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In February, shortly after the completion of our “Passport to Good Health” program, the medical society partnered with Terrance Afer-Anderson of Terra Vizion Entertainment Network to acquire a grant for promotion, revising, and viewing of “The Black Walnut”, a docudrama concerning prostate cancer awareness. There will also be prostate cancer screenings. This grant of 5,000 is provided by the VCU Massey Cancer Center in Richmond.

Pictured here are members of the Greater Norfolk Medical Society of South Hampton Roads, representatives from The VCU Massey Cancer Center and Terrance Afer-Anderson.

To start off the new year, the Medical Society decided to host another “Minority Health Career Fair”. The previous health fair was held at East End Baptist Church in Suffolk during the “Passport to Good Health” program.

This latest one was quite successful and was held in Hampton, Virginia, at the YH Thomas Community Center. There was a good turn out, as can be seen in the following pictures. Doctors that participated include Dr. Julia Stevenson, a plastic surgeon; Dr. Mark Innis, an Emergency Room physician; Dr. Stafford Brown, a Radiologist and Dr. Rosalind Brown. Other related health professions were represented as well.

The medical society has had quite a successful year. We are closing out our “Passport to Good Health” program made possible by a grant from Sentara. We have had consistent activities involving medical and premedical students. We are also able to give scholarships to deserving medical students attending Howard University Medical School and Eastern Virginia Medical School. In order to celebrate and acknowledge these accomplishments, our president, Dr. Stafford Brown, decided to have a happy hour for practicing physicians and residents at the Town Point Club in Downtown Norfolk. This event was held on Thursday, December 1, 2022. According to Dr. Brown, “there was a good mixture of retired physicians, practicing physicians and residents.”

On Saturday, November 19, 2022, members of Greater Norfolk Medical Society of South Hampton Roads met with EVMS medical students for a “speed networking” event. Some pre-medical students from Hampton University and Norfolk State University were also in attendance. The concept of the event was similar to that of a “speed dating event”, however, mentoring and networking were the activities. The medical society members have held similar events in the past but this is the first one since the pandemic has changed all of our lives.

For many, the month of May represents graduation time, a time of celebration for a “job well done” and one step closer to one’s cherished goals. The same was true for the minority graduates of the Eastern Virginia Medical School. These graduates were recognized by our medical society with a grand “Send Off
held at the dermatologic office of Dr. Brian Johnson. Our hosts were Dr. Donna Lapeyrolerie and Dr. Brian Johnson. The cosponsors were the department of Diversity and Inclusion at EVMS and the Greater Norfolk Medical Society of South Hampton Roads. What an event by such generous hosts! Below are pictures from the celebration. Speakers included Mr. Mekbib Gemeda, VP of the department of Diversity and Inclusion; Dr. Imhotep Carter, VP of the medical society; Stafford Brown MD candidate 2023 and Dr. Katrina Carter, past treasurer of the medical society. As in previous years, there was ample time for conversing, mingling and partaking of the delicious buffet.

The graduates:

As Covid-19 restrictions lightened, eventually we were able to have activities in person. We held our annual reception for the minority graduating seniors of the EVMS class of 2021 on May 7 at Town Point Club. There was a great turn out and excitement all around.

With the development of efficacious Covid-19 vaccines, vaccination clinics were set up throughout the country. Below you can see some of our members participating in a vaccination clinic held at Second Calvary Baptist Church on March 14, 2021.

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Despite the continued restrictions on in-person activities, the medical society was able to carry on our agenda for the winter-spring session. We continued to hold zoom business meetings.

On January 28, 2021, some members were able to have an interesting evening with Tiffanie Barrier via zoom. She gave an excellent and informative presentation titled “African American History in Alchemy, Tonic, and Medicine” where she discussed the medical creations and cultural influence of healers such as Graman Quassi and Israel Davis. The was an interactive activity as well.

Despite the restraints imposed on the world by the COVID 19 pandemic, the Greater Norfolk Medical Society of South Hampton Roads was able to creatively celebrate with the medical student during the holidays. In previous years, the members of the medical society and minority medical students from EVMS and premedical students from local colleges have been able to socialize in person. The venues were spacious and the food was delicious. Although there was usually some sort of program, there was also ample time for networking; not so for this year. Below you can see pictures of our holiday celebration held at Town Point Club on December 1, 2020. Approximately 40 medical students went to Town Point to pick up take out dinners for our “Dine and Dash Event”.

As in previous years the Greater Norfolk Medical Society of South Hampton Roads partnered with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at EVMS. A tasty meal packaged in a brown paper bag was available for each participating student for pickup before they went on their holiday break in December.

The medical students were greeted by our new president, Dr. Stafford Brown and EVMS Vice President Mekbib Gemeda. There was even a little time to safely socialize as the participants kept their distance and masks on.

The novel corona virus Covid-19 has certainly changed all of our lives in many ways. Social distancing and masks wearing are two obvious alterations that we are faced with on a daily basis. As May has approached, in person graduations are a thing of the past. We are forced to find creative ways to celebrate these important milestones.

Below you can see a picture of our January 23rd business meeting held in person at Norfolk Community Health Center. Our guests were Dr. Micheal Knight, Regional director for NMA’s Region II and M.D. Candidate Stafford Brown , III, President of the SNMA at EVMS. The next pictures are of the zoom meeting that we used to celebrate the graduation of the minority fourth year medical students instead of the in person reception usually held at a restaurant. The zoom meeting was held on May 13th and as you can see there were quite a few students, administration staff of the Diversity and Inclusion department of EVMS and members of the medical society in attendance. As experienced physicians the members of the medical society imparted words of wisdom to the three graduating seniors, Carrie Sartor, Veronica Wright and Jacqueline Melvin.

Call To Action! Click to participate in the fundraising we are hosting for the FoodBank.