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| Members of the Gold Humanism Honor Society visit administration and staff at University Hospital. |
The purpose of Solidarity Week is to reaffirm the importance of human connections in medicine and to ensure that all individuals — patients, families and healthcare professionals — feel seen, heard and valued. The program is a national initiative that takes place each year during the week of Valentine’s Day.
View more photos from Solidarity Week.
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| From left, Brent Ruiz, M.D.; Mariam Riad, M.D.; Christopher Malozzi, D.O.; Mustafeez Ur Rahman, M.D.; and Celestine Odigwe, M.D., attend the American College of Cardiology Alabama Chapter winter meeting. |
After defeating UAB, the USA team will retain the championship trophy in Mobile until next year’s competition.
The friendly, but competitive Jeopardy format allows FIT teams to test their clinical knowledge and compete for the title of national FIT Jeopardy Champion. The competition promotes a healthy rivalry between ACC chapters and provides educational value to both the contestants and the audience on a variety of topics ranging from imaging, intervention, and prevention.
"Winning the state ACC Jeopardy competition was both an exhilarating and humbling experience,” said Mariam Riad, M.D., chief fellow. “I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from such brilliant colleagues and excited for what's ahead!"
Fellows in attendance included: Riad, Brent Ruiz, M.D., Mustafeez Ur Rahman, M.D., and Celestine Odigwe, M.D. Also attending were Bassam Omar, M.D., Ph.D., fellowship program director, and Christopher Malozzi, D.O., fellowship associate program director.
As the winning team, USA Health will send two fellows in training to ACC.25 in Chicago in March.
The Alabama Chapter of the American College of Cardiology is committed to improving heart health through continuing medical education, continuous quality improvement, patient-centered care, professionalism, and the influence of health care policy.
Physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists and practice managers are among its members.
The American College of Cardiology, the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, and its 56,000 members, are dedicated to transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health. The organization provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions.
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| Russell W. Cantrell, MSCIS, MBA |
The Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) is dedicated to advancing research and education in decision sciences, bringing together scholars and professionals who use analytical methods to solve complex problems. With a strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making, DSI fosters collaboration across disciplines, including analytics, information systems, statistics, healthcare, and higher education.
Cantrell’s first presentation, “Now You See Me: Tracking Medical Faculty and Resident Wellness in Tableau,” was a collaborative research effort with Binata Mukherjee, M.D., MBA, assistant dean for faculty and professional development; Amy Campbell, DNP, RN, assistant professor of nursing; Walker Plash, M.D., assistant professor of emergency medicine and director of the residency program; Amanda Arnold, M.S., education and training specialist; and medical student Ben Loftis. Their work highlights how data visualization can be a powerful tool in supporting physician and resident well-being, a key factor in both medical education and healthcare delivery.
“Wellness is often dismissed with surface-level efforts, but real improvement starts with data,” Cantrell explained. “Our goal is to provide healthcare professionals with the ability to see patterns so they can make proactive choices about their well-being.” This research underscores the importance of incorporating wellness tracking into medical training programs, ensuring future physicians develop sustainable, long-term strategies for their own health as they care for others.
His second presentation, “Surveying Vulnerabilities: Tech-Driven Insights into U.S. Healthcare Disinformation,” explored how misinformation affects healthcare workers and its potential impact on patient care.
“Fake news can spread faster than any virus,” Cantrell noted. “My research examines whether healthcare systems are vulnerable to the same types of disinformation campaigns that have influenced politics.” This study is particularly relevant to medical education, as the ability to critically evaluate information and combat misinformation is becoming an essential skill for future physicians.
Both research projects reflect the Whiddon College of Medicine’s commitment to equipping future healthcare providers with the tools they need to navigate an increasingly complex medical landscape. By leveraging data analytics to track physician wellness and investigating the impact of misinformation on clinical decision-making, these studies directly support the university’s broader mission of advancing medical education, enhancing provider well-being, and improving patient care.
Through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative research, Whiddon COM continues to strengthen medical training by integrating evidence-based approaches that prepare students and residents for the challenges of modern healthcare.
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| Lisa Moreno-Walton, M.D., M.S., MSCR |
As vice chair, her primary responsibilities are overseeing faculty development and establishing a research program within the department. She intends to involve faculty and residents in building evidence-based best practices to improve patient care.
Edward Panacek, M.D., MPH, chair of emergency medicine, has known Moreno-Walton for over 15 years and has long admired her remarkable career trajectory and her esteemed international reputation in academic emergency medicine.
“Dr. Moreno-Walton represents a historic addition to our faculty in many ways,” Panacek said. She is the first tenured faculty hired in emergency medicine, the first to have previously served as an associate dean, and the first with an extensive track record of extramurally funded research.
“The timing could not be better,” Panacek continued, “as the department has set a goal of developing a quality clinical research program in emergency medicine over the next two years, and she will be leading that effort.”
Moreno-Walton, for her part, shares a deep mutual respect for Panacek and his accomplishments in the field, including successfully launching the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at USA Health. “I know Dr. Panacek is committed to excellence in patient care, medical education and research,” she said. “When a like-minded chair asked me to join his team in a rapidly developing department in a growth-minded College of Medicine committed to excellence, I knew this was the place for me.”
She expressed her gratitude for the welcoming environment at USA Health, noting that her interactions with colleagues have been overwhelmingly positive. “Everyone I have met at USA has been welcoming, helpful and friendly,” she said. “So far, it’s been a great place to work.”
Moreno-Walton came to USA Health from Greenville, North Carolina, where she was a tenured professor of emergency medicine and associate dean in the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.
Her passion for emergency medicine stems from its dynamic, multifaceted nature. “In emergency medicine, we get to use everything we learned in medical school – from medicine, surgery, OB, pediatrics, radiology, and psychiatry. We joke that we get the best 15 minutes of every diagnosis known to medicine,” she said. “Every day is stimulating, exciting, and intellectually challenging. We learn something new on every shift.”
For Moreno-Walton, the role of emergency physician goes beyond treating medical conditions — it's about saving lives and changing lives. “I have the privilege of helping anyone and everyone who presents to the ED,” she said. “I love my patients, and I love being a great doctor to people who may not otherwise have access to excellent medical care.”
As an educator, Moreno-Walton is dedicated to shaping young doctors-in-training. “I have the opportunity to ensure that the next generation of physicians is highly knowledgeable, committed to our patients and to the values of equitable care, best practices, and shared decision-making, lifelong learning, and the sense of privilege of being entrusted with our patients’ lives and health,” she said.
Further, as a prolific researcher, “I am able to ensure that the benefits of research are justly and equitably applied to all patients, regardless of race, faith, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or any other human condition.”
“I can’t imagine a better way to spend my life,” she added.
Moreno-Walton earned a medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed residency training at Jacobi Medical Center, both located in the Bronx, New York. She received a Master of Social Work from New York University and a Master of Science in Clinical Research from Tulane University in New Orleans.
She is board-certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine and serves on the organization’s Stakeholders Advisory Board. She is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, a Fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, and serves on the board of the American College of Academic International Medicine.