Cardiologist Manoharan joins internal medicine faculty

Suganya Manoharan, M.D.

USA Health Cardiology recently added Suganya Manoharan, M.D., to its growing team. She will assist the academic health system in delivering innovative heart care and help meet growing patient demand.  

She has experience treating coronary and valvular heart disease, heart attack, congestive heart failure, arrythmia, hypertensive heart disease, and more.   

Manoharan, who is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the National Board of Echocardiography, is an assistant professor in the Whiddon College of Medicine. She is also a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation.  

“I am interested in preventive cardiology,” she said. “I specialize in helping patients reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease through lifestyle modifications, risk factor management, and medical therapies.”  

Manoharan attended medical school at the PSG Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Coimbatore in Khartoum, India, then completed an internal medicine residency and a cardiovascular fellowship, both at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Brooklyn, New York.  

She served as chief resident during her third year of residency, and she was awarded the Mohammed Idiris Excellence in Cardiology Award.   

Manoharan, who is a member of the American College of Cardiology, the American Medical Association and the Tamil Nadu Medical Council, speaks English, Tamil and Hindi.  

“I chose academic medicine as I believe mentoring is a vital component of professional development and shaping the next generation of doctors and leaders,” she said.  

She is accepting new patients at USA Health Cardiology located at 6300 USA Health Blvd., second floor, in Mobile. To schedule an appointment, call 251-873-6280. 

USA Health expands neurointensive care with addition of Chalela

 Julio Chalela, M.D.

USA Health has expanded its neurointensive care with the addition of neurologist Julio Chalela, M.D., who joined the team in the Neurologic Intensive Care Unit (Neuro ICU). Chalela brings specialized expertise in stroke and critical care management, working closely with neurosurgeons to provide comprehensive care for patients in the post-operative phase. 

“I’m passionate about teaching and research, and I find it especially rewarding to practice at a university hospital,” said Chalela, who is also a professor of neurology at the Whiddon College of Medicine. “It provides a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on patients and their families, especially those who are often underserved or underprivileged.” 

USA Health University Hospital is the only Level 1 trauma center in the region, serving as the major referral center for southwest Alabama, southeast Mississippi, and portions of northwest Florida. 

With more than 20 years of experience in academic medicine, Chalela is an accomplished physician and researcher, having published more than 100 articles and 10 book chapters in his field. A colonel and flight surgeon in the Army National Guard, he has completed multiple overseas deployments as a combat veteran. His military experience, combined with his extensive expertise in critical care, allows him to provide exceptional care for some of the most critically ill patients. 

When asked about his decision to join USA Health, Chalela said, “It’s an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of leading-edge research, education and patient care. USA Health offers an environment in which I can contribute meaningfully to advancing both clinical care and academic growth.” 

His clinical interests involve mentoring future generations of healthcare professionals. He said he enjoys seeing patients progress, educating and comforting families, and inspiring students, residents and fellows to become compassionate clinicians. 

Before joining USA Health, Chalela served as medical director of the Neuro ICU at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He completed his medical training at Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, and further specialized in stroke and neurointensive care at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He also completed a clinical fellowship in the Neurosciences Critical Care Department at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore. 

Students, faculty present research at international meeting on tropical medicine

Eliane Esteves, Ph.D.

Four researchers – including two graduate students – associated with the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Whiddon College of Medicine, presented research at the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) annual meeting held in November in New Orleans.   

Three members of the lab led by Meghan E. Hermance, Ph.D., assistant professor of microbiology and immunology, presented work at the conference.   

Eliane Esteves, Ph.D., an assistant professor, and Clemence Obellianne, a research technologist, had abstracts selected for oral presentations that were offered during the “Ectoparasite-Borne Diseases” scientific session of the conference. 

Esteves' talk was titled “Defining the kinetics of SFTSV acquisition and dissemination within Haemaphysalis longicornis nymphs.” Obellianne's talk was titled “First evidence of non-viremic transmission of Powassan virus between co-feeding ticks.”  

Bailey Hettinger

Bailey Hettinger, a graduate student in the biology master's program, gave a poster presentation titled “Minimum Feeding Time Required for Haemaphysalis longicornis to Transmit Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus.”    

Meagan Taylor, a Ph.D. student in the lab of Jonathan O. Rayner, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology, also gave a poster presentation titled “Chikungunya virus (CHIKV)-Induced Type I Interferon Expression in Human Dermal Fibroblasts.” 

Meagan Taylor

During the conference, Hermance, who is a member of the executive council and treasurer for the American Committee on Arthropod-Borne Viruses and Zoonotic Viruses (ACAV), took part in ACAV subcommittee meetings, the ACAV Council meeting on the first day of the ASTMH conference, as well as several ACAV-sponsored sessions during the conference. She is serving a three-year term on the executive council that expires in 2026, and a four-year term as treasurer, which ends in 2027. 

Clemence Obellianne

Founded in 1903, the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene is the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health. It accomplishes this through generating and sharing scientific evidence, informing health policies and practices, fostering career development, recognizing excellence, and advocating for investment in tropical medicine/global health research.  

Medical students present research on peer-to-peer learning at national conference

Madison D. Hogans and Amber K. Mathus present their poster at the Medical Education Learning Specialist Conference.

Third-year medical students and peer academic leaders Madison D. Hogans and Amber K. Mathus recently showcased their research at the 2024 Medical Education Learning Specialist (MELS) annual meeting, held Nov. 7-8 at the Emory University Conference Center in Atlanta.

Under the mentorship of David S. Williams, Ph.D., assistant dean of institutional and academic success at the Whiddon College of Medicine, Hogans and Mathus presented their poster titled “From Concept to Practice: Crafting an Innovative Peer-to-Peer Case-Based Learning Program for Pre-Clerkship Medical Education.” The project highlighted the development and outcomes of a program designed to empower peer academic leaders to help M1 and M2 students better prepare for their course assessments.

The Peer-to-Peer Case-Based Learning program, founded by Hogans and Mathus, integrates clinical case analysis with curriculum-aligned material to foster the development of illness scripts, emphasize patient care competencies, and encourage collaboration. Sessions are held outside of required course activities and aim to prepare pre-clerkship students for clinical experiences through active participation. Additionally, the program provides peer academic leaders with opportunities to strengthen their clinical reasoning, deepen their understanding of patient care, and refine their teaching skills.

Hogans previously presented pilot data from the program at the Medical Association of the State of Alabama annual conference earlier this year. The MELS presentation offered a deeper dive into the program’s inception, evolution, and its impact on professional identity formation for both participants and peer leaders.

The idea for this program, Hogans said, came from a shadowing experience with Brittney Anderson, M.D., a family medicine physician in Demopolis, Alabama, between her first and second years of medical school. “Dr. Anderson challenged me to think beyond basic sciences, bridging the gap between theory and real-world patient care with the ultimate goal of helping me begin to think like a physician,” she said. “I wanted to create a program that encourages students to develop these skills early in their training.” 

Hogans said being part of the program has helped her to grow professionally and to envision herself as both a future physician and medical educator. “It’s been amazing to see the impact this program has had on me and other students,” she said, “and I look forward to its continued growth and the ways it will benefit future participants.” 

Mathus said developing the program has been a rewarding experience, seeing it come to fruition and how many students it has positively impacted. “Throughout this journey, I have witnessed how the program helps build the next generation of great physicians. I can confidently say that I will be a better lifelong learner and primary care provider due to the skills I’ve developed along the way, both as a peer academic leader and as a researcher,” she said. “This experience has enriched my professional growth and reinforced my commitment to making continuous improvements through medical education and practice.”

The Peer-to-Peer Case-Based Learning program will continue this year, with Hogans and Mathus training the next cohort of peer leaders to ensure its sustainability and ongoing impact.

“This program is a testament to the power of student-driven initiatives,” Williams said. “Madison and Amber have created a model that not only enhances the learning opportunities for our first- and second-year students but also develops the leadership and teaching identities of peer educators.”

USA Health Pediatrics expands with addition of Weidow

Nicole Weidow, D.O.

To better meet the healthcare needs of children in our community, pediatrician Nicole Weidow, D.O., recently joined USA Health Pediatrics and the faculty of the Whiddon College of Medicine. 

“I’m passionate about being a pediatrician because it gives me the opportunity to support children during their most formative years and make a lasting impact on their health and well-being,” Weidow said. “My journey into this field began when I was both a babysitter and a children’s hospital volunteer when I was a teenager and discovered the joy of working with children.” 

She said those experiences inspired her to build a career centered on helping infants and children thrive. “At the same time,” she said, “I also find great fulfillment in guiding new mothers — offering advice, support and encouragement as they navigate the rewarding, yet sometimes challenging, journey of parenthood.” 

She holds a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan. In 2021, she completed a one-year residency in internal medicine at Infirmary Health, followed by a three-year residency in pediatrics at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital.  

Weidow is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, where she will help educate future generations of healthcare providers. “I chose to work in academic medicine because I love teaching and guiding medical students and residents,” she said. 

She is accepting new patients at the Strada Patient Care Center in Mobile. For an appointment, call 251-410-5137.