Kathryn L. Burgio, PhD, is a behavioral psychologist, Professor in the School of Medicine, Director of the UAB Continence Program, and Research Director of the UAB Genitourinary Disorders Center. She directs the Behavioral Sciences Section and the Behavioral Medicine Program in the Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. She is also Associate Director for Research at the Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Birmingham VA Medical Center.
Rodney O. Tucker, MD, MMM, FAAHPM, was born in Gadsden, Alabama and attended Litchfield High School graduating in 1980. He then attended UAB and received his undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and Social Work in 1984. After a year of graduate work at UAB, he entered the University of Alabama School of Medicine and graduated in 1989. Dr. Tucker served an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Carraway Methodist Medical Center from 1989-1992 and then served as Chie...
Dr. Barnett is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Having previously completed a residency in combined Internal Medicine & Pediatrics and a fellowship in Palliative Care for both children and adults, he now attends on the palliative care services at UAB and Children’s of Alabama. He is the Program Director of the UAB Palliative Medicine Fellowship and is the Core Leader for Education in the UAB Division of Gerontology, Geri...
Dr. Bowman holds dual certification in both Geriatric Medicine and Hospice & Palliative Medicine. A clinician educator, her interests intersect frail hospitalized elderly, cognitive impairment & hospital acquired delirium, communication in medicine, and unmet palliative needs in older adults with complex chronic illnesses. She is a member of the American Geriatrics Society Ethnogeriatrics Committee and also serves on the External Guidelines & Practice Recommendations Subcommittee of the AGS Cli...
Dr. Buford is an Associate Professor in the UAB Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics & Palliative Care. He also serves as Associate Director for the UAB Center for Exercise Medicine and the NIH-funded Nathan Shock Center for the Basic Biology of Aging. Dr. Buford’s research utilizes clinical and pre-clinical models focused on preserving the health and independence of older adults, including leading multiple recent clinical trials related to exercise and mobility. He curr...
Kathryn L. Burgio, PhD, is a behavioral psychologist, Professor in the School of Medicine, Director of the UAB Continence Program, and Research Director of the UAB Genitourinary Disorders Center. She directs the Behavioral Sciences Section and the Behavioral Medicine Program in the Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. She is also Associate Director for Research at the Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Birmingham VA Medical Center.
Virginia A Campbell MD is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics and Palliative Care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Dr. Campbell grew up in Huntsville, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering before moving to Birmingham earn her Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering. She graduated from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1984. Following her internship at Lloyd Noland Hospital she spent several years as an Assistant Profess...
Ronit Elk, PhD has recently joined the University of Alabama, Birmingham as Professor in the School of Medicine; Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology and Palliative Care, and as Associate Director of the Southeast Institute for Innovation in Palliative and Supportive Care. Her prior position was at the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Using Community Based Participatory Research, her NIH-funded research focuses on partnering with underserved populations, in particular rural African America...
Caroline Harada joined the School of Medicine faculty in 2008. She completed her undergraduate work in biology at Brown University in 1996, and, after a year of living in Bolivia teaching an after-school program in an orphanage, began her medical education at the Yale School of Medicine, graduating in 2001. She completed an internal medicine residency and two-year geriatrics fellowship at the University of Chicago. She currently works as a geriatrician at UAB, providing care to older adults with...
Dr. Huang is a native of Taiwan and came to the United States in 2009. She holds degrees from national Chung-Hsing University and National Taiwan Normal University in Taiwan, and earned her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama. She is a postdoctoral fellow in Palliative Care Psychology and serves inpatients and outpatients of the Palliative Care service.
Dr. Huang is an active researcher and has published on topics related to cancer survivorship, advance care p...
Dr. Jones is an Internal medicine physician and has been in practice since 1995. A fellow of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Jones practiced internal medicine at The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital and has taught in the internal medicine residency program at the Baptist Health System of Alabama for 10 years prior to joining the Camellia Medical Group. he attended the University of Alabama School of Medicine and completed residency training in internal medicine at UAB. Dr. Jones' clinical ...
Dr. Locher accepted a position at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care within the Department of Medicine in 1992 as a Research Associate working on National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded projects with prominent aging researchers; earned her PhD in Medical Sociology from UAB in 1999; was promoted to Research Assistant Professor in 2000; earned an MSPH in Health Policy and Outcomes from UAB in 2005; and was promoted to a ...
Dr. Markland is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in Birmingham, Alabama. She is also a clinician researcher at the Birmingham VA Medical Center and the Associate Director of Clinical Programs in the Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinic Center (GRECC). Her overarching goal is to enhance evidenced-based knowledge regarding the treatment of genito-urinary disord...
Dr. Perna is the lead physician for Aspire Health in the greater Birmingham area. He also serves as the Medical Director of the Pediatric Palliative Care Team at Children’s of Alabama. He is an Assistant Professor of Medicine the University of Alabama – Birmingham with secondary academic appointments in Nursing and Pediatrics. Dr. Perna is a graduate of Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. He is board certified in both Family Practice and Hospice & Palliative Medicine.
Patricia Sawyer, PhD is a medical sociologist with research interests focused on the study of mobility and the ability to remain independent with age, with a particular focus on disparities among older community-dwelling African American and Whites. She is an Associate Professor in the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She is Director of the UAB Gerontology Education Program, Associate Director of the UAB Geriatric Educatio...
Dr. Keith M. Swetz is Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He is Section Chief of Palliative Care at the Birmingham VA Medical Center and Medical Director of its Safe Harbor Palliative Care Unit. Dr. Swetz received his M.D. degree from the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He subsequently completed his internal medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota and a Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship at the Virg...
Rodney O. Tucker, MD, MMM, FAAHPM, was born in Gadsden, Alabama and attended Litchfield High School graduating in 1980. He then attended UAB and received his undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and Social Work in 1984. After a year of graduate work at UAB, he entered the University of Alabama School of Medicine and graduated in 1989. Dr. Tucker served an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Carraway Methodist Medical Center from 1989-1992 and then served as Chie...
Dr. Walton spent his formative years in Virginia and South Carolina. He received his undergraduate degree in English Literature from James Madison University and earned his medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Following an internship in General Surgery at the University of Kentucky, he completed a Residency in Family Medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Walton went on to complete Fellowships in Geriatric Medicine and Hospice an...
Dr. Marie Bakitas is internationally recognized in pain and palliative care science. Focused on reducing suffering and enhancing quality of life for persons with advanced illness and family caregivers--especially in rural areas--her early tele-health palliative care model ENABLE (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends), has led to practice and policy changes. She is disseminating ENABLE for cancer and heart failure patients in the Deep South and Veteran populations. Her research, mentorship ...
Stephen L. Howell, DNP, ANP-BC, ACHPN began his nursing career in 1999 working in a dual diagnosis unit for adults with psychiatric illnesses and chemical dependencies. He was then accepted into the United States Peace Corps where he served in Mongolia from 2001-2003 as a healthcare specialist. During his Peace Corps service, he developed a continuing education course with grant funding for Mongolian nurses, taught health-based English, and lectured on preventative health issues to adolescents.<...
Dr. Mountz is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the UAB Recombinant Inbred Strain Facility. Dr. Mountz is the Co-Director of the UAB Bone Center, the UAB Center for Aging, Basic Biology Component, and is a Physician at the Birmingham Veterans Administration Medical Center. Dr. Mountz is the recipient of the J. W. & Virginia Goodwin-Warren D. Blackburn, Jr. Research Chair in Rheumatology (2002) and recipient of the Max Cooper Award for Excellence in Research (2003). Dr. Mountz was designate...
Dr. Gabrielle Rocque is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Divisions of Hematology & Oncology and Gerontology, Geriatrics, & Palliative Care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She completed her undergraduate degree, medical doctorate, Internal Medicine residency, and fellowship in Hematology & Oncology at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. She also completed a Masters of Science in Public Health from UAB. She currently practices as a medical oncologist, specializing in t...
