Meet A Med Student: Claire Cawthon

Claire Cawthon

Age: 29

Class of: 2023

Hometown: Mobile, Ala.

Undergraduate/graduate institutions: University of South Alabama, Mississippi College 

Degrees earned: Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences, Master of Science in biology – medical sciences

Interests, hobbies: Baking, attending concerts and going to the beach

Something unique about me: I have a freshwater aquarium and about 20 plants in my apartment.

Three of my favorite things: Dauphin Island, the New Orleans Saints and going to our neighborhood pub with my fiancée.

What I enjoy most about being a student at the Whiddon College of Medicine: The people I learn and work with care about me and my success.

USA Health offers molecular testing for chronic myeloid leukemia monitoring and treatment efficacy

The molecular pathology laboratory staff, from left, are
Thuy Phung, M.D., Ph.D.; John Larrimore, M.B., Kathryn
Navia, M.T.; and Doug Hebert, Ph.D.

USA Health now offers molecular testing for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) to help physicians make more timely treatment decisions.

Accounting for 15% of all leukemias in adults, CML is a type of cancer that affects mature and maturing myeloid cells in the bone marrow, leading to uncontrolled production of a type of white blood cells called granulocytes.

CML is caused by a genetic mutation. The ABL gene on chromosome 9 breaks off and combines with the BCR gene from chromosome 22. This new fusion gene (BCR-ABL) produces an abnormal protein that leads to the development of cancer cells.

Omar Alkharabsheh, M.D., a medical oncologist and hematologist at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute, said the standard treatment for CML is an oral therapy that specifically targets the activity of the BCR-ABL fusion protein. Assessing the treatment’s efficacy requires regular monitoring. A blood test, typically performed every three months, measures the level of BCR-ABL mRNA present in the patient’s blood.

Omar Alkharabsheh, M.D., assistant professor of

interdisciplinary clinical oncology, assesses a patient

at the Mitchell Cancer Institute.

Thuy Phung, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of molecular genetic pathology and dermatopathology at USA Health, said there is a need for fast and sensitive molecular diagnostic testing to support timely treatment decisions. She has spearheaded efforts to bring the testing in-house to USA Health’s molecular pathology laboratory.

Phung, who also is an associate professor of pathology at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, said blood samples previously were shipped to a reference lab on the West Coast for testing. The turnaround time from specimen receipt to test result was seven to 10 days.

“The new in-house test is FDA-cleared, fully automated, cartridge-based technology with little hands-on time,” she said. “No shipping is needed; therefore, we have a 0% specimen rejection rate due to specimen shipping condition.”

Phung said the turnaround time for the new in-house test is 48-72 hours.

As an academic health system, USA Health is on the forefront of cancer research and treatment. For molecular test inquiries, contact the molecular pathology lab at 251-471-7335 or by email at molecularlab@health.southalabama.edu.

Blair-Elortegui named DIO for USA Health

Judy Blair-Elortegui, M.D., has been appointed the designated institutional official for USA Health.

As the interim DIO, Blair-Elortegui guided USA Health through its most recent graduate medical education (GME) program and institutional review cycle. USA Health maintains full accreditation as a sponsoring institution by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), with its most recent renewal of accreditation in 2022.

The GME program is tasked with developing the clinical competency, medical knowledge and professional attributes of physicians, promoting the safe and effective care of patients, and advancing the art of healing through quality improvement and medical research. Residents and fellows in the training programs are integrated into USA Health, the region’s only academic health system.

“As an academic health system, USA Health is committed to providing the optimal experience for the residents and fellows that we train,” said John V. Marymont, M.D., M.B.A., vice present for medical affairs and dean of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama. “Dr. Blair-Elortegui brings valuable experience in graduate medical education and leadership to this position, and she can take the programs to the next level.”

USA Health maintains 12 residency and 11 fellowship programs, which includes 318 positions for physicians in training. Blair-Elortegui has served as internal medicine residency program director since 2016 and was the internal medicine-pediatrics residency program director from 2005 to 2011.

“One of our roles is equipping the next generation of physicians with the skills and experience they need to be successful in the medical field,” said Owen Bailey, M.S.H.A., F.A.C.H.E., chief executive officer and senior associate vice president for medical affairs for USA Health. “Judy’s experience and dedication will ensure that we continue to produce excellent physicians to serve in our region and beyond.”

Blair-Elortegui received her medical degree from the former USA College of Medicine and completed a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of South Alabama. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics. In addition to serving as DIO for USA Health, she was named associate dean for graduate medical education at the Whiddon College of Medicine.