UAB medicine residents train in three hospitals and two clinics all with several blocks of each other in downtown Birmingham. This arrangement allows gives our residents the advantage of training in several different medical environments with the convenience of one central location.
University Hospital
University Hospital (UH) is a 1,000 bed state-of-the-art facility that serves as the tertiary referral center for the state of Alabama and beyond. From a small hospital in the heart of downtown Birmingham, UH has expanded to encompass 11 city blocks and is now the centerpiece of the UAB Medical Center. UH serves as the primary site for inpatient medicine rotations. All medical and surgical subspecialties are available with outstanding ancillary services and nursing care. Residents work with faculty on dedicated teaching services in general medicine and subspecialties. Residents participate in all levels of care, including the “closed” intensive care units. In addition to the common medical conditions seen at any hospital, UH also regularly provides care for patients suffering from unusual diseases referred in from all over the Southeast.
Veterans Affairs Medical Center
The Birmingham Veteran’s Administration Medical Center (VA) is a 313 bed acute care facility with a state-of-the-art computer system. It is located in downtown Birmingham directly across the street from University Hospital. The VA provides primary care services to Birmingham’s veterans and serves as the main referral center for veterans throughout the state of Alabama. Residents care for medical patients admitted to the general ward services, the MICU, and the CCU. Residents also have a continuity clinic at the VA, and rotate though the outpatient acute care clinic.
Cooper Green Hospital
Known simply as “The Coop,” Cooper Green County Hospital is the acute care hospital that provides care for Jefferson County including a number of indigent patients. It is located just 2 blocks from University Hospital. Residents care for patients admitted to the general ward services and the ICU. “The Coop” is the only hospital in the system with an “open” ICU allowing teams to follow patients throughout their admission. Residents are given substantial autonomy and provided with a unique learning environment while caring for patients with diverse medical needs.
The Kirklin Clinic
The Kirklin Clinic is a 5-story 454,000 square foot outpatient facility designed by well-known architect I. M. Pei that provides examination and treatment rooms for 660 physicians in almost every specialty in adult medicine. Over 1400 patients are seen each day in the clinic’s 257 exam rooms. This facility has become one of the busiest outpatient clinics in America. UAB medicine residents staff one of the five Internal Medicine clinics as well as the hospital discharge follow-up clinic.
Children’s Hospital
Children’s Hospital is Alabama’s only freestanding pediatric hospital, and it is conveniently located just one block from UAB Hospital. The close relationship between the two facilities is evident in their frequent collaboration. Children’s Hospital serves as the primary teaching hospital the UAB Department of Pediatrics, and it is also where the Medicine-Pediatric residents gain half their educational experience.
