University of South Alabama Health System

Medicine
University of South Alabama
Winter 2012

USA Medicine
Volume 7, Issue 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Address correspondence to:
USA Medicine
University of South Alabama
2451 Fillingim Street
Mastin 617
Mobile, AL 36617-2293
www.usahealthsystem.com
Editor
Dr. Samuel J. Strada
Production Manager
Paul Taylor
Contributing Writers
Paul Taylor
Ashley Givens
Greta Jahnke Sharp
Photography
Lyle Ratliff
DCH Health System
Composition and Printing
University of South Alabama
Publication Services
On the cover
As part of the changes in the
undergraduate medical education
program, the new skills lab at
the USA College of Medicine
enhances the active learning
format where students learn in
an environment that stresses
knowledge application.
5
Rwanda
10
12
23
Mission Trip
Alumni Travel
to Dominican
Republic
Match Day
Just a Day at
the Beach
To enhance those educational
opportunities, Dr. Richard ’98 and
Paula Spiro presented the College
of Medicine with a generous
donation for the skills lab to
help current and future medical
students prepare for careers in
medicine. If you are interested
in joining Richard and Paula in
support of our students, please call
251-460-7481.
New Medical School Curriculum ...................2
Tuscaloosa Tornado Aftermath:
An Alumni Looks Back .................................6
Concussion Prevention Program Begins.........9
New Faculty .................................................14
Medical Students Play Ball ..........................25
Development Director Letter .......................26

Dear Friends,
Our university will celebrate its golden anniversary on May 3,
2013. The College of Medicine is a bit younger, having enrolled
its first group of students in January, 1973. In reflecting on
these two events, it is interesting that our institution appears to
face many of the same issues that confronted the founders of
our college - the need to adapt to change, the opportunity to
impact health care in the region and our state, and the chance to
implement creative ideas to building success during challenging
times. Our current and future successes are driven by many of
the same factors that led us in the early period of our college and
the university - bright and dedicated students and residents who contribute to the health
and welfare of our citizens while learning and building towards careers in medicine, science,
and community service; faculty who inspire and embrace challenge and change; chairs and
administrators who encourage and lead by example, a strong work ethic, and an emphasis
on quality. In this regard, we recently recruited Dr. David Lewis as chair of obstetrics and
gynecology, Dr. David Gremse (Class of ’83) as chair of pediatrics and appointed Dr. Tony
Martino chair of neurosurgery. These three individuals bring a wealth of experiences, new
insights, and a plethora of talents to these important leadership positions. I truly believe
that our college has never been stronger or better positioned to seek answers and provide
solutions to the challenges that we will face in the months and years ahead. As you read
the stories on students, faculty and alumni we have highlighted in this magazine, I hope
you will reflect on your personal connection to the University of South Alabama College of
Medicine and the part you have played in our history and success and continue to share in
our expectations for the future.
Yours sincerely,
Samuel J. Strada, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Medicine
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 1

Medical school
adopts curriculum
changes
This past fall marked a curriculum change
for the undergraduate medical education
program at the University of South Alabama
College of Medicine in an effort to better
prepare students for a career in medicine. It
follows a national trend in medical education,
focused on competency-based learning and
an integration of basic and clinical sciences.
The curriculum committee of faculty
worked for more than a year to merge
the College of Medicine’s educational
objectives with the Accreditation Council
for Graduate Medical Education’s six
core competencies: patient care, medical
knowledge, practice-based learning
and improvement, interpersonal and
communication skills, professionalism and
systems-based practice.
Instead of a discipline-based program, the
students now learn in an environment that
stresses application of knowledge. “It’s what
they’re going to see when they actually get
into a clinic setting and start practicing
medicine,” explained Dr. Susan P. LeDoux,
associate dean for medical education
and student affairs. “Our students came
to school to be excellent doctors. They
want to know what they’re going to do to
become doctors.” Additionally, both the
licensure tests and residency programs are
competency-based.
In the new curriculum, students receive
instruction in all competencies from the
start of the program. During the first two
years, students participate in an organsystem-based
sequence of study. Each
module focuses on an organ system,
incorporating the six core competencies,
as well as multi-disciplinary instruction
in the basic sciences. Years three and four
include more in-depth clinical experiences and the application of
knowledge in a clinical setting, which also prepares the students to
enter competency-based residency programs.
Students will also see real-life applications much earlier. First-year
students spend time in public health clinics during the first semester,
two years before the exercise was introduced in the previous
program. Another important facet of the program is an emphasis on
professionalism, including patient-centered health care and the role
of the physician. “As faculty mentors, we have to help them form
their professional identity,” said Dr. LeDoux. “It’s not just about
book knowledge. We want to teach them to be life-long learners
and interact professionally with their patients and peers.”
The new curriculum’s focus on active learning decreases the formal
lecture class format, but focuses on creating competent physicians
dedicated to life-long learning. “It’s the same kind of quality
education we’ve always provided,” explained Dr. LeDoux. Each
class is led by at least one clinician and one faculty member from
basic sciences. In preparation, the faculty received extensive training
in active learning from nationally recognized professionals.
2 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

Recently, second year students participated in a required integrated case
studies course that was completely redesigned in the new active learning
format. As the application of materials begins in year three, the newly
designed course helped students begin to think in that manner.
It may also provide greater returns. This year, the mean student USMLE
Step 1 score was approximately 10 points higher than last year, well
above the national average, which may be linked to the new course
design. “There was very positive feedback from students and a definite
improvement in Step 1 scores,” reported Dr. LeDoux. In addition, the new
curriculum is designed to identify struggling students earlier, notifying
faculty and staff so remediation can begin immediately. It also involves
continuous quality assurance checks and mid-course adjustments for the
benefit of the students.
When meeting with students at admissions events, Dr. LeDoux
addresses the new curriculum and encourages questions. Instead of
concern about the changes, she has received affirmative comments about
the new curriculum. From the faculty to the second year students, there
is a very positive attitude about the changes, said Dr. LeDoux.
Management of an undergraduate medical curriculum of this complexity
requires an attention to specialization. In addition to Dr. LeDoux,
Dr. Benjamin Estrada is the assistant dean for educational strategies
and faculty development. Dr. Anthony Gard is the assistant dean for
curriculum assessment and evaluation. Dr. Jeffrey Sosnowski is the
assistant dean for curriculum integration. (See the following page for
descriptions of their responsibilities.)
The changes in the undergraduate medical school
curriculum follow a national trend of competency-based
learning and integrating basic and clinical sciences.
The curriculum committee consists of representatives from clinical
and basic sciences, college administration and students. A student
subcommittee surveys and polls students on their opinions, then passes
that information along to the committee’s student representatives. “The
students are actively involved in this process,” explained Dr. LeDoux.
In 2012, the mean student USMLE
Step 1 score was approximately ten
points higher than the previous year,
which may be linked to the new active
learning design.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 3

Curriculum committee oversees design and implementation of
new undergrad medical education program
To develop and implement the new medical school curriculum, a division of medical education has been established
within the College of Medicine. To lead the division, four administrative positions have been created to spearhead
and facilitate the curriculum committee’s role as the central curriculum authority within the College.
Susan LeDoux, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of cell biology and neuroscience,
is the associate dean for medical education and student affairs. Dr. LeDoux
joined the faculty in 1988. She has been actively involved in the curriculum
effort within the College of Medicine for the past 15 years through her efforts
as course director for medical gross anatomy, curriculum committee chair and
assistant dean for curriculum. Currently, she also is a member of the Physiology
and Cell Biology Item Writing Committee for the National Board of Medical
Examiners. Her responsibilities focus on the overall design and implementation of
the undergraduate medical educational program in accordance with national
accreditation standards.
Dr. LeDoux
She also oversees orientation, convocation, and promotes and coordinates
career planning and mentoring. “It includes everything else that has to do with
the services we provide to students as they go through their four years, aside from
curriculum,” explained Dr. LeDoux. “I have a passion for working with students so
they can be successful.”
Dr. Estrada
Benjamin Estrada, M.D., professor and vice chair of pediatrics, is the assistant
dean for educational strategies and faculty development. Dr. Estrada joined
the faculty in 1996. He currently chairs the curriculum committee and serves as
clerkship director in pediatrics. Dr. Estrada received the Mitchell Clinical Scholar
Award for his contributions in the development of electronic teaching tools in
pediatrics. His duties focus on the design and implementation of contemporary
teaching methods and requisite faculty training for the new curriculum.
Anthony Gard, Ph.D., professor of cell biology and neuroscience, is the assistant
dean for curriculum assessment and evaluation. Dr. Gard joined the faculty at
USA in 1990. He piloted the first organ system-based course taught in the College
– medical neuroscience, which he has directed since 2005. Consistently high
USMLE Step 1 subscores achieved in neuroscience attest to the performance
capability of USA medical students fully engaged in the new systems-based
curriculum. Dr. Gard oversees programs for development of testing and student
self-assessment, serving as the College’s liaison to the National Board of Medical
Examiners, and evaluation of program effectiveness.
Dr. Gard
Dr. Sosnowski
4 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012
Jeffrey Sosnowski, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology, is the assistant
dean for curriculum integration. Dr. Sosnowski joined the faculty in 2005. He has
successfully directed the medical pathology course and co-directed medical
neuroscience. Dr. Sosnowski’s teaching expertise is internationally recognized. He
was one of the first lecturers for the Falcon USMLE Review Course and has also
taught in the Kaplan Board Review series. Dr. Sosnowski chairs the Curriculum
Integration Subcommittee of the curriculum committee and assists the associate
dean of medical education in the design and implementation of the integrated
systems-based curriculum.

Medical students travel to Rwanda
The morning after Match Day, nine
University of South Alabama fourth-year
medical students and USA Children’s and
Women’s Hospital neonatologist Dr. Keith
Peevy left for Eastern Rwanda to spend four
weeks working at Kibogora Hospital. The
group was part of the Christian Medical
Ministry of South Alabama (CMMSA).
“While there, we were able to directly participate in the
care and planning for patients,” said Cody Penrod, then a
fourth-year USA medical student. “It was a great learning
experience not only in tropical medicine but also in the
role we play as physicians.”
Kibogora Hospital is a 230 bed self-supported facility
with two operating rooms and wards for internal medicine,
pediatrics, surgery, and OBGYN. Students were able
to directly help patients in the area and get hands-on
experience as they interacted with the doctors at Kibogora
Hospital, as well as doctors traveling with the CMMSA.
Some of the students worked with Dr. Carl Albertson,
an orthopedic surgeon from Fairhope who has been to
Africa many times, assisting him in orthopedic surgery.
Others assisted a trained Congolese general surgeon.
Another group rounded on the neonatology unit and
general pediatric patients under Dr. Peevy’s supervision,
examining and managing infants in the NICU, PICU and
general pediatric ward.
“I think the autonomy and responsibility we were given
on internal medicine was the most memorable experience,”
said Brannon Vines, another recent graduate. “By the third
week we had gained the trust and respect of the physicians
Jags in Rwanda: Fourth-year medical students spent a month in Eastern Rwanda
working at Kibogora Hospital, experiencing tropical medicine and participating in
care and planning for patients.
who work there for us to function as completely independent doctors
making our own decisions about how to treat our patients. This was a
very welcome and needed boost of confidence here only months away
from starting residency.”
The students encountered first-hand the lack of funds in this part
of the world and how that impacts patient care. “Clinically the most
memorable experiences were the loss of two infants from respiratory
distress who would easily have survived in the U.S. or other developed
countries,” Dr. Peevy said.
“Those were emotionally difficult for all of us and brought home the
blessing we have in this country in the form of equipment, technology
and trained personnel. We also identified two infants with congenital
heart disease and had them transferred to Kigali, where there were
pediatric cardiology services. I don’t think either of them would have
been recognized or transferred without our team’s input.”
This was the first trip to Rwanda by USA students, marking a lifechanging
experience in their field of study. Next year’s trip is already
in the planning stages. “The current thinking is to allow it to be an
international elective available to fourth-year students each and every
year,” Penrod said.
“I was amazed at the great attitude of the group; at the cohesive, loving
way in which the students treated each other; at the way they could have
fun in the midst of a stressful, fatiguing experience; at how hard they
were willing to work for individual patients, knowing that if they did not
advocate for the patients, that the patient would most likely not receive
the treatment they needed,” Dr. Peevy said.
In Rwanda, USA medical students functioned with a good deal of
autonomy, making decisions about how to treat their patients.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 5

College of Medicine grad aids in Tuscaloosa
tornado aftermath
It’s been more than a year since the EF-4 tornado that
killed more than 50 people in Tuscaloosa. Along with the
damage, memories of that late April afternoon remain.
Dr. J. Alex Lushington, COM Class of 1987, recalled the
storm and its aftermath. “A few hundred more yards to the
north and we would have been another Joplin, Mo., whose
hospital was decimated by a direct hit from a powerful
tornado,” he said.
It’s the first time Dr. Lushington, a radiologist with The
Radiology Clinic in Tuscaloosa, can remember an actual
“Code Gray,” or imminent bad weather warning, being
called at DCH Regional Medical Center. In the hurry to
evacuate other staff and secure patients, Dr. Lushington
and his partner, both on duty that evening, were overlooked
until it was almost too late. The radiologists’ offices at the
medical center are in the part of the hospital closest to the
path of the tornado.
“At the last minute, we had someone we did not even
know from hospital administration come to our offices
and scream at us to get out,” Dr. Lushington recalled. Just
prior to leaving their offices, the two doctors decided to
open a heavy exterior door to get a quick glimpse of the
storm. As they cracked the door, it was immediately sucked
out by the force of the storm. “We pulled the door shut
and ran the other way,” he said. “We heard the tornado
clearly. That is a sound I hope never to hear again.” Unlike
the commonly heard comparison, Dr. Lushington said the
tornado did not sound like a freight train, but he still knew
exactly what it was.
Radiologist Dr. J. Alex Lushington, COM Class of 1987, was working at
DCH Regional Medical Center when the EF-4 tornado hit Tuscaloosa in
April 2011. After the storm, he helped treat patients in the emergency room and
later helped with local clean-up efforts.
“
It took a little while for patients
to start pouring in, but in the first
few hours after the tornado, the
emergency room was overwhelmed
with more than 800 patients.
”
“It took a little while for patients to start pouring in,”
he said, “but in the first few hours after the tornado, the
emergency room was overwhelmed with more than 800
patients.” With the ER full, the hospital cafeteria and
lecture rooms served as patient overflow. “I now have an
idea of what a battlefield-type trauma is: a massive influx
of severely injured and dying patients,” Dr. Lushington
said. “Many of the injuries were from the collapse of
buildings and from projectile-type trauma from building
debris.”
The medical staff at DCH quickly responded, and with
22 partners, The Radiology Clinic was able to help meet
the heavy patient load. Many of Dr. Lushington’s partners,
6 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

who had already worked a full day elsewhere,
came to help once the extent of the casualties
became apparent. “I hope I never see anything
of this scale again,” he said. “The volume of
trauma would have overwhelmed any hospital
in the country.”
The central city looked like it had been
bombed, Dr. Lushington said, with a threequarter-mile
wide swath torn through the
middle of town. The tornado wiped out
stores, businesses and many residential areas,
coming close to the University of Alabama.
One of the hardest hit areas was very close to
the university’s campus along 15 th Street.
“From the top floor of DCH Regional
Medical Center, you can clearly see the
path of destruction in both directions,”
Dr. Lushington said. “It looked like a World
War II bombing run right through the center
of Tuscaloosa. Anything that was not steel
reinforced concrete in the path of the tornado
was completely destroyed. It will take at least
10 years before all of these areas recover or are
completely rebuilt.”
A difference of only a few hundred yards would have meant a direct hit to the hospital from
the powerful storm, similar to the one seen in Joplin, Mo.
For the last 15 years, Dr. Lushington has served as a leader with a local
Boy Scout troop. In Faces of the Storm in Tuscaloosa, a documentary
of the tornado’s aftermath, he saw one of his Eagle Scouts working as
a stretcher bearer at the emergency room. Another Eagle Scout and his
parents were seen in the film bringing sandwiches and drinks to rescue
workers digging victims out of a collapsed building. Most recently,
Dr. Lushington’s scout troop worked with Habitat for Humanity, clearing
debris and helping rebuild neighborhoods and homes.
“Once in a lifetime for the type of destruction Tuscaloosa received would
be enough,” said Dr. Lushington. “Too much loss of life and property. The
city will come back, but unfortunately the memories will linger. I never
want to see this scale of trauma again, and I never want my kids to have
to experience anything like this again.”
Though DCH Regional Medical Center was not directly hit by the tornado, the path of destruction can easily be seen from its roof. A three-quarter-mile wide
path was torn through the middle of town. Photo Credit: DCH Regional Medical Center
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 7

Alum named
medical
director for
Alabama’s
first PACE
program
As the primary care physician for all Mercy Life
participants, Dr. J. Eugene Lammers is able to spend
a good deal of time with each patient and works with
the care team to develop individual plans.
Dr. J. Eugene Lammers (COM ’82) is the medical director at the new Mercy Life PACE program,
the first of its kind in Alabama. PACE, or Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, is a longterm
care option for older adults who qualify for Medicaid and Medicare. It provides an array
of care options that allow older individuals to stay at home by offering a day center providing
medical care, meals and social activities.
Mercy Life is specifically designed for the frail elderly, those with
significant disease burdens and an inability to care for themselves
independently. Participants receive not only health care, but also
medications, nutritious meals, health services and personal care
assistance through Mercy Life. Additionally, it keeps the elderly
engaged. “The social aspect plays an important role in the good
health of the participants,” Dr. Lammers said.
The goal of the PACE program is to keep participants in their
homes and as part of the community, rather than moving to a
nursing home. Dr. Lammers said the result is happier patients in
better overall health, at a lower cost than nursing home care. As
the medical director, Dr. Lammers is the primary care physician
for the participants, aided by nurses, physical therapists, social
workers and a chaplain. Each Mercy Life participant is evaluated
at enrollment and again every six months by the care team. “Every
day is different and everybody is different,” he said.
The program currently has 47 participants. Dr. Lammers said
the goal was to enroll 10 the first month, then seven to 14 each
month until the population count reaches 180 to 200. Most
come to Mercy Life two days a week, based on individual plans
developed by the care team. The program provides medical care, all
prescriptions, dental work, transportation, and even eyeglasses and
hearing aids for its participants, thanks to funding from Medicare,
Medicaid and private insurance.
“My role as medical director is to oversee the contracted
providers and all the care they give to our participants,” said
Dr. Lammers. The University of South Alabama Medical Center
(USAMC) is one of two local partner hospitals that provide
inpatient and outpatient care and physicians to provide specialty
care. In particular, USAMC offers renal, Ear, Nose and Throat,
gastroenterology, infectious diseases and cardiology physicians,
as well as a pacemaker clinic. The hospital also provides a single
point of contact to streamline the process. “It’s a very positive
relationship,” he said. “One I hope will grow over time.”
USA family medicine and internal medicine physicians assist
Dr. Lammers with on-call services. Fourth-year medical students
can select Mercy Life as an elective, and the program is also part of
the geriatrics rotation for internal medicine residents.
“To do this kind of customized care is labor intensive,” he said.
“You need a highly trained staff.” Future plans include hiring a
nurse practitioner and another physician, as well as opening other
area locations.
Dr. Lammers, who calls Mercy Life “the greatest job ever,” spent
18 years in Indiana before returning to Alabama. “This is my last
job as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “I’ve been very lucky all my
life. I’ve done all kinds of interesting things,” including long-term
care, gero-psych, hospice and palliative care, medication safety
management, and ethics and professionalism. “The University
of South Alabama College of Medicine was the first step in my
medical career,” he said. “I am happy to be here and working with
the college at this time in my life.”
He and his wife, Cecilia, who is a native of Mobile, have four
grown children, twin granddaughters and two daschunds.
8 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

Concussion awareness is a
team effort
While middle and high school student athletes may
not be playing professional sports, it doesn’t mean they
aren’t playing as hard, and playing hard leads to the risk
of injuries, including concussions. USA neurosurgeon Dr.
Anthony Martino is bringing concussion awareness and
education to school-aged athletes.
“We really want people to be educated about concussions
and the adverse effects of returning to play too early
following a head injury,” Dr. Martino explained. Thanks to
the National Football League’s response to player injuries,
new laws regarding concussions and young athletes have
developed, including firm guidelines on treatment.
Dr. Martino has partnered with Baldwin County Public
Schools and Dick’s Sporting Goods’ national headquarters
to bring a concussion prevention program to the athletes,
coaches, trainers and parents. His mission is to help identify
concussions and how to appropriately manage these
injuries, as repeat concussions can cause further damage
to the brain. By providing both neuropsychological and
clinical evaluations, he hopes to promote a team effort in
concussion awareness.
Dick’s Sporting Goods’ national headquarters is
providing neuropsychological testing for the 15 Baldwin
County middle and high schools to provide a baseline
assessment for 3,300 student athletes. When a coach
or trainer recognizes the signs of a concussion and the
student is pulled from the field, he or she is tested within
24 to 48 hours and assessed by a physician.
“Our plan is to have a concussion clinic on Mondays after
football weekends,” Dr. Martino said. A new law requires
an athlete to be cleared by a medical doctor before returning
to the sport, meaning the athlete must be asymptomatic
and have returned to his or her neurocognitive baseline.
For an injured athlete, a rest period of a week to 10 days
is required.
While the goal of the pilot program is not to take
children out of sports, it is to protect them from head
injuries. “What’s in the best interest of the child is in the
best interest of everybody,” said Dr. Martino.
USA neurosurgeon Dr. Anthony Martino works to reduce sports-related
head injuries through education.
Every sport carries the risk of concussions, particularly football and soccer in the south.
The risk of concussion is present in all sports, said Dr. Martino,
including girls’ sports. In the South, concussions are most commonly
seen in football and soccer. He noted there is a particular prevalence of
concussions in girls’ soccer.
Dr. Martino hopes the concussion prevention and awareness
program will expand to include other schools in the future. It is a crossdisciplinary
program between the USA College of Medicine and the
School of Nursing. Dr. Martino is working with Ashley Marass, RN,
MSN, CPNP, a faculty member in the USA College of Nursing in the
Maternal Child Health Department and a DNP candidate at Samford
University. She brings experience as a nurse practitioner in pediatric
neurosurgery and as an RN in school health to the new project.
“I feel nurses in the community can really make a difference in the
health of our children through school-based programs, including
concussion awareness, promoting healthy lifestyles and many other
important issues,” said Marass. “If nurses team up with physicians,
we can help the children through increased access to care and health
promotion.”
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 9

Dr. Kyran Dowling, an interventional radiologist and a member of the COM Class of ’81, reads a CT
scan for a patient at a ‘batey’ or village on a sugar cane plantation in the Dominican Republic.
Going the
distance
for those
in need
It’s some 1,800 miles from Maine to the
Dominican Republic, but general/trauma surgeon
Dr. Bob Chagrasulis (COM ’81) is making a
world of difference providing basic care during
medical missionary trips. He visits several times
a year with different aid groups, including Rotary
International and the Good Samaritan Mission
Council, seeing farm laborers and prisoners. “If
they need help, we’re there to help them,” he
explained. The team recently expanded to include
members of the University of South Alabama
College of Medicine’s class of 1981.
10 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

The Dominican Republic shares the
island of Hispaniola with the country of
Haiti. The medical teams stay in the city of
La Romana on the Caribbean side of the
island. The city was built to refine sugar and
is now a tourist destination, but where Dr.
Chagrasulis sees patients is a world away
from sun-kissed sands and frozen drinks.
On sugar cane plantations, in villages called
bateys, Haitians cut cane making $15 to
$20 a day. “People live in huts we wouldn’t
even put animals in,” Dr. Chagrasulis said.
In villages of 50 to 200 families, word
spreads quickly when doctors are visiting.
Dr. Chagrasulis said 80 percent of the
patients he sees at the bateys are well, but
in need of pain medications like Tylenol or
Motrin, as well as treatment for stomach
acid. The other 20 percent are mostly older
people with hypertension or diabetes.
“Everyone gets vitamins--adult, prenatal,
children. A child’s brain is developing fast in
the first five years of life, and that depends
on nutritional status, especially vitamins,”
he said. “Dr. Bob” regularly sees skin
diseases, infected cuts, scabies and intestinal
parasites. The visiting medical team treats
children and adults for pulmonary and
urinary infections, often related to the lack
of clean water, and coughs, colds and flus.
The medical team takes extremely sick
patients back to the Good Samaritan
Hospital in La Romana. Dr. Chagrasulis
said the group often takes up a collection
to pay the hospital bills, which may only
be a few hundred dollars for several days
of care. But small amounts of money
make a big difference in this country Dr.
Chagrasulis works with churches in Maine
and California that raise funds throughout
the year to pay for these trips. The money
covers construction expenses as well as
medical supplies, including bulk purchases
of over-the-counter medicines.
A number of years ago, the medical group
added prison visits. During his week-long
trips, Dr. Chagrasulis spends two days
visiting three prisons and treating 500 to
600 people a day, giving priority to the
women. “They’re not horrible people,” he
said. “They’re just people who did horrible
things. We’re not here to judge them. The
judge already did that.” At the prisons, he
sees rampant skin diseases due to the poor
water conditions, so he brings hygiene
materials for each patient, along with
antibiotics and antifungals. “It’s extremely
exhausting, dirty and loud,” he said. “I never thought I could be so useful to a
population.”
More than 20 years ago, Dr. Chagrasulis went on his first missionary
trip. Russia was definitely a departure from his daily routine, but it was
also expensive and dangerous. A nurse told him about medical needs in the
Dominican Republic and after making contacts, he was asked to join a team.
“I just sort of fell in love with it down here,” he confessed. “It’s warm, which is
always pleasant after six months of winter in Maine.”
The years of travel to the Dominican Republic have honed his language skills,
in addition to making use of his medical knowledge. While Dr. Chagrasulis
had three years of high school French, he knew nothing of Haitian Creole,
which is similar to French, but a language completely its own. “I learned to
speak it just by talking to people,” he said. Dominicans speak Spanish, which
Dr. Chagrasulis knows, but churches and hospitals provide translators.
The 2010 earthquake in Haiti had little impact in the Dominican Republic,
but the Good Samaritan Hospital asked Dr. Chagrasulis to accompany its
team on a Haitian aid mission five days after the disaster. The group didn’t have
a surgeon or anyone who spoke Haitian Creole. Since most of the hospitals in
and around Port-au-Prince were destroyed, the group set up a mobile hospital
at the airport, where Dr. Chagrasulis saw patients. “It’s the most horrible thing
I’ve ever seen in my life by far,” he said. “It was a crazy, crazy time.”
After the earthquake, Dr. Chagrasulis was asked to speak at his 2011
USA College of Medicine class reunion. In addition to the medical relief
work, he also spoke on the group’s commitment to water filters to provide
clean drinking water and health clinics for the bateys and prisons. It caught
the interest of many of his classmates, and this year two joined him in the
Dominican Republic: Dr. Tom Miller, an obstetrician/gynecologist, and Dr.
Kyran Dowling, an interventional radiologist. “I was kind of overwhelmed
and grateful they were that interested,” Dr. Chagrasulis said. “The Class of ’81
is the greatest class ever to graduate from the University of South Alabama
College of Medicine.”
It’s led to a new goal for Dr. Chagrasulis. “I would like to put together a
team of just University of South Alabama people,” he said. “A lot of medical
schools are doing this now.”
Dr. Tom Miller, COM ‘81, examines a patient during his visit to the Dominican Republic
with fellow USA College of Medicine alums.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 11

class of 2014 receives White coats
The University of South Alabama College of Medicine
held its annual White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2014
at the USA Mitchell Center on June 23, 2012. During the
ceremony, rising third-year medical students were cloaked
with their first white coats, the traditional dress of physicians
for more than 100 years.
Sarah Bragg, a USA medical student who received her
white coat at the ceremony, said the event marked the
transition from the years of classroom learning to the years
of hands-on learning.
“It marks the beginning of what most of us came to
medical school to do – practice medicine,” Bragg said. “We
have earned the privilege to wear these coats with hours of
reading, dissecting, and memorizing. This is our ticket to
‘pass go’ and head on to the next step of our journey.”
Dr. Johnson Haynes, professor of internal medicine and
assistant dean for diversity and cultural competence at the
USA College of Medicine, was the keynote speaker at the ceremony. During the ceremony, the students took the Medical Student
Oath, a promise to uphold the human aspects of medicine, such as sensitivity, compassion and respect for patients.
Let’s strike a match
Fourth-year medical students at the University of South Alabama gathered
March 16 at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel in Mobile, anxiously
awaiting the results of Match Day.
In this annual tradition called the National Residency Matching Program,
applicants’ preferences for residency positions are matched with program
directors’ preferences for applicants. Each year, thousands of medical school
seniors compete for approximately 24,000 residency positions across the
United States.
Senior medical student Luke Wiggins matched in cardiothoracic surgery at
the University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles. Only
13 students across the United States and Canada matched in this specialty
last year.
“I feel really great about it, and I’m very excited to be going there for my
residency,” said Wiggins, who graduated from the USA College of Medicine
in May with research honors. “When I interviewed there I felt like I got along
with the faculty and residents really well.”
USA medical student Ashleigh Butts-Wilkerson had a lifelong dream of
becoming a physician. “As a high school student, I watched my grandfather
battle cancer,” she said. “When I was able to go with him, he would always tell
his physicians who I was and that I wanted to be a doctor one day. He called me ‘Dr. Butts.’”
Before the start of their third year of medical school, the Class of 2014 received their
first white coats and took their Medical Student Oath.
Brittany Barnes matched in family medicine at USA Hospitals
in Mobile, Ala.
Originally from Frankville, Ala., Butts-Wilkerson is an Ernest DeBakey
Scholarship recipient. The Ernest G. DeBakey Charitable Foundation gives
scholarship funds to USA medical students who commit to serving in rural
Alabama communities as primary care doctors for at least five years after medical
school and residency training.
“I hope to be able to work somewhere close to where I grew up – Clarke or
Washington County – in order to give back to those who have given so much to
me throughout the years,” Butts-Wilkerson said. “I enjoy small town life and feel
that’s where I could be of greatest service.”
12 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012
Travis Harris will begin a residency in radiology in 2013 at the University
of Florida College of Medicine, Shands Hospital, in Gainesville, Fla.

College of Medicine
graduates 37 th class
The University of South Alabama held commencement ceremonies for the
2012 College of Medicine graduates on May 12, 2012, marking the 37th class
to earn medical degrees from USA.
The day before, the 78 graduates participated in an honors convocation where
they were “hooded” by an individual of their choice, signifying the awarding of a
doctoral-level degree. During the honors convocation ceremony, students were
also recognized for their academic achievements. Both ceremonies took place at
the USA Mitchell Center.
Faculty members were honored by the students as well. The seniors identified
faculty who had the most meaningful impact on their medical education. In
recognition of this positive influence, the faculty selected wore a red sash over
their academic regalia.
The faculty honored with red sashes are:
Dr. Bayani Alberto Abordo
Dr. Jorge Alonso
Dr. Ghulam Awan
Dr. Ronald Balczon
Dr. John Bass
Dr. Bassam Bassam
Dr. Carole Boudreaux
Dr. Sidney Brevard
Dr. Eduardo Calderon
Dr. Carlo Contreras
Dr. Errol Crook
Dr. Mike Culpepper
Dr. Haidee Custodio
Dr. Jack DiPalma
Dr. Benjamin Estrada
Dr. Karen Fagan
Dr. Michael Finan
Dr. Roy Gandy
Dr. Anthony Gard
Dr. Mark Gillespie
Dr. Richard Gonzalez
Dr. Juvonda Hodge
Dr. Grace Hundley
Dr. T. J. Hundley
Dr. Druhan Howell
Dr. Ihab Jubran
Dr. Jessica Kirk
Dr. John LaFleur
Dr. Roger Lane
Dr. Eric Leonhardt
Dr. Susan LeDoux
Dr. Arnold Luterman
Dr. Paul Maertens
Dr. Jose Martinez
Dr. Clara Massey
Dr. Samuel McQuiston
Dr. Frederick Meyer
Dr. Ehab Molokhia
Dr. Tom Montgomery
Dr. Carol Motley
Dr. M. Margaret O’Brien
Dr. Allen Perkins
Dr. Frank Pettyjohn
Dr. Daniel Preud’Homme
Dr. Eddie Reed
Dr. William Richards
Dr. Paul Rider
Dr. Terry Rivers
Dr. Petra Rocic
Dr. Charles Rodning
Dr. Reynaldo Rodriguez
Dr. W. George Rusyniak, Jr.
Dr. Gregory Rutecki
Dr. Katherine Savells
Dr. John Schultz
Dr. Frederick Silver
Dr. Jon Simmons
Dr. Jeffrey Sosnowski
Dr. Brad Steffler
Dr. Hanes Swingle
Dr. Allan Tucker
Dr. John Vande Waa
Dr. Steve Varner
Dr. Barry Warner
Dr. Robert Watson
Dr. Felicia Wilson
Arielle Sullivan received her doctoral hood at the College
of Medicine’s 2012 honors convocation. She matched
in family medicine at The Medical Center Program in
Columbus, Ga.
Jay Crim was one of the many College of Medicine graduates who
chose to have his family participate in the hooding ceremony.
The College of Medicine Class of 2012 is the 37th class
to earn medical degrees from USA.
Ashleigh Butts-Wilkerson celebrates
receiving her degree.
Dr. Arnold Luterman (left) and Dr. Jon
Simmons (right) were honored with red sashes
for their meaningful influence on the medical
students.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 13

USA College of Medicine announces
Dr. David Gremse was appointed
professor and chair of pediatrics at the
University of South Alabama College of
Medicine. He is the first USA College
of Medicine alum to be appointed
chair of an academic department at the
medical school.
“We are excited to have Dr. Gremse
return to his alma mater to lead our
pediatrics department. He brings with
him leadership experiences in other
academic institutions along with a
true understanding of our institution
and the positive impact we have in our
region,” said Dr. Samuel J. Strada, dean
of the USA College of Medicine. “Dr.
Gremse is uniquely qualified to build
on our strengths and to support our
mission.”
Prior to his appointment to USA, Dr.
Gremse served as professor and chair of
pediatrics at the University of Nevada
School of Medicine in Las Vegas since
2004.
Dr. Gremse received a bachelor’s of
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.
Dr. Gremse returned to USA in
1990 to serve as assistant professor
and director of the division of pediatric
gastroenterology and nutrition. He
was the first board certified pediatric
gastroenterologist in Mobile. In 1995
he was promoted to associate professor
of pediatrics. During this time, he
also held a joint appointment in
pharmacology at the USA College of
Medicine and as medical director of the
USA Pediatric Pharmacology Research
Unit.
From 1993 to 2003, Dr. Gremse
served as chief of gastroenterology at
USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital.
He was also the first president of the
medical staff at USA Children’s and
Women’s Hospital when it changed its
name from USA Doctors Hospital in
1997.
Dr. Gremse was appointed vice-chair
of pediatrics and adolescent medicine
at the USA College of Medicine in
1998. From 1999 to 2003 he served
as professor of pediatrics and associate
professor of pharmacology at USA.
In 2002, he served as interim chair
of the department of pediatrics and
adolescent medicine until he became
chair of pediatrics at the University of
Nevada School of Medicine in 2004.
Dr. David F. Lewis has been named
professor and chair of the department
of obstetrics and gynecology at the
University of South Alabama College
of Medicine. He is board-certified in
maternal-fetal medicine with more
than 20 years of experience in academic
medicine.
Prior to his appointment at USA, Dr.
Lewis was professor and vice chairman
for the department of obstetrics
and gynecology at the University of
Cincinnati College of Medicine in
Cincinnati, Ohio, a position he held for
close to four years.
“Dr. Lewis is an accomplished
academic leader. During his career,
he has demonstrated himself as an
outstanding clinician, researcher and
teacher,” said Dr. Samuel J. Strada,
dean of the USA College of Medicine.
His clinical and research interests
include maternal-fetal and perinatal
medicine focusing on the diagnosis
and treatment of disorders in the
mother and fetus during pregnancy
and childbirth. Throughout his career,
Dr. Lewis’ research activities have
14 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

new chair appointments
focused largely on pre-eclampsia and
hypertension, which have been funded
by both the National Institutes of
Health and the private sector.
Dr. Lewis earned his medical degree
from the Louisiana State University
School of Medicine in Shreveport,
La. He completed his internship and
residency training as a chief resident
in obstetrics and gynecology at the
Louisiana State University Medical
Center in Shreveport, La. He completed
a maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at
the University of California School of
Medicine in Irvine, Calif. In addition,
he attended graduate school at the
University of Kentucky in Lexington,
Ky., earning his masters of business
administration degree.
In 1996, Dr. Lewis was named
director in the division of maternalfetal
medicine for the department
of obstetrics and gynecology at the
Louisiana State University Medical
Center in Shreveport, La. From 2000
to 2002, he served as the obstetrics and
gynecology residency program director
for the department of obstetrics
and gynecology at the University of
Kentucky College of Medicine in
Lexington, Ky. In November of 2002,
he was named professor and chair
of the department of obstetrics and
gynecology at the LSU Health Sciences
Center in Shreveport, La., prior to
moving to Cincinnati in 2007, serving
as vice-chair of the department of
obstetrics and gynecology.
Dr. Anthony Martino has been
named chair of the department of
neurosurgery at the University of South
Alabama College of Medicine.
“Dr. Martino is a talented academic
physician who has comported himself
as a clinical leader within our medical
school and in our health system,” said
Dr. Samuel J. Strada, dean of the USA
College of Medicine. “During his tenure
at USA, he has been instrumental
in bringing novel and cutting-edge
treatments to both adult and pediatric
patients in our region.”
Dr. Martino joined the faculty at
the USA College of Medicine in 2005.
Prior to USA, he served on the medical
faculty at the University of California at
San Francisco, Wayne State University
School of Medicine in Detroit, and
the Dartmouth Medical School in
Hanover, N.H.
Born in Italy, Dr. Martino earned
his medical degree from Catholic
University of the Sacred Heart in
Rome. He completed his internship at
Columbus Hospital in Chicago and
his residency at the State Hospital of
New York in Syracuse, N.Y. Following
residency training, Dr. Martino
completed a fellowship in pediatric
neurosurgery at the University of
California at San Francisco.
Dr. Martino cares for patients at
USA Medical Center, USA Children’s
& Women’s Hospital and the USA
Mitchell Cancer Institute.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 15

Usa college of medicine scientists receive
historic $9 million research niH grant
A team of scientists at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine
has been awarded a $9,191,785 research grant from the National Institutes of
Health to examine the causes and consequences of pneumonia.
This grant marks the largest competitive research grant award in the history
of USA, second to only a $14.5 million grant awarded to the USA College of
Medicine in 2010 from NIH to fund construction of a state-of-the-art specialized
infectious disease research laboratory.
“The renewal of this grant by Dr. Stevens and his colleagues is particularly
impressive in light of the highly competitive nature of research funding from the
National Institutes of Health during tough economic times,” said Dr. Samuel J.
Strada, dean of the USA College of Medicine.
USA Center for Lung Biology director Dr. Troy Stevens
speaks to reporters about how the research grant will
enhance pulmonary research at USA.
According to Dr. Troy Stevens, the lead scientist on the grant, this funding will allow investigators to focus on translational
models and moving the knowledge gained from USA’s research labs toward the clinical care environment. The grant will also
support training experiences for both student physicians and researchers at the USA College of Medicine.
“In previous grant awards, our projects examined broad aspects of lung injury on a basic science level,” said Dr. Stevens, who serves
as professor of pharmacology and also directs the Center for Lung Biology at USA. “During this funding cycle, we will focus upon
a preclinical model of pneumonia that progresses to sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome, applying what was learned in
previous research to develop a deeper understanding of lung injury that will enable development of improved treatments for patients.”
Five USA physicians named ‘Top Doctors’
In 2012, five physicians from the University of South
Alabama Physicians Group and USA Mitchell Cancer Institute
appear in the Top Doctors directory issued by U.S. News and
World Report. They are the only doctors in the region to receive
this honor.
USA physicians Drs. Michael Finan, Johnson Haynes Jr.,
Arnold Luterman, Eddie Reed and William Richards were each
listed among the top physician specialists in the United States.
In addition, the report lists Drs. Finan, Haynes and Luterman
as being in the top one percent of their peers in their respective
specialties.
From left to right: Dr. Michael Finan, professor and chief of the gynecologic
and oncology division at the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute; Dr. William
Richards, professor and chair of surgery at the USA College of Medicine;
Dr. Arnold Luterman, Ripps-Meisler professor of surgery at the USA College
of Medicine; Dr. Johnson Haynes Jr., professor of internal medicine and
director of the USA Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center; and Dr. Eddie Reed,
clinical director for the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute.
USA physicians named
Best Doctors
After an extensive peer review by thousands of doctors,
23 physicians affiliated with the University of South
Alabama College of Medicine have been included in
the annual Best Doctors in America database.
• Jorge E. Alonso - Orthopaedic Surgery
• Susan L. Baker - Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Karen Denise Crissinger - Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Errol Crook - Nephrology
• R. Michael Culpepper - Nephrology
• Jack A. DiPalma - Gastroenterology
• Donna Lynn Dyess - Surgery
• Karen Fagan - Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
• Michael A. Finan - Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Ronald D. Franks - Psychiatry
• Richard P. Gonzalez - Surgery
• Johnson Haynes Jr. - Pulmonary Medicine
• Jorge L. Herrera - Hepatology and Gastroenterology
• Arnold Luterman - Surgery
• Paul Maertens - Pediatric Neurology
• Clara Virginia Massey - Cardiovascular Disease
• Frederick N. Meyer - Hand Surgery
• Dean K. Naritoku - Neurology
• Prasit Nimityongskul - Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery
• Albert W. Pearsall IV - Orthopaedic Surgery
• Eugene A. Quindlen - Neurological Surgery
• William O. Richards - Surgery
• John Alan VandeWaa - Infectious Disease
16 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

Appointments
Dr. Daniel Dees was appointed assistant
professor of neurology at the University of South
Alabama College of Medicine.
Dr. Dees, who specializes in movement
disorders, earned his medical degree from
the USA College of Medicine in 2007. He
conducted his internship in internal medicine at
USA and conducted his residency in neurology
at USA.
From 2010-2011, Dr. Dees served as chief
resident of neurology at USA. He completed
a one-year fellowship in movement disorders at the Medical College of
Georgia in Augusta, Ga.
Dr. Sabrina G. Bessette was appointed
assistant professor of internal medicine in the
division of nephrology at the University of
South Alabama College of Medicine.
Prior to her appointment to USA, Dr.
Bessette worked in the division of nephrology
at the Springfield Clinic in Springfield, Ill.,
specializing in chronic kidney disease, end
stage renal disease, electrolyte disorders, kidney
stones and renal transplantation. She completed
a nephrology fellowship at the Virginia
Commonwealth University-Medical College of
Virginia in Richmond, Va.
Dr. Bessette earned her medical degree from the USA College of
Medicine. She completed residency training in internal medicine at USA.
Dr. Mohammad Amin Frotan was appointed
assistant professor in the department of surgery
at the University of South Alabama College
of Medicine. He will serve in the division of
trauma and critical care and in USA’s Burn
Center.
Dr. Frotan earned his medical degree from
the Texas Tech University School of Medicine
in Lubbok, Texas. He completed residency
training in general surgery at the USA College
of Medicine and completed his trauma surgical
critical care fellowship at Parkland Memorial
Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
Dr. Crisostomo Baliog Jr. was appointed
assistant professor of internal medicine at
the University of South Alabama College of
Medicine. He is a rheumatologist and will serve
in the USA division of rheumatology.
Dr. Baliog earned his medical degree from the
University of the Philippines. He completed his
residency training in internal medicine at Boston
University School of Medicine – Roger Williams
Hospital in Providence, R.I., and completed his
rheumatology fellowship at Boston University
School of Medicine – Roger Williams Hospital
and Brown University Warren Alpert Medical
School – Rhode Island Hospital, both in
Providence, R.I.
Dr. Sheetal Nijhawan was appointed
assistant professor in the department of surgery
at the University of South Alabama College of
Medicine. She will serve as a laparoscopic and
bariatric surgeon for the USA Physicians Group
with special qualifications in robotic surgery.
Prior to her appointment to USA, Dr.
Nijhawan completed a fellowship in minimally
invasive, robotic and bariatric surgery with the
University of California at San Diego.
Dr. Nijhawan earned her medical degree
from Bangalore Medical College and Research
Institute in Bangalore, India. She completed
a categorical surgery residency program at the
Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.
Dr. Mike Lin was appointed assistant
professor in the department of physiology at
the University of South Alabama College of
Medicine.
Prior to his appointment to USA, Dr. Lin
completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the
Vollum Institute of Oregon Health and Science
University in Portland, Ore.
Dr. Lin earned his master of science degree
and his doctorate degree in physiology from
Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, Calif.
Dr. Charles Eric McCathran was
appointed associate professor in the
department of obstetrics and gynecology at
the University of South Alabama College of
Medicine.
Prior to his appointment to USA, Dr.
McCathran was an associate clinical professor
in the department of obstetrics and gynecology
at the Louisiana State University Health
Sciences Center in Shreveport, La.
Dr. McCathran earned his medical degree
from the LSU School of Medicine. He
completed residency training in obstetrics and
gynecology at the LSU Medical Center in Shreveport, La.
Orthopaedic oncologist Dr. Zhiqing
Xing was appointed assistant professor in the
department of orthopaedics at the University
of South Alabama College of Medicine. He
specializes in orthopaedic cancer trauma and
adult reconstruction.
Prior to his appointment to USA, Dr. Xing
completed a fellowship in musculoskeletal
oncology with the University of Texas
at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston, Texas. He completed a fellowship
in adult reconstruction in the department of
orthopaedic surgery at the Medical College of
Virginia in Richmond, Va. He also completed a fellowship in orthopaedic
trauma at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M.
Dr. Xing earned his medical degree from Beijing Medical University
in Beijing, China, and his Ph.D. from Peking University Health Science
Center in Beijing, China. He completed residency training in orthopaedic
surgery at the PUHSC in Beijing, China.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 17

Appointments and Awards
Dr. Dan Roach III, director of medical
informatics at the University of South Alabama
Center for Strategic Health Innovation, was
appointed the State Health Information
Technology Coordinator for the State of Alabama
by Governor Robert Bentley.
He is responsible for the development of the
state-wide Health Information Exchange system
called One Health Record. He ensures One
Health Record is coordinated with state Medicaid
Health Information Technology plans. He is also
responsible for the Medicaid Meaningful Use
Incentive Payment program and works to promote
the adoption of electronic health record systems.
In 2010, Dr. Roach led the effort that resulted in USA receiving an $8.5 million
grant to become the Alabama Regional Extension Center (ALREC). The purpose
of ALREC is to provide technical assistance, guidance and information on best
practices in converting to an electronic health record system. Dr. Roach also
currently serves as the medical director of ALREC.
Dr. Deborah Lafky was
appointed assistant dean at the
University of South Alabama
College of Medicine. She will
serve as director at the Center
for Strategic Health Innovation
at USA.
Prior to her appointment
to USA, Dr. Lafky was a
program officer for the United
States Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS),
Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).
She was ONC’s subject matter expert, program designer and
developer for all aspects of health information technology
security and cybersecurity.
Dr. Richard E. Honkanen, professor
of biochemistry at the USA College
of Medicine, was awarded a five-year
Transformative Research Project Award by
the National Institutes of Health. The grant
award totals $1,695,625. Dr. Honkanen was
only one of 17 researchers across the United
States to receive the highly competitive
award this year.
According to Dr. Honkanen, the grant
will help fund a research project that could
change the treatment of high cholesterol in
the future.
Dr. Sandra Parker, vice
chair of psychiatry at the
University of South Alabama
and chief medical officer of
AltaPointe Health Systems,
was awarded the 2012 Bruno
Lima Award for her work in
coordinating care for victims
of Hurricane Katrina and the
BP oil spill.
The Bruno Lima Award
winner is selected by the
American Psychiatric
Association to recognize outstanding contributions of
members to the care and understanding of victims of
disasters. Dr. Parker is the first recipient of this award from
the Alabama District Branch.
Dr. Sidney B. Brevard (left), associate
professor of surgery at the USA College of
Medicine, is presented with the St. Paul’s
Distinguished Alumnus Award by St. Paul’s
Headmaster Marty Lester.
Dr. Sidney B. Brevard, associate
professor of surgery at the USA
College of Medicine, received the
Distinguished Alumnus Award
at St. Paul’s Episcopal School’s
Alumni Luncheon.
Dr. Brevard, who was raised in
Mobile and graduated from St.
Paul’s in 1979, was recognized for
his professional accomplishments
and civic leadership. He currently
serves as a trauma surgeon in the
Level I Trauma Center at the USA
Medical Center.
Dr. Brevard earned his medical
degree from USA.
Dr. Mary Townsley,
professor of physiology and
internal medicine at the
University of South Alabama
College of Medicine, was
honored by the American
Heart Association (AHA)
with the 2011 Council on
Cardiopulmonary, Critical
Care, Perioperative and
Resuscitation (3CPR)
Distinguished Achievement
Award.
Dr. Townsley has been part of the University of South
Alabama College of Medicine faculty since 1988 and serves
as associate dean of faculty affairs and director of training
programs for the USA Center for Lung Biology. The 3CPR
award is given annually by AHA to an individual who has
“contributed substantially to the AHA Scientific Council.”
18 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

Dr. Andrew Manley, a recent
graduate of the University of
South Alabama College of
Medicine, was awarded the Eran
and N.Q. Adams Endowed
Scholarship in Neurology
at the department’s third
annual Eran and N.Q. Adams
Endowed Lecture and Visiting
Professorship in Neurology.
Manley, who plans to pursue
a career in neurology, received
his bachelor of arts degree in
psychology from USA. As a
medical student, he served as
the vice president of the Student
Interest Group in Neurology and
secretary/treasurer of the Family
Medicine Interest Group.
The University of South Alabama National
Alumni Association honored Dr. Terrence
Tumpey, senior microbiologist and team
leader of pathogenesis at the Centers for
Disease Control & Prevention, at its annual
Distinguished Alumni and Service Awards
ceremony in March. More than 500 people
attended the annual event, which recognizes the
achievements and contributions of alumni and
advocates for USA.
Dr. Tumpey received his Ph.D. in Basic
Medical Sciences at the USA College of
Medicine in 1997.
Photo by Justin D. Knight, Howard University
Dr. Mark S. Johnson, a former
resident and faculty member at
the University of South Alabama
College of Medicine, was
appointed dean of the Howard
University College of Medicine in
Washington, D.C.
Dr. Johnson served as assistant
dean for student affairs and
special programs at USA from
1986 to 1991. While at USA,
he was responsible for minority
recruitment and helped establish
the BEAR Program, which
brought minority students to the campus to participate in summer
programs that could lead to admission to medical school.
In addition, Dr. Johnson was responsible for the Minority High
School Summer Research Apprenticeship Program – funded by
NIH – that provided laboratory research experiences for high school
students and high school science teachers.
Dr. Joseph N. Benoit, an alum
and former faculty member at the
University of South Alabama College
of Medicine, was chosen as the new
president of Mount Marty College, a
liberal arts college in Yankton, S.D.
Dr. Benoit also served as director of
graduate studies at the USA College
of Medicine from 2000 to 2001 and
associate professor and professor of
physiology at the USA College of
Medicine from 1995 to 2001.
In 2006, Dr. Benoit received the
Distinguished Alumni and Service
Award from USA, which recognizes
outstanding achievement and leadership in his chosen field of interest.
USA Awarded NIH Grant To Address Health Disparities
The University of South Alabama Center for Healthy
Communities has been awarded a five-year $7.5 million grant
from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help reduce
and eliminate health disparities in Mobile and surrounding
communities.
This marks the third renewal of the USA Center of Excellence for
health disparities grant that began in 2004. The funding will support
community programs that address health disparities and research to
better understand factors that contribute to health disparities.
“This grant allows us to continue to build on the progress we have
made in addressing the health disparities in Mobile and surrounding
communities,” said Dr. Errol Crook, Abraham Mitchell professor
and chair of internal medicine at the USA College of Medicine.
According to Dr. Crook, who leads the project, the USA
Center for Healthy Communities will continue to collaborate
with community groups, health care leaders, and USA faculty. The
project aims to craft effective, culturally sensitive, community-based
interventions for minority and underserved groups through three
main components- community engagement, medical research, and
better understanding of how people engage the health care system.
“The grant is an example of how our medical school improves the
health of our community in novel ways outside the traditional model
of healthcare,” said Dr. Samuel J. Strada, dean of the USA College
of Medicine. “This project represents the University’s ability to bring
NIH grant funding to Mobile and to collaborate with local agencies
in developing solutions based on local needs.”
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 19

Student Opportunities
Internal Medicine Interest Group provides mentoring opportunities
Amy Boone, Jordan Spidle, Sarah Dolbear (from left to right) are part
of the internal medicine interest group that pairs medical students with
undergraduates in the University’s Early Acceptance Program.
The Internal Medicine Interest Group (IMIG) at the University
of South Alabama College of Medicine recently started a mentoring
program that pairs first and second-year medical students with junior
and senior undergraduate pre-medical students who are in the USA
Early Acceptance Program (EAP).
Dr. T.J. Hundley, assistant professor of internal medicine and faculty
advisor of the IMIG at the USA College of Medicine, said the intention
of the mentoring program is to foster a relationship. “My hope is for
the program to establish relationships that will last through the years,
wherever your career paths may take you.”
According to Dr. Hundley, the medical school mentors will provide
advice in regards to professional development such as how to apply to
medical school, as well as answer questions about the interview process.
“The EAP students can even attend lectures with their mentor and see
what medical school is really like,” Dr. Hundley said.
“The mentoring program also provides leadership development for
the mentors who supply their free time to spend with the pre-medical students,” Dr. Hundley added. “It gives the medical students
the skill set they need to become a great mentor. Mentoring, through teaching and giving advice, is the cornerstone of the medical
profession.”
Students,
residents and
faculty named to
USA chapter of
Gold Humanism
Honor Society
Every year, eight senior
medical students, three
residents and one faculty
member are selected by their classmates to be named to the University of
South Alabama Chapter of the Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine
Honor Society.
The rising senior class at USA selects those who have demonstrated
excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication to service.
The following USA students, residents and faculty were selected in 2012:
Christopher Eckstein, M.D. - assistant professor of neurology
Christopher Swift, M.D. - medicine resident
Ethan Gore, M.D. - neurology resident
Christin Taylor, M.D. - obstetrics/gynecology intern
Laura E. Jelf - student
William Kilgo - student
Emile Kleyn - student
William B. Moore - student
John C. Moultrie - student
Sonia I. Savani - student
Members of the USA Chapter of the Golden
Humanism Honor Society spend time with a young
patient at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital.
Kaci D. Sims - student
Joseph S. Wehby Jr. - student
USA medical student
benefits from research
opportunities
It was Luke Wiggins’ initial exposure to research
during a medical student summer research program
at the University of South Alabama – supported
in part by an American Heart Association Grant
Fellowship – that spurred his interest in research
and led him to pursue the M.D. with research
honors program at the USA College of Medicine.
“My experience in research supported by
the AHA served as an
introduction to the basics
of medical research,” said
Wiggins, who graduated
from the medical school in
May with research honors.
The research Wiggins
conducted throughout his
time in medical school
led to subsequent research
awards, including the 2011 Carolyn L. Kuckein
Student Research Fellowship presented by Alpha
Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
“These research experiences have equipped me
with the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue
future opportunities in research during residency
training,” he said, “and have guided my interest for
a career in academic surgery.”
20 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

USA physiology department
participates in community outreach
The physiology department at the University of South Alabama College
of Medicine participated in an outreach project at Palmer Pillans Middle
School in Mobile.
Three graduate students from the USA Basic Medical Sciences Graduate
Program – Kendra Reed, Michael Francis, and Patricia Villata – along with
three faculty members from the physiology department – Drs. Mark Taylor,
David Weber, and Tom Lincoln – met with the 7th grade life sciences classes.
Students at Palmer Pillans Middle School examine a pig heart as
part of the USA Physiology Department’s outreach program.
The group talked to the students about various organ systems – skeletal,
muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and reproductive. “Mostly we
supplemented what they learned from their teacher and provided a showand-tell
for the students,” Dr. Lincoln said. “We brought in a pig heart for
the students to examine, and we all answered their questions about science.”
Dr. Lincoln hopes the outreach project will encourage secondary school
students to have a better appreciation of science. “The students were very
engaged and asked lots of good questions,” Dr. Lincoln said. “This is a very
important activity that we undertook because it is important for all of us -
students and faculty alike - to be involved in our community.”
Michael Francis (right), a graduate student from the USA Basic Medical Sciences
Graduate Program, visits with students from Palmer Pillans Middle School.
Med Student Life:
a day with Russ Terry
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a medical student
today Follow this link to watch a day in the life of USA medical
student Russ Terry: https://vimeo.com/41297624
The Toxic Shockers were the 2012 GOKickball Mobile league champions.
Medical students at the University of South Alabama were
featured in a Lagniappe article after their kickball team,
the Toxic Shockers, became the 2012 league champions of
GOKickball Mobile.
Grant Zarzour, a former medical student and current
orthopaedic surgery resident at the USA Medical Center, set
up the kickball league in Mobile three seasons ago.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 21

Class of 1981
establishes
endowment fund
Reunions are opportunities to catch up with former classmates
and reminisce about shared experiences. The Class of 1981,
during its 30 th year celebration, decided to embrace a class project
that would benefit the College of Medicine by establishing an
endowment fund to support student scholarships and perhaps
fund additional projects in the future as the endowment grows.
Led by a steering committee of Dr. Ed Panacek, chair, Dr. Vera
Bittner, Dr. Bob Chagrasulis and Dr. Tom Montgomery, and
with a diligent fundraising committee consisting of Dr. Jim
Davidson, Dr. Steve Furr, Dr. Tom Miller, Dr. Pat Nolan, Dr.
Michel Shain and Dr. John Simmons, the group organized and
successfully completed a six-month program soliciting support
from their classmates.
Dr. Samuel Strada accepts a check from Dr. Tom Montgomery for $217,267
given by the class of 1981. Dr. Strada is providing matching funds for the Class
of 1981 endowment.
“We have often talked before of our remarkable level of class camaraderie, but it was never more evident than during this process,” said
Dr. Panacek. Dr. Miller explained how alumni names were divided among the committee members, with contact information provided
by the alumni office. Each graduate was emailed, then contacted in person. “It gave us a change to explain what we were trying to do and
catch up with some folks,” he said. “It gave us an opportunity to connect back with people and relive some memories.”
The effort was historic as it was the first class project of this type. “We hope our success may serve as an inspiration for other classes to
leave a legacy for generations,” Dr. Panacek continued. “Although proud of the overall financial successes, I am even more proud of the
broad participation of my classmates.”
Dr. Miller explained that the success of the campaign was rooted in involvement, rather than donation amount, as alumni were asked to
donate $5, $10 or whatever they were comfortable giving. “Different folks have had different levels of success,” he said. “There wasn’t an
expectation on anyone’s part to give a minimum. It was to include as many people as possible.” He estimates some 60 to 70 percent of the
Class of 1981 participated. “I was totally blown away with the huge success we had,” said Dr. Miller. “It totally exceeded my expectations.
A lot of people stepped up to the plate.”
The fundraising campaign tapped into the strong foundation built at the College of Medicine. “I have been truly blessed since our
graduation in 1981, and this is a great way to give back to the College of Medicine,” said Dr. Byron Machen. Dr. Miller noted the
technological changes in medical education, as well as the financial challenges facing medical students today. “You’re giving back to the
university that gave so much to you and helping to support the next generation of physicians facing a whole different world than we did,”
he said.
Stay connected with the University of South Alabama
College of Medicine
@usacollegeofmed
www.facebook.com/usacollegeofmed
22 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

Just a day at
the beach.
The Medical Alumni Association hosted
the Annual Alumni Weekend at the Perdido
Beach Resort in Orange Beach on June
1-3, 2012, honoring reunion classes 1977,
1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007. The
weekend activities began on Friday morning
with three CME Programs: Dr. David
Lewis, “Patient Quality and Safety Using
Protocols;” Dr. Frederick Meyer, “Volume
to Value;” and Dr. Christopher Semple ’85,
“Everything the Non-Ophthalmologist
Needs to Know.” A cocktail reception was
held that evening to honor all the reunion
classes. Saturday CME presentations
included Dr. Michael Goodlett ’82, “Sports
Concussions;” Dr. William A. Broughton
’82, “The Prion Story – A Front Row Seat;”
and Dr. Robert Kreisberg, “The Art and
Science of Cholesterol Lowering Therapy.”
Dr. Frederick Meyer, chair of the department
of orthopaedics, received the 2012 Medical
Alumni Association Distinguished Service
Award. The weekend concluded on a fun note
with music and dancing on the beach. The
2013 Medical Alumni Reunion Weekend is
May 30 - June 1 at the Perdido Beach Resort
in Orange Beach, Ala.
1997 classmates Dr. Pamela Grier-Hall
and Dr. Carmen Johnson visit during the
reception.
Dr. Mike Goodlett ‘82 and Dr. Lamar
Duffy ‘84 were all smiles during the welcome
reception.
Dr. Elizabeth Low ‘82 and her grandsons
enjoy the beach.
Dr. Fred Meyer, Chair of Orthopedic Surgery,
was honored with the 2012 Distinguished Service
Award. Dr. Amy Morris finished her two year term
as President of MAA.
The weekend was a time for Dr. David Macrae, Dr. Jill Ringold and Dr.
Jason Junkin to catch up with old friends.
The Class of 1982 enjoyed a late afternoon on the white sands of Orange
Beach.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 23

Gumbo Chili Showdown
Temperatures were rising at the fourth annual Gumbo
Chili Showdown in March. This annual event benefits
the Regan Robinson Young Scholarship Fund at
the USA College of Medicine. It featured friendly
competition from competing teams representing area
medical practices and local businesses who cooked up
gumbo and chili before the University of South Alabama
Jaguars Spring Game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
The fourth annual
Gumbo Chili Showdown
showcased hot competition
and spicy recipes, all
enjoyed on a beautiful day
before the USA Jaguars
spring football game.
The Gumbo Chili Showdown was created in 2008 by
USA medical students and continues to be a project
organized by students at the USA College of Medicine.
The Regan Robinson Young Scholarship Fund honors
Young, a medical student at USA who was diagnosed
with advanced colon cancer in 2003 at the age of 23. The
scholarship provides assistance to
a rising senior medical student
who embodies Young’s spirit and
character.
medical student lounge renovations completed
medicaL stUdents can now
relax in the newly renovated medical
school student lounge located in the
Medical Sciences Building on USA’s main
campus, thanks to the University of South
Alabama Medical Alumni Association.
According to Melodie Robinson,
assistant director of alumni affairs for the
USA College of Medicine, the Medical
Alumni Association supports projects that
help enhance the education experience
for medical students. “Last spring, several
class leaders asked us to consider adopting
a renovation project for the student lounge
area,” she said. “The work started this past
summer and was completed the week
The recently renovated medical school student lounge provides an inviting place to relax, study and visit.
before freshman orientation.”
Robinson said the room was completely renovated with new cabinets, appliances, furniture, paint, and a large screen television.
“We have received positive feedback from the students and hope they will enjoy the new facility.”
24 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

making a difference
while making it through
medical school
Medical students act as ‘buddies,’ pushing wheelchairs,
helping players bat or cheering.
Challenger League baseball fields are designed for wheelchairs.
The baseball team on the field looks like
any other group of players. Kids running,
catching, throwing and pitching, coaches
calling out directions and parents watching
from the stands. Except these kids have
Down’s Syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism
and other special needs diagnoses, and
the coaches are medical students at the
University of South Alabama College of
Medicine.
Four years ago, recent graduate Dianna
Thomas was a first-year medical student
and the community service chair for her
class when a new Challenger League
formed at Westside Park. As an additional
incentive, students could get credit for
first-year class hours by participating. The
next year, another team needed a coach,
so Thomas and her classmates stepped up
to the plate and have been with the same
group of kids ever since.
The players range in age and skill level.
“They have worked so hard in teaching
them to play the game,” said team mom
Leslie Franklin. “The kids’ self-confidence
has grown. I think the medical students
learned how much these kids can do.” The
team practices once a week during the
fall and spring seasons, with games on
Saturdays. “Everybody plays,” said Thomas.
There were approximately 20 fourth-year students involved in the team, with secondand
third-year students showing up as often as they were able. Thomas also pitched the
program to the first-year medical students, hoping they would take over the fourthyear
students’ team as well as have their own team. “The response was amazing,” she
said. “I’m not concerned about leaving them to someone else. I’m just sad to leave
them. There’s something about being out there that you can’t describe--on game day,
how happy they get, and you’re letting these kids have a little bit of a normal life they
wouldn’t have.”
The Challenger League players have favorite medical students, ones they miss while
away on vacation or medical mission
trips, or call during the week just to
visit. “I think we’re all kind of in awe
that they give up what little of their
free time to the kids,” said Franklin.
Wendy Love’s son has been on the
team for four years. “They get as much
out of it as they give,” Love said.
The parents agree the Challenger
League experience is helping create
doctors better able to relate to special
needs patients. “They’re going to look
at these kids and adults with disabilities
as people,” said Franklin. “They treat
them as regular kids.”
Coaching the Challenger League offered
students a break from studying, as well as a
chance to make a difference.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 25

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as the director of Health Sciences
Development at the University of South Alabama. As a newcomer to
the USA family, I am most impressed by the loyalty and dedication of
the faculty, staff, students, alumni and community supporters There is
a strong spirit of dedication and innovation here that is quite evident.
I am quickly learning that this is truly a place like no other.
My background includes more than 10 years of previous experience in
development and alumni relations at both the University of Montevallo
and Virginia Commonwealth University. My undergraduate degree
is in psychology and my master’s degree is in public administration.
Currently I am completing my doctorate in higher education administration.
With that said, higher education is important both professionally and on a personal level. For
me it started with my own experience as a first-generation college student from a small town
in Alabama. Higher education transformed my life. I continue to see this transformation
repeated in the students we help educate. Witnessing this fuels my passion for our institution
and my work.
Over the years, I’ve stopped trying to find creative ways to explain how I ended up working in
development and how I can ask people for support. To be honest, it wasn’t part of a structured
plan. I can tell you that my passion to support our medical school’s mission and the outstanding
role we play in transforming lives and community makes asking for financial help easy. As
friends of the USA College of Medicine we can all take part in changing lives of students and
support the tremendous impact they have in the lives of those in our community.
In 2013, the University will celebrate its 50th anniversary and the College of Medicine will
celebrate 40 years. I am proud to be a part of these notable milestones and I hope that as
alumni and friends you realize the impact that you have and will continue to have on your
profession, your patients, your community and your alma mater.
Please feel free to contact me at (251) 460-7481 or rbanks@usouthal.edu. I look forward to
hearing your story!
Racheal Banks
Director of Health Sciences Development
meet the new director of
Health sciences development
26 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

Members of the Executive Board for the Medical Alumni Association enjoy a tour of the new Active Learning Center at the College
of Medicine. From left to right: Dr. Amy Morris, Dr. Chris Semple, Dr. Oscar Almeida, Dr. Kit Outlaw, sophomore Katie Laycock
(recipient of a Medical Alumni Legacy Scholarship), freshman Jordan Fernandez (recipient of a Medical Alumni Scholar Award), Dr.
Johnson Haynes, sophomore Griffin Collins (recipient of a Medical Alumni Scholar Award), Dr. Lamar Duffy, President Jill Ringold,
Dr. Wanda Kirkpatrick, Dr. John Todd, Dr. Grace Hundley and Dr. Diana Hashimi.
Progressions
Name Class Moved from: Moved to:
Dr. Marilyn J. Aiello 1978 Lombard, Ill. Westchester, Ill.
Dr. Richard Quan 1979 Fresno, Calif. Durham, N.C.
Dr. O. Michele Fletcher 1989 Tampa, Fla. Cumming, Ga.
Dr. Laura C. Bunch 1997 Austin, Texas Vestavia, Ala.
Dr. Lucille A. Ferrante 1998 Essex, Md. Furlong, Pa.
Dr. Joel T. Johns 2001 Chattanooga, Tenn. Holly Pond, Ala.
Dr. Michele G. Kautzman 2003 Crane Hill, Ala. New Orleans, La.
Dr. Emil T. Graf, IV 2003 Fort Irwin, Calif. Prairie Village, Kan.
Dr. Rebecca K. Carney 2005 Spanish Fort, Ala. San Diego, Calif.
Dr. Juan Cabrera 2005 Helotes, Texas Nashville, Tenn.
Dr. Jose Cabrera 2005 Indianapolis, Ind. Menomonee Falls, Wis.
Dr. Scott M. Lindhorst 2005 Birmingham, Ala. Durham, N.C.
Dr. Chad A. LaChance 2005 Bay St. Louis, Miss. Lisbon Falls, Maine
Dr. Charles W. Hartin, Jr. 2005 Amherst, N.Y. Houston, Texas
Dr. Teresa B. Lord 2006 North Augusta, S.C. Evans, Ga.
Dr. Laurie L. Imsand 2006 Memphis, Tenn. Decatur, Ala.
Dr. Melinda Z. Sava 2006 Shaker Heights, Ohio Nashville, Tenn.
Dr. Aaron D. Carr 2007 Decatur, Ala. Sacramento, Calif.
Dr. Renee W. Bonetti 2007 Mobile, Ala. Nashville, Tenn.
Dr. Amanda England 2008 New Orleans, La. Durham, N.C.
Dr. Matthew C. Delaney 2008 S. Portland, Maine Homewood, Ala.
Dr. Steven C. Osborne, Jr. 2008 Houston, Texas Montgomery, Ala.
Dr. Andrew D. Householder 2009 Birmingham, Ala. Destin, Fla.
Dr. Andrew D. Hodges 2009 Lexington, Ky. Scottsboro, Ala.
Dr. Erica L. Pate 2011 Ann Arbor, Mich. Charlotte, N.C.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012 x 27

two physiologists retire after
more than three decades at
Usa college of medicine
Dr. James M. Downey, a world-renowned heart researcher,
and Dr. James C. Parker, a scientist credited with improving
respiratory care around the world, have both retired after
more than three decades in the physiology department at
the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.
According to Dr. Thomas Lincoln, chair of physiology at
USA, Drs. Downey and Parker are among the best scientists
USA can boast.
Dr. Downey, an international leader in cardioprotection
who has been with the physiology department since 1975,
made major contributions to the understanding of the
mechanisms responsible for heart attacks and of the therapies
to alleviate such injury. Much of the progress in this area is
credited to his work.
Dr. Parker, who has been in the same department since
1977, has made enormous contributions to the understanding
of pulmonary function and ventilator-assisted therapy. He
was involved in the establishment of the USA Center for
Lung Biology and said he is most proud of his research on
ventilator induced lung injury, which led to a large-scale
After more than three decades of service to the USA College of Medicine,
Dr. James M. Downey and Dr. James C. Parker retired in the spring.
clinical study involving seven medical centers using a reduced tidal
volume to ventilate patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome
(ARDS).
In Memoriam
Dr. William A. Gardner Jr., professor emeritus of pathology at the University of South Alabama College of
Medicine, passed away on Oct. 2, 2011. He was 72.
Dr. Gardner served as the Louise Lenoir Locke Professor and Chair of Pathology from 1981 to 2002 and
as interim dean and vice president for medical affairs from 1997 to 1998 at the USA College of Medicine. At
the time of his death, Dr. Gardner was serving as executive director of the National Registry for Pathology at
Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Dr. William A. Gardner Jr.
Dr. James Rohrer, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University
of South Alabama College of Medicine, passed away on Oct. 25, 2011. He was 64.
Dr. Rohrer joined the faculty at the USA College of Medicine in 1979 as assistant
professor of microbiology and immunology. He was promoted to associate professor in 1985.
During his tenure at USA, Dr. Rohrer was awarded more than $1 million in research
grants by the National Institutes of Health to study various aspects of myeloma as well as
the development of a vaccine that holds potential for use in cancer treatment.
Dr. James Rohrer
Dr. Joseph H. Coggin Jr., professor emeritus of microbiology and immunology at the
University of South Alabama College of Medicine, passed away on Aug. 21, 2011. He was 73.
Dr. Coggin served as associate dean for basic medical sciences at the USA College of Medicine from
1989 to 1994. He was professor of pathology from 1983 to 2006 and professor and chair of microbiology and
immunology from 1977 to 2006.
During his tenure at USA, Dr. Coggin was a leader in developing the graduate program in basic medical
sciences, the first doctoral level program within the university. He also fostered a significant funding campaign
that supported the initial building of the molecular biology core laboratory facility on USA’s campus.
Dr. Joseph H. Coggin Jr.
28 x UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA Medicine WINTER 2012

At the 37th annual College of Medicine Honors Convocation in May, Dr. Charles M. Rodning, professor of surgery, offered the
address to the class. “Physicians as Heroes and Saints” pondered the human existence and offered a series of challenges for the new
graduates.
Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. Heartiest welcome to this
Honors Convocation/College of Medicine – an exceptional and elite
rite-of-passage – for the Class of 2012! Their formal education,
indeed the formal education of all undergraduate medical students,
could be characterized as the acquisition of a vocabulary – terms,
definitions, pathways, life cycles, and taxonomies. Taxonomy (Gk.,
“method of arrangement”) as attributed to Aristotle referred to
the systematic classification of all biological organisms – flora and
fauna – anatomically and physiologically (structure and function
– hylomorphism) and more recently, biochemically and genomically.
However, the term “taxonomy” has been seized by social scientists and
by administrators – presidents, vice-presidents, deans, and chairmen
- as a means to impress their colleagues and to lengthen the already
demanding and crowded curriculum.
Follow the link to read the complete text of Dr. Charles M. Rodning’s
full College of Medicine Honors Convocation speech:
www.usahealthsystem.com/heroes-and-saints.

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