Prior to joining USA, Dr. Herrera was the Albert G. and Harriet G. Smith Endowed Professor and Chair of the department of pathology at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, La. He also served as professor of cellular biology and anatomy at LSU.
"Dr. Herrera brings an impressive level of expertise, leadership, and enthusiasm with him. We are excited to welcome him to the USA Health family," said Owen Bailey, chief executive officer and senior associate vice president for medical affairs at USA Health.
"We are excited that Dr. Herrera has joined the USA College of Medicine to lead the department of pathology. He has ambitious plans for moving the department forward and a proven track record of excellence at LSU-Shreveport for accomplishing large initiatives," said Dr. John V. Marymont, vice president for medical affairs and dean of the USA College of Medicine.
Among Dr. Herrera’s plans for the department is to replicate an outreach program he started at LSU, bringing in pathology cases from all over the United States and beyond. "That program became the most important source of revenue for the department in Shreveport," he said. "Our outreach work accounted for about 30 percent of our effort but collected 70 percent of our income."
The financial component is just one benefit of the outreach program, he said. "It’s a win-win situation for everybody," Dr. Herrera explained. "I believe this outreach is important for our faculty, the department and the university to acquire national recognition. Very few places do this, and most of the places that do are major universities. So, for a smaller place like us to do this is unique."
In addition to outreach, Dr. Herrera said he will place a strong emphasis on academics, specifically research. He plans to recruit several more faculty members to the department, giving faculty the time and support to do more research. Furthermore, residents will be paired with faculty mentors to perform basic and clinical research, which will culminate with an annual research forum.
"I think we have the perfect environment and atmosphere to really move this department forward in the next few years," he said. "The faculty has the energy and desire for change and is ready to accept a challenge. Plus, the location of USA is perfect for outreach and recruitment, as Mobile is a place people know and it is well situated on the Gulf Coast."
Dr. Herrera earned his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in San Juan. He completed his residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
He is certified by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and Cytopathology. He has participated in a number of National Institutes of Health (NIH) study sections.
He retired as colonel from the U.S. Army in 1996 after 22 years of service.
