UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER
TUESDAY, FEB. 27, 2018
VOLUME 59, ISSUE 7
The
Kaleidoscope SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
EMERGENCY
Doctor’s orders
Blazers on alert
9th Best Medicine Show sells out the Lyric Theatre
UABPD discusses readiness preparation in event of an armed intruder situation
Kristina Balciunaite Life & Style Editor kribal@uab.edu
S
ongs about the struggles of a medical student, BuzzFeed-style videos with professors attempting to differentiate microscopic images from body tissue to toilet paper and even a remake of The Office’s lipdub video were just some features of the ninth annual Best Medicine Show. A packed Lyric Theatre audience welcomed comedians, musicians and other performers in the medicine-themed benefit event Friday, Feb. 23. “It’s tradition,” said Ashley Pettaway, a fourth-year medical student and chair of the Creative Direction Committee for the Best
“
Medicine Show. “It’s an outlet for medical students, a way to highlight our talents.” The idea behind the show is to relieve stress and sickness with laughter and fun, hence using the saying “laughter is the best medicine” in the tagline. Various videographic and theatrical skits had the audience laughing to the point of tears. “It’s the funniest night of the year,” Brooke Becker, a second-year medical student and performer of the closing act
Sufia Alam Campus Editor sufia@uab.edu
According to the Center for Disease Control, roughly half of those who commit or attempt to carry out a homicide at a school usually present some type of warning sign, such as telling others about their plan or leaving a note prior to the event. With smart planning and correct education, if a school shooting ever took place at UAB, students and faculty would have a strong chance of surviving, according to Captain Amy Schreiner from
See LAUGHTER, Page 8 Photo by Chris Dennen/Staff Photographer
the UAB Police Department. “Police officers often miss their targets 70 to 80 percent of the time in dynamic events,” Schreiner said. “If this is a stat for police officers, think about the chances of someone who isn’t in their right state of mind and never has had any training.” The Department of Homeland Security has defined an active shooter as someone with a gun engaged in killing or trying to kill people in a confined or populated place. According to the Huffington Post, the past
See UABPD, Page 4
It’s been a privilege to represent Alabama in Washington, but there’s nothing like getting home and hearing from folks firsthand. —Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.)
Thank you, Alabama Senator stops through B’ham on state-wide gratitude tour
Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) visited the Birmingham Air National Guard 117th Air Refueling Wing Wednesday, Feb. 21, to demonstrate his dedication to supporting the servicepersons of the National Guard and address hot topics such as gun control and the upcoming Alabama gubernatorial race. The event was one stop on his Alabama state tour. “It’s been a privilege to represent Alabama in Washington,
but there’s nothing like getting home and hearing from folks firsthand,” Jones said. After touring the National Guard facility, Jones climbed aboard the KC-135R aircraft to meet with a conglomeration of the base’s officers, the plane’s crew and press. “This is probably one of the most important units for both Air Guard and Army anywhere in the world,” Jones said. “I’m so appreciative and so impressed.” Captain Jonathan Russell, a public affairs officer for the base, explained the broader
come and visit and see firsthand the incredible work that our military…does for this country and for this state. I can’t emphasize enough the economic impact that this unit has on the state of Alabama and on this area. In light of the recent shooting in Parkland, Florida, Jones answered inquiries about the latest wave of the gun control debate. “I don’t think guns should be placed in teachers’ hands,” Jones said. “That’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.”
See JONES, Page 6
Photo by Bella Tylicki/Metro Editor Sen Doug Jones talks with Major Roseman L. Deas II inside a KC-135R aircraft during Jones’ visit Birmingham Air National Guard 117th Air Refueling Wing.
by Wallace Golding Managing Editor wsgoldin@uab.edu
mission of the facility. “Our main mission is air refueling, [but] we also do medical evac[uations],” Russell said. “We do some cargo missions. Every once in a while, if there’s a tornado or hurricane, we’ll actually go outside the gate and help citizens around here.” Jones pledged to be a partner of the unit and expressed a desire to upgrade facilities, such as the one in Birmingham. He specifically endorsed getting a flight simulator to the base for pilots to keep updated on the latest certifications and training. “I’m really looking forward to working with you guys as much as possible,” Jones said. “One of the joys of being in the U.S. Senate is to be able to