New faculty development series to focus on AI in medical education

The Office of Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development will host a comprehensive five-week series titled “Introduction to AI in Medical Education.” 

• Oct. 21-Nov. 18
• Tuesdays, 3 to 4:30 p.m.
• Hybrid format

This hands-on workshop series is designed for health professions educators who want to harness the power of AI tools while maintaining ethical teaching practices. Whether completely new to AI or already experimenting with these emerging technologies, this workshop will provide participants with practical skills and ethical frameworks to enhance their teaching effectiveness.

The series takes a deeply interactive approach, moving beyond theoretical discussions to give participants real experience with AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Bing Copilot. They'll learn to create compelling educational content, generate assessments, and develop clinical scenarios while navigating the important ethical considerations that come with integrating AI into medical education. Each session builds on the previous one, culminating in participants' own custom-designed AI-enhanced teaching activity that they can immediately implement in their courses.

Weekly outline:

• Week 1: AI Fundamentals & Medical Education Applications
• Week 2: Hands-On AI Toolbox Lab
• Week 3: Ethical AI Use & Policy Development
• Week 4: AI-Human Teaching Simulations
• Week 5: Design Your Own AI-Enhanced Teaching Activity

Register now for in-person or virtual participation. Space is limited.

For more info, contact Amanda Arnold at akarnold@southalabama.edu or 251-460-6823.

Meet a Med Student: LouAnn Crosby

LouAnn Crosby

Class: 2027

Hometown: Madison, AL

Education: B.S. in biomedical sciences and M.S. in biological sciences from Auburn University

What do you enjoy most about being a student at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
I love how supported I am by the faculty and staff here. It is clear that they all want me to succeed and will help me reach my goals.

Are you involved in any research, organizations or other initiatives at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
I am the founder and president of Med-Able, an affinity group for students identifying as disabled or neurodiverse. I am also the president of the Otolaryngology Interest Group. I am currently working on a research study on hearing disabilities in medical schools.

What are your interests and hobbies?
I am a flautist in The Mobile Pops! I also enjoy building the LEGO Botanicals in my free time.

Registration open for 2025 Sickle Cell Regional Conference

USA Health healthcare professionals are invited to register for the 2025 Sickle Cell Regional Conference, a one-day educational event dedicated to advancing knowledge and care strategies for sickle cell disease hosted by the Johnson Haynes Jr., M.D. Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center.   

The conference will be held on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Strada Patient Care Center first-floor conference room. Registration will be from 7:30 to 8 a.m.  

The event, Sickle Cell Disease Practical Issues XIX: Nurses, Anchors of Healthcare in Sickle Cell Disease, will bring together leading experts to discuss the latest developments in pathophysiology, precision medicine, gene therapy, nursing management, and emerging treatments.  

This year’s program is designed for advanced practice providers, nurses, medical and nursing students, community health workers, social workers, case managers, and allied health professionals. The conference has been approved for 6.3 CEU contact hours by the Alabama Board of Nursing.  

Registration information:

• Advance registration deadline: Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at 5 p.m.  
• $60 general admission  
• $40 non-USA Health nurses, social workers, case managers and allied health  
• No charge for USA Health advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, case managers, interns, residents, and students with a USA ID.  
• Late registration after Sept. 12 will be $85 for most categories.  
• Registration fee includes conference syllabus, breakfast, and a box lunch.  

Featured presentations include:  

• Pathophysiology of Sickle Cell Disease – Felicia Wilson, M.D., a pediatric hematologist/oncologist with USA Health and professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine
• Precision Medicine in Sickle Cell Disease – Antwan J. Hogue, M.D., medical director of the sickle cell center and assistant professor of internal medicine at the Whiddon College of Medicine
• Gene Therapy in Sickle Cell Anemia – Hamayun Imran, M.D., a pediatric hematologist/oncologist with USA Health and professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine
• Nursing Management in Pediatric & Adult Sickle Cell Care – Jennifer Williams, CRNP, and Jessica King, FNP-C

Participants may register online.  

For questions or requests for special accommodations, contact the Johnson Haynes Jr., M.D. Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at (251) 470-5893 or amabien@health.southalabama.edu.  

USA Health expands nephrology division with the addition of Sinha

Urshita Sinha, M.D.

By Milena Mata

To meet the growing nephrology needs of community residents, USA Health has added Urshita Sinha, M.D., who will care for patients at the Mastin Internal Medicine Clinic and University Hospital. 

Sinha was initially drawn to nephrology, the study of kidney disease, because of its challenges and complexities. “Regardless of one's subspecialty, nephrology plays a significant role,” she said. “After all, the body is 60% water.”   

Prior to joining USA Health, Sinha was a nephrology fellow at the University of Illinois in Chicago. As a fellow, she learned about transplant surgery and renal diseases. She also developed her management skills, helping assess patients and perform renal biopsies. Sinha published most of her research during her time there.    

Sinha received international medical training. Originally from India, she earned her medical degree at Kasturba Medical College in India and completed an internship there as well. During her internship, she gained experience in a variety of fields, including nephrology and transplant surgery. She later completed her residency training at Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar, where she also mentored students.  

As part of the University of South Alabama’s academic health system, Sinha will serve as assistant professor of internal medicine at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine. “I knew I loved teaching ever since I was in medical school,” she said. “The first time I taught was when a close friend of mine asked me to teach her anatomy and cardiology in our first year.” 

Sinha further developed her teaching experience at Weill Cornell and Qatar University as a senior resident.  In addition to her medical work, Sinha won the inter-university debate championship for the National Kidney Foundation in 2023 and contributed to published research.  

Nadarajan joins emergency medicine faculty

Annamalai Nadarajan Jr., M.D.

Annamalai Nadarajan Jr., M.D., has joined the University of South Alabama as an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Whiddon College of Medicine.

Drawn to the specialty for its complex problem-solving and diverse patient population, Nadarajan began his training with a general surgery internship at USA Health before joining the inaugural class of USA’s Emergency Medicine Residency Program in 2019.

“I really enjoyed my residency experience,” he said. “As a member of the inaugural class, I had the unique opportunity to help shape the program, and I am amazed to see how much it has grown since I graduated.”

During residency, he was honored with the Resident Award for Outstanding Performance in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and the Golden Laryngoscope Award for excellence in performing and teaching emergency procedures.

Nadarajan completed an anesthesiology/critical care fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Since graduating from fellowship, he has practiced critical care medicine at UAB St. Vincent’s East Hospital in Birmingham. 

With his return to USA as a faculty member, he looks forward to teaching and mentoring future emergency medicine residents.