Orthopaedics

At the major league level, a pitcher’s arm can be worth tens of millions of dollars. Players, teams and Major League Baseball itself all have a vested interest in reducing season- and potentially career-ending arm injuries. Yet, according to a 2024 report by the league, tears to the ulnar collateral ligament, or UCL, have never been higher. In that report, the unprecedented speeds of today’s pitches, and their jaw-dropping spin and movement, are directly correlated with injury risk — specifically, risk for needing UCL reconstruction, the surgery made famous in 1974 by the Dodgers star Tommy John.

When it comes to finding the right wheelchair, no two patients are the same. Their needs can vary greatly depending on their condition, abilities, and lifestyle. And given the level of customization and technology available today, the options are virtually endless.

UAB Medicine leads the way in health care that improves and saves lives – sometimes in ways you can touch, hold, and burp. In the UAB Regional Newborn Intensive Care Unit (RNICU), some premature babies owe their future to an innovative program born here called Golden Week. November marks the 10th anniversary of Golden Week, as well as being Prematurity Awareness Month.

Being able to drive means freedom for many people, but that ability may be limited after certain injuries or medical conditions. The Driving and Community Mobility Program at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center was created to address this. For patients affected by physical, sensory, or mental processing impairments, the program can improve their quality of life by helping them safely regain as much independence as possible.

We would like to congratulate the recipients of the 2025 UAB Medicine Excellence Awards, the highest honor available for staff.

UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC) is a leading provider of physical medicine and rehabilitation services. Teams of specialists use innovative therapies to deliver the highest levels of inpatient and outpatient care to those with an injury or disability, with the goal of improving long-term function and quality of life.

The Post-Rehab Transitions Program (PRTP) began in January 2025 at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center. Funded through UAB’s Forging Ahead strategic investment initiative, the program extends outpatient rehab care to those who’ve been discharged from Spain Rehabilitation Center (SRC) following a traumatic spinal cord injury.

Most people hear “colorectal cancer” and think of it as a single condition. But in practice, colon cancer and rectal cancer are treated differently. Rectal cancer tends to be more complex and usually requires advanced imaging and surgery, as well as chemotherapy and radiation.

The UAB School of Nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing Pathway is expanding to launch a summer cohort in Summer 2026, a strategic effort to address workforce needs and support a greater number of students pursuing nursing careers. The School’s BSN Pathway, ranked No. 13 nationally and No. 1 in Alabama by U.S. News & World Report, will admit BSN students year-round, with most graduates accepting positions and practicing in Alabama.

The Heart Failure Society of America is recognizing UAB’s Heart FailuRe Transitional Care Services for Adults (HRTSA) Clinic team with a 2025 Outstanding Heart Failure Care Team Award.

The Birmingham Business Journal (BBJ) named UAB Medicine Director of Advanced Practice Providers Eileen Meyer, DNP, MLS, CRNP, ACNP-BC, LSSGB, as one of its Top Birmingham Women for 2025.

One in eight men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that produces seminal fluid. Prostate cancer occurs when cells in the prostate begin to grow at an uncontrolled rate.