University of South Alabama Updates Residency Curriculum

The OB/GYN residency program focuses on bias training following 2024 state legislation.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Women’s Issues

Flat opaque gouache-painted illustration of stacked medical textbooks and a clinical instrument on a table, representing medical education reform. — The University of South Alabama’s OB/GYN residency program is integrating healthcare equity and bias training into its core medical curriculum. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should public universities be permitted to offer training on implicit bias and microaggressions?

The University of South Alabama OB/GYN residency program incorporates training on implicit bias and microaggressions through the College of Medicine. This initiative continues amid the evolving landscape for diversity-related programming in Alabama.

Why it matters

Understanding health disparities and social determinants of health remains a focus for medical training as institutions navigate the impact of the 2024 state ban on DEI concepts.

The residency program incorporates findings from The Turnaway Study, which tracked 1,000 women over a 10-year period to assess health outcomes. Training is facilitated by the College of Medicine's Office of Health Advancement.

The players

University of South Alabama

This public research university serves as the primary site for the OB/GYN residency program and health disparities research.

College of Medicine

The medical school division facilitates specialized training modules and hosts the OB/GYN Interest Group.

The details

The program utilizes a quarterly book club in partnership with the OB/GYN Interest Group to examine literature on healthcare equity. Featured titles include 'Half the Sky,' 'The Remedy,' 'The Turnaway Study,' and 'Pregnant While Black.'

2024: Alabama enacted a ban on DEI concepts.
Quarterly: The OB/GYN Interest Group hosts a book club.

Culture Shift

Medical education is increasingly addressing social determinants of health while institutions adapt to the restrictive framework established by Alabama's 2024 ban on DEI concepts. This shift reflects a broader societal tension between academic autonomy and state-level regulatory mandates.

Residents in Mobile benefit from a medical workforce trained to identify systemic health disparities during their clinical rotations. Patients may find that providers are more attuned to the social determinants that impact their specific healthcare outcomes.

The takeaway

Medical training programs continue to integrate comprehensive literature studies to help practitioners address complex health disparities. Students and professionals can utilize reading lists covering topics like maternal health to stay informed on persistent equity issues.