S T A N F O R D M D

Volume 18 Number 2 Fall 2001


 

index

Letter from the SMAA president


The greening of the Stanford Medical Alumni Association

Dear Fellow Alums,

On behalf of the alumni association, I am pleased to welcome Philip Pizzo, MD, as our new dean. We look forward to working with him.

Dr. Pizzo’s arrival has occurred during an exciting transition for the alumni association: A new generation of alumni is leading our Board of Governors. A decade ago when I joined the board, I was the second most recent graduate participating. Now, a decade later, I am the first president to be elected from the 1980s. Furthermore, the majority of the current board has graduated more recently than myself.

It is now more than four decades since Stanford University School of Medicine itself made a profound transition – its physical relocation from San Francisco to Palo Alto. In this period many new traditions have developed. An example of these is SWEAT, the high Sierra pre-orientation program for entering medical students, which will take place at just about the time this issue of Stanford MD goes to press. Meanwhile we have maintained earlier traditions, such as the J.E. Wallace Sterling Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Today, the alumni association is looking at how we can recognize newer traditions while assuring that the older traditions continue to be honored. One anticipated change we expectwill ease our efforts: During the coming year we will implement electronic technology to keep our alumni in better touch with each other.

The coming year will also bring opportunities to meet the school’s new leader. Over the next several months, the association is co-sponsoring events around the country to introduce Dr. Pizzo to our members. We hope to see many of you come out for these programs.

Sincerely,

Joshua Prager, MD, MS
President, Stanford Medical Alumni Association