OAP team collaborates regionally and nationally to advance medical education

Members of the Office of Accreditation and Planning, from left, are Melisa Pierce, MPA; David Williams, Ph.D., MPA;  Angie O'Neal, M.Ed.; Timothy Gilbert, Ed.D.; Breland Walley; and Russell Cantrell, MSCIS, MBA. 

The Whiddon College of Medicine’s Office of Accreditation and Planning (OAP) is committed to excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement in medical education. Their guiding philosophy, “A rising tide raises all ships,” inspires their active engagement in communities of practice beyond the college and their participation in regional and national opportunities.

Under the leadership of Associate Dean Timothy Gilbert, Ed.D., the OAP team strives to align the college's goals with the evolving landscape of medical education. This commitment to planning ensures the unique needs of students, faculty, and the community are addressed. The team includes David S. Williams, Ph.D., MPA, assistant dean of institutional and academic success; Melisa Pierce, MPA, director of quality improvement; Russell W. Cantrell, MSCIS, MBA, director of data administration and strategic initiatives; Angie O'Neal, M.Ed., director of learning support services; and Breland Walley, administrative support. 

Williams is key in advancing medical education beyond the University of South Alabama campus. He was recently appointed to serve on the steering committee for the Medical Education Learning Specialists (MELS) organization, representing the Southern region of medical schools and contributing to regional and national strategic directives. Additionally, he's on the Accreditation Preparation and Quality Improvement (APQI) inaugural annual conference committee, shaping the discourse on defining scholarship in accreditation and quality improvement. Williams, alongside four other faculty and administrators across the University, completed the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ Institute on ePortfolios, for institutional adaptation of ePortfolios as a high-impact practice to support USA’s LevelUP Quality Enhancement Plan. He also collaborated on an Association of American Medical Colleges’ Holistic Student Support community research study with T.J. Hundley, M.D., on pre-module checklist processes for course improvement. 

Pierce contributes her expertise to discussions on various topics related to medical education practices. For example, she is a panelist for the monthly Central Group on Education Affairs webinar series on course evaluation and grade reporting, and student feedback initiatives. In May, she will present at the APQI national conference on the topic of enhancing medical education course evaluation. She is also collaborating with two other medical colleges to present on closing the loop on student feedback. Through her participation in these webinars and conferences, Pierce collaborates with educators and leaders nationwide to drive innovation and improvement in medical education practices.

Cantrell advocates for data literacy and proficiency and is an active community member of Tableau, a data visualization software company. He is a Tableau Academic Ambassador and a featured speaker at the upcoming Tableau Conference 2024. He was selected as a national data visualization competition judge, exemplifying his dedication to advancing data visualization. Collaborating with colleagues at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, he has also shown how Tableau can enhance data visualization and quality improvement initiatives. 

Additionally, Williams, Pierce and Cantrell will present their work at the APQI annual conference, discussing “Advancing Accreditation: Integrative Heatmap Strategies for Enhanced Continuous Quality Improvement in Medical Education.”

O’Neal empowers students through workshops and programs, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing in medical education nationwide. She volunteers on the MELS conference planning committee and as a peer reviewer for APQI conference proposals. She collaborates on presentations with faculty and staff from various medical schools, promoting student-centric innovation beyond the Whiddon College of Medicine. 

Learn more about the Office of Accreditation and Planning.

Meet a Med Student: Lee Givens

Lee Givens

Age: 24

Class: 2027

Hometown: Auburn, Alabama

Undergraduate education: B.S., Auburn University

What do you enjoy most about being a medical student at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
My favorite thing about the Whiddon College of Medicine is the sense of family and community that is so engrained within the school. Each of the students in my class always watches out for the person next to them, and my experience has really been one of a collective working toward a common goal rather than a group of individuals each working toward their own goals. All of the faculty, administration, and staff have also been so welcoming and inviting, and I've really felt that support in the transition to beginning medical school.

Are you involved in any research, organizations or other initiatives at the Whiddon College of Medicine?
I am involved in the Christian Medical Ministry of South Alabama and the Student-Run Free Clinic. I have also had fun being a part of some of the COM intramural sports teams.

What are your interests and hobbies?
I love going for runs around Mobile and exercising at the Student Rec Center. I also love spending time with my dog, Louie.

What is something unique about you?
I have a titanium plate and two screws in my cheek.

Class of 2024 looks forward to spring ceremonies

Spring is filled with events leading up to graduation for students completing medical and doctoral degrees at the Whiddon College of Medicine.

An honors breakfast and ceremony are planned for medical students who are receiving awards and honors cords on Wednesday, April 24. Breakfast will begin at 9 a.m. in the Terrace Room of the USA Student Center followed by an awards ceremony at 10 a.m. in the Student Center Ballroom.

The Academic Hooding Ceremony for all graduates of the Whiddon College of Medicine will be held at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 3, at the USA Mitchell Center. Seventy-four graduating medical students will take the Hippocratic Oath and be hooded by a person or persons of their choosing. Those with a military affiliation will take the military oath of office and receive their new rank. Two graduating doctoral students in the Basic Medical Sciences Graduate Program will be awarded doctoral hoods by their major professors. The ceremony will be streamed live on the Mitchell Center's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G_Vqk7qXDA. 

USA's Spring Commencement Ceremony will celebrate graduates and confer degrees from the Whiddon College of Medicine and other colleges at the university. Commencement is set for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 4, at the Mitchell Center. The Class of 2024 will be the 49th class to receive medical degrees from the Whiddon College of Medicine. The ceremony will be streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOM9m2gguC0. 

For more information on graduation, visit the Registrar’s Commencement page.

Custodio named director of pediatrics residency program

 Haidee Custodio, M.D.

Infectious disease pediatrician Haidee Custodio, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, recently was named director of the pediatrics residency program for USA Health.

“We are delighted Dr. Custodio accepted this important role,” said Gul H. Dadlani, M.D., professor of pediatrics and chair of USA Health Pediatrics. “Her passion to train and mentor the next generation of healthcare providers is vital to maintaining – and improving – the quality of life for everyone we serve.”

This year, the pediatrics graduate medical education team at USA Health will welcome 12 first-year residents, who will begin the program July 1.

“We have new partners joining our community,” Custodio said of the most recent class of medical school graduates seeking career paths as pediatricians. “Our program's mindset is to recognize the importance of collaborating and partnering with these new physicians as they continue their medical education. They bring a new set of skills, interests, and enthusiasm that we can tap into in our mission of taking care of the children and meeting the needs of the community.”

By training in teaching hospitals and at medical clinics, new physicians can learn in an environment that integrates education, research, and patient care — an experience offering benefits to the healthcare staff and those they care for. Research shows patients treated in teaching hospitals had up to 20% higher odds of survival compared to those treated at non-teaching hospitals, noted the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Custodio joined USA Health in 2011 and previously served as associate director of the pediatrics residency program. She completed medical school in the Philippines before moving to New York to complete a pediatrics residency at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. She completed a pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Florida/Wolfson Children's Hospital/Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.

Custodio, who is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, also serves as CME chair on the board of the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and as a member of the AAP national committee on Continuing Medical Education.

USA launches Healthcare Leadership Certificate program

The first cohort of participants in the Healthcare Leadership Certificate program is a select group of faculty and staff from USA and USA Health. Registration for the 2025 program will open this fall.

Healthcare professionals seeking to develop their management and leadership skills now can earn a Healthcare Leadership Certificate from the University of South Alabama. The program is a partnership of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, the Mitchell College of Business, and USA Health.

“In this ever-changing industry, it’s important that rising leaders have the skills they need to think strategically and adapt quickly,” said John V. Marymont, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the Whiddon College of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs. “We wanted to offer a hands-on program that would be accessible to busy healthcare professionals.”

The Healthcare Leadership Certificate takes a year to complete, with classes held in person at the Mitchell College of Business. The first cohort, a select group of faculty and staff from USA and USA Health, is working through the curriculum and expected to complete the requirements by December 2024. It will open to community participants in 2025.

“This certificate is designed to prepare you to lead effectively in your career,” said Binata Mukherjee, M.B.B.S., M.B.A., assistant dean for faculty and professional development at the Whiddon College of Medicine and director of healthcare leadership initiatives at the Mitchell College of Business. “It is intended for professionals at the director level and above, or managers moving into those positions.”

To earn the certificate, participants complete eight modules comprising Friday and Saturday classes scheduled throughout the year. They also are required to spend one hour to one and a half hours reading materials between classes. The fee for the program is $5,000.

The modules cover communication, management, operations, finance, leadership, and more, Mukherjee said. Classes are designed to be interactive and experiential. “The goal is to give them the practical knowledge and skills that will help them the most in their work life,” she said.

Registration for the 2025 program will open in the fall.