UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Professor Marty Vander Noot, M.D., is a 2025 recipient of the UAB Medicine Excellence Award.

This award is described by UAB Medicine as "the highest honor available for staff."

Recipients are chosen based on their achievements, commitment to excellence, and dedication to the UAB Medicine mission: "To Provide Life Changing Care." Each recipient has a proven record of exemplifying the core values of "Do Right, Work Together, Own It, and Always Care."

Vander Noot is the medical director of Inpatient Wound Care services at UAB. He has worked at UAB for 17 years and has been a faculty member in the division for the past nine years. He also serves as the physician liaison to the Department of Quality for Wound Care and Pressure Injury Prevention.

As Director of the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (WOC) team, Vander Noot has grown the WOC nurse team, expanding it from four WOCNs to a nationally-recognized team of 15 WOCNs, an M.D., a CRNP, and two wound care technicians that provide inpatient services seven days a week. He acts as a liaison between the WOC team and other consulting services to ensure a seamless, interdisciplinary collaboration.

“I am honored to have received this award, because it reflects the work that our entire team has accomplished,” Vander Noot said.

Kelly Chapman, BSN, RN, CWOCN, the team lead of the WOC team at UAB, says Vander Noot is an “advocate” for the team and a “problem solver” throughout the hospital.

“The WOC team is grateful for the leadership of Dr. Vander Noot,” Chapman said. “He is a brilliant physician and person, and shows compassion for all patients and staff alike.”

Vander Noot is dedicated to providing education for his own team, his multidisciplinary colleagues, and the next generation of healthcare professionals. He trains surgical residents in wound care and leads an elective wound care rotation for medical students, infectious disease fellows, and internal medicine, family medicine, and physical medicine and rehabilitation residents. He hosts weekly case studies for the WOC team to promote knowledge sharing and cohesiveness as a team.

“Dr. Vander Noot fosters an environment of innovation, encouraging our team to try new treatment modalities,” Chapman said. “He ensures the team stays up to date on the best practices.”

As co-chair of the UAB Interprofessional Skin Team, Vander Noot organizes monthly meetings to discuss multidisciplinary strategies for reducing hospital-acquired pressure injuries. He also does weekly rounds at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center, offering his knowledge and expertise to guide the team in caring for complex wounds.

Thanks in part to Vander Noot’s commitment to providing education and fostering collaboration, UAB has seen optimized patient care and there has been a significant reduction of hospital-acquired pressure injuries.

In addition to his work at UAB, Vander Noot works night shifts as an emergency physician at the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, supporting veterans with resources and ensuring they receive comprehensive care after discharge.

Vander Noot’s impact is evident beyond Birmingham, as well. He serves as a flight physician for AirMed Global Medical Response, providing life-saving expertise for critically ill patients worldwide. He also serves on international medical visits, offering his expertise in wound care and emergency medicine to broaden global healthcare access. Since 2015, he has been selected as a Sparkman Center for Global Health Scholar, with a research focus on Peru, Kenya, and Cambodia.

“Dr. Vander Noot’s work over the past 17 years consistently demonstrates a solution-focused approach and commitment to continuous improvement, and a true dedication to fostering a culture of excellence across the hospital,” said Herbert Chen, M.D., Fay Fletcher Kerner Endowed Chair of the UAB Department of Surgery. “Without question, he is extremely deserving of this honor.”