94-06-17 Minority Medical Graduates to attend Runion at U.Va.

                                            June 17, 1994

                         MEDIA ADVISORY

         MINORITY MEDICAL GRADUATES, STUDENTS TO ATTEND
       JUNE 27 - JULY 1 REUNION AT UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

     PROFESSIONAL SESSIONS, SOCIAL EVENTS OPEN FOR COVERAGE

     Medicine traditionally has been among the professions least
accessible to minorities. Overt racism is no longer a significant
factor, but inadequate academic preparation and a lack of financial
support have continued as roadblocks to medical school for many.

     Ten years ago, the U.Va. School of Medicine conducted its
first summer program to help minority students prepare for careers
in medicine: MAAP, the Medical Academic Advancement Program.

     Hundreds of students have completed annual MAAP sessions since
and gone on to attend leading medical schools at U.Va. and across
the nation. A recent survey showed that 83 have graduated from
medical school and 220 are currently enrolled. No student who
entered U.Va.'s medical school after completing MAAP has ever
failed or dropped out. Retention for those who entered other
medical schools is almost as perfect, at 99 percent.

     MAAP and expanded financial aid have helped increase minority
enrollment in U.Va.'s entering medical classes from six students a
decade ago to 23 last year, a record that may be exceeded next
fall.
     Some of the program participants had been told that they would
never succeed in medical school. One came to the Dean's Office with
a dream of a career in medicine -- and an academic record that
caused an associate dean to say "I wanted to weep." Today, that
student is a physician completing his medical residency.

     A current fourth-year student who completed MAAP recently
received the McLean Award of the National Medical Fellowship,
presented at the annual meeting of the Association of American
Medical Colleges. A 1984 participant recently joined the U.Va.
medical faculty and will direct the residency training program in
the Department of Ophthalmology. Another alumnus of the program was
president of the medical school student body last year.

     You are invited to attend and/or staff the first reunion of
minority physicians and students who've attended MAAP. They will
meet old friends and fellow students, former professors, leaders in
health care and others for professional and personal updates. A
schedule of events is enclosed. To arrange interviews, or for more
information, call Tom Doran at 924-5679 or Dr. Li Fang at 982-1867.

Charlotte A. Buttner, Program Support Technician, Health Sciences
Center News Office, McKim Hall Room 3116, #429, Charlottesville,
Virginia  22908, 804-924-5679, cab2j@virginia.edu
CompuServe 72203,1033


[Submitted by:  (cab2j@dmt03.mcc.virginia.edu)
               17 Jun 94 10:08:20 EDT]