News

ACOM student, Kevin Allen, OMS-III, was named a 2024 Medical Student Scholar by the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR).

The SIR Medical Student Scholars Program gives medical students from the United States and Canada an opportunity to incorporate interventional radiology into their medical careers at an early stage by selecting an exclusive group of recipients to attend SIR’s Annual Scientific Meeting. This experience offers the recipients a dedicated educational program, as well as presentations from experts in the field of interventional radiology. This event also offers invaluable networking opportunities among those working in the field. Of the 60 recipients, Kevin was one of just six from osteopathic schools.

SIR is a nonprofit professional medical society representing more than 8,000 practicing interventional radiology physicians. Their mission is to improve lives through image-guided therapy and to optimize minimally invasive patient care. They also work to advance scientific knowledge and skills through the SIR Foundation.

To view a complete list of this year’s winners, click here.

The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) is proud to announce we have received the 2024 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. This marks the second year in a row we have received the award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.

The HEED Award is a national honor recognizing U.S. health colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. ACOM is proud to be one of 71 recipients nationwide that will be featured in the November/December issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine. To see the complete list of winners, click on https://www.insightintodiversity.com/about-the-heed-award/.

This accolade is a testament to ACOM’s continued commitment to excellence and our mission of shaping physicians who are not only compassionate and knowledgeable but also who are equipped to provide care to all communities. By focusing on social determinants of health—such as socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood environment, and access to healthcare— we empower our students with the skills and tools to address healthcare disparities and serve as physicians for all people, enhancing patient outcomes. The application process for this award is a comprehensive and rigorous self-evaluation, requiring an in-depth review of our policies, strategies, programs, and initiatives.

“This award confirms our continued desire to embrace the diversity of our students by respecting who they are as individuals in their pursuit of a medical education,” said Susie White, MA, ACOM DEI Officer. “We celebrate with our students as they bring unique heritages, cultures, and life experiences to ACOM and the community. We welcome all individuals who are accepted to ACOM with the dignity and respect they should expect and deserve.”

“The Health Professions HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — continued leadership support for diversity, and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a Health Professions HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for schools where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”

About INSIGHT Into Diversity

INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine is the leader in advancing best practices in DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) in higher education. Through thought-provoking print and online articles, we share expert advice, valuable resources, in-depth profiles of top DEI programs at colleges and universities, headline news, and much more to help keep our readers informed and empower them to advance DEI initiatives at their institutions. To further our mission, we created the INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award in 2012. The HEED Award — including the more targeted INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions, Law School, and Community College HEED Awards — is the only national honor to recognize institutions of higher education for their outstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Current, archived, and digital issues of INSIGHT

The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) and Troy University announced a collaborative agreement earlier this week to offer priority status to qualified students who plan to attend medical school.

“We are excited about this opportunity to provide Troy University graduates an opportunity to realize their dream of becoming a physician,” said Christina Kennedy, PhD, director of Community Partnerships. “This agreement allows us to strengthen our relationship with Troy University and it opens a door for us to recruit some of Troy University’s brightest students to ACOM.”

ACOM Dean James C. Jones, DO, FACEP and Troy Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr., PhD, officially signed the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) in a ceremony in the ACOM boardroom.

“We are grateful that ACOM would see the value of our students,” said Dr. Hawkins. “We have sent more than 20 who have graduated from ACOM.”

Dr. Hawkins said Troy is excited about the opportunity to seen more students in the future.

The three-year MOU agreement guarantees Troy University students, who meet academic and MCAT requirements, an admissions interview and it also waives the admission application fee.

The MOU also provides ACOM in-person recruiting and advisement sessions on the Troy campus, as well as conducting mock student admissions interview sessions.

Hurricane Helene is predicted to make landfall tomorrow afternoon in the Big Bend region of the Florida Panhandle and move into the area as early as 3 p.m. It is expected to be out of the area by early Friday morning. Please take time to review the following information and adjust your plans accordingly.

To prioritize the safety of our faculty, staff, and students, the ACOM campus will be closed for business on Thursday, September 26 and Friday, September 27. Your safety is our top priority, and we ask everyone to take the necessary precautions during this time. Please be advised conditions could change rapidly during a storm. Monitor local weather sources.

Severe Weather Alert:

The National Weather Service is forecasting significant weather impacts for our area starting tomorrow afternoon and continuing through Friday morning. This may include:

• Heavy Rain with three to six inches forecasted.
• High Winds of 58 to 73 mph.
• A Flood Watch for low-lying areas.
• The possibility of Tornadoes.

Precautionary Measures for Thursday and Friday:

To prioritize the safety of our faculty, staff, and students, ACOM will be closed for business on both days. Please note the following:

• Faculty will convert in-person curricular events to virtual, non-mandatory events. Students, please check the announcements section of Canvas for specific course-related updates.
• OMS III and OMS IV students at their core sites should follow the protocols issued by their respective core sites. Please stay in contact with your core site coordinators for any updates or changes.
• COMAT exams for OMS III and IV students will still be given on Friday by their core sites. However, if you are in an affected area, please monitor communications from your core site coordinator for exam cancellation and rescheduling.
• Faculty and staff are expected to work virtually on Friday unless they are experiencing power outages or other weather-related issues. If possible, please communicate with your supervisor if you are unable to work remotely.
• We MAY make access to the campus available on Friday, September 27, depending on weather conditions and facility safety. Updates will be provided as the situation evolves.

Local Shelters in Dothan, AL:

If you are in need of shelter, please consider the following locations in the Dothan area:

1. Westgate Church of Christ
   619 Westgate Parkway
   Phone: (334) 793-2280
2. Memphis Baptist Church
   4595 Eddins Road
   Phone: (334) 677-5387

Please contact these locations ahead of time for availability and shelter-specific guidelines.

Important Contacts and Resources:

• For weather or safety questions, please contact MaryAnn May, PhD, director of Campus Safety, at .
• If you haven’t downloaded the AlertMedia app to your phone, please contact Information Systems at ext. 4141 or email them at .
• For safety precautions during severe weather, click on https://www.weather.gov/ama/severesafetytips
• For weather updates in your specific area, visit https://www.weather.gov/

The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) is pleased to announce William E. Admire, DO, has been named to the college’s nine-member board of directors. Prior to his appointment to the board, Dr. Admire served on the ACOM Advisory Board.

Dr. Admire, internal medicine, currently serves as the vice president and chief medical officer for the Mobile Infirmary, North Baldwin Infirmary and Infirmary Health. In addition, Dr. Admire has been instrumental in teaching students as an ACOM core site medical director for Mobile Infirmary, North Baldwin Infirmary and Thomas Hospital.

Dr. Admire also works with Infirmary Occupational Health and Infirmary Health’s external wellness program.

Dr. Admire received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. He earned his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed an internship at Delaware Valley Medical Center, Levittown, Pennsylvania and an internal medicine residency at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Admire participated in the 2016 Institute for Physician Leadership program through the University of California, San Francisco. He has served with the Mobile Police Department as the police surgeon for the last 20 years. Dr. Admire is on the board of the Mobile County Medical Society and a board member of the Claims and Underwriting Committee of ProAssurance.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Admire to the ACOM Board of Directors.

The Southeast Health system, which includes the Medical Center, Medical Group, Foundation, Statera and the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, is proud to announce we have been named to the Forbes 2024 list of Best-in-State Employers for the third year in a row.

This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The awards list was announced today, and it can currently be viewed on the Forbes website.

America’s Best-in-State Employers 2024 were identified in an independent survey based on a sample of approximately 160,000 employees. Ultimately, 1,294 employers nationwide made the Forbes list, which was then broken down by states.

The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees who were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. Employees were also asked to evaluate other employers in their respective industry and state that stood out either positively or negatively.

Rick Sutton, CEO of Southeast Health, said becoming a Best-in-State-Employer is the result of great employees who are committed to providing excellent patient care in a safe environment, as well as educating future physicians.

“It is a reflection of who we are as a system and the importance of everyone’s role from the Houston County Health Care Authority to clinical and support teams, to the educators in the classroom and everyone in between,” said Rick Sutton, “I am proud of our Southeast Health team for giving of yourselves daily in service to the community, our patients and our students. You don’t do it for awards or recognition, you do it because service is in your heart, and you believe every patient and student deserves access to your very best.”

The Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) is pleased to be ranked as the No. 1 medical school in the nation in 2024 for the most graduates practicing in primary care, according to U.S. News & World Report.

U.S. News also ranked ACOM No. 13 in the nation among medical schools for graduates practicing in rural areas. These rankings highlight ACOM’s positive impact among a field of 168 medical schools ranked in these areas. This also demonstrates bringing to fruition the vision of the Houston County Health Care Authority.

“We are pleased to be recognized among the nation’s best,” said James C. Jones, DO, FACEP, dean of ACOM. “This recognition is a testament to our students, faculty, and staff and their commitment to fulfilling the mission of ACOM.”

The most recent ACOM graduating class had a 52 percent placement in primary care residency program and we have a 62 percent rate with all graduating classes combined. Overall, more than 99 percent of the class received a residency placement in 21 different specialties, which included orthopedic surgery, vascular surgery, interventional radiology, urology, and dermatology.

“We are proud that our graduates are competitive across all residency specialties,” said Dr. Jones. “We are committed to providing our graduates with a high-quality osteopathic medical education that puts them in a position to excel in all specialties, and we are pleased that so many of our graduates choose primary care.”

By collecting graduate school data annually, U.S. News is able to present the latest enrollment numbers, job placement rates, faculty statistics and other essential quality indicators that help prospective students make informed decisions.

“Deciding where to attend graduate school can be formidable, considering the wealth of schools with distinctive and quality programs,” said LaMont Jones, EdD, managing editor for Education at U.S. News. “The Best Graduate Schools rankings and related content empower prospective students to choose the best fit for their educational needs and ultimately achieve career success.”