November Med School Café Lecture to Feature Dr. Lisa Spiryda

The November Med School Café lecture will feature Dr. Lisa Spiryda, professor and chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

Her lecture, titled “Pap Tests, HPV and Cervical Cancer Screening: Are the Current Recommendations Being Dictated by Insurance Companies or Evidence-Based Medicine?” will be held on Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at the USA Strada Patient Care Center Conference Room on the first floor. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., and the presentation begins at noon.

Dr. Spiryda will discuss screening and prevention of cervical cancer and the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing. She will also address how often female patients should be seeing their physician for Pap tests and what age cervical cancer screening should begin.

Dr. Spiryda recently joined the USA College of Medicine faculty as professor and chair of obstetrics and gynecology and Director for the Center of Colposcopy and Abnormal Pap Tests. Dr. Spiryda earned her M.D. and Ph.D. through the Medical Scientist Training Program at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. She completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Massachusetts Hospital Residency Program at Harvard University. In addition to being in private practice, she has had faculty positions at the University of South Carolina and the University of Florida.

She has dedicated her career to developing an expertise on abnormal Pap tests, HPV and colposcopy in her clinical practice and conducts both clinical and translational research in these areas. She has published and presented nationally and internationally on cervical cancer screening, abnormal Pap tests, HPV /cervical pre-cancer disease as well as a variety of topics in womens' health.

Dr. Spiryda is a member of the American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, and Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics. She is on several journal editorial boards and is the editor-in-chief for the Journal of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology 

The Med School Café lecture and lunch are provided free of charge, but reservations are required. For more information or to make reservations, call Kim Partridge at (251) 460-7770 or e-mail kepartridge@health.southalabama.edu.


Dr. Lisa Spiryda to Present November Med School Cafe from USA Health on Vimeo.

USA COM Hosts SNMA Regional Education Conference

The University of South Alabama College of Medicine chapter of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) recently hosted the 2017 SNMA Regional Education Conference at the Student Center Terrace on USA’s main campus.

The conference, “Health Disparities: Stepping Up to the Challenge of Change,” gave students at various stages in their academic careers the opportunity to learn about the importance of diversity in the medical field.

Alexis Griffin, a third-year student at the USA College of Medicine, served as conference coordinator for the event. “This is an annual conference that is hosted by different medical schools throughout the region,” she said. “The goal was not only to add to the development of individuals interested in diversifying the medical field, but also to encourage high school and undergraduate students across the region to pursue careers in medicine. The conference also served as an opportunity for high school and college students to connect with medical students for mentorship.”

The conference, planned by Griffin and USA SNMA chapter members, hosted 95 high school, college and medical students from around the region. “Students traveled from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and The Caribbean,” Griffin said.

The event featured interactive sessions and presentations led by USA College of Medicine medical students, residents and faculty. Dr. Errol Crook, professor and chair of internal medicine at the USA College of Medicine and director of the USA Center for Healthy Communities, served as the keynote speaker.

During the break-out session, students were separated into groups and attended informational panel sessions based on their academic rank. High school students attended a session led by Chante’ Hendrix, diversity coordinator for the office of diversity and inclusion and SNMA chapter advisor, on “How to Become Pre-Med,” while undergraduate students attended a session led by a panel of fourth-year students at the USA College of Medicine. The medical students – Alan Akira, Yasmine Strickland, Alexandria Broadnax and Kirasten Brasfield – discussed “The Medical School Journey,” sharing their experiences as they earn their medical degree. Medical students then attended a session led by a panel of USA resident physicians who covered “Applying to Residency.”

“This was the first time the USA College of Medicine has hosted a SNMA Regional Educational Conference,” Griffin said. “It was an honor to serve as coordinator for the event. As an African-American female who recognizes the shortage of minorities in the medical field, I was proud to organize a conference that provided a platform for students to interact with physicians of the same ethnicity. Seeing individuals in the positions that we aspire to be in reinforces the idea that becoming a physician is an attainable goal.”

Griffin said the event also added to the growth and development of future physicians who will work with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds. “We learned about various diseases that disproportionately affect certain populations, explored the complexity of civic engagement and discussed ways in which we can be advocates for our patients,” she said. “Attendees were also constantly empowered and reminded that although there is a rough road ahead, we are all capable of reaching our ultimate goal.”

The SNMA is committed to supporting current and future underrepresented minority medical students, addressing the needs of underserved communities and increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent and socially conscious physicians.

View more photos from the event here.

Click here to learn more about SNMA.

USA Human Resources Hosting Employee Benefits Fair Nov. 2-3

The University of South Alabama human resources office is hosting the 2017 Employee Benefits Fair Nov. 2-3, 2017.

The fair will be held at the following locations:

USA Children's & Women's Hospital
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
CWEB 2 - Atlantis Room
8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

USA Medical Center
Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017
Cafeteria
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

USA Main Campus
Friday, Nov. 3, 2017
8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
USA Student Center - Second Floor Ballroom

The University of South Alabama Physicians Group will have a booth at the fair, and vendor representatives will be available for inquiries regarding employee benefits. There will also be giveaways, door prizes and refreshments.

All employees are encouraged to attend. For additional information on the event, contact USA Human Resources at (251) 460-6133.

USA Leaders Visit White House to Discuss Health Policies

Left to right: Nick Lawkis, associate director of governmental relations at USA; Happy Fulford, executive director of governmental relations at USA; and Danny Rickert, chief policy officer for USA Health, prepare to meet with White House policy leaders.

Leaders from USA Health recently traveled to the White House to meet with Andrew Bremberg who serves as an assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump and also serves as director of the Domestic Policy Council (DPC).

According to Happy Fulford, executive director of governmental relations at USA, the meeting with Bremberg in Washington provided the opportunity to discuss important policies that directly impact our health system.

“Academic medical centers have complex funding mechanisms that relate to our teaching, research and healthcare delivery missions,” said Danny Rickert, chief policy officer for USA Health.  “As healthcare policy decisions are made on a national level, it is extremely important for our institution to be engaged in the process.”

The DPC is the primary forum used by the President of the United States for considering domestic policy matters, excluding economic matters.