FACULTY

Dr. Waits is a practicing, board-certified Family Medicine / Obstetrician who serves as CEO of Cahaba Medical Care and the Program Director and DIO of the Cahaba Family Medicine Residency. He served as Program Director of the Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for five years. He also has created Alabama's only Teaching Health Center, which has a dually accredited family residency program within Cahaba Medical Care. He is currently serving as the co-founder and CEO of Cahaba Medical Care Foundation, a Federally Qualified Health Center in rural Bibb County, Alabama. He has active obstetric privileges at Bibb Medical Center and UAB Medical West and he works shifts at Bibb Medical Center in the Emergency Department. Dr. Waits completed an Obstetrics Fellowship at the University of Alabama, his residency training at In His Image Family Medicine Residency in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and earned his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He has a particular interest in health care policy and how it touches women and children in terms of maternity and infant care, the rural poor, health care access, and the care of the uninsured and underinsured.

I am from Montevallo, AL where I went Kindergarten through 12th grade. After graduating, I went to Samford University for undergrad and then UAB school of medicine. I knew I wanted to do family medicine from the start so I spent my 3rd and 4th years of medical school in Tuscaloosa at DCH Regional, where I also completed my FM training. I then joined Dr. Waits in private practice in Centreville immediately after graduation and have been here since. The work of becoming a FQHC and starting our residency program and then adding offices, growing services, working with more and more awesome providers who love to take care of people has just been a joy. I currently serve as the Medical Director and Chief Operations Officer of the FQHC and the Associate Program Director of the residency program.

My interest and motivation each day is to serve people by working to meet their needs, love them, and creating a place where they can feel seen and valuable and cared for. Cahaba offers a special opportunity to do all of those things.

Outside of work, I stay busy with my 5 kids and all of their activities. When there are tiny bits of downtime, I enjoy running and reading and college football.

I am so grateful to be at Cahaba to be a part of such wonderful Kingdom work! The road here was quite interesting. Prior to being at Cahaba my family lived in Memphis where I worked in underserved medicine at Christ Community and Resurrection Health, and there I fell in love with our neighbors and neighborhood in the historic community of Orange Mound.

Life is interesting. We’ve had our house shot, our possessions stolen, and the residency program closed at which I trained and ultimately directed. But we experienced God’s immense power time and again … including creating such a wonderful community and ministry at Cahaba on the west side of Birmingham.

My professional interests include curriculum development in the area of health systems management as well as spiritual integration across broader curricula. My research interests include motivating factors for underserved care and the effects of intentional relocation during training.

I love camping and canoeing with our kids. I also enjoy being a somewhat obnoxious LSU fan who has landed in the unholy land between Tuscaloosa and Auburn. If I wasn’t a doctor and didn’t have a family or soul I’d go off to a cabin in the woods, grow a nice little garden, and there I’d fish, eat fried okra, read, and pretend I was a good writer.

Dr. Linken grew up in New Jersey but moved to Huntsville, Alabama with her family during high school. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, where she also attended medical school. She then moved up north to complete residency training at UMass FMR’s rural continuity clinic. Knowing that she wanted to return to the South and practice obstetrics, she returned to Alabama to complete an OB fellowship in Tuscaloosa where she connected with Dr. Waits and Dr. Smith and joined CMC/CFMR as a faculty member and family physician in 2015. Her professional interests include practicing obstetrics and providing opioid dependence treatment through buprenorphine, as well as managing Hepatitis C patients and helping to get them cured.

Outside of work, she enjoys being a wife and mother to her daughter. As a family they enjoy traveling, reading, and health & fitness. She is currently a member of her church choir, as well as a group called The Iron City Singers in Birmingham. She also likes to crochet, is learning to quilt and is fluent in Spanish.

I was born and raised in Northwest Indiana with a dream of becoming a doctor. I moved to Marion, Alabama for undergraduate school at Judson College and fell in love with the community of Marion and it quickly became home. From there, I graduated medical school at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine to return to Centreville for my Family Medicine residency. I have now completed my OB fellowship training in addition to full scope family medicine and am fulfilling my dreams of serving my neighbors in Marion Alabama. In my free time, I enjoy riding horses, gardening, camping, fishing, and helping my husband with our small scale honeybee business.

Dr. Drew Posey is originally from Texas and joined Cahaba Medical Care in September 2018. He earned his undergraduate degree in nutrition science from Texas A&M University, then went on to earn his medical degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency training, as well as an international fellowship at Via Christi Family Medicine in Wichita, Kansas. It was during his time in med school that Dr. Posey realized his love for treating a variety of patient populations, and he felt that family medicine would be versatile career choice and a great way to serve others. His professional interests include teaching, endoscopy and tropical medicine. When he’s not working, he enjoys fixing things around the house, hiking and traveling. Dr. Posey currently lives in Birmingham along with his wife, daughter and their dog, and he is excited to be a part of the Cahaba Medical Care and Family Medicine Residency family!

I am from Haleyville, AL, and my undergraduate education was at UAB. I completed a family medicine residency at Via Christi in Wichita, KS then completed an International Family Medicine Fellowship at Via Christi then Family Medicine Obstetrics Fellowship at Cahaba Medical Care. I have special interest in international medicine.

A large part of the reason I joined the faculty at CFMR is because Alabama is home. After spending four years in Kansas, I was ready to be back in the South. And providentially, I was able to find a group to join that would allow me to pursue all of my interests in medicine. I wanted to continue practicing full-spectrum Family Medicine and Cahaba allows me to do that. In addition to seeing my own patients in clinic, I also practice adult inpatient medicine and obstetrics. I’m also supported by partners who allow me to continue to do medical mission trips. But the biggest draw to Cahaba is the heart behind the organization. We are not simply providing medical care but seeking to love and transform the communities that we serve.

Dr. Lee is from Duncanville, AL but she currently resides in Cottondale, AL. She attended The University of Alabama where she obtained a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and later attended The University of Alabama School of Medicine. After graduating, Dr. Lee completed her residency and an OB Fellowship at Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency Program. One thing she enjoys is being able to do full spectrum OB care, including c-sections. 

During medical school, she enjoyed a little bit of everything, so family medicine was the perfect specialty for her.  During her rural rotations as a medical student, she fell in love with obstetrics as well, which guided her towards an OB fellowship after residency.  Dr. Lee's favorite part about being an FPOB is the ability to follow patients pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, after delivery, and take care of her baby and watch him/her grow up.  

Dr. Lee and her husband recently got married in 2019. Her husband works as an ICU nurse. 

Some of her professional interests include obstetrics and family planning. When she isn't working, a few of her hobbies are crafting (including crocheting and needlepoint), music (she is on the praise and worship team at her church), and being very involved with her church family at East McFarland Baptist Church. 

I am from Montezuma GA. I completed FM Residency at UAB. Subsequently I completed a fellowship in Low Risk Obstetrics at UAB. I also completed 2 years off General Surgery Residency- at Western Reserve Care System in Youngstown, OH. I attended medical School at Mercer Univ. School of Medicine in Macon, GA.

My special professional interests include Preventive Medicine/ Screening Services/ Women's Health/ Pediatrics / Missionary Medicine -- promoting Health and Wellness- Bio-psycho-social. I enjoy working as a FQHC Provider --- and feel very grateful to be a part of an organization that offers so much to so many.

Personally- I enjoy the wonders of a very active family with 3 sons involved in multiple sports and band.I enjoy tennis and horseback riding/ trail rides. Also- enjoy playing baseball/ football/ basketball ( and sometimes tennis) w/ the family. I really enjoy quality time w/ our 2 dogs ( our Fur Babies). I am an active member of Liberty Missionary Bapt. Church in West Blocton, AL and serve in the Youth Ministry/ Music Ministry and participate also as a Trustee Wife as well as other community endeavors.

If I had not become a doctor, I would be a writer/ photographer/ world traveller-- as I really enjoy getting off the beaten path and experiencing new cultures and having the opportunity to reflect!

I am from Birmingham, AL and attended med school at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OUHCOM). I completed my residency here at Cahaba Medical Family Medicine Residency Program. My professional interests include Women’s Health, HIV care, and OMM. Personally, I ging, dancing, painting, reading and theatre. Cahaba offers the very best of Family Medicine...the opportunity and training to be a full scope family medicine physician. Also the family atmosphere and the privilege of being able to be one's self is a God send. Furthermore and probably the most important for me...Being able to do the mission, I feel I've been called for in a supportive environment.

If I wasn’t a doctor I would probably be a Social Worker (They are angels on Earth, some of the most amazing people, helping to make what I do as a physician possible in many cases!!!) and moonlight as a background singer for someone or group.

Hi! I grew up in Circleville, OH which is south of Columbus. Went to Marshall University School of Medicine then Ventura CA for my FM residency. Next I completed an OB fellowship in NorCal/Bay area at Santa Clara Hospital.

I found myself next in Memphis TN @ Resurrection. Then Rez closed...and Cahaba Urban opened...God led us here and so who are we to argue? "I count everything as loss next to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus" Annnndd, I love it. I really love west end. My neighbors are the sweetest. So much grace and renewal happening. Jesus is really working through Cahaba. Also I'm amazed that I'm still able to practice such broad spectrum care in urban US. I mean its so cool to be able to teach and do inpatient medicine, obstetrics and newborn care, perform POCUS/treadmill stress tests/PFTs/read our own radiology films in clinic, and then also live in the community and work closely with community partners towards development, empowerment, and holistic care for our neighborhood--Man, the Lord is trustworthy and faithful! Excited to see how He will continue to be moving here as the days unfold....

PS if i wasn’t a doctor I'd prob be outside in a park, like a national one, trailblazing, drinking black coffee, singing out loud, and playing soccer with anyone who'd be up for a pickup game in nature.

FM Faculty

I grew up in Elk City, OK, attended medical school at University of Oklahoma COM and residency at Resurrection Health FMR in Memphis, TN. My professional interests include HIV care and Community Health.

God made it evident early in my medical training that I was to use my position not to further my own self, but to care for the least among us. I yearn to push that vision forward in training up the next generation of FM physicians to use their gifts and talents to be a servant to the people who need us most and fight against the injustices that exist around us. Cahaba Family Medicine is an amazing healthcare system which leverages everything to provide excellent healthcare for the uninsured/underinsured patients among us in an inner city and rural setting. We also desire to invest heavily in the communities in which we serve, hoping to see a radical transformation, and a palpable Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. Furthermore, our heart continues to break for the nations, particularly the areas with great health disparity and want to open eyes to the large needs in the forgotten areas of the World.

If I wasn’t a physician I would be a coffee shop owner where hammocks, dogs, and awesome coffee exist.

I grew up in Brentwood, TN and attended medical school at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis. In Memphis, through Christ Community, I became inspired to become a family physician so that I could care for the poor and marginalized patients of the world. I stayed in Memphis for residency, to be a part of the program that started out of Christ Community but later was known as Resurrection Health. Upon finishing residency I joined the Resurrection Health faculty.

I chose to be faculty at CFMR because it’s a group of full spectrum family docs who are motivated by faith to serve the most vulnerable patients of Alabama and the world. Not only does the Cahaba family serve them, but they serve them with excellent, quality medical care. Also, global health and missions are important to me and this is a place that values these greatly. Finally, I love being a part of training up family docs and sending them out to the areas of greatest need.

As far as interests go, I really enjoy musculoskeletal medicine, using the ultrasound, and hospital medicine. On a more personal level, I enjoy the outdoors, especially being in the mountains. My favorite mountain activity is whitewater kayaking. I have an amazing wife, Sarah and 2 wild and fun boys, Luke and Daniel.

If I wasn’t a doctor.....well, I’d probably be a travel/food blogger and go kayaking a lot ;-)

Dr. Waits is a general surgery specialist in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He graduated with honors from University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1974. With more than 43 years of diverse experience, especially in general surgery, Dr. Waits affiliates with many hospitals including DCH Regional Medical Center and Bibb Medical Center. He also coordinates with other doctors and specialists in many medical groups including Cahaba Medical Care and Surgical Specialists of Alabama.

I am a native of rural Marengo County, Alabama and a graduate of CFMR’s inaugural class. I received my Bachelor of Science in biology from Tuskegee University. I later attended medical school at the University of Pikeville - Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine. During residency, my peers voted me to serve on the Graduate Medical Education Committee. I also received the Humanism in Medicine Award. Furthermore, I was afforded the opportunity to complete three international mission trips to Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Grand Goave, Haiti; and Nalerigu, Ghana. I have always aspired to work as a physician in a rural area. Hence, training at CFMR was the perfect choice. After graduation I continued with the Cahaba family as an attending physician at the Maplesville clinic. I am married with children, and in my spare time I enjoy relaxing in the country with my family, shopping, and traveling.

I grew up on a farm in rural Minnesota and earned my bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota; however, Alabama has been my home since 2005. I received my medical degree from William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. While in medical school, I rotated at Cahaba Medical Care as a student and instantly felt at home. God called me to practice medicine and then I felt led to Cahaba for my residency training where I was able to serve Him as well as the underserved. Cahaba has given me the training to practice full scope family medicine and I am excited to start my year of OB fellowship training at Cahaba Medical Care. When not working, I enjoy spending time running, being outdoors, watching my children's sporting activities and spending time with my family.

Dr. Whiten is from the town of Trussville, AL one of the suburbs surrounding Birmingham.  She went to undergraduate school at Huntington College in Montgomery, AL.  There she was a member of the Huntington Hawks Volleyball Team all 4 years while majoring in Biochemistry.  She completed her BA from Huntington College in 2011.  She attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Georgia Campus and graduated in May of 2017.  During one of her required rotations at CMC she fell in love with the idea of practicing full scope rural family medicine (and of course the people at Cahaba).  Her hobbies include playing volleyball, biking, hosting/attending game nights, watching movies and Alabama Football (Roll Tide), listening to music, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

I grew up in Apex, North Carolina and joined Cahaba Medical care in 2019. I graduated from Gardner Webb University with a major in biology, attended medical school at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Virginia, and completed family medicine residency training at Via Christi Family Medicine Residency in Wichita, Kansas. I also completed an OB fellowship in 2020.

My professional interests include obstetrics, endoscopy, osteopathic medicine, and global health.

Outside of medicine, I enjoy spending time with my husband Lucas, daughter Eliana, and dog Willow. I also enjoy spending time outdoors and with friends, traveling, and exercising.