In March 2025, the UAB Emergency Department earned the first Level 1 Accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians in the U.S. A Level 1 emergency department must meet and exceed the program’s 34 common criteria, as well as additional requirements in physician and nurse staffing, availability of critical personnel and resources, and creating a safe environment for patients and staff. The accreditation represents the gold standard in emergency care.

A clinical assistant professor in the UAB Department of Surgery, Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, performed the first laparoscopic, FDA-approved, nipple-sparing mastectomy in the U.S. on April 18, 2025. Katelin Holmes, D.O., a breast surgeon at Infirmary Health in Fairhope, Alabama, is one of a small group of surgeons globally to receive specialized training for the technique in Amsterdam. The novel procedure utilizes smaller incisions in place of what typically is a more invasive procedure, potentially shortening recovery times and decreasing complications.

UAB Medicine welcomed its first facility dog, a 2-year-old golden retriever named Topgun, in May 2025. Topgun joined the UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center team to help patients who are recovering from stroke, spinal cord, or brain injuries achieve functional goals like improving balance, stamina, ability to walk, and overall motivation. As an official facility dog, Topgun is highly trained with special skills that help him enhance treatment sessions for physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and recreational therapy.

The UAB Department of Radiation Oncology and the O’Neal Cancer Center opened Alabama’s first dedicated brachytherapy suite in October 2025, transforming the way patients receive this highly targeted form of radiation therapy. Instead of moving between multiple locations for imaging, planning, and treatment, patients can now complete every step in one space. This streamlined process allows patients to be cared for by the same team throughout their visit, improving safety and comfort while reducing treatment times by as much as 60 percent. Because brachytherapy delivers radiation directly from inside or next to a tumor, it’s known for higher cure rates for certain cancers and fewer side effects—and now, with this new suite, more patients can access this powerful, efficient cancer therapy than ever before.