Faculty, staff and students celebrate USA Health Game Day 2025

Medical students throw their J's up at the tailgate.

More than 4,000 guests — including faculty, staff and students from the Whiddon College of Medicine — celebrated USA Health Game Day 2025 on Tuesday evening at Hancock Whitney Stadium. 

Attendees enjoyed a tailgate dinner catered by Sonny's BBQ before cheering on the South Alabama Jaguars in the football game against the Arkansas State Red Wolves. 

The following employees represented USA Health and the Whiddon College of Medicine at a special on-field presentation during the game: 

• Drew Citrin, manager of practice operations for the department of neurology
• Emily Dahlmann, director of the stroke program at University Hospital
• Alicia Evans, M.D., family medicine physician and assistant professor of family medicine at the Whiddon College of Medicine
• Chloe Holberg, director of perioperative services at Providence Hospital
• Josh Jones, director of the Hospital Violence Intervention Program at the Center for Healthy Communities
• Melinda Lunsford, medical assistant at Providence Gastroenterology
• Brooke Olson, nurse manager of the Cub Crew at Children’s & Women’s Hospital
• Catie Pace, registered nurse at West Mobile Medical Group
• Renee Russell, oncology nurse navigator at the Mitchell Cancer Institute
• Jerica Scott, medical assistant at the Mitchell Cancer Institute
• Roy Weeks, director of support services at Children’s & Women’s Hospital
• Brant Weindorf, graduate medical education coordinator for the department of internal medicine
• David S. Williams, Ph.D., MPA, assistant dean for institutional and academic success at the Whiddon College of Medicine

View more photos from USA Health Game Day 2025 on Flickr. 

Mullens attends national orthopaedic surgeons leadership conference

Jess Mullens, M.D., U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, and
Steven Theiss, M.D.

USA Health orthopaedic surgeon Jess Mullens, M.D., was one of two orthopaedic surgeons representing Alabama at the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference, held Sept. 13-17 in Washington, D.C. The annual meeting brings orthopaedic leaders together to engage in advocacy and policy discussions affecting the field.

During the conference, Mullens and Steven Theiss, M.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, met with members of the U.S. congressional delegation from Alabama to discuss issues including Medicare, prior authorization, and research funding.

“We also had the chance to meet face to face with U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, who was very receptive to our concerns,” Mullens said. “It was a privilege to advocate on behalf of our patients, our profession, and the orthopaedic surgeons across the state.”

Mullens serves as president of the Alabama Orthopaedic Society for the 2025-2026 term, which will end in May 2026. The organization comprises more than 400 members including practicing orthopaedic surgeons, residents and fellows.

“As president, my goals include strengthening education programming at the annual meeting, enhancing advocacy efforts at both the state and national levels on issues affecting patient care and physician practice, and increasing member engagement and growth,” Mullens said.

At USA Health, his practice focuses on the care of the foot and ankle. He directs the orthopaedic surgery residency program and serves as an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at the Whiddon College of Medicine.

BMS Ph.D. students inspire future biologists at TriBeta meeting

BMS students present at a TriBeta Biological Honor Society meeting. 

Students from the Whiddon College of Medicine's Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) Graduate Program recently shared their experiences and insights with members of the USA TriBeta Biological Honor Society. 

Robert Barrington, Ph.D., director of the BMS Graduate Program and the Office of Research Education and Training, opened the meeting with an overview of the program’s curriculum and research tracks. Following his introduction, current BMS students — Oluwagbenro Adesunloro, Adeyeye Haastrup, Sicily Hardy, Thomas Floyd and Angela Russ — shared their paths to pursuing doctoral studies.

The students discussed their undergraduate backgrounds, their decisions to pursue a Ph.D. instead of a master’s or medical degree, and their long-term career goals in academia, government and industry. Hardy emphasized that uncertainty is normal for students entering research programs.

“A lot of people join the program thinking they want to do a very specific type of research, then when they do their rotations in different labs, they end up finding something else they enjoy,” Hardy said. “We told them there are so many different labs and research focuses, and sometimes you can be in a certain lab but your projects are collaborations with different departments.”  

TriBeta members participate in a gardening day at the
USA Community Garden.

The event was organized by TriBeta President John Meadows to give undergraduates a firsthand look at life in a Ph.D. program. Meadows said the presentations offered meaningful perspective for TriBeta members considering graduate education.

“Our club has a significant number of biomedical sciences students in addition to the biology students, and many of our members are interested in post-graduate education,” Meadows said. “I believe they gained valuable insights into the year-to-year process of a Ph.D. program, as well as some understanding of the qualities and work ethic required to succeed in such a program.”

Meadows added his appreciation to the faculty and students who made the visit possible. “We very much appreciate Dr. Alani Rodgers and Dr. Robert Barrington for coming out and bringing students with them to inform us,” he said.

Whiddon COM raises awareness of sickle cell disease

Members of three local groups — the Whiddon College of Medicine’s Wellness Council, the USA Johnson Haynes Jr., M.D. Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Mobile Chapter — took the message of sickle cell awareness to the monthly ArtWalk in downtown Mobile in September.  

Waleed Saoud, president of the

Wellness Council and second-year

medical student

They staffed a booth that featured tricycles, which have been used in TriSickle for Sickle Cell fundraisers.  

Laventrice Ridgeway, Ed.D., associate dean of student affairs at the Whiddon College of Medicine, spoke about the importance of raising awareness of sickle cell disease in the community. 

“It is vital that multiple organizations work together toward the goal of raising SCD awareness. The complex, multi-faceted nature of SCD — which involves medical, social, economic, and systemic challenges — urges a collaborative, all-hands-on-deck approach,” Ridgeway said. “Collaborative approaches to awareness allow a single, strong message to reach a far wider audience, which is essential for high-level advocacy.” 

Sickle cell disease refers to a group of inherited disorders in which a person inherits two abnormal genes, and the body produces abnormally shaped red blood cells that resemble a crescent or sickle. It impacts about 100,000 Americans and an estimated 5,000 Alabama residents.  

Join us for Walk with a Doc

Lynn Dyess, M.D.

Looking for a fun, free and healthy way to kick off your weekend? Join the next Walk with a Doc event on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 8:30 a.m. at the University of South Alabama Student Recreation Center. 

This month, Lynn Dyess, M.D., a breast and endocrine surgeon at USA Health and professor of surgery at the Whiddon College of Medicine, will give a brief talk, after which participants will enjoy a relaxed group walk, perfect for getting active and connecting with others. 

Here are the details: 

Date: Saturday, Oct. 18
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Location: USA Student Rec Center, 51 Jaguar Boulevard, Mobile
Speaker: Lynn Dyess, M.D.
Topic: “What I Wish My Patients Knew from a Breast Surgeon’s Perspective” 

When you arrive, please check in at the front desk. You’ll be directed to the classroom where participants will gather before the walk begins. 

This event is free and open to all, so feel free to bring along family, friends and coworkers. For more information about this and future Walk with a Doc events, visit the Walk with a Doc webpage.