Pediatric grand rounds set for May 15

Ryan Himes, M.D., section head for pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology and nutrition medical director for the Pediatric Liver Transplantation Program at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, will present a virtual pediatric grand rounds on pediatric acute liver failure at 8 a.m. Friday, May 15.

In his presentation, Himes will discuss the common causes of acute liver failure in children of different ages, explain the concept of “balanced coagulopathy,” and review the utilization of N-acetyl cysteine for appropriate cases of acute liver failure.

To register: https://southalabama.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEocu2vrTwjH9dPFfOIgOLBTS9ZtEQwl70U

Pediatric grand rounds is held the third Friday of each month from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. For more information, contact Jessica Petro at (251) 415-8688 or jpetro@health.southalabbama.edu.

College of Medicine CARES Fund supports medical students in need

The University of South Alabama College of Medicine CARES Fund was created in response to unforeseen financial hardships brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Spurred by our students’ immediate need, USA College of Medicine leadership established this fund to assist students affected by the economic fallout of the pandemic. 

Your gifts will help provide emergency support to future physicians. Gifts to the College of Medicine CARES Fund will be matched dollar for dollar up to $100,000 to increase the impact on students facing difficulties caused by the pandemic. 

To make a donation, visit https://giving.southalabama.edu/comcares, or call Kelly McCarron, associate vice president of medical affairs for USA Health Development, at (251) 445-8423. 

USA College of Medicine students take virtual Hippocratic Oath

John Marymont, M.D., vice president for medical affairs and dean of the USA College of Medicine, speaks to the class of 2020 via Zoom.

Fourth-year medical students at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine became the first class to take the Hippocratic Oath separated by the social distancing of COVID-19.

“The noble profession you’re entering, the weight that it carries and the respect and gratitude that society has for you is so evident in today’s reality,” said John Marymont, M.D., vice president for medical affairs and dean of the USA College of Medicine, speaking by Zoom video conferencing to the 66 graduates as they prepared to take the oath Friday. “You’re entering the workforce in a society faced with significant challenges due to a pandemic unprecedented in modern time.”

Andrew Bright, D.O., assistant professor of surgery, leads
the Hippocratic Oath for graduates who matched in the
U.S. military.

Marymont said that society is looking to physicians as leaders, healers and comforters, and for hope. “Embrace this challenge, and, as Nike says, ‘Just do it.’ Do it with compassion, dignity, honesty, respect and resilience,” he said.

Marymont led the graduates in the Hippocratic Oath, an oath of ethics named for the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates historically taken by physicians stating the obligations and proper conduct of those practicing medicine. Graduates who matched at U.S. military facilities also took the military oath led by Andrew Bright, D.O., assistant professor of surgery at the USA College of Medicine.

Typically, both oaths are taken during Honors Convocation, the ceremony when graduates are recognized for their academic achievements and are awarded doctoral hoods by individuals of their choosing. Social distancing requirements prompted by COVID-19 led to the cancellation of the class’s in-person Match Day and Honors Convocation ceremonies.

Ben McCormick, class president, took the Hippocratic Oath by Zoom at a beach house in Fort Morgan, surrounded by close friends and family. He said that while the experience for the class of 2020 is unique, its meaning of the oath remains the same.

“The dedication to being ‘loyal to the profession of medicine’ and to the ‘good of the sick to the utmost of (our) power’ carries even greater weight as healthcare workers face firsthand the effects of a global epidemic,” said McCormick, who is staring an internal medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla.

The class of 2020 is the 45th class to graduate from the USA College of Medicine, bringing the total number of physicians to graduate since the school’s opening to 2,836. About one-third of physicians practicing in the Mobile area have earned their medical degrees from USA or have completed residency training at USA Health hospitals.

Petty champions the prevention of e-cigarette use in children

Melody Petty, M.D., MPH, FAAP, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, was selected as the e-cigarette chapter champion for the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In this role, she will serve as an advocate for the prevention of childhood nicotine use of products such as e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, the addictive drug also found in regular cigarettes and other tobacco products.

More than six million children are using tobacco products in the Unites States, according to recent estimates from the American Lung Association.

Petty, who also serves as a pediatric hospitalist for USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital, will represent the State of Alabama at a national kick-off meeting at the AAP national headquarters in the Chicago area this summer, said David A. Gremse, M.D., FAAP, Hollis J. Wiseman Distinguished Professor and Chair of the USA Department of Pediatrics.

“We are delighted Melody has committed her time and energy to represent our health system and state,” Gremse said. “E-cigarettes pose a serious health risk to our nation’s youth. As pediatric physicians, we play a vital role in protecting children from such dangers.”

As a state pediatric champion, Petty will be tasked with leading local advocacy and educational initiatives related to youth e-cigarette prevention and addiction support. She will also learn strategies to address e-cigarette use with youth and families, and then take what they’ve learned to lead educational sessions and communication activities back in Mobile and across the state.

The in-person training gives participants access to the academy’s new evidence-based e-cigarette curriculum as well as a hands-on media and communications training. The initial commitment is for 12 months, with the option to continue in this role every two years.

Surgery and pharmacology faculty member featured in ACCESS Magazine

Jon Simmons, M.D., FACS, associate professor of surgery and pharmacology at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, was recognized in the April issue of ACCESS Magazine, which focuses on wellness and top doctors in the Gulf Coast area.

“It’s always an honor to have the accomplishments of our trauma center highlighted within the community that we are so proud to serve,” said Simmons, who is the medical director for trauma and acute care surgery at USA Health.

Charla Evans, D.O., family medicine physician at USA Health Hillcrest Primary Care, was also included in the issue.

“We chose Dr. Simmons and Dr. Evans to be in our Top Doctors On The Bay special issue simply because they are revered by everyone,” said Hayley Hill, ACCESS editor-in-chief. “From patients to peers, they are known not only for their professional talents and achievements, but for their genuine kindness as well.”

See the Top Doctors issue of ACCESS Magazine here.