Explore UAB

On Aug. 26, 1920, the 19th amendment was signed to give women the right to vote. While this allowed women’s voice to be heard across the nation, it still denied women of color, many who led the suffragette movement, access to vote. It was not until the Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965 that gave all women the right to vote. Alabama never voted, rejected ratification on Sept. 22, 1919, and finally ratified on Sept. 8, 1953. We honor this day due to the work of Representative Bella Abzug (D-NY) who successfully created a bill to celebrate Women’s Equality Day on August 26 every year. 

I have a background in the study of culture and music called ethnomusicology; this was my educational refuge to maintain sanity among all the pre-med chemistry and biology courses. For this month, I invite you to my personally curated Spotify playlist that, while certainly not fully comprehensive, celebrates the history of women’s equality and feminist anthems in America from 1800s-1970s.

The Department of Pediatrics would like to introduce the 2023 Department of Pediatrics Staff Recognition Awards. These awards were created to honor staff members throughout the department for their contribution and commitment to the department's mission. Our staff are essential to making our department run, and this is an opportunity to show our appreciation.

Last Friday, the residents who are a part of the Health Equity Scholars Program were announced. For the past two years, fellows have had the opportunity to be a part of the program.

The Pediatric Underserved and Global Health (PUGH) Scholars program is a longitudinal opportunity for pediatric residents at UAB to gain experience and focused education in global health during the 3 years of residency training. It consists of Global Health Interest group meetings in addition to gatherings after hours. The Global Health Interest Group meets regularly during the year; these meetings are open to any interested resident. 

The McDonald Scholars Program will place selected PGII-IV residents in an established rural and/or underserved pediatric practice in Alabama for an immersive experience as an observer and patient caregiver coordinated by Dr. Candice Dye. Additional goals include the following:

Critical determinants of children's health and well-being are rooted in socioecological and behavioral factors that are beyond the typical purview of the health care system. To adequately address health, pediatricians must unpack these through the lens of child health equity. 

After Hannah and Jared Meads lost their twin boys to the rare genetic disorder, Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation (CDG), they wanted to find a way to help others impacted by CDG. To honor the memory of their boys, the Meads Miracles, the Meads established the Meads Miracles Charity Golf Tournament to help fund research and provide for families impacted by CDG.

The “Capital Crawl” protest of March 13, 1990 demonstrated on a national level, barriers to accessibility for individuals with disabilities.  On this day, people as young as eight years old abandoned their mobility aids and crawled up the capitol steps in Washington, D.C. Disability Pride Month highlights the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law on July 26, 1990 by George H.W. Bush and reminds us of the contributions of so many such as Judith Heumann, Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, James LeBrecht, and Lex Fieden in the forward progress for those with disabilities.

Erin Shaughnessy, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, received the inaugural Faculty Champion for the Fellows award.

Ambika Ashraf, M.D., professor in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, has been appointed to co-chair the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council of the Pediatric Endocrine Society (PES).

The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomed one new faculty member in the month of June. Please join us in making him feel at home!

The 2023 graduating class presented the following awards at their Graduation Banquet on Friday, June 2.

Congratulations to Abigail Riegle, M.D., Pediatric Resident PGY-3, on being chosen as this year's recipient of the Carolyn Ashworth, M.D. Pediatric Primary Care Award. 

Please join us in congratulating Allyson Brown, M.D., First Year Fellow- Pulmonology, on receiving the 2022-2023 Spring Fellow Research Roundtable/Fellow Core Conference Attendance Award. 

For the 14th consecutive year, Children’s of Alabama is ranked among the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.

Congratulations to Caroline Lambert, M.D., and Keehn Strange, M.D., on being named the 2023 Joe LaRussa Interns of the Year!

We are pleased to announce the 2023-2024 Founders' Fund recipients.

Juneteenth is a holiday that marks the day, on June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free. You may also hear it called Juneteenth Independence Day, Freedom Day, Second Independence Day or Emancipation Day. The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, had established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” However, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control.

The 2023 Central Alabama Pride Parade was held on Saturday, June 10 in downtown Birmingham. Many organizations, businesses and community partners participated in the parade including Heersink School of Medicine and the UAB Department of Pediatrics.

Congratulations to our UAB Pediatric Fellowship Class of 2023. Thank you to all who helped us celebrate the graduates at a reception in their honor on May 30th.