Your membership helps strengthen alumni connections and student engagement across the Whiddon College of Medicine. As a thank you, lifetime members receive a discount on Reunion Weekend registration each year.
Learn more or join now: connect.southalabama.edu/page/maamemberships.
Questions about your current status? Contact medalum@southalabama.edu.
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| Medical students Destyni Newson, MPH, and Grace Sekaya present a poster at the conference. |
Casey Daniel, Ph.D., MPH, director of epidemiology and public health, and associate professor of family medicine; Alyssa Lee, MPH, research assistant; and medical students Grace Sekaya and Destyni Newson, MPH, who are part of the Primary Care Pathway program, represented USA Health at the landmark event. The conference brought together healthcare professionals from across the country to share knowledge and collaborate on advancing efforts in human papillomavirus (HPV) prevention and education.
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| Alyssa Lee, MPH, and Casey Daniel, Ph.D., MPH |
The presentation highlighted the importance of HPV vaccination in underserved communities and sought to better understand how parental knowledge, attitudes, and intentions influence vaccination rates.
HPV is a significant public health concern, as it is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. More than 13 million new infections occur each year, and approximately 36,000 cancer cases are attributed to HPV annually across multiple types, including cervical, oropharyngeal, anal, penile, vulvar and vaginal cancers.
The HPV vaccine, which is recommended for individuals ages 9 through 26, offers a safe and effective means of preventing HPV infection and subsequent cancer development. Adults up to age 45 may also receive the vaccine in consultation with their healthcare provider. By increasing HPV vaccination rates, healthcare professionals aim to reduce the incidence of these preventable cancers and improve overall public health.
The National HPV Conference seeks to foster networking, resource sharing, and cross-collaboration among healthcare providers and researchers. The conference featured 430 attendees, 136 educational sessions, and 135 speakers.
To learn more about MCI’s cancer control and prevention initiatives, visit usamci.com. For more information on the National HPV Conference, visit nhpvc.org.
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| Richard Menger, M.D., MPA, presents at the conference. |
The event was hosted by the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS), of which Menger is an active fellow. IMAST brings together top spine surgeons, researchers, and healthcare professionals from around the world to discuss the latest advancements in spine surgery.
In his presentation, “Use of a Novel Screw Fusion Implant for Pelvic Fixation: Results from a Prospective Multicenter Trial,” Menger shared findings from a collaborative study focused on reducing complications in spine surgery, particularly at the lumbosacral junction — the complex area where the spine connects to the pelvis. This region is notoriously difficult to treat and has a high risk of failure in long-term spinal fusion surgeries. The novel screw fusion implant evaluated in the trial has shown the potential to improve fixation strength and durability, leading to better outcomes for patients.
“When we treat spine issues near the pelvis, we're often working with patients who have faced multiple surgeries, chronic pain, or complex conditions,” said Menger. “This research is a step toward improving their recovery and reducing complications. I am deeply grateful for all the co-collaborators in the study and for our research staff here at USA who actually made this possible.”
The IMAST 2025 conference showcased the latest in spine technologies and treatments. Leading experts explored how artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other cutting-edge tools can help improve patient outcomes. The event also highlighted minimally invasive techniques, motion-preserving surgery, and new strategies to avoid complications in spine surgery, particularly for both adult and adolescent spinal deformities.
IMAST is one of the most influential conferences in the field, attracting a diverse group of professionals — including spine surgeons, nurses, physician assistants, and biomedical engineers — all united by their commitment to advancing spine care.
Menger’s participation in IMAST underscores USA Health's dedication to being at the forefront of innovative, patient-centered care. His involvement in the SRS highlights the ongoing collaboration between experts working to develop safer, more effective techniques in complex spine surgery.
To learn more about IMAST or SRS, visit srs.org.
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| WiM-EM aims to encourage leadership among women in emergency medicine. |
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WiM-EM met at TopGolf last September to establish the group's name and vision. |
WiM-EM’s inaugural year featured two successful events: a kickoff gathering last September at TopGolf, where members established the group’s name and vision, and an April 2025 luncheon at Slurp Society that included a thoughtful discussion on microaggressions and professional development planning. These events have laid the groundwork for ongoing quarterly meetings and future initiatives, including hosting a lecture on leadership open to all residents and faculty.
According to Molins, the group’s vision for 2025-2026 includes expanding mentorship, building interdepartmental collaborations, increasing medical student engagement, and exploring creative avenues such as a book club. She said WiM-EM recognizes both the challenges and opportunities in this space and is committed to building a culture of support, respect and growth.
The MERC program provides educators with essential knowledge to understand, evaluate, and participate in medical education research, becoming both informed consumers of research literature and valuable research collaborators.
David Williams, Ph.D., MPA, assistant dean for institutional and academic success at the Whiddon College of Medicine, said, “The MERC program gave me practical tools to connect educational research skills with the expanding scope of scholarship at the Whiddon COM — helping us study and improve teaching, learning, and assessment across the medical education continuum.”
Workshop Schedule
Aug. 14, 2025: Searching and Evaluating Literature
Develop strategies for effectively navigating and evaluating medical education literature.
Sept. 11, 2025: Formulating Research Questions
Create FINER research questions (feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, relevant) and appropriate research designs.
Oct. 9, 2025: Introduction to Qualitative Data
Gain skills for conducting focus groups, interviews, and collecting observational data.
Nov. 13, 2025: Questionnaire Design/Survey Research
Create effective surveys with well-constructed questions and appropriate response formats.
December 2025: No session
Jan. 8, 2026: Measuring Educational Outcomes
Master reliability and validity concepts in educational measurement.
Feb. 12, 2026: Data Management
Learn to collect, organize, and clean data while effectively communicating with statisticians.
March 12, 2026: Program Evaluation
Develop systematic evaluation plans for educational programs.
April 9, 2026: Scholarly Writing
Analyze components of successful scholarly publications and improve writing skills.
May 14, 2026: Symposium
The program concludes with a symposium at which participants can showcase their learning and research interests.
This program is ideal for:
To express interest, contact Amanda Arnold at akarnold@southalabama.edu.