SIU Med School Students, Residents Elected to AOA Medical Society

Fifteen new members have been inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society by the Eta Chapter at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield. All fifteen were inducted at AOA's spring banquet this month in Springfield.

The seven senior inductees from the graduating Class of 2004 are Jamie Lynn Fulfer, daughter of Donald and Paula Anderson of Mahomet; Paul Christopher Mann, son of Thomas and Janet Mann of Fairbury; Diana L. Mitchell, daughter of Daniel Mitchell and Jeanne Harris-Mitchell, both of Peoria; Christy Anne Shanks Oliphant, daughter of Bruce and Mary Shanks of Springfield; Wade Andrew Richey, son of Charles and Joy Richey of Galatia; Ann Katherine Hearring Stealey, daughter of Sam and Pat Hearring of Olney; and Jillian J. Tyler, daughter of Richard and Marcia Tyler of Monroe Center.

Newly elected members from the Class of 2005 are Dary Costa, son of Jonathan Costa of Palmyra, Penn. and Jeanette Costa of Tempe, Ariz.; Kevin McKian, son of Patrick and Annette McKian of Chicago; and Morgan Wilson, son of Dr. Charles and Dr. Margaret Wilson of Jacksonville.

Dr. Shyam Bhat, an internal medicine and psychiatry resident, originally from India, was selected from SIU residency programs.

Dr. Robert McLafferty, associate professor of surgery, and Dr. Jacquelyn Quin, assistant professor of surgery, were elected as honorary faculty members. Dr. Donna Sweetland, community physician in Springfield and Class of 1991, was elected as a volunteer clinical faculty member; Dr. Marty Luchtefeld, community physician in Grand Rapids, Mich., and a 1982 graduate of SIU, was elected alumni member of the society.

Election to AOA is based on integrity, leadership, compassion and fairness and scholastic excellence. The only national honor medical society in the world, AOA recognizes and works to perpetuate excellence in the medical professions. Among its aims are to promote scholarship and research and recognize high attainment in medical science, practice and related fields.

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