May 27, 2009

SIU Med School Announces New Members to Honor Society

Nine 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 nine were inducted at AOA’s spring banquet in Springfield.

Newly elected student members from the Class of 2010 are Heath Laughlin, son of Lonnie and Debbie Laughlin of Litchfield; Gina Paulauskis, daughter of John and Sue Paulauskis of Glen Carbon; Ashley Starwalt, daughter of David and Lori Starwalt of Mattoon; and Joshua Turner, son of Randy and Cindy Turner of Belknap.

Resident physicians from SIU residency programs selected were Dr. Damon Cooney, a plastic surgery resident from Orchard Park, N.Y.; Dr. Christine Hwang, a general surgery resident from Fairfax Station, Va.; and Dr. Nishith Singh, an internal medicine resident from India.

Dr. Reuben Bueno, assistant professor of plastic surgery, was elected an honorary faculty member.  Dr. Rebecca Johnson, chair of the pathology department and clinical laboratories at Berkshire Health Systems in Pittsfield, Mass., and 1978 graduate of SIU, was elected an alumni member.

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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