Thursday, June 16, 2011

USA Medical Alumni Association Hosts Annual Alumni Weekend

Members of the Class of 1976 reminiscing with their yearbook.


Dr. Samuel J. Strada (right), dean of the USA College of Medicine, received the 2011 Distinguished Service Award at the alumni event. He is shown above with his family.
Recently, the University of South Alabama Medical Alumni Association held its 30th annual alumni weekend event at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Ala.

Members were treated to lectures on current medical topics throughout the weekend. Speakers from USA included Dr. Sidney Brevard, associate professor of surgery; Dr. William Broughton, professor of internal medicine; Dr. Clara Massey, professor of internal medicine; and Dr. Terry Rivers, assistant professor of emergency medicine. Some topics discussed were military medicine in response to terrorism, central sleep apnea, and cardiovascular disease.

"The event provided a wealth of continuing medical education opportunities," said Dr. Amy Morris (’93), current president of the USA Medical Alumni Association. "Timely lectures were presented by both faculty and alumni. The reunion also served as an opportunity to catch up with classmates and other alumni from medical school."

"This year we had 93 alumni that attended the reunion," said Melodie Robinson, assistant director of alumni affairs for the USA College of Medicine. "It was a great joy to see the camaraderie between former classmates and witness the re-establishing of relationships with one another. Some alumni reunite at the reunion and others interact throughout the year like the 1981 class."

Dr. Morris said the active members of the alumni association contribute to scholarships and specific projects that enhance medical education for students.

"Members of the association support students through scholarship and by enriching educational opportunities at the medical school by mentoring our current students," Robinson said. "The alumni project for this summer is to refurbish the student study and lounge in the Medical Sciences Building on campus."