Message from the RSOM Alumni President – Fall 2019

Hello Fellow Alumni,
This past August we welcomed our 2019 incoming class of 136 medical students at our White Coat Ceremony.  Through your generosity, we were able to present a Littmann IV Cardiology stethoscope to each of these incoming students.  Needless to say, they were very surprised, grateful and humbled by the support that they received from our Alumni! During the White Coat Ceremony, we heard from one of our outstanding medical students, Jheison Giraldo who spoke to the newest students about the joys and adversity he experienced to become a medical student. Please take a moment to read his touching remarks in this edition of Medicine Today.
In addition, our Board was pleased to recognize Dr. Alicia Stovell-Washington, Class of 1988 as the recipient of the 2019 Renaissance School of Medicine Distinguished Alumnus Award. A dynamic speaker and entrepreneur, she has built several innovative businesses from surgery centers to web health coaching to medical app development and also serves as a principal in a global initiative to improve worldwide health care. We also recognized Dr. Eloise Chapman-Davis Class of 2004 as the recipient of the 2019 Renaissance School of Medicine Outstanding Recent Graduate Award. Dr. Chapman serves as the Associate Fellowship Director for Weill Cornell/Columbia New York Presbyterian Gyn/Onc Program. Her research is both clinical and translational with an emphasis on healthcare disparities.
Within these past few months, we held numerous successful reunions thus far including classes of ’09, ’94, ’84, ’79, ’99 with class of ’04 on the horizon. If you are interested in hosting or helping with an alumni reunion for your class or in your region, please let me know or email Mary Hoffmann at mary.hoffmann@stonybrook.edu. We will be having a get-together in Boca Raton, Florida on February 29, 2020. You will be receiving further information shortly.
Our School of Medicine continues to be recognized both regionally, nationally and internationally. Thanks to your generous donations, our Board was able to help send some of our medical students to Peru, and Uganda to embark on medical missions.
Please sign up for Careers in Medicine on October 29 during which alumni return to Stony Brook to share their career paths with students and reconnect with their classmates
Again, I wish to thank each and every one of you for generously donating your time, talent and treasure to our students, and the school.  I hope we will all make a commitment to support our alma mater this year. It’s important for each of us who have graduated to work together to make the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook stronger every year!
Please continue to read all the additional inspiring articles of Stony Brook Medicine’s achievements that effect our patients, our students and our community.
Warm Regards,
Lisa Vignogna-Barlas, MD ’96
Renaissance School of Medicine Alumni Board President