In May, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine held a historic commencement recognition for the medical student graduates of the Class of 2020. The ceremony was full of milestones. It was the school’s first virtual graduation due to COVID-19 safety protocols, coming in the school’s 50 th anniversary year, in which SIU bestowed its 3,000th medical degree upon a new physician. The global pandemic reminds us of the essential need for knowledgeable, well-trained physicians, who learn for a lifetime and readily adapt to change. A glimpse at our history shows how our graduates have

On April 6, 2020, my message to SIU Medicine employees focused on racial inequities in the delivery of health care, racial disparities in health care outcomes, and the overt and implicit systemic racism that lies at the root of these inequities and disparities for African Americans. On that day, using concepts articulated by Anthony Fauci, I wrote: “[The COVID-19 pandemic] has shined a light brightly and directly on America’s greatest shame – the inequities that African Americans have suffered and endured for centuries... Inequities have always existed for African Americans. Over four

On April 6, 2020, my message to SIU Medicine employees focused on racial inequities in the delivery of health care, racial disparities in health care outcomes, and the overt and implicit systemic racism that lies at the root of these inequities and disparities for African Americans. On that day, using concepts articulated by Anthony Fauci, I wrote: “[The COVID-19 pandemic] has shined a light brightly and directly on America’s greatest shame – the inequities that African Americans have suffered and endured for centuries... Inequities have always existed for African Americans. Over four

SUMMARY OF 2019-2020 PROMOTION AND TENURE RECOMMENDATIONS At its April 30, 2020, meeting, the SIU Board of Trustees approved promotion and tenure for assorted faculty members. The promotions take effect July 1, 2020.. TENURE AND/OR PROMOTION RECOMMENDATIONS Keith Gagnon, PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, with tenure Laurie Ryznyk, MPAS, Family & Community Medicine/Physician Assistant Program - Associate Professor to Professor (tenure awarded in 2008) Diana Sarko, PhD, Anatomy - Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, with tenure James

The 2020 Wound Care Symposium was held March 12, at the IEA building in Springfield, IL. Healthcare workers in Central Illinois were invited to attend and could earn CME credit for attending the symposium. The speaker lineup for this year’s symposium included Dr. Nicole Florence, MD from Memorial Medical Center Wellness and Weightless Center; Dr. Adam Berry, MD, FAAD from SIU Dermatology; Maureen Egizii, DPT, OCS, CLT from Memorial Health systems; Dr. Michael Neumeister, MD, Chair and Professor from SIU Plastic Surgery; and Dr. Tim Daugherty, MD, PGY 5 resident from SIU Plastic Surgery

Our curriculum Our curriculum is created to optimize clinical experiences to build a family physician’s skill set across 3 years. Our residents work with our own faculty and with a diverse and well-respected group of physician preceptors in our community We have, as of July 2025, started a “ modified Clinic First model ” for resident education. This is our innovative approach to improve resident continuity with their patients, improve resident confidence, efficiency, and comfort in the continuity clinic setting, and to maximize educational experiences on rotations with minimal interruptions

Contact Information for Residency Program SIU Alton Family Medicine Residency Program #4 Memorial Drive Suite 115 Alton, IL 62002 Emil: altonfamilymedicineinfo@siumed.edu

SIU Medicine chair of pediatrics Doug Carlson, MD, was recently named to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Task Force on Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to help investigate the prevalence of this new syndrome in patients under age 21 in Illinois. Currently, IDPH is reporting cases of MIS-C in Chicago only, and Dr. Carlson says this syndrome is rare. “Right now, we only have a few cases in the state, but we want parents to watch for symptoms of prolonged fever, lethargy, or belly pain, and to call your

The SIU School of Medicine Alliance of Women in Medicine and Science (AWIMS) group has been named a recipient of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s 2020 Inspiring Affinity Group Award ! INSIGHT Into Diversity is the oldest and largest diversity and inclusion publication and job board in higher education today. It is the premiere resource for D and I news and information, the creators of the annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, and the creators of Viewfinder Campus Climate Surveys. INSIGHT is also the only remaining print magazine today focused exclusively on diversity

The SIU School of Medicine Alliance of Women in Medicine and Science (AWIMS) group has been named a recipient of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s 2020 Inspiring Affinity Group Award ! INSIGHT Into Diversity is the oldest and largest diversity and inclusion publication and job board in higher education today. It is the premiere resource for D and I news and information, the creators of the annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, and the creators of Viewfinder Campus Climate Surveys. INSIGHT is also the only remaining print magazine today focused exclusively on diversity