Greg Jacobs, DO, DTM&H, CTropMed, FACEP, FAAEM, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM), has been selected by the American Medical Association (AMA) as a 2021-2022 Health Systems Science Scholar. Health Systems Science is the study of how health care is delivered, how health care professionals work together to provide that care, and how the health system can improve patient care and health care delivery.

The Health Science Scholars program, an initiative of the AMA’s Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium, is a development and mentorship program that equips select faculty from across the nation with the tools and skills to design, implement and evaluate health systems science curricula at their institutions. The program strives to improve healthcare by addressing gaps in undergraduate and graduate medical education through faculty training to enhance and innovate curricula. As part of the year-long scholars program, Dr. Jacobs will participate in educational workshops and training experiences, as well as collaborate with fellow medical education scholars. He is one of four DO faculty chosen nationwide, and ACOM is the only Alabama medical school to participate in this year’s scholars’ program.

Dr. Jacobs is a board-certified emergency physician with 20 years of clinical experience. He recently completed fellowship training in global health and is currently pursuing Master of Science degrees in health care quality and safety and health care administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Jacobs contributes to clinical education across the ACOM curriculum, including teaching in the simulation program, Foundations in Modern Healthcare course, and international medicine.

“It is my hope this Health Systems Science Scholars program will help expose future physicians to the leadership needs and opportunities that will impact health care delivery in rural Alabama and beyond,” Dr. Jacobs said.