Leadership During Times of Change

Dr. Julie A. Freischlag, chair of the department of surgery and surgeon-in-chief at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, recently presented a lecture at the University of South Alabama titled "Leadership During Times of Change."  Her talk was made possible through the Dr. Emmett B. Frazer and Dr. Milton M. Leigh Endowments at the University of South Alabama department of surgery.  Follow this link to listen to her lecture - http://www.southalabama.edu/com/surgery/video/031110.html .

March Med School Cafe' Online

Follow this link to watch Dr. Clara Massey's lecture on “2010 Update: Prevention of Heart Disease in Women”  - - http://www.southalabama.edu/usahealthsystem/medcafe/031110.html .

Online Match Day News Coverage

Follow these links for stories about yesterday's Match Day:

- WALA-FOX 10 - - http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/medical-match-day-at-south-alabama

- WKRG-TV5 - - http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article/match_day_at_the_usa_school_of_medicine/792900/Mar-18-2010_9-36-pm/

WPMI-NBC15 - - http://www.local15tv.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=270971@wpmi.dayport.com

Mobile Press-Register still shots from event & video clip - - http://topics.al.com/tag/USA%20MATCH%20DAY%20MOBILE/photos.html

Mobile Press-Register full story & video clip - - http://blog.al.com/live/2010/03/south_alabama_medical_students.html

USA Match Day 2010

Yesterday, medical students anxiously awaited for 11 a.m., the time when they could open their envelopes containing their residency matches. At the ring of the bell, the sounds of rustling envelopes and joyous gasps filled the Magnolia Ballroom at the University of South Alabama Brookley Campus.

Match Day is the annual event in which fourth-year medical students across the nation simultaneously learn where they will be doing their residency training. Match Day occurs on the third Thursday of March every year.

“It is a national sort of dating service between residency programs and fourth-year medical students,” said Dr. Maggi O’Brien, associate dean of student affairs at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. “The people here are nervous. It’s a fun day, and we’re always very pleased about how it turns out.”

Dr. Samuel Strada, dean of the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, said Match Day is an important milestone in medical students’ careers.

“It has an enormous impact on their future,” he said. “It is important for the fourth-year medical students to represent not only themselves, but also their class and the USA College of Medicine. We are very confident of the wonderful job they are going to do.”

Dr. Strada also said that about one-third of physicians practicing in Mobile and Baldwin County did their residency training and/or medical education at USA.

USA medical student Marcus Bell, after matching in internal medicine at USA, said he is happy with the Match Day results. “I feel great about it, and I couldn’t have asked for more,” he said.

The matching program also allows couples to form pairs of choices on their primary rank order lists. The couple will match to the most preferred pair of programs on the rank order lists where each partner has been offered a position.

Sarah Gean and Ethan Gore will be tying the knot this Saturday – two days after Match Day. “It’s a pretty busy week,” Gore said. “We can definitely feel the pressure.”

Both Gean and Gore matched at the University of South Alabama – Gean in radiology and Gore in neurology. “We are so happy that we can be together,” Gene said. “All our family is in town, and it’s a really great week for us.”

Margaret Ege, a fourth-year medical student at USA, said her education at USA will have a great impact on her future. “It really is a good preparation step for the rest of our medical careers,” she said. “I have gotten a lot of hands on experience that I don’t think I would have had anywhere else.”

Ege matched in psychiatry at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “It was my top choice, and I’m very excited,” she said. “This day is the culmination of four years of hard work and dedication.”

Jamie Caudill, another USA medical student, matched in the combined internal medicine/pediatrics program at USA. “It’s just a happy day for everybody. USA was my No. 1 choice, and this could not have been a better day for me.”

Bana Kashani matched in OB/GYN at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, just a short distance from her hometown. “The support I have had here at USA is amazing,” she said. “Match Day starts a new chapter of my life, and I am so thrilled.”

“Today is about the students, and that’s the reason why we are here,” said Dr. Thomas Montgomery, residency program director for the department of internal medicine. “We wish all of them the very best.”

USA National Alumni Association Honors Dr. Frank deGruy III

(Left to Right):  Dr. Samuel Strada, dean of the USA College of Medicine, with distinguished alum Dr. Frank deGruy.

Dr. Frank V. deGruy III, (1977), professor and chair of the department of family medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences, was among the six distinguished alumni honored by the University of South Alabama National Alumni Association at its annual awards gala on March 11, 2010.

The event recognizes the achievements and contributions of alumni, such as Dr. deGruy, for their positive impact on our community, region and nation.

Medical Alumni Association Honors Class of 2010

This past Saturday, the USA Medical Alumni Association held their annual reception honoring the College of Medicine Senior Class.  Medical school faculty and seniors attended the event designed to welcome the soon-to-be-alums to the Medical Alumni Association.  Commencement is scheduled for May 8, 2010.

(Left to Right):  Medical Alumni Association President, Dr. Tom Montgomery, Class President Aaron Mates, Dr. Samuel Strada, COM Dean.

(Left to Right):  Neel Kumar, Sonia Singh, Sarah Gean, Brian Wells, Evan Alston, Daniel Robinson, Meagan Robinson, Eric Syklawer.