On Sept. 22, 2026, Heersink School of Medicine hosted its Spring 2026 Endowment Reception, rescheduled from earlier in the year due to weather. At the reception, two members of Department of Medical Education leadership were honored with new endowments: Craig Hoesley, M.D., senior associate dean for Medical Education, and Talene Yacoubian, M.D., Ph.D., assistant dean for Medical Scientist Training Program.
Hoesley is the inaugural holder of the Paul and Martha Burleson Endowed Chair in Medical Education. Since assuming the senior associate dean role in 2015, he has been a dedicated leader in medical education, committed to strengthening the curriculum and support systems that shape physician training. He has also spearheaded the creation of exceptional student experiences at the Heersink School of Medicine, aiming to inspire excellence, promote a supportive leaning environment, and prepare graduates to meet the evolving needs of healthcare.
He earned his medical degree from the University of South Florida and completed his internship, internal medicine residency, chief residency, and infectious disease fellowship at UAB. He joined the UAB faculty in 1999, serving as internal medicine clerkship director for seven years. In 2009, he was appointed associate dean for undergraduate medical education before becoming senior associate dean for medical education and chair of the Department of Medical Education in 2015.
Hoesley was joined at the ceremony by his wife and his mother, celebrating the prestigious honor.
Yacoubian, professor in the UAB Department of Neurology, is the second holder of the Charlene A. Jones Endowed Chair in Neuroimmunology. In her role of professor and dean, she is deeply committed to education, both in the realm of teaching medical students, residents, fellows, and in mentoring peers within UAB and across the region. She is widely regarded as an effective and impactful scientist and teacher, performing internationally recognized research into neurodegenerative disorders, focusing on the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. She has also served on governmental and foundation grant review committees, published research in high-impact journals, and presented at national and international conferences.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemical sciences from Harvard University in 1993, followed by both a Ph.D. in neurobiology (2000) and a medical degree (2001) from Duke University. She joined the UAB faculty in 2006 as an instructor of neurology and was promoted to assistant professor in 2007. She has since become a full professor of neurology, with a secondary appointment as a professor in the UAB Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology.
Read more about the other endowment honorees.