Dr. Drake Lavender, director of Rural Programs at the College of Community Health Sciences, was recognized by the Southeastern Conference for his work to increase the physician workforce and access to health care in rural Alabama. In a piece titled “SEC Faculty Tackle Today’s Health Challenges” published in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Lavender was…
Drs. Maryam Bidgoli and Abbey Gregg, assistant professors of community medicine and population health with CCHS, and Dr. Martha Crowther, chair of the CCHS Department of Community Medicine and Population Health, co-authored “Financial Perceptions and Subjective Well-Being Among Older Adults,” published in Frontiers in Psychology: Psychology of Aging. Click here to view the entire article.
Dr. Lea Yerby, associate professor of community medicine and population health at CCHS, received funding from the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education for her project, “Expanding Access to Early Autism Services in Alabama: Strengthening Community Expertise.” The project aims to enhance statewide autism services by building local expertise and increasing access for young children.…
Dr. Samuel Gaskins of Northport, Ala., a former faculty member at the College of Community Health Sciences and long-time director of the College’s Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency Program, died in October. “I extend my condolences to his family and to the many CCHS colleagues who worked closely with him,” said Dr. Richard Friend, dean of…
The College of Community Health Sciences has announced a new graduate degree program, the Master of Science in Translational Science and Medicine, with the first class beginning in fall 2026. Translational science bridges the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical applications, helping to turn scientific findings into real-world medical solutions. The new degree program, which…
Dr. Ravi Kumar, Distinguished University Research Professor at the College of Community Health Sciences, received an honorary doctorate from Krishna University in India for his contributions to pharmaceutical science and medicine. He is recognized for advances in nanotechnology and drug delivery systems that have changed how medicines are designed, developed and administered. His work combines…
Dr. Antonio Gardner, associate professor in the CCHS Department of Community Medicine and Population Health, co-authored: “18: Health education research with black/African Americans” published in the Research Handbook on Health Education, Health Promotion and Diversity; and “Preparing Public Health Education Advocates” published in the Health Promotion Practice. Dr. Lisle Hites, associate professor in the CCHS…
Dr. David Chandran joined CCHS as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine. He will also care for patients as a psychiatrist in the Betty Shirley Clinic at University Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, which CCHS operates. Chandran earned his medical degree from Kurnool Medical College in India and completed two residencies,…
Maternity care is vanishing in rural Alabama resulting in maternity care deserts and increasing the state’s infant mortality rate, which is already above the national average, according to data presented at a College of Community Health Sciences academic lecture. More than a third of Alabama counties lack adequate obstetrics services, requiring expectant mothers to travel…
The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences welcomed 11 students to the Rural Medical Scholars Program and the Rural Dental Scholars Program, both part of the College’s Rural Health Leaders Pipeline. The pipeline was created to address the shortage of primary care physicians and dentists in Alabama’s rural communities. “We are excited to…
