Birmingham, Alabama VA Health Care System

Medicine Section Chiefs

BAKER, CYNTHIA

Section Chief of Palliative Care, BVAMC
VA Safe Harbor Medical Director
Clinical Associate Professor, UAB Department of Medicine – Gerontology, Geriatrics and Palliative Care

Areas of Interest:  Palliative Care, Geriatrics

Education
Medical School – University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile, AL
Residency – Internal Medicine, Carraway Methodist Medical Center
Fellowship- Geriatric Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL
Fellowship – Palliative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL

BOWMAN, ELLA

Section Chief of Geriatrics, BVAMC
GRECC Affiliate Investigator, BVAMC
Associate Professor of Medicine, UAB Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care
Director, UAB Geriatrics Fellowship and Geriatric Medicine Rotation

Areas of Interest: Acute Care for Elders, Delirium, Dementia Diagnosis and Management, Recognizing Unmet Palliative Needs at Transitions of Care

Achievements/Recognition: Instrumental leadership in the development of a new delirium protocol and BVAMC’s designation as an Age Friendly Health System
Named in B-Metro Magazine’s Inaugural List of Top Women in Medicine: 2017, 2018, 2019
UAB School of Medicine Teaching Excellence Award, September 2017
Current and Prior VA Funding: Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Office of Rural Health, Site Lead for GRECC Connect Telehealth Geriatrics Consultation Clinical Demonstration Project

Education

MD/PhD – West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV
Residency – St. Vincent Hospital and Health Services, Indianapolis, IN
Postdoctoral Geriatric Medicine Fellowship – St. Vincent Hospital and Health Services, Indianapolis, IN 

CALLAWAY, JIM

Section Chief of Gastroenterology, BVAMC
Assistant Professor at University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Gastroenterology
Associate Director of the UAB Gastroenterology Fellowship Program

Areas of Interest: Dysphagia, esophageal motility disorders, esophageal strictures and gastroesophageal reflux disease and its complications

Education
Medical School – Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA
Residency – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL
Fellowship in Gastroenterology - University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL

DAS, DEVIKA

Section Chief of Hematology/Oncology, BVAMC
Clinical Assistant Professor, UAB Department of Medicine – Hematology and Oncology

Areas of Interest: Lung Cancer, Healthcare Quality and Safety, Medical Education

Achievements/Recognition:
Glenn Cobbs and Edwin Rutsky Award for Clinical Excellence from UAB Department of Medicine 2019
UAB Division of Hematology Oncology Fellowship’s “Outstanding Teacher” 2018-2019
UAB Department of Medicine Teaching Excellence Award 2017-2018

Notable Publications:
“Reducing Infusion Clinic Wait Times Using Quality Improvement.”
“Guideline – Concordance with Durvalumab in Stage 3 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Single Institution Experience.”
“Practical Application of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Results: A Single Center VA Experience.”
 
Education
Medical School – Grant Medical College, Mumbai, India
Residency – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL
Fellowship – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL

ESTRADA, CARLOS

Section Chief of General Internal Medicine, BVAMC
Professor and Director of the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
Senior Scholar and Co-Director of the Birmingham Veterans Administration Quality Scholar Fellowship Program (VAQS)
Scientist at the Health Services Research and Development Programs, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers

Areas of Interest: quality improvement, implementation research, clinical reasoning, medical education, faculty development, inter-professional education, clinical prediction rules, and decision analysis

Achievements/Recognition: Awarded Top Teaching Division 11 times. Past President Association of Chiefs and Leaders in General Internal Medicine (ACLGIM). Former Council Member, Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) and Editorial Board Member, Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM).

Education
Medical School – Cayetano Heredia University, Lima, Peru
Residency and Chief Medical Residency – Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan
Fellowship in General Internal Medicine - Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan
Masters of Science, Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis, University of Michigan

FELLMAN, AMY

Section Chief of Emergency Medicine, BVAMC

Areas of Interest: Health Care Ethics

Achievements: Co-authored publication on Protocolized Care for Early Septic Shock – NIH funded multi-center interventional study to determine whether specific interventions in early sepsis can halt the progression to severe sepsis and septic shock.

Education
Doctorate, Osteopathic Medicine – Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Vallejo, CA
Residency in Emergency Medicine – Garden City Hospital, Garden City, MI
Emergency Medicine Critical Care Fellowship – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL

GAFFO, ANGELO

Section Chief of Rheumatology, BVAMC
Associate Professor, UAB Department of Medicine – Immunology and Rheumatology
Associate Director, UAB Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program

Areas of Interest: Gout, Vasculitis, Epidemiology, and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Achievements / Awards:
Best Doctors in America 2010-2020
Outstanding Teacher in Rheumatology, UAB Department of Medicine 2011-2013, 2019
Education
Medical School – Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Internal Medicine Residency – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL
Rheumatology Fellowship Training – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL
Healthcare Quality Improvement Fellowship (VA Quality Scholars Program) – BVAMC, Birmingham, AL

 

HAGE, FADI

Section Chief of Cardiology, BVAMC
Associate Professor at University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Disease
Director of Nuclear Cardiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Areas of Interest: Vascular injury, inflammation and cardiovascular imaging, cardiovascular risk of patients with chronic kidney disease

Achievements/Awards:
Received the 2019 Dee S. Mooty Service Award from the Alabama Chapter of the American College of Cardiology
Designated as Master of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
Designated as Fellow of the American College of Cardiology
Designated as Fellow of the American Heart Association
Scholar of the American Federation for Medical Research
Educational Committee Chair of the American College of Cardiology, Alabama Chapter
President of the Birmingham Cardiovascular Society
Associate Editor of the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology
Serves on the Quality Steering Committee of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
Serves on the Publications and Editorial Coordination Committee of the American College of Cardiology
Standard Setter for Collaborative Maintenance Pathway Performance Assessment for Cardiovascular Disease

Education
Medical School - American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Residency in Medicine – University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease - University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Postdoctoral training in Vascular Biology and Hypertension - University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Frommeyer Fellowship in Investigative Medicine - University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 

LEE, TIMMY

Section Chief of Nephrology, BVAMC
Professor, UAB Department of Medicine - Nephrology
Associate Director, UAB Nephrology Research & Training Center, General Clinical Research Center
Associate Professor, UAB Dept of Biomedical Engineering, Academic Joint Departments

Areas of Interest: Hemodialysis Vascular Access

Education
Medical School – Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
Residency – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL
Fellowship – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL

MERCADO, PATRICIA

Section Chief of Dermatology, BVAMC
Clinical Professor at University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Dermatology

Areas of Interest: Skin cancer and psoriasis

Awards / Recognitions:
UAB Best Doctor Award 2005-2019
Exceptional Women in Medicine 2017-2019
Argus Award Winner for Clinical Co-Director of Best 2nd Year Module, "Musculoskeletal and Skin", UABSOM 2019-2020

Education
Medical School - Rutgers – New Jersey Medical School (Formerly) UMDNJ, Newark, NJ
Residency - North Carolina Baptist Hospital/Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
Residency - University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

PATEL, MUKESH

Section Chief of Infectious Diseases, BVAMC
Associate Professor, UAB Department of Medicine – Infectious Diseases

Areas of Interest: General infectious diseases and HIV Care

Education
Medical School – University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL
Residency – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL
Fellowship – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL

SELLERS, ANDREW

Associate Chief of Staff for Medicine Service, BVAMC
Assistant Professor, UAB Department of Medicine – General Internal Medicine

Areas of Interest: Inpatient Medical Care

Achievements / Recognition:
UAB Department of Medicine, Division of GIM “Unsung Hero” Award 2019
Established Section of Hospitalist Medicine at BVAMC 2010
Core Clinical Faculty, UAB Internal Medicine Residency Program - Serves as a Core Clinical Faculty Mentor to assist residents with career development
 
Education
Medical School – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL
Residency – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL

SOONG, WEILY

Section Chief of Allergy/Immunology, BVAMC
Clinical Associate Professor at University of Alabama at Birmingham
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology
Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care
Medical Director, Clinical Research Center of Alabama and Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center

Areas of Interest: Allergic and immunologic conditions, including asthma, the allergic march, atopic dermatitis, food allergies, chronic urticaria, primary immunodeficiency, and drug allergies

Achievements/Awards:
Outstanding Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology 2017

Notable Publications:
“Efficacy and Safety of Dupilumab in Adults With Moderate-To-Severe Atopic Dermatitis Inadequately Controlled by Topical Treatments: A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Ranging Phase 2b Trial.”
“Biologic and Maintenance Systemic Corticosteroid Therapy Among US Subspecialist-Treated Patients With Severe Asthma.”
“Penicillin Allergy Evaluation: A Prospective, Multicenter, Open-Label Evaluation of a Comprehensive Penicillin Skin Test Kit.”

Education
Medical School - University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL
Residency in Internal Medicine - Yale University, New Haven, CT
Fellowship in Adult and Pediatric Allergy and Immunology - Yale University, New Haven, CT

VAUGHAN, BROOKS

Section Chief: Endocrinology, BVAMC
Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism

Areas of Interest: Pituitary disease, thyroid disease, diabetes and medical education

Education:
Medical School - University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL
Residency - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Fellowship in Endocrinology - University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

WALLACE, ELEANOR

Section Chief of Hospitalist Program, BVAMC

Areas of Interest: Collaboration with other disciplines in managing care of acutely hospitalized patients

Achievements/Awards: Board Certified in Internal Medicine; Serves on several committees, including Patient Flow Committee and Sepsis Workgroup

Education
Medical School – The University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL
Residency – University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, AL