Meet a Med Student: Emily Cleveland

Emily Cleveland

Age: 24

Class: 2025

Hometown: Pace, Florida

Undergraduate education: B.S. in biomedical sciences and minors in philosophy and medicine, University of South Alabama

What do you enjoy most about being a medical student at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
The incredible community of students, faculty members, and clinicians! We are so blessed to have wonderful, passionate, and selfless individuals who are eager to make a difference in the lives of others and support one another.

Are you involved in any research, organizations or other initiatives at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
The Summer Research Program allowed me to work with Dr. Heather Fishel in the Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology Division, after M1 year where we looked at CGM (continuous glucose monitoring) technology among pregnant diabetic patients. 

I serve as the clinic manager for the Student-Run Free Clinic, and I presented a poster at the National Society of Student-Run Free Clinic conference to highlight our clinic's dedication to diabetes management and treatment.

I also participate in a weekly Bible study with my fellow M3 ladies.

What are your interests and hobbies?
Spending time with Jesus, playing with my cats, savoring a good cup of coffee, exploring new places, and practicing yoga

What is something unique about you?
Trying a local coffee shop in a new city is a must for me.

MAA to host Student Career Exploration Mixer

The USA Medical Alumni Association is excited to announce the return of the MAA Student Career Exploration Mixer on Tuesday, April 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Strada Patient Care Center. 

This event is an opportunity for current Whiddon COM medical students to meet and network with alumni and area physicians as they explore their professional specialties of interest.

Medical students should email medalum@southalabama.edu by Friday, March 1, to RSVP and declare their specialty interests.

Physicians interested in representing a specialty at this event can email medalum@southalabama.edu. 

Elliott joins microbiology and immunology faculty

Michael R. Elliott, Ph.D., conducts research focused on innate immunity, macrophage biology, and cancer immunotherapy.   

Michael R. Elliott, Ph.D., recently joined the faculty of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine as an associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.   

“Dr. Elliott is an excellent addition to our faculty, bringing expertise in immunology that will strengthen the research and teaching mission of the University of South Alabama and USA Health,” said Kevin R. Macaluso, Ph.D., professor and Locke Distinguished Chair of Microbiology and Immunology at the Whiddon College of Medicine.   

He most recently served as an associate professor of microbiology, immunology, and cancer biology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He will continue as an adjunct associate professor there. Elliott has received numerous awards, and his research has been and continues to be funded by federal grants.  

Elliott will conduct research at a new lab at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. His research interests focus on innate immunity, macrophage biology, and cancer immunotherapy.

Macrophages are a highly diverse, specialized population of immune cells that reside in every tissue in the body. These cells play key roles in maintaining normal tissue function and immune defense against pathogens. The goal of Elliott’s work is to understand the function of tissue-resident macrophages as regulators of innate immunity in cancer immunotherapy, acute and chronic inflammation, aging, and microbial infection.   

“USA and MCI provide a great environment for biomedical research and training,” Elliott said. “I am excited about the future of research at South Alabama and look forward to contributing to this through our work in basic immunology and cancer immunotherapy.”  

Elliott received his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and his Ph.D. from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.  

Meet a Med Student: Mary Katherine Moore

Mary Katherine Moore

Age: 26

Class: 2024

Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama

Undergraduate/graduate education: B.A. in Spanish with a minor in chemistry, MBA with a concentration in public health; The University of Alabama  

What do you enjoy most about being a medical student at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
I love how friendly and supportive all our classmates and faculty are. Everyone is always willing to help and encourage each other.

Are you involved in any research, organizations or other initiatives at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
I am the president of the Medical Spanish Interest Group, community service chair of the American Medical Women’s Association, and a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee member. I am also a member of the Internal Medicine Interest Group and Public Health Interest Group.

What are your interests and hobbies?
I love to read, cook, travel, explore new restaurants, and play with my Cavapoo, Watson.

What is something unique about you?
When I was 16, I successfully performed CPR on my sister after she went into cardiac arrest secondary to an apneic seizure.

Student interest group receives Sparking Interest in Pathology Award

The Pathology Interest Group received a $500 award from the College of American Pathologists to further its mission.

The Pathology Interest Group (PAIG) at the Whiddon College of Medicine recently received the Sparking Interest in Pathology Award from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation. The $500 award is intended to support projects and initiatives that introduce, educate and inspire medical students to pursue a career in pathology.

Founded in fall 2022, the student interest group now has 39 members – a significant number for a medical school of its size. Two of the members are interviewing in pathology in the residency match process, and eight members have expressed commitment to matching in pathology in the next three cycles.

Emily Hartsell and Walker Phillips

attended a reception at CAP23. Reflecting

the reception's theme, they wore Mardi

Gras beads to represent Mobile culture.

Emily Hartsell, co-founder and vice president of PAIG, intends to match in pathology in two years. She applied for the CAP Foundation award on behalf of the student interest group.

“As with many medical schools, there are no mandatory clinical rotations in pathology at the Whiddon College of Medicine,” Hartsell said. “Students interested in pathology have the option to take a four-week selective during third year. However, prior to PAIG, there were no student-led initiatives to make medical students aware of this opportunity or the field at large.”

PAIG has four primary objectives: to raise awareness about the field of pathology among the medical student body; to expose PAIG members to the diverse career opportunities within the field; to connect medical students with the department of pathology at USA Health; and to provide residency application-building and career development opportunities such as shadowing, research and networking.

“I am very impressed with the high level of interest and commitment our medical students have in exploring and learning about pathology as a career field in medicine,” said Thuy Phung, M.D., Ph.D., faculty advisor for the Pathology Interest Group and a professor of pathology at the Whiddon College of Medicine. “The students have worked diligently to build a vibrant program to expose PAIG members and the medical student body at large to the field of pathology. All of the pathology-related activities have been initiated by the medical students, and their efforts have paid off.”

Among the current initiatives, PAIG students and pathology faculty are collaborating to develop a streamlined program for first- and second-year medical students to shadow pathologists in anatomic pathology and clinical pathology, including subspecialized areas in molecular pathology, molecular microbiology and blood banking.

For example, students are working with Mohammad Barouqa, M.D., assistant professor of pathology and director of the blood bank at USA Health. They have submitted an abstract of their research project to the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists for the academy’s annual meeting in June.

In addition, PAIG students are collaborating with Phung, who serves as director of molecular genetic pathology and dermatopathology, and other pathologists at USA Health on a number of research projects; they have submitted two abstracts for CAP24, the organization’s annual meeting in October.

“Two of our members were able to attend CAP23 and were delighted to meet fellow students, residents, attendings, and pathologists on alternative career paths,” Hartsell said. “We hope to continue sending medical students to CAP every year.”

As the philanthropic arm of the College of American Pathologists, the CAP Foundation fosters the next generation of pathology leaders and provides quality care to underserved communities. For over 50 years, the foundation has awarded millions of dollars to support pathology education, research and training.