Medical students and staff highlight peer-powered academic support program at national conference

Robert Cole Barefoot, Amber Mathus and 

Madison Hogans led a workshop at the 

MELS conference.

Angie O’Neal, M.Ed., director of learning services, and David S. Williams, Ph.D., assistant dean of institutional and academic success, collaborated with third-year medical students Madison Hogans, Amber Mathus, and Robert Cole Barefoot to lead an engaging workshop at the 2024 Medical Education Learning Specialist (MELS) Conference, held in November at Emory University Conference Center in Atlanta.

The workshop, titled “Peer-Powered Learning: Fostering Collaborative Growth and Achievement through a Peer Academic Leadership Program,” showcased the Peer Academic Leaders (PALs) initiative at the Whiddon College of Medicine. This program reimagined an underutilized peer tutoring model into a proactive, developmental approach to academic support. Through the PALs program, second- through fourth-year students provide targeted academic assistance and receive professional development in teaching and learning, fostering growth for both peer leaders and their peers.

“This workshop exemplified the power of collaboration among faculty, staff and students to create meaningful, student-driven learning experiences,” O’Neal said. “The PALs program not only supports academic success but also cultivates professional growth and leadership for peer leaders, creating a positive ripple effect across the learning community.”

Attendees explored the impact of two successful PALs programs — Peer-to-Peer Case-Based Learning and Content Question Coaching (CQC) — designed and implemented by Hogans, Mathus and Barefoot. These programs emphasize innovative, near-peer teaching methods to enhance first-year students’ academic performance while developing the leadership and instructional skills of peer leaders. The session included data-driven insights, qualitative feedback, and an interactive Q&A with the student presenters.

The students collaborated with David S. Williams, 

Ph.D., and Angie O'Neal, M.Ed.

Participants also engaged in a brainstorming activity to design or enhance peer academic support programs for their institutions. Guided by prompts from the presenters, attendees discussed recruitment and training for peer leaders, strategies for inclusive support, and methods for connecting students with academic resources. This collaborative exercise provided practical takeaways for implementing or improving peer-led initiatives.

“The PALs program demonstrates how a well-structured initiative can benefit everyone involved,” Williams said. “This workshop was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the work of our medical student peer academic leaders and the momentum we feel at the Whiddon COM with our peer programs.”

The PALs program continues to demonstrate its impact on medical education, offering a model for institutions seeking to leverage peer leadership for academic success and professional development.

Medical student presents radiology research at international conference

Brandon Schonour presents at the RSNA

annual meeting.

Brandon Schonour, a third-year medical student at the Whiddon College of Medicine, recently gave an oral presentation on his research at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting in Chicago, the world’s largest radiology conference.  

Over the last year and a half, Schonour has worked with research mentor Jae Ho Sohn, M.D., an assistant professor and diagnostic radiologist at the University of California San Francisco. The project aims to identify technical or clinical factors that could predict anatomic image quality degradation in 0.55T lung MRI.  

“This work is significant because understanding the causes of image quality degradation at this field strength – such as specific respiration patterns – could inform future research into interventions like breathing maneuvers that patients could perform during scanning to prevent such degradation,” Schonour said. “The ultimate long-term goal is to advance low-field scanning to the point where the generated image quality is consistently reliable, enabling its use in everyday clinical practice for lung imaging.” 

Schonour said presenting at the conference gave him the opportunity to sharpen his public speaking skills, learn about the latest radiological innovations that are in the works, network with academics in radiology from all across the world, and open the door for potential future collaborations.  

“It emphasized the importance of research in shaping the future of radiology and reinforced my commitment to driving innovation in patient care through imaging,” he said. “The feedback and discussions that arose from my presentation have further fueled my enthusiasm for pursuing a career that combines clinical practice with research and technology.” 

The RSNA is a nonprofit organization that represents professionals spanning the full breadth of radiologic subspecialties in more than 150 countries around the world. Its annual meeting is the world’s leading radiology forum, offering a robust research and education program, access to the latest medical imaging technologies, and an array of opportunities for professional engagement and career advancement. 

Sternberg inducted as president of the Medical Society of Mobile County

Michael L. Sternberg, M.D.

Michael L. Sternberg, M.D., professor of emergency medicine, was inducted in December as the president of the Medical Society of Mobile County. In this prestigious position, Sternberg will lead more than 1,000 physicians in an organization that provides representation to the state’s medical association and advocates for a number of public service programs.  

“I consider it a great honor to represent the medical community in this 183-year-old organization, the first medical society founded in the state of Alabama,” he said in his acceptance speech at the Country Club of Mobile. 

Sternberg has been involved in multiple previous local and state leadership positions. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Mobile Medical Museum, the Board of Censors of the medical society, and is the immediate past chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mobile County Health Department. 

Sternberg has been on the Council of Continuing Medical Education and is a multi-year delegate and counselor to the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, as well as a board member and past president of the Alabama Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. 

As one of the longest serving emergency medicine student clerkship directors in the country, Sternberg is passionate about education. He has earned more than 30 teaching awards, including Best Clinical Attending three times, Academic Teacher of the Year, and Clinical Instructor of the Year from the Whiddon College of Medicine, the Emergency Medicine Residency Program, and the Department of Physician Assistant Studies.

Sternberg said he is proud of the efforts taken by the medical society to support medical education, the Rapahope Children’s Retreat Foundation, the Medical Alliance of Mobile County, the Mobile County Health Department, and the Mobile Medical Museum. 

“As part of USA Health and the University of South Alabama, the Flagship of the Gulf Coast, I encourage greater membership and participation in this organization,” he said. “The benefits of membership including physician networking opportunities, social events, state representation, and service to our profession and community are well worth it.” 

Sternberg earned his medical degree from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. He completed residency training at USA before joining the emergency medicine faculty at the Whiddon College of Medicine in 1992. He is board certified in emergency medicine and internal medicine.

The purpose of the Medical Society of Mobile County, founded in 1841, is to promote and develop the science of medicine, to conserve and protect the public health, and to promote the betterment of the medical profession. 

Internal medicine journal club revamped for better learning experience

Haris Manan, M.D., Sakteesh Veerabadhran Gurunathan, M.D., and Chris Bui, M.D., lead discussions at a recent journal club meeting.

Medical journal clubs have been a staple of medical education for quite some time, but recently Sakteesh Veerabadhran Gurunathan, M.D., a hospitalist at USA Health and assistant professor of internal medicine at the Whiddon College of Medicine, revamped the one for internal medicine residents.   

“I envisioned a more interactive format, emphasizing group discussion rather than a traditional lecture-based approach,” he said. “My goal was to ensure every resident actively participates and feels comfortable critically appraising research articles.”  

Sessions feature a faculty moderator and two to three residents who present a chosen paper of interest from medical journals. During the journal club meeting, the moderator facilitates the discussion and assists residents with formulating clinical questions or locating additional resources, if needed.  

All attendees are expected to review the articles in advance to facilitate a thoughtful discussion.  

“In today's era of prolific research publication, it's crucial for residents to develop the critical appraisal skills necessary to determine the clinical relevance and applicability of new findings in their practice," Gurunathan said. “I believe that journal clubs provide an invaluable platform for cultivating these skills, especially considering the demanding nature of residency training and the limited free time available to residents.”  

During the journal club meeting, faculty and resident attendees will provide a thorough critique of the resident’s presentation, assessing the scientific validity of the data and evaluating the robustness of the study's conclusions. Additionally, they will discuss the implications of the findings for clinical practice, considering both individual and departmental impacts. This collaborative discussion aims to enhance the understanding and application of evidence-based practices in patient care.  

“I am extremely encouraged by the enthusiasm and positive feedback I have received from the residents thus far,” Gurunathan said. “I sincerely hope we can continue to foster this valuable learning experience.”  

Haris Manan, M.D., and Chris Bui, M.D., both second-year residents who led a recent discussion, were quick to see the benefits.   

“Presenting at journal club has helped me sharpen my critical appraisal skills and deepen my understanding of current evidence-based practices,” Manan said. “It helps me stay in touch with new research and current management guidelines.”  

Bui agreed: “Journal club is important because it helps us stay up to date with the latest advancements in medicine in order to provide the best care for our patients.”