Eight medical school students earned honors for their efforts to promote and celebrate diversity at Saint Louis University School of Medicine at the 15th annual John H. Gladney M.D. Diversity Awards program, held Friday, May 1 at SLU’s Il Monastero.
The event, presented by the Office of Multicultural Affairs in the School of Medicine, brought back as the evening’s keynote speaker the first African-American chief resident at Saint Louis University Hospital, Ronald Wyatt, M.D., MHA. Wyatt is the medical director in the division of healthcare improvement at The Joint Commission, the accreditation authority that certifies more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
Students from Vashon and Roosevelt high schools in attendance were recognized by Philip O. Alderson, M.D., dean and vice president of medical affairs of the School of Medicine. He said the university has worked with high school students over the last several years to help improve their opportunities in a diverse world.
Alderson said their efforts were “to make sure that they really have the skills they need to compete on the ACT or other entrance exams to college, so that they can get into the college they should be in and fulfill their entire potential.”
For the students, Alderson offered words of encouragement: “Keep working hard and you can do everything that you need to have a great career in order to contribute to society.”
Wyatt, a native of Selma, Alabama, earned his medical degree and an executive master of science in health administration (MSHA) from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. His completed his residency in internal medicine at SLU.
Wyatt said he grew up in the segregated South when the white doctor in town would not touch black patients and had his nurse hold the stethoscope reserved for colored people. He talked about his struggles to get admitted to medical school during a time when some universities were more blatant in their efforts to be non-inclusive, and how he succeeded despite roadblocks.
Wyatt spoke of higher expectations instilled by a Jesuit education and the importance of service to humankind. He said it takes “heart work,” courage, justice, hope and love to care for all people.
Wyatt told students if they are in medicine for the money, that is not service.
“If you don’t have the courage to serve, you should probably stand up and leave and find something else to do, because all you are going to do is hurt people in the name of medicine,” Wyatt warned.
He also reminded the audience to remain hopeful, regardless of circumstances.
“You can build a better world for my grandchildren – in fact, I’m compelling you to do so,” Wyatt said. “You have the skill, you have the talent, you have the knowledge, you have the competence to make the world better for us.”
For the new physicians who are moving into a very complicated health care system, Wyatt said, “Residents and medical students, guess what? You didn’t break it. We broke it. The problem is, you own it, so I am asking you to take ownership of it.”
Following Wyatt’s remarks, Michael T. Railey, M.D., associate dean, Office of Multicultural Affairs at SLU School of Medicine, presented Gladney diversity awards. The award is presented each year to a senior-year medical school student who has done the most to promote and celebrate diversity in the medical school. Jennifer Ray received the 2014 overall Gladney Diversity Award for her commitment to primary care and service to underserved populations.
“It’s been a great four years,” Ray said as she thanked the school, family and supporters. Ray is going to Loyola for to work in internal medicine.
Taron Davis received the Gladney Diversity Leadership Award for his work with the Health Resource Center and as a Better Family Life community action representative. Davis is going into pediatric physical rehabilitation at the University of Colorado.
Kanika Turner received the Gladney Diversity Champion Award as co-president of SLU’s Student National Medical Association and for community service.
“Kanika Turner is going to stay here with us at Saint Louis U. in family medicine,” Railey announced.
Special recognition awards went to Collin Chen, Francis Dailey, Andrea Ma, Christina Molumby and John Vu.
The Gladney Awards are named in honor of the late John H. Gladney, M.D. An otolaryngologist, he was the first black physician to chair a basic science or clinical department at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
