Petty selected as USA Health associate chief medical officer for pediatrics

Melody Petty, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP, a pediatric hospitalist at Children’s & Women’s Hospital, has been appointed as USA Health’s associate chief medical officer for pediatrics in a new position created within the region’s only academic health system.

In the role, Petty will work alongside Michael Chang, M.D., chief medical officer, and Ara Travers, M.D., associate chief medical officer and medical director of care management, to better optimize quality, safety, efficiency, and patient-centeredness across the scope of care for children seen within the health system.

“I’m excited to take on this new challenge and see this as a way to help with pediatric-specific issues in our health system,” Petty said. “This is a positive way to further our mission to provide the best patient care possible.”

Petty said she’s looking forward to expanding communication efforts between pediatrics and other service lines within USA Health: “This will be a way to give them real-time news about changes going on within our health system as we further develop other quality initiatives and implement strategic plans."

In 2020, Petty was selected as Alabama’s advocate for the prevention of childhood nicotine use of products such as e-cigarettes. Since then, she’s led local and state advocacy and educational initiatives through a variety of meetings, media appearances and the development of videos aimed educating our youth about the dangers of vaping.

An assistant professor of pediatrics at the USA College of Medicine, Petty is double board certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics in pediatrics and pediatric hospital medicine. She is a member of the USA Program Evaluation and USA Pediatric Residency committees.

She completed a residency in pediatrics at USA Health, where she was recognized as the Residency Core Curriculum Scholar. Petty earned a medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.