Art of Medicine a success in its third year

The Art of Medicine featured artwork and performances by students, residents, faculty and staff. 

Twenty-five artists and performers from the Whiddon College of Medicine showcased their talents in art, photography, pottery, music, poetry and the spoken word at the third annual Art of Medicine. Hosted by the Wellness Council and the Gold Humanism Honor Society, the event was held Tuesday evening in the MacQueen Alumni Center Grand Ballroom. 

Art by Alani Rodgers

“This year we had a tremendous amount of people bringing their families and guests to the event, and it was a wonderful time together seeing our talented students, residents, and faculty/staff,” said Becky Smith, Ph.D., health and wellness counselor. “We are looking forward to continuing hosting the Art of Medicine annually and providing space for community and the humanistic side of medicine.” 

During the event, Ladonna Crews, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, gave heartfelt remarks about the late Cindy Sheets, M.D., who was a beloved pediatrician at USA Health, an adjunct assistant professor at the Whiddon College of Medicine, and an advocate for the Reach Out and Read program. 

The Art of Medicine raised $770 for the Dr. Cindy S. Sheets Endowment for Early Literacy. The total includes a matching gift from from Sheets’ husband, Jonathan Scammell, Ph.D., who retired from the Whiddon College of Medicine in 2023. 

View more photos from the event on Flickr. 

Whiddon College of Medicine showcases innovation at the 2024 Assessment Institute

Melisa H. Pierce, Ed.D., MPA, showcased the

LCME Heat Map.

The Whiddon College of Medicine demonstrated its commitment to quality improvement, institutional success, and student development at the 2024 Assessment Institute in Indianapolis, the nation’s premier event for advancing assessment and improvement in higher education. 

By sharing innovative strategies and tools, the team highlighted how data-driven practices and collaboration are transforming medical education. Their presentations demonstrated impactful initiatives driving institutional and student success. 

Melisa H. Pierce, Ed.D., MPA, director of quality improvement in the Office of Accreditation and Planning (OAP), showcased the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) Heat Map, a centralized tool designed to streamline accreditation processes with embedded data insights and proactive stakeholder engagement. 

Julie Estis, Ph.D., and David S. Williams,

Ph.D., MPA, presented on ePortfolios.

Julie M. Estis, Ph.D., executive director of academic enhancement at USA and an associate professor of speech-language pathology, and David S. Williams, Ph.D., MPA, assistant dean for institutional and academic success in the OAP, facilitated a workshop titled “LevelUP Student Learning and Success with ePortfolios: Making the Most of What You Have.” They highlighted strategies for integrating ePortfolios as a high-impact practice to enhance academic and co-curricular learning, illustrating the Whiddon College of Medicine’s participation in the institution-wide quality enhancement plan.  

Williams, Estis, and Cecelia Martin, Ed.D., associate vice president of planning and effectiveness at Clark College, facilitated a workshop titled “Lost in Learning Assessment Lingo? Let’s Talk Strategies for Promoting Learning Improvement through Shared Understanding.” Based on a two-year research project focused on overcoming barriers to learning assessment communication and employing strategies to improve effective assessment collaboration, their session emphasized the value of interdisciplinary partnerships to advance shared goals. 

“These efforts exemplify the Whiddon College of Medicine’s role as a national leader in advancing continuous improvement through creative solutions and collaborating with valuable partners across the University of South Alabama,” Pierce said. “By integrating tools like the LCME Heat Map and applying strategies to enhance learning outcomes, we continue to drive institutional effectiveness and foster sustainable initiatives that align with our mission.” 

The Assessment Institute, as the nation’s oldest and largest event of its kind, provides a unique opportunity for professionals to share knowledge, collaborate, and contribute to the evolution of higher education practices. 

“The Whiddon College of Medicine’s participation underscores our dedication to making a meaningful impact, both within our institution and across the broader academic community, as we leverage data, expertise, and interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance education and improve outcomes,” Pierce said.

Brewer appointed chair of orthopaedic surgery

Jeffrey L. Brewer, M.D.

Jeffrey L. Brewer, M.D., has been named chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine. A board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and an associate professor of orthopaedic surgery, Brewer has been serving as interim chair since returning to USA Health in 2023. 

“We have been impressed with Dr. Brewer’s skills as a leader and mentor, which he demonstrated during his time as residency program director and, most recently, as interim chair,” said John V. Marymont, M.D., MBA, dean of the Whiddon College of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs. 

Brewer said he is excited to build upon the successes of the department in training new physicians and growing services for adults and children. “I’m happy to work with a great group of people as we advance our academic mission and offer excellent care, whether it’s in orthopaedic surgery or sports medicine.” 

He served as director of the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program for three years during his previous tenure at USA Health, from 2015 to 2022.  

Brewer returned to USA Health from the University of Miami, where he was an orthopaedic surgeon and assistant professor at the Miller School of Medicine. While there, he served on the Orthopaedic Residency Curriculum Competency Committee and the Leadership Steering Committee in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. 

“Dr. Brewer has been instrumental in training and recruiting the best surgeons to provide excellent orthopaedic care for children and adults in our region,” said Owen Bailey, MSHA, FACHE, chief executive officer for USA Health and senior associate vice president for medical affairs. “We look forward to continuing this positive momentum.” 

Brewer earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, Kansas. He completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at SUNY Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook, New York, where he was named the department’s Resident of the Year for 2011-2012. He also completed a fellowship in orthopaedic trauma at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. 

An author of several academic journal articles and book chapters, Brewer has presented research on orthopaedic trauma at numerous conferences. 

Mayer Mitchell Award to be presented to cancer researcher

Jennifer Young Pierce, M.D., MPH, the 2023 recipient, 

poses with Arlene Mitchell, chair pro tempore of the 

USA Board of Trustees.

The recipient of the 2024 Mayer Mitchell Award for Excellence in Cancer Research will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 4:30 p.m. in the lobby of 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, currently serving as chair pro tempore, in memory of her late husband, Mayer Mitchell, a Mobile businessman, longtime USA trustee and formative figure in the establishment of the MCI.

The 2023 recipient of the award was Jennifer Young Pierce, M.D., MPH, a gynecologic oncologist, director of the Division of Cancer Control and Prevention at the Mitchell Cancer Institute, and professor of interdisciplinary clinical oncology.

Faculty present at International Academy of Pathology Congress

Guillermo Herrera, M.D., professor and chair of 

pathology, presents at the international conference.

Guillermo Herrera, M.D., professor and chair of pathology at the Whiddon College of Medicine, recently presented to an international audience of about 70 pathologists and nephrologists at the XXXV International Academy of Pathology Congress in Cancun, Mexico. 

During the conference, he presented three short courses:

• “Monoclonal gammopathies and kidney pathology: Pathogenesis/therapeutic implication and opportunities for new therapeutic interventions”
• “Proximal tubulopathies: Reality and controversy” 
• “The crucial value of electron microscopy in the assessment of renal pathology in monoclonal gammopathies” 

He also presented a slide seminar that highlighted a 59-year-old female with IgG kappa myeloma, detailing her status post-chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. Myeloma is a blood cancer that develops from plasma cells made in the bone marrow; IgG kappa is the most common type of myeloma.

Elba Turbat-Herrera, M.D., director of pathological services at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute, medical director of the USA Health Biobank, and professor of pathology at the Whiddon College of Medicine, also attended the international conference. 

She presented two short courses:

• “How amyloid is formed in the kidney: A research journey for four decades” 
• “The use of electron microscopy in the evaluation of lung specimens obtained using robotic technology”

The International Academy of Pathology is dedicated to the advancement of pathology through educational exchanges worldwide, including the organization of international congresses, providing access to high-quality pathology education to the global community and bringing new knowledge to underserved areas.

USA Health OB-GYN adds Whiddon COM alumnus Fesenmeier

Michael Fesenmeier, M.D.

To better meet the healthcare needs of patients and students, USA Health is expanding its women’s services division with the addition of Michael Fesenmeier, M.D.   

Fesenmeier, an OB-GYN and native of Mobile, spent two decades in private practice in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area before moving back to the Gulf Coast to join the University of South Alabama’s academic health system. He is now an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Whiddon College of Medicine and a practicing OB-GYN at USA Health. 

He treats the full spectrum of women’s obstetrics and gynecological healthcare needs and has performed numerous robotic hysterectomies. He is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a fellow with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.   

Fesenmeier received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, obtained his medical degree from the Whiddon College of Medicine in 2001, and completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.  

The father of four said he is looking forward to providing his patients with the most comprehensive care available while helping to train new healthcare providers. “We know Mobile is a great place to raise your kids,” he said. “And it has been nice to come back to the place where it started. I had some excellent mentors, and hopefully I can be that for the next generation.”       

Besides his private practice, Fesenmeier served as the chief of staff at Mercy Hospital Anderson and was the OB-GYN department chair at Mercy Hospital Anderson, now Mercy Health – Anderson Hospital. From 2010 to 2021, he served as the medical director there.  

He is accepting new patients at USA Health OB-GYN, located on the fourth floor of USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital. To make an appointment, call 251-415-1496.  

Medical student presents research on social factors and gun violence at national public health conference

Ben Cockrell presents a poster at the American Public 

Health Association annual meeting. 

An interest in public policy and public health took Ben Cockrell, a medical student at the Whiddon College of Medicine, all the way to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the American Public Health Association 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo.  

There, he presented a poster that analyzed factors that influence gun violence in Mobile County. He collaborated with Ashley Williams Hogue, M.D., a trauma surgeon and assistant professor of surgery, and the USA Health Department of Trauma Surgery.  

“My project was analyzing how social determinants of health impact gun violence risk among young people in Mobile County,” Cockrell said. “I was interested in this conference because I have an interest in how public policy can impact public health.”  

Cockrell said he enjoyed sharing his research with others, particularly projects that focused on gun violence prevention.   

“I would like to thank Dr. Williams for letting me work on this project,” he said. “Her work as the new director of Center for Healthy Communities and in Project Inspire has shown me the impact physicians can have on public health, and I hope to have a similar positive impact on my community when I practice medicine in the future.”  

Project Inspire, founded by Williams Hogue, is USA Health's multi-week, hospital-based injury prevention program that combines trauma center exposure, mentorship and career development. Created for at-risk youth, it seeks to curb gun violence in the community while preparing teens for success after high school. 

Cockrell plans to pursue a career in pediatrics or internal medicine.   

“I hope to continue work in assessing public health concerns and how factors like social determinants of health impact overall community health,” he said.  

The American Public Health Association champions optimal, equitable health and well-being for all. Using its broad-based member community and 150-year perspective, the organization lobbies for public health issues and policies backed by science with the intent to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health.