News

UAB Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Assistant Professor Sasha Still, M.D., has successfully performed the first robotic-assisted aortic valve replacement in the state of Alabama in December 2025.

Their love story began as it often does for two future doctors: in med school. Zain Hashmi, M.D., assistant professor in the UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, and Saulat Sheikh, MBBS, an assistant professor in the UAB Division of Transplantation, met in 2010 at a going away party for a mutual friend.

Jeffrey Kerby, M.D., Ph.D., Brigham Family Endowed Professor and director of the UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, has been named the new medical director of trauma education for the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

Jacqueline Garonzik Wang, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UAB Division of Transplantation and co-director of the Comprehensive Transplant Institute, was among the leaders selected for the 12th cohort of the UAB Medicine Institute for Leadership, set to begin in the spring of 2026.

The UAB General Surgery Residency Program is pleased to announce Mike Akaraphanth, M.D., as the 2026 Military Match resident. 

UAB Division of Surgical Oncology Assistant Professor Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., MSCI, has been chosen as the recipient of the UAB Department of Surgery’s John D. Kirklin Award.

UAB Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery Assistant Professor Manu Kaushik, M.D., visited the city of New Delhi, India, to share his experience in rural surgery with local healthcare providers and surgeons.

Douglas J. Anderson, M.D., M.S., associate professor in the Division of Transplantation in the UAB Department of Surgery, has been selected to serve on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Surgical Research (JSR), a leading peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing scientific discovery and academic surgery.

Acute Care Surgery, a service line of the UAB Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, was recognized as one of UAB Medicine's top ten service lines for timely and effective consults, according to results from the 2025 hospital-wide Consult Optimization Survey.

Holly Waller, R.N., MPH, associate vice president for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, is the recipient of the 2025 President’s Award for Shared Values, selected from the 12 UAB VIP recipients in 2025.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine is proud to announce the 2026 Pittman Scholars. This prestigious honor recognizes assistant professors for their exceptional research achievements and their potential to make future contributions to their fields.

Rondi Gelbard, M.D., a professor in the UAB Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery, has received the 2025 Alliance Committed Leader Award from the Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance (The Alliance) which recognizes a leader who commits significant time and expertise to Alliance initiatives and taken on significant efforts to advance nationwide collaboration and engaged learning within the organ donation...

The UAB Medicine Vein Clinic has received reaccreditation and the 10-year Milestone Award from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC), reaffirming its continued commitment to excellence in patient care, clinical quality, and adherence to nationally recognized standards for venous disease management.

The UAB Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery led a holiday clothing and supply drive to support several local non-profit organizations, including Impact Family Counseling, the Offender Alumni Association, and the UAB Compassion Closet.

UAB Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Associate Professor James Donahue, M.D., and UAB Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery Associate Professor Sophie Dream, M.D., MPH, have recently been elected to the prestigious Southern Surgical Association (SSA).

The UAB Department of Surgery Access and Engagement Committee hosted Operation CARE, a new community outreach initiative focused on serving Birmingham’s unhoused population, on December 13 at Railroad Park downtown.

UAB has completed more than 16,000 organ transplants since 1968.

The UAB Department of Surgery is proud to announce Professor Robert Dabal, M.D., the chief of pediatric cardiac surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, as the 2025 recipient of the Champ Lyons Award for Outstanding Clinical Service, recognizing his exceptional dedication to patient care, clinical excellence, and leadership in pediatric cardiac surgery.

In just a little over a week, the UAB Department of Surgery will travel to Orlando, Florida for the 21st Annual Academic Surgical Congress.

This month’s UAB Department of Surgery Access & Engagement Committee Spotlight highlights Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery Advanced Practice Provider Jamie Theodore, CRNP. From her journey as a nurse in the ICU to the UAB Cardiovascular Institute, her breadth of knowledge and personal experiences highlight her empathetic approach to patient care.

Herbert Chen, M.D., the Fay Fletcher Endowed Chair of the UAB Department of Surgery, gave the 2026 State of the Department presentation earlier this week, spotlighting achievements from the past year and reflecting on the 80 year history of the department.

UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine medical students Thanushri Srikantha, Neil Chaudhary, and Alison Levine were awarded among the best projects of the 2025 UAB Medical Student Research Day (MSRD).

The Empathy Project helps trainees respond to the emotions beneath patients’ tough questions. Creator Kimberly Kopecky, M.D., MSCI, a UAB surgeon specializing in high-risk abdominal procedures, understands why doctors often substitute facts for feelings. But it is possible to have better doctor-patient conversations, she said: “It is a skill you can practice.”

Researchers at UAB recently received a grant to help develop a plan aimed at reducing crash fatality in Central Alabama through evidence-based enhancements.

After a devastating car accident, Garry Taylor, 71, had nearly a zero percent chance of survival. Pre-hospital blood extended his survival to allow him to get the lifesaving care he needed at UAB Hospital.

Even in the colder months, it is important to keep an eye out for any unusual skin changes as some discolorations may not appear immediately after sun exposure.

UAB Neurosurgery and Trauma experts discuss the importance of taking precautions when decorating this holiday season.

The award, totaling over $2 million through 2030, will support Overstreet’s investigation aimed at uncovering the factors that determine patients’ experiences of acute and chronic pain during their healing journeys after surgery.

A UAB expert provides recommendations on how to drink responsibly during the holidays.

Experts at UAB are providing insight into some of the top preventable injuries they see on a regular basis and some practical advice for how to avoid them.