Our alumni are among our most influential ambassadors, carrying the Heersink School of Medicine’s values into clinics, classrooms, laboratories, and communities across the globe, not to mention the many alumni who serve on our faculty. Few partnerships are as enduring and vital to our school as the one we share with our Medical Alumni Association (MAA). Through mentorship, advocacy, engagement, philanthropy, and lifelong learning, this partnership not only honors our shared history but actively shapes our future, ensuring that today’s learners and faculty benefit from the collective wisdom, leadership, and generosity of those who came before.
The MAA will celebrate its biggest annual event at the 53rd Annual Medical Alumni Weekend, March 6-7. A highlight is the Alumni Awards Luncheon, which will honor three Heersink faculty members, among other exceptional alumni. Will Rutland, M.D., chair of Psychiatry at the Montgomery Regional Medical Campus, will be recognized with the Hettie Butler Terry Community Service Award for his commitment to community mental health and service to vulnerable populations. The Young Alumni Award will be presented to Rachael Lee, M.D., a professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, for her leadership in healthcare epidemiology, patient safety, and education. Drake Lavender, M.D., director of Rural Programs at the University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences, our Tuscaloosa Regional Campus partner, will receive the Distinguished Service Award for his dedication to expanding rural medicine.
Other alumni award winners include David Thrasher, M.D., whose leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and decades of public service in Montgomery will be honored; Groesbeck Parham, M.D., who has dedicated his career to health equity and global women’s cancer prevention; and James Stallworth, M.D., a founder of Prisma Health Children's Services in South Carolina, for his lifelong commitment to pediatric care and medical education. The Alumni Awards Luncheon takes place March 7 at the Hilton Birmingham Downtown at UAB and individual tickets are available by calling the MAA Office at 205-934-4463.
Another Alumni Weekend highlight is the Reynolds-Finley Historical Lecture, which will feature geneticist, molecular biologist, and scientific visionary Eric Lander, Ph.D., a professor at MIT and Harvard Medical School and the founding director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. A principal leader of the international Human Genome Project, Lander has developed methods for discovering the molecular basis of a wide range of human diseases. The Reynolds-Finley Lecture takes place March 6 at 4 p.m. at the Marnix E. Heersink Conference Center, Room 102, and attendance is free and open to all.
Since 2015, Dine With the Docs has brought together Heersink medical students with alumni and faculty in informal, home settings. 2025 saw the largest number of dinners in a single season—27 alumni and faculty hosted 16 dinners, welcoming 112 students into their homes for meaningful conversations over a shared meal. Hosts participated in all our regional campus sites in Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, and Montgomery. Alumni and faculty who would like to learn about hosting for the 2026 season are invited to contact MAA Director of Engagement
Other MAA programs harness the expertise of alumni to enlighten and engage fellow alumni and current medical students alike. The More Than a Doctor, CME-accredited speaker series spotlights alumni who bring a range of skills and passions to their service to communities. Past speakers include Brittney Anderson, M.D., who spoke about Life as a Private Practice Manager; Abby Threet, M.D., who spoke about Life as a Physician Social Media Influencer; and Arnelya Chatman, M.D., who spoke about Life as a Rural Physician.
Finally, in addition to the significant scholarship support the MAA provides our school, the Medical Student Assistance Fund (MSAF) is an important way the MAA helps our students. The fund fills a gap during periods of crisis in our students’ lives, whether for unexpected medical expenses, travel needs for family emergencies, property damage caused by storms or other natural disasters, and other unforeseen events. To date, more than 65 students have been helped by the assistance fund. If you would like to support the MSAF, it will be one of the featured projects for UAB Giving Day in April. If you would like to give now, you can make a gift online or contact the MAA at 205-934-4463.
I am deeply grateful for the strength of this partnership and the many ways our alumni continue to invest in Heersink’s mission. Together, we are not only honoring our legacy; we are actively shaping the future of medical education, research, and patient care at Heersink.