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| Jonathan Scammell, Ph.D., longtime faculty member and administrator, officially retires from the Whiddon College of Medicine. |
“Dr. Scammell has devoted his career to teaching, research and leadership at the University of South Alabama,” said John Marymont, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the Whiddon College of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs. “We are grateful for his decades of service to our medical and graduate students, and the relationships he has formed with colleagues who have had the privilege of working with him in various capacities. We wish him all the best in retirement.”
Scammell joined the faculty in 1986 as an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology. He rose through the academic ranks to become a professor of pharmacology and serve as professor and chair of the Department of Comparative Medicine. In 2011, he was appointed assistant dean for admissions at the Whiddon College of Medicine.
“This has been a great place to start and, indeed, end a career in science and medicine,” Scammell said. “We have dedicated faculty, research technicians, administrative support, and wonderful students who are motivating to be around. I have been asked how I will spend my retirement. Among other activities, a few colleagues are permitting my continued participation in educational activities, so in actuality I will be able to prolong some of my most favorite pursuits at USA.”
Kelly Roveda, M.D., associate dean for student affairs, has known Scammell since he taught her as a medical student in the late 1980s. Scammell went on to publish with her when she was a member of the pathology faculty and later worked with her as part of the medical school’s administration.
“For me, Dr. Scammell embodies the qualities of a true educator, mentor, coach and friend. As a new faculty member starting my career in pathology, Dr. Scammell took me under his wing providing me the opportunity to work with him on a project that he knew would lead to a publication, gently pushing me to completion while I was balancing work and family,” Roveda said. “When I returned to the Whiddon College of Medicine in 2012, he was the first to give me the opportunity to resume teaching medical students – something that had always been so important to me.”
Roveda added, “While I know it is time for a changing of the guard, I cannot imagine the COM without Dr. Scammell’s presence.”
Scammell’s post-retirement involvement includes remaining a member of the Admissions Committee, “which is a great relief to all of us in the Admissions Office,” said Deborah Fetherland, director of admissions. “There are always new things that come up with admissions – there are questions – and he's been a wonderful resource for answers.”
Fetherland said Scammell has always been supportive of change in the realm of admissions. “When COVID struck, he allowed us to develop an online interview process that would reflect our in-person experience as much as possible,” she said. “He may have had some doubts, but he trusted that we were up to the task. And it has worked very well.”
Over the years, Scammell has taught and advised countless medical and graduate students. A testament to Scammell’s impact on their education, senior medical students have honored him 22 times with the Red Sash Award.
“I tell applicants to our medical school how gratifying it is when we watch our students open their envelopes on Match Day, ready to move on to their chosen career paths,” he said. “I am particularly proud of my Ph.D. students who graduated to great post-docs and beyond. Every one of them published their dissertation work, two became department chairs, while three others became assistant or associate deans at their respective institutions.”
Scammell earned a Ph.D. in physiology from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. As principal investigator or co-investigator, he has received millions of dollars in grant support from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the American Heart Association for his research contributions. Among his scholarly achievements, he has authored more than 80 scientific publications and 50 abstracts.
He is excited for the future of the Whiddon College of Medicine, notably the brand-new building that will provide state-of-the-art educational and research facilities for students and faculty alike. He said he would like to see an increase in the number of basic science faculty as well as the medical school class, “but carefully at a rate that we maintain the sense of family that the medical school is renowned for.”
Reflecting on his legacy at the University of South Alabama, Scammell referenced the dedication of his late wife, Cindy Sheets, M.D., a beloved pediatrician who served in various roles at USA Health and the Whiddon College of Medicine. “I had the privilege of living with someone who for 44 years committed herself to the welfare of her patients regardless of day of the week or time of the day,” he said. “I would like to be recognized as a colleague who embraced the interests of our students, colleagues, and the institution as much as my own.”
Roveda said she was fortunate to know both Scammell and Sheets outside of work, as their children attended McGill-Toolen Catholic High School together. “Their kindness as a couple could not be matched,” she said.
Fetherland said it will be hard to say goodbye to Scammell, who has encouraged and supported her personally and professionally over the years. “One thing I will really miss is saying something to him that catches him totally off guard and makes him laugh,” she said. “That always makes my day!”
