Category Newsletter


Sam S. May Award

The College of Community Health Sciences was awarded The University of Alabama’s prestigious Sam S. May Commitment to Service Award Oct. 27 for its service to the campus community during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is a tremendous honor for our College and reflects our continuous commitment to the health and wellbeing of the UA community,”…


The Health Matters Podcast – Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is common among American women but is often easily treatable if discovered early. University Medical Center OB/GYN Dr. John McDonald said it’s important to stay aware of breast cancer risk factors and symptoms and keep up with necessary screenings. Your browser does not support the audio element. Download


A message from Dr. Richard Friend, Dean of the College of Community Health Sciences

We now have more tools to help us curtail the COVID-19 pandemic. At University Medical Center, patients who meet current guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can now receive a Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 booster shot. Based on the CDC criteria, people over the age of 65, as…


Tracking COVID-19 variants

Scientists scan COVID-19 virus samples taken from infected people to look for mutations through a process called genome sequencing. It’s the same method researchers have been using for years to study bacteria, plants, animals and humans. Viruses can mutate as they make copies of themselves after infecting a person. By sequencing virus samples over time,…


Dean’s Message

University Medical Center continues to vaccinate our patients and University of Alabama faculty and staff against COVID-19, and the UA Students Health Center is doing the same for the University’s students. Vaccines are offered during regular business hours at UMC and SHC and have also been available during weekend hours at those facilities as well…


Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic

An important lesson learned so far from the COVID-19 pandemic: vaccines work. “They are effective, and they have been studied more than any vaccine I know of,” Dr. Tom Weida, University Medical Center’s chief medical officer, said during a recent Mini Medical School presentation. Mini Medical School is a collaboration of The University of Alabama…


Health Notes

Health Matters is an award-winning weekly television series broadcast on WVUA-23 that features University Medical Center physicians and providers who raise awareness of important health issues and bring relevant and timely health information to the public. Health Matters airs on WVUA-23 on Wednesdays at 5 pm and Sundays at 10 pm. Segments are also posted…


Health Matters Podcast – Flu and COVID-19

Every year, millions of people in the U.S. wind up sick from the flu. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, health experts worry about an overlap of flu and the coronavirus, and the potential burden to people and our healthcare system. Dr. Jennifer Clem, a family medicine physician at University Medical Center, said protecting yourself from…


COVID-19 Vaccines and Side Effects

Temporary side effects, including headache, fatigue and fever, are signs the immune systems is revving up – and a common and normal response to vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines. Here’s what’s happening: The immune system has two main arms, and the first kicks in as soon as the body detects a foreign intruder. White blood cells…


Keeping UA Safe From the Flu

The University of Alabama is providing free flu shots to students, faculty and staff through mid-November at pop-up locations across campus. The goal of the annual campaign, led by UA’s College of Community Health Sciences, is to protect the University community from the flu by making flu shots easy and convenient to get. This year…