Students, Residents and Faculty Named to USA Chapter of Gold Humanism Honor Society

Ten medical students, three residents and one faculty member recently were named to the University of South Alabama Chapter of the Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Honor Society (GHHS).

The USA College of Medicine Class of 2018 selects individuals who have demonstrated leadership, excellence in clinical care, compassion and dedication.

Each member of the Class of 2018 completes a ballot with statements such as "the classmates who have shown exceptional interest in service to those in need in our community" and "the classmates you would like to have work at your side during a medical emergency or unforeseen disaster," among others. Each student is asked to name two students from their class who would best fit the situations described.

Recently, the following USA students, residents and faculty were selected:

Alan Akira - student
Sarah K. Cassity - student
Winston M. Crute - student
Darren S. Ferree - student
Katherine E. Glosemeyer - student
Lauren E. Nelson - student
Adam M. Powell - student
Ashton W. Todd - student
Mary Morgan Weed - student
Charles Alexander Wiles - student
Dr. Lee Grimm - faculty, department of surgery
Dr. Mary Caitlin Marshall - resident, department of internal medicine
Dr. Justin Sobrino - resident, department of surgery
Dr. John D. Byrd – resident, department of internal medicine

This year's class officers are Charles Alexander Wiles, president; Sarah Cassity, treasurer/secretary; and Mary Morgan Weed, social coordinator.

New inductees will be recognized at the USA College of Medicine’s annual White Coat Ceremony on June 17, 2017, at 10 a.m. at the USA Mitchell Center.

Click here to learn more about GHHS.

Dr. Gremse Named Chair of ABP Board of Directors

Dr. David Gremse, professor and chair of pediatrics at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and a pediatric gastroenterologist with USA Physicians Group, was named chair of the board of directors of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP).

As chair, Dr. Gremse will lead the board, providing support and directing the activities of the ABP to achieve its mission of healthy outcomes for children. According to Dr. Gremse, becoming chair of the board of directors will be beneficial to his role at USA. “The experience I will gain serving as chair of the board of directors of the ABP will foster relationships with other leaders in pediatrics that will enhance the reputation of USA in academic medicine and in the pediatric profession,” he said.

The chair, along with the President and CEO, serves as a liaison for the ABP to other pediatric organizations and serves as an ex-officio member of all ABP committees during their term in office. Dr. Gremse’s one-year term begins January 2017.

Dr. Gremse has been an active member of the ABP since 2000. He began by serving on the Maintenance of Certification Examination Committee, later serving a six-year term on the Pediatric Gastroenterology Sub-board where he also chaired the Credentials Committee. He was later appointed to the board of directors where he served on the Finance Committee. In 2015 he was elected secretary-treasurer of the board of directors and now serves as chair-elect of the board of directors.

As a USA College of Medicine alum and faculty member, Dr. Gremse said his appointment speaks to the quality of pediatricians at USA. “I am indebted to the USA College of Medicine for providing me the medical training to prepare me to serve in this capacity,” he said. “My accomplishments are an example of leadership opportunities that can be achieved through a career at USA. I am but one of the numerous examples of leaders in pediatrics who have been members of the USA faculty.”

Dr. Franklin Trimm, professor and vice chair of pediatrics at the USA College of Medicine and a developmental and behavioral pediatrician with USA Physicians Group, is also a member of the ABP Education and Training Committee. “Dr. Gremse’s leadership within the ABP puts the USA College of Medicine on the forefront of pediatric leadership discussions, policy development and planning for the current and future well-being of children,” Dr. Trimm said. “It is a unique opportunity to increase the diversity of perspective by incorporating the insights of a department chair from the South and from our size medical school.”

In addition to serving as chair, Dr. Gremse serves on the Conflict of Interest Committee, Charter and Bylaws Committee, Audit Committee, Credentials Committee, Education and Training Committee, Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Foundation Finance Committee, Global Health Task Force, Informatics Tasks Force, Long-Term Investment Committee, Maintenance of Certification Committee, New Subspecialties Committee, Nominating Committee and the Research Advisory Committee of the ABP.

Dr. Gremse received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and earned his medical degree from the USA College of Medicine in 1983. He completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at USA Medical Center and his fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati. In addition, he was a research fellow in the division of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation. He was the first board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist in Mobile.

The American Board of Pediatrics is one of the 24 certifying boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Learn more about the ABP here. 

'I'm on the Road to Recovery!'

 
Pete Jones - "I'm on the Road to Recovery!" from USA Health on Vimeo

"Earlier this year, my wife called and my conversation was not coherent. We went to a local hospital, where I stayed for four days. They determined that I needed a center of excellence in order to get a proper diagnosis, so I was transferred to USA Medical Center and admitted under the care of Dr. Naritoku.

After an accurate and quick diagnosis of autoimmune limbic encephalitis, I was put into a medically induced coma and appropriate treatment began. Dr. Naritoku explained that if I continued to have the bursts of seizures that it would have a very negative effect on me.

Now, I am on the road to a full recovery. I will be able to resume all normal activities, and I look forward to spending time with my family and living a fuller, richer life."

Pete Jones
Fairhope, AL

To view more patient stories from USA Health, visit
http://www.usahealthsystem.com/patientstories. 

USA Community Health Advocates Build Garden for Local Residents

Frewin Osteen, (fourth from left) poses for a photo with Ridge Manor Apartments residents (from left) Gene Mosley, Annie Watkins, Paul Roberson, Judy Johnson, Sherman Coleman and Ned Thomas. As community health advocates for the University of South Alabama Center for Healthy Communities, Osteen and Johnson created a community garden at the apartment complex.

Frewin Osteen and Judy Johnson, community health advocates (CHAs) for the University of South Alabama Center for Healthy Communities (CHC), are the creators of a community garden at Ridge Manor Apartments located in Whistler, Ala.

CHAs assist their communities by bringing awareness and education to specific health issues. They are volunteers who work with the USA Center for Healthy Communities to support the fight against health disparity and promote a healthy lifestyle to those in need.

Osteen, a social worker in Prichard, Ala., and Johnson, a resident of Ridge Manor, wanted to give the elderly and disabled population a chance to participate in a community garden. “Improving the health and well-being of local residents was one of the aims when building the community garden,” Osteen said. “Gardening was something many of the residents expressed an interest in, but they simply did not have access to any of the tools or space to do so.”

Ten raised garden beds were built with the help of residents and volunteers in the community. “The gardens get residents doing something they enjoy, and as a result they are becoming more active," Osteen said. "The gardens are just the right size as to not overwhelm the residents participating."

After applying with the garden committee and signing a contract stating that they will respect and maintain their assigned space, residents who work in the garden are each assigned a bed of their own.

Osteen hopes that by growing and learning about vegetables in their gardens, residents will also learn the importance of nutrition and consume healthier foods. “If we show residents how to grow vegetables, plus how to prepare and eat them, then I think we benefit the community and their health,” Osteen said.

Osteen and Johnson have served for eight months as CHAs. “My philosophy is that people have given a lot to me, and so it is important that I give back to my community,” he said.

Johnson enjoys working with others and in the garden. “Working on the community gardens gives me the opportunity to do both,” she said.

Osteen encourages others to get involved with the health and well-being of their communities. “There is so much to be gained from imparting knowledge to people as a CHA, and also by learning from those around you,” Osteen said.

The Center for Healthy Communities has been designated as the lead entity within USA for coordinating community education, research, public service and health activities to help eliminate health disparities, fostering access to health care for underserved populations, and enhancing the capacity of individuals to better participate in decision making about their health.

For more information about becoming a CHA, click here. For more information about the CHC, click here.

Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Grand Rounds Lectures

Pediatrics Grand Rounds lecture - Jan. 20, 2017

Dr. Fernando Stein, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, will present “The Contribution of the General Pediatrician to the Reduction of Mortality in ICU” for January’s pediatric grand rounds.

The lecture will take place Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the Strada Patient Care Center conference room  located adjacent to USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital and USA Mitchell Cancer Institute.

Dr. Stein will discuss how to identify the three signs of potentially fatal illness in children under five years of age.

A native of Guatemala, Dr. Stein earned his medical degree from Univ de San Carlos de Guatemala and completed his specialty and subspecialty training at Baylor College of Medicine affiliated institutions. He is a founding member of the Section of Critical Care, the Council of Sections Management Committee and the Committee on Membership of the AAP. Dr. Stein is a leader in the area of chronically ill children as survivors of intensive care.

Surgery Grand Rounds lecture - Jan. 20, 2017

The University of South Alabama Department of Surgery is hosting a lecture featuring Dr. Ronald Brooks, assistant professor of surgery at the USA College of Medicine and plastic surgeon with USA Physicians Group.

Dr. Brooks will present the Surgery Grand Rounds lecture on Jan. 20, 2017, at 7 a.m. in the USA Medical Center second floor conference center. The topic of discussion will be lower extremity and facial reconstruction.

Dr. Brooks earned his medical degree from Indiana University in Indianapolis. He completed his surgery residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York. He then completed a plastic surgery fellowship at the University of Louisville and Affiliated Hospitals, located in Louisville, Ky. In addition, he completed surgical research at Weill Cornel Medical College in New York. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Alpha Omega Alpha and is a candidate for membership of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.


Both lectures are open to faculty, staff and students at USA.