Tulane School of Medicine to host Black Med Alumni Reunion in January

The Black Med Alumni Reunion has been a dream of mine for at least five years. When we began rebuilding the community of Black medical students here at Tulane, it caused me to reflect on the long-standing history of excellent Black physicians, as well as residents, fellows, and graduate students who received their training here at the School of Medicine.

I envisioned that the alum would be excited to “return home” to TUSOM and to meet, interact with, and mentor our current trainees and younger alumni. It is also important to me that our current trainees know the rich history of Black doctors and scientists who proudly attended TUSOM, like Sheryl Smith, MD, who graduated from Tulane School of Medicine in 1985 and completed her anesthesiology residency here in 1989.

"I can't imagine my experience at Tulane University Medical School without my Black classmates,” said Smith. “We lived together, we studied together, we grappled with difficult moments together, we celebrated our individual and collective achievements together. I remember heading to Café du Monde for beignets after late night study sessions, and weekends at Tyler's Beer Garden for live music and oysters. I remember movie nights and dance parties. These are memories I will never forget. The friendships we formed during those years have been, and continue to be, central to our lives."

Along with the opportunity for community building and expansion, I desired an opportunity for financial support for our current trainees, and the creation of the Black Med Reunion Fund will allow alums to “pay it forward” and support our most deserving and worthy beneficiaries.

Additionally, it is my desire for our entire School of Medicine community, including our administrators and faculty, together with our New Orleans community of physicians, to come together to support what I feel is a most worthy cause. Truth be told, I’m excited to host this event and celebrate the first of what I hope will be many more Black Med Alumni Reunions to come!

- Bennetta Horne, PhD, Assistant Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; and Director, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Tulane University School of Medicine.

The Black Med Alumni Reunion will be held on January 26 and 27, 2024. To register, click here. To reserve a hotel room under our group discount rate, please go HERE by December 26, 2023.