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By James Branch, Public Affairs Specialist, VA Southeast Network

The Birmingham VA Health Care System (BVAHCS) hosted the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Master of Science in Health Administration Class #58 on Oct. 28. The class is touring

various health care systems in the city’s medical district.

Fostering its partnership with UAB, several graduates of the program complete their 12-month residency at the Birmingham VA Medical Center. The 33-month program is ranked one of the best

health care management graduate programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

The site visit, consisting of 40 graduate students, involved an overview of BVAHCS and rotations through the facilities’ sleep lab, palliative care, dialysis, sterile processing, pharmacy,

Southeastern Blind Rehab Center, and ambulatory surgery departments. The students received a welcome and health care system overview from Dr. Oladipo Kukoyi, BVAHCS Executive Director.

“Birmingham VA is proud to host and do our part in developing tomorrow’s health care leaders,” said Kukoyi. “I, too, am a graduate of UAB. As BVAHCS approaches 70 years of providing

world-class health care to America’s Veterans, we acknowledge that we can’t do this without our continued partnership with UAB.”

Graduate students also received an overview of BVAHCS funding from Jamie DeFreese, Associate Director, and Shanna Earnest, Chief Financial Officer. Melissa Escott, Informatics Program

Manager shared an overview of the BVAHCS Computerized Patient Record System, and a patient’s health care perspective came from Vietnam Veteran Ronald Jefferson.

“I appreciate our medical professionals, especially you, the up-and-coming leaders who will keep the next generation of Americans alive and healthy,” Jefferson said. “I fought for you, and

now you fight for me.”

The 78-year-old served five years in Vietnam as a U.S. Army Green Beret and refers to himself as the last man standing. He often experiences complications from his exposure to agent orange

during the war and receives his health care at the Birmingham VA.

Jefferson said he gained a newfound appreciation for all medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many risked a lot to care for patients who could not care for themselves.

“I’m a warrior, but even warriors get tired and sick,” Jefferson said. “Thank you for the work you do.”

BVAHCS Pathways Internship Program fellows TaLacy Hines, and Jessie Box served as the lead planners for the event. Both are UAB graduate students who’ve recently joined the Birmingham VA to

pursue their career development.

Hines, who did not have the opportunity to participate in an in-person site visit during her UAB tenure due to COVID-19, stated that she wanted the class that followed her to experience

hands-on training as an alternative to virtual attendance.

“We are so proud of [TaLacy and Jessie] and excited about the opportunity for class #58 to experience this interaction with front-line medical personnel at the start of their graduate

program,” said Amy Landry, UAB MSHA Program Director. “This is an experience they will remember throughout their medical careers.”

The day-long tour of the Birmingham VA served as an attempt to give class members a day-in-the-life scenario of a VA health care professional.