Master of Science in Instructional Design - Education in Health Professions track - in the College of Education & Professional Studies (contact Dr. Jim Van Haneghan, program coordinator, at jvanhane@southalabama.edu or 380-2861)
• Master of Business Administration for Healthcare Professionals (contact Dr. Bob Wood, dean, Mitchell College of Business, at bgwood@southalabama.edu or 460-6902)

Eligible faculty must have a regular full-time appointment in the College of Medicine and have the support of their department chair.

To support this faculty development effort, each year the College of Medicine will make available ten $10,000 tax-free educational loans. These loans are intended to provide faculty with sufficient funds, such that along with the university tuition benefit, they can complete the program at essentially no cost.

These loans will be forgiven in full if the COM faculty member receiving the loan:

1. Focuses the program capstone project on an area of COM or USA Health development need,
2. Completes the intended degree program within 3 years of matriculation, AND
3. Remains employed in the COM for a minimum of 2 years post completion of the degree.

The educational loan must be repaid with interest if any of these requirements are not met.

The application packet from interested faculty will include:

• A letter of intent outlining how completion of the degree program improve the faculty member's effectiveness in the COM and/or USA Health
• A current CV
• Chair's letter of support

For more information on the educational loan program, contact Dr. Mary Townsley at mtownsley@southalabama.edu or 460-6815.

USA Pediatrics Welcomes Nurse Practitioner Kaitlin Brantley

Kaitlin Brantley recently joined USA Health as a nurse practitioner in the department of pediatrics.

She previously served as a pediatric critical care registered nurse at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital.

"I look forward to serving the USA community in the outpatient setting. USA and their pediatric patients hold a special place in my heart," she said. "I have previously taken care of USA's pediatric patients as a nurse in the critical care setting. I am excited to now play an active role in educating parents on ways to prevent illness and injury, as well as treating those patients during a time of illness."

Brantley received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Alabama and is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Brantley is accepting new patients at the Strada Patient Care Center. To make an appointment, call (251) 410-5437.

Med School Café - Expert Advice for the Community

Dr. William Kilgo, assistant professor of neurology at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and a neurologist with USA Physicians Group, presented August’s Med School Café lecture, “The Importance of Specialized Care for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.”

During the talk, Dr. Kilgo discussed the importance of getting an accurate diagnosis, which leads to proper treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Kilgo, whose specialty is multiple sclerosis, received his medical degree and completed his residency training in neurology at the USA College of Medicine. He completed a neurology fellowship with a focus on neuroimmunology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Kilgo is a member of the Alabama Academy of Neurology and American Academy of Neurology, among others.

Watch August Med School Café - The Importance of Specialized Care for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis on YouTube or below.