Carnes returns to USA after 15 years of clinical experience

Matthew Carnes, M.D., graduated from the Whiddon College of Medicine 15 years ago, and after gaining clinical experience across the Southeast, he is returning to USA Health. 

“I am thrilled to be a part of the team and its growth both in Mobile and now in Baldwin County with the new Mapp Family Campus and opening of the state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center,” he said. “Being able to collaborate and work with some of the best people and brilliant minds in healthcare was also a strong draw for me.” 

Carnes, an assistant professor of internal medicine at the Whiddon College of Medicine, is board certified in internal medicine and in gastroenterology and hepatology, both by the American Board of Internal Medicine. 

“I enjoy gastroenterology as it combines the mental challenge of diagnosing and treating complex medical conditions with the technical skills of performing endoscopic procedures,” he said.  

Beyond his appreciation for the challenges and diversity of the field, Carnes has a special interest in GI oncology. 

“I will be doing general GI,” he said, “but I also have particular interest in GI oncology as I have training in endoscopic ultrasound, which uses specialized instruments in diagnosing certain conditions including malignancies and is now being utilized for therapeutic interventions.” 

Carnes completed a fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where he also finished his internship and residency in internal medicine. He graduated from medical school with honors, and he is a cum laude graduate of the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts degree. 

“After 15 years of clinical practice, returning to USA Health, where I graduated from the College of Medicine, is an exciting endeavor,” he said. “It is an exciting time for USA Health, and I am fortunate to be able to be a part of it.”  

In addition to GI oncology, Carnes has special interests in colorectal cancer screening and inflammatory bowel disease. He is trained and proficient in endoscopic ultrasound, as well as general endoscopic procedures.  

Distinguished Scientists Seminar set for Nov. 2

Kevin Pruitt, Ph.D.

The next Distinguished Scientists Seminar will feature Kevin Pruitt, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Pruitt’s seminar, “Exploring novel regulation of Wnt signaling in epigenetics and immunomodulation of the tumor microenvironment,” is set for Thursday, Nov. 2, at 4 p.m. in the first-floor auditorium of the Medical Sciences Building. Students and faculty are invited to attend the lecture, hosted by Santanu Dasgupta, Ph.D., the Department of Pathology and the Mitchell Cancer Institute. 

Pruitt completed Ph.D. studies in pharmacology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He continued postdoctoral training in cancer epigenetics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His lab research focuses on epigenetics, aromatase regulation and how Wnt signaling influences immune cell trafficking to the tumor microenvironment. 

The Distinguished Scientists Seminar (DSS) program comprises invited talks by leading scientists from outside institutions. Speakers are selected to complement the Graduate Training Program in the Whiddon College of Medicine and cover a wide range of cutting-edge biomedical research.  

Learn more about the DSS program and view the full schedule of seminars. 

GHHS and Wellness Council to host Art of Medicine event

The Whiddon College of Medicine Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) and the Wellness Council are partnering to host an Art of Medicine event on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. at the MacQueen Alumni Center Grand Ballroom. 

This is an opportunity for medical students and residents to display their artistic talents to an audience of their peers and faculty mentors. Art may include musical talents, poetry, paintings and more. Light refreshments will be served. 

The groups also will be collecting donations for the Reach Out and Read Program. These donations can be made by giving to the endowment fund established in honor of the late Cindy Sheets, M.D., or by purchasing books on a designated Amazon wish list that are approved for distribution in the USA Health clinics.

To RSVP for the event and/or sign up to contribute artwork, fill out the Google form by Friday, Nov. 10.

Mayer Mitchell Award to be presented to cancer researcher

Aishwarya Prakash, Ph.D., was the 2022 recipient.

The recipient of the 2023 Mayer Mitchell Award for Excellence in Cancer Research will be announced on Nov. 2, at 4 p.m. at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute.

The $10,000 award is presented annually to a promising scientist at the Mitchell Cancer Institute upon the recommendation of a faculty committee. The award was established in 2009 by University of South Alabama trustee Arlene Mitchell in memory of her late husband, Mayer Mitchell, a Mobile businessman, longtime USA trustee and formative figure in the establishment of the MCI.

The 2022 recipient of the award was Aishwarya Prakash, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Whiddon College of Medicine.

Mark your calendar: Randall W. Powell Endowed Memorial Lectureship

Mary L. Brandt, M.D., M.Div.

The 2023 Randall W. Powell Endowed Memorial Lectureship in Pediatric Surgery, hosted by the Department of Surgery, will feature Mary L. Brandt, M.D., M.Div., FACS, FAAP, Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Surgery, Pediatrics and Medical Ethics at Baylor College of Medicine. 

Brandt will present the first lecture, “It’s More Than Standing Up Straight … Ergonomics in Surgery,” on Thursday, Nov. 2, at 4:30 p.m. at the Strada Patient Care Center conference room and via Zoom: southalabama.zoom.us/j/91925296690.  

The second lecture, “Belonging: The Key to Changing the Culture of Medicine,” will be presented on Friday, Nov. 3, at 7 a.m. in the second-floor conference room at University Hospital and via Zoom: southalabama.zoom.us/j/91925296690. 

The lectureship is named in honor of the late Randall Powell, M.D., former professor of surgery and pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, who passed away in 2017. 

Both lectures are CME accredited. For more information, contact the Department of Surgery at 251-445-8230. 

Register now: 7th Annual Conference on Ethics and Opioids

The Office of Continuing Medical Education will host the 7th Annual Conference on Ethics and Opioids on Friday, Nov. 10. The conference offers 6 ethics credits and 2 opioid credits.

The ethics and opioids talks will identify and analyze frequent professional and popular beliefs about human nature and the personal and societal factors that influence a person’s direction in life. Based on that analysis, the speakers will discuss the characteristics of an ethical and effective practitioner and the ethical dilemmas they often face. The speakers will then explore ethical behavior in a therapeutic relationship and apply those concepts to case scenarios with course participants’ direct involvement.

The Office of Continuing Medical Education is located at 650 Clinic Drive, Suite 1100. Visit the CME tracker to register for the conference and view the full schedule and speaker bios. 

OB-GYN Interest Group to host DEI movie night

The OB-GYN Interest Group and the Student National Medical Association will host a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Movie Night. The documentary film “Aftershock” will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, in the Atlantis Room, located in CWEB behind Children's & Women's Hospital. 

Following the preventable deaths of their loved ones due to childbirth complications, two families galvanize activists, birth-workers and physicians to reckon with one of the most pressing American crises of our time – the maternal health crisis. Learn more about “Aftershock.”

Sign up on the Google form. 

USA Health Game Day celebrates employees

Drawing the largest crowd in the event's history, USA Health Game Day 2023 was held Tuesday, Oct. 17, at Hancock Whitney Stadium. 

Faculty, staff and their families gathered under the tailgate tent to enjoy a meal of Sonny's BBQ before heading into the stadium to cheer on the Jags. The South Alabama Jaguars defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, 55-3. 

Employees wave to the crowd during a special presentation.

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

• Jonathon Audia, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology
• Aubrey Coates, coordinator of facilities support services at USA Health
• Asia Cross, lead care access associate at the Digestive Health Center
• Karen Fagan, M.D., professor of internal medicine, pulmonologist, and director of the pulmonary and critical care division
• Todd Kennedy, CEO of USA Health Providence
• Laquesia Lee, medical assistant at University Urology
• Christina Murphree, manager of practice operations for internal medicine
• Nikki Napier, shuttle driver at Children’s & Women’s Hospital
• Edward Panacek, M.D., board president of the USA Medical Alumni Association, and professor and chair of emergency medicine
• Erica Pettway, community engagement coordinator at the Mitchell Cancer Institute
• Robin Shumaker, physician assistant in neurosurgery and president of the APP Council

Check out highlights from USA Health Game Day 2023 in the YouTube video, and view more photos from the event on Flickr.

Dadlani named professor and chair of pediatrics

Gul H. Dadlani, M.D., a leader in pediatric cardiology and an advocate for health pre-screenings for young athletes, has been named professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine.

Since 2015, Dadlani has served as the vice chair of the Cardiac Center and chief of pediatric cardiology at Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando. From 2008 to 2015, he served as the chief of pediatric cardiology at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Dadlani will succeed David Gremse, M.D., who announced last year his intention to step down as chair of pediatrics at USA Health after serving in that role since 2012. Dadlani will officially join USA Health in January 2024.

“During a national search, Dr. Dadlani stood out for his passion to train and mentor healthcare providers and his approach to continuously expanding access to healthcare for children in our community,” said John V. Marymont, M.D., M.B.A., vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Whiddon College of Medicine.

Dadlani has won numerous teaching awards in pediatrics and mentored pediatric residents into careers in general pediatrics and other subspecialties.

“Training the next generation of pediatric learners is an honor and privilege,” Dadlani said. “Our goal is to continue to build upon a positive academic culture for pediatric learners at all levels, including physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and allied health professionals at USA Health, that allows them to achieve the foundations for successful careers in pediatrics.”

Since 2017, Dadlani has served on the Pediatric Cardiac Technical Advisory Panel for the Agency for Health Care Administration for the State of Florida. From 2018 until 2020, he was a board member and president of the American Heart Association in Orlando.

Dadlani grew up in western New York and earned undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Buffalo. He completed his pediatric residency at Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo, and then a fellowship in pediatric cardiology at the University of Rochester/Golisano Children's Hospital in Rochester, New York.

“His work at the community level on the prevention of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes is impressive,” said Owen Bailey, MSHA, FACHE, chief executive officer and senior associate vice president for medical affairs of USA Health. “Besides his duties as an academic physician, Dr. Dadlani has taken on advocacy roles in the cities where he’s lived, bringing CPR education and awareness to thousands of students and educators, among other initiatives.”