USA Health Names Associate Chief Medical Officer For Pediatrics

MOBILE, Ala. — Dr. Melody Petty, a pediatric hospitalist at USA Health’s Children’s & Women’s Hospital, has been appointed as USA Health’s associate chief medical officer for pediatrics, a new position created within the region’s only academic health system. In the role, Petty will work alongside Dr. Michael Chang, chief medical officer, and Dr. Ara Travers, associate chief medical officer and medical director of care management, to better optimize quality, safety, efficiency and patient-centeredness across the system’s scope of care for children. In 2020, Petty was selected as Alabama’s advocate for the prevention of childhood use of nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes. Since then, she’s led local and state advocacy and educational initiatives through a variety of meetings, media appearances and the development of videos aimed at educating youth about the dangers of vaping. An assistant professor of pediatrics at the USA College of Medicine, Petty is double board certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics and is a member of the USA Program Evaluation and USA Pediatric Residency committees. She completed a residency in pediatrics at USA Health, where she was recognized as the Residency Core Curriculum Scholar. Petty earned a medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.