EDGE for Success kicks off with connection, reflection and leadership growth

From left, Melisa Pierce, EdD, MPA, Jordan Wood, Ashley Givens, and Domenico Spadafora, PhD., led the EDGE for Success session.

The Whiddon College of Medicine kicked off a powerful start to EDGE for Success with the first session this month.

The program is designed to elevate professional growth for staff through a unique approach that blends leadership development, self-discovery, and mentorship in a supportive, engaging environment. Throughout the series, both mentors and mentees are building relationships that support quality improvement, professional development, and personal growth. The experience is about more than skill building; it’s about recognizing the potential in each other and helping it flourish.

Session 1 focused on the Foundations of Leadership, inviting participants to explore their values, reflect on their “why,” and think intentionally about the kind of impact they want to make in their roles. Through small group activities and lively discussions, participants unpacked how self-awareness, communication, and personal values contribute to effective leadership at every level. 

Jordan Wood, medical oncology research assistant; Ashley Givens, medical education coordinator; and Domenico Spadafora, Ph.D., flow cytometry lab manager; led the session’s content delivery, presenting leadership concepts like values-based leadership, emotional intelligence, and defining their “why” with clarity and real-world insight that made the material resonate. Their contributions sparked meaningful conversations and set the tone for what’s shaping up to be a powerful and collaborative series.

The session was facilitated by Melisa Pierce, Ed.D., MPA, who developed and helps lead the EDGE program with a focus on recognizing potential, building meaningful connections, and supporting individual and institutional growth through leadership development. 

“One of the best parts of launching EDGE has been meeting colleagues from across the Whiddon College of Medicine and seeing just how much talent, insight, and heart we have within our walls,” said Pierce, who serves as director of quality improvement in the Office of Accreditation and Planning. “This is about creating space for people to grow, be seen, and lead in their own way — and we’re just getting started.”

Stay tuned for more updates as the Whiddon College of Medicine continues to showcase EDGE participants’ voices, talents, and leadership journeys throughout the series.

Student Affairs welcomes new program coordinator

Gracie Overstreet

Gracie Overstreet recently joined the Office of Student Affairs at the Whiddon College of Medicine. 

In her role as program coordinator, she manages the daily operations of the Office of Student Affairs and provides administrative support to the College of Medicine’s associate and assistant deans, Registrar’s Office, Office of Financial Aid, and Student Affairs Business Operations. She also serves as students’ first point of contact and fields student concerns to the appropriate Student Affairs office.  

“I am very excited to join the College of Medicine, not only because there are a lot of exciting things happening in the college, but also because of the work that I get to provide to the students and having the opportunity to watch them grow along their journeys,” she said. “Now that I am a two-time graduate of the university, having the ability to be a part of the students’ support system and giving back in a way that was given to me, is incredibly rewarding.”

A native of Jackson, Alabama, Overstreet earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, and she is expected to graduate with a Master of Business Administration from USA this spring. 

Prior to joining the Whiddon College of Medicine, she served as a secretary in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work at the University of South Alabama. Previously, she was a student assistant in the USA School of Computing. 

Laventrice S. Ridgeway, Ed.D., assistant dean of student affairs, said he and the staff look forward to Overstreet’s significant contributions to the team, as she brings a wealth of influential experiences from her previous positions at the university. 

“One of the things that was clear about Gracie during the hiring process was her ambition and zeal to work with USA students, as she is a two-time graduate of the university, which makes us happy to retain her as a part of the Jag nation,” Ridgeway said. 

Internal medicine residents focus on wellness during annual retreat

Second-year internal medicine residents participate in a wellness retreat.

Second-year residents in USA Health’s Department of Internal Medicine recently attended an annual wellness retreat at the Strada Patient Care Center.   

Part of the Internal Medicine Residency Wellness Program, the retreat addresses burnout, resiliency techniques and wellness strategies under the direction of department leadership, including Judy Blair, M.D., professor and director of the internal medicine residency program; Haley Ballard, M.D., assistant program director and associate professor; Rachel Seaman, M.D., associate professor; and Yun Coronado, M.D., MBA, assistant professor.   

Residents create Mardi Gras bead mosaics.

The risk for burnout and depression ranks high among medical students, even as they progress into their residencies, according to the American Medical Association. In response, medical schools and faculty are taking steps to educate students about the importance of self-care early on.  

During the wellness retreat, residents learned about the eight components of a wellness wheel through various lectures, events and activities.    

To add an element of competition, four teams faced off against each other in the following areas included in the wellness wheel:   

• Social: In a “Three Truths and a Lie” game, residents guessed the opposing team’s truths and lies.   
• Environmental: Residents used Mardi Gras beads to create colorful mosaics to repurpose and reduce waste in the city.   
• Physical: To get moving, residents played a life-sized Hungry Hungry Hippos game.   
• Financial: Residents played a physician-themed edition of The Game of Life to learn to manage their money.   
• Occupational: In Who’s That Boss?, residents matched the hobbies and interests of their attending physicians.   
• Intellectual: The teams took the competition outside in the Geri Moulton Children’s Park, where they went on a scavenger hunt.   
• Spiritual: Residents wrote and reflected on their current spiritual needs in a “What’s on Your Heart?” activity.   
• Emotional: The eighth spoke on the wellness wheel was related to resilience, which was discussed, and intertwined with the physical, being impacted by the quality of sleep.   

The retreat, one of the department’s most anticipated events, helps residents connect with each other and learn strategies to prioritize their wellness, while also working to contribute to the well-being of others.   

Study explores impact of academic coach training on the coaches

Binata Mukherjee, M.D., MBA

By Carol McPhail

A study on perceptions about academic medicine coach training at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine has been selected for publication and deemed Best in Class by the Association of Academic Medical Colleges Group on Faculty Affairs (GFA).

The study, titled “A lifelong journey: A phenomenological exploration of faculty perceptions about coach training at an academic medical center,” evaluates the impact on faculty and staff as they undergo training to become coaches to medical students.

“Studies typically evaluate the impact on coachees and program outcomes,” wrote the author, Binata Mukherjee, M.D., MBA, assistant dean for faculty and professional development at the Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama. “Limited information is available about educating faculty to integrate the role of coaching.”

Data were collected through surveying 20 faculty members who had completed 34 hours of training in the Academic Medicine Coach Training Program. Mukherjee established the program at the Whiddon College of Medicine in 2021.

The study found that in the process of training to be a coach, faculty members not only recognized the benefits of coaching for learners but also realized individual personal benefits.

“The training evoked self-awareness and opportunities for personal growth,” Mukherjee said. “The newly trained coaches expressed the beginning of an internal transformation to embody being a coach and demonstrated willingness to influence personal and professional development of learners and colleagues.”

The paper will be included in the Group on Faculty Affairs’ repository of Faculty Affairs & Faculty Development research and scholarship. It was selected for Best in Class in the category “Developing the Next Generation of Leaders.”

Mukherjee also recently earned the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). The achievement represents the culmination of extensive training and practice in professional coaching techniques.

The Academic Medicine Coach Training Program trains about 20 volunteers each year to coach medical students as they progress through their education at the Whiddon College of Medicine.

Menger selected for national leadership training program

Richard Menger, M.D., MPA, performs surgery on a patient.

By Jessica Jones and Milena Mata

Richard Menger, M.D., MPA, chief of complex spine surgery and vice chair for the department of neurosurgery, has been selected for the Scoliosis Research Society’s (SRS) Leadership, Education and Development (L.E.A.D.) cohort. This highly competitive program aims to develop the next generation of leaders within the spine surgery field and represents a significant achievement for Menger and the USA Health Spine Institute.

“It's an honor to be selected and to represent our health system,” said Menger, an associate professor of neurosurgery at the Whiddon College of Medicine. “I look forward to learning from leaders across the world and bringing those lessons back to the University of South Alabama and USA Health as we continue the push as a high accountability organization." 

The SRS L.E.A.D. program, established in 2023, is an exclusive year-long initiative designed to enhance leadership, communication, and team-building skills among SRS members. Participants are selected based on their outstanding credentials and contribution to the society. Menger’s nomination recognizes his distinguished work in spinal reconstruction and his dedication to advancing the field of complex spine surgery.

The program offers a curriculum that includes both virtual and live sessions, focusing on topics critical to leadership in the medical field. These include coaching, leading research teams, fostering diversity, communication within teams, owning leadership, and personal marketing techniques. Trainees will also gain a deeper understanding of leadership within the SRS, setting them on the path to becoming influential figures in spinal deformity research and treatment.

Menger, who became an Active Fellow in the SRS, brings extensive experience to the program. His involvement in the L.E.A.D. program is not only a personal achievement but also a testament to USA Health’s dedication to advancing medical education and leadership. The lessons learned from this elite group will contribute to the continued growth of the institute’s spine surgery program, ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of care.