COMMUNITY PROFILES
Alabama is dedicated to providing quality educational opportunities on every academic level, from private preschools through prestigious graduate and professional programs. Progressive public school districts are complemented by a variety of private schools—both religiously affiliated and independent—ensuring alternatives in learning approaches and environments. The public school system that serves Greater Birmingham provides some exceptional resources that include the Alabama School of Fine Arts and the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School. Complemented by a strong network of community and technical colleges, the selection of four-year colleges and universities is impressive. The Birmingham-Hoover metro area offers the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Samford University, Birmingham-Southern College, and the University of Montevallo. Greater Huntsville adds Alabama A&M University and its associated Graduate School, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Faulkner University Huntsville among others. Western Alabama adds the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.
State-of-the-art healthcare services are available in nationally acclaimed hospitals and medical centers throughout the state. Anchor hospitals for Greater Birmingham include the Baptist Medical Center, Brookwood Medical Center, Carroway Methodist Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Alabama, Medical Center East, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Trinity Medical Center, and the internationally recognized University of Alabama Medical Center. The Children’s Hospital of Alabama is the only free-standing pediatric hospital in the state, and the Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital is one of the few facilities in the world devoted to advances in ophthalmology. Residents of Greater Huntsville can look to Huntsville Hospital and Crestwood Medical Center for outstanding care, while those in the Tuscaloosa area are well-served by DCH Regional Medical Center. Throughout the state, skilled professionals in private practice are available for routine and advanced care close to home.
