USA Medical Student Selected for NIH Research Program

Austin Fox, a rising senior at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, was recently selected as one of 45 students across the country to participate in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP).

According to the NIH Clinical Center, the comprehensive, year-long program is a research enrichment program designed to attract the most creative, research-oriented medical, dental, and veterinary students to the NIH campus in Bethesda, Md.

The 45 selected students will participate in a mentored research project on the main NIH campus in Bethesda, or close by NIH facilities, that match their professional interests and goals.  Students will also have the opportunity to interact with NIH leaders and reputable investigators from the top national academic medical centers and universities.

"I’m excited about the opportunity to be involved in an intense, unique NIH program that will allow me to further develop an understanding of how research is conducted and incorporated into the practice of medicine," said Fox.

Fox, of Dothan, Ala., participated in USA’s Medical Student Summer Research Program in 2010 and worked with Dr. Robert Barrington, assistant professor in the department of microbiology and immunology. Dr. Barrington’s lab utilizes genetic mouse strains to explore more efficient vaccine design and to model human autoimmune disease.

"I enjoy research as it can be translated into improved patient care,” said Fox. “I enjoy the academic medicine environment and look forward to the opportunity to participate in the research-clinical care continuum.”

In summer 2011, Fox also participated in the Student Research Training Program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., where he researched pediatric obesity in a clinical setting.

The current 2012-2013 MRSP class consists of 45 students from 34 different accredited medical, dental and veterinary schools. The NIH’s goal is to eventually have a capacity of 70 students in the program.

Med School Café - Expert Advice for the Community

This week, Dr. Thomas Leytham, a family physician who recently joined the University of South Alabama Knollwood Physicians Group, presented the May Med School Café lecture.

The lecture, titled “Stressed Out? When to See Your Doctor,” had a total of 45 attendees.

During the talk Dr. Leytham discussed the importance of recognizing the negative effects stress can have on your health and how to assess when it might be time to seek medical help when confronted with stress.

The next Med School Café lecture will feature Dr. William Richards, professor and chair of surgery at the USA College of Medicine. Dr. Richards will lecture on weight loss surgery.

If you are interested in attending, email kepartridge@usouthal.edu for more details. To learn more about the lectures, click here.

Dr. Samuel McQuiston Appointed Assistant Dean for GME

Dr. Samuel A. McQuiston Jr., assistant professor of radiology and co-director of the radiology residency program at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, was recently appointed assistant dean for graduate medical education (GME) and designated institutional official for the graduate education program.

Dr. McQuiston, who is certified by the American Board of Radiology, first joined the USA College of Medicine faculty in July 2005 and has since served as the co-director of the radiology residency program.

“We look forward to working with Dr. McQuiston in this new role,” said Dr. Samuel J. Strada, dean of the USA College of Medicine. “We are grateful to him for accepting the challenges of this office in this important component of our medical educational mission.”

Dr. McQuiston will replace Dr. Carole Boudreaux, associate professor of pathology at the USA College of Medicine, who was appointed to the position in 2011.

“We are extremely grateful for the dedicated effort, hard work, leadership and insight Dr. Boudreaux exerted in this role,” said Dr. Strada. “Especially in how she marshaled us during the accreditation of the institutional program.”

According to Dr. Strada, Dr. McQuiston has worked closely with Drs. Boudreaux and Luterman to make the leadership transition smooth.

Dr. McQuiston earned a bachelor of science in pastoral counseling with a music minor at Hyles Anderson College & Seminary in Crown Point, Ind., and a bachelor of science in microbiology with a psychology minor at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.  He received his medical degree from LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans, and he completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at USA.

Snapshots: Medical Center Employee Picnic

The University of South Alabama Medical Center hosted an employee picnic on Friday, May 17, 2013. Photos from the event are shown below.

USA Medical Student Receives AMASA Scholarship

Robert Levy, a rising senior medical student at the University of South Alabama, has been selected as the 2013 recipient of the Alliance of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama (AMASA) Medical Student Scholarship.

Awarded by the Medical Foundation of Alabama, the scholarship recipient is selected based on volunteer experience and philanthropic contributions.

Levy, of Birmingham, Ala., earned his undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He then completed a year of ophthalmology research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“Research has allowed me to have a better understanding of certain aspects of medicine by being able to learn about disease processes in a more detailed approach.” said Levy.  “Through research, I also learned the importance of patience with a research project and how to deal with problems that may be present.”

The AMASA Scholarship was first established in 2012, and funded through fundraising efforts by AMASA, corporate donors and individual donors. The Medical Foundation of Alabama says that the 2013 scholarship is the first of many to be awarded over the years.

In addition to his research experience, Levy was recognized for extensive volunteerism. He has traveled to Haiti on volunteer medical trips twice, which he says gave him insight into working with available resources, even when conditions were not ideal.

According to Levy, the high levels of dust and sun exposure in Haiti could be linked to the prevalence of cataracts and pterygiums among Haitians. In addition to taking blood pressure, treating infections and referring patients to surgeons in the area, Levy noticed that most of the people didn’t own any sunglasses. He is currently working on securing affordable, polarized sunglasses to deliver to Haiti.

He attributes these volunteer experiences in Haiti for his renewed appreciation for preventative medicine.

Levy, also an Eagle Scout, encourages other students to research and volunteer if they have the opportunity. He says that he would consider his volunteer experiences just as much fun as vacationing, plus the rewarding benefits of giving back.