Furr elected board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians

Steven P. Furr, M.D.

Steven P. Furr, M.D., an alumnus and trustee of the University of South Alabama and a 1981 graduate of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, was elected board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). 

The AAFP represents 130,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. As AAFP president, Furr advocates on behalf of family physicians and patients to inspire positive change in the U.S. healthcare system.

A family physician in Jackson, Alabama, Furr is the co-founder of Family Medical Clinic of Jackson where he also serves on the staff of a rural hospital and as medical director of the nursing home. Furr has cared for patients for 40 years, including obstetrics care for more than 25 years. He is a certified medical director.

Furr has been active in several medical societies at the state level, serving as president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama and the Alabama Medical Directors Association. He served as the chair of the Alabama delegation to the American Medical Association. Furr served 11 years on the Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners and eight years on the Alabama State Committee of Public Health.

A member of the AAFP since 1981, Furr served as an Alabama delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates and has chaired reference committees on Advocacy and Health of the Public and Science. He was also a member and chair of the Commission on Continuing Professional Development. At the chapter level, Furr has held various leadership roles in the Alabama Academy of Family Physicians, including chapter president and chairman of the board. 

Throughout his career, Furr has been recognized with several honors and awards. He was inducted into the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2014, he received the University of South Alabama National Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award. In addition, he was given the 2018 Paul W. Burleson award in recognition of faithful and meritorious service to the profession of medicine by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama. In 2023, Furr was honored by the Whiddon College of Medicine by receiving the 50 People of Influence Award, which recognized individuals who significantly impacted the college during its 50-year history.

He continues to serve as a trustee of the University of South Alabama and as a member of the Health Affairs Committee and the Health Credentialing Board Committee. He was given the title of chair pro tempore emeritus in 2016 by his fellow trustees.

Furr is an adjunct assistant professor of family medicine at the Whiddon College of Medicine and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Family, Internal and Rural Medicine at the University of Alabama School of Medicine College of Community Health Sciences in Tuscaloosa. He is also a volunteer instructor in the clinical Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.

Furr earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from USA and a medical degree from the Whiddon College of Medicine. He completed his residency in family practice at the University of Alabama Huntsville. 

He is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and has the AAFP Degree of Fellow, an earned degree awarded to family physicians for distinguished service and continuing medical education.

Students and alumni invited to Dean's Tailgate Oct. 26

John V. Marymont, M.D., MBA, invites all Whiddon College of Medicine students and alumni to the Dean's Tailgate on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The tailgate is tentatively set for 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. The Jags will take on the ULM Warhawks during the Homecoming game. 

The tailgate tent will be set up directly in front of the stadium in the grassy area near lot 106. Free food from Taco Mama and Whiddon COM swag will be available at the tent.

Parking is not included. Find more information on parking at the stadium. 

If you plan to stay for the game, visit usajaguars.com/sports/football for details on purchasing tickets. Students receive complimentary admission to the game. See more information on student tickets.

RSVP for the Dean's Tailgate on the Google Form by Wednesday, Oct.16. Contact Marcina Lang at marcinalang@southalabama.edu with any questions. 

Biomedical Library to host Creative Arts and Storytelling in Health and Wellness Summit

Willie Dinish with Black Ink Coalition will present 'Healing Through the Written and Spoken Word.' 

The Charles M. Baugh Biomedical Library will host a one-day event, the Creative Arts and Storytelling in Health and Wellness Summit, on Nov. 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Center Terrace Room.  

'Lilly' by Dr. Lisa Ennis, who will host

a mindful sketchbooking session.

The summit will feature several invited speakers and workshops on integrating the creative arts into healthcare and healthcare education. The goal of the project is to provide opportunities for individuals and organizations to learn about and engage with creative ways to communicate about health and healthcare and to increase wellness through visual arts, comics, and personal narratives. 

Medical students can earn Continuing Professional Development Credit for attending. Lunch will be provided.

Seating is limited to 80 attendees. Contact Gail Kouame, director of the Biomedical Library, for more information: gmkouame@southalabama.edu. 

Register and learn more at jagworks.southalabama.edu/creativearts. 

Pediatrics residents share important health messages at area schools

Residents speak with students at Saraland

Elementary.

To bring more awareness to health and safety topics, USA Health pediatrics resident physicians have been interacting with local school students, outreach services, and after-school programs, delivering vital messages aimed at keeping children and adolescents safe. 

Second-year resident Erika Morales, M.D., and first-year resident Laxman Aryal, M.D., opened the school year at Saraland Elementary as invited experts in the field of germs, hygiene, and handwashing. They spoke to students in second through fifth grades, interacting with more than 200 children per session during PE classes.  

Highlights of their presentation included learning the handwashing song, using glitter to demonstrate how hard germs are to wash off, and a lively question-and-answer session, said Jennifer Cole, M.D., a pediatrician at USA Health and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine who works closely with the physicians-in-training.    

“The students showed off their knowledge of how long they needed to wash their hands for 20 seconds and even verged into more practical matters,” she said, “asking the physicians questions such as 'how long does it take to be a doctor' and 'what classes do you have to take?'”  

Residents present to Saraland High School

students.

At Saraland High School, first-year residents Shirisha Sandadi, M.D., and Syed Bokhari, M.D., spoke to students in health classes, delving into the difficult topics of stress management, anxiety, and self-harm. Recently, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health issues have soared in adolescents, Cole said.  

“The residents’ discussion focused on positive management techniques, such as a healthy diet, exercise and developing a support network,” Cole said. “The presentations also addressed cyber bullying, different mindfulness techniques, and avoiding the negative effects of drugs and alcohol.” 

The residents really enjoyed engaging with local students, Cole said, noting that the presentations have served as valuable educational resources for the schools and students.  

Medical student presents prostate cancer research at urology meeting

Hridhay Sheth presents his poster at the meeting.

Hridhay Sheth, a second-year medical student at the Whiddon College of Medicine, recently presented research regarding a new device designed to improve the accuracy of prostate cancer biopsy. The poster was presented at a joint meeting of the Focal Therapy Society and the Society of Urologic Robotic Surgeons in Washington, D.C. 

Sheth’s research evaluated the SmartBx biopsy management system, which was designed to preserve the location and orientation of biopsy specimens. His study compared results from 171 patients who underwent prostate biopsies using the SmartBx from 2022 to 2024 with results from a control group of 376 patients who underwent the standard procedure, transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate biopsy, between 2019 and 2021.  

“The results showed that SmartBx had a higher cancer detection rate per core and reduced over-diagnosis of low-risk cancer while improving the detection of intermediate-risk cancers,” Sheth said. 

Traditionally, tissue cores, or samples, have been dropped directly into formalin vials, which can disrupt their orientation and location. The SmartBx is designed to preserve the length, orientation and integrity of biopsy tissue by maintaining its configuration within the needle. 

Sheth said the SmartBx demonstrated better Gleason score consistency and resulted in fewer upgrades at surgery, “indicating more accurate initial biopsies.” A Gleason score is a number that describes the aggressiveness of prostate cancer by showing how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope and how likely they are to grow and spread. 

Prostate cancer affects approximately 1 in 6 men during their lifetime and is the most common cancer in men other than skin cancer. 

Sheth said he has been passionate about the field of urology since working as a scribe in the specialty. “Prostate cancer has always intrigued me due to its prevalence among men and the significant implications it has for their health,” he said. 

Sheth conducted the research this past summer as part of the Whiddon College of Medicine Medical Student Research Program. He was one of four recipients of the Clyde G. Huggins Awards for his presentation at the 51st Annual Summer Research Day. 

Sheth credited Jatinder Kumar, MBBS, M.S., M.Ch., M.D., assistant professor of urology, and the Department of Urology for their guidance and support. “Dr. Kumar’s mentorship has been instrumental in shaping my research experience and providing me with many shadowing opportunities that have allowed me to see different sides of the field,” he said. 

J-1 training session scheduled for Oct. 18

The USA Office of Immigration is hosting a J-1 training session from 10 to 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 18. Faculty and staff who wish to learn more about bringing a foreign national to campus as a visiting researcher, professor, short-term scholar, or student intern are invited to attend the Zoom webinar. 

Contact Arrin Hines, immigration manager, at arrinhines@southalabama.edu with any questions and to request the Zoom link.